covid-19
- Phuket News
Phuket expects tourist from China in July, Europe end of year
Phuket is reopening to foreign tourists starting July 1 with the quarantine period waived for vaccinated travellers, but it’s likely that most of the tourists will be from China. Chartered flights are scheduled to begin in July from China, while European visitors are expected to start returning in winter. Phuket expects about 2 million visitors, mostly from China and Europe,…
- Bangkok News
Tourism officials push to add Bangkok to “sandbox” travel scheme
Tourism officials are calling for Bangkok to be included in the new “sandbox” travel scheme which will allow foreign visitors who are vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel to specific tourist destinations that have reached herd immunity. Phuket and Koh Samui are set to reopen under the model in July. Tourism officials are now pushing for Bangkok to reopen under the…
- Covid-19 News
WHO along with 23 nations support international treaty for future pandemics
The World Health Organisation, along with 23 nations are supporting the idea of an international treaty to prepare the world for future pandemics. The idea, which was introduced last November by the chairman of European Union leaders Charles Michel at a G20 summit, would ensure universal and equitable access to vaccines, medicines and diagnostics for pandemics. Today, that idea has…
- World News
Indonesia to introduce new GeNose Covid-19 test for foreign visitors to Bali
The Indonesian government says that from next month, it will allow the use of the GeNose Covid-19 detector for foreign visitors to the island of Bali. This will replace the previous requirement for a negative PCR test or antigen rapid test obtained within 2 days of arrival. From April 1, foreign visitors will be able to take the GeNose Covid-19…
- Tourism News
Phuket wants Chinese tourists to jump-start sandbox scheme
Phuket wants Chinese tourists to jump – start its sandbox scheme which will let vaccinated international visitors enter the Andaman island without undergoing quarantine as of July 1. The targetting of Chinese visitors comes after data revealed that they contributed to 1/5 of the pre-Covid economy. The move to allow tourists to enter without undergoing quarantine is important as officials…
- Covid-19 News
Health Ministry says border guards will be prioritised for Covid vaccines
Thailand’s Health Ministry says border guards will be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccines, due to the risk of Burmese refugees fleeing into the Kingdom to escape violence in Myanmar. Since a February 1 military coup in the neighbouring country, the situation has deteriorated rapidly, with thousands of villagers crossing into the northern province of Mae Hong Son at the weekend. They…
- Economy News
Thai Chamber of Commerce calls for vaccine delivery to be speeded up
The chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce says officials hope to reinvigorate the economy within 99 days, through a “Connect the Dots” policy. Sanan Angubolkul adds that the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines must be speeded up if the economy is to recover in that timeframe. “Thailand is slow in distributing vaccines. This will result in a slow economic recovery.”…
- Covid-19 News
CCSA Update: 39 new Covid-19 cases
39 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 1,366 active cases. Since the start of the pandemic, the CCSA has reported a total of 28,773 coronavirus infections and 94 deaths. Out of the 39 new cases, 16 were local transmissions linked to high risk areas including Bangkok, Samut Sakhon,…
- Phuket News
Phuket businesses welcome quarantine-free re-opening plan
Businesses on the southern island of Phuket have welcomed the government’s approval of a quarantine-free re-opening for vaccinated foreigners from July 1. From that date, Phuket will become the first province to waive mandatory quarantine for international arrivals who have been vaccinated against Covid-19. The re-opening is expected to generate over 84 billion baht. Like many parts of the country…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand aims for 30 million vaccines by August
Thailand is aiming for 30 million vaccines throughout the country by August in a new plan announced by the Public Health Ministry. The vaccinations will take place across all 77 provinces (76 plus Bangkok) in a progressive rollout. 100,000 people have received injections already in the national vaccination schedule, with 300,000 more set to be vaccinated in the next phase…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok’s Chatuchak weekend market opening weekdays
Chatuchak weekend market, known locally as JJ, is scheduled to open 6 days a week from next month in an effort to make up for losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and restrictions. The iconic market in Bangkok saw a sharp decline in even local Thai customers after the economic slump caused by borders closing during the pandemic. The…
- Covid-19 News
80 new cases, 1 death – Thailand Covid update
Thailand is reporting 80 new cases of Covid-19 today, along with 1 new death, bringing the total amount of infections to 28,657 since the pandemic began. The CCSA says 73 of the new infections were domestic, while 7 were imported. 41 of the 73 local cases were found through contact tracing and in hospitals. The rest of the local infections…
- Tourism News
UPDATE: Phuket’s tourism ‘sandbox’ plan gets approved by CESA
Phuket’s tourism sandbox plan has been approved, as of today, by The Centre for Economic Situation Administration. The meeting was chaired by the Thai PM. The scheme, which would allow vaccinated tourists to skip quarantine starting July 1, still needs to be discussed between the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the CCSA, and the Phuket governor before becoming official. Tourists who…
- Events
Pattaya rounding up the homeless ahead of this weekend’s Pattaya Colorful event
Pattaya is rounding up homeless people ahead of its Pattaya Colorful event this weekend after locals complained. Officers from the Chonburi Social Development and Human Security Division, along with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division inspected and interviewed homeless people and beggars on Pattaya Walking Street, Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya Beach and Soi Buakhow last night. Officials say most of the…
- Covid-19 News
Cannabis may ease lung inflammation from Covid-19, study
Cannabis may help ease and reduce lung inflammation for Covid-19 patients, according to a recent study. Researchers in the study claim the non-psychoactive component of cannabis, cannabinol, or CBD, has anti-inflammatory properties. More research should be done on how CBD and treating severe lung inflammation from the coronavirus, according to researchers from University of Nebraska and the Texas Biomedical Research…
- Thailand News
