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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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Friday Covid Update: 7,705 new cases; provincial totals
62 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 28,976 with 7,278 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 7,705 new Covid-19 cases and 11,252 recoveries. There are now 97,672 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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Beauty brand wants to end forced haircuts in Thailand’s schools
The Thai office of one American beauty brand wants to push Thai schools to ditch their mandatory haircuts for students. This news comes after the brand, Dove, has started working with Girl Guides, Thailand’s version of Girl Scouts, to empower women to reach their fullest potential. This week, Dove launched a campaign called #LetHerGrow, and released an ad about the…
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Man speaking on the phone in northeast Thailand accidentally hit by train
A Burmese man has been run over by a train outside a construction site camp in Udon Thani province, northeast Thailand, at around 9:30pm yesterday. The man’s colleagues said he was using the train tracks to support his head while he lay down and spoke on the phone when the incident happened. In the grass, the body of 28 year…
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Several officials in Thailand wanted over child trafficking involvement in south
After several raids this week, police are investigating several officials over a sex trafficking case in the southern Thai province of Surat Thani. The director-general of Thailand’s Department of Children and Youth has been charged for hampering an investigation into a trafficking ring. Several other officials found to be involved in the ring include the chairman of a local savings…
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In a ranking of the world’s top tourism destinations, Thailand slips in at number 4
It may have its critics, particularly in light of recent ham-fisted and bureaucratic attempts to revive tourism, but Thailand remains one of the most popular destinations in the world. At least, that’s what a study by financial services provider Visa has found. Nation Thailand reports that Thailand sits at number 4 among the world’s top tourism destinations, according to the…
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Taxi driver transporting man high on drugs uses TikTok emergency signal to alert police
A quick-witted taxi driver transporting a man who appeared high on drugs while brandishing a gun used an emergency signal he’d seen on TikTok to alert police. The drama began when Bangkok cabbie Tanongsak Liangsa picked up a 23-year-old male passenger in the Mor Chit district, who asked to be taken to the Phetkasem area. According to a Bangkok Post…
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Japan’s PM says entry restrictions to ease by next month
Japan’s PM announced yesterday that in June, visitors can enter the country “as smoothly as other G-7 nations”. Apart from China, Japan is the last Asian country that still hasn’t opened its border to foreign tourists. Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the country has only been letting in foreigners who are either studying abroad, foreign dignitaries, or people…
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TAT says Thailand still on track to welcome 20 million tourists next year
The governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand says he remains hopeful that 20 million holidaymakers will travel to Thailand next year. Yuthasak Supasorn says this will almost certainly be possible if China lifts its border restrictions by then. He adds that he expects tourism revenue to reach 80% of its 2019 level during 2023. “The industry next year is…
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Anutin proposes getting rid of the Thailand Pass – for Thai returnees only
Thailand’s Public Health Minister wants to get rid of the Thailand Pass. But don’t get too excited, Anutin Charnvirakul is proposing scrapping it for Thai returnees only – at least for now. According to a Bangkok Post report, the health minister says he will submit the proposal to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. However, when asked whether the emergency…
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Celebrity dentist accused of ‘online’ sexual assault by masturbating in front of two sisters
A “celebrity dentist” who is famous on Thai TikTok, now stands accused of sexual assault after 2 female teenagers file a complaint saying he made a video call and masturbated in front of their faces. 13 year old and 17 year old teenagers contacted a local news page to ask for help. ‘อยากดังเดี๋ยวจัดให้ รีเทริน์ part 3’ revealed on their private…
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Endangered black panther spotted at national park in central Thailand
A Thai tourist wrote about her encounter with an endangered black panther at a national park in Phetchaburi province in central Thailand on social media yesterday. The woman videoed the black panther rolling around on its back like a domestic house cat in the rare sighting. The woman was driving through Kaeng Krachan National Park when she spotted a black…
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Rental demand soars, as Phuket real estate returns to fundamentals
Urban flight has driven Phuket’s once investment-focused property market in an entirely new direction. This seismic shift has resulted in a dramatic return to real estate basics. Focusing on the pandemic era of the past two years, a constant flow of new incoming residents from both abroad and Bangkok has seen the scales tip, as rental demand has vastly exceeded…
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Thai netizens laugh at foreign woman who mistook spirit house for a table
In a video circulating on social media, a foreign woman surrounded by Strawberry Fanta is spotted sitting on a stool and using a spirit house as a table, blissfully unaware of the Thais around her paying their respects to the spirits. The act could be considered very disrespectful to Thai culture, but Thai netizens seem to be entertained, rather than…
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Shopping mall in Chiang Mai goes dark, couldn’t afford 20 million baht power bill
Tenants and staff were in shock after a shopping mall in Chiang Mai suddenly announced temporary closure due to economic fallout from Covid-19. Or is it economic mismanagement? Thai media have reported that the centre had more than 20 million baht in debt from electricity bills and had to close immediately because they were unable to pay the bill. Today,…
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Jealous husband shoots wife, then turns gun on himself in Nakhon Ratchasima
In Nakhon Ratchasima, northeastern Thailand, a vendor was shot by her jealous husband, who then shot and killed himself at the Tor Chok-anan fruit stand at Suranaree market. The police found a .38 gun at the scene. The wife, 43 year old Anong, was discovered face down in a pool of blood when police arrived at the scene. She was…
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Thailand borrows 50 billion yen from Japan to cope with Covid aftermath
The Thai government has signed a loan contract to borrow 50 billion yen or about 13 billion baht (US$385 million) from Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA to cope with costs of handling the Covid pandemic in Thailand. Thai PM and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha urged Thais not to criticise the government borrowing money again because the amount was included…
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VIDEO: Thai soldiers destroy footbridge used by Burmese refugees fleeing unrest
In a video posted online on Tuesday, Thai soldiers can be seen dismantling a footbridge in Tak province on the border of Myanmar. The bridge was used by Burmese refugees fleeing unrest in Karen state to cross over into Thailand in recent months. Human rights organisations are urging the Thai authorities to investigate their forces’ treatment of refugees. The Thai…
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Ask the Thaiger Staff Anything! feat. Jay and Natty | Thaiger Unfiltered for Charity
Here’s a chance for our viewers to ask Natty and Jay any questions they have and they will answer you with their honest responses unfiltered! Please be kind and appropriate.
