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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 How much travel insurance should cost you in Thailand (By trip length)
When planning a trip to Thailand, travel insurance is a smart investment that can save you from unexpected costs. Whether it’s medical expenses, lost luggage, or trip cancellations, the right coverage can provide peace of mind and financial protection against...
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How do you get permanent residency in Thailand?
What is the point of getting permanent residency in Thailand? What are the benefits of having such a document? What are the things you can and can’t do? What is the criteria for being able to apply for a PR? Find out more in todays episode where Tim sits down with Benjamin Hart from Integrity Legal to talk about the…
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Child abducted 33 years ago finds family with map shared on TikTok
After being kidnapped in 1989 and sold in a child trafficking ring, a man in China was reunited with his family 33 years later with the help of TikTok and a hand-drawn map. Li Jingwei drew a rudimentary map of land features he remembered from his village as a child, memories of a 4 year old preserved for decades. After…
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Phuket to 8 foreign reps: your citizens must obey Covid-19 rules
When children in class misbehave, teachers contact the parents and tell them to keep their kids in line. But what do you do when foreign tourists are misbehaving in your country? Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew met today with Consul Generals and Honorary Consuls from 8 countries to ask them to warn their citizens to follow the rules – especially Covid-19…
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23 Chiang Mai restaurants closed due to Covid-19 outbreaks
Due to several Covid-19 outbreaks in the Muang district, Chiang Mai authorities have closed 23 restaurants from between 3 days and 2 weeks. The order came as Chiang Mai battles with increased Covid-19 infections like most of the rest of Thailand, pummelled by post-New Year’s holiday outbreaks and the rise of the Omicron variant. Chiang Mai reported 304 Covid-19 infections…
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Police searching Coconut Island for fresh market shooter
After a shooting spree at a fresh market in Phuket Town that left 2 people dead and 3 injured, the gunman phoned the police and announced his intention to confess to the crimes and turn himself in. But Maneenop Meethong, the 47-year old seafood vendor at the Phuket City Municipality Fresh Market 1, did not surrender to police and is…
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COVID-19 SATURDAY UPDATE: Infections spike, deaths stable
Covid-19 infections have taken a sharp rise from 3,000 at the start of the year to over 8,000 infections recorded yesterday, with imported cases doubling, though deaths have been fairly stable and low. Today, the CCSA reported 8,263 new infections, up 737 since yesterday, and 14 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 5 from yesterday. Since April 1, 2021, in the latest wave…
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Government to prevent price gouging on Covid-19 test kits
With the Omicron variant rapidly spreading across Thailand, the need for Covid-19 testing not just once but frequently has become more and more vital. Antigen test kits have become a crucial tool f0r easy and fast home testing and the availability of ATKs in pharmacies across the country, even being stocked in 7-Eleven now, is a monumental step in encouraging…
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Bangkok to begin Pfizer vaccines for children 5-11 next month
The next round of the vaccine rollout is being prepared now by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and aims to use Pfizer vaccines for children under 12 years old. The rollout will be launched next month and will allow children between the ages of 5 years old and 11 years old to get vaccinated with the mRNA vaccine. While children over…
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69 provinces moved to Covid-19 orange zone, no drinking
While the CCSA has stumbled over an exact decision regarding the closing of the Test & Go programme and what that means for people holding tickets after the currently proposed January 15th deadline, inside Thailand the party’s over as provinces have been rezoned with 69 of them being moved to the Orange Zone which forbids drinking among other Covid-19 curbs.…
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Thailand Test & Go registration suspended indefinitely, Sandboxes added
Registration for Thailand’s Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme will be closed indefinitely. Travellers, who are already approved to enter Thailand under the Test & Go quarantine exemption program, may have to enter before January 15 (although the cut off date of January 15 was clearly announced at yesterday’s CCSA briefing there has been a random walking back of that…
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Bangkok and Pattaya left out of the Sandboxes
Goodbye Test & Go. Hello Sandboxes, but more Sandboxes. But all the Sandboxes are in Thailand’s south and Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai, to name the obvious victims, have been left out in the cold the latest re-arrangement of Thailand Pass re-entry conditions. With the Sandbox programs, originally launched in Phuket on July 1, travellers can enter Thailand, stay and…
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Phuket Shooting at a fresh market leaves 2 dead, 3 injured
A man opened fire on a fresh market in Phuket Town, shooting and killing 2 people and injuring 3 others in the hail of bullets. The shooing took place this morning at Phuket City Municipality Fresh Market 1 in Phuket Town on Ranong Road. Police were notified around 10:20 am of the shooting and Phuket City Police responded with rescue…
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Khao Yai hotel threatens 3 million baht lawsuit over negative review
It wouldn’t be the first time, but a Thai hotel is threatening to sue a customer over a negative review they left after their stay. The hotel, located in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima around the popular tourist destination of Khao Yai National Park, is threatening a 3 million baht lawsuit over a review where the past guest rated…
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Phuket to get 60,000 Moderna vaccines for 4th boosters
Phuket is lined up to get some of the millions of Moderna vaccines arriving in Thailand now with plans to begin administering fourth vaccines – second booster shots – beginning later this month. The Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation has allocated budget money to procure 60,000 Moderna vaccines for residents of the province. Phuket has been among the most successful regions…
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Friday Covid Update: 7,526 new cases; provincial totals
19 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,799 with 21,705 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 7,526 new Covid-19 cases and 2,895 recoveries. There are now 42,580 people in Thailand being…
