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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Hong Kong budget airline HK Express puts in-flight trolleys up for sale
A limited number of in-flight trolleys and galley boxes put up for sale by budget airline, HK Express, have sold out in a day. The Hong Kong carrier had advertised the items on its website, pointing out they’d be the ideal accessory for a costume party. “Each plated with our first-generation logo and a unique license plate, these trolleys are…
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Teacher who called student a “phony,” when he requested a sick day, apologises
A Thai teacher who called a student a “phony,” and other names when the student called in sick, has now apologised. The incident, according to Thai Residents, occurred when a student says he texted his teacher, who goes by the name of Kaew, and told her he was sick and could not come to school. The student says the teacher…
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Prison officials say activist Panusaya did not get Covid while behind bars
The Corrections Department says the recently released pro-democracy activist, Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, aka, “Rung”, did not contract Covid-19 in prison. The 22 year old protest leader confirmed she was infected earlier this week. She was released from Bangkok’s Central Women’s Correctional Institution on May 6. The Bangkok Post reports Weerakit Harnpariphan from the Corrections Department as saying Panusaya was in quarantine…
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Moderna Covid-19 vaccine now approved in Thailand
The Moderna Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for emergency use in Thailand. The country’s Food and Drug Administration announced the authorisation yesterday. Thailand’s vaccination started in late February. So far, only the Sinovac vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccine have been used to vaccinate the public. The local company Siam Bioscience is now producing the AstraZeneca vaccine in Thailand. The locally-made…
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Tourism authority downgrades domestic tourism forecast
The third wave of Covid-19 has led the Tourism Authority of Thailand to cut its forecast for domestic tourism for this year. The TAT was already forced to cut its goal at the end of April from 160 million trips to 100 – 200 million, as a result of the resurgence of the virus over the Songkran period. During the…
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Expat vaccination in Thailand likely to be delayed
An official from the Bangkok Metropolitan Association says foreigners may face a slight delay in receiving their Covid-19 vaccines. Panruedee Manomaipiboon, director of the BMA’s health department says while the Health Ministry aims to vaccinate everyone living in Thailand, foreigners may have to wait until August. “As I have said before, the Health Ministry plans to vaccinate Thais first. We…
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Friday Covid Update: 2,256 new infections and 30 deaths
Thailand’s public health department has reported its tally for the past 24 hours from around the country. There has been 30 new Covid-related deaths and 2,256 new cases. Out of today’s new infection total, 183 of those were from the prison system. Yesterday the numbers jumped substantially because of the release of case numbers from two highly infected prisons –…
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Asia holds 99 of the 100 most environmentally at-risk cities
If you live in 1 of the 100 most environmentally vulnerable cities in the world, then unless you live in Lima, Peru, we can guess what continent you’re on. According to a recent risk assessment study, 99 out of the top 100 most environmentally vulnerable cities are located in Asia with 80% of them in India or China alone. 1.5…
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3 organisers of Phuket’s Kolour superspreader event charged
As Thailand still wrestles to control the third wave of Covid-19, much of which stems from entertainment venues in Bangkok and a massive party in Phuket, Patong police announced that the managers of the Phuket venues that hosted the Kolour superspreader event will be charged under the Emergency Decree. The case report was filed with the public prosecutor yesterday according…
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Covid-19 patients with high blood pressure at high risk of death -CCSA
Covid-19 patients with high blood pressure have the highest risk of death followed by patients infected with the coronavirus who underlying conditions of diabetes or high cholesterol, according to data from Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported 486 coronavirus-related deaths. Out of those fatalities, 392 were reported after…
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Thailand News Today | Covid case jump, Airlines ask for loans, Penguin hunger strike over | May 13
4,887 new infections from the past 24 hours, 7 member airlines are pushing for a meeting with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to discuss the option of soft loans, and Chiang Mai has reported a new cluster of Covid-19 after 3 patients lied about being infected.
