Year: 2021

  • Crime News

    Man charged with rape of 36 women in Bangkok area

    A serial rapist with complaints from 36 female victims from the end of 2020 until the beginning of this month has officially been charged with rape. Mr Denphum Wattanachotipinyo committed rape, theft, fraud, and deception in the Bangkok area and was arrested Wednesday in Sai Mai. He is 39 years old and is believed to be from Nontha Buri. Thonburi…

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  • Phuket News

    Keeping hopes alive – Feeding the people of Phuket | VIDEO

    To make contact with Shaun or his team, go to their Facebook page, follow the progress of the project and contact them if you can help. https://www.facebook.com/5StarMarinePhuket After a year of zero foreign tourism, the Thai island of Phuket is now at a critical juncture. There are hundreds of thousands of people, previously employed or sustained from the tourist industry,…

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  • Northern Thailand News

    Buriram sets deadlines for vaccine sign-up, imposes penalties

    Buriram is pushing hard to get everyone signed up for Covid-19 vaccination and plan on penalties for any at-risk people who refuse the vaccine. The Issan province in Northeast Thailand bordering Cambodia is now the first province in the country to impose punishments for refusal to vaccinate. The government has been strongly urging everyone living or working in Buriram over…

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  • Covid-19 News

    506 Covid-19 infections found in Klong Prem Central Prison

    Yet another Bangkok prison has reported a Coronavirus outbreak, as Klong Prem Central Prison now confirmed 506 Covid-19 infections. The Corrections Department deputy director-general Dr Weerakit Harnpariphan confirmed that this outbreak was discovered through active screening, and a lot more testing still needs to be done. The prison houses a total population of at least 20,000 inmates amongst the many…

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  • Covid-19 News

    English announcement of Phuket policy: no house gatherings

    The Public Relations Department of Phuket updated Covid-19 restrictions with an English notice confirming among other things that no house parties or gatherings are allowed in the province. The policy was instated this week and went into effect officially Thursday, posting in English seen below. The new restrictions are in place until at least the end of the month. The…

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  • Thailand News

    The Boys in Brown go 2-tone khaki – Thailand’s new police uniform on trial

    Elastic waistband and fitted baseball caps – the new height of Thai constabulary haute couture to grace the streets of Thailand. Some law-enforcement super models are currently strutting the streets parading some of the ‘nouveau’ police uniforms. The boys in brown are morphing into the boys in 2-tone khaki with black accessories and utility accents. The move is towards greater…

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  • Covid-19 News

    Saturday Covid UPDATE: 3,095 new infections, 17 deaths

    The Thai public health ministry has announced 3,095 new cases of Covid-19 along with 17 new deaths from the past 24 hours of provincial totals. 877 of the new infections emerged from Thai prisons again after 3 days of reports with high numbers of cases coming out of key Bangkok prisons. • Diners may be able to eat at Dark…

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  • Covid-19 News

    Family sues Thai PM, CCSA after Covid-infected relative dies

    The family of a man who died while infected with Covid-19 is demanding the Thai PM, as well as other government officials, pay millions of baht in compensation, citing “negligence” after calls to Covid-19 hotlines went unanswered or were not of help. 35 year old Kunlasub Watthanaphon died on April 23. Kunlasub is said to have contracted the virus from a…

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  • Thailand News

    Thailand News Today | 8 clusters in Bangkok, Phuket party organisers charged | May 14

    Foreigners may face a slight delay in receiving their Covid-19 vaccines, The BMA has now confirmed 8 clusters of Covid infection in the capital, Thai Private Hospital Association is now working to offer a variety of Covid-19 vaccine brands to Thais and Patong police have announced that the managers of the Phuket venues that hosted the Kolour entertainment event swill…

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  • Economy News

    Market down as good US economy drives interest rate fears

    After US inflation exceeded targets and increased 4%, global stock markets including Thailand plummeted yesterday with fears of rising interest rates. Almost 144 billion baht was traded yesterday with the market at one point diving down 70 points in the late afternoon before recovering to a 23.72 point loss, closing at 1548.13. 2% is a high rate of inflation so…

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  • Thailand News

    Is Thailand the best country for digital nomads?

