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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Online shopping attracts attention from Customs Department
We’re getting more used to online shopping. And the Thai Customs Department are getting better at tracking and taxing incoming goods. The Customs Department has stepped up its tax collection for online shopping and provided more convenient services for taxpayers, Kulit Sombatsiri, director general of the Customs Department, said on Thursday. E-shopping for overseas goods had led to tariff collection…
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Thaiger Radio News – Friday
Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.
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Time to take off the gag – PM to lift political ban
As an election firms up, somewhere between February 24 and May in 2019, the PM is under pressure to losses the strings – allowing political parties to carry out political activities, banned since the coup took place in May 2014. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is expected to invoke his executive power under Article 44 of the interim Constitution to ease political…
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Chaiyaphum police suspended over local sex-bribery scandal
Three police commanders in Chaiyaphum’s Muang district have reportedly been transferred to inactive posts, pending a probe over bribery allegations involving underage prostitution. A source at the Royal Thai Police said the Muang Chaiyaphum precinct superintendent Col Pongpat Chaengmeunwai, inspector Maj Pornchai Saengsila and Pornchai’s deputy inspector Capt Uthai Hongwiset had been summoned to the provincial headquarters. Evidence of bribery…
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Flooding in Phuket, Phetchaburi and Mae Hong Son
PHOTO: Samkong underpass, Phuket – Newshawk Bad weather has hit Phang Nga and Phuket this morning whilst the flooding waters from the Kaeng Krachan dam in Phetchaburi are now reaching the main business district. In Phuket the major arteries are being clogged by flooding waters creating havoc for this morning’s peak hour. The Marine Office has issued a warning for…
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Centipedes “if you aggravate them they will bite”
In the wake of the death of the woman on Tuesday following a centipede bite on Sunday, we’re tried to find more concrete information about centipedes. Finding specific information about these creatures is little difficult so we share some links to kick off your research. An article from the Pattaya Unlimited blog warns that there are some centipedes that have…
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New driving laws almost ready for Cabinet consideration
With this year’s new year festivities only four months away, the government is keen to get new driving laws enshrined and operational to help avoid another holiday festival where Thais, expats and tourists, wipe themselves out on the Kingdom’s roads. The Nation is reporting that a revamping of fines and jail terms for Thai motorists driving without a licence will…
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‘Travel Thailand in Style, Reduce Plastic Waste’ – TAT waste reduction program
“We will encourage consumption of reusable or sustainable items; such as, plant-based drinking straws instead of plastic straws.” The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced its new ‘Travel Thailand in Style, Reduce Plastic Waste’ initiative in collaboration with various Thai stakeholders in a bid to cut tourism-related waste by up to 50 per cent by 2020. The ambitious project…
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February. Yes, probably, maybe…
PHOTO: The Nation The Thai PM has endorsed a statement made by Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam over the weekend that February 24 is the first possible date an election can be held. He says there is no justification for a general election to take place before that date. Speaking to reporters after the mobile Cabinet meeting in Chumphorn, the prime minister repeated…
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Woman dies after being bitten by centipede
A 69 year old woman has died after being bitten by a centipede in Chanthaburi, east of Rayong near Trat. Thanet Puapae said at the funeral of his mother, Samnao Puapae, that she had died the day before of complications caused by the centipede bite. Thanet said his mother was selling kanom chin (Thai-style curried noodles) in a local temple…
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50,000 baht fine and 3 months jail for driving without a license – transport law upgrades
Thai Rath are reporting that proposals are in the pipeline for a large scale revamp of fines and jail terms for Thais without driving licenses. They claim that the top police say road behavior needs to change and that they’ve had enough. The transport ministry is recommending the changes for two out of date laws that date back to 1979. This…
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Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday
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Nearly 15 million methamphetamine tablets seized in Ayutthaya
PHOTO: Bernama WebTV Narcotics police have seized a massive amount of 14.8 million methamphetamine pills hidden in fruit boxes and then stored in a container at a warehouse in the central province of Ayutthaya yesterday (Sunday). Deputy commissioner of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, said that the huge drug haul was contained in 1,700 fruit boxes each carrying 200,000 meth pills.…
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Thailand’s household debt
Thailand’s household debt has been on the rise over the past decade, up from an average of 116,681 baht in 2007 to 178,994 baht in 2017, but should be measured with commensurate growth in wages, inflation and the country’s GDP. The figures show that Thailand’s debt for farming is around 16% of the total debt bill. 36% is spent on…
