Thailand Covid-19

  • Phuket News

    TAT outlines rules for Phuket re-opening | VIDEO

    So, here they are, the dos and don’ts for all those vaccinated tourists planning trips to the southern island of Phuket from July 1. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has laid out the rules governing the Phuket Sandbox model that will see the island re-open to international visitors in just a few weeks’ time. While fully vaccinated tourists will no…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai government accused of concealing AstraZeneca supply issues

    Medics are accusing the Thai government of a lack of transparency over supply issues associated with the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. The Rural Doctors Society says the administration is keeping quiet about the real situation and the supply challenges it faces. The government has consistently said that the first batch of locally-produced doses would be delivered this week. The Foreign Ministry…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai government calls on all foreigners to register for Covid vaccine

    Roll up, roll up…your sleeves. The Thai government says all foreign nationals living in the Kingdom should register for vaccination, ahead of the national rollout next month. The news was confirmed by Natapanu Nopakun from the Foreign Ministry, who you may know from the daily English-language briefings on behalf of the Covid-19 Situation Administration. “All people living on Thai soil,…

  • World News

    Covid-19 updates from Southeast and South Asia

    Around Southeast and South Asia, Covid-19 infections are on the rise, with Thailand’s third wave still raging on and Vietnam experiencing a new outbreak with a newly found hybrid variant just identified. Today, Thailand recorded another 4,528 Covid-19 infections and 24 Covid-19 related fatalities. Vietnam has increased lockdown measures after topping 6,700 total infections, most of which have occurred in the…

  • South Thailand News

    Health officials checking for additional cases of South African variant in South

    Samples taken from Covid-19 patients in southern Thailand are being tested to check for the highly-contagious, so-called South African variant. Supphakit Siriluck from the Medical Science Department says so far, the variant has only been found in Narathiwat province, but samples from patients in Songkhla and Phatthalung are also being analysed. Supphakit says that at the moment, the world is…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai industry body says government may miss vaccination target due to supply issues

    The Thai government is being warned that ongoing issues with Covid-19 vaccine supply may cause it to miss its target of obtaining 10 million doses in June. The Federation of Thai Industries says the supply problems will impact the country’s vaccination rollout and is calling on the government to accelerate the process by allowing private companies to import doses from…

  • Northern Thailand News

    Thai healthcare workers use dance routine to cheer up quarantined village | VIDEO

    Healthcare workers in the north-eastern province of Buriram have come up with a novel way to help residents in a closed-off village in Krasang district. The villagers in the Samet Moo 7 community have been sealed off from the outside world as a result of a Covid-19 outbreak. On Sunday, healthcare workers therefore decided to break into a dance routine…

  • Covid-19 News

    Government urged to clarify private hospitals’ vaccination role

    The government is being urged to clarify whether private hospitals can administer Covid-19 vaccines to employees. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry, also known as EconThai, says the government needs to eliminate the legal barriers preventing private hospitals from vaccinating workers. Last week, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said workers under Section 33 of…

  • Covid-19 News

    Villages in southern Thailand closed off due to cases of South African variant

    Health officials in the southern province of Narathiwat have sealed off 9 villages after 3 confirmed cases of the Covid-19 variant first detected in South Africa. Opas Karnkawinpong from the Disease Control Department says the villages in the Tak Bai district have been closed off to prevent the virus spreading further in the province. The district sits across the Kolok…

  • Pattaya News

    Spike in Chon Buri cases as 127 infections reported in migrant worker communities

    The eastern province of Chon Buri has reported a big jump in Covid-19 cases today, with 127 new infections found among migrant workers. This is up from just 65 new cases yesterday. The Pattaya News reports that provincial health officials have been ramping up testing at workplaces in the province, which will account for the spike. Of today’s 127 new…

  • Northern Thailand News

    Chiang Rai introduces strict requirements for travellers from “dark red” provinces

    From today, if you’re travelling to Chiang Rai from any of the 4 “dark red” central provinces (Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, and Samut Prakan) things just got a bit trickier. The northern province has introduced tough disease prevention measures for visitors from the strictly controlled zones, which will also apply to Chiang Rai residents arriving home from those provinces. Thai…

  • Covid-19 News

    Government confirms 3 channels for vaccine registration

    The Thai government says people (Thais) can avail of 3 channels to register for the Covid-19 vaccine rollout which begins on June 1. In addition, spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri says there will be no “walk-in” vaccination centres, after PM Prayut Chan-o-cha stopped the programme. The PM says Thai nationals seeking a Covid-19 vaccine will be able to register through the Mor…

  • Politics News

    Government accused of infighting, putting Thailand’s recovery at risk

    Both opposition politicians and members of the coalition have come out to say infighting between various government figures and organisations is putting Thailand’s recovery at risk. The Thai Enquirer carries a report in which government critics say up to 4 different government organisations disagree over the best way out of the pandemic. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, the Bangkok…

