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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Thailand’s tourist provinces plead to be included in sandbox scheme
While Thailand’s Test & Go entry system is suspended, foreign tourists can only enter the kingdom through alternative quarantine or the Phuket sandbox scheme. Now, tourism operators in other parts of the country are urging the government to include their provinces in the sandbox programme. Thanet Supornsahasrungsi from the Chon Buri Tourism Council says destinations that are within a 2-hour…
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Thai Omicron cases surpass 100, world tightens restrictions
The Omicron variant of Covid-19 has now been detected in 95 countries and Thailand has not escaped unscathed. 104 Omicron variant infections have now been uncovered in Thailand according to the CCSA with the first local transmission recently discovered. Most of the cases of the new variant are currently receiving treatment though some have recovered already, according to the Department…
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Israeli who escaped with Covid-19 now in custody in Koh Samui
After a national manhunt was launched to track him down, a 29 year old Israeli tourist who escaped his arrival hotel before his positive Covid-19 test results came back has turned himself in on the island of Koh Samui. The man had landed in Bangkok December 17 and had left before his test results arrived confirming that he had the…
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Health Ministry: test for Omicron variant before the holidays
Headache? Coughing? Fatigue? Better get tested! The Ministry of Public Health is encouraging the people of Thailand to get tested for Covid-19 before the upcoming holiday period to try to detect, contain, and prevent the spread of the Omicron variant. The ministry asked everyone to check themselves and to be aware of the many symptoms that could possibly be attributed…
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UPDATE: Tourist who left quarantine, tested positive for Covid-19, turns himself in
UPDATE: Thai media reports that the traveller who tested positive for Covid-19 and left his quarantine hotel without permission has contacted the Embassy of Israel in Thailand to turn himself in to police in Koh Samui. The Royal Thai Police deputy spokesperson for told Thai media the travellers could face criminal charges for violating the Emergency Decree. Officials are still looking…
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Governor cancels plan to allow all night drinking in Phuket on New Year’s Eve
The Phuket News is reporting that plans to allow the sale of alcohol throughout the night during New Year’s Eve on the southern island have been scrapped. Governor Narong Woonciew had recently issued an order confirming that the sale of alcohol would be extended from 11pm on December 31 until 6am on January 1. However, a notice posted last night…
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Cabinet approves budget of 35 billion baht for Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines
A government spokeswoman says over 35 billion baht is being earmarked for 90 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer and AstraZeneca. Rachada Dhnadirek says the funds will come from the Covid-19 relief loan the government obtained under the executive decree. The vaccine fund is part of a total fund of 35.9 billion approved at a cabinet meeting yesterday. According…
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Poll shows most Thais fear New Year celebrations will spark another Covid wave
A Department of Health poll shows that most Thais are worried that New Year celebrations will spark another wave of Covid-19 infections. In particular, they cite an outbreak of the Omicron variant as a major cause for concern. According to a Bangkok Post report, department chief Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai says the mass movement of people during the holiday period has the…
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OPINION: Test and Go, up and gone, where to from here Thailand?
OPINION A crazy day in The Thaiger office as we pushed out all the latest Test & Go Thailand Pass info as fast as we could, translated and checked. I forgot a number of important meetings as we knew people wanted to know what was happening with the Thailand Pass. We wanted to know too as we are also directly…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 2,476 new cases; provincial totals
32 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,440 with 21,346 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 2,476 new Covid-19 cases and 3,649 recoveries. There are now 38,892 people in Thailand being…
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European regulators approve Novavax Covid-19 vaccine
European regulators have approved the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine after months of delays. The protein-based vaccine takes a similar approach to that of vaccines long deployed against meningitis, hepatitis, and other illnesses. It provides European countries with another weapon in the fight against Covid-19, but according to a Bloomberg report, its efficacy against the newly-emerged Omicron variant is not yet known.…
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Health Minister to propose cancelling Test & Go entry at Cabinet meeting today
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will propose the cancellation of the Test & Go quarantine exemption programme to the Cabinet during the meeting today, according to reports in Thai media. The proposal will need to be approved by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, and an official order will need to be published in the Royal Gazette before the scheme…
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Tourism operators express frustration over rumours Test & Go may be dropped
Thailand’s tourism operators have expressed frustration and concern over the possibility that the Test & Go entry scheme could be scrapped. However, Yuthasak Supasorn from the Tourism Authority of Thailand has rushed to reassure them, pointing out that nothing has been decided yet and that all viewpoints will be taken into consideration. “We still have to hear from the CCSA…
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Thailand expected to review list of countries eligible for “Test & Go” scheme
The Thai government is expected to review the list of countries eligible for the Test & Go entry scheme, as concerns over the Omicron variant mount. Supoj Malaniyom from the CCSA says Covid-19 screening will be intensified and the list of eligible countries will be revised. According to a Bangkok Post report, the CCSA is expected to identify a number…
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3 passengers test positive for Omicron when they arrive on Koh Samui
Three recent arrivals on the Gulf island of Koh Samui have been detected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19 – 2 British citizens and 1 Belgian. The 3 include a 54 year old British woman, a 55 year old Belgian man and a 56 year old British man. The 3 new cases are the first, not only for the holiday…
