Covid-19 News

Thailand Covid-19 news, vaccine updates, travel restrictions, and government policies—stay informed on case numbers, safety measures, and global developments. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for Covid-19 updates in Thailand.

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    How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?

    Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....

  • Bank employee tests positive for coronavirus

    Bank employee tests positive for coronavirus

    “The employee is now in hospital and his last day at work was March 23.” Siam Commerial Bank has announced that one of its temporary employees tested positive for Covid-19 coronavirus. A spokesman says that the employee worked on the 20th floor of Ari Hill Building on Phaholyothin Road in Bangkok. After notifying the Ministry of Public Health and the…

  • Search on for tour bus passengers after three test positive for Covid-19

    Search on for tour bus passengers after three test positive for Covid-19

    Authorities in Chiang Rai, Northern Thailand, have been tracking down 3 passengers who have tested positive for Covid-19. The passengers were travelling on a VIP tour bus from Bangkok to Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai disrtict. Chiang Rai deputy governor, Mr. Pasakorn Boonyalak, and Dr. Tossathep Boonthong, the provincial health chief, say… “…that they are asking passengers on Sombat Tour Company’s…

  • Authorities searching for bus travellers in Chiang Rai after passenger tests positive

    Authorities searching for bus travellers in Chiang Rai after passenger tests positive

    Authorities in Chiang Rai are trying to track down the passengers of a tour bus after three tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus. The bus was travelling from Bangkok to the Chiang Saen district of Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. The three, all from the same family, are being treated in hospital. A spokesman for Chiang Rai’s health department has…

  • Thai Airways suspends all flights, some from today

    Thai Airways suspends all flights, some from today

    The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has claimed another victim: Thai Airways, the national carrier, has announced the suspension of all operations until May 31. The struggling carrier, once considered one of Asia’s most luxurious airlines, said yesterday that the suspension is necessary “because the global pandemic has prompted many countries to impose border closures and lockdowns, forcing many Thai offices abroad…

  • 107 new coronavirus cases confirmed, total now 934 (Wednesday)

    107 new coronavirus cases confirmed, total now 934 (Wednesday)

    Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and the Department of Disease Control announced 107 new confirmed cases of the Covid-19 Coronavirus in their daily press briefing this morning. This makes the total number of cases found in Thailand since the outbreak began in January 934, with 4 total deaths. Yesterday 106 confirmed cases were announced. 52 patients have so far recovered.…

  • New Phuket city hall gets makeover as emergency Covid-19 hospital

    New Phuket city hall gets makeover as emergency Covid-19 hospital

    The new, as yet unfinished, Phuket City Hall is preparing to adjust its meeting spaces to a be a 40 bed field hospital which will accommodate Covid-19 patients as a frontline measure, if the situation worsens in Phuket. The new facility is 40% ready and will be fully functional this Friday (March 27). The facility is in Phuket Town, near…

  • Phuket reports 3 new coronavirus cases (Wednesday)

    Phuket reports 3 new coronavirus cases (Wednesday)

    Newshawk Phuket reports 3 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus on the southern Thai island of Phuket. 2 Chinese patients have recovered and been discharged, bringing the total remaining cases to 27. 98 people are still in hospital in Phuket, with 71 awaiting test results. The new cases are… An English traveller who arrived in Phuket on March 19 via…

  • Foreigners without health certificates, insurance being turned away at Thai airports

    Foreigners without health certificates, insurance being turned away at Thai airports

    No health certificate and travel insurance: “No Entry” Nearly 100 foreign travellers have been denied entry into Thailand for failing to have the mandatory documents to meet immigration standards to fight the Covid-19 coronavirus. Of these, 73 are being deported back to their country of departure. The passengers were among 4,533 passengers, both Thai and foreigners who landed in Thailand…

  • 5000 baht per month for “informal” Thai workers

    5000 baht per month for “informal” Thai workers

    Informal workers, meaning temporary workers, contractors and the self-employed will be able to claim 5000 baht in government assistance per month during the Covid-19 Coronavirus crisis, which has already closed untold thousands of businesses, even before yesterday’s announcement of a state of emergency. The program and payments begin on April 1. Workers must be Thai nationals and register with either The…

  • 5 people who were bloody amazing during “self-quarantine”

    5 people who were bloody amazing during “self-quarantine”

