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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 How much does it cost to see a doctor in Thailand?
Thailand is known for its high-quality yet affordable healthcare system, but how much does it really cost to see a doctor? As an expat, this question might be crucial for budgeting your health needs. The answer depends on whether you...
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Friday Covid Update: 2,290 cases and 27 deaths
2,290 cases were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the total number of cases since April 1, the latest and most severe wave of infections, to 160,965. The CCSA reported 27 more deaths related to Covid-19. 5,711 people have recovered from Covid-19. The number of active cases has been on a downward slope over the past…
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Singapore restrictions to be eased in stages as Covid-19 infections drop
Singapore is set to relax some of its Covid-19 containment measures as infection rates in the city state drop. The fall in case numbers comes after a month of strict restrictions that limited group sizes and imposed a ban on in-house dining at restaurants. Bloomberg reports that from June 14, the limit on group sizes increases from 2 to 5…
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Property market in tourism areas relying on vaccines for recovery
Tourism destinations in Thailand are pinning their hopes on Covid-19 vaccines to revive their decimated economies, including in the real estate sector. Vichai Viratkapan from the Real Estate Information Centre says the property sector’s recovery will be driven by the rollout of vaccines, particularly in tourist destinations that have borne the brunt of the economic devastation. “Tourism destinations like Phuket,…
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Thai government signs contract for 20 million Pfizer doses
The government has approved the order of 20 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine from US manufacturer, Pfizer. The Bangkok Post reports that the head of the Department of Disease Control signed the contract yesterday. Delivery will be some time this year, but when exactly is unclear, as the vaccine has yet to be approved by Thailand’s Food and Drug…
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UN report: Myanmar could face mass starvation and death
A new United Nations report predicts the imminent threat of mass starvation and death in Myanmar due to the civil unrest after the military coup that has upended the country since February. The UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar issued the grave warning as the countries infrastructure collapses in the ongoing chaos of protestors and insurgents clashing with…
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Bangkok man arrested for allegedly selling sex toys
A seller in Bangkok has been arrested for allegedly possessing illegal sex toys for sale. Thaweesak a 28 year old Bangkok seller was arrested today after police received a tip that he had sex toys in his possession. After obtaining a search warrant from Phra Khanong Criminal Court, detectives staged a raid on the suspect’s house and seized 169 items.…
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14 day Phuket stay cuts predicted sandbox arrivals in half
The Tourism and Sports Ministry admitted today that the last-minute change in Phuket Sandbox Plan before being submitted to the government for approval from 7 days to 14 days required in Phuket for all arrivals will likely decrease by half the number of travellers who come. Extending the time required in Phuket before being allowed to travel throughout Thailand has…
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Phuket bars to stay closed for July 1 sandbox
Bars, pubs, and other “entertainment venues” throughout Phuket will remain closed when the province opens for its July 1 reopening, Patong Mayor Chalermsak Maneesri said today. Chalermsak says the entertainment venues will remain closed as a meeting with Phuket officials cited a covid cluster from such an establishment. He further told Thai media today that the Phuket Governor and the TAT…
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Man warns public of online durian scam
After filing a police report in Samut Sakhon, a central Thai province, a 55 year old man hopes to warn others of the perils of buying durian online. The man had attempted to buy “volcano durian” through an online dealer, but after sending the durian dealer money, the seller allegedly vanished. Busamat, the would-be durian buyer, says he wanted to…
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Defrocked American priest on trial in East Timor for alleged child sex abuse
The trial has started for the 84 year old defrocked American priest who allegedly sexually abused girls at an orphanage he founded in East Timor back in the early 1990s. Richard Daschbach, once revered by the Southeast Asian community for founding the Topu Honis Shelter to support impoverished children and orphans, is now facing charges of sexual abuse, child pornography and…
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11 dead in Mumbai building collapse
Last night, a residential building collapsed in Mumbai, India’s city that is situated on the west coast. The collapse claimed 11 lives. Of the 11 dead, 8 were children. Indian media says the incident happened around 10:15 pm. Police say 18 people have been extracted from the debris, albeit only 7 lived. It is reported that the injured have been…
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More than 300 people in 11 provinces infected with Delta Covid-19 variant
More than 300 people in 11 of Thailand’s 77 provinces have tested positive for the Delta variant of Covid-19, the mutated strain of the virus that was first detected in India. The vast majority of the cases have been in Bangkok, according to Thai Medical Sciences Department director-general Supakit Sirilak. Samples were taken from 4,185 Covid-19 patients. 3,703 of the…
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Large-scale methamphetamine production emerges in Cambodia during pandemic
During the pandemic, Cambodia has become a major base for the large-scale production of methamphetamine as drug traffickers workaround Covid-19 restrictions, according to the United Nations. Last year, during the pandemic, 170 tonnes of methamphetamine were seized by authorities in Asia, a 19% increase from the year prior, according to a report by the UN Office of Drugs and Crime.…
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Burmese junta tells Doctors Without Borders to stop aid in Dawei
Thousands of lives have been placed in peril after the Burmese military junta currently controlling Myanmar commanded Doctors Without Borders to cease operation. The well-known medical charity famous for providing emergency healthcare worldwide regardless of geopolitical borders warns of the urgent danger of stopping care on thousands of HIV and tuberculosis patients. Yesterday the junta order that all medical charity…
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Police crack down on drugs in Phuket neighbourhoods
In an ongoing effort to crack down on drugs in Phuket neighbourhoods, police conducted a series of raids where they seized dozens of grams of crystal methamphetamine and thousands of methamphetamine pills as well as dozens of rounds of firearm ammunition. Phuket Provincial Police also recently arrested 5 people in the various raids. Provincial police captain Chaiwat Chuwang has been…
