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.

  • Sponsored

    What do you need before moving from Australia to Thailand?

    Moving from Australia to Thailand is a big step that brings exciting new experiences, a rich culture, and often a more affordable way of living. To settle in with less stress, you need to plan ahead. This means sorting out...

  • Bangkok officials to consider easing Covid restrictions

    Bangkok officials to consider easing Covid restrictions

    Officials in Bangkok say they may look at lifting some restrictions in the capital, despite yesterday’s cases going up by 37, to a total of 1,989. The Bangkok Post reports that officials are optimistic the overall situation will improve. Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, says provided the capital avoids any further “super-spreader” events, officials may consider lifting…

  • Thai health officials form vaccine rollout committee

    Thai health officials form vaccine rollout committee

    Health officials have formed a sub-committee to oversee the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in Thailand. The Bangkok Post reports that the sub-committee will be headed up by Sophon Mekthon, chairman of the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation and adviser to the Public Health Minister. The team will be responsible for the overall vaccine programme, including deciding priority groups. Meanwhile, Opas Kankawinpong from…

  • 21 Thais test positive for Covid-19 after allegedly crossing the Thai-Myanmar border illegally

    21 Thais test positive for Covid-19 after allegedly crossing the Thai-Myanmar border illegally

    21 Thai returnees tested positive for Covid-19 after they were detained for allegedly crossing the Thai-Myanmar border illegally, fleeing from a Covid-19 outbreak at the Sky Complex Casino where they had worked. The returnees are now in quarantine at a Mae Sot district hospital. Around 300 Thais work at the casino in the neighbouring country’s Myawaddy town just across the…

  • Thai labour market bounces back despite the pandemic

    Thai labour market bounces back despite the pandemic

    Despite Covid-19 pandemic’s negative impact on the economy with numerous layoffs and business closures, the Thai labour market survived and is experiencing an unemployment rate that is lower than expected, according to the Deputy Chairman of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee, Chalee Loysoong. While the unemployment rate is lower than expected at 2% or 700,000 individuals, Thammasat University associate professor…

  • Thailand orders 63 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines

    Thailand orders 63 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines

    The following article was submitted by Andrew J. Wood. The Thai Cabinet has acknowledged that Thailand has ordered 63 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from overseas. Here’s how the vaccines will roll out: Phase 1 The first shipment of 200,000 doses of vaccine is scheduled to arrive in Thailand in February from China’s pharmaceutical manufacturer Sinovac Biotech. Medical personnel and…

  • CCSA Update: 249 new Covid-19 cases, outbreak expected to subside by the end of the month

    CCSA Update: 249 new Covid-19 cases, outbreak expected to subside by the end of the month

    249 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 3,914 active cases and has reported a total of 10,547 cases with 67 fatalities since last year. The number of daily new cases is expected to decrease and significantly slow down by the end of the month, according to Ministry of…

  • Hundreds recover from Covid-19, released from Samut Sakhon field hospital

    Hundreds recover from Covid-19, released from Samut Sakhon field hospital

    Nearly 300 Burmese migrants in Samut Sakhon have recovered from Covid-19 and have been released from a field hospital set up at a sports stadium while another 300 people are expected to be discharged from the field hospital today. The released migrants were sent back to the Central Shrimp Market in the Mahachai area fishing hub where they live and…

  • Thai Red Cross Society calls for urgent blood donations, reserves run critically low

    Thai Red Cross Society calls for urgent blood donations, reserves run critically low

    The Thai Red Cross is urging people to donate blood as Thailand hospitals are in “critical condition.” Blood reserves have run low and the number of blood donors has dropped by 50%, according to the Thai Red Cross Society. The Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to the dwindling blood supply. Many people are worried about Covid-19 and less likely to donate blood,…

  • Former Thammasat professor blames partnership between officials and leaders for 2nd wave

    Former Thammasat professor blames partnership between officials and leaders for 2nd wave

    A former Thammasat University lecturer is claiming that the current surge in new infections of Covid-19 in Thailand is a result of the so-called “Covid mafia” which he defines as corrupt officials working closely with local influential figures to carry out illegal activities. Kaewsan Atipothi claimed that these alleged co-operative actions between leaders has enabled illegal gambling and human trafficking gangs,…

