Maya Taylor
- Business News
Another 700 7-Eleven stores to open across Thailand
The operator of the 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores has confirmed it will open another 700 shops in the Kingdom this year. According to a Bangkok Post report this morning, CP All plans to spend between 11.5 and 12 billion baht on expansion in 2021. The company has opened 155 new 7-Eleven stores so far this year, meaning there were…
- Tourism News
KLM to introduce Amsterdam – Phuket flights from October
KLM has announced an expansion to its network from this coming winter, including flights from Amsterdam to Phuket, with a touchdown in Kuala Lumpur. The southern Thai island is one of 6 new destinations being introduced, the others being Mombasa in Kenya, Orlando in the US, Cancun in Mexico, Bridgetown in Barbados, and Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago.…
- World News
Philippines confirms delay in imports of AstraZeneca doses from Thailand
The Philippines has announced that the arrival of a first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines being imported from Thailand has been delayed. The delivery of the vaccines, manufactured in Thailand and ordered by the Philippines, has now been pushed back by several weeks. According to a Bangkok Post report, the development gives rise to questions about Thailand’s distribution plans for Southeast…
- Covid-19 News
Health Minister confident AstraZeneca doses will arrive on time
Thailand’s Public Health Minister says the delivery of 6 million doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine is on schedule. Anutin Charnvirakul says the doses are expected to arrive in batches, throughout the month of June, and he’s confident the first lot will be here by June 7, when the national rollout begins. “I’m confident the first lot will be put…
- World News
It’s a yes: WHO approves Sinovac for emergency use
The CoronaVac vaccine from Chinese firm Sinovac has been approved for emergency use, making it the second Chinese vaccine to be approved by the World Health Organisation. The approval paves the way for more widespread global distribution, particularly as part of the Covax scheme. The scheme aims to provide poorer countries with equal access to Covid-19 vaccines but up to…
- World News
State of emergency extended in Japan
A month before the Olympic Games begin, a state of emergency has been extended in 9 Japanese prefectures, including Tokyo. The extended decree is in force until June 20 and covers Hokkaido, Tokyo, Aichi, Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto, Okayama, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Okinawa. In the prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Gifu, and Mie, strict non-emergency restrictions are in force and have…
- Bangkok News
Thai government allegedly ticked-off with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
The government is becoming increasingly irritated by the Bangkok Governor and his administration, according to a Thai Enquirer report. The media outlet says senior officials at the Public Health Ministry and at the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration are critical of the governor’s random handling of the pandemic and its associated restrictions. The report is based on feedback from an…
- Covid-19 News
Government unsure if local administration budgets can be used to buy vaccines
In what could put yet another spanner in the works, the Thai government is questioning if local authorities can purchase vaccines and whether state-allocated budgets can be used for this purpose. The Bangkok Post reports that officials at the Interior Ministry fear a chaotic rollout, with several local administrative organisations racing to order supplies of Sinopharm, the latest vaccine to…
- Phuket News
TAT outlines rules for Phuket re-opening | VIDEO
So, here they are, the dos and don’ts for all those vaccinated tourists planning trips to the southern island of Phuket from July 1. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has laid out the rules governing the Phuket Sandbox model that will see the island re-open to international visitors in just a few weeks’ time. While fully vaccinated tourists will no…
- World News
Vietnamese president asks US for help with Covid-19 vaccination efforts
The President of Vietnam has written to US President, Joe Biden, asking for help with Covid-19 vaccines as his country battles a surge in infections. Over 4,000 new cases have been recorded since a fourth wave took hold at the end of April. The country has received 2 shipments of 2.5 million AstraZeneca doses through Covax, the global initiative set…
- World News
Full lockdown in Malaysia from tomorrow
From tomorrow, Malaysia goes into full lockdown in an attempt to flatten the curve of Covid-19 infections across the country. PM Muhyiddin Yassin had been resisting calls for a lockdown, saying he was trying to balance public health needs with economic recovery. However, even some businesses in the country’s tourism sector have been pushing for tougher measures. Just hours before…
- Covid-19 News
Thai government accused of concealing AstraZeneca supply issues
Medics are accusing the Thai government of a lack of transparency over supply issues associated with the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. The Rural Doctors Society says the administration is keeping quiet about the real situation and the supply challenges it faces. The government has consistently said that the first batch of locally-produced doses would be delivered this week. The Foreign Ministry…
- Covid-19 News
Thai government calls on all foreigners to register for Covid vaccine
Roll up, roll up…your sleeves. The Thai government says all foreign nationals living in the Kingdom should register for vaccination, ahead of the national rollout next month. The news was confirmed by Natapanu Nopakun from the Foreign Ministry, who you may know from the daily English-language briefings on behalf of the Covid-19 Situation Administration. “All people living on Thai soil,…
- World News
Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City orders travel companies to suspend “vaccine tours”
Officials in Ho Chi Minh have ordered local travel companies to stop offering “vaccine tours” to the US, accusing operators of only selling 1-way tickets. The southern city’s Tourism Department claims there are hidden costs involved and travellers may even end up without a flight home. So-called vaccine tours have become popular recently, as wealthy citizens whose countries are struggling…
- World News
Malaysian PM under fire as Covid-19 infections climb
The Malaysian PM is being slammed by the public and opposition politicians alike as a state of emergency introduced in January has failed to curb the spread of Covid-19. Under the state of emergency, Muhyiddin Yassin was able to suspend Parliament, with the emergency not due to end until August. Critics say the suspension of Parliament is a suspension of…
- Covid-19 News
Over 1,200 new infections found across 14 Thai prisons
