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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The Thaiger key takeaways Staying in budget hostels or guesthouses and eating street food keeps daily expenses low. Mixing buses, trains, and budget flights allows affordable travel between cities and islands. Free or cheap activities, such as temples, markets, parks,...
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Phuket extends Covid entry restrictions to May 12
Phuket’s governor has extended the Covid-19 restrictions and entry measures until May 12, after they were set to expire at the end of April. Phuket Governor, Narong Woonciew, announced the orders following a meeting with 14 foreign consuls and embassy representatives on Tuesday. Phuket Immigration have since warned that foreigners who skirted the Covid prevention measures and acted “socially irresponsible”,…
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Samui tourism official calls for inter-provincial travel ban to flatten the curve prior to July re-opening
The president of the Tourism Association of Koh Samui says the island is still pinning its hopes on a July 1 re-opening for vaccinated foreign tourists. Ratchaporn Poolsawadee remains optimistic, despite Thailand now battling a third wave of Covid-19, with Samui reporting 50 infections. He says vaccines are being rolled out out on Samui, although a number of doses have…
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Government clamping down on illegal migrants in effort to curb Covid-19
The Thai government is coming down hard on illegal migrant workers and their employers, in an effort to curb imported cases of Covid-19. The Bangkok Post reports today that the Labour Ministry has created 6 teams to focus on the issue of illegal workers and the bosses who hire them. Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin says the teams have been tasked…
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Cluster of 50 Covid-19 cases detected in Bangkok’s Klong Toey district
At least 50 new cases of Covid-19 have been detected in the Klong Toey area of Bangkok, which is sandwiched between the trendy areas of Sukhumvit and the Chao Phraya river. The infections have been confirmed in a Facebook post from Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang. The infections were found when the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and Institute for Urban Disease Control…
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Thailand to issue international vaccine passport for travellers
An international vaccine passport, certifying Covid-19 immunisation, will be an official travel document for those travelling overseas, according to an order by the Public Health Ministry’s Disease Control Department. A copy of the vaccine passport along with an order outlining the issuing process, both approved by the department’s director general Opas Karnkawinpong, were published in the Royal Gazette, making it…
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Quarantine period for international arrivals is now back to 14 days
Quarantine for those entering Thailand from overseas will now go back to the original 14 day period (which ends up being 15 to 16 days). The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced the quarantine extension this afternoon, saying those who obtained their Certificate of Entry prior to May 1, and arrive in Thailand before May 6, will still be able…
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UPDATE: Covid-19 around the world
The Covid-19 situation around the world is seeing some nations attempt to return to a new normal as vaccines are rolled out, but some countries, notably India, are seeing the worst of the virus. As India’s death toll reached over 200,000 yesterday, hospitals are running out of oxygen and basic medical equipment. A Covid virus variant has hit the South…
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Restrictions tighten nationwide, Bangkok and 5 other provinces now “dark red” zones
Disease control restrictions are tightening nationwide. Bangkok and 5 other provinces with a high number of Covid-19 infections are now classified as “dark red” zones under the highest control to combat the spread of the coronavirus, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Under the new zoning measures, the dark red provinces include Bangkok, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Nonthaburi,…
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UPDATE: New provincial colour-coding announced
UPDATE: A new colour coding has been announced. Here’s the new coding, broken up into dark red, light red and orange zoned provinces. Check The Thaiger for the latest story HERE. EARLIER STORY Thailand’s provinces could see an update as early as today on whether their Covid-19 colour-coding will change as a result of the current virus wave sweeping the…
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Covid UPDATE: 1,871 new infections and 10 deaths; provincial totals
1,871 new Covid-19 cases and 10 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by Thailand’s Public Health Ministry, raising the total count since the start of the pandemic last year to 63,570 Covid-19 infections and 188 fatalities. Covid-related deaths in Thailand have been reported each day since April 17. Thailand now has 27,988 active Covid-19 cases with many infections related to entertainment…
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Phuket to close land border from 11pm to 5am each day, essential travel only
The Phuket governor issued an order to close all land borders to the island province from 11pm to 5am each day to help combat the spread of Covid-19. The borders include the main Tha Chat Chai entry checkpoint in the Thalang district. The closure order will be in place until May 12. Only essential travel will be allowed to pass…
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All foreigners eligible for Covid-19 vaccine under Thailand’s vaccination plan, eventually
All expats living in Thailand are eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, according to deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Natapanu Nopakun. He says Thailand plans to roll out a “massive vaccination plan” to vaccinate all people who are living in Thailand, including foreign residents. “All people residing in Thailand, regardless of nationality, are eligible to receive the…
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Thai courts getting tough on face mask violations
People caught not wearing a face mask in a public space face stiff penalties, with the courts fining at least 9 people so far this week. Officials are cracking down on face mask violations as disease prevention measures are ramped up to curtail the spread of Covid-19. Certainly Thai police have shown their fervour for the crackdown and have been…
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Locally-produced AstraZeneca vaccine will be available by June
AstraZeneca Thailand has released a statement to confirm that doses of its locally-produced vaccine will be available by June. Siam Bioscience has been given the sole rights to manufacture the vaccine within Thailand, with an AstraZeneca representative saying the manufacturing process has progressed significantly. The Bangkok Post reports that the Food and Drug Administration has worked with the government to…
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Locals threaten to burn hall if converted to field hospital
