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.
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Sponsored 5 best wine bars in Bangkok offering rich and quality wine
It’s wine o’clock! Whether you’re all about fruity reds, sweet whites, or funky naturals, Bangkok has many great spots to sip your favourite varieties. But with an array of options to choose from, and the constant rise and fall of...
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Bangkok police nab illegal Nigerian 2 year overstayer with cocaine
A Nigerian man who entered Thailand illegally 2 years ago has arrested in Bangkok’s Suan Luang area and found to be in possession of cocaine. Thailand’s immigration chief says immigration officers were keeping tabs on a drug distribution network and soon had a black man in their sights at a condo building in the Suan Luang area of the capital.…
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US fares worse than Mexico and Russia in world misery ranking
The Bloomberg Misery Index for 2020 has been released, using economic predictions for 2020 inflation rates and employment compared to figures from 2019. The list features 60 countries where sufficient economic forecasting data is available to Bloomberg. It’s not looking good for the US, which has plummeted 25 spots. The timing couldn’t be worse for President Trump as he campaigns…
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Thailand’s GDP forecast to fall up to 9% this year
Thailand’s GDP is set to fall 7-9%, year-on-year, according to the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking. The fall is, not surprisingly, being fallout from the catastrophic drop in tourism and lower exports. Kalin Sarasin, chairman of the Board of Trade of Thailand, says the expected contraction was revised downwards from 5-8%. The committee also predicted exports would drop…
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Human trafficking and drugs suspects nabbed using airport biometrics
2 suspects have recently been arrested using the biometric security system recently installed in international airports across Thailand. In the first case, a suspected human trafficker was apprehended after returning to Thailand during the Covid-19 crisis. Immigration officers received information from Chiang Mai police about a person travelling into Thailand from Japan. On July 14, a Thai citizen returned to…
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Remains of another ferry disaster victim found, in the sunken vessel
The body of another victim of Saturday’s Surat Thani ferry disaster have been located, trapped inside the sunken vessel. Divers in Surat Thani found the remains of the missing female crew member in the sunken Racha 4 ferry, but were unable to recover the body. The deputy commander of the Second Fleet said today that the divers found the victim…
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BTS pillar collapse injures 5 – VIDEO
5 construction workers were injured in the early hours of this morning when a column under construction along a future elevated train line came crashing down. A Skytrain Pink Line pillar under construction collapsed on Chaengwattana Road in Nonthaburi’s Pak Kret district, just north of Bangkok. The workers were about 7 metres from the ground and pouring concrete on top…
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Philippines plummets in to recession as virus numbers spike
The Philippines, reeling from Covid-19 lockdowns that have destroyed businesses and thrown millions out of work, plunged into recession after its biggest quarterly contraction on record, data showed today. The Philippine Statistics Authority says GDP 16.5% year-on-year in the second quarter as the country endured one of the world’s longest stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of the virus that’s…
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10 new 5G towers going up in Nong Prue, Pattaya
The Nong Prue tambon, to the east of Pattaya City, will be the home of 10 new 5G WiFi “Smart Poles” . The installation starts this month. The announcements were made by the Nong Prue Mayor Mine Chiyanit and the team from United Technology Enterprise who are installing the new towers and technology. The Smart Pole set ups will be installed…
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Police questioned as casino shootout evidence goes missing
Bankok police are being questioned over their handling the Monday’s shooting incident at an illegal gambling den in the capitol’s Thung Mahamek area, in which 4 people, including a police officer, died, and whether officers are concealing evidence. The secretary-general of the Justice Reform Institute said yesterday that police appear to be treating the shooting in the same way they treated…
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COVID-19 update: 2 new cases found in state quarantine, no new deaths (August 6)
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration this morning reported 2 new cases of Covid-19, both returnees from the US, bringing the national total of confirmed cases to 3,330 since the outbreak began in January. A CCSA spokeman said the new patients are a 42 year old man aged 42 and a woman, aged 62, both Thai nationals. They arrived on…
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No current plans to extend list of foreigners allowed back into Thailand
There is no immediate plan to extend the list of foreigners being allowed to come to Thailand at the moment. Specifically still excluded are retirees with valid visas, homes and families in Thailand. The directive comes from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since Thailand’s experience with Covid-19, it has closed its borders to tourists and visitors, stranding both Thais and…
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Cabinet approves 435 million baht to control hungry elephants, monkeys
The Covid-19 crisis hasn’t just affected humans and businesses; it’s had a profound impact on Thailand’s wildlife- much of which was dependent on tourism for survival. As a result, the Cabinet on Tuesday approved a budget of 435.3 million baht to reduce the impacts of wildlife on people. The budget was requested by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.…
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US ambassador visits Thai clean-tech company Equator Pure Nature
The United States Ambassador to Thailand, Michael George DeSombre visited American-founded Thai clean-tech pioneer Equator Pure Nature yesterday to discuss perspectives on US businesses and American-founded companies in Thailand, their contributions to Thai society, primarily during the Covid-19 pandemic, and their role in assisting the development of Thai entrepreneurs, particularly women. Thailand is among countries recognised worldwide as having best…
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Tourism sector pin hopes on “Safe and Sealed” scheme to lure international visitors
In the latest plan to bolster Thailand’s withering tourism industry, business operators are proposing a new inbound tourism plan called “Safe and Sealed”, to replace the delayed “travel bubbles” scheme and prevent Thailand realising the worst-case revenue scenario of only 675 billion baht next year, down from 3 trillion in 2019. At a joint meeting yesterday of the Tourism and…
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Unidentified woman attacks foreign man in Pattaya
