covid-19

  • Covid-19 NewsFirst Thai Covid-19 vaccine proceeds to human trials

    First Thai Covid-19 vaccine proceeds to human trials

    Thailand’s first Covid-19 vaccine has begun human trials, after trials on monkeys and rats showed a high success rate in preventing transmission of the virus. Thai PBS World reports that researchers began human trials yesterday. The vaccine has been developed by the Chula Vaccine Research Centre at Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok. If successful, the “ChulaCov19”…

  • Covid-19 NewsTuesday Covid Update: 3,000 new cases and 19 deaths

    Tuesday Covid Update: 3,000 new cases and 19 deaths

    3,000 new Covid-19 cases and 19 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration today. In the latest and most severe wave of infections in Thailand, the CCSA has recorded 173,401 Covid-19 cases since April 1. Out of the new cases confirmed today, 640 were detected in correctional facilities. In the recent wave of infections, more than…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya tourism operators not getting their hopes up over foreign arrivals

    Pattaya tourism operators not getting their hopes up over foreign arrivals

    Tourism operators in Pattaya are not holding out much hope of a mass return of foreign arrivals in the first few months after re-opening. Pattaya has been chosen as the first non-island location to re-open to vaccinated foreign tourists, but operators fear the constant indecision and changes to regulations will have a negative impact. Thanet Supornsahasrungsi from the Chon Buri…

  • Tourism NewsAirlines look to vaccine rollout to restore demand and boost economy

    Airlines look to vaccine rollout to restore demand and boost economy

    Airlines are pinning their hopes on Thailand’s vaccine rollout as the key to restoring traveller confidence and boosting the economy. All eyes are on Phuket in particular, to see how the much-discussed sandbox re-opening fares. Wutthiphum Jurangkool, chief executive of Nok Air, says June has already seen a slight increase in bookings. “After passenger traffic recorded a whopping 90% decrease…

  • Covid-19 NewsMonday Covid Update: 3,355 new cases, provincial totals

    Monday Covid Update: 3,355 new cases, provincial totals

    The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration recorded 3,355 new Covid-19 cases today and 17 coronavirus-related fatalities, raising the total case count since the start of the pandemic last year to 199,264 confirmed infections and the virus-related death toll to 1,466. Thailand now has 39,854 active cases, a downward trend over the past week. The recent and most severe wave of Covid-19…

  • World NewsSoutheast Asia sees highest tally of Covid-19 infections in a single day

    Southeast Asia sees highest tally of Covid-19 infections in a single day

    Southeast Asia has recorded its highest number of Covid-19 infections in a single day, with 26,435 new cases reported yesterday. However, the death rate has lowered overall. Yesterday’s infections were an increase on Saturday’s 25,656 and the highest in 2 weeks. According to a Nation Thailand report, 387 additional deaths were reported yesterday, down from 426 the day before. ASEAN…

  • Covid-19 NewsMonday Covid Update: 3,355 new cases and 17 deaths

    Monday Covid Update: 3,355 new cases and 17 deaths

    3,355 new Covid-19 cases were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the total since April 1 to 170,401 confirmed infections. The CCSA also reported 17 more deaths related to the coronavirus. Out of the new cases, 784 were detected in Thailand’s overcrowded prisons, a spike in the past few days as the Department of Corrections rolls…

  • World NewsLockdown extended for another 2 weeks in Malaysia

    Lockdown extended for another 2 weeks in Malaysia

    The Covid-19 lockdown in Malaysia, which was due to be lifted today, is being extended for another 2 weeks, until June 28. The decision follows a spike in infections, including 60 clusters linked to religious festivals. According to a TTR Weekly report, the extension has been confirmed by Senior Defence Minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob. During the lockdown, economic activities may…

  • World NewsVietnam strikes deal to manufacture vaccines, but which brand?

    Vietnam strikes deal to manufacture vaccines, but which brand?

    Covid-19 vaccines will now be manufactured in Vietnam, according to their Health Ministry, though they have not revealed which brand of vaccine will be produced. The announcement was made on Vietnam’s Health Ministry website yesterday with very little concrete information. The website originally mentioned Vingroup JSC as the company that will be manufacturing the vaccine in Vietnam, but all reference…

  • Covid-19 NewsBangkok parks, salons, tattoo, massage reopen Monday

    Bangkok parks, salons, tattoo, massage reopen Monday

    Does your dream day in Bangkok start with a manicure before viewing some great art or history, followed by a stroll through the park, maybe a quick neck tattoo before ending the day with a nice massage for your tired feet? If so, the restrictions in place for Covid-19 has had you sitting at home bored, waiting for everything to…

