Tanutam Thawan

Tanutam Thawan

Local Thai journalist speaking fluent Thai and English. Tanutam studied in Khon Kaen before attending Bangkok’s Chulalongkhorn University.
  • Covid-19 NewsCovid UPDATE: 3,481 new cases and 32 deaths, provincial totals

    Covid UPDATE: 3,481 new cases and 32 deaths, provincial totals

    3,481 new Covid-19 cases and 32 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. There are now 42,827 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 123,066 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 735 virus-related deaths. Out of the new cases, 1,036 infections were…

  • Thailand NewsVaccine registration for foreigners in Thailand to open June 7

    Vaccine registration for foreigners in Thailand to open June 7

    Foreigners living in Thailand will be able to register for a Covid-19 vaccine starting June 7, the first day of the country’s mass vaccination campaign. Foreigners can register for a vaccine on-site at hospitals. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Natapanu Nopakun recommends that expats register for a vaccine at a hospital that has their health records on file. Expats need…

  • Thailand NewsChina provides vaccine doses for citizens living in Thailand

    China provides vaccine doses for citizens living in Thailand

    In a global Covid-19 immunization campaign, China has sent vaccine doses to Thailand to have Chinese citizens inoculated under Beijing’s “Spring Sprout” programme. A vaccination site under the programme is already up and running in Bangkok. The Associated Press says China had donated 500,000 doses, and Thailand then agreed to vaccinate Chinese expats. Around 150,000 Chinese nationals live in Thailand. “Spring…

  • Crime NewsAmericans arrested over Bangkok kidnap attempt released on bail

    Americans arrested over Bangkok kidnap attempt released on bail

    Edited on June 10 Thai police arrested an alleged former US Marines*, along with an American and 2 Thai men, including a senior police officer, for allegedly kidnapping a foreign businessman at a Bangkok restaurant in Thong Lor and then demanding a US$3 million ransom. The men allegedly abducted 60 year old Wen Yu Chung, from Taiwan, over a failed…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid UPDATE: 2,636 new cases, provincial totals

    Covid UPDATE: 2,636 new cases, provincial totals

    2,636 new Covid-19 cases, including 671 in prisons, were reported today in the CCSA’s daily briefing. Another 25 coronavirus-related deaths were logged today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 703. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 119,585 Covid-19 infections. Thailand now has 49,210 active Covid-19 cases. Bangkok remains the…

  • Pattaya NewsUPDATE: Officers shot during gunfire exchange at luxury home in Chon Buri

    UPDATE: Officers shot during gunfire exchange at luxury home in Chon Buri

    2 police officers were shot and severely wounded in a gunfire exchange while executing a search warrant at a luxury home in Chon Buri’s Huayyai, just outside Pattaya. A gardener was mowing the lawn when a team of police arrived at the home. As soon as they knocked on the front door, a man inside fired shots from an upper…

  • Covid-19 News70% of people to have first dose of Covid-19 vaccine by September – Health Minister

    70% of people to have first dose of Covid-19 vaccine by September – Health Minister

    By September, 70% of the population in Thailand is expected to have received at least their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. An accelerated rollout of vaccines is expected to takeoff next month when the locally produced AstraZeneca vaccine is ready for public use. Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says the government will focus on administering the first shot…

  • Thailand NewsRoyal Thai Police to investigate 29 officers for suspected ties to labour trafficking

    Royal Thai Police to investigate 29 officers for suspected ties to labour trafficking

    At least 29 police officers are being investigated for suspected involvement in labour trafficking. The Royal Thai Police Headquarters has appointed a committee to investigate the officers, a source told Nation Thailand. The national police deputy chief will oversee the investigation. Border patrol has reportedly been heightened over the past year due concerns that migrants who are entering Thailand illegally,…

  • Crime NewsMen arrested on drug charges after police chase in Phuket

    Men arrested on drug charges after police chase in Phuket

    2 men were arrested on drug charges after a 20 kilometre police chase in Phuket yesterday. The pursuit ended when the men crashed their motorbike into a parked car. Officers searched the motorbike and found 3 bags of kratom in the boot. An officer says he first approached the men because they were acting suspicious. The men sped off, prompting…

  • Thailand NewsThai company interested in Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine for animals

    Thai company interested in Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine for animals

    Thailand might soon start importing the Russian-made Covid-19 vaccine for animals, according to the Russian news agency TASS. Representatives from a top pharmaceutical manufacturer in Thailand held a video conference with the Russian Federal Service of Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision, known as Rosselkhoznadzor, to discuss the Carnivac-Cov Covid-19 vaccine for animals. Tests show that the Carnivac-Cov vaccine is effective at generating…

