Royal Gazette

  • Songkran News

    10-wheelers banned on six roads to reduce Songkran traffic and accidents

    In an effort to alleviate traffic congestion and prevent accidents, the use of large vehicles with ten or more wheels has been prohibited on six roads during the Songkran holidays. The national police chief, Damrongsak Kittiprapas, announced his role as head of the traffic police after it was published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday, reported The Nation. The restricted…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand to dissolve Parliament today ahead of election

    Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has submitted a decree to dissolve Thailand’s Parliament before the upcoming election in May. The dissolution will come into effect upon its publication in the Royal Gazette, which is expected today. The decree requires approval from Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn. At 9.20am today, government spokesperson Wissanu Krea-ngam said that the date for the election will be…

  • Transport News

    Federal baht bus standing ban puts drivers in a pickle

    A new law has been published in the Royal Gazette, stating that passengers are no longer allowed to stand on the back of baht buses, also known as songtaews. But drivers are also obligated to pick up all passengers, leaving drivers with the dilemma of either illegally not picking up passengers when full or illegally overcrowding and allowing passengers to…

  • News

    Thailand schools and colleges banned from expelling pregnant schoolgirls

    Thailand has implemented a new directive to prohibit schools, colleges and education institutions from expelling, banning or transferring pregnant schoolgirls. Previously, it was easy for an institution to get rid of pregnant students but the new directive, published in the Royal Gazette on Friday, has put a stop to all that. The mandate was jointly signed by the Education Ministry…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand legalises abortion up to 20 weeks

    Thailand is extending the legal limit of abortion from 12 to 20 weeks. The new law will come into effect 30 days after its announcement by the Ministry of Public Health in the Royal Gazette, which was published yesterday, September 26. The new law stipulates that pregnant women in Thailand may legally abort a pregnancy up to 20 weeks so…

  • Thailand News

    UPDATE: Thailand introduces fine for not wearing seat belt in the back seat

    UPDATE: The Royal Thai Police will go easy on people who break the new seat belt law “in the early phase” according to Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Pol. Maj. Gen. Jirasan Kaewsaeng-ek. The officer confirmed yesterday that from September 5, the driver and all passengers – including those in the back seat – are required by law…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand introduces fine for not wearing seat belt in the back seat

    Not wearing a seat belt in the back seat of a car in Thailand will soon be punishable by a 2,000 baht fine. The rule will come into effect 120 after its publication in the Royal Gazette on September 5, 2022. The Royal Gazette wrote the new rule into the Road Traffic Act (No.13) 2022, published on May 7. The…

  • Covid-19 News

    Ban on public gatherings enacted and published in Royal Gazette

    A new ban on public gatherings has been published in the Royal Gazette to combat the recent surge of Covid-19 infections in Thailand. The rule restricting unauthorised public assemblies is permitted under the Emergency Decree that was recently extended for a 19th time, as it has been every two months since it was instituted towards the beginning of the pandemic…

  • Visa Information

    Who is eligible for a 50,000 baht 10 year LTR visa in Thailand? The fine print.

    Today, Thailand’s Cabinet announced that the fee for a 10 year Long Term Resident visa would be halved from 100,000 baht to 50,000 baht to attract foreigners with ‘high potential’ to reside in the kingdom. Not only has the fee been reduced, but the eligibility criteria has become more “flexible,” according to Deputy Spokesperson for the PM’s Office Ratchada Thanadirek.…

  • Tourism News

    No more tests required for fully vaccinated travellers to Thailand after May 1

    Thailand’s CCSA has approved the dropping of all testing for travellers to Thailand (Thais and foreign) starting May 1. Registration for the revised Thailand Pass is expected to be available from April 29, according to the Thailand Pass website. It’s the biggest easing of entry requirements for fully vaccinated travellers since the Thailand Pass was introduced as an upgrade for…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand cuts quarantine for unvaccinated travellers to 5 days

    Starting April 1, the mandatory quarantine period for unvaccinated travellers entering Thailand will be reduced to five days. Travellers will also no longer need to take a pre-departure PCR Covid-19 test. The new requirements are pending publication in the Royal Gazette and the official announcement is expected to be published at the end of the month. Unvaccinated travellers can enter…

  • Thailand News

    Official population of Thailand 66,171,439, lower than previous figures

    An announcement formally published in the Royal Gazette on Wednesday stated that the official population of Thailand as of December 31, 2021, is 66,171,439. That figure is a bit under 1% of the world’s population. Of that population, just 973,656 of those people are not Thai nationals while the vast majority, 65,197,783, are native to Thailand. The data of Thailand’s…

  • Thailand News

    Online shopping division added to fight rising internet fraud

    To deal with a sharp rise in internet fraud, an online shopping division has been established as part of the Office of the Judicial Administration Commission. The office was officially created Tuesday having been published in The Royal Gazette on Monday. The OJAC observe that the world lives more and more online, and the Covid-19 pandemic has only further fueled…

  • Thailand News

    Kratom can legally be grown and leaves can be sold commercially next week

    Starting next Tuesday, Kratom can be grown and its leaves, which have mind-altering characteristics, can be sold commercially in the Land of Smiles without the threat of prosecution. Also, people who have been detained for Kratom related offences will be released and their charges will be dropped. Currently, there are 1,038 people in prison for Kratom related offences. They will…

