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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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Sponsored Planning to extend your Thai visa? Why health insurance is more important than ever
If you plan to stay longer in Thailand, having health insurance is now more important than ever. Thai immigration often asks for proof of medical coverage when you apply to extend your visa. This applies to many types of visas,...
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Bangkok motorcyclist lucky to be alive after water pipe falls right in his path
PHOTOS: Thai Residents and Chaimongkol Khantura A Bangkok motorcyclist is lucky to be alive after a long section of pipe fell from an overpass on Rama 9, directly into his path. Chaimongkol Khantura was clearly still shaken when he posted about his lucky escape on Facebook. “Who would have thought? Even in my dream, I’m still shaking. I saw Buddha…
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Koh Samui is looking to the skies, an island tethered to an airline
by Bill Barnett “I’m looking to the sky to save me. Looking for a sign of life” There is much to be said about the Thailand’s phenomenal rise in tourism over the past decade and that trend has eclipsed the borders of the Kingdom into other Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. Fueled by a rising Asian consumer…
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Bangkok Airways posts losses, Samui routes performing badly
Following the opening of its swanky new passenger lounges at the Phuket Airport last week, Bangkok Airways has just posted a net loss of 190 million baht for the first half of 2019. In posting the figures yesterday the company’s President promised to turn results around in the second half of the year to ensure an annual profit. The Koh…
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Thailand Supreme Court’s hands down verdict on Koh Tao murder case appeal
The Supreme Court’s verdict in the Koh Tao murder case appeal by Burmese migrants Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo against their death penalty sentence, will be read at 10 at tomorrow at the Nonthaburi Court. The announcement was reported in a Tweet from Andy Hall, labour rights activist, writer and researcher.
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New hotel and condo developments flood Phuket’s property market
by Bill Barnett The continuing wave of developers bringing hotel investment grade real estate to the Phuket real estate market is escalating. Notable new entries include 74 units at the Melia Phuket Karon Residences that are now for sale. Pricing for one and two bedroom units starts at 8.4 million baht. A 7% three-year guarantee is offered with 30 days owner usage. Meanwhile,…
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A volunteer rescuer exacts revenge for a friend in a Chon Buri Hospital – VIDEO
As posted on The Thaiger Facebook page earlier today, originally from ข่าวเมืองชล (Chon Buri News), a video shows an unidentified Thai “volunteer” (the uniform could be a volunteer rescue official) savagely beating up a suspect whilst he was laying in his hospital bed. The video was filmed at Chon Buri’s Burapha University Hospital, 30 kilometres north of Pattaya, whilst other uniformed police…
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Four beaches in Trang closed to swimming due to unsafe conditions
Officials from the Haad Chao Mai National Park have posted red flags along four popular Trang beaches to warn tourists against swimming because strong onshore winds were whipping up the waves to more than two metres in height. Haad Chao Mai National Park is a protected area located in the Sikao and Kantang Districts of Trang Province, Thailand. It is…
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Khon Kaen teacher cuts pupil’s hair, then pays him to keep quiet
PHOTO: Thai Residents A teacher in Khon Kaen province in Issan is in hot water after she violated Ministry of Education guidelines by cutting a student’s hair. The Thai Residents website reports that the teacher allegedly gave the pupil 120 baht to not tell his parents what she’d done. And although other teachers at the school didn’t agree with the…
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Grab creates finance and payments revolution in Southeast Asia
PHOTO: Grab.com While Southeast Asia’s economy shows huge potential for growth, around 73% of the population still doesn’t have a bank account, severely limiting the upward mobility of both individuals and organisations. Enter Grab, the ride-hailing app, which is introducing a range of financial services in Singapore, including micro-insurance for small to medium sized companies, and post-paid products. Instead of…
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New 222 room development announced for Phuket’s Mai Khao Beach
A new 222 room development for Mai Khao Beach, on the northern coastline of Phuket, is currently undergoing its environmental impact assessment. Thai-Chinese Property Holdings has announced it is partnering with APlan Properties to develop the new hotel and residence project, Radisson Phuket Mai Khao Beach. The development is costing 1.6 billion baht and will be operated by the Radisson…
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Market trader in Hua Hin kills security man for yelling at his dog
PHOTO: Talknewsonline An 18 year old market trader has stabbed a security man to death for swearing at his dog. After a night of drinking with friends, “A”, returned to his market stall to sleep and was confronted by the security guard, who asked him to identify himself. It was then that the market trader’s loyal companion, Phak Bung, emerged…
