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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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Sponsored What do you need before moving from the US to Thailand?
The Thaiger key takeaways The most common medical emergencies for expats in Thailand include motorcycle accidents, tropical diseases, and food or water-borne illnesses. Air pollution and heat-related conditions like heatstroke also pose serious seasonal health risks, especially in northern and...
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Sierra Leone: Black Johnson Beach to become fishing harbor under China deal
Sierra Leone’s government cut a $55 million deal with China to finance the construction of a new harbor. The people living along the pristine beach fear losing their jobs and land. SOURCE: DW News
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How is Beijing reshaping Hong Kong through the national security law?
A day after 500 police officers raided its newsroom and arrested five executives, Hong Kong’s pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily printed 500,000 copies featuring the raid and the arrest on its front page. “We must press on,” read the headline, citing a passage from the paper’s CEO Cheung Kim-hung. On Friday, police formally charged Cheung and Editor-in-Chief Ryan Law with “collusion…
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Ethiopa announces ‘period of silence’ ahead of elections
Ethiopia’s national electoral board ordered a “period of silence” before Monday’s parliamentary elections, which includes a ban on campaign rallies and new rules for local media houses. “Mass media outlets are not allowed to broadcast any kind of election-related activities during this period of silence. In addition, these institutions are not allowed to interview political party candidates,” the commission said…
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1 million AstraZeneca doses arrive, Anutin says “more” on the way
1 million more AstraZeneca doses arrived in Thailand today. They were delivered to Thailand’s Public Health Ministry and are set to be distributed throughout the country today. Or tomorrow. Says the Anutin, the Public Health Minister. Anutin says the vaccines will be sent every week. This comes from an agreement the ministry has with the company. Anutin did not provide…
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Colour-coded zoning revised, restrictions to ease nationwide
Disease control restrictions are easing nationwide and the colour-coded zoning was recently revised by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The new regulations will go into effect on Monday. Nationwide, all entertainment and nightlife venues including bars, pubs and nightclubs must remain closed. Face masks are still required to be worn in public. All zones have limits on the number…
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Department of Land Transport will reopen, issue licenses
After suspending services on April 16th due to the third wave outbreak of Covid-19, the Department of Land Transport has announced they will reopen next week. The agency will restart renewing driving licenses in issuing new licenses, as well as giving driving tests. Services are set to resume all across the country at all DLT offices on June 21, according…
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Krabi schedules 82 flights per week from late October
Despite no official legal plans to reopen Thailand to international tourism, and perhaps on the heels of PM Prayut’s surprise announcement in a speech Wednesday that he intends to fully reopen Thailand by mid-October, 8 airlines received slots for international flights into Krabi from the end of October. The allotment was determined as part of the IATA Slot Conference, this…
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Friday Covid Update: 3,058 new cases; provincial totals
Thailand’s latest and most severe wave of Covid-19, infecting 176,410 people since April 1, continues to be on a downward trend. Today, 3,058 new Covid-19 cases and 22 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the tally since the start of the pandemic to 210,782 total confirmed cases and 1,577 fatalities. There are now 32,795…
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Talad Kaset market in Phuket reopens
The Talad Kaset market in Phuket reopened today. The staff of Phuket City Municipality/vendors gave the market a rigorous cleaning to bolster local’s confidence. The market had shut down 2 weeks prior after an 86 year old woman’s death was connected to the market. 2 day ago, Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, reassured the…
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PM Prayut tests negative after parliament maid has Covid-19
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was tested for Covid-19 this morning after being exposed to someone with an infection, but was confirmed negative for the virus. The prime minister and close aides were all tested for Covid-19 after it was discovered that a maid working in a reception room at parliament had tested positive for the virus. All those tested came back…
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Myanmar: American journalist’s detention extended 2 more weeks
Yesterday, a Myanmar court extended the detention of American journalist Danny Fenster. The extension is for 2 more weeks. The U.S. State Department has strongly requested they have consular access to Danny. Frontier Myanmar says their managing editor (Danny) faces charges that could land him a 3 year prison term. The charge is reportedly often used against dissidents and journalists.…
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Unsatisifed with haircut, grandfather goes to police station for help
A grandfather got a haircut he deemed bad enough to go to the police station. The man’s identity was not given. What is known is the man got a haircut that he believed did not make him look “handsome”. He said his hair was cut to different lengths. Logically, the next step was to file a police report. Which is…
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Thammanat Prompaew said to be PPRP’s next secretary-general
MP Thammanat Prompaew, the controversial convicted drug smuggler turned politician, is favoured to become the next secretary-general of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, sources say. A meeting of the party’s general assembly will take place in Khon Kaen province today where an announcement may be made. The embattled Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister is considered to be the likely successor…
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Pattaya security guard dies after crashing into garbage truck
Last night in Pattaya, a security guard drove his motorbike into the back of a garbage truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The 43 year old security guard was driving on Road Number 36 on the Pattaya Rayong Bypass. His name has been withheld from media until his relatives have been notified of his passing. Police say the…
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Killer’s sentence reduced from 10 years to 3, plus community service
4 years ago, 56 year old Suthep Pochanasomboon, was convicted of killing 17 year old Nawaphol Poengpai after an argument about a parking space. Now, Suthep’s sentence has been commuted by the Supreme Court to 3 years. The shooting which led to Suthep’s temporary incarceration happened close to the Ang Silla market, which is in the Chon Buri Province. Suthep…
