Phuket

  • Covid-19 NewsAlmost 100,000 Sinovac doses delivered to Phuket for second round of jabs

    Almost 100,000 Sinovac doses delivered to Phuket for second round of jabs

    Phuket is receiving almost 100,000 Covid-19 Sinovac doses to administer second vaccine rounds to those who received their first jabs earlier this month. 99,480 doses were delivered yesterday at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town. 30,000 doses will be delivered to Thalang Hospital, 20,000 to Patong Hospital and 10,000 to Chalong Hospital. Vachira hospital’s director posted last night detailing the vaccines’…

  • Thailand NewsPhuket requires Covid paperwork to enter from red zone provinces from Wednesday (April 21)

    Phuket requires Covid paperwork to enter from red zone provinces from Wednesday (April 21)

    From this Wednesday Phuket joins other provinces after additional entry restrictions were announced today by the Phuket Governor. If you’re flying into Phuket you’ll need either a certificate of proof that you’ve had both doses of an approved Covid-19 vaccine, a Covid-19-free certificate, not older than 72 hours, or you’ll have to do a Rapid Covid Test at a cost of…

  • Thailand NewsTHAILAND NEWS TODAY | Slight drop in new cases, Pattaya Pit Bull aftermath, Australia and NZ travel bubble | April 19

    THAILAND NEWS TODAY | Slight drop in new cases, Pattaya Pit Bull aftermath, Australia and NZ travel bubble | April 19

      Thailand’s CCSA reported a total of 1,390 new Covid infections today, tallied from Thailand’s provinces in the past 24 hours. The good news is that the tally is a welcome drop in new case reports. The bad news is that it’s still a record levels of new infections, compared to the last surges in December last year and earlier…

  • Tourism NewsThailand’s 3rd wave wreaks havoc on the Tourism Restart Plan – where are we now?

    Thailand’s 3rd wave wreaks havoc on the Tourism Restart Plan – where are we now?

    OPINION by Andrew J Wood Thailand Ministers ponder the next steps to re-start it’s massive tourism industry, initially set for July 1, 2021 in Phuket. The plan may need to be overhauled as Phuket struggles to immunise the whole island in the wake of the third wave of hotspots. Phuket, prior to the third wave had already secured more than…

  • Covid-19 NewsNew restrictions start from midnight tonight (Saturday), more could come later

    New restrictions start from midnight tonight (Saturday), more could come later

    The Thai government has resolved to ‘manage’ its way out of the current Covid outbreak. There won’t be lockdowns or curfews, but there will be earlier closing times and alcohol bans to help provinces stem the growth in new infections. The past 3 days of reporting new infections in Thailand are the highest numbers since the start of the Covid-19…

  • Covid-19 NewsPhuket begs Kolour attendees to come for Covid-19 testing

    Phuket begs Kolour attendees to come for Covid-19 testing

    Health officials in Phuket put out a public statement this week compelling all foreigners who attended clubs and ‘Kolour’ events to report for Covid-19 testing. As many might expect, the response has been lacklustre at best. Spreading the message around the foreigner and expat community in Phuket, the message is aimed at the multitudes of people, mostly foreign who attended…

  • Covid-19 NewsFriday’s Covid-19 cases, province by province

    Friday’s Covid-19 cases, province by province

    Today’s provincial totals, as reported in the past 24 hours. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri (including Pattaya) and Prachuap Khiri Khan and Samut Prakan lead the way. Other prominent locations include Phuket with 30 new cases, Surat Thani, which includes the 3 Gulf islands of Samui, Pha Ngan and Tao, with 11, and Chiang Rai with 77. Infographic from NBT…

  • Transport NewsFootbridges stop luxury yacht travelling from Phuket to Samui

    Footbridges stop luxury yacht travelling from Phuket to Samui

    Footbridges in Phuket stood in the way of a luxury yacht travelling from its home in Phuket to Koh Samui when the boat was too tall to pass. Police received a call around 8 pm last night from the truck driver after his trailer carrying the yacht had trouble getting under one of several bridges for walkers to pass over…

  • Covid-19 NewsHotel blog suggests Phuket should push ahead with July reopening despite Covid surge

    Hotel blog suggests Phuket should push ahead with July reopening despite Covid surge

    A hotel information blog is claiming that, despite growing Covid-19 numbers, Phuket should stick to its schedule in reopening to travellers without quarantine in July. That’s only 2 and a half months away. In an interview with the Director of Travel and Tourism Consulting at GlobalData, they stressed that while it is crucial to rein in the spread of Covid-19…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid UPDATE: Wednesday’s new infections rise to 1,335 people, 36 people in “serious condition”

    Covid UPDATE: Wednesday’s new infections rise to 1,335 people, 36 people in “serious condition”

