Year: 2021
- World News
Absar Alam: ‘State of press freedom completely rotten in Pakistan’
Pakistani authorities briefly detained two journalists in Lahore last week. Absar Alam, a prominent media figure who was shot in Islamabad earlier this year, explains why journalists are routinely targeted in the South Asian country. SOURCE: DW News
Read More » - World News
China bans illegal content in karaoke songs, criteria proves troublesome for venue owners
China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced that it is planning to ban karaoke songs that have “illegal content”. The illegal content criteria include songs that “endanger national unity”, sovereignty or territorial integrity. People/companies that provide content to karaoke venues are urged to check the songs they are offering and report to the ministry any songs that are possibly harmful.…
Read More » - Thailand News
Nakhon Si Thammarat man arrested for allegedly possessing 2 illegal firearms
Today, a man in the Southern Thai province of Nakhon Si Thammarat was arrested after police searched his dwelling and located 2 firearms. Serm Kwannimit, the deputy provincial police chief, says, officers were responding to information that military-grade weapons were being sold at 20 year old Teeradet “Bang Jack” Chuhai’s house. Police found an AK-47 assault rifle and a 9mm…
Read More » - Things To Do
List of budget-friendly SHA plus hotels in Phuket
If you’re looking for fantastic budget friendly SHA Plus hotels in Phuket, then you’ve come to the right place! Below, we’ve compiled a list of affordable SHA Plus hotels in Phuket. Phuket is finally welcoming vaccinated international tourists with no quarantine restrictions via the Phuket Sandbox scheme. However, there’s one thing you need to keep in mind you have to…
Read More » - Things To Do
List of the best SHA Plus hotels in Thailand
During this Covid-19 pandemic, the Tourism Authority of Thailand presents the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA) Plus Certificate for eligible tourism businesses, including hotels. Hotels with SHA Plus certification have taken the necessary steps to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus, including fully vaccinated staff. Here, we’ve compiled the top 10 SHA+ Hotels across Thailand offering superb…
Read More » - Thailand News
Heavy rain causes flash flood in Surat Thani
Raging currents of flood swept away the roof of a shop at Surat Thani province. Due to heavy rain, water from the Nuea Khlong waterfall flowed down the mountain yesterday, flooding some houses in Wiang Sa District. Southern parts of Thailand get by far the most rain, with around 2,400 millimeters every year, compared with the central and northern regions…
Read More » - Things To Do
List of SHA plus hotels in Phuket
Staying at hotels with a SHA+ (SHA Plus) certificate is a requirement for international travellers who are entering Thailand using the Phuket Sandbox. A SHA+ certificate means that the hotel has taken measures to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus and that at least 70% of the hotel staff have been fully vaccinated. There are currently over 450 SHA+…
Read More » - Thailand News
Kanchanaburi bridge closure isolates Ban Wang Ka village
The CDC has closed Thailand’s longest wooden bridge, Uttamanusorn Bridge/Saphan Mon, in Thailand’s western province of Kanchanaburi. The closure has isolated a village where Covid cases are climbing. Shade netting has been employed by the Sangkhla Buri district office to block passage to the bridge. Thus, people in the Ban Wang Ka village are stuck in their village. In non-Covid…
Read More » - Thailand News
Foreigner killed in Chon Buri car accident, other driver skedaddles
Last night, an unnamed foreign driver died after his sedan hit what officials believe was a trailer truck in Chon Buri, which sits on the Gulf of Thailand. When police arrived, the other vehicle was no longer present at the scene. Police and emergency responders were alerted to the accident at 10:30 pm at Motorway 7 in Nongprue. When they…
Read More » - Thailand video news
Good Morning Thailand | Tourism hopes dashed, murder in NE rice field, amnesty under discussion | August 11
Tim and Jay bring you the latest in Thailand’s news to get you ready for the day. Good Morning Thailand updates all the main stories from around Thailand and the region. Any hopes for a Thai tourism recovery are now all but dashed for Q3 this year, whether it be the increased travel restrictions across the country, rising Covid stats,…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
US official says no conditions attached to 2.5 million vaccines donated to Thailand
A US official says there are no strings attached to her country’s donation of 2.5 million Covid-19 vaccines to Thailand. The US is also donating US$5 million to help the Kingdom fight the pandemic. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has echoed the sentiments first expressed by UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres in April 2020. “Providing vaccines…
Read More » - Thailand Protest News
Anti-government protesters in violent clashes with police in Bangkok
Pro-democracy activists clashed with police in Bangkok last night in response to the authorities’ use of teargas, rubber bullets, and water cannon. Thai PBS World reports that the clashes took place at the Din Daeng intersection in the capital, following a rally organised by protest group, the United Front for Thammasat and Demonstration. It’s understood a number of activists refused…
Read More » - Thailand News
Order banning fear-inducing information repealed by PM
