Maya Taylor

A seasoned writer, with a degree in Creative Writing. Over ten years' experience in producing blog and magazine articles, news reports and website content.
  • Phuket NewsPhuket tourism operators banking on 5 billion baht recovery fund

    Phuket tourism operators banking on 5 billion baht recovery fund

    Businesses on the resort island of Phuket are counting on a 5 billion baht fund to revitalise the decimated tourism sector. Thanet Tantipiriyakit from the Phuket Tourism Council says tourism operators on the island are pinning their hopes on the fund being created. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the fund will materialise. With the money, we can breathe a…

  • World NewsBurmese UN envoy calls for international support for democracy in Myanmar

    Burmese UN envoy calls for international support for democracy in Myanmar

    The Burmese UN envoy says he’s intent on seeking international support for democracy in his country. Kyaw Moe Tun was speaking to Japanese news agency NHK at the UN offices in New York. He was made UN envoy by the former Burmese government, which was ousted in a military coup in February, despite having been democratically elected. According to a…

  • South Thailand NewsCovid infections climbing in South, officials say curve should flatten within a month

    Covid infections climbing in South, officials say curve should flatten within a month

    The Public Health Ministry says that while Covid-19 infections are rising in the south of the country, numbers are expected to level off within a month. According to a Bangkok Post report, Dr Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong says the Delta variant accounts for around 30% of infections in the region, although the Beta variant is more prevalent in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and…

  • Tourism NewsThai Lion Air adds more aircraft to fleet as Thailand plans further re-opening

    Thai Lion Air adds more aircraft to fleet as Thailand plans further re-opening

    Thai Lion Air is expanding its fleet as Thailand plans to re-open more parts of the country to international travel. The carrier’s chief executive, Aswin Yangkirativorn, says the expanded fleet, which includes 2 Airbus aircraft and 2 Boeing 737s, will serve international destinations. The airline has already taken delivery of the Airbus aircraft, with the Boeing delivery expected before the…

  • World NewsThailand to be removed from UK red list from Monday

    Thailand to be removed from UK red list from Monday

    Thailand is being removed from Britain’s red list, meaning no more hotel quarantine for arrivals from the kingdom. Earlier this week, the UK ditched its advice against non-essential travel for 32 countries, but left Thailand and others on the red list. Now, that list will be cut to just 7 countries from Monday, with Thailand and 46 others coming off.…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid-19 drug likely to arrive December as procurement agreement in final stages

    Covid-19 drug likely to arrive December as procurement agreement in final stages

    The world’s first oral treatment for Covid-19 could be available in Thailand from December, as a draft agreement nears completion. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Department of Medical Services chief says the draft procurement deal is awaiting legal approval from the government. Somsak Akksilp says his department is in talks with the Thai subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant Merck,…

  • World NewsVietnam to re-open popular tourist spots to vaccinated arrivals from December

    Vietnam to re-open popular tourist spots to vaccinated arrivals from December

    From December, Vietnam will open a number of tourist hotspots to vaccinated travellers from “low-risk” countries. According to a Reuters report, the Vietnamese government hopes to follow this with a full re-opening, currently planned for June 2022. The authorities recently confirmed they would re-open the popular island of Phu Quoc to vaccinated tourists from November. The country has been living…

  • Bangkok NewsAirport bosses says Don Mueang is prepared for flooding threat

    Airport bosses says Don Mueang is prepared for flooding threat

    The director of Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport says the facility can cope with the threat of flooding and mechanisms are in place to drain floodwater. According to a Bangkok Post report, Thanee Chuangchoo says the airport has the means to drain excess water from runways, taxi-ways, and the aircraft apron within 3 hours. Thanee says the airport’s drainage system consists…

  • World NewsUK ditches “non-essential travel” alert for 32 countries, Thailand remains on red list

    UK ditches “non-essential travel” alert for 32 countries, Thailand remains on red list

    The British government has amended its advice to avoid non-essential travel to 32 countries. The Bangkok Post reports that the move comes as countries around the world continue to make progress in fighting the pandemic. However, according to the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Thailand remains on the red list, along with South Africa, Brazil, and Mexico. “The Foreign,…

  • World NewsExtinction Rebellion protesters disrupt Paris Fashion Week show

    Extinction Rebellion protesters disrupt Paris Fashion Week show

    Climate change activists from the Extinction Rebellion group have disrupted a Louis Vuitton catwalk show during Paris Fashion Week. According to an AFP report, a protester invaded a catwalk in the Louvre art gallery to slam the fashion industry for its negative impact on the environment. An activist carrying a banner that read, “”Overconsumption = extinction”, managed to climb onto…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand to finalise procurement contract for new Covid-19 drug within 2 weeks

    Thailand to finalise procurement contract for new Covid-19 drug within 2 weeks

    The Health Ministry says a contract to purchase supplies of the first oral Covid-19 treatment will be completed in the next 2 weeks. According to a Bangkok Post report, the first batch of pills could arrive as soon as November. Somsak Akkasilp from the Department of Medical Services says the government has ordered enough to treat 200,000 people, adding that…

  • Thailand NewsGovernment considering legalising e-cigarettes amid outcry from health groups

    Government considering legalising e-cigarettes amid outcry from health groups

    The government is looking at ways e-cigarettes could be legalised, in order to offer a less harmful alternative to smoking regular cigarettes. The Digital Economy and Society Minister, Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, says he believes vaping is safer for people trying to quit smoking, but his comments have been met with fierce opposition from health campaigners, according to a Bangkok Post report.…

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesFlood warning issued for Bangkok

