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Phuket tourism operators expect 1 million visitors in first quarter of 2022
The head of the Phuket Tourist Association is optimistic about Thailand’s re-opening to vaccinated tourists from 63 countries, which starts today. Bhummikitti Raktaengam predicts the southern island will see 1 million foreign tourists in the first quarter of next year. “Bookings in November increased by 20%, while the load factor for some international flights will also rise to 80%, thanks…
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Thailand re-opens: minimal quarantine for vaccinated tourists from 63 countries
From today, vaccinated tourists from 63 countries can enter Thailand (by air only) with minimal quarantine requirements. Fully inoculated tourists from approved countries only need to wait in their hotel room for the result of their PCR test and are then free to go where they like. The move has been welcomed by a tourism sector crushed by the Covid-19…
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Thailand Covid zones update: Alcohol, curfews, dining, schools, getting together
The CCSA has revised the colour-coded zones for Thailand ahead of today’s reopening. It reduces the dark red zone to just 7 remaining provinces, reinstates the yellow zone for provinces under observation but not restricted, and adding a tourist blue zone that appears less connected to actual Covid-19 stats than it is to economic potential to benefit the tourism sector.…
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Prince Andrew asks sexual assault case be dismissed in US court
The Duke of York, Prince Andrew of Britain, filed a motion asking a New York court to dismiss a sexual assault suit against him. Prince Andrew’s attorneys said that he is asking respectfully for the complaint brought on by plaintiff Virginia Giuffre to be dismissed. He has been battling the accusations for more than 6 years. The lawsuit was filed…
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New Phuket order: alcohol in restaurants until 11 pm, no bars
Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew issued an order with revised Covid-19 rules ahead of tomorrow’s reopening, allowing restaurants to sell alcohol until 11 pm, but keeping nightlife entertainment venues like bars and clubs closed until at least November 15. The order was issued publicly last night though it was signed October 25 and goes into effect tomorrow for the November 1…
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Suan Dusit Poll: It’s time for an election and Prayut wouldn’t win
A new Suan Dusit Poll conducted by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University revealed that the majority of Thai people are ready for a new general election and think early 2022 is the time for it. Over 70% of people surveyed felt that Thailand is ready now for new elections, while only just under 23% opposed the idea, with just under 7%…
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Consular Deparment FAQ on Thailand Pass entry November 1
A thorough infographic of the Thailand Pass process was released by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for people planning their travel after November 1. The white text on photo backgrounds might not be the easiest way to digest this complex process, so below is the transcribed text of the announcement with some key new information detailed.…
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Flights to Phuket from Kazakhstan hub Almaty resume today
Today marked the return of Air Astana flights to Phuket from Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, as 165 travellers arrived on a plane this morning. The flight marks a resumption of travel from the former Soviet Union republic and the current 9th largest country in the world by area. Air Astana plans to continue and ramp up the route…
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5 million deaths – 22 months of Covid-19
Covid-19 has killed more than 5 million people across the globe, a grim milestone after nearly 20 months of lockdowns, information overload, misinformation and misery. The US has contributed the largest single body count from the coronavirus – 4% of the world’s population but 15% of the total deaths. Covid-19 is now a leading cause of death in the US,…
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US report says the origins of Covid-19 may never be known
Without cooperation from China, the origins of the Covid-19 virus may never be known, according to a more detailed version of a report released by US intelligence agencies. A report declassified on Friday said no definitive assessment can be made and some scientists disagree on whether the virus is of natural origin or came from some sort of lab leak.…
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BMA allows alcohol in restaurants in Bangkok with some rules
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has finally agreed to let the plan to lift the alcohol ban in restaurants for Blue Zone tourist areas proceed in Bangkok with some caveats. The CCSA created a new addition to their Covid-19 colour-coded zones for the 4 key tourist areas of Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga, based on tourism need more than Covid-19…
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17 more countries added to (almost) no quarantine list in Thailand
Late last night, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced an amendment to the list of countries that can enter Thailand without quarantine starting tomorrow, adding 17 new countries to the list of 46 countries and territories. (But even fully vaccinated travellers will have to spend one night in an SHA+ or ASQ hotel as they wait for their test result).…
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New zone restrictions: Booze, curfew, dining, schools, gatherings updated
So the CCSA has radically revised the colour-coded zone scheme for Thailand ahead of the reopening, reducing the dark red zone to just 7 remaining provinces, reinstating the yellow zone for provinces under observation but not restricted, and adding a tourist blue zone that is less connected to Covid-19 stats than it is to economic stats of how it can…
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New ban on rallies enacted just before November 1 reopening
In yet another timing coincidence, the Royal Gazette published new rules yesterday placing a ban on rallies and protests just before Thailand reopens to international tourism. As always, the orders were ostensibly put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the country and to protect incoming tourists from any possible outbreak. The new ban on rallies and similar…
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Phuket small businesses disadvantaged by SHA+ call for an end
It’s not just travellers frustrated by the SHA+ accommodation requirements to enter Thailand internationally. In Phuket, a group of small hotel owners, transportation drivers, and small tour operators have rallied together to call for the government to cancel the SHA+ requirement that they call a killer for all but the wealthiest of businesses. The province has achieved over a 70%…
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Sinovac or vaccine mix now accepted for Australian travel
Sinovac has now been recognized as an approved vaccine brand by the Australian government, which will also permit the mixing of vaccine brands, allowing these options for those who wish to travel to Australia. This is a very helpful announcement for many Australian expats living in Thailand who are vaccinated locally with the Chinese-made vaccine and perhaps an AstraZeneca booster…
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Are Southeast Asian nations meeting their climate commitments?
