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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    Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?

    Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...

  • Tests show Samui woman did not contract virus at quarantine hotel

    Tests show Samui woman did not contract virus at quarantine hotel

    Tests carried out by the Disease Control Department show that the woman who tested positive for Covid-19 after being discharged from quarantine and travelling to Koh Samui, did not become infected at the quarantine facility. Dr Sopon Iamsirithaworn says the results do not match those of 2 other guests who tested positive at the hotel in Samut Prakan, just outside…

  • Health officials propose reducing quarantine to 10 days

    Health officials propose reducing quarantine to 10 days

    Health officials are suggesting cutting mandatory quarantine for international arrivals to 10 days. Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says the proposal will be submitted to the government’s Covid-19 task force for approval. It’s hoped that a reduction in the quarantine period could help revive Thailand’s battered tourism sector. ”The priority now is to strike a balance between people’s health and the…

  • 4 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, 2 have symptoms

    4 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, 2 have symptoms

    4 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine with half of the patients reporting symptoms, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand’s total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is raised to 3,763 with 3,570 recoveries and 59 deaths. 134 people are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. A 67 year old Kuwaiti woman travelling from Qatar tested…

  • Government confirms re-opening for foreign tourists, yacht crew, under Special Tourist Visa

    Government confirms re-opening for foreign tourists, yacht crew, under Special Tourist Visa

    Thailand is preparing to re-open to more international tourists and foreign yacht crew, after Cabinet specified updated guidelines for the Special Tourist Visa scheme. Deputy government spokeswoman, Traisulee Traisoranakul, says the new regulations will be in force until September 30, 2021. The STV has been introduced in an effort to re-ignite international tourism in the Kingdom, which has been severely…

  • 13 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine

    13 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine

    13 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine including 4 Thai students, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is at 3,759 with 3,561 recoveries and 59 deaths. 139 people are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. A 49 year old Frenchman travelling from France tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday,…

  • 2 foreigners in same hotel as the Koh Samui woman test positive for Covid-19

    2 foreigners in same hotel as the Koh Samui woman test positive for Covid-19

    Officials are reviewing the use of a Samut Prakan hotel, just outside Bangkok, as a quarantine facility, after 3 foreign nationals staying there tested positive for Covid-19. The first was a 57 year old woman who developed symptoms of the virus after she had completed 14 days’ quarantine and had returned to her home on the island of Koh Samui.…

  • “Koh Samui is still safe”, Covid-19 measures in place – Health Minister

    “Koh Samui is still safe”, Covid-19 measures in place – Health Minister

    Koh Samui is safe to visit … apparently. Even though a woman on the island recently tested positive for Covid-19, the world’s favourite public health minister is assuring the Koh Samui public that health measures on the island are effective and it’s still a safe destination for tourists, presumably the few Thai tourists willing to pay extortionate airfares demanded by…

  • 3 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, all asymptomatic

    3 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, all asymptomatic

    3 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine, all asymptomatic, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand’s total number of confirmed Covid-19 is now at 3,746 with 3,551 recoveries and 59 deaths. 136 people are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. 53 year old British engineer travelling from Qatar tested positive for Covid-19 while in an alternative…

  • 7 new Thai Covid-19 cases in quarantine, all asymptomatic

    7 new Thai Covid-19 cases in quarantine, all asymptomatic

    7 new Covid-19 cases have been detected in Thai quarantine facilities and were all asymptomatic cases from Thais returning home from overseas, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand’s total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is now at 3,743 with 3,543 recoveries and 59 deaths. 141 people are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. A 67 year…

  • Officials to choose “low risk” countries for possible reduction in quarantine

    Officials to choose “low risk” countries for possible reduction in quarantine

    The Thai government is to compile a list of countries considered “low risk” for the Covid-19 virus, as it considers a reduction in the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for foreign arrivals. Nation Thailand reports that, once finalised, the Public Health Ministry will submit its list to the Interior Ministry, who will use it to decide the criteria for reduced quarantine.…

  • Permanent residency, changes to quarantine period – Government mulls strategies to revive economy

    Permanent residency, changes to quarantine period – Government mulls strategies to revive economy