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Khao San Road vendors petition the BMA to postpone renovation
Street vendors in Bangkok’s chaotic ‘backpacker central’, Khao San Road, are lobbying the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority’s (BMA) plans to give the popular tourist street a makeover and clear stalls that have clogged up the sidewalks for decades. Read the earlier Thaiger story HERE. A formal letter has been submitted to Bangkok’s governor Aswin Kwanmuang. Vendors have been resisting attempts by…
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Esso’s pumps out cleaner fuels and petrol station makeovers
Esso is launching a new line of gasoline and diesel fuels, produced with its new Synergy Fuel Technology that they claim offers 30% improved cleaning ability and engine protection. Esso says the additional benefits include improved acceleration and engine response. The Thai Esso team also says they are investing in more attractive and brighter service stations. The Synergy Fuel Technology…
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Thai farm grows other crops to disguise marijuana farm
“Officials believe that the other crops were simply grown to disguise the 700 marijuana plants.” Police are trying to locate an enterprising Bangkok businessman who grew 700 marijuana plants in his plantation in Nakhon Ratchasima, north-east Thailand. Polcie discovered that the landed been purchased a number of years ago to establish an “integrated farm”. Police raided the man’s 20 rai plantation…
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Baht to climb higher against USD, more pressure on exports
The Thai baht is set to soar further as one side effect of the latest escalation of the China-US trade war. Economists say the latest tit-for-tat trade sanctions will hasten foreign capital inflows into Thailand’s “safe haven” bond market while the US Federal Reserves may again cut interest rates, adding more fuel to the situation. Meanwhile the Thai export situation…
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Red light cameras start fining Bangkok drivers from September 1
Smile, you’re on the new red light camera. The new CCTV and software systems to catch red light runners and jumpers will be ready this Sunday, September 1. There are 30 cameras now stationed at intersections around Bangkok. Pol Col Kitti Ariyanon reports that “everything is 100% ready” and the cameras are able to catch people violating the red lights at…
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Bangkok Airways opens new lounges at Phuket Airport
Bangkok Airways has opened up its new passenger lounge at the Phuket International Airport domestic terminal, offering Bangkok Airways passengers somewhere to sit, relax and snack while waiting for their flights. The popular Bangkok Airways lounge has been missing since the old domestic airport had a man-over in the past two years. There are now three lounges, separating the Premier…
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BTS, Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift and Ariande Grande – winners at 2019 VMAS
In the pop music world you’re on top if you win at the 2019 VMAs, the annual MTV Video Music Awards show. The annual award show has had its ‘moments’ – with Madonna’s onstage kiss with Britney Spears in 2003 and and Kanye West storming the stage in 2009 to tell Taylor Swift that her award should have gone to Beyonce. This year…
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Minister calls for probe on legality of the new Central Village luxury mall at BKK
PHOTO: Under construction at the time and now ready to open, but… It’s bright and shiny, it’s new, it promises discounts on luxury goods, it’s next to the airport, it was set to open this Saturday, but is it legal? The Department of Provincial Administration Department has been asked to investigate the legality of the new Central Village ‘Bangkok Outlet…
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New rules to fine bad practices with tour guides and tour companies
PHOTO: Tiger Tours Thailand The Tourism Department is hoping to fast-track the penalising of unregistered and illegal tour guides and the tour companies using them. The Department will propose amendments to the tourism business and tour guide act so that penalties will be able to be imposed on violators more expediently. Thaweesak Wanitcharoen, director general of the Tourism Department, says…
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Rice traders blame strength of Thai baht for hurting exports
PHOTO: Wikipedia The president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, Charoen Laothamtas, is concerned that the strong Thai baht is having a negative impact on rice exports. He notes that the baht has risen about 6% against the US dollar since January, whereas the Vietnam dong has held steady and the Indian rupee has even weakened. “The stronger baht has…
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Phuket disaster chief says latest precautionary weather warning is “just regular”
PHOTO: Holidayguru.ie A wind and rain storm swept through Phuket around 3.00am this morning, bringing minor damage, causing branches to fall across roads, and waking up residents around the island. Meanwhile, the national Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) office, along with the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning of, “a high possibility of flash floods due…
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“Useless”. Probation Department’s rented monitoring devices don’t work.
