- Covid-19 News
Rise in Covid-19 inpatients and deaths expected to increase during Thailand’s rainy season
The number of Covid-19 inpatients in Thailand increased to 1,811 in the last week of April, up from 1,088 in the previous week. Meanwhile, related deaths doubled from 5 to 10 over the same period, as reported by the Department of Disease Control (DDC). These figures saw a rise two weeks after the Songkran festival in mid-April and are anticipated…
- Cannabis News
Thai cannabis vendors call out illegal importation practices
Thailand is known for its glittering beaches, bustling street food scene, expert Muay Thai fights, and full moon parties. But now it’s known for something that no one could have expected just a few short years ago – becoming the world’s home of the happy herb, marijuana. It’s been less than a year since Thailand decriminalised the growing of marijuana…
- Politics News
TDRI warns political parties of excessive campaign spending and economic risk
The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) has issued a warning to major political parties that their primary election campaign projects might be unnecessary as an economic stimulus, given that the country is not currently experiencing a recession. Yesterday, TDRI published a report intended to study and analyse the budget management of political parties, offering recommendations for adapting their future strategies.…
- Thailand News
Man with terminal cancer killed by train in Kanchanaburi
A 54 year old man in the final stage of tracheal cancer was tragically killed after being run over by a train in Kanchanaburi’s Muang district. The incident occurred yesterday afternoon when the man, identified as Suparp, lay down on the tracks near a railway station with a cloth covering his face. Police Captain Thammarat Sukhiwong, a Muang police investigator,…
- Thailand News
Mahidol University introduces CAR-T cell therapy for B-cell leukaemia in Thailand
Mahidol University has launched Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) modified T-cell therapy for the treatment of B-cell leukaemia, making Thailand the first country in the ASEAN region to adopt this advanced medical technique. Banjong Mahaisawariya, President of Mahidol University, noted that the university’s ability to implement a therapy currently used for certain blood cancers came as a result of a strategic…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand collaborates with US Vaccine Research Centre on tuberculosis vaccines
Thailand’s National Vaccine Institute (NVI) has formed a partnership with the US Vaccine Research Centre (VRC) to develop vaccines against tuberculosis, including those utilising Messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. The collaboration was announced following a visit by senior officials from Thailand’s Public Health Ministry to the VRC on April 20. The VRC is a leading global organisation in vaccine research and…
- Thailand News
Thaksin’s tweet about grandchild seen as political gambit
Academics speculate that a recent tweet by fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was a political ploy to garner support for the Pheu Thai Party, as pollsters predict it may lose votes to the increasingly popular Move Forward Party (MFP) before the General Election scheduled for May 14. Yesterday, Thaksin tweeted that he would return to Thailand now that his…
- Thailand News
Protesters demand daily minimum wage increase, support for laid-off workers in Thailand
Labour advocates and human rights activists gathered at Government House yesterday, demanding that the government increase the daily minimum wage to 700 baht and establish a fund to support workers who have been laid off. The protesters, led by political activists Somyot Prueksakasemsuk and Thanaporn Wichian, 28 years old, marched to Phitsanulok Mansion and Government House to present their proposals…
- Thailand News
Annual Covid-19 booster shots planned for Thailand this year
The Public Health Ministry in Thailand aims to make this year the first in which individuals receive annual Covid-19 booster shots, akin to the seasonal flu vaccine. Deputy Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek stated yesterday that Thailand must continue to monitor Covid infections, particularly after cases spiked twice last week due to the global spread of XBB.1.16, a substrain of the…
- Thailand News
Thai Sang Thai Party leader promises to resolve political divisions
Sudarat Keyuraphan, the leader of the Thai Sang Thai (TST) Party, addressed voters in Chiang Rai yesterday, stating that her party is the ideal choice to resolve deeply rooted political divisions. Speaking to an audience of around 3,000 people in the northeastern province, she explained that these rifts have held the nation back for over 17 years and hindered national…
- Thailand News
Labour Day celebrations amidst scepticism over political promises
