Year: 2020
- Covid-19 News
Tests show Samui woman did not contract virus at quarantine hotel
Tests carried out by the Disease Control Department show that the woman who tested positive for Covid-19 after being discharged from quarantine and travelling to Koh Samui, did not become infected at the quarantine facility. Dr Sopon Iamsirithaworn says the results do not match those of 2 other guests who tested positive at the hotel in Samut Prakan, just outside…
Read More » - World News
At least 35 dead, 100s injured, 50+ missing in Vietnam typhoon Molave
‘Molave’ has been the most powerful typhoon to hit Vietnam in 20 years. As it peters out into a harmless low pressure front making its way westwards in Thailand. Officials say the death toll across Vietnam may rise as some regions have been unable to report details of damage and casualties. This morning the remnants of Molave are sitting directly…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Health officials propose reducing quarantine to 10 days
Health officials are suggesting cutting mandatory quarantine for international arrivals to 10 days. Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says the proposal will be submitted to the government’s Covid-19 task force for approval. It’s hoped that a reduction in the quarantine period could help revive Thailand’s battered tourism sector. ”The priority now is to strike a balance between people’s health and the…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand News Today | STV updates, fuel tanker explodes, 19 dead in Viet typhoon | October 29
Daily TV news, in English. Everything you need to know in around 5 minutes. Keep up to date on The Thaiger. “Pattaya Model” to focus on Special Tourist Visa visitors from China and Russia Firstly the Phuket Model, now the Pattaya Model as the eastern seaboard city wants to cash in on the new Special Tourist Visa scheme to help…
Read More » - Pattaya News
Elephants chase motorbike driver to Chon Buri home
Wild elephants chased a motorbike driver in Chon Buri, following him to a family’s home where he stopped and asked to hide inside. 3 elephants ran after him to the house and damaged the front of the home. Luckily, the elephants weren’t able to enter inside the home and the family, including a child and a pregnant woman, were not…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Thai “net idol” arrested on attempted murder charges over alleged Bangkok shooting
Police arrested internet “idol” and self-professed gambler Apirak “Sia Po” Chat-anon who allegedly shot 2 men outside a massage parlour on Bangkok. Sia Po had turned himself in to police, saying he was at the shooting, but wasn’t carrying a firearm. Police arrested him on charges of attempted murder, illegal possession of a firearm, carrying the gun in public and…
Read More » - Pattaya News
“Pattaya Model” to focus on Special Tourist Visa visitors from China and Russia
Pattaya wants to cash in on the new Special Tourist Visa scheme and local officials plan to introduce the “Pattaya Model” to help boost the local economy after it took at beating from the lack of international tourists due to the pandemic. They’ll focus on drawing in Chinese and Russian tourists on the new long stay visa, according to Pattaya…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
4 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, 2 have symptoms
4 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine with half of the patients reporting symptoms, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand’s total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is raised to 3,763 with 3,570 recoveries and 59 deaths. 134 people are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. A 67 year old Kuwaiti woman travelling from Qatar tested…
Read More » - Krabi News
Missing man’s body found in Krabi forest, wife believes he was killed
The body of a missing man was found by locals walking through a forest in Krabi’s Plai Phraya district. The man’s wife believes he was murdered, but police have not announced if they will open a homicide investigation, saying they are waiting for autopsy results. 47 year old Arun Sittisang went missing in May. Authorities who initially examined the body…
Read More » - Thailand News
Cruise ships and yachts to dock in Thailand, visitors to enter on Special Tourist Visa
Cruise ships and yachts will be allowed to dock in Thailand and visitors will be allowed disembark under the Special Tourist Visa. The new measure hasn’t been made official yet, but it will go into effect 30 days after it’s published in the Royal Gazette. The Cabinet approved the new guidelines yesterday which allows captains, crew and passengers travelling from…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
Fuel tanker explodes after collision in Buri Ram
A fuel tanker has exploded after a collision with a trailer truck, causing both vehicles to be engulfed in flames in a series of explosions. Fuel from the 40,000-litre tank spilled out onto the road, spreading about 1 kilometre to nearby homes and into the sewers. People trying to douse the spreading flames found they were just pushing the flaming…
Read More » - Thailand News
Is Koh Pha Ngan Thailand’s best island?
