News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from across Thailand and beyond with The Thaiger. Our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from this stunning part of the world, covering a diverse range of topics, including local politics, business, culture, and tourism. Keep yourself informed about the Kingdom’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and thriving expat communities, as well as updates on events, attractions, and transportation.
The Thaiger is your essential resource for staying connected with Thailand’s captivating blend of tradition and modernity. To remain in the loop with the country’s most trusted news source, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.
-
Sponsored The best luxury pool villas in Phuket, Koh Samui, and Bali to book this summer
Phuket, Koh Samui, and Bali share several things in common: vivid blue oceans, beautiful beaches, and lush tropical landscapes. Alongside these natural beauties, they also house luxury pool villas for rent that provide the perfect setting for a dream vacation....
-
Cambodia among first countries to give Covid-19 vaccines to children under 5
Yesterday, Cambodia became one of the first countries to give Covid-19 vaccines to children younger than five years old. Children as young as three are now getting vaccines. Most countries haven’t started vaccinating this age group. This month, the United States postponed consideration of vaccinating kids under five. Other countries vaccinating children under five include China, Bahrain, and Cuba. China…
-
Asia News Today | Starving Burmese Refugees & Terrorist groups in Philippines
South Korea’s PM is calling for calm after a record number of Covid infections, amid warnings that the latest surge is still yet to peak. He says that serious cases and deaths were still at “manageable levels”, after health authorities reported 171,452 new infections yesterday, a sharp increase from the 99,573 cases a day earlier and the previous all-time high…
-
Oil tanker investigated after Thai Navy spots waste off the coast of Chon Buri
Thai authorities are investigating an oil tanker after waste was found floating near an island off the coast of Chon Buri’s Sattahip district, according to a Royal Thai Navy spokesperson. Yesterday, the Royal Thai Navy’s corvette reported a waste spill about 9 kilometres away from the island and said it spread across a large area of the Gulf of Thailand.…
-
Cabinet approves the use of chemical castration on repeat sex offenders
The Thai Cabinet approved a bill aimed at preventing repeated sexual offense cases, which includes chemically castrating sexual predators, if at least two medical professionals agree with the procedure and the offender gives consent. MP and spokesperson from the Palang Pracharath Party, Pacharin Sumsiripon, and Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin had proposed the so-called “Sex Act” to prevent repeated sexual offense…
-
Teenager reports sexual assault at co-ed isolation centre for Covid-19 patients
A teenager staying in a community isolation centre while recovering from Covid-19 says she was sexually assaulted by a young man staying in the same room, adding that there were no authorities monitoring the patients. Many of Thailand’s field hospitals and isolation centres have numerous beds made from cardboard boxes all in one large room, like a gymnasium. The 15…
-
Universal coverage scheme has spent over 101 billion baht on Covid-19 treatment
Thailand’s Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients has spent more than 101 billion baht on Covid-19 treatment over the past two years. In 2020, the government spent 3.8 billion for treatments, and that number spiked to 97.7 billion last year. This year, the total treatment cost has been 32.4 billion baht. For patients with mild symptoms or no symptoms at all,…
-
Thai Embassy in Poland preparing to evacuate Thai citizens from Ukraine
The Thai Embassy in Poland says it’s making preparations to evacuate Thai nationals from Ukraine as a result of the escalating tensions with Russia. A spokesman for the embassy in Warsaw says officials have created a special Line group with which to communicate with 250 Thai citizens living in Ukraine. The embassy is preparing to evacuate them to safe houses…
-
Bangkok court rejects bail applications of prominent pro-democracy activists
Bail applications from anti-government activists Anon Nampa and Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak have been rejected by the Bangkok South Criminal Court. The decision follows an earlier ruling by the Criminal Court that granted bail of 2,079,000 baht in relation to other charges. The pro-democracy Ratsadon group did not have sufficient funds to pay the requested amount and launched an online crowdfunding…
-
Laos and Thailand agree to re-open border checkpoints