    “The government is considering offering permanent residency to those buying condos in the Kingdom.” Energy minister and deputy PM Supattanapong Punmeechaow has outlined a number of strategies the government hopes will help the Thai economy recover from the Covid-19 fallout. Permanent residency for some condo purchases, changes to the mandatory quarantine and incentives for foreign investment are all under discussion.…

  • UPDATE: Covid-19 detected on gym equipment, Koh Samui covid case

    UPDATE: Covid-19 detected on gym equipment, Koh Samui covid case

    The Department of Disease Control has provided some updates relating to the Koh Samui-based 57 year old French woman who tested positive on Thursday for a case of Covid-19, the first case on the Gulf island in 7 months. Quite swiftly authorities have been able to come up with a possible reason for the case after claiming they detected the…

  • 15 people considered “high risk” following positive Covid test for 57 year old Samui resident

    15 people considered “high risk” following positive Covid test for 57 year old Samui resident

    A 57 year old French woman, visiting the Gulf island of Koh Samui with her husband and son, has tested positive for Covid-19, five days after finishing the mandatory 14 day quarantine. The Division of Communicable Diseases director Sophon Iamsirithavorn told the media yesterday about the case which is baffling medical officials to understand where she had been exposed to…

  • UPDATE: World Covid cases surge again, US reports 81,000+ cases in past 24 hours

    UPDATE: World Covid cases surge again, US reports 81,000+ cases in past 24 hours

    Both the rate of new infections and deaths from the coronavirus has begun to spike in the worldwide totals again with some countries and locations having to go back into lockdowns for a second or third time. In the US and parts of Europe a major new surge of cases is concerning health authorities, especially as these countries are now…

  • 57 year old woman tests positive for Covid on Samui

    57 year old woman tests positive for Covid on Samui

    A 57 year old Frenchwoman has baffled Thai medical officials with her quarantine-defying positive test for Covid-19. The woman had been living on Koh Samui since returning from 14 days of quarantine. Whilst her positive status had become a hot topic on Samui over the past 24 hours, it took until this afternoon for Dr Sophon Iamsirithaworn, Director of the…

  • 10 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, many on flights with other confirmed cases

    10 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, many on flights with other confirmed cases

    10 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine and many flew in on flights with previously confirmed cases, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand’s total number of confirmed cases is now at 3,719 with 3,514 recoveries and 59 deaths. 146 people are currently receiving medical treatment for Covid-19. 2 Thai women travelling from the Netherlands tested positive…

  • China ban on inbound, outbound tour groups to continue

    China ban on inbound, outbound tour groups to continue

    The Chinese government is to keep the current ban on inbound and outbound tour groups, amid fears that the winter months could bring a resurgence of Covid-19. The Bangkok Post reports that the country’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has confirmed on its website that the ban remains in place. After several months with very low case numbers, officials are…

  • Health Minister says quarantine could be reduced to 10 days, maybe eventually zero

    Health Minister says quarantine could be reduced to 10 days, maybe eventually zero

    Health officials are ready to reduce the mandatory quarantine period for foreign tourists, provided other relevant bodies agree. The current quarantine period is set at 14 days, but the Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, says this could be reduced to 10. He adds that if the reduction is successful, quarantine could be further reduced, eventually reaching a point where quarantine…

  • 9 new Covid-19 cases detected in quarantine

    9 new Covid-19 cases detected in quarantine

    9 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine from people travelling from Morocco, Oman, Portugal, South Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand’s total number of confirmed cases is now at 3,709 with 3,495 recoveries and 59 deaths. 155 people are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. 3…

  • Complete Thailand Travel Guide (October 2020)

    Complete Thailand Travel Guide (October 2020)

    Latest update – October 21. If you are overseas and wish to come to Thailand your FIRST port of call must be the Royal Thai Embassy in your country before you make any bookings. Thailand Longstay is also a valuable resource of information at this time. First ‘tourists’ arrive in Thailand under the Special Tourist Visa In 2019, almost 40 million tourists…

