Thailand News
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Leave the monarchy alone – Thai Minister warns protesters
Protest peacefully, but keep the Thai monarchy out of it – that’s the gist of a warning from the Digital Economy and Society Minister referring to recent political protests that have been raising questions about Thailand’s revered Head of State. Rallies by royalist students and opposition parties have ended without incident at this stage although there have been a number of…
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Thailand’s international borders not re-opening for tourists until 2021 – TAT
Thailand is unlikely to reopen its borders to international tourists before the end of the year – the prediction from a deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Speaking at yet another webinar, this time hosted by Mekong Tourism and TravelMole, the deputy governor for international marketing at TAT, Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, noted that there has been “no…
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Repatriation flights suspended after Thai staff contract Covid-19 at foreign embassies
Thai embassies in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been hit with outbreaks of Covid-19, affecting a number of Thai staff, according to the Foreign Ministry. The Thai embassy in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, said that a foreign employee was suffering “mild symptoms” and tested positive for Covid-19. The official was reportedly receiving medical treatment. The embassy has also suspended arrangements…
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Global cases of Covid-19 top 20 million
While Thailand has recorded no new case of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, the pandemic continues to escalate around the world, with global cases of the virus now topping 20 million. The Thai government’s Covid-19 task force says confirmed cases in Thailand stand at 3,351, with 414 of those detected among people in state quarantine. Nation Thailand reports that…
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Covid-19 update: 3 new imported cases, no deaths (August 9)
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 3 new cases of the coronavirus today, while the Public Health Ministry confirmed none of the concertgoers in Nakhon Si Thammarat were infected. Today marks the 76th day without a locally transmitted case in Thailand. The CCSA said 1 of the new cases is a 31 year old Bangladeshi man who tested positive…
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Thailand makes US “low-risk” list for Covid-19
The latest US travel advisory names just 7 countries as being at low-risk for Covid-19 infection – and Thailand is among them. Although Thailand remains closed to most foreign visitors, and a leading epidemiologist is urging it to remain so for another 6-18 months, the secretary-general of the National Research Committee said today that the inclusion on the low-risk list…
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Poll: majority doubt constitutional reform will improve Thai politics
The government of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, in an apparent nod to widespread student protests, has agreed inprinciple to amend Thaland’s Constitution. But according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll, a slim majority of Thais are not confident that constitutional amendments will improve Thai politics. The poll was conducted August 3-4 on 1,255 people…
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Leading Thai epidemiologist warns against opening borders
A leading epidemiologist on the faculty of medicine at Chulalongkorn University is calling for the government to suspend any plan to allow foreign tourists for 6-18 months. Dr Thira Woratanarat, who makes daily updates on his Facebook in the Thai language and is well followed in the Thai media, has been delivering regular warnings about the risk of Covid-19 to…
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Covid-19 update: 3 new imported cases, no new deaths (August 8)
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 3 new Covid-19 cases today. All are Thai nationals, 2 recently repatriated from Saudi Arabia and 1 from Indonesia, bringing the total to 3,348. The death toll remained unchanged at 58. Today marks 75 days without a locally transmitted case being identified in Thailand. 2 of the new cases are students, both 24,…
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US soldiers, concertgoers all test negative for Covid-19
All 110 US soldiers visiting Bangkok for upcoming joint military exercises have tested negative for Covid-19. Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesperson for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, says all are staying at alternative state quarantine locations and are strictly prohibited from leaving their rooms or interacting with the general public. The soldiers’ arrival caused concern and discussion on social media,…
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Chon Buri’s Nongprue joins fight against dengue, chikingunya viruses
Following the lead of Chon Buri’s Si Racha subdistrict, Pattaya’s Nongprue is rolling out its campaign to contain the spread of the chikungunya and dengue fever viruses after many cases were reported locally and hospital visits increased. Both viruses comes from bites of infected mosquitoes. The Public Health and Environment Division of Nongprue in Banglamung are warning the public to…
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Activist lawyer arrested after questioning Monarchy’s role
34 year old Thai activist and civil rights lawyer and Arnon Nampha was arrested this afternoon for “sedition” and “breaching the emergency decree”. He was apprehended in front of his Bangkok condominium at around 2pm, according to the head of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, Yaowalak Anuphan. He is currently in police custody. “Arnon can only be detained no more…
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Deputy PM: 2 ways to amend Thai Constitution
As the government has agreed in principle to amend Thailand’s Constitution, Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam says there are 2 approaches to amending it – with or without a referendum. Wissanu, a legal expert, said yesterday that amendments which require a referendum are changes to Chapter 1 (which contains general provisions), Chapter 2 (which deals with the Thai monarchy), and Chapter…
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Trump decries “Thighland’s” unfair trade practices
OPINION Gaffe-prone US President Donald Trump, recently mocked for his mispronunciation of the name of Yosemite National Park as “YO-semite”, has stuck his foot in it again: Finland is obviously for fins, Switzerland for switzers, Iceland for ice and Holland for the nethers. Surely there’s a home for everyone’s favourite part of the leg, between hip and knee? Very stable…
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Thai government says it’s ready to help Lebanon following Beirut blast
Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Don Pramudwinai, says the country is ready to provide assistance to Lebanon in the aftermath of the explosion that rocked the capital, Beirut, earlier this week. The cause of the blast has not been confirmed, but is believed to be due to over 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that was being illegally stored at a warehouse…
