Month: February 2021

  • Coronavirus (Covid-19)

    Public Health Minister gets first Covid-19 vaccine shot in Thailand

    Thailand’s Covid-19 vaccine campaign started with Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul who was jabbed with China’s Sinovac vaccine. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was initially planned to be the first to kick off Thailand’s immunisation plan with the AstraZeneca vaccine, but due to problems with paperwork, the prime minister’s injection was postponed. Doctors advised Prayut to get the AstraZeneca vaccine due to…

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  • Bangkok

    Royal Thai Police accused of “ticket” promotion system to buy senior positions

    The Royal Thai Police are being accused of using so-called “elephant tickets” to buy their way into promotions and pay their way up the police force’s chain of command. The corruption among the police force and the buying of positions without meeting the requirements for a promotion has been a longtime problem, according to the Bangkok Post. The “elephant ticket”…

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  • Crime

    Woman talks about the life of a Thai “pretty” after model’s death

    Following the news of a model who died after working as a hostess at a Bangkok party, Thai media spoke with a woman, known in Thailand as a “pretty,” about what it’s like to work in the lucrative, yet shady Thai model entertainment industry where many work as hostesses at parties and events that often involve alcohol, drugs and sex…

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  • Coronavirus (Covid-19)

    International travellers allowed to transit Thailand from Monday

    International travellers will now be allowed to transit Thailand from Monday after the Civil Aviation Authority relaxed Covid‐19 measures. The lifting of stringent travel regulations comes after Thailand reports a drop in Covid infections to double digits since February 20. CAAT also says regulations are being relaxed on domestic travel as well. The authority says operators of domestic flights can…

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  • Business

    Governments & old media versus social media – who will win? | VIDEO

    We look at the recent changes made by the Australian and Indian governments to except control over the world’s biggest social media platforms. India has issued strict new rules for Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms just weeks after the Indian government attempted to pressure Twitter to take down social media accounts it deemed, well, anti social. There is…

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  • Politics

    Myanmar’s representative to UN urges strong action against military after increasing violence against protesters

    A representative to the UN for Myanmar is urging the “strongest action“ to be used against the military after it has used increasing amounts of violence against anti‐coup protesters. The latest round in violence occurred as riot police violently broke up peaceful protesters, arresting over 100 people in 3 major Myanmar cities. Kyaw Moe Tun made the appeal to the…

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  • Thailand

    PM Prayut postponing Covid‐19 vaccination citing paperwork issues

    Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is postponing his inaugural Covid‐19 vaccination citing paperwork issues with the AstraZeneca vaccine shipment. According to Khaosod English, the vaccine shipment was sent to Thailand last Wednesday from South Korea, but was missing the additional required paperwork. Prayut was supposed to receive the vaccine tomorrow, but the highly‐publicised event will not be happening. According to Khaosod…

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  • Crime

    Bangkok police raid house where model died after playing hostess

    Bangkok police are investigating a model’s death after raiding a Chatuchak district house where the model died after being hired as a hostess. The model, Whitchayaporn ‘Wa’ Visessombut, was hired along with other women to serve drinks and entertain guests at a private residence last Monday. Then, the next day, she died of respiratory failure after being brought unconscious to…

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  • Events

    Phuket Monopoly game creators need your help with token designs

    Phuket is set to get its own version of the popular game MONOPOLY and its creators want your help with ideas for the specialised tokens. ‘MONOPOLY: Phuket Edition’ was announced last month which will see the street art on the board game replaced with that of famous places around Thailand’s famous tourist destination. Such art will include beaches, hotels, shops,…

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  • Crime

    Thai man accidentally kills himself with homemade bomb

    A young Thai man has accidentally killed himself with a homemade bomb in the Muang district of Kanchanaburi province this morning. 22 year old Amornthep Thongchomphu was found dead with his arm blown off after the bomb exploded in a field near his home. Local police went to the scene at about 11am, outside the man’s house in Ban Nong…

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  • Thailand

    Thailand News Today | Week In Review | February 26

    Thailand News Today usually covers five days of the news week. This week only four days as today (Friday) is a public holiday. Now we have a weekend edition which goes over the biggest, or best stories, from the past week. Out every Saturday afternoon, catch up with Jett and Tim’s major Thai news stories. Welcome to the Thailand News…

