Thailand news in English
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Thailand News Today | Thailand to declare covid endemic in 4 months?
Thailand’s health ministry wants to declare Covid 19 as endemic in the next 4 months. Senior ministry official Kiattiphum Wongrajit says the Omicron variant has resulted in a much lower fatality rate than in previous waves, and while lung infections are increasing, cases of severe illness are still lower than earlier waves of the coronavirus. Health officials say deaths are…
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Asia News Today | Asia’s stocks fluctuate, gold and Bitcoin rally
In the Asia Pacific region, only Japan, South Korea and Australia have so far officially condemned the actions of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine yesterday. They’ve said they will join with the US in imposing international sanctions but have so far declined to add unilateral sanctions. Indonesia has taken a slightly different tack and is calling for negotiation and…
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Thailand News Update | No impact to Thai aviation despite Ukraine-Russia tensions
Recognising the current situation in Ukraine and the early phases of Russian aggression in the former Soviet state. Whilst there is no direct impact on Thailand as of right now we don’t have anything specific to report.Although the US and UK governments have already banned flights from the Russian national airline Aeroflot, planes are still arriving from Moscow to Thailand…
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Thailand News Today | Govt reveals treatment costs for Covid
Following the CCSA’s decision yesterday to lower the insurance coverage required of overseas arrivals, the health minister agrees the new figure is enough to cover Covid treatment, based on the latest findings. Anutin Charnvirakul says figures from the National Health Security Office indicate that treatment costs for severe Covid cases are usually around 300,000 baht per person, which is less…
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Thailand News Update | Doubts on Thailand’s Songkran 2022
Even after the Test & Go program was rebooted on February 1, along with the additional and unpopular Day 5 PCR test, there hasn’t been a large increase in the number of international tourists visiting Thailand. Indeed the new applications and actual arrivals have fallen well below expectations by Thailand’s tourism tzars.Now, Phuket officials are launching new plans to encourage…
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Thailand News Today | Day 5 PCR test scrapped & Covid insurance reduced!
The Day 5 PCR test for the Test & Go entry scheme has been scrapped. Instead, on day 5, travellers are required to take a self-administered ATK test without the need to stay at an SHA approved hotel. The new measures go into effect on March 1. Travellers entering under the Test & Go scheme must still undergo a PCR…
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BREAKING: Thailand Test & Go changes
Day 5 PCR test for the Test and Go Program has been scrapped and the mandatory Covid insurance has also been reduced. Tim Newton goes live with the breaking news and answers your questions regarding the Thailand Pass.
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Thailand News Update | Will Thailand scrap 2nd test for the Test and Go?
A meeting today with the CCSA where they will formerly discuss proposals regarding possible updates to Test and Go, the most popular option for the Thailand Pass online application system for international travellers. Although there’s been speculation that the controversial Day 5 PCR test may be dropped, we won’t know until alter today. The Thaiger will bring you up to…
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Thailand News Update | CCSA say ‘no changes’ for now
The CCSA spokesperson has pre-empted tomorrow’s official meeting saying that they will not impose any additional measures amid rising Thailand’s COVID-19 infections. But he says officials will strictly enforce the existing restrictions in the light of surging infections, mostly by the Omicron variant. She says that officials are taking into consideration all aspects of the Covid situation, including the number…
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Thailand News Today | Phuket wants to declare Covid endemic
Phuket officials want to declare Covid endemic, even as the infection rate is rising on the southern island. According to a report, deputy governor Pichet Panapong says achieving endemic status would allow officials to focus on economic recovery. Local officials would also like to get rid of the daily reporting of new infections, instead only reporting Covid cases involving moderate…
- World News
Asia News Today | Vietnam’s vaccine passports & Hong Kong postpones elections
In Vietnam, The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has released guidelines for implementing the second phase of its COVID-19 vaccine passport pilot programme to welcome international tourists.Phase two will continue from now until the country’s full reopening of tourism activities via air, land, and sea routes, which is set for March 15. During this period, overseas Vietnamese and Vietnamese…
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Thailand News Update | Reducing paperwork for incoming travellers
This Wednesday the CCSA convene for yet another meeting to consider both lifting persistent local restrictions, as well as reducing some of the paperwork and hassles for incoming travellers. For travellers, they will be looking for the scrapping of one or both the pre-paid PCR tests and accommodation when they arrive. New applications for the Thailand Pas have remained lack-lustre…
- World News
Asia News Today | Indonesia’s hotel quarantine scams
Indonesia’s Tourism Ministry say authorities are cracking down on hotel quarantine scams, who he claims are allegedly perpetrated by organised groups, against foreign travellers. He’s already coined the groups the “quarantine mafia”. Police have been following up allegations of numerous reported scams in hotel quarantine across Jakarta. The scam involves travellers being told at the end of their hotel quarantine…
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Thailand News Today | Tourism sector calls for full reopening in March
Tourism operators have written an open letter to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and other government officials, calling for the country to be fully re-opened to foreign visitors from March. In the letter, the groups say they want all entry restrictions ditched, including the Thailand Pass and PCR testing on arrival, and want Covid declared endemic. They point to several other countries,…
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Thailand News Update | Test & Go Improvements, Live Chat Function Added
