Thailand News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, and lifestyle—get breaking updates from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. Stay informed on Thai society, economy, tourism, and expat life with The Thaiger.
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Sponsored How one hospital visit in Thailand could cost more than your whole trip
Thailand is a favourite spot for travellers who want to enjoy more while spending less. From cheap street food to low-cost hotels and fun attractions, it’s easy to stretch your budget here. But there’s one thing many people don’t think...
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TUI Nordic continue their European flights into Phuket
Yesterday it was reported that Europe’s largest travel firm TUI Nordic announced it had cancelled scheduled chartered flights to Phuket from December to April next year. The Thaiger has since been contacted by TUI Nordic to say that the information, originally published by The Nation, was incorrect. European travel giant TUI, with their headquarters in Sweden, have now confirmed that…
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Pattaya residents and expats accuse bank manager of fraud, hold protest
Around 50 to 100 Thais and foreigners in Pattaya held a protest last Friday accusing the assistant manager of a local Kasikorn Bank branch of scamming them out of more than 300 million baht. A report was filed back in February accusing the assistant bank manager of defrauding people out of millions of baht, for some it was their life…
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Thai woman faces charges over fake job posts for masseuse positions in Japan
A woman in Thailand’s Isaan region is being accused of posing as a job broker by using Facebook to make fake recruitment posts for masseuse positions in Japan. According to the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division, 37 year old Pawinee Yomseedum was arrested and charged with fraud at her house after using to advertise the recruitment service on social media and…
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Evacuation drills run for students in Thailand’s border region as violence in Myanmar escalates
With clashes just across the border between the Myanmar state military and the ethnic army troops so close that bullets are landing on Thai soil, students in Mae Hong Son are being trained on how to escape if the gunfire reaches the school grounds. Soldiers and teachers ran drills over the weekend for students at the Baan Ta Fang school.…
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New Year glass half-empty for TAT due to Omicron variant
The normally optimistic Tourism Authority of Thailand is feeling slightly more downbeat amid concerns about a potential Omicron outbreak. TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn says the threat of another Covid-19 outbreak is affecting travel sentiment. According to a Bangkok Post report, he expects New Year travel to generate just 8.04 billion baht in domestic tourism revenue. “Concerns over a possible outbreak…
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Thailand’s Health Ministry outlines plan to tackle potential Omicron outbreak
Thailand is preparing for a potential outbreak of the Omicron Covid-19 variant, with plans to revive the home isolation programme. Dr Somsak Akksilp from the Public Health Ministry’s Medical Services Department says home isolation can be used for most infected people, along with community isolation facilities in Bangkok. According to a Thai PBS World report, Somsak is confident that home…
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No cutoff date for those approved to enter Thailand under Test & Go, Sandbox
There is no travel cutoff date (for now) for those approved to enter Thailand under the Test & Go or Sandbox entry schemes. Following the decision to close Thailand Pass registration for the two schemes, the government announced the last group of approved travellers would arrive on January 10. That date was never posted in the Royal Gazette, and a spokesperson…
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UPDATE: TUI Nordic to continue services into Phuket
UPDATE: Yesterday it was reported that Europe’s largest travel firm TUI Nordic announced it had cancelled scheduled chartered flights to Phuket from December to April next year. We’ve since been contacted by TUI Nordic to say that the information, originally published by The Nation, was incorrect. A Phuket representative was quoted originally, but the Senior Product Manager of TUI Nordic,…
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Discover MontAzure, Asia’s Ultimate Beachfront Community
Sponsored Article Nestled against the soft sands of Kamala Beach, on Phuket’s pristine west coast, MontAzure is the ultimate destination for those seeking a privileged lifestyle or an attractive investment opportunity. Exuding elegance and exclusivity, with international amenities and a timeless sense of style, this breathtaking residential development has elevated the standard of tropical living in Southeast Asia. Spanning 72…
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Some Tak locals say the deaths of 10 men are related to a ghost looking for a husband
Locals reportedly believe that the deaths of 10 men in a community in the western province Tak, bordering Myanmar, were related… to a ghost of a widow. Some local men have even moved away for the time being until the “ghost” problem is solved. At one house, locals hung up a red shirt with a sign that read in Thai…
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Camps set up in Tak for more than 5,000 refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar
The governor of the Tak province, bordering Myanmar, set four temporary camps supporting victims who escaped the escalating violence between the Myanmar military and the armed wing of the Karen National Union. The camps are all located in Maesot Districts of Tak spreading to four sub-districts including Mae Tao, Mae Ku, Mahawan, and Phop Phra. Around 5,358 refugees who fled…
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Local mosque leader shot and killed in Pattani
Police are investigating the murder of a local mosque’s leader who was shot and killed while driving his motorcycle in Sai Buri in Southern Thailand’s Pattani province on Sunday night. The religious leader was shot twice, in the head and in the abdomen. The gunman is still at large. Police say a gunman shot Abdulloh Walor, a member of the mosque’s…
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Body of a foreign man found in Bangkok canal
A body of a foreign man, said to be around 50 years old, was found in canal in Bangkok’s Phra Khanong area yesterday. Earlier that day, at around 7am, a maid working nearby saw a man by the canal and said it looked like he was trying to catch fish using a black plastic bag. Her nephew later called her…
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Thai medic says most Omicron cases mild or asymptomatic, expects jump in numbers
The head of the Department of Respiratory Disease and Tuberculosis at Siriraj Hospital says most of Thailand’s Omicron infections are mild or asymptomatic. However, Dr Nithipat Jearakul has warned of a surge in case numbers, according to a Nation Thailand report. To date, around 200 Omicron infections have been confirmed in the kingdom, but Nithipat says we will soon see…
