Thailand News
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Japan makes donation of another 385,000 AstraZeneca vaccines
In what seems like a frequent periodical occurrence, Japan has made yet another donation of AstraZeneca vaccines to Thailand this week. The Japanese government declared that they had sent another 385,210 vaccines that arrived late Friday night. A government spokesperson confirmed the donation and say that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed his thankfulness to Japan for this donation and their continued…
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Dusit Poll: Thailand is not ready for international reopening
A new poll from Suan Dusit Rajabhat University expresses the majority opinion that Thailand is not ready for a reopening to international tourism. The Suan Dusit Poll was conducted October 11 to 14 with 1,329 people from all over Thailand responding online. The poll was conducted to gauge the people of Thailand’s feelings about PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announcing that the…
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Covid-19 Sunday: 10,863 infections, 68 deaths, provincial data
Today, the CCSA reported 10,863 new Covid-19 infections, up 215 since yesterday, and 68 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 14 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,754,838 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 10,383 recoveries, a change of…
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Chulabhorn Royal Academy announces vaccine booster signups
Chulabhorn Royal Academy is now taking advance vaccine bookings for reasonably-priced Moderna and Sinopharm doses to qualified applicants. The academy is making vaccines available for organisations, corporate entities, hospital administrations and members, as well as employees in the public for booster shots. They are launching the vaccine signup programme as a commemoration of the Chulabhorn Hospital on its 12 year anniversary.…
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Thammasat University negotiates multiple deals for vaccines
A new deal has been struck between 2 private hospitals and Thammasat University to purchase and import 5 million Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines. This is an addition to a recently negotiated deal to procure 2 million modern vaccines, making a total of 7 million doses that the school will help bring into Thailand after recently being approved by the…
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Covid-19 Saturday Update: 10,648 cases, 82 deaths, provincial data
Today, the CCSA reported 10,648 new Covid-19 infections, a change of +162 since yesterday, and 82 Coronavirus-related deaths, a change of -12 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,743,975 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 10,794…
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Nearly 70,000 foreigners register for vaccines on expatvac site
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, almost 70,000 expat and foreign residents have signed up for Covid-19 vaccines using the expatvac website. The website was created by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, along with the Ministry of Public Health, and open to the public on August 1. The website was set up to help all the expats and foreigners that…
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38 countries reportedly on short list for no-quarantine reopening
People were elated to hear that Thailand was launching a select reopening on November 1, but confusion exists over the Thai government’s statement that they would open 17 provinces to 10 low-risk countries, with the list of provinces and countries as yet unspecified just 2 weeks before the launch date. Then again, that’s been the way throughout the pandemic as…
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Thai Twitter goes crazy as Russell Crowe tweets Sandbox visit
That Thai woman who escaped Phuket and snuck to her hometown in Chon Buri is no longer the most famous person in the Phuket Sandbox. Movie star Russell Crowe blew up Thai media when he posted his positive experience coming to Thailand through the Phuket Sandbox to film his newest movie. The star of such Hollywood hits as Gladiator and…
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Transgender woman arrested for selling live sex show on LINE
A transgender woman was arrested in Tak province, accused of selling access to live stream sex shows via a group chat on the LINE app. The 30 year old woman known as Nong Phrai was tracked down and arrested by the Crime Suppression Division in her home town after the Wang Thong Lang Police in Bangkok also issued a warrant…
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Covid-19 Friday Update: 10,486 cases, 94 deaths, provincial data
Today, the CCSA reported 10,486 new Covid-19 infections, a change of -790 since yesterday, and 94 Coronavirus-related deaths, a change of -18 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,733,327 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 10,711…
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20 major dams and reservoirs in Thailand present overflow risk
Thailand’s Office of the National Water Resources has requested that irrigation officials be ready to manage the discharge of excess water from 20 major dams and reservoirs. The heavy monsoon rains this year have led to potentially dangerous overflow conditions. Officials from the ONWR have instructed people living downstream to prepare for high levels of water being discharged from the dams,…
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5 no-quarantine countries named, 17 Thai provinces reopening
As restrictions are easing and Thailand moves towards a more streamlined and accessible reopening, 5 countries have been named in the plan to waive arrival quarantine for 10 countries. Though true to Thai style, nothing has been officially confirmed just 2 weeks before the grand reopening, the US, UK, Germany, China, and Singapore are more than likely candidates to be…
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Health Ministry’s plan to purchase new Covid-19 treatment pill gets the green light
Yesterday, the CCSA approved a proposal from the Public Health Ministry to procure a new oral treatment for Covid-19. The ministry plans to purchase 50,000 courses of the anti-viral Molnupiravir drug developed by pharmaceutical firm Merck. The proposal now goes to Cabinet for final approval. The news was confirmed by CCSA spokesman, Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, who would not be drawn…
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CoE will be replaced by Thailand Pass, in development
The much-maligned certificate of entry is on its way out, with the digital Thailand Pass set to replace the CoE for most – but not all – people from November 1. The Digital Government Development Agency is working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to create an online system to replace the CoE process for international flight arrivals. The Thailand…
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PM declares Thailand ready to re-open
