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17 more countries added to (almost) no quarantine list in Thailand
Late last night, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced an amendment to the list of countries that can enter Thailand without quarantine starting tomorrow, adding 17 new countries to the list of 46 countries and territories. (But even fully vaccinated travellers will have to spend one night in an SHA+ or ASQ hotel as they wait for their test result).…
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Did the Sandbox impact on Phuket’s property market?
property newOver 42,000 travellers, in the months from July 1 to September 30, used the Phuket Sandbox as an international gateway to enter Thailand. For the island’s broad real estate sector, which has been challenged by the drawn-out, 18 months of the pandemic there have been a series of notable pivots within the residential property sector. With investment-oriented, yield-focused hotel…
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New zone restrictions: Booze, curfew, dining, schools, gatherings updated
So the CCSA has radically revised the colour-coded zone scheme for Thailand ahead of the reopening, reducing the dark red zone to just 7 remaining provinces, reinstating the yellow zone for provinces under observation but not restricted, and adding a tourist blue zone that is less connected to Covid-19 stats than it is to economic stats of how it can…
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New ban on rallies enacted just before November 1 reopening
In yet another timing coincidence, the Royal Gazette published new rules yesterday placing a ban on rallies and protests just before Thailand reopens to international tourism. As always, the orders were ostensibly put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the country and to protect incoming tourists from any possible outbreak. The new ban on rallies and similar…
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Sinovac or vaccine mix now accepted for Australian travel
Sinovac has now been recognized as an approved vaccine brand by the Australian government, which will also permit the mixing of vaccine brands, allowing these options for those who wish to travel to Australia. This is a very helpful announcement for many Australian expats living in Thailand who are vaccinated locally with the Chinese-made vaccine and perhaps an AstraZeneca booster…
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Forever Is Now: Art exhibition in the desert sand
A premiere after 4,500 years: Egypt is hosting its first art exhibition against the backdrop of the Giza Pyramids. Various artists have created large installations in the desert sand. SOURCE: DW News
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Are Southeast Asian nations meeting their climate commitments?
Southeast Asia is among the world’s most at-risk regions when it comes to the impact of global warming. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned in its most recent report that the region is facing rising sea levels, heat waves, droughts and increasingly intense rainstorms. “Recent studies estimate that up to 96% of the ASEAN region is likely…
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COVID-19 SATURDAY: 88 deaths, provincial data, vaccination update
Today, the CCSA reported 9,224 new Covid-19 infections, up 256 since yesterday, and 88 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 24 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,874,292 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 8,305 recoveries, up 442 from…
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Chiang Mai Central Prison uncovers Alpha Plus Covid-19 cases
While 98% of Covid-19 in Thailand is now the Delta variant, with fears of some of the new Delta Plus strains creeping into the country, two inmates at Chiang Mai Central Prison have been diagnosed with infections of the Alpha Plus variant. The Covid-19 infection was originally detected in late September from genome sequencing and the Alpha variant discovery has…
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Reopening Monday: AoT ready for 30k at Suvarnabhumi Airport
With the November 1 reopening just around the corner, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is gearing up and expects to see 30,000 passenger arrivals on Monday for the first day of reopening. The Airports of Thailand say that they are ready at all 6 of their international airports for the arrival of international tourists again. Current Suvarnabhumi air traffic data shows a…
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Pattaya frustrated by exclusion from alcohol ban lift in restaurants
While a great many people are thrilled with the plans to allow alcohol to be sold in the key tourism blue zones of Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga, there are some who are very angry about it: Pattaya business owners. Local tourism operators a not too pleased that Pattaya and its world-famous wild nightlife that draws millions of visitors…
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CCSA: Only 7 provinces in the Dark Red Zone, 5 zones used now
In their meeting yesterday, the CCSA has massively reduced the Dark Red Maximum and Strict Controlled Zone from 23 to just 7 provinces ahead of Monday’s reopening to international tourism. The remaining dark red zones are mainly the Covid-19 plagued Deep South, with Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla, and Yala remaining dark red. Tak on Thailand’s western border and…
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Egypt: ‘Lifting emergency is just a public relations stunt’
This week’s lifting of the state of emergency status in Egypt was meant to be a message of hope for the 100 million people country. After all, President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi had announced that “Egypt has become, thanks to its great people and its loyal men, an oasis of security and stability in the region.” Back in April 2017, two…
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COP26: Great expectations — and gripes — in Glasgow
Glasgow is a city of contradictions. It’s famous for knife crime, deep-fried Mars bars and rainy weather but also the warmth and benevolence of its inhabitants. Its grayish skyline is punctuated with graceful spires and historic domes and with poorly maintained high-rise flats in almost equal measure. It has the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe, while its world-renowned…
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Ghana: Growing COVID vaccine acceptance
At the West Hospital in Tamale, residents wait for the COVID jab. Ghanaians are slowly overcoming hesitancy and rejection. Conspiracy theories initially crippled inoculation efforts. Even health workers were hesitant. Community leaders were educated about the vaccines. They took the vaccines publicly to encourage others. Advocacy workers battled to change mindsets. But their efforts were held back by a flood…
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Why African countries are skeptical of OECD tax reform plan
