Thailand News
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Internet service blocks PornHub, backs down after outrage
It’s no secret pornography is a little tricky to access in Thailand (according to someone else’s research). Recently, the internet service True Online confirmed that they are blocking the popular site PornHub, but quickly backed down on their statement after a storm of angry comments on Twitter. “I pay you asshole, are you my parents?” one person wrote on Twitter,…
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Bank report predicts extended timeframe for Thai tourism recovery
As the severity of the current situation facing Thailand’s lucrative tourism industry starts to sink in, Kasikorn Bank Research Centre have released a report with some stark predictions. Thailand’s tourism and hospitality industry faces losses of 1.69 trillion baht in 2020 and recovery “may not be clearly evident” next year. The report also foreshadows strict ‘new normal’ procedures as government measures…
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Thailand News Today – Tuesday, May 26
Bangkok woman dies of salmonella poisoning after eating ‘death dumplings’ Following the death of a Bangkok woman who fell ill after eating dumplings, lab tests have now come back proving there were detected traces of salmonella bacteria. The Samut Prakan provincial health office confirms that several members of the woman’s family also fell ill after eating the dumplings, which were…
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UPDATE: ‘Bleach mum’ was the maternal mother of sick boy
Today local Thai media report the latest update about the women allegedly forcing her children to drink bleach. Her adopted daughter died due to ‘allergies’ back in December. But the latest case of her sick son now unveils a suspected malicious intent to cause illness in her children. Doctors at Thammasat Hospital in Bangkok confirm that a DNA identity test…
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No role for Transport Ministry in Thai Airways rehab plan
After initially insisting on having a say in the management of the rehabilitation plan for the beleaguered Thai Airways, the Ministry of Transport has conceded that, with its holding in the airline reduced to less than 50%, it no longer has any jurisdiction over what is now a listed public company. Deputy Transport Minister Thaworn Senneam says the struggling carrier…
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Deputy PM says politics not involved in Emergency Decree extension
“There is a week to go before entering the third phase of relaxation. Whether a further easing will occur depends on this week. I want to urge everyone to keep their guard up at all times.” With the second month of Thailand’s national state of emergency coming to a close, a deputy PM says fear of second wave of Covid-19…
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Government warns Thai residents over fake contact-tracing sites
The Thai government has issued a warning after a number of complaints from people being sent incorrect links and annoying pop-ups when attempting to “check in” at various businesses. The country’s Covid-19 task force says the government’s official “Thai Chana” contact-tracing website does not do this and warned citizens to make sure they only follow legitimate links. Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin,…
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Thai police deny using emergency decree as political tool
Following the arrest of two activists in Bangkok on Friday, police deny using the emergency decree to suppress political dissent. Both activists were arrested at the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre, where a small group was commemorating the 6th anniversary of the May 2014 military coup that swept PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to power, tossing out the elected government of Yingluck…
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Thai food giant to provide a million meals priced at 20 baht
Thai food conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Foods says it plans to offer heavily discounted ready-to-eat meals for those facing financial difficulties as a result of the economic fallout of Covid-19. CEO Prasit Boondoungprasert says a million meals will be distributed to Fresh Mart shops around the country and will cost just 20 baht. There will be a choice of dishes on…
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Students to wear mask, get temperature checked at school
Students will need to wear a face mask and have their temperature checked before entering school. The Public Health and Education ministries recently put restrictions in place for the start of school set for July 1, according to Nation Thailand. Schools are categorised as a high risk area for the potential spread of the coronavirus. In general, cold and flu…
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Curfew violators made to volunteer at temples
As Thailand’s already crowded prisons struggle to cope with an influx of a new type of criminal, the “curfew violator”, the Department of Probation has come up with a novel solution – send them to the temples. Thailand has had a national curfew in place since the establishment of the country’s emergency decree on March 26. Initially it was from…
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Relatives claim British pensioner was mistreated and starved by Thai family
Relatives of an 86 year old British war veteran claim he endured starvation and mistreatment at the hands of his Thai family in Samut Sakhon, central Thailand. After receiving medical clearance, the man was flown home to the UK yesterday on an Eva Air flight. A report in Thai Visa says the man, named only as “Ron”, was rescued after…
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Thai-made vaccine could be available sometime next year
Human trials of a locally manufactured Covid-19 vaccine could begin as early as the end of the year, according to Thailand’s Minister of Higher Education. Thailand is currently testing several vaccines. This one involves the government, Chulalongkorn University’s Centre of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development, the National Vaccine Institute, the Department of Medical Sciences and the private sector. “If…
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Thailand depending on Chinese travellers for tourist reboot
Thailand is looking to China to rebuild its battered travel industry. As the Covid-19 pandemic subsides in Asia, countries are discussing the idea of “travel bubbles,” in which reciprocal nations establish guidelines that enable their citizens to move freely across their borders. The wider tourism industry accounts for 18-20% of Thailand’s GDP and provides jobs for almost a tenth of…
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Covid-19 update: 0 new cases, 0 deaths (May 23)
Thailand reported no new Covid-19 cases and no new deaths today, down from 3 yesterday, leaving totals at 3,040 confirmed cases and 56 deaths since the beginning of the outbreak in January. Panprapa Yongtrakul, spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration made the announcement this morning. It’s the fourth day this month that there were no new confirmed cases.…
