Year: 2021
- Tourism News
Thailand entry may be simplified by switching to antigen test
At the CCSA meeting on Friday, the Ministry of Public Health will propose easing entry requirements by replacing RT-PCR tests with a much cheaper and faster antigen test. Health authorities report that Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul will propose the revision at Friday’s meeting to be enacted from December on. The simplifying of the required Covid-19 test is part…
Read More » - Bangkok News
2 Bangkok restaurants busted serving alcohol opposite police station
In the Pathumwan district of Bangkok, restaurants said to be opposite the Royal Thai Police Office in a well-known shopping centre were busted selling alcohol after hours. Police raided several food establishments and found 2 businesses with customers drinking after the 9 pm curfew on alcohol that restaurants are allowed. A video clip had circulated that showed restaurants in the…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Thailand signs procurement deal for 50,000 courses of Molnupiravir Covid pill
Thailand has signed a 500 million baht deal to purchase 50,000 treatment courses of the new Covid-19 drug, Molnupiravir. According to a Thai PBS World report, the Medical Services Department signed the deal yesterday, with Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul present to witness it. A course of treatment is made up of 40 x 200mg capsules. A patient will need to…
Read More » - Tourism News
Travel agents call for tourism fee to be postponed until industry recovers
The Association of Thai Travel Agents is urging the government to postpone the implementation of a new tourism fee until the sector has fully recovered. Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn says Thailand has averaged around 3,000 – 4,000 foreign tourists per day, since re-opening on November 1. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says confidence is low ahead of the coming high…
Read More » - Thailand News
Foreign Minister shrugs off lack of invite to democracy summit
Thailand’s Foreign Minister has shrugged off the fact that Thailand has not been invited to a democracy summit being hosted by the US. Thai PBS World reports that Don Pramudwinai says the event is, “nothing more than pure politics”. The summit is scheduled to take place from December 9-10 and Thailand has been left off the guest list. Controversially, Taiwan…
Read More » - World News
France and UK engage in blame game over English Channel tragedy
At least 27 people attempting to seek refuge in the UK have died after their boat capsized in the English Channel, just off the northern port of Calais. According to French authorities, three young children were amongst those who lost their lives at sea. The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the tragedy was the “largest loss of life”…
Read More » - World News
Afghanistan: How a remote border crossing allows nomads to travel
Angoor Ada lies on an arid high plateau in the southeastern Afghan province of Paktika, one of the many backwaters of Afghanistan. The area would not be of much importance, if it weren’t connected to the border with Pakistan. The border crosses near the edge of the long-stretched plateau, where the Pakistani tribal area of Waziristan begins. After arriving in…
Read More » - World News
African women tell of experiences of violence
Violence against women, or gender-based violence (GBV), includes many types of abuse, ranging from physical, sexual, and emotional violence to female genital mutilation and trafficking. The rate of GBV in sub-Saharan Africa is higher than the global norm. Around 44% of African women, or more than two in five, have been subjected to gender-based violence, a 2020 study found. Survivors…
Read More » - World News
India battles floods amid spike in extreme weather events
After dozens lost their lives in severe flooding in southern India, climate experts are now calling on government officials to prioritize climate-proof infrastructure and take measures to prevent further destruction from major weather events. India’s tech hub Bengaluru was inundated by floodwaters, following torrential downpours which killed scores of people across the south of the country over the past few…
Read More » - World News
Myanmar military will not attend Asia-Europe Meeting, sources say
Myanmar’s military has reportedly notified Cambodia that it will not attend the 13th ASEM Summit, where leaders from Asia and Europe meet (virtually) for two days, saying it would only send a technical team to watch the talks. The meeting, which starts today and ends tomorrow, will focus on the interaction of four main ideas: multilateralism, growth, sustainable development, and…
Read More » - World News
Going bananas for hair
A Ugandan company makes artificial hair from banana plant byproducts, using the strands from stems. It makes for a stronger and environmentally friendly hair extension. SOURCE: DW News
Read More » - Transport News
The latest on EV production in Thailand
Thailand car makers are ramping up the production of electric vehicles after the Thailand Board of Investment approved new electric vehicle projects. The 24 projects allow car makers to produce electric vehicles of all types, including hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles. BOI data shows that these types of EVs will have a combined capacity…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
Police capture man suspected of Khon Kaen gold store robbery
A suspect has been arrested in the case of an armed gold store robbery in Khon Kaen with CCTV footage that had gone viral. The robbery took place on Saturday evening, and the police announced a suspect taken into custody earlier today. The robbery of the gold store on the second floor of the Central Plaza Department Store in Khon…
Read More » - Crime News
Drug trafficking suspect’s escape foiled by pipe in the road
Police in the Muang district of Suphan Buri had an unusual sidekick in the apprehension of a suspected drug trafficker – a large water pipe that blocked the road and prevented his escape. The suspect was being set up in a sting operation but became suspicious and fled, leading police on a chase that might have ended differently if the…
Read More » - Thailand News
Sexy street vendor’s sales spike after busty shirt goes viral
When photos and videos of the “sexy street vendor” went viral, the 24 year old Chiang Mai woman says her orders for the Thai pancakes, known as “khanom Tokyo,” multiplied… just by showing some cleavage. (This was a top story on The Thaiger yesterday. So, we’re doing a follow up, you know, for the readers.) The vendor, known as Olive,…
Read More » - Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Bars become covid hotspots, PM says he’s going nowhere | Nov 25
Jett goes through all the main headlines in Thailand that include: 13 provinces are reporting a surge in Covid-19 infections, Thailand’s top virologist says the virus is going nowhere and therefore people should get vaccinated, and the Thai prime minister says he is going nowhere either.
