- Thailand News
Sex workers mail high heels to government, continue to call for financial support
Earlier this year, sex workers and others in Thailand’s nightlife industry lined high heels up in front of the parliament building in Bangkok. Each pair of heels had a note calling for the government to compensate redlight district workers who are out of work due to the pandemic. Six months later, with bars and nightclubs still ordered to remain closed,…
- Thailand News
Thai officials to review list of low risk countries, possibly ban travellers from high risk
In addition to discussing whether to cancel the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme due to the uptick in Omicron cases, the Thai government will also review its list of countries considered to be at low risk for Covid-19 and consider whether to ban travellers from high risk countries. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told Thai media today that the…
- Thailand News
Customer says a fish was swimming in a sealed jug of drinking water
Thais are questioning the cleanliness of their drinking water after one person found a small fish swimming around their sealed jug of drinking water. The customer video of the little silver fish swimming in the jug before returning it to the shop. The customer posted the photo on Facebook, but did not mention where they purchased the water or what…
- Thailand News
Earthquake in Laos shakes Thailand, cracking 425 year old Buddha statue
A 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Laos shook Thailand and caused a 425 year old Buddha statue in the northern border province Nan to crack. The shake could be felt by those in Thailand’s northern and northeastern provinces. The earthquake struck at 4:06am this morning with a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the Meteorological Department’s Earthquake Observation Division. It was…
- Thailand News
Body found 3 months after tugboat capsizes in Ayutthaya
After a months-long search, dive and rescue teams have recovered the bodies of both a husband and wife who drowned when a tugboat capsized by a confluence, where the Chao Phraya River and Pasak River meet. The boat sank back in September in front of the Phanan Choeng Temple in Ayutthaya. The captain’s body was later found near the Rama…
- Covid-19 News
First local Omicron case, officials consider cancelling quarantine exemption Test & Go
Thailand’s first local transmission of the Omicron variant was reported today by public health officials. The confirmed case comes as the government considers cancelling the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme due to increasing reports of Omicron cases involving those arriving in Thailand from overseas. So far, health officials have reported more than 60 imported Omicron cases. The first local…
- Thailand News
Long-distance bus passengers travelling for New Year’s asked to take an ATK test
Travelling by bus during the New Year holiday? You might need to take an ATK test for long-distance trips. The state-run Transport Company is in discussions with both the Public Health Ministry and the Transport Ministry about Covid-19 prevention measures during the end-of-year holiday, according to the director-general of the Department of Disease Control Opas Karnkawinpong. Opas says that passengers…
- Thailand News
Thai government to consider cancelling Test & Go entry scheme – Health Minister
Nearly two months after Thailand opened its doors to international tourism, the country may tighten restrictions and cancel the quarantine exemption scheme, Test & Go. In an interview on Channel 9 this morning, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that the Thai government will discuss whether to cancel the entry scheme due to the uptick in Omicron cases. A meeting…
- Covid-19 News
Friday Covid Update: 3,537 new cases; provincial totals
41 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,327 with 21,233 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 3,537 new Covid-19 cases and 5,459 recoveries. There are now 43,479 people in Thailand being…
- Thailand News
Two Thai suspects in Taiwan’s largest heroin bust on record arrested in Pathum Thani
In the largest heroin bust in Taiwan on record, two Thai men were arrested yesterday for allegedly hiding hundreds of kilograms of heroin in lumber shipments and trafficking the drugs to Taiwan. Late last month, officers in Taiwan’s New Taipei City reported that they found over 446.8 kilograms of heroin, with a street value of around 6 billion baht, hidden…
- Thailand News
Riot erupts at Krabi prison over inmate Covid-19 treatment, 300 officers deployed
Hundreds of police have been deployed to control an ongoing riot at the Krabi Provincial Prison off the Andaman coast. Around 70 inmates started rioting at around 9pm last night, throwing objects, setting fires, and smashing tiles and plates. Prisoners reportedly threw the riot because an inmate was offered Covid-19 treatment off prison grounds while others infected with the virus…
- Pattaya News
Man arrested in Chon Buri for allegedly attempting to mail drugs to South Korea
A Thai man was arrested in Chon Buri for allegedly attempting to send methamphetamine and other illicit drugs to South Korea. Officers say they received a tip through the 1386 hotline that the suspect was smuggling drugs out of Thailand by hiding them in snack packages. The Office of the Narcotics Control Board says each package is included with 870…
- Bangkok News
New park in Bangkok to open by Christmas
A new Bangkok park will be open on Christmas day. The area along Chong Nonsi canal is being renovated to be the Klong Chong Nonsi Public Park. The park is separated into five parts spreading over 12 kilometres along Silom to Rama 3 road. The first part of the park around Silom to Surawong road will be open on December 25.…
- Phuket News
Royal Thai Navy sinks three old battleships during “goodbye” ceremony
Royal Thai Navy sank three old battleships during a ceremony to say goodbye to the retired vessels. Phuket’s PR department says aiming it to be a marine ecosystem learning park, habitat for fish population and coral reef as well as a destination for divers visiting Phuket in the future. The suitable ways of disposing of old ships is still up…
- Thailand News
Thailand and Cambodia to discuss reopening borders along Sa Kaeo
Thai officials plan to hold talks with their counterparts in Cambodia to discuss reopening the land borders between the two countries. The governor of the border province Sa Kaeo held a meeting yesterday to discuss plans for reopening entry checkpoints. Four border crossing spots are in the plan included with permanent crossing point Ban Khlong Luek – PoiPet in Aranyaprathet…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s nora folk dance recognised by UNESCO as “Intangible Cultural Heritage”
