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  • Visa InformationProposals to get rid of 90 day reporting and ease investment rules in Thailand

    Proposals to get rid of 90 day reporting and ease investment rules in Thailand

    In amongst a sea of bad new over the past week, a glimmer of hope for expats and long-stay travellers. You better sit down… The Thai government are looking into changing the long standing 90 day reporting for people staying in Thailand longer than 90 days on a long-stay visa. But don’t get out the champagne just yet. For the…

  • Covid-19 NewsHealth officials outline estimated daily infections based on 5 different scenarios

    Health officials outline estimated daily infections based on 5 different scenarios

    Health officials are using 5 different scenarios, with varying degrees of restrictions, to predict average daily Covid infection numbers in the Thailand, based on the latest rises in new infections over the past month. The Department of Disease Control and International Health Policy Program agency have based their estimates on 4 main measures in 5 different situations, based on predictive…

  • Road deaths1st day of Songkran road safety campaign – 356 injuries, 25 deaths

    1st day of Songkran road safety campaign – 356 injuries, 25 deaths

    The Songkran road safety campaign is off to a moderate start with a reported 25 deaths and 356 injuries across Thailand on Saturday. The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department director-general reports that there were 348 road accidents in the country on the first day of the campaign. Though the figures don’t sound like an achievement, they are actually a fair…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s King and PM send condolences to Queen Elizabeth | PHOTOS

    Thailand’s King and PM send condolences to Queen Elizabeth | PHOTOS

    Thailand’s King HM Maha Vajiralongkorn has sent a message of condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II following the death of her consort and husband, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. “We all in Thailand join the people of Great Britain in mourning this great loss, a sense of loss being shared by peoples aroundthe world, whose…

  • Thailand News7 Thai dogs find a new home in California

    7 Thai dogs find a new home in California

    7 stray dogs from Thailand have immigrated to the United States as one California woman attempts to rescue as many Thai dogs as possible. Melissa Bacelar is the owner of The Wagmor Luxury Pet Hotel and Spa, along with its offshoot pet adoption service, Wagmore Pets. Located in Studio City, a neighbourhood in Los Angeles bordering Hollywood, the pet hotel…

  • Covid-19 NewsBig Covid-19 numbers today: 789 new infections, 1 death

    Big Covid-19 numbers today: 789 new infections, 1 death

    789 new Covid-19 infections and 1 death were reported today by the CCSA. The death, a 68 year old Thai man from Nakhon Pathom, had died April 4 but was yesterday confirmed as dying from complications from Coronavirus. Only 8 infections were international arrivals, with 522 local infections and 259 diagnosed today through contact tracing. The international infections were Thai…

  • Chiang Mai NewsTourism officials slash Songkran travel expectations by half

    Tourism officials slash Songkran travel expectations by half

    The TAT, ever the optimists regarding anything tourism related, even domestic tourism, predict that the Bangkok clusters that have emerged in the week before the Songkran break could reduce traffic and spending by up to half. Today the CCSA is reporting 789 new infections and one additional death. 522 were local infections, mostly walk-ins to Bangkok hospitals, 259 were discovered through…

  • Covid-19 NewsPrivatising Covid vaccines – Thai government gives private hospitals the go-ahead to buy vaccines

    Privatising Covid vaccines – Thai government gives private hospitals the go-ahead to buy vaccines

    “About 10,000 people are being vaccinated around Thailand, on average, with 14,000 people being vaccinated each day in Phuket.” Private hospitals and institutions have been given the official go-ahead to purchase up to 10 million doses of approved Covid-19 vaccines. The purchases will be in addition to what the Thai government is also doing. The major sticking point, despite the…

  • EducationPhuket student protests and is flunked as “not loyal to the nation”

    Phuket student protests and is flunked as “not loyal to the nation”

    After participating in protests for student’s rights, a Phuket student was barred from graduating 9th grade, moving from middle school to high school, charged with being “not loyal to the nation, institution of the monarchy”. The student had advocated against mandatory uniforms and for student’s liberties. He told reporters that the school started paying attention to his actions last year…

  • Covid-19 NewsTransport Ministry: refunds to cancel travel for Covid-19

    Transport Ministry: refunds to cancel travel for Covid-19

    The Transport Ministry is launching plans to deal with forced cancellations of travel plans due to the most recent Covid-19 outbreak. With recent restrictions on entertainment venues, Songkran festivities, and some areas implementing quarantines for domestic travel, many holiday travellers will likely have no choice but to cancel their plans. The Transport Ministry has declared that all passengers by bus…

  • Covid-19 NewsMP claims 2 Cabinet ministers visited Covid-cluster venue in Thong Lor

