latest news in Thailand
- World News
Asia News Today | Japan to ease border restrictions & Malaysian travel bubbles
Japan is looking to ease border restrictions allowing more people to arrive. While at the same time extending infection control measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus, officials say they are wanting to ease arrival procedures, especially for students. Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida says the number of people who can enter Japan will rise to 7,000 a day from…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Thailand backs UN resolution against Russia’s invasion
Thailand voted in support of a UN resolution against Russia’s invasion, demanding that Russia “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces” from Ukraine. A total of 141 out of the 193 member states voted for the resolution at the UN General Assembly emergency meeting at its New York headquarters. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said in a previous statement…
- Thailand video news
Asia News Today | China asks Russia to ‘wait’ until finish of winter games, US advises against travel to Vietnam
South Korean schools are being reopened at the same time the country is facing its worst surge of Covid infections with daily numbers surpassing 200,000 for the first time. Whilst schools were offered the option of still teaching online, most opened their gates yesterday for the new academic year. Schools were allowed to opt for online learning, but many opened…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Tourism industry pushes for scrapping of Thailand Pass and PCR testing
Key figures in Thailand’s tourism industry have renewed their calls for the Thailand Pass and PCR testing on arrival to be scrapped. Speaking at the Thailand Tourism Forum in Bangkok yesterday, the chairman of global hotel operator Minor International, renewed his call for the government to ditch the Thailand Pass system. Bill Heinecke has been vocal on issues affecting tourism’s…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Thai scientists develop anti-Covid nasal spray
A new “anti-Covid-19” nasal spray that is being developed by Thai scientists is expected to be available to the public later this year. In studies using lab animals, the nasal spray has been shown to block the virus from entering the body. The Health Systems Research Institute, Silpakorn University, Chulalongkorn University, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation and an unnamed private bioscience…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Jimi Sandu murder suspect arrested in Canada
Police plan to use lie detectors when they question people who were on the speedboat with TV actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong when she fell into the Chao Phraya River and drowned last week. The national police chief announced that a lie detector was a tool to facilitate the investigation. He said…. Every answer from Nida’s friends must be backed by…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Suspicions over Thai actress drowning
Many Thais are speculating that the drowning of the Thai TV actress Tangmo in the Chao Phraya River was not an accident and police now say they are going to use a lie detector during interrogations. Reports say the 37-year-old woman had gone to the back of the speedboat to urinate but had fallen in at around 10:40 pm Thursday…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Thais evacuate Ukraine & Storm in Thailand damages 200 homes
Forty-seven Thais arrived at the help centre in the Ukrainian city of Lviv with more on their way yesterday… this from the Thai embassy in Warsaw, in neighbouring Poland. The embassy, which is making arrangements to evacuate Thais from Ukraine currently under attack from Russian military forces, said 47 Thai citizens reached Lviv, the largest city in western Ukraine yesterday.…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Thailand to declare covid endemic in 4 months?
Thailand’s health ministry wants to declare Covid 19 as endemic in the next 4 months. Senior ministry official Kiattiphum Wongrajit says the Omicron variant has resulted in a much lower fatality rate than in previous waves, and while lung infections are increasing, cases of severe illness are still lower than earlier waves of the coronavirus. Health officials say deaths are…
- Thailand video news
Asia News Today | Asia’s stocks fluctuate, gold and Bitcoin rally
In the Asia Pacific region, only Japan, South Korea and Australia have so far officially condemned the actions of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine yesterday. They’ve said they will join with the US in imposing international sanctions but have so far declined to add unilateral sanctions. Indonesia has taken a slightly different tack and is calling for negotiation and…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | No impact to Thai aviation despite Ukraine-Russia tensions
Recognising the current situation in Ukraine and the early phases of Russian aggression in the former Soviet state. Whilst there is no direct impact on Thailand as of right now we don’t have anything specific to report.Although the US and UK governments have already banned flights from the Russian national airline Aeroflot, planes are still arriving from Moscow to Thailand…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Govt reveals treatment costs for Covid
Following the CCSA’s decision yesterday to lower the insurance coverage required of overseas arrivals, the health minister agrees the new figure is enough to cover Covid treatment, based on the latest findings. Anutin Charnvirakul says figures from the National Health Security Office indicate that treatment costs for severe Covid cases are usually around 300,000 baht per person, which is less…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Doubts on Thailand’s Songkran 2022
Even after the Test & Go program was rebooted on February 1, along with the additional and unpopular Day 5 PCR test, there hasn’t been a large increase in the number of international tourists visiting Thailand. Indeed the new applications and actual arrivals have fallen well below expectations by Thailand’s tourism tzars.Now, Phuket officials are launching new plans to encourage…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Day 5 PCR test scrapped & Covid insurance reduced!
The Day 5 PCR test for the Test & Go entry scheme has been scrapped. Instead, on day 5, travellers are required to take a self-administered ATK test without the need to stay at an SHA approved hotel. The new measures go into effect on March 1. Travellers entering under the Test & Go scheme must still undergo a PCR…
- Thailand News
BREAKING: Thailand Test & Go changes
Day 5 PCR test for the Test and Go Program has been scrapped and the mandatory Covid insurance has also been reduced. Tim Newton goes live with the breaking news and answers your questions regarding the Thailand Pass.
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Will Thailand scrap 2nd test for the Test and Go?
