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Sponsored Thailand health insurance that covers chronic conditions: What expats need to know
The Thaiger key takeaways Managing chronic conditions in Thailand requires health insurance that covers specialist visits, medications, tests, and hospital stays. Cigna offers high-coverage plans with access to top hospitals, direct billing, and telemedicine support for convenient long-term care. Expats...
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Cambodia stops requiring Covid-19 tests for international visitors
Today, Cambodia stopped requiring international travellers to test for Covid-19 upon entering the country. Visitors still must be fully vaccinated, with proof of vaccination, to avoid two weeks of quarantine. Cambodian authorities also plan to issue visas on arrival again, which were suspended before due to Covid-19. The country’s Ministry of Health didn’t confirm when this would start, though. Cambodia…
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Tangmo: Panel to verify 2nd autopsy details, includes ‘punk rock auntie’ Pornthip
A panel of forensic experts is set to review the details of a second autopsy for the Thai actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharavirapong. The panel, which includes “punk rock auntie” Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, has been assembled by the Ministry of Justice for a fresh examination of Tanmo’s remains taking place to day, as the investigation into her death marks three weeks.…
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“Ganja-naburi”: Kanchanaburi is becoming Thailand’s medical marijuana capital
Kanchanaburi… more like “Ganja-naburi.” The western province is becoming a hub for medical marijuana, aka ganja, with more and more community enterprises getting licences to grow the once-criminalised plant. 260 kilograms of cannabis were harvested for the second time at a medical marijuana event in Kanchanaburi yesterday. The cannabis was planted six months ago by eight community enterprises that are…
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UKRAINE UPDATES: Biden approves military aid after Zenelsky speech; Russia strikes Mariupol theatre with children
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a speech to the US Congress on Wednesday. In a virtual address, Zelenksy repeated his plea for a no-fly zone and called for more sanctions on Russia, as Russian forces inch toward Kyiv, with intensified fighting around the capital. After Zelensky challenged him to be “the leader of peace“, US President Joe Biden pledged an additional $800…
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Iran frees captives held for 5, 6 years
Today, Iranian authorities freed two British-Iranian nationals imprisoned in the country for five and six years. One captive, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, was arrested in 2016. The other captive, Anoosheh Ashoori, was arrested in 2017. Nazanin was a project manager for Thompson Reuters Foundation when she was arrested, and Anoosheh was a businessman. Iranian authorities accused Nazanin of trying to “overthrow” the…
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Low-magnitude earthquakes detected in Northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai
Two low-magnitude earthquakes shook two districts in Northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai. The earthquakes were very mild and residents in the areas were not affected, and probably didn’t even feel it, according to Thai media. Earthquake Observation Division reported earthquakes at Chiang Rai’s Wiang Pa Pao and Mae Lao districts. The first 1.3 magnitude quake happened at Wiang Pa Pao district…
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Park officials ordered to detain dangerous elephant after it killed a villager, damaged farms
A dangerous wild elephant that killed a woman and damaged farms is being tracked down in the central province of Prachin Buri. The 25 year old elephant has caused so much damage and disruption that an order has been issued for park officials to immediately find and detain the elephant. They’ve also been advised to take extreme care for their…
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Official assigned to “investigate” anyone who shares Lisa Blackpink’s whisky ads
The director of Thailand’s Office of the Alcohol Control Committee has been assigned to investigate anyone who shares photos of a famous Thai celebrity promoting a whisky brand. He was assigned by the Department of Disease Control, according to reporters. The celebrity, Lisa from Blackpink, is a brand ambassador for the Scotch whisky company Chivas. In Thailand, it’s illegal to…
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Expat numbers in Singapore now at lowest level since 2010
Data from Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower shows that the number of expat, white-collar workers, in the city state is the lowest it’s been in a decade. The number of Employment Pass holders, a work permit issued to foreign professionals earning at least S$4,500 (over 110,000 Thai baht) a month, fell 9% to 161,700 in the year ended December 2021. This…
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Aircraft wreckage washes up on Nakhon Si Thammarat beach in Southern Thailand
Aircraft wreckage washed up on a beach in the southern province Nakhon Si Thammarat and provincial officers have called in aircraft specialists to investigate. A local official says locals found similar wreckage six years ago. A 3.16 metre long, 1.80 metre wide metal piece, weighing around 70 to 80 kilograms, was found on Tha Phraya beach. There were two spots…
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Bangkok governor may quit next week as he prepares to seek a second term
The governor of Bangkok may soon step down as he prepares to run for a second term. According to a Bangkok Post source, Aswin Kwanmuang is likely to resign as early as next week as his team work on his re-election campaign. It’s understood Aswin and his advisers met earlier this week to complete the incumbent’s registration. Bangkok residents go…
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1,000 Thais register to apply for jobs in Saudi Arabia
Thai and Saudi officials say labour relations between their countries are strengthening following renewed relations. Thailand’s labour minister said over 1,000 people have registered online with the Department of Employment to apply for jobs in Saudi Arabia. He claimed the final remaining step is signing a bilateral labour agreement, which is expected to occur soon. The agreement will allow Thailand…
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CCSA meets tomorrow to decide fate of pre-departure PCR test
The requirement for overseas arrivals to take a PCR test 72 hours prior to departure from their home country could soon be scrapped. According to a Bangkok Post report, the CCSA will discuss dropping the requirement when it meets tomorrow. Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Public Health Ministry says international arrivals would still be required to take a PCR test…
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Thailand’s Health Ministry to propose scrapping pre-departure PCR for Test & Go
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry is set to make a proposal to scrap the pre-departure PCR for Test & Go travellers, making entering the country more convenient and cost-efficient. The proposal will need to be approved by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, which will have its general meeting this Friday and is expected to discuss a number of topics, including…
