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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Worst case scenario – Thailand loses 10 million tourists this year
Thailand’s tourist industry could be decimated in the wake of the world coronavirus outbreak. Tourism accounts for an estimated 16% of Thailand’s total GDP. The Tourism Authority of Thailand governor, Yutthasak Supasorn, says that, in a worst case scenario, Thailand could bleed 10 million of it’s projected 40 million tourist arrivals this year. He says his estimates were based on…
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Thai Airways crew restrain Chinese passenger who deliberately coughed at them: VIDEO
A shocking Facebook video claims to show the moment Thai Airways cabin crew tackle a passenger who deliberately coughed at them. The unverified footage is said to have been taken on a Thai Airways flight in Shanghai on Friday, and was shared online by YouTube user Fugu M. Reportedly, the plane had already landed at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport, but…
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Reasons you should take Covid-19 seriously – symptoms and prevention
Viruses are designed to survive, evolve and thrive. The insidious beauty of the Covid-19 virus is that the symptoms in its human hosts can remain dormant for up to 14 days (or so), during which time the host can be highly contagious, milling around in close contact with other humans, oblivious to their role as a ‘spreader’. As of this…
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Covid-19 coronavirus UPDATE – Italian lockdown, US surge in cases, death rate up to 3.4%
The cases of coronavirus in China continue to fall as Italy locks down entire cities to contain the virus. New York officials have announced a state of emergency. Around the world, the virus has now infected 95 countries. There is a total of 110,066 cases, 3,830 related deaths and 62,278 total recoveries. The epidemic is moving west as new cases…
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80 Thai workers returning from South Korea escape airport, search underway
Thai media report that some 80 Thai nationals, out of a total of 200 who arrived at Suvarnabhumi International Airport yesterday on four flights after returning from working illegally in South Korea, have fled. Authorities are urgently searching for the 80, who escaped from a restricted area as they were about to be escorted to a naval base in Chon…
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7 dead, dozens trapped in China quarantine hotel collapse
China’s state media are reporting that seven people died when a hotel used as a coronavirus quarantine centre collapsed last night in southeastern China’s Fujian province. The Ministry of Emergency Management says 80 people were in the building when it came down; nine escaped, while about 70 people were trapped. Of those, 43 have been pulled from the rubble and…
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59 “little ghosts” quarantined at Chon Buri naval base
Fifty-nine Thais, 27 men and 32 women, “phee noi“ (meaning “little ghosts” in Thai) who returned from South Korea last night have been detained at a naval reception facility in Chon Buri province’s Sattahip district for a 14 day quarantine, as a measure to stem the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. They were among dozens of passengers who arrived at…
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Thais returning from South Korea ignoring quarantine “recommendation”
Hundred, perhaps thousands of Thai workers returned from South Korea to their hometowns this week, facing a “recommendation” from the Ministry of Public Health to self-quarantine for 14 days, due to fears over the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. But some are stirring panic by ignoring the rule. They are travelling in public, even posting photos on Facebook, causing panic amongst shoppers,…
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Tips for Covid-19 coronavirus prevention
Worried about coronavirus (aka. Covid-19)? Do you, or someone you know, exhibit symptoms? If you live in Thailand, your risk of contracting Covid-19 is exceedingly low, so there’s no need to be overly concerned. Even in a worst-case scenario, the vast majority of healthy people, particularly the younger, will get over a bout of this new virus. We understand that…
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21 coronavirus cases confirmed on cruise ship off California coast
21 people aboard the Grand Princess, a cruise ship being held off the California coast, including 19 crew, have tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus. US Department of Health and Human Resources (HHS) officials are working with California authorities to bring her to a non-commercial port, where its officials can test everyone aboard for the virus. The HHS has given…
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Total reaches 50 as two more coronavirus cases confirmed in Thailand
The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has today confirmed two more cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Both cases are Thai men who recently returned from Italy. The announcement was made this morning at the ministry’s daily press conference. MOPH permanent secretary Dr Sukhum Kanchanapimai, and ministry spokesperson Taveesin Visanuyothin, said the two new cases bring the number of people currently…
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Top of the Gulf Regatta cancelled over virus fears
Adding to a rapidly growing list, including Songkran celebrations around the nation, and dealing yet another blow to Thailand’s reeling tourism sector, the Top of the Gulf Regatta has become the latest event to fall victim to the coronavirus threat. Organisers Ocean Marina announced yesterday that this year’s race is cancelled. The Regatta was scheduled to run from May 1-5.…
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Briton becomes Thailand’s 48th confirmed coronavirus case
Thailand’s Ministry of Health announced today that a British man flying from Hong Kong is the latest Covid-19 coronavirus patient in Thailand. The ministry’s permanent secretary Sukhum Kanchanapimai says the Briton became the 48th confirmed case after he tested positive and was admitted to a hospital on Tuesday after he developed symptoms associated with the virus. The patient, who was…
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US Surgeon General says virus risk low, no need for masks
“Seriously people, STOP BUYING MASKS!” The US Surgeon General Vice Admiral Dr. Jerome Adams reiterated his blaring tweet from the weekend, urging people to “STOP BUYING MASKS.” He says they are “NOT effective” for the general public. Adams told Americans the risk of the coronavirus to the general public is infinitessimally small, and to stop wearing face masks. He says…
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Tourism Authority of Thailand clarifies “self quarantine” situation
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has posted a notice to clarify the “self-quarantine requirements” of all visitors coming to Thailand from “risk area” countries, relating to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. The clarification comes after two days of confusing announcements coming out of the Thai Public Health Department. On Tuesday night a document was released on the Thai Public Health Minister’s…
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Document confirms Covid-19 case at Vachira Hospital Phuket