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Thailand proposes digital nomad visa among others to benefit expats, economy
Thailand has always been a favourite of long-term travellers, and staying longer in the country may be getting easier. As the country was recently voted the best in which to live for digital nomads, allowing such workers to stay may be the key to boosting the economy. With pristine beaches, cheap living costs, and modern cafes with some of the…
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Taiwan reports holdup on Thai-made AstraZeneca vaccine order
Taiwan is expecting a holdup on its order of the Thai-made AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Malaysia and the Philippines have also reported that shipments of the vaccine from the Siam Bioscience manufacturing plant in Thailand have been delayed. Siam Bioscience, which is wholly owned by a subsidiary of the Crown Property Bureau, is planned to be the AstraZeneca distribution hub for…
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New online entry packages offered by AXA to welcome in tourists
PRESS RELEASE Tadoo, Thailand’s up-and-coming insurance, and finance comparison platform have announced a partnership with AXA, one of the world’s largest and most trusted insurance providers. One of the highlighted standout products from the new partnership is the Entry package to Thailand during covid-19, comprising of the Covid-19 Insurance Certificate and Covid-19 Travel Insurance. The Entry Package to Thailand is…
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BTS meal closes Indonesian McDonald’s amid Covid-19 fears
McDonald’s in Indonesia was the site of a BTS-inspired frenzy that forced them to close at least 13 stores for fears of a Covid-19 outbreak. The world-famous Korean Pop band partnered with the world-famous American burger joint to make a BTS meal deal that had rabid K-Pop fans swarming the restaurants. After yesterday’s release of the BTS meal deal, 5…
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South Korea looks into travel bubble agreement with Thailand
South Korea could soon open its borders to fully vaccinated people travelling from Thailand. The country is looking into travel bubble agreements with Thailand as well as Singapore, Taiwan, Guam and Saipan, according to the South Korean Culture, Sports, and Tourism Ministry. Quarantine-free travel could start as early as next month. Under the travel bubble scheme, travellers who are fully…
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Biden uses first overseas trip to restore America’s place on the world stage
“The United States is back.” So US President Joe Biden opened the first overseas trip of his presidency yesterday. The American leader is anxious to restore his country’s place on the world stage and reassure European allies left alienated and troubled by former President Donald Trump. Biden was speaking in the small town of Mildenhall, in the eastern English county…
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12 deaths after vaccination not linked to Covid-19 vaccine
Results are still pending on 16 cases, but investigations on 12 people who died after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine were concluded, finding their deaths to be coincidental. The Department of Disease Control said yesterday that the Covid-19 vaccine was not the cause of death in these 12 cases. The director for emergency health hazards and disease within the DDC reported…
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Phuket governor asks for funds for tourist tracking app
We’re not sure of the exact date when the Phuket sandbox idea was born, but we’re pretty sure the Thaiger had fewer grey hairs and definitely fewer wrinkles back then. What’s certain is that there has been a lot – a lot – of talk about Phuket’s July 1 re-opening and how exactly it will work. Rules have been introduced,…
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Fines for not wearing face masks range from 1,000 baht to 20,000 baht
In the latest and most severe wave of Covid-19 in Thailand, wearing a face mask is mandatory in public. Earlier announcements said those who do not wear a mask while in a public place could face a fine of up to 20,000 baht. An official revision of the rule was recently published in the Royal Gazette detailing the range of…
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Thursday Covid Update: 2,310 new cases and 43 deaths
2,310 new Covid-19 infections were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation, raising the total count in the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand to 158,675. The CCSA logged 43 more Covid-related deaths today, an increase over the past few days. Out of the new cases confirmed today, 102 were detected at correctional facilities. The…
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Koh Samet marks 100% success rate in vaccinating target group
Koh Samet, in the eastern province of Rayong, has been hailed by the Public Health Ministry after achieving a 100% success rate in vaccinating the target group on the island. Everyone living on the island, including locals, foreign workers, and officials working in the national park, have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine – 1,800 people in total.…
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Investigation launched into death of woman who received AstraZeneca vaccine
Thailand’s Health Minister says an investigation will be launched into the cause of death of a 46 year old woman who received the AstraZeneca vaccine. Anutin Charnvirakul was speaking as he paid his condolences to the family of Panyapat Itthithanawong, who lived in the Bang Khen district of Bangkok. The Bangkok Post reports that Panyapat received a dose of the…
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Serbian Volleyball player sanctioned for racist gesture
A Serbian volleyball player has been sanctioned by the International Volleyball Federation after an incident during a match with the Thai national team. During the match, Sanja Djurdjevic made a gesture pulling at the corner of her eyes which she said was to warn her teammates to watch their opponent’s strategy but was widely considered a racist gestures demeaning Asian…
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2.25 billion baht approved for hiring 10,000 graduates
2.25 billion baht was approved yesterday by the Cabinet for the hiring of 10,000 new university graduates for a year in order to help economically struggling people during Covid-19. The money will come from an emergency fund from the central budget established to deal with the global pandemic. 28 state agencies will be responsible for hiring these 10,000 new employees…
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Malaysia reports delay for orders of the Thai-made AstraZeneca vaccine
Several countries have reported delays for orders for the Thai-made AstraZeneca vaccine, and now Malaysia’s science minister says the country is expecting a delay. The reports of delays from the Thai vaccine plant come amid Thailand’s most severe wave of Covid-19 with limited vaccine doses available. Just over the past week, company Siam Bioscience handed over 1.8 million doses to…
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