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Resorts near Kaeng Krachan dam in Petchaburi temporarily closed
PHOTOS: The Nation More than 30 resorts downstream of the Kaeng Krachan dam in Phetchaburi province, are being closed temporarily due to heavy flooding. Thai PBS reports that floodwater levels at the 30 plus resorts range from 1-3 metres making it impossible to carry on with their business. It’s also been reported that spillover water from the spillway has heavily…
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Thaiger Radio News – Sunday
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Increased fines, better training – changes to motorbike use in Thailand
In efforts to temper the world’s number one road toll, a specially-formed Thai committee are poised to recommend a series of new measures to curb, specifically, motorcycle deaths by up to 50% per year. Some of these include raising fines for not having a license by as much as 1000%, introducing more bike lanes and targeting accident black spots. Daily…
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Landslides close the Ranong-Chumpon road
If you’ve ever travelled north or south from Phuket to locations to the north, via Ranong, you’ll know about the ‘long and winding road’ from Ranong to Chumpon. A lot of effort is being put into improving the road to make the route a viable alternative route for buses, van and cars and a new tourist drive which can take…
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Students to PM “Cancel the student conduct regulations”
PHOTO: Sa-nguan Khumrungroj/Facebook The Student Union of Thailand is calling on junta leader PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha to cancel the controversial regulations controlling student conduct. Read the report about the ‘moral’ crackdown HERE. Citing a serious infringement on privacy and their rights to political expression, the union, led by activist Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, submitted a letter asking the Education Ministry…
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Tourist numbers tumble as Chinese media expose entrenched safety problems
The fallout from July’s tragic boat accident are just now starting to bite as tourists, who would have been about to make a booking around the time the accident happened, decided to book an alternate holiday destination instead. Despite the bravado and PR exercises, many Thai business people are secretly worried about the big drop-off in numbers. The drop in…
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Wet, wet, wet – warnings out for 36 provinces
As tropical storm Bebinca makes landfall in Vietnam today, 36 provinces in the North, North-east, East and South are bring warned to brace for intensive rain and isolated torrential downpours until Sunday – this from the Meteorological Department’s latest weather forecast this morning. “At 4 am this morning, tropical storm Bebinca was 400 kilometres northeast of Hanoi, Vietnam, with a …
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Thaiger Radio News – Friday
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Government goes retro with new ‘moral code’ for students
“…kissing the cheeks of a member of the opposite sex or embracing them is “inappropriate.” The Cabinet has approved the Education Ministry’s new regulations banning students from holding public gatherings, “inappropriate” displays of affection and causing public nuisance. The attempt to control students’ moral and social behaviour is a major step for the Junta, away from building roads and taming…
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Thaiger Radio News – Thursday
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The moral police want to ban students being together, anytime, anywhere.
Thailand’s ‘fun police’, under directions from the Thai government, are attempting to stop students doing… well, what students and young people do, anytime! Manager Online reports that, not just content with forbidding Thai teenagers enjoying the company of the opposite sex in public and banning wandering about at night, new measures have been proposed by the Ministry of Education (now endorsed…
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Government tackles electronic waste at local level
Electronic waste has become a major environmental problem in Thailand, such that the Government is now getting Tambon chiefs and kanmans to help educate locals and tackle the problem at the community level. At a deserted factory outside Bangkok, skyscrapers made from vast blocks of crushed printers, Xbox components and TVs tower over black rivers of smashed-up computer screens. This is a…
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Mong Tongdee’s hopes of citizenship are looking up
PHOTO: Thai PBS Nine years ago young Mong Thongdee was a smart 12 year old kid living in northern Thailand with a special skill. He was an expert at making, and flying, paper planes. His story, and his battle to go over seas to represent Thailand, made headlines when it was found that he was just one of thousands of…
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Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday
Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.
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Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday
Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.
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Renewed demands to ban paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos in Thailand
Despite years of completely conflicting evidence, on both sides, and even the World Health Organisation coming up with its wobbly ‘probably carcinogenic’ finding, glysophate (RoundUp), and two other herbicides and pesticides used in Thailand, are coming under renewed fire. Thai activists are planning to launch lawsuits against local policymakers for their failure to ban three key agri-chemicals in Thailand, following…
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