Month: October 2021
- Covid-19 News
Thailand plans huge reopening event with matching price tag
Thailand is planning on throwing a massive extravaganza to celebrate the country’s reopening. The Tourism and Sports Ministry is planning on hosting concerts in Bangkok and Phuket, with a budget of 500-600 million baht. The concerts will feature famed Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, and Thai K-pop singer Lisa Monaban. Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says bringing the 2 artists…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Singapore allows vaccinated travellers from 8 countries to enter starting Tuesday
Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane scheme has approved travellers from 8 different countries to enter the country without quarantine as long as they are vaccinated. So far, around 2,400 people have been approved to enter under the new guidelines. The application process commenced last Wednesday, with travellers being officially allowed to enter this Tuesday. Such countries that made the list include…
Read More » - Tourism News
Koh Phangan and Koh Tao islands relax visitor restrictions today
Joining the rush for restrictions easing as Thailand aims for the big leap to unquarantined reopening (for some) without a certificate of entry (for some) on November 1, the popular tourist islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao have eased their entry requirements starting today. The governor of Surat Thani, home to the Samui Plus Sandbox reopening as well as…
Read More » - Thailand video news
COE scrapped, Restrictions eased, No refund for delayed vaccines | Good Morning Thailand | Ep. 110
In today’s episode Jay and Tim talk about the COE being scrapped and replaced, the restrictions easing, celebrity celebration confirmation and no refunds for delayed Moderna vaccines.
Read More » - Thailand video news
Thailand Top Stories | CCSA confirms the shortening of curfew hours from Oct 16 onwards | October 15
Natty gives us a quick update on the national Covid-19 situation as well as the top headlines in Thailand and around the region: CCSA confirms the shortening of curfew hours from Oct 16 onwards, Moderna mRNA vaccines set to arrive in November, illicit pills seized in Sonkhla, Bali’s airport reopened for international tourists, Japan’s new PM dissolved the national parliament
Read More » - Events
Phuket celebrates end of Vegetarian Festival
Last night, a giant celebration marked the end of the 9-day Phuket Vegetarian Festival. A parade made its way through Phuket Town, with devotees either marching or travelling by motorcade. Midnight marked the hour at which observers were able to once again eat meat. Processioners marched through the streets of Phuket Town for hours carrying flags and shrines, while members…
Read More » - Environment News
Phuket’s Khai Islands overwhelmed by rubbish
Phuket’s UWC Thailand and 5 Star Marine have collaborated with government departments to help clean up the rubbish stricken Khai Islands off the coast of Phuket. Yesterday, staff and students from UWC Thailand International School and 5 Star Marine collaborated as part of the tourism restart plan and program. The popular islands needed a major clean up before they were…
Read More » - Tourism News
5 no-quarantine countries named, 17 Thai provinces reopening
As restrictions are easing and Thailand moves towards a more streamlined and accessible reopening, 5 countries have been named in the plan to waive arrival quarantine for 10 countries. Though true to Thai style, nothing has been officially confirmed just 2 weeks before the grand reopening, the US, UK, Germany, China, and Singapore are more than likely candidates to be…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Health Ministry’s plan to purchase new Covid-19 treatment pill gets the green light
Yesterday, the CCSA approved a proposal from the Public Health Ministry to procure a new oral treatment for Covid-19. The ministry plans to purchase 50,000 courses of the anti-viral Molnupiravir drug developed by pharmaceutical firm Merck. The proposal now goes to Cabinet for final approval. The news was confirmed by CCSA spokesman, Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, who would not be drawn…
Read More » - Tourism News
CoE will be replaced by Thailand Pass, in development
The much-maligned certificate of entry is on its way out, with the digital Thailand Pass set to replace the CoE for most – but not all – people from November 1. The Digital Government Development Agency is working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to create an online system to replace the CoE process for international flight arrivals. The Thailand…
Read More » - World News
Bali re-opens, waits for international flights to resume
Bali has re-opened to foreign tourists, but international flights to the former tourist hotspot have yet to resume. The Bangkok Post reports that while the island has re-opened for the first time since March 2020, there are still no international flights scheduled. Bali’s airport has waived landing fees for all carriers between now and the end of the year, in…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Private Hospital Association says there will be no refunds due to Moderna delay
There will be no refunds for those who pre-paid for the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, despite delivery of the first batch being delayed by a month. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Private Hospital Association says people who pre-paid can postpone their appointment or transfer it to someone else. Dr Chalerm Hanpanich, PHA president, was responding to frustrated netizens, some…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Russia to allow flights to resume to certain countries, including Thailand