The government of Laos has agreed to re-open border checkpoints with Thailand imminently, according to Thai government spokesman, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana. The decision follows a courtesy call between the Lao ambassador to Thailand, Seng Soukhathivong, and PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. During the call, the Thai PM said a plan by Lao PM Phankham Viphavanh to make an official visit to Thailand this…
-
Thailand working on 4 Covid-19 vaccines that could be ready by 2023
Thailand is currently developing 4 different Covid-19 vaccines, which could be ready for public use next year. According to a Nation Thailand report, the CCSA was briefed on the progress of each vaccine at its meeting yesterday. Chula-Cov19 is an mRNA vaccine being developed by a team at Chulalongkorn University and has received over 2.7 billion baht in funding from…
-
Anutin says reduced Test & Go insurance requirements enough to cover Covid costs
Following the CCSA’s decision yesterday to lower the insurance coverage required of overseas arrivals, the health minister says the new figure is enough to cover Covid treatment. The mandatory insurance coverage required to enter Thailand will be reduced from US$50,000 to US$20,000 from March 1. Anutin Charnvirakul says the amount was lowered in order to reduce the costs of travelling…
-
Northeastern deputy principal accused of flirting with female students
Yesterday and today, a Facebook page posted chat screenshots of the deputy principal of a Northeastern school offering to change a female student’s grades and buy her a phone if she visited him at his house. The names of the man and the school are not mentioned, but a hashtag trended on social media about the school’s colours and location,…
-
Thailand Test & Go update: No more Day 5 pre-paid hotel or PCR test
From the start of March, the requirement for the 2nd pre-paid PCR test on Day 5 after your arrival in Thailand will be dropped. But it will instead be replaced with a rapid antigen test you can take yourself (freely and cheaply available at any convenience store). In addition, the required ‘Covid’ insurance will be reduced from $50,000 to $20,000.…
-
Monks and novices caught drinking alcohol and involved in an intimate relationship
Thai social media has featured a video showing 8 monks and novices were celebrating and drinking alcohol inside their temple accommodation. Another video and a screenshot of the conversation also indicated that the monk had an intimate relationship with the novice. The party was identified to be happening at the Nikom Kitiyaram temple in the northeast province of Ubon Ratchatani.…
-
Wednesday Covid Update: 21,232 new infections, provincial totals
39 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,730 with 1,032 of those fatalities since the start of this year, mostly related to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 21,232 new Covid infections and 16,662 recoveries. There are now…
-
Army general and two others swindled over 43 million baht in fraud case
An army general and two other people were charged yesterday with colluding to defraud others. The three swindled over 43 million baht from two companies between December 2017 and August 2018. They offered the companies services that didn’t exist. One of these fake projects involved telling a firm they could land it a state contract by installing LED lights in…
-
Asia News Today | Covid cases surge in Asia, Sanctions against Russia & Human trafficking
Covid cases are still surging in many Asian countries, the US is rallying support from the region to support sanctions on Russia in the wake of yesterday’s incursion into Eastern Ukraine, the Australian PM responds to the Chinese laser targeting of one of its planes last week and a conference in Indonesia to address regional human trafficking. —– Starting off…
-
Is Russia invading Ukraine? Biden says so
US President Joe Biden has called out Russia’s Vladimir Putin for claiming two sections of land in eastern Ukraine under the guise of new “sovereign” states and for sending so called peacekeeping troops to the region. In a televised statement on Monday, Putin confirmed his recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk — 2 breakaway areas in the Donbas region of eastern…
-
Covid-19 patients found on Bangkok streets waiting for treatment after cases spike
Today, Thailand’s CCSA reported new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours have reached 21,232 with 39 Covid-related deaths. Thai media and volunteer groups are also reporting that the availability of beds is “at a crisis point”. Photos of patients being left to wait for treatment on the street or on temple grounds are also being shared around social media.…
-
Low hanging cable flings a man off his motorbike – VIDEO
