News
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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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Ryanair CEO says anyone who refuses vaccine is an “idiot”
Michael O’Leary, the CEO of RyanAir not known for biting his tongue, has spoken out against mandatory vaccinations but has made clear his personal beliefs on getting vaccinated. In recent comments, O’Leary said that anyone who turns down a potentially life-saving Covid-19 vaccine is an “idiot” and suggested that people who turn down the vaccine without good reason should suffer…
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Is Omicron less or more dangerous than earlier Covid variants?
A month after the first cases of the Covid-19 variant, Omicron, were officially detected in South Africa, we know a bit more about the potential dangers, but not a lot. Anecdotally, there have been plenty of doctors saying that the new variant appears to produce milder symptoms than earlier variants, as is often the case with these viruses. But they…
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Can Men & Women Have A Platonic Relationship? | The Stinky Food challenge
Can you have a conversation while eating extremely stinky and spicy Thai food. Join Natty as she challenges Forrest to a stinky food challenge. Can he handle the smell and more importantly the spice that comes along with it?
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Nong Khai land border opening to Test & Go scheme December 24
While Thailand has flung open the doors on its airports to international travellers since November 1, land border checkpoints are not nearly as widely open. Now, authorities prepare security for a popular border between Thailand and Laos at Nong Khai in time for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Starting December 24, the Nong Khai border checkpoint will be opened…
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British Airways cancels over 2,000 flights including Bangkok
In the face of the spread of Covid-19 as infections surge in the UK, British Airways have suspended all their flights travelling to Bangkok until October of next year. Rumours began circulating about the possible cancellation earlier this week with popular travel sites speculating about the major airline suspending the route. Many passengers told stories of receiving cancellation notices from…
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Thailand sees tourism dropping due to Omicron worries
Thailand is seeing a dip in new incoming tourists that Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn has said is the predictable side effect of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19. Since December 8, the number of daily international travellers entering Thailand has fallen to less than 3,000 people per day. Many are worried about the Omicron, which seems to…
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TAC explains what happens if a tourist or child gets Covid-19
One question that has frequently come up, and scared people from coming to Thailand in the age of Covid-19, is that of what happens if you test positive for the virus when you land in the country. An official with the Phuket Tourist Assistance Centre recently laid out the procedure for a tourist – or a child – who test…
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How To Get A Long Term Visa In Thailand
What options are there for people who want to stay in Thailand for more than 30 days? A lot of people travel to Thailand for a short holiday and often decide that they want to stay for longer. But what do they do when it comes to visa? What about the smart visa that helps people fall in between the…
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New Year’s events reminded of Covid-19 safety and 1 am booze curfew
New Year’s Eve is fast approaching and some big parties have been cleared to proceed, but the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is reminding people that the Covid-19 safety regulations need to be followed still, including the rule that alcohol can only be served until 1 am. The BMA’s public relations page announced that Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang will be following all…
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UK and the EU brace for more Omicron-induced closures and restrictions
The UK and EU are going into a mild travel panic as borders start to close again and restrictions re-imposed. Last night France imposed a ban on travel to and from the country, except for “travel for compelling reasons”. The only “compelling” exemptions are for French and European travellers returning to France, or UK passengers heading in the other direction. Back…
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Moderna finds booster shot effective against Omicron variant
Following in the footsteps of Pfizer, Moderna has announced positive results in their study of how the mRNA vaccine stands up against the new Omicron variant. In their new assessment, the makers of Moderna found that, very similarly to the Pfizer vaccine, 2 doses of Moderna is less effective against the Omicron variant than previous strains, but a third booster…
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The future of digital nomads in Thailand
As the Covid-19 pandemic has helped boost the demand for digital nomads, Thailand has yet to formalise a legal way for such workers to stay in the Kingdom. Although Thailand recently announced it is targetting highly paid digital workers to help aid in the country’s economic recovery, it leaves the rest of online workers in the dark. Citing the fact…
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Peaks Residences structures demolished after illegal building
After years of conflict stemming from what courts ruled as an invalid land title in 2017, the saga of the Peaks Residences in Phuket is finally coming to a close. The residences that were built on land the Supreme Administrative Court ruled was illegally encroaching on protected forests at Kata Noi have now been completely demolished. The court gave the…
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Woman exchanges sex for immigration scam to stay in Singapore
Not wanting to leave Singapore after her visa expired, a Chinese sex worker got entangled in a complex immigration scam to be arrested so that she was able to stay in the country… for over 3 years. The woman, Liang Qinglan, entered Singapore in May of 2018 with her visa finishing at the end of July. She ended up overstaying…
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Elephant tusks hoped to raise 25 million baht for conservation
If you still haven’t found that perfect Christmas present for that hard to shop for loved one, here’s a perfect multi-million baht gift idea. A pair of ethically obtained elephant tusks will be offered on auction to raise money for the Chang Thongkhum Elephant Conservation Centre. The starting bid price? 25 million baht. Elephant tusks are highly prized and banned…
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Vietnam tightens border restrictions with Cambodia over Omicron fear
