Thaiger
- Covid-19 News
Trials and tribulations of returning to Thailand in the Covid era – a personal view
A series of articles by David Jackson Sunday morning and I am sitting inside my viewless window in a Bangkok Hotel waiting in anticipation for a trip down to reception where, after five lonely days, I get to experience my first brief contact with a human – a nurse who will presumably force a swab up my nose. Welcome to…
- Covid-19 News
970 now tested as part of the investigation into the infected Bangkok DJ
3 of the bars where the 37 year old DJ, Thailand’s first locally transmitted Covid-19 case in 101 days, are said not to have observed basic preventions required in a workplace – temperature screening, wearing a face mask and social distancing. It’s also been revealed that the bars offered a “glass sharing” special menu as part of their promotions. The…
- South Thailand News
2 insurgents killed, 4 ranger injured in Songkhla clash
Rangers have shot and killed 2 suspected insurgents in the latest clashes in Thailand’s Deep South, this time in Songkhla’s Chana and Thepha district last night. Police and soldiers headed to the area after receiving reports that 4 insurgents were in the ares and travelling on 2 motorcycles. The suspects dispersed as the police and soldiers arrived. 3 separate clashes followed.…
- Pattaya News
Thai Hi-So hits Thai celebrity in the face with a bottle at Pattaya club
Celebrities at 10 paces. Police are investigating reports of a half-Thai ‘celebrity’ who has reported being hit in the face with a bottle at a nightclub in Pattaya. Thai media reports say that Jirat “Hiso Champ” Petnunthawong attacked openly gay 33 year old Rusameekae Fagerlund in a fit of jealousy. Jirat told police that he saw Rusameekae talking to his celeb girlfriend,…
- Phuket News
Thai tourism cavalcade rolls into town to get feedback on Phuket Model
The who’s who of Thai tourism toured Phuket over Saturday and Sunday speaking to local tourism players and local officials about the situation on the island and gather some feedback about the so-called “Phuket model” which had been proposed to open the island to limited tourism from October 1. Ironically, the delegation rolled into town when the island was probably…
- World News
3 returnees to Thailand reported as “re-infected” with Covid-19
There has been 6 new cases of Covid-19 announced in Thailand today. But 3 of the men, all Thais, were previously infected but had been certified “virus-free” before their flights from Singapore on Friday. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration today announced that the men, aged 43, 53 and 56, tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving in Thailand just 2 days…
- Opinion
Returning happiness back to the Thai people. So how’s that going?
OPINION “The flames are rising. Let us be the ones who step in, before it is too late.” Lyrics from the Prayut-penned ditty which was written to help “heal” Thais after the May 2014 coup. The event, some 6 and a half years ago now, brought then-General Prayut Chan-o-cha to the helm of the good-ship Thailand. Following the writing of a…
- Covid-19 News
100s of protesters defy orders, arrests at Melbourne demonstrations
UPDATE: The city’s lockdown provisions have been extended another 2 weeks. Australian police have arrested protesters in Melbourne as 100s of people joined protests against the various state Covid-19 restrictions. The protests have been particularly large and vocal in the souther city of Melbourne which has been under draconian lockdown provisions for 5 weeks. Some anti-Covid-19 restriction groups also shifted…
- Tourism News
Thai traffic jam as tourists wait for the Koh Chang ferry
There’s been a traffic jam in, of all places, Trat, as impatient domestic tourists waited for the ferry to head to Koh Chang from the mainland. The island was invaded by Thais getting out of town for the long LONG weekend and, despite the forward bookings, the traffic police and ferry operator weren’t ready for the onslaught. The long weekend…
- Tourism News
Chicken or the beef? Thai Airways opens up pop-up restaurants serving their airline food.
“Please return to your seat, pull down your tray table and prepare for the in-flight catering.” If you can’t make money by flying people on jets, set up a restaurant selling your airline food instead. Now Thai Airways has transformed its old cafeteria in Bangkok into a pop-up restaurant serving, well, the same airline food they used to serve during flights.…
- Tourism News
Food services return to Thailand’s domestic flights
If you’ve travelled on a Thai domestic flight recently you’ll know that it’s been a relatively boring experience. One the safety demo is over, that’s the last you see of the flight attendants as they head to the back of the plane and chat – there’s been nothing else for them to do because of the ban on food and…
- Covid-19 News
Thai health authorities track and trace 600+ people linked to 37 year old DJ
More than 600 people are now being traced as a result of the random Covid-19 case of the 37 year old DJ who tested positive last Wednesday without being out of the country at any time. Thai health authorities are under pressure to find the source of his infection. It’s only 1 local case after exactly 100 days of no…
- Covid-19 News
UPDATE: Local DJ Covid case, 3 pubs closed down for cleaning
UPDATE: 4 more Covid-19 cases today. 3 were new patients – Thais returning from overseas. The other 1 included in today’s tally is a prison inmate from Bangkok – his positive test has rattled the CCSA who had just spent most of Wednesday crowing about their achievement of reaching 100 days without any locally-based infections. His positive test has led…
- World News
BTS looks to a Grammy nomination after scoring their first Billboard #1 single
After scoring South Korea’s first-ever #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, K-pop supergroup BTS now says it’s set its sights on a standalone performance at next year’s Grammy Awards, perhaps even a nomination or an award. BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) are RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, and have fought over their 7 years together to…
- Expats
Belgian arrested after living and working in Thailand without a passport for 4 years
A 49 year old Belgian man has been arrested by Thai immigration police after being discovered living in the Kingdom without a passport. The man was reported to be living in an apartment at Wang Thonglang, a north east suburb of Bangkok. Officials started an investigation into a “good looking European man” that spoke fluent Thai and discovered that the man has…
- World News
‘The Batman’ star, Robert Pattinson, tests positive for Covid-19 in the UK
