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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 Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you
Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...
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Schools closed in north-east as shared transport blamed for Covid-19 outbreak
A Covid-19 outbreak has closed 2 schools in the north-eastern province of Ubon Ratchathani, with students and teachers quarantined. According to a Thai PBS World report, provincial health officials are blaming shared school vans for the spread of the virus. 24 students have tested positive and 295 other students and their teachers have been quarantined for observation. It’s understood a…
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American businesses pledge continued investment in Thailand
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says that he is pleased with the ongoing economic relationship between Thailand and the United States. American businesses have pledged continued investment in the country as they acknowledge the many opportunities in Thailand, despite the setbacks that have been caused by Covid-19. A meeting between PM Prayut and the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (Amcham) was…
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New Covid-19 treatment from AstraZeneca could make “significant difference”
Studies show that a new Covid-19 antibody treatment from AstraZeneca offers 83% protection over 6 months. According to a Reuters report, the pharmaceutical giant says the new treatment could offer hope to people who don’t respond well to vaccines. Executive Vice President Mene Pangalos says the evidence shows it could make a significant difference. “These new data add to the…
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Thai and Cambodian police rescue 99 Thais from forced labour in Phnom Penh
Thai police have worked with their Cambodian counterparts to rescue another 99 Thai nationals working in forced labour conditions in Phnom Penh. It follows the earlier rescue of Thai workers held in similar conditions in the Cambodian border city of Poipet. According to a Bangkok Post report, the workers were rescued from a fenced-off 3-storey building in the Cambodian capital.…
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Anti-doping agency bans Thailand from hosting international football tournaments
The World Anti-Doping Agency has hit Thailand with a number of sanctions over its failure to comply with WADA conditions. The ruling means Thailand cannot host any international football tournaments and the Thai flag cannot be displayed at such events. It’s understood the ruling is a result of Thailand’s failure to follow WADA’s 2021 code. According to a Bangkok Post…
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Mass lay-offs at Thai AirAsia as aviation sector continues to struggle
Thailand may have re-opened to international travellers, but the aviation sector continues to struggle as a result of the pandemic. Today, the Bangkok Post reports that Thai AirAsia has announced mass redundancies and extended furlough arrangements for many of its staff. Asia Aviation, the largest shareholder in TAA, says the outlook for the aviation sector remains unstable and the company…
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Belarus deeply divided over migrant arrivals
It was a spontaneous decision. “I packed a wool coat, vest, warm scarves, mittens, a blanket and jacket,” writes a Minsk-based blogger, who requested anonymity. The items were part of an impromptu donation drive to support migrants holed up in the Belarus capital. She describes in the Facebook post how “grateful” they were to receive the clothing. “The black coat…
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19 year old claims Sinovac vaccine caused his hair to fall out
After getting 2 Sinovac vaccines, a 19 year old student in Phuket claims his hair began falling out in clumps, leaving him bald. The vocational school student is from Phang Nha but stays now in Chalong in order to study at school and told the press that a doctor had verified the condition. The man said he travelled to his…
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China: Detained journalist Zhang Zhan on ‘hanging by a thread’
Detained journalist Zhang Zhan is reportedly on the “hanging by a thread” amid a hunger strike, as international pressure mounts on the Chinese government to release her. Zhang was also unveiled as the recipient of the 2021 Press Freedom Award in the courage category, by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), on Thursday. She was arrested in May 2020, after posting dozens…
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China: Detained journalist Zhang Zhan’s life ‘hanging by a thread’
Detained journalist Zhang Zhan is reportedly on the “hanging by a thread” amid a hunger strike, as international pressure mounts on the Chinese government to release her. Zhang was also unveiled as the recipient of the 2021 Press Freedom Award in the courage category, by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), on Thursday. She was arrested in May 2020, after posting dozens…
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Greece: NGO workers could face 25 years in prison for helping migrants
When Sean Binder and Sarah Mardini were arrested and put in prison on the Greek island of Lesbos in February 2018, the police report referred to them as “No. 7” and “No. 8.” “I am actually not sure if I am seven or eight, but it was me and Sara in the police station that day, so I am definitely…
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Greece: NGO workers could face prison for helping migrants
When Sean Binder and Sarah Mardini were arrested and put in prison on the Greek island of Lesbos in February 2018, the police report referred to them as “No. 7” and “No. 8.” “I am actually not sure if I am seven or eight, but it was me and Sara in the police car that day, so I am definitely…
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Abortion in India: Bridging the gap between progressive legislation and implementation
Shilpa (name changed) found out she was pregnant at the age of 21. She had just enrolled herself into graduate school in India’s commercial capital of Mumbai. Distraught and alone in a big city, she took an auto-rickshaw to the nearest hospital and got an appointment with a gynecologist. Braving judgmental glances, the first question that she had to answer…
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Ghanaian clinic encourages dads to attend post natal care
The Child Welfare Clinic in Tamale, Ghana asked mothers to bring their husbands to postnatal care. The idea is to encourage fathers to join in child welfare. When parents come together, they get attended to first. SOURCE: DW News
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Thailand aims for 65 million Covid-19 vaccines for next year
Eying long-term Covid-19 strategies, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has announced that Thailand is targeting obtaining 65 million vaccines for next year. The vaccines are planned to include the newest versions of each brand imported, though the exact allotment of brands and vaccines were not announced. The prime minister did confirm, however, that contracts have already been signed with suppliers to source…