    Thailand’s CCSA has announced 1,335 new infections today, after a slight dip in the 10 day surge yesterday. 1,326 of those new infections are local, not imported, and mostly from Bangkok. Today’s tally takes the national total to 35,910 since January 2020 when the first case outside China was detected in Thailand on January 13. The new infections have mostly…

  • Chiang Mai NewsTourism officials slash Songkran travel expectations by half

    Tourism officials slash Songkran travel expectations by half

    The TAT, ever the optimists regarding anything tourism related, even domestic tourism, predict that the Bangkok clusters that have emerged in the week before the Songkran break could reduce traffic and spending by up to half. Today the CCSA is reporting 789 new infections and one additional death. 522 were local infections, mostly walk-ins to Bangkok hospitals, 259 were discovered through…

  • Covid-19 NewsCCSA Update: 559 new Covid-19 cases, 1 death. FULL CHART.

    CCSA Update: 559 new Covid-19 cases, 1 death. FULL CHART.

    559 new Covid-19 cases and 1 death were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Many cases are related to bar hopping and partying and the outbreak, concentrated in Bangkok’s Thong Lor nightlife district, has spread to many provinces. There are now 2,645 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand. There are several clusters of infections throughout Thailand,…

  • Covid-19 News16 more Covid infections reported today in Phuket

    16 more Covid infections reported today in Phuket

    Phuket is reporting 16 more infections today. It follows visits from Bangkok and last weekend’s Kolour Beachside parties that have resulted in a number of new Covid infections. The number of new infections has reached 26. But deputy governor Vikrom Jakthee says the province has been successful in containing the new outbreak “due to its quick response measures which now include…

  • Thailand NewsUPDATE: Thai PM orders closure of bars and clubs in 41 provinces

    UPDATE: Thai PM orders closure of bars and clubs in 41 provinces

    UPDATE: The order to close bars and nightlife venues in 41 provinces will go into effect at midnight, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced this afternoon. Under emergency measures, the local governments in the other 36 provinces have the power to set restrictions and close venues if needed to control the Covid-19 situation. Original story… The order to close…

  • Covid-19 NewsPhuket bars and nightclubs ordered to close for 10 days

    Phuket bars and nightclubs ordered to close for 10 days

    Bars, pubs and nightlife venues in Phuket are ordered to close for the next 10 days while 3 venues on the island where Covid-19 has been reported are ordered to close for at least 14 days. The closure is ordered after the massive events hosted by Kolour where an attendee tested positive for Covid-19. All partygoers are asked to go…

  • Covid-19 NewsPhuket orders 10-day closure for entertainment venues

    Phuket orders 10-day closure for entertainment venues

    This morning the government of Phuket has ordered the closure of all entertainment venues, bars, and nightclubs on the island of Phuket for 10 days. This shutdown will effectively cancel the upcoming Songkran festival for the popular holiday destination. Three entertainment venues have been closed for 14 days starting tomorrow aside from the blanket closures, as these venues were previously…

  • Covid-19 NewsBangkok prepares to open field hospital as officials warn of a rapid rise in infections

    Bangkok prepares to open field hospital as officials warn of a rapid rise in infections

    The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is considering opening a field hospital in preparation for a rapid rise in Covid-19 infections that could overwhelm medical facilities in the capital. Thai PBS World reports that the PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, has instructed the BMA and the Ministry of Interior to arrange space in which a field hospital could be set up. The PM says…

  • Covid-19 NewsPhuket Covid infections reported as officials struggle with clusters in Bangkok entertainment venues

    Phuket Covid infections reported as officials struggle with clusters in Bangkok entertainment venues

    A week ago Phuketians were rallying behind the proposal to get the island open to tourists, quarantine-free, from July. The first tourists arrived from Germany and the local hotel industry were confident everything was heading in the right direction. That was until last weekend when the ‘Bangkok nightlife cluster’ came to town in the form of 3 big parties, the…

  • Tourism NewsSony, Amazon Falls to set up amusement park in Thailand

    Sony, Amazon Falls to set up amusement park in Thailand

    Sony Pictures Entertainment is setting up an amusement park in Thailand that is based on its Columbia Pictures movies. The entertainment giant is working with Thailand’s Amazon Falls to plan the venture, with an opening date set for this October. The water park, named Aquaverse, will be spread out among 14 acres and feature rides and attractions with Jumanji, Bad…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid-19 patient in Phuket worked at Thong Lor nightlife venue

    Covid-19 patient in Phuket worked at Thong Lor nightlife venue

    A Covid-19 patient in Phuket worked at an entertainment venue in Bangkok’s Thong Lor area where a cluster of coronavirus infections have been reported. The 29 year old woman worked as a receptionist at a venue on Thong Lor. Reports don’t say which bar she worked at, but dozens of Covid-19 cases are linked to bars and pubs in the…

