Department of Medical Services

  • Thailand News

    Danger of LSD death stamps in Thailand

    The Department of Medical Services (DMS) sounded the alarm on the perilous rise of death stamps– LSD-infused blotting paper wreaking havoc on mental health. Placed innocuously under the tongue, these vibrant tabs promise an initial euphoria before plunging users into a nightmarish realm of hallucinations, auditory disturbances, and warped perceptions. Deputy Director-General of DMS, Pairoj Surattanawanich, underscores the sinister effects of…

  • Covid-19 News

    Health officials admit ongoing surge in infections affecting Favipiravir supply

    Thailand’s Department of Medical Services says it’s struggling to maintain adequate supplies of Favipiravir tablets, due to the ongoing surge in Covid-19 infections. DMS chief Dr Natthaphong Wongwiwat says the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation is both producing and importing the pills, but the increase in demand is outstripping available resources. He says the situation should stabilise this week, with additional supplies…

  • Thailand News

    60% Covid-19 hospital beds in Thailand are taken

    Thailand’s director-general of the Department of the Department of Medical Services said yesterday that 60% of 180,000 Covid-19 hospital beds are occupied. This is a sudden increase from Wednesday, when 49.1% of beds were occupied. The Public Health Ministry reported that as of Thursday there were 42,044 beds beds for patients in “level 1”, with 89,141 beds occupied. There were…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai health officials see signs of dementia in some recovered Covid-19 patients

    A number of patients who’ve recovered from Covid-19 are displaying signs of dementia, according to Thai health officials. According to a Nation Thailand report, the Department of Medical Services says the symptoms tend to develop between 1 and 6 months after contracting Covid-19. DMS boss Somsak Ankasil says the risk appears to be higher in patients with pre-existing brain or…

  • Covid-19 News

    BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron in Thailand reaches 14, 1 death

    After earlier reports that 9 cases of the new sub-strain of Omicron, the BA.2 sub-variant, had been identified in Thailand so far, that total has already increased to 14. The infections in Thailand involve both Thai nationals and international travellers. It was also confirmed that the first death in Thailand from the Omicron variant reported earlier this month was in…

  • Covid-19 News

    Mix & match formula for vaccines and boosters strengthens immunity against Omicron

    Following 2 doses of an inactivated Covid-19 vaccine with a booster mRNA dose increases immunity against the Omicron variant. Dr Supakit Sirilak from the Department of Medical Sciences says tests have shown the mix has proven effective against both the highly-contagious Omicron strain and its predecessor, the Delta variant. The Bangkok Post reports that tests carried out by the Institute…

  • Covid-19 News

    Authorities say children with Covid-19 will be treated, beds available

    After stories online of children being turned away from Covid-19 treatment, the director of the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health assurance that there are plenty of beds available for any kids that become infected with the virus. Despite anecdotal posts online, the director says the occupancy of children’s beds, as well as the infection rates of children, have…

  • Chiang Mai News

    Chiang Mai identifies 2 possible Omicron cases in tourists

    Two foreigners who are visiting Chiang Mai have tested positive for Covid-19 and are believed to have the Omicron variant, marking the first detected in the province. Both travellers had come through Suvarnabhumi Airport as part of the Test & Go programme and both passed an RT-PCR test. One visitor was a 22 year old German traveller and the other…

  • Covid-19 News

    Health officials warn of potential Omicron surge after New Year holiday

    The Department of Medical Services says Thailand could end up dealing with a surge of Omicron infections after the end-of-year celebrations. Department chief Somsak Akksilp says the public must continue to comply with disease prevention measures to keep the highly contagious variant at bay. He adds that mild symptoms can be treated while patients self-isolate at home. According to a…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai government to stock up on new Covid-19 treatments

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry plans to order 2 types of antiviral oral treatment in its fight against Covid-19. The Bangkok Post reports that the ministry wants to order supplies of the Molnupiravir antiviral pill, as well as Pfizer’s new oral treatment, Paxlovid. Dr Atthasit Srisubat from the Department of Medical Services has confirmed the decision, following the recent order from PM…

  • Covid-19 News

    PM Prayut pushes for pre-ordering of Molnupiravir and Paxlovid

    The Ministry of Public Health has been pushed by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to pre-order Molnupiravir and Paxlovid, the anti-viral drugs that have proven effective in treating Covid-19. The drugs, produced by Merck and Pfizer respectively, have been shown in testing to reduce the severity of Covid-19 symptoms, hospitalisations and death due to the virus. Molnupiravir recently became the first approved…

  • Crime News

    Push for Thailand to be medical marijuana hub starts November

    Authorities say Thailand will launch its bid to become Southeast Asia’s world-class medical marijuana hub next month. Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul plans to push marijuana as a major industrial crop according to the Director-General of the Department of Medical Services. The Ministry and Department will work together to promote the crop and put Thailand’s medicinal marijuana police into…

  • Thailand News

    Up to 20% of Thais report suffering from lingering Covid effects, says Department of Medical Services

