Bangkok
Reporter hospitalised with mystery illness after being bitten by monkey

A reporter who visited the Bangkok home of an obese monkey before it was removed by The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, is being treated in hospital after being bitten by the macaque. “Godzilla” found fame overnight after he was removed from his owner due to concerns about his weight.
Godzilla had been living at a market in the Minburi district of the capital and weighs more than 20 kilograms as a result of passers-by feeding him a diet of junk food. The average weight of a fully-grown macaque is 10 kilograms. DNP officials, concerned that the monkey’s obesity could be life-threatening, decided to seize him from his owner on Thursday. The day before he was removed, a news reporter visited his home on assignment. Now medical staff at Paolo Hospital Phaholyothin say they’re worried about the condition of PPTV reporter, Natcha Norphong.
It’s understood that on arrival at the home of the monkey’s owner, Natcha was initially reluctant to touch the animal. When the owner informed her that it was safe to do so, she approached the macaque, who then sank his teeth into her, biting right down to the bone.
According to a Nation Thailand report, doctors say Natcha’s white blood cell count has dropped to 3,000/ml. Normal levels are around 4,500-10,000/ml. It’s understood she is unable to get out of bed and, while no virus was detected in her blood, doctors believe she may have a bone infection.
A veterinarian from the DNP says monkeys can also carry rabies and tetanus. There is nothing to indicate that Godzilla was ever vaccinated.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
📱 Download our app on Android or iOS for instant updates on your mobile
📧 Subscribe to our daily email newsletter
👍 Like/Follow us on Facebook
🔔 Subscribe to or Join our YouTube channel for daily video updates
Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Bangkok is now a red zone. Government gives people today to get back from Songkran break.

…. before the next round of restrictions come into force at midnight tonight.
Bangkok and 17 other Thai provinces (there are 77 in total) are now declared maximum control areas. These “red zones” are the feature of the Thai Government’s new restrictions to get a grip on its rising Covid infection numbers since the start of April. The restrictions will last for at least 14 days.
From tonight, at midnight, some new restrictions are in force, not only in the red zones but every where else.
Think nightlife, think gatherings of more than 50 people, think restaurants. These are the area the government has generally targeted. The CCSA spokesperson yesterday, and the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, went out of their way to portray the new restrictions as NOT curfews and NOT lockdowns. But, if you live in a red zone province, including Bangkok, then the new set of restrictions are a lockdown in just about every sense without outright telling people to stay at home.
Everything will have to be closed from 11pm – 4am in the morning, including all convenience stores. Hope you’ve paid your Netflix subscription!
Restaurants and cafes in the red zones will be able to open until 11pm, but dine-in services will only be available until 9pm. Takeaway food can be sold until 11pm to allow the businesses and activities to continue. And there will no alcohol available anyway.
The government is also advising businesses in Bangkok, and other red zone provinces, to allow employees to work from home, or have adequate precautions in place if they need to work in the offices.
Unlike the last two outbreaks of Covid within Thailand, this cluster has emerged from the indulgences of Bangkok’s hi-sos, celebrity and look-at-me culture. The trendy clubs around Thong Lor and Ekkamai are the destination for people that want, or need, to be seen, including some politicians who have either ended up infected or knew someone in the club and pub scene and have had to self-isolate.
The late evening sojourns, with nary a care for masks or social distancing, small spaces, lots of people… it has proven the perfect breeding ground for a new Covid cluster.
Bangkok’s legendary shopping centres and community malls will have to shut their doors by 9pm, a situation now across the board for all Thai shopping centres including places like your local Tesco mall.
But convenience stores, supermarkets, community markets can stay open until 11pm.
At this stage people are being advised to to travel to Bangkok, or any other red zone province, for the next 2 week (after midnight tonight). The travel advisory isn’t an order at this stage, more of a hurry-up-and-get-back-from-your-holidays request.
Last weekend saw the mass exodus out of the city. The same return from the provinces is happening today and tomorrow. Even though the official Songkran holiday ran from Tuesday to Thursday this week, plenty of people have take the Mondays and Friday off last week to end up with an extended 9 day holiday. The government was hoping the longer Songkran break would be a boon for the shattered hospitality and tourism businesses. But last weekends sudden climb of new Covid infections caused some people to cancel or postpone their bookings.
