PCR test
- Covid-19 News
“I strongly urge the Health Minister to reveal the actual number of new Covid cases” – Thai doctor
A Thai physician is calling out Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, claiming they are not publishing accurate data on the actual number of Covid-19 infections. He claims that there is a cover up of the real numbers currently being disclosed to the public. The Deputy Minister of Health Dr Sathit Pitutecha claims that the actual number of current infections is…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Anutin wants to get rid of the Thailand Pass for Thais
After several raids this week, police are investigating several officials over a sex trafficking case in the southern Thai province of Surat Thani. The director-general of Thailand’s Department of Children and Youth has been charged for hampering an investigation into a trafficking ring. Several other officials found to be involved in the ring include the chairman of a local savings…
- Visa Information
Coming to Thailand from May 2022? Here’s all you need to know.
On April 22, CCSA announced major changes for everyone who will enter Thailand, whether Thai or foreigner, vaccinated or not vaccinated. We have covered a lot about this on video for our YouTube channel and in written form here on The Thaiger. But here is everything you need for returning to Thailand in one post. Registration for the revised Thailand…
- Covid-19 News
Thai health officials call for PCR on arrival to be replaced with antigen test
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control wants to see PCR tests for foreign arrivals replaced with antigen testing. DDC boss Dr Opas Kankawinpong says his department is submitting the proposal to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. “The department will have a meeting on Thursday to finalise the details of the proposal before presenting it to a CCSA meeting on Friday…
- Thailand video news
Pollution haze across Thailand | GMT
Unsafe levels of PM2.5 ‘particulate’ cloud Bangkok and surrounding areas today. The kingdom is expected to record about 100,000 new Covid-19 cases per day following the Songkran holiday. April will see THAI Cargo operate 58 flights to Guangzhou, 12 to Chengdu, eight to Kunming, and another nine from Kunming to New Delhi. With traditional Songkran water fights banned in Thailand…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Thai Airways mysterious Boeing 777
The CCSA has announced today that they will hold off on adjusting the current entry restrictions for foreign travellers to Thailand until after next week’s Songkran festival, as they continue monitoring the spread of Covid-19 in the country. After today’s meeting, CCSA officials said they plan to adjust their measures in May, depending on the Covid situation after Thai New…
- Thailand News
CCSA to discuss Songkran, scrapping on-arrival PCR tests for travellers TODAY
Thailand’s government will meet again today to discuss how to contain the spread of Covid-19 during next week’s Songkran festival, its vaccination rollout for the elderly and whether or not to scrap the on-arrival PCR tests for foreign travelers. Thailand hoteliers and others travel industry professionals have been lobbying for a full removal of PCR testing to attract more tourists,…
- Thailand News
International travellers trickle back into Bangkok, but hoteliers say it’s not enough
Suvarnabhumi International Airport has seen a significant increase in international travellers since Thailand scrapped its pre-travel PCR test requirement last Friday. Well that’s the general narrative that’s been published in some media, although the published numbers don’t stand up to close scrutiny. Bangkok’s aviation hub saw an average of more than 11,600 daily arrivals from abroad touch down in the…
- Thailand News
No pre-travel PCR test for travellers entering Thailand starting today
Starting today, travellers entering Thailand will no longer need to take a PCR Covid-19 test before their flight, but visitors will still need to take a PCR test once they land. All travellers – vaccinated and unvaccinated – no longer need to take the pre-departure test, but requirements after entry vary depending on the scheme. And there are still some…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Easing of entry restrictions possible after Songkran
Thailand’s tourism minister says entry restrictions could be eased further IF there is no surge in Covid cases following next month’s Songkran holiday. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says Test & Go and Thailand Pass could be scrapped from June 1, if there is no spike in Covid cases or deaths after the Thai New Year holiday. Phiphat is anxious for the country…
- Thailand News
Thailand cuts quarantine for unvaccinated travellers to 5 days
Starting April 1, the mandatory quarantine period for unvaccinated travellers entering Thailand will be reduced to five days. Travellers will also no longer need to take a pre-departure PCR Covid-19 test. The new requirements are pending publication in the Royal Gazette and the official announcement is expected to be published at the end of the month. Unvaccinated travellers can enter…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Water fights are banned for Songkran this year
It might soon get a little easier to travel to Thailand. The government plans to scrap the pre-departure testing requirements for vaccinated travellers entering the country under the Test & Go and Sandbox schemes. A spokesperson says they are waiting for confirmation. Under the planned revisions, a PCR test is needed on arrival and a self-administered rapid antigen test…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Officials move closer to declaring Covid-19 endemic
The requirement for overseas arrivals to take a PCR test 72 hours prior to departure from their home country could soon be scrapped. According to a report, the CCSA will discuss dropping the requirement when it meets tomorrow. Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Public Health Ministry says international arrivals would still be required to take a PCR test on arrival…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Songkran will go ahead…but with what restrictions?