In the wake of lower-than-expected take up of the revised Test and Go program in the Thailand Pass, the Thai PM has made direct orders for quick improvements in the reliability of the digital systemApplicants have been complaining about delays, receiving spam and hacked emails. Now a new entry pathway called TPHS has now been approved and promises to cut…
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Thailand News Today | Govt promises better Thailand Pass experience
After some glitches with the Thailand Pass, including a data breach, authorities say the system is being improved to make it more convenient for those travelling to Thailand. A government spokesperson says the Prime Minister has ordered related agencies to quickly fix the system to ensure there are no delays with the approval process, adding that foreign tourism is essential…
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Thailand News Update | Only Fans Girl “Shoots herself in the foot”
The cabinet eventually caved in this week by agreeing to cut the excise tax on diesel by three baht per litre, from the current 6 baht tax. This will for up to three months to help ease the impact of high energy prices on the cost of transport and consumer goods in Thailand.The cabinet approved halving the price until May…
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Asia News Today | Japan to ease border controls & Fears of Cambodian surveillance
A new internet gateway in Cambodia, set to be launched today, is being delayed, apparently due to issues related to Covid 19 in the country. When enacted, all Internet traffic in Cambodia will be routed through the government-run National Internet Gateway, allowing authorities to monitor online activity, intercept and censor digital communications, and collect users’ personal data. But the Telecommunications…
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Thailand News Today | Thai Govt takes steps to make Covid endemic
Despite calls to delay removing Covid-19 treatment from the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients scheme, Thailand’s health minister is pushing ahead as part of the government’s policy to downgrade the virus to endemic. Anutin Chanvirakul was responding to calls from a number of quarters, including his deputy, Sathit, who asked him to postpone the removal until April due to the…
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Thailand News Update | Scamming expats in Pattaya
A Frenchman is facing fraud charges for allegedly scamming expats in Pattaya out of millions of baht by claiming he had connections with several Thai authorities, and promising help with obtaining visas, opening businesses, and buying motorbikes and cars. Reports claim he scammed expats out of a total of 6.3 million baht.58 year old Herve Christian Robert Leonard from Compiegne…
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Thailand News Update | No alcohol on 16th February
Police say have identified the 2 suspect gunmen who are being sought over the apparent gangland killing of Indian-born Jimi Sandhu on February 4 in Rawai, Phuket. Arrest warrants for 2 Canadian men have been issued. The alleged gunmen have been named as 36 year old Gene Lahrkamp and Matthew Dupre, also 36. The arrest warrants follow an intensive investigation…
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Covid clusters in Thailand & Demand for shorts | Thaiger Bites
Jay and Tim go through your messages, comments and feedback from Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and the Thaiger Talk forum on the website. Thaiger Bites, Ep.86
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Thailand News Today | Controversial tourism fee likely to be postponed
A 300-baht tourism fee which was set to be introduced from April 1 now looks likely to be postponed. Implementation is expected to be pushed out by around 2 months, although tourism operators have said they’d like to see the idea ditched completely, at least while the sector is fighting to survive the pandemic. However, Thailand’s tourism minister, Pipat Ratchakitprakarn,…
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Murder weapons found at the beach | Thailand News Update
On the day we were hoping to report some easing of restrictions, instead we may be staring at postponements, or even some more precautions added as Thailand struggles to move on from two years of any meaningful tourism recovery. At a meeting of the CCSA yesterday recent spikes in new infections, and the surges in Bangkok and Phuket, were discussed.A…
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Thailand News Update | Songkran cancelled for 2022?
Thailand’s famous water festival Songkran might be cancelled for 1 third year in a row if the daily Covid-19 infections reach 30,000 per day. The massive water festival and gun fight, celebrating the Thai New Year, has already had the tap turned off due to coronavirus restrictions. The DDC warns that Songkran, which is April 13 to 15 this year,…
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Thailand News Today | Proposal to change how Covid-19 cases are reported
After Thailand’s number of daily Covid-19 infections went above 10,000 this weekend, the government plans to change how it does daily reports. In a two-day a week test, the government reports will only focus on deaths and serious cases where people needed to be hospitalized with ventilators, or had pneumonia. The Ministry of Public Health says that even though infections…
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Thailand News Update | Truckers threaten stronger protest measures if demands not met
Another CCTV angle and additional evidence has emerged in the gruesome hit job that ended the life of Indian-born drug criminal Jimi Sandhu. He was killed with a volley of 20 bullets in Rawai, at the southern end of Phuket last Friday night, just before 11 pm. The footage shows two barefoot men wearing white hoodies and shorts appearing from…
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Thailand News Update | What covid restrictions will be eased this week?
Whilst we get to wait a few more days to see if and how the current Covid restrictions will be modified or lifted, the public health minister has again stated that bars and nightlife will still need to remain closed. Speaking to the media yesterday, Minister Anutin Charnvirakul remarked that his “ministry will change the way it reports infection numbers”,…
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Thailand News Update | “More Covid restrictions to be relaxed”
Prepare for some more relaxation of Covid restrictions this week as the CCSA are set to meet to consider dropping some more measures that have been in place to curb the Coronavirus. Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the ministry’s Department of Disease Control, says that Thailand was now moving in line with trends elsewhere in the world. He said yesterday……
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Universal Thailand Pass Hatred | Thaiger Bites
Jay, Jett and Tim go through your messages, comments and feedback from Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and the Thaiger Talk forum on the website. Thaiger Bites, Ep.85
