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5 best wine bars in Bangkok offering rich and quality wine
It’s wine o’clock! Whether you’re all about fruity reds, sweet whites, or funky naturals, Bangkok has many great spots to sip your favourite varieties. But with an array of options to choose from, and the constant rise and fall of...
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Hua Hin reports surge in infections, despite drop in overall provincial cases
The number of cases of community transmission has surged in the resort town of Hua Hin, despite a fall in overall case numbers in the western province of Prachuap Khiri Khan. According to a Bangkok Post report, Hua Hin reported 272 new cases on Sunday, jumping from just 44 the day before. A sharp rise in infections was also reported…
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Virologist says blood tests can detect percentage of Thai population infected
A prominent Thai virologist says blood tests should be used to determine the percentage of the population that has been infected with Covid-19. According to a Nation Thailand report, Dr Yong Poovorawan says a blood test can even detect Covid-19 in asymptomatic patients. The head of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology made the statement in a post on…
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Phuket man paralysed by drunk officer seeks 15 million baht in compensation
The family of the noodle vendor who was shot by a drunk, off-duty police officer last year on Phuket’s Bangla Road is seeking compensation of 15 million baht. The 25 year old vendor was shot in the stomach with the bullet lodged in his spine, paralysing him from the waist down. The officer is now on trial for attempted murder,…
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All quarantine rules lifted for international travellers to Indonesia
Following in the steps of a number of other Southeast Asian nations, Indonesia is lifting all quarantine requirements for international arrivals in a bid to revive its tourism industry. International arrivals will still need a negative PCR test result before travel. The move follows a trial period of 2 weeks, during which quarantine-free travel was introduced on the islands of…
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CBRE recommends top 5 luxury condominiums in Phuket with fantastic locations
Luxury condominiums in Phuket are an appealing alternative to villas or houses because you can purchase them on freehold, which means that the condos are 100% in your name. It is just like owning a property in your own country. Luxury condos also typically feature their own private pools, as well as a broader range of onsite amenities and 24-hours…
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Government aims to administer boosters to 70% of elderly before Songkran holiday
Health officials plan to administer booster vaccine doses to 70% of Thailand’s elderly population ahead of the Songkran holiday in April. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Department of Disease Control says it doesn’t want to see a repeat of last year, when infections and deaths rose significantly after the Thai New Year holiday, due to the limited availability…
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UPDATE: Boeing 737 carrying 132 passengers crashes into mountains in China
A Boeing 737 passenger jet carrying 132 people has crashed in China, according to a Chinese state media broadcast earlier today. Reports say the Chinese Eastern Airlines flight MU5735 went missing earlier in the day as it was headed from Kunming to Guangzhou. The plane was carrying 123 passengers and 9 crew. The China Eastern Airlines aircraft plummeted rapidly then…
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Daughter of former PM Thaksin moves up in political career, closer to PM candidacy
Thailand’s main opposition party is leaning closer to choosing their candidate for prime minister and reports say the daughter of the former leader Thaksin Shinawatra might run as the party’s candidate. Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn, was announced as the project leader for a Pheu Thai party campaign to draw in new members, but when asked about becoming a candidate for prime minister,…
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Businesses on Khao San Road push for Songkran rules to be eased
Business owners on Bangkok’s Khao San Road are pushing for government officials to allow the gritty nightlife district to host activities for Songkran, the Thai New Year which is celebrated with massive water fights. Khao San Road has been known as a top destination for backpackers on a budget with cheap beer, buckets of alcohol, laughing gas balloons, and scorpion-on-a-stick.…
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US says Rohingya violence was ‘genocide’ as Asean envoy meets Myanmar junta leaders
US President Joe Biden has determined that the violence against the Rohingya minority committed by Myanmar’s military in 2017 amounted to genocide and crimes against humanity, a US official told Reuters on Sunday. The move comes as a special Asean envoy begins three days of visits with junta officials in Myanmar, aiming to begin a peace process. The US Secretary…
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Crayfish alien species found at Phetchabun waterfall, Thais discuss potential effects to ecosystem
After a non-native species of crayfish was found at a Northern Thailand waterfall, some are discussing the effects the species can have on the environment. A photo of a Redcraw crayfish, originating from Australia, at a waterfall in Phetchabun, sparked a debate about the potential damage this “freshwater lobster” can cause to the local ecosystem. Crayfish (also known as crawfish,…
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Thai woman dresses as bear to sell more Kratom
Now that kratom is legal in Thailand, one woman in the Isaan province Buriram is dressing up in a bear costume and standing on the side of the road to attract business. Apparently, it has worked and her roadside sales of kratom leaves have shot up to over 1,000 baht per day. 40 year old Monradee Mordham from Udon Thani has…
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Flash flood warning in Phuket, southern Thailand
Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket and Krabi are expected to face flash flooding following heavy rainfall today and tomorrow, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is expected to move northward resulting in a cyclone on the southern west coast of Thailand. Increased rainfall and heavy winds are also expected in…
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Asia News Today | More North Korea missiles, ‘genocide’ in Myanmar
North Korea has conducted another missile launch, this time using a multiple rocket launch system, the latest in a busy time for North Korean missile testers. The statement from the South Korean military didn’t specify how far the rocket got, the direction it was fired, or the exact type of rockets or weapons launched, but said they’re constantly monitoring the…
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Monday Covid Update: 23,441 new cases; provincial totals
88 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 24,246 with 2,548 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 23,441 new Covid-19 cases and 23,153 recoveries. There are now 240,339 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Nok Air asks for time to promote routes to new Betong airport after cancelling flights