    Flood warning issued for Bangkok

    Despite officials hoping for a reduction in the heavy rainfall and flooding affecting many parts of Thailand, it seems the situation is not easing yet. Residents in Bangkok, along the capital’s Chao Phraya River, have been put on high alert over potential flooding. The Bangkok Post reports that the warning comes as 3,000 cubic metres of water per second flows…

  • Crime NewsFormer massage parlour boss arrested on sex trafficking charges after 5 years on the run

    Former massage parlour boss arrested on sex trafficking charges after 5 years on the run

    A massage parlour boss has been arrested on charges of sex trafficking and child prostitution, after evading police for 5 years. Nation Thailand reports that 63 year old Prasert Sukkhee, the former owner of the Nataree massage parlour, was arrested by anti-people trafficking officers in the Bangkok Noi district of the capital. The case against Prasert dates back to 2016,…

  • World NewsBali to partially re-open to travellers from select countries next week

    Bali to partially re-open to travellers from select countries next week

    A government minister in Indonesia has confirmed the island of Bali will partially re-open to arrivals from certain countries. However, the list does not currently include Australia, a significant tourism market for Indonesia prior to the pandemic. According to an AFP report, Luhut Panjaitan says that from October 14, Ngurah Rai International Airport will open for arrivals from South Korea,…

  • Crime NewsFormer cop accused of torture and murder was involved in seizure of over 400 luxury cars

    Former cop accused of torture and murder was involved in seizure of over 400 luxury cars

    A man accused of murder and fired from his role as police chief in the northern province of Nakhon Sawan was involved in the confiscation of over 400 luxury cars. According to deputy national police chief, Suchart Thiraswasdi, disgraced former cop Thitisan Utthanaphol was involved in the seizure of 410 high-end vehicles that had been smuggled into Thailand from Malaysia…

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesWidespread flooding easing across affected provinces

    Widespread flooding easing across affected provinces

    Officials say the widespread flooding that has affected Bangkok and several other provinces is showing signs of easing. However, there are already forecasts of another storm that could affect Thailand from next week. AP News reports that so far, 8 people have been killed by the floods, with 1 woman still missing. Thousands of homes have been affected, across 32…

  • Thailand NewsThai AirAsia operating 20 domestic routes from this month

    Thai AirAsia operating 20 domestic routes from this month

    From this month, Thai AirAsia is resuming a number of domestic routes, as well as introducing new ones. TTR Weekly reports that the low-cost carrier is now operating flights from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Phitsanulok, Nan, Loei, Sakon Nakhon, Surat Thani, Krabi, and Trang. It will also launch a new route from Chiang Mai to Hua Hin from October…

  • Tourism NewsAll countries now eligible for Thailand’s sandbox programme

    All countries now eligible for Thailand’s sandbox programme

    The Thai government has got rid of its list of “approved countries”, opening up the sandbox tourism programme to fully vaccinated visitors from anywhere in the world. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has welcomed the move, which means Indonesian and Malaysian tourists can now visit the kingdom. Prior to Covid-19, Malaysia was Thailand’s second…

  • Covid-19 NewsDelivery of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine pushed back to November

    Delivery of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine pushed back to November

    A day after the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation said the first doses of the Moderna vaccine would arrive this month – earlier than planned – it turns out they won’t. According to a Bangkok Post report, Zuellig Pharma, authorised distributor of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine says delivery of the first batch has had to be postponed to November, as originally planned.…

  • Covid-19 NewsVaccination of over 5 million school students gets underway

    Vaccination of over 5 million school students gets underway

    The vaccination of Thai school students gets underway today, with over 5 million students expected to receive a Covid-19 vaccine. The vaccination drive is in preparation for the new school term in November. According to a Bangkok Post report, students between the ages of 12 and 18 will be vaccinated with the Pfizer mRNA vaccine, starting with those in dark…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand allows antigen test kits to be sold online, in regular shops

    Thailand allows antigen test kits to be sold online, in regular shops

    Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration says the sale of Covid-19 antigen test kits in shops and online has now been approved. Dr Paisal Dankhum from the FDA says the Public Health Ministry took the decision to allow more widespread sales, in order to improve public access to ATKs. Previously, the kits could only be purchased through hospitals, health clinics, and…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand’s largest field hospital closes as last Covid-19 patient discharged

    Thailand’s largest field hospital closes as last Covid-19 patient discharged

    Thailand’s largest Covid-19 field hospital has closed its doors as the number of seriously ill patients and new infections continues to fall. The Public Health Ministry closed Busarakham field hospital yesterday. The facility was located at the Impact exhibition and convention centre in the central province of Nonthaburi. According to a Bangkok Post report, the hospital opened on May 14…

  • Tourism NewsGovernment reveals Thailand’s 2022 tourism slogan

    Government reveals Thailand’s 2022 tourism slogan

    The Thai government has unveiled the new slogan that will be used to market the country to foreign tourists next year: “Visit Thailand 2022, Now Even More Amazing Thailand Has It All”. Thai PBS World reports that the slogan was revealed at an online meeting of the Centre for Economic Situation Administration yesterday. The meeting was chaired by PM Prayut…

  • Phuket NewsOfficials expect tens of billions of baht in Phuket tourism revenue in next 6 months

    Officials expect tens of billions of baht in Phuket tourism revenue in next 6 months

    The governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand expects Phuket to welcome 1 million foreign visitors in the next 6 months. Yuthasak Supasorn says this will generate around 60 billion baht in tourism revenue, as a result of some travel restrictions being relaxed. “We expect the number of visitors will significantly increase in the final quarter factoring in the quarantine…