Month: April 2021
- Covid-19 News
At-risk Social Security members can get free Covid tests from tomorrow in Bangkok
At-risk members of Thailand’s Social Security scheme can get free Covid-19 tests in Bangkok starting tomorrow. The Ministry of Labour will provide the tests, covering members under Sections 33, 39, and 40 of the Social Security Act. The programme will be held at the Bangkok Youth Centre (Thai-Japan) in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district. The ministry expects to test up to…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Thai army sets up 2 more field hospitals to help with Covid influx
Thailand’s army is getting ready to deal with the influx of Covid-19 infections as its deputy spokeswoman says 2 more field hospitals are now in place. The hospitals are in Bangkok and Prachuap Khiri Khan to help ease the burden of hospitals in 2 of the hardest hit areas. Already, an army field hospital has been set up at the…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Covid-19 vaccine CEOs say 3rd dose may be needed along with annual jabs
The CEO for the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines says it is likely that people will need a 3rd dose of the vaccine and to receive it annually. Albert Bourla, told CNBC, that the booster, or 3rd dose, will be needed less than a year after being fully vaccinated. “A likely scenario is that there will be likely a need for a…
Read More » - Economy News
China grows 18.3%, the only major economy to grow in 2020
China’s economy set a record for growth in Q1, 2021, marking an 18.3% jump in year-on-year figures, the biggest quarterly growth in almost 30 years. China only started publishing growth statistics in 1992, and this drastic increase is the fastest growth recorded since then. The figures, however impressive, are mainly due to what is called a “low base effect” where…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
Brake system failure blamed for fatal incident in Khon Kaen
Checking your brakes regularly is something that could save you from a fatal accident, yet a lack of routine maintenance seems popular when it comes to accidents. The latest victims from a brake system failure, include 5 fatalities and 12 injuries after a bus in northeastern Thailand’s Khon Kaen province crashed. The horrible accident happened last Tuesday at about 12:30am…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand fruit exports up, despite new Covid-19 fears
Thailand fruit exporters saw a 107% growth in January and February over last year’s comparable figures, reports the National News Bureau. 18 countries have free trade agreements for fruit with Thailand, and the total trade in the first 2 months of 2021 is valued at US $461 million. Thailand is actively exporting fresh fruit with its top buyers being Australia,…
Read More » - Economy News
Thai household debt expected to keep rising- Kasikorn Research
Despite rolling out Covid-19 vaccines, in which could see a faster return to pre-Covid times, Thailand’s household debt is expected to keep rising. Kasikorn Research analysts say it could, in fact, reach 89-91% by the end of the year. In a recent survey, KResearch says 10.8% of respondents could be stuck in a financial crisis. Of those who may be…
Read More » - Entertainment
Sex toys popular in Thailand despite conservative laws
While Thailand is a conservative country with conservative laws, the underground sex trade and sex toy economy is a thriving not-so-well-kept secret. Thailand is famous for its LGBTQ acceptance and red-light districts, but many don’t realise that most drugs, gambling, soliciting for prostitution, sex toys, and even vaping are against Thai law. The customs department confiscated more than 4000 sex…
Read More » - Hot News
Man trampled to death while feeding roadside elephant
A man in Nakhon Ratchasima, north east Thailand, has lost his life yesterday when he pulled his car over to feed an elephant that then trampled him to death. According to Mu Si police, Rachan Theerapittayatrakul had stopped his pickup truck near Thanarat Road when he saw an elephant tied to a tree by the roadside and attempted to feed…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Covid UPDATE: 1,582 new infections announced, more restrictions on the way
Today the CCSA announced 1,582 new Covid infections across Thailand in the past 24 hours. The small increase on yesterdays total will provide the CCSA with the information they need for this afternoon’s scheduled meeting, chaired by the Thai PM. It is expected that they will announce new restrictions but are unlikely to go for total lockdowns of provinces or…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Thai Health Ministry predicts 5 likely Covid outcomes post-Songkran, warns of risks posed by partying
The Public Health Ministry is warning the public that partying and letting ones guard down could see daily Covid-19 infections rise to nearly 3,000. Opas Karnkawinpong from the Disease Control Department says evidence shows that the third wave of the virus which is currently spreading across the country is a result of younger people, aged 20 – 29, socialising frequently…
Read More » - Pattaya News
Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin brace for increased restrictions
Three of Thailand’s biggest expat areas are seeing sharp rises in new infections, partly from pre-Songkran traffic. The Songkran holidays, now officially over (but will see many people taking today off and making a weekend Songkran extension), and the government says they are expecting to see a rise in the cases numbers reported in the popular holiday locations. Chon Buri…
Read More » - Thailand News
First 5 days of Songkran see more than 3,700 motorists booked for drink-driving