  • Thailand News

    Order banning fear-inducing information repealed by PM

    After widespread criticism from Thai media and human rights organisations, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has backed down and repealed his order banning posting information that could cause fear, regardless of whether it was true. The order was published in the Royal Gazette on July 29 and put into effect the next day, and last night the Gazette published the repeal of…

  • Thailand News

    “Fake news” banned, Thai media say order infringes on freedoms

    The Thai government is cracking down on so-called “fake news.” An order was published in the Royal Gazette banning the distribution of false information that causes public fear or misunderstanding that could affect national stability. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says the measure is intended to make sure false content spread online doesn’t undermine the government’s management of the pandemic. Thai media…

  • Thailand News

    Media banned from spreading fake/distorted news, violators could have internet cut

    Starting today, the Thai government has banned media from spreading fake or distorted news that might cause fear pertaining to the Covid outbreak. The threat of censorship now hangs over the heads of violators. Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha signed the restriction order, which was previously published in the Royal Gazette. The order says that the media is barred from publishing/broadcasting…

  • Tourism News

    New details in the Phuket Sandbox Royal Gazette publication

    By now we’ve all read (and re-read and re-read) the general rules of the Phuket Sandbox reopening tomorrow. If you haven’t, one of our numerous previous stories has the full text in English released by Phuket’s governor. But with the Royal Gazette finally publishing the reopening, making it legal and 100% approved just 1 day before the opening, a few…

  • Thailand News

    Fines for not wearing face masks range from 1,000 baht to 20,000 baht

    In the latest and most severe wave of Covid-19 in Thailand, wearing a face mask is mandatory in public. Earlier announcements said those who do not wear a mask while in a public place could face a fine of up to 20,000 baht. An official revision of the rule was recently published in the Royal Gazette detailing the range of…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thursday Covid Update: 2,310 new cases and 43 deaths

    2,310 new Covid-19 infections were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation, raising the total count in the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand to 158,675. The CCSA logged 43 more Covid-related deaths today, an increase over the past few days. Out of the new cases confirmed today, 102 were detected at correctional facilities. The…

  • Thailand Protest News

    Motorists told to avoid certain areas in Bangkok as protests planned for today

    Bangkok motorists are being told to avoid areas where protests are planned to take place today. Kasetsart intersection, Lat Phrao intersection, Rachaprasong shopping district’s Central World shopping mall and 11th Infantry Regiment barracks in Bangkhen are the sites where demonstrators are set to infiltrate. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner says he is most concerned about the Lat Phrao intersection, due to…

  • Covid-19 News

    Only essential travel to and from 5 coastal “red zone” provinces

    Only essential travel is allowed to and from the 5 coastal “red zone” provinces under the highest level of control to contain the spread of Covid-19. The new travel restrictions for Samut Sakhon, Chon Buri, Rayong, Trat and Chanthaburi were made official in the Royal Gazette. More checkpoints will also be set up throughout the 5 provinces and screening procedures…

  • Covid-19 News

    UPDATE: New restrictions come into force in Thailand from today

    Some new restrictions have been introduced and others tightened as the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced the latest list of restrictions taking effect from today. The latest list was published in the Royal Gazette yesterday and are now in force. On Friday the BMA suggested that restaurants in Bangkok may be prevented from providing in house dining, and providing take…

  • Thailand video news

    Thailand News Today | State of Emergency lifted, Quarantine latest, Phuket Light Rail | October 22

    Today’s latest news and information about Thailand. Like and subscribe to our YouTube channel too. Go on, right now 🙂 You can also LIKE our Facebook page https://facebook.com/thethaigernews to get even more information about Thailand. Government lifts Bangkok’s State of Emergency Bangkok’s State of Emergency has been lifted, according to a statement published in the Royal Gazette, making it official.…

  • Thailand Protest News

    Government lifts Bangkok’s State of Emergency

    Bangkok’s State of Emergency has been lifted, according to a statement published in the Royal Gazette, making it official. The order, banning large public gatherings, and censoring critical media commentary, was imposed last Thursday morning by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, leading to the breaking up a protest and the arrests of a number of activists. “The current violent situation that led…

  • Visa Information

    The Special Tourist Visa is now official and allows tourists in from October 1

    The Thai Government Gazette has officially recorded that long-stay tourists would now be allowed to come back to Thailand. The Cabinet approved the measure based on CCSA recommendation on September 15. Some people have already made early enquiries for the new Special Tourist Visa, or STV, which can be officially processed. Whilst the official announcement is the start of Thailand’s…

  • Thailand News

    No more beer and wine delivery, Thailand to ban online alcohol sales

    There’s going to be a new ban on alcohol sales, but apparently just on so-called “electronic channels.” (We think this means purchasing through social media outlets and websites) For those who order craft beer that can’t be found at local stores, you might be out of luck. An announcement on the Royal Gazette says no more online alcohol sales. The…

  • Covid-19 News

    All emergency decrees to remain in place for another month – PM

    Any hopes people may have had of seeing lockdown restrictions eased for some low-risk businesses and social activities at the start of May have been dashed by Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. The PM issued an order, published in the Royal Gazette last night, mandating all provincial governors, including the governor of Bangkok, to delay their plans to ease the measures until…