Omicron

  • World News

    Vietnam reports first case of Omicron

    Vietnam’s first Omicron infection was reported by the country’s Health Ministry today, adding that the person had travelled from the UK to Hanoi and is now quarantined at the 108 Military Hospital. The patient arrived in Hanoi on December 19 and was tested for the virus the next day. Her result came back positive for Omicron, or B.1.1.529 variation, according…

  • Covid-19 News

    Travel chaos continues into the week, Omicron and weather blamed

    Rising Omicron infections, together with poor winter weather, are wreaking havoc on US airlines with nearly 1,000 flights affected yesterday – some cancelled, other postponed. The chaos is also hitting other parts of the world as tens of thousands of Christmas/new year travellers try to keep up with the dynamic situation. Yesterday’s cancellations and postponements mark a fourth day of travel…

  • World News

    Singapore lifts travel ban for 10 African countries

    Singapore eased restrictions for 10 African countries which were initially considered to be high risk for the Omicron variant and travellers from those nations, or who have been to those countries 14 days before travelling can now enter or transit through the Republic. Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe are now classified by the…

  • Chiang Mai News

    Chiang Mai identifies 2 possible Omicron cases in tourists

    Two foreigners who are visiting Chiang Mai have tested positive for Covid-19 and are believed to have the Omicron variant, marking the first detected in the province. Both travellers had come through Suvarnabhumi Airport as part of the Test & Go programme and both passed an RT-PCR test. One visitor was a 22 year old German traveller and the other…

  • Northern Thailand News

    64 Omicron infections in Kalasin yesterday, rapid spread predicted

    A doctor at Siriraj Hospital believes half of all new Covid-19 infections in January could be the Omicron variant. In Kalasin province, 64 new Omicron infections were found on Christmas Day as a pub and restaurant has seen the rapid spread of the new strain of the virus. A married couple visited on December 12, unaware that they had the…

  • Covid-19 News

    Risk of Covid-19 infection on flights increased due to Omicron

    As tourism has been gaining traction until the Omicron variant threw a wrench into the works, the CCSA has warned that the chances of catching Covid-19 on flights have increased because of the more transmissible new variant. The warning has been repeated out to Thai people after a statement made by the International Air Transport Association, the global influential organization…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand celebrates its 100 millionth vaccine, focuses on boosters

    Health officials in Thailand celebrated the announcement that they have now administered its 100 millionth Covid-19 vaccine in the country. With the rise of the Omicron variant, more people are choosing to get the protection of a vaccine, and officials are working to rapidly increase the number of third dose booster shots administered within Thailand as many brands have now…

  • Covid-19 News

    Omicron Covid-19 cases double, now 205 confirmed in Thailand

    Just 2 days after Covid-19 infections with the Omicron variant passed 100 in Thailand, Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul has announced that the total has doubled and there are 205 confirmed cases in the country. Several clusters have been identified, with one originating in Kalasin being the cause for most concern. That cluster started when a husband and wife…

  • Economy News

    Minister of Finance: too soon to know Omicron variant effect on economy

    Will the new and rapidly spreading Omicron variant of Covid-19 have a strong effect on the economy of Thailand? According to the Ministry of Finance, the answer is a solid maybe. Minister of Finance Arkhom Termpittayapaisith says it’s just too soon to know if and how Thailand’s economy will be affected by the Omicron variant. The Ministry of Finance is…

  • Thailand video newsPattaya bar raided for the 6th time & New Year countdown is on | GMT | Thaiger

    Pattaya bar raided for the 6th time & New Year countdown is on | GMT

    The BMA has decided not to cancel private sectors new year countdown parties, however city hall has cancelled their new year celebrations. A Pattaya bar was raided for the 6th time after the first 5 times to try and close down the bar have had no effect. A drug bust involving punching bags from Thailand to Australia and Cannabis. All…

  • Covid-19 News

    AstraZeneca triple vaccines shown effective against Omicron variant

    Add AstraZeneca to the list of vaccines that testing data shows is effective against the Omicron variant after 2 doses and a third booster shot. The London-based vaccine brand announced today that, like Pfizer 2 weeks ago and the Moderna vaccine last week, AstraZeneca has also been shown to be effective after 3 doses against the Omicron variant of Covid-19.…

  • Covid-19 News

    Escaped Israeli officially cleared of Covid-19, now faces prosecution

    The good news is: you don’t have Covid-19. The bad news: you’re being sent to police custody. In the most recent twist to the case of an Israeli tourist who entered Thailand on Friday and snuck off before receiving his Covid-19 test only to be diagnosed with Omicron as a nationwide manhunt ensued, the man has now been determined to…