As Labour Day is celebrated in the country today, activists have voiced scepticism over political parties’ campaign promises to increase minimum daily wages to seemingly unrealistic levels. For example, the Pheu Thai Party has vowed to raise the minimum wage to a flat rate of 600 baht, while the Move Forward Party has pledged to increase it to 450 baht…
- Crime News
TDN’s harm reduction programme showcased at HR23 conference in Melbourne
The Thai Drug Users’ Network (TDN) recently presented a harm reduction programme called “Mobile Methadone Therapy for Drug Users” at the International Conference 2023 (HR23) in Melbourne, Australia. According to John Hopkins University, harm reduction aims to protect the health of those who use drugs by providing necessary services and resources. Nilawan Pitakpanawong, a TDN activist, discussed the importance of…
- Economy News
Thai government to resubmit subsidy proposal to Election Commission
Thailand‘s issues around electricity costs are continuing. Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha remains determined that the government will resubmit a proposed 11 million baht (US$330 million) subsidy for household electricity bills to the Election Commission (EC) for approval. The proposal, which was approved by the Cabinet last week, was previously rejected by the polling regulator, according to an unnamed source.…
- Central Thailand News
Tragic crash kills air force flight instructor and injures trainee in Thailand
A tragic crash killed an air force flight instructor and seriously injured a trainee pilot in central Thailand yesterday. Their plane crashed during landing in the Kamphaeng Saen district of Nakhon Pathom province. The unfortunate incident took place at 11.52am as the CT-4E trainer aircraft attempted to land at the Kamphaeng Saen Flying Training School, according to an air force…
- Crime News
Suspected cyanide killer’s money trail leads to more potential victims
The suspected cyanide killer’s money trail has led police to believe that there might be more victims. A comprehensive investigation into the finances of 36 year old Sararat ‘Am’ Rangsiwuthaporn, led the police to believe that around 20 people might have died, after transferring large sums of money to her in the past two years. Following the suspect’s money trail,…
- Crime News
South Thailand shootout ends with 2 dead, 2 injured after wedding party
A shootout at a hotel car park in Surat Thani‘s main city district in South Thailand ended with two dead and two injured. The shootout occurred after those involved attended a wedding party last night. The tragic incident occurred at the Bunjongburi Hotel’s car park on Liang Muang Road in the Makham Tia sub-district. Authorities were alerted to the situation…
- Thailand News
US Navy carrier strike group visits Thailand, emphasises free and open Indo-Pacific
The US Navy‘s Nimitz Carrier Strike Group recently expressed readiness to operate in any region of the “free and open Indo-Pacific”, according to the spokesman for the group, which is currently visiting Thailand. The strike group commenced its 11-month patrol mission in the US 7th Fleet area of operations last November, participating in drills with Japan, South Korea, and the…
- Thailand News
FAD to build national museum in Khlong Luang: Over 100,000 artefacts to be accommodated
The Fine Arts Department (FAD) announced plans to construct a national museum in the Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani, which will include a warehouse to accommodate over 100,000 artefacts. Phanombootra Chandrajoti, the director-general of FAD, revealed that the warehouse would house Thailand’s largest database of artefacts, and the museum would be the first in the nation to adhere to…
- Thailand News
Activist seeks to impeach NACC members over luxury watch saga investigation
Activist Veera Somkwamkid announced his intention to impeach members of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for disregarding a court order that required them to divulge details about their investigation into the luxury wristwatch saga involving Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon. Veera accused the NACC of defying the Supreme Administrative Court’s order in an interview, stating that the court had ruled that…
- Thailand News
Myanmar migrants arrested for illegally crossing into Thailand
Forty-two job seekers from Myanmar were detained after crossing the border illegally into Sangkhla Buri district late Wednesday night, according to Thai authorities. The group was discovered following an alert in a forested area close to Song Kalia village, in Tambon Nong Lu. However, the individuals had fled the scene by the time officers arrived. Subsequently, the informant advised that…
- Environment News
Chiang Mai’s Mae Chaem district communities granted forest living rights