    MP claims 2 Cabinet ministers visited Covid-cluster venue in Thong Lor

    With a third of the Thai Cabinet in isolation after coming in close contact with Covid-19, a MP claims 2 Cabinet ministers went to a nightlife venue in Bangkok’s Thong Lor where a cluster of Covid-19 infections have been reported. The chair of the House committee on legal affairs, justice and human rights, Sira Jenjaka, says he has photo evidence…

  • Thailand NewsGovernment helps direct refunds for cancelled holiday trips

    Government helps direct refunds for cancelled holiday trips

    For those who are cancelling their holiday trips due to Thailand’s recent Covid-19 outbreak, the government is issuing measures to help with refunds. The Transport Ministry says people who have booked bus and rail-services between the April 9-18 Songkran holiday, can claim full refunds if they want to cancel their trips. But the ministry says people should give at least…

  • Thailand NewsGiant monitor lizard visits Thai 7 Eleven store, video goes viral

    Giant monitor lizard visits Thai 7 Eleven store, video goes viral

    A giant, nearly 2 metre long, monitor lizard decided to visit a 7 Eleven store looking for food, with customers and staff wondering what he (or she) was going to do next. The lizard climbed up a fully stacked shelf of dairy products, with apparently no cares in the world, as he clumsily knocked off cartons of milk and other…

  • Northern Thailand NewsChiang Rai sees 2 new infections linked to Bangkok, Chiang Mai entertainment venues

    Chiang Rai sees 2 new infections linked to Bangkok, Chiang Mai entertainment venues

    Chiang Rai is reporting 2 new Covid infections that are linked to entertainment venue clusters from Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The people who tested positive for the virus have entered a 14 day mandatory hospital quarantine. The governor of Chiang Rai and chair of the Communicable Diseases Committee ordered anyone travelling to the province from a red zone to self-monitor…

  • Covid-19 NewsVirologist says British strain likely brought in by people crossing Cambodian border

    Virologist says British strain likely brought in by people crossing Cambodian border

    Renowned virologist Yong Poovorawan says it’s highly probable that the UK variant was brought in by Thais or migrant workers crossing the border from Cambodia. He says the variant, officially known as the B117 strain, has been detected in over 1,500 Covid patients in Cambodia since February 20. The variant, which is 1.7 times more contagious than the original strain,…

  • Covid-19 News10 field hospitals being set up as Bangkok hospitals expected to run out of beds

    10 field hospitals being set up as Bangkok hospitals expected to run out of beds

    The Thai military is to set up 10 field hospitals in Bangkok, amid fears that medical facilities in the capital are running out of beds. Between them, the field hospitals are expected to provide an additional 3,000 beds. As infections continue to rise in Bangkok, a number of hospitals have confirmed they are no longer offering Covid-19 tests, amid speculation…

  • Covid-19 NewsAirlines urge government to shut down Songkran travel to curb virus spread

    Airlines urge government to shut down Songkran travel to curb virus spread

    “Travel restrictions won’t be good for airlines, but in the meantime, we should prioritise long-term benefits instead of short-term revenue.” Thailand’s aviation sector is nervous, amid rising cases of Covid-19 and confirmation that the highly-contagious UK variant has reached the Kingdom. Airlines are calling on the government to introduce travel restrictions now, admitting that while this will hurt in the…

  • Covid-19 News25,000 people injected with Covid-19 vaccine this week in Koh Samui

    25,000 people injected with Covid-19 vaccine this week in Koh Samui

    This week, 25,000 people in Koh Samui have been injected with the Covid-19 vaccine. The island plans to vaccinate 70% of its population by July to reach ‘herd immunity’ and reopen the tourist destination to vaccinated travellers, following the Phuket ‘sandbox’ model. The vaccines were offered to the general public, including expats, at Rajabhat University, Bangkok Hospital Samui, Central Festival…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid-19 vaccines from private sector importers allowed

    Covid-19 vaccines from private sector importers allowed

    Thailand’s private sector will be allowed to purchase and import Covid-19 vaccines in Thailand, according to a government deputy spokesperson today. She declared that the government will not monopolise the vaccination market and that private enterprises can import Covid-19 vaccines for sale. A lot of confusion exists in the public regarding the situation with vaccines and the spokesperson stated that…

  • Songkran NewsSongkran fully cancelled in Bangkok amid Covid-19 outbreaks

    Songkran fully cancelled in Bangkok amid Covid-19 outbreaks

    All Songkran festival activities throughout every district of the Bangkok province have been officially cancelled to prevent more outbreaks of Covid-19. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced this difficult decision today in light of a rise in Coronavirus infection clusters around the country. Many of these outbreaks have been directly linked to entertainment venues, nightclubs and bars, including in Bangkok’s Thong…