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Thai officials to review list of low risk countries, possibly ban travellers from high risk
In addition to discussing whether to cancel the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme due to the uptick in Omicron cases, the Thai government will also review its list of countries considered to be at low risk for Covid-19 and consider whether to ban travellers from high risk countries. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told Thai media today that the…
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First local Omicron case, officials consider cancelling quarantine exemption Test & Go
Thailand’s first local transmission of the Omicron variant was reported today by public health officials. The confirmed case comes as the government considers cancelling the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme due to increasing reports of Omicron cases involving those arriving in Thailand from overseas. So far, health officials have reported more than 60 imported Omicron cases. The first local…
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Bangkok street food vendors welcome return of tourists to Khao San Road
Street sellers on Bangkok’s Khao San Road are celebrating the welcome return of foreign tourists and say life is finally beginning to return to normal. The Bangkok Post has spoken to a number of tourists and the street food vendors serving them. 51 year old Wan Suripar is one of them and she hopes this is the beginning of the…
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5 Omicron variant infections identified in Phuket
Phuket province has now identified 5 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 according to health officials on the island. All 5 infections were identified from the RT-PCR test that all international arrivals are administered as soon as they land in Thailand. The Omicron infections were found in people who arrived on December 13 and December 14. One infection was…
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SUNDAY COVID-19: 22 deaths, daily infections below 3,000
Today, total Covid-19 infections dipped below 3,000 for just the second time since the surge seen from the third wave of Covid-19 beginning in April. December 14 was the first time this occurred as daily infection numbers have been steadily falling. The CCSA reported 2,899 new Covid-19 infections, down 233 since yesterday, and 22 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 6 from yesterday.…
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Is Omicron less or more dangerous than earlier Covid variants?
A month after the first cases of the Covid-19 variant, Omicron, were officially detected in South Africa, we know a bit more about the potential dangers, but not a lot. Anecdotally, there have been plenty of doctors saying that the new variant appears to produce milder symptoms than earlier variants, as is often the case with these viruses. But they…
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British Airways cancels over 2,000 flights including Bangkok
In the face of the spread of Covid-19 as infections surge in the UK, British Airways have suspended all their flights travelling to Bangkok until October of next year. Rumours began circulating about the possible cancellation earlier this week with popular travel sites speculating about the major airline suspending the route. Many passengers told stories of receiving cancellation notices from…
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Thailand sees tourism dropping due to Omicron worries
Thailand is seeing a dip in new incoming tourists that Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn has said is the predictable side effect of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19. Since December 8, the number of daily international travellers entering Thailand has fallen to less than 3,000 people per day. Many are worried about the Omicron, which seems to…
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TAC explains what happens if a tourist or child gets Covid-19
One question that has frequently come up, and scared people from coming to Thailand in the age of Covid-19, is that of what happens if you test positive for the virus when you land in the country. An official with the Phuket Tourist Assistance Centre recently laid out the procedure for a tourist – or a child – who test…
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Moderna finds booster shot effective against Omicron variant
Following in the footsteps of Pfizer, Moderna has announced positive results in their study of how the mRNA vaccine stands up against the new Omicron variant. In their new assessment, the makers of Moderna found that, very similarly to the Pfizer vaccine, 2 doses of Moderna is less effective against the Omicron variant than previous strains, but a third booster…
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Friday Covid Update: 3,537 new cases; provincial totals
41 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,327 with 21,233 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 3,537 new Covid-19 cases and 5,459 recoveries. There are now 43,479 people in Thailand being…
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Entertainment sector performers may receive one-time payout
Some workers in nightlife and entertainment venues may soon receive a taste of Covid-19 financial relief from a government payout. The Social Security Office of Thailand agreed to help people in the entertainment sector who have been without work and any financial assistance for over a year. If the Cabinet approves the new measures, workers in the sector can receive…
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Government warns fake vaccine certificates bring fines and jail
Authorities are speaking out against a trend online suggesting that it is easy and safe to enter Thailand using forged vaccine certificates. A number of illegal services have been seen online offering fake vaccine certificates that people can purchase rather than actually get vaccinated. But the authorities are reminding people that it’s not just wrong to put the safety and…
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Pattaya restaurant raided a fifth time for Covid-19 violations
Seemingly unfazed by an apparent complete lack of any punishment the first 4 times, a Pattaya restaurant has been raided a fifth time for violating Covid-19 restrictions. The restaurant, Sky Mountain, has been busted 4 times previously for operating as a bar, selling alcohol and opening without proper permitting, but has faced little repercussions for their disregard for the regulations…
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Omicron variant: 9 cases confirmed, 5 more suspected in Thailand
Omicron is slowly creeping into Thailand. Officials have announced that there have now been 9 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 diagnosed within the borders of Thailand. Those nine cases have been fully genome sequenced and confirmed that they are definitely the new and highly infections variant. Omicron is believed to be more contagious but less severe than…
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