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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 Outdoor adventures in Thailand for adrenaline seekers
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Japan proposes four-day working week to improve work-life balance
Japan’s famously hard-working salarymen — and, increasingly, salarywomen — are to be encouraged to reduce the amount of time they spend in the office environment as part of the government’s initiative to improve the nation’s work-life balance. The recently unveiled annual economic policy guidelines include new recommendations that companies permit their staff to opt to work four days a week…
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263 covid cases linked to canned seafood factory in Songkhla
Today, the southern Thai province of Songkhla announced that it had 293 new cases of Covid-19. The majority of the cases (263) are linked to a cluster from a canned seafood factory. The governor of Songkhla, Jaruwat Kliangklao, says the new infections from Songkla Canning Co were found through active screening. Further, that those tested included people from at risk…
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3 Cambodian activists arrested for plotting against the government/insulting the king after documenting waste run-off
Documenting pollution is a public service, not terrorism. We urge authorities to be responsive to its citizens, not to silence them 3 members of an environmental activist group called “Mother Nature” have been arrested after they documented waste runoff that fed into Phnom Penh’s Tonle Sap river. They have been charged with plotting against the government and insulting the king.…
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Chiang Mai eases restrictions, alcohol now allowed at restaurants
Alcohol is now allowed to be served in Chiang Mai restaurants. Provincial officials loosened disease control restrictions today, including lifting the alcohol ban at eateries, although bars and other nightlife venues must still remain closed. Restrictions eased nationwide this week and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration revised its colour-code zoning based on the Covid-19 situation in each province. Local…
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6 arrested in Cambodia for allegedly trafficking people into Thailand
6 young men and teenagers were arrested for allegedly trafficking people from Cambodia across the border into Thailand for work. The men and teenagers are facing human trafficking charges in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court. The suspects allegedly acted helped smuggle 12 people into Thailand to work, a police inspector told Khmer Times. 3 of the suspects were identified as labour…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 4,059 new cases; provincial totals
Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration logged 4,059 new cases today in 59 of the country’s 77 provinces. The active case count is now at 35,836, a slight increase as new cases reported are twice as many as the number of new recoveries. Over the past few weeks, the number of active cases has been on a downward trend after…
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Power outages coming to Kathu
Electricity will be temporarily cut in parts of Kathu, Phuket tomorrow, announced the Provincial Electricity Authority. Further work is being done to install high voltage cables. The power will only be shut off from 9 am to 4:30 pm in the Kathua area on the Wichit Songkram Road, and between the Kathu Wittaya School to the intersection with the Kathu-Koh…
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Samut Sakhon governor calls for more vaccine doses after order was cut
The pandemic has been rough on the governor of Samut Sakhon, a coastal province just southwest of Bangkok. Along with high numbers of Covid-19 cases and cluster outbreaks during the second and third waves of the virus, Governor Veerasak Vichitsangsri contracted Covid-19 in December and developed a severe lung infection. He spent 42 days on a ventilator. Now, as the…
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Airports of Thailand president says tourism won’t pick back up until October
While Phuket’s “Sandbox” travel scheme is poised to reopen the island to foreign tourists on July 1, Airports of Thailand doesn’t expect arrivals to really pick up until October, which is the start of Thailand’s “high season” for tourism. The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects 600,000 tourists to arrive between July and September, but AoT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn says the…
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Mobile sterilisation/vaccination truck helps Pattaya’s cats and dogs
Yesterday, a mobile sterilisation/vaccination truck was used in Pattaya to treat cats and dogs. The program was held at the Krating Lai Temple and was led by Pattaya City Deputy Mayor Manot Nongyai. Manot says the project started 2 years ago with the goal of cutting down the number of stray cats and dog in Pattaya. “This service is free…
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Ministry of Defence orders another Airbus C295 for the Royal Thai Army
The Royal Thai Army is adding another defence aircraft to its fleet. An order for an additional Airbus C295 airlifter for an undisclosed amount was recently made by Thailand’s Ministry of Defence. It will be be the country’s third C295 in its defence fleet. The tactical transport aircraft will be delivered to Thailand in 2023. The aircraft can be used…
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Hong Kong may reduce quarantine for vaccinated residents returning from Singapore, UK
Hong Kong residents returning home from Singapore or the UK may have quarantine requirements reduced if they are fully vaccinated. TTR Weekly reports that officials in Hong Kong are considering reducing quarantine for Singapore and UK arrivals who test positive for Covid-19 antibodies. Hong Kong currently has one of the longest mandatory quarantine requirements in the world, at 21 days.…
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Bangkok police prepare for pro-democracy rallies on Thursday
The deputy commissioner of Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police Bureau says the force is ready to handle pro-democracy rallies planned for Thursday. Piya Tawichai says 4 groups are expected to stage rallies to commemorate a revolution carried out by Khana Ratsadon (The People’s Party) on June 24, 1932. The authorities are expecting rallies from 4 pro-democracy groups commemorating the 89th anniversary of…
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Restrictions loosen in Phuket, alcohol allowed in restaurants
Restrictions in Phuket have loosened, allowing restaurants to resume selling alcohol and certain venues to open under normal hours. The Phuket Governor signed the provincial order allowing restrictions to be lifted as preparation for reopening the island province under the “Phuket Sandbox” travel model, which will allow travellers from overseas, who are vaccinated against Covid-19, to enter without undergoing a…
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TAT thinking up ways quarantine might be relaxed for tourists returning from Thailand
