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Sea Breeze: Ukraine, US Black Sea drills raise tensions
A military incident off the coast of the Crimean Peninsula caused quite a stir last week. The British warship HMS Defender was en route from the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odessa to Georgia when it encountered Russian forces, who issued warning shots. The incident sparked tensions between Moscow and London and came just days ahead of multinational naval maneuvers…
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Sea Breeze: Ukraine, US Black Sea drills raise tensions with Russia
A military incident off the coast of the Crimean Peninsula caused quite a stir last week. The British warship HMS Defender was en route from the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odessa to Georgia when it encountered Russian forces, who issued warning shots. The incident sparked tensions between Moscow and London and came just days ahead of multinational naval maneuvers…
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Man gets marriage certificate tattooed on his forearm, ink presumably permanent
Yesterday, a Facebook post went viral after a man took his declaration of love one step further and had had his marriage certificate tattooed on his arm. On Monday, Om-Aim Daraployphan shared several pictures of her husband’s arm tat/proof of marriage on Facebook. The tattoo is bordered with green and pink flowers and takes up the majority of the man’s…
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Doctors ask the government to do a better job with their handling of vaccines
The Royal College of Physicians of Thailand is prodding the government to increase their vaccine efforts: to get vaccines faster and to get enough vaccines for Thailand inhabitants so herd immunity can be reached as soon as possible. Today, the RCPT chairperson, Dr Anutra Chittinandana said that the board of the RCPT thought it was crucial to issues a 2nd…
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Phuket notches 14th infection since last week
Since last week, Phuket has had 14 Covid infections. Their vaccination rate is now 80% (over the threshold sought for herd immunity). Yesterday, the Phuket Provincial public Heath Office state they had 3 covid infections on the island. Since April, there have been 723 confirmed Covid cases. The CCSA has also outlined its criteria for its Phuket Sandbox “contingency plan“.…
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Bangkok sex workers and bar staff call for monthly cash handouts
High heels were lined up on the ground and underwear was tied to a gate outside the Government House in Bangkok this morning as the city’s sex workers and other bar and nightlife staff called for monthly cash handouts. Covid-19 restrictions shut down bars and nightclubs, leaving many out of work for months. Only a group of around 20 gathered,…
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Sinovac vaccine 71% to 91% effective against Alpha variant, Thai study shows
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry says 2 doses of the Chinese-made Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine are 71% to 91% effective against the Alpha variant of the virus which was first detected in the UK. A study on the effectiveness of the Sinovac vaccine, also known as Coronavac, was done by Thailand’s National Communicable Diseases Committee and the National Vaccine Committee. The study…
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Police catch son suspected of committing patricide
A manhunt has concluded in northeastern Thailand for a man who is suspected of killing his 72 year old father, reportedly over welfare money. The victim’s body was discovered buried behind his home in Buri Ram, yesterday. Nearby villagers had become concerned after they hadn’t seen Pae Chaleepham in a couple of days. Their concern increased when they saw blood…
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Factory workers protest after 60 workers test positive for Covid-19 and factory stays open
Over the weekend, 2 vans arrived at a textile factory in Nonthaburi, a central province just north of Bangkok. Health workers in protective suits emerged from the vans. They were from the Kasemrad International Hospital and they were taking away 60 men/women who had tested positive for Covid-19. They reportedly took the sick to a field hospital. The factory, however,…
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Suspect arrested in murder of noodle shop owner
A manhunt has concluded in the northern Thai province, Chiang Mai. Police were looking for a man who allegedly killed a 63 year old noodle seller. Despite being rushed to a hospital, the woman who had suffered stab wounds to her neck and back would later be pronounced dead. Police say they were called to a roadside noodle stand. Once…
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Google takes down customised maps targeting anti-monarchy activists
Custom Google maps pinpointing hundreds of people in Thailand who are accused of opposing the monarchy have been taken down by Google, the company told Reuters reporters. The Google My Maps targeting anti-monarchy activists, listing their names and addresses, were made by a team of 80 royalist volunteers who planned to report the activists for allegedly insulting the monarchy. Under…
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Oxford University study shows strong immune response after third AstraZeneca dose
Researchers at Oxford University say a third dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine provokes a strong immune response. However, they add that there is no evidence yet that such boosters are required, particularly given that some countries are struggling with insufficient supplies. A study carried out at the renowned English university shows that a third, or booster, shot increases antibody…
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Stricter “bubble and seal” measures implemented at factories
Factories in and around Bangkok are implementing rigorous bubble and seal measures in accordance with government’s instructions in an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19. The Bangkok Post reports that workers face tough travel restrictions, whereby they may be confined to the factories or can only travel between their place of work and their dormitory. Already, there have been…
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Phuket re-opens Thursday, hotels ready and waiting to welcome foreign guests
As the southern island of Phuket gets ready to re-open to vaccinated foreign tourists on Thursday, hotel operators say they’re well prepared. A Bangkok Post report takes a look at the measures in place for the imminent launch of the Phuket “sandbox scheme”. Yesterday, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha highlighted the need for robust measures to stop the spread of Covid-19. At…
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Chief medic says Delta variant will become dominant strain in Bangkok
The Department of Medical Sciences says it expects the Delta Covid-19 variant to become the prevalent strain in Bangkok within the coming months. The variant was first reported in Thailand in April, when it was detected in migrant workers in the Laksi district of the capital. The spread of the variant has sparked concern globally due to it being highly…
