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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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Tourism officials warn that 7 billion baht could be lost due to suspension of Test & Go
Tourism officials warn that at least 7 billion baht of revenue will be lost in Thailand’s tourism sector this month if the suspension of the “Test & Go” scheme continues. The president of the Tourism Council of Thailand says that putting a hold on the scheme will not only have an effect on tourism in the short term, but it…
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Duterte orders the arrest of unvaccinated people who violate stay-at-home rule
Amid a surge in Covid-19 infections in the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte is coming down hard on the unvaccinated. The government recently tightened restrictions in Manila and several provinces, including banning unvaccinated people from leaving home unless for exercise or to purchase essentials. According to an AFP report, Duterte has gone as far as to sanction the arrest of anyone…
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France detects new Covid variant “IHU,” believed to be highly transmissible
While the world is grappling with new spikes in Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant, scientists in France have discovered another variant. The newly-discovered variant, called B.1.640.2, was found in 12 patients near Marseille and features 46 mutations, making it vaccine-resistant and contagious. Also known as “IHU,” the strain was detected by scholars at the IHU Mediterranee Infection on…
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Thai industry body confident government will curb spread of Omicron variant
The Federation of Thai Industries says it believes the government can slow the rate of Covid-19 infection, despite the alert level being raised yesterday. The level moved from 3 to 4, with officials asking people to work from home if possible and to avoid all non-essential travel. However, Kriengkrai Thiennukul from the FTI is confident Thailand will cope. “The FTI…
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Phuket governor vows to iron out issues with sandbox requirements
The governor of Phuket has pledged to sort out a number of issues with the island’s sandbox scheme as infection rates continue to rise. According to a Bangkok Post report, Narong Woosiew says the matters identified will lead to improvements, adding that he will soon introduce “Phuket Sandbox Version 2“. “Currently, the local economy is doing well due to the…
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Restaurant alcohol sales, tightening quarantine on CCSA agenda today
It’s an all-too familiar scenario at this stage, and one that will have restaurateurs and others in the hospitality and tourism sectors putting their heads in their hands. While we must emphasise that nothing is confirmed yet, the CCSA meets today to consider a number of tough curbs proposed by the Public Health Ministry. Based on Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s…
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Thai vaccines recieve a 40 million baht donation from SET
To help develop domestic Covid-19 vaccines, the Stock Exchange of Thailand has donated 40 million baht to the Thai medical teams working on the vaccines. 2 vaccines are currently being developed at Chulalongkorn University, in separate departments and different partnerships. The president of the SET said that it is imperative that new and improved vaccines are developed and Thai people…
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Child marriage legally outlawed in the Philippines
In the Philippines, one in every 6 girls get married before the age of 18. But on Thursday, child marriage became illegal in the country as a new ban went into place. The Philippines is saddled with gender inequality and a culture that has long accepted child marriage as a common practice. In fact, Plan International, a British rights group,…
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Two children killed, 24,000 displaced in Indonesia’s Sumatra island flood
Flooding and landslides are common in Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia during the months-long rainy season, as all of them have suffered from natural disasters over the past few weeks. Environmentalists in Indonesia blame the government’s deforestation to grow oil plantations on Sumatra island for the floods that killed at least two children and displaced…
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At least 20 civilians killed and 40 houses razed in latest army attack in Myanmar
In an alleged attack by Myanmar’s military forces in late-December, at least 20 civilians were slain and nearly 40 houses were razed in the country’s northeastern region of Sagaing, according to local media. Sagaing is where one of the first armed rebellions rose up following the junta’s bloody crackdown on anti-coup protesters. Last month, the military tookover Natchaung village in…
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Bodies of Thai model and unidentified woman found in Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River
The bodies of a Thai model and an unidentified woman were found in Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River by two of the capital’s most popular shopping centres. The model’s body was found by the Asiatique: The Riverfront Pier while the woman’s body was found by the ICONSIAM Pier. Thai model Kendo Kullapat was reported missing on Tuesday. Some Thai designers and…
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Mother tries to give away baby, then abandons by Bangkok canal
A baby that was abandoned by the side of a canal in Greater Bangkok after the mother could not give her away has now been safely handed over to a state orphanage. The baby is an 11-month old girl and was left next to Bang Bua Thong district canal in the Bangkok suburb of Nonthaburi. The mother of the baby…
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Norwegian man in Thailand guilty for scamming Norway’s Covid-19 compensation scheme
A Norwegian man living in Thailand was found guilty by the Oslo District Court for scamming the Norwegian government’s Economic Covid-19 Compensation scheme by claiming lost revenue for fake companies. The court sentenced the man to three years and nine months in jail. Reports to do not identify the man, but say he is in his 50s carried out the scam…
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Kids ride free on BTS and MRT trains for National Children’s Day
National Children’s Day is coming up on January 8 and if you’ve got no plans for it, how about taking the kids for a free ride on Bangkok’s BTS and MRT trains? To celebrate the holiday, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand will allow children under the age of 14 and under the height of 140 centimetres to ride…
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3.7 million Moderna vaccines arriving in January, 1.3 million today
Jabby New Year’s! The start of 2022 will see a total of 3.7 million Moderna vaccines arriving in Thailand to continue to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, with the first 1.3 million doses arriving today. Zuellig Pharma Therapeutics, the distributers of the Moderna vaccine will be delivering the 3.7 million vaccines in 3 shipments to the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation and private…
