- Covid-19 News
Pattaya all but deserted due to virus, travel restrictions
For years, Pattaya has struggled to shed its seedy image as a haven of sex tourism, which started in the 1970s when it became a rest and relaxation spot for US soldiers during the Vietnam War. It’s continued to develop into a much more diverse city with world standard attractions offsetting the seedier bars and walking streets. Now it faces…
- World News
Chiang Mai chokes as fires rage in the north of Thailand
Northern Thailand is choking under a toxic shroud and it’s not getting any better. Air pollution across the upper North remains “at critical levels,” in many areas, including some of the main population centres. Authorities are monitoring almost 400 active hotspots in Chiang Mai alone yesterday. The air quality didn’t improve this morning, with IQAir recording “very unhealthy” air quality…
- Covid-19 News
Coronavirus UPDATE – first deaths in New Zealand, Sri Lanka. Singapore cancels citizen’s passport.
Covid-19 cases around the world have now reached 723,732. A week ago (March 23) there was 378,000 cases in the world. There have been exactly 34,000 deaths recorded globally (as of 2.30pm Monday Thai time) with over 151,000 people recovered. The USA leads the world count with 142,735 cases followed by Italy with 97,689 cases and 10,799 deaths. Here are…
- Covid-19 News
Senior health official says dire infection forecasts “very unlikely”
Doctors from various departments, ministries and universities are making grim predictions about the Covid-19 coronavirus infection rate in Thailand, some saying that by mid-April cases in Thailand will reach 350,000, with about 7,000 fatalities. Responding to some of the most dire forecasts, a senior doctor at the Ministry of Public Health’s Disease Control Department is dismissing these scenarios as “very…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket airport to ban flights April 10-30 over virus fears
The southern island province of Phuket has sealed its borders by land and sea, and yesterday provincial governor Phakkhaphong Thawiphat announced that air transport to Phuket will also shut down beginning April 10 until at least April 30 in order to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. “Shutting down the air transport route requires seven days notification in advance…
- Covid-19 News
136 more virus cases confirmed in Thailand as outbreak spreads out of Bangkok
A spokesman for the country’s newly formed Covid-19 Situation Administration Thailand confirmed 136 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases today, raising the total number of infections to 1,524. Deaths in the Kingdom remain at 7. Infections in Thailand are likely to keep rising, and in a reversal of the earlier trend, recent new cases have been reported more in the countryside than…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket reports 9 new coronavirus cases
9 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus have been reported in the southern island province of Phuket, bringing the total to 62 cases. Most of the new cases originated in the Patong district, again, and many in the area of the Bangla Road red light district. Details of the new cases… Case 54: A 35 year old Canadian man working at…
- Covid-19 News
Minister: Don’t worry about energy supply while working from home
Energy Minister Sonthirat Sonthijirawong reassured the public on Saturday that even though many are now working from home to promote social distancing and stem the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, his ministry will ensure an adequate electricity supply. “I have ordered all related agencies, especially the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, to monitor power usage closely and evaluate the situation…
- Covid-19 News
Coronavirus rumour prompts prison riot, some prisoners escape
Rumours of a Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak in a prison in the lower northeastern province of Buri Ram sparked a riot. The riot erupted at the central prison after about 100 determined prisoners broke furniture and smashed windows and set a fire over rumours of a Covid-19 outbreak in the prison yesterday. A number of prisoners escaped but 7 have been…
- Covid-19 News
Gambling wife arrested after husband calls police in Nakhon Ratchasima
Thailand’s recently declared state of emergency has meant the temporary closure of many businesses, leaving a lot of people with a lot of time on their hands. One woman in the northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province grew bored and decided to invite some friends around for a bit of light home gambling playing cards. But her husband was afraid she might…
- Covid-19 News
Beaches in Phuket closed until further notice
The world famous beaches of the southern resort island of Phuket are now closed indefinitely in another effort by provincial officials to fight the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Governor Phakkhaphong Thawiphat, who is also heading up the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee, made the announcement yesterday. The closures extend to zoos and all venues offering animal shows for tourists. Bangla…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand confirms 143 new coronavirus cases, 1 more death
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and its Department of Disease control announced 143 new confirmed cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus at their daily press briefing today in Bangkok (March 29), up from yesterday’s 109 new cases. There has been 1 additional death, bringing the national Covid-19 toll to 7. The latest figures brought the total cases to 1,388 across 57…
- Covid-19 News
Handful of Thais catch last flight back to Thailand from Singapore
Flights are thin on the ground now and very few regional carriers are still in the air. Singapore Airlines Flight 972 was the last scheduled service to Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Passengers, only a few dozen, mostly Thais fleeing back home to ride out the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, flew out of Singapore’s Changi Airport yesterday. Airlines worldwide are cutting flights and grounding…
- Covid-19 News
Drug party raided in Chiang Rai for defying public gathering ban
Authorities are cracking down and enforcing the ban on on public gatherings under the the state of emergency declared to fight the Covid-19 coronavirus epidemic last week. 22 people were arrested at a drug party in Chiang Rai yesterday for “gathering in defiance of the Emergency Decree”. 10 men and 12 women between the ages of 20 and 30 were nabbed…
- Covid-19 News
Nearly 20 million try to register, crashing Thai government’s payout website
Four major Thai banks closed their branches this weekend, partly in anticipation of a surge of applicants for the governments recently announce 5000 baht handout scheme for “informal” workers affected by the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. According to Krungthai Bank, nearly 20 million people tried to log in and register on the government’s payout website, which opened last night, significantly higher…
