medical

  • World News

    The UN says more than 3 million people in Myanmar need life-saving aid

    The UN is urging Myanmar’s military leaders to allow unimpeded access to more than 3 million people who need life-saving aid. Martin Griffiths, the UN humanitarian chief, says since the February 1 coup, the numbers of those at-risk of losing their lives will only rise. The ongoing violence has not showed signs of slowing, and Griffiths says if a peaceful…

  • Environment News

    Over 250,000 receive eye and nose medical treatment due to pollution in northern provinces

    Over 250,000 people are feeling the burn after receiving treatment for eye and nose problems due to pollution in Thailand’s northern provinces. Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of the Department of Health, says the medical issues are due to excessive PM2.5 dust particles in the atmosphere as a result of local wildfires that have produced heavy smog. He says that the seasonal…

  • Covid-19 News

    Norway adjusts advice after 28 possible vaccine-related deaths of elderly people

    The deaths of 23 elderly people are being investigated after dying a short time of receiving their first Covid-19 vaccine in Norway. Apart from the 23 deaths, medical officials are also reporting several people falling ill after receiving their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. At this stage there has been no direct correlation between the people’s deaths and…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand News Today | Chinese vaccine, Thailand ‘drug hub’, Covid update | January 13

    Confusion reigns over the effectiveness of a Chinese Covid-19 vaccine due to be rolled out in Thailand next month. Thailand has ordered 2 million doses of the Sinovac Biotech vaccine. The rollout of this particular vaccine among high-risk groups in Indonesia will start this week. However, questions now hang over the vaccine’s efficacy rate, originally reported as 78% in trials…

  • Northern Thailand News

    480 kilograms of marijuana seized on Laos border

    Police have seized 480 kilograms of, what they say is, “high-grade” marijuana in northeastern Thailand in a routine roadside search. The search was conducted near the border in Nakhon Phanom province. Police say the smugglers were looking for alternate routes now that the roads and traditional border crossings from Myanmar and Laos had been closed. 25 year old Likit Boonprasit…

  • Visa Information

    The end of the visa amnesty – get your house in order

    Up to 500,000 foreigners are now thought to have been part of the Thai government’s visa amnesty which was introduced in April for foreigners, both on tourist and other visas, who were stuck in Thailand and unable to leave. Around the world, planes had been grounded and Thailand closed its borders at the time. Six months later, and following 2…

  • Covid-19 News

    Covid-19 vaccine may involve 2 doses

    Health experts in the US say that when a viable coronavirus vaccine is found, it may need to be administered in 2 separate doses, in order to be effective. This throws up all sorts of logistical problems, with Kelly Moore, a health policy professor at Vanderbilt University, expressing concern over procurement issues and the difficulty in getting people to show…

  • Covid-19 News

    Medical tourists are permitted to come to Thailand at this time

    Even though Thailand’s borders are still closed to most travel, including tourism, there are some select groups being allowed back into the Kingdom. Medical tourists are one of those groups. Foreign medical tourists are now permitted to apply to come to Thailand for medical treatment with strict disease control measures being put in place. Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration says…

  • Health

    Thailand approves use of marijuana in local health promotion hospitals

    The blending of marijuana with other pharmaceutical products for the purpose of medical treatment is being given the go-ahead by the Thai government. Nation Thailand reports that the Ministry of Public Health has approved 17 formulations for use in local health promotion hospitals. “Sub-district Health Promoting Hospitals are hospitals that are operated by either the MOPH or Department of Local…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai government sets 600 million baht aside for Oxford University Covid vaccine

    The Thai government is budgeting 600 million baht to purchase supplies of the Covid-19 vaccine currently being worked on at Oxford University in the UK. Trials look promising so far, with the vaccine triggering a strong immune response among volunteers. Production is expected to start before the end of the year. In Thailand, a vaccine being developed at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn…

  • Phuket News

    Phuket to get 3 billion baht medical tourism hub

    Plans are underway for a 3 billion baht medical hub on the island of Phuket, set over 140 rai near Mai Khao beach, just north of the airport. A report in Nation Thailand says the plan has been confirmed by the Director of Vachira Hospital, Dr. Chalermpong Sukontapol. He says that as a result of the downturn in tourism due…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand to allow medical tourism within 2 weeks

    The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced today that Thailand’s medical tourism and wellness programs will go ahead despite the controversy swirling around 2 Covid-19 cases this week – in Bangkok and in Rayong. CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin says the Ministry of Public Health will announce a list of hospitals that pass its criteria next week, and the first…

