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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Thai Environment Day – December 4
December 4 every year is declared Thai Environment Day. This year, according to Thai Residents, leading department stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores will not be giving away any plastic bags on that date (there’s a list of the participating stores below). “The main goal, since the establishment of December 4 to be the national environmental day is to educate the…
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“Round up the BKK soi dogs and send them up-country” – Soi Dog Foundation responds
The scheme to control stray dogs recently announced in Bangkok is inappropriate and unlikely to be effective, according to Soi Dog Foundation (SDF). The Thapthan shelter in Uthai Thani, where it is proposed that captured dogs will be impounded, is one of the best shelters in the country, but it is already at or near capacity. The former Bangkok Governor and…
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WANTED: The forgotten fugitive, Vorayuth Yoovidhya
INN News are reporting that a public prosecutor in the foreign affairs department says that Thai police have made no progress at all in the case of fugitive cop killer Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya. Zero, nothing, nada, zilch, diddly-squat. The youngest son of Chalerm Yoovidhya, the 68 year old owner of the Red Bull drinks empire, is wanted for driving his…
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Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday
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Thaiger Radio News – Monday
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US pedophile gets 10 years for sex with underage boys in Thailand
PHOTO: Convicted US kiddie-fiddler, Paul Alan Shapiro A 71 year old Paul Shapiro has been sentenced to 10 years jail in the US after a California Court convicted him of pedophile charges in Thailand running back as far as 2012. ThaiVisa reports that US citizen Paul Alan Shapiro was also ordered to pay $20,000 in compensation to two victims in…
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Thaiger Radio News – Sunday
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Tour company owner fined 2,000 baht for threatening taxi driver with sword
PHOTO: Sanook A tour company owner has been fined a mere 2,000 baht by police in Surat Thani after threatening a taxi driver with a sword. The video (below) shows 39 year old Suphakit Sindamrern the alleged owner of Buddy Travel in the Kaset market area heading to his car to retrieve a sword from the boot. Suphakit told an official…
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Thaiger Radio News – Friday
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Plain packaging for cigarettes being introduced to discourage smoking
PHOTO: Example of the changes to cigarette packaging now being implemented in Thailand In the moves to modify polices relating to smokers in Thailand, some of the new legislation is directed towards manufacturer packaging Cigarette packets will soon be plain and much less attractive under the new regulations approved by the National Tobacco Products Control Committee. Public Health Minister Piyasakol…
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Less growth – but more engagement. Social media in Thailand.
PHOTOS: Facebook/Kla Tangsuwan Wisesight, a BKK-based social media analytics company, says social media is reaching saturation point in Thailand but that engagement is increasing. The company is forecasting that Facebook will keep on increasing, 4% in 2018, to a total of 51 million users in Thailand. Wisesight says the application of artificial intelligence will continue to root out fake accounts.…
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Changes to visas to stimulate tourist sector
The drop-off in Chinese tourists has caused the Thai Government to come up with some creative ideas to re-invigorate the tourist sector, leading into this year’s high season. The Nation reports that the Cabinet yesterday agreed, in principle, to back measures to stimulate tourism numbers. Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat said the Cabinet gave the green light for the…
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Green light for grass. But Cabinet wants a 5 year review.
by Kai Chanwanpen The Thai Cabinet met yesterday to clear a bill to legalise the medical use of marijuana. But there’s one caveat… that the legalisation must be reviewed after five years. The bill was drafted by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) following months of consolation and online polls. Following the Cabinet’s green light and recommended addition, the draft law…
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Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday
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Politicians raise doubt over February 24 election date
The Election Commission secretary-general Jarungvith Phumma is refusing to confirm that the next election will be held on February 24, fuelling speculation of a possible delay. He said February 24 was the earliest date the agency would be ready to hold the general election, citing a conclusion of an Commission meeting held many months ago in Pattaya. “The election commissioners,…
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Public hearings now on for Thais to discuss the new same-sex marriage bill
PHOTO: BK Magazine The Thai Justice Ministry has kicked off public hearings on the proposed same-sex marriage bill that is scheduled to be submitted to the cabinet this month. So far the online survey has had no direct objections. The public hearings were officially opened to at the Miracle Grand Convention Hotel today in Bangkok. The Justice Vice Minister Pongsatorn…
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Thaiger Radio News – Monday
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Thaiger Radio News – Sunday
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Visa-fee waiver for 21 countries as tourism slump sparks panic
by Kat Chanwanpen Visitors from 21 countries are getting their visa-on-arrival fee waived for 60 days, starting December 1. Amid declining numbers of visitors, notably from China, a desperate Cabinet yesterday agreed to waive the 2,000 baht visa-on-arrival fee for tourists from 21 countries for 60 days to try and revive one of the main engines of economic growth. Meanwhile,…
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Narcotics Control Committee seek advise over legalisation of medical cannabis
The rather drawn out and tortuous trek of the process to legalise medical marijuana through the Thai parliamentary system has hit a bit of a hurdle. The Narcotics Control Committee will seek further input before deciding whether to reclassify marijuana, which is now a prohibited narcotic, to enable its use for medical purposes. “We have resolved to consult the Council…
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Thai Air Asia posts losses in Q3 citing huge drop in Chinese tourists
A drop in Chinese tourism, along with higher fuel prices, is being blamed for a loss in the third quarter for Thai Air Asia. Asia Aviation Plc, the operators of the budget carrier, has reported a net loss of 358 million baht for Q3 (third quarter 2018). This compares with a profit of 260 million baht for the same low-season…
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E-cigarettes and vaping to be legalised in Thailand
Even more changes afoot for smokers in the ever-changing landscape of Thai smoking laws. Earlier this week laws were passed forbidding smoking in most public areas, including outside public buildings, restaurants and bars. That report HERE. Now Sanook reports that there are major changes are on the way regarding the use of electronic cigarettes (vaping) in Thailand. The excise department…
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Thaiger Radio News – Friday
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The 2019 election clock is revealed
The countdown is now ticking as the pieces click together for next year’s election – the first since the Thai army took control in a peaceful coup in May 2014, ousting the elected Yingluck Shinawatra government. Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngarm has presented the clearest political timeline yet that will lead to a general election on February 24, 2019, the appointment…
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7-Eleven stores to reduce the use of plastic bags
If you ever want to see Thailand’s one-use plastic problem in stark view, head on down to any convenience store and see how much plastic marches out the door with each customer. But that might be about to change… Thai PBS reports that CP All Public Company, the sole operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Thailand has announced its declaration…
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Thaiger Radio News – Thursday
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“The worst type of child abuse” – Doctors call on ban for underage boxing
PHOTOS: The Nation by Pratch Rujivanarom International paediatricians say getting children to box professionally is “the worst type of child abuse”, and is calling on Thai lawmakers to pass a law banning children under the age of 12 from the boxing ring in order to prevent them from suffering long-lasting brain injuries. The 13th World Conference on Injury Prevention and…
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Thailand’s Seniors are world’s most active Airbnb hosts and guests
Seniors (hosts and guests aged 60 and older) have been a growing and integral part of the Airbnb community for many years – they are growing fast, earning important extra income, and continue to be the most-loved of any age group. They are fast growing, are booking on Airbnb in increasing numbers, and leading a new trend of multi-generation family…
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Chumphon man admits to repeatedly raping daughter
Police in Chumphon report that a 43 year old man has confessed to repeatedly raping his daughter from the time she was attending Mathayom 1, the first grade in Thai secondary school – approximately 12-13 years old. The man’s name has been withheld to protect the identity of the rape victim, who is now a 20 year old vocational-college student,…
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Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday
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