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Loy Krathong in Bangkok: Proof of vaccination or ATK test required
Those in Bangkok celebrating Loy Krathong tomorrow will need to abide by “new normal” measures which include showing proof of vaccination or taking a rapid antigen test to enter venues approved to hold the celebrations. All visitors must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 vaccine or test negative for Covid-19 within the past 72 hours. There will be two main locations in…
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India: Rohingya refugees fear deportation
Indian officials have called for the deportation of nearly 40,000 Rohingya refugees, many of whom live in dire conditions. The government claims they are a threat to national security, but critics say it is a campaign of discrimination. SOURCE: DW News
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Pro-monarchy academic says lèse majesté law needs to be more clear
With Thailand’s draconian lèse majesté law in the spotlight as continuous youth-led protests call on an end to law which carries a lengthy prison sentence for insulting the Thai Monarchy, a well-known academic and supporter of the royal family says the law needs to be amended to make it more clear. Under Section 112 of the Thailand’s Criminal Code, also…
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Thursday Covid Update: 6,901 new cases; provincial totals
55 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,254 with 20,160 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 6,901 new Covid-19 cases and 7,556 recoveries. There are now 90,672 people in Thailand being…
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“Visit Thailand Year 2022” tourism campaign launching
“Visit Thailand Year 2022” has been approved by the Cabinet as a new tourism campaign as the CCSA creates a special panel to address tourism industry problems due to Covid-19. The campaign is following PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s goal of bringing back the ailing industry according to Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakan who proposed the programme for the cabinet’s…
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Covid-19 falling, even in Deep South, but still dire in Chiang Mai
According to the Ministry of Public Health, the good news is that, throughout Thailand, Covid-19 infection rates are successfully falling. The bad news is that Chiang Mai, traditionally a popular tourist and expat living destination, is a notable exception to the rule, with an increasingly dire situation on the ground there. Infection numbers in the Deep South of Thailand continue…
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First international tourist group arrives in Vietnam since start of the pandemic
After a two-year hiatus due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the first group of 29 international tourists has arrived at Da Nang Airport in Quang Nam province, under the vaccine passport programme. The Vietnam Airlines charter flight which departed Incheon Airport in South Korea boarded nationals from Australia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, South…
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Thai authorities issue warning on Trang temple’s cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency investors in Thailand are being warned not to invest in Somdejcoin, or SDC, which is named after a revered Buddhist monk and developed by a temple in the southern province Trang. Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, issued an official statement yesterday warning traders and investors about the decentralised finance token, claiming that the coin’s investment data is…
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Belarus-Poland crisis: Death and misery at the border
He was only 19 years old when he died — and was buried this week in a quiet ceremony in the tiny Polish village of Bohoniki, near the Kuznica border crossing to Belarus. The location is a place where Muslim Tartars settled in the 17th century and, while only a handful of them live there today, the small community felt…
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Constitutional Court ruling on marriage a setback for same-sex couples
In a setback for the LGBTQ+ community, Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled that the current law, which says marriage is between a man and a woman, is constitutional. Same-sex marriage activists have argued that the wording of the law, Section 1448 of the Civil and Commercial Code, basically blocks same-sex couples from being legally married. A petition had been filed with…
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Winners of the 2021 Press Freedom Awards unveiled
In December of 2019, a mysterious new lung disease spread through the city of Wuhan in central China. At the time, no one imagined it would soon become a global pandemic. The Chinese authorities played down the incident as infections went into overdrive. On January 23, 2020, the city went into total lockdown — with estimates that thousands of inhabitants…
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“People’s Constitution” to take down “Prayut regime” rejected by parliament
Parliament rejected a draft of the so-called “People’s Constitution,” a proposed legislation to take down what Thais call the “Prayut regime” and scrap the 20 year national strategy. A former Democrat candidate told Thai PBS World that “Prayut regime” essentially allows the prime minister to control the Senate and other organisations mandated under the charter. The “People’s Constitution” draft was…
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Scoot announces new service between Singapore and London Gatwick via Bangkok
Low-cost carrier Scoot, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, has confirmed a new service between Singapore and London, via Bangkok. TTR Weekly reports that the new service will launch on December 16. The announcement means Scoot is the only low-cost airline offering non-stop flights between Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and London. The flight to Gatwick Airport will also be Scoot’s first service to…
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Assistant village chief allegedly shoots and kills his 2 year old daughter
An assistant village head in Southern Thailand allegedly killed his two year old daughter after he fired a shot at his wife, but the bullet missed and hit the child. Reports say he then turned the gun to his head and shot himself. Reports say the man was drunk and lashed out at his wife’s birthday party in Nakhon Si…
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US says free press integral to democracy, pledges support for Thai journalists
The Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Bangkok says the United States pledges to support a free press and independent journalism in Thailand. Michael Heath has described a free press as a vital component of democracy and freedom of expression. The Bangkok Post reports that he was addressing reporters who were attending a seminar at the embassy. The event…
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