OPINION Koh Pha Ngan was voted third best island in Asia in the 2020 Condé Nast’s Readers Choice Awards. The island is widely known for its monthly Full Moon parties on Haad Rin beach, but Surat Thani governor Wichawut Jinto, who boasted about the island’s recent rating, said there’s more to Koh Pha Ngan than Haad Rin. Condé Nast publishes…
Read More » - Thailand Protest News
Palang Pracharath MP calls for probe into Pheu Thai MP who cut own arm in parliament
Opposition politicians are clashing over the actions of one MP who deliberately cut his arm in an act of self-harm to draw attention to the plight of anti-government protesters. Palang Pracharath MP, Sira Jenjaka, is threatening Wisarn Techathirawat, Pheu Thai MP for Chiang Rai, with removal from office for what he’s calling a publicity stunt. On Tuesday, during a special joint…
Read More » - Tourism News
Government confirms re-opening for foreign tourists, yacht crew, under Special Tourist Visa
Thailand is preparing to re-open to more international tourists and foreign yacht crew, after Cabinet specified updated guidelines for the Special Tourist Visa scheme. Deputy government spokeswoman, Traisulee Traisoranakul, says the new regulations will be in force until September 30, 2021. The STV has been introduced in an effort to re-ignite international tourism in the Kingdom, which has been severely…
Read More » - Thailand News
Court bans Thailand’s first transgender MP over alleged media interests
An MP from the Move Forward Party, an opposition party that opposes the military’s influence in government, has been banned and could face jail time after the Constitutional Court found the MP guilty of violating a law prohibiting media shareholders from applying to become MPs. The court also looked into 57 other MPs over the same offence, but they were…
Read More » - Crime News
Thieves arrested after stealing safe containing 10 million baht
Police in the central province of Saraburi have arrested 6 people suspected of stealing a safe containing over 10 million baht in cash. Thai Residents reports that officers found over 7 million baht in US dollars and Chinese yuan, and over 3 million baht in Indonesian rupiah. Saraburi police arrested the suspects on Monday, who have been named as, 34…
Read More » - Thailand Protest News
Contempt charge dropped against protest leader Parit
The leader of the Free People protest group, Parit Chiwarak, aka, “Penguin”, has had a charge of contempt dropped. He had been charged after calling on activists to gather at the court on August 8 to obstruct proceedings in a case against fellow protest leaders, Anon Nampa and Panupong Jadnok. The Bangkok Post reports that the Criminal Court dropped the…
Read More » - Tourism News
Koh Pha Ngan and Chiang Mai win gongs in the latest Condé Nast Traveler Awards
Koh Pha Ngan, a short ferry ride from Koh Samui off the coast of mainland Surat Thani, is the ‘third best island in Asia’, according to a vote in the readers’ choice awards by Conde Nast Traveler. Thailand also ranked in 7th place in the ‘Top 20 Countries in the World list. Topping the ‘Best Asian islands’ list were Cebu & Visayas,…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
France and Germany back in lockdown amid resurgence of Covid-19 in Europe
The leaders of France and Germany are once again having to introduce national lockdowns as the Covid-19 virus continues to surge across Europe. France is now recording over 36,000 (+36,437 yesterday) new cases a day, while Germany, which fared slightly better than other European countries during the first wave of the virus, is now seeing a dramatic rise in cases…
Read More » - Environment News
Koh Phi Phi marine park dive site closed off for the next 2 years after karst island collapse
A popular dive site in the Koh Phi Phi National Park will be closed off for the next 2 years after 30,000 tonnes of rock broke off of a karst island, falling into sea and onto a coral reef. Koh Mae Urai is a karst formation between Koh Phi Phi and the Krabi mainland. A large chunk of the rock…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Big Bike licenses, Parliament latest, Zombie saleswoman | October 28
Daily TV news from The Thaiger, the most watched English-language news service in the Land of Smiles, and hosted by Tim Newton. Thailand to introduce separate test for big bike riders from next year From next February, motorbike riders in Thailand will be required to pass a separate driving test and training session if they wish to receive a licence…
Read More » - Thailand News
Woman faces charges after allegedly slapping a student for not standing during national anthem
A woman is facing assault charges after she allegedly slapped a 15 year old student who didn’t stand up for the national anthem at a train station in Ayutthaya. The woman, a food vendor at the train station, allegedly approached the student when the anthem ended. In a video shared by thousands on Twitter, the woman said “Stand up. Come…
Read More » - Visa Information
Reminder from Thai Foreign Affairs about staying in Thailand after October 31
The following was sent by Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reminding foreigners about staying in Thailand after the current visa amnesty expires… “Mr. Tanee Sangrat, Director-General of the Department of Information and Foreign Ministry Spokesperson reiterated that all stranded foreign nationals who wish to stay in the Kingdom of Thailand beyond 31 October 2020 need to submit an application for…
Read More » - Thailand News
Man arrested for allegedly stealing 70 pairs of women’s underwear
A 46 year old man has been arrested for allegedly breaking into homes and stealing women’s underwear. Police say they found 70 pairs of panties and 3 bras at his house in Ratchaburi, a province west of Bangkok bordering Myanmar. Police also found some methamphetamine and amphetamine pills at the man’s home, charging him with both theft and drug possession.…
Read More » - Bangkok News
2 shot outside Bangkok massage parlour