  • Covid-19 NewsThong Lor again: 31 arrested in club violating Covid-19 rules

    Thong Lor again: 31 arrested in club violating Covid-19 rules

    Some people never learn. After frequently being named as the source of the Covid-19 third wave outbreak, which brought the more contagious Alpha variant to Thailand and spread it to every province in the country, the clubs and Hi-So people of the Thong Lor area of Bangkok are still flouting Covid-19 safety restrictions. Today 31 people were arrested after partying…

  • Covid-19 NewsPfizer vaccine application received, review process begun

    Pfizer vaccine application received, review process begun

    The Food and Drug Administration in Thailand is now processing the application for the Pfizer vaccine for domestic use against Covid-19. The secretary-general of the FDA says they have received the application from Pfizer Thailand and have begun the review process, taking the vaccine one step closer to use in Thailand. The government had just submitted an order of 20…

  • Covid-19 News8.3% of Thailand’s 50 million vaccine target reached so far

    8.3% of Thailand’s 50 million vaccine target reached so far

    Thailand has set a goal of 50 million people vaccinated against Covid-19, and as of today, they have given at least one vaccine to 8.3% of that target. The spokesperson for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced that since beginning vaccinations in Thailand on February 28, 5.66 million injections have been administered. On Thursday, 223,315 vaccines were given around…

  • Covid-19 NewsSite launched for June 14 vaccine signup for all foreigners

    Site launched for June 14 vaccine signup for all foreigners

    The latest update on Thailand’s Covid-19 vaccine registration plans indicates that all foreigners can sign up online from June 14. The Thailand Intervac website seems to be constantly evolving and was first opened for diplomats on a specific URL and then for general foreigner signups on the main site, though hiccups and problems are often reported. The main site was…

  • Thailand video newsThailand News Today | Sandbox – bar, clubs closed? Local AZ problems, Sex toy arrest | June 11

    Thailand News Today | Sandbox – bar, clubs closed? Local AZ problems, Sex toy arrest | June 11

    In today’s episode we look at… bars, pubs, and other entertainment venues throughout the island will probably remain closed when the province opens on July 1, the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company now says it is working with the governments to make sure the vaccine is supplied “as quickly as possible.”, The CCSA has announced that schools all across Thailand will reopen…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s Golf Quarantine on hold until Covid situation improves

    Thailand’s Golf Quarantine on hold until Covid situation improves

    Thailand’s “Golf Quarantine” is on hold until the Covid-19 situation improves, an alternative quarantine option at a certified golf resort. The postponement was first announced last month. Travellers who made arrangements prior to the announcement and have been granted a Certificate of Entry, or COE, can still enjoy the Thailand’s Golf Quarantine. The programme allows foreign golfers to undergo the…

  • Covid-19 News1 billion vaccines pledged by G7 to poor and developing nations

    1 billion vaccines pledged by G7 to poor and developing nations

    During the ongoing G7 meeting, leaders of the member nations have pledged to provide 1 billion Covid-19 vaccines to countries in need over the next 2 years. The summit taking place in Southwest England now vowed 5 million vaccines in the next few weeks and 100 million more within the next year. The need for wealthy nations to contribute to…

  • Covid-19 NewsFriday Covid Update: 2,290 new cases, provincial totals

    Friday Covid Update: 2,290 new cases, provincial totals

    2,290 new cases and 27 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the total infection count since the start of the pandemic last year to 189,828 and the death toll related to the virus to 1,402. Thailand now has 43,428 active Covid-19 cases. Bangkok remains the epicentre of infections with tight restrictions to control…

  • Covid-19 NewsAlpha variant of Covid-19 makes up 9 in 10 infections

    Alpha variant of Covid-19 makes up 9 in 10 infections

    The Department of Medical Sciences confirmed today that nearly 90% of all Covid-19 infections in Thailand are from the newly-labelled Alpha variant. The strain, previously known as the UK variant as it was first identified in the United Kingdom, was found in 88.48% of 4,185 cases that university labs studied between April and June, with 3,703 infections of the Alpha…

  • Phuket NewsBest-case for Phuket’s Sandbox: up to 1.2 million tourists, Kasikorn predicts

    Best-case for Phuket’s Sandbox: up to 1.2 million tourists, Kasikorn predicts

    Up to 1.2 million foreign tourists could travel to Thailand through Phuket’s “Sandbox” travel scheme. That’s the best-case scenario, according to the Kasikorn Research Centre. They estimate that the scheme, which is planned to allow vaccinated tourists to enter the country and stay on the island without going through quarantine, could draw in 550,000 people to 1.2 million from July…

