Thailand
Samut Sakhon employer allegedly “dumps” migrant workers at a highway outside Bangkok

A group of Burmese migrant workers ended up on the side of a highway near Bangkok after their employer allegedly told them to get in a van to go get tested for Covid-19. The incident caught media attention as many coronavirus prevention measures focused on migrant workers were recently imposed after hundreds of workers at a seafood market in Samut Sakhon, southwest of Bangkok, tested positive.
Daily News reported that an employer “dumped” a group of 24 Burmese migrant workers at the side of a highway in Samut Prakan’s Bang Plee area, just outside Bangkok. The Ton News Facebook page even posted live videos of the immigration police confronting the group.
Apparently, the migrants worked in tambon Mahachai in Samut Pakhon’s Muang district, a “Covid-19 hotspot” linked to more than 1,000 cases. The migrants say their employer told them to get in a van to go get tested for the coronavirus.
Daily News says police did not know how to handle the situation. Police did not have any Covid-19 testing equipment on hand and officers say they were concerned that detaining the migrants could potentially spread the virus at the police station or immigration detention centre.
SOURCE: Thai Visa
Catch up with the latest daily “Thailand News Today” here on The Thaiger.
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Thailand
1.5 million Thais approaching poverty line

A new report by the World Bank has indicated that 1.5 million Thais are approaching the poverty line after Covid-19 ravaged the tourism-dependent economy. In 2020, the report says the poverty ratio in Thailand increased to 8.8%, compared with 2019’s figure of 6.2%.
The report is troubling as the Thai economy already passed rock bottom in the 2nd quarter of 2020, with the the 2nd wave of Covid hitting just before the year end. Now, as many provinces have essentially went into lockdown from domestic and foreign tourism, workers are out of jobs, whereas before, domestic tourism was serving as a way to help businesses survive.
The government stimulated the economy by spending the equivalent of 13% of the gross domestic product, but the World Bank is predicting it may take 2 more years for Thailand to return its economic situation to its pre-Covid state. But the news is not all bad as the World Bank expects the Thai GDP to grow by 4% this year, instead of declining by 6.5% last year.
Such reasoning is due to the expectations of the Covid-19 vaccine being rolled out, and global economic growth. But if the Covid-19 situation becomes more severe, the expected economic growth would decline to 2.4%. Political instability in Thailand is another risk factor as months of protests have shaken views on Thailand’s government, which has invoked the lese majeste defamation law on protesters who were criticising the Royal family. Human rights organisations have issued statements that condemned the government as it began charging minors with the law.
Today, Thailand reports 309 new cases of Covid-19, with 80 being locally transmitted. Most of the cases were due to active testing and 12 were from those already in quarantine. Thailand is expected to receive 50,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccinesby the first week of February. The shipment is part of the first lot of 26 million doses on the agreed purchase in October of last year.
SOURCE: TNA
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Thailand
CCSA Update: 309 new Covid-19 infections in Thailand

The CCSA’s daily briefing today started with an update about a NBT news presenter who has attended the daily briefings at the CCSA studio and testing positive for Covid-19. The CCSA spokesman then announced that all people working in the CCSA studio, including himself, are defined as a “low risk” group for infections.
The CCSA spokesman says he, together with all those involved with any risk, will take a swab test this afternoon and will report the test results to the public later on. The infected NBT newscaster has been sent to the hospital already.
Today, 309 new Covid-19 cases were announced from the last 24 hours. The majority of the infections were detected from active case testing, accounting for 217 cases. Most of them were migrant workers. 80 were local transmission, while 12 cases were detected in state quarantine.
According to the CCSA spokesman, key measures to be rolled out next week will be the acceleration on proactive testing in Samut Sakhon and the outer western areas of Bangkok where the infection rate is still high. Numbers and reports from the active findings are expected to be complete by the end of next week will serve as key factors for a review of the current restrictions in place.
SOURCE: CCSA Daily Briefing
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Thailand
Thai tourism operators want to offer vaccination-inclusive packages