- Covid-19 News
With coronavirus cases rising, a Bangkok hospital puts out the call for more masks
Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok is running out of N95 facemasks for it personnel, and the director Suttipong Wacharasindhud has made a public plea for more. At a time when Covid-19 coronavirus cases are rising daily, he says the hospital has enough masks to last only another two weeks. “Due to the shortage of masks over the past three months, the…
- Covid-19 News
Department of Disease Control says social distancing is a must to slow spread of virus
A leading expert on communicable diseases at the Ministry of Public Health is warning of a massive increase in Covid-19 coronavirus infections unless social distancing guidelines are followed, saying cases could skyrocket to 25,000 by mid-April. Anupong Sujariyakul of the ministry’s Department of Control says that social distancing is crucial to reducing the contagion. Anupol calculates that, if 80% cent…
- Thailand Weather Updates
“Hot to very hot” in the North and Northeast, thundershowers predicted
A thermal low still covers upper Thailand, while southerly and southeasterly winds prevail over the Northeast and the East regions. Thailand is now in the ‘shoulder’ season, between the dry season and wet season, which is set to kick in sometime in April. (Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai 5 day forecasts below) Chiang Mai is poised for another week of…
- Covid-19 News
Four major banks close branches for the weekend to prevent crowds
Four of Thailand’s biggest commercial banks are closing all branches over the weekend to promote social distancing and fight the spread of the Covid-19. Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank, Krungthai Bank and TMB-Thanachart Bank announced yesterday that they would close all branches nationwide today and tomorrow (Saturday and Sunday). Electronic services will remain available. Krungthai Bank’s announcement said the decision was…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand’s health ministry identifies coronavirus hotspots
The ministry of Public Health has released a list of what it considers Covid-19 coronavirus hotspots – places and times where the risk of contagion was extremely high. People who were in these places on these dates are urged to self-quarantine themselves in their homes, and to seek medical advice if they feel ill or show symptoms. The list covers…
- Northern Thailand News
African horse virus believed responsible for dozens of horse deaths in Northeast
The sudden deaths of dozens of racehorses in Thailand’s Northeast are now believed to be tied to an African horse virus. All of the dead animals, whose count now stands at 42, were found during an inspection of barns in Pak Chong district in Nakhon Ratchasima, north eastern Thailand. Doctors from Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development suspect the deaths are…
- Covid-19 News
Thai PM suspends military conscription for 3 months
Thailand’s mandatory annual military conscription has been put on hold due to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. The Ministry of Defence, under an order from PM and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, has postponed this year’s round of the draft, which was scheduled for April 1 to 12, for up to 3 months. Conscription in Thailand is traditionally done by drawing lots…
- Covid-19 News
Bangkok City Hall closes more venues, but 3 types allowed to reopen
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA or City Hall as it’s more commonly known), is closing down more public venues around the capital, effective midnight tonight (Friday) until April 30, as it steps up measures to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Sites to remain closed are all sport arenas of both humans and animals (boxing arenas, cockfighting and fish fighting…
- Northern Thailand News
30 horses die in one day in Thailand’s Northeast
30 horses have mysteriously died in Thailand’s Northeast yesterday. The Thailand Equestrian Federation is urging horse fanciers not to transport any animals until a cause can be identified. It’s unlikely the situation has anything to do with the Covid-19 outbreak. 10 of the horses had sudden severe seizures before dying and the other 20 repeatedly bucked and jumped before collapsing,…
- Covid-19 News
Singaporeans face jail, fines if they don’t observe social distancing
Singapore authorities have announced tough new measures to combat the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, saying that those found guilty of intentionally standing or sitting too near to others could be jailed for up to six months. The city-state has already closed bars and cinemas, as well as banning large events. While Singapore isn’t under lockdown or a state of…
- Pattaya News
Chon Buri crane collapse injures 3, damages homes – VIDEO
A crane collapse in Chon Buri’s Banglamung district this morning has severely injured three and damaged six adjacent buildings. Authorities rushed to the scene after they were notified at 10:30am of the incident in the Naklua subdistrict, near Soi Sukhumwit Pattaya and Soi Esso. Officers, emergency responders and reporters arrived find the collapsed crane which had fallen and badly damaged six buildings,…
- Covid-19 News
King and Queen of Malaysia under quarantine after palace staff test positive for coronavirus
Malaysia has the highest number of Covid-19 coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia (2031 at time of publication), and now its King and Queen are under quarantine after 7 staff members of the royal palace tested positive for the virus. National news agency Bernama made the announcement yesterday. Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin and his wife Tuanku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah have tested…
- Covid-19 News
UPDATE: 91 new coronavirus cases, 1 more death in Thailand (Friday March 27)
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and Department of Disease Control and confirmed a 91 new cases of the the Covid19 coronavirus at their daily press briefing this morning (March 27). There was also an additional death reported. The new numbers bring the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 1136 and deaths to 5. Two Thais have also…
- Covid-19 News
Human Rights Watch blasts the arrest of Phuket artist over online comments
A local artist and art gallery owner in Phuket, Danai Ussama, better known as “Mr Zen”, was arrested at his home on the island this week, on the day before Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced a state of emergency would soon go into effect (which happened on Thursday, March 26). The 42 year old street artist was arrested Monday afternoon and…
- Covid-19 News
US surpasses China with most coronavirus cases
The United States has overtaken China and now has the highest number of cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus in the world, with 85,505 at 9:10am (Thai time). That number is expected to spike. China has 81,782 cases, and Italy 80,589. But the death toll in the US lags behind China’s 3,291 and Italy’s 8,215. The turning point comes as US…
