Thailand News Today | More vaccine options for Thailand, the world’s oldest cat? | March 26

Click HERE to watch Friday’s Thailand News Today program,

Thailand has reported its first death of a Covid vaccine patient. An investigation has been launched by the Public Health Ministry, but health officials suspect the death is not related to the vaccine and that the death is from natural causes.

10 days after being injected with the vaccine, a 60 year old patient had an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which led to a fatal rupture. Apparently the patient has suffered chronic illness since birth. It’s unclear what the illness was, but the person needed regular treatment throughout their life. They recently underwent surgery, but the illness worsened and led to the patient’s death, according to deputy director general of the Department of Disease Control.

Whilst we’re on vaccines, the Food & Drug Administration have approved Johnson & Johnson’s Covid vaccine for emergency use, making the single-dose injection the third vaccine approved for use in Thailand.

Bangkok’s deputy police chief says 11 activists who addressed participants at a rally at Ratchaprasong intersection on Wednesday will be charged. He says his officers have already identified 10 of the protest leaders and also plan to charge other participants who used loudspeakers or held up banners with insulting messages about the monarchy. He also added that any media outlet that broadcast such messages will also be prosecuted.

A Thai lingerie manufacturer must pay workers that were laid off without compensation, according to the Labour Protection and Welfare Office. More than 1200 employees of Brilliant Alliance Thai Global received no warning when the factory suddenly closed in Samut Prakan province on March 10.

Hundreds of Burmese refugees are fleeing to Thailand in a risky bid to escape the Burmese army, which seized control of the elected government in a coup on February 1. The Royal Thai Army has set up temporary camps to deal with the massive influx of immigrants, but since Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, the immigrants are subject to being arrested and sent back home.

A 34 year old Siamese cat in Chanthaburi in the east of Thailand is the oldest living cat in the world, well that’s according to the locals. The cat, known as “Great Grandmother Wad,” is still very strong, but has some trouble walking and her memory isn’t the best, according to her owner who’s says… she’s a bit senile.

Finally, The Thaiger has relaunched its website today… a bit of a spit and polish to the front page after a few years. One of the biggest changes is the addition of services that expats and tourists may be looking for. But all the news is still there, both on the front page and also if you click NEWS along the top you’ll be taken to all the main stories as usual. We’re also upping our rate of news stories so you’ll see more diversity in the content as we stretch our wings beyond the borders of Thailand in the next few months.