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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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A third of expats may have to leave – Survey on new ‘retirement’ visa extension
Thailand’s farang forum, Thaivisa, has conducted two unofficial polls that indicate that many expats will be calling it quits and leaving the Kingdom. The polls are a response from the affected ThaiVisa audience, not indicative of the total expat population living in Thailand. The polls have been undertaken in the wake of new regulations issued by Thai immigration requiring retirees to lodge…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 4
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. Southern Thailand Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution…
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Weather for February 4
Bangkok Sunshine and a few clouds. High 34C. Winds S at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket Sunny skies this morning. Scattered showers and thunderstorms developing during the afternoon. High 88F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Chiang Mai Plenty of sunshine. High near 35C. Winds light and variable. Pattaya Scattered thunderstorms during the morning. Partly…
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Facebook bars overseas electoral ads for the March 23 election
The Thai government and Election Commission are imposing their own bans and restrictions for political advertising leading up to next month’s poll. Now Thailand’s favorite social media platform says it is banning ads posted from overseas for the poll as well. Facebook says it will bar foreign-based election advertisements in Thailand as the country heads towards the March 24 election.…
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Seven drug busts net 10 million meth pills, 4 kg of heroin
The more drugs police intercept, the more that pours across the borders. The Police Narcotics Suppression Bureau have reported on seven drug busts that netted 10 suspects and the confiscation of 10 million methamphetamine pills and nearly four kilograms of heroin. The NSB also seized other illicit drugs including crystal meth or “ice”, ecstasy pills and cocaine. Separate searches in…
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Event Round-Up – February 2019
You still have a few days left to enjoy the tail end of Bangkok Design Week which is running from 26 January to 3 February in select areas around Bangkok. Taking inspiration from the city’s rich history as a gathering point for creative minds from all over the world, Bangkok Design Week is held under the theme of “Fusing Forward”,…
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Immigration officials push back against the new retirement visa guidelines
Days after new rules for the processing for foreign retiree visas were published, immigration officials are reportedly pushing back against them. The report was in Khaosod English citing inside sources. According to the Immigration department, starting March 1, foreign retirees must either show a monthly income of at least 65,000 baht or hold a minimum of 800,000 baht in Thai…
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Thai Immigration clamps down on requirements for Retirement visas
A story in ThaiVisa is providing a lot of concern for people making applications for ‘Retirement’ and ‘Marriage’ visas so they can remain in the Kingdom. The announcement follows several of the embassies last year explaining that they will no longer be issuing a ‘proof of income’ for the purpose of visa applications in Thailand. “Foreigners now need to keep…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 1
Central Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number…
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Thailand poised to break through 40 million arrivals in 2019
Thailand welcomed a record 38.27 million tourists in 2018. That’s up 7.5 percent from 2017 arrival figures. The Thai tourism ministry announced the figures this morning. In December, tourist arrivals amounted to 3.85 million. The ministry is also expecting the number of tourists visiting Thailand in 2019 to increase by another 7.5 percent. For 2019, the ministry expects to break through the…
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Weather for January 31
Bangkok Partly to mostly cloudy. High 33C. Winds light and variable. Phuket Partly cloudy this morning. A few showers developing during the afternoon. High 32C. Winds E at 15 to 30 km/h. Chance of rain 30%. Chiang Mai Plenty of sunshine. High 33C. Winds light and variable. Pattaya Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. High 29C. Winds WSW…
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Air quality for Thailand – January 31
Central Thailand Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number…
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Twitter is on the rise in Thailand. This is what you were Tweeting about in 2018.