Over 300,000 rai of reserved forest land in the Mae Chaem district in Chiang Mai now has secured living rights for local communities, according to a senior official at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The communities have been identified as a successful model by the Department of Royal Forest, due to their compliance with a cabinet resolution from…
- Thailand News
Covid-19 cases surge in Thai tourism hotspots post-holidays
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has urged health authorities in major tourism destinations to closely monitor the number of Covid-19 cases, as new infections continue to surge following the holidays. The instruction came after the Department of Disease Control (DDC) presented data on caseloads from April 16 to 22, indicating a rise in Covid infections. The prime minister is particularly concerned…
- Thailand News
NHRC urges end to conscript servant practice in Thai army within 90 days
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Thailand has declared that the longstanding practice of using conscripts as servants by Royal Thai Army (RTA) officers constitutes a human rights violation. The NHRC has urged the Defence Ministry to put an end to this practice within 90 days. During a press conference, NHRC commissioner Wasan Paileeklee shared that the commission has…
- Thailand News
Chatu Mongol Sonakul to lead new Thai Chana Party into historic election
The Thai Chana Party was officially launched yesterday, with Chatu Mongol Sonakul being nominated as its sole prime ministerial candidate. Party leader Jakkraphong Chuenduang, joined by other members, conducted a shrine installation ceremony at the party’s new operations centre on Pradiphat Road. After the ceremony, campaign vehicles were dispatched to traverse Bangkok. Established in 2021, the party plans to field…
- Economy News
Mitr Phol Group ranks second in global food industry sustainability assessment
Mitr Phol Group, the world’s second-largest sugar producer and a leader in sustainable development within the agro-industrial sector in Thailand, has recently been ranked second globally for sustainable development in the food production industry in the latest Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) conducted by S&P Global. This marks the fifth consecutive year that Mitr Phol Group has been included in the…
- Thailand News
RTA lieutenant general accused of assault, illicit drug use during sexual encounter with man
Investigations are underway at Sadao Police Station in Songkhla, regarding the alleged illicit drug use and assault by a Royal Thai Army (RTA) army lieutenant general while engaging in sexual activities with another man. The authorities have issued a summons for the lieutenant general to be questioned about these allegations. Police officials interviewed the alleged victim, identified solely as Nut.…
- Technology News
China offers engine substitutes for Thai submarine project with benefits
Chinese authorities have committed to meeting three conditions concerning warranty, compensation, and safety if the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) opts for a Chinese-produced engine to replace a German-made one for an S26T Yuan-class submarine being assembled in China, according to Navy commander Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet. Following a recent meeting with China’s navy chief and defence minister, Adm Choengchai revealed that…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand launches “The Big Catch-Up” campaign to boost child immunisation rates
The Public Health Ministry in Thailand is ramping up the rollout of essential vaccines, including polio and measles, to children nationwide. This comes after a recent study revealed that the immunisation rate among Thai children has declined to around 80%. In statements made to commemorate World Immunisation Week, the Director-Generals of the Department of Disease Control, Tares Krassanairawiwong, and the…
- Thailand News
Over 800,000 Bangkok residents register for early voting in May 14 General Election
Some 800,000 citizens in Bangkok have registered to cast their ballots ahead of the May 14 General Election, as they intend to engage in early voting on May 7. Among the 2.35 million voters nationwide who have registered for advance voting, numerous are located in Thailand’s capital city, with 74 polling stations available. The largest number of early voters registered…
- Thailand News
Thailand plans to relocate macaque monkeys from Phra Nakhon Khiri historical park
Phetchaburi authorities are currently working on a plan to relocate the large and mischievous macaque population at the Phra Nakhon Khiri historical park, better known as Khao Wang, to a place where they can live a more natural life and cause no disturbance to the peace, provincial governor Natthachai Nampoonsuksan announced on May 1. The number of monkeys in the…
