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Indonesia calls for tougher sentences in child abuses as cases rise
The judiciary of Indonesia was slammed by right groups when a 10-year jail term was sentenced to a 37 year old Christian priest Benyamin Sitepu, the principal of Galilea Hosana School in Medan, who was accused of sexually assaulting six students under his care. The families were disappointed with the verdict by the Medan District Court as Sitepu did not…
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African Swine Fever reported at three pig farms in Prachuap Khiri Khan
Provincial livestock authorities in Prachuap Khiri Khan discovered three pig farms in Muang and Thap Sakae districts were infected with African Swine Fever. The reports come in the midst of a pork price crisis said to be driven by an outbreak of the highly contagious and deadly viral disease of pigs. 117 pigs from the three farms altogether had to…
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Woman kidnapped from hotel quarantine allegedly by men posing as police officers
A woman infected with Covid-19 was allegedly kidnapped from a quarantine hotel in Bangkok by a group of men posing as police officers. The 55 year old father file a report with police on Saturday, claiming that his 23 year old daughter was kidnapped from a hotel quarantine by a group of men claiming to be police. Apparently, one of…
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32 public toilets at Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya will be ready by this April
The Deputy City Mayor of Pattaya told Thai media that 32 public toilets at Bali Hai Pier will be finished and ready to use by April, admitting that construction for the 5 million baht restroom project had fallen a bit behind schedule. Deputy mayor Pattana Boonsawat told Thai media that the construction of the toilets fell behind schedule due to…
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American retail giant Walmart shows interest in Laos
Walmart might be moving to Laos. An American multinational retail conglomerate, best known for its hypermarket and grocery store chains across the States, has shown its interest in Laos as a group of Lao-Americans met yesterday, including the Lao Overseas Affairs Department and the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI), to discuss investment in Laos. The team, led by…
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Monday Covid Update: 7,139 new cases; provincial totals
13 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,045 with 347 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 7,139 new Covid-19 cases and 8,100 recoveries. There are now 82,485 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Indonesia to launch travel bubble with Singapore, entry to islands Batam, Bintan
A travel bubble is in the works between Singapore and Indonesia’s resort islands of Batam and Bintan. The Covid-19 situation at both islands in the archipelago is now under control and officials are moving forward with plans for a safe travel corridor, according to Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto during a virtual press conference today. “The government is pushing…
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Ruling party ousts renegade MP Thammanat Prompao after tumultuous career
Thailand’s ruling Palang Pracharat Party has ousted the notorious Thai politician Thammanat Prompao who, apart from other alleged transgressions, was convicted conspiring to import heroin in Australia. He has also been accused of urging voters in a Songkhla bi-election to vote for someone “from a family with pedigree and wealth,” a statement his opponents in the party considered divisive. Palang…
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Thailand women’s football pressing on despite defeat by Philippines
The Philippines’ women’s football team defeated Thailand in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup today. Still, the team’s coach, Miyo Okamoto, is determined to correct her team’s mistakes and win against Indonesia in their second match tonight. The players, Miyo says, must stop keeping the ball on their own half, adding that “we can’t just keep the ball in our own…
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Pattaya bar raided by police at 5am, some test positive for illicit drugs
The pub manager, guests, and staff members of a bar in Pattaya were arrested at around 5am over the weekend for violating Covid-19 measures that require restaurants to stop serving alcohol by 9pm. Nationwide, entertainment venues – which have faced closure orders since April – have been able to apply to open temporarily as restaurants. But bars and other unapproved…
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Thailand Wellness Sandbox entry launching in coastal districts of Hua Hin, Cha-am
In an effort to draw in a tourist base focused on health and wellness, the Thailand Wellness Sandbox entry programme is launching in the coastal region of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Hua Hin district and Phetchaburi’s Cha-am district. These locations were selected for the first tier of the Wellness Sandbox project. Officials are looking into adding more destinations later on. The…
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Government mulls legalising e-cigarettes to reduce number of cigarette smokers
A Thai government ministry is discussing the legalisation of e-cigarettes in a bid to reduce the number of cigarette smokers in the country. According to a Nation Thailand report, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry wants to be able to offer smokers an alternative to cigarettes. The development has been welcomed by Asa Salikupt from the End Cigarette Smoke Thailand…
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Thai PM to visit Saudi Arabia as guest of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman
The Thai PM will be in Saudi Arabia tomorrow and Wednesday, invited by its leader, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. Prayut Chan-o-cha’s brief visit was confirmed by a statement from Government House yesterday. According to the statement, the visit aims to promote bilateral ties between both countries. A statement from the Saudi ministry says the trip is for both governments…
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Government to make more Covid insurance options available to foreign tourists
The Thai government wants to offer more Covid-19 insurance options to foreign tourists whose own insurance doesn’t cover hospitels or hotel isolation in cases of asymptomatic infection. According to a Bangkok Post report, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand says officials are in talks with the Office of the Insurance Commission. Yuthasak Supasorn says premiums could start at…
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Alcohol until 11 pm at food venues in 8 Blue provinces from tomorrow
Put on your party boots; tomorrow it’s time to go out late for drinks on a Monday! The easing of the alcohol ban for 8 Blue Zone provinces goes into effect tomorrow with restaurants and similar venues allowed to sell drinks until 11 pm now. Bars, pubs, karaoke, nightclubs, and other nightlife and entertainment venues will not be legally allowed…