Police in Pattaya report that a foreign man was attacked by an unidentified woman in front of a restaurant on the city’s Beach Road. The incident occurred at 6:15pm yesterday at a McDonald’s located on Beach Road between Soi 5 and Soi 6. The man, whose name and nationality are being withheld by police, was attacked by a Thai woman…
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Mushroom clouds and nuclear explosions – the fallout from the Beirut explosion – VIDEO
The world of instant experts and budding journalists kicks in moments after any event these days and reaches out almost instantaneously. The majority of people in the world first read about the Beirut chemical explosion on social media feeds, rather than mainstream media sources. Whilst most of the videos appeared horrifyingly authentic, captured by residents from wherever they were at…
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Dozens of Burmese, Thai workers demand back pay, benefits in Phuket
An estimated 100 Burmese and Thai workers went to Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday to report their employer for not paying them for 3 months, and to try and get some clarity if they still have jobs. They filed their complaint with the ombudsman’s office and the Labour Protection Social Security Office. 27 year old Burmese national Min Thu Khu explained…
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Police seize property valued at 200 million baht from suspected hill tribe drug gang – VIDEO
Anti-narcotics police in 4 provinces seized property valued at around 200 million baht from a suspected drug trafficking gang… mostly northern hill tribe people, in coordinated raids yesterday. 30 targets in Bangkok and Hua Hin, as well as in northern and southern provinces, were raided by armed officers. 24 houses, 5 shophouses, 12 land title deeds, 22 cars and 27…
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Immigration police nab American, Thai wife for visa forgery, cannabis
Immigration police yesterday announced the arrest of an American, and his Thai wife for allegedly forging visas and other government documents, as well as growing cannabis, at their home. 31 year old Chad Vincent Scira, and his 34 year old Thai wife Grace Scira, were apprehended at their Bangkok home. “The suspects established a company called Thai Visa Centre, offering…
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Vietnam battles new, more contagious Covid-19 strain
Vietnam’s acting health minister reported 28 new cases of Covid-19 infection yesterday, bringing its total confirmed cases to 670, as well as 2 more deaths from the disease, making the tally 8 deceased Vietnamese. 27 of the new cases were reported in the central city of Da Nang, central Quang Nam province and southern Dong Nai province, among whom 16…
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Chon Buri battles dengue fever outbreak
Chon Buri province’s Si Racha subdistrict is starting a campaign to stem the spread of dengue fever, including widespread fogging to reduce population of disease-bearing mosquitoes. Dengue fever is a seasonal threat in Thailand and has been especially dangerous this year, with 25,708 cases nationwide, 15 of them fatal, in the first 7 months of the year. In Si Racha…
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7 Nakhon Panom officers transferred after cell death
7 police officers in the upper northeastern province of Nakhon Panom have been “transferred to inactive duty” while an investigation takes place into the death of a man in their custody. The commander of Nakhon Phanom provincial police said yesterday that he’s ordered a probe into the case and moved the officers involved to prevent anyone tampering with the evidence.…
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Nok Air blames some of its losses on MPs who don’t show up for flights
Part of Nok Air’s current losses are being blamed on privileged MPs, who receive free flights on the budget carrier but don’t turn up for their flights. Somboon Uthaiwiankul, secretary for the government’s House Speaker, says the issue was brought up by executives of the airline during a meeting with the House Speaker, Chuan Leekpai. The executives told him last…
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Koh Samui bridge collapse leaves truck stuck under pier
In the second setback in a week for the beleagured Raja Ferry Co., a steel boarding bridge for vehicles at Raja 1 ferry pier on Koh Samui collapsed yesterday, leaving a truck wedged under the wharf. The incident follows Saturday’s ferry disaster in which 3 people are confirmed dead and 3 remain missing. The pier is one of the 3…
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Senator questions the admission of US troops during state of emergency
A Thai senator is questioning the need for US troops to participate in joint exercises with their Thai counterparts while a state of emergency is still in place in the country. The emergency decree was extended for the third time at the end of July and is now set to expire at the end of this month. Senator Kamnoon Sidhisamarn…
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PM vows to “spare no one” in fatal casino shooting
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has says he will “spare no one” if Monday night’s fatal shooting shooting in a Bangkok gambling den involved illegal police activity. He was reacting to the shooting death of Watthanaset Samniangprasert, an interrogation inspector at Samae Dam police station in Bang Bon district, and 3 others, 1 of them a woman, at a gambling den in…
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Stormy weather wreaks havoc, destroys homes, in southern Thailand
The current stormy conditions have caused severe damage to a number of homes in the southern province of Surat Thani, with some villagers left homeless. At one property in the Phra Sang district, the roof and garage have collapsed, with the 45 year old homeowner, Rachan Churak, having to flea the property with his family. Rachan says the damage occurred…
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Legally grown marijuana to boost medical field, economy
In its weekly meeting yesterday, the Cabinet approved a Public Health Ministry proposal to amend the Narcotics Act to allow patients, medical practitioners and traditional healers to grow marijuana for medical and commercial use. The deputy government spokeswoman said the Cabinet approved the proposal submitted by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to amend narcotics legislation enacted last year. Anutin, also…
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Independent panel recommend re-instatement of ‘Boss’ charges
Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya is likely to not only face charges of “reckless driving causing death” but also drugs charges involving Cocaine use. In another dramatic twist in the ongoing “Boss” saga, an independent panel has recommended the reckless driving charge be re-instated along with new charges of Cocaine abuse. Nearly 2 weeks ago the deputy attorney-general, and an acting police…
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Thai PM says he supports changes to Constitution
In an apparent nod to the student protests which have swept the nation for over 2 weeks, Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has promised to push for constitutional amendments, saying the government will present its version of a charter rewrite bill in the next parliamentary session. Speaking after yesterday’s weekly cabinet meeting, Prayut said his position has been to support the…
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