• Visa Information“Yes, we want tourists back… but with quarantine” – Survey

    “Yes, we want tourists back… but with quarantine” – Survey

    Most Thai residents and tourism operators want Thailand to reopen its borders to international tourists, as long as a 14 day quarantine remains in place, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand survey. The TCT surveyed 785 operators in tourism-related business and 1,444 Thais from November 11 to December 10. 60% of surveyed locals and 50% of tourism operators agree…

  • Thailand NewsLights, camera, Covid – Tourism Ministry wants film crews to come to Thailand now

    Lights, camera, Covid – Tourism Ministry wants film crews to come to Thailand now

    Without much luck with their ‘cunning ideas’ to draw back a few of the remaining world’s travellers, Thailand’s tourism officials are turning to the film industry to attract some people and investment. The Tourism and Sports Ministry is aiming to generate around 3 billion baht from foreign film crews and is targeting film projects with an investment over 100 million baht.…

  • Pattaya NewsChon Buri hotels and tourism businesses ordered to close

    Chon Buri hotels and tourism businesses ordered to close

    Hotels and tourist attractions in Chonburi must close, according to an official order from the province’s communicable disease committee. Hotel and other businesses related to the tourism industry, who struggled due to the provincial travel restrictions, actually requested the order so employees could get unemployment benefits. With the official closure order, the employees can receive 3 month compensations from the…

  • Environment News600 factories ordered to monitor emissions to help reduce air pollution

    600 factories ordered to monitor emissions to help reduce air pollution

    To reduce air pollution, hundreds of factories across Thailand are ordered to monitor their emissions. Air quality in Bangkok has reached unhealthy to even hazardous levels in recent weeks due to the excessive levels of the ultra-fine dust PM2.5, according to IQ Air. Under the new regulations set by the Industry Ministry, factories that are most likely to emit PM2.5…

  • HealthThai herb studied for alternative Covid-19 treatment

    Thai herb studied for alternative Covid-19 treatment

    A study on the efficacy of a Thai herb for treating Covid-19 will move forward after a trial which alternative medicine officials say had promising results. Although, the trial was basic and only involved 6 people. Initial results show that the herb “andrographis paniculata,” or “fah talai jone” in Thai, can improve patients’ conditions and relieve symptoms without major side…

  • Thailand News15,000 people in Samut Sakhon at high risk of infection, health officials concerned

    15,000 people in Samut Sakhon at high risk of infection, health officials concerned

    The rising number of infections in Samut Sakhon, most detected through proactive testing, has prompted serious concerns over a “high risk” group of 15,000 people, many who still work and travel as normal. The number for the high risk group is a rough estimate based on the assumption that there are at least 3 people who came in close contact…

  • Crime NewsMethamphetamine worth 51 million baht found washed up on Koh Samui beach

    Methamphetamine worth 51 million baht found washed up on Koh Samui beach

    Packages of crystal methamphetamine worth around 51 million baht were found washed up on Koh Samui’s Hat Koh Taen beach yesterday. Police suspect the drugs are from a vessel which sank off the coast of Vietnam while carrying a large shipment of drugs. Police say 100 kilograms of methamphetamine was found on the coast of Vietnam on December 10. Just…

  • Covid-19 NewsCelebrity’s birthday “Covid-19 cluster” organisers and partygoers may face charges

    Celebrity’s birthday “Covid-19 cluster” organisers and partygoers may face charges

    With more infections linked to the “birthday party Covid-19 cluster” and some concealing their timeline, the Disease Control Department is urging the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to take legal action against people involved. Thai media are calling it a “super spreader” party. So far, 26 cases are linked to the birthday event for the 33 year old Thai actor Techin Ploypetch, aka…

  • Thailand NewsBangkok Airways to resume 2 domestic flights

    Bangkok Airways to resume 2 domestic flights

    Bangkok Airways will resume Bangkok-Trat and Bangkok-Sukothai roundtrip flights on Monday after being suspended for 3 weeks due to Covid-19. Some flights will remain suspended until March 27. Starting on Monday, Bangkok Airways will offer roundtrip flights for 7 destinations: Bangkok – Samui Bangkok – Phuket Bangkok – Krabi Bangkok – Lampang Bangkok – Chiang Mai Bangkok – Trat route…

  • Thailand News27 migrants allegedly disguised as monks arrested on illegal entry charges, Bangkok abbot under investigation

    27 migrants allegedly disguised as monks arrested on illegal entry charges, Bangkok abbot under investigation

