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....

  • Colour-coded zoning revised, restrictions to ease nationwide

    Colour-coded zoning revised, restrictions to ease nationwide

    Disease control restrictions are easing nationwide and the colour-coded zoning was recently revised by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The new regulations will go into effect on Monday. Nationwide, all entertainment and nightlife venues including bars, pubs and nightclubs must remain closed. Face masks are still required to be worn in public. All zones have limits on the number…

  • Friday Covid Update: 3,058 new cases; provincial totals

    Friday Covid Update: 3,058 new cases; provincial totals

    Thailand’s latest and most severe wave of Covid-19, infecting 176,410 people since April 1, continues to be on a downward trend. Today, 3,058 new Covid-19 cases and 22 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the tally since the start of the pandemic to 210,782 total confirmed cases and 1,577 fatalities. There are now 32,795…

  • Talad Kaset market in Phuket reopens

    Talad Kaset market in Phuket reopens

    The Talad Kaset market in Phuket reopened today. The staff of Phuket City Municipality/vendors gave the market a rigorous cleaning to bolster local’s confidence. The market had shut down 2 weeks prior after an 86 year old woman’s death was connected to the market. 2 day ago, Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, reassured the…

  • PM Prayut tests negative after parliament maid has Covid-19

    PM Prayut tests negative after parliament maid has Covid-19

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was tested for Covid-19 this morning after being exposed to someone with an infection, but was confirmed negative for the virus. The prime minister and close aides were all tested for Covid-19 after it was discovered that a maid working in a reception room at parliament had tested positive for the virus. All those tested came back…

  • Over 300 Phuket businesses awarded SHA Plus accreditation ahead of re-opening

    Over 300 Phuket businesses awarded SHA Plus accreditation ahead of re-opening

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand has declared the southern island of Phuket as “sandbox-ready”, after awarding SHA Plus accreditation to more than 300 tourism businesses. Phuket is gearing up for a much-anticipated re-opening on July 1, although it must be pointed out that this is still subject to official approval. The SHA endorsement confirms that hotels and other tourism businesses…

  • Phuket 62% vaccinated, Sandbox ready to play in, hopefully

    Phuket 62% vaccinated, Sandbox ready to play in, hopefully

    The government has “confirmed” that Phuket is 62% vaccinated. Further, they indicate that they are ready to go ahead with the Phuket Sandbox reopening. This would let limited quarantine-free tourism to fully vaccinated international visitors. The government says Phuket’s vaccine rollout is picking up momentum From a report posted by NNT yesterday: “Phuket province is now just steps away from…

  • Friday Covid Update: 3,058 new cases and 22 deaths

    Friday Covid Update: 3,058 new cases and 22 deaths

    3,058 new Covid-19 cases and 22 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The recent and most severe wave of the virus, infecting 181,919 people since April 1, is now on a downward trend as the number of recoveries recorded each day continues to exceed the number of new cases. Today, the CCSA reported 4,094…

  • Krabi hotels pin hopes on Phuket sandbox success

    Krabi hotels pin hopes on Phuket sandbox success

    Hotel operators in the southern province of Krabi will be watching Phuket’s imminent re-opening with great interest. The success of the Phuket “sandbox” will determine what happens in Thailand’s other tourism hotspots. According to the Bangkok Post, a successful re-opening for Phuket would mean Krabi and other destinations can look forward to re-opening their hotels and recruiting workers for the…

  • Nightlife businesses petition government to reopen, sell alcohol

    Nightlife businesses petition government to reopen, sell alcohol

    After more than a year of closures, a coalition of nightlife business representatives is petitioning the government to reopen next month and to lift the alcohol ban. With the support of the Democrat Party deputy leader Prin Phannichphak, who also heads the Modern Business Group, a collection of event organisers, musicians, fitness business reps and entertainment industry reps submitted the…

  • Koh Larn 70% vaccinated as Pattaya eyes reopening

    Koh Larn 70% vaccinated as Pattaya eyes reopening

    Speaking to local press, the mayor of Pattaya declared a number of successes in vaccinations and Covid-19 prevention, including that Koh Larn is 70% vaccinated. While the government has been hesitant to commit to any reopening sandbox plan for Pattaya, the city has been focused on finding a way to welcome back tourists as soon as possible. The Thai government…

