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    Jetts Fitness Bangkok flexes its muscles 24/7: Gym buffs on the fast track with BTS access

    If you prefer to save your precious energy for the gym instead of your daily commute, then you’ll love Jetts Fitness. Boasting over 20 locations across Bangkok, with most of them strategically positioned near BTS and MRT stations, this famous...

  • CNY 2022: Ring in the Year of ‘Thaiger’ with a quiet roar

    The Lunar New Year, like its solar counterpart on January 1, is a special time for people to let go of the past and embrace a new and brighter future. The date of Chun Jie (Spring Festival) changes from year to year depending on the Chinese lunar calendar, which determines when the 15-day festival will happen between January 21 and…

  • NeoCoV could be ‘3 times more lethal’ than Covid-19, IF it gains key mutation for humans

    Chinese researchers in Wuhan have sounded the alarm on a species of known bat coronavirus that could potentially be 3 times more fatal than Covid-19, the Thai Public Health Commission’s Vice Chairman Chalermchai Boonyaleephan stated yesterday. If the virus were to mutate and make its way to human populations, it could turn into “Covid-22” and eventually be crowned “MERS-CoV-2,” Boonyaleephan said.…

  • Myanmar: One year after the military coup and bloody crackdown

    A year ago today, Myanmar’s military seized power of the government over what they say was a fraudulent election. The democratically elected State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted and detained, as well as other civilian leaders. The coup was met with backlash from the public, leading to a bloody crackdown by security forces that killed more than one…

  • Single Singaporeans ‘rent’ themselves out as dates on TikTok for Lunar New Year celebrations

    In what appears to be a meme, Singaporean men have been ‘renting’ themselves out as dates on TikTik to help single young ladies avoid embarrassing relationship-status questions from relatives at family gatherings for Chinese New Year. One such TikToker is Wayne Chia, a Singaporean of Chinese descent. He posted a video of himself posing in a red suit behind a…

  • Four people reportedly arrested during Laos’ second-largest illegal drugs bust last week

    Four people were arrested during the second-largest seizure of illegal drugs by Laos police in Huay Xai province north of Bokeo last week, with authorities reporting 36 million methamphetamine pills, a total weight of 590 kilograms, were found. The UN Office of Drugs and Crime regional representative, Jeremy Douglas, says… “Those four who were arrested were pretty low-level… there were…

  • Smoke blankets over Laos capital Vientiane, landfill fire releases toxic fumes

    Clouds of toxic smoke billowed over the Laos capital of Vientiane after a fire broke out at a landfill over the weekend, according to the local media outlet Laotian Times. Authorities have yet to issue a comment about what caused it. Smoke blanketed the skies in and surrounding the Xaythany District, causing locals to complain about the stink over the…

  • Thailand and Cambodia agree to intenstify crackdown on call-centre scams

    Thailand and Cambodia are reportedly working together to combat transnational online scams. Officials from both Southeast Asian countries met via video conference to discuss intensifying crackdowns on deceptive call centres and investment scams that have extorted money from citizens of both countries. During the virtual meeting with Cambodia’s Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Chea Vandet, Thailand Digital Economy and Society…

  • Beijing sees an increase in Covid-19 cases as Winter Olympics approaches

    Just days before the Winter Olympics in Beijing, the Chinese capital reported a spike in Covid-19 cases with Sunday reaching 20 new infections, the highest daily count in the past 18 months. While the number is low in comparison to other cities around the world, neighbours are being sealed off and residents are being screened for Covid-19. A total of…

  • Nadal defeats Medvedev in Melbourne, wins record 21st grand slam title

    Rafael Nadal has done the impossible — coming back from 2 sets down to defeat Daniil Medvedev and win the Australian Open in an epic championship match that spanned more than 5 hours. Nadal, who was the 6th seed entering the tournament in Melbourne Park, came back from behind to defeat his Russian opponent 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4 7-5…

  • Countdown to February 1, one day to go before Test & Go resumes

    “The recent 3 months of total international arrivals were around 3.4% of the arrivals at the same time 2 years ago.” The Test & Go program of the Thailand Pass is set to start again this Tuesday, a rebooted version with some additional costs and paperwork. Travellers will need to book an extra pre-paid SHA+ room and PCR test for Day…

  • Dr Yong: I don’t think “endemic” means what you think it means.

    Dr Yong Poovorawan, the country’s outspoken top virologist, is raining on Thailand’s endemic parade. The chief of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the Faculty of Medicine of Chulalongkorn University pointed out that while the nature of Covid-19 may be evolving over time to be less of a threat, it will never by definition be endemic. It seems…

  • Thailand is 26th on Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking

    The Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking this month places Thailand in the middle of the pack, 26th out of 53 countries on the list, and PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is satisfied with the rank. The government expressed satisfaction over the ranking after Thailand previously placed much lower at 44th on the list. The spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office said that PM…

  • Pope Francis calls Covid-19 fake news a violation of human rights

    While the church hasn’t always been on the same side as science, Pope Francis spoke out strongly against vaccine disinformation and Covid-19 fake news. In a statement Friday, he condemned any news source, including Catholic news media, that perpetuated misinformation about the pandemic, calling it a violation of human rights. In a talk with members of a group of Catholic…

  • Asia’s second largest drug bust: 36 million meth pills in Laos

    After a record-breaking bust in October, police in Laos have just captured 36 million meth pills, the second-largest Asian drug bust on record. A United Nations official confirmed the bust earlier today and say it points to changes in the patterns of drug smuggling in Southeast Asia. In the bust earlier this week, 36 million meth pills were found along…

  • Covid-19 vaccine does not kill athletes, despite consistent rumour

    An apparently false conspiracy theory that the Covid-19 vaccine is killing athletes has once again been pushed by prominent “anti-vaxxers.” US Senator Ron Johnson claimed that 22,000 people have died from the vaccine including many athletes. And Basketball Hall of Famer John Stockton contended that over 100 athletes had died after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine. Neither of these statements were…

  • Countdown to February 1 – opening Thailand’s tourist floodgates?

