Year: 2021
- Covid-19 News
US President Biden pledges vaccines donation, 25 million to start
The UN-backed COVAX program, to help supply vaccines around the world, got a boost today as US President Biden vowed that America will donate 25 million vaccines to start. The donation would make up nearly 25% of all vaccines procured through the COVAX program to date. The UN effort seeks to bulk up vaccine supplies in Asia, Africa, and South…
Read More » - Phuket News
Missing man’s body found in pond in Phuket
Yesterday, police found the dead body of a Burmese worker in a pond near a durian plantation in Thalang, a district in central Phuket. At approximately 10am yesterday Thalang police arrived after being alerted by the missing man’s boss, Paisit Uthitkul, who is also the village head of Moo 1, Thepkrasattri. When the police and rescue workers got to the…
Read More » - Thailand News
Pro-PM Prayut public relations campaign draws criticism
In what critics believe to be an ill-conceived plan, the Prime Minister Operations Centre has launched a campaign to tell people to lay off the criticism of Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. In a charm offensive to encourage Thais to think “the PM is cool, so just chill out”, critics say the PR campaign has across as “aggressive and pompous”. The…
Read More » - Thailand video news
Good Morning Thailand | The man behind the Sandbox, vaccine roll out, 1000s of restaurants suffering
The countdown is on to the grand re-opening strategy of Thailand tourism, firstly in Phuket with the Sandbox model. Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Hua Han, Koh Samui AND Bangkok to follow. Today we speak to the man who is co-ordinating Phuket’s readiness for this important step in Thailand’s relaunch of tourism. We also discuss restaurant woes, alcohol bans and answer your…
Read More » - World News
Train accident kills 9 in China
Early this morning, 9 people were confirmed dead from a railway accident in China’s Gansu Province, a northcentral province south of Mongolia. Reportedly, the train rammed workers. The train was coming from Urumqi and was head to Hangzhou, when it crashed into railway workers around 5:25 in the morning in Jinchang city. Emergency responders were sent to the scene to…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Chulabhorn Royal Academy receives no vaccines from government, postpones first doses
Bangkok’s Chulabhorn Royal Academy says it has to postpone its planned administration of first doses as the Thai government has not allocated it any supplies of the AstraZeneca or Sinovac vaccines. The academy, which is sponsored by Princess Chulabhorn, sister of His Majesty, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, says the administration of first doses will be stopped from June 14. However, those…
Read More » - Pattaya News
Car accident leaves woman in critical condition
Early this morning, a woman crashed her car into a trailer truck in Bang Lamung, a district in the Chon Buri province. She is currently in critical condition. At 1:30 am Bang Lamung police were alerted to the accident that happened in a U-turn on Sukhumvit Road. When emergency responders got to the scene they found a damaged sedan in…
Read More » - Things To Do
Top 10 Islands in Thailand
Thailand’s lush tropical islands are second to none. The most well-known islands, such as Phuket and Koh Samui, have attracted millions of visitors over the last decade. However, there are also numerous other beautiful islands in Thailand that are less popular but still well worth a visit. Thailand’s islands may share some of the same characteristics that make them the…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Covid-19 vaccination to be delayed in provinces with low infection rates
Several Thai provinces with low infection rates have had to delay their Covid-19 vaccine rollout after receiving fewer doses than expected. The Bangkok Post reports that the Public Health Ministry has cut the vaccine allocation of provinces that have reported substantially lower infection rates. However, Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Health Ministry says 2 million doses of both Sinovac and the…
Read More » - Things To Do
8 Top national parks in Thailand
Thailand is truly the land of wonders, as its many national parks clearly don’t disappoint even the most experienced travellers. With caves, waterfalls, jungles, lakes, and wildlife, anyone can take part in a journey to see the country’s natural environment. Spanning from all part of the nation, each national park has something different to offer. For those wanting a bit…
Read More » - Thailand News
Former army adviser convicted of human trafficking dies in prison
A former army adviser, convicted of trafficking Rohingya migrants to camps in Southern Thailand, died in a prison hospital this week. 65 year old Manas Kongpan had a heart attack while he was exercising at the Medical Correctional Hospital where he had been admitted to treat hypertension, high cholesterol and bradycardia. The former army adviser was one of more than 100…
Read More » - World News
Epidemiologist says “zero Covid” countries risk isolation unless vaccination is ramped up
A leading infectious diseases specialist in Australia says countries using tight border control measures to maintain their “zero Covid” status risk being left in limbo unless vaccination is accelerated. According to a Bloomberg report, Greg Dore from the University of New South Wales in Sydney says border restrictions that have kept Covid-19 deaths below 1,000 in Australia are not sustainable.…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Samut Prakan inmates getting vaccinated
Samut Prakan, the province that sits just below Bangkok and on the upper lip of the Gulf of Thailand, has started to vaccine its local inmates at the Samut Prakan Central prison. Further, by next week, the minister of justice, Justice Somsak Thepsutin, has announced all “white correctional facilities” will get vaccines. Justice Somsak says that they are working towards…
Read More » - Crime News
Man arrested for allegedly attempting to mail methamphetamine and ecstasy to Singapore
A Singaporean man was arrested for allegedly attempting to mail crystal methamphetamine and ecstasy from Thailand to his home country. Airport security in Thailand checked the package and found the drugs hidden in a speaker. Chief of the Narcotics Control Board Wichai Chaimongkhol says 1,320 ecstasy pills and 3 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, known as “ice,” were found in the…
Read More » - Best of
Top 10 Must Visit Destinations in Thailand
