- Expats
Alcohol bans tomorrow and Monday in Thailand
2 Buddhist holidays, Asahna Bucha Day, and the start of Buddhist Lent, fall on this weekend. As a result the government has added Monday, July 6, as a national holiday. There will be an alcohol ban tomorrow, Sunday (July 5) and Monday (July 6). No alcohol will be sold or served on these days. The dates of these important Buddhist…
- Crime News
Prohibition activist criticises unequal enforcement of Thai alcohol laws
The head of the prohibitionist Alcohol Watch Network is criticising the Office of Alcohol Beverage Control and police for looking the other way after ML Piyapas Bhirombhakdi posted a photo of herself showing off a branded bottle of an alcoholic drink on her Instagram profile (the picture has since been deleted). Piyapas is not only a great-granddaughter of HRH Prince…
- Covid-19 News
WHO clarify the early days of the novel coronavirus
As the coronavirus continues to spread worldwide, adding a million new infections in less than a week, NGOs and governments, alike, are starting to publish their official narrative about the early days of Covid-19. For the World Health Organisation, they now strenuously deny any complacency toward China and have published a series of notifications and communications with Chinese authorities outlining the…
- Travel
UK lifts non-essential travel ban for many countries starting July 10
No bubbles, no air-bridges. The UK is ditching the 14 day quarantine plans for people arriving from 75 countries. The UK will shortly lift the ban on non-essential travel to just about all EU countries plus Turkey, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand, as well as territories Bermuda and Gibraltar. The new rules will apply from July 10. Countries like China,…
- Covid-19 News
World travel business faces slow recovery – UN report
Plenty of businesses are suffering and recovery will be slow, and lumpy. One of the hardest hit, and probably one of the most difficult industries to re-start, is the world travel business. Hotels, airlines, tour companies, travel agencies and online booking systems… and the millions of people employed to make all those work together as a working machine. Now a…
- Covid-19 News
Back to school – Thai school kids head back to class
School’s back. Thai school children are returning to their classes in school rooms around the country to be re-united with their teachers who have been just a thumbnail on a Zoom conference call for the past three months. The reopening of schools is nationwide, for all levels of public and private schools. Since mid-March, all schools in Thailand have been closed…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand re-opens its international borders today
Thailand is lifting its ban on international flights on July 1. But before you dust off the suitcase and book your flight, there are still many restrictions on the return of foreigners into the country. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand says the ban on international flights is being lifted from July 1 but “conditions for re-entry apply”. “People entering Thailand…
- Songkran News
New Songkran ‘replacement’ holiday added on July 27
The Thai government has declared July 27 the first of, what will probably be, substitute Songkran holidays. This year’s Songkran holiday was postponed as the April 13 Thai New Year holiday, and the days around it, were right in the middle of Thailand’s outbreak of Covid-19 and subsequent ‘lockdowns’. Songkran celebrates the start of Thailand’s wet season. The first replacement…
- Tourism News
Thailand’s hotel industry pushing ahead with recovery
Optimism is building in some corners of the hospitality industry as Thailand pushes ahead with it Covid-19 recovery phases. Occupancy rates in at least Bangkok and Phuket are likely to bottom out soon with the lifting of travel restrictions, according to JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group. Thailand’s hotel industry is now entering a recovery phase following the country’s decision to issue a…
- Covid-19 News
UPDATE: Covid-19 cases pass 10 million, deaths surpass 500,000
The Covid-19 coronavirus has now officially infected over 10 million people worldwide. We emphasise “officially” because today’s sad milestone only accounts for confirmed cases. The 10 million case milestone was almost certainly passed some time ago with the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announcing recently that infections in the US alone could be 10 times greater than reported.…
- World News
Death sentence of Lao drug lord “Mr X” commuted to life
Bangkok’s Criminal Court handed down life imprisonment to Laotian drug ring leader Xaysana “Mr. X” Keopimpha, on charges of smuggling 1.2 million methamphetamine pills, known as “yaba,” into Thailand. He was initially sentenced to death, and the sentence was upheld by a lower court in December, but the penalty was commuted to life imprisonment because he cooperated with the court.…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Friday, June 26
A different program today looking at the issues of flying around Thailand at the moment and a few things to remember. Also the latest we know about the borders slowly opening up and the process of slowly allowing some foreigners to re-enter the country. Back to the usual format on Monday. Have a fantastic weekend. Tim and The Thaiger team.
