Rayong

  • Environment NewsOil spill threatening tourism recovery on Thailand’s Koh Samet

    Oil spill threatening tourism recovery on Thailand’s Koh Samet

    Koh Samet’s fragile tourism sector, already battered by the restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, now faces another threat from an oil spill heading for the island’s, and nearby, beaches. Sarinthip Tupmongkholsup from the Tourism Association of Koh Samet is reminded of a 2013 oil spill at the island’s Ao Phrao and is desperate to avoid a repeat scenario. “We…

  • Eastern Thailand NewsTourists turn their backs on Rayong over 330 baht antigen testing requirement

    Tourists turn their backs on Rayong over 330 baht antigen testing requirement

    Tourists have hit back at the eastern province of Rayong after officials imposed a mandatory antigen testing requirement on all visitors. According to a Nation Thailand report, all arrivals in the province must have a negative antigen test result, certified by a doctor, no more than 72 hours before arrival. Tourists have expressed their anger on social media, with most…

  • Thailand NewsMore than 100 Burmese job seekers detained for allegedly entering Thailand illegally

    More than 100 Burmese job seekers detained for allegedly entering Thailand illegally

    Amidst thousands of refugees legally fleeing into Thailand’s soil due to fighting escalating near the Thai border, job seekers from Myanmar are also trying to cross the border by natural passageways, evading immigration checkpoints and mandatory quarantine. Reports say many have been paying fees of nearly 22,000 baht (US$ 666) to brokers to cross over to Thailand. On Thursday alone,…

  • Bangkok NewsThailand set to host five alcohol-free New Year’s celebration events

    Thailand set to host five alcohol-free New Year’s celebration events

    The government has given the okay for booze at New Year countdown events, but for those who want to start 2022 sober, or just want to go to a more family-friendly celebration, the Thai government is hosting the alcohol-free “Amazing Thailand Countdown 2022” in five locations across Thailand. Locations include Royal Park Rajapruek in Chiang Mai, City Hall in Nakhon…

  • Crime NewsFake goods valued at 40 million baht seized in police busts

    Fake goods valued at 40 million baht seized in police busts

    Pro-tip: If a shop is selling Louis Vuitton pillows next to Doraemon pillows, they are fake. In a series of raids, police impounded 40 million baht worth of counterfeit goods – mostly bedding products – from storage facilities in Pathum Thani and Rayong. The Department of Special Investigation announced the haul yesterday. The bust was made with the help of…

  • Pattaya NewsNew road and construction planned to improve U-Tapao Airport

    New road and construction planned to improve U-Tapao Airport

    Plans are underway to ease traffic to U-Tapao Airport in Rayong, the primary airport to Pattaya, by linking it to a nearby street by constructing a 2-kilometre road. The Department of Highways announced the plan yesterday, saying the project will cost 4.5 billion baht and will break ground next year with a completion date set for 3 years from now.…

  • Covid-19 News10 provinces on Ministry of Public Health Covid-19 watchlist

    10 provinces on Ministry of Public Health Covid-19 watchlist

    After surges in local Covid-19 infections, the Ministry of Public Health has added 10 provinces to its watchlist to be closely monitored. The 4 Deep South provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla, and Yala were added to the list, as well as Chanthaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ratchaburi, Rayong, and Tak. While some provinces have already implemented their own tighter…

  • Thailand NewsOur take on the new GWM Haval H6 ULTRA

    Our take on the new GWM Haval H6 ULTRA

    The recent launch of Great Wall Motor’s 2021 Haval H6 ULTRA Hybrid SUV in Thailand, has definitely set car lovers’ tongues wagging. Around 3 months ago, GWM announced it would be introducing the new H6 Haval ULTRA (the top model for the Thai range) with an accompanying theme of ‘It’s Time to CHANGE.’ The SUV is a true hybrid, including…

  • Eastern Thailand NewsNavy rescued Cambodian man floating at sea for 2 days

    Navy rescued Cambodian man floating at sea for 2 days

    While garbage in the sea is generally not a good thing, floating debris appears to have saved the life of a Cambodian man in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Rayong. The man was rescued today by the Royal Thai Navy after 2 days adrift at sea, clinging to debris, after falling off his fishing boat yesterday morning.…

  • Covid-19 NewsRayong governor orders nightly beach closures to curb the spread of Covid-19

    Rayong governor orders nightly beach closures to curb the spread of Covid-19

    Starting today, all beaches on the coastal province Rayong, near Pattaya, will be closed to the public during the night and early morning hours. The beach closures are an effort to prevent the spread of Covid-19 after the province reported an uptick in infections. Rayong governor Charnna Iamsaeng signed an order earlier this week to close the beaches from 8pm…

