Thailand News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, and lifestyle—get breaking updates from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. Stay informed on Thai society, economy, tourism, and expat life with The Thaiger.
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How much travel insurance should cost you in Thailand (By trip length)
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Wednesday Covid Update: 9,317 new infections and 87 deaths
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration logged another 9,317 confirmed Covid-19 infections and 87 coronavirus-related deaths. In the latest and most severe wave of the virus, the CCSA has recorded 334,166 Covid-19 cases since April 1. The virus is still spreading in Thailand’s overcrowded prisons and health officials have been rolling out active testing to identify infections, even asymptomatic, and…
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Concerns raised as Health Ministry appears to ignore WHO warning on mixing vaccines
The public is questioning the Thai government’s proposal to combine Covid-19 vaccines from different manufacturers despite a warning from the World Health Organisation. The WHO’s chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, has warned against the practice, saying there is not enough information on the potential risks. However, the Pattaya News reports that Thailand’s National Communicable Disease Committee has just approved the proposal…
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42-billion-baht aid package to cushion the financial impact of Covid restrictions
The government will provide a 42-billion-baht aid package for businesses and individuals affected by the latest Covid-19 restrictions in the 10 “dark red” provinces. The Bangkok Post reports that 30 billion baht of the relief package will come from the government’s loan decree, while the other 12 billion will come from the national budget. The provinces of Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom,…
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DSI asked to step in and investigate multimillion baht street lamp project
Following the ongoing controversy of hundreds of millions of baht spent by local officials on expensive street lamps, the Department of Special Investigation has been asked to step in and investigate the projects in the Racha Thewa subdistrict of Samut Prakan, just outside Bangkok. The National Anti-Corruption Commission is also establishing 5 panels to investigate the lamp project, a probe…
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Thailand monitoring Myanmar situation, will work to end conflict
Since the February 1 military coup in Myanmar, the Thai government has been relatively quiet on the situation in the neighbouring country, with a few statements urging for peace and an end to the violence after more than 700 people were killed by Burmese security forces. Some clashes between the military and ethnic troops have been along the Thai border,…
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First night of curfew: 299 arrested
From last night to this morning, police arrested 299 people across 10 provinces. The suspects were allegedly not adhering to the new curfew, says police spokesperson Yingyot Thepjamnong. The breakdown of arrested is as follows: 57 arrested in Bangkok 187 arrested throughout: Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, and Pathum Thani 7 arrested in Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon 48 arrested in Songkhla,…
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Public warned about immigration police impersonators asking for bribes
The Thai Immigration Bureau is warning foreign residents and the general public to be careful of people who are impersonating as immigration police officers and asking for bribes or other payments. Apparently, the people posing as immigration officers are approaching individual foreigners and are inspecting establishments like factories, which tend to employ migrant workers. If approached by someone claiming to…
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More than 1,000 people file damage complaints related to Samut Prakan chemical fire
More than 1,000 residents in Samut Prakan’s Bang Phili district have filed damage complaints relating to the Ming Dih Chemical Company explosion and massive fire last week which took more than 24 hours to control. Helicopters were deployed to spray fire retardant foam. Residents within a 5 kilometre radius were told to evacuate. Toxic black smoke billowing from the chemical…
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Thai authorities crackdown on Covid-19 “fake news,” posters could face jail time
Thai authorities are cracking down on fake news, particularly false claims about the Covid-19 situation in Thailand. The Digital Economy and Society Ministry’s Anti-Fake News Centre reported more than 50 cases of fake news posted since last month, most involving Covid-19 or vaccines. Police are now investigating the cases. Those who posted or shared misleading information found to threaten national…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 8,685 new cases; provincial totals
Continuing on a sharp upward trend in the latest wave of Covid-19 infections, Thailand now has 95,410 active coronavirus cases. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration recorded 8,685 new Covid-19 cases today, raising the total case count since the start of the pandemic last year to 353,712. The latest and most severe wave of the virus, first recorded on April…
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Thai government accused of mismanagement during the pandemic
The Thai government is being accused of mismanagement related to the Covid-19 pandemic and procurement of vaccines. The Thailand Development Research Institute released a report outlining the government’s role in combating the spread of the virus, saying there were poor preparations leading up to the recent and most severe wave. The institute is now calling for an independent committee to…
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Rapid antigen tests should be available next week for testing at home
Yesterday, the Public Health Ministry announced that rapid antigen tests will now be sold for home use. The tests will be sold at hospitals, health clinics, pharmacies, and other locations that have been approved by the FDA. The announcement states that government institutions that get the kits must send them to hospitals. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul also said yesterday…
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5 movie theatres in Bangkok temporarily close
Yesterday, Major Cineplex stated it was closing 5 of its movie theatre locations in Bangkok. They will stay closed until July 25. The move is a precautionary measure against Covid. The movie Major Cineplex theatres closing are: Ratchayothin Rangsit Pin Klao Sukhumvit Esplanade Certain establishments are still open inside the shopping centre, however. They will still be closed at 8…
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Chon Buri governor orders nightly closures and requests residents to stay at home
With Covid-19 still on the rise in Chon Buri, the governor imposed new disease control measures ordering nightly business closures and officially requesting residents to stay at home from 9pm to 4am, unless travel is essential. The order goes into effect today. The restrictions are in place until the Covid-19 situation in Chon Buri improves. Chon Buri, which includes Pattaya,…
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2 Bangkok hospitals allowing foreigners to register for Covid-19 vaccination