The Thai government says Covid ain’t stoppin’ this year’s Songkran celebrations but insists that disease prevention measures will need to be followed. What that means for the mass water fights that were emblematic of the pre-pandemic celebrations remains unclear for now. According to a, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has given the green light for interprovincial travel and “all related activities” over…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | “Joe Ferrari’s” lawyer fights back
Police on Koh Samui says the body of Australian cricket player, Shane Warne, will be flown home for a state funeral once the autopsy is completed. The 52-year-old was found dead at a villa on the island on Friday, a day after he arrived. The player is thought to have died of a heart attack. According to a report, his…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Tourism industry pushes for scrapping of Thailand Pass and PCR testing
Key figures in Thailand’s tourism industry have renewed their calls for the Thailand Pass and PCR testing on arrival to be scrapped. Speaking at the Thailand Tourism Forum in Bangkok yesterday, the chairman of global hotel operator Minor International, renewed his call for the government to ditch the Thailand Pass system. Bill Heinecke has been vocal on issues affecting tourism’s…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Thai scientists develop anti-Covid nasal spray
A new “anti-Covid-19” nasal spray that is being developed by Thai scientists is expected to be available to the public later this year. In studies using lab animals, the nasal spray has been shown to block the virus from entering the body. The Health Systems Research Institute, Silpakorn University, Chulalongkorn University, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation and an unnamed private bioscience…
- Thailand News
Hoteliers asked to issue refunds to Test & Go travellers for Day 5 packages
With the government scrapping the Day 5 requirements for Test & Go travellers, more than 2,000 hotels and their partner hospitals or test centres are being asked to refund the costs of a night stay with Covid-19 RT-PCR testing. Under the revised entry requirements, travellers can take a self-administered antigen test instead of a PCR test on the fifth day…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Doubts on Thailand’s Songkran 2022
Even after the Test & Go program was rebooted on February 1, along with the additional and unpopular Day 5 PCR test, there hasn’t been a large increase in the number of international tourists visiting Thailand. Indeed the new applications and actual arrivals have fallen well below expectations by Thailand’s tourism tzars.Now, Phuket officials are launching new plans to encourage…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Day 5 PCR test scrapped & Covid insurance reduced!
The Day 5 PCR test for the Test & Go entry scheme has been scrapped. Instead, on day 5, travellers are required to take a self-administered ATK test without the need to stay at an SHA approved hotel. The new measures go into effect on March 1. Travellers entering under the Test & Go scheme must still undergo a PCR…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | CCSA say ‘no changes’ for now
The CCSA spokesperson has pre-empted tomorrow’s official meeting saying that they will not impose any additional measures amid rising Thailand’s COVID-19 infections. But he says officials will strictly enforce the existing restrictions in the light of surging infections, mostly by the Omicron variant. She says that officials are taking into consideration all aspects of the Covid situation, including the number…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Phuket wants to declare Covid endemic
Phuket officials want to declare Covid endemic, even as the infection rate is rising on the southern island. According to a report, deputy governor Pichet Panapong says achieving endemic status would allow officials to focus on economic recovery. Local officials would also like to get rid of the daily reporting of new infections, instead only reporting Covid cases involving moderate…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Tourism sector calls for full reopening in March
Tourism operators have written an open letter to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and other government officials, calling for the country to be fully re-opened to foreign visitors from March. In the letter, the groups say they want all entry restrictions ditched, including the Thailand Pass and PCR testing on arrival, and want Covid declared endemic. They point to several other countries,…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Govt promises better Thailand Pass experience
After some glitches with the Thailand Pass, including a data breach, authorities say the system is being improved to make it more convenient for those travelling to Thailand. A government spokesperson says the Prime Minister has ordered related agencies to quickly fix the system to ensure there are no delays with the approval process, adding that foreign tourism is essential…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update| Pork prices to lower while oil prices to rise
A tale of two different inflation trends today in Thailand.Firstly, the prices of food staples…. pork, chicken and eggs…. are poised to drop as this years Chinese New Year celebrations wind up… this according to the Internal Trade Department.The director-general told the media yesterday that prices, especially for pork, chicken and eggs, would be expected to decline now that Chinese…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Thailand proposes travel bubble with neighbors
