World News
World news, global politics, business, technology, and culture—stay updated with breaking stories, international trends, and major events. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for global news.
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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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Jet fuel tax relief losing altitude, says deputy finance minister
The Finance Ministry appears unlikely to extend the jet fuel excise tax reduction, which was initially introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic, stated Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat. Julapun addressed a recent proposal by a group of budget airlines seeking further reductions in the jet fuel excise tax. He remarked that such requests are not of immediate importance. Julapun highlighted that…
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ITA Airways launches direct flights from Rome to Bangkok
ITA Airways will launch a groundbreaking nonstop service between Rome (FCO) and Bangkok (BKK) starting November 16. This marks the airline’s inaugural route between Italy and Thailand, creating an exciting new travel option for leisure and business travellers. For the first time in years, passengers will enjoy direct flights connecting the Italian and Thai capitals, thanks to ITA’s state-of-the-art Airbus…
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Bangkok airport’s automatic passport control ready for check-in
The head of the Thai Immigration Bureau inspected the readiness of Suvarnabhumi International Airport’s new automatic passport control channels, which will start being used by Thai citizens tomorrow, July 3. He also took the time to dine with the immigration officers, expressing the need to uphold their welfare. The Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai, visited the immigration checkpoint…
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Thai Airways launches new routes to Milan and Oslo
Thai Airways International Public Co., Ltd. announced the inauguration of two new flight routes to Milan, Italy, and Oslo, Norway, starting tomorrow. The launch ceremony took place at Suvarnabhumi International Airport’s departure hall. Chairman of the Rehabilitation Plan Executive Committee of Thai Airways, Piyasawat Amranand, revealed that the airline resumed flights to these European destinations, aiming to accommodate increasing passenger…
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Japan Airlines joins Love Pride Parade 2024 in Thailand
Japan Airlines (JAL) made a significant statement in support of gender equality in Thailand by participating in the inaugural Love Pride Parade 2024. The airline’s vibrant Color Your Skies parade float, featuring actor Luke Ishikawa, underscored JAL’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. The parade marked a milestone for Japan Airlines as it showcased its values of equality and non-discrimination on…
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Boeing acquires Spirit AeroSystems in US$4.7bn all-stock deal
Boeing announced the acquisition of its troubled supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, in an all-stock deal valued at US$4.7 billion, following extensive negotiations. This move comes as Boeing seeks to address significant safety and regulatory challenges affecting both companies. The total value of the transaction, including Spirit’s last reported net debt, is approximately US$8.3 billion. According to Boeing, each share of Spirit…
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Phuket flight fiasco: Downpour delays leave one still in the clouds
Phuket International Airport confirmed that only one of the 17 flights delayed by yesterday’s downpours has yet to complete its journey. To mitigate any dangers posed by landing in intense weather conditions, inbound flights were diverted to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi International Airports, as well as airports in Krabi, Langkawi, Penang, and Surat Thani as pilots had no vision of…
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Influencer’s quest for love: Dutch model rejects 5,000 suitors
A Dutch influencer and model with over 5.5 million Instagram followers has turned down nearly 5,000 men who failed to meet her 15-question criteria for dating. Despite three candidates making it to the first date, none progressed further. Influencer Vera Dijkmans has a unique approach to finding a partner, requiring potential suitors to complete a 15-question survey. Questions ranged from…
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AirAsia operates flights betweeen Kuala Lumpur and Chiang Rai
AirAsia will be launching a direct route from Kuala Lumpur to Chiang Rai, launching on November 2 with three weekly flights. To celebrate this exciting addition, the airline is offering an irresistible deal: Free seats for the inaugural flights. The free seat promotion applies to the base fare for one-way flights, excluding airport taxes, MAVCOM fees, fuel surcharges, and other…
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Thai Airways signs codeshare agreement with Kuwait Airways
