Thailand

  • Tourism NewsTourism officials welcome Czech movie filming in Phuket and Krabi

    Tourism officials welcome Czech movie filming in Phuket and Krabi

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand is celebrating Thailand’s re-opening to international movie stardom once more. The southern provinces of Krabi and Phuket are being used as locations for a Czech movie currently being filmed in the kingdom. Nation Thailand reports that a film crew, consisting of 22 actors, directors, producers, and technicians are in Thailand to film a romantic comedy…

  • Thailand NewsThai PM to visit Udon Thani tomorrow

    Thai PM to visit Udon Thani tomorrow

    According to government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will visit Udon Thani, one of Thailand’s largest cities, in the north east of the country, tomorrow to meet with the public and private sectors in the region to discuss provincial development and welcoming tourists under the Udon Plus scheme. Politically, the north east has always seen as a strong region…

  • Covid-19 NewsPublic Health Ministry monitoring Omicron variant, public urged not to panic

    Public Health Ministry monitoring Omicron variant, public urged not to panic

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry says the public shouldn’t panic over the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant. Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit says the ministry is monitoring the situation and on alert for possible Omicron cases. Meanwhile, people should continue to observe existing disease prevention measures. “The departments of Medical Sciences and Disease Control have been tasked with monitoring the new variant…

  • Thailand NewsCrackdown on human trafficking as Thailand tries to upgrade its ranking

    Crackdown on human trafficking as Thailand tries to upgrade its ranking

    Thailand is to get tough on people smugglers, according to deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon in a Bangkok Post report today. The government aims to upgrade the country’s 2022 ranking in the US Trafficking in Persons Report, after being downgraded to the Tier 2 Watchlist in this year’s report. Being given a Tier 2 Watchlist ranking means a government is deemed…

  • Bangkok NewsRenovation of Hua Lamphong may wait another three years: BMA

    Renovation of Hua Lamphong may wait another three years: BMA

    It might be another two to three years until Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong station is developed for commercial use. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Office of Town Planning and Development has today put a hold to the State Railway of Thailand’s request to develop station and surrounding buildings for another two or three years. According to reports, the 120-rai site planned for…

  • Covid-19 NewsMonday Covid Update: 4,753 new cases; provincial totals

    Monday Covid Update: 4,753 new cases; provincial totals

    27 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,734 with 20,640 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 4,753 new Covid-19 cases and 6,165 recoveries. There are now 77,811 people in Thailand being…

  • Covid-19 NewsThai officials mull over testing methods for arrivals following Omicron emergence

    Thai officials mull over testing methods for arrivals following Omicron emergence

    With the emergence of the Omicron variant, just as Thailand was easing travel regulations, the Thai government is mulling over whether to reverse its plan to replace RT-PCR tests with the less accurate, but faster and cheaper antigen tests, or ATK, for arrivals from overseas. The CCSA held an emergency meeting over the weekend in response to the news of…

  • Bangkok NewsAlcohol sales at Bangkok restaurants allowed until 11pm starting Wednesday

    Alcohol sales at Bangkok restaurants allowed until 11pm starting Wednesday

    The cutoff time for alcohol sales at restaurants in Bangkok will be pushed from 9pm to 11pm. Governor Aswin Kwanmuang reportedly signed a provincial order allowing restaurants to serve booze until 11pm starting Wednesday, according to Thai media. Under the order, entertainment venues, such as bars and nightclubs, must remain closed until the end of the year. The order still…

  • Road deathsThai man dies by flurry of bullets while going to get 2nd Covid shot

    Thai man dies by flurry of bullets while going to get 2nd Covid shot

    A 27 year-old Thai man has died after receiving a flurry of bullets from a gunman who had stopped the vehicle in which he was travelling. The man, Ampol Bunthong, a native of Phetchabun, was shot 10 times, according to police. The attack occured at about 8:20am this morning, at the Saraphi junction in Muang district. Ampol was riding with…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket gets approval for all-nighter New Year’s Eve party

