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 Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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Privatising Covid vaccines – Thai government gives private hospitals the go-ahead to buy vaccines
“About 10,000 people are being vaccinated around Thailand, on average, with 14,000 people being vaccinated each day in Phuket.” Private hospitals and institutions have been given the official go-ahead to purchase up to 10 million doses of approved Covid-19 vaccines. The purchases will be in addition to what the Thai government is also doing. The major sticking point, despite the…
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VIP clubs may be spreading Covid-19 from rich to poor
A third Covid-19 wave surging through Thailand is spreading through entertainment centres, including high-end VIP clubs rumoured to be popular with elite government officials. 559 Covid-19 infections and 1 death were reported today and the outbreak, which began in bars and clubs in the Thong Lor area of Bangkok among other nightlife hotspots, is surging, reaching 20 provinces throughout Thailand.…
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Private hospitals in Thailand to get 10 million Covid-19 vaccine doses
In addition to the 70 million Covid-19 vaccine doses reserved by the government, private hospitals in Thailand can acquire another 10 million doses. The additional vaccines are needed to reach herd immunity against the coronavirus. Both the AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines, currently used for the government’s vaccination campaign, require 2 doses to be effective. The 70 million doses procured by…
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CCSA Update: 559 new Covid-19 cases, 1 death. FULL CHART.
559 new Covid-19 cases and 1 death were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Many cases are related to bar hopping and partying and the outbreak, concentrated in Bangkok’s Thong Lor nightlife district, has spread to many provinces. There are now 2,645 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand. There are several clusters of infections throughout Thailand,…
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MP claims 2 Cabinet ministers visited Covid-cluster venue in Thong Lor
With a third of the Thai Cabinet in isolation after coming in close contact with Covid-19, a MP claims 2 Cabinet ministers went to a nightlife venue in Bangkok’s Thong Lor where a cluster of Covid-19 infections have been reported. The chair of the House committee on legal affairs, justice and human rights, Sira Jenjaka, says he has photo evidence…
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Around 7,000 people in Bangkok have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19
Only 7,121 residents in Bangkok have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 since the Thai government rolled out its immunisation campaign in late-February, according to a report from Nation Thailand. Bangkok has more than 10 million residents. To reach herd immunity against Covid-19, 70% of the population needs to be vaccinated. More than 100,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been…
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16 more Covid infections reported today in Phuket
Phuket is reporting 16 more infections today. It follows visits from Bangkok and last weekend’s Kolour Beachside parties that have resulted in a number of new Covid infections. The number of new infections has reached 26. But deputy governor Vikrom Jakthee says the province has been successful in containing the new outbreak “due to its quick response measures which now include…
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12 hospitals in Bangkok stop Covid-19 testing due to limited beds for infected patients
So far, around 12 hospitals in Bangkok have stopped Covid-19 testing, due to either a shortage of supplies or not enough beds to admit patients if they test positive for the virus. While media reports say the hospitals have stopped testing due to a lack of supplies, a spokesperson for the CCSA the reason many private hospitals in Thailand are…
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Police chief orders staff to work from home after 42 officers test positive
National police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk has ordered half the staff at Royal Thai Police headquarters to work from home, after 42 officers tested positive for Covid-19. The chief has also instructed units nationwide to adopt the same measure where possible. The Bangkok Post reports that at least 42 police officers have tested positive for the virus, according to RTP spokesman,…
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Virologist says British strain likely brought in by people crossing Cambodian border
Renowned virologist Yong Poovorawan says it’s highly probable that the UK variant was brought in by Thais or migrant workers crossing the border from Cambodia. He says the variant, officially known as the B117 strain, has been detected in over 1,500 Covid patients in Cambodia since February 20. The variant, which is 1.7 times more contagious than the original strain,…
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All new Covid-19 infections in Chiang Mai are linked to nightlife venues
All of the new Covid-19 infections reported by health officials in Chiang Mai yesterday are linked to local nightlife venues. Over the past few days, 47 cases linked to bars and nightclubs have been confirmed, including the 36 new cases reported yesterday by the provincial communicable disease control panel. With the rise of infections linked to entertainment venues, Chiang Mai…
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No social distancing as hundreds queue for free Covid testing in Bangkok
Bangkok residents who queued for hours for Covid-19 testing yesterday have expressed concern that the event in the Thonglor area could end up being a super-spreader. Coconuts reports that over 1,000 people crowded into the area in front of the Barbarbar pub at Arena 10. The free testing comes as officials confirm over 500 infections linked to nightlife in the…
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10 field hospitals being set up as Bangkok hospitals expected to run out of beds
The Thai military is to set up 10 field hospitals in Bangkok, amid fears that medical facilities in the capital are running out of beds. Between them, the field hospitals are expected to provide an additional 3,000 beds. As infections continue to rise in Bangkok, a number of hospitals have confirmed they are no longer offering Covid-19 tests, amid speculation…
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Airlines urge government to shut down Songkran travel to curb virus spread
“Travel restrictions won’t be good for airlines, but in the meantime, we should prioritise long-term benefits instead of short-term revenue.” Thailand’s aviation sector is nervous, amid rising cases of Covid-19 and confirmation that the highly-contagious UK variant has reached the Kingdom. Airlines are calling on the government to introduce travel restrictions now, admitting that while this will hurt in the…
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25,000 people injected with Covid-19 vaccine this week in Koh Samui
This week, 25,000 people in Koh Samui have been injected with the Covid-19 vaccine. The island plans to vaccinate 70% of its population by July to reach ‘herd immunity’ and reopen the tourist destination to vaccinated travellers, following the Phuket ‘sandbox’ model. The vaccines were offered to the general public, including expats, at Rajabhat University, Bangkok Hospital Samui, Central Festival…