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Thailand’s first Covid-19 vaccine waits for approval from local FDA
Better late than never. Thailand’s first Covid-19 vaccine, ChulaCov19, has shown impressive results in the first and second rounds of human trials. The director of the vaccine project claims the Thai vaccine is safe and more effective than Pfizer vaccines used in Thailand. The developing team expects the vaccine to be approved by Food and Drug Administration before the end…
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As schools prepare to reopen, Thai officials discuss Covid-19 regulations
Thai health and education officials held a meeting yesterday to plan Covid-19 regulations, as the new school semester is right around the corner. Schools are expected to reopen on May 17. Officials from the Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Education discussed how day schools and boarding schools alike will prevent and minimise any rebound of Covid-19. Both types…
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German tourist rescued after getting stuck between rocks in Phuket
A German tourist has become stuck between a rock and a hard place in Phuket. The island’s tourist police rescued a German tourist stuck between huge rocks in the forest facing Nai Thon Beach on Phuket’s west coast. He walked from the airport and was later trapped at the spot. He was lucky his phone signal was still available for…
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Thursday Covid Update: 9,790 new cases; provincial totals
54 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 28,914 with 7,216 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 9,790 new Covid-19 cases and 17,109 recoveries. There are now 101,281 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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Foreigner kills 1 Frenchman and 1 Thai woman in gun incident
At a cold-meats company in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit neighbourhood, a Frenchman and a Thai woman have been found dead. The shots all appeared to have been fired from the same 9mm gun, while another Frenchman was wounded in the incident. The body of a dead Frenchman, 66 year old Marc Lohberger, was discovered in the kitchen on the ground floor of…
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Man kills family of 3 in revenge shooting in central Thailand
A Thai man has shot dead his childhood friend, his friend’s wife and the couple’s 5 year old son at the family’s home in the central province of Pathum Thani at around 1 pm yesterday. The shooting is suspected to be a revenge attack since the perpetrator’s mother was recently arrested and sentenced to 25 years in prison for a…
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New Pattaya festival made over a million baht in revenue, association says
After Pattaya debuted its new ‘Squid Fair‘ seafood festival this weekend, a business and tourism association says it generated over a million baht in revenue. The president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association told The Pattaya News that, the 20 vendors at the festival earned almost 30,000-40,000 baht a day. The festival lasted for 3 days. The festival was held…
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Man stabs ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend 30 times at market in central Thailand
A jealous Thai man stabbed his ex-girlfriend’s new partner over 30 times, leaving him lying in a pool of blood at a busy market in the central province of Samut Prakan province on Tuesday. Rescue workers rushed the unconscious victim to hospital where he died from his injuries. In a horror attack, 20 year old Korakitti stabbed his ex-girlfriend’s new…
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Covid restrictions ease in Hong Kong, with beaches, bars set to re-open
Hong Kong is easing up on some of its Covid-19 restrictions as the infection rate in the territory finally begins to stabilise. From today, beaches and swimming pools can re-open, while bars and karaoke places can re-open from May 19. According to a Coconuts report, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam says beaches, pools, water parks, and water sports centres…
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After child suffers animal bite, Phuket beach cleared for patrols
After an 8 year old Thai-Ukrainian boy was injured in a suspected shark attack on Tuesday, Phuket’s Kamala Beach was cleared of swimmers for lifeguards, police and officials to patrol. The chief of Kathu district told The Phuket News that there were still beachgoers, and the patrol was meant to warn tourists to be careful of ‘aquatic animals’. But photos showed that…
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Hoteliers less than enthusiastic about government’s tourism stimulus scheme
Hotel operators have given a mixed response to a Tourism Authority of Thailand proposal for the new phase of the domestic tourism stimulus campaign. The TAT have suggested that hotels could offer a 50% discount on an extra 1 million room nights, in addition to the government’s offering under the “We Travel Together” scheme. According to a Bangkok Post report,…
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Phuket officials optimistic as Covid-19 infections drop
Health officials on the southern island of Phuket have hailed a drop in Covid-19 infections, as the country looks forward to declaring the virus endemic. Phuket has reported fewer than 100 new daily cases for the past 10 days. According to public health chief Koosak Kookiatkul, the island reported just 39 new infections, with zero deaths, on Tuesday. In addition,…
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