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Afghanistan: Why Germany needs to simplify asylum process for local staff
The German parliament last week discussed the future of the German military’s (Bundeswehr) local staff in Afghanistan amid an increasing threat to their lives from the Taliban. After the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and dismantled the Taliban regime, foreign forces relied heavily on domestic help. They needed translators, interpreters, cooks, cleaners, as well security experts who could help them…
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Koh Larn to pilot Pattaya’s reopening to tourists
Koh Larn off the coast of Pattaya could be reopening to tourists in the near future. As Thailand prepares to reopen to foreign tourists by October, the Chon Buri island will serve as a pilot project for the area’s reopening. Pattaya Mayor Sontaya Khunpluem says the city is in favour of the Thai government’s 120-day reopening plan, a goal announced…
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Workers caught attempting to flee camps as new restrictions take effect
With PM Prayut Chan-o-cha imposing sudden and unexpected restrictions, including orders for factories at risk of a Covid-19 outbreak to use the so-called “bubble and seal” method, workers have been attempting to flee the camps to escape being stuck at the site for a month. Some were caught and forced to return as they were trying to leave the area.…
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India looks to revamp Ladakh with infrastructure overhaul
As China-India relations remain tense over border disagreements, New Delhi is increasingly focusing on developing the Ladakh frontier region that has been neglected for years. SOURCE: DW News
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Restrictions imposed in areas at risk of a “public health crisis,” spokesperson says
Disease control restrictions have tightened in Bangkok and surrounding provinces which are at risk of becoming a “public health crisis,” according to a Thai government spokesperson. The restrictions were published in the Royal Gazette over the weekend and went into effect today. Of the restrictions set for the next 30 days, restaurants in Bangkok and surrounding provinces are prohibited from…
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France could ease path to parenthood for single and lesbian women
When Benedicte Blanchet, a 40-year-old who lives in a Paris suburb, decided that she wanted to have a child on her own and not wait to meet the right man, nothing prepared her for the costly obstacle course that was to follow. Under existing laws in France, which are among the strictest in western Europe, only heterosexual couples who are…
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Covid-19 screening centre in Bangkok temporarily closed to migrant workers
After many migrant workers infected with Covid-19 were reportedly abandoned at the Public Health Ministry’s Pre-Admission Centre in Bangkok, it is now temporarily closed to migrant workers. The centre is used to screen people who are infected with the virus before sending them to a facility for treatment. Apparently, a number of workers have been dropped off at the centres.…
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Idlib braces as a crossing to Syria prepares to close
The Syrian city of Idlib is separated from the Bab al-Hawa crossing at the Turkish border by about 40 kilometers (25 miles). Huda Khayti, director of the Women Support and Empowerment Center Idlib, travels there several times each week to check on people in refugee camps along the border and bring them aid. Millions of internally displaced Syrians have been…
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Open Pattaya’s bars! Business owners protest bans on city bars and clubs | VIDEO
The situation for many of Pattaya’s clubs and bars, the cornerstone of the city’s economy, is dire. One of the most prolific bar owners is Bryan Flowers from Nightwish Group. He wants his staff to remain employed as he sees the city’s economy and workers suffer. He is also asking the media to stop publishing raw stats and numbers each…
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Monday Covid Update: 5,406 new cases and 22 deaths
In an uptick in daily Covid-19 cases, 5,406 infections were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, the latest and most severe wave of Covid-19 in Thailand, the CCSA has reported 220,990 Covid-19 cases. Today, the CCSA also logged 22 more deaths related to Covid-19. Out of today’s count, only 9 were detected in correctional…
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Tourism Minister threatens to cancel travel stimulus if only some operators benefit
Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister says if all operators cannot benefit from a domestic travel stimulus scheme, it may be cancelled. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says he will meet with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to ensure everyone in the sector can be helped by the scheme. According to the Bangkok Post, the government plans to launch the Tour Teaw Thai scheme…
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First case of Beta variant reported in Bangkok
Bangkok has reported its first case of the Beta variant of Covid-19, originally detected in South Africa. According to a Bangkok Post report, the patient had contact with an infected person in the southern province of Narathiwat. Hundreds of cases of the Beta variant have already been reported in southern Thailand and are believed to have been imported from Malaysia.…
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Businesses in dark red zones appeal for government aid
Businesses that have been affected by the latest round of Covid-19 restrictions imposed in Bangkok and 9 other provinces are appealing for state aid. New measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus come into force today, in Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Narathiwat, Songkhla, Pattani, and Yala. They include a ban on eating…
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Partiers arrested in raid Covid-19 tested, awaiting court Monday
After the raid on 2 nightclubs masquerading at restaurants in Pattaya that resulted in 121 arrests, the group of arrested partygoers are all being tested for Covid-19 while awaiting court hearings. The raids of The Garden 168 and Mo Salah Bar and Restaurant late Friday night into early Saturday morning found a mix of Thais and foreigners drinking, smoking shisha,…
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Saudi Arabia reforms: Royal power play or meaningful change?
Over the past month, Saudi Arabia has been announcing new social reforms almost every week. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabian authorities slightly amended a law to allow adult women to live independently, without first having to get permission from their father or other male kin. A few days after that, other officials declared that women could register to go on…
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