- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 update (Wednesday) 9 new cases, 0 new deaths
Health officials at this morning’s national daily briefing announced 9 new Covid-19 cases today, bringing the total to 2,957. No new deaths were reported and the tally remains at 54 since the beginning of the outbreak in January. Of the national total, 2,665 people have recovered and been discharged from hospital, making the recovery rate just above 90%. Bangkok currently…
- Covid-19 News
Oxford says Covid-19 vaccine could be ready by September
There’s a worldwide race to develop a vaccine against the Covid-19 coronavirus, and Oxford University in the UK already claim to have a massive head start. Research teams generally have to start with small clinical trials of a few hundred volunteers to demonstrate safety. But scientists at the Oxford’s Jenner Institute have a jump start on a vaccine, having proved…
- Crime News
Suspect in fatal Bangkok shooting absconds with family
A man was shot dead in a fight between two neighbours yesterday in Bangkok’s Bang Khen district, apparently over excessive noise, and the alleged killer has reportedly fled with his family. Police were alerted to a shooting incident at a house on Ruammit Pattana Road at 7pm. At the scene they found the body of 37 year old Phatcharaphol Phomaneesak…
- Crime News
Arrests in Chiang Mai for “sextortion”, child porn
A 20 year old Thai man has been charged with extortion after police in Chiang Mai province arrested him for posing as a woman to blackmail a university student online. Acting on a warrant, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division and the Internet Crimes Against Children task force arrested Natthawut Klinhom. Police say the victim, aged 19, filed a complaint against…
- Crime News
2 Chinese nabbed for peddling hemp oil, facemasks
A pair of Chinese nationals have been arrested in Bangkok for selling toys, hand gel, thermometers and hemp oil worth millions of baht. Cyberpolice yesterday said the suspects, named only as “Lee” and “Jan”, were arrested at a commercial building in Bangkok’s Bang Khunthian district. Police seized vast numbers of masks, body temperature scanners and sex toys as well as…
- Northern Thailand News
2 drunk monks arrested in north east
A case of Bud Enlightenment? 2 Buddhist monks were arrested in their pickup truck in the early hours yesterday morning in the lower northeastern province of Sisaket. They have been charged with breaking the national curfew and drunk driving. The two were detained in their pickup truck shortly after midnight in the province’s Muang, or city district. Police say both…
- Covid-19 News
Cabinet officially extends Emergency Decree until the end of May
In a widely anticipated decision, the Thai Cabinet has approved a 30 day extension of the national state of emergency declared in March to fight the spread of Covid-19. The national curfew from 10pm to 4am will also continue. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha spoke briefly to the public after today’s weekly Cabinet meeting to discuss the extension and the possibility of…
- Covid-19 News
Indonesia’s death toll from Covid-19 is probably 2,200 – Reuters report
A Reuters review of data from 16 of the Indonesia’s 34 provinces shows that more than 2,200 people have died with acute symptoms of Covid-19 but were not recorded as victims. Indonesian medical experts say the figures indicate the national death toll is likely far higher than the official figure of 765. Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, has…
- Covid-19 News
What does the extension of the Emergency Decree mean?
The Covid-19 Centre for Situation Administration announced today that the Emergency Decree for Thailand will be extended, although it technically will not be official until announced in official channels. The announcement has caused many to believe the extension means that nearly all businesses must remain closed and all current restrictions, such as closures of public spaces and beaches, will not…
- Covid-19 News
World’s wealthiest dig deep to fight Covid-19
With the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping the globe and fatalities rising, some of the world’s richest are digging into their deep pockets to ease the pain for the poorest people and fight back against the deadly disease. Contributions range from supporting their employees financially and donations to the vulnerable, to procuring medical equipment for hospitals and funding vaccine research. In Thailand,…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand’s emergency decree extended until May 31
Thailand’s Emergency Decree will be extended for another month after it expires this Thursday. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Monday recommended to extend the decree which would be extended to the end of May. The emergency decree gives the Thai PM sweeping powers and is provided for in the Thai Constitution for situations like the current Covid-19 outbreak.…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand turns to China to revive post-Covid tourist economy
The Covid-19 pandemic has crushed Thailand’s tourism sector, long considered a lifeline for the nation’s already battered economy, as numbers of foreign visitors have dropped below even the worst predictions plunging 76.4% in March from last year after a 42.8% drop in February. For an economy that derives 12-14% of its gross domestic product from tourism, receipts, the impact of…
- Economy News
Thailand loses US free trade benefits worth billions of baht
Thailand loses duty free access for 42.2 billion baht in exports to the US market from today, 6 months after Washington warned it would pull back on trade privileges unless the kingdom committed to labour rights reforms. Once trade preferences for Thai products are removed they are subject to tax of between 4% and 5%, making them more expensive in…
- Covid-19 News
Curfew subjects Thailand’s many homeless to arrest
“The homeless can’t stay at home.” Earlier this month, Police in Chiang Mai arrrested “Tui,” a homeless man, for violating the national curfew imposed as part of the Emergency Decree to contain the spread of Covid-19. Police say they “found him wandering on the streets without permission from authorities or valid reasons,” and the court then sentenced Tui to 15…
- Covid-19 News
Park chief, officers arrested for house party
A group of 8 officers from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation are in trouble after being spotted drinking and socialising at a house party in Ngao Waterfall National Park in the southern Ranong province. They’ve all been arrested for defying the Emergency Decree. Police told reporters yesterday the 8 were rounded up last Friday night after…
- Covid-19 News
15 new national virus cases, 5 imported (Sunday)