  • Economy News

    US ambassador meets deputy PM to discuss Thailand’s “great investment potential”

    US Ambassador to Thailand Michael George DeSombre, who raised eyebrows in May when he described the US as “a better friend than China,” has praised the kingdom’s “great investment potential”, highlighting the expansion of current projects and further support for industry as ways to promote further cooperation. Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak welcomed the ambassador to the open discussion amongst key trade…

  • Covid-19 News

    Medical, wellness tourists will be first to be allowed in: CCSA

    The government plans to allow local tours for overseas medical and wellness tourists beginning this month, and the start of tourism “travel bubbles” in September. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said medical and wellness tourists will be welcomed from this month on. If they are properly handled during their 14 day quarantine and treatment at…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand sets new guidelines to govern “medical tourism”

    Thailand’s medical community is rolling out a set of guidelines for medical tourism as the country prepares to open its borders to international visitors. According to the director-general of the Department of Health Service Support, yesterday’s first meeting of the medical hub committee resulted in 3 decisions. The first outcome from the meeting set a new policy pertaining to quarantine…

  • Covid-19 News

    Arrival ban to end on July 1… some foreigners will be allowed in

    “Dr. Taweesilp says about 50,000 foreigners are expected to visit the country under the new rules.” Thailand will begin allowing foreigners to enter the country from July 1, easing the months-long arrival ban. But foreign tourists will still be banned. Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesperson of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, says that the first group will comprise businessmen…

  • Crime News

    22 tonnes of seized marijuana passed on to researchers

    Ever wonder where all the marijuana goes after it’s been confiscated by police? Authorities just gave around 22 tonnes of marijuana they seized in drug busts to nearly a dozen universities and research facilities across Thailand to study its medicinal benefits. Medical marijuana was legalised in 2018 under strict licensing and conditions. The Office of Narcotics Control Board gave 600 kilograms…

  • Health

    Thailand to manufacture anti-viral drug to treat Covid-19 patients

    The state-owned enterprise responsible for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals in Thailand says it plans to produce a licenced version of Favipiravir, the anti-viral drug that has proved successful in treating some Covid-19 patients. Nation Thailand reports that The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation developed the drug in March, but there is a waiting period of about a year before the product can…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand receives 30 million baht shipment of medical PPE from China

    Today at Don Mueang International Airport General Chanchan Changmongkol, the Deputy Minister of Defense represented the Thai government in receiving medical equipment and supplies from Mr. Yang Xin, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, to aid the people of Thailand during the Covid-19 outbreak. The shipment had a value of 6 million yuan or 30 million baht and…

  • Covid-19 News

    Bangkok’s largest international hospital hurts from halt in medical tourism

    The coronavirus outbreak has hospitals across the world at their limits, but at one Thailand’s largest and most famous hospitals, the number of patients has been cut in half. Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok heavily relies on medical tourism. Since the pandemic has ground much of international travel to a halt, Bumrungrad is getting hit hard. 50% of the patients at…

  • Covid-19 News

    Health officials say they’re ready for a “second wave” of Covid-19

    As countries around the world start to ease some of the restrictions put in place to stop the spread of Covid-19, the fear of a “second wave” persists. Now a report in Nation Thailand says healthcare officials in Thailand are using the lessons from the past fews months, in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, tracing and testing, and are prepared…

  • Covid-19 News

    20,000 military-grade masks are on the way to help battle Covid-19

    The Thai Royal Army has approved the production of military and medical protective masks, a total of 20,000 pieces valued at 600 million baht, to help the nation save over 500 million baht on imported N95 masks. Funding has come from government agencies and the private sector, hoping to help 500 medical personnel in need in the southern border provinces…

  • Covid-19 News

    Update on Chiang Mai’s Covid-19 situation

    A report of the situation in the Chiang Mai states that at this time there are still no reports of any additional Covid-19 infections being found in the northern city. The total still remains at 40 infected, 38 discharged from hospital, 1 death of a patient who died in the hospital, and 1 patient remaining in hospital receiving medical attention.…

  • Covid-19 News

    Crackdown on mask hoarders as police seek Facebook admin for defamation – VIDEO

    UPDATE: The Technology Crime Suppression Division of Thailand is working with police to search for more suspects involved in a network connected to the March 31 arrest of Phanyot Paradonraphab, chief of the little known Paradonraphab political party. Phanyot allegedly imported 513,300 masks illegally under a company he opened called Thai Health International and managed to sell more than 640,000,…

