- Covid-19 News
Thai PM: State of emergency begins at midnight
“I am in charge of this mission.” In a nationally televised address, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha told the public today that Thailand has reached a turning point in its fight against the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic and he is now “in charge of every aspect” of the government’s efforts to combat the disease. An emergency decree, announced yesterday, will be enforced across…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Hot with showers in the North, cloudy in the South
Thailand’s Meteorological Department said today is a “hot to a very hot day for the North and the Northeast” as a thermal low covers upper Thailand. A combination of southerly and southeasterly winds prevails over the Northeast, the East, the Central and the lower North regions. Thundershowers with gusty winds are forecast in some areas of the upper country (hey,…
- Covid-19 News
Bank employee tests positive for coronavirus
“The employee is now in hospital and his last day at work was March 23.” Siam Commerial Bank has announced that one of its temporary employees tested positive for Covid-19 coronavirus. A spokesman says that the employee worked on the 20th floor of Ari Hill Building on Phaholyothin Road in Bangkok. After notifying the Ministry of Public Health and the…
- Covid-19 News
Authorities searching for bus travellers in Chiang Rai after passenger tests positive
Authorities in Chiang Rai are trying to track down the passengers of a tour bus after three tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus. The bus was travelling from Bangkok to the Chiang Saen district of Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. The three, all from the same family, are being treated in hospital. A spokesman for Chiang Rai’s health department has…
- Covid-19 News
107 new coronavirus cases confirmed, total now 934 (Wednesday)
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and the Department of Disease Control announced 107 new confirmed cases of the Covid-19 Coronavirus in their daily press briefing this morning. This makes the total number of cases found in Thailand since the outbreak began in January 934, with 4 total deaths. Yesterday 106 confirmed cases were announced. 52 patients have so far recovered.…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket reports 3 new coronavirus cases (Wednesday)
Newshawk Phuket reports 3 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus on the southern Thai island of Phuket. 2 Chinese patients have recovered and been discharged, bringing the total remaining cases to 27. 98 people are still in hospital in Phuket, with 71 awaiting test results. The new cases are… An English traveller who arrived in Phuket on March 19 via…
- Covid-19 News
Foreigners without health certificates, insurance being turned away at Thai airports
No health certificate and travel insurance: “No Entry” Nearly 100 foreign travellers have been denied entry into Thailand for failing to have the mandatory documents to meet immigration standards to fight the Covid-19 coronavirus. Of these, 73 are being deported back to their country of departure. The passengers were among 4,533 passengers, both Thai and foreigners who landed in Thailand…
- Covid-19 News
2020 Tokyo Olympics put on hold for a year
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are to be delayed by one year due to concerns over the world Covid 19 coronavirus pandemic. Japanese PM Shinzo Abe made the announcement yesterday, telling reporters he has won the backing for the proposal to delay the games, originally scheduled to start in July, in a call with IOC president Thomas Bach. “The Tokyo Olympics will…
- Covid-19 News
5 people who were bloody amazing during “self-quarantine”
Life in Thailand has changed rapidly since the WHO declared the Covid-19 coronavirus a pandemic on March 11. Offices have closed, public spaces have emptied, and the nation is in a state of national emergency, effective tomorrow. People are urged to to stay home and “self-isoltate” to the extent possible. Many have suddenly found themselves, to put it charitably, “with…
- Economy News
The almighty baht set to fall further despite rate cuts, stimulus
A lot has changed for the baht. It was only months ago that The Bank of Thailand considered drastic measures to rein in the rambunctious baht, whose massive gains in currency markets made it the darling of speculators. In December Kasikorn Bank released a report outlining reasons the baht “will remain strong into 2020.” The bank’s research arm forecast the…
- Covid-19 News
Border closures hurting provincial economies
“If the closure continues beyond April, they will be heavily indebted and small businesses will collapse, worsening the situation.” The spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus has meant the closure of Thailand’s borders with neighbouring countries, and people in border provinces are paying a heavy toll. The communities around border crossing areas have been traditionally busy centres for local economies. Now,…
- Covid-19 News
Sharp jump in Thai coronavirus cases due to new testing methods
Thailand’s Ministry of Public health explained today that the sharp rise in confirmed Covid-19 coronavirus cases reported in recent days is due to new testing standards. In the past, two labs have had to show a positive result before a case was confirmed, but now a positive result from one lab is considered a confirmed case. The situation was explained…
- Covid-19 News
Professor says social distancing, self-isolation are crucial to control infection
“People must stay home and not socialise, or Thailand will become like Italy with coronavirus patients overwhelming health resources and medical personnel having to decide which patients to treat, or not.” Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of the faculty of medicine Siriraj Hospital of Mahidol University, yesterday emphasised the need for strict social distancing on the university’s online TV channel, saying…
- Covid-19 News
PM asks cabinet for emergency decree
PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha formally asked the Thai Cabinet this afternoon for the declaration of a national emergency to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus in Thailand. The decree, which the Cabinet is currently discussing, will likely be enacted for a month. A decision is expected to be announced later today. The decree would allow authorities to impose curfews,…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket reports 9 new coronavirus cases (Tuesday)
Local media outlet Newshawk Phuket today reported 9 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus on the southern resort island of Phuket, bringing the total to 26, up from 17 yesterday. • Case 18 is a 33 year old Thai woman, a waitress at Soi Bangla in Patong district. She fell sick on March 16. • Case 19 is a 56…
- Covid-19 News
