- Thailand News
Thailand makes AstraZeneca its first choice for Covid vaccine
Thailand’s deputy PM and public health minister says the AstraZeneca vaccine is the nation’s first choice for protecting itself against Covid-19. Anutin Charnvirakul says more than 150,000 have received AstraZeneca jabs with only a low percentage having developed side effects. But the low amount of side effects seen is a different tune to the vaccine’s previous safety concerns as other…
- Thailand News
Report attributes 32,000 premature deaths in Thailand to air pollution
According to the State of Global Air 2020 Report, around 32,000 premature deaths in Thailand, back in 2019, have been attributed to air pollution. The report cites the PM2.5 pollution particles as the main culprit as particles in that size range are the most likely to travel deeply into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs. Exposure to these fine particles…
- Tourism News
Phuket hammering out Covid vaccines, beating out rest of Thailand | VIDEO
The tourism-heavy island of Phuket is ramping up its local vaccine roll out, beating out the rest of Thailand in an attempt to achieve a herd immunity before it is able to reopen to tourists. The island is holding vaccination drives, with 9 centres in place to handle the estimated amount of 460,000 residents who are scheduled to get jabs…
- Pattaya News
Chon Buri sees 7 more Covid infections today, 5 foreigners
Thailand’s Chon Buri province, which features the tourist city of Pattaya, is seeing 7 more Covid-19 infections today. The Chon Buri Public Health Office made the announcement after seeing 8 infections just yesterday. The new infections are worrying officials, who say they are the most the province has seen in 3 months. Japanese nationals claimed 5 of the infections today,…
- Thailand News
Thailand allows entry to 11 groups of travellers, cuts quarantine down for those vaccinated
Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration is allowing 11 groups of tourists to enter the Kingdom with shortened quarantine times for those who have been fully vaccinated. Those who are vaccinated are able to complete a 7 day quarantine upon entering as long as they can show proof along with registering at Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health. The registration process…
- Thailand News
Thailand unlikely to join ASEAN in pressuring Myanmar junta to stop bloodshed
Thailand’s government is unlikely to join other members of ASEAN in calling for Myanmar’s junta to stop the bloodshed. Fears over receiving a flood of refugees across the Burmese border and damages to its military ties may be of more importance to the Kingdom, despite the government’s recent claims that it is “gravely concerned” over the situation in Myanmar. If…
- Thailand News
58 new Covid infections, 2 from entertainment venues
Thailand is reporting 58 new Covid-19 infections today with 2 being from entertainment venues. Thailand’s death toll has remained unchanged at 94. 45 of today’s cases were locally-transmitted and 13 were imported, raising the total in the Kingdom to 28,947 since the pandemic began in early 2020. The spokesman for the CCSA, Taweesilp Visanuyothin, says the 2 cases from the…
- Thailand News
Young Chon Buri couple in debt win 12 million baht in Thai lottery
A young couple in Chonburi, who say they are in debt, has won 12 million baht in the Thai national lottery. The couple won the 1st prize yesterday which is equivalent to US$360,000. 32 year old Saweng Norabut and 29 year old Kotchakorn Norabut went to the Nongkham Police Station yesterday with the set of 2 lottery tickets. The winning…
- Transport News
Phuket International Airport getting ready for reopening
Phuket International Airport is readying for the island’s reopening by beginning the vaccination process of all employees. The mandatory inoculations is hoped to increase confidence among foreign visitors, as many who have received a Covid vaccine, can now enter the island with relaxed quarantine measures. Just yesterday, officials confirmed that 2 flights from Germany will kick off the airport’s reopening,…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s monsoon season expected to be heaviest in 30 years
Thailand’s upcoming monsoon season is expected to start early and see the heaviest amount of rainfall in 30 years. The Royal Irrigation Department has instructed agencies to prepare for the situation by inspecting reservoirs’ and irrigation buildings’ conditions. As of now, the reservoirs are 50% full. The country overall has used a total of 73% of the water in the…
- Politics News
US State Department tells non-essential diplomats from Myanmar to leave
The US State Department is telling non-essential diplomats from Myanmar to leave, after hundreds of anti-coup protesters have been killed. Since the February 1 coup by Myanmar’s military, which removed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy from elected power, more than 510 people have been killed. “The Burmese military has detained and deposed elected government officials.…
- Health
Thailand introduces help for LGBT families
Thailand is introducing help for those families with LGBT children who suffer from bullying. The Thai Health Promotion Foundation and the Foundation of Transgender Alliance for Human Rights created a manual titled, “This House Has Gender Diversity.” Phoranee Phuprasert, director of the Office of Vulnerable Group Support, says the manual aims to create a better understanding of LGBT issues, especially…
- Politics News
PM says Thailand won’t turn away Burmese refugees, but reports say already 2,000 have been refused
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says Burmese refugees won’t be turned away, but reports say Thailand has already refused around 2,000 asylum seekers from entering. PM Prayut says the refugees would be let in on humanitarian grounds after more than 500 civilians have been killed since Myanmar’s junta took over in a coup on February 1. “Thailand will not turn them away.…
- Environment News
Northern Thailand sees dangerous levels of pollution
Northern Thailand is seeing dangerous levels of pollution with PM2.5 dust particle levels exceeding the safety standard. Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are the worst as they are both seeing over 50-micron PM2.5 dust particle levels. Wiang Pang Kham, a sub-district in Chiang Rai has recorded 247 microns, signaling extremely poor air quality. The Pollution Control Department said on its…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket sets questionable goal of vaccinating 50,000 in 7 days
Phuket is hoping to inoculate 50,000 people within 7 days of the vaccine’s delivery to the island. The governor of the island, Narong Woonciew is asking for residents to register for the vaccine to get the ball rolling as soon as possible to help make the island ready for a possible July reopening. “We will certainly receive 100,000 doses of vaccines…