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) and Kuwait Airways (KAC) unveiled an exciting new codeshare agreement, set to revolutionise travel between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Under this partnership, THAI will utilise the KAC code on flights connecting Kuwait City with Bangkok, as well as European hotspots like Rome and Athens. KAC will place its code on THAI…
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AOT shakes up commercial space at Bangkok and Phuket airports
Airports of Thailand (AOT) plans to reclaim prime commercial and office spaces at Suvarnabhumi and Phuket International Airports in a move to improve passenger satisfaction, despite facing a potential loss of over 90 million baht. AOT revealed plans to reclaim areas currently operated by King Power Duty-Free and office spaces used by key government agencies, including the Immigration Bureau, the…
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8 Thai women and transwoman arrested in Taiwan for prostitution
Taiwanese police arrested eight Thai women and a Thai transwoman at a hotel in the Zhongshan district of Taipei City last week for illegal prostitution. Radio Taiwan International (RTI) news agency reported that police officers in Taipei continued to crack down on illegal prostitution in the city after the arrest of 24 Thai women on May 20 at a bar…
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Qatar Airways 2024’s best airline, Bangkok Airways best regionally
Qatar Airways has been named the best airline in the world for 2024, overtaking last year’s champion, Singapore Airlines, meanwhile, Bangkok Airways secured the title of the world’s best regional airline for the eighth consecutive year, according to Skytrax’s World Airline Awards. Qatar Airways achieved the top spot in the annual rankings, while Singapore Airlines fell to second place. Emirates…
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Malaysia Airlines flight to Bangkok returns to Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia Airlines has clarified an emergency incident involving flight MH780, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. The flight had to return to Kuala Lumpur International Airport due to technical issues. Flight MH780, operated by Malaysia Airlines, declared an emergency code 7700, indicating a serious issue requiring immediate attention. The aircraft descended from its cruising altitude to…
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Post-pandemic airfares to remain high amid travel surge
Despite a slight relief due to declining jet fuel prices and increased flight capacity, airfares are expected to remain high in the post-pandemic travel surge and are unlikely to revert to pre-pandemic levels soon. AirAsia Aviation’s CEO Bo Lingam spoke on the changes in travelling patterns post-pandemic in an interview. “[The aircraft] load factor is around 90%, this was unheard…
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The surge of online casinos in Asia: Leading countries and key drivers
Asia could soon become the largest online gambling market in the world if more countries legalize the industry. For a long time, Asian countries remained quiet while the rest of the world made laws to permit sports betting and online casinos. Now, Asian countries are changing their gambling laws left, right, and centre, from China to India. In this article,…
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Deadly flesh-eating bacteria spreading in Japan
Japan is grappling with a significant outbreak of a flesh-eating bacteria known as streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), which has already infected 1,019 people and shows no signs of slowing down. Cases of STSS in Japan have surged to 1,019 as of yesterday, June 20, a number that has already surpassed the total reported cases for last year. At the…
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Thailand’s durian diplomacy: Cracking the chinese market wide open
Thailand is going all out to secure its crown in the lucrative Chinese durian market. The government has rolled out a series of innovative strategies, including high-tech farming enhancements and stringent quality controls, to ensure Thailand remains the top durian supplier to China. Prime Minister’s Office spokesman Chai Wacharonke announced at a press conference that Thailand has significantly bolstered its…
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Japanese tourist exposes corrupt Thai traffic officer in viral video
A Japanese tourist exposed a corrupt Thai traffic police officer by sharing a video of the officer in Bangkok asking him to secretly pay 500 baht to avoid a charge for driving without an international driving licence. The Japanese YouTuber shared a video with the caption, “How to deal with corrupt Thai police when you get arrested.” In the video,…
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Malaysia and China join forces on billion-dollar rail project
China’s plans to extend the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) into Thailand are set to transform Southeast Asian trade. Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced the initiative during his visit to Malaysia yesterday. The US$10 billion (approximately 366 billion baht) ECRL, a key project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, aims to connect Malaysia’s east and west coasts by 2026. Initially…
