Covid-19 News
Thailand Covid-19 news, vaccine updates, travel restrictions, and government policies—stay informed on case numbers, safety measures, and global developments. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for Covid-19 updates in Thailand.
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Sponsored How to travel around Thailand for under US$30 a day
The Thaiger key takeaways Staying in budget hostels or guesthouses and eating street food keeps daily expenses low. Mixing buses, trains, and budget flights allows affordable travel between cities and islands. Free or cheap activities, such as temples, markets, parks,...
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Check-in counters at Bangkok airport now used for Covid-19 vaccine screening
Following the drastic slowdown of air travel due to the pandemic, empty check-in counters at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport are now being used to service those registering for a Covid-19 vaccine including frontline workers, Airports of Thailand employees, and staff at the airport. On the airport’s fourth floor for departures, 42 of the check-in desks are now run by local healthcare…
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India’s appeal to foreign aid has been granted with multiple nations sending help
India’s appeal to receive foreign aid has been granted, as multiple nations are sending help to deal with its dire Covid-19 situation, which has seen over 2,800 deaths from yesterday alone. As infections and death rates are exploding, emergency medical supplies arrived today from abroad with the first shipmen arriving from the UK. Ventilators and oxygen concentrators were delivered as…
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Covid UPDATE: 2,179 new cases, 15 deaths, Provincial totals
2,179 new Covid-19 cases and 15 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Disease Control. Since the start of the pandemic last year, Thailand has reported 59,687 Covid-19 infections and 163 coronavirus-related deaths. The recent wave of infections over the past month makes up more than half of Thailand’s total count with 30,824 people…
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Thailand sets grim record of highest daily Covid deaths since start of pandemic
Thailand is setting a rather grim record today as its death toll from Covid-19 has reached the highest daily amount since the pandemic started. 15 new deaths were reported today, setting a new daily record for the third time in 4 days. The deaths consisted of Thai nationals, with 9 men and 6 women, aged 24 to 88. Most of…
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Hua Hin to submit October re-opening plan for government approval
The seaside town of Hua Hin, on the Gulf of Thailand, is working on a proposal to welcome vaccinated foreign tourists from October. Krod Rojanastien, from the Thai Chamber of Commerce, says the Hua Hin Recharge campaign aims to include the resort town in the government’s re-opening plan. He says the area has already earned a reputation for wellness holidays…
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Bangkok car riders must wear face masks if 2 or more people in car
Bangkok car riders now must wear a face mask if more than 2 people are in the car. The City Hall made the announcement yesterday, as part of the measures by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration aimed at stopping the spread of Covid-19. Family members in the same car aren’t being excluded from the rule. Questions on social media have signaled…
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Health Ministry to investigate death of woman following Sinovac jab
Health officials will carry out an autopsy on the body of a 23 year old woman who died days after receiving the Sinovac vaccine. Relatives of the deceased say she became ill after receiving the second dose of CoronaVac, the Covid-19 vaccine from Chinese manufacturer, Sinovac Biotech. The Bangkok Post reports that the unnamed woman, who worked as a salesperson…
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Lockdown decision expected tomorrow for Bangkok
A full lockdown decision is expected tomorrow for Thailand’s capital of Bangkok after record daily Covid-19 infections have sent the city into a frenzy trying to stop the spread of the virus. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration is expected to make the recommendation which will be forwarded to the full committee chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. The CCSA will…
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Covid-19 task force to resume central role in handling of crisis
The government is placing the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration back at the centre of its handling of the pandemic, after the CCSA delegated some authority to government ministries. Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri says the Covid-19 task force will resume its central role as the government ramps up the national vaccine rollout. Officials aim to vaccinate around 30 million people…
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Thai PM fined 6,000 baht for not wearing face mask during Cabinet meeting
You know what it’s like when you’re rushing out the door in the morning with too many things on your mind. You’re being slammed for your handling of a pandemic, berated for your failure to procure sufficient vaccines and generally, having a bit of a rough ride. There’s a lot to distract you as you gather your belongings. Keys, check.…
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Thailand’s “problem foreigners” who don’t wear masks. Really?! | VIDEO
UPDATE: Even the Thai PM has been fined for not wearing a mask at a meeting at Government House yesterday. Phuket’s vice governor has stirred the pot by singling out, what he described as, “problem foreigners” who weren’t wearing their mask in public. Over the past week there has been renewed attention to the wearing of masks at all times…
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Entertainment venues linked to majority of Covid-19 cases in Bangkok
Bars and nightclubs are linked to the majority of Covid-19 cases reported in Bangkok over the past month. Data from Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration show that nearly two-thirds of the recent wave of Covid-19 infections in Bangkok traced back to entertainment venues. In late February, Bangkok was reclassified from a “red” zone to an “orange” zone, allowing alcohol…
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Health Minister says he’s going nowhere as opposition calls for his resignation
Thailand’s Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is defying calls for his resignation over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Members of the opposition Move Forward Party have slammed the government over how it has dealt with the third wave of Covid-19, as infections and deaths rise across the country. Critics say the current administration was not adequately prepared for a resurgence…
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Government insists Phuket re-opening will go ahead as planned
The Thai government is adamant the planned re-opening of the southern island of Phuket to vaccinated foreign tourists will go ahead. However, with Covid-19 infections rising across the country, some tourism operators say they need more clarification on how. Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit insists the “Phuket sandbox” model is on track for July 1. “We have neither cancelled nor changed…
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Thai government considering “targeted lockdown”, new colour-coding of provinces