The Corrections Department has confirmed that another 1,228 Covid-19 cases have been reported across 14 prisons around the country. According to a Bangkok Post report, Veerakit Harnpariyan from the department adds that another 2,054 patients have recovered, while 16,319 are being treated at prison facilities. Veerakit has also responded to reports on social media about a man who was found…
- Covid-19 News
Princess steps in to approve alternative vaccine imports
Princess Chulabhorn, sister to His Majesty, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, has signed a decree to allow the Chulabhorn Royal Academy, which she sponsors, to import Covid-19 vaccines. It’s understood that the institution will import another Chinese vaccine, Sinopharm, which the Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve in the coming week. The surprise development has been confirmed in the Royal…
- World News
Bali officials run out of patience with badly-behaved tourists
The Indonesian holiday island of Bali has lost patience with misbehaving visitors, with several tourists being deported for their high-jinks. Singapore’s Channel News Asia has been documenting the activities likely to get you kicked out of Indonesia – don’t say you haven’t been warned. Bali locals are not in the mood for jokes as their country continues to do battle…
- Phuket News
Phuket study confirms Sinovac vaccine offers 80% protection
A study on the southern island of Phuket indicates that inoculation with the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine reduces the chance of contracting the virus by more than 83%. Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Public Health Ministry says around 22% of the island’s population has now received both doses of the Sinovac vaccine, with 45% having received the first dose. According to…
- World News
Biden orders US officials to review rival theories to confirm Covid-19 origin
US President Joe Biden has ordered staffers to investigate and confirm the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, pointing out that rival scenarios, including a possible Chinese lab leak, continue to circulate. Biden says US intelligence agencies are exploring 2 likely theories but have yet to reach concrete conclusions, with debate raging around both. “I have now asked the Intelligence Community…
- Covid-19 News
Government “revamps” vaccination registration after scrapping Mor Prom
After scrapping its Mor Prom app, the government is now rejigging Covid-19 vaccine allocation, amid registration issues and new infection clusters. The much-lauded (by the government) technology was launched on May 1, initially so the elderly and those with 7 underlying conditions could register. However, the system quickly became overwhelmed with the numbers trying to register, which caused it to…
- Covid-19 News
Managers of Bangkok clubs blamed for third wave deny any wrongdoing
The managers of 2 nightclubs in the Thong Lor district of Bangkok have denied any responsibility for causing a third wave of Covid-19. The Krystal and Emerald clubs have been widely blamed for sparking a resurgence of the virus that has now spread across the Kingdom, threatening tourism re-opening plans and further decimating an already-fragile economy. Both managers face charges…
- South Thailand News
Health officials checking for additional cases of South African variant in South
Samples taken from Covid-19 patients in southern Thailand are being tested to check for the highly-contagious, so-called South African variant. Supphakit Siriluck from the Medical Science Department says so far, the variant has only been found in Narathiwat province, but samples from patients in Songkhla and Phatthalung are also being analysed. Supphakit says that at the moment, the world is…
- World News
Vaccine reluctance in Hong Kong may see unused doses being discarded
The take-up of Covid-19 vaccines has been so low in Hong Kong that, according to a BBC report, the territory may end up throwing away 2 million Pfizer doses. Fewer than 20% of the population has been vaccinated and the 2 million doses will expire in 3 months’ time. Hong Kong has procured sufficient doses to inoculate its entire population,…
- Covid-19 News
Health Minister insists AstraZeneca vaccines will be delivered on time
The required doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will be ready for the government’s June 7 rollout. So says Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in response to concerns over supply issues. A number of hospitals have already suspended use of the vaccine, due to low or no supplies. According to a Bangkok Post report, Anutin met with representatives from AstraZeneca…
- Northern Thailand News
Thai healthcare workers use dance routine to cheer up quarantined village | VIDEO
Healthcare workers in the north-eastern province of Buriram have come up with a novel way to help residents in a closed-off village in Krasang district. The villagers in the Samet Moo 7 community have been sealed off from the outside world as a result of a Covid-19 outbreak. On Sunday, healthcare workers therefore decided to break into a dance routine…
- World News
Covid-19 breath test with 1-minute result approved for use in Singapore – VIDEO
The National University of Singapore says a breath test that can detect Covid-19 infection within a minute has been approved for use in the city state. The revolutionary test was developed by university start-up company Breathonix. According to a Bloomberg report, the breath test works in a similar way to a standard breathalyser used to detect alcohol. The person being…
- Politics News
Former Finance Minister petitions to revoke approval of government’s 700 billion baht loan
A former politician, who served as Finance Minister from 2011 to 2012, is petitioning the Supreme Administrative Court to revoke approval for the government’s 700 billion baht loan. Cabinet recently approved an executive decree that allows the government to borrow the funds, in order to restore Thailand’s decimated economy and combat the Covid-19 crisis. Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala says he doesn’t object…
- Covid-19 News
Government urged to clarify private hospitals’ vaccination role
The government is being urged to clarify whether private hospitals can administer Covid-19 vaccines to employees. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry, also known as EconThai, says the government needs to eliminate the legal barriers preventing private hospitals from vaccinating workers. Last week, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said workers under Section 33 of…
- World News
Donald Trump sued for using the term “China Virus” to refer to Covid-19
A civil rights group is suing former US president Donald Trump for coining the term, “China Virus” to refer to Covid-19. The Chinese Americans Civil Rights Coalition have filed a complaint in a federal court in New York, alleging that Trump’s terminology had no substance to back it up and was a source of distress to Chinese Americans. The former…