  • Crime NewsImmigration police arrest Frenchman on drug charges, 3 other foreigners for overstay

    Immigration police arrest Frenchman on drug charges, 3 other foreigners for overstay

    Immigration police arrested a French man who was allegedly involved in a crime network who allegedly smuggled cannabis, and arrested 3 other foreigners on overstay charges. Police say the crime network sold cannabis to foreigners living in tourist cities in Thailand. Officers say they suspect there are more people involved in the alleged smuggling operation on the Eastern seaboard, which…

  • Pattaya News40 Covid-19 infections in Chon Buri area; list of exposure sites

    40 Covid-19 infections in Chon Buri area; list of exposure sites

    An outbreak of Covid-19 mostly related to bars and entertainment venues has brought 40 new cases to the Chon Buri province today. Provincial health department staff say entertainment venues in Pattaya, Si Racha and Bangkok are hubs for spreading the virus. 510 people considered to be at high risk of infection have been tested and are currently awaiting results. Walk-ins…

  • Bangkok NewsIndependent candidates polling well in Bangkok governor race

    Independent candidates polling well in Bangkok governor race

    Independent candidates are trending in polls for the Bangkok governor election later this year, with undecided voters leaning independent. Undecided voters have grown to nearly 1/3 of all voters up from just under 30% in March, possibly due to voters being tired of political polarisation. The exact date of the election has not been announced yet but independent candidates have…

  • Covid-19 NewsThai Health Minister pictured without mask, sitting next to infected Transport Minister

    Thai Health Minister pictured without mask, sitting next to infected Transport Minister

    Do as I say, not as I do… Thailand’s Public Health Minister has been caught without a face mask while sitting next to a Cabinet minister who subsequently tested positive for Covid-19. Anutin Charnvirakul, previously considered an enthusiastic proponent of mask-wearing, sat next to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob while attending a merit-making event on Tuesday. Saksayam tested positive for Covid-19…

  • Thailand NewsTinder’s top dating trends for the decade ahead

    Tinder’s top dating trends for the decade ahead

    The following is a press release submitted by Tinder, a popular dating application. More than half of all Tinder members across the globe are Gen Z (18 to 25 year old young adults) and even before the pandemic they were already redefining the rules of dating. Then 2020 happened and everything changed. It’s been the busiest year in Tinder’s history.…

  • Covid-19 NewsUnder 30s in UK to be offered alternative to AstraZeneca jab amid concerns over rare blood clots

    Under 30s in UK to be offered alternative to AstraZeneca jab amid concerns over rare blood clots

    Health officials in the UK have decided that people under the age of 30 will be offered an alternative jab to the AstraZeneca vaccine. The decision comes following a review by the country’s drugs regulator that shows that by the end of last month, a number of people experienced blood clots after receiving the vaccine developed in partnership with Oxford…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News Today | Steep rise in Bangkok cluster, Monk rescued from cave | April 7

    Thailand News Today | Steep rise in Bangkok cluster, Monk rescued from cave | April 7

    In today’s episode we look at…Thailand’s covid situation has suddenly swept back to the headlines with potential super spreader events now delivering rising infection numbers, especially in Bangkok and now in the provinces as well. And all this just days away from Songkran when Thais will have the busiest travel period in the past 12 months. Our full coverage coming…

  • Politics NewsTaiwan ready to duke it out if China attacks

    Taiwan ready to duke it out if China attacks

    Taiwan officials say they are ready to duke it out if China decides to take its military activities a step further. The announcement, made by its foreign minister, comes after China has stepped up its aircraft carrier drills near the island along with other military activities in the past few months. “From my limited understanding of American decision makers watching…

  • Northern Thailand NewsUPDATE: Divers rescue monk stuck in flooded cave in northern Thailand

    UPDATE: Divers rescue monk stuck in flooded cave in northern Thailand

    Update: The monk was safely rescued from the flooded cave at around 11:30am today. Divers say the monk was fatigued and had a low fever. Original story… Rescue workers are attempting to free a Buddhist monk who has been stuck in a flooded cave in northern Thailand for at least 4 days. The monk, named in a Pattaya News report…

  • Bangkok NewsThailand’s Transport Minister tests positive for Covid-19

    Thailand’s Transport Minister tests positive for Covid-19

    Thailand’s Transport Minister has tested positive for Covid-19. Minister Saksayam Chidchob checked in at a hospital this morning with a high fever, according to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Earlier reports say a member of Saksayam’s staff tested positive for Covid-19 after visiting a nightlife venue in Bangkok’s Thong Lor area. Bar hopping in Bangkok’s Thong Lor and Ekkamai areas…