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Vietnam urges to give third doses of Covid-19 vaccine
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health is urging local governments to accelerate giving out a third dosage of Covid-19 vaccines, prioritising people over 50 years old despite a recent spike in the Mekong Delta region with approximately 4,000 new infections per day. The MoH said 135.15 million of the 136 million vaccination doses received by Vietnam were distributed to various localities, which…
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Thailand to buy 30 million booster Pfizer shots
Had your booster shot yet? According to Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the Department of Disease Control has signed an agreement to buy another 30 million doses of Pfizer vaccines, which will be administered as booster shots in the first quarter of 2022. He added that Pfizer has given Thailand a special deal where the additional 20 million doses…
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World’s largest Ikea store opens in Philippines
The Swedish ready-to-take furniture giant has made its first appearance in Manila, Philippines by opening its largest store in the world, with a new 730,000-square-foot facility that includes a 2-story, 270,000-square-foot store, dining area, and showroom, as well as warehouses, an e-commerce centre, and a call centre. The opening ceremony of Ikea Pasay City was held at the store’s restaurant…
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Thai police suspect fugitive Red Bull heir is living in Austria
The fugitive Red Bull heir who is wanted by Thai police for the 2012 fatal hit-and-run case is claimed to now be in Austria. Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya is wanted for speeding his Ferrari in Bangkok’s Thong Lor and running over a police officer, dragging his body several dozen metres, killing him. Boss managed to evade justice and fled the country…
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Bangkok is back – Thailand’s capital roars back into gear
OPINION Before the pandemic, Bangkok was the most-visited city on the planet – a thriving hive of energy and activity which attracted over 22 million international visitors per year. Then, without warning, it all went quiet. Now, following the long-awaited reopening of Thailand’s borders on November 1, 2021, Bangkok is back. The city is welcoming the world’s travellers once again,…
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AirAsia to resume Bangkok-Phnom Penh flights following Cambodia’s reopening
AirAsia is resuming flights from Bangkok to Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh starting December 22. The Southeast Asian country recently lifted restrictions to allow fully vaccinated foreign travellers to enter without undergoing quarantine. Next month, flights from Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport to Phnom Penh will take off on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Travellers who are considered fully vaccinated under the…
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Soi Dog Foundation sends over 100 tonnes of dog and cat food for flood relief
The following is a press release from the Soi Dog Foundation. Soi Dog Foundation’s ongoing relief effort for dogs and cats affected by the recent flooding in Central Thailand has seen the amount of food delivered to desperate dogs and cats exceed a whopping 100 tonnes. Following the initial distribution in late September of 64 tonnes of food to flood-affected…
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Public Health Ministry drafts measures for reopening bars next month in 17 provinces
The Public Health Ministry has reportedly drafted measures for reopening bars and nightclubs in 17 provinces next month and will make a proposal to the CCSA. While entertainment venues nationwide are planned to reopen by mid-January, according to a report in Thai media, the ministry is proposing to open bars in “blue” zones a month earlier on December 16, but…
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Transport Ministry says Thai land bridge will become transit port to rival Hong Kong
The transport minister is feeling optimistic about a new land bridge development which will connect the southern provinces of Ranong and Chumphon. The Bangkok Post reports that the project will link Chumphon, on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand, to Ranong, on the Andaman Sea. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob says the result will be a transit port with…
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Thailand entry may be simplified by switching to antigen test
At the CCSA meeting on Friday, the Ministry of Public Health will propose easing entry requirements by replacing RT-PCR tests with a much cheaper and faster antigen test. Health authorities report that Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul will propose the revision at Friday’s meeting to be enacted from December on. The simplifying of the required Covid-19 test is part…
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2 Bangkok restaurants busted serving alcohol opposite police station
In the Pathumwan district of Bangkok, restaurants said to be opposite the Royal Thai Police Office in a well-known shopping centre were busted selling alcohol after hours. Police raided several food establishments and found 2 businesses with customers drinking after the 9 pm curfew on alcohol that restaurants are allowed. A video clip had circulated that showed restaurants in the…
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Thailand signs procurement deal for 50,000 courses of Molnupiravir Covid pill
Thailand has signed a 500 million baht deal to purchase 50,000 treatment courses of the new Covid-19 drug, Molnupiravir. According to a Thai PBS World report, the Medical Services Department signed the deal yesterday, with Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul present to witness it. A course of treatment is made up of 40 x 200mg capsules. A patient will need to…
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Foreign Minister shrugs off lack of invite to democracy summit
Thailand’s Foreign Minister has shrugged off the fact that Thailand has not been invited to a democracy summit being hosted by the US. Thai PBS World reports that Don Pramudwinai says the event is, “nothing more than pure politics”. The summit is scheduled to take place from December 9-10 and Thailand has been left off the guest list. Controversially, Taiwan…
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France and UK engage in blame game over English Channel tragedy
At least 27 people attempting to seek refuge in the UK have died after their boat capsized in the English Channel, just off the northern port of Calais. According to French authorities, three young children were amongst those who lost their lives at sea. The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the tragedy was the “largest loss of life”…
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Afghanistan: How a remote border crossing allows nomads to travel
Angoor Ada lies on an arid high plateau in the southeastern Afghan province of Paktika, one of the many backwaters of Afghanistan. The area would not be of much importance, if it weren’t connected to the border with Pakistan. The border crosses near the edge of the long-stretched plateau, where the Pakistani tribal area of Waziristan begins. After arriving in…
