- Covid-19 News
Government calling on nurses to enlist for special Covid-19 taskforce
According to the Thailand Nursing Midwifery Council, it is predicted that Thailand will need at least 400 more experienced nurses to battle the growing number of Covid-19 patients in the kingdom. The president of the Council, Thassana Boonthong says, “nurses specialised in caring for patients in critical condition are in high demand as hospitals are allocating more beds for coronavirus…
- Covid-19 News
14 Thai provinces apply travel restrictions for residents
14 provincial governors around the country have declared ‘travel restrictions’ in and out of their provinces. Under the emergency decree PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has given full authority to provincial governors to increase prevention measures. The ‘lockdowns’ are done to help contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus. In some provinces, inter district and inter sub-district travel is also being restricted.…
- Covid-19 News
80 Thai health workers confirmed with Covid-19 virus
A spokesman for the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin reported that the coronavirus crisis has taken a grave toll on the country’s medical staff, with 80 infected so far by the virus since January. Coronavirus among medical staff has now accounted for 3.4 % of the total 2,258 confirmed cases in Thailand. Of the 80 confirmed…
- Covid-19 News
Bangkok bans booze April 10-20
All sales of alcohol will be banned in Bangkok starting tomorrow until April 20. Police made the announcement this afternoon at the Covid 19 Disease Management Centre in Bangkok. The stated reason for the ban is to encourage social distancing and stop the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. However, many netizens have already commented that it follows similar moves in…
- Covid-19 News
Thai banks cut lending rates to ease Covid-19 fallout
Today the Bank of Thailand, in a joint effort with the Financial Institutions Development Fund, eased debt repayment requirements, in bid to help people affected by the Covid-19 virus who are unable to pay monthly minimums. Kasikornbank (KBank) and Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) are also planning to reduce their prime lending rates by 40 basis points. The KBank co-president Predee Daochai…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket announces restricted travel between sub-districts from April 13
Phuket prepares to close off every sub-district on April 13, for 14 days. Phuket officials have already ordered the closure of more than 6 sub-districts includes Patong, Kathu, Rawai, Karon, Kata and Pla Klok Districts. Pakpong Thawiphat, the Phuket Governor has explained in-depth that Phuket will close all the remaining sub-districts from April 13 for 14 days. He stressed that it…
- Covid-19 News
Former deputy commerce minister faces charges over murder of Judge’s brother
Former deputy commerce minister Banyin Tangpakorn, along with 5 other suspects, is facing charges from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) relating to the killing of a senior judge’s brother. Deputy chief of the CSD Anek Taosupab, says investigators are planning to question Banyin in prison over the murder of Wirachai Sakuntaprasoet, (brother of Criminal Court senior judge Phanida Sakuntaprasoet). Banyin…
- Covid-19 News
Chamber predicts 7 million Thai people to be jobless by June
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking have predicted that 7 million people will be jobless in Thailand by June. The dire prediction from the chairman of the JSCCIB Supant Mongkolsuthree. “Low wage workers will be affected the most by the layoffs, an estimated of 4.2 million retail and shopping mall workers will lose their jobs, along with…
- Covid-19 News
BIG arrest on price gouging of Covid-19 safety gear and fake test kits
2 Chinese men identified as Chen Lei and Wein Pinpin have been arrested inside a home in Pra Khanong district, Bangkok, after officials received a tip-off that fake Covid-19 test kits were being smuggled into the country. 45,000 fake Covid-19 test kits, 350,000 medical masks, and 1,200 infrared thermometers were seized. The evidence was valued at 33,750,000 baht. These items…
- Covid-19 News
Koh Lanta restricts entry after 4 confirmed cases of Covid-19
The beautiful Koh Lanta in Krabi province is to be shut down after 4 confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection were found on the island. Today in an emergency meeting with the top executives of Krabi province, alongside 8 district sheriffs, Krabi’s governor Kitibadee Prawit, says “further measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 are being added as the 4 infected…
- Northern Thailand News
Grand opening of Nakhon Ratchasima war room
In a joint effort with locals, government, the private sector and Former Deputy prime minister Suwat Liptapanlop, Nakhon Ratchasima has officially announced the opening of a “War Room”. The purpose of the situation room is to combat the deadly disease and to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus locally in the province. The centre is also producing free cloth…
- Covid-19 News
Pattaya commences ‘restricted access’ from April 9 onwards
Today, Chon Buri’s governor Pakkhathorn Thianchai has approved the Pattaya City’s proposal to restrict access to the town at 2pm from tomorrow (April 9) for 21 days. It is not a new curfew, but a limitation on people travelling in and out of the city region. Pattaya City will commence a 24 hour lock down of the city’s borders where…
- Covid-19 News
Link between Covid-19 infections and ‘smell blindness’
The Royal College of Otolaryngologists, Head and Neck Surgeons of Thailand is alerting doctors to pay special attention to signs of anosmia (loss of smell or ‘smell blindness’) with Covid-19 patients and people who are being tested for Covid-19. Anosmia was found to be more common in patients with mild symptoms of Covid-19. The chairperson of the royal college, Professor…
- Covid-19 News
Boxing fans preparing to donate blood plasma to help others with their recovery
Today, boxing fans who has fully recovered from the Covid-19 virus has announced that they are planning to donate their blood plasma to help doctor and medical officials study on ways to help others. With the donation fans are hoping that it could help with the recovery of other patients and hopefully, find a cure for the pandemic. A ring…
- Covid-19 News
1.9 trillion baht stimulus aims to relieve Covid-19 impacts on Thai business
Today, on the weekly meeting with the Thai Cabinet, it was concluded and approved that the third phase of the economic stimulus will commence as of today. The stimulus is valued at 1.9 trillion baht and is aimed to relieve some of the impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha revealed that the third phase of economic stimulus measures…
- Covid-19 News
