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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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Foreign Ministry cautions Thais about vaccine travel to the US
While Covid-19 tourism may sound like an oxymoron, people travelling abroad in order to get vaccinated is a growing trend. But now Thailand’s Foreign Ministry is urging Thai people planning to travel to the United States to get a free Covid-19 vaccine to be cautious and do their homework. They stressed that rules vary from state to state, and not…
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Desparate expats in Thailand turn to vaccine tourism
Travelling overseas just to get a prick used to have a much more negative connotation. But with limited supplies and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in Thailand, many expats are turning towards vaccine tourism, travelling to another country in order to secure a jab. With recent reports that Thai people will be prioritized and timelines vague for foreigners getting vaccinated, impatient…
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3 Covid-19 vaccines approved by Thai FDA, 3 more in registration process
3 Covid-19 vaccines have been approved by the Thai Food and Drug Administration while 3 more pharmaceutical and biotech companies are in the process of registering Covid-19 vaccines for use in Thailand, according to FDA secretary general Phaisan Dankhum. So far, the FDA has approved the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, which was made in partnership with Oxford University in the UK…
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Thailand requires in-person registration for cryptocurrency
Thailand has launched new regulations for anybody opening a cryptocurrency account that requires physical registration and forbids online setup. The Anti-Money Laundering Office created this rule that goes into effect in September 2021 in an effort to reduce money laundering, a practice that plagues crypto. People registering a cryptocurrency account in Thailand will be required to scan their Thai ID…
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Bangkok opening first ICU field hospital for Covid-19 patients with severe symptoms
With the rising number of Covid-19 cases and deaths in Bangkok, the epicentre of the new wave of infections, pushing hospitals to their limits, an ICU field hospital is opening in Bangkok. Field hospitals have been used for Covid-19 patients who are asymptomatic, or who have mild symptoms. Those with more severe symptoms have been treated at hospitals. Since the…
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Immigration police in Bangkok arrest 2 people on fraud charges
Immigration police in Bangkok arrested a Japanese man and a Chinese man on fraud charges in separate cases. One suspect arrested for allegedly scamming people out of millions of baht and the other arrested for allegedly making fake electronic cards to make purchases online. The Japanese man, identified as ‘Yamada’, allegedly scammed 3 people by claiming he knew many influential…
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Renowned Thai monk investigated for criticising government’s handling of pandemic
One of Thailand’s most prominent Buddhist monks has been accused of meddling in politics after he criticised the government’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis. Thai PBS World reports that the Sangha Supreme Council has found Phra Maha Sompong Talaputto guilty of expressing political views, which is considered inappropriate. The monk and popular preacher from Bangkok’s Soi Thong Temple is renowned…
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Medics concerned about using anti-viral Favipiravir in Covid patients with minor symptoms
Medical experts are voicing their concern over the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s plan to use the anti-viral drug Favipiravir to treat field hospital patients. Field hospitals are currently being used for so-called “green” Covid-19 patients… those with only minor symptoms, or none. Favipiravir, sold under the brand name Avigan among others, is an antiviral medication used to treat influenza in Japan.…
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Vaccines reserved for Thais, not expats – Public Health Ministry
Sorry, you’ll just have to wait. The Ministry of Public Health has muddied the waters further about foreigners or expats being able to access Covid vaccines in Thailand. Ministry spokesperson Rungrueng Kitphati has rolled back some of the comments that have already been made about the matter and the real world situation where some expats already registering for the next…
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6 of Thailand’s top tourist zones WILL start opening for quarantine-free travel in July – TAT
Full steam ahead. The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s insists that the sandbox re-opening plans for 6 of Thailand’s most economically sensitive tourist magnets will start on July 1… July 2021. Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Koh Samui, Pattaya and Chiang Mai will, according to the TAT, be open to foreign tourists who have received 2 doses of Covid-19 vaccine (or 1…
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Thailand News Today | Hotel industry in tatters, Burmese rebels destroy army helicopter | May 4
Today’s Covid stats at the end of the program. A Burmese rebel group is claiming to have downed an Army helicopter in the Kachin province in the far north of the country, poll of the Thai hotel industry shows that 47% of those surveyed only have enough liquidity to sustain less than 3 months of business, Public Health Minister, Anutin,…
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27 people die from Covid-related illness 1,763 new infections in Thailand
The CCSA has reported 27 deaths and 1,763 new Covid infections over the past 24 hours. Over the past 10 days the daily reports have hovered around the 1,500 – 2,000 mark with the death rate trending upwards. 1,009 patients remain in a serious condition. 311 patients are currently on ventilators with Covid-related symptoms. In other related news… • The Safari…
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Virologist urges government to carry out mass vaccination within 3 months
Prominent Thai virologist Dr. Yong Poovorawan is calling on the government to carry out mass vaccination of the population within 3 months, after a study showed that 1 dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine boosts immunity by more than 96%. Dr. Yong has been a persistent critic of the Thai government’s handling of the Covid outbreaks in the country. Posting on…
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Covid UPDATE: 27 deaths, 1,763 new infections
This morning the health ministry has reported 27 deaths and 1,763 Covid infections reported in the past 24 hours. Over the past 10 days the daily reports have hovered around the 1,500 – 2,000 mark with the death rate trending upwards. 1,009 patients remain in a serious condition. 311 patients are currently on ventilators with Covid-related symptoms. The Mor Prom app…
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Thailand News Today | 31 Covid-related deaths, more flight restrictions | May 3
The daily 24 hour infection report has jumped to back over the 2,000 mark, Disease prevention measures are being tightened for passengers taking to the skies after several cases of Covid-19 were found on flights from Bangkok to Phuket, Angry supporters of the pro-democracy movement gathered outside Bangkok’s Criminal Court yesterday, A new Suan Dusit Poll shows that Thai people…