  • Covid-19 News

    Policeman nabbed with 7,500 masks and for breaking national curfew in the north-east

    Police were checking cars along the Phon Thong-Kuchinarai road in Roi Et, far north-east Thailand, when a dark grey Honda sedan approached. Stopping the car for a routine inspection they found that the driver was a fellow police officer, 33 year old Police Sergeant Pitak, along with a passenger. But when officials searched the car they found 3 boxes full of…

  • Covid-19 News

    80 Thai health workers confirmed with Covid-19 virus

    A spokesman for the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin reported that the coronavirus crisis has taken a grave toll on the country’s medical staff, with 80 infected so far by the virus since January. Coronavirus among medical staff has now accounted for 3.4 % of the total 2,258 confirmed cases in Thailand. Of the 80 confirmed…

  • Covid-19 News

    Team Thailand, hell yeah! Coming to save you from Covid-19.

    The world may be going completely bonkers but at least here in Thailand we can rely on Team Thailand. “Team Thailand”, is the patriotic term the mercurial Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has come up with to describe the hand-picked panel of medical experts who will be going through daily reports and recommending the next steps to battle the…

  • Health

    US pushing for delay to Thai ban on glyphosate in order to protect imports

    The US is urging Thailand to delay its forthcoming ban on glyphosate, saying it will have a significant impact on the country’s import of soybean, wheat, coffee, apples, grapes and other produce from the US and elsewhere, which totals around 51 billion baht annually. The Nation reports that the US Agricultural Department made the request after Thailand announced a ban…

  • Northern Thailand News

    ‘Magic cards’ contain dangerous radioactive materials

    The Thai Office of Atoms for Peace is warning of excessively high levels of radiation from the so-called “energy cards” or ‘magic cards’ that distributors claim can cure illnesses and help relieve aches and pains. The Office of Atoms for Peace of Thailand in Chatuchak district, Bangkok, Thailand, was established in 1961 as the Office of Atomic Energy for Peace.…

  • Thailand News

    First batch of practitioners qualify to prescribe medical cannabis

    Thailand is now certifying the first batch of 175 professionals who will be qualified to prescribe marijuana-based medication. Medical Services have released the names of the first 175 practitioners who successfully completed the two day course. According to The Nation, 192 attended the training, but only 175 had passed it. The successful professionals will become the first to qualify for handing…

  • Thailand News

    Hospitals train staff to recoup money from non-paying foreigners

    “…many foreigners sought treatment for ailments or injuries at public hospitals and many failed to fully pay the bills, resulting in multi-million baht in debt.” The Public Health Ministry’s Department of Health Service Support has provided training to public hospitals in tourist provinces to help them collect fees from foreigners, director-general Dr Nattawuth Prasertsiripong said yesterday. The move is aimed at…

  • Health

    Why is Thailand so popular for medical tourists?

    Considered to be one of the most popular destinations for contemporary medical tourism, Thailand continues to see a surge in patients seeking top-quality, affordable care. From Bangkok to Chiang Mai and the beaches of Phuket, thousands visit annually, combining luxury travel with first-rate quality care, for the ultimate medical tourism holiday. It appears convenience is one key component as to…

  • Health

    Top 10 conditions where medical cannabis was prescribed in 2018

    Thailand has legalised Medical Cannabis for prescribed medical use only. The penalty for recreational use of cannabis in Thailand remains a serious matter, where those found in possession of 10 kilograms of herb or less could expect to do up to five years in prison. Anything more and you’re facing life in prison. No information is currently available on the process of…

  • Health

    Floating clinic opens in Kanchanaburi

    PHOTO: Pattaya Mail Last week saw residents and visitors to Srinakaring Dam in Sri Sawat district, Kanchanaburi, in Thailand’s west, witness the first day of operations of a new floating medical unit. The Bangkok Post reports that the dam is a huge tourist magnet which attracts 800,000 tourist a year in an area where 140 businesses operate and over 600…

  • Health

    Medicinal marijuana by next year in Thailand

    Thailand’s Governmental Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) is starting researching to develop medicines from marijuana in acknowledgement of evidence that the outlawed substance has health-enhancing properties. It is also seeking to initiate a legal amendment that would permit cannabis for medicinal use, possibly by May next year. Recreational use will remain illegal. GPO chairman Dr Sopon Mekthon yesterday says that with the…