Month: December 2020
- World News
US conservative media walk back allegations on voter fraud
Some of America’s biggest right-leaning media have spent the last week walking back on their earlier promotion of conspiracy theories surrounding alleged voter fraud and tampering from the November 3 election. Both Fox News and Newsmax have aired segments this week contradicting earlier stories about election fraud and claims focusing on vote machines manufacturer Smartmatic. Without specifically retracting their earlier…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket’s Covid High Season Crisis | VIDEO
https://youtu.be/hK_j52xMwnU We visited Phuket 3 months ago and found the west coast tourist towns empty and devoid of people. Businesses had closed, vendors headed back to their home towns, shops shuttered and streets very, very quiet. The island’s east coast was still busy with the locals and many expats getting on with their daily lives, getting used to the ‘new…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
7 month old baby in Suphan Buri tests positive for Covid-19, health officials mull lockdown
A 7 month old baby girl tested positive for Covid-19 in Suphan Buri, northwest of Bangkok. With 7 confirmed coronavirus cases now in the province, local disease control officials are discussing whether to impose coronavirus prevention measures, according to the provincial governor Natthaphat Suwanprateep. Reports do not mention if the girl’s mother was tested for the coronavirus. On December 17,…
Read More » - Economy News
Economy to lose billions of baht from Covid-19 lockdown – Kasikorn Research Centre
The economy will lose billions of baht following the Covid-19 outbreak in Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok, according to Kasikorn Research Centre. Shutting down the seafood industry in the province, calling off New Year parties in Bangkok and trips being cancelled due to virus fears will cost the economy a total of at least 45 billion baht over the…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Samut Sakhon vendor tests positive for Covid-19 in Nakhon Si Thammarat
A new Covid-19 case confirmed in the Southern province Nakhon Si Thammarat, the provincial governor announced today. The 42 year old woman sold curry in Samut Sakhon, a province just southwest of Bangkok where more than 1,000 people have tested positive for the virus. Most cases are concentrated around a seafood market in tambon Mahachai in the Muang district. The…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Epidemiologist transferred to Samut Sakhon to tackle Covid-19 outbreak
With a record high count of active Covid-19 cases, Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has appointed an epidemiologist to tackle the recent outbreak concentrated around a seafood market in Samut Sakhon. More than 1,000 coronavirus cases are linked to the “Samut Sakhon cluster.” Many migrant workers who lived in cramped rooms together and worked seafood markets tested positive. The epidemiologist Naretrit…
Read More » - Thailand News
Samut Sakhon employer allegedly “dumps” migrant workers at a highway outside Bangkok
A group of Burmese migrant workers ended up on the side of a highway near Bangkok after their employer allegedly told them to get in a van to go get tested for Covid-19. The incident caught media attention as many coronavirus prevention measures focused on migrant workers were recently imposed after hundreds of workers at a seafood market in Samut…
Read More » - Visa Information
Thailand extends short-stay visas by 15 days to allow for quarantine period
A proposal to extend short-stay visas by 15 days, to make up for time spent in quarantine, has been approved by the Thai Cabinet. The proposal was originally put forward by the Interior Ministry, who pointed out that foreigners entering the Kingdom on 30-day visas or visa exemptions, would lose 14 days as a result of mandatory quarantine. The 30-day…
Read More » - Phuket News
Health officials confirm Phuket’s first case of local transmission in months
Phuket officials have confirmed a case of Covid-19 in the province and given a timeline of the new infection. The patient is a 40 year old Thai man from the Kathu district, who recently returned from a “big bike” event on Koh Lanta, in Krabi province. The man belongs to a “big bike” afficionados’ group and travelled to an event…
Read More » - Pattaya News
Several migrant workers flee Samut Sakhon detention, 3 re-captured in Chon Buri
A group of Burmese workers managed to flee a detention area in the Covid-19 hotspot of Samut Sakhon yesterday, with 3 later re-captured in the eastern province of Chon Buri. The Pattaya News reports that photos showing a broken wall went viral on social media, with claims that several migrant workers had smashed the wall and torn down wire fences…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Phuket panics after fake Covid news posted on social media
Whilst the touristy west coast of Phuket has been very, very quiet since April when the airport closed (especially the tourist towns like Surin, Kamala, Patong, Kata and Karon), now the east coast has gone quiet this morning. The east coast, where many of the locals and families live, has been buzzing along since Phuket’s lockdowns were lifted at the…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Thai PM calls for unity in latest Covid fight, hints at further restrictions
The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, has called on all citizens to unite in the fight against Covid-19, while implying further restrictions may be introduced. In a televised address to the nation, he said the virus outbreak in the central province of Samut Sakhon has now resulted in over 1,000 infections but is being dealt with through strict measures. He added…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Thai government may replace emergency decree with strict amendment to Communicable Disease Act
The Thai Public Health Minister says the government is considering repealing the emergency decree come the new year and replacing it with a tougher amendment to the Communicable Disease Control Act. Anutin Charnvirakul says the proposal was raised at a Cabinet meeting yesterday. Addressing the Thai media, he said the amendment would allow the Disease Control Committee more authority to…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Thailand News Today | 427 new C19 infections, Pattaya countdown cancelled, Elite Visa update | Dec 22
Plenty of talk around today about future lockdowns, but NOTHING IS CONFIRMED at this stage. The Thaiger will keep you up to date with the latest. Possibility of an “end of year travel boost” has been shattered As if things weren’t already bad enough for Thailand’s tourism sector, the events in Samut Sakhon in the past week have just made…
Read More » - Thailand News
High number of Thai migrant worker deaths in South Korea
Hundreds of Thais in South Korea have died in the past 5 years, many from “unknown causes,” according to data reported by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The majority of recorded deaths are migrants, who are less likely to report abuse or have access to healthcare. The report from Reuters prompted the United Nations to look into the cases as well…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Something fishy about the Samut Sakhon Covid outbreak – who’s responsible?