  • Expats in Phuket without a work permit can register for a Covid-19 vaccine

    Expats in Phuket without a work permit can register for a Covid-19 vaccine

    Expats living in Phuket, who do not have a work permit, can now register for a Covid-19 vaccine. Under the local vaccine registration website, www.phuket.win, there are now links for foreigners with work permits and foreigners without work permits to apply for a vaccine. Of course, with the ever-faulty websites run by the Thai government, we had to give it…

  • Outbreaks at factories rise, operators ordered to file Covid risk assessment

    Outbreaks at factories rise, operators ordered to file Covid risk assessment

    With Covid-19 clusters reported at numerous factories in Thailand infecting thousands, the Industry Ministry is ordering all factory operators to fill out a Covid-19 risk assessment form by the end of the month, warning that operators that do not cooperate may face punishment. Around 150 factories in more than 20 provinces have reported outbreaks infecting a total of more than…

  • Chulabhorn Royal Academy details Sinopharm vaccine insurance

    Chulabhorn Royal Academy details Sinopharm vaccine insurance

    Chulabhorn Royal Academy has announced key details of their insurance coverage included with Sinopharm vaccinations they provide as the business registration deadline approaches tomorrow. The new specifics for coverage include generous age restrictions, residence status, period of coverage, and payout totals for the insurance for those affected by the vaccine. In a post to their Facebook page yesterday, the academy…

  • Officials tinker with definition of “population”, “find” over 70% of Phuket is vaccinated

    Officials tinker with definition of “population”, “find” over 70% of Phuket is vaccinated

    The population of Phuket has been “adjusted” by officials. They now state the island is 74% vaccinated. That is, they claim 74% have received at least 1 of the 2 necessary inoculations. This news comes from a report by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department. It was posted earlier today. The report states that the Phuket Governor, Pichet…

  • Thursday Covid Update: 3,129 new cases; provincial totals

    Thursday Covid Update: 3,129 new cases; provincial totals

    Thailand’s latest and most severe wave of Covid-19 is on a downward curve with 33,853 active cases reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Although the daily tally of new cases remains high, with 3,129 infections confirmed today, new recoveries recorded each day continue to exceed the number of new cases. Today, the CCSA logged 4,561 new recoveries. 30…

  • Covid vaccine advertisements by private hospitals to be tightly regulated

    Covid vaccine advertisements by private hospitals to be tightly regulated

    Advertisements for Covid-19 vaccines by private hospitals will be tightly regulated to prevent exaggeration or any statements that may mislead the public. The Public Health Ministry has set regulations for private hospitals offering to order Covid-19 vaccines for customers including guidelines on promoting injection services as well as rules to ensure quality and safety. Department of Health Service Support director-general…

  • Medic says 10% of Covid-19 infections in Bangkok are Delta variant

    Medic says 10% of Covid-19 infections in Bangkok are Delta variant

    The head of the Department of Medical Sciences says 10% of Covid-19 infections in Bangkok are the Delta variant, formerly known as the Indian variant. According to a Bangkok Post report, 496 cases of the variant have been detected in the Kingdom between April 7 and June 13. DMS chief Dr Supakit Sirilak says 404 of those are in Bangkok,…

  • TAT asked to make changes to Phuket sandbox before submitting for final approval

    TAT asked to make changes to Phuket sandbox before submitting for final approval

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand has been asked to make further changes to the Phuket “sandbox” scheme before submitting it to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Apisamai Srirangson from the CCSA says the government’s Covid-19 task force wants clarification on the safety measures aimed at controlling Covid-19 when the plan is implemented from July 1. “The sub-committee is concerned…

  • “We’ll do better on vaccines, there’s loads more on the way” – Anutin

    “We’ll do better on vaccines, there’s loads more on the way” – Anutin

    Thailand’s Public Health Minister has pledged to do better on vaccine rollout, saying many more doses are coming soon. Anutin Charnvirakul says 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived yesterday, with another 1 million arriving tomorrow. The Bangkok Post reports that yesterday, Anutin visited the vaccination centre at Bang Sue Grand Station in the capital, where he met with some…

  • Health Department warns: Avoid Covid-19, don’t have sex

    Health Department warns: Avoid Covid-19, don’t have sex

    Thailand has had a long string of frustrating recommendations for lowering the risk of Covid-19 transmission from curfews to masks to hand sanitiser and social distancing. But a new recommendation from the Health Department may have crossed a line. Avoid Covid-19: Don’t have sex. The Health Department’s Director of the Office of Reproductive Health made a statement today that is…