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Police officer accused of leaking sex video of lover on Twitter
In the past few months, The Thaiger has covered multiple stories of the police busting women selling sex videos on OnlyFans and social media like Twitter and the LINE app, and even a special warning against dressing up as sexy police officers when making adult material on OnlyFans, but today’s story of sex, police, and the internet, has a different…
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Security guard wanted in Bangkok condo rape case arrested in Sa Kaeo
The Bangkok security guard wanted by police for allegedly raping a Bang Khae condominum resident three days ago surrendered to police in the eastern Sa Kaeo, bordering Cambodia. The head of security at the Bangkok condominium, 40 year old Montri Yaikrathog, allegedly went into a tenant’s room, handcuffed her, and sexually assaulted her. The 36 year old woman told police…
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Hundreds barred daily on Phuket bridge lacking Covid-19 docs
Police are warning people that if you’re going to drive into Phuket, you better have a negative Covid-19 test no more than 72 hours before arrival or proof you are fully vaccinated or you will be turned away. The officers guarding the land entrance onto Phuket Island said they are turning away as many as 500 drivers per day who…
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Laos reports first case of Omicron strain, traveller from overseas
Laos reported its first Omicron case yesterday involving a woman who travelled from overseas. The woman’s family member, who was travelling with her, also tested positive for Covid-19, but the Omicron strain was not detected, according to the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control. Both travellers are fully vaccinated. Before landing in the capital of Laos, Vientiane the…
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Cambodia’s PM arrives in Myanmar to meet with junta despite strong opposition
Despite the strong opposition to his visit to Myanmar, Cambodia’s PM Hun Sen arrived in the capital of Naypyidaw to meet with the military junta and leader Min Aung Hlaing. On the same morning, several bombs exploded in major cities like Yangon and Mandalay, according to local media outlet Khit Thit. Last night, many netizens from Myanmar stormed Hun Sen’s…
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69 provinces now “orange” zones with ban on alcohol sales at restaurants
Restrictions are tightening in a number of Thai provinces. Thailand’s Covid-19 task force revised its colour-coded zoning based on local infection rates and decided to classify 69 of Thailand’s 77 provinces as “orange” zones under tight control to curb the spread of Covid-19. The new zoning goes into effect on Sunday. The other provinces will remain classified as “blue” zone provinces,…
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Travel ban and restrictions lifted for those travelling from African countries
Thailand is lifting its travel ban on the eight African countries that were considered to be at high risk of the Omicron variant when the mutated strain was first detected. Restrictions for those travelling from other African countries will also be lifted. The revised measures go into effect on January 11. The countries being removed from Thailand’s ban list include…
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Surat Thani islands, Krabi, Phang Nga approved for Sandbox scheme starting January 11
With the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme suspended indefinitely, more areas have been approved to welcome travellers under the Sandbox programme, which allows those who are fully vaccinated to enter and stay in a designated area or province rather than undergoing quarantine at a hotel or facility. Starting January 11, travellers can register to enter Thailand through the Sandbox…
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Chon Buri officials issue Covid-19 warning for Si Racha nightclub
In a long line of warnings from the Chon Buri Public Health Office, a nightclub in the Si Racha area is the latest to receive an alert for anyone who attended to get tested for Covid-19, this time after New Year’s Eve celebrations. Chon Buri health officials put out an announcement yesterday calling on anyone who attended Cool Club X…
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72 year old foreign man fell to death from Pattaya condo
Another in the disproportionate list of people falling out of buildings in Pattaya occurred last night, as a 72 year old foreign man fell to his death out of a condo window in Central Pattaya. The man who is believed to be an expat was found dead on the street below the property. The details of both the condo name…
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Thai baht falling over Omicron fears and strong US dollar
As the Covid-19 pandemic drags on, it’s not just our patience and our resolve that is weakening. The Thai baht is falling too, weakening against a stronger US dollar and global fears over the impact of the Omicron variant rapidly spreading throughout the world. Today the conversion rate stands at 33.59 baht to the US dollar just off of its…
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Two foreign travellers wanted by Phuket authorities, Covid-positive and left hotel quarantine
Two French travellers are wanted by Phuket authorities leaving their hotel quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19. Thai media used a word meaning “escape” and posted mugshots of the man and woman like suspects on a wanted criminal poster. Authorities have asked those who have seen the travellers, who are both around 35 years old, to contact the Patong Police…
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More than 100 soldiers test positive for Covid-19 at Isaan camp
More than 100 soldiers at a camp in the Isaan province Khon Kaen have tested positive for Covid-19 after trips during the New Year holiday. A doctor from the provincial public health office says there are now isolation areas set up at the camp to house the infected soldiers. Reports in Thai media say 124 soldiers at the camp tested…
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Tourism officials warn that 7 billion baht could be lost due to suspension of Test & Go
Tourism officials warn that at least 7 billion baht of revenue will be lost in Thailand’s tourism sector this month if the suspension of the “Test & Go” scheme continues. The president of the Tourism Council of Thailand says that putting a hold on the scheme will not only have an effect on tourism in the short term, but it…
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Duterte orders the arrest of unvaccinated people who violate stay-at-home rule
Amid a surge in Covid-19 infections in the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte is coming down hard on the unvaccinated. The government recently tightened restrictions in Manila and several provinces, including banning unvaccinated people from leaving home unless for exercise or to purchase essentials. According to an AFP report, Duterte has gone as far as to sanction the arrest of anyone…
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