From #BTS (the band not the Skytrain), to #AIS and #KFC. Twitter have released their #YearOnTwitter data for 2018 for Thailand. 2018 was a year dominated by local and international talents: from #BTS and #GOT7 to @BamBam1A and @peckpalit, while TV dramas also made their mark with conversations centering around #บุพเพสันนิวาส (Bupaesaniwas) and #เลือดข้นคนจาง (In Family We Trust). The biggest…
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NLA poised to pass 100 laws before the next election
The NLA, the ‘upper house’ where Thai laws are debated and passed, is set to pass no fewer than 100 laws before leaving office when the new government is elected. The statement was made by the president of the National Legislative Assembly, Pornpetch Wichitcholchai. The head of the NLA has announced that the legislators will pass about 100 bills currently…
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Authorities urge curbs on burning incense sticks for Chinese New Year
The Public Health Ministry is calling on people to burn shorter incense sticks and avoid setting fire to paper offerings during this Chinese New Year in order to help prevent the air pollution situation from getting worse. Chinese people usually burn paper offerings in dedication to gods, goddesses or ancestors on special occasions such as the Chinese New Year, which…
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Air quality for Thailand – January 30
Central Thailand Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number…
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Prayut says he’s still waiting for an invitation to join a party for the election
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he won’t be reshuffling his cabinet following the resignations of four ministers who are core members of the pro-junta Palang Pracharat party. And he declared that he will seek to return to power only through election. He also openly ruled out the possibility of exploiting the provisional clauses in the Constitution to be re-appointed PM…
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Reflections #2 – Thailand Tourism Forum – ‘Chindia Tourism’
‘CHINDIAN’ Tourists – Same Same or Different? by Wimintra Raj – hotelintel.co If you’re running a hotel or any business related to the local tourism industry in Thailand, this is an article you need to read, then read again. It was just one of the many presentations at the annual Thailand Tourism Forum held in Bangkok recently. “For the third…
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Immigration officers asked to show leniency to foreigners applying for retirement & marriage visas
Thai immigration say that they’re willing to show leniency to foreigners in the prickly subject of proving income when applying for retirement and marriage visas and extensions. Immigration chief Police Lieutenant General Surachete Hakparn acknowledges that some applicants may have difficulty in providing the now required 12 months worth of bank statements. Where this is the case Surachete has instructed…
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Air quality for Thailand – January 29
Central Thailand Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number…
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Thai PM enacts his Article 44 powers to suspend cannabis patents
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has stepped in amid growing controversy over patents for medical marijuana. Critics of the process complain that the high number of patent applications from abroad shows that foreign pharmaceutical corporations were already trying to monopolise Thailand’s fledgling medical-marijuana business. The NCPO leader has used his Article 44 powers to authorise suspension of the current patent applications…
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Air quality for Thailand – January 28
Central Thailand Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number…
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Weather for January 28
Bangkok Abundant sunshine. High 32C. Winds NE at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket Partly cloudy this morning. Increasing clouds with periods of showers this afternoon. High 31C. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 km/h. Chance of rain 60%. Chiang Mai Plenty of sunshine. High 31C. Winds light and variable. Pattaya Sunny. High 31C. Winds N at 15 to 25 km/h.…
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Facebook poll reveals expats in Thailand are not optimistic about the future
A simple online poll conducted by Thaivisa on their Facebook page shows that 75% of respondents think expatriate life in Thailand will be ‘worse’ in five years than it is now. According to the poll, only 24% held out hope that life for expats would actually improve by 2024. Facebook users were asked the simple question in the online poll:…
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NCPO restrict social media and advertising in election campaign
“Following the confirmation that Thailand’s much-postponed election would finally be held on 24 March – the first election since the military seized power in a bloodless coup in 2014 – the election commission released strict guidelines on political campaigning.” The world’s media is starting to report on the shackles put on political parties campaigning for the Thai general election, scheduled…
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New e-Visa for Chinese tourists starts rolling out on February 15
The Department of Consular Affairs is to officially launch the first phase of the new Thai e-Visa in Beijing on February 15. China will be the first country in the world to have the service, which will be extended to other Chinese cities in early March. Chatri Archjananun, director general of the Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said…
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Premchai case to be handed down on March 19
The verdict in the “black leopard” poaching case against construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta and three associates is set to be handed down on March 19. Final arguments were heard today in the court in Kanchanaburi province, north-west of Bangkok. Premchai, the president of listed construction giant Italian-Thai Development, was arrested and charged with poaching in Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in…
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Round ’em up, ship ’em out – another 500 foreigners arrested in crackdown
Authorities have rounded up another 503 foreigners for overstaying their visas, entering Thailand illegally and assorted other crimes during simultaneous searches at 217 locations around the country early today. Immigration Police Bureau deputy chief Pol Maj-General Itthipol Itthisarnronnachai says the raids are part of the government’s crackdown on transnational scammers, card skimmers and drug traffickers, as well as foreigners breaking…
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Weather for January 25
Bangkok A mix of clouds and sun. High 33C. Winds E at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 32C. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 km/h. Chiang Mai Mainly sunny. High 33C. Winds N at 10 to 15 km/h. Pattaya Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 32C. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. Hua Hin Mainly…
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Air quality for Thailand – January 25
Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Central Thailand Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects Southern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected.
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