Thai epidemiologist warns public to stay home to avoid virus surge
As the number of Covid-19 coronavirus infections rises around Thailand, an epidemiologist from the Ministry of Public Health is urging the public to stay home, avoid all social interaction unless absolutely essential and practise social distancing whenever you need to go outdoors to avoid an outbreak like those in Italy and Spain. Ministry epidemiologist Walairat Chaifoo says that the total…
- Northern Thailand News
Riot fears reopen ‘closed’ Thai border checkpoints as migrant workers flee
“We must go home, or we will starve to death in Bangkok.” Some of Thailand’s recently closed border checkpoints were forced to reopen today as thousands of migrant workers, now unemployed due to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, flee Thailand for their homes in Myanmar and Cambodia. Their numbers and their desperation sparked fears of rioting. In Chiang Rai, the border…
- Covid-19 News
Tourism call centre flooded with complaints over cancellations
Thailand’s Tourism Department and its recently opened complaint centre are being flooded with complaints from would-be tourists about cancellations due to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. More than 2000 have filed complaints, and the department says refunds will be difficult. The outbreak has bashed global travel, resulting in Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and Bangkok Airways, among others, temporarily stopping all…
- Covid-19 News
Italian coronavirus strain may be more dangerous than Wuhan version
“We are fighting an enemy which is more devastating than any weapon or army. The enemy keeps multiplying every day and gains the upper hand if we do not change our way of life. The only way to defeat this enemy is for all of us to do these simple things. Practise social distancing and avoid crowded places, and we…
- Covid-19 News
Minor International pleads with Thai PM for a full lockdown
“I believe that under your strong leadership, the message to stay home, limit personal movement and avoid interaction with others will be taken to heart and will help us overcome this crisis.” Thai hotel chain Minor International has sent a frank letter pleading with the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang to curb public movement and activities…
- Covid-19 News
Chon Buri closes more businesses, asks public to avoid beaches
Yep, this means Pattaya as well. The governor of Chon Buri province today signed an order for the closure of additional businesses “until the situation improves,” to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus in and around the major party town of Pattaya. The order includes the closure of following: Water parks and public swimming pools (Privately owned pools…
- Covid-19 News
7-Eleven to hire 20,000 delivery staff across Thailand
“We recommend using the 7-Eleven Delivery mobile application to shop for foods and consumer products and we will deliver them to you.” There are plenty of businesses around Thailand either closing or heavily down-scaling their operations in the current Covid-19 crisis.Now, the operator 0f 7-11 stores across Thailand, CP All, has announced that it will expand its delivery services to…
- Covid-19 News
Cash handouts to be proposed tomorrow
“Those having social security will be taken care of by the Social Security Office, while those who are not insured under the social security scheme will be taken care of by the Ministry of Finance. We are planning to use an emergency budget from fiscal 2020 of around 20 billion baht to provide cash handouts to people affected by the…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket confirms 4 new coronavirus cases, some businesses closed
4 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases were confirmed in Phuket, southern Thailand, today. This brings the total on the resort island to 17. 26 more are in hospital awaiting test results. Provincial officials are inspecting a variety of sites for a potential “field hospital” to be set up, in case the number infections in Phuket continues to rise. The director of…
- Covid-19 News
Four Chinese nationals arrested at Burmese border
Four Chinese nationals have been arrested in the Mae Sot district of the lower northern province of Tak, in north west Thailand, and charged with illegal entry and violation of Covid-19 coronavirus controls. The four were arrested this morning. They were crossing from Myanmar into Thailand. They were arrested by a government patrol after crossing the Moei river from Myanmar…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand confirms 122 new coronavirus cases (Monday)
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and the Department of Disease control confirmed 122 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus in their daily press briefing today (Monday). This brings Thailand’s total to 721 since the virus was first detected in January. 7 remain in critical condition. Of the new cases, 16 have been traced to previously confirmed cases, while 4 were…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand seals borders in North, Northeast
“All travellers should closely monitor announcements concerning the border closure to prevent misunderstandings.” Thailand’s borders are now sealed to all but freight traffic in the North and Northeastern regions. The third Thai-Lao Friendship, linking Nakhon Phanom province with Khammouane province in Laos, closed at 10pm yesterday as a precaution against the Covid-19 coronavirus. Goods vehicles are still permitted but drivers…
- Covid-19 News
WHO says lockdowns aren’t enough, urgent measures needed now
The World Health Organisation is warning that national “lockdowns” aren’t enough to defeat the Covid-19 coronavirus, and that public health measures are urgently needed to prevent a resurgence of the disease once the numbers of infections begin to fall. Given the failure of the ‘lockdowns’ and border closures in Italy four weeks ago, the WHO are asking national governments to…
- Crime News
All time high – Thai drug smuggling in Thailand
2019 was Thailand’s worst year to date for smuggling of MDMA, commonly known as “ecstasy,” mainly from Germany, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Slovenia. Thailand’s Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) says that since October, many seizures were of ecstasy pills originating from drug syndicates in the Netherlands, indicating attempts to broaden markets in Thailand. The drug gangs are now attempting…
- Covid-19 News
Sa Kaeo closes 19 Cambodian border checkpoints – Covid-19
Despite denials only days ago, all 19 checkpoints in the eastern province of Sa Kaeo, two permanent and 17 temporary, along the border with Cambodia will be temporarily closed in a bid to stem the spread of the Covid-19 coronivirus. Thai health officials announced a new total of 599 cases. Read that story HERE. The order, dated yesterday, signed by…