After widespread criticism from Thai media and human rights organisations, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has backed down and repealed his order banning posting information that could cause fear, regardless of whether it was true. The order was published in the Royal Gazette on July 29 and put into effect the next day, and last night the Gazette published the repeal of…
Read More » - Thailand News
Health Ministry starts distribution of Pfizer
Yesterday, the Public Health Ministry started its distribution of 645,000 Pfizer doses that were donated by the U.S. of A’s government to those considered most vulnerable in the 13 dark red zone provinces. The groups that are deemed vulnerable include the elderly, and people who have 1 or more of 7 underlying diseases, and pregnant women, says Dr Chawetsan Namwat,…
Read More » - Tourism News
Q3 tourism hopes fade as US advises citizens not to travel to Thailand
Hopes are fading for a tourism revival in the third quarter of this year after the US government cautioned its citizens against unnecessary travel to Thailand. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has added Thailand to its Level 4 countries, the highest-level warning, as a result of the rising Covid-19 infections in the Kingdom. The Bangkok Post reports that…
Read More » - Thailand News
How to enter Thailand during Covid
Sponsored Article Are you looking to travel to Thailand? Travelling between countries in this Covid-19 pandemic is not the same as it used to be anymore. The process of obtaining the necessary visas to enter Thailand can be time-consuming and stressful, but we can help you save a lot of time. With just a few clicks, we can help you…
Read More » - World News
Anti-vaccine disinformation campaign shut down by Facebook
A disinformation campaign targeting Covid-19 vaccines and orchestrated by a Russian marketing firm has been shut down by Facebook. Ben Nimmo, speaking on behalf of the social media giant, says the campaign, started by Russian firm Fazze, targeted influencers, persuading them to spread hoaxes about Covid-19 vaccines. The Bangkok Post reports that Facebook has described the campaign as a “disinformation…
Read More » - Pattaya News
Pattaya reopening postponed indefinitely as Covid-19 persists
The Tourism Authority of Thailand announced that the Pattaya reopening plan scheduled to launch on September 1 has been postponed indefinitely. With Covid-19 still ravaging the Chon Buri province, the TAT has conceded that it won’t be possible to reopen to international travellers safely in just 20 days. Hua Hin and other tourist areas received the same bad news from…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Wednesday Covid Update: 21,038 new cases and 207 deaths
21,038 new Covid-19 cases and 207 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Covid-19 Situation Administration. In the latest and most severe wave of infections, first recorded on April 1, 788,126 infections have been reported. There are now 210,042 active Covid-19 cases. Out of the new cases reported today, 173 were found in correctional facilities. More than 40,000 inmates at…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Prominent Thai medic says infections have yet to peak, restrictions still needed
A leading Thai doctor says the public must adhere to Covid-19 restrictions as case numbers have yet to peak in the Kingdom. Dr Prasit Watanapa from the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital took to Facebook to update the public on the latest developments in the Covid-19 crisis facing Thailand. According to a Bangkok Post report, Prasit says the daily…
Read More » - World News
AfricaLink on Air – 10 August 2021
Zambia ahead of the election on Thursday August 12th +++ Nigeria’s ruling party as well the opposition pass a vote of no confidence on their interim chairmen +++ Ugandans oppose mandatory car tracking +++ Cameroon’s Bee Delivery taxi firm thrives amid pandemic gloom SOURCE: DW News
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Taliban on the rise in Afghanistan after US pullout
After the withdrawal of NATO troops, the Taliban are recapturing more and more territory in Afghanistan. Especially the former local forces of the NATO troops fear for their lives and try to flee the country. SOURCE: DW News
Read More » - World News
Fires to floods: Extreme weather is occurring worldwide
In many parts of Greece on Monday, the fierce winds weakened, so the fires were not fanned further. The breather for emergency workers is likely to be short-lived, however, as another heat wave with temperatures of over 40 degrees is on its way — with the potential to worsen the situation. Forest fires have been raging in Greece for weeks,…
Read More » - World News
Pakistan: Why liberal Pashtuns are supporting the Afghan government
It is generally believed that most people in Pakistan’s northwestern areas support the Taliban due to their own inclination toward Islamism, but the reality is somewhat different. It is true that the Islamist group is liked by many in the region, but the number of people who oppose the Taliban and the Pakistani state’s alleged support to the outfit has…
Read More » - World News
Why North Korea is wary of foreign warships in the region
The United States and South Korea are holding joint military exercises from Tuesday and the most powerful warship in Britain’s Royal Navy is preparing to dock in the South Korean port of Busan before the end of August, moves that prompted Pyongyang to ramp up the rhetoric against what the regime insists is a threat to peace in the region.…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
Man shot and killed at Isaan rice field
