Public Health
- Thailand News
No… Eating loads of holy basil won’t protect you from Covid-19
In case you were eating loads of holy basil to protect yourself from Covid-19… Stop. Sounds a bit crazy, but the Thai public health officials and the Anti Fake News Centre Thailand are warning people not to believe the claim spread online that eating 50 grams of fresh holy basil each day will boost immunity and protect against the coronavirus.…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand’s top epidemiologist warns against shortening quarantine
Thailand’s top epidemiologist has repeatedly warned against opening Thailand back up to tourism. Now that health officials have started a 1-month study to determine if the mandatory quarantine period can be cut down to 10 days, the doctor is once again warning health officials. Thira Woratanarat, from the Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine, wrote on his Facebook page saying health…
- Bangkok News
Thailand’s Universal Healthcare adds Smart ID tech
“Hospitals and clinics which participate in the universal healthcare scheme have made preparations for this and many are now ready to use the smart ID cards and implement the new procedure.” If you’re a subscriber to Thailand’s universal healthcare scheme, you’ll will be required to provide smart ID cards to verify your identity when receiving treatment and services at participating…
- Northern Thailand News
Public health officers investigate mussel seller after alleged food poisoning death
Public health officers are investigating a mussel seller in the Isaan province Mukdahan, which borders Laos, after a man developed food poisoning symptoms sometime after eating the mussels and died. 35 year old Watchara Mada and his father ate the mussels last week. Although his father ate the mussels, Watchara “feasted” on the shellfish, according to his mother, 52 year old…
- Covid-19 News
Chiang Rai man tests positive for Covid-19 after contact with infected returnees
A 28 year old Chiang Rai man tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday. Health officials believe the man contracted the virus from one of the 10 infected Thai women who recently returned from Myanmar’s border town Tachileik, evading the mandatory 14 day quarantine. So far, at least 699 people came in contact with the women after they returned, according to permanent…
- Covid-19 News
Health minister pushes to press charges on Covid-19 infected women who dodged quarantine
The 3 Thai women who tested positive for Covid-19 after crossing the Thai-Myanmar border without being screened or undergoing the mandatory 14 day quarantine might face charges. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says he has asked authorities to prosecute “to the fullest extent of the law.” Not only could the women face charges for illegal entry, they could also be…
- Covid-19 News
“Koh Samui is still safe”, Covid-19 measures in place – Health Minister
Koh Samui is safe to visit … apparently. Even though a woman on the island recently tested positive for Covid-19, the world’s favourite public health minister is assuring the Koh Samui public that health measures on the island are effective and it’s still a safe destination for tourists, presumably the few Thai tourists willing to pay extortionate airfares demanded by…
- Thailand News
New budget in the works for emergency services after “insufficient” funds complaint
The Thai government is working on to setting aside more money for emergency medicine after an “insufficient” budget is said to have caused delays in emergency work and response time for emergency 1669 hotline calls. The new budget request comes after emergency medicine expert Dr. Atchariya Phaengma complained that the National Institute for Emergency Medicine, or NIEM, wasn’t receiving adequate…
- World News
Burmese child with Covid-19 was in Ayutthaya before leaving Thailand
Note: Previous reports from various news outlets say the Burmese child with Covid-19 is a boy while more recent reports say the child is a girl. Health officials are tracing back the Burmese family’s steps whose child who recently tested positive for Covid-19 after leaving Thailand. They say the parents worked in Ayutthaya and Nakhon Ratchasima provinces before heading to Tak’s…
- Covid-19 News
10 new Covid-19 cases detected in quarantine
10 new Covid-19 cases, including a 1 year old girl, were detected in Thailand state quarantine in the past 24 hours. Health officials say most of the cases are Thai nationals returning home. The travellers arrived to Thailand from Indonesia, India, Myanmar and Ethiopia. 8 cases are Thai nationals returning home. The others are an Ethiopian airline cabin crew member and…
- World News
Covid-19 testing units to be stationed along Thai-Myanmar border
