Public Health Ministry

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai Health Minister pictured without mask, sitting next to infected Transport Minister

    Do as I say, not as I do… Thailand’s Public Health Minister has been caught without a face mask while sitting next to a Cabinet minister who subsequently tested positive for Covid-19. Anutin Charnvirakul, previously considered an enthusiastic proponent of mask-wearing, sat next to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob while attending a merit-making event on Tuesday. Saksayam tested positive for Covid-19…

  • Covid-19 News

    Health Ministry launches mobile app for booking vaccine appointments

    Next month, the Thai government launches the “Mor Prom,” phone app, which will allow people to make an appointment for a Covid-19 vaccine. Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Public Health Ministry is calling on everyone to download the app and make a booking. “I would like all Thai people to download the application to reserve their Covid-19 vaccination. We need to…

  • Covid-19 News

    First death after Covid-19 vaccine reported in Thailand, death not linked to vaccine, health official says

    Thailand has reported its first death of a Covid-19 vaccine patient. An investigation has been launched by the Public Health Ministry, but health officials suspect the death is not related to the vaccine and that the death is from natural causes. 10 days after being injected with the vaccine, a 60 year old patient had an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which…

  • Covid-19 News

    Health Ministry to test efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines over next 2 months

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry says it will test the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines in those who have received them, to determine if vaccinated people build immunity to the virus. The Department of Medical Services says it will team up with the medical faculties of top universities and expects to have results within 2 months. Somsak Akksilp from the DMS says…

  • Thailand News

    Thai FDA expedites the process to list cannabis as an “essential medicine”

    Cannabis could soon become an “essential medicine” in Thailand. While the plant’s euphoria-inducing buds are still illegal and classified as a narcotic, other parts of the plant that do not cause a “high,” like the leaves, are being pushed into the food and medicine industry. The Thai Food and Drug Administration is even trying to speed up the process to…

  • Cannabis News

    Thailand becomes more cannabis-friendly after leaves removed from narcotics list

    With cannabis leaves now off Thailand’s narcotics list, the once taboo and criminalised plant is making its way into daily life in Thailand. Since the government decision in December to remove certain parts of the cannabis plant from the narcotics list, Thailand’s first cannabis cafe “Taste of Ganja” opened in Prachin Buri and another called “420 Cannabis Bar” just opened…

  • Northern Thailand News

    Thai Public Health Ministry starts cannabis cultivation project in Buri Ram

    A cannabis cultivation project is being launched by Thailand’s Public Health Ministry in the Isaan province Buri Ram. 6 cannabis plants will be given to each member of the local Non Malai Community Enterprise as a pilot project on commercial cultivation of cannabis, according to the director of the ministry’s cannabis research group, Kitti Losuwannarak. Cannabis flowers and buds will…

  • Covid-19 News

    Health Minister hits back at accusations of vaccine “failure”

    Thailand’s Public Health Minister has refuted accusations that the government has failed to procure Covid-19 vaccines in a timely manner, demanding that the media stop confusing the public. A somewhat vexed Anutin Charnvirakul says Thailand cannot be compared with other countries as the Kingdom now has a deal to produce the AstraZeneca vaccine locally. This will make it easier to…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai health officials brush off “vaccine passport” idea for travellers

    Thai health officials aren’t onboard with the idea of a “vaccine passport” which would potentially allow travellers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter Thailand without undergoing quarantine. Health officials in Thailand say there isn’t enough evidence to prove that the vaccine is totally effective in preventing transmission of the virus. While the vaccines are considered to be effective…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand tourism officials aim for 5 million foreign arrivals this year

    Thailand tourism officials are shooting for a goal of 5 million international arrivals this year. That may sound like a lot, but it’s half of the original forecast predicted for this year before the new wave of Covid-19 infections and a far cry from the roughly 40 million visitors welcomed to Thailand in 2019. Tourism and sports minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn…

  • Covid-19 News

    Health Ministry says local administrations can buy Covid vaccines for roll-out in their areas

    The Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, says local administrations can use allocated funds to buy approved Covid vaccines for administration in their localities. “The government plans to provide free jabs to the public but it is alright too if a local administration wants to use state-allocated funds to launch their own vaccination drive. It is good that local administrative bodies…

  • Covid-19 News

    No Covid-19 spike in Samut Sakhon, 900 “new” cases is old information – Public Health Ministry

    The 900 “new” Covid-19 cases reported yesterday in Samut Sakhon, which gained national media coverage and sparked panic, is actually old information that has already been included in reports, according to the Public Health Ministry. The Bangkok Post says figure of 900 new Covid-19 cases in the province is “old” and was “included in a total of new cases of…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand News Today | Pattaya restrictions, 2021’s extra holidays, Covid update | December 30

