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  • Covid-19 NewsCoronavirus UPDATE – 31,481 infections world-wide, the search for a cure

    Coronavirus UPDATE – 31,481 infections world-wide, the search for a cure

    “…the coronavirus has proven itself to have higher infection rates and lower fatality rates when compared with Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)” As the coronavirus outbreak in China surges past the 30,000 mark, having infected 31,481 people, the global scientific community are racing to find a reliable treatment and vaccine. Most of the people…

  • Covid-19 NewsCoronavirus UPDATE: Thursday afternoon, 1,200+ patients now fully recovered

    Coronavirus UPDATE: Thursday afternoon, 1,200+ patients now fully recovered

    As of Thursday afternoon, World Health Organisation officials have raised the death toll to 565, with a total of 28,299 cases identified around the world. The number of full recoveries now exceeds 1,200 and rising fast as many of the earlier cases progress to full recovery. Below we’ve catalogued a lot of the latest news from around the world from…

  • Phuket NewsBibi does Bangla – What is the Thai girl experience with foreign boyfriends?

    Bibi does Bangla – What is the Thai girl experience with foreign boyfriends?

    Bibi heads to Soi Bangla in Phuket’s seaside party town of Patong. She’s inquiring about Thai girls’ opinions, even the working girls in the clubs. Have they had experience with a foreign boyfriend? What about their foreign boyfriend experiences, good and bad? What are their expectations? Is it all about money or are the Thai women more romantic than the…

  • Politics NewsThailand’s plastics industry wants the government’s help to keep afloat

    Thailand’s plastics industry wants the government’s help to keep afloat

    There may be less plastic bags being handed out around Thailand, and that’s a good thing. But there’s been a down side – the failure of an entire industry and the people it employees. Now the Thai Labour Minister is being asked to step in and help the dozens of Thai plastic bag manufacturers which are at risk of closing…

  • Thailand video newsDo Thai women prefer ‘farang’ or Thai men? And why?

    Do Thai women prefer ‘farang’ or Thai men? And why?

    Today Bibi from Thaiger’s T-Talk headed out to ask some random females about who they prefer – Farang or Thai guys, and why? And if they have to choose one, who would they go for? Is it the money? Is it the height, the blue eyes? Maybe they want to improve their English. There are plenty of theories, thousands of…

  • Covid-19 NewsFlight full of Thai evacuees from Wuhan arrives at U-tapao, four with fever

    Flight full of Thai evacuees from Wuhan arrives at U-tapao, four with fever

    Four of the 138 Thais repatriated in an Air Asia jet from Wuhan last night were found to have a fever. The Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was at U-tapao airport, south of Pattaya, last night to welcome the 138 evacuees. Thai AirAsia flight FD571, carrying the 138 Thai passengers, landed at the navy airport in Ban Chang district in…

  • Covid-19 NewsCoronavirus UPDATE – 492 people now dead, spread to 25 countries

    Coronavirus UPDATE – 492 people now dead, spread to 25 countries

    The latest toll for the Coronavirus outbreak has now reached 25,552, of which just over 3,000 are reported to be in a critical condition. 492 people have died from the disease and 907 have recovered. Outside of China there are now 25 countries with infected patients – Thailand, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia and Germany with the most cases. Meanwhile,…

  • OpinionThe knock-on effect. Coronavirus hits Phuket hotels.

    The knock-on effect. Coronavirus hits Phuket hotels.

    The Thaiger’s occasional Phuket hotel management contributor is back with some inside knowledge of the current situation for hoteliers on the holiday island. That the coronavirus situation is affecting hotel bookings, is an understatement, he says. Here’s some of the current thinking as Phuket hoteliers stand around the water-cooler and mull the situation. Our writer has asked to remain anonymous……

  • World NewsRegional news source publishes smuggled photos from Bangkok’s Immigration Detention Centre

    Regional news source publishes smuggled photos from Bangkok’s Immigration Detention Centre

    A regional news source, linked to the Catholic Church, has published a group of photos over the weekend slamming Thailand’s notorious Bangkok’s Immigration Detention Centre. The article claims the Centre has “squalid and overcrowded conditions in which inmates, including children, women and the elderly, have been forced to languish for months and even years on end.” The Union of Catholic…

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesLight winds across Thailand and cooler weather in the Northern hills

    Light winds across Thailand and cooler weather in the Northern hills

    Watch out for some fog in the hills around the north of Thailand, a continuation of the smog problems in the city and a chance of thunderstorms during the day in parts of the south. A high-pressure system over upper Thailand and the South China Sea is weakening that will cause morning fog as well as cooler weather in some…