Here are 2 resources for the above story… https://thethaiger.com/news/national/… http://www.rapid-asia.com/blog/forced… Until the weekend many people would have never heard of Samut Sakhon, a province just south west of Greater Bangkok and sharing a provincial border with the capital. The province is best known as a major hub for Thailand’s shrimp and fishing industry, packed with markets around the coastal tributaries…
Read More » - Crime News
Driver allegedly obstructs and stops ambulance, patient dies
A driver may face serious charges after he allegedly cut in front of and stopped an ambulance that was rushing to pick up a patient who later died on the way to a local hospital. Emergency responders received a call to pick up a patient who was in critical condition and being given CPR at his home in Samut Prakan,…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Phuket primary school reports parent tests positive for Covid-19
A primary school in Phuket made a brief announcement that a student’s parent tested positive for Covid-19. The Kajonkiet School Group made a post on its Facebook page, which was taken down within an hour, saying they were “unofficially” notified by the province’s public health office about the recent case and they are awaiting results from the second test to…
Read More » - Crime News
2 police officers fired for allegedly planting drugs on a woman, demanding money and sex
The Samut Prakan police chief fired 2 officers for allegedly planting methamphetamine pills on a woman and extorting her for 25,000 baht, then later demanding sex. The sacked police officers may also face criminal charges. The 34 year old woman sought help from the “Help Crime Victim Club,” claiming that the 2 police officers in Samut Prakan, a province just…
Read More » - Events
Pattaya cancels end of year countdown events
Pattaya officials have cancelled all public gatherings planned over the next few weeks. A Chonburi provincial order has banned the events, including the 3 day Pattaya New Year Countdown Music Festival. All other provincial countdowns have also been cancelled as a precaution against the current outbreak in Samut Sakhon which is now spreading to neighbouring provinces, including Bangkok. The Koh…
Read More » - Tourism News
Possibility of an “end of year travel boost” has been shattered
As if things weren’t already bad enough for Thailand’s tourism sector, the events in Samut Sakhon in the past week have just made them a lot worse. Just as the few hotels open in Thailand’s major tourist hot spots were hoping for a bounce in traffic over Christmas and New Year, the hopes have been largely dashed by the outbreak…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
5 people in Bangkok among 427 new Covid-19 cases
5 people in Bangkok are among 427 new Covid-19 cases reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. 397 of the new cases are migrant workers while 14 of the new cases were detected in quarantine from people arriving to Thailand from overseas. Many of the local cases link to seafood market in Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok,…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Health officials release list of “high risk” areas in 10 provinces
Health officials have released a list of areas at “high risk” of Covid-19 infections. Those who have recently visited any of the places listed are advised to monitor for coronavirus symptoms and check their body temperature. Bangkok Nuanchan Market in Bueng Kum district The residential area near Prachachuen Road in Bang Sue district Samut Sakhon The Central Shrimp Market Mahachai…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
UPDATE: Thai PM says lockdown could become unavoidable
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is warning that another lockdown could prove unavoidable, should Covid-19 figures escalate out of control. Today, 427 new Covid-19 cases were reported by the Centre Covid-19 Situation Administration, 397 of which are migrant workers. Yesterday, the CCSA reported 382 new cases, 360 of which are in migrant workers. Spokesperson Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin says 14 local cases…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
UPDATE: 1,000+ Samut Sakhon Covid-19 cases
More than 1,000 Covid-19 cases are linked to the outbreak in Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. 242 cases were reported today, adding to the 821 previously confirmed cases, tallying up to 1,063. Since the surge of infections over the weekend, hitting a record high in daily cases, health officials have rolled…
Read More » - Tourism News
Holiday season travel expected to drop by 5 million trips due to recent Covid-19 cases
Due to the recent cluster of Covid-19 infections in Samut Sakhon, hitting a record high in daily infections, tourism officials say the yearly tally for domestic trips is likely to fall by 5 million. With lockdown measures and international travel restrictions this year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand focused on local travel and set a goal of 100 million domestic…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Official says Thailand can handle rise in demand for face masks
