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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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17 people in close contact with Omicron-infected traveller test negative
Thai health officials now say all of the 17 people who came in close contact with the Omicron-infected traveller during his a hotel have tested negative for Covid-19, although one person is in quarantine after inconclusive test results. The American, who travelled from Spain and entered Thailand under the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme is the first in Thailand…
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Crane collapses in Samut Prakan, killing a man and injuring 2 others
A crane collapsed at a condominium construction site this morning and landed on a row of rental rooms, killing one person and injuring two others. The engineer overseeing the project in Samut Prakan’s Bang Po district, southeast of Bangkok, is being called in for questioning by police. Motorbike taxi driver 48 year old Chalerm Chanong was leaving a som tom…
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Chiang Mai street vendor with busty top files sexual harassment complaint with police
The Chiang Mai street vendor who went viral for her revealing cardigan-style top just filed a sexual harassment complaint with Thai police. The 23 year old known as Nong Olive is known for wearing an open chest shirt, showing her cleavage and midriff, while making Thai-style pancakes, which is a popular street food known in Thai as “khanom Tokyo.” Nong…
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Three arrested in human trafficking crackdown near Myanmar border
Three people are accused of being involved in a transnational human trafficking operation where Burmese migrants were promised help entering Thailand for jobs and later forced into labour, even prostitution. The suspects were arrested in Tak’s Mae Sot district, which borders Myanmar. The suspects allegedly lured migrants into Thailand by helping them cross the border illegally, evading immigration checks and…
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168 Thai soldiers apparently forced to finish masturbating before showering
More than 160 Thai soldiers were apparently forced to masturbate… and climax… before they were allowed to take a shower. At least that’s what a social media user claims. Numerous Thai media outlets have reported the story, but there has been no confirmation or statement from military officials. On Facebook, a screenshot was shared, and picked up by Thai media,…
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Hotel staff in close contact with Omicron confirmed to be negative in second test
The 44-year-old hotel staff member who was in close contact with the first Omicron case in Thailand and tested positive for Covid-19 has now been confirmed negative for the virus, health officials say. The hotel staff member was one of 17 people who came in close contact with the American who travelled from Spain to Thailand through the Test & Go quarantine…
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Joe Biden and Russia’s Putin to discuss Ukraine tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden are expected to discuss the growing tensions in Ukraine, in a video call on Tuesday. The West is concerned over Russian troops massing along the Ukrainian border and cautions that tensions could spill into a major war. Video calls have become the new normal since the coronavirus pandemic began. Yet…
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Myanmar ousted leader’s prison sentence reduced to two years
Myanmar’s ousted State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four years in prison yesterday, but it was then reduced to two years following a partial pardon by the military junta’s commander, according to state television. Her indictments were unrest and violating Covid-19 epidemic guidelines, according to the junta’s ruling court, which ordered the first judicial decision in a…
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Thailand deploys “King Cobra” unit at Myanmar border to monitor illegal crossings
The lifting of restrictions on Covid-19 in Thailand, which culminated with its reopening on November 1, sparked a surge in demand for foreign labor, making it very difficult to control the illegal border crossings. To deal with it, Thailand’s “King Cobra” special unit team under the Surasee Taskforce is now actively searching for unauthorised migrants along its western border with…
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Thai Airways offering round trip Sydney-Phuket flights
To boost tourism and promote Phuket’s island quarantine “sandbox” scheme, Thai Airways will run round trip flights between Phuket and Australia with three flights a week starting on today. The flights will be offered until January 25. The flight from Phuket to Sydney is available on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Flights depart from Phuket at 6:50pm and arrive at 7:30am.…
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1 tourist killed, 8 wounded in crash while on tour of Chiang Mai mountain
A tourist was killed and eight others were wounded in a van crash yesterday while travellers were on a tour of Doi Ang Khang mountain in northern Chiang Mai. Around 10am, the 15-seater Toyota van crashed while going down a turn on a mountain road in the Fang district, skidding off the road and into a ditch, according to the…
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Hotel staff in close contact to Omicron case tests positive for Covid, variant not confirmed
One of 17 people in close contact with the first Omicron case in Thailand tested positive for Covid-19, but lab tests are still being done to confirm the variant. Thai health officials announced yesterday that the first Omicron case was detected in Thailand after an American travelling from Spain, via Dubai, entering under the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme…
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No need to panic over Thailand’s first Omicron case, says PM
The Thai PM has called on the public not to panic over the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant in the kingdom. According to a Thai PBS World report, Prayut Chan-o-cha says everyone should remain on their guard and the unvaccinated should get vaccinated as soon as possible. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana says health officials will continue to check for…
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Rohingya accuse Facebook of promoting hate speech in US$150 billion lawsuit
Facebook is being sued in a California court by Rohingya refugees, who accuse the social media platform of failing to combat hate speech. In a US$150 billion lawsuit, court documents allege Facebook is powered by algorithms that allow the seeds of disinformation and extremism to grow and cross over into real-life violence. “Facebook is like a robot programmed with a…
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US confirms diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights abuses
The US government has confirmed a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics to protest ongoing human rights violations, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki. “US diplomatic or official representation would treat these games as business as usual in the face of the PRC’s egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang, and we simply can’t do that.…