The ever-inventive Tourism Authority of Thailand is looking at ways quarantine might be eased for tourists visiting Thailand, both on arrival here and on their return home. TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn says “city bubbles” and activity-based travel arrangements in sandbox destinations could be the way forward. The arrangement would be between low-risk cities and would mean tourists could visit destinations…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 4,059 new cases and 35 deaths
4,059 new Covid-19 cases and 35 coronavirus-related deaths were reported this morning by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. In the recent and most severe wave of the coronavirus in Thailand, the CCSA has recorded 196,502 infections since April 1, making up the vast majority of Thailand’s total count since the start of the pandemic last year. The new wave…
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South hit by 402 cases of Beta variant
The south of the country has been struck by a wave of Beta variant Covid-19 infections, after a cluster first discovered in a school spread to 402 people. The Beta variant, originally known as the South African variant, gives health officials greater cause for concern as studies show it may be more resistant to vaccines. According to the Bangkok Post,…
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Africalink 21.06.21 – 16 UTC – MP3-Stereo
Ethiopia goes to the polls +++ Malawians scrambles for COVID weeks after incinerating 19,000 doses +++ Interview- Has Buhari Failed Nigerians? +++South Africa maternal health care in crisis SOURCE: DW News
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Philippines: Families of war on drugs victims welcome ICC probe
Katherine Bautista burst into tears when she received the news about the International Criminal Court (ICC) decision to seek a full investigation into Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs that killed thousands of mostly suspected drug dealers from poor urban communities. Her stepson, John Jezreel David, was killed during a drug operation conducted by the police in 2017. “We’ve…
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Twitter’s India troubles show tough path ahead for digital platforms
Twitter holds a relatively low share of India’s social media market. But, since 2017, the huge nation has emerged as Twitter’s fastest-growing market, becoming critical to its global expansion plans. In February, the Indian government introduced new guidelines to regulate digital content on rapidly growing social media platforms. The so-called Intermediary Guidelines are aimed at regulating content on internet platforms…
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Bangkok police warn that protests planned for Thursday break the Emergency Decree
Bangkok police are warning pro-democracy activists that they may face legal again if they hold a rally. Several Bangkok-based groups backing the movement pushing for monarchy and government reform are planning to hold a rally on Thursday to commemorate the anniversary of the 1932 Siam Revolution. On July 24, 1932, the Khana Ratsadon political party, which means “Peoples’ Party,” led…
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Pattaya residents complain of sinkholes in road, couple sustains injuries
I sustained a minor injury while my boyfriend suffered serious injuries. People in the Pattaya area are reporting that they have suffered injuries from sinkholes in the road. Others are complaining about the faulty infrastructure on social media. The sinkholes are due to recent heavy flooding in the area. Also, work done by a public works company, allege locals. 26…
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2 suspected insurgents killed in gunfire exchange with police-military team
In a clash with Thai security forces at a seaside resort, 2 suspected insurgents were killed. As of this afternoon, a team of police and military were still surrounding the resort in Pattani’s Yaring district and another suspected insurgent was still inside. Pattani has been prone to violence due to the religious separatist insurgency in Thailand’s region near the Malaysian…
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Army raids a house, arrests 53 as part of alleged gambling operation
This morning, the Thai army raided a house in the northern province of Mae Hong Son. As part of the raid, they arrested 40 Chinese nationals, 12 Burmese, and 1 Filipino that were allegedly running an online gambling operation. The house was in a resort located in the Mok Cham Pae of the Muang district that borders Myanmar. Thai media…
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Indonesia approaches 2 million Covid cases
If we let this continue, the situation can become urgent and critical The total number of Covid cases in Indonesia is quickly approaching 2 million. Hospitals continue to struggle with the growing number of infections. Yesterday, Indonesia’s government said they had 13,737 cases which brought the total to 1.99 million. More people are also dying as the hospitalisation rates have…
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Monday Covid Update: 3,175 new cases; infections rise in the Deep South
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration recorded 3,175 new Covid-19 cases today. Thailand now has 33,859 active cases, a slight increase since the count recorded yesterday after a downward trend over the past few weeks. 29 coronavirus-related fatalities were reported today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 1,658. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA…
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Bangkok police are “ready” for Thursday’s protests
Police in Bangkok are readying themselves for rallies that are planned for Thursday, which makes the 89th anniversary of the June 24, 1932 revolution by the Khana Ratsadon. The revolution made Thailand go from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one. The Metropolitan Police Bureau’s commissioner, Piya Tawichai said today that he anticipates 4 groups to demonstrate in 3 days.…
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Parachutist dies after being smashed into cliff face, falling into forest
A 53 year old sublieutenant went base jumping over the weekend and died when a gust of wind propelled the chute toward a mountain’s cliff. The man smashed into the cliff but appeared conscious. Then he plummeted into the thick forest below. The incident took place in central Thailand’s Lopburi Province. The unidentified parachutist had gone base jumping with 5…
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Proposed start date now July 15 for “Samui Plus” reopening
The proposed reopening date for the “Samui Plus” travel scheme is now July 15. Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, islands in the Gulf of Thailand off the Surat Thani coast, are planned to reopen to travellers from overseas who are vaccinated against Covid-19. Initially called the “Samui Sealed Route,” the proposed travel scheme will allow those who are…
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Ministry of Interior backtracks on decision to prioritise ThaiBev for vaccine allocation
Last Thursday, an urgent message was sent to all provincial governors telling them to allocate “spare vaccines” to ThaiBev employees and family. Now, the Ministry of Interior is backtracking on said orders after the decision proved controversial. ThaiBev is one of Southeast Asia’s biggest “beverage” companies and one of its most popular products is Chang beer. The company had asked…
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