    Life in Thailand has changed rapidly since the WHO declared the Covid-19 coronavirus a pandemic on March 11. Offices have closed, public spaces have emptied, and the nation is in a state of national emergency, effective tomorrow. People are urged to to stay home and “self-isoltate” to the extent possible. Many have suddenly found themselves, to put it charitably, “with…

  • Covid-19 UPDATE: US records nearly 10,000 new cases, Thailand total 827 cases

    Covid-19 UPDATE: US records nearly 10,000 new cases, Thailand total 827 cases

    Today the world’s numbers of cases surge past 400,000. Two days ago the numbers were 50,000 less. The current hotspots are the US and Europe where the pandemic is still spreading swiftly. The US had the largest batch of new cases in the past 24 hours, adding nearly 10,000 new cases to its 53,609 total – 9,875 cases in the…

  • Cabinet approves 117 billion baht stimulus

    Cabinet approves 117 billion baht stimulus

    Today the cabinet has approved a proposed new stimulus measures of at least 117 billion baht. Trying to minimise the magnitude of the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak that has infected more than 800 Thais across the country. The stimulus will include cash handouts worth 45 billion baht for more than 3 million workers outside of the social security system,…

  • How to request a refund for electric meter deposits – starts tomorrow

    How to request a refund for electric meter deposits – starts tomorrow

    Starting from tomorrow (March 25) the government is working with the Metropolitan Electricity Authority and Provincial Electricity Authorities to start returning refunds on electrical meter insurance and deposits to provide some aid to people affected by the Covid-19 epidemic. Who will receive the refund? Type 1, residential houses Type 2, small businesses A total of 22.17 million customers will receive…

  • Sharp jump in Thai coronavirus cases due to new testing methods

    Sharp jump in Thai coronavirus cases due to new testing methods

    Thailand’s Ministry of Public health explained today that the sharp rise in confirmed Covid-19 coronavirus cases reported in recent days is due to new testing standards. In the past, two labs have had to show a positive result before a case was confirmed, but now a positive result from one lab is considered a confirmed case. The situation was explained…

  • Thailand under a State of emergency – Prime Minister

    Thailand under a State of emergency – Prime Minister

    Thai PM Prayuth Chan-o-cha told a news conference today that Thailand will be under emergency decree from this Thursday (March 26) until the end of April, 2020 to deal with the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak in the Kingdom. The decree means the PM will have the executive power to declare further measures to contain the virus, including giving extra authority to…

  • Professor says social distancing, self-isolation are crucial to control infection

    Professor says social distancing, self-isolation are crucial to control infection

    “People must stay home and not socialise, or Thailand will become like Italy with coronavirus patients overwhelming health resources and medical personnel having to decide which patients to treat, or not.” Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of the faculty of medicine Siriraj Hospital of Mahidol University, yesterday emphasised the need for strict social distancing on the university’s online TV channel, saying…

  • Phuket reports 9 new coronavirus cases (Tuesday)

    Phuket reports 9 new coronavirus cases (Tuesday)

    Local media outlet Newshawk Phuket today reported 9 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus on the southern resort island of Phuket, bringing the total to 26, up from 17 yesterday. • Case 18 is a 33 year old Thai woman, a waitress at Soi Bangla in Patong district. She fell sick on March 16. • Case 19 is a 56…

  • Thai epidemiologist warns public to stay home to avoid virus surge

    Thai epidemiologist warns public to stay home to avoid virus surge

    As the number of Covid-19 coronavirus infections rises around Thailand, an epidemiologist from the Ministry of Public Health is urging the public to stay home, avoid all social interaction unless absolutely essential and practise social distancing whenever you need to go outdoors to avoid an outbreak like those in Italy and Spain. Ministry epidemiologist Walairat Chaifoo says that the total…

  • Thai restaurants and food chains switching to home deliveries

    Thai restaurants and food chains switching to home deliveries

    A difficult time for restaurants as the government rolls out lockdowns across the country. So many of the restaurants and food chains are changing from sit in facilities to home delivery. They’re saying that they need to switch their financial strategy to stay afloat as the spread of Covid-19 becomes more serious in Thailand. So they’re becoming ‘virtual’ restaurants providing…

  • Phuket declares ‘lockdown’ of all but essential services

    Phuket declares ‘lockdown’ of all but essential services

    A lockdown of all but essential services has been declared for Phuket, echoing the ‘lockdown’ in Bangkok and surrounding provinces over the weekend. The Thaiger has just received an English version but awaiting an internet-friendly version which we will publish ASAP. Here are the main things you need to know.