  • Thailand NewsThai Airways restructuring plan approved by creditors

    Thai Airways restructuring plan approved by creditors

    The restructuring plan to tackle Thai Airways International’s more than 300 billion baht debt, one of Thailand’s most high profile bankruptcy cases, was approved by the airline’s creditors, its legal advisor told Reuters reporters this afternoon. The plan was approved by 90% of the creditors. It will be reviewed by the Central Bankruptcy Court on May 28. In a previous report,…

  • Crime NewsThai authorities announce cargo ship’s route before drug bust in Australia | VIDEO

    Thai authorities announce cargo ship’s route before drug bust in Australia | VIDEO

    Thai authorities investigating the drug bust in Australia, where more than 300 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized from a Thai cargo ship, say they’ve narrowed down the route of the shipment and have identified a company involved. Cargo had first been loaded onto a Chinese vessel which left Chon Buri’s Laem Chabang port on March 25, according to Thailand’s Office…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid UPDATE: 3,394 new infections, provincial totals

    Covid UPDATE: 3,394 new infections, provincial totals

    3,394 new Covid-19 cases and 29 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing, raising the culumative count since the start of the pandemic last year to 116,948 confirmed infections and the death toll to 678. Out of the 3,394 new cases, 1,498 were detected in prisons. Thousands of inmates in at least 12…

  • Thailand NewsThai company offers travel packages to the US with Covid-19 vaccine included

    Thai company offers travel packages to the US with Covid-19 vaccine included

    With the recent wave of Covid-19 hitting record highs and increasing the demand for vaccines, some Thais are looking to get inoculated overseas. There are now tour packages which include a Covid-19 vaccination. The company Unithai Trip is now advertising trips from Thailand to the United States that include a Covid-19 vaccine. Starting at $2,300 USD, travellers can go on…

  • Pattaya NewsChon Buri to start mass Covid-19 vaccination campaign tomorrow

    Chon Buri to start mass Covid-19 vaccination campaign tomorrow

    A mass Covid-19 vaccination campaign is set to start in Chon Buri this week. Local health officials will administer 45,000 doses of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine to residents in the province tomorrow and Friday. Two doses are needed for the vaccine to be effective. Pattaya News notes that expats cannot yet register for a vaccine through the Chon Buri Health…

  • Bangkok NewsClosure order in Bangkok set until May 31, restaurants can now offer dine-in services

    Closure order in Bangkok set until May 31, restaurants can now offer dine-in services

    To control the spread of Covid-19 in Bangkok, where more than 28,000 people have tested positive for the virus in the latest wave of infections, the closure order in the capital has been extended a second time, now set to be in place until May 31. While many entertainment and recreation businesses and venues are ordered to remain closed, some…

  • Pattaya News20 people arrested at Pattaya restaurant for allegedly violating alcohol ban

    20 people arrested at Pattaya restaurant for allegedly violating alcohol ban

    Police in Pattaya arrested 20 people last night at a local restaurant where alcohol was reportedly being sold. While Chon Buri recently eased disease control restrictions, now allowing restaurants in the province to offer dine-in services again, alcohol sales and consumption at restaurants are still prohibited. Saewana restaurant was raided at around 11pm last night by officers from Pattaya and…

  • Covid-19 NewsActive Covid-19 clusters reported in 16 Bangkok districts

    Active Covid-19 clusters reported in 16 Bangkok districts

    Bangkok residents living in any of the 16 districts in the capital with active Covid-19 clusters are being advised to strictly follow disease control measures. Spokesperson Taweesilp Visanuyothin made the warning during today’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration briefing. In the latest wave of Covid-19 infections, more than 28,000 cases have been reported in Bangkok. Taweeslip says there have been…

  • Thailand NewsPublic Health Minister says no need for lockdown in Bangkok

    Public Health Minister says no need for lockdown in Bangkok

    While Bangkok remains the epicentre of the latest wave of Covid-19, with more than 28,000 coronavirus cases in the capital since April 1, Thailand’s public health minister says there’s no need to impose a lockdown. Restrictions are already tight in Bangkok, which is classified as a “dark red” zone under maximum control to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Public Health…

  • Crime NewsMan arrested for allegedly exchanging fake US bills for 1.2 million baht

    Man arrested for allegedly exchanging fake US bills for 1.2 million baht

    A man was arrested in Bangkok for allegedly exchanging counterfeit foreign bank notes at a currency exchange kiosk, taking off with 1.2 million baht. Police say Thanat Amatawimut, a 42 year old building contractor, exchanged 360 fake $100 USD bills for 1.2 million baht at a kiosk in Bangkok back in 2019. The staff accepted the cash, but later realised…

