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 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....
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Health officials say 50% of Thais will receive Covid-19 vaccine this year
The chief of the Department of Disease Control, part of the Ministry of Public Health, says plans are underway to vaccinate 30 million Thais by the end of 2021. Opas Karnkawinpong says thousands of public and community hospitals across the country will be involved in the national vaccine rollout, with vaccines distributed from central storage sites at the Department of…
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China ready to export vaccine to Thailand, delivery will be “as soon as possible”
The Acting Chinese Ambassador to Thailand has confirmed that vaccine manufacturer Sinovac Biotech is ready to export its Covid-19 jab to Thailand. Yang Xin was on a courtesy call with Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, when he confirmed the vaccine has been approved for export to the Kingdom. The exact date when Thailand can expect to receive the vaccine has not…
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CCSA Update: 186 new Covid-19 cases
186 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing, a major drop in daily infections in recent weeks. Thailand now has 6,068 active Covid-19 cases. Since the start of the pandemic, Thailand has reported 23,557 Covid-19 infections and 79 coronavirus-related deaths. Most of the new cases were detected in Samut Sakhon, the epicentre…
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South Africa stalls AstraZeneca vaccine campaign after trial found “minimal protection” against new strain
South Africa’s rollout of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine has been put on pause following reports that it only provides “minimal protection” for the new strain of the virus first detected in South Africa. The country will continue plans to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in partnership with Oxford University, only provides limited…
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Health officials worry about potential spread of Covid-19 during Chinese New Year
With families across Thailand likely to get together to celebrate the Chinese New Year this weekend, health officials are concerned the gatherings could potentially spread Covid-19. In Bangkok, Friday’s festivities celebrating the year of the ox in Yaowarat, known as Chinatown, have been cancelled by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration due to Covid-19 concerns. Health officials are urging the public to…
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Craft beer association proposes rules for re-opening Bangkok bars
The Craft Beer Association has proposed new rules in the hope that Bangkok’s bars might be allowed to re-open after a month-long closure aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19. The rules include limiting drinks to 2 per customer, limiting sitting time to 90 minutes, and banning dancing and toasts. The association says it has come up with the rules…
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Officials say 4 Bangkok parties have led to nearly 40 Covid-19 cases
An assistant spokesperson for the government’s Covid-19 task force says 4 separate parties in Bangkok are behind nearly 40 cases of the Covid-19 virus. Apisamai Srirangsan from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration says that in each case, alcohol was a prime factor in people letting their guard down. Nation Thailand reports that after a party attended by 30 people,…
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Tourism Minister to request 5 million vaccine doses for tourism sector
The Tourism Minister is planning to meet with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to request 5 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for workers across 7 tourist cities. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn is also pushing for a vaccine passport scheme that would allow international tourists to return in the third quarter of the year. The 5 million vaccine doses would cover 2.5 million tourism…
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CCSA Update: 586 new Covid-19 cases, 95% in Samut Sakhon, Bangkok reports slight uptick
586 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Around 95% of new cases were detected in Samut Sakhon, the epicentre of the new wave of infections. Thailand now has 7,234 active cases. Since the start of the pandemic, the CCSA has reported a total of 22,644 infections and 79 coronavirus-related deaths. While…
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Party Covid-Cluster: Celebrity says alcohol was “secretly” brought to rooftop bar, breaking Bangkok’s booze ban
Alcohol was “secretly” brought to DJ Techin Ploypetch’s birthday party in Bangkok, the celebrity says. The January 9 party became a notorious Covid-19 cluster when the DJ and at least 25 other people tested positive for Covid-19 after attending the party. The celebrity, also known as DJ Matoom, has been criticised by many Thais for acting like he is “above…
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Krabi mayor hopeful tourism crisis will be over soon
As is the case in many popular tourist spots in Thailand, the economy in the southern province of Krabi has been decimated due to Covid-19. Nation Thailand reports that tourist numbers in Krabi have fallen sharply, from a yearly average of 6 million to just 1.5 million last year. Revenue from tourism has plummeted from around 120 billion baht to…
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Thailand to receive additional AstraZeneca jabs from Asia factory, amid EU export row
AstraZeneca says it will send 150,000 doses of its Covid-19 vaccine to Thailand from a plant in Asia, as a result of an EU ruling that restricts exports of the vaccine to countries outside the bloc. The doses had been due to come from Italy. Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says officials have received a letter from the pharmaceutical giant that…
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CCSA Update: 809 new Covid-19 cases
809 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 7,181 active coronavirus cases. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported at total of 22,058 cases and 79 coronavirus-related deaths. The overall coronavirus situation in Thailand is improving, according to deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of…
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AstraZeneca vaccine to arrive this month, despite EU export restrictions – Public Health Ministry
While there’s no exact date on the arrival of Covid-19 vaccines, the Public Health Ministry is assuring the public that the first order of the AstraZeneca vaccine will arrive this month, despite the European Union’s restrictions on Covid-19 vaccine exports. The National Vaccine Institute is working on getting the first shipment this month, according to the ministry’s permanent secretary. Thailand…
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PM approves new financial aid package for social security recipients
The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, has given the go-ahead to another stimulus measure, this time aimed at social security beneficiaries. The scheme, known as Rao Rak Kan (“We Love Each Other”) will provide recipients with a cash payment via the Pao Tang application. All social security beneficiaries are eligible, provided they are Thai nationals and do not have more than…