134 new Covid cases, 6 imported- Covid-19 Update
Thailand is reporting 134 new cases of Covid-19 today, raising the total number to 28,577 with 0 new deaths. 128 of the newly reported cases are locally-acquired, while 6 are imported. Bangkok reported the largest number of cases at 98, with 82 being found through pro-active testing and 16 being found amongst those in hospitals. Samut Sakhon, the centre of…
- Thailand News
Vaccinated visitors still required to undergo quarantine for 10 days from April 1
Despite shortening the required quarantine time for visitors to Thailand, those who are vaccinated won’t be able to skip quarantine just yet. Recently, the Thai government shortened quarantine times from 14 days to 10 starting April 1, but have not announced when or it vaccinated tourists will be able to forego quarantine altogether. The move to shorten quarantine was to…
- Covid-19 News
First death after Covid-19 vaccine reported in Thailand, death not linked to vaccine, health official says
Thailand has reported its first death of a Covid-19 vaccine patient. An investigation has been launched by the Public Health Ministry, but health officials suspect the death is not related to the vaccine and that the death is from natural causes. 10 days after being injected with the vaccine, a 60 year old patient had an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which…
- Phuket News
July re-opening for Phuket expected to get government approval today
Today, the government is expected to approve a quarantine-free re-opening for the southern island of Phuket from July. However, the re-opening does require the island to have achieved herd immunity status by vaccinating 70% of its population before then. Deputy PM Supattanapong Punmeechaow says the Centre for Economic Situation Administration will consider the plan at its meeting later today, which…
- Economy News
Thai lingerie manufacturer ordered to pay workers
A Thai lingerie manufacturer must pay workers that were laid off without compensation, according to the Labour Protection and Welfare Office. More than 1200 employees of Brilliant Alliance Thai Global received no warning when the factory suddenly closed in Samut Prakan province on March 10th. The company blamed Covid-19 for financial failings leading to the closure, but workers were given…
- Covid-19 News
97 new cases of Covid in Thailand, 5 imported – Covid-19 Update
Today, Thailand is reporting 97 new cases of Covid-19 with 5 cases being imported, raising the total to 28,443 since the pandemic began. This is up from the 69 cases reported yesterday. The government has reported no new deaths, leaving the total at 92 Covid deaths in Thailand. Bangkok logged the most amount of new cases, at 70% of today’s…
- Phuket News
Foreigners seeking 60 day tourist visa extensions crowd Phuket Immigration
Many foreigners seeking to extend what some are calling the “Covid visa” crowded Phuket Immigration this morning. The queue stretched from the second floor, out the door and down the stairs at the front of the building. One man told the Phuket News that many were waiting to file a 60 day tourist visa extension. The visa extensions are intended…
- Tourism News
Phuket’s upcoming reopening aims to help residents avoid poverty
Phuket’s upcoming reopening in July is aimed at helping local residents avoid falling into poverty. According to Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong, the average monthly income of local residents before the Covid-19 pandemic sat at 43,000 baht per month. Now, Pichet says it has fallen to only 8,303 baht per month, signaling a drastic fall nearing the poverty line. “If…
- Phuket News
Tour bus operators in Phuket call for government help after a year of no work
Tour bus operators on the southern island of Phuket are calling for government assistance as they face ongoing legal action over missed lease payments on their equipment. Some operators say the threat of bankruptcy looms over them after a year of unemployment. The Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc with tourism on Phuket, but tour bus operators say they have never…
- Tourism News
Phuket approves quarantine-free stays for foreign travellers from July 1
Foreign travellers to Phuket can enjoy their stays free from quarantine restrictions starting July 1. Today, the infectious disease committee approved the plan to allow foreign tourists to skip quarantines on the premises that local Phuket residents will be inoculated before then, as part of plans to achieve a herd immunity. The plan was supposed to be originally submitted this…
- Covid-19 News
CCSA Update: 69 new Covid-19 cases, most in Bangkok
69 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 1,381 active Covid-19 cases. Since the start of the pandemic, the CCSA has reported a total of 28,346 coronavirus infections and 92 deaths. Most of the cases were found in Bangkok, according to the deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foriegn…
- Songkran News
Bangkok sets rules for a dry Songkran, large events must submit a plan
It’s going to be another dry Songkran in Bangkok. No water gun flights. No buckets of water poured on passersby. City officials say strict measures will be in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19 during the holiday, which was extended and now stretches from April 10 to 15. While water splashing is banned, Songkran’s traditional activities, like religious ceremonies and…
- Covid-19 News
400 illegal migrants test positive for Covid-19- UPDATE
Earlier today, Thailand authorities announced that almost 300 allegedly illegal migrants tested positive for Covid-19, and now, that number has raised to almost 400. The migrants are being housed in Bangkok’s Bang Khen district awaiting to be transferred to a field hospital, with authorities saying the situation is “under control.” Sompong Chingduang, commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, said on Tuesday…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand’s detention centres see almost 300 immigrants test positive for Covid-19
Almost 300 immigrants to Thailand have positive test results for Covid-19, according to The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The immigrants, in which most allegedly entered Thailand illegally, were tested at the Immigration Bureau’s detention centres in Suan Phlu and Bang Khen, with 297 testing positive for the virus. The overcrowded centres have stopped accepting new detainees as the bureau…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand starts human trials of local Covid vaccine
Thailand is beginning human trials on its locally-developed Covid-19 vaccine, while setting its sights for a rollout of the vaccine next year. While the process seems sluggish compared to other vaccines, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says the development would enable Thailand to be self-reliant as the country would not have to rely on vaccines from other nations. “Production is…