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Thursday Covid Update: 5,775 new cases; provincial totals
11 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,780 with 21,686 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 5,775 new Covid-19 cases and 2,673 recoveries. There are now 37,968 people in Thailand being…
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Mob accuses mother, grandmother of death at boy’s funeral
A suspicious death of a young boy led to a vitriolic confrontation at the funeral between mourners and the boy’s mother and grandmother. The crowd angrily blocked the mother and grandmother from joining in the funeral rites, accusing them of causing the boy’s death. The incident took place in Trat, Thailand’s most southeastern province, beyond Chon Buri, Rayong, and Chanthaburi.…
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Dr Yong: Omicron spike imminent, get booster to end pandemic
Dr Yong Poovorawan, the chief of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the Faculty of Medicine of Chulalongkorn University and Thailand’s top virologist authority, advised the people of Thailand to expect a dramatic increase in Covid-19 in Thailand, especially of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. His view is similar to that of Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul,…
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Anutin: rise in Covid-19 infections is from careless New Year’s
Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul says that the surge in new Covid-19 infections is to be expected after the New Year’s holiday, but the fact that the number of daily deaths has not risen significantly is it good sign following current scientific data that reveals that the Omicron variant is more transmissible but less severe than the currently dominant…
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Pattaya prepares “hospitel” beds, reviews home isolation measures after Covid spike
With a surge of cases in Chon Buri, Pattaya officials are planning to open up more hotel isolation centres, known as hospitels, and are reviewing measures for home isolation for those who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms to help curb the spike in cases. In Chon Buri today, health officials report nearly 800 Covid-19 cases with more than 4,000…
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333 lives lost on Thailand’s roads over end-of-year holiday period
While the government frets over the Omicron variant, 333 people died in road traffic accidents during Thailand’s so-called “7 dangerous days” during the end-of-year holiday. The official figures, reported by Nation Thailand, were released by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. The department says there were 2,707 road traffic accidents reported between December 29 and January 4, with 2,672…
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HIRING: The Thaiger is looking for a writer to join our English-language news team
The Thaiger is looking for a writer to join our diverse team covering breaking and general news in Thailand. As a full-time news writer, you will work closely with our English-language news team at our office in Bangkok’s Asoke area. Requirements… Native English speakers are preferred, but those with strong English-language skills are welcome to apply Journalism background or an…
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Government considers new restrictions as Omicron infections rise across Thailand
The Thai government fears a surge of “tens of thousands” of new Covid-19 infections, according to a Reuters report. The report says officials are considering implementing new disease prevention measures such as a ban on alcohol sales in restaurants and limiting large gatherings. Yesterday, Thailand reported 3,899 new Covid-19 cases, with data showing Omicron infections have tripled compared to last…
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Investigation finds no evidence PM paid MPs for votes
A House Secretariat investigation says it’s found no evidence that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha paid MPs to vote for him. The probe was in response to an accusation from an opposition politician in September. Wisarn Techathirawat, a Pheu Thai MP for Chiang Rai, accused the PM of paying 5 million baht to a number of MPs in return for votes of…
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Test & Go suspension results in mass cancellations for remainder of high season
Thailand’s high season looks to be over already, with tourism operators reporting a surge in cancellations and plummeting hotel occupancy. The development follows the government’s decision to suspend the Test & Go entry scheme amid concerns about the highly-contagious Omicron variant, which is rapidly spreading around the world. The Bangkok Post reports that tourism operators are reporting a rise in…
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Thailand sees 32,627 travellers in 2022, Russians top the list
As the future of the Thailand reopening hangs in the balance, travellers rushed to get into the country before the doors are pulled shut any further. Russia led the entries into the Kingdom with a few surprising countries making the top 10 list. 32,627 people have entered the country this year, from January 1 to January 4, bringing with them…
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Virologist explains reduced potency of Omicron infections
A leading virologist and health expert in Thailand has laid out his beliefs on Omicron’s lack of potency and why it’s a step in the right direction. Dr Yong Poovorawan is the chief of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the Faculty of Medicine of Chulalongkorn University. He has served as a top advisor on Covid-19 in Thailand…
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Mueang Chon Buri restaurants come under strict Covid-19 control
Mueang Chon Buri district is the latest part of the province to come under the strict Covid-19 restrictions for food and beverage facilities. The order was first enacted in Pattaya, ordered by the governor of Chon Buri late at night on January 1 requiring daily Covid-19 testing of all employees and that every patron at any restaurant have a negative…
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Philippines president says he will never apologise for deaths during his “war on drugs”
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte says he’ll never apologise for the deaths during his bloody war on drugs campaign where, according to government data reported by Reuters, around 6,200 drugs suspects were killed in police sting operations since Duterte took power in June 2016. “I will never, never apologise for the deaths… Kill me. Jail me. I will never apologise for…
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Half-Half subsidy programme 4th phase starting in March
The very popular Covid-19 financial relief programme Half-Half or 50:50 will be continued, according to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance. The spokesperson said the ministry is preparing the fourth phase of the programme, expected to launch in March. The plan that launched last year simultaneously aided people in need with meals and stimulated the small business economy by…
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