  • Covid-19 News

    Covid UPDATE Friday: 3,481 new infections and 32 Covid-related deaths

    There have been 3,481 new infections announced today and 32 Covid-related deaths in the past 24 hours. 951 of today’s new cases come from Thailand’s prisons. There will be more detailed announced in our daily afternoon Covid UPDATE. Check out our latest video about some great deeds being done in the Klong Toey slum…   • The Thai government are going…

  • Covid-19 News

    2 markets in central Thailand report hundreds of new infections

    A Bangkok market and another in the central province of Pathum Thani have recorded hundreds of new Covid-19 infections. The Bangkok Post reports that over 860 new cases have been detected at Pathum Thani’s Simummuang Market, while officials in the Bang Kapi district of Bangkok have confirmed the 3-day closure of Bang Kapi Market following a spike in infections there.…

  • Tourism News

    Tourism officials focus on safety to differentiate Phuket from rest of Thailand

    As the clock ticks down to the much-anticipated re-opening of Phuket on July 1, tourism officials are anxious to separate the southern island from parts of the country currently experiencing higher Covid-19 infection rates. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is emphasising the safety element of Phuket and the other areas that will follow the “sandbox” model of re-opening. In a…

  • Covid-19 News

    Some Covid-19 restrictions relaxed across Thailand, fewer “dark red” provinces

    The Thai government has relaxed some Covid-19 restrictions across the country, while downgrading the risk level of a number of provinces. The number of provinces designated as “strictly controlled” areas, or “dark red” zones, has been reduced from 6 to 4. They are Bangkok and the central provinces of Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, and Samut Prakan. So, what, if anything, has…

  • Covid-19 News

    Walk-in vaccination centre to open at Bangkok’s Bang Sue railway station

    Thailand’s Transport Minister, Saksayam Chidchob, has confirmed that a walk-in vaccination centre will open at Bang Sue railway station in Bangkok, from next month. The centre will serve the capital’s residents and those in the surrounding provinces. The Bangkok Post reports that 13,500 square metres of space is being transformed into a Covid-19 vaccination centre, with the goal of administering…

  • Chiang Mai News

    Chiang Mai hospital reports 7 new cases after patients lied about being infected

    A hospital in the northern province of Chiang Mai has reported a new cluster of Covid-19 after 3 patients lied about being infected. The Central Chiang Mai Memorial Hospital has 7 new cases of the virus after the patients concealed the fact that they had Covid-19 and subsequently passed it to 7 healthcare workers, as well as putting at least…

  • Covid-19 News

    Human rights group calls for transparency on Covid outbreaks in Thai prisons

    Yesterday, Thailand’s Department of Corrections announced that thousands of inmates in Bangkok prisons have tested positive for Covid-19. 1,795 inmates at Bangkok Remand Prison are infected, along with 1,040 at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution. The announcement comes after political activist Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, aka, “Rung”, tested positive for Covid-19 shortly after her release on bail. According to a Coconuts report,…

  • Business News

    Thailand’s airlines call for meeting with PM to discuss soft loans

    The Thai Airlines Association says 7 member airlines are pushing for a meeting with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to discuss the option of soft loans. The carriers have been seeking this financial aid for some time and have even decreased the amount being asked for, from 24 billion baht last year to 14 billion now. The Bangkok Post reports that representatives…

  • Covid-19 News

    Sunday Covid UPDATE: 17 more deaths, 2,101 covid infections, provincial totals

    For Sunday, the numbers for new infections and Covid-related deaths from Bangkok and the Thai provinces over the past 24 hours were announced early this morning. There has been 17 deaths and 2,101 new cases announced by the CCSA. Thailand has now reached 83,375 total cases since January 2020 and 399 deaths. Out of the 17 deaths, 8 were male and 9…

  • Covid-19 News

    Sunday Covid UPDATE: 17 more deaths and 2,101 covid-related infections

    For Sunday, the numbers are out tallying the new infections and Covid-related deaths from Bangkok and the Thai provinces over the past 24 hours. There has been 17 deaths and 2,101 new cases. Thailand has now reached 83,375 total cases since January 2020 and 399 deaths. • Meanwhile, Thai restauranteurs are pleading with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to ease the Covid-19…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand’s private sector to open 372 vaccination points nationwide

    Thailand’s Chamber of Commerce has confirmed the private sector will open 372 vaccination centres in an effort to accelerate the Covid-19 vaccine rollout. Nation Thailand reports that 82 of the centres will be in Bangkok, which, along with neighbouring provinces, is currently bearing the brunt of the third wave. The private sector aims to support the government’s plans to vaccinate…