    The Test & Go program of the Thailand Pass is set to start again on February 1. Test & Go Version 2.0. In this reboot you will need to book an extra pre-paid SHA+ room, and PCR test, for Day 5 of your stay, in addition to the original version of Test & Go when you only had the one…

  • Laos workers to return Thailand as borders reopen for migrants from neighbouring countries

    For the first time since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, Thailand will reopen its borders to migrant workers, especially from Laos, who are now granted permission to return to Thailand with the approval of their employers next week after a hiatus due to Covid-19. Reports say many people continue to cross the border illegally in search…

  • Surat Thani immigration police arrest human trafficking suspect from Myanmar

    A 46 year old Myanmar national was arrested by Surat Thani Immigration Police today for allegedly smuggling six others into Thailand. The suspect, who is identified as Bumaw, was reportedly seen on a road in Tambon Talad in Surat Thani province’s Mueang district, and Immigration Police arrested him at the spot, nearly four months after the Surat Thani Court issued…

  • 10 year high: Real estate price spike in Singapore

    Last year, Singapore home prices rose to their highest level in more than a decade, boosting the island state’s government’s decision to impose “cooling” policies that will hopefully help the Singaporean property market’s stability. According to estimates released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority on Friday, prices increased by 10.6% in 2021. This is the highest level since 2010, when they…

  • TAT offices in India introduce online training course for Indian travel agents

    Indian travel agents can now sign up for an online training course to brush up on their knowledge of all things Thai, thanks to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. According to a TTR Weekly report, the so-called Thailand Specialist Programme is designed to teach the travel agents about new attractions and tourist offerings in the Land of Smiles. Cholada Siddhivarn…

  • Neil Young pulls music from Spotify over Joe Rogan’s misinformation

    After slamming Spotify for giving Joe Rogan a platform for spreading life-threatening vaccine misinformation, classic rocker Neil Young demanded that the music streaming service remove his catalogue and they complied. The legendary musician has never shied away from expressing his opinion and wrote an open letter last week calling out Spotify for carrying Joe Rogan popular podcast which gets millions…

  • Malaysia’s new airline SKS is now flying to northern tax-free island resort Pangkor

    Following the approval from the country’s civil aviation regulator last week, SKS Airways became the first airline to launch short-haul flights to Malaysia’s northern tax-free island resort of Pangkor yesterday, resuming domestic travel after months of closure due to the Covid-19 outbreak last year. The first flight of SKS Airways took off from the smaller Subang airport near Kuala Lumpur…

  • Laos government allows Chinese firm to dig rare earth minerals, locals concerned

    Villagers in northeastern Laos have voiced concerns over losing their land to a Chinese firm that was recently approved by the Southeast Asian government to dig for rare earth minerals. A government source says some displaced villagers will receive compensation. Although the Lao Ministry of Plans and Development signed an agreement on January 21 allowing the Tong Lee Seung Industrial…

  • Indonesia vows to end Joke Widodo’s extension, says new president will be elected in 2024

    The electoral commission of Indonesia declared today that Southeast Asia’s archipelago nation will see its next leader in February 2024, putting an end to rumours that President Joko Widodo may seek to prolong his second and constitutionally mandated last term. Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, the General Election Commission, and members of the House of Representatives met earlier this week…

  • Thai women’s football team to play against Australia tomorrow

    After winning 4-0 against Indonesia on Monday, the Thai women’s football team will play against Australia tomorrow. The AFC Women’s World Cup is being hosted in India right now. Even though Thailand lost their first game to the Philippines, the win over Indonesia has brought back their stride. The team hopes that player Chaba Kaew will help it qualify for…

  • Thailand and India strengthen relations, plans to work together on trade, tourism

    After a break, Thailand and India plan to work together on trade, maritime activity, and tourism. In an interview with the Bangkok Post, India’s ambassador in Thailand said it was important to remember the overlaps between the two countries in culture, language, and religion. Earlier this month, the Indian embassy launched a competition for the best logo promoting bilateral relations…

  • Thailand and Saudi Arabia to exchange ambassadors, resume full diplomatic ties

    Following a meeting yesterday between Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and the Saudi leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, both countries have agreed to restore diplomatic ties in the near future. The Bangkok Post reports that Thailand and Saudi Arabia will exchange ambassadors as part of the agreement. Things have been frosty between the two countries since a diplomatic spat over…

  • China donates US$19.5 million worth military equipment to Philippines

    Last week, China allocated the Philippines US$19.5 million in military equipment as part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vow to help the Philippines government with not only anti-narcotics and anti-terrorism efforts, but also disaster relief missions. China has helped the Philippines modernise its military in recent years by sending high-capacity weaponry and equipment to support ongoing missions despite tensions in…

  • Philippines’ Typhoon Rai destroyed 1.5 million houses in total – IFRC

    New figures from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) show the entire scope of the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Rai, locally called Odette, when it hit the Philippines last month, causing damage to 1.5 million homes, which was more than any previous typhoon in recent decades. The Philippine Red Cross is bolstering its shelter…

  • Prayut’s Saudi Arabia trip a ‘breakthrough’ after 30 years of tense relations

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is currently in Saudi Arabia in an effort to restore Thai-Saudi economic and diplomatic relations. Experts say the trip, which is the first government trip between the two countries after 30 years, is a huge breakthrough after three decades of tense relations between the two countries. Relations first turned cold in 1989 after the Blue Diamond Affair…

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