  • Thailand NewsKoh Samet reopens after being closed for 3 weeks due to Covid-19

    Koh Samet reopens after being closed for 3 weeks due to Covid-19

    Koh Samet off the coast of Rayong has reopened to visitors after being closed for 3 weeks. The Gulf of Thailand island is safe to visit and disease control measures are being enforced, according to the Koh Samet tourism association chairperson told the Bangkok Post. On April 27, the Rayong governor ordered for Koh Samet to be closed to visitors…

  • Covid-19 NewsSinovac and AstraZeneca: The 2 primary Covid-19 vaccines in Thailand

    Sinovac and AstraZeneca: The 2 primary Covid-19 vaccines in Thailand

    Since Thailand started its mass Covid-19 immunisation campaign in late February, the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccine, made in partnership with the UK’s Oxford University, have been used to vaccinate residents in Thailand. The local firm Siam Bioscience is now producing the AstraZeneca vaccine and the first Thai-made batch is expected to be rolled out next month. Type…

  • Thailand NewsJustice Minister says 50,000 inmates will be released following Covid-19 outbreaks

    Justice Minister says 50,000 inmates will be released following Covid-19 outbreaks

    With thousands of inmates now infected with Covid-19 at several Thai prisons, shedding light on the country’s longstanding problem of overcrowded prisons, Thailand’s justice minister says around 50,000 inmates will be released next month. So far, the Department of Corrections has reported 10,384 Covid-19 cases in Thai prisons. Following the last week’s outbreaks at the Bangkok Remand Prison and Central…

  • Thailand NewsBritish tourists come forward about being attacked on Koh Tao in 2013

    British tourists come forward about being attacked on Koh Tao in 2013

    Many continue to contend that Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, the 2 Burmese young men convicted for the 2014 murder of 2 tourists on Koh Tao’s Sairee Beach, are innocent. Now 2 tourists who were attacked on the same beach, just a year before the murder, are now coming forward to help prove that the conviction could have been unreliable.…

  • Thailand NewsPM Prayut Chan-o-cha announces 20 year plan to take action against corruption

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announces 20 year plan to take action against corruption

    Action against corruption in Thailand is now a “national agenda” and a 20-year plan, backed by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, is set to be rolled out to promote transparency in the Thai government, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced today. On a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being “highly corrupt” and 100 being “very clean,” Thailand’s score is 36, according…

  • Thailand NewsCovid UPDATE: 9,635 new infections, provincial totals

    Covid UPDATE: 9,635 new infections, provincial totals

    Thailand reported a record high of 9,635 new Covid-19 infections. There are now 43,268 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Natapanu Nopakun said at the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Out of the new cases reported today, 6,853 were detected at prisons in Thailand. “Of course this is a new high that we have never…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid-19 spreads to 12 Thailand prisons infecting 9,789 people

    Covid-19 spreads to 12 Thailand prisons infecting 9,789 people

    Over the past week, 12 prisons in Thailand have reported Covid-19 infections infecting thousands of inmates. Out of the 9,789 Covid-19 infections reported by the Department of Corrections, nearly 4,000 cases were reported at the Chiang Mai Central Prison. Outbreaks at the Bangkok Remand Prison and Central Women’s Correctional Institution were first reported last week after a pro-democracy protest leader…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket police search for foreigners who were seen drinking beer at a restaurant

    Phuket police search for foreigners who were seen drinking beer at a restaurant

    Phuket officials are serious about disease control orders banning parties and gatherings with friends, especially when alcohol is involved. They’re so serious, that apparently they’re searching for 4 foreigners who were seen drinking beers at a restuarant in Rawai. Police raided the restaurant yesterday at a complaint from a woman who works for the local district office. She was out…

  • Covid-19 NewsFamily sues Thai PM, CCSA after Covid-infected relative dies

    Family sues Thai PM, CCSA after Covid-infected relative dies

    The family of a man who died while infected with Covid-19 is demanding the Thai PM, as well as other government officials, pay millions of baht in compensation, citing “negligence” after calls to Covid-19 hotlines went unanswered or were not of help. 35 year old Kunlasub Watthanaphon died on April 23. Kunlasub is said to have contracted the virus from a…

  • Thailand NewsIs Thailand the best country for digital nomads?

    Is Thailand the best country for digital nomads?

    Is Thailand the best country in the world for digital nomads? Some think so. The French travel and tourism operator Club Med recently did a study and found that Thailand tops the list of best countries for digital nomads with Phuket as the number one ‘city’ to live in while working remotely. (We acknowledge that Phuket can hardly be regarded…