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  • Business

    The social media giants in battle with ‘old’ media and world governments | VIDEO

    https://youtu.be/HKKIuWHw_t8 “The rules signal greater willingness by countries around the world to rein in big tech firms such as Google, Facebook and Twitter that the governments fear have become too powerful with little accountability.” India has issued strict new rules for Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms just weeks after the Indian government attempted to pressure Twitter to take…

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  • Politics

    Japan may stop assistance projects to Myanmar in response to coup

    Japan may stop assistance projects to Myanmar in response to the military coup, which has received major international backlash. As a major donor to Myanmar, Japan joins other advanced nations in condemning the coup which has seen security forces using violence against peaceful protesters. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was quoted as saying in a phone call that “Japan will strongly…

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  • Tourism

    Thailand’s most exclusive Beach Club | BaBa Beach Club Hua Hin | VIDEO

    Nothing speaks more ‘private’ and ‘vacation’ than enjoying the beachfront view with a balcony pool and luxurious room. Follow Chris, as he (along with his family) takes you on a private get away in Hua Hin, one of Thailand’s most popular beach destinations on the Gulf of Thailand coast, for both tourists and locals. *our vlogger’s stay at the BaBa…

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  • Road deaths

    Roadtrippers take a break at petrol station only to find dead body under car

    A group of holiday road trippers from Pathum Thani got a horrifying surprise after finding a partial human body underneath one of their cars. The group was on their way to Koh Chang when they stopped at a petrol station this morning in the eastern province of Khao Saming. The 10 holidaymakers reported the discovery at Sawang Sawai PTT petrol…

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  • Thailand

    45 new cases today, 37 local‐Covid‐19‐Update

    Thailand reports 45 new cases of Covid-19 cases today, with 37 infections being locally-transmitted. 8 of those infections were imported, raising the total amount of infections since the pandemic began to 25,809. The Department of Disease Control reports that 32 cases were confirmed at hospitals with 5 confirmed through active case finding in communities. Samut Sakhon province, the 2nd wave…

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  • Coronavirus (Covid-19)

    Phuket holds vaccine administration rehearsal as it waits for green light

    Phuket is rehearsing procedures to ready themselves for the Covid‐19 vaccine administration green light. A rehearsal at Vachira Hospital’s Lan Muang Khao open area was held late yesterday to iron out any kinks in the administration process. Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong watched over the procedures along with other health officials. Pichet says the first vaccine round of 4,000 doses…

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  • Law

    Australia sets worldwide precedent by passing pay‐to‐play legislation for social media giants

    In a landmark decision, Australia is now requiring global digital giants, such as Facebook and Google, to pay for using local news content on their websites. The move sets a precedent that many global companies have been anticipating. The law passed yesterday after Facebook and Google reached an agreement to pay local Australian news organisations for using their stories on…

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  • Chon Buri

    Chon Buri zoo invites people to vote on baby hippo’s name – VIDEO

    A zoo in the eastern province of Chon Buri is inviting people to vote on the name of a baby pygmy hippopotamus born last month. Anuphong Anont from Khao Kheow Open Zoo says the baby made its first public appearance yesterday. “The female baby hippo was born on January 14 to 6-year-old mother Kanya and 21-year-old father Tony. The baby…

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  • Tourism

    Surveys show Thailand still one of the top holiday choices post-pandemic

    The Stockholm office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand has conducted a survey in which 62% of respondents say they want to spend winter in Thailand provided restrictions are lifted. The top destinations are Phuket, Krabi and Khao Lak, followed by Koh Samui, Koh Pha-ngan, Koh Tao, Bangkok, and Hua Hin. 68% say they would cancel bookings if the 14-day…

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  • Thailand

    Long Buddhist holiday to see over 40 percent reduction in domestic tourism

    The long Buddhist festival holiday, which starts today, is set to see over a 40% reduction in domestic tourism. The Tourism and Transport Authority of Thailand has made the estimation which tallies around 1.09 million domestic trips, a number that is down 44% from last year’s Makha Bucha Day. The 2nd wave of the Covid pandemic this year has made…

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  • Politics

    Jailed former politicians await outcome of bail hearing

    8 former politicians, now behind bars for their role in protests that toppled the Yingluck Shinawatra administration and led to the 2014 military coup, are waiting for the outcome of their bail hearing. The detainees, all former members of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, are Suthep Thaugsuban, Issara Somchai, Chumpol Julsai, the Deputy Transport Minister Thaworn Senneam, Education Minister, Nataphol…

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