Thailand News

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    12Go introduces Japan Rail Passes to enhance travel accessibility for international travellers

    For those who have travelled throughout Thailand, 12Go is a well-known provider of various trips, though the platform itself has a much wider reach. Ranging from buses to planes, 12Go is undoubtedly a leading booking platform for travel throughout the...

  • Covid-19: Detailed info on vaccinations, hospitalisations, and provinces

    Covid-19: Detailed info on vaccinations, hospitalisations, and provinces

    Covid-19 numbers continue to slowly fall as today’s report from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration saw 117 deaths and 13,576 new infections in the past 24 hours. 131,095 people remain under medical supervision while 12,492 people have been released from medical care in the last 24 hours, bring the total recovered from the virus to 1,330,238. 395 of the…

  • Lack of migrant workers forces government to appeal to Thais to fill vacant jobs

    Lack of migrant workers forces government to appeal to Thais to fill vacant jobs

    A shortage of migrant workers has driven the Thai government to appeal to Thais to do the jobs that have been left vacant. The Phuket News says there are over 400,000 jobs that need to be filled after migrant workers were unable to fill them due to Covid restrictions, which prevented them from entering Thailand. Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin says…

  • Songkhla motorcycle showroom catches on fire, no injuries reported

    Songkhla motorcycle showroom catches on fire, no injuries reported

    A motorcycle showroom, N.A. Minibike Company, caught on fire in the southern Thai province of Songkhla early this morning, around 7am. Police say no one was injured as a result of the fire. 7 fire trucks were sent from the Nakhon Hat Yai Municipality to tackle the fire at the N.A. Minibike Company on Supasan Rangsan road. It took firefighters…

  • Unemployed Bangkok chef arrested after allegedly trying to sell rare butterflies to undercover agents

    Unemployed Bangkok chef arrested after allegedly trying to sell rare butterflies to undercover agents

    An out of work Thai chef was arrested for allegedly trying to sell 8 preserved butterflies, all of which are rare species, to undercover officials from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation at a shopping centre in Bangkok. The unidentified 29 year old unemployed chef, who previously worked at a Japanese restaurant in a Sukhumvit hotel, allegedly…

  • Saturday Covid-19 UPDATE: Select provincial totals

    Saturday Covid-19 UPDATE: Select provincial totals

    Aftern0on Update: 122 Coronavirus-related deaths and 14,109 new Covid-19 cases were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, down slightly from yesterday’s totals. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 13,280 recoveries. Thailand now has 130,128 active Covid-19 infections. Since April 1, in the latest and most severe wave of Covid-19, the CCSA…

  • CCSA announces vaccination goals for October; 50% inoculated

    CCSA announces vaccination goals for October; 50% inoculated

    Today the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration released a statement outlining the vaccination goals for Thailand in October in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of their list items seem to contradict each other, with the CCSA vaccination plan calling to inoculate people 50% and then 70% and then “fully”. The main intention of Thailand’s vaccine efforts is to…

  • Saturday Covid Update: 122 Deaths 14,109 new infections

    Saturday Covid Update: 122 Deaths 14,109 new infections

    122 Coronavirus-related deaths and 14,109 new Covid-19 cases were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, down slightly from yesterday’s totals. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 13,280 recoveries. Thailand now has 130,128 active Covid-19 infections. Out of the new cases, 1,357 were detected through proactive case finding and 854 were found…

  • No “October reopening” plan has been approved – CCSA

    No “October reopening” plan has been approved – CCSA

    While there have been numerous reports on the proposed October 1 reopening date for 5 provinces, many quoting the tourism minister, a spokesperson for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration says nothing has been approved. No date on the potential reopening was announced. Natapanu Nopakun, who gives the CCSA report in English, says the current measures for a 14-day quarantine…

  • Friday Covid Update: 14,555 new cases; provincial totals

    Friday Covid Update: 14,555 new cases; provincial totals

    171 new coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since the start of the pandemic last year, 15,124 people infected with Covid-19 have died. 15,030 of those deaths were during the country’s latest and most severe wave of virus, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, 14,555 new cases…

  • Torture and forced disappearances bills pass House vote 368-0

    Torture and forced disappearances bills pass House vote 368-0

    4 bills on torture and forced disappearances have now successfully passed the House of Representatives in a triumph for human rights in Thailand. One member of parliament abstained from voting while the rest voted unanimously in favour of the 4 bills in a vote of 368 to 0. The bills include 34 sections covering a wide range of facets of…

  • Thailand Daily Covid Update | Thursday, September 17 |

    Thailand Daily Covid Update | Thursday, September 17 |

    Caitlin gives you the daily covid 19 figures while going through the upward and downward trends in Thailand as well as looking at the provincial totals across Thailand.

