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US Covid-19 deaths push past 200,000 people
New Covid-19 cases in the US increase continue to drop slightly as the nation pushes over 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus. Meanwhile, Pfizer’s CEO predicts it’s likely the US will deploy an effective vaccine before the end of the year, despite scientists saying the forecasts are ‘optimistic’ at best. CEO Albert Bourla maintained that it’s “likely” the US will have…
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3 local government officials killed in head on collision
2 local village chiefs and a local secretary were killed in a head on collision in Ayutthaya last night when their car swerved across the road and collided with an oncoming 18 wheel lorry, police say. The local government officials were on their way home from a friend’s birthday party in the Nakhon Luang district. The 3 men served in…
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Covid-19 testing units to be stationed along Thai-Myanmar border
In an effort to prevent a second wave of Covid-19, mobile testing units are being sent out to areas along the Thai-Myanmar border following a surge of cases in the neighbouring country. The Biosafety Mobile Units will be run by medical volunteers along with help from local doctors from the Department of Disease Control. The 13 units will have laboratory…
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Protesters not “tough enough” – Thai security official
Thai security agencies are downplaying this weekend’s anti-government student rally, predicting that it will only attract 20,000 people and not the 50,000 predicted by the protest organisers. They’ve also said they’re confident it won’t become violent. The last big rally, early in this phase of opposition demonstrations, was on August 16 and was held at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument. It attracted…
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Protesters continue their plans for weekend rally without anywhere to host it
Negotiations continue between officials at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus, police and organisers of this Saturday’s proposed anti-government protest rally. Last week the University denied permission for the students and other protest groups to hold the event on the grounds of the high-profile university. Today it was speculated that the rally could be moved to the nearby Sanam Luang park,…
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Twitter user faces charges from immigration police for false post
Make sure what you post on social media is true. Charges could be pressed for false information. A Twitter user is being sued by Immigration Police for a post allegedly claiming some foreigners could enter the country without a 14 day quarantine. The Twitter user made a post saying he was recently at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and he noticed that 80%…
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7 charged with libel, allegedly spread false information about PM’s daughters
7 people turned themselves into police following a defamation lawsuit filed a few weeks ago by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s twin daughters, Thanya and Nittha. The lawsuit was filed against more than 100 social media accounts for spreading false information about the women. 6 of the 7 who face charges were photographed at the police station, protesting their charges and holding…
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Ready for another holiday? Cabinet considers a long weekend to boost the economy
There might be another long weekend coming up soon. So much revenue was brought in from the recent 4 day holiday weekend earlier this month that some government officials think another couple days off could help give the slumped economy another shot in the arm. The 4 day weekend earlier this month (a Songkran replacement) circulated some 8.8 billion baht…
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Phatthalung 20 year old arrested for killing girlfriend and putting body in a cage
A Phatthalung man has been arrested over the killing of his 23 year old girlfriend. He has been identified as 20 year old Natthapol Dumsin. The man allegedly smashed her head repeatedly, killing her because she said she wanted to break up with him. Police say he has now confessed to the crime. Phatthalung Police acted after receiving reports of a…
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Business closures up 38%, pandemic ‘scarring’ the economy
“The pandemic is scarring the economy, especially with the business closures and unemployment.” The coronavirus pandemic has led to a spike in business closures in Thailand, increasing nearly 40% since last year, and those numbers are expected to continue to go up. Many of those businesses were in the tourism industry, a sector that has been crippled by the halt…
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Europe is warned of rising Covid-19 rates as it enters the autumn season – WHO
“We are by no means out of the woods” – WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The World Health Organisation is warning that Europe will face a rising death toll from Covid-19 during the northern hemisphere autumn. The warning comes as the number of world daily infections hit a record high. The WHO reported 310,692 new cases worldwide on September 11, with…
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148 test negative for Covid-19 in football player case
So far, 148 people who came in contact with the infected Buriram United football player from Uzbekistan have tested negative for Covid-19 during the second round of testing. The test results from nearly 300 other people “at risk” are still pending. The 29 year old Buriram United football player tested positive for Covid-19, health officials announced last week. The football…
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Songkhla shootout, protester warnings | Thailand News Today | September 14
Today’s return of Thailand news Today with Tim Newton… Parliament to host a ‘safe zone’ forum for students’ demands on September 22 A parliamentary committee is responding to the demands from student and opposition protesters, who are calling for reform of the government, a new constitution, and even reform of the Thai Monarchy – the latter previously considered a ‘no…
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Thai-Myanmar border blocked with barbed wire, security increased due to Covid-19
Prachuap Khiri Khan border patrol say they’ve closed the Thai-Myanmar border, making sure the natural passageways are blocked by barbed wire fences. With Myanmar’s increasing number of Covid-19 cases, border police have drastically increased patrol. New barbed wire was placed around the natural passageways in the western province to prevent Burmese migrants from crossing into Thailand. The army is controlling…
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Samui charity battles to feed island’s remaining residents
by Ann Carter As around 2,000 Thai workers have reportedly left the island of Koh Samui due to the Covid-19 economic fallout, ‘Sisters on Samui’, the island’s largest charity is changing up the way in which to help feed those remaining residents. Keyt Topcu, co-president of SOS, says the effort involves cutting out bags as the organisation realised that they could save over 500 USD…