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African women tell of experiences of violence
Violence against women, or gender-based violence (GBV), includes many types of abuse, ranging from physical, sexual, and emotional violence to female genital mutilation and trafficking. The rate of GBV in sub-Saharan Africa is higher than the global norm. Around 44% of African women, or more than two in five, have been subjected to gender-based violence, a 2020 study found. Survivors…
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Myanmar military will not attend Asia-Europe Meeting, sources say
Myanmar’s military has reportedly notified Cambodia that it will not attend the 13th ASEM Summit, where leaders from Asia and Europe meet (virtually) for two days, saying it would only send a technical team to watch the talks. The meeting, which starts today and ends tomorrow, will focus on the interaction of four main ideas: multilateralism, growth, sustainable development, and…
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Going bananas for hair
A Ugandan company makes artificial hair from banana plant byproducts, using the strands from stems. It makes for a stronger and environmentally friendly hair extension. SOURCE: DW News
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Police capture man suspected of Khon Kaen gold store robbery
A suspect has been arrested in the case of an armed gold store robbery in Khon Kaen with CCTV footage that had gone viral. The robbery took place on Saturday evening, and the police announced a suspect taken into custody earlier today. The robbery of the gold store on the second floor of the Central Plaza Department Store in Khon…
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Sexy street vendor’s sales spike after busty shirt goes viral
When photos and videos of the “sexy street vendor” went viral, the 24 year old Chiang Mai woman says her orders for the Thai pancakes, known as “khanom Tokyo,” multiplied… just by showing some cleavage. (This was a top story on The Thaiger yesterday. So, we’re doing a follow up, you know, for the readers.) The vendor, known as Olive,…
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Phuket daily Covid infections rise over 100 again, cluster reported on Bangla Road
Covid infections in Phuket are creeping up again after 3 weeks of increased arrivals and a revival of nightspots and bars around the island, despite officially being illegal. Phuket’s Governor Narong Woonciew has confirmed that the number of new infections has been rising steadily over recent weeks. The island’s bars and nightlife have been keen to take advantage of the increase…
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Human Rights Watch: Gender-based violence remains rampant in South Africa
A new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) has revealed the dire state of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa and is urging the government to do more to combat the troubling findings. Described as the country’s “second pandemic” by President Cyril Ramaphosa, GBV in South Africa is still increasing at an alarming rate, making it one of the world’s…
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MBC Club Ponzi scheme busted, 1,000 victims lost 1 billion baht
A scam company called MBC Club was busted by national police for running a Ponzi scheme with thousands of victims that caused 1 billion baht in damages. The scheme claimed to be earning huge profits from Foreign Exchange Market trading while duping people out of their money. The Royal Thai Police Deputy Commissioner-General announced the bust and arrest of a…
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Pattaya Music Festival attendees urged to get tested for Covid after positive cases
Those who attended the Pattaya Music Festival on November 12 and 13 are urged to get tested for Covid-19 after several people who went to the festival later tested positive for the virus. While the festival ran under Covid-19 prevention measures, with the audience seated to ensure social distancing, the government spokesperson says many people outside of the event area…
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Covid test required to enter CentralWorld’s Groove area in Bangkok
Shoppers entering CentralWorld’s Groove area in Bangkok will need to take a rapid antigen test to enter the two-storey section in one of the Thailand’s largest shopping centres. Alcohol sales and consumption at the Groove zone, which has a variety of cafes, restaurants, and space to hang out, is still allowed. Customers who enter test negative in an ATK (antigen…
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US Summit for Democracy excludes Thailand, includes Taiwan
US President Joe Biden is convening a Summit for Democracy next month, inviting over 100 countries to participate with one notable exception — Thailand — and one controversial inclusion — Taiwan. The event, which will take place virtually on December 9 and 10, has invited 110 participants, according to a list published yesterday from the US State Department. While Thailand…
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Health Minister concerned that once bars reopen, they could be Covid “hotspots”
Thailand’s Public Health Minister says he’s concerned that places that serve alcohol could become Covid-19 “hotspots” as people who are intoxicated are less likely to follow disease control measures. Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says bars and restaurants serving beer and cocktails should strictly follow Covid Free Setting guidelines, which includes vaccinating staff and requiring customers show either proof of vaccination or…
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No leave for Christmas and New Year holidays, Indonesia’s officials say
Looks like there’s a “Grinch” in Indonesia. This year, there those working in the Southeast Asian country will be barred from taking leave on Christmas and New Years. According to the order issued by the Ministry of the Interior on Tuesday, about 4.2 million civil officials and two million workers in state-owned businesses will be affected, with many more in…
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Gay rights advocacy groups seek help from opposition
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups are now turning to the opposition Pheu Thai Party for their support on attaining marriage equality in Thailand. This is coming on the heels of a major Constitutional Court ruling that essentially upheld the ban on same-sex marriage in the country. These groups are campaigning to revise the Civil and Commercial Code, which at the moment only…
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North Korea sentences man to death for smuggling copies of Netflix’s “Squid Game”
A man has been sentenced to death by firing squad in North Korea. A student has been jailed for life, and his teachers and school administrators were fired, facing banishment to work in remote mines or themselves. Six people were also sentenced to five years in prison. And their crime? Smuggling and watching Netflix’s most popular South Korean TV show,…
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