Thailand

  • South Thailand News

    Bomb disposal officers need blood donations after explosion in southern Thailand

    A double bomb attack in Pattani province in southern Thailand on Friday killed a fisherman and injured 3 explosive ordnance disposal officers, leaving 2 of them severely injured and in desperate need of blood donations. By the way, Songklanagarind Hospital invites the public to urgently donate blood of any type at the hospital (details below). Lt. Col. Thanongsak Jesa, an…

  • Thailand News

    Monday Covid Update: 16,994 new cases; provincial totals

    124 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 27,006 with 5,308 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 16,994 new Covid-19 cases and 25,910 recoveries. There are now 205,514 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…

  • Covid-19 News

    Teenagers in Thailand will be eligible to receive Pfizer booster jabs from May

    Starting in May, teenagers in Thailand aged 12-17 will be allowed to get a Pfizer booster shot for Covid-19, provided they’ve received their second dose of a Covid vaccine within the past 6 months. The move is to boost students’ immunity to the virus ahead of new school year, which is set to begin next month, according to Dr. Opart…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand goes crazy for mango sticky rice, after Thai rapper Milli’s Coachella stunt

    Mango sticky rice is in the international spotlight after a young Thai rapper promoted the popular dessert during her raunchy performance at the Coachella music festival. Now the Cultural Promotion Department is planning to propose that mango stick rice is “an intrinsic part of Thai culture”, to be included on the list of Thailand’s ‘UNESCO intangible cultural heritage’. The 19…

  • Thailand video news

    Changes to the Thailand Pass | GMT

    A few minor changes to the current Thailand Pass and last week tourism officials announced that they plan to present a proposal to cancel Thailand’s Test & Go entry scheme at the next meeting of the CCSA. Songkran, full moon party, Maya bay and Caviar. All these stories and more coming up on todays Good Morning Thailand.  

  • Covid-19 News

    Health ministry advises work from home policy for 7 days after Songkran holiday

    Thailand’s health ministry is advising businesses to have employees work from home for 7 days, according to Chakrarat Pittawawonganon from the Department of Disease Control. The advice is designed to prevent a surge in infections following the recent Songkran holiday. “Once the Songkran festival is over, the number of cases may increase by 20 – 30%.” According to a Bangkok…

  • Bangkok News

    UPDATE: Former Democrat deputy leader now temporarily released, Bangkok

    THE LATEST After agreeing this morning to temporarily detain the former deputy leader of the Democrat political party, the Bangkok South Criminal Court has temporarily released Prinn Panitchpakdi on bail on the condition that he wouldn’t leave the country without the court’s permission. The former deputy leader posted bail surety of 700,000 baht. Thailand’s Immigration Bureau was to be informed…

  • Crime News

    Thailand’s Defence Ministry says Yakuza member is not former PM’s son

    Thailand’s Defence Ministry is calling ‘fake news’ on rumours that a former PM’s son is part of a yakuza gang after he was arrested in the US this month on suspicion of trafficking in drugs and weapons. The gang members were arrested for trafficking heroin and methamphetamine while trying to acquire surface-to-air missiles for rebel groups in Myanmar and Sri Lanka,…

  • Thailand Travel

    Over 10,000 partiers at Thai island’s Full Moon Party

    The Thai island of Koh Pha Ngan drew 10,000+ tourists to the shores of Haad Rin for its Full Moon Party yesterday (Saturday… well sort of into Sunday too), which hadn’t been held in full since the Covid-19 pandemic first broke out two years ago. Historically, the party was held on the night of, before, or after every full moon.…

  • Pattaya News

    Tiny kitten rescued from gutter in Chon Buri

    On Friday, firefighters in Sri Racha district of Chon Buri province rescued a 3 month old kitten from a roadside gutter it had fallen into. A woman told The Pattaya News that she heard the cat crying from somewhere and discovered that the kitten was stuck in a gutter, so she called 199 for help. The firefighters said the gutter…

