Month: January 2021
- Covid-19 News
Visitors to Phuket from “highest risk” areas must show Covid-19 test results
People arriving Phuket from the “highest risk” areas are required to take a swab test by the staff at emergency operation centres (EOC) or show the test result document endorsed by the EOC staff made within 72 hours of their arrival. The revised order is effective from now until January 31, according to the Phuket Governor. Those people who are…
Read More » - Thailand News
BTS Skytrain’s Green Line maximum fare to rise, Rail Transport Department disagrees with the move
After the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration agreed to raise the maximum fare on the BTS Skytrain’s Green Line from 59 baht to 158 baht, the Rail Transport Department is calling on city officials to suspend the maximum fare ceiling, saying it would put an unfair burden on passengers. Bangkok Governor Aswin announced earlier that the maximum fare of 158 baht is…
Read More » - Thailand News
High demand for health insurance due to Covid-19 worries, premiums expected to rise
With the increasing demands for health insurance due to people’s worries over Covid-19, health insurance premiums are expected to grow 1.59% this year, according to the Insurance Commission. Commission secretary-general Suthipol Taweechaikarn says total premiums will see 101 billion baht revenues this year, an increase from 99 billion baht last year. He adds that the Covid-19 situation is a major…
Read More » - Thailand News
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha considers legalising gambling
In the midst of a nationwide crackdown on gambling, an effort driven to contain Covid-19 by stopping the illegal gatherings after an outbreak at a Rayong gambling den, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says now he will consider the legalisation of gambling. He says he’ll start by staging discussions about the pros and cons. In the recent wave of Covid-19, major clusters…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Police to issue arrest warrants for 2 people allegedly involved in bombing outside Bangkok shopping centre
Police say arrest warrants will be issued for 2 people allegedly involved in the bombing outside Bangkok’s Chamchuri Square shopping centre following a rally protesting Thailand’s draconian lèse majesté law. The suspects allegedly drove together on a motorcycle on the Thai-Japanese Bridge and threw a “ping pong bomb” down on a group of police officers Saturday evening. The smoky handmade…
Read More » - Thailand News
Tower Of Babble – Have your say on The Thaiger, January 18 | VIDEO
Tower of Babble is where we read some of your comments to The Thaiger YouTube videos. Some are insightful, some are interesting, some need to be shared! And some are just plain funny. If you leave a comment under any of our videos it may be shared on our Tower of Babble each day. Facebook Bangkok smog Mcnab James And…
Read More » - Crime News
Police arrest “prime suspect” in narcotics case linked to 10 deaths in Bangkok
Police arrested a man suspected of producing the ketamine-based illicit drug cocktail linked to at least 10 deaths in Bangkok. The man is also charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting his girlfriend at a Bangkok apartment. Police say 33 year old Amornthep Chalermwat, known as Un Kiwi, fled Bangkok and was arrested in Phetchabun’s Bung Sam Phan district yesterday.…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
CCSA Update: 369 new Covid-19 cases
369 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Most cases were detected in Samut Sakhon in a mass testing campaign. Thailand now has 3,147 active Covid-19 cases. Since the started of the pandemic, the CCSA has reported 12,423 cases – 8,186 of those cases were reported in the new wave of infections.…
Read More » - Thailand News
Australian man wanted for allegedly sexually abusing children in Thailand
A 44 year old Australian man is wanted by Thai police for allegedly sexually abusing children in Thailand. Adam James Fox financially supported some migrant children in poverty stricken areas and allegedly sexually abused them. Adam James Fox is wanted for allegedly sexually assaulting or abusing at least 3 Burmese boys, all under 15 years old, at his home in…
Read More » - World News
Australia might keep borders closed throughout 2021
It might be a while until tourists can visit Australia. Borders might not be fully reopen until at least 2022. Australia is rolling out its immunisation program next month, but even if most of the population is vaccinated against Covid-19, the Australian government says it will probably wait to make sure the vaccine prevents the transmission of the virus before…
Read More » - Thailand News
Disease control measures ease up in Samut Sakhon
Disease control restrictions are easing up in Samut Sakhon. The coastal fishing province that has been under “maximum control” since last month’s Covid-19 outbreak at a major seafood market in the province’s Mahachai area. Salons and barber shops are now allowed to open from 6am to 9pm in all districts of Samut Sakhon, but services are limited to hair cutting,…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Police raid Bangkok restaurant, more than 80 people face charges for violating Emergency Decree