    Is Thailand the best country in the world for digital nomads? Some think so. The French travel and tourism operator Club Med recently did a study and found that Thailand tops the list of best countries for digital nomads with Phuket as the number one ‘city’ to live in while working remotely. (We acknowledge that Phuket can hardly be regarded…

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  • Thailand News

    Inmates in Thai prisons to get vaccinated against Covid-19 next month

    All inmates in Thai prisons will be vaccinated against Covid-19 starting next month. The announcement of the nationwide prison vaccination campaign follows this week’s outbreaks infecting nearly 3,000 inmates at 2 Bangkok prisons. There have also been outbreaks at prisons in Chiang Mai and the southern province of Narathiwat. At the Central Women’s Correctional Institution in Bangkok, more than 1,000…

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  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand urged to join in reducing global prisoners for Covid-19

    After it was revealed that nearly 3,000 inmates in Thailand’s prison system have Covid-19, criticism and calls are mounting to follow the global trend of reducing the total number of prisoners in the country. Human rights groups are calling for the release of inmates held on minor charges, with Amnesty International Thailand requesting those in “unnecessary custody to be minimised”…

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  • Crime News

    Krabi police search for 3 murder suspects after body and car found buried at plantation

    Police in Krabi are searching for 3 brothers suspected of shooting a man before dousing his body in acid and setting him on fire. The body of 54 year old Suchart Khaoluan was found buried in a rubber plantation after he was reported missing for 2 weeks. Suchart had been missing since May 3. One of the suspects, 32 year…

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  • World News

    17 year old Burmese teenager details abuse at the hands of junta

    A 17 year old Burmese teenager has spoken about her time behind bars at the hands of the Myanmar junta. Ma Chaw says she and her mother were arrested on April 14 in Rangoon as they were walking to a friend’s house from a morning protest. She says they were stopped by the military who jumped out of 2 security…

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  • Covid-19 News

    CCSA to discuss Covid-19 zoning tomorrow, restrictions likely to loosen in some provinces

    Thailand’s colour-coded zoning for Covid-19 control will be discussed tomorrow by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Some restrictions are likely to be lifted in some provinces, such as the ban on dine-in services at restaurants in “dark red” zones. The colour scale goes from green to dark red, with green provinces reporting no recent Covid-19 infections. Under the current…

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  • Thailand News

    Thai factory owners warned over not following disease control measures

    Factory owners in Thailand are being warned to strictly adhere to disease control measures set forth by The Department of Disease Control as the risk of spreading Covid-19 is high in such densely populated buildings. The DDC director-general says the Thai Stop Covid Plus platform has surveyed 1,386 factories so far, finding that 76% of them complied with the measures.…

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  • Pattaya News

    Pickup truck catches fire in Chonburi, passengers escape

    A pickup truck erupted into a flaming inferno with the occupants narrowly escaping the fire in Phanat Nikhom district of Chon Buri. The driver and passenger managed to climb out of the burning truck and run to safety. Local police received notification of the incident which happened on Suk Prayoon Road in the Kut Ngao subdistrict on Wednesday. By the…

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  • Covid-19 News

    America sees an easing of mask-wearing for those fully vaccinated

    America is seeing an easing of mask wearing rules for those who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention announced the new regulation yesterday, which allows those inoculated against the coronavirus, to stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings. US President Joe Biden, who held a press conference without wearing a…

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  • Bangkok News

    Covid UPDATE: 2,256 new infections and 30 deaths, provincial totals

    2,256 new Covid-19 infections and 30 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 33,186 active Covid-19 cases with most patients are asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 96,050 Covid-19 infections and 548 coronavirus-related deaths. Out…

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  • World News

    Burmese military declares martial law in border city after attack

    After blaming attacks on a bank and a police station on armed terrorist the Burmese military Junta has declared martial law in the town of Mindat in Chin State. Ethnic rebels have been increasingly battling the military in these border regions – the Chin State borders India – and about 100 people were reported over the last 2 days to…

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  • Covid-19 News

    Hua Hin plans to vaccinate residents next month, reopening eyed for October

    Next month, 350,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses are planned to be sent to Hua Hin to vaccinate residents and those who work in the tourism industry. As part of the Hua Hin Recharge project, the vaccinations prepares the popular beachside town in the Prachuap Khiri Khan province for the reopening to foreign tourists. The Committee of National Tourism Policy recently approved…

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  • Thailand News

    Bangkok uncovers 8 new Covid-19 cluster outbreaks

    Eight clusters of Covid-19 outbreaks have been reported by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration with 4 districts slowing but 2 spreading quickly. Outbreaks in the Dusit and Din Daeng districts are showing a higher rate of infection and increasing spread, so authorities are closely monitoring the areas. Crowded communities and dense populations are causing faster transmission of the Covid-19 infections in…

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  • Economy News

    Bank of Thailand announcing 3rd phase case-by-case debt aid

    Today the Bank of Thailand will announce the third phase of their plan to reduce debt strain on people affected by the third wave of Covid-19. The phase is part of a continued effort to help individual borrowers cope with their debts by implementing restructuring measures. Financial aid is planned to be given to those in need after evaluation on…

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  • Crime News

    Inmate escapes from hospital in Rayong after Covid-19 test, arrested in Chanthaburi

    Still dressed in a hospital gown, a prison inmate hopped on a motorbike and fled a hospital in Rayong after being tested for Covid-19. He was arrested in the neighbouring province Chanthaburi and now faces theft charges for stealing the motorbike. The results from his Covid-19 test have not been released. Thailand has reported numerous Covid-19 outbreaks at prisons in…