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Thailand’s GDP forecast to fall up to 9% this year
Thailand’s GDP is set to fall 7-9%, year-on-year, according to the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking. The fall is, not surprisingly, being fallout from the catastrophic drop in tourism and lower exports. Kalin Sarasin, chairman of the Board of Trade of Thailand, says the expected contraction was revised downwards from 5-8%. The committee also predicted exports would drop…
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COVID-19 update: 2 new cases found in state quarantine, no new deaths (August 6)
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration this morning reported 2 new cases of Covid-19, both returnees from the US, bringing the national total of confirmed cases to 3,330 since the outbreak began in January. A CCSA spokeman said the new patients are a 42 year old man aged 42 and a woman, aged 62, both Thai nationals. They arrived on…
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No current plans to extend list of foreigners allowed back into Thailand
There is no immediate plan to extend the list of foreigners being allowed to come to Thailand at the moment. Specifically still excluded are retirees with valid visas, homes and families in Thailand. The directive comes from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since Thailand’s experience with Covid-19, it has closed its borders to tourists and visitors, stranding both Thais and…
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Cabinet approves 435 million baht to control hungry elephants, monkeys
The Covid-19 crisis hasn’t just affected humans and businesses; it’s had a profound impact on Thailand’s wildlife- much of which was dependent on tourism for survival. As a result, the Cabinet on Tuesday approved a budget of 435.3 million baht to reduce the impacts of wildlife on people. The budget was requested by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.…
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US ambassador visits Thai clean-tech company Equator Pure Nature
The United States Ambassador to Thailand, Michael George DeSombre visited American-founded Thai clean-tech pioneer Equator Pure Nature yesterday to discuss perspectives on US businesses and American-founded companies in Thailand, their contributions to Thai society, primarily during the Covid-19 pandemic, and their role in assisting the development of Thai entrepreneurs, particularly women. Thailand is among countries recognised worldwide as having best…
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Harry Potter-themed protest openly questions monarchy’s role
Thai protesters strayed into more sensitive territory Monday night as they added the prickly, and largely taboo, topic of the Thai monarchy to the list of issues to include in their demonstrations. At a Harry Potter-themed rally, dubbed “Harry Potter versus You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named”, anti-government demonstrators at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument demanded changes to Thailand’s revered monarchy and called for curbs…
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Police seize property valued at 200 million baht from suspected hill tribe drug gang – VIDEO
Anti-narcotics police in 4 provinces seized property valued at around 200 million baht from a suspected drug trafficking gang… mostly northern hill tribe people, in coordinated raids yesterday. 30 targets in Bangkok and Hua Hin, as well as in northern and southern provinces, were raided by armed officers. 24 houses, 5 shophouses, 12 land title deeds, 22 cars and 27…
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Nok Air blames some of its losses on MPs who don’t show up for flights
Part of Nok Air’s current losses are being blamed on privileged MPs, who receive free flights on the budget carrier but don’t turn up for their flights. Somboon Uthaiwiankul, secretary for the government’s House Speaker, says the issue was brought up by executives of the airline during a meeting with the House Speaker, Chuan Leekpai. The executives told him last…
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Senator questions the admission of US troops during state of emergency
A Thai senator is questioning the need for US troops to participate in joint exercises with their Thai counterparts while a state of emergency is still in place in the country. The emergency decree was extended for the third time at the end of July and is now set to expire at the end of this month. Senator Kamnoon Sidhisamarn…
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Thai PM says he supports changes to Constitution
In an apparent nod to the student protests which have swept the nation for over 2 weeks, Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has promised to push for constitutional amendments, saying the government will present its version of a charter rewrite bill in the next parliamentary session. Speaking after yesterday’s weekly cabinet meeting, Prayut said his position has been to support the…
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Maid fakes burglary after stealing employer’s safe
A Burmese maid has been arrested after stealing a safe from her employer and then trying to convince her there had been a burglary. The worker, named only as 34 year old Ice, was employed by 62 year old Samniang at her home in the central province of Samut Songkhram, some 80 kilometres south-west of Bangkok. Samniang says she called…
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Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand family ranked 21 on world’s rich list
Bloomberg has released its list of the world’s wealthiest, and the family behind Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group sits at number 21. The CP conglomerate is one of the world’s largest, operating across multiple sectors, including food manufacture, agriculture, retail, and telecommunications. It has stakes in CP Foods, the world’s largest producer of shrimp and among the top 3 producers of…
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Skeletal remains found in Chon Buri may be those of missing Burmese worker – VIDEO
A human skeleton found inside dense bushland is believed to be that of a Burmese national who worked at commercial fishponds nearby. The owner of the fishponds, 50 year old Somyot Lieamhan, says clothing found near the skeleton matched those worn by the man, named only as ‘Mint’, at the time he disappeared. Somyot says the worker disappeared shortly after…
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New categories of foreigners allowed back into Thailand from tomorrow
Today Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, has clarified that more types of foreigners will be allowed to return to Thailand from August 4… • Foreigners who hold a residency permit, as well as their spouse and children (new category) • Foreigners who hold a current work permit, as well as their spouse and children…
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Thai PM orders seizure of body of key “Boss” witness for new autopsy
The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered officials to seize the body of a new witness who emerged 10 days ago in the Boss Yoovidhya hit-and-run case from 2012. The PM has instructed a new autopsy to end public speculation about the circumstances of his death – a motorcycle road death in Chiang Mai last week. Meanwhile, Chiang Mai police released…
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