Thaiger
- Covid-19 News
19 new Covid-19 cases in Thailand, 1 new death (Tuesday)
Health officials today reported 19 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the national total to 2,811 patients. There has also been 1 more death, a 50 year old taxi driver whose passengers included boxing stadium spectators, raises that tally to 48. The number of new cases is fewer than the 27 recorded yesterday, and the lowest since March 14. It marks…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand’s new ‘normal’ – Government charts course post-April 30
“The government will ease restrictions on businesses reopening only when it does not place people at a higher risk of catching the disease.” Trying to find a balance between the public health needs and the imperative to re-boot Thailand’s economy, the Government is rumoured to be mulling another month of the emergency decree. The current emergency decree is set to…
- World News
Singapore battles to control new surge in Covid-19 cases
The tiny island state, earlier seen as a vanguard for Covid-19 containment, has now seen a recent spike in cases pushing it to the top of the list in south east Asia’s tally of total number of cases. Singapore yesterday recorded 1,426 new COVID-19 infections, bringing its total to 8,014 (as of 9am Thai time) in a population of just…
- Covid-19 News
Oil prices tank, as crisis fuels calls to re-open economies
And now a global oil crisis hits home as well. Oil prices have crashed into negative territory after global coronavirus-related travel restrictions impacted demand. After addressing the early crisis with ‘lockdowns’ and social distancing, now the narrative pivots to lifting stay-at-home orders and re-opening economies. Some European countries have taken tentative steps to ease restrictions as coronavirus death rates start to…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Monday, April 20
27 new virus cases, no deaths for third straight day Thailand reported 27 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours but no additional deaths today. The new figure is 5 fewer than the 32 cases reported yesterday, and the lowest number of daily cases recorded since March 14. For the third consecutive day, no additional deaths, related to…
- Covid-19 News
Stranded Russian couple have been living in a Krabi cave
A Russian couple say they’ve been stuck in a cave waiting out the Covid-19 crisis in Thailand, after which they hope to return to their country. They’ve been holed up in a tent inside the entrance to the cave in Tonsai Bay, Krabi. Officials heard from locals about the 2 Russians, both around 30 years old, who had sought refuge…
- Phuket News
Leatherback turtles return to Phuket and Phang Nga coastlines
“This is a very good sign for us because many areas for spawning have been destroyed by humans. No such nests had been found for the previous five years.” Despite the economic ravages due to the impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand, the break from mass tourism has been a boon to Phuket and Phang Nga wildlife. Leatherback sea turtles,…
- Covid-19 News
Sweden’s massive public health gamble is failing
Whilst much of Europe, and the world, is currently in varying states of lockdown, one Scandanavian country has gone it alone with its own take on handling the Coronavirus pandemic. Sweden has no mandatory quarantines and relatively few limitations on moving around. Some schools remain open. Cafes, restaurants and shops, for the most part, remain open and stocked. Same with…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket’s bars and entertainment industry closes up shop
Shutters down today in Phuket. Well, officially anyway. Bars, clubs and entertainment venues on the island will now remain closed for at least 14 days in the island’s latest efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19. Phuket’s Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana made the formal announcement yesterday after 24 hours of conjecture and confusion. The Phuket Communicable Disease Committee resolved to issue…
- Economy News
Deputy PM tries to clarify the PM’s letters to Thailand’s richest citizens
On Friday night the Thai PM told the Thai population that he was going to send a letter to Thailand’s Top 20 richest people asking for their ideas on how to revive the Thai economy. And he hinted that he wants them to chip in as well. He explained that he’s doing it to gather their input and ideas to…
- Covid-19 News
Foreigners arrested for holding noisy party on Koh Phangan
A group of foreign tourists have been detained after “partying” at a rented house on Koh Phangan. Koh Phangan is the home to the monthly full-moon parties, a boat-ride away from Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. Police from Koh Phangan police station raided the house after a tip-off from the village head complaining that many foreign tourists were regularly…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Friday, April 17
Healthcare leader predicts 200,000 people could be infected with Covid-19 Despite the relatively low number of new coronavirus cases in Thailand, hospitals are already reaching capacity in dealing with patients that need ICU treatment and ventilators… this from Boon Vanasin, chairman of Thonburi Healthcare Group. He claims that the three main hospitals in Bangkok specialising in Covid-19 treatment are already…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Tuesday, April 16
Singapore’s new cases surge Singapore health officials have reported 447 new infections yesterday, a record daily increase, with the majority of new cases linked to dormitory housing for low-paid migrant workers. The city-state, which has registered 3,699 infections and 10 deaths, initially managed to keep its outbreak in check but is now battling a fast-rising second wave of cases. Singapore…
- Covid-19 News
Travel and tourism in the Land of Smiles – 12 predictions
OPINION by Andrew Wood Casting our eyes into the crystal ball has never been so difficult with so many varied issues clouding the post-coronavirus future. For Thailand, the future of world and domestic travel has never been so critical as tourism drives much of the Thai economy. Will the tourists come back? Will they be allowed back? When? And under what…
- Chiang Mai News
Food queues run 2 kilometres around Chiang Mai moat
There was a group of Chiang Mai city volunteers who published a donation point to receive offerings that are serving the dual purpose of helping impoverished victims of the Covid-19 pandemic and letting the goodness of this year’s otherwise-non-existant Songkran festival shine through. The response, from donators and recipients has been phenomenal. Over the last week the queues running around…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Wednesday, April 15
30 new Covid-19 cases (Wednesday), 2 more deaths Thai health officials today confirmed 30 new Covid-19 cases, taking the national total to 2,643. New cases – 30 Total cases – 2,643 Death toll – 43 2 new deaths raise the national tally to 43. Today’s result follows the general trend of fewer new cases each day. But a spokesman for…
- Covid-19 News
Computer says no. Finance ministry refuses two-thirds of stimulus applicants.