Over 3,700 motorists have been charged with drink driving offences during the first 5 days of the Songkran holiday. Witthawan Sunthornkajit from the Department of Probation says that between April 10 and 14, 3,741 motorists received suspended sentences for driving under the influence. 1,648 of those were on April 14, the highest number for the 5-day period. The worst-offending provinces…
Read More » - Eastern Thailand News
Officials investigating woman’s alleged attempt to sell national parkland for 350 million baht
Officials in eastern Thailand are investigating a Facebook post in which a woman allegedly attempted to sell 298 rai of national parkland. According to a Bangkok Post report, the land is located on Koh Wai, part of the Mu Koh Chang Marine National Park, in the eastern province of Trat. Damras Phoprasit from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
AstraZeneca will remain Thailand’s primary vaccine, insists Health Minister
The Health Minister insists the AstraZeneca vaccine will remain Thailand’s primary Covid-19 jab, despite concerns over rare side-effects. Some countries have suspended its use, while Denmark is the first country in Europe to abandon it completely. However, Anutin Charnvirakul says it’s up to each country to make their own decisions and Thailand is pressing ahead with the jab. “There are…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Alcohol sales may be banned in restaurants, but no lockdown for now
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry says it believes a lockdown is currently unnecessary, despite a record 1,543 new Covid-19 infections yesterday. Of those, only 3 were imported. However, Health Minister Anutin Chanvirakul says the government is confident it can control the spread of the virus without having to lock down the country. “We have seen no point in imposing a lockdown…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
New red zone map shows where restrictions may apply after this afternoon’s CCSA meeting
This new map is up for discussion today when the CCSA meets today. 18 provinces are to be designated as red zones. The amount of red zones may changes as well after this morning’s CCSA update on new infections. The CCSA will meet later this afternoon, chaired by the PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. According to some early notes on the upgraded…
Read More » - Songkran News
Bangkok sees 7.87 million vehicles over Songkran holiday
Covid-19 and its third wave be damned, close to 8 million vehicles travelled in and out of Bangkok so far during this year’s Songkran festival holiday period. Thailand’s Ministry of Transport released figures yesterday on the yearly holiday and revealed that more than 7.87 million cars, trucks, buses and motorbikes hit the roads and travelled into and out of Bangkok…
Read More » - World News
Is spraying disinfectant on the Thai-Burmese border effective?
Some controversy exists over the Royal Thai Army attempting to sterilize areas of the Thailand-Myanmar border by spraying disinfectant along the border region. The army sprayed areas set up as a temporary holding facility for many Burmese refugees. The move drew condemnation from critics who claimed the disinfectant was not effective and not worth the expense of implementation. A spokesperson…
Read More » - Road deaths
Songkran road safety day 5: 37 deaths, 330 accidents
On the fifth day of Songkran’s infamous “seven dangerous days”, there were 330 road accidents resulting in 37 deaths and 328 injuries reported across Thailand. Songkran brings an increase in travel, and with it, an unfortunate increase in traffic accidents and road deaths. With Covid-19 severely curbing festivities this year, figures are generally down, but the government continues to encourage…
Read More » - Hot News
Pattaya area man severely injured after pet pit bull attacked
A Pattaya area man sustained severe injuries when his pet pit bull attacked him in the early hours of the morning. The incident took place in Bang Lamung with authorities being called to the scene near Soi Bang Lamung Temple. The victim, 56 year old Wisit Sanguan, had been bitten by his own pet dog and was bleeding profusely from…
Read More » - Transport News
Footbridges stop luxury yacht travelling from Phuket to Samui
Footbridges in Phuket stood in the way of a luxury yacht travelling from its home in Phuket to Koh Samui when the boat was too tall to pass. Police received a call around 8 pm last night from the truck driver after his trailer carrying the yacht had trouble getting under one of several bridges for walkers to pass over…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Bang Lamung Hospital is full, province using field hospitals and ASQ hotels
A spokesperson from the Bang Lamung Hospital in Pattaya says that all the beds put aside for Covid patients are now full and doctors are now having to refer newly infected people to Sattahip where the Navy have set up a field hospital. They’re also referring some patients to ASQ hotels. The hospital said they had put aside 30 ward…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand News Today | New record high for daily Covid infections | April 15
Thailand’s Covid-19 infections are still on the rise, with the Kingdom reporting 1,543 new infections in the last 24 hours, The governor of Bangkok says anyone who has had contact with a Covid-19 patient must self-isolate for at least 10 days, Denmark has announced that it is abandoning the AstraZeneca vaccine and Vietnam has overtaken Thailand to become the highest-priced…
Read More » - Politics News
New NGO law could target anti-governemnt activists
A controversial new NGO law was drafted with critics arguing it targets activists and the Thai government saying it ensures transparency. The Draft Act on the Operations of Not-for-Profit Organisations was written by the Office of the Council of State in February and debated in the second half of March, but could be passed into law soon. Human rights groups…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Covid UPDATE: New cases rise to 1,543, DDC recommends work from home in red zone areas