- World News
Supercomputer from Japan now tackling Covid-19
The world’s fastest supercomputer from Japan is now being used to tackle the global Covid-19 pandemic. Japan’s Fugaku supercomputer claimed its spot this week as a global super-computer as it has been shown to process 2.8 times more data per second than an IBM computer in the US. Its name Fugaku is Japanese for Mount Fuji. The computer simulates how…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Tuesday, June 23
5 more imported cases in Thailand today. 2 of the newly infected patients are from Egypt, 3 from Qatar. All were detected whilst in quarantine in Chon Buri. None of them were displaying any obvious symptoms of the disease. Bars and clubs can re-open soon, but with a list of 22 requirements Well, there’s some good news and there’s some…
- Crime News
Officials investigate the illegal logging of 36 rai in Narathiwat
In Southern Thailand, 36 rai (about 14 acres) of forest on the Sankalakhiri mountain range has been cleared illegally by encroachers. The incident happened in the Chanae district. Director of the intelligence office of the Region 4 Internal Security Operations Command, acting on information from concerned villagers, ordered soldiers and officials to check on the alleged encroachment high up in the mountain…
- Covid-19 News
World Covid-19 cases accelerate as the toll surpasses 9 million infections
Global coronavirus infections have now topped 9 million infections with the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating in cases. As parts of the world start to open up the World Health Organisation is warning that, far from even getting to a second wave, most of the world is still deep into its first wave. Europe has been steadily easing community and even travel…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Monday, June 22
3 killed, 2 injured in Nakhon Si Thammarat crash 3 people have been killed, one an 11 year old girl, and 2 others seriously injured, after the pick-up they were travelling in collided with a roadside tree. All from the same Nakhon Si Thammarat family, heading to a family burial. A convoy of 5 cars was heading to Surat Thani…
- Road deaths
3 killed, 2 injured in Nakhon Si Thammarat crash
3 people have been killed, one an 11 year old girl, and 2 others seriously injured, after the pick-up they were travelling in collided with a roadside tree. They were all from the same family, driving in a Ford Ranger heading to a family burial. Police say the pickup they were travelling in ran off the road, hitting a roadside tree…
- Northern Thailand News
Khon Kaen police investigate tyre puncture epidemic
10 vehicles have been damaged after hundreds of nails were dumped on a road in Khon Kaen, north east Thailand. Police don’t know whether the nails were maliciously dumped on the road or if it was an accident. The nails were found in front of the Nong Go school in Khon Kaen. At least 10 motorbikes and cars have been…
- World News
Trump campaign and media tussle over Tulsa rally turnout
“In an increasingly globalised online world, the world’s youth have started getting involved in the narrative for this November’s US Presidential election.” In the days leading up to Saturday night’s election rally for US President Donald Trump – his first since March – the campaign management were touting figures suggesting that as many as 1 million people had signed up…
- Pattaya News
Injured adventure cyclist rescued in Chon Buri forest – VIDEO
An off-road adventure bicyclist was rescued after a bicycle accident in a forest in Chon Buri’s Banglamung district yesterday. Rescue workers were notified of the accident at 10am in a forest near the Khao Maikaew area. Rescue workers had to hike 2 kilometres from the nearest road into the forest to find the injured cyclist, 31 year old Thanachai Poecharoen.…
- Covid-19 News
Relaxation on some social distancing measures for travel
The Thailand Civil Aviation Authority has further relaxed the restrictions on domestic airline services by removing the need for on-board social distancing (so that middle seat is now likely to be sold) CCAT Director Chula Sookmanop says that domestic airlines can sell all their seats on each flight Airlines no longer need to leave some of the seats vacant for…
- Crime News
10 arrested over spreading ‘fake news’ online
10 more suspects have now been arrested for allegedly spreading fake news by officials from the Anti-Fake News Centre. Seksarn Artasarn, admin for a Facebook page, ‘Bunterm Saikeaw’ with over 200,000 followers, has been arrested on charges of spreading fake news along with a series of drug charges. The suspect was arrested in his home in Pathum Thani province, just…
- Covid-19 News
Thai immigration crackdown on illegal migrants flowing back into the country
Thailand borders four countries. Most of the borders are just jungle or the mighty Mekong River. In all cases the borders are easily crossed if someone wants to avoid the correct border channels. The country’s porous borders have been an ongoing issue with some 5 million+ illegal immigrants floating around Thailand at any one time. There has been recent attempts…
- Economy News
Somkid outlines a bright future for Thai economy
Thailand is poised to soar in the global market with heightened investment attraction and a massive budget earmarked to rejuvenate the economy in the fourth quarter, as the Covid-19 pandemic eases, according to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak. Mr Somkid says the government also plans to enhance financial cooperation with China and Hong Kong that will lead to business expansion…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Thursday, June 18
Covid-19 update: 6 new cases, all detected in quarantine (June 18) Breaking a 3 day streak of zero new cases, there’s been 6 new cases of Covid-19 over the last 24 hour period, all detected in state quarantine. 5 are male students, aged 23-26, who were asymptomatic and returned recently from Saudi Arabia. A 26 year old female student, who…
- Expats
Property investors offered access to Thai developer discounts – Thaiger Flash Sale
PROPERTY EVENT Today is the start of The Thaiger Property Flash Sale. It’s only for 24 hours (starting at midday today). The Thaiger has teamed up with fazwaz.com for this first-of-a-kind event. When in a buyer’s market, that demand should be catered for, with discount offerings a key driver of success. The level of discount will depend on the developers’…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Wednesday, June 17
Pattaya officials threaten bars masquerading as restaurants with closure Following a number of inspections at various restaurants in the Pattaya area, police have cautioned venues not to pretend they’re restaurants when they’re actually just bars that have added some food. In what may also serve as a warning to businesses in the rest of the country, Pattaya authorities are threatening…
- Northern Thailand News
Monk chases pregnant woman and kills her in Buriram
Investigating a fatal stabbing in Buriram yesterday, police now believe the woman who was stabbed by an Abbot, had been blackmailing him after having an affair. The fatal stabbing happened on a road near Ban Mai Charoensuk in Tum Yai, in northern Buriram yesterday afternoon, following a road incident. The victim, 36 year old “Lampai”, was 8 months pregnant Eyewitnesses…
- Opinion
Thailand tourism recovery- are we doing enough?
OPINION by Andrew J Wood The wheels of Thailand’s tourism industry are slowly turning. Travel and tourism is starting to move again. Weekends in Hua Hin hotels for instance are close to capacity (with some resorts experiencing 90% occupancy and some even higher). Being close to Bangkok; the weather, air quality and the fact that you can drive from the metropolis definitely…