From November 9, Russia will allow the resumption of commercial flights to Thailand and a number of other countries. Also on the list are the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Iran, Slovenia, and Oman, according to a report from Reuters and AFP. International commercial flights were grounded last year as Covid-19 took hold. Other restrictions have been eased since then, but the…
Read More » - Tourism News
PM declares Thailand ready to re-open
The PM has declared that Thailand is ready to re-open, as he called on the government, businesses, and the wider public to cooperate with re-opening preparations. The Bangkok Post reports that the PM was speaking after yesterday’s CCSA meeting, in which officials confirmed the country will re-open to vaccinated tourists from 5 “low risk” countries from November 1. The PM…
Read More » - World News
AfricaLink on Air – 14 October 2021
US President Joe Biden hosts Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta++Pro-democracy protests flare up in Eswatini++Abu Musab al-Barnawi was the leader of ISWAP dead SOURCE: DW News
Read More » - World News
Pakistan struggles to balance ties between Washington and Beijing
Pakistan-US relations have remained strained since the Taliban takeover of neighboring Afghanistan in mid-August. Over the years, Washington has criticized Islamabad for supporting the Taliban. Since US President Joe Biden came into the White House, he has not engaged with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan. Some analysts claim Pakistan now has its eyes set on Beijing instead. Islamabad has repeatedly…
Read More » - World News
India: Why violence keeps flaring up at the Assam-Mizoram border
Police forces of two northeastern Indian states clashed at a contentious border area on July 26. The clashes between Assam and Mizoram police left six Assamese policemen dead and more than 70 people injured, prompting widespread anger among the Assamese people. In response, some Assamese residents blocked trucks transporting essential supplies, including medicines to treat COVID-19 patients, from entering Mizoram.…
Read More » - World News
The woman in charge of the EU mission in the Sahel
Antje Pittelkau is in charge of the EU mission in the Sahel. The 54-year-old police officer was born in Freiburg, Germany. She worked in Berlin for several years, served for four years in Afghanistan and arrived in Niger in 2018 on the EUCAP mission. The EUCAP mission supports security in Niger. It is part of the EU’s Common Security and…
Read More » - World News
How Zanzibar cares for its stray cats
Zanzibar’s Stone Town is overpopulated by cats. There are hundreds of them on the streets. Some people feed them at the Forodhani Gardens. Cats are unprotected her, some are injured, others are simply lost. Young volunteers provide veterinary care and try to find them homes. The cats are also creating jobs. Some young people capture the animals and use cages…
Read More » - World News
Retired teacher decides to domesticate zebras in Kenya
These wild zebras live together with domestic animals and share food on this rural property. Deforestation in Kilgoris usually causes zebras to migrate. But these zebras found their own piece of paradise. Deforestation is caused by new infrastructure and housing developments in western Kenya, but Saeni didn’t want to clear his land. The retired teacher soon noticed that zebras were…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
Family attempts to sell eyes and kidneys to save home and farm
After signing as a guarantor for a lifelong friend’s tractor purchase who defaulted, a man and his family in Ubon Ratchathani are trying to sell their eyes and kidneys to save his home and farm. The man, along with his wife and 2 sons, is currently walking 100 kilometres in the rain from their home to the provincial capital where…
Read More » - World News
Desperate migrants trapped between Belarus, Poland amid geopolitical row
Neda and her husband Abozar sit under a tree in a remote field in Poland freezing, starving and losing hope. “I tumbled six days ago and fell down,” Neda tells DW. “I bled and now I am no longer pregnant.” The Iranian couple left the Belarusian capital of Minsk 10 days ago and say they have now been pushed back…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Moderna vaccines scheduled to arrive weekly from November
The good vaccine news for Thailand keeps coming! After the World Health Organisation approved Thai-made AstraZeneca for emergency use, now word has been released to expect Moderna vaccines to finally arrive in Thailand in November. Zuellig Pharma, the company that distributes the much sought after Moderna mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, have said to expect weekly shipments to arrive in Thailand with…
Read More » - World News
Antisemitism still common in the EU: study
Rabbi Slomo Koves was preparing to speak about Jewish life at a high school in a small, industrial town in Hungary when suddenly the headmaster had concerns. “The head of the school told me that he wanted me to be careful because most of the kids are first-time voters — and most of them will vote for the extreme-right Jobbik…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Curfew shortened, dark red zones reduced in CCSA meeting