Thailand’s Covid-19 infections are still on the rise, with the Kingdom reporting 1,543 new infections in the last 24 hours. Only 3 of those are imported with 1,540 being cases of community transmission. Thailand has now recorded 37,453 infections. 8,973 patients are receiving hospital treatment, 41 of whom have pneumonia. 11 people are currently in a serious condition on ventilators.…
Read More » - World News
Vietnam passes Thailand as world’s top rice price
In undoubtedly only the second most important “r_ce war”, Vietnam has overtaken Thailand to become the highest-priced exporting rice in the world. First quarter prices were up nearly 19% over last year, reaching US $547 per tonne, with prices in March half a per cent higher than February’s rate. This run on pricing pushes Vietnamese rice past both Thailand and…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Bangkok officials issue advice for Covid contacts required to self-isolate
The governor of Bangkok says anyone who has had contact with a Covid-19 patient must self-isolate for 10 days, the incubation period for the virus. Nation Thailand reports that Governor Aswin Kwanmuang has issued advice for those self-isolating, saying they must adhere to the following 4 steps. 1. Sleep in a separate room to other residents 2. Do not eat…
Read More » - Pattaya News
Officials confirm Koh Larn will remain open to domestic visitors for now
Officials in Pattaya and Koh Larn say there are currently no plans to close the island to visitors despite a man who worked briefly at a local restaurant testing positive for Covid-19. It’s understood the worker was employed from April 3 to April 6, before quitting. During his short employment stint, he visited a number of nightlife venues in Pattaya…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Denmark becomes first country in Europe to ditch AstraZeneca vaccine
Denmark has announced that it is abandoning the AstraZeneca vaccine, the first European country to do so, amid concerns about very rare but serious blood clots. The rollout of the vaccine has run into problems in several countries, with its use either temporarily suspended or restricted to older age groups. When concerns first arose over the vaccine’s rare side-effects, Denmark…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
People and businesses to face legal action for spreading Covid virus
Health officials say those people and entertainment businesses who helped spur a third wave of Covid-19 in Thailand may face legal action against them. A 26 year old woman, who allegedly boarded a plane on April 11 in Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport after testing positive for the virus, has been pointed out by Chraspong Sukree, the chief of Nakhon Si…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Individuals and businesses who spread Covid-19 to be prosecuted
Officials have vowed to take legal action against reckless individuals and irresponsible business owners who spread Covid-19. A number of businesses in Bangkok and Phuket are accused of violating the emergency decree and disease prevention measures by hosting large-scale parties that sparked a rise in infections that has now spread across the country. Meanwhile, the public health chief in the…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Thailand provinces currently imposing travel restrictions
Here’s a list of Thai provinces current imposing restrictions on entry, by road or air, as you travel at this time. Today is the last day of the Songkran holiday, so there will be a return home for many people although it’s expected that many have also taken the Friday off to merge the Songkran break with the weekend. So…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Partial lockdowns looming for “high-risk” provinces
Several high-risk provinces may be heading into partial lockdown in order to bring spiraling Covid-19 infections under control. The Thai government is considering imposing the lockdowns in Bangkok and other central provinces, along with Chiang Mai, Prachuap Khiri Khan, and Chon Buri. Yesterday, new infections reached a record daily high since the arrival of the pandemic early last year. 1,335…
Read More » - World News
Red paint in Burmese streets mark 700+ deaths
Marking over 700 deaths in the Burmese military crackdown, anti-coup protesters in Myanmar are splashing red paint across the streets of Yangon to represent the blood of those killed in the growing crisis. Myanmar has ground to a halt as the military junta attempt to silence opposition to their February 1 takeover with deadly force. 714 deaths have been verified…
Read More » - Tourism News
Pattaya tourism remains open without quarantine, for now anyway
As province after province closes down more sectors, imposing stricter regulations, administers mandatory Covid-19 testing, and enacts quarantines for domestic travellers (in some cases), Pattaya is taking a different approach: heartily welcoming tourists to their city. Colourful Pattaya Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome spoke yesterday saying that everyone from everywhere is welcome in Pattaya, and will not be required to quarantine or…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand News Today | 1,335 new infections, provinces adding travel restrictions | April 14
Thailand’s CCSA has announced 1,335 new infections today, after a slight dip in the 13 day surge yesterday. 1,326 of those new infections are local, not imported, and mostly from Bangkok. Today’s tally takes the national total to 35,910 since January 2020 when the first case outside China was detected in Thailand on January 13. The new infections have mostly…
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