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  • Covid-19 News

    Walk-in vaccine centre plan limping, not ready to launch

    After proud announcements of walk-in vaccine sites launching in Bangkok and around Thailand, now there seems to be more walking back than walking in. Hospitals were flooded with calls from people looking to book a walk-in appointment to receive a Covid-19 vaccine but were told that there were no jabs currently available. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said that this whole thing…

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  • Thailand News

    Private hospitals in Thailand working to offer more choices in Covid vaccines

    The Private Hospital Association is now working to offer a variety of Covid-19 vaccine brands to Thais in an effort to help boost herd immunity. Thailand currently has only 2 Covid-19 vaccine brands that are currently available and covered by the Thai government’s free inoculation programme. AstraZeneca and Sinovac are on the list, but recipients have no choice in which…

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  • Phuket News

    Update on Phuket’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign

    So far, around 22% of the population in Phuket has been vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The island province aims to vaccinate 70% of the population by the end of June to reach “herd immunity”. Officials remain committed to the original plan to reopen to vaccinated foreign travellers by July 1, as ambitious as…

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  • World News

    Hong Kong budget airline HK Express puts in-flight trolleys up for sale

    A limited number of in-flight trolleys and galley boxes put up for sale by budget airline, HK Express, have sold out in a day. The Hong Kong carrier had advertised the items on its website, pointing out they’d be the ideal accessory for a costume party. “Each plated with our first-generation logo and a unique license plate, these trolleys are…

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  • Thailand News

    Teacher who called student a “phony,” when he requested a sick day, apologises

    A Thai teacher who called a student a “phony,” and other names when the student called in sick, has now apologised. The incident, according to Thai Residents, occurred when a student says he texted his teacher, who goes by the name of Kaew, and told her he was sick and could not come to school. The student says the teacher…

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  • Covid-19 News

    Prison officials say activist Panusaya did not get Covid while behind bars

    The Corrections Department says the recently released pro-democracy activist, Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, aka, “Rung”, did not contract Covid-19 in prison. The 22 year old protest leader confirmed she was infected earlier this week. She was released from Bangkok’s Central Women’s Correctional Institution on May 6. The Bangkok Post reports Weerakit Harnpariphan from the Corrections Department as saying Panusaya was in quarantine…

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  • Covid-19 News

    Moderna Covid-19 vaccine now approved in Thailand

    The Moderna Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for emergency use in Thailand. The country’s Food and Drug Administration announced the authorisation yesterday. Thailand’s vaccination started in late February. So far, only the Sinovac vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccine have been used to vaccinate the public. The local company Siam Bioscience is now producing the AstraZeneca vaccine in Thailand. The locally-made…

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  • Politics News

    PM representatives file police complaint against Thai singer and government critic

    Representatives of Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, have filed a police complaint against the Thai singer Suthipong Tadpitakkul, aka, “Heart”. Suthipong has criticised the government’s vaccine procurement plan, a move that has led to accusations of violating the Computer Crime Act and Thailand’s strict lèse majesté law. The PM’s lawyer, Apiwat Kanthong, and his assistant minister, Seksakon Atthawong (aka “Rambo Isan”)…

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  • Tourism News

    Tourism authority downgrades domestic tourism forecast

    The third wave of Covid-19 has led the Tourism Authority of Thailand to cut its forecast for domestic tourism for this year. The TAT was already forced to cut its goal at the end of April from 160 million trips to 100 – 200 million, as a result of the resurgence of the virus over the Songkran period. During the…

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  • Covid-19 News

    Expat vaccination in Thailand likely to be delayed

    An official from the Bangkok Metropolitan Association says foreigners may face a slight delay in receiving their Covid-19 vaccines. Panruedee Manomaipiboon, director of the BMA’s health department says while the Health Ministry aims to vaccinate everyone living in Thailand, foreigners may have to wait until August. “As I have said before, the Health Ministry plans to vaccinate Thais first. We…

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  • Covid-19 News

    Friday Covid Update: 2,256 new infections and 30 deaths

    Thailand’s public health department has reported its tally for the past 24 hours from around the country. There has been 30 new Covid-related deaths and 2,256 new cases. Out of today’s new infection total, 183 of those were from the prison system. Yesterday the numbers jumped substantially because of the release of case numbers from two highly infected prisons –…

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  • Environment News

    Asia holds 99 of the 100 most environmentally at-risk cities

    If you live in 1 of the 100 most environmentally vulnerable cities in the world, then unless you live in Lima, Peru, we can guess what continent you’re on. According to a recent risk assessment study, 99 out of the top 100 most environmentally vulnerable cities are located in Asia with 80% of them in India or China alone. 1.5…

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