The annual Songkran road toll, usually a national disgrace, was cut by over 50% this year due to the lack of traffic and people deciding to wait it out and catch up with their families later.
Thailand recorded 1,547 new infections around Thailand today, a slight drop from yesterdays’ 1,585 reported new cases. But the last 4 days have revealed the largest list of daily infections since the first case was detected in Thailand on January 13 last year, a 61 year old Chinese passenger on a flight from Wuhan to Suvarnabhumi – the first known case of the novel coronavirus outside of China.
2 leading police from the Thong Lor police station have already been sidelined into inactive posts, a face-saving measure to show the government were being pro-active in reacting to the sloppy enforcement (or non-existent enforcement) of Covid precautions in the district’s active nightlife. Officials are also tracking down the owners of the nightclubs and bars for potential prosecution, principally around Bangkok and in Phuket where parties, promoted and run by a group called ‘Kolour’ ended up becoming Covid spreader events.
Here’s a list of the red zone provinces.
1. Bangkok
2. Chiang Mai
3. Chon Buri
4. Samut Prakan
5. Prachuap Khiri Kan
6. Samut Sakhon
7. Pathum Thani
8. Nakhon Pathom
9. Phuket
10. Nakhon Ratchasima
11. Nonthaburi
12. Songkhla
13. Tak
14. Udon Thani
15. Suphanburi
16. Sa Kaeo
17. Rayong
18. Khon Kaen
📱 Download our app on Android or iOS for instant updates on your mobile
📧 Subscribe to our daily email newsletter
👍 Like/Follow us on Facebook
🔔 Subscribe to or Join our YouTube channel for daily video updates
Coronavirus (Covid-19)
At-risk Social Security members can get free Covid tests from tomorrow in Bangkok


Meanwhile, Thailand’s army is getting ready to deal with the influx of Covid-19 infections as its deputy spokeswoman says 2 more field hospitals are now in place. The hospitals are in Bangkok and Prachuap Khiri Khan to help ease the burden of hospitals.
Already, an army field hospital has been set up at the Thanarat military camp, in conjunction with the Fort Thanarat Hospital, to accommodate 69 Covid-19 patients from the Hua Hin Hospital and Rajamangala University of Technology’s field hospital in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
The Army Welfare Department and Phramongkutklao Hospital have also set up a field hospital in Bangkok’s Dusit district to help treat 86 additional Covid patients. And, in Songkhla province, the Rattanapol military camp is preparing to set up a 100 bed field hospital. Soldiers in PPE suits were also instructed to disinfect the Hat Yai International Airport.
Today, the CCSA announced 1,582 new Covid infections across Thailand in the past 24 hours. The small increase on yesterdays total will provide the CCSA with the information they need for this afternoon’s scheduled meeting, chaired by the Thai PM. It is expected that they will announce new restrictions but are unlikely to go for total lockdowns of provinces or ‘at risk’ districts. The Thaiger will bring this information to you ASAP after it is announced.
Here is the list of the current 18 red zone provinces which could have their restrictions raised at this afternoon’s meeting of the CCSA. Read more HERE.
📱 Download our app on Android or iOS for instant updates on your mobile
📧 Subscribe to our daily email newsletter
👍 Like/Follow us on Facebook
🔔 Subscribe to or Join our YouTube channel for daily video updates
Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Thai army sets up 2 more field hospitals to help with Covid influx

Thailand’s army is getting ready to deal with the influx of Covid-19 infections as its deputy spokeswoman says 2 more field hospitals are now in place. The hospitals are in Bangkok and Prachuap Khiri Khan to help ease the burden of hospitals in 2 of the hardest hit areas.
Already, an army field hospital has been set up at the Thanarat military camp, in conjunction with the Fort Thanarat Hospital, to accommodate 69 Covid patients from the Hua Hin Hospital and Rajamangala University of Technology’s field hospital in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
The Army Welfare Department and Phramongkutklao Hospital have also set up a field hospital in Bangkok’s Dusit district to help treat 86 additional Covid patients. And, in Songkhla province, the Rattanapol military camp is preparing to set up a 100 bed field hospital. Soldiers in PPE suits were also instructed to disinfect the Hat Yai International Airport.