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Over 300 Phuket businesses awarded SHA Plus accreditation ahead of re-opening
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has declared the southern island of Phuket as “sandbox-ready”, after awarding SHA Plus accreditation to more than 300 tourism businesses. Phuket is gearing up for a much-anticipated re-opening on July 1, although it must be pointed out that this is still subject to official approval. The SHA endorsement confirms that hotels and other tourism businesses…
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Phuket 62% vaccinated, Sandbox ready to play in, hopefully
The government has “confirmed” that Phuket is 62% vaccinated. Further, they indicate that they are ready to go ahead with the Phuket Sandbox reopening. This would let limited quarantine-free tourism to fully vaccinated international visitors. The government says Phuket’s vaccine rollout is picking up momentum From a report posted by NNT yesterday: “Phuket province is now just steps away from…
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Friday Covid Update: 3,058 new cases and 22 deaths
3,058 new Covid-19 cases and 22 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The recent and most severe wave of the virus, infecting 181,919 people since April 1, is now on a downward trend as the number of recoveries recorded each day continues to exceed the number of new cases. Today, the CCSA reported 4,094…
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Krabi hotels pin hopes on Phuket sandbox success
Hotel operators in the southern province of Krabi will be watching Phuket’s imminent re-opening with great interest. The success of the Phuket “sandbox” will determine what happens in Thailand’s other tourism hotspots. According to the Bangkok Post, a successful re-opening for Phuket would mean Krabi and other destinations can look forward to re-opening their hotels and recruiting workers for the…
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Tourism bodies concerned vaccination uncertainty will disrupt re-opening
Earlier this week, Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, pledged to re-open the country to international tourism within 120 days. But tourism operators aren’t breathing a sigh of relief just yet. Many have voiced concerns over the delays in the vaccine rollout, fearing that if Thailand doesn’t get its act together on vaccination, the re-opening could be affected. According to the Bangkok…
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Nightlife businesses petition government to reopen, sell alcohol
After more than a year of closures, a coalition of nightlife business representatives is petitioning the government to reopen next month and to lift the alcohol ban. With the support of the Democrat Party deputy leader Prin Phannichphak, who also heads the Modern Business Group, a collection of event organisers, musicians, fitness business reps and entertainment industry reps submitted the…
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A third wave of coronavirus infections hits Africa
German Development Minister Gerd Müller’s first stop on his weeklong tour of West Africa trip was Lome, the capital of the small country of Togo. As in all African countries, there is a shortage of vaccines and medical equipment. Müller came with a donation of 30 ventilators and more than 5,000 oximeters to help support the country’s efforts to combat…
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Nigeria: Has President Buhari lost control?
Less than a year after protests against police abuse turned into the largest anti-government demonstration in Nigeria’s 20-year-old democracy, an onslaught of political, economic and security crises along with various outbreaks of violence around the country have ensnared the government. Conflict Zone met with Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar. The political brand and two electoral successes of President…
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Koh Larn 70% vaccinated as Pattaya eyes reopening
Speaking to local press, the mayor of Pattaya declared a number of successes in vaccinations and Covid-19 prevention, including that Koh Larn is 70% vaccinated. While the government has been hesitant to commit to any reopening sandbox plan for Pattaya, the city has been focused on finding a way to welcome back tourists as soon as possible. The Thai government…
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Can South Korea’s archbishop help pave the way for a papal visit to North Korea?
The first Korean appointed to a senior position in the Holy See has wasted no time in announcing his plans to arrange a groundbreaking papal visit to North Korea. However, analysts and rights activists caution that there can be several hurdles associated with arranging such a visit. Pope Francis named Lazzaro You Heung-sik, the bishop of the South Korean city…
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Expats in Phuket without a work permit can register for a Covid-19 vaccine
Expats living in Phuket, who do not have a work permit, can now register for a Covid-19 vaccine. Under the local vaccine registration website, www.phuket.win, there are now links for foreigners with work permits and foreigners without work permits to apply for a vaccine. Of course, with the ever-faulty websites run by the Thai government, we had to give it…
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Tar balls wash ashore on several Phuket beaches
An oil spill that hit the north end of Phuket on Sunday has now stretched the entire length of the island as tar balls have washed up on the southernmost beach in Phuket as well. No source of the oil has been identified yet. Tar balls first washed up a few days ago on Mai Khao Beach, a stretch of…
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2 dead following truck crash
One truck crashed into another truck early this morning in Si Racha, a subdistrict of Chon Buri, which is southeast of Bangkok. The accident left 2 dead. The driver and her passenger were both pronounced dead at the scene. The crash happened on the Nong Kwae/Amata City Road in Borwin. Emergency responders were alerted to the crash at 5:30 am.…
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Prayut going to Phuket, see if it’s Sandbox ready
Thailand’s Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, is set to travel to Phuket and determine its “readiness” to reopen for the proposed reopening on July 1. This news comes from a report in Thai media. The report says Prayut and other ministers will go to Phuket next Friday. When he gets to the island, Prayut and his cohorts will “inspect” the full…
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Chulabhorn Royal Academy details Sinopharm vaccine insurance
Chulabhorn Royal Academy has announced key details of their insurance coverage included with Sinopharm vaccinations they provide as the business registration deadline approaches tomorrow. The new specifics for coverage include generous age restrictions, residence status, period of coverage, and payout totals for the insurance for those affected by the vaccine. In a post to their Facebook page yesterday, the academy…
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