More than 80 people face jail time and fines for allegedly violating disease control measures under the Emergency Decree after police raided a Bangkok pub and restaurant. The Indian restaurant Taj Café off Sukhumvit Road in the Watthana district was raided over the weekend after a complaint reporting that customers were smoking hookah, which is illegal in Thailand, and that…
Read More » - Thailand News
Police say at least 2 people to be arrested in Bangkok bomb attack – UPDATE
Police say they will issue arrest warrants for at least 2 people in connection to yesterday’s bomb attack in Bangkok. According to Thai PBS World, the people are suspected of throwing a ping pong bomb into a group of police officers in front of the Chamchuri shopping centre that injured 3 policemen and 1 reporter. But previous reports by Khaosod…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand’s PM says he won’t let Thais become vaccine “guinea pigs”
Thailand’s PM is saying he won’t let Thai people become vaccine “guinea pigs” in his Facebook post today as he points to reports of serious negative side effects that some people have suffered after getting jabbed with the Covid-19 vaccine. Instead, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he will wait for more information from the experts about whether such side effects were…
Read More » - Thailand News
Police hunt for those behind Bangkok bomb attack near pro-democracy protest site
Police are hunting for those responsible for yesterday’s bomb attack that hit near a pro-democracy protest site in Bangkok. The attack occurred at Samyan Intersection at around 6pm, leaving 4 people injured, including 2 policemen. Bangkok police chief Phukphong Phongpetra says the device used appears to be a pingpong bomb, which was filled with nails. Demonstrators gathered yesterday in front…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand’s first low-cost airline founder dies
Thailand’s first low-cost airline founder has died at the age of 66. Udom Tantiprasongchai, who passed away yesterday, started his business in 1994 with Cambodia International Airlines. The airline began operating regular flights from Phnom Penh to Phuket before expanding to other areas in Southeast Asia. After his airline licences were revoked by the Cambodian government, he started Orient Thai…
Read More » - Environment News
59 areas see excessive PM 2.5 dust in Bangkok today
59 areas in Bangkok are seeing excessive PM 2.5 dust ratings today as air quality is being described as moderate to poor. Din Daeng Road is being identified as the most polluted, according to the air4thai website of the Pollution Control Department. The amount of PM 2.5 dust is being measured at between 39 and 113 microns. Din Daeng is…
Read More » - Thailand News
374 new cases today – Covid update
New case numbers have jumped alarmingly again today, even though the growth curve was starting to flatten a bit this week. Thailand is reporting 374 new cases of Covid-19 today over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to over 12,000 infections since the pandemic began. Only 10 of those cases were non-local infections as they were found in state quarantine.…
Read More » - Politics News
Companies pull out from Trump brand after storming of Capitol incident
Corporate America is adding its weight in response to the insurgency at the Capitol building on January 6, and are pulling out from any association with the Trump brand after the storming of the capitol incident which economists say will have a profound medium and long-term effect on his business interests. Recently, Signature Bank closed Trump’s personal accounts and the…
Read More » - Crime News
Central Thailand hospital adding marijuana to spa restaurant menu
A little sprinkle here and a little sprinkle there. A central Thailand hospital is now adding marijuana to its spa restaurant menu. The Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital, in Prachin Buri, is serving patients dishes and drinks prepared with marijuana leaves at its Abhaibhubejhr Day Spa. Asala Chaocharoen, one of the hospital’s pharmacists, says they have developed the menu item using 1…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand’s PM asks people to avoid political gatherings over concerns for their health
Thailand’s PM is asking people to avoid political gatherings over concerns for their health due to the recent cooler weather. As the country is still not out of the woods with the recent Covid-19 breakout, the cold weather, in the northern half of the country, is adding to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s health concerns for Thai people. Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri…
Read More » - Economy News
BTS skytrain maximum fare rate increasing to 158 baht despite backlash
Bangkok’s BTS skytrain maximum fare rate is being raised to 158 baht despite receiving backlash over the hike. The Transport Ministry is behind the calls for City Hall to stop the increase as it says it is too expensive for the average commuter who takes the BTS 2 times a day. Saksayam Chidchob, the Transport Minister, says other routes should…
Read More » - Environment News
Thailand on fire – NASA satellite website tracks the country’s farm fires
Thailand is burning. The burning off of harvested crop plantations is lighting up the agricultural areas. The truth is starkly revealed in the live NASA satellite feeds which track the fires around the world. CHART: Fires in the past 10 days around parts of Thailand – Firms.Modaps Concentrations of the current fires can be seen in Central Thailand, north of…
Read More » - Visa Information
Thailand threw a tourism party. No one arrived.