  • Covid-19 NewsKoh Samet marks 100% success rate in vaccinating target group

    Koh Samet marks 100% success rate in vaccinating target group

    Koh Samet, in the eastern province of Rayong, has been hailed by the Public Health Ministry after achieving a 100% success rate in vaccinating the target group on the island. Everyone living on the island, including locals, foreign workers, and officials working in the national park, have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine – 1,800 people in total.…

  • Thailand NewsFire in Rayong kills 1, injures 6

    Fire in Rayong kills 1, injures 6

    Yesterday morning in Rayong, a province on the Gulf of Thailand, a fire broke out in an entertainment venue that was under renovation. 1 worker was killed and 6 workers were reportedly injured. Around 8 am yesterday morning the Rayong fire department showed up at the scene, after being alerted to the fire. The fire department discovered a large one…

  • Pattaya NewsMan arrested in Sattahip Chon Buri with 700g of crystal meth

    Man arrested in Sattahip Chon Buri with 700g of crystal meth

    Acting on a local tip, Sattahip police took a suspect into custody in Rayong with over 700 grams of crystal meth in his possession. The man caught with the methamphetamine said that he had become unemployed due to Covid-19 and desperate to make some money, so he turned to dealing drugs to survive. The team of police from Sattahip, a district…

  • Thailand NewsKoh Samet reopens after being closed for 3 weeks due to Covid-19

    Koh Samet reopens after being closed for 3 weeks due to Covid-19

    Koh Samet off the coast of Rayong has reopened to visitors after being closed for 3 weeks. The Gulf of Thailand island is safe to visit and disease control measures are being enforced, according to the Koh Samet tourism association chairperson told the Bangkok Post. On April 27, the Rayong governor ordered for Koh Samet to be closed to visitors…

  • Crime NewsInmate escapes from hospital in Rayong after Covid-19 test, arrested in Chanthaburi

    Inmate escapes from hospital in Rayong after Covid-19 test, arrested in Chanthaburi

    Still dressed in a hospital gown, a prison inmate hopped on a motorbike and fled a hospital in Rayong after being tested for Covid-19. He was arrested in the neighbouring province Chanthaburi and now faces theft charges for stealing the motorbike. The results from his Covid-19 test have not been released. Thailand has reported numerous Covid-19 outbreaks at prisons in…

  • Crime NewsPedigree cats seized in drug raid find new home with “cat lady”

    Pedigree cats seized in drug raid find new home with “cat lady”

    A cat lady has taken in 6 pedigree cats who were auctioned off yesterday after their owner was arrested in a drug raid. The auction proceeds went to the Narcotic Control Fund, which organises drug raids. The 6 cats, consisting of 5 Scottish Folds and 1 Bengal breed, were sold to Nutch Prasopsin, who owns a Facebok fan page called,…

  • Thailand NewsCats seized in suspected drug network raid in Rayong to be auctioned off

    Cats seized in suspected drug network raid in Rayong to be auctioned off

    Assets seized by police from criminal networks, which are then auctioned off to the public, usually include furniture, cars and sometimes land and property. Today, police seized 6 cats along with 35 million baht worth of assets suspected to be related to a major drug network in Rayong. The cats are set to be auctioned off by Thai police. One…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid lockdown in Pathum Thani district, just north of Bangkok | VIDEO

    Covid lockdown in Pathum Thani district, just north of Bangkok | VIDEO

    Whilst migrant dormitories and parts of the seafood markets in Samut Sakhon remain either in complete lockdown or as restricted areas, and the affected gambling dens in Rayong have magically disappeared, the focus of the current Covid outbreak has now turned to Pathum Thani… just north of Bangkok and probably better known as the province that hosts the Buddhist Dhammakaya…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News Today | Violence in soap operas and SPM Shopping Mall scam update | February 10

    Thailand News Today | Violence in soap operas and SPM Shopping Mall scam update | February 10

    The governor of the eastern province of Rayong has given the go-ahead for bars and other entertainment venues to re-open after they were closed at the start of January to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The province has now gone 9 days without any new Covid-19 infections. On February 1 Rayong’s Covid zone status was changed from red to orange.…

  • Covid-19 NewsBars, nightlife, re-open in Rayong after 9 days with no new cases of Covid-19

    Bars, nightlife, re-open in Rayong after 9 days with no new cases of Covid-19

    The governor of the eastern Thai province of Rayong has given the go-ahead for bars and other entertainment venues to re-open after they were closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The province has now gone 9 days without a new case of the virus. On February 1, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration changed Rayong’s status from red to…

