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Foreign Ministry denies blocking Poland’s donation of vaccines
After Thammasat University was set to receive 3 million Moderna vaccines donated by Poland last Tuesday, the deal was suddenly stymied by the Thai government not completing the required paperwork. Then the university appealed to the Foreign Ministry for help, and was rejected, being told they should be going through official channels to import vaccines. Now the Foreign Ministry is…
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Travellers now exempt from quarantine advised to directly contact AQ hotels for refund
With changes to entry requirements for international arrivals starting Monday, travellers who are exempt from quarantine, but have already booked a stay in advance are advised to directly contact hotels where their reservation was made. Starting November 1, travellers who are fully vaccinated and from 46 countries and territories classified by the Thai government as a “low risk” for Covid-19…
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Legal proceedings expected this week for “Joe Ferrari” death in custody case
Officers from the Crime Suppression Division have completed their investigation into the former police chief known as “Joe Ferrari” who is accused of suffocating a suspect to death while demanding a 2 million baht bribe. Nation Thailand reports that prosecutors will launch legal proceedings this week against the station chief of rural province Nakhon Sawan and six of his subordinates.…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 8,452 new cases; provincial totals
57 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 18,922 with 18,828 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 8,452 new Covid-19 cases and 8,449 recoveries. There are now 98,096 people in Thailand being…
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Russell Crowe bids Bangkok goodbye after much-praised tweets
Hollywood movie star Russell Crowe has been causing a sensation among Thai social media, first visiting and praising the Phuket Sandbox, and later travelling around Bangkok. Now his much-celebrated trip is coming to an end as he posts a goodbye message to Bangkok on Twitter. Crowe first got attention as he arrived in Phuket on September 18 to do his…
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Thai government forms panel to probe the export of used medical gloves
The Thai government has formed a panel to investigate the export of millions of used medical gloves from Thailand to the US. The investigation follows a recent CNN report into the international trade of substandard medical equipment, with an underground industry having emerged in Southeast Asia, seeking to capitalise on Covid-fuelled global demand. Reporters found that tens of millions of…
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Myanmar no-show a focus as ASEAN summit gets underway
The exclusion of Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing from the ASEAN summit is looming over the annual regional meeting, with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha pointing to international focus on ASEAN’s response to the situation. As reported by Reuters, Prayut noted that the role of the regional association in addressing the matter is of “paramount importance”, with action taken to “have…
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China removes top financial news outlet from official media list
In recent weeks, the Chinese government has revealed new plans to consolidate its control over the media landscape in China. On October 8, China’s National Development and Reform Commission, which oversees the country’s social and economic policies, released the “2021 Negative List of Market Access” and stated that “non-public capital” can’t invest in the establishment and operation of news organizations.…
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EU climate chief: ‘We need to be more ambitious’
European Union climate chief Frans Timmermans told DW that he would have preferred to have all leaders present at the COP26, the landmark climate summit due to take place in Glasgow from October 31. The presidents of Russia and China are among those intending or likely to send envoys to the conference instead of attending in person. Critics fear that…
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PM highlights Thailand example in urging Southeast Asian countries to reopen
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is stressing that Southeast Asian nations follow Thailand’s lead in reopening borders to get tourism back up and running in the wake of the Covid crisis. Prayut addressed the issue via teleconference at the annual ASEAN summit, which this year is taking place online, telling other members the region should be weighing up steps to allow for safe…
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Used car market set for further growth following Covid-19 pandemic
While local industries have broadly suffered in the wake of the Covid pandemic, apparently the used car market in Thailand has been doing fairly well. According to the Bangkok Post, the Association of Used Cars says the pandemic has contributed to strong market growth. With commuters fearful of catching the virus on public transport, many have decided to buy a…
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Over 98% of new Covid-19 cases in Thailand are Delta variant
Expert predictions about the Delta variant of Covid-19 becoming the dominant strain in Thailand by August came true several months ago, but testing shows that the Delta variant is now responsible for 98.6% of all new infections in Thailand. This data from the Department of Medical Science comes as the Delta Plus strain has been found in Thailand and may…
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Australian government to lift ban on overseas travel for vaccinated citizens
Over 18 months after it was implemented, a ban on Australian citizens travelling overseas will soon be lifted. According to an AFP report, the government has confirmed that fully vaccinated Australians will no longer need permission to leave the country. Officials have also confirmed that Australian borders will re-open to skilled workers and foreign students by the end of the…
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Health Ministry says Delta Plus variant won’t stop Thailand re-opening on schedule
The Health Ministry says the discovery of the new Delta Plus variant in Thailand will not affect the country’s November 1 re-opening. Sathit Pitutecha, deputy public health minister, says the mutation has not been categorised as a variant of concern. “Because viruses mutate all the time, only a mutation that causes severe illness and makes the virus spread easier or…
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Cambodia confirms partial reopening to international tourists from November 30
The Tourism Ministry in Cambodia has confirmed that the country will reopen partially to vaccinated travellers from the end of next month. The country’s prime minister also reportedly ordered that quarantine be waived for air arrivals from Thailand. The first areas in Cambodia set to reopen to overseas travellers are the popular tourist destinations of Sihanoukville and Koh Rong, as…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 8,452 new cases and 57 deaths
