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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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Chon Buri governor orders the temporary closure of a company, worker camp, and 2 dormitories
The governor of Chon Buri has ordered the closure of a company, a worker camp, and two dormitories in Si Racha and Ban Bueng for the next month due to the spread of Covid-19. The closure order was posted last night by the Chon Buri Public Relations office. Chon Buri, which includes Pattaya, is classified as a “dark red” zone under…
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Koh Larn to stay closed to tourists until the end of the month
Koh Larn, an island off the coast of Pattaya, will stay closed to tourists, at least until the end of the month, the Koh Larn Local Committee announced yesterday. Earlier this month, the island opened to travellers who are vaccinated against the coronavirus, but an order closing the island to non-residents was issued after six Covid-19 cases were reported on the…
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Indonesia’s former social affairs minister sentenced to 12 years in prison
Indonesia’s former social affairs minister has been handed a 12 year prison term due to a multi-million dollar Covid graft scandal. The Jakarta Corruption Court made its ruling today. An unnamed judge says the former minister, Juliari Batubara, was “convincingly guilty of corruption” following Juliari’s acceptance of 32.4 billion rupiahs in payoffs related to the obtainment of goods meant for…
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Thousands of Covid relief bags handed out, funded by donated salaries from PM and other ministers
Thousands of Covid-19 relief bags are being handed out to those in vulnerable groups. The bags were funded by donated salaries from PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, other cabinet ministers, and the Government Spokesperson’s team, as well as by donations from the private and public sectors. Government Spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri says the care packages are being distributed to 6,800 people in vulnerable…
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All Ho Chi Minh City residents to be tested for Covid; military sent in to help distribute food, enforce restrictions
The Prime Minister of Vietnam, Pham Minh Chính, has ordered that all Ho Chi Minh City residents get tested for Covid following the decision to have the military sent in to distribute food and enforce Covid restrictions. Confusion swirled in the city as officials released conflicting information about food buying restrictions. Vietnamese media showed swarms of residents flocking to markets…
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Off-duty volunteer ranger shot and killed in Narathiwat
An off-duty territorial defence volunteer was shot and killed in Narathiwat, a province in Thailand’s “Deep South” near the Malaysian border with ongoing violence due to the religious separatist insurgency. The volunteer, Madrusli Kolae, was killed around 6:15pm yesterday as he was going home on his motorcycle after playing football at a field in the Chanae district. Witnesses say they…
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UPDATE: Gunman holds two people hostage on Bangkok bus
UPDATE: The man who allegedly hit a bus conductor in the head with a gun and held two people hostage at gunpoint told police he was stressed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Coconuts Bangkok. The suspect, Pheeranat Saengchan, who is around 23 or 24 years old, also tested positive for drugs. He was charged with drug use and coercion…
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Police arrest 35 protesters after clash at Bangkok’s Din Daeng intersection
In another clash with riot police at Bangkok’s Din Dang intersection, where numerous protests against the government have taken place, at least 35 protesters were arrested yesterday. A report from the Bangkok Post says a group of young activists on motorcycles called “Mob Thalugaz,” which means “mob that goes through tear gas,” drove to the intersection at around 5pm and…
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Man holds 2 people hostage on Bangkok Bus, driver allegedly dips out early to do paperwork
A 24 year old man commandeered a Bangkok bus with a gun holding the conductor and a passenger hostage last night. The gunman surrendered early this morning after a standoff that took hours to resolve with Lat Phrao police. The negotiations reportedly sped up when the man’s mother talked him into surrendering. Police were notified at 9:30 last night that…
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Phuket tourists rescued after being caught 3 kilometres off-shore while kayaking
Phuket Tourist Police have rescued a Dutch couple who became trapped 3 kilometres off-shore while kayaking. The Pattaya News reports that strong waves meant the couple, who are on the island as part of the sandbox scheme, were unable to paddle back to shore. The incident happened around 1.30pm yesterday, with police responding to a report of the couple’s plight.…
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Pattaya re-opening threatened by rise in infections, slow vaccine rollout
The Tourism Authority of Thailand says the eastern tourist spot of Pattaya has a number of challenges to overcome in order to re-open to foreign tourism. Chief among them is the fact that standard operating procedures submitted to the provincial health office are still awaiting approval. Meanwhile, Covid-19 infections are rising and the vaccine rollout is sluggish. According to a…
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Monday Covid Update: 17,491 new cases and 242 deaths
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration recorded 17,491 new Covid-19 cases today and 242 coronavirus-related deaths. A total of 1,037,923 people have tested positive for Covid-19 since April 1, the start of the latest and most severe wave of the coronavirus in Thailand. There are now 195,454 people being treated for Covid-19. The number of active cases has been on…
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2 Samui partygoers have Covid-19, raiding police quarantine
Following the raid and breakup of a party at a luxury villa in Koh Samui 2 nights ago, it was revealed that 5 of the people in attendance at the party had previously had Covid-19, likely from the Black Bamboo Club cluster resulting from another illegal party. Now at least 2 of the party attendees have tested positive for Covid-19,…
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Covid-19 violating gathering of 23 students and teachers busted
If you have been following along, mark Nakhon Ratchasima down on your “Covid-19 restriction violating party” bingo card. Last night a group of students and teachers in the Muang district of Nakhon Ratchasima were caught gathering with an abundance of alcohol and a noticeable lack of Covid-19 safety measures. The bust is one of an increasing number of illegal parties…
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Pattaya reopening plan for September 1 unlikely to happen
Chiang Mai, which recently reported that, due to the Covid-19 situation and slow vaccination, they will delay their planned September reopening to October at the earliest, like many tourism areas that have seen plans to welcome back international tourists dashed by the intensity of the pandemic in Thailand. Now Pattaya has also acknowledged that their plan for reopening on September…
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Charming Chiang Mai plan to reopen pushed to October or later
With Covid-19 still running rampant in Thailand, several tourist locations that were anticipating reopening in August or September are revising their plans to push back until October or later. Officials say that Chiang Mai will now delay their plans to reopen to international tourists due to Covid-19 issues. The deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand announced yesterday that…
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All remaining Thai nationals now evacuated from Afghanistan
When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan nearly a week ago on Monday, thousands of foreign nationals raced to the airport in hopes of assistance in fleeing the country while it was still possible. Now Thailand’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson has confirmed that all Thai nationals have left Afghanistan. The Foreign Ministry believes that there were 4 remaining Thai people in…
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Por Tor Festival still going in Phuket, no street processions
Phuket’s annual Por Tor Festival, AKA the “Hungry Ghosts Festival” is currently going on in Phuket Town. The festival is being held without street processions due to the Covid situation and will go until August 28. The annual celebration comes on the seventh lunar month in the Chinese calendar. This date is considered the time when the gates of hell…
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German man found dead in apparent suicide in Phuket Hotel
A German national has been found dead with a gunshot wound to his head in a Phuket hotel room. Thai media reports that police believe the wound is self-inflicted. The apparent suicide was reported at 7:44 pm, yesterday, at the Amata Patong Hotel, says a police investigator identified only as Chompunut. Police and a doctor were called in to investigate.…
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New Covid-19 team aims to correct bad information, not censor it.