  • Tourism News

    Thai hotels call for extension to domestic travel stimulus packages

    The Thai Hotels Association is urging the government to extend the domestic travel stimulus schemes, set to end on September 30. THA president, Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, says the stimulus packages, “We Travel Together”, which subsidises flights and hotel accommodation, and the Tour Teaw Thai co-payment scheme, must be continued until the current Covid-19 crisis is under control. She points out…

  • Tourism News

    Survey finds nearly half of Thai hotels can stay afloat for less than 3 months

    A recent poll of the Thai hotel industry shows that 47% of those surveyed only have enough liquidity to sustain less than 3 months of business. The Bank of Thailand has published its confidence index of hotel business operators for April 2021 and the findings make for grim reading. According to a Nation Thailand report, a total of 188 hotels…

  • Covid-19 News

    Virologist urges government to carry out mass vaccination within 3 months

    Prominent Thai virologist Dr. Yong Poovorawan is calling on the government to carry out mass vaccination of the population within 3 months, after a study showed that 1 dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine boosts immunity by more than 96%. Dr. Yong has been a persistent critic of the Thai government’s handling of the Covid outbreaks in the country. Posting on…

  • Covid-19 News

    Vaccination to be accelerated following outbreak in Bangkok’s Klong Toey district

    The government is accelerating vaccine administration among shantytown dwellers in Bangkok’s Klong Toey district following an outbreak of Covid-19. Thousands of people live in very close quarters within the slums and travel across the city and to neighbouring provinces for work. The cluster of infections has sparked fear the virus could spread further and overwhelm the healthcare system. Bangkok governor…

  • Covid-19 News

    8 hospitals across Thailand forced to close after healthcare workers contract Covid-19

    8 Thai hospitals are temporarily closed after patients hid the fact that they were infected with Covid-19 and passed the virus on to hospital staff. Other staff members have had to self-isolate. According to Thai PBS World, the 8 affected hospitals are as follows: Chiang Rai Mae Sai Hospital, closed until May 16. 88 medical staff quarantined. Nakhon Sawan Chumsaeng…

  • Covid-19 News

    Flying rules tightened after Covid-19 infections found on Phuket flights

    Disease prevention measures are being tightened for air passengers after several cases of Covid-19 were found on flights from Bangkok to Phuket. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has issued new guidance for airlines and passengers, after passengers on 7 flights, operated by 3 different airlines, subsequently tested positive for the virus. Phuket’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has ordered…

  • Covid-19 News

    List of provinces with “soft curfews” urging people to stay at home during the night

    Several Thai provinces have introduced “soft curfews,” requesting people to stay at home during late night and early morning hours unless travel is absolutely necessary. The new restrictions are part of additional measures announced by the government, including new zoning and colour-coding of provinces based on the number of Covid infections recorded. The provinces of Bangkok, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai,…

  • Covid-19 News

    Government clamping down on illegal migrants in effort to curb Covid-19

    The Thai government is coming down hard on illegal migrant workers and their employers, in an effort to curb imported cases of Covid-19. The Bangkok Post reports today that the Labour Ministry has created 6 teams to focus on the issue of illegal workers and the bosses who hire them. Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin says the teams have been tasked…

  • Covid-19 News

    Suvarnabhumi check-in counters become vaccine administration points

    It’s probably the most traffic check-in counters at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport has seen in a while. Officials are using the area as a makeshift vaccination centre, where airport staff are lining up to receive a dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. The initiative is the latest attempt to speed up vaccine administration as Thailand finds itself battling a far more virulent…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai courts getting tough on face mask violations

    People caught not wearing a face mask in a public space face stiff penalties, with the courts fining at least 9 people so far this week. Officials are cracking down on face mask violations as disease prevention measures are ramped up to curtail the spread of Covid-19. Certainly Thai police have shown their fervour for the crackdown and have been…

  • Covid-19 News

    Petition calling for Anutin’s resignation exceeds signature target, new target set

    A petition hosted on Change.org, demanding the resignation of Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, has surpassed an initial target of 200,000 signatures. The target has now been increased to 300,000, with over 211,600 having signed at the time of writing. Anutin has been widely criticised for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, with signatories demanding the reins be handed over…

  • Covid-19 News

    Samples of locally-produced AstraZeneca jab pass the test

    The Department of Medical Sciences has approved samples of the AstraZeneca vaccine which have been produced locally by Siam Bioscience. Supakit Sirilak from the DMS says 5 models of vaccine were submitted for approval. The 5 had been tested for consistency during production. The AstraZeneca jab is one of only 3 so far to be approved by Thailand’s Food and…

  • Covid-19 News

    In charge: PM given sole authority to manage everything pandemic-related

    The Thai PM has been put in sole charge of handling the Covid-19 crisis, assuming all powers previously delegated to various ministers. Thai PBS World reports that yesterday, the Cabinet agreed to designate Prayut Chan-o-cha as the chief authority with responsibility for all decisions related to the pandemic. These include the issuance of all orders, permits, and approvals aimed at…