  • Thailand NewsThailand eyes travel bubbles again with low-risk countries

    Thailand eyes travel bubbles again with low-risk countries

    Thailand is eyeing travel bubbles once again with low-risk countries like Singapore, Laos and Vietnam. Sports and Tourism minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, says officials from Thailand and Singapore are discussing forming travel bubbles, as Singapore already has experience forming green routes with other asian countries. “We have acknowledged that Singapore has previously run the travel bubble with Australia and New Zealand.…

  • Covid-19 NewsAnother 50,000 Covid-19 vaccines arrive in Phuket

    Another 50,000 Covid-19 vaccines arrive in Phuket

    50,000 more doses of the Chinese Covid-19 vaccine are now in Phuket, arriving yesterday, bringing the total number of Sinovac jabs received to 100,000. This amount had been promised by Bangkok officials as part of the Thailand reopening plan that begins with Phuket reopening to international travellers on July 1st. In order to do this, 70% vaccination needs to be…

  • Thailand NewsThailand makes AstraZeneca its first choice for Covid vaccine

    Thailand makes AstraZeneca its first choice for Covid vaccine

    Thailand’s deputy PM and public health minister says the AstraZeneca vaccine is the nation’s first choice for protecting itself against Covid-19. Anutin Charnvirakul says more than 150,000 have received AstraZeneca jabs with only a low percentage having developed side effects. But the low amount of side effects seen is a different tune to the vaccine’s previous safety concerns as other…

  • Tourism NewsPhuket hammering out Covid vaccines, beating out rest of Thailand | VIDEO

    Phuket hammering out Covid vaccines, beating out rest of Thailand | VIDEO

    The tourism-heavy island of Phuket is ramping up its local vaccine roll out, beating out the rest of Thailand in an attempt to achieve a herd immunity before it is able to reopen to tourists. The island is holding vaccination drives, with 9 centres in place to handle the estimated amount of 460,000 residents who are scheduled to get jabs…

  • Phuket NewsTravellers around the world eager to return to Phuket

    Travellers around the world eager to return to Phuket

    Travellers of 28 nationalities have indicated that they would like to come to Phuket after mandatory quarantine is done away with for those that have received their Covid-19 vaccination. This according to the Phuket Tourist Association. The popular destination for foreigners will be the first location in Thailand to remove quarantine restrictions in the government’s long-term plan to reopen the…

  • Visa InformationThe challenges for the digital nomad in Thailand | VIDEO

    The challenges for the digital nomad in Thailand | VIDEO

    Ah yes, the challenges of being a digital nomad in Thailand. What is a digital nomad? People who can do their job anywhere in the world with just a laptop, tablet and wi fi (preferably free wi fi). Thailand has the scenery, wi fi access, speed and lots and lots of coffee shops (with excellent coffee these days). But there…

  • Tourism NewsPhuket Airport welcomes first 7 day quarantine travellers

    Phuket Airport welcomes first 7 day quarantine travellers

    In the early hours of Saturday, a flight arrived at Phuket International Airport welcoming the first travellers to benefit from the reduced mandatory quarantine launched on April 1. The reduction of the isolation period is part of the 4 stages of fully reopening Thailand to international tourism, planned to roll out over the next 8 months (and probably into early…

  • Covid-19 NewsBangkok student with Covid travelled to Phuket

    Bangkok student with Covid travelled to Phuket

    A student from Nakhon Pathom province near Bangkok has tested positive for Covid-19 and his busy social calendar, including a holiday to Phuket, raises concern of spreading infections. The 19 year old man, studying at Mahidol University, site of a Thai Covid-19 vaccine in trials now, lives in a dorm on campus in Tambon Salaya of Buddha Monthon district, according…

  • Covid-19 NewsConfirmed, expats in Phuket will receive Covid-19 vaccines

    Confirmed, expats in Phuket will receive Covid-19 vaccines

    (Links to registration forms below) Officials confirmed yesterday that expats in Phuket will be included and receive Covid-19 vaccines as part of the Thai government’s vaccination scheme. The Phuket Communicable Disease Committee enacts all Coronavirus policy locally, and an important member, Dr Chalermpong of Vachira Phuket Hospital, announced today that foreigners will also receive the Covid vaccines. A new online…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand’s 4-phase reopening, starting today

    Thailand’s 4-phase reopening, starting today

    This is not an April fool’s joke. Thailand has set a tentative 4-phase plan starting April 1 for reopening the borders, lifting restrictions, and relaxing quarantine periods, allowing international travel to recommence in a safe manner. As always, this a currently a PLAN and has not been confirmed by the Thai government at this stage. The planned rollout has a…