Thailand
- Thailand News
Pilot seriously injured in F-5 fighter jet crash in Lop Buri
Warning: Some may find the photos below disturbing. An F-5 fighter jet crashed during training in the Chai Badan area of Central Thailand’s Lop Buri province today morning, critically injuring the pilot. The fighter jet, from Wing 21, crashed onto a training field in Chai Badan district at 11am, according to Air Force spokesperson AVM Prapas Sornchaidee. The pilot ejected…
- Thailand News
Thai AirAsia X seeks for new investors as flights to resume next year
Thai AirAsia X under the AirAsia group, is seeking new investors for a major restructuring in order to resume international flights next year, after a two-year halt of its low-cost carriers. According to Tassapon Bijleveld, executive chairman of SET-listed Asia Aviation (AAV), and a shareholder of Thai AirAsia X, the 11-aircraft fleet was reduced to seven earlier this year, and…
- Thailand News
Government to set up committee to consider opening casinos in Thailand
Thailand could be legalising casinos in the near future. The House of Representatives recently voted in favour of setting up a 60-seat extraordinary committee to consider the opening of casinos, which are still illegal in Thailand. Opening the venues for gambling is expected to draw in more income from foreign tourists. 310 MPs voted in favour while 9 were against…
- World News
Detained Cambodian monk with refugee status says he could jailed if deported from Thailand
Possible deportation and jail time is looming for a Cambodian refugee monk who was recently detained by Thai authorities, despite the recent condemnation from the United Nations. Last month, three Cambodians under UN refugee protection were deported from Thailand and arrested in their home country. On Wednesday, Thai authorities arrested a Cambodian monk and an environmental activist Bor Bet, who…
- Crime News
Junior police officer facing attempted murder for allegedly shooting at a Bangkok bus
A junior police officer is facing attempted murder charges after he fired a gun at a passenger bus in Bangkok’s Bang Chan district on Tuesday. A video of the incident shared on social media shows a motorcyclist, cutting off the bus, forcing it to stop. He walked up to the bus driver and then went back to his motorcycle where…
- Covid-19 News
AirAsia boss accuses governments of overreacting to Omicron threat
The CEO of the AirAsia Group says governments shouldn’t panic over the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant. The Bangkok Post reports that Tony Fernandes says officials should instead focus on reducing the cost of PCR testing. “It’s a huge overreaction. We don’t know anything about this variant yet. Let’s wait and see before we jump the gun.” Fernandes says…
- Covid-19 News
Lockdown not on the cards, but re-opening nightlife may be postponed: PM
The Thai PM has ruled out introducing another national lockdown as a result of the Omicron Covid-19 variant. However, he says the re-opening of bars and other nightlife venues may have to be delayed. According to a Bangkok Post report, Prayut Chan-o-cha says existing screening measures for international arrivals are sufficient, without having to shut down the country. “Harsh measures…
- South Thailand News
Soldier suspended from duty after allegedly killing a woman in Narathiwat
A military soldier from the 4th Army has been charged with allegedly killing a 44 year old woman in Narathiwat’s Tak Bai district yesterday. The solider allegedly approached the woman, asked her a question, and then took out a revolver, shooting her in the forehead. An Army spokesperson, Maj Gen Pramote Phrom-in, today said the suspect is identified as Sgt…
- Northern Thailand News
Alcohol restrictions ease in some Nakhon Ratchasima districts, tourism scheme launches
Seven districts in the Isaan province Nakhon Ratchasima will be easing alcohol restrictions as a pilot tourism scheme launches. Restaurants that pass SHA stands will be allowed to serve alcoholic drinks until 10pm. Pubs, clubs, karaoke, entertainment venues, and massage parlors remain closed. According to the deputy governor Chusak Chunkoh, seven districts in Nakhon Ratchasima province, formerly knowns as Korat,…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok to organise New Year’s festival followed by Buddhist chanting ceremony
Bangkok city officials are planning New Year’s events, but under Covid-19 measures. A New Year’s festival is planned for December 31 and a Buddhist chanting ceremony is planned for the following day, according to the deputy permanent secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The spokesperson says the events will be under the universal Covid-19 measures. The two-day event will be…
- Thailand News
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha vows to prevent Omicron from reaching Thai soil
Thailand’s prime minister has urged the public not to panic, but to remain vigilant against the new Omicron virus, according to government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana yesterday. He added that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha also encouraged people to get fully vaccinated in order to boost group immunity and ensure everyone’s safety, as adequate vaccines are now available for all Thais. As foreign…
- Phuket News
Phuket officials order quarantine for more than 100 travellers from South Africa
More than 100 travellers from South Africa who entered Thailand over the past two weeks have been ordered to quarantine for 14 days as a preventative measure following the emergence of the Omicron variant. Nationwide, the Thai Immigration Bureau and the Public Health Ministry are working to track down a total of more than 780 people who travelled from African…
- Thailand Protest News
Pro-democracy activist Panusaya given temporary release to sit university exam
Political activist Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, aka, “Rung”, has been given temporary release to sit an exam and submit university reports. Thai PBS World reports that the activist was freed from Bangkok’s Central Women’s Correctional Institute at around 8pm last night. She was met by her parents and supporters, having spent 17 days behind bars. The pro-democracy activist is being tried on…
- Covid-19 News
Thai officials attempt to track down 783 travellers from Africa for Omicron testing
Officials are attempting to trace 783 travellers who’ve arrived in Thailand from various African countries since November 15. Immigration police are working with the Public Health Ministry, who want to test the arrivals for the Omicron Covid-19 variant, according to a Bangkok Post report. However, national police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk says the public shouldn’t panic, adding that immigration officers and…
- Covid-19 News
Wednesday Covid Update: 4,886 new cases; provincial totals