  • Northern Thailand News

    First Test & Go land entry will remain closed due to Omicron

    Just a few days after confirming plans to open the land border between Thailand and Laos in Nong Khai tomorrow, the reopening was tabled indefinitely for fears of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. The cheerily-named Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge that links the 2 countries will remain closed for the time being to prevent the spread of Covid-19, having been planned as…

  • Thailand News

    TAT New Year’s Eve countdown event will go on as planned

    While Thailand is tightening its borders and restrictions in the face of the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, which has now infected over 100 people in the country, the New Year’s holiday is just over one week away. As authorities are torn between to need to protect against Covid-19 and the desperate need of the tourism and entertainment sectors to create…

  • Covid-19 News

    Escaped Israeli tested positive for Omicron, negative for Covid-19

    He’s positive… he’s negative… he’s positive? Test results have varied for the 29 year old escaped Israeli traveller who fled his hotel before receiving his results from the mandatory RT-PCR Covid-19 test upon arrival. Conflicting reports say Ohan Baruch tested positive for the Omicron variant and that in Samui he tested negative for Covid-19. Either way, the Israeli tourist, who…

  • Phuket News

    Tourism officials say Test & Go suspension could have knock-on affect for Phuket

    The head of the Phuket Tourist Association says the potential knock-on effect of the Test & Go suspension is not yet known. Bhummikitti Raktaengam says the number of foreign tourists arriving on the island via the sandbox scheme could be affected. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says it remains to be seen if overall visitor numbers to Thailand…

  • Thailand video news

    The Fate of Thailand Tourism & Only in Thailand moments | GMT

    GMT Ep.159 The fate of Thailand tourism. The Omicron variant has dominated the news in Thailand and caused a lot of restrictions to be made in order to keep the virus at bay. What does the future hold for Thailand and Thai tourism. A noise complaint leads to multiple drug busts, Following your GPS is not always a great idea…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai Omicron cases surpass 100, world tightens restrictions

    The Omicron variant of Covid-19 has now been detected in 95 countries and Thailand has not escaped unscathed. 104 Omicron variant infections have now been uncovered in Thailand according to the CCSA with the first local transmission recently discovered. Most of the cases of the new variant are currently receiving treatment though some have recovered already, according to the Department…

  • Covid-19 News

    OPINION: Test and Go, up and gone, where to from here Thailand?

    OPINION A crazy day in The Thaiger office as we pushed out all the latest Test & Go Thailand Pass info as fast as we could, translated and checked. I forgot a number of important meetings as we knew people wanted to know what was happening with the Thailand Pass. We wanted to know too as we are also directly…

  • Covid-19 News

    3 passengers test positive for Omicron when they arrive on Koh Samui

    Three recent arrivals on the Gulf island of Koh Samui have been detected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19 – 2 British citizens and 1 Belgian. The 3 include a 54 year old British woman, a 55 year old Belgian man and a 56 year old British man. The 3 new cases are the first, not only for the holiday…

  • Thailand News

    Thai officials to review list of low risk countries, possibly ban travellers from high risk

    In addition to discussing whether to cancel the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme due to the uptick in Omicron cases, the Thai government will also review its list of countries considered to be at low risk for Covid-19 and consider whether to ban travellers from high risk countries. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told Thai media today that the…

  • Covid-19 News

    First local Omicron case, officials consider cancelling quarantine exemption Test & Go

    Thailand’s first local transmission of the Omicron variant was reported today by public health officials. The confirmed case comes as the government considers cancelling the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme due to increasing reports of Omicron cases involving those arriving in Thailand from overseas. So far, health officials have reported more than 60 imported Omicron cases. The first local…

  • Phuket News

    5 Omicron variant infections identified in Phuket

    Phuket province has now identified 5 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 according to health officials on the island. All 5 infections were identified from the RT-PCR test that all international arrivals are administered as soon as they land in Thailand. The Omicron infections were found in people who arrived on December 13 and December 14. One infection was…

  • Covid-19 News

    Is Omicron less or more dangerous than earlier Covid variants?

