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 See the best of Northern Thailand this winter on a budget
The Thaiger key takeaways Peak season brings higher prices, but smart planning and local know-how can help you experience Northern Thailand affordably. Chiang Mai, Pai, and Chiang Rai offer plenty of free or low-cost attractions, from temples and canyons to...
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Nakri weakens to a storm as it heads into Laos
Typhoon Nakri weakened as it crossed the Vietnam coast on Saturday night/Sunday morning. It has since been downgraded to a tropical storm, and now to a storm as it weakens and moves inland toward southern Laos. Despite a lot of rain and strong winds in central Vietnam, no bad damage or injuries have been reported at this stage. The storm will…
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A restart for resumption of Thai-EU trade talks scheduled
MONTAGE: The Thaiger Free trade talks between the EU and Thailand are about to start again after years in the wilderness following the 2014 military coup, and years of protracted negotiations before stretching back to 2005. The Thai Commerce Ministry is now preparing to resume free-trade talks with the European Union. The director-general of the Department of Trade Negotiations, Auramon…
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New eyesight for the Thaiger – modern lens exchange surgery in Thailand
Tim Newton is the lead writer and editor of The Thaiger English. Healthy, happy, busy and no feeling that I’m actually 61 years old. But there I was, about to undergo eye surgery that would rid me of my annoying reading glasses and give me an equivalent of the vision I had when I was a lot younger. Luckily there…
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Bangkok governor: One krathong per family
With the annual Loy Krathong festival coming up tomorrow, Bangkok’s governor is urging residents and tourists to help reduce the number of discarded krathongs and floating lanterns, according to Thai-language Daily News. This year’s motto from the governor is “One Krathong, One Family.” Last year, the Bangkok authorities collected nearly a million discarded krathongs from local waterways. The vast majority…
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From January 1, 46 shopping centres and convenience chains stop giving out single-use plastic bags
It’s slowly happening, but the out-cry over single-use plastics is gathering pace and some of the ‘big names’ are now changing their policies. Yesterday’s announcements are certainly a step in the right direction. From January 1, 2020, major shopping malls and convenience chain stores will discontinue providing single-use plastic bags to customers. The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment…
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Thailand’s ‘economic condition index’ expected to decline in Q3
PHOTO: Culture Trip Thailand’s household economic condition index is likely to drop further due to the ongoing global economic slowdown. Another drop would make it the third this year, measured in quarters. The slowdown is impacting the domestic economy and employment, according to the Kasikorn Thai research centre. Thai PBS reports that the latest ECI report indicates that a survey…
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Thai deputy PM puts security agencies on alert for Loy Krathong
PHOTO: english-room.com The Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan is instructing administrative state agencies, including police and Army, to work closely and provide security to people during Loy Krathong celebrations tomorrow, November 11, according to Defence Ministry spokesperson Lt-General Kongcheep Tantravanich. Prawit is telling them to be well prepared to handle all possible exigencies due to accidents in water or criminal acts…
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SE Asian banks slowly giving way to e-payments and payment apps
PHOTO: starbucks.com That cold, hard cash in your pocket, and the traditional shop-front banks that give it to you, are slowly being phased out and replaced with e-payments. It’s now expected that traditional banks in South east Asia will miss out on as much as US$5 billion, or 14.3% of their payments revenue by 2025. A report says they are…
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Chinese and Indian nationals arrested for fake visas, entry stamps
PHOTO: Immigration.go.th Two Chinese nationals and an Indian couple have been detained by Thai Immigration police in two separate arrests at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai Residents reports that the Chinese nationals were attempting to check in for a Cathay Pacific flight from Bangkok to Canada using fake Canadian visas. When airline staff got suspicious over the visas’ appearance and contacted Immigration…
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Government’s economic stimulus package generates over 10 billion baht so far
PHOTO: Fodors Travel Guide The Thai government’s campaign to stimulate domestic tourism – the Chim Shop Chai campaign – has generated over 10 billion baht so far. The Nation reports that transactions carried out through the g-Wallet app have generated 225 million baht in the Yala province alone. The southern province now ranks 10th highest for spending during the campaign.…
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Thai baht dips after rate cut
The baht continued losses yesterday after the Thai central bank cut interest rates. Other Asian currencies dipped as markets assess the latest details of the US-China tariff talks. The Bank of Thailand cut rates for the second time this year, with the benchmark one day repurchase rate now at a record low, as the bank tries to manage inflation and…
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Ease on foreign investments and cut on official interest rate
The Bank of Thailand will now allow Thai residents to send money overseas to invest directly and the domestic trading in gold in foreign currencies. The Central bank governor Veerathai Santiprabhob says the move should help slow the baht’s worryingly rapid appreciation. The new measures will come into effect tomorrow. Exporters will be allowed to invest their earnings abroad, up to…
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Thailand drops to #74 out of 100 countries rated for English language skills
PHOTO: Study International For the third year in a row, Thailand’s ranking on the English Proficiency Index has dropped and the country now ranks 74th out of a total of 100 countries. Thai PBS World reports that the index was prepared by Education First (EF), a Swiss organisation specialising in language training and educational travel. The company reports that in…
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Thai road death toll tops 12,000 in 2019
PHOTO: Motorcyclist skittled by pick-up and killed in Ranong this week – Daily News Thai media report 12,304 people have been registered as dying at accident scenes in Thailand so far this year. Academics caution that this figure only relates to those who die at the scene, and the actual death toll is far higher when when all all data…
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UPDATE: American fugitive dead after shooting himself before arrest
PHOTO MONTAGE: Thai Visa Correction: Earlier report said that the American fugitive shot himself, then his wife. The Thai partner is in police custody but was not shot. The American fugitive, who shot himself just moments before being arrested by police in Sa Kaeo Province, is dead. American Bart Allen Helmus had been on the run since Monday after escaping…