  • 9 new Covid-19 cases in Thai quarantine, with a possible reinfection

    9 new Covid-19 cases in Thai quarantine, with a possible reinfection

    9 new Covid-19 cases were detected in Thai quarantine facilities, including a patient who may have been infected with the virus a second time, or never fully recovered, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Most of the cases were army engineers travelling from South Sudan. Thailand’s total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is now at 3,700 with 3,491…

  • 50% of Thailand’s population to get Covid-19 vaccine when available – Health Minister

    50% of Thailand’s population to get Covid-19 vaccine when available – Health Minister

    Half the population in Thailand will be injected with the Covid-19 vaccine once it’s released and available to the public, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says. Oxford University and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca are conducting trails of the new vaccine. Thailand is planned to be the Southeast Asia production site for the new vaccine. The health minister says the vaccine…

  • Covid19 – US infections “balloon”, world case total surpasses 40 million

    Covid19 – US infections “balloon”, world case total surpasses 40 million

    “We were really hoping to crater the cases in preparation for a bad winter. We’ve done basically the opposite.” New Covid-19 cases are again surging in many countries. Globally, the number of infected people exceeded 40 million as of last night with new infections starting to accelerate again. Today the total number of confirmed cases around the world is 40,323,461. The…

  • New Covid-19 restrictions imposed to tackle Europe’s second wave

    New Covid-19 restrictions imposed to tackle Europe’s second wave

    Countries across Europe are imposing new restrictions as they grapple with a second major wave of Covid-19. Worldwide, the coronavirus has now infected more than 40 million people and been responsible for the deaths of more than 1 million. In Europe, Covid-19 deaths have surpassed 250,000, making up nearly a quarter of the coronavirus deaths in the world. Whilst there…

  • “Open the borders, safely”, Bill Heinecke, Minor International interview – VIDEO

    “Open the borders, safely”, Bill Heinecke, Minor International interview – VIDEO

    Bill Heinecke speaks to Bill Barnett. The two heavy-hitters of Thailand’s hotel and hospitality sector, mull over the current Covid situation and the reopening of Thailand’s borders to some form of tourism. Bill Heinecke is the Chairman and Founder of Minor International. Bill Barnett is the Managing Director of c9hotelworks.com Now the Thai government has approved the special long-term tourist…

  • 5 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, some with cough symptoms

    5 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, some with cough symptoms

    5 new Covid-19 cases were detected whilst returnees or foreigners were in quarantine, with some reporting cough symptoms, according to Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand now has 3,691 confirmed Covid-19 cases with 3,488 recoveries and 59 deaths. 744 cases were detected in the mandatory state quarantine for those entering the country. 144 people are currently receiving medical treatment…

  • Thailand’s property market waits for an end to Covid-19

    Thailand’s property market waits for an end to Covid-19

    The Coronavirus outbreak poses challenges for Thailand’s property market as potential Chinese condominium buyers remain stranded in China. Meanwhile, some believe that the outbreak may bring opportunities for non-Chinese buyers and in the long-run, the Chinese may be looking for an overseas refuge in the event of these types of emergencies popping up again Through all this, there will be…

  • New Covid-19 test in the works, quarantine could be shortened

    New Covid-19 test in the works, quarantine could be shortened

    Thailand’s mandatory quarantine for those entering the country could be reduced from 14 days to 10 days or even less if new Covid-19 testing kits are reliable, according to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The new Covid-19 testing kits are in the process of being developed by the Public Health Ministry. Nation Thailand didn’t report on many details about the…

  • Phuket to host Cabinet meeting to review proposals for reviving local economy

    Phuket to host Cabinet meeting to review proposals for reviving local economy

    Government officials are to hold a Cabinet meeting in Phuket on November 2 and 3, when they will meet with local authorities and business owners to hear their suggestions on re-igniting the province’s decimated economy. Phuket has been hit particularly hard by the country’s borders being shut since late March, with the absence of international tourists dealing a hammer blow…

  • 10 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, only 1 reported symptoms

    10 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, only 1 reported symptoms

    10 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine from those travelling from 6 different countries, tallying up Thailand’s total number of reported cases to 3,665, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The cases were found in people arriving to Thailand from Myanmar, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Italy, Lebanon and the Netherlands. Only 1 patient reported symptoms. A 33 year…