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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Sponsored 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....
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Health ministry approves half-dose of mRNA vaccine as booster for elderly
In a bid to persuade Thailand’s elderly population, and those with chronic illnesses, to get a Covid-19 booster, health officials have approved using half the usual dose. Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit says the half-dose will be an mRNA vaccine, such as Pfizer, adding that officials are acknowledging a fear of side-effects among the elderly. “To deal with this fear, I have…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 19,742 new cases; provincial totals
70 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 23,848 with 2,150 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 19,742 new Covid-19 cases and 24,125 recoveries. There are now 221,436 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Bangkok eases alcohol restrictions, large events and shopping centres allowed to serve booze
Bangkok is loosening its rules on alcohol sales. Starting today, shopping centres and event venues can serve alcoholic beverages until 11pm, according to a document signed yesterday by Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang. The venues serving beer, wine, and cocktails will also need to be certified through SHA+ and Thai Stop Covid 2 Plus, which are both safety and health standards…
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Thai officials say no cause for concern as 4 cases of Hong Kong sub-variant reported
The Public Health Ministry says there’s no cause for concern after the BA2.2 Omicron sub-variant was reported in 4 Covid-19 patients in the kingdom. According to a Bangkok Post report, the patients are 3 Thai nationals and a foreigner. The BA2.2 sub-variant was first discovered in Hong Kong, which is battling its worst Covid-19 wave since the start of the…
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Monday Covid Update: 22,130 new cases; provincial totals
69 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 23,778 with 2,080 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 22,130 new Covid-19 cases and 23,508 recoveries. There are now 225,889 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Deaths due to Covid-19 pandemic much higher than reported figures, study shows
The Covid-19 death toll is much higher than what has been officially reported, according to a recent analysis published in The Lancet, a medical journal. The analysis estimates that the global number of fatalities related to the Covid-19 pandemic reached 18.2 million by December 31, 2021, which triples the number of deaths reported at 5.94 million. The findings were based…
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Bangkok doctor warns of healthcare collapse if Covid-19 is not dealt with
A Bangkok professor at Chulalongkorn’s Faculty of Medicine warns that Thailand’s economy isn’t strong enough to handle Covid-19 if the situation gets out of hand. He noted that Thailand’s economy is weaker than the economies of European countries. “With fewer economic resources than wealthy countries, the impact of the outbreak will be too tough to handle”. Several healthcare resources in…
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Federation of Thai Industries wants gov to scrap Test & Go, stop fuel price crisis
The Federation of Thai Industries has called on Thailand’s government to scrap the Test & Go scheme, and stop the ongoing fuel price crisis. On Thursday, the president of the federation suggested easing Test & Go to support tourism and a recovery for the Thai economy. The FTI suggested that Thailand only require fully vaccinated travellers to show proof of…
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Health officials hurry to mail medicine to over 3,500 Bangkok Covid-19 patients
After over 3,500 Covid-19 patients in the Bangkok area couldn’t access home health services, health officials are rushing to mail them Favipiravir. The secretary-general of the National Health Security Office said it would take about five days for patients to receive the anti-viral drug in the mail, if their symptoms are not serious. The NHSO has been overwhelmed by the…
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Friday Covid Update: 24,792 new cases; provincial totals
63 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 23,575 with 1,877 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 24,792 new Covid-19 cases and 22,065 recoveries. There are now 222,998 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Thai prisons ban alcohol-based gel after inmate dies, others hospitalised from drinking hand sanitiser
Alcohol-based hand sanitiser is being banned at Thai prisons after one inmate died, another blinded, and 31 others injured from mixing the hand gel with soft drinks to get drunk. All forms of alcohol products are typically prohibited on prison grounds, but during the Covid-19 pandemic, with major outbreaks at Thai prisons infecting tens of thousands of inmates, rules were…
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Thai government to change how Covid-19 deaths are recorded
The Public Health Ministry says it will adjust how it records Covid-19 deaths after it emerged that up to 30% of patients who died passed away as a result of underlying illnesses. According to a Bangkok Post report, health minister Anutin Charnvirakul says officials will revise the data to ensure the cause of death in Covid patients is more accurately…
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End in sight for Thailand Pass once Covid-19 declared endemic – TAT
The governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand says tourism numbers may need to be revised down due to the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which includes surging oil prices and rising inflation. Yuthasak Supasorn adds that entry restrictions will be relaxed in stages as officials move to declaring Covid-19 endemic. Cabinet has already approved a Public Health Ministry…
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Thursday Covid Update: 22,984 new cases; provincial totals
74 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 23,512 with 1,814 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 22,984 new Covid-19 cases and 24,161 recoveries. There are now 220,334 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Hospital accidentally mistakes bedridden patients, sends body to the wrong family
A woman went to visit her father at a hospital, but when she came by, she found that the patient the hospital had identified as her father was not him. She found out later that the hospital accidentally switched the identification information for two Covid-19 patients. Her father had died back in January and his body may have been sent…