A document from the Bangkok Disease Control Department has confirmed that there was a 35 year old Chinese patient at Phuket’s Vachira Hospital with coronavirus last month. The documents were made available at a media conference confirming the latest figures from around Thailand yesterday. One of the listings of confirmed cases was the Phuket patient (below). The patient’s listing was…
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Thailand now disinfecting overseas parcels: WHO says they’re safe
Despite specific admonitions from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Thai Post (a privately owned company) began disinfecting all overseas parcels today in an effort to stem the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. The WHO has publicly announced that it is safe to receive mail even from badly affected countries, like China, where the outbreak began. Thailand confirmed four new cases…
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Health minister won’t say why quarantine order deleted, Facebook account inactive
Health minister Anutin Charnvirakul yesterday declined to explain why he removed an order requiring people arriving from 9 countries and 2 Chinese territories designated as high risk areas for the Covid-19 virus to be placed in self-quarantine. According to the quickly deleted document posted on his official Facebook page (now inactive), the nine destinations are “disease areas” and people arriving…
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March 2020, the Thai month of cancellations
March will end up as the long month of cancellations. With Songkran looming, one of the busiest times for travel in Thailand, and increasingly one of the biggest annual tourist magnets to the Kingdom, cancelling Songkran would take Thailand into unchartered tourism and economic territory. Fears, real or imagined, are forcing companies and governments to assess their risks associated with…
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Thailand announces 4 new coronavirus cases, all from Italy or Iran
“There is still no sign of true community spread in Thailand.” Thailand has confirmed four new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus, bringing its total to 47 since January. All were recent arrivals from Italy or Iran. Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoen, director-general of the Department of Disease Control made the announcement in a news conference today. The new cases are: A 29 year…
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Thai Health Minister laughs at media when asked about his ‘travel restrictions’ document
“When asked directly why he deactivated his Facebook account after publishing the official memos, signed by himself, Anutin laughed and attempted to deflect the question.” The Thailand government, specifically the gaffe-prone Public Health minister, has thrown the holiday plans of thousands into confusion after the Minister’s orders for any new arrivals from 11 destinations to go into self-imposed quarantine (for…
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“Phuket is still open for business” Phuket Hotels Association
Below is a media release from the Phuket Hotels Association… Dear All There has been a lot of confusion today resulting from the FB page message from a Minister (later removed) saying anybody coming from the designated high-risk countries below must self-quarantine. At this time, there is no indication at any Thai airport of any enforcement and all visitors have normal…
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Soi Dog Foundation official statement on Covid-19 and the risk to animal health
Sent to us from Soi Dog Foundation by Dr.Alicja Izydorczyk MRCVS… There have not been any cases of suspect COVID-19 infection in dogs or cats in Thailand. At present, there is no evidence to show that companion animals such as dogs and cats can be infected with COVID-19. Additionally, there is currently no evidence that companion animals could be a…
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German tourist in Phuket cleared of COVID-19 infection
A German tourist who arrived from Singapore last Thursday with a fever and a runny nose and put into isolation late last, has now been discharged from hospital after testing negative for the COVID-19 coronavirus. Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) Chief Thanit Sermkaew made the announcement today in response to state news agency MCOT’s report on Sunday night that a…
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Is the “footshake” the new handshake?
People around the world are changing the way they greet each other due to fears of spreading the COVID-19 coronavirus. In Beijing, the capital of the country where the outbreak began, red banners tell people not to shake hands but rather to join their own hands as a sign of greeting. Loudspeakers tell people to make the traditional “gong shou”…
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Urgent meeting on thousands of “little ghosts” returning from South Korea
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has called an urgent meeting today to discuss how to handle thousands – estimates put the number between five and then thousand – of Thai workers preparing to return home from South Korea to escape the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The announcement comes after the Ministry of Public Health expressed serious concerns about how to handle…
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Pattaya City officials confirm rumours of Covid-19 in Soi 6 bar staff were fake news
Staff at a bar in Pattaya have confirmed that they just had a normal seasonal flu and not coronavirus (Covid-19) as had been reported in numerous rumours on social media over the past few days. Hospital results indicated that a staff member from the Pattaya Soi 6 bar did not have the Covid-19 coronavirus. They have now recovered their bout…
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Thai social media frenzy as 5000 set to return from South Korea
Thai social media is abuzz with fears that some of the roughly 5000 Thai nationals preparing to return from South Korea may carry the COVID-19 coronavirus, which has now killed 17 people there and 2979 worldwide. Most of the 5,000 are thought to be Thai prostitutes and agricultural workers among the thousands of Thais who work illegally in the country…
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Central Thai junk shop raided for recycling tens of thousands of face masks
An enterprising junk shop in the Wiharn Daeng district in Saraburi, central Thailand, is being investigated after a raid found tens of thousands of recycled face masks being prepared for packing and re-selling. According to Somsak Kaewsena, the Wiharn Daeng district chief officer, thousands of used face masks were found in washing machines, thousands more were piled up behind the…
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Mask, hand sanitiser shortages anger people across Thailand
Across the kingdom people are rattled by shortages of face masks and hand sanitiser amid the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. Public demand has skyrocketed since the announcement of Thailand’s virus-related death. The Private Hospital Association says its medical personnel are being seriously affected by the mask shortage. A new infection was reported yesterday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in…
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