A number of patients who’ve recovered from Covid are now displaying signs of dementia, according to Thai health officials. According to a Nation Thailand report, the Department of Medical Services says the symptoms tend to develop between 1 and 6 months after contracting the virus. DMS boss สมศักดิ์ อรรฆศิลป์ says the risk appears to be higher in patients with pre-existing…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Thai government approves 10 year visa program
The 10-year visa scheme for wealthy foreigners and skilled professionals was approved in principle by the Thai Cabinet, targeting foreign investors, highly-skilled professionals and wealthy retirees. Experts say the 10-year visa scheme for wealthy foreigners and skilled professionals should help fill the country’s anticipated shortage of digital workforce talent and boost the Thai economy. Chairman of the Federation of Thai…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Thailand to target Saudi tourists to Pattaya
Around 2,500 travellers flew into Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday… the first day of the rebooted Test & Go program. The passengers arrived on 46 different flights. Just some quick maths suggests that’s around 54 people per flight… glad I’m not running those airlines.Most of the arrivals came from Malaysia and Singapore, and a few from European destinations as well.To be clear,…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Tourism sector frustrated over reopening policies
Thailand’s Test & Go entry scheme re-opens for registration today and has been given a cautious welcome by tourism operators. Businesses are unsure about the additional rules of Test & Go “Version 2”, including the requirement for an additional PCR test on day 5, which involves a second mandatory hotel stay until a negative result is obtained. This is despite…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Thailand to open borders to all countries (terms and conditions apply)
Starting February 1st, Thailand opens its borders tomorrow to all countries. Terms and conditions apply. Meanwhile, Pattaya Walking street plans to open in time for a US military exercise, and a Thai tourist exposes Phuket’s notorious taxi fares. You’re watching Thailand News Today, bringing you the top headlines in Thailand and beyond. And in our first story, Thailand’s Test &…
- Tourism News
Tourism operators want cost of PCR tests reduced when Test & Go resumes
Following the CCSA’s decision yesterday to resume Test & Go from February 1 (with some changes) tourism operators are urging the government to make PCR testing more affordable. The revamped Test & Go entry scheme now requires overseas arrivals to book a hotel on day 1 and again on day 5 of their stay – and to take a PCR…
- World News
Vietnam eases entry procedures for foreign employees and returnees with valid visas
Foreigners with valid visas can now enter Vietnam without having to get approval from the immigration offices or local authorities, starting from Tuesday as the government eased entry restrictions. This means people with valid temporary residence cards (TRCs), permanent residence cards (PRCs), valid visas, and valid visa exemption certificates will be able to enter Vietnam without any permission from the…
- Thailand News
Long-distance bus passengers travelling for New Year’s asked to take an ATK test
Travelling by bus during the New Year holiday? You might need to take an ATK test for long-distance trips. The state-run Transport Company is in discussions with both the Public Health Ministry and the Transport Ministry about Covid-19 prevention measures during the end-of-year holiday, according to the director-general of the Department of Disease Control Opas Karnkawinpong. Opas says that passengers…
- World News
Travelling to the UK? Order a PCR test early, high demand slams provider
Travelling back to the UK? Make sure to get your hands on a PCR test ahead of time, or at least from a reliable provider. Many customers who ordered a PCR test from a company recommended on the UK government’s official website say the deliveries, which were promised to within the next working day, were delayed. Fully vaccinated travellers entering…
- Thailand News
Thailand to reopen Malaysian border crossings under Test & Go in mid-January
Thailand’s land crossings along the Malaysian border will reopen in mid-January under the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme for fully vaccinated travellers. At its general meeting yesterday, the CCSA approved a measure to set up Test & Go checkpoints at the land crossings in the provinces bordering Malaysia including Songkhla, Yala, Narathiwat, and Satun. Under the Test & Go scheme,…
- Covid-19 News
Thai officials mull over testing methods for arrivals following Omicron emergence
With the emergence of the Omicron variant, just as Thailand was easing travel regulations, the Thai government is mulling over whether to reverse its plan to replace RT-PCR tests with the less accurate, but faster and cheaper antigen tests, or ATK, for arrivals from overseas. The CCSA held an emergency meeting over the weekend in response to the news of…
- Tourism News
Government considers easing entry rules, antigen testing may replace PCR test
In anticipation of more international arrivals in the coming months, the Thai government is reviewing current entry requirements. According to a Bangkok Post report, officials may replace the PCR test with antigen test kits and rules could be relaxed for people unfortunate enough to have sat near an infected passenger during their flight. Any amendment of the current rules would…