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All Betong airport flights cancelled just 24 hours after airport opening
Less than 24 hours after PM Prayut Chan-o-cha arrived on the first flight into Betong International Airport to chair the opening ceremony, all scheduled flights in and out of the airport have been suspended. At present, it is not possible to book flights in or out of Betong and it is not yet known when flights will resume. The Tourism…
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Market vendor runs stray dog programme, colour-coded collars to indicate friendliness
Stray dog populations have been a longstanding issue in Thailand, but a flower seller at a market in the central province Samut Songkram saw a way to make the dogs part of the community and created a project to help take care of the dogs in the area. Now each dog has a name and is marked with a collar…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 23,945 new cases; provincial totals
70 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 23,918 with 2,220 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 23,945 new Covid-19 cases and 23,339 recoveries. There are now 221,972 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Bar raided in Bangkok’s Nana, woman arrested for alleged child sex trafficking
Police raided a bar in Bangkok’s Nana area and found that at least three teenage girls were offering sexual services. Two are 15 years old, another is 14. A woman at the bar was arrested on child sex trafficking charges. Officers raided 789 Bar on Sukhumvit Soi 7 in the Nana area, a redlight district is known for its go-go…
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Four military rangers injured in another Southern Thailand bomb
A bomb exploded in Mayo district of Pattani province in Southern Thailand this morning. Four paramilitary rangers were injured from the bomb on their way to fix a broken water pump near their base. One ranger was severely injured. One ranger’s left arm was injured. One ranger’s leg was wounded, and another ranger suffered chest pain. All the rangers were…
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Siam Piwat brings home 7 awards at The Best of SHA Awards 2021
Press Release Siam Piwat’s properties and world-class convention centres received the plaque of honour and won first place at The Best of SHA Awards 2021, an award given to the best establishments that strictly comply with SHA standards Siam Paragon received the plaque of honour and won first place at The Best of SHA Awards 2021 in the department store…
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Famous Thailand monk caught drink driving, carrying methamphetamine
A famous Thailand monk, known for his predictions and visions, was reportedly caught drink driving with methamphetamine pills hidden inside his robes after a 20-kilometre police chase yesterday in eastern province Mukdahan, which borders Laos. Police followed a pickup truck after it ran a red light in Mukdahan city. Turns out a famous monk was behind the wheel. Officers chased…
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Vietnam reopens borders to international tourism TODAY (a day late)
The Ides of March came and went without so much as a word on Vietnam’s much anticipated border reopening on March 15. But the news comes today, with the Ministry of Health officially announcing that foreign nationals entering Vietnam now only need to provide a negative Covid-19 test certificate to enter the country and will no longer be required to…
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North Korea fails to launch suspected ballistic missile
North Korea fired an “unknown projectile” yesterday, which reportedly appeared to fail immediately after it was launched. The United States’ military’s Indo-Pacific Command claimed it was part of a ballistic missile launch. The command did not mention the reported failure, but condemned the launch. It urged North Korea to refrain from further “destabilising” actions. South Korean media reported that disbris…
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7 students at Thailand university face charges for allegedly beating a student to death
Since 19 year old student Padyos “Prem” Chonpakdi was beaten to death, allegedly by university students in a violent initiation ceremony on Sunday in Nakhon Ratchasima, seven upper-level students have confessed to using excessive violence against Prem which lead to his death. Prem was forced to undress, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, sing and was punched in the stomach and…
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Thailand football player could face lifetime ban for elbow strike to opponent
A Bangkok Football Club player who struck his opponent with a Muay Thai-style elbow strike to the face could receive a lifetime ban. Aitsaret Noichaiboon slammed his elbow into the player’s face, fracturing his cheekbone. He received 24 stitches on his upper lip and doctors say he also suffered a blood clot in his nose. The football club terminated Aitsaret’s…
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Thai education official admits online learning’s pitfalls
A Thai education official admitted that online learning in Thailand has weakened students’ reading and writing skills. The secretary-general of the Office of the Basic Education Commission said this is especially a problem for kindergarten and primary students. He said students “must” start school in-person on May 15. This was after rumours circled that school might be interrupted again. The…
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Officers find suspected hideout for alleged hitman on Thailand’s most wanted list
Officers found a camp at a mountain in the southern province Songkhla where they suspect an alleged hitman on Thailand’s most wanted list was hiding. The 45 year old who is wanted on multiple charges involving murder allegedly shot an M16 rifle during a police chase, killing an officer. Following the gunfire exchange, the alleged hitman Chamrat “Chui Chaochan” Rakchan,…
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UKRAINE UPDATES: 3 EU PMs visit Kyiv; Peace talks ‘realistic’; 400 trapped in Mariupol hospital; US labels Putin ‘war criminal’; TV editor released
As Russia’s invasion marks three weeks, here’s the latest headlines from the war in Ukraine… • Three EU Prime Ministers visited the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Tuesday in a display of European support. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Slovenia’s Prime Minister Janez Jansa traveling by train to…
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United States trade dispute on solar products from Thailand, Southeast Asia
Projects in the United States might freeze over a recent dispute on solar panels imported from Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Even though these countries supply the United States with about 80% of its solar imports, the United States’ Commerce Department is scheduled to probe whether the solar products are circumventing tariffs. The probe is over whether Chinese manufacturers are…
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Murderer of Swiss tourist in Phuket sentenced to life imprisonment
The Thai man who murdered the Swiss tourist at a Phuket waterfall last year has been sentenced to life in prison by the Phuket Court. 28 year old Teerawat Thothip was initially sentenced to death, but it was then reduced to life imprisonment given that Teerawat confessed to investigators. The body of 57 year old victim Nicole Sauvain Weisskopf, the…
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