A man was shot and killed at a rice field in the Isaan province Maha Sarakham. Yesterday, a villager walking in the rice field found the man’s body and she called the police. Reports say the man was shot five times. One wound was in the neck, one in the back and three shots in the torso. Officers identified the…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thais thank US President Joe Biden for vaccine donation
Thai nationals are praising US president, Joseph Robinette Biden, for donating vaccines to the Land of Smiles after a sign praised Thailand’s Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, for providing vaccines. Social media was abuzz with praise for the man that hails from The Office’s Scranton, PA. One person had a sign that read, “Mr Joe Biden, president of the United States…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Fingerroot candy/zinc mix not a Covid cure, says Royal Thai police
Kingrachai/fingerroot flavoured candy mixed with zinc cannot help Covid sufferers and is fake news, says the Royal Thai Police. Further, the Food and Drug Administration and the Ministry of health verified that this candy/zinc mix is fake news as the product belongs to the category of chewing gum and candies. Also, there is no data to support the claim that…
Read More » - Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Covid official amnesty, nearly 7% totally vaccinated | August 10
The Thai government is pondering an amnesty bill that would grant medical officials connected with fighting Covid, legal protection against criminal charges. Just 6.7% of Thai residents are currently fully vaccinated against Covid-19, while 23% have already received their first dose. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is warning citizens against travel to Thailand. Drug officers in the…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
1 million unemployed by year’s end, suggests Thai think tank
Thailand Development Research Institute, a Thai think tank, estimates that there will be 1 million unemployed people in Thailand by the end of the year if Covid stays “uncontrollable”. Yongyuth Chalamwong, an Associate Professor and director of labour development research from the think tank’s human resources and social development department, tells Thai media today that the partial lockdown measures have…
Read More » - Thailand News
Motorbike “mob” protest in Bangkok, police advise drivers to take alternative routes
With another car and motorbike mob protest in Bangkok, honking horns and backing up traffic, Royal Thai Police released a warning early today warning drivers to avoid the Ratchaprasong intersection and advised people to take one of 12 alternative routes. There have been several car and motorbike mob protests over the past several months, many calling on PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to…
Read More » - Thailand News
Covid Care Centres to be set up for asymptomatic Phuket patients
Phuket is planning to establish “Covid Care Centres” for asymptomatic patients. The Phuket Provincial Government is planning on setting up the alliterative establishment in each of Phuket’s 3 districts for people who have Covid, but the people will only be tested by a rapid antigen test. Further, the centres will only admit people who show no signs of infection. Pichet…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Tuesday Covid Update: High of 235 deaths; provincial totals
A record high of 235 coronavirus-related deaths was reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 6,588 with 6,494 of those fatalities reported since April 1 in the latest and most severe wave of the virus. The CCSA also reported 19,843 new Covid-19 cases today. There are now 211,223 people in…
Read More » - World News
Popular Malaysian singer/new mother dies from Covid
Yesterday, the popular Malaysian singer, Siti Sarah Raisuddin, died from Covid. Just days prior, the singer had given birth to her 4th child, Ayash Affan. Siti Sarah had previously experienced low oxygen levels and had to be put in a medically induced coma to help deliver her baby. The baby was delivered safely, however, the mother never got to hold…
Read More » - World News
Sewage into drinkable water, Singapore gets creative at finding water resources
Singapore has created a system for turning sewage into water clean enough for people to drink. The system also reduces pollution in the ocean. The island’s somewhat scarce natural water resources have forced it to rely on Malaysia for water for some time. Thus, the government decided to be more self-sufficient and develop this system which uses a network of…
Read More » - Travel Guides
Things you shouldn’t do in Thailand
Are you planning a trip or relocating to Thailand? Then you should know what you can and cannot do in the country. The Land of Smiles is a country with unique cultures and traditions that you’re probably unfamiliar with. Yes, Thais are very used to foreigners, and they’re very forgiving. However, that doesn’t mean that you can be careless and…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Goverment mulls amnesty bill to protect “medical officials” from legal consequences
The government is pondering an amnesty bill that would grant medical officials connected with fighting Covid, legal protection against criminal charges to enable government operations/government officials to deal with the Covid situation. Also, the bill will allow the officials to make “tough decisions” sans legal consequences, says Thai government officials. The somewhat opaque announcement did not clarify what “criminal charges”…
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