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Curfew may be shortened another hour – Midnight to 4am
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, headed up by the Thai PM, is mulling knocking off another hour from the national curfew. If it goes ahead the curfew would shortened from 11pm – 4am daily to Midnight – 4am daily. It could happen as early as June 1, along with other relaxations of restrictions. The National Security Council is being…
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Despite low virus numbers, CCSA warns public not to be “reckless”
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration said today that no new Covid-19 cases were reported on Friday, and 3 today, but warns that people must remain vigilant because there are still infected people roaming undetected in public. CCSA spokesman Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin says that between May 8 and yesterday, 45 people tested positive for the disease. 20 were infected in other…
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3 new Coronavirus cases in Thailand – May 23
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration spokesman Dr Taweesilp announced in his daily press conference that Thailand has confirmed 3 new cases of the Covid-19 virus. 2 of the new cases are classed as “imported,” as they were found in a state quarantine facility among repatriates from overseas. Of the imported cases, 1 was a 25 year old old Thai…
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Thai Airways has officially lost its state enterprise status
The State Enterprise Policy Committee announced that Thai Airways has lost its state enterprise status after the Vayupak Fund bought a 3.17% stake from the Finance Ministry yesterday. The purchase was undertaken at a price of 4.90 baht per share, with a trade worth 285.2 million baht, leaving the national carrier owning 48% of its own shares and stripping its…
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Misery as arrival ban keeps families apart
Thailand’s ban on foreign arrivals is causing misery among families across the nation as foreigners married to Thai nationals plead with the government to let them return to be with their families. James Jacobs, a Briton stranded in France, told Nation Thailand he wants to return to his 29 year old wife Sopa, who lives in Chiang Mai. Speaking by…
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Phase 3 of lockdown relaxations could begin June 1: CCSA
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration confirmed yesterday, that Phase 3 of lockdown relaxation will take effect on June 1, after 5 relevant procedures are completed. CCSA spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin says the procedures would be executed from today to May 31. The first procedure is the collection of information on the Covid-19 situation by officials involved with the lockdown…
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Thailand News Today – Friday, May 22
Zero new case in Thailand today. Upgrades to ‘luxury quarantine’ available for returnees Don’t like the accommodation the government have provided for you for your mandatory 14 day quarantine, sick of the boring Thai menu they’re serving you for three meals a day, don’t like the colour of the curtains? Fear not. Now you upgrade your quarantine accommodation. But you’re…
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Man arrested for growing 1,200 cannabis plants
Police have arrested a man growing 1,200 cannabis plants in Eastern Thailand this morning. After a tip about the illegal marijuana plantation, police raided and uprooted the hundreds of cannabis plants, reporting that they weighed over 500 kilograms, according to Bangkok Post. The marijuana was planted on land near the Pang Sida National Park, in Sa Kaeo. The farm covered…
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Government prepares for safe reopening of schools on July 1
Officials from Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health are working closely with the Education Ministry to facilitate the safe reopening of schools on July 1. There has been recent debate if the schools system would be ready by that date. The rollout of online learning has only been since Monday this week, with early bugs being ironed out and teachers, and…
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Thai Chamber of Commerce warns 10 million jobs in peril if lock-down persists
The Thai Chamber of Commerce is appealing for businesses to be allowed to reopen ASAP, warning that if the lock-down goes on much longer, an estimated 10 million people could lose their jobs. The Pattaya News reports that TCC Chairman, Kalin Sarasin, says businesses should be allowed to reopen provided they abide by new public health measures. He says the…
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Thailand’s contact tracing app currently unable to alert users
The Thai government says its contact-tracing app is vital to reducing a new flare up of the Covid-19 virus, while admitting the app is currently unable to issue alerts. Covid-19 Task Force spokesman Dr. Taweeslip Wisanuyothin adds that as the technology has only been in use since Sunday, any new cases reported since then are likely to have contracted the…
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Phase 3 of easing restrictions require Covid-19 case numbers to remain low for a fortnight
Thailand’s flamboyant public health minister and deputy PM Anutin Charnvirakul says the government is planning to announce the third phase of easing Emergency Decree restrictions if the number of new Covid-19 cases doesn’t rise within the next 2 weeks. Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported yesterday that the total number of Covid-19 cases had…
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Second company in Thailand to be granted license to import natural gas
In a step to cut down energy costs, Thai Gulf Energy Development Company says that they have obtained a government license to import up to 1.7 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year. As Thailand moves to free up its natural gas market and position itself as a regional trading hub for LNG, Thai Gulf Energy has been reported…
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Thai Airways to lay off 30% of its staff
“THAI will stop repaying all debt and start from scratch.” The government announced today that Thai Airways will have to dismiss more than 6,000 employees after entering into receivership proceedings and a debt moratorium of 200 billion baht. The Cabinet decided to push Thai Airways into a bankruptcy procedure under the Bankruptcy Act and ordered the Ministry of Finance to…
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Thai government urges the public to comply with contact-tracing system
The spokesman for Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, Taweeslip Wisanuyothin, says it’s vital the public complies with the government’s tracking and tracing system if the virus is to be suppressed. The country is currently recording daily new cases in single digits, most of them returnees and already in state quarantine. One of the 3 new cases today was a 25 year…
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