Entertainment
Thailand entertainment news, celebrity updates, film reviews, music festivals, and cultural events—stay informed on the latest happenings locally and globally with The Thaiger, your trusted source for entertainment news.
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UPDATE: Spotify removes over 100 old Joe Rogan Experience episodes
Streaming service Spotify has now removed 113 episodes of the highly popular Joe Rogan Experience from its platform. It follows an apology from Joe Rogan, for using racial slurs on his podcasts and comes just 2 weeks after another controversy regarding criticism of apparently misleading Covid-19 guests and conversations. The Instagram apology isn’t directly related to the mounting criticism over some…
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A night with the Junkies! Phuket’s Junkyard Theatre.
By Barry Daniel As a quiet, bookish type I’ve only taken LSD a few dozen times, but my recent Saturday night at the Underwood Art Factory Junkyard Theatre Show was far better than any other trip I’ve experienced! Half way along Phuket’s By-Pass Road in the middle of the island, lies the Underwood Art Factory’s psychedelic parallel universe which has…
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Streaming services rake in more than 815 million baht, emerge as new cash cow for Thai entertainment industry
The Department of International Trade Promotion announced on Tuesday that international streaming services like VIU, iQiyi, WeTV, and Netflix, alongside the Thai film industry, have earned Thailand more than 815 million baht. The news comes after the DITP held a meeting with members from international streaming providers and 15 Thai content creators to improve their relationship on January 27. This…
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Spotify vs Neil Young: Spotify win round one, facts come second
Spotify have started to respond and offer commentary to the swirling debate over comedian Joe Rogan’s podcasts on their platform. Firstly it was musician Neil Young, then Joni Mitchell, who said they were taking their music off Spotify in protest to misinformation spread about Covid-19 by the Joe Rogan Experience. Now they’re being joined by other podcasters and musicians complaining…
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Thai K-Pop Star Lisa in top 20 most admired women worldwide
After a record-breaking YouTube debut, there is no denying that K-pop supergroup Blackpink member Lalisa Lisa Manobal commands clout, influence and admiration. Now YouGov has added the Thailand native Lisa to their list of the most admired women in the world after an international survey placed her at number 17. Her influence is undeniable in Thailand – when she said…
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American Music Awards – BTS, first Asian band to win Artists of the Year
South Korean band BTS had a huge night at the American Music Awards. They not only won the highly coveted ‘Artist of the Year’, they also picked up the Best pop song of the year and Best duo or group. Significantly, BTS are the first Asian musicians to pick up the main award in an otherwise white-washed US pop industry.…
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Thailand’s creative industry to grow by over 3% next year
Thailand’s Creative Economy Agency says the creative industry is expected to grow by 1.51 trillion baht in 2022, which is about 3.55%. The CEA says the growth demonstrates Thailand’s soft power and international cultural influence. But, some experts say more can be done to increase its growth, as Thailand has long been know for its exceptional tourism, cuisine, traditional medicine,…
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Thailand planning countdown event with Lalisa, Andrea Bocelli
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is aiming to nab celebrity opera singer Andrea Bocelli and Thai-born K-Pop superstar Lalisa for a New Year’s Eve celebration after Thailand’s reopening. The plan is still pending but after PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced a November 1 reopening, the TAT aims to put Thailand front and centre in global tourism interest again in part with…
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Blackpink’s Lisa causes sales frenzy for Buri Ram meatballs
After the legendary K-Pop group Blackpink’s Thai-native member Lalisa “Lisa” Manoban gave an interview where she said that if she travelled from Korea to her hometown of Buri Ram the first thing she would eat is the local grilled and deep-fried meatballs, the province has been experiencing a rush on fans buying the traditional meat snack. People have been ordering…
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Lisa of Blackpink set video records, 50 million views in 12 hours
Lisa, the Thai native member of the K-Pop mega-group Blackpink just released her debut solo music video to record-breaking numbers. The track was released on YouTube hours ago, racking up 10 million views in just 2 hours, while continuing to be viewed in record numbers. The singer hails from Buri Ram, and her debut single as a solo artist is…
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Entertainment and nightlife reps submit petition for aid, reopening
At 10 o’clock this morning a rally of owners, staff, musicians and entertainment sector workers gathered at the House of Representatives to submit a petition for support after long-term Covid-19 closures or permission to reopen August 1. Dozens of representatives from the entertainment industry took part in the demonstration after 3 continuous months of shuttered businesses due to the pandemic…
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Nightlife, restaurants suggest opening in defiance of restrictions
After a year and a half of closures and lockdowns and restrictions and regulations that often start and even end with the nightlife and entertainment industry, some bar and restaurant owners are sick of it and growing defiant. Citing the lack of government assistance and the sporadic and last-minute closure decisions that through livelihoods into chaos, some owners are urging…
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Elephant that broke into Hua Hin kitchen now in memes and ads
Andy Warhol said, “in the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” But in today’s world, you haven’t arrived until you’ve become a meme. The elephant that broke the wall into a Hua Hin home’s kitchen on Sunday to snack may have gotten a taste of fame (and a taste of rice too, reportedly) when its video went viral…
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BTS make musical history with a slice of ‘Butter’
Four #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 12 months! South Korean band BTS have made history again with ‘Butter’, topping Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart this week… the 4th #1 hit from the 7-member BTS on Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles chart in 1 year, following ‘Dynamite’ and ‘Life Goes On’, and their collaboration on the ‘Savage…
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BTS smash YouTube records with their new song “Butter” and are courted by Rock royalty
