- Thailand News
Thailand’s mask mandate still in place, violators face fines up to 20,000 baht – CCSA
Authorities are warning the public that Thailand’s face mask mandate is still in effect with a maximum fine of 20,000 baht for not wearing an appropriate mask in a public place to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration made a post on Facebook, reminding the public of the range of fines for those who do…
- Thailand News
76 inmates escape over the past several months, many from prison quarantine
In the past several months, 76 inmates have escaped from Thai correctional facilities, a significant increase when compared to the previous year. Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin says most of the prisoners escaped during the 14-day quarantine at a temporary prison or hospital, which is a requirement before being housed in the general prison population. The minister warned prison authorities to…
- Phuket News
Phuket Lantern Festival 2022 runs now until February 20
The Phuket Lantern Festival 2022, also known as Yaun Xiao which is a traditional celebration following the Chinese New Year, will be running in Phuket Old Town from now until February 20. The festival was hosted to preserve the traditional culture of the Thai-Chinese people in the province and boost the economic situation. Phuket mayor of Phuket, Saroj Angkanapilas, kicked…
- Thailand News
Krabi rejects MEG 2 shark horror film request to shoot at Railay, Ton Sai beaches
The request to film the horror shark film MEG 2 was rejected by authorities in the Southern province of Krabi over environmental concerns. The foreign film producer for the Netflix movie had requested to shoot scenes at three beaches in the province along the Andaman coast, including a jet ski rescue mission scene Railay Beach and a helicopter landing at the…
- Thailand News
Woman steals 10,000 baht in lottery tickets from vendors in Isaan
A woman in the Isaan province Nakhon Ratchasima allegedly stole more than 100 lottery tickets, which cost a total of around 10,000 baht. CCTV footage from a local lottery shop shows a woman, who appears to be around 60 years old, talking tickets from the shop. The woman walked into the shop pretending to look at the numbers, but was…
- Thailand News
Local coffee shop fined 500 baht for tables placed on a crosswalk
Following the fatal accident where a police officer crashed his Ducati into a woman walking across the crosswalk, authorities throughout the country are tightening measures around traffic enforcement and working on ways to improve pedestrian safety. Many are now sharing photos of recently painted crosswalks, many painted a vibrant red to alert drivers to slow down. But one crosswalk in…
- Thailand News
“Pig Sandbox” to reopen farms in isolated areas to control the spread of African Swine Fever
We’ve all heard of the Sandbox entry programmes, designed to allow vaccinated travellers to roam freely in areas considered to be at low risk of Covid-19. But now authorities are discussing a so-called “Pig Sandbox” as a way to isolate farms from areas at high risk of the African Swine Fever, which is said to have caused a shortage of…
- Tourism News
Koh Samui hotel, business owners call for PCR test price cut to draw in Test & Go tourists
Hoteliers and business owners on the southern island of Koh Samui are asking the Thai government to lower the costs of RT-PCR tests in an effort to draw in more foreign tourists. The calls follow the decision to reopen registration for the Test & Go entry scheme starting February 1. The quarantine exemption scheme requires tourists to isolate themselves at…
- Thailand News
Bangkok district invites LGBTQ+ to sign unofficial marriage certificate this Valentine’s Day
For this Valentine’s Day, Bang Khun Thian district in Bangkok has invited LGBTQ+ couples and people of all genders to sign the unofficial “marriage” certificate for the first time in Thailand. However, the district’s official Facebook page seems to have taken down the post advertising the event. Under Thai law, marriage is only between a man and a woman. The…
- Thailand News
Thailand improves crosswalks, other safety measures after fatal pedestrian accident
Following the fatal crash where an off-duty police officer ran his Ducati into an eye doctor walking along the zebra crossing, Thais are pointing out traffic violations and officials are making changes to reduce traffic accidents involving pedestrians. Some changes include repainting crosswalks and roads to increase crosswalk visibility and encourage drivers to reduce their speed. The woman was walking…
- Thailand News