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Cargo plane chaos shuts down Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong’s quest to reclaim its status as a premier international aviation hub hit turbulence this week when a cargo plane incident brought Hong Kong International Airport to a standstill. Cathay Pacific Airways’ gradual resumption of services to pre-pandemic levels has been overshadowed by the chaos caused by a runway shutdown. A runway closure following a cargo plane emergency forced…
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Sky-high opportunities: Vietjet Thailand holds recruitment event
Vietjet Thailand took off with its largest recruitment event in six years on June 15, transforming the Paragon Cineplex in Siam Paragon into a bustling hub of aviation career opportunities. This year’s Sky Career Festival, an annual extravaganza since 2018, saw the launch of Vietjet Thailand’s groundbreaking Major Cadet Pilot Training Programme. Over 10,000 eager attendees flocked to explore diverse…
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Spanish woman loses 27.5 million baht in fake Keanu Reeves scam
A Spanish woman has fallen victim to a scam involving a fake Keanu Reeves, losing over US$750,000 in the process. The scammer claimed the funds were for investing in the production of John Wick 5. Chloe, the victim, shared her distressing experience on a Spanish television show. Initially, the impostor responded to one of her social media posts. This interaction…
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Thailand aims to become regional aviation hub by 2030
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin unveiled a vision to transform the country into a regional aviation hub as part of the Ignite Thailand, Aviation Hub initiative, aiming to enhance Thailand’s capacity and attractiveness in the aviation sector. The Bangkok-born prime minister stressed the need to address existing problems before upgrading the aviation hub. Suvarnabhumi International Airport, once ranked 13th globally, has fallen…
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British Airways flights to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur resume soon
British Airways (BA) resumes flights to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok this year, marking a significant step in its regional expansion strategy. Chairman and CEO Sean Doyle expressed the importance of this strategic return. “For a global carrier like us, expanding our network in Asia as quickly as possible is crucial. With more aircraft joining our fleet in the coming years,…
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Thai AirAsia’s Fifth Freedom routes to Japan take off
Thai AirAsia launched its much-anticipated Fifth Freedom routes, creating a seamless travel experience connecting Bangkok, Taiwan, and Japan. The airline’s inaugural flight from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Taipei, followed by a final leg to Okinawa, garnered an overwhelming passenger response. The Taipei to Okinawa route boasted a staggering 99% load factor, arriving at a warm reception and a lively…
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Phetch-Hua Hin Airport set to go international by 2025
To catapult Thailand’s aviation industry into the global elite, Hua Hin Airport in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province is undergoing a spectacular transformation. Rebranded as Phetch-Hua Hin International Airport, this dazzling upgrade is slated for completion by late 2025. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin made his second visit to the construction site, rallying support from key agencies to ensure…
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AirAsia resumes direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Pattaya
AirAsia resumed its direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Pattaya, yesterday, June 17. The airline will now operate this popular route three times a week, with flights scheduled every Monday, Friday, and Sunday. Flight AK840 is set to take off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) at 11am, landing in Pattaya’s U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport (UTP) at 12.05pm. The return…
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RTAF eyes SAAB Gripen jets to replace ageing F-16s
Thailand is considering replacing its ageing fleet of F-16 fighter jets with SAAB’s Gripen models, as revealed during a recent tour of SAAB’s headquarters in Stockholm. Reporters from Thailand were given an extensive look at the Gripen E/F manufacturing line and a flight simulator, showcasing the modern technology and capabilities of the fighter jets. The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF)…
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AirAsia unveils direct flights from Bali to Phuket and Malaysia
Indonesia AirAsia has launched two international routes from Denpasar, Bali, to Phuket in Thailand, and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. This strategic move aims to boost Indonesia’s tourism by enhancing air connectivity. Veranita Yosephine Sinaga, President Director of Indonesia AirAsia, stated that these new routes are a significant step in the airline’s commitment to expanding its air network and strengthening Indonesia’s…
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