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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Thai PM says another national lockdown “unlikely” despite Omicron variant
The Thai PM says another lockdown is not on the cards, despite the first case of the Omicron variant being reported in the kingdom. According to a Bangkok Post report, Prayut Chan-o-cha was responding to fears from business owners that another lockdown could be imposed during peak season “Hopefully, this coming New Year will be a happy time. We haven’t…
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Omicron unlikely to be more severe or to fully evade vaccines: WHO
It’s early days, but the World Health Organisation has sounded a note of very cautious optimism about the Omicron Covid-19 variant. According to an AFP report, the WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan says early data shows the mutation is no more severe than earlier variants and unlikely to fully dodge vaccine protection. However, Ryan cautions that it’s still too soon…
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Hotel staff in close contact with Omicron confirmed to be negative in second test
The 44-year-old hotel staff member who was in close contact with the first Omicron case in Thailand and tested positive for Covid-19 has now been confirmed negative for the virus, health officials say. The hotel staff member was one of 17 people who came in close contact with the American who travelled from Spain to Thailand through the Test & Go quarantine…
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Hotel staff in close contact to Omicron case tests positive for Covid, variant not confirmed
One of 17 people in close contact with the first Omicron case in Thailand tested positive for Covid-19, but lab tests are still being done to confirm the variant. Thai health officials announced yesterday that the first Omicron case was detected in Thailand after an American travelling from Spain, via Dubai, entering under the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme…
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Recovery of Thailand’s international tourism sector likely to take years
International tourism demand for Thailand is still low, according to a Bangkok Post report, with a full recovery predicted to take years. Just 133,061 foreign arrivals touched down in Thailand between November 1 and 30, well below the 3 million visitors a month of pre-pandemic times. However, despite low visitor numbers to his province, Pongsakorn Ketprapakorn from the Tourism Council…
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LATEST NEWS: First Omicron case detected in Thailand
The Thai Ministry of Public Health announced earlier today that the first covid variant ‘Omicron’ has been detected in the country. The person is a 36 year old American tourist who from Spain, via Dubai, on the Test and Go scheme (for travellers who have been fully vaccinated). It’s been revealed that he was living in Spain for 12 months.…
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First Omicron strain reported in Thailand, Test & Go traveller tests positive
The first Covid-19 case involving an Omicron mutation has been reported in Thailand. Health officials say an American who travelled from Spain was found to be infected with a strain that matched the Omicron variant by 99.92%. The man entered Thailand through the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme. This is a developing story and will be updated. SOURCE: BBC…
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Covid UPDATE: Still no Omicron, today’s infections drop to 4,000
Generally good news on the Covid front in Thailand with the daily new case reports mostly under 5,000 for the past week and the number of deaths also reaching new lows of 30-50 each day, both huge reductions from August this year when the number of daily deaths from Covid were exceeding 300. And for the Omicron trackers, we’re happy…
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CCSA meets today to decide on southern border re-opening
A deputy government spokesperson says the CCSA will meet today to decide if the border with Malaysia can be re-opened, despite the southern neighbour reporting a case of the Omicron variant. According to a Bangkok Post report, Rachada Dhnadirek says the CCSA has previously agreed in principle, but the emergence of Omicron means the situation needs careful monitoring. “The forward…
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COVID-19 SUNDAY: 4,704 infections, 27 deaths, provincial totals
Today, the CCSA reported 4,704 new Covid-19 infections, down 1,192 since yesterday, and 27 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 10 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,112,368 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 6,149 recoveries, up 483 from…
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Omicron variant and surging Covid-19 affect European nations
Following on our reporting on Covid-19 and the Omicron variant spreading throughout the US and in Africa and Australasia, here are some updates on European reactions to the new strain and dealing with a renewed Covid-19 threat. ENGLAND & IRELAND The UK Health Security Agency reported 75 more infections of the Omicron variant bringing the total throughout the country to…
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Australia, Asia, and Africa deal with the Covid-19 Omicron variant
With Omicron spreading around the world, many countries are seeing the new variant spread, as well as Covid-19 in general on the rise. Here are some updates from around Australasia and Africa (a roundup of Europe can be found here): AUSTRALIA 13 cases of Omicron have been identified in a cluster in Sydney after finding the first infection just Friday,…
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Chiang Mai and Hua Hin can now serve alcohol in restaurants
The booze news keeps flowing like alcohol now cam in several more tourist locations around Thailand this weekend. While nightlife and entertainment venues still officially remain shuttered, restaurants are now being allowed to serve alcohol in Cha-am, Hua Hin, and 5 key districts in Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is the latest to ease restrictions on serving and consuming alcohol in…
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Koh Samui Airport scrutinising international arrivals for Omicron
After the emergence of the Omicron variant, the first international flight arriving at Samui Airport on Koh Samui faced increased scrutiny. All passengers have been strictly screened as airport employees were instructed to thoroughly check incoming international passengers to curb the possible spread of the new Covid-19 variant. The first international flight to arrive at Koh Samui Airport was from…
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COVID-19 SATURDAY: 5,896 infections, 37 deaths, provincial data
Today, the CCSA reported 5,896 new Covid-19 infections, up 984 since yesterday, and 37 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 4 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,107,664 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 5,666 recoveries, up 178 from…