  • 245 new cases, 181 locally transmitted-Covid update

    245 new cases, 181 locally transmitted-Covid update

    Thailand is reporting 245 new Covid-19 infections today, with 181 of those cases being locally-transmitted. Today’s news, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, brings the total amount of Covid-19 infections in Thailand to 10,298 since the start of the pandemic. The death toll has remained at 67, while 6,428 have fully recovered from the virus. Samut Sakhon was…

  • UPDATE: Phuket announces restrictions for travel to Phuket

    UPDATE: Phuket announces restrictions for travel to Phuket

    Thailand: ‘Real world’ versus the ‘rules’, Part 378. Arriving in Phuket this morning (Sunday), nearly 24 hours after the introduction of new restrictions for travellers back to the island from around Thailand, we’ve had 4 people contact The Thaiger saying that ‘nothing has changed’ from recent weeks. On 2 of the flights the passengers were asked, before boarding’ to download…

  • Public Health Ministry speculates new infections likely to slow by end of January

    Public Health Ministry speculates new infections likely to slow by end of January

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry speculates that the 2nd wave of Covid-19 infections is likely to “slow down” by the end of this month. However, Dr. Opas Kankawinpong, the director-general of the Disease Control Department is warning that the virus could spread in office buildings and congested areas after such infections has been detected found in a few Bangkok offices. “We…

  • Health Minister considers making lawbreakers pay for Covid treatment

    Health Minister considers making lawbreakers pay for Covid treatment

    Thailand’s Public Health Minister is considering making lawbreakers pay for their own Covid-19 treatment after pointing out that those who put the public at risk for the coronavirus should foot the bill for treatment. Anutin Charnvirakul floated the idea on his Facebook after a meeting yesterday raised concerns about illegal gambling activities and human-smuggling that has contributed to the rise…

  • Phuket governor announces new restrictions for travel to Phuket, effective now

    Phuket governor announces new restrictions for travel to Phuket, effective now

    Travelling to Phuket? You need to be aware of the changed circumstances for arrivals, depending where you’re travelling from. A 3 page announcement was released by the Phuket PR department this afternoon with the new restrictions for arrivals on the island. The announcement splits up travellers into 5 potential groups. All arrivals from the “highest-risk” areas within the ‘red zone’…

  • The Mor Chana app won’t reveal personal data – Minister

    The Mor Chana app won’t reveal personal data – Minister

    The Digital Economy and Society Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta says the Mor Chana has be “designed specifically” to protect the user’s data. As an example, it will only display a computer code instead of the user’s name. The Minister says it will only track the movements of each individual and not make their personal information public. He admitted that the Public Health…

  • Fisheries department strengthens hygiene measures at Thailand’s seafood factories

    Fisheries department strengthens hygiene measures at Thailand’s seafood factories

    Thailand’s Fisheries Department has tightened hygiene measures in the country’s seafood factories in a bid to allay the fears of consumers and exporters. The current Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand started at a fish market in the central province of Samut Sakhon last month. Vicharn Ingsrisawang from the Fisheries Department says that since then, some consumers and exporters have voiced concerns…

  • US health experts say rampage through Capitol was textbook super-spreader event

    US health experts say rampage through Capitol was textbook super-spreader event

    A day after thousands of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building, the country experienced its deadliest day since the Covid-19 pandemic began, recording 4,000 deaths from the virus. And health experts say those figures are certain to get worse, describing the unprecedented rampage through the Capitol as a textbook super-spreader. Thousands of protesters crowded together, forcing their way into…

  • Thailand’s emergency decree extended again

    Thailand’s emergency decree extended again

    Thailand’s nationwide Emergency Decree has been extended again, this time until the end of February. The decree gives the Thai government the ability to set policies and procedures to prevent the control the spread of Covid-19… things like restricting travel, setting up road checkpoints and introducing other restrictions without having to consult the parliament. All the latest articles about Thailand’s Covid-19…

  • US jobs market stumbles back into decline

    US jobs market stumbles back into decline

    The labour market for the world’s largest economy is heading back into reverse mode after slowly chugging back into gear over the past 8 months, following the March stock crash and initial impacts of the US state lockdown measures.. The December report was the first drop since April figures, providing the strongest evidence of the impact of the huge number…

  • Covid-19 could cost an estimated 9 billion baht loss to the economy – Thai alcohol association

    Covid-19 could cost an estimated 9 billion baht loss to the economy – Thai alcohol association

    An alcohol business association is saying the latest round of restrictions and closures on pubs and bars could cost the industry and businesses 9 billion baht. The Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association is railing against the Thai government’s policies as they restrict the operations and operating hours of tens of thousands of bars, pubs and clubs around the country. They…