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Asia Pacific’s smartphone market declines by 20% during pandemic
“The region’s smartphone market was hardest hit in the second quarter when many countries here entered lockdown mode. This was also when we started observing new trends emerging and the corresponding shifts in consumer demand for durable goods.” People are buying fewer smartphones this year. The once robust and thriving industry has been on a downward slope in the Asia…
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Bankruptcy Court approves Thai Airways debt restructuring plan
The Central Bankruptcy Court approved Thai Airways International’s debt restructuring plan. An official says the approval is just a “tiny step” in the process estimated to take years. With the approval, the international airline company can now start discussions with debt holders. The 60 year company is reportedly facing its biggest challenge: bankruptcy during a global pandemic with international travel…
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Body found floating by Khanom fishing pier
A man’s body was found floating by a Khanom fishing pier in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat today. Police say the man looked to be about 25 to 30 years old. They say the man was wearing pants, a black T-shirt and shoes. No identification was on the man and police are investigating. No wounds were reported on the…
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Khon Kaen footballers negative for Covid-19, will test a third time
51 football players and staff of the Khon Kaen United team all came out negative in a second Covid-19 test, according to the province’s governor. The 51 team members and staff were classified as “at risk” for the catching the virus after a Uzbek football player from the team Buriram United tested positive for Covid-19. The Khon Kaen players and…
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Parliament to host a ‘safe zone’ forum for students’ demands on September 22
A ‘dialogue’ is to be held in a Thai parliamentary setting on September 22. A parliamentary committee is responding to the demands from student and opposition protesters, who are calling for reform of the government, a new constitution, and even reform of the Thai Monarchy – the latter previously considered a ‘no go’ zone. The committee describes the upcoming forum as an…
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Global economics report expects Bangkok to have the highest tourist drop
International travel restrictions have crippled Thailand’s tourism industry so much that Bangkok might end up with the highest loss of tourists out of all the major cities in the world. A report from the global forecasting company Oxford Economics predicts Bangkok will lose about 14.5 million incoming foreign tourists by the end of the year. Cities across the world are…
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Thai Alex Albon scores podium finish in Tuscan Formula One GP
Red Bull will be grateful for the good PR today as British-born, Thai Formula One racer, Alex Albon, thanked the energy drink sponsors for their “faith” after he came third in last night’s incident-prone Tuscan Grand Prix, his first Formula One GP podium finish. The 24 year old finished in third place behind the Mercedes drivers to become the first Thai on…
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Police arrest 14 Laotian migrants for allegedly crossing the border
Border patrol police arrested 14 Laotian migrants who allegedly crossed the Thai-Laos border into Ubon Ratchathani. The arrests come after orders to tighten border security in fear that illegal migrants might carry the coronavirus. Police got a call that a white Toyota van looked suspicious and appeared to be carrying migrants from the border. Officers tracked down the van and found…
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Silom Road tops as the most expensive area to buy land in Bangkok
Silom Road, Bangkok’s nightlife district, is the most expensive area to buy land in Bangkok, followed by Phloen Chit Road, according to data the Treasury Department gathered from 2016-2019. The pandemic may have fluctuated the prices, but no data on land value for 2020 has been reported by the department. They also say only asking prices were recorded, so it’s…
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How BTS became the biggest band in the world
Even if you’d been living under a rock you’ve probably heard someone mention the band BTS. The South Korean group has risen up through the ranks of K-Pop – a Korean musical blood sport – since 2013. From very humble beginnings indeed, they’ve risen from pimply youngsters with a dream into a 7-member powerhouse in the world’s pop industry. How…
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Bangkok expo planned to fill 1 million job vacancies
Thailand has a lot of job opportunities. About a million. The Labour Ministry is hosting an expo to connect job seekers, especially recent university graduates, with companies. For recent graduates, a new government initiative co-payment system will take care of half the salary. Job Expo Thailand 2020 will run from September 26 to 28 at Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre,…
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Tourists flock to Sichon temple, worship a spirit known for granting wishes
Thai tourists destinations have gone quiet due to the pandemic, but one southern Thailand temple is thriving. Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Wat Chedi is known for granting wishes, and apparently many come true (although people don’t tend to talk about the ones that don’t come true). It is packed with visitors not just on the weekends, but every day. Visitors worship Ai Khai, the…
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“Uzbek footballer is the only player infected” – Public Health Ministry
Sports officials insist all Thai League football matches would still be held despite the Uzbek Buriram United player testing positive for Covid-19 last Thursday. The President of Buriram United Football Club, Newin Chidchob, confirmed that there was only one Buriram United player infected with Covid-19. “He was asymptomatic and now under the care of physicians at a local hospital in…
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Malaysia closes main southern checkpoint into Thailand
Malaysia has closed the Bukit Kayu Hitam border checkpoint, the main southern land border into Thailand, across the border from Sadao in Songkhla. Officials say the border is now closed in efforts to control the spread of Covid-19 in the Kedah state. Although passage of people is not allowed, transport and trade, with requisite paperwork, will be allowed to continue.…
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Pattaya hotel chases up Chinese businessmen for 7 million in rent
The Chinese directors of a company, who had rented a 54 room hotel in Pattaya, and not paid rent for 7 months, will now have to pay an estimated 40 million baht compensation to the owners. It appears that the Thai ‘shelf’ company that signed the contract, is still responsible for completing the contract, leaving 2 Thai nominees potentially liable…
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