  • Covid-19 NewsChina now battling an outbreak of bird flu in Hunan

    China now battling an outbreak of bird flu in Hunan

    On top of the growing Coronavirus outbreak and efforts of authorities to contain the spread, Chinese officials have now reported a case of the potent H5N1 bird flu in Shaoyang city in central China’s Hunan province. The province is south of Hubei but the outbreak of bird flu is unrelated to the Wuhan coronavirus. Avian influenza, aka. H5N1, avian flu…

  • Covid-19 NewsCoronavirus UPDATE – Confirmed cases exceed 17,000, 362 deaths

    Coronavirus UPDATE – Confirmed cases exceed 17,000, 362 deaths

    The Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has now spread to 27 countries and territories worldwide. There are 17,387 confirmed cases and 362 deaths as of this morning. Welcome to our Monday morning update as we enter a new month with the coronavirus still growing , both inside China and outside, with the first death outside China over the weekend – a 44…

  • Road deathsThree people dead in road incidents south of Bangkok

    Three people dead in road incidents south of Bangkok

    Three people are dead following two separate accidents in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan, south and east of Bangkok’s centre. The first incident occurred around 7.30pm on Saturday night on the Bang Na-Trat highway. A married couple were killed after their motorcycle was run over by a six wheeled truck. The couple were identified as 58 year old Somchai…

  • Covid-19 NewsCoronavirus UPDATE – 14,551 confirmed cases, first death outside China

    Coronavirus UPDATE – 14,551 confirmed cases, first death outside China

    “The Philippines has confirmed this morning the second coronavirus case in the country and, notably, the first death in the country and the first outside China” Philippines’ Health Secretary Francisco Duque III Deaths from the coronavirus outbreak have now reached 304 today. 14,551 people are now confirmed with the virus. An increasing number of countries are also imposing restriction on travel…

  • South Thailand NewsMan walks into his own funeral in southern Thailand

    Man walks into his own funeral in southern Thailand

    It was the double-take of the year. In the middle of a funeral at a local temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand, the man, who was the main attraction at the event, walked into his own funeral. After attendees got over their surprise, and relief, that their relative was actually alive, the question arose, “who is the person inside…

  • Business NewsThai Airways considers leasing planes and outsourcing cabin staff

    Thai Airways considers leasing planes and outsourcing cabin staff

    In its attempts to restructure the legacy national airline, senior staff of Thai Airways may lease aircraft and cabin staff. The plans are part of fleet and service improvement options as demanded by the Thai Government who had to find 11.1 billion baht over the first 9 months of 2019 to keep the national airline in the skies. According to…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket, Bangkok and Chiang Mai hard hit over ‘palpable’ tourism drop

    Phuket, Bangkok and Chiang Mai hard hit over ‘palpable’ tourism drop

    The 2019-nCoV coronavirus, the official name for the Wuhan or Novel Corononavirus, is resulting in dozens of high-season flights to Thai southern beach resorts being cancelled. The virus is already deemed an international public health emergency by the World Health Organisation. “While Patong survived and thrived after SARS, the tsunami and a few army coups, this virus is stripping our…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand’s King sends message of support to China

    Thailand’s King sends message of support to China

    “Myself and the Thai people stand by the Chinese people and wish you success in overcoming this crisis, with the expectation that the situation will be restored to normal as quickly as possible.” His Majesty Maha Varichalongkorn, the King of Thailand has expressed his concern over the novel coronavirus outbreak in China and is wishing the Chinese government success in…

  • Covid-19 NewsNo confirmed coronavirus cases in Phuket, six tourists under observation

    No confirmed coronavirus cases in Phuket, six tourists under observation

    A this stage, no one in Phuket has been confirmed as infected with the coronavirus. Director of Vachira Hospital’s Dr Chalermpong Sukontapol brought local media up to date in his media scrum at the hospital yesterday. But he announced that 6 more tourists are currently under observation but are, as yet, unconfirmed to be carrying the novel coronavirus. One of…

  • Covid-19 NewsChiang Mai confirms first coronavirus case

    Chiang Mai confirms first coronavirus case

    Chiang Mai health officials have confirmed the first positive case of the coronavirus in the northern city. The patient had come for treatment from Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital and later tested positive for the virus. The Ministry of Public Health announced yesterday that five more people in Thailand had been confirmed as carrying the novel coronavirus, and one of…