Read More » - Pattaya News
Pattaya mayor expresses frustration over no entertainment venues
In Pattaya, the fight goes on to allow alcohol in restaurants and to reopen entertainment venues, at least in time for New Year’s festivities. After petitions and protests from various sectors, business groups, and tourism associations, Pattaya City Mayor Sonthaya Khunploem is again calling for nightlife businesses to be allowed to reopen in the city famous, or perhaps infamous, for…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket daily Covid infections rise over 100 again, cluster reported on Bangla Road
Covid infections in Phuket are creeping up again after 3 weeks of increased arrivals and a revival of nightspots and bars around the island, despite officially being illegal. Phuket’s Governor Narong Woonciew has confirmed that the number of new infections has been rising steadily over recent weeks. The island’s bars and nightlife have been keen to take advantage of the increase…
Read More » - World News
Human Rights Watch: Gender-based violence remains rampant in South Africa
A new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) has revealed the dire state of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa and is urging the government to do more to combat the troubling findings. Described as the country’s “second pandemic” by President Cyril Ramaphosa, GBV in South Africa is still increasing at an alarming rate, making it one of the world’s…
Read More » - Crime News
MBC Club Ponzi scheme busted, 1,000 victims lost 1 billion baht
A scam company called MBC Club was busted by national police for running a Ponzi scheme with thousands of victims that caused 1 billion baht in damages. The scheme claimed to be earning huge profits from Foreign Exchange Market trading while duping people out of their money. The Royal Thai Police Deputy Commissioner-General announced the bust and arrest of a…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Pattaya Music Festival attendees urged to get tested for Covid after positive cases
Those who attended the Pattaya Music Festival on November 12 and 13 are urged to get tested for Covid-19 after several people who went to the festival later tested positive for the virus. While the festival ran under Covid-19 prevention measures, with the audience seated to ensure social distancing, the government spokesperson says many people outside of the event area…
Read More » - World News
Philippines prepares for reopening as quarantine lifted for 44 countries
Following the headline on Tuesday that the Philippines is waiving quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated visitors from 44 “green list” countries, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is reportedly gearing up for the eventual reopening of Philippine borders to international tourists, despite a steady decline in Covid-19 cases in the country. According to the Manila Times, the Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Covid test required to enter CentralWorld’s Groove area in Bangkok
Shoppers entering CentralWorld’s Groove area in Bangkok will need to take a rapid antigen test to enter the two-storey section in one of the Thailand’s largest shopping centres. Alcohol sales and consumption at the Groove zone, which has a variety of cafes, restaurants, and space to hang out, is still allowed. Customers who enter test negative in an ATK (antigen…
Read More » - Thailand video news
Miss Universe Thailand, Mrs. Doubtfire, Chai’s Job | Thaiger Bites | Ep.68
Jay and Tim go through your video messages, comments and feedback from Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and Thaiger Talk forum on the website.