The director-general of the Internal Trade Department says there will be sufficient face masks to meet a spike in demand as a result of the outbreak in Samut Sakhon. Wattanasak Sur-iam says he’s asked manufacturers to step up production from a current combined capacity of 5 million masks a day. He adds that the retail price of surgical masks will…
Read More » - Economy News
30 property developers expected to sign up to Elite visa incentive scheme
The president of Thailand Privilege Card, which runs the Elite Visa scheme, says around 30 real-estate developers have expressed interest in offering foreign buyers 5-year visas in return for investing at least 10 million baht in Thai property. Somchai Sungsawang says the scheme, known as the Elite Flexible One launches on January 1, with cards valid for 2 years. Nation…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Covid-19 fears after hundreds of migrants infected, Thai Army says they can’t stop border breaches
With fingers pointing at Burmese workers after the recent Covid-19 infection cluster at a Samut Sakhon shrimp market, the Royal Thai Army says there’s no way to completely seal Thailand’s borders and keep migrants from crossing illegally. Out of the 821 positive cases linked to the market, 788 are migrant workers and 33 are Thais, raising fears with Thai officials…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
WHO calls for calm over new coronavirus variant
The World Health Organisation is calling for calm over the emergence of a new strain of Covid-19 in countries including Britain and South Africa. WHO emergencies chief Mike Ryan says virus mutation is to be expected and is not a cause for major alarm. His comments come as a growing number of countries impose travel bans on passengers from the…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Lockdown could be final straw for tourism in Thailand
The President of the Phuket Hotels Association has described another potential lockdown as a nail in the coffin for tourism in the province. Speaking to the Bangkok Post, Anthony Lark says a nationwide lockdown, or restrictions on domestic travel, would finish off many tourism-related businesses. “Everyone’s losing money and just trying to break even. If the government can’t control the…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand News Today | 800+ cases in Samut Sakhon, Countries block UK travel | Dec 21
Back in Bangkok for this week’s Thailand News Today, wondering if we’re going to be locked down again? All the latest news at thethaiger.com More than 800 Covid-19 cases now linked to seafood market More than 800 Covid-19 cases are now linked to the Samut Sakhon province seafood market outbreak. Up to the weekend the largest number of cases reported…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
UPDATE: Latest news from the Samut Sakhon Covid-19 outbreak
More than 800 Covid-19 cases linked to a seafood market in Samut Sakhon have been reported, and numbers are expected to increase as health officials roll out mass testing on over 10,000 people. 2 more Covid-19 cases were reported in Bangkok today from people who both recently went to the Central Shrimp Market in Samut Sakhon, adding to the city’s…
Read More » - Thailand News
Amnesty International campaign urges PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to drop charges pressed on protesters
The human rights group Amnesty International has launched a campaign calling on PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to drop charges pressed on a number of activists for their role in the pro-democracy movement and to repeal, or at least amend, Thailand’s draconian lèse majesté law which carries a punishment of 3 to 15 years in prison for insulting or defaming the Thai Monarchy. …
Read More » - Crime News
Bangkok city employee found shot to death in Surat Thani
Police have opened a homicide investigation after a Bangkok city employee was found shot to death in her car in the Southern province Surat Thani. A resident noticed a Toyota Yaris was parked along a road in the Phun Phin district for 3 days. Yesterday evening, the resident decided to check it out and saw a woman’s body in the…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
More than 800 Covid-19 cases now linked to seafood market
More than 800 Covid-19 cases are now linked to the Samut Sakhon province seafood market outbreak. With the largest increase in daily cases reported by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration yesterday, health officials say they are now conducting mass testing to contain the virus. As of this morning, 723 Covid-19 cases are linked to the Mahachai Market in Samut…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Bangkok’s commercial property market struggles through 2020
This year Thailand’s developers had to work around the effects of government lockdowns and restrictions because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed significant changes have occurred to the commercial property market in Thailand. CBRE Research reports that the Bangkok office market suffered a significant change in the net up-take, whilst the retail market consumer confidence index fell and the hotel market…
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