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Covid-19 vaccines from private sector importers allowed
Thailand’s private sector will be allowed to purchase and import Covid-19 vaccines in Thailand, according to a government deputy spokesperson today. She declared that the government will not monopolise the vaccination market and that private enterprises can import Covid-19 vaccines for sale. A lot of confusion exists in the public regarding the situation with vaccines and the spokesperson stated that…
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Phuket orders 10-day closure for entertainment venues
This morning the government of Phuket has ordered the closure of all entertainment venues, bars, and nightclubs on the island of Phuket for 10 days. This shutdown will effectively cancel the upcoming Songkran festival for the popular holiday destination. Three entertainment venues have been closed for 14 days starting tomorrow aside from the blanket closures, as these venues were previously…
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UPDATE: 405 new Covid-19 cases, CCSA considers closing nightlife venues across Thailand
In what a spokesperson calls a “whopping number” of Covid-19 infections in the past few months, 405 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Many of the infections are linked to nightlife venues primarily in Bangkok among a young adult population in their 20s and 30s, according to deputy spokesperson for the Ministry…
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If you went to a Kolour party in Phuket, go get tested for Covid-19
Partygoers who went to any of the Kolour Beachside parties in Phuket last weekend are asked to go to a local hospital for a Covid-19 test. The parties hosted more than 3,000 people, drawing concern after an attendee tested positive for Covid-19. The Phuket Provincial Government and Phuket Provincial Public Health Office released a statement yesterday advising all partygoers to get…
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Thai Health Minister pictured without mask, sitting next to infected Transport Minister
Do as I say, not as I do… Thailand’s Public Health Minister has been caught without a face mask while sitting next to a Cabinet minister who subsequently tested positive for Covid-19. Anutin Charnvirakul, previously considered an enthusiastic proponent of mask-wearing, sat next to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob while attending a merit-making event on Tuesday. Saksayam tested positive for Covid-19…
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Thai tourism operators slam government’s inefficient vaccine rollout
Representatives from Thailand’s tourism sector have blasted what they see as an ineffective and disorganised national vaccine rollout. Operators say the scheme will not allow the Kingdom to achieve herd immunity, with tourism possibly affected by a third outbreak. Domestic tourism was starting to recover after taking a hit during the second outbreak late last year, with Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi…
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Under 30s in UK to be offered alternative to AstraZeneca jab amid concerns over rare blood clots
Health officials in the UK have decided that people under the age of 30 will be offered an alternative jab to the AstraZeneca vaccine. The decision comes following a review by the country’s drugs regulator that shows that by the end of last month, a number of people experienced blood clots after receiving the vaccine developed in partnership with Oxford…
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UK variant arrives in Thailand, top virologist warns against unnecessary Songkran travel
“Whatever will be, will be. The reason is, it’s a matter that involves a huge number of people. The government will have to try to cope with that later.” – Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. A prominent Thai virologist has confirmed that the so-called UK Covid-19 variant, aka B117, is behind the latest cluster of infections detected at Bangkok nightlife venues,…
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Phuket Covid infections reported as officials struggle with clusters in Bangkok entertainment venues
A week ago Phuketians were rallying behind the proposal to get the island open to tourists, quarantine-free, from July. The first tourists arrived from Germany and the local hotel industry were confident everything was heading in the right direction. That was until last weekend when the ‘Bangkok nightlife cluster’ came to town in the form of 3 big parties, the…
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Covid-19 update: Spike in cases linked to nightlife in Bangkok and Phuket
Bar and club hopping has led to numerous clusters of Covid-19 infections and a spike in the number of daily infections in Thailand. 334 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Most of the cases are in Bangkok. The steep rise in new infections comes just days before the mass migration of…
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Thailand’s Transport Minister tests positive for Covid-19
Thailand’s Transport Minister has tested positive for Covid-19. Minister Saksayam Chidchob checked in at a hospital this morning with a high fever, according to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Earlier reports say a member of Saksayam’s staff tested positive for Covid-19 after visiting a nightlife venue in Bangkok’s Thong Lor area. Bar hopping in Bangkok’s Thong Lor and Ekkamai areas…
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Covid-19 patient in Phuket worked at Thong Lor nightlife venue
A Covid-19 patient in Phuket worked at an entertainment venue in Bangkok’s Thong Lor area where a cluster of coronavirus infections have been reported. The 29 year old woman worked as a receptionist at a venue on Thong Lor. Reports don’t say which bar she worked at, but dozens of Covid-19 cases are linked to bars and pubs in the…
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Leading Thai virologist warns of third wave, says herd immunity will take 2 years at current vaccination rate
A prominent Thai virologist says the Kingdom could be hit by a third and even a fourth wave of Covid-19, warning that rapid vaccination is the only solution. Yong Poovorawan from Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University says the latest resurgence of the virus in Bangkok is an example of the risk the country faces. Yesterday, the number of infections associated with nightlife…
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Chiang Mai records 6 new infections after nearly 3 months virus-free
After nearly 3 months without any Covid-19 infections, the northern province of Chiang Mai is once again having to implement measures to suppress the virus after recording 6 new cases. 4 cases were reported on Monday, 3 of which are linked to nightlife venues in Bangkok and the central province of Nonthaburi. Another 2 cases were recorded yesterday, bringing the…
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Songkran travel okay to visit elderly relatives, not to party – Health Minister
Despite rising Covid-19 infections in Bangkok and other provinces, Thailand’s Public Health Minister says people travelling from the affected provinces during the Songkran holiday will not have to quarantine. “Although provinces have been divided into zones, designated by colours according to the infection rates, none will be locked down. People can still travel to other provinces without having to go…
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