  • Thai government officials offered special promotional fares on Air Asia

    Thai government officials offered special promotional fares on Air Asia

    Thai Air Asia has launched a promotional deal targeting government officials, members of the Federation of Thai Industries and the Thai Chamber of Commerce, as well as employees of state enterprises. The perks will also apply to their travel companions. The thinking behind the deal is that government officials were some of the first to be vaccinated and are not…

  • Thai FDA approves Moderna vaccine for ages 12 to 17

    Thai FDA approves Moderna vaccine for ages 12 to 17

    The Moderna vaccine has just won approval from the Thailand Food and Drug Administration to be given to teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 years old. ZP Therapeutics, a division of Zuellig Pharma, distributor of the Moderna vaccine, made the announcement yesterday. In a statement, the company expressed gratitude to the Food and Drug Administration for approving the…

  • Desperate hotel operators look to Bangkok re-opening for signs of hope

    Desperate hotel operators look to Bangkok re-opening for signs of hope

    Even with plans still up in the air and nothing confirmed, Thai hotel operators are pinning their hopes on Bangkok’s proposed re-opening next month. The president of the Thai Hotels Association says that while hotels don’t expect a huge uptake in bookings immediately, they are hopeful that average occupancy might reach 15 – 20% in the last 3 months of…

  • Friday Covid Update: 171 deaths and 14,555 new cases

    Friday Covid Update: 171 deaths and 14,555 new cases

    171 coronavirus-related deaths and 14,555 new Covid-19 cases were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 13,691 recoveries. Thailand now has 129,421 active Covid-19 cases. Out of the new cases, 1,156 were detected through proactive case finding and 790 were found in correctional facilities. Covid-19 infections at…

  • Will it, won’t it? October re-opening in doubt as Anutin defers to medical experts

    Will it, won’t it? October re-opening in doubt as Anutin defers to medical experts

    Thailand’s public health minister has responded to comments from top medics who have questioned the wisdom of re-opening the country next month. Anutin Charnvirakul says any re-opening will need the go-ahead from the Department of Disease Control, adding that nothing has been confirmed yet. “No one said the country will re-open on October 1.” The Bangkok Post reports how, back…

  • Epidemiologists dispatched to Phuket to help curb the spread of Covid

    Epidemiologists dispatched to Phuket to help curb the spread of Covid

    Epidemiologists from Thailand’s Disease Control Department have been dispatched by the Ministry of Public Health to Phuket. The move is intended to help curb the spread of new Covid infections on the island; Phuket has regularly seen 200 cases a day over the last couple of weeks and hospital beds have reached 90% occupancy. Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr Kiattibhoom…

  • Phuket Vegetarian Festival gets “green light” to run from October 6 to 14

    Phuket Vegetarian Festival gets “green light” to run from October 6 to 14

    WARNING: The content below contains photos and videos of self-mutilation that some people may find disturbing. The annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival has been given the “okay” to be held from October 6-14. For those who haven’t heard of the festival, it’s not exactly known for the vegetarian food. It’s actually a very spiritual celebration where some practice self-mutilation to enter…

  • Thursday Covid Update: 13,897 new cases; provincial totals

    Thursday Covid Update: 13,897 new cases; provincial totals

    188 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 14,953. Out of those fatalities, 14,859 were during the country’s latest and most severe wave of the virus, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 13,897 new…

  • Covid-Free Setting zones require all staff vaccinated by October 1

    Covid-Free Setting zones require all staff vaccinated by October 1

    Starting October 1, Thailand will roll out their Covid-Free Setting measures in an effort to safely reopen businesses. Yesterday Department of Health Chief Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai announced that as part of that rollout, shopping centre employees and staff at other at-risk businesses must be fully vaccinated by that October 1 launch. The Department of Health head made the declaration while visiting the…

  • Thailand Daily Covid Update | Thursday, September 16 |

    Thailand Daily Covid Update | Thursday, September 16 |

    Caitlin gives you the daily covid 19 figures while going through the upward and downward trends in Thailand.