On Thursday the internet-of-music went into a minor churn when the band Queen’s Twitter account commented about the forthcoming BTS release of ‘Butter’, the South Korean band’s second full-English track. “Are you ready, hey are you ready for this? Another One Bites The Dust.” Was Queen doing a collaboration with the 21st century’s biggest music act? A quick listen to…
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‘One Night In Bangkok’, an unlikely hit about a bygone era in Thailand
“One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster The bars are temples but the pearls ain’t free” When ‘One Night In Bangkok’ was released in 1984 it was an unlikely hit. It was the opening song from a (at the time) little-known stage pop-opera called ‘Chess’. The song made Number 1 in South Africa, West Germany, Switzerland and Australia,…
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Is this the next big change in pop music? The winners of the IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award, BTS
https://youtu.be/bFmUwmQZ30A 2020 IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award. In the past 8 years the IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award has been given to Ed Sheeran, Adele, One Direction, and Taylor Swift and Drake. BTS are backed up by ARMY, their huge fanbase. The power of ARMY. The IFPI represents the recorded music industry worldwide. It’s…
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Phuket’s nightlife. Yes, bars and clubs are still open | VIDEO
There was the original Covid-19 outbreak and lockdowns back in April and May in 2020, then again just before Christmas and New Year when the new clusters emerged in Samut Sakhon and the eastern coastal provinces, Patong’s nightlife was quiet enough, almost non-existent. Now when the restrictions are lifted, Nimz will take you through Phuket’s famous nightlife spot Bangla Road,…
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Lights, camera, Covid – Tourism Ministry wants film crews to come to Thailand now
Without much luck with their ‘cunning ideas’ to draw back a few of the remaining world’s travellers, Thailand’s tourism officials are turning to the film industry to attract some people and investment. The Tourism and Sports Ministry is aiming to generate around 3 billion baht from foreign film crews and is targeting film projects with an investment over 100 million baht.…
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Dawn Wells, “Mary Ann” from Glligan’s Island, dies at 82
Dawn Wells, one of the castaways in Gilligan’s Island, playing Mary Ann, has died in Los Angeles from Covid-19 complications. She was 82 years old. Her career lasted a lot longer than the fateful trip of the SS Minnow… the three hour tour! Dawn was born in Reno, Nevada, and started a career in Hollywood where she appeared in TV shows…
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The BTS Law, South Korean parliament amends conscription law to allow Jin to stay with BTS
Many countries still have compulsory military conscription, where young men, usually, are enlisted to serve under their country’s military services. Thailand has it, so does Singapore, Myanmar and Cambodia in our immediate sphere. So does South Korea. That’s a problem for pop kings BTS. Of course the 18 – 24 months becomes a disruption to your life and your career,…
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Darth Vader actor David Prowse dies – May the force be with him
“…his swish with the black cape and his screen presence in the foreboding, shiny black high-tech exoskeleton won him a legion of fans.” Darth Vader has died… May the force be with him. The man who played the bad guy in the first Star Wars trilogy, British actor David Prowse, died at the age of 85 after a short illness.…
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K-Pop fans show their support for the young Thai protesters, donate 3 million+ baht
Art meets politics again, this time with hundreds of thousands of K-Pop fans raising funds in support of the growing student protest movement in Thailand. So far they’ve raised more than 3 million baht (as of 10am this morning) but the amount is rising quickly as Thai and overseas K-Pop fans respond. The most popular band in Thailand at the…
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Rock star Eddie Van Halen loses cancer battle – VIDEO
Rock icon Eddie Van Halen has died, after losing a long battle with cancer. His son, Wolfgang Van Halen, took to Twitter to announce the death of his 65 year old musician father. “I can’t believe I’m having to write this, but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning. He…
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Khao San Road to reopen for Halloween
The party is coming back to Khao San Road this Halloween. The once booming backpacker district went through a renovation during the lockdown period and now the Bangkok governor says they’re ready to reopen the street. Khao San Road has long been a district frequented by foreign backpackers. It’s known for it’s grungy and lively bar scene as well as…
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How BTS became the biggest band in the world
Even if you’d been living under a rock you’ve probably heard someone mention the band BTS. The South Korean group has risen up through the ranks of K-Pop – a Korean musical blood sport – since 2013. From very humble beginnings indeed, they’ve risen from pimply youngsters with a dream into a 7-member powerhouse in the world’s pop industry. How…
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“Thai government refuses to acknowledge the red light economy”
OPINION Thanks to WB for sending us this response to earlier article. The views expressed by WB do not represent The Thaiger, its management or staff. Prostitution is not illegal in Thailand, although many activities associated with it are (brothels, pimping, causing a public nuisance, etc.). Nevertheless, it was estimated to be worth US$6.4 billion a year in revenue (2015),…
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Lights are out on Ibiza – the world’s party islands go dark
“The party scene, by its nature, is all about getting together, dancing, celebrating ‘closeness’ and being social – the antithesis of social distancing and staying away from other people in the Covid-era.” Some of the world’s tourist islands are suffering badly from the lack of travel, it’s not just Bali and Phuket. The Spanish party island of Ibiza is also…
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‘The Batman’ star, Robert Pattinson, tests positive for Covid-19 in the UK
Robert Pattinson, filming in the UK for the upcoming Batman film, has reportedly tested positive for Covid-19, just days after shooting for the much-anticipated movie had resumed. Warner Bros. said in a statement to AFP… “Filming is temporarily paused. A member of ‘The Batman’ production has tested positive for Covid-19, and is isolating in accordance with established protocols.” There was no…
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BTS release their first all-English track ‘Dynamite’, and it’s a disco bop!
The world’s most popular music group, BTS, have released their most anticipated track since the septet launched back in 2013. Really… most anticipated? Well, the song’s retro-vibed bop has obliterated the record for the biggest YouTube premiere, looking almost certain to eclipse the 100 million view mark in 24 hours. BTS’s long struggle to the top of, firstly South Korea’s…
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