The move to help accommodate hospitals was due to the army chief’s concerns over the recent 3rd wave, which has seen daily infections increase to the thousands. The chief instructed each army unit to provide extra beds and facilities to patients in each hospital after teaming with public health agencies.
Today, the CCSA announced 1,582 new Covid infections across Thailand in the past 24 hours. The small increase on yesterdays total will provide the CCSA with the information they need for this afternoon’s scheduled meeting, chaired by the Thai PM. It is expected that they will announce new restrictions but are unlikely to go for total lockdowns of provinces or ‘at risk’ districts. The Thaiger will bring this information to you ASAP after it is announced.
Here is the list of the current 18 red zone provinces which could have their restrictions raised at this afternoon’s meeting of the CCSA. Read more HERE.
Since April 1 there has been a steady growth of new infections, described as the third wave in Thai media – much higher than the number of daily infections in the first and second waves.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
📱 Download our app on Android or iOS for instant updates on your mobile
📧 Subscribe to our daily email newsletter
👍 Like/Follow us on Facebook
🔔 Subscribe to or Join our YouTube channel for daily video updates
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)2 days ago
Phuket begs Kolour attendees to come for Covid-19 testing
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)4 days ago
Thailand stocking up on Covid-19 drugs, private jabs may arrive later this year
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)3 days ago
Denmark becomes first country in Europe to ditch AstraZeneca vaccine
- Chon Buri4 days ago
Chon Buri adds 99 new Covid-19 infections today
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)2 days ago
Alcohol sales may be banned in restaurants, but no lockdown for now
- Songkran4 days ago
Songkran holiday eerily quiet after Covid mutes celebrations
- Bangkok2 days ago
Bangkok sees 7.87 million vehicles over Songkran holiday
- Bangkok4 days ago
Bangkok police tracking down owners of Thong Lor clubs where virus resurfaced
John_2
Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 11:23 am
SV40 (Simian Virus 40) the cancer causing monkey virus that contaminated 96 million shots of the 1958 Polio vaccine, was so named because it was the 40th virus discovered in monkeys.
Good luck getting bitten by a monkey lots of nasties there.
Rick
Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 2:43 pm
She probably has a new monkey covid variant. We need a new vaccine asap or we’re all going to die!!!!
toby andrews
Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 4:52 pm
Thailand rounds up all monkeys to test for new virus. All will be tested, however foreign monkeys have to pay.
Don’t sue the monkey, sue the organ grinder.
Mr cynic
Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 5:18 pm
Yet more proof monkeys are wild animals and are not suitable to be kept as household pets however cute they may look.
Bill
Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 6:10 pm
Agree with Rick…time to triple mask Isaan John
J West
Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 11:18 pm
Years ago I’d booked into a cheapo flop somewhere on the North South rail line for a rest and recon of a town I hadn’t prior knowledge of. As there was no quicky laundry I hand washed my shirt, skivvies and socks in the sink and hung them to dry on a roof rack. A few hours later I went up to collect my clothes and found everything torn to shreds without a single piece left any larger than a postage stamp. Damn monkeys.
Harvey
Sunday, April 4, 2021 at 8:54 am
Correct me if I’m wrong but, don’t white blood cells counts increase in the blood when a infection is present? They are the body’s defense against infections.
Rick
Sunday, April 4, 2021 at 1:46 pm
Didn’t you get the memo Harvey? Actual biology no longer has any fucntion in this age of the magical “Covid-19” narrative. Try to keep up man.
toby andrews
Sunday, April 4, 2021 at 4:37 pm
Thailand announces all monkeys misbehaving will be sentenced to 6 months coconut picking.
Dominic Chan
Sunday, April 4, 2021 at 5:33 pm
No virus? Are you serious? Monkeys carry a variety of unknown diseases. HIV/AIDS are the result from these primates.
If anyone is uncomfortable with animals, don’t touch them. They can read human emotions.
Amy Sukwan
Monday, April 5, 2021 at 12:14 pm
I have trouble with monkeys. Give me an elephant a tiger a liger a shark or a snake. My first time in Thailand some Curious George looking guy was tied to a chain outside of our rest stop. My then boyfriend wanted to take pictures but the little asshole took my purse! Hilarity ensued for my boyfriend as this guy got caught in my hair climbed my arm and bit everywhere but thankfully he never pierced through with his teeth. Haven’t liked monkeys since…and they don’t like me either