    Immigration police arrested 27 Cambodians for allegedly entering Thailand illegally and impersonating Buddhist monks. Police say the migrants allegedly disguised themselves as Buddhist monks at Wat Talom in Bangkok’s Phasi Charoen district. The temple’s abbot is also under investigation for allegedly assisting and hiding illegal migrants. Police searched the temple after receiving a tip that hundreds of monks lived in…

  • Thailand NewsPhuket eases restrictions, bars back to late-night hours

    Phuket eases restrictions, bars back to late-night hours

    Things are getting back to normal in Phuket. The provincial government eased disease control restrictions, allowing restaurants, bars and entertainment venues to go back to their normal operating hours – no more midnight closure order – and lifting the late-night alcohol ban. While bars can now stay open late and serve alcohol after midnight, dancing is prohibited and venues cannot…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid-19 death toll exceeds 100,000 in the UK, government mulls quarantine for travellers

    Covid-19 death toll exceeds 100,000 in the UK, government mulls quarantine for travellers

    With the Covid-19 death toll exceeding 100,000 in the United Kingdom, the British government is considering a mandatory hotel quarantine for visitors entering the country. A quarantine system is considered to be an effective way to limit virus transmission and stop new coronavirus variants from spreading into the country. Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with senior officials in a…

  • Environment NewsOwners of vehicles emitting black smoke to be fined up to 5,000 baht

    Owners of vehicles emitting black smoke to be fined up to 5,000 baht

    Owners of cars and trucks emitting an excessive amount of black smoke face a fine up to 5,000 baht. The heavy fine is an attempt to reduce air pollution in Bangkok. Along with the fine, the Department of Land Transport will also order the vehicle be suspended from use until its emission system is fixed. According to the department, from…

  • World NewsModerna vaccine is proved ‘protective’ against Covid-19 variants

    Moderna vaccine is proved ‘protective’ against Covid-19 variants

    As fear over new variants of Covid-19 had prompted the travel restrictions to tighten worldwide, the United States biotech firm Moderna announced that its vaccine should protect against the variants identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Latest studies on the efficacy of Moderna vaccines confirmed that the vaccines are effective and protective against new variants. The company will…

  • World NewsFlorida is ready to host Olympics if Tokyo draws back

    Florida is ready to host Olympics if Tokyo draws back

    If Tokyo backs out of hosting the Olympics, Florida might step in. The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and rescheduled for this July. With a fairly unpredictable future, Tokyo could back out of its plan to host the Olympics. Florida’s chief financial officer says the Sunshine State is ready. The CFO, Jimmy Patronis,…

  • Thailand NewsMassage workers in Pattaya call for reopening of spas and massages shops

    Massage workers in Pattaya call for reopening of spas and massages shops

    A group of about 50 workers from Pattaya massage shops and spas gathered together to call for the reopening of their businesses after being closed for the past month due to Covid-19 restrictions. The group called themselves the “Pattaya Health Massage” presented a letter signed by 60 massage shops, spas and gyms to Bang Lamung District Sheriff this morning. Chon…

  • Thailand NewsChulalongkorn University to start human trials for its Covid-19 vaccine

    Chulalongkorn University to start human trials for its Covid-19 vaccine

    The vaccine research centre at Chulalongkorn University is planning to start human trials of its mRNA vaccine candidate, called Chula – Cov19, in April. The university received prototype vaccines from factories in the United States. If the human trials are effective, the first million doses of locally-produced vaccines could available this year. According to the centre’s director Dr. Kiat Ruxrungtham,…

  • World News15,000+ Covid-19 patients in Japan on waiting list for hospitals and health care accommodations

    15,000+ Covid-19 patients in Japan on waiting list for hospitals and health care accommodations

    Thousands of people in Japan who are infected with Covid-19 are on the waiting list for hospitals or other accommodations for those with the virus due to the rising number of cases. Kyoto News conducted a survey and reports at least 15,058 are on the waiting list for proper treatment and accommodation. The number of new infections in Japan has…

  • Bangkok NewsChatuchak market is in worst crisis in 5 decades due to Covid-19, vendors say

    Chatuchak market is in worst crisis in 5 decades due to Covid-19, vendors say

    Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok’s biggest market and a popular tourist destination, is hit hard by the new wave of Covid-19. With the lack of foreign tourists due to travel restrictions over the past year, as well as more locals staying at home despite the market’s strict disease control measures, the number of visitors at the market has dropped by 90%.…

  • Thailand NewsHotline set up for reports on alleged Covid-19 measure violations

    Hotline set up for reports on alleged Covid-19 measure violations

    The government is now encouraging people to help report activities deemed to violate the government’s rules and regulations to curb the spread of Covid-19 by calling the national hotline at 1111. People can report on any violations set by the Emergency Decree, which has been in place since last year and extended numerous times to combat the coronavirus. The government…