- World News
Burmese anti-coup activists hurl garbage into streets after over 500 killed
Myanmar’s anti-coup activists are hurling garbage into the streets after more than 500 people have been killed since the junta took over. Protesters held candle-lit vigils for the deceased last night as yesterday saw 14 civilians killed, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. According to witnesses, security forces fired a much heavier-calibre type of weapon yesterday to clear…
- Crime News
Woman warns of paying cash on delivery after being scammed
A woman is warning internet users to beware of accepting parcels by paying cash on delivery after being allegedly scammed. According to Thai Residents, the woman says she accepted a package without knowing she didn’t order it, paying 590 baht in cash. Once she opened the package, she saw a pink t-shirt with a note that said, “I am sorry,…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s first female Education Minister targets bullying in schools
Thailand’s first female education minister is targetting bullying in schools as part of 3 policies she says she will start implementing today. Trinuch Thienthong, an MP from the coalition – core Palang Pracharath Party, says she will promote safety at schools, access to digital resources and knowledge and campaign for vocational education. Trinuch says Thailand’s schools, must be free of…
- Tourism News
Phuket wants Chinese tourists to jump-start sandbox scheme
Phuket wants Chinese tourists to jump – start its sandbox scheme which will let vaccinated international visitors enter the Andaman island without undergoing quarantine as of July 1. The targetting of Chinese visitors comes after data revealed that they contributed to 1/5 of the pre-Covid economy. The move to allow tourists to enter without undergoing quarantine is important as officials…
- Politics News
Thai government denies backing Myanmar’s junta
Thailand’s government leaders are now denying backing Myanmar’s junta government 2 days after its military shot and killed over 100 Burmese citizens. PM Prayut made the announcement to the media yesterday at the Government House. “In what ways do we support Myanmar troops? Nobody supports use of violence against the people.” But recently, PM Prayut was accused of supplying rice…
- Thai Life
All about Muay Thai, Thailand’s national sport
Muay Thai or Thai Boxing is Thailand’s cultural martial art and national sport. The origins of Muay Thai date back hundreds of years ago as modern-day Thai people needed a strong form of close-combat that used the entire body as a weapon to fight off those in neighbouring countries who were constantly trying to invade Siam, the former name of present…
- Crime News
Man who buys truck from auction finds 20 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine inside
A man who bought a truck from a Bangkok auction site got a hefty surprise after finding 20 kilograms of crystal meth (ice) in a secret compartment when he went to install a new audio system. He says the drugs were bundled in gold wrapping when he discovered them and immediately returned the truck to the auction in the Bang…
- World News
At least 16 shot and killed by Myanmar military on Armed Forces Day
At least 16 people are dead after Myanmar’s military fired shots at protesters today despite it being Armed Forces Day. Despite widespread condemnation, the Burmese junta leader issued a statement that the military will “continue to protect its people and strive for democracy”. The protesters seemed to defy the military’s warnings that they could be shot in the head and…
- Road deaths
Thai man dies after motorbike hits tree in Phuket
A Thai man has died after over shooting a curb and hitting a tree in Phuket Town last night. 36 year old Narongchai Samat, from Phang Nga, became the 23rd person to die on Phuket roads this year. Phuket City Police were called around 10:15pm last night, to the scene of the accident, which was near the Phuket office of…
- Tourism News
5 other provinces adopting Phuket’s sandbox reopening model
5 other Thai provinces will be adopting Phuket’s sandbox model between the months of October and December, with a full reopening of Thailand, set to take place in January 2022. The Tourism Authority of Thailand governor says the plan to reopen the tourism provinces will need local residents’ support and a detailed map of where tourists would be allowed to…
- Tourism News
UPDATE: Phuket’s tourism ‘sandbox’ plan gets approved by CESA
Phuket’s tourism sandbox plan has been approved, as of today, by The Centre for Economic Situation Administration. The meeting was chaired by the Thai PM. The scheme, which would allow vaccinated tourists to skip quarantine starting July 1, still needs to be discussed between the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the CCSA, and the Phuket governor before becoming official. Tourists who…
- Events
Pattaya rounding up the homeless ahead of this weekend’s Pattaya Colorful event
Pattaya is rounding up homeless people ahead of its Pattaya Colorful event this weekend after locals complained. Officers from the Chonburi Social Development and Human Security Division, along with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division inspected and interviewed homeless people and beggars on Pattaya Walking Street, Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya Beach and Soi Buakhow last night. Officials say most of the…
- Thailand News
134 new Covid cases, 6 imported- Covid-19 Update
Thailand is reporting 134 new cases of Covid-19 today, raising the total number to 28,577 with 0 new deaths. 128 of the newly reported cases are locally-acquired, while 6 are imported. Bangkok reported the largest number of cases at 98, with 82 being found through pro-active testing and 16 being found amongst those in hospitals. Samut Sakhon, the centre of…
- South Thailand News
Roadside bomb explodes in Yala, injuring policeman and volunteer
A roadside bomb in Thailand’s southern Yala province, is being blamed for injuring a tourist policeman and a police volunteer. The bomb exploded, causing shrapnel to hit the pair while they were driving through Bannang Sata district at around 8pm. The pair was travelling on Road 410, the Yala-Betong route, when the bomb went off, hitting their pickup truck and…
- World News
Hundreds of Burmese refugees flee to Thailand, risking arrest and deportation
Hundreds of Burmese refugees are fleeing to Thailand in a risky bid to escape the Myanmar army, which seized government in a coup de etat on February 1. The Royal Thai Army has set up temporary camps to deal with the massive influx of immigrants, but since Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, the immigrants are…
