News
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Favipiravir AKA Avigan to be used for all Covid patients, despite paltry scientific merit
All Covid patients will receive the antiviral drug Favipiravir, AKA Avigan, says the Public Health Ministry. In fact, the government is planning to stockpile 420 million tablets. Yesterday, the Department of Medical Services announced that health officials can administer the drug to all groups of Covid patients. Before yesterday’s announcement, green coded patients with mild to no symptoms that were under…
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Fire takes on timber factory
Yesterday, a fire erupted at a timber processing factory in the central Thai province of Pathum Thani. No deaths have been reported. Most reports say there were no injuries, but according to Archyde, there were 2 injuries. Reportedly, the fire began just before 6 pm. Around 20 firefighters were dispatched to the Aree Aphiluck Company to put out the blaze.…
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Thailand’s Teflon MP denies he is “ready” to be the next Thai PM
Thammanat Prompao for Thai PM. Huh?! The Palang Pracharat ‘fixer’, and former guest of the Australian prison system, is crying ‘fake news’ over a social media post saying that he’s “ready and waiting” to be offered the top job in Thai politics. Palang Pracharat is the majority coalition party in the current Thai government. The Agriculture and Cooperatives minister, and…
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Covid UPDATE Sunday: 19,983 infections, news briefs
This morning the Thai public health department have announced a further 19,983 infections and 138 Covid-related deaths to Thailand’s total number of cases – 756,505. 350 of the total of today’s new cases are from Thai prisons. Whilst the new daily totals tally is under 20,000 for the first time in nearly a week, the Sunday totals are often lower…
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UPDATE: Suspect in Swiss murder in Phuket is a “Thai man”
UPDATE TO OUR PREVIOUS ARTICLE New details have just emerged in Thai media about the suspect detained today in the murder of the 57 year old Swiss traveller in Phuket found yesterday. The newly obtained information says the suspect is in fact a 27 year old Thai man, and not a 33 year old Burmese man as previously reported (in…
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New internet freedom study lowers Thailand to 3rd to last
A new report on internet freedom and censorship around the world has placed Thailand in the third-lowest ranking, dropping 2 levels from last year. On a scale of 1 to 11, one being nearly unrestricted and 11 being fully locked down, Thailand is now ranked an 8, with the report declaring Thailand’s internet freedom 73% restricted. Comparitech, the company that…
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Assassination plot of Burmese UN Ambassador thwarted
Kyaw Moe Tun has been standing in a precarious position as the current or former Burmese ambassador to the United Nations – depending on who you believe – and is now the subject of a thwarted assassination plot. The plan to murder or maim the diplomat was to be carried out by 2 Burmese nationals on US soil at the…
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UPDATE: Phuket police claim they have arrested a suspect in the murder of the Swiss Sandboxer
UPDATE: In later reports today Thai media have variously described the suspect as a 33 year old Burmese, a 27 year old Thai and, with Thai PBS, not sure… but police will make a statement in a media conference later. “Police say there will be a press conference tomorrow about the murder of the Swiss tourist. They insist the suspect…
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Food shortages beginning as Covid-19 limits production
As Covid-19 outbreaks shut down factories and food processing plants and pull infected workers off the job, Thailand now faces the possibility of food supply shortages. Markets and supermarkets are beginning to see reductions in available stock after nearly 100 food processing plants across the country have been closed or partially closed with production capacity reduced. Some markets are closing…
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Covid-19 nasal spray vaccines in development in Thailand
The National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, known as BIOTEC, believes that the solution to Covid-19 vaccination may be right under our noses. Thai virologists at BIOTEC have 2 nasal spray options currently in development for domestic production that may act as a substitute for Covid-19 vaccines in needle form. They believe a nasal spray or inhaler may provide…
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Workers still locked up in Thai construction ‘camps’ | VIDEO
Tim Newton speaks to Shaun Stenning from 5 Star Marine and One Phuket outside a worker camp and constructions site in Kathu, Phuket. The situation is just a small part of a nationwide situation where 80,000 – 100,000 mostly migrant workers are virtually imprisoned in their construction sites. We get to the issues and the work being done by people…
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Covid UPDATE Saturday: 21,838 new infections – a new record, news briefs
This morning the Thai public health department has announced 21,838 new infections along with 212 Covid-related deaths. 923 of the new cases have emerged from Thai prisons. 21,108 patients have been released from hospitals in the past 24 hours, significantly, nearly the same amount of new cases announced over the past 24 hours. 5,159 patients remain in “serious condition” whilst…
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‘Chinese Taipei’: Taiwan’s Olympic success draws attention to team name
As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics comes to an end this week, Taiwan’s record-breaking number of medals has put a spotlight on the name of its delegation at international competitions like the Olympics. Over the past three weeks, athletes from Taiwan have won a total of 12 medals at the Tokyo Olympics, including a first gold medal in badminton. After defeating…
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Saiyok Floatel given 30 days to remove floating structures
The proprietor of the Saiyok Floatel in Kanchanaburi, a province in western Thailand, has been ordered to remove all their floating structures on the Kwae Noi River within 30 days. Reportedly, the resort is infringing on Sai Yok National Park’s land. Park officials posted the order via the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation at the multi-million baht…
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Ugandan blogger’s ‘life in peril’ after arrest in Turkey
Fred Lumbuye, a well-known blogger, social media activist and critic of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, was arrested in Turkey on Tuesday, according to several news reports. Human rights and political activists have raised concerns about the possibility the Ugandan activist being extradited to Uganda “… we know that, if he is handed over to Uganda he will not get a…