    A month after the first cases of the Covid-19 variant, Omicron, were officially detected in South Africa, we know a bit more about the potential dangers, but not a lot. Anecdotally, there have been plenty of doctors saying that the new variant appears to produce milder symptoms than earlier variants, as is often the case with these viruses. But they…

  • Tourism News

    British Airways cancels over 2,000 flights including Bangkok

    In the face of the spread of Covid-19 as infections surge in the UK, British Airways have suspended all their flights travelling to Bangkok until October of next year. Rumours began circulating about the possible cancellation earlier this week with popular travel sites speculating about the major airline suspending the route. Many passengers told stories of receiving cancellation notices from…

  • Covid-19 News

    UK and the EU brace for more Omicron-induced closures and restrictions

    The UK and EU are going into a mild travel panic as borders start to close again and restrictions re-imposed. Last night France imposed a ban on travel to and from the country, except for “travel for compelling reasons”. The only “compelling” exemptions are for French and European travellers returning to France, or UK passengers heading in the other direction. Back…

  • Covid-19 News

    Moderna finds booster shot effective against Omicron variant

    Following in the footsteps of Pfizer, Moderna has announced positive results in their study of how the mRNA vaccine stands up against the new Omicron variant. In their new assessment, the makers of Moderna found that, very similarly to the Pfizer vaccine, 2 doses of Moderna is less effective against the Omicron variant than previous strains, but a third booster…

  • World News

    Vietnam tightens border restrictions with Cambodia over Omicron fear

    More than ever, Vietnam has tightened security and patrols along the 133 kilometre border with Cambodia in the Mekong Delta provinces due to fear of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron starting today. Along with the 12 border guard posts, 36 checkpoints, six mobile patrol teams, four working groups, and three mobile working groups were ordered to reinforce pandemic control, according…

  • World News

    Myanmar to collaborate with China to produce Covid-19 vaccines

    The Myanmar military junta and coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing says he is working with China to produce a Covid-19 vaccine domestically in January with a goal of manufacturing five million units per month, according to state media television. Although the Omicron virus has not yet been detected in the country, he claimed to be taking further steps…

  • Covid-19 News

    Omicron variant: 9 cases confirmed, 5 more suspected in Thailand

    Omicron is slowly creeping into Thailand. Officials have announced that there have now been 9 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 diagnosed within the borders of Thailand. Those nine cases have been fully genome sequenced and confirmed that they are definitely the new and highly infections variant. Omicron is believed to be more contagious but less severe than…

  • World News

    Cambodia, Phillippines report first cases of Omicron Covid-19 variant

    Omicron appears to be quickly making its way into Southeast Asia, as the Philippines and Cambodia both reported the first cases of the new variant on the same day. The Philippine Department of Health said today that it has detected the country’s first two imported cases of the Omicron virus strain following the 48 samples sequenced yesterday. Those two patients…

  • Thailand News

    “Sandbox” entry scheme to remain at 7 days, CCSA reverses move to cut down stay

    The period of stay under the “sandbox” entry scheme will continue to be seven days. The CCSA approved to cut the period down to five days but tightened measures after the emergence of the Omicron variant. Under the entry scheme, travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 can enter and roam freely in a designated province or area, such as…

  • Thailand News

    Public Health Ministry reports a total of 8 confirmed Omicron cases in Thailand

    Thailand has recorded eight Omicron cases since the country reported the first Omicron infection on December 1. While it’s not a lot, the emergence of the variant has led the Thai government to tighten travel restrictions and disease control measures for entry to prevent Omicron from being imported into the country. According to the Public Health Ministry, all Omicron cases…

  • Tourism News

    Holiday travel: Poll finds most don’t have New Year’s plans

    A new survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University finds that most people do not have plans to travel over the New Year’s holiday, citing costs and worries of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 as the main reason to stay put. The Suan Dusit Poll was conducted from December 6 to December 9 and interviewed 1,304 people across all locations, ages,…

  • Covid-19 News

    Plant-based Baiya vaccine can be adjusted for Omicron variant

    Baiya Phytopharm says that the plant-based Covid-19 vaccine they have been developing in Thailand can be adjusted to be effective against the Omicron variant. The vaccine is currently in the middle of the human trials phase of testing and the Chief Technology Officer says the vaccine formula can be modified to fight Omicron. Baiya has developed a genetically engineered tobacco…

  • Covid-19 News

    WHO urges wealthy nations not to hoard vaccines as Omicron spreads

    The World Health Organisation has appealed to wealthy nations not to hoard vaccine supplies as the Omicron variant spreads. Several European countries, including Germany and the UK, are experiencing a wave of infections linked to the variant, with governments forced to reintroduce tough restrictions and urge people to come forward for first, second or third vaccine doses. According to an…

  • World News

    Philippines to ban France visitors from December 13 due to Omicron

    Starting from December 13 onwards, tourists with a two-week travelling history in France will be barred from entering the Philippines, according to the acting presidential spokesperson, Karlo Nograles, yesterday, amidst fear of the new variant, Omicron. France has been added to the Philippines’ “Red List” of countries after over 20 cases of the Omicron were discovered in the European nation,…