Only 9 million Thais have been considered eligible in the latest package rolled out by the Finance Ministry. About 27 million registered for the emergency aid program to provide 5,000 baht per month for at least three month. Now the two-thirds who were initially refused the package after initial computer screening are asking why and fronting up to the Finance Ministry…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Tuesday, April 14
Thailand Covid-19 cases rise to 34 (Tuesday), 1 more death Health officials today confirmed 34 new Covid-19 cases from around the country, bringing the total to 2,613. There was one additional death, a Bangkok bus driver, raising the country’s death toll to 41. Today’s number is higher than the 28 recorded yesterday, and comes after five straight days of declines…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Monday, April 13
New virus cases nationwide fall to 28 Health officials confirmed 28 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus in the country today as the trend continues down. Today’s total brings the reported country total to 2,579 since the outbreak began in January. There were also 2 additional deaths announced today, bringing the national tally to 40. Today’s new infections are fewer…
- Thailand News
Education minister does U-turn on ‘tablets for students’ plan
The government has done a swift U-turn on last week’s plans to purchase tablets (iPads and the like, not medicines) for Thailand’s students for home learning during the Covid-19 crisis. The Thai Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan says his ministry will now focus on maximising existing resources and “not invest money buying new equipment unnecessarily”. “We will ask for digital TV…
- Covid-19 News
Still here, there and everywhere. The Beatles bringing joy 50 years after break-up.
BTS, Bangtan, RM, Jimin, V, Jin, Suga, J-Hope and Jungkook The Beatles may have broken up 50 years ago, on April 10, 1970. But the music is still bringing happiness around the world, to the generation that were around when the Fab Four were at the pinnacle of their career, and to a new generations who are just making the…
- Covid-19 News
Alcohol Ban in Phuket, from today (Saturday)
The Phuket Governor has issued an order number 1943/2563 which was signed yesterday on April 10. The new order bans alcohol sales in another preventative measure to combat the island’s Covid-19 infection rate. The order is in effect from today, Saturday, April 11, 2020, until further notice. Anyone who breaks the order will be liable to a fine of 100,000…
- Phuket News
Soi Dog Foundation distributes over 11 tonnes of food to stray animal feeders across Phuket
In preparation for the island-wide ‘lockdown’ and travel restrictions from April 13-26, the Soi Dog Foundation has distributed over 11 tonnes of dog and cat food to stray animal feeders across Phuket. A fleet of animal rescue vehicles delivered 470 large bags of dog food and 140 large bags of cat food to popular feeding hotspots, such as temples, as well…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Friday, April 10
50 new coronavirus cases nationwide (Friday), 1 death 50 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases were confirmed around Thailand, a slight drop from yesterday’s 54. There was also one new death. The total number of infections since the outbreak began now stands at 2,473. 33 patients have died. The cases span 68 of Thailand’s 76 provinces. 1,013 people have completely recovered and…
- Covid-19 News
Trang province to ban entry, exit
Joining other provinces such as Pattaya and Phuket, the southern province of Trang will ban entry and exit from tomorrow until April 30. The decision was announced by the province’ Communicable Disease Committee today. No one will be allowed to enter or leave the province, except for the transport of medical personnel, goods, fuel, and parcels. It will also close most…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket will launch door-to-door coronavirus checks across the island
Even as it prepares to restrict travel between its 17 tambon (subdistricts), the southern island province of Phuket is set to become Thailand’s first to launch door-to-door checks of body temperature. The aim is to identify infected people early so they can seek treatment before their symptoms become severe, and potentially end up infecting other Phuketians with the Covid-19 coronavirus.…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Thursday, April 9
Chamber predicts 7 million Thai people to be jobless by June 7 million Thais could be on the unemployment queue by June in dire predictions from an industry chamber. The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking have predicted that 7 million people will be jobless by June. The report says… “Low wage workers will be affected the most…
- Covid-19 News
Aviation industry estimates that 25 million jobs are in peril
Amongst industries hit during the Covid-19 situation, the aviation industry has probably been hit harder than most with huge investments, millions of staff, complicated infrastructure, small margins and thousands of down-stream businesses. It will also take a lot longer to wind the whole aviation machine back up when things eventually settle down. The International Air Transport Association estimates that some 25…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Wednesday, April 8
111 new Thai coronavirus cases. 3 more deaths, all foreigners 111 new confirmed cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus have been announced today. Of the 111 cases announced today, 69 got the virus from contact other infected people, while 42 were those returning from a religious festival in Indonesia. Phuket is the province with the highest percentage of active Covid-19 cases,…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19: Your questions answered
by Andrew J Wood We are living in extraordinary times. With the world forced into a complete shutdown and travel by any means frowned upon and commercial aircraft largely grounded GLOBALLY we are all in #StayAtHome so we can #TravelTomorrow mode. Our national leaders are also making televised addresses reinforcing the gravitas of the moment. No-one captured the mood of…