    Phuket gets approval for all-nighter New Year’s Eve party

    Phuket is approved to allow New Year’s Eve celebrations to go on all night, along with alcohol sales. The notice was issued yesterday that states alcohol sales would be extended on NYE, from 11pm-6am. The order says usually it is forbidden to sell alcohol during those times, but notes that December 31 is an exception. The Phuket governor signed the…

  • Bangkok NewsPolice seize 36,000 fake US0 bills and printing machines in a series of raids

    Police seize 36,000 fake US$100 bills and printing machines in a series of raids

    In a transnational investigation into a large counterfeit bill operation, Thailand’s Police Cyber Task Force teamed up with the US Secret Service in Bangkok, seizing offset printing machines and tens of thousands of counterfeit $100 bills in early November. The investigation was launched after authorities noticed an uptick in banknote forgeries in Thailand. A source also tipped off authorities, saying most…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok police say restaurateurs could face jail time for serving alcohol after 9pm

    Bangkok police say restaurateurs could face jail time for serving alcohol after 9pm

    Police in Bangkok are warning restaurant owners that if alcohol is served after 9pm, they will face legal action… possibly even up to a year in jail and a fine up to 100,000 baht. Restaurants in the capital are allowed to serve beer, wine and cocktails up until 9pm, if they have passed standards set under the Safety and Health…

  • SponsoredSiam Seaplane makes getting to your destination so much easier

    Siam Seaplane makes getting to your destination so much easier

    Sponsored Article There’s an innovative new company that is going to drastically reduce the time required to get to your holiday destination and get to those hard to get to beach resorts in the Land of Smiles. Siam Seaplane will offer Thailand’s first premium amphibious seaplane service, providing faster, easier and seamless access to waterfront locations such as resorts, and…

  • Bangkok NewsBooze sales are likely to be extended until midnight during Christmas and New Year’s

    Booze sales are likely to be extended until midnight during Christmas and New Year’s

    The hours on alcohol sales at restaurants might be extended on Christmas and New Year’s. Thai authorities are now considering pushing the hours for sales of beer and liquor from 9pm to 11pm or midnight. The proposal will be reviewed today during a meeting with government agencies and tourism associations, according to the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat Rachakitprakarn,…

  • Covid-19 NewsOmicron Covid-19 variant isn’t in Thailand, DDC director says

    Omicron Covid-19 variant isn’t in Thailand, DDC director says

    The Omicron Covid-19 variant isn’t in Thailand, director-general of the Department of Disease Control said yesterday, assuring the public that the mutated strain of the virus virus is not “travelling” into the country by tourists. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong said that all “sandbox” visitors are being closely and stringently monitored by health authorities. “All 1,007 travellers from South Africa who recently…

  • Covid-19 NewsCOVID-19 SATURDAY: 6,073 infections, 32 deaths, provincial data

    COVID-19 SATURDAY: 6,073 infections, 32 deaths, provincial data

    Today, the CCSA reported 6,073 new Covid-19 infections, down 486 since yesterday, and 32 Coronavirus-related deaths, half as many as yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,072,086 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 6,538 recoveries, up 337…

  • World NewsThailand, 5 other countries added to Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane list

    Thailand, 5 other countries added to Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane list

    The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore today announced that travelers from Thailand, Cambodia, Fiji, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Turkey will be able to enter Singapore quarantine-free starting in mid-December Vaccinated Travel Lane scheme. Visitors from VTL countries who are fully vaccinated are able to enter Singapore without having to go through quarantine and simply have to take a Covid-19 test.…

  • Thailand NewsHeavy rain, potential flooding in the forecast for Southern Thailand

    Heavy rain, potential flooding in the forecast for Southern Thailand

    Eight provinces in Southern Thailand — Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat — have been warned by the Meteorological Department today to prepare for potentially flooding and runoff as heavy rain and strong winds continued in the Gulf of Thailand. The warning will be in effect until Tuesday, according to the weather services, adding…