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Airbnb shares research and best practices for Thailand’s short-term rental industry
Yesterday The Thaiger published a story about Airbnb, supplied through The Nation, that contained a number of inaccuracies. We now publish the entire original media release from Airbnb… Airbnb has today released its proposed regulatory principles for short-term accommodation which would support the Thai Government’s objectives of making Thailand the premier tourist destination in Asia and one of the top…
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Strong Thai baht helps Central Group invest overseas
PHOTO: CEO of Central Group, Tos Chirathivat, taking advantage of the strong Thai baht – The Nation Whilst the strong baht is a concern for exporters and foreign tourists visiting Thailand, many Thai businesses are reaping the currency advantage and investing overseas with their strong baht. Tos Chirathivat, CEO of Central Group, has confirmed that the family-owned conglomerate is investing…
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Foreign investment applications rise 69% in first nine months
PHOTO: Bloomberg Thailand continues attracting foreign direct investment, with applications rising 69% in the first nine months of 2019, according the Board of Investment (BOI). Applications in the electronics and electrical sector, and the digital and automotive sectors, represented 131.78 billion baht, or 65% of the total. The value of applications, up to September this year, was 203.37 billion baht,…
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Former hotel employee uses stolen data for online shopping binge
PHOTO: INN News Police have arrested a man for using stolen credit card information for an online shopping spree, with a final bill of over 500,000 baht. 35 year old Jirat Siriwattanakul used to work at hotels in Chiang Mai and Phetchaburi Provinces before getting into online shopping, with other people’s money. Jirat is charged with impersonation and using another…
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American firms want to relocate to Thailand to counter US-China trade war
PHOTO: “You’re all welcome!” – Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha at the ASEAN Business Summit – Bangkok Post US business leaders visiting Thailand are looking for opportunities, especially relocating their production bases, as they try to sort out heir businesses in the wake of the US-China trade war. The US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and executives of 16 American companies…
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Up to 30,000 caught up in “Forex- 3D” Ponzi scheme
PHOTO: INN News The Thai justice ministry has revealed that one hundred victims were preparing to press the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) to consider the “Forex-3D” Ponzi scam case as one with ‘special status’. Read the background to the story HERE. There are thought to be up to 30,000 victims of the scheme was offering 10% interest per month to investors,…
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Chonburi manufacturers suspend operations, workers laid off
PHOTO: Nippon Steel Steel Processing Company storage yard and port facilities Thailand’s division of the Nippon Steel Steel Processing Company, in Rayong province, says they will suspend operations, temporarily, starting November 9, citing a steady drop in steel sales. Japan’s local affiliate Nippon Steel, says that, if all its employees work full-time, the company’s output of steel will far exceed…
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Thai transport minister backs down over mandatory GPS in private cars and motorbikes
Thailand’s Ministry of Transport is backing down over plans for all private cars and motorcycles to be equipped with GPS devices. He now says that the issue needs “further study on real-time connectivity” with the database of the Land Transport Department and will measure the cost of that connectivity. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob says, initially, the installation of GPS systems…
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Forex-3D Ponzi scheme dupes thousands
PHOTOS: MThai At least 1,000 people have fallen for the ‘Forex-3D’ Ponzi scheme, with losses currently estimated at 10 billion baht. Victims and their lawyers have already filed reports with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI). Dozens showed up in front of the DSI HQ with posters showing the faces of people allegedly connected to the scheme. Victims have asked…
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Anti fake news website is now live
The Anti-Fake News Centre, created by the Digital Economy and Society Ministry, opened last Friday and is now available to access online. The government says the centre will target fake news that might have an impact on the public and public assets, using examples of news about epidemics, disasters, the environment and the economy, and news that could create social…
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PM signals more stimulus packages to lift Thai economy
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says Thailand needs more measures to boost the local economy. He made the remark during the meeting of the Council of the Economic Ministers on Friday. The PM reassured the meeting that Thailand’s and other ASEAN economies were not in recession, but would have slower growth next year, so Thailand needs to come up with stimulus measures.…
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Thailand’s internet economy to hit 50 billion dollars by 2025
Google and Singaporean investment firm Temasek launched a research program into the internet economies of Southeast Asia In 2016 and continue tracking economies in the region. Their “E-Conomy SEA 2019” report shows that Southeast Asia’s internet economy reached 100 billion dollars for the first time this year, with 360 million people now linked to cyberspace – 100 million more than…
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New land tax forces land owners to evaluate their options
PHOTO: SCMP The new Land and Property Tax, which takes effect in January 2020, will be a challenge for the Thai property market, according to the managing Director of CBRE Thailand. In an open report to the media, CBRE says owners of vacant sites will pay significant taxes once the new law comes into effect. Many will try to avoid the…
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Ministry considering third round of the Chim Shop Chai stimulus packages
Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak is praising the Chim Shop Chai (Eat Shop Spend) scheme and has told the Finance Ministry to consider launching a third round before the end of the year. In a policy speech, he defended the scheme, saying it’s neither wasteful nor a populist policy, fending off accusations by critics. He insists the program has been successful in…
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Thai Immigration Chief warns law-breaking foreigners “this is just the start”
PHOTOS: Naew Na The chief of Thai Immigration, Lieutenant General Sompong Chingduang, also known as ‘Big Oud’ (because the head of Immigration has to have a nickname starting with ‘big’ apparently), is warning foreigners breaking the law in the country that the latest crackdown “is just the beginning”. ThaiVisa reports that the immigration chief made his announcement at Immigration HQ…
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