News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
-
Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
-
First night of curfew: 299 arrested
From last night to this morning, police arrested 299 people across 10 provinces. The suspects were allegedly not adhering to the new curfew, says police spokesperson Yingyot Thepjamnong. The breakdown of arrested is as follows: 57 arrested in Bangkok 187 arrested throughout: Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, and Pathum Thani 7 arrested in Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon 48 arrested in Songkhla,…
-
Tour van drivers suffer from lack of passengers, Covid restrictions
Tour van drivers are currently suffering under the weight of vehicle payments against the lightness of tourists to drive around. In northeastern Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima, 41 year old tour van driver Punnawit Jaenlue, says he used to do 20 trips a month, raking in about 50,000 baht. However, due to Covid restriction pertaining to interprovincial travel, he says making even…
-
Public warned about immigration police impersonators asking for bribes
The Thai Immigration Bureau is warning foreign residents and the general public to be careful of people who are impersonating as immigration police officers and asking for bribes or other payments. Apparently, the people posing as immigration officers are approaching individual foreigners and are inspecting establishments like factories, which tend to employ migrant workers. If approached by someone claiming to…
-
More than 1,000 people file damage complaints related to Samut Prakan chemical fire
More than 1,000 residents in Samut Prakan’s Bang Phili district have filed damage complaints relating to the Ming Dih Chemical Company explosion and massive fire last week which took more than 24 hours to control. Helicopters were deployed to spray fire retardant foam. Residents within a 5 kilometre radius were told to evacuate. Toxic black smoke billowing from the chemical…
-
Thai authorities crackdown on Covid-19 “fake news,” posters could face jail time
Thai authorities are cracking down on fake news, particularly false claims about the Covid-19 situation in Thailand. The Digital Economy and Society Ministry’s Anti-Fake News Centre reported more than 50 cases of fake news posted since last month, most involving Covid-19 or vaccines. Police are now investigating the cases. Those who posted or shared misleading information found to threaten national…
-
Tuesday Covid Update: 8,685 new cases; provincial totals
Continuing on a sharp upward trend in the latest wave of Covid-19 infections, Thailand now has 95,410 active coronavirus cases. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration recorded 8,685 new Covid-19 cases today, raising the total case count since the start of the pandemic last year to 353,712. The latest and most severe wave of the virus, first recorded on April…
-
Si Racha snake stuck in road goes viral
Yesterday, a 3 metre python went viral in Si Racha, a district on the Gulf of Thailand, for being stuck in a drain cover and requiring rescue. About 3 pm Monday, rescue workers and animal control were alerted to the snake’s plight. They got to the scene and found the snake popping out of different pipes on a drain cover…
-
Thai government accused of mismanagement during the pandemic
The Thai government is being accused of mismanagement related to the Covid-19 pandemic and procurement of vaccines. The Thailand Development Research Institute released a report outlining the government’s role in combating the spread of the virus, saying there were poor preparations leading up to the recent and most severe wave. The institute is now calling for an independent committee to…
-
Infections in the sandbox not surprising, says Phuket health office Chief
“The infected cases among Phuket Sandbox tourists were expected under the plan made before opening the island.” Phuket Provincial Public Health Office Chief Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon announced at a press conference yesterday that Covid infected tourists popping up in the sandbox were “expected”. Dr Kusak assured the public, and tourists mulling where to go on vacation, that zero of the…
-
5 movie theatres in Bangkok temporarily close
Yesterday, Major Cineplex stated it was closing 5 of its movie theatre locations in Bangkok. They will stay closed until July 25. The move is a precautionary measure against Covid. The movie Major Cineplex theatres closing are: Ratchayothin Rangsit Pin Klao Sukhumvit Esplanade Certain establishments are still open inside the shopping centre, however. They will still be closed at 8…
-
Chon Buri governor orders nightly closures and requests residents to stay at home
With Covid-19 still on the rise in Chon Buri, the governor imposed new disease control measures ordering nightly business closures and officially requesting residents to stay at home from 9pm to 4am, unless travel is essential. The order goes into effect today. The restrictions are in place until the Covid-19 situation in Chon Buri improves. Chon Buri, which includes Pattaya,…
-
2 Bangkok hospitals allowing foreigners to register for Covid-19 vaccination
UPDATE: The Thaiger has been informed that registration is open for 5 days only @ 100 people a day only. We would also urge people to understand that these vaccines are not in the country at this time and that people may be asked to pre-pay for the service. Following the decommissioning of the bug-ridden Thailandintervac.com website, expats in Thailand…
-
World Health Organisation warns against “dangerous trend” of mixing Covid vaccines
A chief scientist at the World Health Organisation has warned against an emerging practice of mixing Covid-19 vaccines. Speaking during an online briefing, Soumya Swaminathan described the practice of combining vaccines from different manufacturers as a, “dangerous trend”. She says a lack of safety data means countries should refrain from random decision-making on vaccine boosters and combinations. “It’s a little…
-
Tuesday Covid Update: 8,685 new cases and 56 deaths
8,685 new Covid-19 cases and 56 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, the latest and most severe wave of Covid-19, the CCSA has reported 324,849 infections. Out of the new cases reported today, 146 infections were reported in correctional facilities. The recent wave of infections spread to Thailand’s overcrowded prisons, infecting…
-
Koh Samui opens for bookings from vaccinated foreign tourists
Koh Samui’s sealed route programme, Samui Plus, has opened for business, with vaccinated tourists now able to apply for a certificate of entry. Ratchaporn Poolsawadee from the Tourism Association of Koh Samui says some details need to be ironed out, including determing the cost of a 7-day stay at an alternative state quarantine facility, to include Covid-19 tests and medical…
-
Study shows antibodies drop by 50% every 40 days after 2 doses of Sinovac
A study carried out by the faculty of medicine at Thammasat University and the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology has found that antibodies halve every 40 days after 2 doses of the Sinovac vaccine. Researcher Anan Jongkaewwattana says 500 people who received both doses of the Chinese vaccine took part in the study. The findings confirmed that their…
-
Afghanistan: Can Turkey tame the Taliban?