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Most Thai provinces have been Covid-free for 7 days – CCSA
The government’s Covid-19 task force says 46 Thai provinces have had no new case of Covid-19 for 7 days. Taweesilp Visanuyothin from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration says another 14 provinces have not recorded any infections at all in the latest outbreak. However, both the central province of Maha Sarakham, and the northern province of Tak, have recorded a…
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Phuket aims to vaccinate 70% of population, re-open to foreign tourists by October
Phuket is going it alone as it eyes herd immunity as the only lifeline for its devastated tourism industry. Business groups on the southern resort island have announced a plan to finance the vaccination of 70% of the island’s population, in the hope of being able to open to foreign tourists from October. The groups involved, which include the Phuket…
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Police in Bangkok arrest 13 people for allegedly running an online gambling operation
Police in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district arrested 13 people for allegedly operating an illegal online gambling operation where people could place bets on lottery outcomes. The bust is part of a major crackdown on illegal gambling carried out after Covid-19 outbreaks at gambling dens in Rayong and Chon Buri. Acting on a search warrant, police raided a home off Soi…
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Covid-19 immunisations to start as soon as vaccines arrive… whenever that is
Covid-19 immunisation in Thailand will start within a week after the the first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines arrive… whenever that is. Health officials initially pushed for Valentine’s Day to roll out immunisations, but no official date has been set and it’s unclear if the vaccine will even arrive this month. Khaosod English says “health officials can’t even agree on Covid…
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CCSA Update: 795 new Covid-19 cases
795 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 7,169 active cases, a record high for Thailand with the vast majority of cases detected in mass testing campaign rolled out in the Covid-19 hotspot Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok. Out of the 795 new cases, 759 were detected in active…
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Medical expert calls on Thais to trust vaccines and help control Covid-19
The dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital is calling on Thai people to have faith in Covid-19 vaccines and cooperate with efforts to halt the spread of the virus. Dr. Prasit Watanapa was speaking during a Facebook Live broadcast, saying Thailand needs to build up herd immunity if the virus is to be suppressed. With over 100…
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Experts say UK virus mutation may affect vaccine efficacy
A new mutation of the Covid-19 virus, which has been found in a strain currently circulating in the UK, may have an impact on the efficacy of vaccines, according to Public Health England. The E484K mutation has already been detected in South Africa and Brazil and has now been found in at least 11 samples of the B.1.1.7 strain in…
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Samut Sakhon’s shrimp market to remain closed until February 15
Samut Sakhon’s Central Shrimp Market, the epicentre of Thailand’s recent wave of Covid-19, will remain closed until February 15. The market can reopen once the overall hygiene situation at the market and surrounding area has improved, according to the province’s disease control committee. Local officials say the shrimp market needs to remain closed until the market structure and nearby residential…
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CCSA Update: 836 new Covid-19 cases and 2 deaths
836 new Covid-19 cases and 2 deaths were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 7,158 active Covid-19 cases. Since the start of the pandemic, Thailand has reported a total of 20,454 Covid-19 cases and 79 coronavirus-related deaths. Most of the cases were detected in proactive case finding in Samut Sakhon and Bangkok,…
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Johnson & Johnson applies for vaccine registration in Thailand
The Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that multinational Johnson & Johnson has begun the process of registering its single-dose vaccine in Thailand. However, Surachoke Tangwiwat from the FDA adds that some required paperwork is still missing and will need to be filed within 30 days. Meanwhile, the FDA has begun checking the documentation that has been submitted. Surachoke adds…
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Mae Sot schools close after just 1 hour reopening when 5 students were found infected
All 15 schools in Mae Sot district of Tak province have been ordered to close again just 1 hour after the first day of school reopenings in the province, as 5 children tested positive for Covid-19. Mae Sot City Municipality Office issued an urgent order to close all schools in the district after a vendor tested positive for Covid-19. At…
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Poll: 80% of Thais concerned about Covid-19 vaccine side effects
Most Thais are concerned about potential side effects from Covid-19 vaccines, but many still want to get vaccinated once there’s more information about possible side effects, according to a recent survey. In a poll by the Suan Dusit University, 1,570 Thais from January 22 to 29 were asked questions regarding coronavirus vaccines. More than 80% are worried about the side…
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3 Bangkok venues shut for violating Covid-19 prevention measures
Bangkok officials say 3 venues were ordered to temporarily close for allegedly violating Covid-19 control regulations, including Insanity Nightclub which will remain shutdown for the next 5 years. The Insanity Nightclub on Sukhumvit Soi 11 was raided in December and 150 people were arrested after reports that the club was selling baraku and operating without a permit. Police also say…
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Sunday’s Covid-19 report for Thailand, 829 new infections
829 new Covid-19 infections have been announced today at the daily briefing of the CCSA from the past 24 hours, bringing the accumulated national total 18,782 since Thailand’s first case was announced in January last year. Sunday’s new infections comprised 822 local cases and 7 imported from overseas arrivals. Read about Thailand’s first case, and the first case of Covid-19 outside…
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Lights, camera, Covid – Tourism Ministry wants film crews to come to Thailand now
Without much luck with their ‘cunning ideas’ to draw back a few of the remaining world’s travellers, Thailand’s tourism officials are turning to the film industry to attract some people and investment. The Tourism and Sports Ministry is aiming to generate around 3 billion baht from foreign film crews and is targeting film projects with an investment over 100 million baht.…
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