Southern Thailand’s traditional, and ultra-elaborate, folk dance “nora” was recognised by UNESCO as a piece of Thailand’s “Intangible Cultural Heritage.” The Nora performance, which can last up to three days and three nights, will join the elite ranks of Thailand’s other two recognised on the heritage list, the Thai massage and masked Khon dance The announcement was made during the…
- Covid-19 News
Wednesday Covid Update: 3,370 new cases; provincial totals
29 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,260 with 21,166 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 3,370 new Covid-19 cases and 4,557 recoveries. There are now 46,315 people in Thailand being…
- Thailand News
Candidate for Bangkok governor under fire after claim he studied under Einstein’s grandson
A candidate for Bangkok governor is under fire after he claimed to have studied engineering under Albert Einstein’s grandson, and even went as far to say he’s the only one in Thailand that has studied under an Einstein. But a Thai reporter decided to fact check the claims and found that the American professor has no connection to one of…
- Thailand News
Thais poke fun at TAT’s “fly the kite” event, the phrase has another meaning in Thailand
Thais are having a laugh over the headline for a kite festival promoted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in the Isaan province Buriram. In Thai, the phrase “flying a kite” can mean two different things… One is literally flying a kite, while the other means male masturbation. TAT Buriram is promoting the event with the headline “ชักว่าว เคาน์ดาวน์ ปีใหม่…
- Thailand News
Japan donates used diesel trains, Thais criticise acquisition over transport costs
Japan has donated 17 second-hand diesel trains to Thailand which will be refurbished and ready to be in service in the Kingdom by 2023. The trains are the KiHa 183 series, which were constructed in the 1980s and late 1990s and were last used for UR Hokkaido limited express services. The State Railway of Thailand says the used trains can…
- Thailand News
“Gay Toilet”: Thai temple aims to be more welcoming, misses mark on gender neutral
One Thai temple trying to be a bit more progressive missed the mark when it comes to gender neutral restrooms. Instead, they designated restrooms for gay men and lesbian women. A picture of toilet sign saying ห้องน้ำตุ๊ด which means “Gay Toilet”’ and ห้องน้ำทอม which means “Tomboy Toilet” went viral among Thai netizens. The sign and toilet are located at Sarikaram…
- Thailand News
Health Ministry looks into fake vaccine certificates after social media post goes viral
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry is looking into fake vaccine certification sales after a post advertising bogus certifications went viral on Facebook. A photo of what looks like a vaccine certificate issued by the Thai government with a caption saying “Get a vaccine certificate from us. No need to waste your time getting vaccinated.” Get a vaccine certificate from us. No…
- Covid-19 News
Tuesday Covid Update: 2,862 new cases; provincial totals
37 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,231 with 21,137 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 2,862 new Covid-19 cases and 4,818 recoveries. There are now 47,531 people in Thailand being…
- World News
Travelling to the UK? Order a PCR test early, high demand slams provider
Travelling back to the UK? Make sure to get your hands on a PCR test ahead of time, or at least from a reliable provider. Many customers who ordered a PCR test from a company recommended on the UK government’s official website say the deliveries, which were promised to within the next working day, were delayed. Fully vaccinated travellers entering…
- South Thailand News
Passenger train bombed in Thailand’s Deep South, 3 injured
A passenger train carrying around 300 people was bombed in Thailand’s Deep South, injuring two train officials and one passenger. The Defense Ministry says insurgents detonated the explosive along a railway in Pattani, a province by the Malaysian border with ongoing violence and attacks related to the religious separatist insurgency. The Defence Ministry of Thailand chastised the insurgents for attacking…
- Thailand News
New Year’s events under “Covid Free” measures, attendees must be vaccinated
Get vaccinated if you want to party on New Year’s. The Thai government is loosening restrictions on alcohol and events, but just for New Year’s… and for those who have been vaccinated. In all provinces, New Year’s countdown events will be allowed to offer alcohol drinks until 1am on January 1, but venues need to abide by “Covid Free Setting”…
- Thailand News
Thailand to reopen Malaysian border crossings under Test & Go in mid-January
Thailand’s land crossings along the Malaysian border will reopen in mid-January under the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme for fully vaccinated travellers. At its general meeting yesterday, the CCSA approved a measure to set up Test & Go checkpoints at the land crossings in the provinces bordering Malaysia including Songkhla, Yala, Narathiwat, and Satun. Under the Test & Go scheme,…
- World News
Malaysia donates 283,400 AstraZenaca vaccine doses to Laos
Laos received a total of 283,400 AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines at Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, which were donated by Malaysia as a part of ongoing global efforts to end the pandemic. Laos is set to reopen to international tourists in 2022 and plans to vaccinate at least half of the adult population by the end of the year in order…
- Thailand News
“Sandbox” entry scheme to remain at 7 days, CCSA reverses move to cut down stay
The period of stay under the “sandbox” entry scheme will continue to be seven days. The CCSA approved to cut the period down to five days but tightened measures after the emergence of the Omicron variant. Under the entry scheme, travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 can enter and roam freely in a designated province or area, such as…
- Thailand News
Public Health Ministry reports a total of 8 confirmed Omicron cases in Thailand
Thailand has recorded eight Omicron cases since the country reported the first Omicron infection on December 1. While it’s not a lot, the emergence of the variant has led the Thai government to tighten travel restrictions and disease control measures for entry to prevent Omicron from being imported into the country. According to the Public Health Ministry, all Omicron cases…