Citing fears of Covid-19 spreading, terrified locals threatened to burn down a Nakhon Si Thammarat conference hall authorities were preparing as a possible field hospital. The hall in the Muang district was one of several locations provincial authorities were readying as potential makeshift medical care facilities if the Covid-19 outbreak worsens. As of now, the governor chose 3 sites at…
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PM Prayut proposes private sector partnerships for vaccinations
In an effort to speed up Covid-19 vaccinations, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha plans to work closely with the private sector to vaccinate 50 million people by the end of the year. The Federation of Thai Industries and the Thai Chamber of Commerce will work alongside the government to help import and distribute vaccines after Thailand is off to a particularly slow…
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Bangkok places biohazard bins throughout the city for used face masks
To help combat the spread of Covid-19 in Bangkok where cases have soared past 10,000 over the past month, more biohazard garbage bins are being placed throughout the city to dispose of used face masks and other waste that could be contaminated with the virus. Medical waste in Bangkok has increased to 20 tonnes per day since the start of…
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Hat Yai’s Kim Yong market closed after trader infected with Covid
Thailand’s southern city of Hat Yai’s Kim Yong market is closed after a trader there became infected with Covid-19. The market, popular with both foreigners and Thais, has been closed for 3 days for disinfecting. The market, a major tourist landmark in the heart of the city, is closed until April 30. The market sells fruit, snacks, clothing and flowers.…
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Covid UPDATE: 2,012 new infections, provincial updates
2,012 new Covid-19 infections and 15 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Disease Control this morning. Over the past month, more than 32,000 Covid-19 infections have been reported. There are currently 27,119 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand. 695 patients are in critical condition with 199 of those patients on ventilators. Out of the 2,012…
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Miss Grand helps “inefficient” government find Covid-19 beds
Miss Grand International Thailand has jumped in to help find hospital beds, citing an inefficient government response to the newest Covid-19 outbreak. The beauty pageant has launched the “Covid Patients Must Be Treated” campaign, pledging to use their resources to connect Covid-19 infected patients with available hospital beds for treatment. Miss Grand International president Nawat Itsaragrisil was moved by the…
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MRT train station employee diagnosed with Covid-19
Despite strict adherence to Covid-19 safety measures, a staff member of the Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority in Bangkok has tested positive for the virus. The MRT made an announcement today about the employee, whose gender was not revealed. They confirmed that the Covid-19 infected staff member worked on the MRT Chalong Ratchadham line – the purple line – at the…
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Chon Buri province sees 108 new infections today
Thailand’s Chonburi Province, which features the city of Pattaya, is confirming 108 new Covid-19 infections today. Now, the province has seen a total of 2,153 infections since the third wave of Covid began in early April. 1,590 are still listed as undergoing medical care, with 1 death recorded this week. 562 have now been released from medical treatment and have…
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Initial investigation finds woman’s death not related to receiving 2nd Sinovac dose
Officials say a 23 year old woman’s death, after recently receiving a second Sinovac jab, is not related to the Covid-19 vaccine. The findings are from an initial investigation into her death by the Ministry of Public Health. The woman received the second dose of the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine in Samut Sakhon province at her workplace on April 21. 1…
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63 of 77 Thai provinces require public to wear face masks, curfews in 8 provinces
63 of 77 provinces in Thailand are now requiring the public to wear face masks while outside to help curb the spread of Covid-19. The rule has been extended from the previous 56 provinces, to now include those provinces of: NORTHEAST: Nakhon Ratchasima Bung Kan Nong Bua Lam Phu Roi Et CENTRAL PLAINS: Sing Buri Nakhon Sawan SOUTHERN: Chumphon The…
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Petition calling for Anutin’s resignation exceeds signature target, new target set
A petition hosted on Change.org, demanding the resignation of Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, has surpassed an initial target of 200,000 signatures. The target has now been increased to 300,000, with over 211,600 having signed at the time of writing. Anutin has been widely criticised for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, with signatories demanding the reins be handed over…
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Samples of locally-produced AstraZeneca jab pass the test
The Department of Medical Sciences has approved samples of the AstraZeneca vaccine which have been produced locally by Siam Bioscience. Supakit Sirilak from the DMS says 5 models of vaccine were submitted for approval. The 5 had been tested for consistency during production. The AstraZeneca jab is one of only 3 so far to be approved by Thailand’s Food and…
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In charge: PM given sole authority to manage everything pandemic-related
The Thai PM has been put in sole charge of handling the Covid-19 crisis, assuming all powers previously delegated to various ministers. Thai PBS World reports that yesterday, the Cabinet agreed to designate Prayut Chan-o-cha as the chief authority with responsibility for all decisions related to the pandemic. These include the issuance of all orders, permits, and approvals aimed at…
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3 people infected at Thai Government House while Thai PM fined over not wearing mask
3 people at Thailand’s Government House have been infected with Covid-19, prompting the facility to shut down for cleaning. The adviser to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha made the announcement that the building would be closed from April 29 to May 7, with all publications to be distributed online via Facebook and the LINE app. About 95% of officials who work at…
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2 Phuket expats infected after returning from Krabi and Bangkok
2 expats in Phuket are infected with Covid-19 after returning from travelling off the island. They tested positive at the Tha Chatchai checkpoint at the north end of the island. One is an Italian man who returned from Krabi, and the other is a Belgian who returned after a visit to the Belgian embassy in Bangkok. The 2 men were…
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Face masks now required in 54 provinces in Thailand
So far, 54 of Thailand’s 77 provinces have imposed orders requiring the public to wear face masks while in public in an effort intended to slow the spread of Covid-19 which hit a record high this month. Violators face a fine of up to 20,000 baht. Since April 1, there have been 30,824 Covid-19 infections reported in Thailand, making up…
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