Who hasn’t longed for a getaway to escape the trials and tribulations of everyday life? We’ve all done some armchair travel, and for many of us, Thailand is the first place our wanderlust takes us. For the time being, fantasy trips will have to suffice. But if conditions allow for safe travel once again, we’ll be sure to visit one…
Read More » - Chiang Mai News
Chiang Mai launches website for expats to register for Covid-19 vaccination
The northern province of Chiang Mai has launched a website where foreign residents can register to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Provincial permanent secretary Kanok Sriwichainan says foreigners who have not registered through the Mor Prom app can now do so at the Kampang Wiang website. They will need to provide their passport number and vaccination will be carried out with…
Read More » - Tourism News
PM to chair meeting on Thailand’s re-opening as Phuket officials demand clarity
The Centre for Economic Situation Administration will today discuss plans for the revival of Thailand’s tourism sector at a virtual meeting chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. Attendees will discuss a future quarantine-free re-opening of 10 provinces considered popular tourist destinations: Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi, Chon Buri, Phuket, Surat Thani, Krabi, Phang Nga, and Buriram. While Phuket is…
Read More » - Crime News
New oversight committee chair vows to review Red Bull heir case
Phachorn Yutthithamdamrong is the new chairman of a committee that oversees Thailand’s public prosecutors and he has set his sights on an infamous 2012 case involving the grandson of the co-founder of the Red Bull empire. Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya fled Thailand years ago but has never been prosecuted after allegedly killing a police officer while drunk and speeding in the…
Read More » - World News
Indonesian submarine salvage efforts called off
After the tragic search for Indonesia’s missing submarine ending in finding it had sunk with no survivors April 21, the government has officially ended attempts to salvage the sub. The KRI Nanggalla 402 was engaging in live torpedo trainings but disappeared in April with 53 crew members aboard. Days of frantic searches and hopes for survivors came to a close…
Read More » - Thailand News
Monk killed in hit and run
Phra Charan, a 70 year old monk, was killed in a hit in Bangkok, yesterday. Phra had been a monk for years at the Wat Son temple. 30 metres from the monk’s body pieces of a “black car” were recovered, presumably from the car that struck Phra. When rescue workers arrived at the scene they found Phra’s head and leg…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket residents to receive “survival bags”
Over 35,000 households throughout Phuket will receive “survival bags” to help residents cope with the financial burdens of Covid-19. The bags will contain “essential household supplies”. The bags are to contain: 2 x 5 kilogram packs of rice 1 x bottle of cooking oil 12 cans of canned fish 12 packs of instant noodles The bags are estimated to cost…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Siam Bioscience declares AstraZeneca vaccine ready to deliver
Much anticipated news came from Siam Bioscience yesterday, as the company announced that they are ready to begin deliveries of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the Thai government. The company was scheduled to provide over 60 million vaccines over the course of the year. The welcomed announcement came amidst frequent reporting of problems and delays in the production of the Covid-19…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket market linked to woman’s death
A popular Phuket market has been ordered to close until next Wednesday after Covid-19 tracing connected the market to an 86 year old woman’s death. Health officials have confirmed the unidentified octogenarian’s caretaker has also been infected. 5 more Burmese workers that lived in the same camp as the caretaker have also tested positive. After the woman’s death and the…
Read More » - Thailand News
Emirates and Etihad announce July Phuket flights
Joining in support of reopening Phuket, Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways have both announced flights resuming in July. Etihad Airways will start back up flights from the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi on July 1, while Emirates Airlines will resume flights from Dubai on July 2. Qatar Airways had announced yesterday that they will be resuming flights to…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Covid UPDATE Thursday: 3,886 new infections and 39 deaths, provincial totals
3,886 new Covid-19 cases and 39 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA. Since April 1, the latest wave of infections in Thailand, the CCSA has recorded 140,485 Covid-19 infections with more than 40,000 of those infections in Bangkok. The capital is still recoding nearly 1,000 new cases each day. Phuket, racing towards its July 1 ‘reopening’ reported another 6…
Read More » - Thailand News
Motorcycle club donates 40,000 face masks, hand sanitiser to Pattaya prison
Yesterday, the Mini Siam Motorcycle Club Pattaya donated 40,000 face masks and 40 bottles of hand sanitiser to the Pattaya Remand Prison. The donation was led by Mr Thada Boonpan. “There are many confirmed cases of Covid-19 at prisons in Bangkok and other provinces, although Pattaya Remand has so far been spared. We want it to stay that way. We…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
11 million Sinovac doses to arrive in Thailand over the next 3 months
Over the next 3 months, Thailand will import 11 million doses of China’s Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine. The locally-produced AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine is the primary vaccine planned for Thailand’s mass coronavirus immunisation campaign. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says the additional Sinovac doses will help reach the goal of obtaining 100 million doses. So far, Thailand has received 5.5 million doses…
Read More » - Thailand News
Phuket bust nabs 2 men with drugs valued at 5.3 million baht
2 men in Phuket town were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly possessing methamphetamines and crystal valued at around 5.3 million baht. The men allegedly had 14,000 methamphetamine pills (also known as yaba, which roughly translates to “crazy drug”) and about 3 kilograms of crystal meth (also known as ice, tina, or speed). The news of their arrest was announced at…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
American expats to US government: give us vaccines!