Kenya and Nigeria have withdrawn from a global tax reform plan preventing multinational corporations from easily shifting their profits to low-tax countries. The regional economic heavyweights had been weighing up taking part in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) led project, which envisages introducing a global minimum tax aimed at giving countries a partial share of the tax…
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Fruitful farming amid droughts
It has not rained for months in the semi-arid area of Muidabi, Kenya. There is no food for humans or pasture for animals. But Gabriel Mwangi Kariuki is changing lives: He owns a few greenhouses, filled with luscious, juicy tomatoes. His rain catchment system is vital: All his plants get a drop of water every 7 seconds. Through an EU-funded…
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Thailand deemed too wealthy to produce generic Molnupiravir
Thailand has been deemed to be too rich to produce a generic version of the anti-viral drug Molnupiravir that reduces the negative effects of Covid-19 infections. Merck, the producer of the drug, had made an agreement to license the virus-fighting drug to production companies in poor countries to help in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. But the World Bank has…
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Togo: A rare female motorcycle taxi
Suzanne N’Dati Tignindo is tackling gender stereotypes: The young Togolese is a motorcycle cab driver: a job usually reserved for men. She picked up the job to save money to open her own hairdressing shop. Suzanne loves her job, but she doesn’t intend to do it all her life. She was trained as a hairdresser. She has two big dreams:…
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PM says cooperation needed as Thailand prepares for reopening
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has stressed the importance of public and business cooperation ahead of next week’s reopening of Thailand’s borders and the relaxing of quarantine requirements for international visitors. The Bangkok Post has reported Prayut has asked for strict compliance with disease controls, and that protesters do not damage the national image, paving the way for a successful reopening. Prayut,…
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Koh Chang on track for November 11 reopening with sandbox scheme
Koh Chang is poised to welcome back foreign visitors amid plans to get a sandbox scheme underway from November 11. The island, in the eastern province of Trat, is gearing up for reopening under the “Koh Chang Sandbox” scheme, with Trat governor Chamnanwit Taerat ordering preparations be made in seeking to breathe life back into the local tourism sector. As…
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Leading Thai shopping centre developer exploring cryptocurrency rollout
Thai retailer Central Retail Corp is piloting a digital currency based on blockchain technology, which it is currently rolling out to employees around the world. Bloomberg reports the cryptocurrency, dubbed “C-Coin”, is being distributed to Central’s 80,000 global employees on merit, in addition to their usual compensation, with it able to be used in place of cash at restaurants or…
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DDC forecasts potential Covid-19 scenarios amid tourism restart
Ahead of next week’s reopening of Thailand’s international borders and the relaxing of quarantine requirements, the Department of Disease Control has provided a rundown of 3 potential Covid-19 scenarios facing the nation. The scenarios – categorised as “green”, “orange” and “grey” – respectively outline the risk of the virus spreading locally against the backdrop of the tourism restart, according to…
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Tourism Minister: “Maybe we should’ve confirmed Lisa first”
In a rare apology from the government, Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakan says they announced that Blackpink megastar Lisa would play a New Year’s event without considering any details (like if she was available or interested). After the bold announcement of a massive countdown party to call global attention to Thailand reopening to tourism, multiple government agencies and…
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Bangkok officials consider allowing alcohol sales at restaurants
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is considering allowing alcohol sales at restaurants starting Monday as the capital reopens to international arrivals. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced during a CCSA press briefing this afternoon that the BMA was meeting with relevant authorities to decide whether to lift the alcohol ban. Bangkok is also being reclassified on the Thai…
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Meet Meta, the newly rebranded parent company of Facebook
Don’t forget to like our posts and follow us on Facebook, er, Meta! Facebook, the social network recently under fire for knowingly ignoring the harm their algorithms were doing, has announced a parent company rebrand to their new name: Meta. Founder Mark Zuckerberg says the name change is to represent a move beyond the social network to a virtual reality…
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Tourism industry aims for improvement over Sandbox for reopening
Thailand’s battered tourism industry is making final preparations for the big November 1 reopening with high hopes of welcoming back international travellers across Thailand. On November 1, the country will reopen with still somewhat convoluted 3 entry options and quarantine-free travel for arrivals from 46 low-risk countries. The Phuket Sandbox, with nearly 58,000 arrivals from July 1, has been viewed…
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Teenager shot at August protest in Bangkok dies after months in a coma
The teenager who was shot in the neck at a protest outside Bangkok’s Din Daeng police station back in August died. According to the Bangkok Post, Amnesty International Thailand confirmed that the 15 year old died yesterday morning after being in a coma for several months. There have been several violent clashes at Din Daeng intersection involving young anti-government protesters…
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November 1 re-opening of Thailand – The Fine Print
And now for some of the fine print, answering questions you may have had about re-entry to Thailand from next Monday, November 1. Who can travel to Thailand? Travellers will be categorised into 3 groups… • The first are fully vaccinated visitors from 46 countries (www.thaiembassy.com). They must stay one night in either a SHA+ certified hotel or an ASQ…
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ICUs in Chiang Mai nearly full amidst Covid-19 surge
In Chiang Mai, surging Covid-19 infections have filled ICUs and plunged the province into crisis, just days before international reopening. Doctors are warning that the province is near critical levels as it has just two hospitals that are capable of treating severe Covid-19 patients and they are reporting that their intensive care units are nearly at full capacity. Daily infections…
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