Maya Taylor
- Covid-19 News
The end is in sight: CCSA hints at October for lifting restrictions, re-opening Thailand
The Thai government’s Covid-19 task force says that, provided people continue to cooperate with efforts to keep the virus suppressed, the country will re-open fully by October and all restrictions will be lifted. The announcement brings a ray of hope to many, not least everyone in the tourism sector. Apisamai Srirangson from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration acknowledges that…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok’s Wat Arun to go green as part of St Patrick’s Day celebration
A host of iconic landmarks around the world will celebrate St Patrick’s Day by going green on March 17 – and Bangkok’s Wat Arun will be among them. Thailand’s capital is participating in the “Global Greening Programme 2021” an initiative in which the spire of Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) will be temporarily lit in green. Also turning green will…
- World News
Indonesia designates 3 areas of Bali as Covid-19 ‘green zones’ to welcome foreign tourists
In a move that Thai officials may watch with some interest, the governor of Bali, Indonesia, has designated 3 areas of the province as Covid-19 “green zones” to welcome international tourists. The popular tourist destinations of Ubud, Sanur, and Nusa Dua, have all been labelled “green zones” as Indonesia takes tentative steps towards re-opening its borders. Bali governor, Wayan Koster,…
- Krabi News
Work on Maya Bay jetty nearly complete, but officials say, “not yet” to re-opening
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has responded to pleas for Maya Bay to re-open by telling local officials to wait. Krabi authorities are anxious for the famed beauty spot to re-open as they desperately try to revive tourism in the province. The bay has been closed since 2018 after conservationists determined that a break from visitors…
- Thailand News
Speed limit on Thailand’s highways increased to 120 kilometres an hour
It’s official – the maximum speed limit on 4-lane highways in Thailand has been increased to 120 kilometres per hour, with the new regulation published in the Royal Gazette yesterday. Previously 90 kilometres per hour, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob says the increase in the maximum speed limit is aimed at improving the flow of traffic in line with conditions, while…
- Pattaya News
1 dead, 1 injured, 2 businesses damaged in 6-vehicle collision in eastern Thailand
A collision involving 6 vehicles in the eastern province of Chon Buri has left 1 man dead, 1 woman injured, and damaged 2 businesses in the vicinity. The Pattaya News reports that the incident occurred in Si Racha, with traffic disrupted for several hours after the event. It’s understood the driver of a large trailer truck lost control of the…
- Phuket News
Officials meet in Phuket to discuss implementing “area quarantine” from April
A number of officials, including Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn will meet in Phuket today to discuss the implementation of area quarantine on the southern island, possibly as soon as next month. Thai PBS World reports that various hotel representatives and other tourism businesses are expected to attend the meeting. The idea of area quarantine has been proposed for a number…
- Thailand Protest News
Anti-government activists moved to Bangkok’s Thon Buri prison
Officials say 3 protest leaders have been transferred from Bangkok Remand Prison to Thon Buri Prison, in the Bang Bon district of the capital, to avoid overcrowding. Panupong Jadnok (“Mike”), Piyarat Chongthep (“Toto’’) and Jatupat Boonpattararaksa (“Pai Dao Din’’) underwent processing and health checks in the reception area of Thon Buri prison before entering 14-day quarantine. The Bangkok Post reports…
- Pattaya News
Extra doses of Covid vaccine lined up for tourist provinces
Thailand’s Culture Ministry and the Tourism and Sports Ministry says provinces considered major tourist destinations could be given extra doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. Culture Minister Itthiphol Kunplome says the government is being asked to agree to the proposal in order to boost residents’ confidence and help local economies. The chosen provinces included Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri (Pattaya), and…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand to issue vaccine certificate to everyone who gets 2 doses of Covid jab
Thailand’s Public Health Minister says everyone who receives both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine will be issued with a vaccine certificate. The vaccine certificate will be similar to the vaccination books already in circulation for some time and used to prove inoculation against yellow fever. According to a Coconuts report, both the paper and online version of the certificate will…