Now that almost all Western troops have withdrawn from Afghanistan, the central government in Kabul is largely on its own to fight the radical Islamist Taliban. But Afghanistan might now receive military help from Turkey. During talks on the sidelines of last month’s NATO summit in Brussels, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with his US counterpart Joe Biden about…
-
Dilip Kumar: Bollywood legend who narrowed India-Pakistan divide
Indian movie stars, particularly from Bollywood, remain immensely popular in Pakistan despite the bitter political rivalry between the two nations. But Dilip Kumar wasn’t just any film star — his appeal transcended borders, generations — and the silver screen. Over the past week, the actor was remembered for the roles he played in movies, and the ones he played in…
-
Bangkok construction workers infected with both Alpha and Delta strains
Some workers at a Bangkok constructions camp have tested positive for both the Alpha and Delta variants of Covid-19. The Bangkok Post calls it a “mixed infection” while both Nation Thailand and Thai PBS say the workers tested positive for a hybrid strain of the 2 variants. Thailand’s Medical Sciences Department director-general Dr. Supakit Sirilak announced the findings today saying…
-
18 arrested and 8 luxury cars seized in alleged online gambling operation bust
18 people were arrested after Thailand’s Police Cyber Taskforce raided 2 homes in Pathum Thani suspected of being used for operating several online gambling websites. The suspects face charges of illegally running an online gambling operation and violating the Emergency Decree, which was put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19. Recently, the Thai government imposed tight restrictions in…
-
Monday Covid Update: 8,656 new cases; provincial totals
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration recorded 8,656 new Covid-19 cases today, raising Thailand’s total case count since the start of the pandemic last year to 345,027 confirmed infections. The latest and most severe wave of infections, first recorded on April 1 in Bangkok nightlife districts, has accounted for 316,164 of the total confirmed cases. Thailand now has a record…
-
6 “Phuket Sandbox” travellers have tested positive for Covid-19 since July 1 reopening
So far, 6 people who entered Phuket under the “Sandbox” reopening scheme have tested positive for Covid-19. Those in close contact need to quarantine for 14 days. The reopening scheme allows travellers who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, as well as their children, to enter the island province without undergoing quarantine. Nearly 4,000 tourists entered Phuket from July 1…
-
Monday Covid Update: 8,656 new infections and 80 deaths
8,656 new Covid-19 cases were recorded today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the total since April 1, the latest and most severe wave of infections in Thailand, to 316,164 confirmed cases. The CCSA also recorded 80 more Covid-related deaths. Out of the new cases reported today, 73 Covid-19 cases were found in correctional facilities. The latest wave…
-
Malaysian government urges media to double its efforts against fake news
The Malaysian government is calling on the media to double its efforts to fight fake news and inaccuracies across all platforms. Asia News Today reports that Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, the country’s Communications and Multimedia minister is calling on all media outlets to cooperate in the fight against fake news, whether that’s on television, radio, in print, or online. The minister…
-
Tougher checks for visitors arriving on Phuket from high-risk provinces
As the southern island of Phuket grapples to keep its “sandbox” scheme running amid rising Covid-19 infections, tougher controls are being introduced for domestic visitors. From Thursday, until the end of the month, arrivals from the 10 “maximum controlled and restricted” and the 24 “maximum controlled” provinces, will need to meet stricter criteria if they want to visit Phuket. According…
-
Rapid antigen tests to be made available to Bangkok public to relieve pressure on hospitals
The Public Health Ministry has approved in principle for rapid antigen tests to be made available for the public to purchase from Bangkok clinics and pharmacies. The idea is to relieve the pressure on hospitals struggling to meet an increasing demand for PCR tests as infections rise. According to a Pattaya News report, officials will meet today to confirm the…
-
Pressure mounts for effective boosters as fully vaccinated nurse dies of Covid-19
The government is coming under increasing pressure to provide effective vaccine boosters to frontline medical staff, following the death of a nurse who’d received 2 doses of Sinovac. The Bangkok Post reports that the 30 year old nurse died a week after contracting Covid-19, despite being fully inoculated. Her cousin, Siwakorn Rattanakuntee, confirmed the death on Facebook, adding that the…
-
Revenue Department dispells rumour of VAT for private vaccines
Thai government officials are moving quickly to quash a rumour being spread throughout social media that they are charging hospitals VAT for vaccines. A rumour being widely discussed around the internet accuses the government of Thailand of essentially profiteering off the importation of life-saving vaccines. A report claiming that the government is charging value-added tax on all the Covid-19 vaccines…
-
Burmese junta election commission claims 11 million fraud cases
After the election in Myanmar last November, the military was unhappy with the results, claimed mass fraud, and overthrew the government, seizing power in a coup in February. Independent observers and analysts have yet to find any probable voter fraud in the election. But perhaps they weren’t looking in the right place because the military junta’s election commission just turned…
-
Kyiv hopes for more as Zelenskyy meets Merkel
Angela Merkel is preparing for a special farewell. The outgoing German chancellor receives the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Berlin on Monday for what will likely be their last meeting in person. On several occasions, Zelenskyy has invited Merkel to Kyiv at the end of August to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ukrainian independence. He is also keen for the…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.