Amid growing calls to impose a national lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19, Thailand’s government is considering a more moderate response. According to the Bangkok Post, Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Public Health Ministry is proposing “targeted lockdown” restrictions and a new colour classification for high-risk provinces. At a meeting held yesterday, officials agreed a revised approach to colour-coding, to…
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More closures in Bangkok, in force now
It’s not a formal lockdown, but it may as well be, with newly announced closures from the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority. From Monday, April 26, a lot more services, public spaces and businesses around Bangkok are now closed. Additionally events will be limited to just 20 people, down from the former limitation of 50 people. Face mask-wearing will be enforced with…
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Covid UPDATE: Sunday 2,438 new infections announced, provincial totals
Today there are another 2,438 new Covid-19 infections and 11 coronavirus-related deaths, including a young woman who was 25 weeks pregnant. Meanwhile the BMA have announced the closure of 31 additional business types as of midnight tonight around Bangkok. There are additional announcements pending for other Thai provinces today. The number is a slight drop on Saturday’s total of 2,839…
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500,000 Sinovac doses arrive in Thailand
Half a million more Sinovac vaccines have arrived in Thailand, while tomorrow another 2 million Favipiravir antiviral pills arrive. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has been pushing to increase Thailand’s supply of both vaccines and medicine to treat patients already infected with Covid-19. This brings Thailand up to 2.5 million Sinovac jabs in the race to vaccinate the population amid…
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50 Buddhist nuns positive for Covid at Chiang Mai dharma practice centre
50 Buddhist nuns have tested positive for Covid-19, causing the Chiang Mai dharma practice centre, where they live, to be closed. The Chiang Mai public health office closed the centre, located in the main city district for 2 weeks from Saturday. People who took part in activities at the centre from April 7 are being asked to take a Covid…
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Famous Thai gamer dies from Covid after waiting 5 days for test
A famous Thai gamer is the latest to die of Covid-19 after waiting for 5 days to receive a test, sparking even more concerns over Thailand’s medical sector’s ability to handle the increase in infections. Kunlasub Wattnaphon, known as Up the gamer, detailed his experience as a Covid patient in Thailand on his personal Facebook page, causing his case to…
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Thai PM under pressure to go “full lockdown” as infections surge
With many more businesses being told to pull down their shutters in Bangkok from midnight tonight, there are now calls to just go the next step and impose a full lockdown as the infection numbers keep mounting up. With the additional 31 types of business closed, on top of the current restrictions in Bangkok, the BMA has all but imposed…
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A look at Thailand’s Covid-19 growing field hospitals
Field hospitals have become a necessity across Thailand as Covid-19 cases surge after the Songkran holiday and hospitals struggle to accommodate patients. 20,000 people have now been treated for the coronavirus with thousands of them being admitted to these pop-up medical facilities. And with today seeing a huge jump in Covid-19 infections, the number of people in field hospitals will…
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Covid UPDATE: 2,839 new infections reported, Provincial totals
Another record high in Covid cases around Thailand today with 2,839 new infections reported to the CCSA in the past 24 hours. 8 more deaths have also been reported. It’s the highest number of deaths to be recorded in a single day as well. Yesterday there were 2,070 new cases announced, the first time over 2,000 people since the start…
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Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine re-approved in the US
The pause on the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine was officially lifted in the US yesterday by the Centre For Disease Control And Prevention and the US Food And Drug Administration. They will add a warning label about the risk of blood clots, but vaccination can resume today. The CDC’s Advisory Committee For Immunization Practices recommended unpausing the Johnson &…
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Phuket finds 4 Covid infections from newly-mandated rapid antigen tests
Phuket is reporting 4 new Covid-19 infections from those arriving from red zone provinces on the first day of the new requirement for such travellers to undergo rapid antigen tests. As of Thursday, all people arriving from the 17 red zoned provinces must undergo the test if they can’t prove that they have been fully vaccinated or have received a…
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Face masks required in 31 provinces, fine is 20,000 baht for not wearing
Face masks are now being required in 31 Thai provinces with a fine of 20,000 baht going to those who don’t wear them. Chiang Rai is one of the new provinces to be included in the list, but so far, Chiang Mai is being left out. As daily Covid-19 infections have reached an all-time high, it is only a matter…
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Phuket officials stick to their dual-pricing “covid test” guns
Following a few days of negative publicity over its dual-pricing policy for rapid Covid antigen test for passengers at the airport, or at Tha Chatchai checkpoint for people coming by road, you would have thought there’d been some “there’s been a misunderstanding” noises coming out of city hall. But no. In fact Phuket officials are doubling down on the controversy…
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Japan poised for Covid-19 state of emergency declaration
Japan was prepared to declare a state of emergency in four regions including Tokyo today, after 860 new Covid-19 infections yesterday. These are the highest numbers seen since January when the previous state of emergency went into effect. Infection numbers are rising again after restrictions were lifted last month. The dire situation in Japan of the Covid-19 fourth wave casts…
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2 young Thai women suffering from obesity die after contracting Covid-19
A 24 year old and a 29 year old both died this week after contracting Covid-19. The deaths of the 2 young women were rare as the vast majority of Covid-related deaths involve those over 60 who have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and chronic illnesses. Not much was reported about the young Thai women who recently passed away, but…
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High-risk warning issued for Phuket International Airport passenger van riders
A high-risk warning is being issued to those riding in a passenger van from Phuket International Airport on April 15. The warning is urging those who were in the van from 8:30pm to 9pm to contact the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, at 094-5938876 as health officials have deemed those passengers to be at a high-risk of contracting Covid-19. The…
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