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Lungtoo, A PM Prayut-themed Thai meme crypto, debuts
For those looking to get into the cryptocurrency craze in the shadiest way possible while also offending the Thai government, the perfect option now exists. Say hello to Lungtoo, the newest meme crypto be making its way through the Thai blockchain community. The name is pronounced like the Thai translation of Uncle Tuu, the affectionate nickname given to PM Prayut…
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Supreme streetwear makes deal over T-shirt featuring monk
Wat Ban Rai, a small temple in Nakhon Ratchasima, has reached an agreement with popular streetwear brand Supreme for using an image of their monk. In February the temple became aware that the global clothing brand was using a stylised photo of a well-known monk from their temple, Luang Por Khun, without having ever asked permission. They had threatened lawsuits…
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Phuket woman impaled by steel rod in motorbike accident
Police were called to the scene of a gruesome motorbike accident just after midnight in the Kathu area of Phuket, where a woman was impaled by a steel rod. The 34 year old woman crashed her motorbike into a concrete power pole on Wichit Songkram Rd between the Kathu Shrine and Kathu Municipality. rescue workers responded, and together with police,…
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Thai health official dies a week after being injected with the Covid-19 vaccine
A Thai health official died a week after being injected with the Covid-19 vaccine. The woman, who worked for Public Health Ministry’s administration division, suffered from heart failure and was admitted to the Phra Nang Klao Hospital in Nonthaburi, a suburb outside of Bangkok. The woman died 7 days after being injected with the Covid-19 vaccine, according to deputy permanent…
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196 Chaeng Wattana Road construction camp workers test positive for Covid-19
A construction camp off Bangkok’s Chaeng Wattana Road, which also features the Immigration Office, is reporting that 196 out of 300 workers have tested positive for Covid-19. Palang Pracharat MP Sira Jenjaka made the announcement after an inspection of the camp ended in testing many for Covid. Tomorrow, another 500 workers at the camp are scheduled to take Covid tests.…
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Australian government provides grant to cover 1 million vaccine doses in Laos
To help the mass rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in Laos, the Australian government is providing a 15.2 million AUD grant to cover around 1 million vaccine doses in the Southeast Asian country. The grant also covers training for healthcare workers on how to safely administer the vaccines. Laos reported a spike in cases over the past month, after a year…
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This Saturday marks the first day of Thailand’s rainy season
Saturday, May 15, Thailand will mark the official start of the 2021 rainy season, with 5 to 10% more rainfall expected compared to last year. The Thai Meteorological Department says the first half of the rainy season, from now until July, the total amount of rain is expected to be 10% more than the average, while the second half of the…
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Covid-19 infected Thai actress Ploy criticised for Koh Pha Ngan holiday
Covid-19 infected Thai actress Ploy Chermarn Boonyasak has drawn a formal complaint from Koh Pha Ngan’s district chief officer after a careless holiday. The Pha Ngan chief officer met with the police superintendent yesterday to file the complaint after Ploy spent 2 weeks on Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan, on holiday from Bangkok. She did not self-quarantine, as is…
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More illegal border crossers from Myanmar arrested in western Thailand
In Thailand’s western province of Kanchanaburi, police have caught 2 more groups of migrants crossing the border from Myanmar. Police say they arrested them and their guide as they crossed over the border illegally, searching for jobs. An army ranger patrol says they saw 20 people carrying baggage. They were walking along a track at Ban Patrudan border village in…
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Covid-19 vaccination hub opens at Central Plaza mall in Bangkok
A Covid-19 vaccination hub opened up at the Central Plaza Lardprao in Bangkok, making it the first immunisation centre outside a hospital. Yesterday, around 1,000 people were inoculated at the new centre after registering for a vaccine on the Mor Prom mobile application. Most of those vaccinated yesterday were government officers, volunteers or those who are at a high risk…
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“Penguin” publishes letter 1 day after being granted bail, says hunger strike is over
Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, a student activist who was charged with violating Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code, or lese majeste, has penned his first letter after being released on bail Tuesday. He calls it “Letter of Freedom,” and says more will come. He published the letter 1 day after being released on bail, or May 12. He has also announced…
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Walk-in vaccination centres planned to speed up rollout
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced plans for walk-in vaccination centres to accelerate Covid-19 vaccine distribution in Thailand. At a meeting of the National Committee on Vaccines, the decision was made to provide alternative channels to encourage more people to get the vaccine quickly. Also in the works is a plan to develop a new application…
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Chiang Mai hospital reports 7 new cases after patients lied about being infected
A hospital in the northern province of Chiang Mai has reported a new cluster of Covid-19 after 3 patients lied about being infected. The Central Chiang Mai Memorial Hospital has 7 new cases of the virus after the patients concealed the fact that they had Covid-19 and subsequently passed it to 7 healthcare workers, as well as putting at least…
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Human rights group calls for transparency on Covid outbreaks in Thai prisons
Yesterday, Thailand’s Department of Corrections announced that thousands of inmates in Bangkok prisons have tested positive for Covid-19. 1,795 inmates at Bangkok Remand Prison are infected, along with 1,040 at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution. The announcement comes after political activist Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, aka, “Rung”, tested positive for Covid-19 shortly after her release on bail. According to a Coconuts report,…
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Thailand’s FDA says vaccines don’t have to have WHO approval
Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration says vaccines don’t need to be approved by the World Health Organisation before countries can register them. Paisarn Dunkum from the FDA says the vaccines that have been given WHO approval are for distribution through the Covax scheme. He adds that approval by the WHO can also be taken into consideration when vaccines apply for…
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Amnesty International calls for Thailand to limit ‘unnecessary detention’ to reduce Covid-19 at prisons
Human rights activists are calling on the Thai government to reduce unnecessary detention to prevent the spread of Covid-19 at prisons. So far, more than 2,000 inmates at 2 Bangkok prisons and at least 7 political prisoners have tested positive for Covid-19. Amnesty International Thailand addressed an open letter to the Justice Ministry says the move to stop placing suspects…
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TAT looks forward to welcoming 129,000 foreign tourists to Phuket
The Tourism Authority of Thailand says it expects 129,000 tourists to arrive on the southern island of Phuket in the first 3 months of its re-opening. Officials still insist the island will re-open for quarantine-free travel for vaccinated foreign tourists from July 1. And according to the Bangkok Post, the TAT also plans to team up with airlines to offer…
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Thursday Covid UPDATE: 32 deaths and 4,887 new infections
The public health ministry has announced 32 new Covid-related deaths and 4,887 new infections from the past 24 hours. 2,835 of the new cases are from 2 of Bangkok’s largest prisons (below). • In another major blow to Thailand’s worst bout of Covid-19, 2,835 inmates from the Bangkok Remand Prison and the Central Women’s Correctional Institution, 2 of the largest prisons in…
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UPDATE: Phuket restrictions and bans extended, new ‘party’ clause added
UPDATE: Including a new clause… “5.2 Participating in eating or drinking of alcohol, in the family home or in any other place of residence, must not be attended by outsiders. In addition, gathering together or the organising of any other activities is prohibited. If the person who violates or commits this offence is a foreigner, the permission to remain living…
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