Southeast Asia is among the world’s most at-risk regions when it comes to the impact of global warming. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned in its most recent report that the region is facing rising sea levels, heat waves, droughts and increasingly intense rainstorms. “Recent studies estimate that up to 96% of the ASEAN region is likely…
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COVID-19 SATURDAY: 88 deaths, provincial data, vaccination update
Today, the CCSA reported 9,224 new Covid-19 infections, up 256 since yesterday, and 88 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 24 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,874,292 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 8,305 recoveries, up 442 from…
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New Foundation in Phuket to provide grants for the most vulnerable communities
Living Waters Phuket was launched this week, the first fully established legal structure to provide grants to projects investing in sustainable community solutions across Phuket and the surrounding islands. A united Foundation This one-of-a-kind and brand-new Foundation, launched as Living Waters Phuket this week, is working to combine the efforts of registered charities, foundations, private companies and government organisations. The…
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Chiang Mai Central Prison uncovers Alpha Plus Covid-19 cases
While 98% of Covid-19 in Thailand is now the Delta variant, with fears of some of the new Delta Plus strains creeping into the country, two inmates at Chiang Mai Central Prison have been diagnosed with infections of the Alpha Plus variant. The Covid-19 infection was originally detected in late September from genome sequencing and the Alpha variant discovery has…
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Pattaya frustrated by exclusion from alcohol ban lift in restaurants
While a great many people are thrilled with the plans to allow alcohol to be sold in the key tourism blue zones of Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga, there are some who are very angry about it: Pattaya business owners. Local tourism operators a not too pleased that Pattaya and its world-famous wild nightlife that draws millions of visitors…
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CCSA: Only 7 provinces in the Dark Red Zone, 5 zones used now
In their meeting yesterday, the CCSA has massively reduced the Dark Red Maximum and Strict Controlled Zone from 23 to just 7 provinces ahead of Monday’s reopening to international tourism. The remaining dark red zones are mainly the Covid-19 plagued Deep South, with Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla, and Yala remaining dark red. Tak on Thailand’s western border and…
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Donovanosis: ‘Flesh-eating’ STI has doctors worried
Donovanosis causes thick ulcers on the genitals. Both men and women can contract it, but men are twice as likely to be affected. It is generally transmitted through unprotected sex. Also called granuloma inguinale, donovanosis is a bacterial infection that has been dubbed “flesh-eating” because it causes extensive inflammation of the genitals. It does not actually eat the flesh. Typical…
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Egypt: ‘Lifting emergency is just a public relations stunt’
This week’s lifting of the state of emergency status in Egypt was meant to be a message of hope for the 100 million people country. After all, President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi had announced that “Egypt has become, thanks to its great people and its loyal men, an oasis of security and stability in the region.” Back in April 2017, two…
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Ghana: Growing COVID vaccine acceptance
At the West Hospital in Tamale, residents wait for the COVID jab. Ghanaians are slowly overcoming hesitancy and rejection. Conspiracy theories initially crippled inoculation efforts. Even health workers were hesitant. Community leaders were educated about the vaccines. They took the vaccines publicly to encourage others. Advocacy workers battled to change mindsets. But their efforts were held back by a flood…
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Why African countries are skeptical of OECD tax reform plan
Kenya and Nigeria have withdrawn from a global tax reform plan preventing multinational corporations from easily shifting their profits to low-tax countries. The regional economic heavyweights had been weighing up taking part in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) led project, which envisages introducing a global minimum tax aimed at giving countries a partial share of the tax…
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Pakistan: Media regulator accused of ‘moral policing’
The Pakistani government’s media watchdog has imposed a ban on “intimate” scenes on television amid growing religious conservativism in the country. Activists have decried the move. SOURCE: DW News
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Fruitful farming amid droughts
It has not rained for months in the semi-arid area of Muidabi, Kenya. There is no food for humans or pasture for animals. But Gabriel Mwangi Kariuki is changing lives: He owns a few greenhouses, filled with luscious, juicy tomatoes. His rain catchment system is vital: All his plants get a drop of water every 7 seconds. Through an EU-funded…
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Togo: A rare female motorcycle taxi
Suzanne N’Dati Tignindo is tackling gender stereotypes: The young Togolese is a motorcycle cab driver: a job usually reserved for men. She picked up the job to save money to open her own hairdressing shop. Suzanne loves her job, but she doesn’t intend to do it all her life. She was trained as a hairdresser. She has two big dreams:…
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PM says cooperation needed as Thailand prepares for reopening
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has stressed the importance of public and business cooperation ahead of next week’s reopening of Thailand’s borders and the relaxing of quarantine requirements for international visitors. The Bangkok Post has reported Prayut has asked for strict compliance with disease controls, and that protesters do not damage the national image, paving the way for a successful reopening. Prayut,…
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