8,452 new Covid-19 cases and 57 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the CCSA. Thailand’s latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1, has accounted for 1,846,452 confirmed Covid-19 infections. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 8,449 recoveries. There are now 98,096 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new…
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Burkina Faso’s silent refugee crisis
Jacob Ouermi does not like to talk about what his family has gone through. He, his wife Elisabet Simpore and their seven children lived in a village in northern Burkina Faso — until the violence started. “People were kidnapped, so we fled and didn’t take anything with us,” said Ouermi, sitting on a narrow wooden bench in the shade of…
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Explained: Why Turkish President Erdogan is backpedaling in diplomatic row
What happened exactly? Over the weekend, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan instructed his Foreign Ministry to declare the ambassadors of 10 states, including those of Germany and the US, “persona non grata.” Following a Cabinet meeting on Monday, Erdogan stuck a more conciliatory tone, explaining that the embassies had “taken a step back from this slander against our country and…
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Bangladesh: Gang violence in Rohingya refugee camps prompt fear
Growing conflicts among armed criminal gangs inside the overcrowded Rohingya refugee camps in southern Bangladesh have alarmed authorities. At least six people were killed and 20 wounded in an attack at a Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar on Friday, police said — the latest incident of violence in the refugee settlement. The gang shot and stabbed people attending an Islamic…
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In pictures: A rare look into Amazon tribe’s funeral rites
When the chief dies, the endangered Indigenous people in Brazil’s Xingu region gather for a unique ritual. A Reuters photographer was the only journalist invited to the funeral ceremony in September. SOURCE: DW News
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A Rasta president for The Gambia?
The Gambia is going to the polls in December, to vote their new president. And among those who wants to be president is independent candidate, Rasta man Bankole Yao Jojo Ahadzie, aka Banky. It is the first presidential and parliamentary election since the departure of Yahya Jammeh, who ruled for 22 years. SOURCE: DW News
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Expert says Delta Plus could be up to 15% more transmissible than Delta Covid variant
The Delta Plus coronavirus subvariant, which has recently been detected in Thailand, could be up to 15% more transmissible than the original Delta strain, according to the vice chairman of the Thai Senate health committee. As reported by Thai PBS World, Dr Chalermchai Boonyaleephan says that preliminary studies indicate Delta Plus cases account for 6% of new infections in the…
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Critics seek proof after Israel designates Palestinian rights groups as terrorists
The Israeli Defense Ministry’s unexpected decision to designate six Palestinian human rights and civil society establishments as terror organizations has resulted in swift criticism from Palestinians and several international organizations. Palestinian civil rights activists, international human rights organizations and some United States lawmakers have denounced the move, which was first announced Friday. They have accused Israel of trying to silence…
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India: Escaping child marriage to land a dream tech job
Ashwini Doddalingappanavar grew up in a small south Indian village. Her parents wanted her to get married as a young teenager, but she knew she wanted a different life. She now inspires other girls to achieve their goals. SOURCE: DW News
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Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport prepares for November reopening
With the November 1 reopening approaching, Bangkok officials visited the Suvarnabhumi International Airport to review the procedures and Covid-19 preventative measures. Under the reopening plan, the quarantine period will be waived for travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, travelling from countries classified by the Thai government as a “low risk” for the coronavirus, and test negative for the virus.…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 7,706 new cases; provincial totals
7,706 new Covid-19 cases were reported by the CCSA today, a record low over the past several months. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 9,532 recoveries. There are now 98,150 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has recorded 1,866,863 confirmed Covid-19 cases. The latest…
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PM Prayut Chan-o-cha addresses Southeast Asia leaders at 38th ASEAN summit
The following is the intervention by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha at the 38th ASEAN summit, delivered via videoconference. The prime minister’s intervention was translated and posted by the Thai government’s public relations department. “Your Majesty Excellencies, I wish to thank Brunei Darussalam for hosting this ASEAN Summit amid many challenges facing the region such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the shifting…
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Don’t wait!! Book your berth or booth at the Thailand International Boat Show
Press Release The Thailand International Boat Show (TIBS) 2022 is set to raise the bar for boating and lifestyle exhibitions in the region. Initial feedback from the industry has been very good, with organisers expecting a large in-water line-up of boats and an exciting collection of marine products and luxury lifestyle in the marina-side exhibition hall. The show is set…
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November reopening concerns majority of Thais, Department of Health survey shows
While many seem excited with the plan to reopen the country to vaccinated travellers on November 1, apparently the majority of Thais are concerned with how the Covid-19 situation will be with an influx of visitors from overseas. Thailand’s Department of Health conducted a survey from October 14 to 20 and found that 94% of participants are concerned with how…
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British divers say they risked arrest for giving boys ketamine during cave rescue
Rescue divers who saved the 12 football players and their coach trapped in a flooded cave say they risked getting arrested for giving the boys ketamine to sedate them for the two and a half hour underwater journey out of the cave. The Sun reported that British divers Rick Stanton and John Volanthen say they warned that if any of…
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