Neill Fronde

Neill Fronde

Neill is a journalist from the United States with 10+ years broadcasting experience and national news and magazine publications. He graduated with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of California and has been living in Thailand since 2014.
  • Covid-19 News

    Unvaccinated woman dies with Covid-19, neighbourhood tested

    A cluster of Covid-19 infections was found in a Bangkok neighbourhood in Sai Mai after a 30 year old woman collapsed and died in the street. The woman died yesterday and her post-mortem examination uncovered that she was infected with Covid-19. Of the 8 infections found, only the woman who died was unvaccinated. Health officials were sent to Phahonyothin Soi…

  • Covid-19 News

    Government reports over 90% of students 12-18 vaccinated

    A spokesperson for the government reported that now over 90% of students in Thailand who are between the age of 12 and 18 years old have been vaccinated with at least one Pfizer dose. When looking at the numbers though, the figures are a bit… interpreted. The spokesman reported that there’s a total of 5,085,460 students in Thailand and that,…

  • Covid-19 News

    1.4 million doses in first shipment of US-made Moderna vaccines

    The distributor of the Moderna mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, Zuellig Pharma Thailand, has confirmed another shipment of 1.4 million vaccines. The shipment is in addition to 500,000 vaccines received already, for a total of 1.9 million doses that the Thai Private Hospital Association ordered for distribution to paying customers. It marks the first time Moderna vaccines have been received from manufacturers…

  • Covid-19 News

    Cabinet approves Thailand importing 30 million Pfizer vaccines

    The Department of Disease Control will import another 30 million Pfizer vaccines with the Thai Cabinet approving the deal today. This agreement will double the amount mRNA vaccines Thailand has obtained from Pfizer for a total of 60 million doses. The deal also authorizes the DDC to sign and confirm the third amendment to the Manufacturing and Supply Agreement that…

  • Crime News

    72,000 meth pills found in drug bust with some twists

    In a drug bust with a few interesting plot twists, 72,000 meth pills were seized in the city of Hat Yai in the southern province of Songkhla this morning, with 2 suspected drug dealers arrested. The pair were arrested in a morning raid on a house in Moo 6 in tambon Khuan Lang according to the chief investigator of the…

  • Koh Samui News

    Koh Tao death from 2004 getting attention on social media

    A sad case of a foreigner found dead on Koh Tao 17 years ago has resurfaced after a recent post on Facebook has brought attention to it again. But is the post an attempt by the Facebook account to get attention and hits by capitalising off of tragedy, or are they calling to light suspicious circumstances in the death of…

  • Economy News

    Economist: government’s lag on migrant labour hurting economy

    The reopening of Thailand has finally kickstarted the economy and put people back to work, but many businesses are struggling with a shortage of migrant labour. While the government has been cracking down on immigrants crossing the border illegally looking for work, many sectors are complaining that the government was unprepared for the country’s reopening and didn’t make efforts to…

  • Crime News

    Gold store robber in Khon Kaen wanted, 50,000 baht reward

    A daring armed robbery of a gold store in Khon Kaen has resulted in a manhunt with authorities now offering a 50,000 baht reward for any information that leads to the capture of the thief. The robbery took place at a gold shop within a department store yesterday evening and was captured by a security camera. The footage shows a…

  • Thailand News

    Hospitals will give free IUD contraception to women under 20

    The National Health Security Office has announced a new program that will provide IUD contraceptives for free for women under 20 years old. The Director-General of the Health Service Department confirmed that the program will province intrauterine devices for women in need at all state and private hospitals that are connected to the NHSO. An IUD, the small T-shaped device…

  • Covid-19 News

    COVID-19 Sunday Update: Record low deaths, prison outbreak

    Today, the CCSA reported 7,006 new Covid-19 infections, up 411 since yesterday, and a record low 29 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 24 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,035,708 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 7,591 recoveries,…

  • Thailand News

    Poll: 76% worry about Covid-19, 59% put health over economy

    A new poll by the National Institute of Development Administration surveyed people about the government’s handling of Covid-19 and the reopening. The NIDA poll found that people felt the economy was the same or slightly better, valued heath over the economy, and were overwhelmingly afraid of Covid-19 worsening after the reopening. The survey, which interviewed 1,320 people over the age…

  • Tourism News

    Tourism seeing signs of recovery after Covid-19 pandemic

    Thailand’s reopening hasn’t quite caused an avalanche of tourists pouring into the country, but the tourism industry is seeing some recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic with a steadily increasing stream of arrivals gaining momentum. The CCSA reports that nearly 60,000 international travellers have entered Thailand in the first 16 days of the reopening program. With the increasing daily arrivals, November…

  • Covid-19 News

    Next CCSA meeting will discuss opening nightlife businesses sooner

    Facing enormous pressure from entertainment and nightlife workers and businesses, the National Security Council Secretary-General hinted that lifting the ban on nightlife will be up for discussion at the next CCSA meeting. He said PM Prayut Chan-o-cha understands and sympathises with those in the industry but also worries about the Covid-19 situation as infections are still high and the country…

  • Technology News

    Free NFTs! Art project website releases thousands of NFTs

    In what he described as an art project that was designed to show how ridiculous the new fad is, an Australian man has made thousands of NFTs free on a website. Non-fungible tokens are unique digital units that use blockchain technology to give proof of ownership to digital assets, including easily copyable things like photos and videos. Enthusiasts view NFTs…

  • Economy News

    Chamber of Commerce proposes familiar plans for the economy

    Ahead of a meeting with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha tomorrow, the Thai Chamber of Commerce has compiled a list of measures to boost Thailand’s struggling economy. The proposal was sourced from 5 regional chambers of commerce and will be submitted to the prime minister tomorrow as part of his meetings with private sector representatives. The proposed measures aren’t particularly groundbreaking, mostly…