UPDATE: The Thaiger has been informed that registration is open for 5 days only @ 100 people a day only. We would also urge people to understand that these vaccines are not in the country at this time and that people may be asked to pre-pay for the service. Following the decommissioning of the bug-ridden Thailandintervac.com website, expats in Thailand…
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Private hospitals call on government to cover costs of caring for Covid patients
Thailand’s private hospitals say that if the government would help cover the medical costs of Covid-19 patients, private facilities could help ease the burden on the public health system. The Bangkok Post reports that Pongpat Patanavanich from TPP Healthcare International, which owns MedPark Hospital, says medical costs at private hospitals are too high for those with limited budgets. According to…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 8,685 new cases and 56 deaths
8,685 new Covid-19 cases and 56 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, the latest and most severe wave of Covid-19, the CCSA has reported 324,849 infections. Out of the new cases reported today, 146 infections were reported in correctional facilities. The recent wave of infections spread to Thailand’s overcrowded prisons, infecting…
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Study shows antibodies drop by 50% every 40 days after 2 doses of Sinovac
A study carried out by the faculty of medicine at Thammasat University and the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology has found that antibodies halve every 40 days after 2 doses of the Sinovac vaccine. Researcher Anan Jongkaewwattana says 500 people who received both doses of the Chinese vaccine took part in the study. The findings confirmed that their…
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Bangkok construction workers infected with both Alpha and Delta strains
Some workers at a Bangkok constructions camp have tested positive for both the Alpha and Delta variants of Covid-19. The Bangkok Post calls it a “mixed infection” while both Nation Thailand and Thai PBS say the workers tested positive for a hybrid strain of the 2 variants. Thailand’s Medical Sciences Department director-general Dr. Supakit Sirilak announced the findings today saying…
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18 arrested and 8 luxury cars seized in alleged online gambling operation bust
18 people were arrested after Thailand’s Police Cyber Taskforce raided 2 homes in Pathum Thani suspected of being used for operating several online gambling websites. The suspects face charges of illegally running an online gambling operation and violating the Emergency Decree, which was put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19. Recently, the Thai government imposed tight restrictions in…
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Monday Covid Update: 8,656 new cases; provincial totals
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration recorded 8,656 new Covid-19 cases today, raising Thailand’s total case count since the start of the pandemic last year to 345,027 confirmed infections. The latest and most severe wave of infections, first recorded on April 1 in Bangkok nightlife districts, has accounted for 316,164 of the total confirmed cases. Thailand now has a record…
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6 “Phuket Sandbox” travellers have tested positive for Covid-19 since July 1 reopening
So far, 6 people who entered Phuket under the “Sandbox” reopening scheme have tested positive for Covid-19. Those in close contact need to quarantine for 14 days. The reopening scheme allows travellers who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, as well as their children, to enter the island province without undergoing quarantine. Nearly 4,000 tourists entered Phuket from July 1…
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Monday Covid Update: 8,656 new infections and 80 deaths
8,656 new Covid-19 cases were recorded today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the total since April 1, the latest and most severe wave of infections in Thailand, to 316,164 confirmed cases. The CCSA also recorded 80 more Covid-related deaths. Out of the new cases reported today, 73 Covid-19 cases were found in correctional facilities. The latest wave…
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Pressure mounts for effective boosters as fully vaccinated nurse dies of Covid-19
The government is coming under increasing pressure to provide effective vaccine boosters to frontline medical staff, following the death of a nurse who’d received 2 doses of Sinovac. The Bangkok Post reports that the 30 year old nurse died a week after contracting Covid-19, despite being fully inoculated. Her cousin, Siwakorn Rattanakuntee, confirmed the death on Facebook, adding that the…
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Vaccines for foreigners: 105k AstraZeneca, 150k Pfizer
As Bangkok heads into lockdown and protest groups declare the government’s handling of Covid-19 incompetent, the cry is spreading that only one thing really solves this crisis: vaccines. And as the Delta variant that Sinovac vaccines are ineffective against is poised to become the dominant strain of Covid-19 in Thailand over the next few weeks, Thailand is looking for AstraZeneca,…
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UPDATE: Beauty pageant scandal leads to Covid cluster, participants face potential prosecution
The beauty pageant women who participated in “Miss Grand Samut Sakhon” last month are possibly facing criminal charges for not wearing masks, say police. This, coming after a 22 person cluster arose after the show. 13 of the contestants’ tests positive for Covid, as well as 9 “others”, say police. Piya Tawichai, deputy commissioner of the metropolitan police told the…
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618 Sinovac vaccinated medical workers get Covid-19
After being fully inoculated with 2 doses of the Sinovac vaccine, more than 600 medical workers have been diagnosed with Covid-19 infections, according to the Public Health Ministry today. A total of 618 hospital and medical staffers have been infected with Covid-19 despite having received the Chinese-made vaccine. It was not confirmed whether they were infected with the Delta variant…
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Covid infected mother gives birth to Covid-free son
Today, a Facebook post declared that a mother who has Covid gave birth to a Covid-free son at the Mararak Hospital in Kanchanaburi, a western Thai province. The delivery of the Covid-free baby was posted to the hospital’s Facebook today. The post captured how a team of over a dozen doctors and nurses decked out in PPE suits took part…
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Covid UPDATE: 9,539 new cases, provincial totals
The CCSA has confirmed 9,539 new Covid infections & 86 coronavirus-related deaths over the past 24 hours. 103 of today’s cases were reported from the Thai prison system. Here are today’s Thai provincial totals… • HERE is a list of restrictions starting tomorrow for all dark red provinces. It includes all the transportation restrictions, curfew details and provinces in the…
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Justice Ministry looking for 411 people that were falsely imprisoned people, says they’re owed compensation
Today, the Justice Ministry announced it is seeking 411 people who were wrongly prosecuted and detained. The Ministry wants them to know they can be compensated for their erroneous incarcerations. The 411 people were tried and imprisoned in criminal cases but were eventually found to be not guilty and released, says Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin. 26 of the imprisoned people…
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