  • Restaurants request easing of Covid-19 rules and financial aid

    Restaurants request easing of Covid-19 rules and financial aid

    In a letter to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, the Thai Restaurant Association requested urgent relief for the nation’s ailing food and beverage industry. The association released a statement about the letter that they submitted outlining a proposal for easing Covid-19 restrictions on restaurants and dining, as well as offering up financial assistance ideas to keep businesses afloat to ride out the…

  • Thailand’s FDA doesn’t approve Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, cites missing data

    Thailand’s FDA doesn’t approve Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, cites missing data

    Today, Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration says Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine isn’t approved as crucial data is still missing. TFDA Secretary General Dr Paisal Dunkhum says the information, sent last week by KinGen Biotech, the pharmaceutical company representing the vaccine manufacturer, is the same unfinished date that was already sent to the TFDA. The missing data is: GMP PIC/S…

  • Thai government apologises for data leak, blames “temporary glitch”

    Thai government apologises for data leak, blames “temporary glitch”

    The Thai government has released a statement apologising for the data leak on Monday which saw people who registered for a Covid vaccine have their personal information revealed. The government says there was a “temporary glitch” on the thailandintervac.com vaccination booking website and the error was because of “urgent system maintenance”. Soon after the website launched, multiple expats complained that…

  • 6 school closed after infections are found

    6 school closed after infections are found

    6 schools in the northern province of Phitsanulok have been ordered to close until further notice after parents and a cable technician were determined to be infected with Covid-19. Luechai Chunakha, the Phitsanulok provincial educational chief says he received a report from a subordinate that the parents of a student from the Huaychangthang School in Suan Miang subdistrict were infected…

  • Covid-19, food delivery brings rise in plastic and infectious waste

    Covid-19, food delivery brings rise in plastic and infectious waste

    Often, evolving lifestyles, and the technology it brings, are first regarded for their revolutionary game-changing effect before facing down the road the negative unintended consequences of the change. It was decades between when we celebrated the way air travel allowed you to see the world and when we started talking about “carbon footprints”. Many years went by between seeing the…

  • Renowned Thai doctor cautions against letting tourists avoid 14 day quarantine

    Renowned Thai doctor cautions against letting tourists avoid 14 day quarantine

    Yesterday, a renowned Thai doctor, told media that he and his colleagues strongly opposed any program designed to admit foreign tourists, even the vaccinated, if the tourists aren’t required to do a strict 14 day quarantine. Further, Dr Prasit thinks that the quarantine should be even longer, depending on the variant. The doctor, and Dean of Faculty of Medicine at…

  • PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says sorry again for delays in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says sorry again for delays in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has again apologised for holdups in the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, saying there were a number of reasons for the delays. Earlier this week, 25 vaccination sites in Bangkok postponed inoculations. Several hospitals also delayed vaccinations over the weekend due to a limited supply. “As the prime minister and director of CCSA, I am the top executive…

  • Leading Thai doctor calls on government to accelerate vaccine rollout

    Leading Thai doctor calls on government to accelerate vaccine rollout

    A prominent Thai doctor has called on the government to ramp up the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, amid concerns at the low number of doses administered to date. The Bangkok Post quotes Dr Prasit Watanapa from Siriraj Hospital, who used a Facebook Live broadcast to urge officials to do more. He says Thailand must accelerate efforts to achieve herd immunity…

  • Wednesday Covid Update: 2,331 new infections and 40 deaths

    Wednesday Covid Update: 2,331 new infections and 40 deaths

    2,331 new Covid-19 cases and an uptick of 40 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. In the latest and most severe wave of Covid-19 infections, 175,732 cases have been recorded since April 1. While the daily case count remains high, the wave of infections is on a downward slope with the number of recent…

  • Location-tracking wristbands and punishments for escapees: Phuket gets ready to welcome vaccinated tourists

    Location-tracking wristbands and punishments for escapees: Phuket gets ready to welcome vaccinated tourists

    As the date of Phuket’s re-opening to vaccinated foreign tourists draws closer, officials are busy preparing all necessary measures prior to the influx. The “sandbox” scheme kicks off on July 1 and provincial officials have been rehearsing immigration and Covid-19 control measures at Phuket airport, the island’s ports, and the Tha Chat Chai checkpoint by the bridge onto the island.…