  • As Covid-19 spreads, more hotels in Phuket close

    As Covid-19 spreads, more hotels in Phuket close

    Phuket tourism and hospitality business are hit again by the current Covid-19 outbreak with more hotels closing down. Many hotels are starting to close again due to a significant number of bookings cancellations. Most of them can’t handle the costs to stay open and some are expected to permanently shut down. Bill Barnett from c9Hotelworks.com says that the latest outbreak is…

  • BTS Skytrain headquarters employee tests positive for Covid-19

    BTS Skytrain headquarters employee tests positive for Covid-19

    A BTS Skytrain staff member tested positive for Covid-19, the Bangkok mass transit company announced on their Facebook page. The employee worked at the BTS head office in the Chatuchak district and didn’t work at the BTS stations. Staff that came in close contact with the infected employee will undergo a Covid-19 swab test and are told to self-quarantine for…

  • CCSA Update: 205 new Covid-19 cases

    CCSA Update: 205 new Covid-19 cases

    205 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 4,519 active cases with a total of 9,841 infections and 67 deaths since the start of the outbreak last year. In the new wave of infections, the coronavirus has spread to 57 of Thailand’s 77 provinces. New local cases include: Samut Sakhon:…

  • Royal Thai Army’s Children’s Day activities go online due to Covid-19

    Royal Thai Army’s Children’s Day activities go online due to Covid-19

    Due to the new outbreak of Covid-19, the armed forces is suspending the upcoming national Children’s Day events to be held at Royal Thai Army units across the country tomorrow and will go online instead. All regular activities will broadcast on social media and online platforms including Facebook Live and YouTube, while additional interactive quizzes and prizes for children are…

  • CCSA spokesman apologises for jail threat over non-use of Mor Chana app

    CCSA spokesman apologises for jail threat over non-use of Mor Chana app

    Yet another misunderstanding… The spokesman for the government’s Covid-19 task force has apologised for threatening those who don’t install the Mor Chana app with jail time. Taweesin Visanuyothin, from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has clarified on his personal Facebook page that the risk of imprisonment only applies to those in the 28 provinces currently colour-coded red for “high…

  • Chiang Mai records 4 new Covid cases linked to same venue

    Chiang Mai records 4 new Covid cases linked to same venue

    The northern city of Chiang Mai has confirmed 4 new cases of coronavirus, all of which are linked to the Warm Up café in the Muang district. The province of Chiang Mai now has 11 active cases and has recorded 57 cases in total, according to deputy governor, Weerapan Dee-on. “The 54th patient in Chiang Mai is a Thai man…

  • Thai Air Asia says new Covid outbreak has destroyed business

    Thai Air Asia says new Covid outbreak has destroyed business

    The executive chairman of Asia Aviation, the largest shareholder in Thai Air Asia, says the Covid-19 resurgence has “destroyed the low-cost carrier”. Tassapon Bijleveld says that, even without a national lockdown, bookings have plummeted. “Travel sentiment has plunged lower than last year. This is different this time because people are voluntarily skipping their travel plans even without a nationwide lockdown…

  • UPDATE: Bangkok’s Emquartier closes some shops after Covid scare

    UPDATE: Bangkok’s Emquartier closes some shops after Covid scare

    One of Bangkok’s trendiest shopping centres, Emquartier, adjacent to the Phrom Phong BTS station, has closed some shops due to the discovery of a Covid-19 infection from one of its customers. As officials track and trace the infection, they discovered that the shopper had visited a clothing store, a Thai restaurant, a fast food outlet (listed in the media release…

  • Bangkok Airways delays new flights, changes flight schedule due to Covid-19 outbreak

    Bangkok Airways delays new flights, changes flight schedule due to Covid-19 outbreak

    Due to the ongoing spread of Covid-19, Bangkok Airways has made changes to its flight schedule over the next 2 months and has delayed the introduction (or the re-introduction) of new flight routes. All passenger lounges are also closed until the end of the month. Changes set from now until the end of February include flight reductions and route suspensions……

  • “Red zone” restrictions tighten, legal action for concealing travel information

    “Red zone” restrictions tighten, legal action for concealing travel information

    People who travel from any of the 28 “red zone” provinces and conceal their travel timeline can face up to 2 years in prison and a fine of 40,000 baht, according to yesterday’s announcement in the Royal Gazette. The tightened measures are aimed to slow people’s travel from the affected area to other parts of the country and to prevent…