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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 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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Northern floods tragedy – Monks unable to help
Waist-high water flooded into riverfront neighbourhoods after the remains of Hurricane Noru dumped a heavy load of rain and knocked down trees. The heaviest rainfall, about 22 centimetres in 24 hours, was recorded in the north-eastern province of Ubon Ratchathani, where more than 5,000 people were moved to shelters on higher ground. In Chai Nat province, Buddhist monks made their…
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Xi’s Bangkok APEC trip to open tourist floodgates
If Chinese President Xi Jinping shows up at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok that could go a long way to securing 12 million tourists this year, according to Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan. Phiphat believes as many as 1.5 million Chinese travellers could visit Thailand in December if Xi allows outbound tourism to resume. The Chinese…
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Police to curb Pattaya Beach drinking after student gun fight
After a group of rival students fired guns on the beach in front of the Pattaya Police Station, police vowed to crack down on illicit activities including drinking. Police are stepping up their nightly patrols, searching for illegal drugs, alcohol, weapons and firearms. The shooting incident happened on September 28. A group of about 20 teenagers – some still wearing…
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9th and 10th monkeypox infections found in Phuket
A German man and a Thai woman have become the 9th and 10th confirmed cases of monkeypox in Thailand. The two were identified this week in Phuket and are now receiving treatment at a public hospital there. The Department of Disease Control has released details about the two new infections. Public health officials are already investigating and have traced a…
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Pattaya man attacked at gunpoint for selling cannabis
A man in Pattaya filed a police report saying he was attacked by a man with a gun because he was selling cannabis on the street. The weed dealer said that his attacker, whom he suspects might be a police officer, didn’t want him to sell drugs in the area, despite it being perfectly legal. The report was filed at…
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Bangkok Secret Nightlife – Bangkok Red Light District Secret Museum
Bangkok Red Light District Secret Museum Bangkok Secret Nightlife From CIA agents to David Bowie, there’s more to Bangkok’s most notorious red-light district than meets the eye. Today we take you on tour showing you Patpong’s 140-year history, from its humble beginnings as a banana plantation, to a high-powered business district and a hub of CIA activity during the Chinese…
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King Charles III debuts on UK coins
The British Royal Mint has unveiled the image of King Charles III to be used in the country’s coins. The first coins to be emblazoned with the regal portrait are to be commemorative five-pound crowns and the reverse of a 50-pence coin commemorating the life of Queen Elizabeth II. King Charles has been next in line to the throne for…
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Vladimir Putin officially annexed four parts of Ukraine
In an elaborate ceremony in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially annexed four parts of Ukraine. The move has drawn condemnation as he tries to lay diplomatic claim to lands that Ukraine forces have been regaining on the ground. Putin announced ominously that anyone living in the four regions is now permanently a Russian citizen, and in response, attendees chanted…
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Pattaya Police Chief cleared of vice slurs, back on duty
Troubled Pattaya Police chief Pol Col Kunlachart Kunlachai has been reinstated after being temporarily placed in an inactive post following allegations the top cop forced a Kyrgyzstani woman into prostitution. The woman later committed suicide. Pol Col Kunlachart is set to return to Pattaya Police headquarters immediately, following a September 30 order by Pol Maj Gen Attasit Kitchahan, commander-in-chief of…
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Reopening Thailand has a busy activity schedule
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) took the occasion of the country’s full and unrestricted reopening today as an opportunity to point out a busy event and attraction schedule they hope will bring a variety of people from around the world to the kingdom. From new flight schedules to international political and business meetings to sporting events, exciting new restaurants,…
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Today is the day! Full post-pandemic Thailand reopening
After nearly three years, today is THE DAY. In July of 2021, officials cheered the reopening of Thailand with the Phuket Sandbox. Then we had other sandboxes, Test & Go, the Thailand Pass, and numerous other stepping stones. Then in July of this year, we ditched so many regulations and declared a reopening. But today, October 1, Thailand officially declares full and…
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Hurricane Ian lashes South Carolina
A reinvigorated Hurricane Ian battered South Carolina Friday, deluging neighbourhoods with calf-high water. The storm caused calamitous damage in Florida and trapped thousands in their homes. Streams of rain whipped trees and power lines and left many areas under water. Four piers along the coast collapsed into the waves and were washed away. Online cameras showed seawater in Garden City…
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Anti-Prayut rallies expected across Bangkok
Following the reinstatement of General Prayut Chan-o-cha as Prime Minister by the Constitutional Court yesterday, anti-Prayut activists have called a mass demonstration at the Victory Monument on Saturday to show their contempt for the court’s wisdom. Led by activist Thatchapong Kaedam and dressed in black, a contemptuous crowd of Ratsadon movement members gathered at Pathumwan skywalk in front of Bangkok…
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Snitching on parking space hoggers could earn you 5,000 baht in Thailand
Snitching on your local parking space hogger could earn you 5,000 baht, according to Thailand‘s Department of Public Relations (PRD). Cones, tyres, bicycles, plant pots and chairs are commonly seen blocking parking spaces on the streets of Thailand’s urban areas. People either want to save the parking space for themselves or simply don’t want others to park outside their property.…
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Storm Noru weakens from typhoon to depression as it moves across Thailand
Tropical storm Noru has weakened from a super typhoon to a depression as it moves across Thailand. The Thai Meteorological Department has still advised people in 64 provinces to be prepared for heavy to heavy rainfall, which may cause flash flooding and overflows. After Noru plundered Thailand’s northeast this week, the department said yesterday that the storm was moving west…