A low hanging electricity cable caught a man by the neck and dragged him off his speeding motorbike in Khon Kaen, north eastern Thailand. The rider, who also was wearing a full face helmet, was able to bounce back, repair his broken bike, and continued on his journey. The footage was captured by a security camera at a car maintenance…
-
Thailand’s businesses appeal to government to lower labour import cost
Thai businesses say they need more workers, and have appealed to the Labour Ministry to reduce costs of importing migrant workers from surrounding countries like Myanmar and Cambodia. Labour ministers said business operators are concerned that if not enough workers are brought in on time, their businesses won’t be able to meet orders and will have to pay fines. PM…
-
Officials to review Test & Go requirements at CCSA meeting today
The government’s Covid-19 task force meets today to review the country’s entry requirements, with a decision expected on whether to ditch the day 5 PCR test. Under Thailand’s Test & Go entry scheme, overseas arrivals are required to take 2 PCR tests, despite already having a negative test result prior to departure from their home country. The first test is…
-
Phuket police officially ban electric scooters from public roads, in wake of ‘scooter-gate’ crackdown on tourist rentals
In the wake of last week’s “scooter-gate” crackdown in Patong, electric scooters have now been officially banned from all public roads in Phuket. Local police stations received an official notice from Major General Sermphan yesterday clarifying how the stand-up form of scooter transportation, popular among tourists on the island, fits in with existing traffic laws. He stated that anyone caught…
-
UPDATE: Junior policeman admits guilt over 9 charges relating to Bangkok zebra crossing death
UPDATE: In an evening session, Pol L/C Norawich Buadok admitted guilt to the nine charges laid over the incident on January 21 where opthalmologist Waraluck Supawatjariyakul was hit and killed when the officer’s Ducati motorbike hit her on a zebra crossing in downtown Ratchethewi, Bangkok. The nine charges include driving a vehicle with no licence plate, using a vehicle without…
-
Removal of Covid-19 from universal coverage scheme to be delayed indefinitely
A controversial decision to remove Covid-19 from the treatments covered under the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients scheme is set to be delayed indefinitely. The delay comes as Covid infections continue to rise nationwide. According to a Bangkok Post report, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed the delay after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. “The government and Public Health Ministry want to…
-
Chon Buri thief allegedly steals wallet with only photo of man’s missing son
One Chon Buri mechanic is begging a thief who allegedly stole his wallet to return what he says is the only photo of his missing son. The mechanic, Apichit, told The Pattaya News he was fixing a washing machine at a car wash shop in Bang Lamung, when he put down his bag on a white box in the shop.…
-
Tourism businesses respond angrily to Covid alert being increased to Level 4
Thailand’s tourism operators have slammed the government’s decision to raise the Covid-19 alert to Level 4, accusing officials of damaging domestic travel sentiment. They say people should be allowed to move to “living with the virus” instead of being discouraged from travel and taking a backward step in Thailand’s recovery. Chamnan Srisawat from the Tourism Council of Thailand says the…
-
US hits Russia with “first tranche” of sanctions after Putin sends troops to Ukraine
The US has confirmed what it says are the “first tranche” of sanctions against Russia, following Moscow’s deployment of troops in eastern Ukraine. According to an AFP report, President Joe Biden announced the sanctions against 2 banks, as well as Russian oligarchs, describing the troop deployment as an invasion. Biden says the sanctions are in response to Russian President Vladimir…
-
Public Health Ministry assures government will continue to cover covid treatment costs — for critical cases
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul assured Thai citizens that their Covid-related costs will continue to be covered after planned changes to the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients scheme — or UCEP — takes effect in March. He also dispelled rumours that the existing scheme would be abandoned altogether, reaffirming that citizens infected with…
-
Overpriced mangosteens in Phuket go viral on Tiktok – how much per kilo!?
A Thai TikToker has shared a video of a street vendor in Phuket selling mangosteens at the rather steep price of 500 baht per kilogram, considered too expensive for Thai people (or anyone for that matter). The Tiktoker said she didn’t mean to offend the seller by claiming that the price was ridiculously high, but merely sought out other people’s…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.