HRH Princess Sirindhorn sets up fund to aid Thai hospitals and health care providers
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has assigned the Chaipattana Foundation (a non-government organisation) to set up funds and raise money to help hospitals and health care providers as an aid to battle against the Covid-19 virus. The fund is to support the requirement of medical equipment and supplies for hospitals and health care providers who are currently treating…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket Governor enforces wearing of face masks
Yesterday, Phuket Governor ordered that all residents and travellers in the province (he means ‘everyone’) must wear sanitary face masks in public spaces, at all times. Violators will face up to 20,000 baht fine, the order takes effect from today until further notice. Governor Phakkhaphong Thawiphat says that the Phuket Committee for Communicable Disease has agreed to enforce the order…
- Covid-19 News
CAUTION: Sterilising machines unsafe for humans
Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration deputy secretary-general Supattra Boonserm has revealed that The World Health Oraganisation is encouraging people not to use any Covid-19 “sterilising machine services”, including UV and spray tunnels, as these are harmful to the skin and exposure to the radiation or chemicals may even cause cancer. “Most of the antiseptic used in the spray tunnels are…
- Covid-19 News
Central bank gives advice on disinfecting cash
The Bank of Thailand has announced today that all Thai citizens should clean all banknotes and coins to help contain the spread of the virus and ensure that the bank notes are not contaminated with the Covid-19 virus. The BoT says notes can be disinfected by briefly soaking them in a soapy solution or a dishwashing liquid. Then the notes…
- Covid-19 News
All Nakhon Ratchasima hotels ordered closed
Today the governor of the northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province Vichian Channothai, also chairman of the provincial communicable diseases committee, signed an order to shut down all hotels to fight the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. The order is effective immediately and until further notice. All hotels with current guests are required to inform district health officials of their total numbers,…
- Covid-19 News
308 curfew breakers are facing imprisonment and fines up to 40,000 baht
Yesterday 18,893 officers including police officers along with officials from the army, Ministry of Public Health and volunteers were on the lookout for curfew breakers. A total of 836 checkpoints were placed across the kingdom. On the second night of the curfew (April 4) officials reported 308 people arrested who had violated the 10pm to 4am curfew. Police Lieutenant General Piya…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket shuts down two more southern subdistricts
Last night at 10pm Phuket’s Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana, announced the ‘lock down’ of Rawai and Karon districts to contain the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak. The proclamation starts today until further notice. “People are asked to say in their homes at all times, while public health teams will be deployed to check any common area for the virus.” “All nonessential…
- Covid-19 News
Reimbursement for medical bills for Covid-19 in Thailand
According to a Facebook post on the ‘Thai Khu Fa (Government House)’ page, the Thai government has informed that private hospitals are not allowed to send medical bills to Covid-19 patients or their family, the post says that the government will reimburse all the medical bills back to the hospital. Many complaints were sent the government that Covid-19 patients at…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand facing blood supply shortages
Due to the ongoing and escalating situation of the Covid-19 virus, blood donors have dramatically decreased by 50% making the supplies of blood in Thailand harder to come across. This will critically affect over 10,000 people in Thailand who are currently suffering from various blood disorders, including thalassemia. The Deputy Director of the National Blood Service Centre of the Thai…
- Covid-19 News
Pattaya police confiscate more than 750,000 smuggled face masks
Yesterday Region 1 police in Pattaya province seized 787,779 face masks and 10,000 litres of alcohol gel smuggled into the country from Vietnam. The smuggled goods were found in three houses in Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi and Don Muang. The smugglers’ told police that they planned on selling the face masks for 14 baht per piece which would have potentially made them…
- Covid-19 News
Google will publish user location data to aid in the fight against Covid-19
Today in Paris, Google has announced that it will start publishing location data from its users located in 131 countries, starting today. This will be done to allow the governments to indicate the performance of social distancing to help in the combat of the Covid-19 pandemic. Reports of users’ movement will be recorded on a special website and will ‘chart…
- Covid-19 News
Royal Thai Army are to monitor night curfew nationwide
Today, Royal Thai Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong has announced that he has appointed military units to patrol areas nationwide from 10 pm to 4 am. This decision came into play while the general was discussing the to follow up on the Covid-19 pandemic at the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, with a video conference call to the Army Operations…
- Covid-19 News
Wear face masks in Chanthaburi or face punishment
Yesterday, Withurat Srinam Governor of Chanthaburi province, eastern Thailand, ordered all citizens in the province to wear face masks (sanitary or cloth) before leaving their homes. People who don’t do this will face a maximum fine of 20,000 baht. The order has been effective from yesterday to April 30. “The Chanthaburi Committee for Communicable Disease has agreed to enforce the…
- Covid-19 News
All public transport in Bangkok to stop in time for nightly curfew
Public transport services in the Bangkok area will be closed from 9.30pm – 4am in accordance with the PMs’ declaration of a nationwide curfew to curb the spread of coronavirus disease. This was announced by the Thai Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob. Normal service hours for MRTA, BTS and Airport Rail Link usually end at midnight but due to unusual circumstances,…
- Covid-19 News
Thai authorities track down contacts of Covid-19 victim
Yesterday a 57 year old man, named as ‘Anan Soho’, passed away due to the effects of the Coronavirus. Authorities are now trying to track down people who came in contact with the man. The man died travelling on a southbound train on Monday night. A spokesperson from the Immigration Bureau says that Anan had returned to Thailand from Islamabad, Pakistan,…