In an effort to prevent a second wave of Covid-19, mobile testing units are being sent out to areas along the Thai-Myanmar border following a surge of cases in the neighbouring country. The Biosafety Mobile Units will be run by medical volunteers along with help from local doctors from the Department of Disease Control. The 13 units will have laboratory…
- Crime News
Phuket health chief supports medical cannabis cultivation
Phuket’s health chief says he backs the production of medical cannabis and suggests those in the island province should look into growing it for research. The local public health office held a workshop at Phuket’s Rajabhat University discussing cannabis production in Phuket. Right now only state agencies, private universities or state approved farmers can produce medical cannabis. Phuket’s public health…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand is prepared for a 2nd wave of the coronavirus, health officials say
Thailand is prepared for a second wave of the coronavirus, according to the country’s public health officials. While there hasn’t been any local transmissions recently, numbers are on the rise in other countries and Thailand’s hospitals have stocked up on supplies to be prepared for any potential second outbreak of Covid-19. A 29 year old British woman tested positive for…
- World News
Girlfriend of Malaysian man with Covid-19 tests negative
Thai health officials are tracking down those who were in contact with a Malaysian man who tested positive for Covid-19 after he returned to his home country. Health officials report the man’s Thai girlfriend has tested negative for the virus. The 46 year old man, who had no coronavirus symptoms, tested positive for the virus on August 15 while quarantined…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand’s health officials ready for potential “second wave”
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry says although it’s hoping for the best, it is preparing for the worst, once the emergency decree is lifted. Acknowledging the risk of a “second wave” of Covid-19 infections as more restrictions are eased, Dr. Sukhum Kanchanaphimai says preparations are underway to ensure the country’s health system can cope. Such preparations include 1.3 million doses of…
- Covid-19 News
Thai virus expert says it’s too soon for foreign tourists
It’s too early to think about opening the country’s doors to foreign travellers, one Thai public health expert says. With the coronavirus still spreading in other parts of the world, Chulaongkorn University epidemiologist Thira Woratanarat warns that letting tourists in while domestic restrictions are still easing poses a serious risk. Worathanarat wrote a post on his Facebook page, citing the numbers…
- Covid-19 News
Travel bubble idea up in the air, no foreign tourists anytime soon
Don’t get your hopes up about international travel. Tourism in and out of Thailand won’t be happening anytime soon, officials said yesterday. The idea of “travel bubbles” has floated by, but the plans are still up in the air. The public health minister says he’ll propose a solid plan next week. The Thai government is making it clear that they…
- 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…
- 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
No new Covid-19 cases in 65 provinces for a month
The Covid-19 situation in Thailand is improving: the Ministry of Public Health announced yesterday that 65 of Thailand’s 76 provinces have reported no new cases for a full month. But it says the situation is “still not stable enough”, and the government continues to screen people returning from abroad and is proactively testing suspected cases. The deputy director-general of the…
- Covid-19 News
Thai Health Minister laughs at media when asked about his ‘travel restrictions’ document
“When asked directly why he deactivated his Facebook account after publishing the official memos, signed by himself, Anutin laughed and attempted to deflect the question.” The Thailand government, specifically the gaffe-prone Public Health minister, has thrown the holiday plans of thousands into confusion after the Minister’s orders for any new arrivals from 11 destinations to go into self-imposed quarantine (for…
- Health
Health Minister pushes the availability of cannabinoid oils to Thai hospitals
The new Thai Public Health Minister, and deputy PM, Anutin Charnvirakul will allow hospitals to prescribe marijuana to some patients in a move to make the alternative medicine more publicly available. “This week I will sign an order to allow ministry-run hospitals to prescribe the cannabis oil extracts,” he told the Bangkok Post. The minister says he vows to push…
- Hua Hin News
Two year battle for hospital compensation
Thai media 77jowo is reporting that the Hua Hin Hospital and the Department of Public Health have agreed to return more than 20,000 baht to a man from the Netherlands who claims he was ripped off by the hospital because he was a foreigner. Back in September 2016 a man, Erwin Buse, complained to the government watchdog Damrongtham in Prajuap…