  • Pattaya News

    Pattaya mayoral hopeful vows to revive tourism and nightlife

    The mayoral candidate for Pattaya’s We Love Pattaya party, Poramese Ngampiches, told the Associated Press yesterday that he wants the Chon Buri province to continue attracting tourists throughout the whole year. Bali Hai Pier officials say there are currently over 20,000 tourists a day visiting Koh Larn, and Poramese said he wants to keep up this momentum. Chon Buri, specifically Pattaya and…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand’s PM Prayut orders health services to prepare for post-Songkran Covid spike

    Government spokespersons announced yesterday that Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the country’s health institutes to prepare for a spike in Covid-19 infections following the Songkran holiday, when people return to work. This includes the Ministry of Public Health, and other state agencies. Today, there are 128 new Covid-related deaths, and 17,775 new cases recorded. The number of new daily…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai researchers warn, don’t take off your mask in public toilets

    A team of Thai researchers found in a study that without face masks, there was a 10% risk of being infected with Covid-19 in public toilets. Random? The team, lead by a researcher from Chulabhorn Research Institute in Bangkok, found that the risk climbed to almost 100% if the Covid-19 infected person actually coughed or sneezed in the toilet. The…

  • Thailand Travel

    Thai tourism officials will propose cancellation of Test & Go at next CCSA meeting

    At least two terms travellers will be glad to hear anymore – Test & Go and Thailand Pass. Now tourism officials plan to present a proposal to cancel Thailand’s Test & Go entry scheme at the next meeting of the CCSA. The Tourism Authority of Thailand, along with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, will present the proposal at the…

  • Thailand Travel

    Still unclear if visitors to Thailand will need health insurance after May 1

    The future of Thailand’s requirement for foreign arrivals to have medical insurance is up in the air, along with other rumours of reduced impediments to international arrivals. Right now, all foreigners ,except those with work permits, are required to have US$20,000 anti-Covid cover, including hospitalisation. The price used to be US$50,000 until the CCSA lowered it in March. Now, although…

  • Tourism News

    Does Thailand need casinos? Study to be submitted next month

    In May, a committee of Thailand’s cabinet members and politicians will submit a study on the feasibility of bringing casinos, and casino resorts to Thailand, to the country’s House of Representatives. The first resort would likely be in Bangkok, however the committee is discussing opening more in other tourist destinations after that. Rumours have yet to be confirmed that Las…

  • Songkran News

    Thailand’s Songkran road deaths decrease by 20% since last year

    Thailand’s Deputy Interior Minister says road deaths during Songkran have reduced by 20% compared to last year, during the first 4 days between April 11-17 (aka. Seven Deadly Days). The first 4days saw 1,195 road accidents, with 157 deaths, and 1,185 people injured. Last year there were 1,795 road accidents, with 192 people killed, and 1,818 injured, during the same…

  • South Thailand News

    Southern Thailand ceasefire shattered with another fatal bombing

    The leader of one of Thailand’s southern rebel groups claimed yesterday that the group was behind a double bombing that killed a villager that day. Chalermchai Petchkart, the police chief of Sai Buri district in Pattani province, where the bombing happened, told Benar News that the bomb that exploded and killed the villager had been left in a paper bag.…

  • Thailand News

    First rape victim speaks out against Democrat deputy leader

    Anna Vidhyaphum, who is seeking a seat in the Bangkok City Hall Assembly under the Ruam Thai United Party, became the first person to step forward to claim that she had been allegedly raped by Democrat deputy leader Prinn Panitchapakdi. Around 20 others have made similar allegations, with some reporting Prinn to the police for alleged rape, sexual assault, and sexual…

  • Pattaya News

    Italian man and Thai woman attacked in Pattaya – VIDEO

    UPDATED STORY A 32 year old Italian man and a 35 year old Thai female were allegedly attacked just after 2am yesterday morning along Soi LK Metro in Pattaya. The road was quite busy at the time. The pair told police they were travelling on their motorbike, arriving in front of a closed bar called Crystal Club (currently registered as…

  • Road deaths

    41 dead, 332 injured on Day 4 of Songkran ‘7 Deadly Days’