The PM has declared that Thailand is ready to re-open, as he called on the government, businesses, and the wider public to cooperate with re-opening preparations. The Bangkok Post reports that the PM was speaking after yesterday’s CCSA meeting, in which officials confirmed the country will re-open to vaccinated tourists from 5 “low risk” countries from November 1. The PM…
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Curfew shortened, dark red zones reduced in CCSA meeting
Following this morning’s news of big discussions in today’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration meeting, several of the expected proposals were passed, including a curfew curtailment and reduction in the number of dark red zones in Thailand. For dark red zones, the curfew will be shortened from 10 pm to 4 am to instead last only 4 hours, from 11…
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Thai Airways adding 39 international flight routes on October 31
Beleaguered national airline Thai Airways says they’re resuming full service on 36 foreign routes to destinations in Europe, Asia and Australia, many of which will resume from October 31. The implementation is in step with the Thai government’s commitment to reduce many of the impediments and restrictions to international arrivals from November 1. The decision was announced today by Thai…
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Covid-19 Thursday: 112 deaths, 11,276 infections, provincial totals
Today, the CCSA reported 11,276 new Covid-19 infections, a change of +1,212 since yesterday, and 112 Coronavirus-related deaths, a change of +30 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,722,841 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 10,407…
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DDC reports 500,000 vaccines for students without incident
After nearly 500,000 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines have been administered in the drive to inoculate students aged 12 to 18 years old, the Department of Disease Control reports that there have been no reports of severe side effects. The reassurance comes as fake news has been spreading through a viral LINE post claiming, among other things, that the vaccination drive is an…
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Curfew reduction, easing more restrictions on CCSA agenda today
The government’s Covid-19 task force meets later today to debate a further easing of restrictions ahead of the country’s planned re-opening on November 1. The Bangkok Post reports that the CCSA is set to discuss a reduction in curfew hours, as well as reducing the number of provinces in various coloured zones. Among the proposals to be discussed is the…
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Minister of Tourism is sure tourists will flood Thailand November 1
Though often criticised for its overly-optimistic tourism predictions seemingly pulled out of thin air, this time the Thai government is sure people will be flooding back in as the borders reopen on November 1. Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakan said that Thailand needs to brace itself for an onslaught of international travellers flooding into the country come November…
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Remembrances of King Rama IX held at Siriraj Hospital, Rajabopit Temple
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the death of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (also known as King Rama IX), Thailand’s leader and the second-longest ruler of any country of all time. Across the nation, people are paying their respects to the much-loved previous King and commemorating the anniversary of his death. The dean of the Faculty of Medicine at…
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2 Thai women arrested transporting 7 Burmese migrants
At a checkpoint in Sangkhla Buri district in Kanchanaburi, 2 Thai women were arrested smuggling 7 Burmese migrants and a child, apparently attempting to transport them back to Myanmar. The stop took place at around 7 am this morning and the women were arrested in violation of provincial communicable disease committee orders to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Officials at…
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Pattaya police respond to call reporting a “ghost”
Police in Pattaya responded to a call for a ghost… Yes, a ghost. Locals heard crying and howling coming from an abandoned shophouse. It was so disturbing that they called the police, worried that the empty shop was haunted. Turns out the ghost was actually a homeless man who seemed to be having an emotional breakdown. Officers responded to the…
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Thai government to review law after World Anti-Doping Agency non-compliance ruling
Following the World Anti-Doping Agency’s decision last week, ruling Thailand non-compliant with the agency’s requirements, the Thai government is now putting more focus on regulating banned substances at international sports competitions. The National News Bureau of Thailand reports that authorities are working on issuing laws that correspond with the agency’s national standard. Thailand, Indonesia, and North Korea were ruled non-compliant…
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Ministry defends Pfizer vaccines against radiation accusations
Pfizer mRNA vaccines are facing accusations of being contaminated with radiation, and Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health is fighting back against the allegations. The Ministry reassures that all the vaccines in use currently in Thailand are tested and safe for use. At the Department of Disease Control, Dr Chawetsan Namwat, director of the Emergency Health Hazard and Disease Control Division,…
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Thailand Top Stories | Thai PM vows to reopen the country to fully vaccinated tourists from November 1 | October 13
Natty gives us a quick update on the national Covid-19 situation as well as the top headlines in Thailand and Southeast Asia: Thai PM vows to reopen the country to fully vaccinated tourists from November 1, police crack down on street racing, adult pleasure toys seized by Thai police, China to set up a 230 million USD to finance efforts…
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Anutin warns Nov 1 reopening could close again if Covid-19 surges
Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul may have dampened the excitement over Thailand’s November 1 reopening when he announced that it is possible that the country could close up its borders in the event of a serious Covid-19 outbreak. The announcement on Monday by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha that he had told the Ministry of Public Health and Centre for Covid-19…
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Prosecutors to decide Thanathorn’s fate on November 4 following vaccine comments
On November 4, prosecutors will decide whether or not to indict Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit over comments he made about Thailand’s AstraZeneca technology-transfer deal. At the start of the year, the founder of the Progressive Movement criticised the government for being overly-reliant on Siam Bioscience for Covid-19 vaccines. The Bangkok Post reports that Thanathorn faces charges of violating Thailand’s defamation law and…
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