News
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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Thaiger Radio News – Sunday
Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…
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Dead man washed up on Nakhon Si Thammarat beach
The decomposed body of a man has washed up onto a beach in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Police said the unidentified body was spotted on the shores of the beach in Moo 9 village in Tambon Na Saton in Hua Sai district on Saturday morning. Police say the man appears to have been dead for about a week and the body…
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Five die in Sukhothai car smash
A man has died, along with his boyfriend, parents and aunt after his car crashed into a roadside tree in Sukhothai, central Thailand. Si Satchanalai police were alerted a few minutes after midnight on Saturday morning that the accident happened on the Si Satchanalai-Uttaradit road in Ban Huay Sak village in Tambon Pa Ngiew. 25 year old Saranyu Thanomjit was…
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How will ‘Chindia’ change Phuket’s tourism future?’
What exactly is this Chindia? In a nutshell it’s a flash drive marketplace with 1/3 of the world’s population – China and India. For a great number of Phuket hoteliers, the first half of 2018 saw marketplace velocity, where RevPAR’s rose on surging demand, and the most often heard comment was the ignominious ‘same same’. Though room rate growth was…
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Two year battle for hospital compensation
Thai media 77jowo is reporting that the Hua Hin Hospital and the Department of Public Health have agreed to return more than 20,000 baht to a man from the Netherlands who claims he was ripped off by the hospital because he was a foreigner. Back in September 2016 a man, Erwin Buse, complained to the government watchdog Damrongtham in Prajuap…
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Female tourist injured by speedboat propellor at Koh Phi Phi
A Chinese woman has been severely injured and rushed to hospital after being hit by a speedboat propeller while swimming at Koh Phi Phi in Krabi Province this morning. Police say the woman suffered cuts to her back and thighs before being rushed to the Koh Phi Phi Hospital and then later transferred to Phuket Vachira hospital by boat. Police…
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Influx of Indian tourists expected over the next decade
PHOTO: LookEast Magazine Tourism from India will increase markedly over the next ten years. This prediction from the head of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, Wichit Prakorpkoson. By 2028 he says he expects 10 million Indian visitors each year. About Chinese tourism, the ATTA chief say he expected the numbers to slow from previous trends but there will still be 20…
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School van driver accused of raping two schoolgirls
A 29 year old school van driver, accused of raping two schoolgirls aged 12 and 14, has appeared at Bangkok’s Thon Buri Court as police apply for a detention order. Suspect Natthawut Chamroen, who was arrested in Thung Kru district this week, is denying charges of “taking away” girls under 15 from their parents for a lewd act, molesting and…
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Import of birds and poultry from Russia suspended to avoid bird flu
The Livestock Development Department is imposing a 90 day slowdown of imports into or transit through Thailand of birds and poultry, as well as their carcasses from Russia, Togo and Congo to prevent a possible spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza HPAI H5N1 virus in the country (bird flu). Thai PBS reports that the department’s previous announcement for a…
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Thais need to have more babies to reverse declining population
A government advisory body is urging the Government to come up with measures to encourage Thais to have more babies. The National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has urged the government to implement additional measures to improve the birth rate in Thailand, following a recent study detailing the impact of a shrinking population. Thailand, with the fertility rate of…
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Singapore businessman’s Porsche hits Krabi Police officer
A Singaporean businessman, driving a luxury sports car, has hit Krabi police at a checkpoint yesterday in Krabi. The Krabi City Police were conducting a scheduled checkpoint at about noon yesterday on Petkasem Road in Krabi City. The Porsche was driven by 65 year old Simon Ong Chin Sim, a Singaporean businessman, His vehicle struck traffic police Sen Sgt Maj…
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Alleged drug mule shot dead in clash with troops in Chiang Rai
PHOTO: Chiang Rai and Myanmar border at Mae Sai A drug mule has been shot dead on the border between Chiang Rai and Myanmar, and 350,000 methamphetamine pills were seized following a clash between an Army task force and a group of drug smugglers. The commander of the Pha Muang Taskforce says the incident happened at 12.30am along the Myanmar…
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Thaiger Radio News – Friday
Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…
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UPDATE: Two foreigners die in high speed road accident in Phuket
Two foreigners, riding a powerful motorbike, have died at the scene of the crash, after colliding with a car in Chalong. Chalong Police were notified of the incident at 11.30pm on Chao Fa West Road near a local seafood restaurant. Police and rescue workers arrived to find the car with damage on its front right side. Chalong Police report that…
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Thai Khon now listed with UNESCO as ‘intangible heritage of humanity’
Thai khon drama, or the ‘masked dance’ drama, is now listed as an ‘intangible heritage of humanity’ by UNESSCO. On the ceremony yesterday, UNESCO also listed Cambodia’s khon drama as an intangible heritage of humanity. Reacting to UNESCO’s decision, Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha posted in his Facebook page that he was pleased with the decision and he credited this achievement…
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‘Recognise all citizen’s right to create a family’ – Rainbow Sky Association
by Pratch Rujivanarom. PHOTO: Prasert Thepsri “LGBT activists are calling on the Thai government to recognise all citizen’s right to create a family.” The Nation reports that both the Civil Code’s marriage law and the new Life Partnership Bill are in violation of the Constitution’s gender-equality principle, gender-diversity campaigners asserted as they pressed for full marriage equality rather than a two-tier…