With the visit of US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman, a collection of high-profile American expats living in Thailand released an open letter asking for Covid-19 vaccines. The letter pled with the US government to include arrangements to guarantee vaccines to all US expats in the kingdom. “Don’t abandon us! The US continues to have a growing vaccine…
Read More » - Politics News
US Deputy Secretary of State pledges Covid-19 aid
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha met with United States Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman yesterday to discuss the Covid-19 vaccine situation. The US representative acknowledged Thailand’s struggle to procure and distribute vaccines to everyone in the country, observing that many countries are grappling with similar issues. She declared that the US has been pursuing a policy of procuring excess supplies…
Read More » - Thailand News
Police seize clouded leopard rug after it was posted for sale on Facebook
Police seized a rug made from wildcat fur last week after it was posted for sale on Facebook for 7,500 baht. The rug appears to be from a clouded leopard and investigators now suspect it may have come from one of the two clouded leopards recorded on hidden camera in a rare sighting last December at the Erawan National Park in…
Read More » - Thailand News
Lat Phrao shopping centres insist they are not the source of new Covid clusters
Central Plaza Lat Phrao, Imperial World, and Union Mall located (mostly) in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district, deny they are the shopping centres the CCSA was referring to on Wednesday when the CCSA said there was a “Covid cluster from a mall”. The confusion stems from the fact that the CCSA did not specify which mall was responsible for the cluster.…
Read More » - Thailand News
Patong Thieves cite unemployment for theft
Yesterday morning in Patong, a town in Phuket, 2 men, 42 year old Samran Luiprasert and 34 year old Amphon Boonchuaynamphon, were arrested by Patong police for stealing a coffee machine and 2 televisions from a restaurant. The men said they needed money to survive. In the police report, it was said the alleged criminals were found after the owner…
Read More » - Thailand News
Fire in Rayong kills 1, injures 6
Yesterday morning in Rayong, a province on the Gulf of Thailand, a fire broke out in an entertainment venue that was under renovation. 1 worker was killed and 6 workers were reportedly injured. Around 8 am yesterday morning the Rayong fire department showed up at the scene, after being alerted to the fire. The fire department discovered a large one…
Read More » - Thailand video news
Good Morning Thailand | More 7-11s for Thailand, US expats seek vaccine help, Covid figures
Bill, Tim and guest Peter go through all the latest issues around Thailand, including US expats seeking help from the US government to get vaccinated, 700 more 7-11s coming your way and the changing face of Bangkok. We also answer your questions every day. Good Morning Thailand is a new, daily morning program with guests, your comments, issues and lots…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Man arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman during a live stream
Police arrested a 31 year old man for allegedly sexually assaulting a Canadian woman while she was recording a live stream video near Bangkok’s Lumpini Park. In the video, a man runs up from behind the woman and appears to reach his hand below her waist. The woman made a post on Twitter after the incident saying she was going…
Read More » - Politics News
PM moved vaccine funds from Health Ministry to Central Fund in case of “urgent need”
The PM has been re-jigging the government coffers, saying he transferred funding for Covid-19 vaccines from the Health Ministry to the Central Fund – in case of urgent need. Prayut Chan-o-cha was addressing MPs yesterday, the last day of a 3-day debate on the 3.1-trillion-baht national budget for 2022. In particular, the PM was responding to criticism from the coalition’s…
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