News
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Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Phuket Covid-19: hospital beds and occupants jumped this week
One new death from Covid-19 was reported in Phuket last night, along with a new Sandbox infection and another arrival from abroad that was not part of the Sandbox and 195 daily infections. September has seen 55 deaths, bringing the total to 75. Among Phuket Sandbox travellers, 116 infections have now been uncovered as well as 26 infections from abroad…
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Beijing Winter Olympics to take place without overseas spectators
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will take place without any overseas fans present, according to a decision made by the Chinese organisers. The decision was announced by the International Olympic Committee yesterday. Attendance at the games will be limited to people living in China, in a bid to mitigate the risks posed by Covid-19. The games are scheduled to take…
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Ivermectin poisonings increase in the US, ineffective for Covid-19
In a recent report, the Financial Times said that reported poisonings and serious adverse health effects have more than doubled from Americans consuming the controversial drug Ivermectin, falsely believing it is a cure for Covid-19. The antiparasitic drug, commonly used in veterinary science, with limited applications for use on humans, has been touted by some as a vaccine-free solution to…
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Minister Don meets US officials over vaccine donation to Thailand
In Washington DC, Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and US Senator Tammy Duckworth to discuss the 1 million Pfizer vaccines the US donated that Thailand has yet to collect. Last week both sides argued that they were waiting on the other’s bureaucratic red tape to complete the donation, with Minister of…
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Indonesian officials look to Phuket sandbox amid tentative re-opening plans for Bali
Tourism officials in Indonesia are monitoring the Phuket sandbox as they consider gradually re-opening Bali to foreign tourists. According to an AFP report, a final decision on re-opening the normally hugely popular island of Bali could happen today. However, the country’s tourism minister, Sandiaga Uno, says any re-opening will have to proceed with caution. “My recommendation is that we move…
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Opposition accused of misinterpreting how long PM has left in office
A spokesperson from the PM’s Secretariat Office has slammed opposition parties for trying to end the PM’s term prematurely. Thippanan Sirichana accuses opposition MPs of trying to damage Prayut Chan-o-cha’s reputation because they’re concerned he might score a second term in office. According to a Bangkok Post report, the confrontation is the result of a difference of opinion as to…
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Plans for digital or crypto assets – the TAT Coin – to grow tourism
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is considering jumping into the world of digital assets by launching its own tourism-based utility token called the TAT Coin. Crypto is often looked at as the way of the future, and traders are considered high-value, big-spending tourists, especially those that work as digital nomads and stay long-term. Discussions are underway with the Securities and…
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Opinion: Sweden continues to stand out on COVID-19 strategy
Seen from the outside, all Scandinavians seem to resemble each other: very progressive, accustomed to affluence and a high standard of living, and they pay extremely high taxes on beer. But all this is, of course, nonsense. In reality, there are differences between individual Scandinavian nations that run as deep as a Norwegian fjord. It starts with the fact that…
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Police arrest protesters yesterday including naked woman
Anti-government protests have escalated in recent weeks and have begun to resemble a Hollywood movie, full of conflict and drama and explosions, and now… nudity? Among the arrests and charges of protesters stemming from yesterday’s demonstrations at Nang Lerng intersection orchestrated by the Talufah group, police say one woman faces charges of indecent exposure for stripping naked in protest. The…
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The Egyptian women reviving an ancient musical tradition
SOURCE: DW News
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The music uniting Tigrayan soldiers and refugees amidst conflict / The Tigrayan musical traditions helping soldiers and refugees heal
A conflict between the central government in Ethiopia and the northern region of Tigray has spawned a dire humanitarian situation. Amid widespread famine and death over the past year, Tigrayan soldiers and refugees alike have taken comfort in the healing power of their own musical traditions. Reporter Emily Johnson met with some of the musicians at a refugee camp in…
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Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis: What’s the latest?