  • Man allegedly poses as famous DJ on Facebook to get donations for Covid, keeps the money

    Man allegedly poses as famous DJ on Facebook to get donations for Covid, keeps the money

    A man who posed as a famous disc jockey, DJ Poom, on Facebook is being investigated by Thailand’s Immigration Bureau after 2 banks lodged complaints against him for allegedly soliciting donations for Covid and then allegedly pocketing the money. He is also accused of stealing data and cash after making a site that sells products. The 2 banks are the…

  • Parents must decide by September 24 if they want their children to get Pfizer vaccine

    Parents must decide by September 24 if they want their children to get Pfizer vaccine

    Before schools reopen, parents will have to decide if they want their children inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine. They have until September 24 to make up their minds, says the Education Ministry. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration provided the vaccination timeline yesterday. 12 to 17 year olds will have access to the Pfizer vaccine if they wish to get…

  • PM orders government officials to get ready for Thailand’s re-opening

    PM orders government officials to get ready for Thailand’s re-opening

    The countdown is on to the October re-opening of Bangkok and 4 other provinces and PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the tourism, health, and interior ministries to get ready. According to a Bangkok Post report, the PM has instructed officials to prepare to boost tourism while still living with Covid-19 restrictions. However, not everyone agrees with the October re-opening, with…

  • Advertisements and messages that could cause harm or danger to Thais to fall under greater gov scrutiny

    Advertisements and messages that could cause harm or danger to Thais to fall under greater gov scrutiny

    The Thai Cabinet Committee has decided to take a firmer stance on advertisements that they say could instigate social harms and messages that reference the monarchy. They plan to issue laws and regulations to control such harmful advertisements. Deputy government spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul says the committee has approved the draft ministerial regulations toward advertisements or services that might cause danger…

  • Re-opening of Bangkok pushed back 2 weeks to reach 70% vaccination goal

    Re-opening of Bangkok pushed back 2 weeks to reach 70% vaccination goal

    Following a meeting between the Bangkok governor and the tourism minister, officials have decided to delay the re-opening of the capital by 2 weeks. Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says the capital’s re-opening will be pushed back to October 15, as most residents are still waiting for their second vaccination. Currently, just 37% of residents are fully vaccinated. The Bangkok Post…

  • Wednesday Covid Update: 13,798 new cases; provincial totals

    Wednesday Covid Update: 13,798 new cases; provincial totals

    144 coronvirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 14,765. Out of that number, 14,671 were recorded after April 1, during the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand. In the 24-hour period since the last count, 13,798 new Covid-19 cases and 14,133 recoveries were…

  • Booster for those with 2 Sinovac vaccines coming by October

    Booster for those with 2 Sinovac vaccines coming by October

    Those already vaccinated in Thailand may be getting a shot in the arm by next month or even sooner, as Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul declared that booster shot administering will begin imminently for those who received 2 Sinovac vaccines already. He stressed that the actual timing will be up to the Disease Control Department but predicted it will be…

  • Deputy inspector of police booze smuggling case not commenting

    Deputy inspector of police booze smuggling case not commenting

    The deputy inspector on a case that is investigating police officers involved in smuggling illegal bootleg alcohol into Bangkok is remaining curtly tight-lipped regarding the case. When asked about the recent investigation, he refused to comment, telling reporters they should ask the main inspector directly. He said the inspector could provide more information and commentary and making remarks to the…

  • Phuket construction worker drowns after getting stuck under storm drain

    Phuket construction worker drowns after getting stuck under storm drain

    A 40-ish year old construction worker was killed in Phuket yesterday after he got stuck under a section of a storm drain; he eventually downed after rescue efforts failed. The man had been working at a construction site for a flood protection project near the Patong Hospital. He has been identified only as “Mr Mahana” and the Pattaya news says…