  • Crime News

    Thai man arrested for alleged rape, drowning, burning Burmese woman

    A 21 year old Burmese woman died after Thai man allegedly abducted, raped, accidentally drowned her, then set her body on fire. The incident took place in Prachin Buri and police have now arrested a 27 year old man who is alleged to have confessed to his crime, saying he was haunted by her spirit. Boonlai Buaman is working for…

  • Thailand News

    COVID-19 SATURDAY UPDATE: 53 deaths, vaccinations, provincial totals

    Today, the CCSA reported 6,595 new Covid-19 infections, down 260 since yesterday, and 53 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 2 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,028,702 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 8,478 recoveries, up 823 from…

  • Covid-19 News

    3 Cathay Pacific pilots broke Covid-19 rules, got fired and infected

    After what Cathay Pacific described as a serious breach of pandemic regulations, 3 cargo pilots were fired after becoming infected with Covid-19 and putting many others at risk. An internal investigation found the pilots for Hong Kong’s flagship airline broke Covid-19 safety rules while abroad in Frankfurt, Germany. The airline is known for being very proactive about Covid-19 safety and…

  • Covid-19 News

    Austria to enter lockdown Monday, Germany may follow

    As Europe is increasingly engulfed in another wave of Covid-19 infections, Austria announced it will go into a full lockdown on Monday, and Germany in a national emergency is considering following with a lockdown of its own. The announcement makes Austria the first country in Western Europe to go back into a lockdown in the face of a worsening Covid-19…

  • Tourism News

    TAT: 400,000 tourist in 2021, 18 million in 2022 worth 1 trillion

    The November 1 reopening of Thailand has received mixed results, with Pattaya reportedly seeing the vast majority of arrivals being expats coming home, and Hua Hin welcoming less than 100 of the 100,000 predicted tourists. But, as always, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has nothing but rosy predictions for the boom that will start any minute, with TAT Governor Yuthasak…

  • Crime News

    Police “Joe Ferrari” torture case in court today, main charges denied

    Today the 7 police officers accused of the suffocation death caught on video of a suspect in custody at the Nakhon Sawan police station had their day in court. Pol Col Thitisan “Jo Ferrari” Utthanaphon admitted that he assaulted the suspect, but claimed his death was an accident and denied the strongest charges of murder and torture against him. In…

  • Covid-19 News

    McDonald’s Covid-19 alert: Pattaya area residents cautioned

    Following a similar announcement a few days, the Chon Buri Public Health Office issued a new warning today for anyone who attended an area McDonald’s to get tested for Covid-19. The statement released today advised anyone who had eaten at or been inside the Pattaya area McDonald’s located at Mini Siam Pattaya should use an antigen test kit to check…

  • Crime News

    Narcotics police detail November busts and shootout case

    The month of November has been a fruitful one for narcotics police, with 7 cases netting 12 arrests, 200 kilogrammes of marijuana, 300 kilogrammes of crystal meth, and 6.4 million meth pills. Narcotics suppression officials announced the totals today and gave new details of the most prolific case which ended in a shootout but confiscated 6 million meth pills last…

  • Pattaya News

    Truck veers off road and smashes through Chon Buri grocery store

    A local grocer met with a rude awakening as he slept in a bedroom in the back of his grocery store in Chon Buri. At 2 am, the owner of a grocery store in Bor Thong was woken by a pickup truck smashing through the front of his shop, nearly into his bedroom behind the store. Bor Thong Police responded…

  • Transport News

    Public transport drivers subject to safety points system from December

    The Department of Land Transport is implementing a points-based system to punish public transport drivers for bad behaviours starting December 1. The system will give drivers 100 points to begin with and demerit points for every violation of traffic laws or safety, resulting in a temporary suspension of their license. The Director-General of the department explained the system that will…

  • Tourism News

    Pattaya tourism quiet until entry and booze rules are eased

    According to the acting president of the Chon Buri Tourism Council, Pattaya is still quiet, and 95% of tourists there are Thai since the reopening to international tourists on November 1. Of the 200 to 300 people per day who do come, the majority are not tourists but businesspeople and expats. And many of the tourists who do come end…

  • Covid-19 News

    ChulaCOV-19 vaccine enters a promising third phase of trials

    ChulaCOV-19, the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine in development by the Centre of Excellence in Vaccine Research at Chulalongkorn University, is expected to be registered by the middle of next year as it enters a promising third phase of clinical trials. The third round of trials on human test subjects is scheduled to see injections at the beginning of 2021, no later…

  • Covid-19 News

    19 year old claims Sinovac vaccine caused his hair to fall out

    After getting 2 Sinovac vaccines, a 19 year old student in Phuket claims his hair began falling out in clumps, leaving him bald. The vocational school student is from Phang Nha but stays now in Chalong in order to study at school and told the press that a doctor had verified the condition. The man said he travelled to his…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand aims for 65 million Covid-19 vaccines for next year

    Eying long-term Covid-19 strategies, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has announced that Thailand is targeting obtaining 65 million vaccines for next year. The vaccines are planned to include the newest versions of each brand imported, though the exact allotment of brands and vaccines were not announced. The prime minister did confirm, however, that contracts have already been signed with suppliers to source…

  • Hua Hin News

    Of 100,000 predicted for 2021, Hua Hin has seen 56 tourists

    The math doesn’t look good as tourism associates estimated that the last quarter of 2021 would bring 100,000 international tourists to Hua Hin, but so far only 56 have arrived. The Thai Hotel Association explains the disparity is due to the entry process being complicated, the quarantine and testing fees being expensive, and the ban on booze and entertainment venues…