Cabinet approves 1.08 million baht to hire medical staff to support healthcare system
Following Monday’s Cabinet meeting, PM Deputy Spokesperson Trisuree Trisaranakul announced that officials had approved a budget of 1.08 million baht to hire more medical staff on a temporary basis to support healthcare facilities during the ongoing pandemic. A total of 2,402 positions will be open from January to September 2022. Aside from standing by during pandemics, this project aims to…
- Thailand News
Over 100 drug stores in Thailand operating illegally, some without pharmacists
More than 100 drug stores across Thailand have been found to be operating illegally, some without licenced pharmacists and required certificates, according to the Commander of the Consumer Protection Police Division. Authorities arrested 127 drug store staff and seize more than 350 items. According to Thai media, the CPPD received a report from the Food and Drug Administration saying that…
- Bangkok News
Move Forward member pushes for sex work legalisation as election campaigns heat up
A politician from the Move Forward Party told Thai media that sex work could soon be decriminalised if their candidate wins the upcoming election for Bangkok governor. MP Thanyawaj Kamonwongwat says that if the candidate from the progressive political party is elected, they will review the Act of Prostitution and Protection of Service Providers and Act of Prevention and Suppression…
- Visa Information
“Covid” visa extension: Key details from the latest order from immigration
A signed document from the Thai Immigration Bureau regarding the deadline for the 60-day “Covid” visa extension was leaked last night. While there has been no formal announcement, the document shows that the deadline to apply for the extension has been pushed from today to March 25. There are some key details included in the document that foreign residents in…
- Thailand News
Woman puts up billboard in Phuket to find missing cats, 30,000 baht reward for each
A Japanese woman paid over 300,000 baht to put up billboards in Phuket in other to find her two cats which have both been missing since last November. She says she’ll pay a 30,000 baht reward for each cat Her Thai employee shared with Thai media that her Japanese employer brought four cats from Japan. One day, the delivery staff…
- Thailand News
Woman kidnapped from hotel quarantine allegedly by men posing as police officers
A woman infected with Covid-19 was allegedly kidnapped from a quarantine hotel in Bangkok by a group of men posing as police officers. The 55 year old father file a report with police on Saturday, claiming that his 23 year old daughter was kidnapped from a hotel quarantine by a group of men claiming to be police. Apparently, one of…
- Tourism News
Thailand Wellness Sandbox entry launching in coastal districts of Hua Hin, Cha-am
In an effort to draw in a tourist base focused on health and wellness, the Thailand Wellness Sandbox entry programme is launching in the coastal region of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Hua Hin district and Phetchaburi’s Cha-am district. These locations were selected for the first tier of the Wellness Sandbox project. Officials are looking into adding more destinations later on. The…
- Thailand News
Many criticise “soldier” coffee shop at southern Thailand military camp
“Sip a coffee and see cool soldiers”… That’s what an advertisement said for a new cafe opened up at the Thai Army 4 camp in the southern province Nakhon Si Thammarat. Chor Coffee at the Thep Satri Si Sunthon Military Camp made a post on Facebook with photos of drinks, desserts, and men in uniform. It caught people’s attention with…
- Thailand News
McDonald’s Thailand offers ice cream sundae with chilli paste and pork floss
McDonald’s is offering a special Thai-style ice cream sundae… with chilli paste and pork floss. The fast food company has teamed up with famous Thai sauce company Deksomboon, also known as the Healthy Boy brand, for the limited edition sundae with vanilla soft serve and the spicy and savory toppings. This unique combination costs 39 baht and will be available at participating…
- Thailand News
Police seize lottery tickets allegedly smuggled by Thailand Post staff
Police seized more than 200,000 lottery tickets allegedly smuggled by a Thailand Post staff member in the Isaan province Loei. Apparently, an employee of the government-owned postal service was selling hundreds and thousands of lottery tickets to brokers when the tickets were reserved for local vendors. The Thai lottery tickets are technically supposed to be sold at 80 baht, but…
- Thailand News
3 million doses of Pfizer allocated for children to arrive in Thailand next week