Following this morning’s news of big discussions in today’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration meeting, several of the expected proposals were passed, including a curfew curtailment and reduction in the number of dark red zones in Thailand. For dark red zones, the curfew will be shortened from 10 pm to 4 am to instead last only 4 hours, from 11…
Read More » - World News
Ethiopia: War in Tigray continues as government stays silent
An air and ground offensive in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region is intensifying according to Tigrayan forces, with the Ethiopian government pressing a fresh attack . The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) says the fighting began with air strikes launched by the federal government last week. However, the office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has not acknowledged the offensive. The office…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thai Airways adding 39 international flight routes on October 31
Beleaguered national airline Thai Airways says they’re resuming full service on 36 foreign routes to destinations in Europe, Asia and Australia, many of which will resume from October 31. The implementation is in step with the Thai government’s commitment to reduce many of the impediments and restrictions to international arrivals from November 1. The decision was announced today by Thai…
Read More » - World News
Chinese war blockbuster fuels anger in South Korea
Across China, war epic “The Battle at Lake Changjin” is filling cinemas and shattering box office records. The film, set in the Korean Peninsula and deals with the bloody 1950-53 Korean War, is on course to be the biggest grossing movie in the world this year. The movie has been met with fierce criticism in South Korea, raising the possiblility…
Read More » - Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | C.O.E replacement, Easing of restrictions, Thai Airways full resumption | Oct 14
Jett goes through all the latest headlines in Thailand that include the new Thailand pass system, further easing of the restriction and curfew in Thailand, health minister disagrees with the PM and the full resumption of Thai Airways starting October 31st.
Read More » - Covid-19 News
WHO approves Siam Bioscience’s AstraZeneca for emergency use
Today brought good news for Thai vaccines as the World Health Organisation approved the Siam Bioscience-licensed AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use. Siam Bioscience, a company wholly owned by a subsidiary of the Crown Property Bureau, was licensed last November to produce the AstraZeneca vaccine for domestic use in Thailand and for sale and distribution around Southeast Asia. The director of…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Covid-19 Thursday: 112 deaths, 11,276 infections, provincial totals
Today, the CCSA reported 11,276 new Covid-19 infections, a change of +1,212 since yesterday, and 112 Coronavirus-related deaths, a change of +30 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,722,841 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 10,407…
Read More » - Entertainment
Thailand’s creative industry to grow by over 3% next year
Thailand’s Creative Economy Agency says the creative industry is expected to grow by 1.51 trillion baht in 2022, which is about 3.55%. The CEA says the growth demonstrates Thailand’s soft power and international cultural influence. But, some experts say more can be done to increase its growth, as Thailand has long been know for its exceptional tourism, cuisine, traditional medicine,…
Read More » - Events
Cobra Gold expected to be back to normal by 2022
The military exercise known as Cobra Gold is expected to be back to it’s normal size by 2022. This massive joint military training operation between Thailand and the United States has been scaled down due to concerns over Covid-19. The exercise is one of the longest running military training events in the world that is has been held annually since…
Read More » - Crime News
Police seize 14 million baht in meth on Hat Yai roadside
Police in Hat Yai’s Songkhla province seized a total of 470,000 methamphetamine pills after finding the pills hidden on a roadside. They say the pills are worth around 14 million baht on the black market. A tipster informed police of the pills that were hidden in fertiliser sacks. Those sacks were covered by grass and Muslim clothing. Police waited around…
Read More » - Thailand video news
Thailand high season prices, Thaiger boy band, Pattaya ladyboys | Thaiger Bites | Ep. 38
Jay and Tim go through viewer comments from our Youtube shows and the Thaiger talk forum as we learn about patience.
Read More » - Visa Information
So long, farewell to Thailand’s Certificate of Entry – November 1
But what will replace it? Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced an update to procedures for arrival in the Kingdom, post November 1. The Ministry says that the unpopular Certificate of Entry, currently required for all international visitors, is set to be replaced by a new system they’re calling the Thailand Pass system. It is set to start on…
Read More » - Tourism News
Flights returning to Asia with airlines launching routes and sales
With Covid-19 restrictions and international border closures finally starting to ease around Asia, airlines in the region are prepping for their resurgence, relaunching their flights and promoting with sale fares. Domestic flights have been increasing in Thailand and travel agencies are reporting growing interest now that countries such as Vietnam and Malaysia are allowing domestic flying to resume as well.…
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