More than ever, Vietnam has tightened security and patrols along the 133 kilometre border with Cambodia in the Mekong Delta provinces due to fear of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron starting today. Along with the 12 border guard posts, 36 checkpoints, six mobile patrol teams, four working groups, and three mobile working groups were ordered to reinforce pandemic control, according…
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UK records highest daily Covid cases of nearly 90,000
For the second day in a row, the UK has recorded a total of 88,376 new Covid-19 cases and 146 deaths, with the highest rates in London and the East of England since early January, thanks to the fast-spreading Omicron variety. PM Boris Johnson’s administration claimed that it was not pushing people to abandon their Christmas plans, despite the fact…
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Four killed, dozens injured as Typhoon Rai batters central Philippines
In this year’s strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines, four people were killed and dozens more were injured. Super Typhoon Rai, also named “Odette” by the country’s authorities, has battered the central islands of the archipelago. As the storm swept over the Pacific Ocean, 18,000 people have yet to return home out of the more than 300,000 people who sought…
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Prison riot “under control” after hundreds of inmates lashed out over Covid-19 treatment
The prison riot in Krabi is now “under control,” according to a government spokesperson. Dozens of inmates started rioting last night at around 9pm, starting fires and destroying property to demand equal treatment for prisoners infected with Covid-19. Hundreds of officers were deployed to the scene and the director-general of the Department of Corrections even travelled to Krabi to help…
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Friday Covid Update: 3,537 new cases; provincial totals
41 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,327 with 21,233 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 3,537 new Covid-19 cases and 5,459 recoveries. There are now 43,479 people in Thailand being…
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Don’t laugh! North Korea marks death anniversary of Kim Jong Il
Have you ever been in that situation when someone tells you, “don’t laugh!” and then it’s nearly impossible not to? In North Korea, failing to stifle laughter this week could come with severe consequences, as officials announced a 10-day ban on laughter to mark the 10 year death anniversary of the previous dictator Kim Jong Il. Much like celebrations of…
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Amazing Thailand Countdown 2022 event announced in Phuket
Phuket officials are promising a spectacular New Year’s Eve party as they finish preparations for the “Amazing Thailand Countdown 2022” event. The event is planned to be a show of joy that will instil confidence and desire in potential tourists who will see the fun and the safety of the event and be encouraged to travel to Thailand. Phuket is…
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Phuket Hotels Association welcomes new leadership team
Press Release Bjorn Courage was named as the association’s President and Sumi Soorian was promoted to the role of Executive Director, while long-term leader Anthony Lark will continue to serve as a Senior Advisor PHUKET, THAILAND: The Phuket Hotels Association, a non-profit organisation with 72 member properties has embarked on an exciting new era with the appointment of a new…
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300 million baht illegal online gambling site busted in Nonthaburi
A raid in Nonthaburi in the Bangkok suburbs resulted in a 300 million baht illegal online gambling enterprise being shut down. Police from the Region 1 station obtained arrest warrants for 2 luxury homes in Nonthaburi province estates after tracking down where the online gambling operation was based. The website, which had amassed a following of 40,000 members, was at…
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Fights between Myanmar junta and ethnic armies intensify, 700 refugees flee to Thailand
Possibly around 700 refugees from Myanmar fled to Thailand’s Tak province to escape violence following clashes between the state military and the prominent ethnic armed wing of the Karen National Union in the town Lay Kay Kaw near the Thai border. A government official who spoke to AFP reporters said Thai officials have provided food and shelter to the 700…
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Two Thai suspects in Taiwan’s largest heroin bust on record arrested in Pathum Thani
In the largest heroin bust in Taiwan on record, two Thai men were arrested yesterday for allegedly hiding hundreds of kilograms of heroin in lumber shipments and trafficking the drugs to Taiwan. Late last month, officers in Taiwan’s New Taipei City reported that they found over 446.8 kilograms of heroin, with a street value of around 6 billion baht, hidden…
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Riot erupts at Krabi prison over inmate Covid-19 treatment, 300 officers deployed
Hundreds of police have been deployed to control an ongoing riot at the Krabi Provincial Prison off the Andaman coast. Around 70 inmates started rioting at around 9pm last night, throwing objects, setting fires, and smashing tiles and plates. Prisoners reportedly threw the riot because an inmate was offered Covid-19 treatment off prison grounds while others infected with the virus…
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TAT planning A-to-Z tourism campaign with social influencers
“Amazing New Chapters: From A-to-Z Thailand has it all” is the new brainchild from the Tourism Authority of Thailand that aims to use influencers to attract people to Thailand. Like the 26 letters of the alphabet, the TAT hopes to sign up 26 influencers, both regional and global, in an attempt to reach 26 million travellers around the world. The…
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Police banned from time off over Christmas, New Year holiday
With an expected swell of holiday weekend travellers, cars on the road, and people celebrating the New Year holiday, the Royal Thai Police broke some bad news to the 80,000-member police force: officers are not allowed to take any holiday leave for the end of the year. The announcement ordered 80,000 police officers that no extra days off or holiday…
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Entertainment sector performers may receive one-time payout
Some workers in nightlife and entertainment venues may soon receive a taste of Covid-19 financial relief from a government payout. The Social Security Office of Thailand agreed to help people in the entertainment sector who have been without work and any financial assistance for over a year. If the Cabinet approves the new measures, workers in the sector can receive…
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