    The Department of Medical Services has announced that 10% to 20% of Thai Covid patients suffer from lingering Covid effects, a post-syndrome that is also known as “long Covid”, but the department adds that multiple terms have been used to characterise the syndrome. Long Covid can persist for weeks, and sometimes months after a patient has recovered from the virus. Dr…

  • Covid-19 News

    Almost 1 million Favipiravir pills are taken daily in Thailand

    According to the Ministry of Public Health, Covid-19 patients in Thailand are taking almost a million Favipiravir pills each day as infection numbers surge around the country. The daily Covid-19 infection rates have now crossed over the 20,000 mark and with so many new cases, the demand for the antiviral tablets is skyrocketing. The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation has been called…

  • Thailand News

    Favipiravir AKA Avigan to be used for all Covid patients, despite paltry scientific merit

    All Covid patients will receive the antiviral drug Favipiravir, AKA Avigan, says the Public Health Ministry. In fact, the government is planning to stockpile 420 million tablets. Yesterday, the Department of Medical Services announced that health officials can administer the drug to all groups of Covid patients. Before yesterday’s announcement, green coded patients with mild to no symptoms that were under…

  • Covid-19 News

    Bangkok Bang Sue scam under investigation, 7 volunteers and counting to be questioned

    7 Bangkok Bang Sue Grand Station volunteers are currently under investigation for a suspected scam. However, Amnat Traipot, the commander of the railway police said today that even more people are suspected of being involved with the scam. The Bang Sue scam was reported to the police yesterday by officials from the Department of Medical Services. Reportedly, the volunteers would…

  • Thailand News

    Department head predicts Covid-19 could last up to another year

    Depending on the actions the government and the people of Thailand take, the Director-General of the Department of Medical Services predicts Covid-19 could continue for just a few months or drag on for another year. Director-General Somsak Ankasil asserted that declaration in a recorded video message this week made to thank the medical officials across the nation. In it, he…

  • Thailand News

    Bangkok Government Complex provides free Covid testing, registering online first imperative

    For people who wish to get a free Covid test at the Government Complex, they must register online first, says the National Health Security Office, today. The test will be the rapid antigen test. The testing location is on Chaeng Wattana Road and will be open until July 30. The hours are 8 am and 4 pm, but not on…

  • Covid-19 News

    Covid-19 screening centre in Bangkok temporarily closed to migrant workers

    After many migrant workers infected with Covid-19 were reportedly abandoned at the Public Health Ministry’s Pre-Admission Centre in Bangkok, it is now temporarily closed to migrant workers. The centre is used to screen people who are infected with the virus before sending them to a facility for treatment. Apparently, a number of workers have been dropped off at the centres.…

  • Thailand News

    Doctors warn against internet claims that popular herb cures cancer

    Medics from the National Cancer Institute are urging Thai netizens not to fall for internet claims that a herb known as Khao Thong can cure cancer. The herb, with the scientific classification, Houttuynia cordata, is also known as fish leaf or heart leaf, but Jida Rojanamethin from the National Cancer Institute, says social media users shouldn’t believe unsubstantiated claims about…

  • Thailand News

    Symptoms improved for 70% of patients on cannabis treatment – Health minister

    Thailand’s pro-marijuana public health minister boasts that symptoms have improved for at least 70% of the country’s medical cannabis patients. Thailand’s 311 medical cannabis clinics at hospitals have treated more than 14,200 people, most who are diagnosed with terminal cancer, according to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Other patients using the cannabis treatment are patients with Parkinson’s disease, drug-resistant neuropathic…

  • Crime News

    Woman arrested for allegedly running illegal fashion braces business

    Police arrested a 30 year old woman for allegedly selling and fitting fashion teeth braces. Officers say they seized more than 600 fashion braces and dental tools from the woman’s home in Nakhon Pathom, a province west of Bangkok. Natsuda Sriwichian ran the business out of room at the Salaya Eua Arthorn apartments in the Sam Phran district, according to…

  • Hot News

    Thai doctor pours cold water on suggestion ‘bitter cucumber’ cures cancer

    No, the popular bitter cucumber is not a cure for cancer, nor is any other vegetable, according to Thailand’s Department of Medical Services. Dr. Somsak Akksilp has dismissed the suggestion that bitter cucumber can cure cancerous tumours and cysts, pointing out that currently, only 3 therapies have proven effectiveness in treating cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. A report in Nation…

  • Thai Life

    Thai doctors warn about the dangers of fashion braces

    Those in Western countries don’t typically look back fondly on teenage years with a mouth full of braces and painful trips to the orthodontist. But in Thailand, having braces is seen as a symbol of wealth. They’ve even become a fashion trend with many fake braces being sold illegally (yes, really!). Thai doctors are warning about the risk of serious…

  • Covid-19 News

    New regulation for patients who conceal information related to Covid-19

    Yesterday a new regulation was put in place under the Department of Medical Services, relating to patients at public hospitals who cover up their travel history or conceal any medical conditions or information relating to the coronavirus. Violators could now face up to 6 months of imprisonment or a fine up to 10,000 baht. The announcement cites Article 137 of…