The first batch of Pfizer vaccines allocated for children will arrive in Thailand on January 26. A total of 3 million doses of the vaccine is expected to be given to children at the age of 5 to 11 years old starting on January 31, starting with children who are diagnosed with congenital diseases. The Deputy Director-General of the Department…
- Crime News
Police search for drug suspects after one allegedly fired an M16 rifle at officers
After a gunfire exchange with more than 100 police officers, five drug suspects reportedly fled the scene as one fired an M16 rifle, evading arrest. Apparently, they had been tracked down by police and escaped arrest at least three times prior. Suspects, including alleged gang leader, 41 year old Pradit “Greg” Musikasong, are wanted on several charges. Dozens of police…
- Thailand News
Those who don’t report positive ATK results can face penalties – DDC director
Has your at-home Covid-19 test come out positive? If so, report the results to government health officials. Those who do not report their result can face charges. Speaking at a press conference, the director-general of the Department of Disease Control, Opas Karnkawinpong, warned that anyone who finds themselves infected with Covid-19 by using the ATK test and keeps it a…
- Thailand News
Bangkok is blooming: Flora Festival takes over several public parks until July
Sunflowers are blossoming in Bangkok. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is organising the Bangkok Flora Festival where flowers will be planted in various parks in the capital from now until July. The first garden is a sunflower field at the Vachitabenjatas Park or Suan Rot Fai Park near the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Over 1.5 acres of Suan Rot Fai Park is…
- Thailand News
Foreigners vaccinated in Thailand can apply for a digital vaccine passport for free until March 31
Digital vaccine passports through Thailand’s Public Health Ministry are being issued for free until March 31. Both Thai nationals and foreign residents who were inculcated in Thailand can register for the e-Vaccine Passport on the Mor Phrom application. A 13-digit number is needed to register on Mor Phrom. For Thais, this is their Thai ID number. Foreigners who have been…
- Thailand News
Parents and teachers protest against ATK test and face mask mandates at schools
A group of Thai parents and teachers against mandates for ATK tests and face masks at schools held a protest outside of the Ministry of Education and Public Health yesterday. Many schools and universities in Thailand are back to on-site classes again, but under the Covid-19 prevention measure set by the Public Health Ministry. Every student has been asked to…
- Thailand News
Hungarian wanted overseas arrested in Bangkok, overstayed visa by 10 years
Thai Immigration police arrested a 48 year old Hungarian suspect who is wanted in his home country for alleged insurance fraud and has been staying in Thailand illegally for more than 10 years. Immigration police say the man is on 4,254 days overstay after entering Thailand in 2010 on a 60 day tourist visa. Officers say the man was arrested…
- Thailand News
Chinese New Year on Bangkok’s Yaowarat Road cancelled again due to Covid-19
Chinese New Year is expected to be celebrated on February 1 to welcome the Year of the Tiger. But with the raising Covid-19 infection rate, especially in Bangkok, the Chinese New Year event on the Yaowarat Road, known as Chinatown, is cancelled again this year. The Royal Jubilee Gate, or Odeon Gate, will still be decorated, and people are allowed…
- Tourism News
Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Ministry to propose reopening Test & Go registration by February
It’s no surprise that Thailand’s tourism officials are pushing to reopen registration for the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme. The Tourism and Sports Minister told Thai media that the ministry, along with the Public Health Ministry, will make a proposal to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to resume registration for the entry scheme by February. The minister, Pipat…
- Thailand News
Suvarnabhumi Airport’s passenger terminal to be extended for future tourists
In the next 10 years, Thailand could rank as the world’s ninth busiest travel hub welcoming 200 million passengers each year, according to a forecast from the International Air Transport Association. To prepare for the anticipated post-pandemic uptick, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is extending its east side of the main passenger terminal. The government approved an initial budget of 7.8 billion…