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Man arrested for stealing just over 1,000 baht in Wichit, Phuket
Recently, a man was arrested for allegedly stealing just over 1,000 baht from a wallet that was left on a counter in a “Super Cheap” store in Wichit, Phuket. 50 year old “Mr Sutchai” was arrested earlier week, around 2 pm, says Wichit Police. The police say Sutchai took the wallet out of a shopping trolley that had been forgotten…
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PM calls for expedited probe into “Sandbox” traveller’s death; victim’s timeline released
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered authorities to expedite the investigation into the case of the Swiss government official who was found dead, possibly raped and murdered, in a creek in Phuket after entering Thailand under the island’s new “Sandbox” reopening scheme. Thailand’s national police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk has flown down to Phuket and is now investigating the case along with detectives…
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Actor’s girlfriend stabbed to death in Bangkok following “struggle” over knife
Early this morning, an actor from a popular Thai TV show that’s title translates to “It’s because of love, isn’t it?”, has been taken in by police in connection with the death of his girlfriend. 21 year old Thanapat “Toy Toy” Thanachakulphisan was waiting for police at “a house” in Bangkok following his girlfriend’s death. Thai media says police were…
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Friday Covid Update: 21,379 new cases; provincial totals
A high of 21,379 new Covid-19 cases and 191 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. There are now 212,926 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand. A total of 714,684 Covid-19 cases have been reported by the CCSA since the start of the pandemic last year. The latest and most severe wave of the virus, first…
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Group of teenagers arrested, police seize knives and explosives
A group of around a dozen teenagers were arrested for possession of knives and explosives. The Mathayam level, or high school, students were approached by police as they were allegedly waiting to confront students from another school. The students, ages 15 to 18, were seen off Sukhumvit Road in Samut Prakan’s Pak Nam subdistrict, just southeast of Bangkok. Police searched…
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Former local school official in Chon Buri found dead, neck slashed
A former deputy school director was found nearly decapitated outside her home in Chon Buri’s Panat Nikhom district. Officers say the 61 year old Jantanee Santitammakorn was dead when emergency responders arrived. Her neck had been slashed several times and there was heavy bleeding. Her husband told police that he had been out running errands and had tried to call…
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Nonthaburi doctor arrested for allegedly collecting “commission fees”
Yesterday, the hospital director for Bang Kruai Hospital, which is located in central Thailand’s Nonthaburi province, was arrested for allegedly trying to supplement his income with a 35% “commission” from a contractor over the hospital’s 280,000 baht computer system. Counter Corruption Division police and the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission officials arrested 53 year old Dr Wichai Rattthanaphanphani for…
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Survey shows nearly half of Thai businesses expect return to normality in early 2022
A survey carried out by the Bank of Thailand shows that nearly half of Thai businesses expect life to return to normal during the first quarter of 2022. According to a Bangkok Post report, businesses of all sizes were interviewed between July 1 – 22 as part of the business sentiment index. The findings show that 45% expect people to…
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Body of Swiss national in Phuket identified as foreign government official
Officers have announced the identity of the Swiss national who was found dead in a Phuket creek as 57 year old Nicole Sauvain Weisskopf, a woman who entered Thailand last month under the new “Sandbox” reopening scheme. According to the Bangkok Post, Nicole is the assistant protocol chief of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland. Another report in Thai media says…
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Friday Covid Update: 21,379 new cases and 191 deaths
The number of Covid-19 infections and deaths continues to rise and hit record highs. Today, 21,379 new Covid-19 cases and 191 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. On Wednesday, the daily case count exceeded 20,000 and the daily fatality count hit a high of 188. There are now 212,926 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand. In…
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Environmental groups urge government to ban the import of plastic waste
The Thai government is being urged to push ahead with a ban on importing plastic waste, instead promoting the recycling of domestic plastic waste. Over 100 environmental groups say this is essential to protecting the environment, as well as creating a circular economy. According to a Bangkok Post report, 107 groups have released a joint statement calling for a ban…
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Songkhla beach party sees 61 arrested violating Covid-19 rules
A reckless birthday beach party in Songkhla in violation of several Covid-19 restrictions resulted in 61 arrests, half of which were underage. Songkhla is a dark red zone, where any gathering with alcohol is prohibited and non-alcoholic gatherings are limited to a maximum of 5 people. Last night on Wang Nao Beach in Nath Thap sub-district of Songkhla, 61 people…
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Ukraine investigating Belarusian activist’s death as possible murder
Suicide, or premeditated murder disguised as suicide? Those are the main hypotheses authorities in Kyiv are currently investigating in the death of Vitaliy Shishov according to National Police of Ukraine boss Ihor Klymenko. Shishov, a 26-year-old Belarusian activist who co-founded the Kyiv-based Belarusian House in Ukraine (BHU), was found hanged in a forest on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital…
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Body found in Phuket of Swiss woman presumed murdered
The body of a 57 year old Swiss woman who arrived in the Phuket Sandbox July 13 was found stashed at the rocky base of a waterfall today, with authorities believing she was raped and murdered. Her body was found about 1 kilometre inside the Ao Yon waterfall area in Wichit, lying face down in the shallow, rocky water. Police…
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Ceuta – Last stop for refugees
Refugees and migrants from Morocco have few prospects of having their status recognized in the neighboring Spanish exclave Ceuta. Even some supposedly well-meaning volunteers advise them to go back. SOURCE: DW News
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