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Thursday Covid Update: 20,902 new cases and 301 deaths
20,902 new Covid-19 cases and 301 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 22,208 recoveries. There are now 205,946 people receiving treatment for Covid-19. In the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, first recorded on April 1, the CCSA…
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Meet the Middle Eastern migrants trapped in Lithuania
The trip from the center of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, to the refugee reception center in Rudninkai takes about 40 minutes. It’s not that easy to get there. We have to stop and ask for directions several times. But eventually we park our car at the edge of a forest and then follow a well-trodden path through the undergrowth toward…
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CCSA approves Sputnik vaccine, allowing Russian Sandboxers
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration quietly okayed the Russian Sputnik vaccine as one of the accepted vaccine brands for international travellers entering Sandbox destinations in Thailand. The vaccine had previously failed to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration for import and use in Thailand. The Department of Disease Control is now expected to approve the order from…
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Taliban triumph means more worries in Africa
For over a decade now, there’s been a surge in the activities of extremist groups in the east and west Africa, the Sahel and parts of southern Africa. Many are Islamist militant groups with some form of affiliation to al-Qaeda, an organization the United Nations has said shares links with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Somali-based media affiliated to the homegrown…
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Indonesia converting motorbikes to electric, aims for all e-vehicles
A new program is launching today in Indonesia to convert normal petrol-fueled motorbikes into electric vehicles to try to make Indonesian transportation more eco-friendly. Indonesia’s Energy Ministry announced the plan to make a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation and they have already converted 10 motorbikes. The plan intends to convert 90 more motorbikes by November for a total of…
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Indonesia: Will the army’s ban on ‘virginity tests’ last?
The chief of staff of the Indonesian army, General Andika Perkasa, recently announced that the army will no longer conduct virginity tests on women applying to join the forces. He was referring to the invasive two-finger examination that was conducted to determine whether female applicants’ hymens were intact. The practice, used in the past by the military to determine recruits’…
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Afghanistan: Pakistan rejoices at Taliban victory as West flounders
Afghanistan has a familiar power back in place. Kabul has fallen. The Taliban have won. And Pakistanis are euphoric. To many a foe, but to others a friend, the cloistered group of extremists has long-held cordial ties with Islamabad, and the Taliban’s recent rise from the flames has left many Pakistanis in raptures. Khan: Removal of the ‘shackles of slavery’…
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Burmese military junta death toll surpasses 1,000
Myanmar passed a grim milestone as the death toll at the hands of security forces after the February 1 military coup has officially surpassed 1,000 people. Since the military junta seized power, pro-democracy protesters have taken to the streets nearly non-stop to demonstrate and are often met with harsh and violent suppression from the Burmese military. The Assistance Association for…
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Pattaya beach remodel project defended by mayor
After an uproar paused a beach remodel project that began Sunday, the Pattaya City Mayor held a press conference to explain and justify the remodel plans. Community leaders and notable residents protested the plans to launch the refurbishment, with complaints mainly on two grounds. First, many objected to the removal of trees that would come along with revamping the beachfront.…
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Woman advertises free antigen test kits with purchase of water, FDA investigates
Thailand’s FDA is planning legal action against Pimradaporn Benjawattanapat, an online seller also known as “Pimrypie”. Pimradaporn allegedly tried to give a set of antigen test kits as a gift alongside purchases of mineral water. The FDA deputy secretary general, Dr Surachok Tangwiwat, says his office will ask the Consumer Protection Police Division to investigate Pimradaporn’s ads for mineral water…
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Taliban vows no revenge, fewer restrictions on women this time
In the wake of seizing control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have pledged a kinder, gentler rule than that of 20 years ago before the United States 2001 invasion. They vow to not exact revenge on their opponents and to respect the rights of women, taking a more conciliatory tone. As the Taliban stormed the capital and assumed control, tens of…
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In Kabul, terrified Afghans wait for the call to safety
In a crowded Kabul cellar earlier this week, seven men acted out a desperate, terrifying scenario: One of them pretended to be a Taliban militant, the others had to convince them that they were students — not men who had spent years working for the German army. “We practiced our role: We are studying this, we are studying here,” one…
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Phuket Town lockdown lifted except Downtown Market, Market 2
After active Covid-19 testing revealed a reasonably low number of infections, the majority of last week’s lockdown in the centre of Phuket Town has now been lifted, aside from the market. The municipality fresh market at the heart of the lockdown will still remain closed for several more days. Several other market areas will remain shuttered for the duration of…
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Snake pops out of Australian grocery store shelf, local woman helps catch and release reptile
A python emerged from a grocery store shelf in Sydney, a city on Australia’s east coast, and surprised a grocery store patron earlier this week. 25 year old Helaina Alati, was shopping at a Woolworths when the 3 metre long snake pushed itself out of a shelf full of spices. Reportedly, the Woolworths supermarket is situated on edge of a…
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Ban lifted on longan fruit to China over mealybugs
After a ban implemented on August 13, China has now agreed to let longan fruit exports back into their country. The ban from last week was the result of mealybugs being found to have contaminated longan shipments from Thailand. The Commerce Ministry confirmed that the Chinese government has now allowed 56 specific sorting and packaging facilities to export to China…
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Police raid birthday party at Bangkok resort, arrest 28 people