A special media team the government created to try to tackle the epidemic of fake news regarding Covid-19 in Thailand has been met with suspicion they will serve a broader censorship role. The team denies the idea that the team will suppress free speech and dissent, claiming that their focus is on getting factual information disseminated about the public health…
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Mass screenings of markets in dark red provinces planned, antigen test kits to be used
The Ministry of Public Health is seeking the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s approval for a plan to screen up to 200,000 people who reside in and around markets that are in “dark red” provinces. The people will be tested using rapid antigen test kits. Dr Traisulee Traisoranakul, the Deputy Government Spokesperson, says that the Ministry of Public health is…
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Phuket sees third consecutive day over 100 Covid-19 infections
For the third day in a row, new Covid-19 infections in Phuket had topped 100 people as 126 new local infections were identified in the province yesterday. 2 new infections were found in Phuket Sandbox travellers as well. There were no new deaths reported yesterday, and the total remains at 17 fatalities from Covid-19’s third wave. The rolling weekly total…
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Covid UPDATE: 233 deaths, provincial infection numbers, vaccine update
The Thai public health department has announced an additional 19,014 infections for Sunday along with another 233 Covid-related deaths. 20,672 patients have been released from state care, again exceeding the number of new cases over the past 24 hours. 5,239 patients remain in a serious condition and another 1,117 are on artificial respiration. The published numbers extend a general trend…
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Food, medical allowance to be cut for Covid patients that are in isolation
Covid patients that are isolating at home or in a community isolation centre are having their allowance shrunk from 1,000 baht to 600 baht per day. The allowance slashing comes from Thailand’s National Health Security Office in order to get rid of duplication of allowances and will go into effect on September 1. Dr Jadet Thamtat-aree from the National Health…
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Father and daughter drown in Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom, police suspect murder-suicide
A father and his 7 year old daughter jumped into the Mekong River and drowned yesterday afternoon. The incident happened in the northeastern Thai province of Nakhon Phanom. The working theory is that it was a murder-suicide, says Thai media. Jamras Srihata, from the Muang Police, says the incident happened around 6:30 pm yesterday in front of the governor’s riverside…
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Thalu Fah presents UN with letter requesting international support
The pro-democracy group “Thalu Fah” delivered a letter requesting international support from the Office of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations in Bangkok, yesterday. They then gathered outside the office for a couple of hours of protest. After delivering the letter to the United Nations, the group offered nearly 2 hours of…
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Covid UPDATE Sunday: 233 deaths but over 20K released from state care
The Thai public health department has announced an additional 19,014 infections today along with another 233 Covid-related deaths. 20,672 patients have been released from state care, again exceeding the number of new cases over the past 24 hours. 5,239 patients remain in a serious condition and another 1,117 are on artificial respiration. The published numbers extend a general trend over…
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Vietnam Covid-19 surges, Ho Chi Minh enters lockdown Monday
With soaring Covid-19 infections, Ho Chi Minh City has issued a stay-at-home order enacting a strict lockdown that bans people from leaving their home starting Monday. The megacity of 9 million people has accounted for a full 80% of all Covid-19 deaths and 50% of Covid-19 infections in Vietnam and less harsh lockdown restrictions aren’t making headway. The deputy head…
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MP challenges PM Prayut to kickboxing for prime ministership
Many people have challenged PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s competence to lead the nation, especially through the Covid-19 pandemic. But MP Mongkolkit Suksintharanon took it one step further, challenging PM Prayut to a bare-knuckled kickboxing match for the prime ministership. The parliament member is the leader of the Thai Civilised Party and posted a message on Facebook Thursday making the challenge to…
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China eyes booster shots to hit herd immunity by year’s end
If they can achieve over 80% vaccination rate, China may reach herd immunity by the end of the year, according to the country’s top respiratory disease expert. He believed that booster shots would make up for the loss of efficacy after 6 months of vaccines from China and others used in the country. Officials in China believe that they will…
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