Robert Pattinson, filming in the UK for the upcoming Batman film, has reportedly tested positive for Covid-19, just days after shooting for the much-anticipated movie had resumed. Warner Bros. said in a statement to AFP… “Filming is temporarily paused. A member of ‘The Batman’ production has tested positive for Covid-19, and is isolating in accordance with established protocols.” There was no…
- Crime News
5 key recommendations emerge from Boss investigation
5 proposals have been made by an independent panel as the government mops up the recent internal investigations into the mishandling of the “Boss” case. The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission has been given the task of implementing the 5 key recommendations made by panels that have examined the botched investigations over the hit-and-run case against Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, grandson of…
- Covid-19 News
Bangkok prisoner tests positive for Covid-19… first local transmission in 100 days
A 37 year old prisoner has tested positive for Covid-19 on the same day Thailand reached 100 days since a local coronavirus infection. The male inmate has already been moved from the Bangkok prison to a Corrections Department hospital and the other 34 inmates who had contact with him have been tested. The infected man is reported to have worked in…
- Northern Thailand News
British man killed in a hit and run incident in Korat
A 43 year old British man has been killed by a hit-and-run driver whilst driving his motorcycle at an intersection in the main city area of Nakhon Ratchasima last night. Emergency responders headed to the Phon Lan gate intersection on the Ratchasima-Chok Chai Road around 11.30pm. At this stage Police believe he was hit by a truck and the driver had fled…
- Northern Thailand News
Young Buriram brothers steal over 30 motorbikes after parents split up
Two brothers, aged 12 and 14 have been nabbed after stealing over 30 motorbikes. The pair, seemingly unable to figure out where the petrol tank was, would look for a new motorbike to steal after the old one ran out of petrol. They told police that their crimes were for survival after their parents separated. They hadn’t been to school…
- Covid-19 News
When will the world open up again for travel?
OPINION 9 months since the first outbreak in China, international borders remain mostly sealed. Most travellers, excepting certain categories, are prevented from leaving or entering in the majority of countries. The shutters went up in March and April in much of the world, a bit later in some countries, as governments and medical officials figure out how to safely re-open…
- Expats
A glimmer of hope for expats unable to satisfy minimum income requirements
September 26 looms as a dark day for many foreigners who have been unable to sort out a way to either leave the country or stay in Thailand. But at least one Thai immigration office appears to be discussing some leniency in this crazy time. Phuket Immigration has specifically addressed the issue for foreigners on a non-immigrant B (Business) visa…
- World News
Air Asia announce new fees if you want to check-in at the airport counter
The AirAsia Group has announced it will begin charging travellers a fee to check in at airport counters – you know, that bit in the terminal where it says “Check In’. Even better, their excuse for the new charge… in part to encourage customers to “minimise physical contact with staff during the coronavirus pandemic”. Malaysia’s AirAsia last month reported the biggest…
- Thailand News
Thai condo developers clearing inventory rather than starting new projects
“With waves of uncertainty and financial stress crashing into the market from the COVID-19 pandemic, most residential property developers have decided to postpone their plans.” CBRE, the international property consultants, reports that most Thai developers are postponing the launch of new condo projects to focus on clearing existing stock. Discounting completed projects to generate quick revenue as a financial lifeboat…
- Chiang Mai News
Toilet and bathroom destroyed as septic tank explodes – 1 person injured
A Lampang loo has exploded, blowing out the bathroom door and a hole in the roof. One female family member was injured in the explosion. The Sawang Nakorn Lampang Thammasathan volunteer rescuers arrived at the commercial premises in downtown Lampang on Sunday. The downstairs area was rented by a company selling cleaning equipment. Lampang is just south of Chiang Mai. The…
- Expats
90 day Thai Immigration reporting deadline passes
Today was the last day to update your 90 day report if you weren’t doing the reports during the visa amnesty Thai immigration set the end of today as the deadline for foreigners, with current visas, to do their 90 day report. Otherwise fines will be imposed. You had to report, or update, your residential address before the end of…
- World News
Thai PM orders the suspension of trade across the Burmese border in Kanchanaburi
Despite Thailand closing its international borders back in April, in reality, some of the country’s land borders are almost impossible to seal and prevent the ‘leaks’ of locals crossing over. Thailand has land and river borders with Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia – all with official checkpoints but also hundreds of well-worn tracks as villages casually traverse the official borders.…
- Road deaths
1 killed, another critically injured in Chon Buri 5 car pile up
A 40 year old motorcyclist has been killed instantly while the passenger ended up seriously injured after a 5 car pile up in the Ban Bueang district of Chon Buri on Saturday. Emergency responders arrived at the fatal crash scene on the Ban Bueang – Klaeng road after 9pm on Saturday night. A blue motorcycle was seen badly mangled and embedded…
- Tourism News
Plan on the table to allow Europe’s ‘snowbirds’ into Thailand for up to 9 months
Another day, another ‘plan’ flown up the pole to see if it will catch some wind. This time a prominent health provider claims the government is developing a new ‘visa’ for sunseekers. If adopted it could allow foreigners to stay in Thailand on a long-stay visa for up to 9 months. Nothing has been finalised as yet but Boon Vanasin, the…
- Thailand News
There is no date for the reopening of general tourism in Thailand, except Phuket
Deputy government spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul says Thailand will not be “fully reopened to foreign tourists” along the lines of Phuket’s “safe and sealed” model, because the government and CCSA has to consider too many details. Thailand’s largest island, Phuket, is going to be a pilot program for the partial re-opening to any tourist that wants to visit – but with…