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Red Cross leader says Omicron variant result of vaccine inequality
The head of the Red Cross pointed to the Omicron variant as the ultimate evidence that vaccine inequality around the world is a danger to every country globally. The president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said that much more work is needed to balance the inequality in the global approach to vaccination against the…
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Tourism minister tells the public “not to worry” about Omicron
Don’t worry… Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister says everything is under control (as the government always says) and Omicron has not been detected in the country. Minister Phiphat Ratchakit Prakarn says the Public Health Ministry is keeping track of all tourists from high-risk countries, including the 330 tourists from eight African countries with a high risk of Omicron variant. The…
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US introduces new restrictions for international arrivals from Monday
From Monday, all international travellers to the US must receive a negative Covid-19 test result within 1 day of travel. Prior to the emergence of the Omicron variant, this measure applied only to unvaccinated travellers, with fully inoculated people able to arrive with a negative result obtained within 3 days of travel. However, the arrival of Omicron has prompted health…
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AirAsia boss accuses governments of overreacting to Omicron threat
The CEO of the AirAsia Group says governments shouldn’t panic over the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant. The Bangkok Post reports that Tony Fernandes says officials should instead focus on reducing the cost of PCR testing. “It’s a huge overreaction. We don’t know anything about this variant yet. Let’s wait and see before we jump the gun.” Fernandes says…
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No vaccine, no entry: Germany gets tough on those who refuse to get vaccinated
Alarmed at rising infection rates and anxious to avoid another strict lockdown, the German government is instead imposing restrictions on the unvaccinated. According to a Bloomberg report, the outgoing chancellor Angela Merkel has agreed a raft of new measures with government officials and her successor, Olaf Scholz. Unvaccinated people in Germany will face limits on which public events they can…
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Thursday Covid Update: 4,971 new cases; provincial totals
33 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,847 with 20,753 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 4,971 new Covid-19 cases and 5,402 recoveries. There are now 73,726 people in Thailand being…
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PM Prayut Chan-o-cha vows to prevent Omicron from reaching Thai soil
Thailand’s prime minister has urged the public not to panic, but to remain vigilant against the new Omicron virus, according to government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana yesterday. He added that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha also encouraged people to get fully vaccinated in order to boost group immunity and ensure everyone’s safety, as adequate vaccines are now available for all Thais. As foreign…
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Phuket officials order quarantine for more than 100 travellers from South Africa
More than 100 travellers from South Africa who entered Thailand over the past two weeks have been ordered to quarantine for 14 days as a preventative measure following the emergence of the Omicron variant. Nationwide, the Thai Immigration Bureau and the Public Health Ministry are working to track down a total of more than 780 people who travelled from African…
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Cost of PCR tests reduced by 200 baht at labs run by Department of Medical Sciences
The Department of Medical Sciences is cutting the cost of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests by 200 baht. However, the reduction only applies to laboratories under the DMS. The price of PCR test kits remains unchanged. According to a Nation Thailand report, the fee is being reduced from 1,300 baht to 1,000 baht, in a bid to encourage more…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 4,886 new cases; provincial totals
43 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,814 with 20,720 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 4,886 new Covid-19 cases and 6,326 recoveries. There are now 74,190 people in Thailand being…
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Hospital warns not all PCR tests properly detect Omicron variant
Ramathibodi Hospital Centre for Medical Genomics has warned that some PCR test kits may fail in accurately identifying people infected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19. The hospital says that the new variant has a growth advantage and that some polymerase chain reaction tests may not be able to see the variant. The Hospital posted its findings on Facebook recently…
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New variant casts shadow over Thailand Motor Expo, concerns outbreak could affect the industry
The uncertainty of the newly identified Covid-19 variant Omicron looms over today’s opening of the Thailand International Motor Expo as firms promote their new electric vehicle options. Many of the manufacturers at the exhibition worry that the new variant may force countries to return to lockdowns or take other measures that will hurt business as the global economy and Thai…
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Health officials say Omicron probably in the Netherlands prior to South Africa reports
Dutch health officials say they’ve detected the Omicron variant in 2 local Covid-19 infections from more than 11 days ago. The development would indicate that the variant was circulating in Europe prior to the reports issued by South African authorities last week. According to an AP report, Japan and France have joined the list of countries to confirm cases of…
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UN boss says global vaccination is only way out of pandemic
The United Nations secretary-general says the only way out of the Covid-19 pandemic is through global vaccination. According to a Xinhua report, Antonio Guterres has called for greater equality in the global distribution of vaccines, tests, and treatments. “The only way out of a global pandemic and out of this unjust and immoral situation is through a global vaccination campaign.”…
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Moderna leader says vaccine likely less effective against Omicron
The head of American vaccine maker Moderna said in an interview with Financial Times that their vaccine may not be strongly effective against the new Omicron variant. Stephane Bancel said in an interview published yesterday that it will take months to develop a new version of the vaccine that is tested and confirmed to be effective against the new strain…
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