  • Covid-19 NewsTravelling in Thailand, Covid and Mor Chana | VIDEO

    Travelling in Thailand, Covid and Mor Chana | VIDEO

    For people travelling around Thailand at the moment there is still quite a lot of confusion and misinformation about where you can travel to and additional restrictions on travel. We’ll continue to publish any updates to this information at thethaiger.com For people travelling out of Red Zones… that includes Bangkok…. to other parts of the country that are lower-risk zones…

  • Crime NewsPolice raid 5 homes and businesses suspected of gambling, arrest 21 people

    Police raid 5 homes and businesses suspected of gambling, arrest 21 people

    Police arrested 21 people on gambling charges after 5 raids in Bangkok over the weekend. While deputy chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, Jiraphop Phuridet, says the raids on January 8 and 9 are part of a nationwide crackdown initiated by the national police chief after a Covid-19 outbreak at a Rayong gambling den, the raids busted what seems like…

  • Covid-19 NewsFormer Thammasat professor blames partnership between officials and leaders for 2nd wave

    Former Thammasat professor blames partnership between officials and leaders for 2nd wave

    A former Thammasat University lecturer is claiming that the current surge in new infections of Covid-19 in Thailand is a result of the so-called “Covid mafia” which he defines as corrupt officials working closely with local influential figures to carry out illegal activities. Kaewsan Atipothi claimed that these alleged co-operative actions between leaders has enabled illegal gambling and human trafficking gangs,…

  • Technology NewsMor Chana app – what you need to know

    Mor Chana app – what you need to know

    So what’s going on with the new Mor Chana app? As far as the Thai Government is concerned, it’s part of their fight to track and trace the Covid-19 virus during this current outbreak. More Chana is a contact tracing tool. In essence, the app will allow you to check in when you go to different locations around Thailand, enter…

  • Covid-19 NewsOnly essential travel to and from 5 coastal “red zone” provinces

    Only essential travel to and from 5 coastal “red zone” provinces

    Only essential travel is allowed to and from the 5 coastal “red zone” provinces under the highest level of control to contain the spread of Covid-19. The new travel restrictions for Samut Sakhon, Chon Buri, Rayong, Trat and Chanthaburi were made official in the Royal Gazette. More checkpoints will also be set up throughout the 5 provinces and screening procedures…

  • Transport NewsU-Tapao airport halts commercial flights due to Covid-19 outbreak

    U-Tapao airport halts commercial flights due to Covid-19 outbreak

    Commercial flights in and out of U-Tapao International Airport are suspended for the rest of the month due to the Covid-19 outbreak in Rayong and Chon Buri, which are classified as “red zone” provinces under maximum control. The domestic flights, which include flights to the popular destinations Phuket and Chiang Mai, could be suspended longer if the coronavirus situation in…

  • Thailand NewsPM Prayut Chan-o-cha to form committee to investigate illegal gambling

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to form committee to investigate illegal gambling

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Thai government to form an investigation committee to crackdown on illegal gambling in response to the outbreak at a Rayong gambling venue. The spike in cases linked to illegal activity has caused problems for health officials who have been trying to track down elusive gamblers to contain the spread of the virus. The prime…

  • Covid-19 NewsCCSA: Illegal gambling is a major factor in the new wave of Covid-19

    CCSA: Illegal gambling is a major factor in the new wave of Covid-19

    Illegal gambling has become even more of a problem as health officials try to track down elusive gamblers after a Covid-19 outbreak at a Rayong gambling den spread to other provinces. Gambling has been a major factor in the new wave of coronavirus infections as many compulsive gamblers tend to frequent various venues and also travel in groups, according to…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News Today | PM reverses lockdown, Southern P.D.A. crackdown, Covid update | Jan 5

    Thailand News Today | PM reverses lockdown, Southern P.D.A. crackdown, Covid update | Jan 5

    Jett back with today’s Thailand News Today. All the latest news on thethaiger.com 527 new Covid-19 cases were reported in today’s CCSA daily media briefing. Thailand now has 4,504 active coronavirus cases in 55 of Thailand’s 77 provinces. A total of 8,966 people in Thailand have reportedly been infected Covid-19 and 65 people have died since February of last year.…

  • Covid-19 NewsUPDATE: 5 coastal provinces still open – Prayut rejects “total lockdown” proposal

    UPDATE: 5 coastal provinces still open – Prayut rejects “total lockdown” proposal

    The proposal for a “total lockdown” restricting travel in and out of 5 coastal provinces was rejected by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. The provinces, Samut Sakhon, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat, are implementing strict measures to control the spread of the virus, but the provinces will not be completely sealed off. In earlier reports, Deputy Public Health Minister Satit Pitutacha…