Police are investigating a shooting at a Bangkok massage parlour where a person was shot in the neck and another person shot in the backside. Police have not identified the shooter, but a post by a Facebook user accused an alleged “well known gambler” of shooting the 2 people. Police were called at 3am Wednesday to the Saree Sauna &…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand tourism officials to tap into Chinese market as they attract more visitors
Thailand has so far welcomed 2 flights with Chinese visitors on the new Special Tourist Visa, a first step after a 7 month ban on international tourists. Now, tourism officials are proposing to bring in more whilst tapping into the vast Chinese market to draw in more visitors. Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn says they’re planning on 7.45…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
13 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine
13 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine including 4 Thai students, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is at 3,759 with 3,561 recoveries and 59 deaths. 139 people are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. A 49 year old Frenchman travelling from France tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday,…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thai woman dressed as a zombie sells dead people’s clothes – VIDEO
A zombie saleswoman is selling dead people’s clothes online. 32 year old Kanittha Thongnak sells clothes of the deceased on a Facebook live stream while dressed as “the living dead”. She gives a story behind every pieces of clothing, explaining how each person died. Perhaps it would be a real business kill in most countries, but not in Thailand where…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand to introduce separate test for big bike riders from next year
From next February, motorbike riders in Thailand will be required to pass a separate driving test and training session if they wish to receive a licence for a “big bike”. The regulation has been announced in the Royal Gazette, after the government approved it last August, in a bid to cut road traffic accidents which are predominantly motorbikes (about 75%) and…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket’s annual Vegetarian Festival lowers flags, spirits return to the heavens
WARNING! Content below contains photos of self-mutilation that some may find disturbing. The flags on Go Teng poles were lowered on Monday, ending Phuket’s annual Vegetarian Festival and symbolising that the spirits have returned the heavens. The flags are raised at the start of the festivities each year at participating shrines, calling on the spirits to descend from the heavens.…
Read More » - Thailand Protest News
PM refuses to resign, citing concerns over political divide, the economy, Covid-19
“I refuse to comply with the proposals that do not represent the needs of the majority of the people.” The Thai PM has made it clear he will not resign, saying he has no intention of “abandoning the country during a crisis”. Addressing Parliament yesterday, Prayut Chan-o-cha pointed to the current problems facing Thailand, including the political divide in society,…
Read More » - Thailand Protest News
Opposition MP slashes his arm in protest at treatment of anti-government activists
An opposition party MP has slashed his arm in front of officials in Parliament, in protest at the treatment of political activists. Visan Techatirawat, a partY member of the opposition Pheu Thai Party, says the gesture was his own personal protest to oppose the government’s action against peaceful protesters at a rally in the capital on October 17. Police remain…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Royalists crowd Bangkok’s Lumpini Park to support Thai Monarchy
Bangkok’s Lumpini Park was crowded with royalists yesterday afternoon after gathering to show their support and respect for the institution of the Thai Monarchy. The gathering is in response to a series of pro-democracy protests over the past 2 weeks, specifically, and the the last 3 months more generally, calling on government reform and questioning the role of His Majesty…
Read More » - Thailand Protest News
Jailed activists request individual cells, access to books, ahead of exams
3 protest leaders currently behind bars have spoken with the Justice Minister to ask for a number of personal requests to be granted. Panupong Jadnok, Parit Chiwarak, and Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, each met with Somsak Thepsutin, with Panupong calling for a separation between prisoners awaiting trial and those who’ve already been convicted. Both Panupong and Parit are being held at Bangkok…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
2 foreigners in same hotel as the Koh Samui woman test positive for Covid-19
Officials are reviewing the use of a Samut Prakan hotel, just outside Bangkok, as a quarantine facility, after 3 foreign nationals staying there tested positive for Covid-19. The first was a 57 year old woman who developed symptoms of the virus after she had completed 14 days’ quarantine and had returned to her home on the island of Koh Samui.…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand News Today | German Embassy, More STV tourists, Thanathorn in trouble | October 27
Today’s latest Thai news from The Thaiger, hosted by Tim Newton with full, echoey sound! Sorry about the minor audio issues! From Bangkok to Berlin – protesters deliver letter to German Embassy Protesting students last night submitted a letter to the German Embassy, to be passed on to the German Government. The protest started around 4pm when the rally gathered…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket told to prepare “response plan” in case of second Covid-19 outbreak
As Phuket awaits foreign tourists, city officials are told to prepare a “response plan” in case of a second wave of Covid-19. An official from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports held a workshop in Phuket today to discuss the risk of another outbreak as the country opens up to those on the Special Tourist Visa. The ministry’s permanent secretary…
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