- Pattaya News
Drug use suspected as Chon Buri driver flips vehicle, damages 3 other cars
A 35 year old man is in police custody after flipping his car and damaging 3 other vehicles in a major accident in the eastern province of Chon Buri. The Pattaya News reports that the driver, named as Chatchai Thaijiam, was arrested by police and is suspected of driving under the influence of illegal drugs. Emergency workers called to the…
- Covid-19 News
AstraZeneca rollout confirmed for Thursday, with PM first in line
First, there was the unexpected arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine on the same day Thailand took delivery of the Chinese one. Then there was the announcement that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was too old for China’s Sinovac jab and would get the AstraZeneca one instead. And then there was the delay to the PM’s inoculation, blamed on paperwork that was missing…
- Business News
Slow return of foreign tourism makes more redundancies inevitable – Airlines Association of Thailand
The president of the Airlines Association of Thailand says further layoffs in the sector are inevitable, due to the slow return of international tourism. In a Bangkok Post report, Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth says the sluggish revival of foreign tourism, now not expected until the last quarter of the year, means all carriers continue to face financial hardship. And while there was…
- Thailand News
Thai doctor warns of link between high sugar consumption and liver cancer
A Thai doctor has issued a stark warning about the link between eating a lot of sugar and the risk of various life-threatening illnesses, including cancer. Wannee Nitiyanan says that high consumption of sugar can trigger a number of non-communicable diseases, such as fatty liver, clogged brain and heart arteries, fatty liver, and liver cancer. She adds that around 70%…
- Crime News
3 men arrested over alleged murder of drug business colleague
3 men have been arrested in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat and charged with the murder of a fourth man. The Pattaya News reports that an unnamed 46 year old Thai man, allegedly involved in a drugs-related business with the 3 suspects, was shot dead in a rubber plantation in the southern province of Surat Thani. Police have…
- Chiang Mai News
Chiang Mai hotels slash prices amid ongoing slump in tourism
Hotels in the northern province of Chiang Mai have been forced to cut their rates by up to 90%, in a desperate bid to attract more domestic tourists. According to a Bangkok Post report, La-Iad Bungsrithong, from the northern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, says with tourists mainly favouring the southern beach destinations this month, hotel operators in the…
- Thailand Protest News
Thailand’s pro-democracy activists ignore emergency decree warnings over weekend
Ignoring a police warning not to violate the emergency decree, pro-democracy activists gathered in their hundreds at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument yesterday. Although the anti-government protests have kicked off again after a 2 month hiatus, the numbers are well down on last years crowds, now measuring more in the hundreds than the thousands. The Bangkok Post reports that members of the…
- Covid-19 News
Thai Health Minister to chair panel on travel bubbles, vaccine passports
Thailand’s Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, will chair a meeting on Monday, in which a vaccine passport scheme and potential travel bubbles will be discussed. Anutin says those who’ve been inoculated against Covid-19 will be issued with a book to confirm their vaccination. It’s hoped this will make international travel easier, as well as boosting the public’s confidence and helping…
- Covid-19 News
Hospital in northern Thailand closes to visitors after 2 patients test positive for Covid-19
A hospital in the northern province of Tak has had to shut its doors to visitors after 2 patients treated at the facility subsequently tested positive for Covid-19. Nation Thailand reports that Mae Sot Hospital is now closed to visitors until Monday. It’s understood that 19 staff members have had contact with 2 patients who tested positive for the virus.…
- Pattaya News
Thailand to introduce “area quarantine” for international visitors from April
From next month, foreign visitors to the Kingdom will be able to experience the delights of “area quarantine”, after the government confirmed the scheme for 5 provinces. Following a meeting with the Public Health Ministry, the Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri (Pattaya), and Surat Thani (Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan) have been chosen…