  • Bangkok NewsEating out until 11pm in Bangkok is waiting for approval

    Eating out until 11pm in Bangkok is waiting for approval

    Bangkok restaurants may soon be allowed to stay open a little later. Health officials are considering easing up Covid-19 prevention measures by extending restaurant dine-in closing times to 11pm. If the proposal by the Thai Restaurant Association is given a green light, it may lead to the lifting ban of alcohol drinking. After the order of shutting entertainment venues and…

  • Crime NewsPolice in Bangkok arrest 3 people for allegedly selling cannabis cookies

    Police in Bangkok arrest 3 people for allegedly selling cannabis cookies

    Police in Bangkok arrested 3 people for allegedly making cannabis cookies and selling them through the messaging application LINE under a chat group called “The Hippy Cookie.” Police raided a condominium room in the Bang Na district and seized 13 “foreign types” of cannabis, 46 food products made with cannabis and 3 types of hallucinogenic mushrooms. Using the LINE messaging…

  • Thailand NewsThai PM is ready to work closely with the US President

    Thai PM is ready to work closely with the US President

    Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha sent a letter of congratulations to US resident Joe Biden. He says the Thai government is ready to work closely with the US government to promote cooperation in all aspects and all levels. He also says that Thailand and the US have a long relationship that dates back over 200 years. And, as Thailand is the…

  • Bangkok NewsCourteous thief apologises to Bangkok convenience store: Sorry I’ve a kid

    Courteous thief apologises to Bangkok convenience store: Sorry I’ve a kid

    A young man armed with a knife allegedly robbed a convenience store in Ladprao district of Bangkok, stealing 1,800 baht. Before fleeing on a motorcycle, he apologised to the staff, saying “Sorry. I’ve a kid”. It’s really hard to find a thief with good manners these days. The female staff who was in the store when the man came in…

  • Thailand NewsCCSA Update: 309 new Covid-19 infections in Thailand

    CCSA Update: 309 new Covid-19 infections in Thailand

    The CCSA’s daily briefing today started with an update about a NBT news presenter who has attended the daily briefings at the CCSA studio and testing positive for Covid-19. The CCSA spokesman then announced that all people working in the CCSA studio, including himself, are defined as a “low risk” group for infections. The CCSA spokesman says he, together with…

  • Environment NewsSmog across Bangkok can be blamed on a ‘Dust Dome’ of pollutants

    Smog across Bangkok can be blamed on a ‘Dust Dome’ of pollutants

    Poor air quality across Bangkok in the past week are not just caused by the PM2.5 dust. We can blame a ‘dust dome’ that is formed with low atmospheric pressure, dust and pollutants from the farmland waste burning, and greenhouse gases. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa says that the pollutants come from “the improper disposal” of farming waste…

  • Thailand NewsThai tourism operators want to offer vaccination-inclusive packages

    Thai tourism operators want to offer vaccination-inclusive packages

    Vaccination seems to be the great new hope of most of Thailand’s businesses battered by Covid-19, especially the tourism industry. Thai tour operators are now floating the idea of “vaccination tour packages” to attract inbound travellers after the first inoculations are distributed in February. Sort of an STV with vaccination included. The tourism plan is expected to potentially benefit those…

  • Covid-19 News50,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to arrive in Thailand in early February, more ahead

    50,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to arrive in Thailand in early February, more ahead

    The first 50,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines are scheduled to arrive in Thailand in the first week of February. The upcoming shipment is part of the first lot of 26 million doses on the agreed purchase in October last year. Still, Thailand needs another 35 million doses as the procured vaccines are enough for only 30 million people.…

  • Thailand NewsGovernment is to allow people to use “legal” parts of cannabis in business

    Government is to allow people to use “legal” parts of cannabis in business

    With intentions to promote cannabis as the country’s potential new cash crop, the government is preparing guideline to allow people to produce, sell or own cannabis and hemp. The permitted businesses, including textile, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics will be able to register to receive FDA permissions from January 29. According to the FDA secretary-general, leaves, stalks, stems, roots, flowers, and seeds…

  • Thailand NewsThai senior and disabled citizens will receive 2,000 baht handouts

    Thai senior and disabled citizens will receive 2,000 baht handouts

    While the government’s economic stimulus packages continue to roll out, there is also a concern for the disabled and senior citizens who are excluded from the criteria to get benefits from the government’s major aids at this stage. The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security plans to distribute 2,000 baht handouts to that demographic of the Thai population. According…