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Local farmers accused of setting 100 elephant traps near sanctuary
Officials from the Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary in Loei province filed a complaint with police about neighbouring villagers, accusing them of setting more than 100 elephant traps. The neighbours were alleged to have set the traps to protect their farms from elephants eating their crops. The sanctuary officials brought several of the elephant traps with them to the police as…
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Thailand tourism industry hopeful with the return of Test & Go
With the reintroduction of the Test & Go program, that allows fully vaccinated people to enter Thailand with a Day1 and Day 5 PCR test, businesses in the tourism industry are hopeful for a more sustained growth in international travellers from February and beyond. The program was reinstated, albeit with some revisions that were not met with a particularly welcoming…
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COVID-19 SUNDAY: 7,686 infections, 13 deaths,
Today, the CCSA reported 7,686 new Covid-19 infections, down 426 since yesterday, and 13 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 6 from yesterday. Since April 1, 2021, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,348,627 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported, with 22,032 total deaths from the pandemic. In the 24 hour period since the last count,…
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Government plans to gather data, combine tourism databases
In an effort to organize data and bolster tourism for the future, government agencies are looking at merging the databases of tourism-related agencies, businesses, and organizations. They plan to create a unified database in order to bring together all the information in an organized system. A campaign was launched, supported by the Department of Tourism, the Department of Provincial Administration,…
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Truck with 20 tonnes of smuggled pork caught at Laos border
With pork prices skyrocketing and shortages looming, people are turning to chicken until it began being affected too, then crocodile meat, while many merchants call for an increase in the importation of pork products, and accusations fly of companies hoarding frozen pork. Now, instead of the more common busts of trucks full of meth pills or marijuana, police at the…
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New Sandboxes announced, but are they redundant after February 1?
(All the information in this article is based on CCSA announcements last Thursday and published articles on the Tourism of Thailand website and other government media) Businesses in the entertainment, nightlife, bar and sex industry in Pattaya are breathing a sigh of relief as international tourists will, again, be able to visit the seaside party town as part of the…
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Hong Kong warns against intervening in cull of Covid-19 hamsters
Facing a backlash after their order to kill about 2,000 hamsters caught up in a Covid-19 outbreak, Hong Kong officials are warning people not to intervene in the hamster euthanasia. 11 hamsters tested positive for Covid-19 in an outbreak that also spread to a worker at a pet shop, prompting authorities to spring to action Tuesday to curb the spread…
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BMA follows CCSA; Bangkok entertainment venues remain closed
It will likely come as no shock to anyone, but the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration declared today that they will follow the rules of the CCSA and extend the closure of entertainment venues indefinitely. The decision was announced today that bars, pubs, karaoke, nightclubs, and other nightlife and entertainment venues will not be reopening in Bangkok as with the rest of…
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Transportation the focus of 2022 for Thailand, with 1.4 trillion baht budgeted
Thailand is aiming to make 2022 the Year of Transportation, with 1.4 trillion baht being allocated for projects to improve travel by air, land, water, and rail. The Ministry of Transport predicts markedly improved transportation safety and timeliness, as well as an economic return of 1.6 times the initial investment. As a part of Thailand’s 20-year national strategy, the development…
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COVID-19 SATURDAY: Deaths up to 19, infections down to 8,112
Today, the CCSA reported 8,112 new Covid-19 infections, down 528 since yesterday, and 19 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 6 from yesterday. Since April 1, 2021, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,340,941 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported, with 22,019 total deaths from the pandemic. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the…
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Many criticise “soldier” coffee shop at southern Thailand military camp
“Sip a coffee and see cool soldiers”… That’s what an advertisement said for a new cafe opened up at the Thai Army 4 camp in the southern province Nakhon Si Thammarat. Chor Coffee at the Thep Satri Si Sunthon Military Camp made a post on Facebook with photos of drinks, desserts, and men in uniform. It caught people’s attention with…
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Stabbing attack in Kanchanaburi leaves 1 British man dead, 1 injured
Police are looking for a suspect in an attack and stabbing of 2 British men in Kanchanaburi that killed one and seriously injured the other. The attack took place early this morning at 3:55 am in front of a house in the Muang district of the western province of Thailand. Police, tourist police, and forensic officers led by the chief…
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McDonald’s Thailand offers ice cream sundae with chilli paste and pork floss
McDonald’s is offering a special Thai-style ice cream sundae… with chilli paste and pork floss. The fast food company has teamed up with famous Thai sauce company Deksomboon, also known as the Healthy Boy brand, for the limited edition sundae with vanilla soft serve and the spicy and savory toppings. This unique combination costs 39 baht and will be available at participating…
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Plans shot down for property incentives to attract foreigners
A proposal to attract foreigners by lengthening property leaseholds from 30 years to 50 years and allowing foreign condo ownership to increase over the 49% current restriction was shot down today by the Centre for Economic Situation Administration. The committee, headed by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, rejected those proposals but did seem open to foreigners being permitted to own up to…
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Phuket Immigration visiting those in Hotel Isolation to extend visas
After the story went viral of a man being charged for an overstay because he was locked in Hotel Isolation after testing positive for Covid-19, Phuket is taking action. The Immigration Chief of Phuket is sending staff around to local hotels to make sure that people caught in a 10-day Hotel Isolation do not have their visas expire. If a…
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