Yala’s new Betong International Airport is open for business, but you might be hard-pressed to book a flight there. Nok Air has suspended its route from Bangkok to Betong, saying it needs an additional two to three months to promote the airport among domestic and foreign tourists before it can reopen the route. Last week, Nok Air cancelled its flights…
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Thai woman who claims she escaped organ harvesting sentenced to 6 months in prison
A Thai woman who claimed a Chinese gang stole her blood and attempted to steal her organs in Cambodia has been sentenced to six months in prison with no parole. 25 year old Areeya Komkratok admitted she fabricated the entire story because she urgently wanted to return to Thailand. Areeya, along with seven other Thai people who were lured into…
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UKRAINE UPDATES: Ukraine won’t surrender Mariupol; Zelensky calls Israeli MPs; 25% of Ukrainians flee home; Pope visits children
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth weeks, here are the latest headlines… • Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister rejected Russia’s demand to give up the strategic port city of Mariupol by 5am Monday morning Moscow time (4 am Monday in Mariupol). The Russian Ministry of Defence had offered to open humanitarian corridors in exchange for a surrender of the…
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Most of Thailand to be hit by heavy rainfall today and tomorrow
Get your umbrellas out, you’re going to need them in most parts of the country today and tomorrow. The Thai Meteorological Department has forecast “very heavy rain” for the north, central Thailand, and the east coast of the southern region. A cyclone in the Bay of Bengal is the reason for the wet conditions, according to the TMD, with a…
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Chiang Rai officials detain 12 Chinese nationals after illegal border crossings
Border officials in the northern province of Chiang Rai have caught 12 Chinese nationals, in 3 separate operations, after the men entered Thailand illegally. According to a Bangkok Post report, the arrests happened in the Chiang Khong and Chiang Saen districts of the province in recent days. The detainees claimed they worked in casinos in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos and…
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Don’t forget about dengue while worrying about Covid – Thai health officials
Thai health officials have issued a warning about a seasonal outbreak of dengue fever that may be more severe than normal. The Department of Disease Control says that while the focus is on preventing the spread of Covid-19, the risk of contracting dengue tends to be forgotten about. However, so far this year, there have been 3 early deaths from…
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Health officials express concern over risk to elderly unvaccinated during Songkran
Health officials are urging the elderly population to come forward for vaccination or boosters ahead of next month’s Songkran holiday. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Department of Disease Control says new data shows an increase in severe illness and Covid-related deaths in the elderly. DDC boss Sopon Iamsirithaworn says those returning to their home provinces over Songkran risk…
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Hospitality sector, tourism operators call for entry restrictions to be dropped now
Businesses, particularly those in the tourism and hospitality sectors, say July 1 – the date the government hopes to declare Covid-19 endemic – is too long to wait for restrictions to be lifted. As operators watch what’s happening in neighbouring countries, Thailand’s tourism sector is feeling anxious. According to a Bangkok Post report, Chamnan Srisawat from the Tourism Council of…
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Thailand is the 61st happiest country in the world
On a list of 146 countries on the World Happiness Index, Thailand ranks at 61. Finland was ranked the happiest country, while Afghanistan was ranked least happy. Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world for five years in a row. An editor of the World Happiness Report said after the Covid-19 pandemic, all three acts labeled “acts…
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Top Bangkok virologist compares not getting vaccinated to “walking into traffic”
In a Facebook post yesterday, Thailand’s most renowned virologist compared remaining unvaccinated from Covid-19 to walking into speeding Bangkok traffic. He commented on how elderly Thais have had reservations about being vaccinated, even though they are a high-risk group. “… like inviting an accident by stepping off the pavement into the busy traffic on Silom Road.” The virologist, Yong Poovorawan,…
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Phuket Monopoly launched, not that you’ll recognise many of the squares
Welcome to Phuket and some of the most famous attractions like Utopia, BCIS, BIS, The Nai Harn (hotel), Blue Elephant and The Phuket News. All for sale with your Monopoly money when the game becomes available. Whilst you will see Mai Khao Beach, Phuket Town, Cape Promthep, the Karon Viewpoint and Kata Beach, the new Phuket Monopoly board game, due…
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Foreign affairs ministry reminds tourists Thailand’s land borders mostly still closed
After the CCSA announced yesterday that Thailand will scrap requirements for pre-travel PCR tests for foreign flyers, the foreign affairs ministry reminds wannabe international travellers that most land border crossing points remain closed to them. The CCSA also says that only four land border posts are open to tourists and expats: Nongkhai and Udon Thani (near the Laos border) and…
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Blood and organ harvesting claims by Thai woman in Cambodia were fake
“A Thai woman alleges organ harvesters in Cambodia drew her blood and were about to cut her open when she was rescued.” Except it didn’t happen. The woman fabricated the entire story. Thairath.co.th yesterday reported that the Thai woman, who had claimed to have been the victim of ‘organ harvesting’ in Sihanoukville, Cambodia had confessed to inventing the whole incident. She…
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Singapore’s foreign minister wants China to use influence to pressure Russia
As Singapore imposes unilateral sanctions on Russia, the country’s minister of foreign affairs is calling on China to use its powerful influence to pressure Russia to stop its invasion and violence in Ukraine. The minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, said China’s “characteristics” would help it reason with Russia. “I hope they will assert their influence with Chinese characteristics, which means quietly and…
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Songkran 2022 might be back on in Thailand, but…
UPDATE A Songkran with water MAY end up being a thing for 2022. This moist bombshell floating around the Thai media this afternoon. But you’ll need a face mask, an ATK tests and only at designated zones. The change of mind surprised everyone at this afternoon’s CCSA daily briefing. According to a post on the Khaosod English Facebook page, it…
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