  • OpinionBrexit – a personal diary

    Brexit – a personal diary

    Opinion by David Skelcey Friday, June 24, 2016 I woke up in my caravan at Glastonbury Music Festival, headed to the toilet and while doing my business read the news I was dreading. The Leave campaign had won the Brexit referendum by 51% to 49%. After getting dressed and kissing my sleeping partner and kids goodbye I headed off to…

  • Covid-19 NewsCoronavirus UPDATE: Thai cases up to 19, US declares coronavirus a public health emergency

    Coronavirus UPDATE: Thai cases up to 19, US declares coronavirus a public health emergency

    Total confirmed worldwide cases: 11,374 Total confirmed cases in China: 11,221 Total conformed cases in Thailand: 19 Total deaths: 259 And, as the weeks wear on, it is clear that most people are recovering from their symptoms and getting on with their lives. No one, outside of China, has died from the coronavirus infection. Many countries have now issued strict…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand charters civilian plane to repatriate stranded Thais in Wuhan

    Thailand charters civilian plane to repatriate stranded Thais in Wuhan

    The Thai government will charter a plane from a commercial airline to evacuate Thai citizens trapped in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says they’ve opted not to use a military transport plane as the Chinese government declined to permit a military aircraft repatriate the Thais earlier this week. It was reported that there remains about…

  • Covid-19 NewsFirst human-to-human case of Coronavirus confirmed in Thailand

    First human-to-human case of Coronavirus confirmed in Thailand

    Thailand health officials have confirmed the first case of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus. The confirmed case hasn’t travelled outside of Thailand. Reuters report that the case is a Thai taxi driver, according to the deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control, Tanarak Pipat. “The Thai person who got infected does not have the record of traveling to…

  • Covid-19 NewsNo confirmed cases in Phuket, 10 remain in hospital awaiting tests

    No confirmed cases in Phuket, 10 remain in hospital awaiting tests

    Ten patients in Phuket were still waiting for test results confirming if they had the coronavirus or not yesterday. Up to yesterday afternoon there have been no confirmed cases detected on the island in southern Thailand. The director of Vachiraphuket Hospital in Phuket Town, Dr Chalermpong Sukhonthapol, confirmed that since January 5 health officials had identified 23 people with “suspicious…

  • Events2nd annual Thailand Game Expo opens at BITEC in Bangkok

    2nd annual Thailand Game Expo opens at BITEC in Bangkok

    AIS and M Vision have kicked off the 2nd Thailand Game Expo at the BITEC centre (Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre) in Bangna. 700,000+ visitors are expected to attend the Expo this year, which runs through to this Sunday (February 2) and product sales tipped to top 2 billion baht. The event is organised by AIS eSports. Alistair Johnston, the…

  • Covid-19 NewsCoronavirus UPDATE – confirmed cases exceed SARS outbreak, death toll reaches 213

    Coronavirus UPDATE – confirmed cases exceed SARS outbreak, death toll reaches 213

    The last day of January and the number of coronavirus cases now heads towards 10,000, confirmed cases in China, as of Friday morning, is 9,692. Confirmed deaths, all in China, are now 213. The number of confirmed cases now exceeds the total number of SARS cases during the outbreak in 2002/2003. 42 of the new deaths occurred in Hubei province,…

  • Covid-19 NewsCoronavirus UPDATE – Total virus cases surpass 7,000

    Coronavirus UPDATE – Total virus cases surpass 7,000

    The statistics keep rising, a mathematical tally of a human dimension. The world is trying to come to grips with a new, largely unknown, viral strain with flu-like symptoms that attacks the respiratory system. The good news, if any, from the latest outbreak is that most people are either ending up with “mild symptoms” and most recovering. 20% of current…

  • Covid-19 NewsCoronavirus UPDATE – 6,057 confirmed cases, 132 dead, Wednesday 11.30am

    Coronavirus UPDATE – 6,057 confirmed cases, 132 dead, Wednesday 11.30am

    The Coronavirus has now infected a confirmed 6,057 people who are undergoing treatment, and the death toll has reached 132. 125 of those deaths are isolated to Hubei Province in central China. The largest city of Hubei is Wuhan, the epicentre of the current outbreak which first came to light in mid-December last year at a fresh meat market. Germany…

  • Covid-19 NewsCoronavirus UPDATE – 5,578 confirmed cases, 131 dead

    Coronavirus UPDATE – 5,578 confirmed cases, 131 dead

    We awake to the latest news today on the spread of the Coronavirus where 5,578 people are now confirmed as infected and undergoing treatment, and the death toll reaching 131. 125 of those deaths are isolated to Hubei Province in central China (graph below). The largest city of Hubei is Wuhan, the epicentre of the current outbreak which first came…