- Thailand News
PM orders investigation after Facebook removes fraudulent accounts with alleged military ties
The Thai PM says he’s ordered an investigation into allegations that the military has been using fraudulent social media accounts to aggravate the ongoing unrest in southern Thailand. Facebook has announced the removal of 185 accounts and groups that it has accused of “information-influencing”, targeting audiences in the south of the country, where Muslim insurgents continue to fight for independence.…
- South Thailand News
Facebook removes “information-influencing” pages linked to Thai military
Facebook has confirmed the removal of 185 accounts run by the Thai military and allegedly involved in information-influencing. The social media giant says the accounts were deleted for engaging in what it calls, “coordinated inauthentic behaviour”. In total, 77 accounts, 72 pages, and 18 groups have been removed from the platform, in addition to 18 Instagram accounts. It’s the first…
- Thailand Protest News
Thai musician and activist has bail request turned down
The Thai musician and anti-government activist, Chaiamorn Kaewwiboonpan, aka, “Ammy”, has had his bail request declined. The singer was arrested at Ratchathani Hospital, in the central province of Ayutthaya on charges of lèse majesté, arson, and violation of the Computer Crimes Act. He is accused of being 1 of 3 people to set fire to a portrait of HM the…
- Central Thailand News
Airline executive arrested for failure to pay wages of 150 workers
An airline executive has been arrested in the central province of Samut Songkhram, after complaints from150 employees that they had not been paid. Chawengsak Noiprasan, who had a court warrant issued against him in October, was taken to Don Muang police station from a property in the Bang Khan Take sub-district. He is a board member of Siam Air Transport.…
- Covid-19 News
Thai industry representatives push government on vaccine passport policy
Industry representatives are urging the Thai government to press ahead with the adoption of a vaccine passport scheme to re-ignite international tourism. The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking is also pushing for Thailand to form travel bubble arrangements with countries where Covid-19 infection rates are low to moderate. Kalin Sarasin from the Thai Chamber of Commerce and…
- Thailand Protest News
UPDATE: Thai singer “Ammy” arrested for allegedly setting fire to royal portrait
UPDATE: A popular Thai singer from the band Bottom Blues was arrested in Ayutthaya on lèse majesté charges for allegedly setting a portrait of HM the King on fire. Yesterday, the Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for those suspected of burning a portrait of HM the King outside a Bangkok prison on Sunday. Police earlier denied arresting the singer, Chai-amorn…
- Covid-19 News
Cabinet approves budget of over 6.3 billion baht for 35 million more vaccine doses
The Thai government has approved a budget of 6.387 billion baht to procure an additional 35 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines. The budget was approved at a Cabinet meeting yesterday, according to a government spokesperson. Nation Thailand reports that the budget will be divided into 5.6 billion baht, which will be spent on AstraZeneca vaccines, with 700 million baht going…
- Thailand Protest News
Miss Universe Thailand sacked from mental health role over political comments
Miss Universe Thailand, 28 year old Amanda Chalisa Obdam, has been sacked by the Department of Mental Health over political comments posted on Facebook. The Thai-Canadian woman was appointed as mental health ambassador on February 25, having won the Miss Universe Thailand title in October. Nation Thailand reports that her dismissal is due to comments she posted on Facebook in…
- Covid-19 News
Thai PM orders Foreign Ministry to conduct vaccine passport study
The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, says the government will look into the possibility of a vaccine passport policy, with discussions set to take place on Monday. The PM has asked the Foreign Ministry to carry out a study on the use of vaccine passports, but adds that there is no guarantee such a system would work at international level. “So,…
- Pattaya News
Bike rider killed after crashing motorbike into parked truck in Chon Buri
An 18 year old motorbike driver has been killed after ploughing his bike into the back of a parked truck. The Pattaya News reports that the incident took place at the weekend, in the eastern province of Chon Buri. Emergency workers arrived at the scene in the Baan Suan sub-district to find Sahapat Tippuang with serious head injuries. It’s understood…