OPINION The Thai Government, flushed with the success of their containment of Covid-19, decided to market the Land of Smiles to the world as the safe place to travel. With the annual wet season starting to weaken the tourists would flock back to the S E Asian country that had such remarkable success containing, then almost eradicating, itself of the…
Read More » - Thailand News
Week in review – the best of Thailand News Today | VIDEO
Click to watch HERE….. https://youtu.be/O0HpP6nOSbs Thailand News Today covers five days a week. Now we have a weekend edition which goes over the biggest, or best stories from the week. Out every Saturday afternoon, catch up with Jett and Tim’s major Thai news stories. Welcome to the Thailand News Today Weekend Edition. Click to watch HERE….. https://youtu.be/O0HpP6nOSbs
Read More » - Crime News
Thai laws, how to stay out of jail in Thailand | VIDEO
Thailand has plenty of laws, some of them applied more vigorously than others. Some not at all. But the ones they do apply can get you in hot water or, at worst, in a Thai jail. You DON’T want to end up there. Here’s a few of the better and lesser known Thai laws from The Thaiger. You can visit…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Norway adjusts advice after 28 possible vaccine-related deaths of elderly people
The deaths of 23 elderly people are being investigated after dying a short time of receiving their first Covid-19 vaccine in Norway. Apart from the 23 deaths, medical officials are also reporting several people falling ill after receiving their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. At this stage there has been no direct correlation between the people’s deaths and…
Read More » - Tourism News
The road less travelled – trekking to the Kalim Viewpoint
There are two well known ways to get from Kathu to Kalim or Kamala – one is across the Patong Hill, and the other is much longer, through Srisoonthorn and along the coastal road from Surin the Kamala (very scenic too). But there’s also another way. Also very scenic but will take you about 2 hours through dense forest although…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Health Minister volunteering to receive first Covid jab, as effectiveness rate questioned
“I’ll go first!” Thailand’s Public Health Minister has repeated his pledge to be the first person to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, in a bid to allay people’s concerns. Questions have been raised about the Chinese-manufactured Sinovac Biotech jab after its effectiveness rating was revised downwards by researchers in Brazil. Anutin Charnvirakul says the vaccine process will be overseen by Sophon…
Read More » - Crime News
Nonthaburi gamblers given jail sentences
Following a raid on an illegal gambling den in the central province of Nonthaburi, 41 people have been handed jail sentences at Nonthaburi Provincial Court. Somjit Hinkerd and Sorasak Janthamanee were convicted of running a gambling den in the Bang Bua Thong district and sentenced to 3 months and 15 days’ imprisonment. The other gamblers were sentenced to 15 days’…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Pattaya City mayor planning local rollout of Covid-19 vaccine
The mayor of Pattaya city says officials hope to be able to buy 240,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for administration to local residents. Sonthaya Khunpluem is reviewing finances and plans to set aside approximately 80 million baht for vaccine procurement, subject to government approval. “Currently, house registration of Pattaya City has reached a total population of 120,000 people, then…
Read More » - Economy News
Government considering another registration round for co-payment scheme
The Finance Ministery is considering adding another registration round to the Khon La Khrueng (“Let’s Go Halves”) co-payment scheme, as 1.34 million rights have not yet been taken up. The government introduced the scheme last October, in an effort to stimulate the Covid-battered economy. Under the scheme, Thai citizens get a 50% subsidy on the purchase of food, drink and…
Read More » - Environment News
Bangkok’s air quality is ‘unhealthy’ today | VIDEO
Air quality around Bangkok this morning is awful. Partly due to the lack of wind to blow the smog out of the area. To the south of Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon, the air quality is even worse with visibility on the ground cut to less than a kilometre. You would be well advised to reduce you activities outside…
Read More » - Crime News
Arrest warrants sought for 8 civilians suspected of smuggling migrant workers
Deputy national police chief Damrongsak Kittiprapas has confirmed that arrest warrants are being sought for 8 civilians implicated in the illegal smuggling of migrant workers. The Bangkok Post reports that the 8 face charges of aiding and abetting illegal immigration. The workers were trafficked from Myanmar to the central Thai province of Samut Sakhon, where the latest outbreak of Covid-19…
Read More » - Tourism News
Can I travel around Thailand? Mor Chana app?
Yes. But for people travelling around Thailand at the moment there is still quite a lot of confusion and misinformation about where you can travel to and additional restrictions on travel. Statistically, and with the usual precautions, you are very unlikely to catch Covid-19. We’ll continue to publish any updates to this information on travel at thethaiger.com For people travelling…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Stray car on runway, Indonesian quake, 300 baht tourist fee | January 15
A man has driven his car onto the runway at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport while allegedly under the influence of illicit substances. AOT officials are now trying to figure out how the man was able to breach airport security and drive onto the airport runway. Airport security vehicles were seen escorting the car off the runway, passing by waiting planes. The…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
A wild elephant kills 80 year old camper in Khao Yai
A wild elephant killed an 80 year old man camping in Khao Yai National Park early this morning. Park officials believe the bull elephant was in musth, which is when the elephant has rise in reproductive hormones and becomes aggressive. 80 year old Prayot Jitbun was sleeping in his tent when the elephant attacked. Other nearby campers alerted park officials…
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