The electronic monitoring bracelets, worn by prisoners on parole to keep track of their movements, and rented from a private company, are useless. Deputy Thai justice permanent secretary Thawatchai Khaikhaeo, together with a spokesperson from the Justice Ministry, told the media that the investigating committee, set up on August 9 to probe the Chinese-made bracelets, completed its investigation last Friday.…
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Abdulloh’s family demands answers from Thai military as hundreds gather for funeral
Relatives of 34 year old Abdulloh Esormusor, who died in a Songkhla hospital after falling into a coma whilst being interrogated at a notorious Thai military camp in July, are demanding an investigation. Hundreds of people attended the funeral of Abdulloh in Pattani yesterday. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch told Reuters that the case has raised serious issues about rights violations in military…
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Thai architect association wants its award back after demolition of former embassy building
The Association of Siamese Architects is recalling its Award for Outstanding Conservation of Architectural Arts from the British Embassy in Bangkok after the demolition of the former embassy building. The ASA is also demanding the return of the award plaque, which was presented in 1984. The ASA says that the British Embassy building was being demolished without any regard to…
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US-China tit-for-tat rattles Asian markets after Trump’s ‘tariff tantrum’
US President Trump has caused widespread panic in Asian financial markets today after Fridays “tariff tantrum” where he used Twitter to announce new levels of tariffs on Chinese imports after China announced their response to his previous ramping up of the ongoing trade war between Washington and Beijing. Asian shares have headed southward today after the President escalated tariffs in…
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MS Siam Tower opens on Rama III
The first premium office building at the corner of Rama III & Industrial Ring roads with an investment value of 2.6 billion baht. Thunsrisiam has announced the official opening of “MS Siam Tower”. The Board of Thunsrisiama and guests held the Grand Opening last Friday in the front of the office building before embarking on a walking tour on the…
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Light plane crash lands in Sukhothai
PHOTOS: ข่าวคนสุโขทัย A private light plane has been forced to make an emergency landing in a rice field in Sukhothai’s Sri Satchanalai district, central Thailand, this morning. The pilot and the passenger were unharmed in the incident. The incident happened at 9.32am in Moo 4 village in Tambon Haad Siew. The pilot managed to glide the plane down to land…
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South Korean President to visit Thailand next week
The South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Madame Kim Jung-sook have accepted an invitation to visit Thailand for three days from September 1. During the visit, President Moon will deliver a keynote speech at the Thailand-Korean Business Forum. The president will meet PM Prayut Chan-o-cha in general discussions to strengthen the strategic partnership between the Republic of Korea and Thailand.…
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Jay Chou fans queue up for four days in KL to grab concert tickets
Jay Chou fans have been queuing up for four days before tickets went on sale for the ‘Mandopop’ king’s concert in Malaysia to ensure they get to see their idol. The All New Jay Chou Concert World Tour will be held in Hong Kong Disneyland in December, Singapore on January 10 and 11 and at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium…
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