After months of rising tensions, fighting broke out in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region in November 2020, pitting Tigrayan forces against the central government and forces from neighboring Eritrea. Nearly a year later, both sides face allegations of human rights abuses as the conflict continues. William Davison, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, updates us on the situation. SOURCE: DW…
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Paramotor pilot flies supplies to flooded Sukhothai residents
A paramotor – similar to a paraglider with a fan-like propellor on the back – has been soaring above Sukhothai delivering essentials to flood victims in need. Like Santa in his sleigh, 38 year old Vichai Tiyasan glides above the rain drench flood plains swooping down to drop gift care packages to the stranded people below. The adventurous paramotor pilot…
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Court rules for Health Ministry, calls dual pricing beneficial
In a closely-followed court case, the Administrative Court in Phetchaburi ruled that multi-tiered “dual pricing” in Thai hospitals are not discriminatory as they benefit Thailand, according to the media outlet Coconuts Bangkok. Ewrin Buse, who sued the Ministry of Public Health after discovering he was being charged more for his cancer treatment as a foreigner, vowed to appeal the decision.…
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New tax to raise cigarette prices by around 8 baht per pack
Packs of cigarettes are going to get a little more expensive. The Thai Cabinet just approved a new excise tax structure for cigarettes. Retail prices for a pack are expected to rise by 6 to 8 baht. The Finance Minister says the new tax structure is expected to go into effect on Friday, but it still needs to be published…
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Guinea’s coup leaders try to keep investors happy
In the view of one official working in Guinea for the Russian aluminum giant Rusal, the military coup of September 5, which toppled President Alpha Conde, has not disrupted the mining sector as much an some had predicted. “Everything is stable, business is going on,” he told he told news agency AFP. “It’s just a transition period we are going…
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2 officers killed, 4 injured in roadside bomb explosion in Thailand’s Deep South
A roadside bomb explosion in the Deep South province Narathiwat killed two police officers and injured four others yesterday afternoon. Small bombings and other attacks in the southernmost provinces near the Malaysian border happen frequently and are often related to the religious separatist insurgency. The bomb was made with a cooking gas cylinder and then placed in a sewer pipe…
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Koh Phangan begins booster shot vaccine drive from today
Koh Phangan kicked off its drive to give third booster shot vaccinations to the local population today, ahead of the October target in Thailand, with a goal of 1,300 injections today and more to come. The event took place at the Koh Phangan Sueksa School in Thongsala Moo 1 near Big C. At the school, workers were administering AstraZeneca booster…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 10,414 new cases; provincial totals
122 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 16,620 with 16,526 of those fatalities during the latest wave, first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 10,414 new Covid-19 cases and 11,580 recoveries. There are now 115,423 people in Thailand currently receiving…
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The tragedy of Babi Yar: An assembly line of death in Kyiv
Anna Furman has been able to identify around 28,300 names so far. “In the past year, more than 1,000 new names were added,” the project manager at the Ukrainian Babi Yar Memorial Center told DW. But Furman and her colleagues still have a lot of work to do. Exactly 80 years ago, on September 29 and 30, 1941, the Nazis…
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Education Ministry apologises for fake flood photo
After publishing an edited photo of the Deputy Education Minister wading in floodwaters, the Education Ministry has released a formal apology. Posting yesterday on their Facebook page, the ministry acknowledged the false information. The photo was posted yesterday showing the deputy education minister knee-deep in floodwaters, with a caption stating that she visited the areas that have been flooded as…
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Constitutional Court delays ruling in landmark marriage equality case
Thailand’s Constitutional Court has postponed ruling on marriage equality, according to the Foundation for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Rights and Justice. The foundation, better known as the FOR-SOGI organisation, says the ruling has been postponed until December 14. According to a Bangkok Post report, the case concerns section 1448 of Thailand’s Civil and Commercial Code. The court was asked…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 10,414 new cases and 122 deaths
Today, the CCSA reported 10,414 new Covid-19 cases and 122 coronavirus related deaths. Since April 1, in Thailand’s latest wave of the virus, the CCSA has reported 1,562,966 confirmed Covid-19 cases. In the past 24-hours since the last count, 11,580 recoveries have been recorded. There are now 115,423 people in Thailand currently receiving treatment for Covid-19. Out of the new cases reported…
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Thai Airways to resume flights to countries with high vaccination rates
Thai Airways says it will start selling seats on flights to highly-vaccinated destinations from October 1. The struggling national carrier expects to resume flights to the UK, France, and Germany, as well as Japan and Australia. The Bangkok Post reports that airline bosses made the decision after several destinations reported vaccination rates of around 70%. Airline spokesman, Chai Eamsiri, says…
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Covid-19 Wednesday Update: 10,414 infections, 122 deaths
Today, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 122 deaths down from yesterday, but a jump from Monday when Coronavirus deaths neared the 100 mark. 10,414 new infections were recorded, an increase of nearly 1000 from yesterday which saw the first day under 10,000 since mid-July. Since April 1, in Thailand’s latest wave of virus, the CCSA has recorded 1,562,966…
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Phuket tourism operators want COE process reformed, other rules amended
Tourism operators on the southern island of Phuket are calling for the certificate of entry process to be reformed in order to attract more sandbox visitors. And, according to Bhummikitti Ruktaengam from the Phuket Tourist Association, they would also like to see changes made to other entry criteria. “Simplifying the certificate of entry process is the first and foremost key…
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Siam Piwat benchmarks MICE industry with “Virtual Inspection” solution, to reinforce its ‘The Icon of Innovative Lifestyle’ vision
Press Release Siam Piwat launches “Virtual Inspection” and “Online Reservation” for its convention spaces, a MICE industry benchmark. Offering absolute exhibition and event destinations, now event organizers from across the globe can virtually inspect the convention spaces and conveniently make instant online reservations. (Bangkok, 28 September 2021) Siam Piwat Co.,Ltd is the owner and operator of global retail destinations –…
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Bangkok braces for flooding, 70,000 homes damaged in Thailand
With nearly 70,000 homes now reported flooded across 30 provinces in Thailand, authorities are bracing and preparing Bangkok for flooding. Tropical Storm Dianmu has pounded Thailand with heavy rains and 6 people have been reported to have lost their lives in the widespread flooding across the Northern and Central provinces. The Thai Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reports that the…
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More guidelines announced for schools reopening
Guidelines from the Ministry of Education for the reopening of schools say that 85% of teachers must be fully vaccinated before schools can resume a hybrid of onsite and online learning. Class size is limited to 25 students and they must stay 1.5 metres apart. The 85% aspect of the guidelines had previously been mentioned about 2 weeks prior. The…
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Phuket restaurants can serve alcohol starting October 1
In a decision that should drastically help the Phuket Sandbox and stimulate the economy, the CCSA gave initial approval to an order to allow selling and consuming alcohol in restaurants starting October 1. Thailand has had a national ban on alcohol consumption in groups and in businesses for months, with a recent crackdown on violators, but the rule would only…
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