Police raided a birthday party at a resort in Bangkok and arrested 28 people for violating emergency orders which prohibit gatherings of more than five people. Sutthisan police officers raided the resort in the Ratchadapisek area at around 3:30am today and arrested them for violating the disease control measures. Bangkok is classified as a “dark red” zone under maximum control with…
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Hospitals face alleged favouritism in distribution of vaccines
A probe is being launched to investigate the director of Chaloem Phra Kiat Hospital who is accused of favouritism after his wife and an associate received Pfizer vaccines they were not qualified for. A committee was set up yesterday by the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Public Health Office to look into the improper vaccine allotment as the Pfizer vaccines have been…
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Dengue fever on the rise in Bangkok, Department of Disease Control reports
Dengue fever is reportedly on the rise in Bangkok and the Department of Disease Control says the number of dengue infections in the capital reported from January 3 to July 3 is “unprecedented,” according to Nation Thailand. During the six month period, a total of 1,043 people in Bangkok tested positive for the mosquito-borne illness, which is also known as…
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Taliban victory: A likely boost for Islamist extremists in the Middle East
While the West is anxiously watching developments after the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan, “Islamic State” (IS), al-Qaeda and other terror militias are also observing what is happening with keen interest — to say the least. “We have to expect that not only IS, but also al-Qaeda and other smaller groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan will become stronger,” Guido Steinberg, a…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 20,515 new cases; provincial totals
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 20,515 new Covid-19 cases and a record high of 312 coronavirus-related deaths. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 968,967 confirmed Covid-19 infections and 8,285 coronavirus-related fatalities. There are now 207,553 people in Thailand receiving treatment for the coronavirus, a decline over the past few…
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Family of Phuket murder suspect does not plan to request bail
The family of Teerawat Thothip, the man who allegedly killed 57 year old Swiss national Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, does not plan to request bail for him. Region 8 Police Commander Kitrat Panpetch confirmed the family does not plan to file for bail. Nicole’s half-naked body was found earlier this month in a creek near Ao Yon Waterfall. Her shorts and shoes…
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18 arrested at Bang Lamung birthday party, ecstasy seized
Police in Bang Lamung, a district in Chon Buri, have arrested 18 people yesterday at a birthday party. The raid, which made it a surprise birthday party in a way, happened at 11 pm at a home in the Nong Pla Yen sub-district. Police were alerted to the birthday party from a concerned citizen who was reportedly afraid the party…
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Massage businesses file class action suit against government over Covid restrictions
Thailand’s massage parlours and spas are suing the government, demanding compensation for the loss of income they’ve endured as a result of Covid-19 partial lockdowns. Thai PBS World reports that 172 massage parlours and spas filed a class action suit against the Finance Ministry and the government. They are demanding to be compensated for the financial losses they’ve suffered since…
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Woman who stole over 250 million baht from sick mother sentenced to 12 years
A Bangkok woman who stole 253 million baht from her elderly sick mother has been jailed for 12 years. The Bangkok Post reports that 55 year old Mawadi Siwirat stole the money from her 84 year old mother, named as Huay Siwirat, while she was receiving hospital treatment for a heart condition. Mawadi pled guilty and was found guilty on…
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Why the Afghan army folded to the Taliban
US President Joe Biden on Monday addressed the nation to share his views on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover of the war-ravaged country. As Biden justified his decision to pull all US troops out of Afghanistan, he blamed the Afghan leadership for not resisting Taliban advances in recent weeks. “The truth is: this did unfold more…
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The conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia
Who’s fighting who? Ethiopian government soldiers and Tigrayan fighters are battling for control of the country’s northern Tigray region. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) sees Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as a bitter enemy: in the 25 years before he became Ethiopia’s leader in 2018, the TPLF domintated national politics, and controlled ministerial, government and military appointments. Critics called…
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Royal Thai Police issue warning on scams and online threats
The Royal Thai Police issued a warning on various scams and online threats to raise public awareness, adding that people should be cautious about what is posted online as cyber bullying and spreading fake news can result in criminal charges. People are asked to cooperate and report any illegal acts to the Thai Royal Police Hotline by calling 1599, according…
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Japan, South Korea wary of China’s post-US clout in Afghanistan
Japan and South Korea shuttered their respective embassies in Kabul and evacuated the last of their diplomats and aid workers from the Afghan capital after the Taliban effectively seized control of Afghanistan on Monday. Neither Tokyo nor Seoul sent military forces to Afghanistan, but both have been significant providers of infrastructure development aid over the two decades of US and…
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Saint-Tropez wildfire forces thousands to leave French resort hotspot
A wildfire in the Saint-Tropez region of Southern France has forced thousands of people to evacuate, says the fire service today. AFP reports that round around 750 firefighters responded to the fire while Reuters estimates the number of firefighters is closer to 900. Aircraft also dropped water on the blaze. The high temperatures and strong winds made the situation even more…
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Chinese market finds Covid on durian packages
Recently, a Chinese market in Ganzhou, which sits in the east of China, announced that they detected Covid on the surface of durian packages that came from Thailand, says the Office of Agricultural Affairs under the Thai Embassy in Beijing. The OAA says they found the virus at the Haudongcheng market late last week. Further, everyone who has handled the…
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