Thailand’s health officials have confirmed a total of 15 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Of these, 5 were imported cases of Thai nationals recently repatriated from abroad who were sent directly to mandated state quarantine. No new deaths were reported in today’s daily media update. 2,922 people have been infected in Thailand since the beginning of the outbreak in…
- Politics News
North Korean leader reportedly in “vegetative state”
For days the government of North Korea has been tight-lipped as speculation about the health of the nation’s leader Kim Jong-un’s health spreads. Now the Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Gendai is reporting that a failed surgery has left the 36 year old in a vegetative state. American celebrity tabloid website TMZ has gone a step further and claimed he’s actually…
- Environment News
With humans indoors, nature makes a comeback
With millions around the world housebound for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic, Netflix and YouTube are making a killing and lots of people are finding new hobbies. But there’s another consequence to fewer humans on the streets and trampling around nature. Animals on land and in the sea are taking back areas claimed by humans over the past weeks…
- Covid-19 News
Tourism minister, TAT hope for a return of limited domestic travel
For weeks, interprovincial travel has been heavily restricted if not outright banned due to the Emergency Decree announced on March 24 to combat the spread of Covid-19. And although the National Security Council is expected to present a proposal on Monday to extend the Decree, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan expects the government to ease some measures and allow…
- Technology News
Online video platform TikTok assessing live streaming in Thailand
TikTok, the most downloaded app in the world for 2 years running and the world’s leading short-video platform, has announced a trial of its first live streaming series in Thailand as part of its push to develop platform experiences for users around the world. TikTok’s first live streaming in Thailand was hosted by Vuthithorn “Woody” Milintachinda, a celebrity and influencer,…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket adds 4 Covid-19 cases, 3 in Bang Tao (Saturday)
4 new Covid-19 cases have been confirmed in the southern island province of Phuket today. The island has the highest rate of infection and the second highest number of cases, after Bangkok. A single new case was reported this morning, bringing the total there to 202: a 60 year old Thai woman who lives in Witchit, Phuket Town. She fell…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand reports 53 new cases today, 1 more death (Saturday)
A spokesman for the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration today announced 53 new Covid-19 cases confirmed over a 24 hour period, and 1 additional death. Most of today’s new cases are imported from outside the country. 42 of the new cases are illegal migrant workers currently at the detention centre at the Sadao checkpoint bordering Malaysia, another 7 in Yala,…
- Crime News
Knicker-sniffing panty thief arrested in Chiang Mai – VIDEO
After receiving complaints, police in Chiang Mai have arrested a food delivery driver for stealing women’s knickers (panties) while making deliveries throughout the city. 27 year old Nontawat Intanachan was arrested after at least one woman reported to police that her knickers had frequently been stolen while hanging out to dry. When police examined the surveillance footage, they saw a…
- Covid-19 News
Housing registration not required to receive free masks, says ministry
False reports are circulating online that housing registration details are required to receive free face masks from the government, and the Ministry of Industry is publicly warning people not to believe them, calling them “fake news.” A spokesperson says that reports are appearing on online media that the ministry plans to distribute free cloth masks by post, but only after…
- Crime News
Attempted murder charge for hit-and-run Mitsubishi driver
In a follow-up to a story previously reported in The Thaiger, police in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat are charging the driver of a Mitsubishi Mirage with attempted murder after he ran into a policeman, then sped off with the officer still clinging to the hood of his car. The officer held on for dear life as the…
- Covid-19 News
Health officials announce colour-coding for provinces based on virus risk
Officials at the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration today announced a colour coding system for Thailand’s 77 provinces, based on the number of Covid-19 cases in each province or how long the province has gone without a new case being reported According to The Nation Thailand, green provinces, those where no Covid-19 cases have been found, include: Nan, Kamphaeng Phet,…
- Covid-19 News
“Healthy stickers” to be required of all Buriram residents starting May 1
Buriram, one of Thailand’s major provinces in the lower northeastern region know as Issan, will soon require residents to carry a “healthy sticker” whenever they go outside. The provincial governor made the announcement yesterday and said the measure will come into effect on May 1. The sticker, to be attached to residents’ ID cards, will be required as a proof…
- Covid-19 News
Government ramps up production of 5 anti-Covid-19 medicines, procurement of others
The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation is increasing production of five drugs used treat Covid-19 to ensure adequate stocks for all patients. A GPO spokesmansaid that excluding Favipiravir also known as Avigan, Thailand has five drugs to treat Covid-19, totalling 39.6 million tablets: there are 1.8 million tablets of Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug; 30.6 million tablets of an antiretroviral drug containing Lopinavir and…
- Covid-19 News
15 new Covid-19 cases in Thailand (Friday), no new deaths
At this morning’s daily press briefing from the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, announced somewhat of a stabilising of cases. 15 new confirmed Covid-19 cases were announced. This brings the total since the start of the outbreak to 2,854. 60 more people recovered and were released in the same 24 hour period. The total number of patients…
- Covid-19 News
4 new Covid-19 cases in Phuket, all in Bang Tao
Phuket has reported 4 new Covid-19 cases today, up from just 1 yesterday, all in the Cherngtalay sub-district of Bang Tao on the island’s west coast. A 2 year old boy was among 4 new cases. Phuket has the highest rate of Covid-19 cases per capita in Thailand, and the highest number outside of Bangkok (201 as of today), but numbers…