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Suicide bombing in Afghanistan hits students preparing for exam
There’s been a suicide bombing in Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul today. The blast hit an education centre in a neighbourhood made up of mostly Hazaras, a persecuted ethnic and religious minority group. Hazaras are mostly Shia Muslims, while Afghanistan has a Sunni majority. The attack has killed at least 23 people, and at least 36 others were injured. According…
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Cambodian delegation in UK to search for stolen treasures
A Cambodian delegation is in London today to investigate whether the United Kingdom is harbouring any cultural treasures stolen from Khmer sacred temples. Earlier this year Cambodia sent a list of missing artefacts to the British Museum, and Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The Southeast Asian nation believes a number of precious items were stolen by a British art…
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20 baht notes printed with errors, says Bank of Thailand
A batch of 20 baht banknotes have been printed with errors, the Bank of Thailand (BOT) said yesterday. The BoT said the Thai numerals were printed mismatching the Arabic numerals. People can still use the misfit banknotes until they are fully removed from the system, Thai media said. The company De La Rue (DLR) International Limited said that there was…
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Loan shark bombs debtor’s house in southern Thailand
A loan shark allegedly threw a deadly military-grade hand grenade at a woman’s house in Phattalung province, southern Thailand, after she failed to meet repayments. At 2pm yesterday, police were called to a house in Mueang district after a gardener discovered an explosive device in the grass. Police evacuated neighbours and called Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officers to the scene.…
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Thai researchers develop flood-resistant rice strain
As heavy rains continue to plunder Thailand, researchers have developed a new flood-resistant rice strain. The new strain, called Hom Le Noi, can grow in all climates, according to the chief of the team that developed it. The team is from the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. The team’s chief, Dr Theerayut Tuchinda, said that Hom Le Noi…
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Horrified relatives attempt ID of disfigured suitcase victim
The hideously disfigured body of a woman found in a suitcase in the Nakhon Phanom stretch of the Mekong River on Wednesday might turn out to be that of a Lao businesswoman. Pol Col Thawil Khamket, chief of That Phanom police, said today that some of the missing woman’s horrified family had contacted the police in an effort to locate…
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Phuket’s governor Narong braces for storm Noru
Phuket’s Governor Narong held a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Wednesday to prepare the island province for tropical Storm Noru. Narong said officials are ready to handle the storm with water removal, shelter, food, and other assistance. He said… “Every relevant office is ready to help as fast as possible with plans.” Meanwhile, Noru has wreaked havoc on other…
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Royal defamation case dropped against Thai activist
A Thai political and human rights activist admitted he is surprised the court dismissed a royal defamation charge against him. Tiwagorn Withiton was arrested after posting a picture of himself on Facebook wearing a t-shirt printed with “I lost faith in the monarchy” in June 2020. The political arm of the military, Internal Security Operations Command, visited Tiwagorn’s house soon after…
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OnlyFans star sentenced to six years in prison in Myanmar
Insein Prison Court in Myanmar sentenced a model to six years in prison yesterday for posting content online that “harms culture and dignity,” according to the Burmese military junta. Nang Mwe San is the first woman to ever be imprisoned over OnlyFans content in Myanmar. The 33 year old model and former doctor had previously taken part in anti-military protests…
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Woman kidnapped in Malaysia found in southern Thailand
UPDATE The cosmetics agent who was kidnapped from her home in Malaysia two weeks ago has been found in southern Thailand. Yesterday, she was rescued by police and has since returned home. Seven Malaysian men have been arrested and detained in relation to the woman’s abduction, under Section 3(1) of Malaysia’s Kidnapping Act (1961), said Malaysian police. At 5.10pm on…
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Singaporean food hawker centre makes NYC debut
A Singaporean food hawker centre made its debut in the Big Apple this week. The ‘Urban Hawker’ centre, located in New York City’s midtown Manhattan, sells tasty dishes including chilli crab, oyster omelettes, and Hainanese chicken rice. The centre serves meals meant to represent Singapore’s diverse cultures. The island nation is made up of Chinese, Indian, and Malay people, among…
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The Russia-Ukraine conundrum and US interference
The conflict in Ukraine ramped up even further last night when United States President Joe Biden declared America will “never recognize Russia‘s attempt to take territory in Ukraine.” The US President spoke ahead of an expected speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin today who is predicted to announce that four regions of Ukraine, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, are rejoining…
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VIDEO: 500 year old Buddhist stupa collapses in Chiang Mai revealing hidden treasures
The stupa at Wat Si Suphan in northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai province collapsed yesterday, revealing ancient Buddhist relics hidden away for over 500 years. No one was injured and the school right next door was miraculously unharmed. After several days of heavy rain, one of the oldest stupas (“chedi” in Thai) in Chiang Mai, located on Wua Lai Road in…
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Exit Prayut? Court rules today on PM’s future
The Constitutional Court will today rule on whether suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has exceeded an eight-year limit as premier. General Prayut seized power in a 2014 coup and became prime minister soon after. The air has been filled with speculation and conspiracy theories since the court accepted the opposition’s petition on August 24 and suspended Gen Prayut as PM…
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11 provinces on alert as tropical storm Noru pushes Chao Phraya to the brink
Residents in 11 of Thailand’s provinces are being warned as tropical storm Noru is expected to push the Chao Phraya River to the brink. Those residents, which are near waterways, are now being told that the storm could push the river’s water levels up by 66 centimetres. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and the Royal Irrigation Department issued…
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