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DSI calls for dissolution of foundation funding Dhammakaya cult
“The foundation operates as a quasi-Buddhist cult and commands adherents to its teachings from around the world.” The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is calling on public prosecutors to request the courts to dissolve the Khun Yay Maha Ratana Upasika Chandra Khonnokyoong Foundation. The Foundation was implicated in the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative (KCUC) embezzlement case. The DSI say they…
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Mother killed by moving train, 2 year old daughter survives
A mother and her 2 year old daughter fell from a train at a station in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The mother died while the girl survived with minor injuries. The incident took place at the Klong Chandee railway station at 10am this morning. Police say 21 year old Benjawan Duangsuwan died at the scene. Her daughter was sent to Por Than…
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Pic of female sunbather on Phuket balcony goes viral in social media
A photo of a female tourist sunbathing in a bikini on a balcony of a condo in Phuket. has gone viral in social media today. A Facebook user has posted the picture of the woman lying face down at a balcony of a condominium, her feet were dangling off the side of the building. The photographer was worried she was…
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31 year old British tourist arrested in Chiang Mai – Drugs and overstay
PHOTO: Sanook A 31 year old man has been arrested in Chiang Mai yesterday for alleged use of crystal methamphetamine (ice) and overstaying his visa. Police arrested British tourist, Benjamin John Soulsby at his rented house in a housing estate in Tambon Tonpao, Kamphaeng district, following a tip-off from the house owner that his tenant appeared to be high on…
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Dam levels low in some regions – Dry season
PHOTO: Srinagarind Dam, Kanchanaburi The Royal Irrigation Department says there be enough water for domestic consumption this dry season. But they acknowledge that water reserves in many dams around the country are running low. The RID director-general, Thongplew Kongjun, is assuring the public that the country will have enough water for domestic consumption and businesses during this dry season. But…
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Bangkok man killed when pickup hits wild elephant
A Bangkok driver has been killed after his pickup truck appears to have hit a wild elephant on an unlit road in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district. The driver has been identified as 58 year old Nakharin Boonchai. Officials believe the pickup hit a large elephant as the road was dark and the driver could not see the large mammal. His…
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Officers inspect Koh Racha in public access complaint
PHOTOS: Damrongdhama Centre Officials from the Damrongdhama Centre, Phuket Office visited Koh Racha Yai to inspect the area where locals have claimed that a hotel operator has closed a public entrance. Locals on Koh Racha Yai had filed a complaint to the Damrongdhama Centre (Office of the Ombudsman) Phuket Office. They claim that a hotel operator has closed an entrance which…
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Walking on air. 314 metres above Bangkok.
PHOTO: The Nation King Power International Group has opened what is being marketed as the world’s biggest glass-bottomed skywalk. The new tourist (and local) attraction is on the rooftop of the 78 storey Mahanakhon building on Narathiwat Road in Bangkok’s Bang Rak district. Mahanokon is Thailand’s tallest building at 314 metres. The glass skywalk has 360 degree panoramic view, vertically…
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SHOW DC launches new 60,000 capacity outdoor SHOW DC Arena
Latest event space establishes SHOW DC’s positioning as the events venue of choice in downtown Bangkok with combined capacity of 90,000 Large scale events have a new stage in downtown Bangkok at SHOW DC, which has launched the biggest outdoor event venue in the city. Named SHOW DC Arena, the 120 million baht investment in a 31,790 sqm outdoor entertainment space…
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Minister raises ethical concerns of private schools listing on the SET
PHOTO: Singapore International School of Bangkok Trading in the shares of SISB Company Limited, the manager of the Singapore International School, begins today in the SET’s (Stock Exchange of Thailand) Market for Alternative Investment. The Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin says that although the move does not violate the Private School Act 2007, there was a question of ethics. The Minister has assigned…
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Surat Thani monk arrested over molestation allegations
Surat Thani police have served an arrest warrant on a 35 year old monk at the Wat Dang Nai. Sanook is reporting that Phra Mongkhon faces charges of molesting under 15 year old boys. The arrest of the monk follows an official complaint made by a parent to police back in April who claimed her 13 year old son had…
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Three metre python caught in Chalong
PHOTO: Chalong Municipality A three metre python has been caught in a rubber plantation in Chalong. Staff members of the Chalong Municipality were notified from locals that a python had been found in a rubber plantation yesterday. They tried to catch it using a rope lasso but the snake headed for a nearby tree. After a few attempts the team…
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Prawit hands back seized assets from illegal money-lenders
PHOTO: The Nation Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan has presented 2,012 debtors in the Loei province, in far north-east Thailand, assets valued around 3.4 billion baht. The hand-over includes 1,773 land-title deeds held as collateral in dodgy loan scams. Many people, holding documents to their chest, couldn’t hold back tears of joy over getting the assets they thought were lost due…
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Education Ministry sets up investigation unit to fight corruption
The Education Ministry is poised set up its own version of a DSI (Department of Special Investigations) style department tasked with investigating corruption amongst education officials. Speaking to provincial education officials and legal affairs officials this week, Education Minister Thirakiart Charoensetthasilp says his ministry planned to form a special team of legal experts, similar to the DSI, to address corruption…
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