Read More » - World News
US Summit for Democracy excludes Thailand, includes Taiwan
US President Joe Biden is convening a Summit for Democracy next month, inviting over 100 countries to participate with one notable exception — Thailand — and one controversial inclusion — Taiwan. The event, which will take place virtually on December 9 and 10, has invited 110 participants, according to a list published yesterday from the US State Department. While Thailand…
Read More » - Thailand News
Health Minister concerned that once bars reopen, they could be Covid “hotspots”
Thailand’s Public Health Minister says he’s concerned that places that serve alcohol could become Covid-19 “hotspots” as people who are intoxicated are less likely to follow disease control measures. Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says bars and restaurants serving beer and cocktails should strictly follow Covid Free Setting guidelines, which includes vaccinating staff and requiring customers show either proof of vaccination or…
Read More » - World News
No leave for Christmas and New Year holidays, Indonesia’s officials say
Looks like there’s a “Grinch” in Indonesia. This year, there those working in the Southeast Asian country will be barred from taking leave on Christmas and New Years. According to the order issued by the Ministry of the Interior on Tuesday, about 4.2 million civil officials and two million workers in state-owned businesses will be affected, with many more in…
Read More » - Phuket News
Covid-19 infections hit Phuket schools and Bangla Road
Phuket is struggling with 2 clusters of Covid-19 that have health authorities worried, with one in schools and one in the centre of tourism on Bangla Road in Patong. The Deputy Director of Vachira Phuket Hospital detailed the 2 main clusters and warned that infections are increasing on the island. Phuket had fallen from a time when daily infections were…
Read More » - Thailand News
Gay rights advocacy groups seek help from opposition
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups are now turning to the opposition Pheu Thai Party for their support on attaining marriage equality in Thailand. This is coming on the heels of a major Constitutional Court ruling that essentially upheld the ban on same-sex marriage in the country. These groups are campaigning to revise the Civil and Commercial Code, which at the moment only…
Read More » - World News
North Korea sentences man to death for smuggling copies of Netflix’s “Squid Game”
A man has been sentenced to death by firing squad in North Korea. A student has been jailed for life, and his teachers and school administrators were fired, facing banishment to work in remote mines or themselves. Six people were also sentenced to five years in prison. And their crime? Smuggling and watching Netflix’s most popular South Korean TV show,…
Read More » - Pattaya News
Pattaya Fireworks Festival starts tomorrow under strict Covid-19 prevention measures
Looking for a weekend trip to escape from the bustling city of Bangkok? The Pattaya International Fireworks Festival 2021 is set to run from tomorrow until Saturday from 4pm to midnight at Pattaya Central Beach. Mayor Sonthaya Khunplome says those entering the main event area close to the stage will need to show proof that they have received two doses…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
“Covid is going nowhere, get vaccinated” – leading Thai virologist
One of Thailand’s most prominent virologists says the Covid-19 virus is going nowhere and everyone should get vaccinated. According to a Nation Thailand report, Yong Poovorawan took to social media to say the virus is here to stay and society will need to live with it. However, vaccination will offer protection from serious illness, hospitalisation, or death. Yong made reference…
Read More » - Thailand video news
Thailand Top Stories | Marriage Equality push, Thai telcos merge, PM stays put | November 25
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is fending off rumours of his standing down for a second time in less than 5 days. A new telco company is being formed through the merger of True Corporation and DTAC. LGBTQ advocacy groups are continuing their campaign for marriage equality in Thailand but have turned their attention to the opposition Pheu Thai Party. 22…
Read More » - World News
Amid growing vaccine hesitancy, South Africa asks Pfizer, J&J to suspend deliveries
While many countries around the world struggle to get enough Covid-19 vaccines for their people, South Africa is trying to avoid a stockpile. Growing vaccine hesitancy means the South African government has had to ask manufacturers such as Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson not to send any more shipments. This despite the country heading into a potential fourth wave of…
Read More » - Thailand video news
Thailand visa extension, Youth unemployment, Vaccination passports | Good Morning Thailand | Ep.139
In today’s episode Jay, Natty and Caitlin discuss about Thailands visa extension, Youth unemployment as well as discuss whether Thailand is heading towards mandatory vaccine passports .
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Over 4,000 healthcare workers in Thailand infected during Covid-19 pandemic
The Department of Disease Control says up to 4,270 Thai healthcare workers have contracted Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic in February 2020. According to a Thai PBS World report, 198 are doctors and 34 are medical students. Dr. Sumanee Wacharasint from the DDC says the remainder are nurses, assistant nurses, public health academics, health volunteers, housekeepers, laboratory technicians,…
Read More » - Politics News
PM digs in his heels, says he won’t quit while the country needs him
The Thai PM says he’s not going anywhere and will remain in position at least until next year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, which Thailand is hosting. According to a Bangkok Post report, Prayut Chan-o-cha was responding to questions from reporters about the remainder of his 4-year term, which ends in March 2023. He says as long as the country needs…
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