A meeting today with the CCSA where they will formerly discuss proposals regarding possible updates to Test and Go, the most popular option for the Thailand Pass online application system for international travellers. Although there’s been speculation that the controversial Day 5 PCR test may be dropped, we won’t know until alter today. The Thaiger will bring you up to…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | CCSA say ‘no changes’ for now
The CCSA spokesperson has pre-empted tomorrow’s official meeting saying that they will not impose any additional measures amid rising Thailand’s COVID-19 infections. But he says officials will strictly enforce the existing restrictions in the light of surging infections, mostly by the Omicron variant. She says that officials are taking into consideration all aspects of the Covid situation, including the number…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Phuket wants to declare Covid endemic
Phuket officials want to declare Covid endemic, even as the infection rate is rising on the southern island. According to a report, deputy governor Pichet Panapong says achieving endemic status would allow officials to focus on economic recovery. Local officials would also like to get rid of the daily reporting of new infections, instead only reporting Covid cases involving moderate…
- World News
Asia News Today | Vietnam’s vaccine passports & Hong Kong postpones elections
In Vietnam, The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has released guidelines for implementing the second phase of its COVID-19 vaccine passport pilot programme to welcome international tourists.Phase two will continue from now until the country’s full reopening of tourism activities via air, land, and sea routes, which is set for March 15. During this period, overseas Vietnamese and Vietnamese…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Reducing paperwork for incoming travellers
This Wednesday the CCSA convene for yet another meeting to consider both lifting persistent local restrictions, as well as reducing some of the paperwork and hassles for incoming travellers. For travellers, they will be looking for the scrapping of one or both the pre-paid PCR tests and accommodation when they arrive. New applications for the Thailand Pas have remained lack-lustre…
- World News
Asia News Today | Indonesia’s hotel quarantine scams
Indonesia’s Tourism Ministry say authorities are cracking down on hotel quarantine scams, who he claims are allegedly perpetrated by organised groups, against foreign travellers. He’s already coined the groups the “quarantine mafia”. Police have been following up allegations of numerous reported scams in hotel quarantine across Jakarta. The scam involves travellers being told at the end of their hotel quarantine…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Tourism sector calls for full reopening in March
Tourism operators have written an open letter to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and other government officials, calling for the country to be fully re-opened to foreign visitors from March. In the letter, the groups say they want all entry restrictions ditched, including the Thailand Pass and PCR testing on arrival, and want Covid declared endemic. They point to several other countries,…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Test & Go Improvements, Live Chat Function Added
In the wake of lower-than-expected take up of the revised Test and Go program in the Thailand Pass, the Thai PM has made direct orders for quick improvements in the reliability of the digital systemApplicants have been complaining about delays, receiving spam and hacked emails. Now a new entry pathway called TPHS has now been approved and promises to cut…
- Thailand video news
New Visa for foreigners to work in Thailand I GMT
Thailand plans to use a newly introduced Thailand Elite Card programme offering a work permit to lure investments from international professionals. Another leak found in underwater oil pipeline off the Rayong coast. Thai PM orders Thailand Pass to be improved. Thailand is going a step further than the graphic (and disturbing) photos on packs of cigarettes to discourage the public…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Optimistic marketing plans to build Thai tourism
The forever optimistic Tourism Authority of Thailand is continuing to roll out its current marketing plans to target both international and domestic travellers despite a luke-warm start to the year. 2022 started with only the Phuket Sandbox and a quarantine option available for international arrivals, and even after the Test & Go option was re-instated on February 1, the numbers…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Only Fans Girl “Shoots herself in the foot”
The cabinet eventually caved in this week by agreeing to cut the excise tax on diesel by three baht per litre, from the current 6 baht tax. This will for up to three months to help ease the impact of high energy prices on the cost of transport and consumer goods in Thailand.The cabinet approved halving the price until May…
- Thailand video news
Asia News Today | Japan to ease border controls & Fears of Cambodian surveillance
A new internet gateway in Cambodia, set to be launched today, is being delayed, apparently due to issues related to Covid 19 in the country. When enacted, all Internet traffic in Cambodia will be routed through the government-run National Internet Gateway, allowing authorities to monitor online activity, intercept and censor digital communications, and collect users’ personal data. But the Telecommunications…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Thai Govt takes steps to make Covid endemic
Despite calls to delay removing Covid-19 treatment from the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients scheme, Thailand’s health minister is pushing ahead as part of the government’s policy to downgrade the virus to endemic. Anutin Chanvirakul was responding to calls from a number of quarters, including his deputy, Sathit, who asked him to postpone the removal until April due to the…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | More fatal crosswalk accidents in Bangkok!
Thai police are reporting two more crosswalk accidents in Bangkok amidst a nationwide effort to improve pedestrian safety. One man was killed while walking across a crossing on Suwinthawong Road in the Min Buri district and the other man was hit and injured by the Yingcharoen market on Phahon Yothin Road in Bang Khen district On Suwinthawong Road, the man…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | No alcohol on 16th February
Police say have identified the 2 suspect gunmen who are being sought over the apparent gangland killing of Indian-born Jimi Sandhu on February 4 in Rawai, Phuket. Arrest warrants for 2 Canadian men have been issued. The alleged gunmen have been named as 36 year old Gene Lahrkamp and Matthew Dupre, also 36. The arrest warrants follow an intensive investigation…