    Thailand recorded 324 accidents on Thursday, resulting in 332 injuries and 41 deaths across the country on Day 4 of the “Seven Deadly Days” of the Songkran holiday. The update from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department. From Monday to Thursday, Thailand has reported 1,195 accidents. Speeding is still the main factor in accidents, with motorcyclists playing a major role.…

  • Northern Thailand News

    Thai robber who stole gold valued around 4.5 million baht caught

    A gold robber, 28 year old Kittipong Phaethaisong, has been caught in Pattaya today, April 15, in a hotel after stealing gold necklaces valued at about 4.5 million baht in Nakhon Ratchasima, northeastern Thailand earlier this week. He told police the motivation for the crime was that he was unemployed and short on cash. The police have already found several…

  • Crime News

    Police arrest 7 suspects in cherry bomb attack on PM Prayut’s home

    Police have arrested 7 youths suspected for involvement in the throwing of a cherry bomb on Sunday at the home of Thailand Prime Minster Prayut Chan-o-cha, whose permanent residence is located on the grounds of the First Infantry Regiment of the Royal Guards on Vibhavadi Road in Bangkok. Police say that CCTV footage from around the military barracks helped them…

  • Thailand News

    Thai durian shipment to China detected with Covid 19 on packaging

    After signs of the coronavirus were detected on the surfaces of boxes of Thai durian, the delivery to China was blocked from entering for 3 days. Companies in Thailand’s fruit export industry have been advised to follow strict Covid-19 guidelines. A shipment of the famous King of Fruits, aka. Durian, from Thailand was reported to be infected at China’s Mohan…

  • Thailand News

    UPDATE: Bangkok authorities try to limit the water games on Khao San Road

    We warned you, but we can’t stop you. That’s the message being conveyed by the actions of Thai authorities, who have shown restraint toward prohibited water splashing on Khao San Road in Bangkok during this week’s Songkran festival. Police, and even soldiers, have been called in to remind tourists and Songkran revellers about the government’s ban on water splashing this…

  • Pattaya News

    Italian man and Thai woman attacked in Pattaya – VIDEO

    A 32 year old Italian man and a 35 year old Thai female were allegedly attacked just after 2am yesterday morning along Soi LK Metro in Pattaya. They told police they were travelling on their motorbike, arriving in front of a closed bar called Crystal Club (currently registered as a ‘restaurant’). There were four people on the motorbike. A number…

  • Songkran News

    40 dead, 323 injured on Day 3 of Songkran’s ‘7 Deadly Days’

    Thailand saw 331 road accidents, resulting in 40 deaths and 323 injuries on Wednesday, Day 3 of the “Seven Deadly Days” of the Songkran holiday. The main causes of road accidents yesterday were the same as the previous two days, namely speeding and drink driving, according to data provided by the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department. Since the start of…

  • Songkran News

    Thailand deploys troops to Khao San Road to combat water splashing tourists – VIDEO

    Call in the troops! That’s been the response from Thailand’s government after reports of foreign tourists (you get bet there were plenty of locals in there as well) engaging in “dangerous water splashing behaviour” spread like wildfire on social media at the start of the Songkran festival, well Songkran eve to be precise. Bangkok authorities deployed the military, in addition…

  • Politics News

    Former Thai PM denies his daughter will run for the top job

    On Clubhouse this week, a favourite platform for former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand’s former elected leader denied rumours that his youngest daughter, Paetongtarn, will run in the next Thailand election as the nominated PM candidate for the Pheu Thai Party. Instead, he wants to see her in the party working on the marketing and strategic side of things. On April…

  • World News

    Thailand to welcome East-West flight detours as airlines avoid Russian airspace

    More planes might be detouring through Thailand’s airspace as a result of Russia closing its skies to airlines from “hostile” nations, after an overwhelming majority of nations condemned its invasion of Ukraine at the UN General Assembly last month. The nation’s Ministry of Transportation has called for the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, or Aerothai, to draw up a contingency plan,…