    From everyone at The Thaiger, thank you SO much for all your support over 2020. It’s been a difficult year! And we will be back in 2021 with a lot more Thailand News Today as well as other videos about Thailand and the region. Pattaya and neighbouring Banglamung in Chon Buri province are now classified as “highly controlled” areas with…

  • Tourism News

    Thailand – the Covid vaccine and quarantine | VIDEO

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has issued an official statement stating that, in the short to medium term, “everyone entering Thailand has to do at least a 14 day quarantine”. “The quarantine will apply, even those people who have been vaccinated.” The Public Health Ministry says the reason is because the vaccination process has only just begun in some countries around…

  • Covid-19 News

    Epidemiologist transferred to Samut Sakhon to tackle Covid-19 outbreak

    With a record high count of active Covid-19 cases, Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has appointed an epidemiologist to tackle the recent outbreak concentrated around a seafood market in Samut Sakhon. More than 1,000 coronavirus cases are linked to the “Samut Sakhon cluster.” Many migrant workers who lived in cramped rooms together and worked seafood markets tested positive. The epidemiologist Naretrit…

  • Covid-19 News

    Covid-19 infected nurses are staff at Bangkok’s BNH Hospital

    Although reports are fairly vague about the recent Covid-19 cases involving Bangkok medical workers, BNH Hospital confirms that 4 of its staff members tested positive for the coronavirus. The hospital says preventative measures are in place to make sure the hospital is “infection free,” but adds that those concerned with visiting the hospital can do a consultation online. The hospital…

  • Crime News

    Tourism and health officials plan to launch “medical cannabis tour” next year

    A tour of medical cannabis at plantations across Thailand is in the works. While the tours could potentially be open to tourists, officials say the tour is for educational purposes and will first be for those interested in starting grow operations. The Public Health Ministry along with the Tourism and Sports Ministry plan to launch the tour next year. It…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand to start Covid-19 vaccinations in May 2021

    A possible end to the pandemic is in sight. Thailand will start Covid-19 vaccinations in May 2021, according to the Department of Disease Control. The department released a plan on administering the vaccine produced by pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University. Thailand recently signed a 6 billion baht deal to buy 26 million doses of the vaccine which would be…

  • Covid-19 News

    No lockdown in Chiang Mai after local Covid-19 case

    There will be no lockdown in Chiang Mai after the recent Covid-19 case where a woman tested positive at a local hospital after returning from Myanmar. Director general of the Public Health Ministry’s Department of Disease Control, Opas Karnkawinpong, says the locals in Chiang Mai are taking health precautions and he doubts the case will cause an outbreak. “Widespread Covid-19…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai government earmarks 6 billion baht for 26 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

    The Thai Cabinet is to put aside over 6 billion baht to procure 26 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca, in conjunction with researchers at Oxford University in the UK. Nation Thailand reports that the National Vaccine Institute will be given 2.38 billion baht to reproduce the vaccine, in an effort to reduce the cost from…

  • Crime News

    Thai law on category II narcotics loosens up, allows sale and possession for research

    Thai laws on category II narcotics like cocaine, morphine and opium are loosening up. A new regulation by the Public Health Ministry allows the sale and possession of category II narcotics under certain circumstances such as research. Drugs classified as category II in Thailand’s Narcotics Act include morphine, cocaine, ketamine, codeine, opium, medicinal opium and methadone. Under the new regulation,…

  • Tourism News

    Health Minister says quarantine could be reduced to 10 days, maybe eventually zero

    Health officials are ready to reduce the mandatory quarantine period for foreign tourists, provided other relevant bodies agree. The current quarantine period is set at 14 days, but the Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, says this could be reduced to 10. He adds that if the reduction is successful, quarantine could be further reduced, eventually reaching a point where quarantine…

  • Phuket News

    4 billion baht medical hub planned for Phuket

    Phuket officials are setting aside around 4 billion baht to transform medical tourism in the southern province of Phuket, by developing a state-of-the-art treatment hub in the north of the island. The Bangkok Post reports that the Treasury department is planning to give the Public Health Ministry permission to use 141 rai of government land in the sub-district of Mai…

  • Covid-19 News

    50% of Thailand’s population to get Covid-19 vaccine when available – Health Minister

    Half the population in Thailand will be injected with the Covid-19 vaccine once it’s released and available to the public, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says. Oxford University and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca are conducting trails of the new vaccine. Thailand is planned to be the Southeast Asia production site for the new vaccine. The health minister says the vaccine…

  • Covid-19 News

    New Covid-19 test in the works, quarantine could be shortened

    Thailand’s mandatory quarantine for those entering the country could be reduced from 14 days to 10 days or even less if new Covid-19 testing kits are reliable, according to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The new Covid-19 testing kits are in the process of being developed by the Public Health Ministry. Nation Thailand didn’t report on many details about the…