43 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,814 with 20,720 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 4,886 new Covid-19 cases and 6,326 recoveries. There are now 74,190 people in Thailand being…
- World News
Vietnam to welcome fully vaccinated tourists from Thailand this month
Vietnam is setting up a “travel bubble” scheme with Thailand to allow vaccinated travellers to enter the Southeast Asian country. The head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Nguyen Trung Khanh, today says his department is working with Thai officials to set up the scheme, adding that the first batch of Thai tourists will arrive in Vietnam this month…
- Thailand News
Kanchanaburi park ranger reportedly stabbed co-worker, shot himself
A park ranger reportedly stabbed at co-worker to death before shooting himself. Apparently the two men had to an argument while installing cameras in a Thong Pha Phum district forest to study Bengal tigers. The Khao Laem National Park rangers were so deep in the forest that an army helicopter was sent to rescue the injured ranger. The head chief…
- Transport News
Cabinet sets aside over 5 billion baht to improve Bangkok’s public transportation
Yesterday, the two biggest transportation groups in Thailand, Bangkok Mass Transit Organisation (BMTA) and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), received subsidies from the Cabinet to cope with the loss as well as increase their liquidity. A total of 5 billion baht was given, with 2.28 billion going to BMTA and 3.38 billion going to SRT. The Cabinet has also…
- Crime News
Men arrested at Bangkok airport for allegedly smuggling drugs valued at 95 million baht
Two Pakistani men were arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday for allegedly trafficking 30.6 kilograms of ketamine and 1.1 kilograms of heroin hidden in instant tea packages. Officers say the drugs had a street value of 95 million baht. The two residents of Karachi, who travelled to Thailand by an Emirates flight through the United Arab Emirates, were arrested for…
- Thailand News
Victoria’s Secret Thailand supplier faces labour abuse by laid off workers
Garment workers from Victoria’s Secret supplier Brilliant Alliance Thai Global filed a complaint yesterday with the National Human Rights Commission at the Government Complex in Bangkok. The complaint follows the charges filed against six labour activists for protesting illegally outside the Government House in Dusit district on October 19. The movement was led by the Triumph International Workers Union as…
- Covid-19 News
PM will decide on need for lockdown if and when Omicron found in Thailand
The health ministry says the Thai PM will decide what steps to take if and when the Omicron Covid-19 variant is found in the kingdom. The Bangkok Post reports that the relevant agencies have been instructed to continue monitoring the situation and the Public Health Ministry will review the country’s re-opening in 2 weeks’ time. Speaking to the Bangkok Post,…
- Visa Information
Cabinet okays new visa scheme allowing a 1 year stay for medical tourists
A new visa scheme approved, in principle, by the Thai Cabinet today will allow foreigners who are travelling to Thailand for medical treatment to stay in the Kingdom for up to a year. At the moment, many medical tourists stay in the country on 60-day tourist visas, which can be extended for another 30 days, and (before the pandemic) many…
- Covid-19 News
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says PCR tests will remain a requirement for foreign arrivals
Thailand will continue using the RT-PCR method to screen arrivals for Covid-19 as a preventative measure to keep the Omicron variant from reaching Thai soil. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced today that the Cabinet decided to reverse the CCSA’s decision to change the testing method to the faster, yet less reliable ATK method. The Thai government says the order on PCR…
- Thailand News
More venues in Thailand require proof of vaccination, or ATK test, at the door
Thailand’s future looks… vaccinated. More and more venues and events are embracing the government’s “Covid Free Setting” guidelines which call for not only staff, but customers to be fully vaccinated, or test negative for the virus, to be considered a “Covid free” area. Bangkok’s Khao San Road was blocked off the other weekend with bouncers checking documents and digital vaccination…
- Covid-19 News
Tuesday Covid Update: 4,306 new cases; provincial totals
37 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,771 with 20,677 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,407 new Covid-19 cases and 6,165 recoveries. There are now 75,673 people in Thailand being…
- Bangkok News
Foreigner claims Bangkok taxi pocketed 1,000 baht for ride down Sukhumvit
A foreigner in Bangkok claims he was ripped off by a taxi driver who drove him from Thong Lor to Sukhumvit Soi 11, saying the driver didn’t use a meter and pocketed 1,000 baht. Apparently, the driver claimed the passenger had handed him 100 baht. A Thai woman posted a video of the confrontation with the taxi driver on TikTok…
- Thailand News
Flash floods from heavy rain hit three districts in Surat Thani
Last night, villages in three districts in Southern Thailand’s Surat Thani province were hit by flash floods due to heavy rain and local rescue teams along with the military assisted residents in moving their belongings to higher ground. Governor Wichawut Jinto and Chamnong Sawatwong, chief of the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office, led the relief effort, which included territorial…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand entry restrictions on African countries in response to Omicron
In response to the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 strain, which is designated by the World Health Organisation as a “variant of concern,” the Thai government has set a travel ban on those from eight African countries said to be of high risk of the newly found variant and imposed restrictions on those from other countries in Africa. Issuance of…
- Bangkok News
PM asks for public to be consulted on plans for Hua Lamphong station
The Thai PM has asked the Transport Ministry to gauge the public’s view on the redevelopment of Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong station. The Bangkok Post reports that the station is set to close in around 3 weeks’ time. A government spokesman says PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has tasked all relevant agencies to take public opinion into account in any commercial development proposals.…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok’s Yellow Line skyrail starts test runs
The newest addition to Bangkok’s skyrail is here.The Yellow Line, which travels from Lat Phrao to Samrong in Samut Prakan, has reportedly begun its test run since last Thursday from the maintenance depot near Sri Iam station in Bang Na district. The Yellow Line, which is a joint venture worth 54,768.455 million baht between Thailand’s Mass Rapid Transit Authority and…