  • UPDATE: Thailand confirms 106 new coronavirus cases, 3 more deaths

    UPDATE: Thailand confirms 106 new coronavirus cases, 3 more deaths

    UPDATE: New cases announced in Phuket (below). ORIGINAL STORY: Thailand health officials have reported 106 new Covid-19 coronavirus infections today, bringing the total to 827 in the Kingdom. The number of new cases is lower than the 122 recorded yesterday. The Ministry of Public Health has also reported 3 additional deaths from the virus in the past 24 hours, bringing…

  • Opportunities for 2020 export growth in Thailand

    Opportunities for 2020 export growth in Thailand

    Despite the whirlwind of shutdowns, lockdowns and craziness descending on Thailand at the moment, the departments are still churning out numbers and trying to forecast the way ahead. They say that, due to the Thai baht weakening and massive government interventions around the world for both monetary and fiscal policies, there is still a chance that Thailand could reduce the…

  • Team Thailand, hell yeah! Coming to save you from Covid-19.

    Team Thailand, hell yeah! Coming to save you from Covid-19.

    The world may be going completely bonkers but at least here in Thailand we can rely on Team Thailand. “Team Thailand”, is the patriotic term the mercurial Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has come up with to describe the hand-picked panel of medical experts who will be going through daily reports and recommending the next steps to battle the…

  • Tourism call centre flooded with complaints over cancellations

    Tourism call centre flooded with complaints over cancellations

    Thailand’s Tourism Department and its recently opened complaint centre are being flooded with complaints from would-be tourists about cancellations due to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. More than 2000 have filed complaints, and the department says refunds will be difficult. The outbreak has bashed global travel, resulting in Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and Bangkok Airways, among others, temporarily stopping all…

  • Italian coronavirus strain may be more dangerous than Wuhan version

    Italian coronavirus strain may be more dangerous than Wuhan version

    “We are fighting an enemy which is more devastating than any weapon or army. The enemy keeps multiplying every day and gains the upper hand if we do not change our way of life. The only way to defeat this enemy is for all of us to do these simple things. Practise social distancing and avoid crowded places, and we…

  • Minor International pleads with Thai PM for a full lockdown

    Minor International pleads with Thai PM for a full lockdown

    “I believe that under your strong leadership, the message to stay home, limit personal movement and avoid interaction with others will be taken to heart and will help us overcome this crisis.” Thai hotel chain Minor International has sent a frank letter pleading with the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang to curb public movement and activities…

  • The Thaiger top 10 ways to cope with self-isolation

    The Thaiger top 10 ways to cope with self-isolation

    It’s a turbulent time. With socialising discouraged and many businesses closed, things can seem a bit scary. And with the Covid-19 coronavirus sweeping the world, you will be worried about the health of family and friends, even yourself. If you’re stuck at home due to the virus you’re probably asking yourself: “Now what am I supposed to do?” But there…

  • Chon Buri closes more businesses, asks public to avoid beaches

    Chon Buri closes more businesses, asks public to avoid beaches

    Yep, this means Pattaya as well. The governor of Chon Buri province today signed an order for the closure of additional businesses “until the situation improves,” to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus in and around the major party town of Pattaya. The order includes the closure of following: Water parks and public swimming pools (Privately owned pools…

  • Cash handouts to be proposed tomorrow

    Cash handouts to be proposed tomorrow

    “Those having social security will be taken care of by the Social Security Office, while those who are not insured under the social security scheme will be taken care of by the Ministry of Finance. We are planning to use an emergency budget from fiscal 2020 of around 20 billion baht to provide cash handouts to people affected by the…

  • Airlines suspending flights – Thai Lion Air, Singapore Airlines

    Airlines suspending flights – Thai Lion Air, Singapore Airlines

    “The airline has been seriously affected by the coronavirus situation, with passenger loads dropping so sharply that, some days, there are no passengers at all.” This is a letter addressed to the director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), Chula Sukmanop, sent from the CEO of Thai Lion Air Aswin Yongkiratikorn. Thai Lion Air has formerly notified CAAT…