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Police strap on PPE gear after finding herbal drug for Covid at fatal road accident scene
Police stepped away from a man’s body who died in a road accident after they found the herbal medicine Fah Talai Jone, which is touted by many Thais to be an effective treatment for Covid-19. Those at the accident scene then dressed in personal protective gear as a preventative measure. An ATK test was later done on the body and…
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Bang Sue offering walk-in vaccination, with choice of vaccine, for Thais and foreigners
Covid-19 vaccines are now available at Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand station, with no appointment necessary, regardless of which dose is required. The Central Vaccination Centre says inoculation is available to both Thais and foreigners, who can also choose which vaccine they want. The move is in response to a surge in infections, including a spike in those developing lung infections…
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Government health officials approve plan to make Covid endemic in Thailand by July
The Public Health Ministry’s plan to make Covid-19 endemic in Thailand by July 1 has been given the green light. The plan was approved yesterday by the National Communicable Disease Committee, giving Thailand under 4 months to downgrade the virus from pandemic status. According to health minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Thailand is adopting a policy of safeguarding the health of both…
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Tourism officials not bothered by US advice to citizens to avoid travel to Thailand
Tourism officials have shrugged off a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notice which advised citizens to avoid travel to Thailand. Earlier this week, the US CDC added Thailand to its list of Level 4 countries, due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation in the kingdom. However, Yuthasak Supasorn from the Tourism Authority of Thailand says that won’t make much…
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Number of calls increases, Thailand’s Covid hotline struggles to keep up
Since Covid-19 cases soared in recent weeks due to the highly infectious Omicron strain, the hotline has been getting around 40,000 and 70,000 calls each day, with inquiries requesting beds and medical treatment. Several people were unable to get through due to the huge volume of calls received each day and the lack of corresponding employees to meet the demands.…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 22,073 new cases; provincial totals
69 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 23,438 with 1,740 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 22,073 new Covid-19 cases and 24,747 recoveries. There are now 221,585 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Fast-food chain A&W to close all branches in Thailand following huge Covid losses
The American fast-food giant A&W looks set to close all 26 branches in Thailand as the economic fallout of Covid-19 takes its toll. According to a Nation Thailand report, Global Consumer Plc, which owns the Thai franchise, is seeking board approval to close all branches in the kingdom. Global Consumer’s annual report shows that last year alone, A&W outlets in…
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Health officials say PCR testing no longer required after positive ATK result
Patients who test positive for Covid-19 after using an antigen test kit no longer need to take a PCR test to confirm the result. Suphakit Sirilak from the Department of Medical Sciences says the requirement for a follow-up PCR test is expensive and time-consuming. In addition, the generally mild nature of the Omicron variant has removed the need for people…
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Government says Songkran can go ahead, CCSA to decide what that looks like
The Thai government says Covid-19 won’t stop this year’s Songkran celebrations, but insists that disease prevention measures will need to be followed. What that means for the mass water fights that were such a huge part of the celebrations pre-pandemic remains unclear for now. According to a Bangkok Post report, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has given the green light for interprovincial…
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Department of Medical Science seeks FDA approval for two types of Covid-19 tests
The Department of Medical Science is seeking FDA approval for two types of Covid-19 tests known as LAMP and CRISPR. Reports say the tests are quick and just as precise as the RT-PCR test, which is the primary test being used in Thailand to confirm Covid-19 infections. Officials are also looking into using “machine based assay” or “MBA” antigen testing…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 18,943 new cases; provincial totals
69 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 23,369 with 1,671 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 18,943 new Covid-19 cases and 25,005 recoveries. There are now 224,328 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Bangkok governor summoned by PM, asked to explain Covid treatment complaints
The governor of Bangkok has been summoned by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and asked to explain why residents in the capital are unable to access Covid-19 treatment. According to a Nation Thailand report, Governor Aswin Kwanmuang met with the PM and was asked to explain the complaints from Bangkok patients. Addressing the media, the PM confirmed the meeting took place at…
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Will Songkran be wet or dry? CCSA to discuss restrictions on March 18
The question of whether or not to allow massive water fights to celebrate Songkran, the Thai New Year, will be discussed on March 18 at a Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration meeting. The celebrations with water guns and splashing have been called off for the past two years to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Recently, the Department of Disease Control…
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US government tells citizens to avoid travel to Hong Kong, New Zealand – and Thailand
Americans are being told to avoid travel to Thailand, Hong Kong, and New Zealand, due to the rise in Covid-19 infections in each country. According to a Reuters report, the travel advisory was issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has raised its travel alert for Thailand to “Level Four: Very High”. In total, the US…
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Monday Covid Update: 21,162 new cases; provincial totals
65 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 23,300 with 1,602 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 21,162 new Covid-19 cases and 23,159 recoveries. There are now 230,459 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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