  • Covid-19 NewsFriday Covid Update: 2,290 cases and 27 deaths

    Friday Covid Update: 2,290 cases and 27 deaths

    2,290 cases were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the total number of cases since April 1, the latest and most severe wave of infections, to 160,965. The CCSA reported 27 more deaths related to Covid-19. 5,711 people have recovered from Covid-19. The number of active cases has been on a downward slope over the past…

  • World NewsSingapore restrictions to be eased in stages as Covid-19 infections drop

    Singapore restrictions to be eased in stages as Covid-19 infections drop

    Singapore is set to relax some of its Covid-19 containment measures as infection rates in the city state drop. The fall in case numbers comes after a month of strict restrictions that limited group sizes and imposed a ban on in-house dining at restaurants. Bloomberg reports that from June 14, the limit on group sizes increases from 2 to 5…

  • Economy NewsProperty market in tourism areas relying on vaccines for recovery

    Property market in tourism areas relying on vaccines for recovery

    Tourism destinations in Thailand are pinning their hopes on Covid-19 vaccines to revive their decimated economies, including in the real estate sector. Vichai Viratkapan from the Real Estate Information Centre says the property sector’s recovery will be driven by the rollout of vaccines, particularly in tourist destinations that have borne the brunt of the economic devastation. “Tourism destinations like Phuket,…

  • Covid-19 NewsThai government signs contract for 20 million Pfizer doses

    Thai government signs contract for 20 million Pfizer doses

    The government has approved the order of 20 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine from US manufacturer, Pfizer. The Bangkok Post reports that the head of the Department of Disease Control signed the contract yesterday. Delivery will be some time this year, but when exactly is unclear, as the vaccine has yet to be approved by Thailand’s Food and Drug…

  • Covid-19 NewsTAT officially announces vaccine website for foreigners

    TAT officially announces vaccine website for foreigners

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand officially announced today a website for foreigners in Thailand to register for their Covid-19 vaccine. The site – ThailandIntervac.com – was launched in an updated format on Monday by the Ministry of Public Health and serves as a national registration site to supplement the individual registration processes each province in Thailand was tasked with creating.…

  • Covid-19 NewsMore than 300 people in 11 provinces infected with Delta Covid-19 variant

    More than 300 people in 11 provinces infected with Delta Covid-19 variant

    More than 300 people in 11 of Thailand’s 77 provinces have tested positive for the Delta variant of Covid-19, the mutated strain of the virus that was first detected in India. The vast majority of the cases have been in Bangkok, according to Thai Medical Sciences Department director-general Supakit Sirilak. Samples were taken from 4,185 Covid-19 patients. 3,703 of the…

  • World NewsLarge-scale methamphetamine production emerges in Cambodia during pandemic

    Large-scale methamphetamine production emerges in Cambodia during pandemic

    During the pandemic, Cambodia has become a major base for the large-scale production of methamphetamine as drug traffickers workaround Covid-19 restrictions, according to the United Nations. Last year, during the pandemic, 170 tonnes of methamphetamine were seized by authorities in Asia, a 19% increase from the year prior, according to a report by the UN Office of Drugs and Crime.…

  • Covid-19 NewsThursday Covid Update: 2,310 new cases, provincial totals

    Thursday Covid Update: 2,310 new cases, provincial totals

    The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration recorded 2,310 new Covid-19 cases today and 43 coronavirus-related deaths, raising the total count since the start of the pandemic last year to 187,538 Covid-19 infections and Covid-related death toll to 1,375. There are now 46,876 active cases. The active case count has been steadily declining over the past few days after the wave…

  • World NewsBTS meal closes Indonesian McDonald’s amid Covid-19 fears

    BTS meal closes Indonesian McDonald’s amid Covid-19 fears

    McDonald’s in Indonesia was the site of a BTS-inspired frenzy that forced them to close at least 13 stores for fears of a Covid-19 outbreak. The world-famous Korean Pop band partnered with the world-famous American burger joint to make a BTS meal deal that had rabid K-Pop fans swarming the restaurants. After yesterday’s release of the BTS meal deal, 5…

  • Covid-19 News12 deaths after vaccination not linked to Covid-19 vaccine

    12 deaths after vaccination not linked to Covid-19 vaccine

    Results are still pending on 16 cases, but investigations on 12 people who died after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine were concluded, finding their deaths to be coincidental. The Department of Disease Control said yesterday that the Covid-19 vaccine was not the cause of death in these 12 cases. The director for emergency health hazards and disease within the DDC reported…