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Best places in Phuket to countdown for New Year 2022
Say goodbye to 2021 and say hi to 2022! Let your countdown begin at one of the most beautiful venues on the island! The following hotels in Phuket are offering exclusive New Year packages for you to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year. So, we have compiled a list of the best 5 venues in Phuket to celebrate…
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Experts say Thailand still not prepared for another tsunami, public unaware of danger
17 years after the Boxing Day tsunami devastated Thailand’s south-west coast, the country remains unprepared for a repeat performance. That is the view of a number of public disaster experts, who warn that the general public is unaware of the risks posed by another tsunami. According to a Thai PBS World report, experts also say Thailand still doesn’t have an…
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Department of Corrections denies Reuters forced labour story
The Department of Corrections is striking back after a story by Reuters last week painted a brutal portrait of forced labour, violence, and coercion in Thailand’s prison system. The department denied things like threatening and physically assaulting inmates existed and that prisoners aren’t forced to work as mentioned in the Reuters article. The article painted a picture of inmates in…
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Ministry of Tourism survey shows tourists enjoy Thailand in 2021
Many expats might get complacent with all that Thailand has to offer, and be cynical about whether it’s worth the risk and complexity of coming to Thailand during the Covid-19 pandemic. But a survey conducted by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports revealed that foreign tourists have an overall positive view of travelling in Thailand. In fact, the average ratings…
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OIC gives give New Year’s gift: 100,000 baht insurance for 10 baht
Usually, it’s a disappointment to get a holiday gift that you never intend to use, but the government is offering a special gift you’ll hope to never have to use: insurance. The special one-month policy is being offered by the government as a New Year’s gift for an extremely discounted special price of 10 baht. The gift policy is being…
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POLL: No good leader for PM, most support no political party
37% of people support no political party and believe there is no suitable leader for the role of prime minister, according to a new poll by the National Institute of Development Administration. The NIDA poll showed that current PM Prayut Chan-o-cha led the pack of potential candidates, but only 16% of people supported him as their choice for the next…
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Risk of Covid-19 infection on flights increased due to Omicron
As tourism has been gaining traction until the Omicron variant threw a wrench into the works, the CCSA has warned that the chances of catching Covid-19 on flights have increased because of the more transmissible new variant. The warning has been repeated out to Thai people after a statement made by the International Air Transport Association, the global influential organization…
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Thailand celebrates its 100 millionth vaccine, focuses on boosters
Health officials in Thailand celebrated the announcement that they have now administered its 100 millionth Covid-19 vaccine in the country. With the rise of the Omicron variant, more people are choosing to get the protection of a vaccine, and officials are working to rapidly increase the number of third dose booster shots administered within Thailand as many brands have now…
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Credit card payment coming next year for Bangkok transport
One thing that expats often find different from home when they move to Thailand is how cash-based so much of the country is when so many Western countries use credit cards and digital payments almost exclusively. But soon people won’t get caught fumbling for change to catch a bus or train, as the Ministry of Transport announced that credit and…
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New Year’s events are not banned, Phetchabun to host 2
Authorities have cancelled state-sponsored New Year’s Eve parties – though the Tourism Authority of Thailand vowed to forge ahead with theirs – but a government spokesperson assures that the private sector is still allowed to host New Year’s countdown celebrations as long as Covid-19 safety regulations are strictly followed. Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang cancelled only 2 events that were state-sponsored…
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NCDC recommends Pfizer for kids 5-11, 4th vaccine for some
Giving the Pfizer vaccine has been recommended by the National Communicable Disease Committee for children aged 5 to 11 to protect against Covid-19 infections. In the face of the spreading Omicron variant, the NCDC also recommended a fourth booster vaccine for frontline workers, healthcare professionals, and people with certain medical needs. The Pfizer vaccine has been shown to be effective…
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COVID-19 SATURDAY UPDATE: 30 deaths, 2,766 infections
Today, the CCSA reported 2,766 new Covid-19 infections, up 95 since yesterday, and 30 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 3 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,178,565 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 3,805 recoveries, up 1,039 from…
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Thai vaccination now accepted in the EU Digital Covid Certificate
In a move that will help expats and travellers who have weathered the Covid-19 pandemic in Thailand, the European Union is now accepting Covid-19 vaccination certificates and passports issued in Thailand as part of the EU Digital Covid Certificate. The announcement was made on a Twitter account belonging to the deputy chief of mission for the EU delegation to Thailand.…
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The Thaiger Christmas Special feat. Adrian and Roykhien
In this time of festivities and celebrations. We invited our friends Adrian and Roykhien to come play some Christmas tunes for our viewers. From all of us here at The Thaiger, we wish you all good health and a very merry Christmas.
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The best reasons to celebrate Christmas in The Land of Smiles
Whether you live here, or you’re a tourist who fancies spending Christmas away from home for once, there are countless reasons to celebrate the holiday season in Thailand. Now that the country has re-opened to vaccinated foreign tourists, we round up the best reasons to visit the Land of Smiles at Christmas time. The Weather For many, this will be…
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A Thailand Christmas tradition: Santa Elephants in Covid-19 masks
“Hey Thaiger – is it possible to encompass just how different Christmas is in Thailand and in the Covid-19 era in just one lead sentence?” Why, yes it is: In Ayutthaya today, a school celebrated Christmas with elephants adorned in festive Santa hats as well as giant surgical masks, passing out gifts of face masks, hand gel, and balloons. The…
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