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Covid UPDATE: 31 people die, 2,041 new infections, provincial totals
Today the daily 24 hour infection report for Covid-19 has jumped to back over the 2,000 mark with 2,041 new cases reported by the Thai health ministry. 31 people have died from Covid-related illness as well, a new high. Yesterday the death toll for a single day was 21. The CCSA report that most of today’s reported deaths were from…
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Flying rules tightened after Covid-19 infections found on Phuket flights
Disease prevention measures are being tightened for air passengers after several cases of Covid-19 were found on flights from Bangkok to Phuket. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has issued new guidance for airlines and passengers, after passengers on 7 flights, operated by 3 different airlines, subsequently tested positive for the virus. Phuket’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has ordered…
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Protesters rally at Criminal Court after detainees’ bail request denied again
Angry supporters of the pro-democracy movement gathered outside Bangkok’s Criminal Court yesterday, after bail requests for detained activists were rejected for the ninth time. Those who had their bail applications refused include Parit Chiwarak, aka, “Penguin”, who has been transferred to Ramathibodi Hospital due to his weakened condition. Parit has been on hunger strike for nearly 50 days. The Bangkok…
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Covid-19 again lowers Thai economic growth forecast to 2.3%
Thailand’s economic growth forecast was lowered to 2.3% as the tourism outlook remains bleak as Covid-19’s third wave pummels the country. Back in October 2020, the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Office had originally predicted a 4.5% growth for Thailand’s GDP, when Covid-19 seemed to be waning in the country. By January, as the second wave hit, projections were reeled in…
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Thailand expecting 3.5 million Sinovac vaccines by end of May
Another 3.5 million Sinovac Biotech vaccines have been confirmed to be arriving by the end of May, health officials said Friday. With a slow vaccine rollout putting Thailand’s ambitious July 1 reopening plan in jeopardy, the confirmation of another batch of jabs is welcomed news. The head of the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation announced the first million vaccines will arrive in…
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Covid UPDATE: 1,940 new Covid infections, 21 new deaths
Sunday’s report from the Thai health ministry says that there has been 21 new deaths in the last 24 hour reporting period. and 1,940 new cases. There has been 82 people dying over the past 5 days in the current 3rd wave surge of Covid 19 around Thailand. Whilst there’s been a general trend downward over the past week, the…
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Mor Prom app crashes yesterday as people rush to register for vaccine roll out
The new Mor Prom (doctors ready) app, where people registered under the Thai public health system can register for the next round of Covid vaccinations, has seized up after only one day being live. Before the crash some 300,000 people had registered for the vaccine. There is also a LINE account where people can register. About 1 million people were…
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Nowhere to hide: Face masks required in all 77 Thai provinces
You hate them. We hate them. We all hate wearing them. You hate endless reporting on them. We hate writing over and over about it. But… Face masks. They are no longer optional anywhere in Thailand. First face masks became compulsory in a few places, then 31 provinces. Phuket even singled out “problem foreigners” refusing to wear masks. Soon 54 provinces…
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Covid UPDATE: 21 Covid-related deaths, infection numbers rise, provincial totals
All the provincial totals (below) from the NBT. Today’s Covid-19 infections were announced this morning and feature a new high in Covid-related deaths. 21 people have succumbed over the past 24 hour reporting period, according to the Thai Health Ministry. The people that died include 9 men and 12 women, aged between 39 and 90. 28,745 people remain in state-controlled…
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Returning Thais tested for Indian variant of Covid-19
A group of Thais just back from India who tested positive for Covid-19 are feared to have the very dangerous Indian variant. Health officials are rushing to confirm what strain of Covid-19 the returning travellers have. The Public Health Ministry already had labs analyzing samples to identify if it is indeed the Indian variant. India is currently deep in a…
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Vaccine appointments from today via Mor Prom LINE account
Thailand has launched the Mor Prom account on the Line app today where locals can register to get their vaccine appointments. While 16 million people earmarked as vulnerable will get top priority for the free vaccines, everyone can sign up now, though it appears to be for Thai citizens only. Starting today, people can register for vaccination using the Line…
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Covid UPDATE: 1,891 new infections, 21 deaths
Today’s Covid-19 24 hour infections report features a new high in Covid-related deaths. 21 people have succumbed over the past 24 hour reporting period, according to the Thai Health Ministry. 1,891 new Covid infections have also been reported. Thailand’s total cases has now reached 67,044 since the start of the pandemic in Thailand in January 2020. 1,884 of those are local…
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Thai people not given choice which Covid-19 vaccine they receive
It’s free but you don’t get a choice. Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that people will not be given a choice of which Covid-19 vaccine they receive. Amid widespread criticism of the slow rollout of vaccination in Thailand, the health minister discussed the process of vaccines being approved for distribution within Thailand. Many are concerned about possible side…
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New Covid-19 infections fall, but critical cases rise
Don’t let the decrease in new daily Coronavirus cases mislead you. The number of critical Covid-19 cases and deaths are on the rise and Thailand is far from over the Coronavirus pandemic. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration put out a notice today reminding people that vigilance is still imperative and that people need to follow safety measures and should…
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Patrol at Thai-Myanmar border arrest more than 200 migrants over the past 4 days
More than 200 migrants have been caught illegally crossing the Myanmar border into Kanchanaburi over the past 4 days. Many of the Burmese people detained by border patrol officers say they were coming to Thailand for work and had paid off brokers to set them up with jobs. Due to the influx of migrants crossing the border, provincial authorities called…
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