Vaccination seems to be the great new hope of most of Thailand’s businesses battered by Covid-19, especially the tourism industry. Thai tour operators are now floating the idea of “vaccination tour packages” to attract inbound travellers after the first inoculations are distributed in February.
Sort of an STV with vaccination included.
The tourism plan is expected to potentially benefit those inbound tour operators, hotels and destinations that have been massively affected by Covid-19 restrictions.
The Tourism Council of Thailand president Chamnan Srisawat explains… “The one month tour packages are expected to cost 150,000 baht, including a 14 day quarantine in an alternative state quarantine or alternative local quarantine facility, and include a vaccination cost.”
The idea is, of course, still in the early stages and needs more discussions because there are still uncertainties of travel rules with vaccine certificates. The ‘idea’ also, again, targets the high end of the travel market that even the current STV has been unable to attract.
Chotechuang Soorangura, the NS Travel and Tour associate MD, speaking to the Bangkok Post, said… “Thailand is not considered a Covid vaccine hub as the country cannot produce a mass supply attracting a large volume of tourists. Most people would rather get inoculated in their own country before going abroad as they want to avoid being exposed to the virus while travelling.”
He also suggests that the country should instead promote itself as a “wellness destination and medical tourism hub” (a suggestion that has been made many, many times before).
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
- Phuket3 days ago
UPDATE: Confusion over Covid-19 tests for visa extensions
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)4 days ago
Record number of tourism firms quitting Covid-ravaged sector for good
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)3 days ago
Covid-19 test NOT required for visa extensions (at least not today)
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)4 days ago
Thailand’s tourism in the Covid 2021 era
- Bangkok3 days ago
Man arrested for allegedly overstaying 60 day tourist visa by 7 years
- Protests3 days ago
Security guard slaps student for displaying protest sign at Bangkok mall – VIDEO
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)3 days ago
AstraZeneca vaccine could be approved for emergency use in Thailand this week
- Bangkok3 days ago
Man arrested for allegedly importing millions of fake designer sunglasses
Alte Ledertasche
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 10:22 am
What else to expect from a thai monkey.
Slugger
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 11:00 am
Who said he’s Thai?
Issan John
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 2:15 pm
… and who said he’s a monkey if he’s Thai?
The sooner people like Alte Ledertasche leave this country the better, not just for Thais but above all for the rest of us who suffer the effects of their unpleasant bigotry and racism.
Toby Andrews
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 6:02 pm
My guess is this was the actions of Burmese agent monkeys, not Thai monkeys.
What?
Alte Ledertasche
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 7:10 pm
As you living around 30 years in Land of scam already you should be aware of the fact that bigotry and racism is quite prevalent within the Thai population. So you suggest that the majority of the Thai population should leave their country than.
Issan John
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 10:08 pm
Hardly – it’s their country.
Maag
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 11:48 am
Modern slavery……shame on this pcs of crap !
Manu
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 5:03 pm
I hugely respect TheThaiger to let anyone express their opinions without any “censorship”. But really, have these kind of comments any other meaning but pure racism?? Should pure racists comments be allowed?? If I hated so much the Thai people as this guy seems to do, surely the last thing I would do is to waste my time reading articles of a newspaper that is all about Thailand. So this guy has obviously so much hate inside that he feels he needs to spend some of his time to share it with others. Pathetic!
Mister Stretch
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 6:33 pm
Gotta admit, there are commenters here that are spot on in the evaluation of your postings and attitude, Alte.
Why come here and spew your racist hatred at the country that is playing host to you right now?
Don’t like it? Leave, and don’t let the door smack you in the ass on the way out.
Your comments and attitude are repugnant.
Issan John
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 11:26 pm
Now THAT’s the “understatement of the day”.
disgusted `
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 10:24 am
jail the owner for a long time. he is a disgrace.
Issan John
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 2:17 pm
Agreed. He should be easy to identify,named and shamed, then jailed.
James Pate
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 12:25 pm
Outrageous! What a fuster cluck! This guy thinks he can dump people on the side of the highway like garbage and his problems disappear!?! Plus, the police don’t know what to do!?! Take them in for the test and take it from there might be a good idea.
s2k
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 3:08 pm
Incredible. POS employer and dumb police. After all this time, Chon Buri police still haven’t received any covid training? No bulletins? With as sensitive as Thailand is to covid, I just find it hard to believe that they didn’t have ANY prior protocol to follow.
s2k
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 3:10 pm
Whoops, I was reading 2 stories. Disregard Chon Buri police.
Toby Andrews
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 4:55 pm
Yes as Thai motorcyclists do.
You did well there correcting in two minutes s2k. Issan John would have jumped on your error with glee!
.
.
.
.
lol
Baht seven
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 6:00 pm
All SEALED OFF in Samut Sakhon.Locked Down they say.
No Burmese allowed out.
Nonsense.
Now they will hunt Trafficers!!
55555555555
Yeah. Sure they will.
Issan John
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 11:34 pm
I gather their employer has already been identified and the BiB are preparing charges. Reportedly “The group said they were employees of STI Precision plastic factory in Samut Sakhon province, prompting security officials to investigate the factory on Wednesday morning.”
Reportedly also “PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said the authorities will allow undocumented migrant workers to obtain a temporary ID card in order to offer them a reprieve during the ongoing virus outbreak.”