  • World News

    Thai Health Minister accepts chairman role with WHO Regional Committee

    Thailand’s Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has been appointed chair of the World Health Organisation’s Regional Committee for Southeast Asia. The colourful and controversial minister made the announcement at a press conference yesterday afternoon. He says 14 countries put his name forward for the role, which has a fixed term of 1 year, partly due to Thailand’s success in controlling the…

  • Environment News

    PM denies government split over toxic chemical ban

    As officials continue to debate a recently-introduced ban on paraquat and chlorpyrifos, the PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha denies the government is split on the matter. He points out that coalition governments will always have differing viewpoints and that such differences will not affect the administration’s overall unity. Currently Glyphosate hasn’t been included in the ban. “Our core priorities are public health…

  • Environment News

    Health Minister insists chemical ban must stay, as farmers plead for compromise

    As disagreement continues over the current ban on paraquat and chlorpyrifos, Thailand’s farmers are calling for a compromise. Both paraquat (herbicide) and chlorpyrifos (pesticide) were popular in Thai agriculture until a controversial ban this year. But the farmers, who support a proposal by the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry that the ban be overturned, say the proposed alternatives simply don’t work.…

  • Environment News

    Health Ministry up in arms over possible return to toxic chemicals

    Following a report that the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is proposing that a ban on the use of toxic chemicals be overturned, the Public Health Minister has called an urgent meeting with his officials. The use of paraquat, chlorpyrifos, and glyphosate has been banned since June, with farmers ordered to hand over their supplies or face heavy fines. It’s…

  • Environment News

    Farmers call on Thai government to overturn ban on pesticide use

    A group of Thai farmers has submitted a letter to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, citing the ineffectiveness of products used to replace Paraquat and Chlorpyrifos, and calling for the ban on those chemicals, introduced on June 1, to be overturned. In the letter, they suggest the Hazardous Substances Committee impose restrictions on use of the products instead, while educating farmers on…

  • Northern Thailand News

    Staff at Khon Kaen hospital call for transferred director to be reinstated

    Following the transfer of Dr. Charnchai Chanvorachaikul, a former director at Khon Kaen hospital, in north-east Thailand, staff at the hospital are demanding their boss be reinstated in his role. Dr. Charnchai was transferred to the eastern province of Chanthaburi province amid, so far, unsubstantiated allegations of corruption. He has consistently denied the allegation that he accepted bribes from a…

  • Crime News

    State hospital investigation into ‘suspicious’ drug company donations

    More than a hundred hospitals will be investigated for allegedly receiving what health officials are describing as “suspicious” donations from pharmaceutical companies. The hospitals allegedly had a deal with the some of the drug companies – hospitals get a 5% discount and the rebate would be sent back to the hospital, labelling it as a “donation”. The 186 hospitals being investigated…

  • Northern Thailand News

    Hospital director denies corruption, threatens to sue government health official

    The director of Khon Kaen Provincial Hospital in north-east Thailand is threatening Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Sukhum Kanchanapimai with a lawsuit following allegations of corruption. Dr. Charnchai Chanvorachaikul was transferred to Chanthaburi province in the east of the country following unconfirmed reports of corruption relating to donations to the Hospital Development Fund. Dr. Charnchai completely denies the allegations, which…

  • Covid-19 News

    Confirmed Covid-19 infected Government House official

    Yesterday, Dr Thaweesin Wissanuyothin, the spokesman for the centre announced that “a health official who coordinated between the Covid-19 response centre at Government House and the Public Health Ministry is confirmed to be infected with the virus.” Thaweesin, said that the official was only a coordinator and was not involved in the treatment of people infected with the virus. “The…

  • Covid-19 News

    Ministry says no entry for banned cruise ship passengers, even by air

    The Thai Public Health Ministry announced yesterday that no flights carrying passengers from the barred cruise ship MS Westerdam, whether chartered flights or otherwise, will be allowed to land in Thailand before the end of February. Department of Disease Control deputy chief Dr Thanarak Palitpat says the decision is the result of a discussion among authorities including the DDC, the…

  • Thailand News

    School of weed: Ministries preparing course on medical marijuana

    The government wants people to have the facts as the medicinal effects, and possible risks, of ‘ganja’ emerge. UPDATE: The Cabinet today gave the greenlight for kanchong (cannabis) cultivation to make this type of hemp a cash crop, according to Thai News Agency’s English news. As earlier reported by The Thaiger, two Thai government agencies have agreed to cooperate to…

  • Health

    Floating clinic opens in Kanchanaburi

    PHOTO: Pattaya Mail Last week saw residents and visitors to Srinakaring Dam in Sri Sawat district, Kanchanaburi, in Thailand’s west, witness the first day of operations of a new floating medical unit. The Bangkok Post reports that the dam is a huge tourist magnet which attracts 800,000 tourist a year in an area where 140 businesses operate and over 600…