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Ethiopia claims strategic gains despite opposition skepticism
Ethiopia’s government claimed on Monday it had recaptured strategic towns from forces aligned to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Dessie and Kombolcha have been “freed by the joint gallant security forces,” the government’s communication service tweeted. TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda, however, tweeted their forces left the two towns “as part of our plan.” The towns are on the main…
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Recovery of Thailand’s international tourism sector likely to take years
International tourism demand for Thailand is still low, according to a Bangkok Post report, with a full recovery predicted to take years. Just 133,061 foreign arrivals touched down in Thailand between November 1 and 30, well below the 3 million visitors a month of pre-pandemic times. However, despite low visitor numbers to his province, Pongsakorn Ketprapakorn from the Tourism Council…
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Opinion: Gambians use their marbles to vote for stability
The marbles have been cast: In Gambia’s unique voting system, marbles instead of paper ballots are counted for each candidate. The marble rolls down a small pipe into a cylindrical container marked with a picture of the candidate’s face. Each marble triggers a little bell, which notifies election observers of a successful vote. Smuggled marbles would be spotted immediately, and…
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AfricaLink on Air – 06 December 2021
Incumbent Adama Barrow secures comfortable win in Gambia’s election +++ Lekki toll “massacre” – Nigerian activists and celebrities push for justice +++ Omicron virus and impact on Africa +++ WHO official weighs on malaria in Africa amid COVID SOURCE: DW News
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India: UN slams anti-terror laws amid controversial arrests
The UN has raised concerns about India’s use of counter-terrorism legislation to crack down on rights activists. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson Rupert Colville last week warned about India’s “crackdown on civil society actors” and use of “sweeping counter-terrorism measures” under its counter-terrorism legislation — the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The warning…
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Cambodian PM plans a visit to Myanmar to smooth divisions in ASEAN
The PM of Cambodia has announced plans to visit Myanmar to help smooth divisions in ASEAN. PM Hun Sen says he will talk with military rulers, recently commenting that Myanmar was a “family member of ASEAN” and that it was time to strengthen the grouping. Myanmar is part of the 10-country ASEAN alliance, but has created waves after the military…
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First Omicron strain reported in Thailand, Test & Go traveller tests positive
The first Covid-19 case involving an Omicron mutation has been reported in Thailand. Health officials say an American who travelled from Spain was found to be infected with a strain that matched the Omicron variant by 99.92%. The man entered Thailand through the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme. This is a developing story and will be updated. SOURCE: BBC…
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Covid UPDATE: Still no Omicron, today’s infections drop to 4,000
Generally good news on the Covid front in Thailand with the daily new case reports mostly under 5,000 for the past week and the number of deaths also reaching new lows of 30-50 each day, both huge reductions from August this year when the number of daily deaths from Covid were exceeding 300. And for the Omicron trackers, we’re happy…
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Phuket police arrest 32 after more than 3,500 venue raids since November
Phuket police say they have made 32 arrests after over 3,500 venue raids since November 1. The report released says those arrests were made in light of those breaking the provincial order of no alcohol sales and/or Covid regulations that prevent staff from having close contact with customers. The report says that last Saturday, alone, saw 142 venue inspections, resulting…
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Germany removes Thailand from its list of high-risk countries
The Thai embassy in Berlin says Thailand has been removed from Germany’s list of Covid-19 high-risk countries, according to a Thai PBS World report. Provided they are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine, travellers from Thailand can now enter Germany without having to quarantine. The accepted vaccines are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. In addition…
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Death toll rises to 14 in volcanic eruption in Indonesia
At least 14 people have been killed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Semeru in Java, Indonesia, according to an AFP report. Rescuers continue to search for survivors in villages that lie covered in molten ash. In the district of Lumajang, East Java, houses have been submerged and livestock smothered to death in at least 11 villages. At least 10…
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Police deny detaining or threatening woman who told PM to “retire quickly”
Police in the north-eastern province have denied an allegation that they detained a woman who told the Thai PM to, “retire quickly”. Following the incident, which occurred in the Udon Thani district of Ban Dung while the PM was visiting the forest temple of Wat Kham Cha Not, reports emerged that the woman had been taken to a police station…
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CCSA meets today to decide on southern border re-opening
A deputy government spokesperson says the CCSA will meet today to decide if the border with Malaysia can be re-opened, despite the southern neighbour reporting a case of the Omicron variant. According to a Bangkok Post report, Rachada Dhnadirek says the CCSA has previously agreed in principle, but the emergence of Omicron means the situation needs careful monitoring. “The forward…
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Foreign Ministers of China and Malaysia agree over South China Sea
The Foreign Minister of Malaysia said the country has come together with China in agreement that peace and stability must be maintained in the South China Sea, an often-contested area that has caused international clashes. Yesterday the Minister held a joint press conference with the Foreign Minister and State Councillor where they agreed that debate over the South China Sea…
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Burmese woman rescued by DSI after 13 years of forced labour
The Department of Special Investigation rescued a Burmese woman in Bangkok who has been held in forced labour for 13 years. The rescue was carried out yesterday by the DSI and was revealed today by the Director-General of the DSI. The 26 year old woman was held in a house on Soi 11 in the Pakamas housing estate, located in…
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