  • Thailand NewsFriday Covid Update: 6,559 new cases; provincial totals

    Friday Covid Update: 6,559 new cases; provincial totals

    64 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,645 with 20,551 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 6,559 new Covid-19 cases and 6,875 recoveries. There are now 80,277 people in Thailand being…

  • Covid-19 NewsEmergency Decree extended until January 31

    Emergency Decree extended until January 31

    The Emergency Decree has been extended until January 31, giving the Thai government sweeping powers to impose measures to combat the spread of Covid-19. In its general meeting chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, the CCSA decided to extend the decree due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation. The decree was imposed at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 and…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand to buy 30 million booster Pfizer shots

    Thailand to buy 30 million booster Pfizer shots

    Had your booster shot yet? According to Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the Department of Disease Control has signed an agreement to buy another 30 million doses of Pfizer vaccines, which will be administered as booster shots in the first quarter of 2022. He added that Pfizer has given Thailand a special deal where the additional 20 million doses…

  • Thailand NewsThai police suspect fugitive Red Bull heir is living in Austria

    Thai police suspect fugitive Red Bull heir is living in Austria

    The fugitive Red Bull heir who is wanted by Thai police for the 2012 fatal hit-and-run case is claimed to now be in Austria. Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya is wanted for speeding his Ferrari in Bangkok’s Thong Lor and running over a police officer, dragging his body several dozen metres, killing him. Boss managed to evade justice and fled the country…

  • Covid-19 NewsCCSA revises zoning: No more “dark red” zones with nightly curfews

    CCSA revises zoning: No more “dark red” zones with nightly curfews

    No provinces will be under a mandated nightly curfew starting December 1. The CCSA approved new zoning today, reclassifying several provinces on its colour-coded zoning scale based on Covid-19 infection rates and reopening measures. Under the revised zoning, there are no provinces classified as “dark red” with stay-at-home orders. Kanchanaburi, Nonthaburi, and Pathum Thani were reclassified as “blue zones,” or…

  • Thailand NewsSoi Dog Foundation sends over 100 tonnes of dog and cat food for flood relief

    Soi Dog Foundation sends over 100 tonnes of dog and cat food for flood relief

    The following is a press release from the Soi Dog Foundation. Soi Dog Foundation’s ongoing relief effort for dogs and cats affected by the recent flooding in Central Thailand has seen the amount of food delivered to desperate dogs and cats exceed a whopping 100 tonnes. Following the initial distribution in late September of 64 tonnes of food to flood-affected…

  • World NewsForeign Minister says visit to Myanmar was to oversee humanitarian aid delivery

    Foreign Minister says visit to Myanmar was to oversee humanitarian aid delivery

    The Foreign Minister has responded to questions about his visit to Myanmar by saying he was overseeing the delivery of humanitarian aid. Don Pramudwinai’s November 14 trip has been criticised by some as potentially legitimising the military leaders who overthrew the country’s democratically-elected government in February. Addressing the House of Representatives yesterday, Don said he went to the country purely…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand signs procurement deal for 50,000 courses of Molnupiravir Covid pill

    Thailand signs procurement deal for 50,000 courses of Molnupiravir Covid pill

    Thailand has signed a 500 million baht deal to purchase 50,000 treatment courses of the new Covid-19 drug, Molnupiravir. According to a Thai PBS World report, the Medical Services Department signed the deal yesterday, with Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul present to witness it. A course of treatment is made up of 40 x 200mg capsules. A patient will need to…

  • Thailand NewsForeign Minister shrugs off lack of invite to democracy summit

    Foreign Minister shrugs off lack of invite to democracy summit

    Thailand’s Foreign Minister has shrugged off the fact that Thailand has not been invited to a democracy summit being hosted by the US. Thai PBS World reports that Don Pramudwinai says the event is, “nothing more than pure politics”. The summit is scheduled to take place from December 9-10 and Thailand has been left off the guest list. Controversially, Taiwan…

  • Transport NewsThe latest on EV production in Thailand

    The latest on EV production in Thailand

    Thailand car makers are ramping up the production of electric vehicles after the Thailand Board of Investment approved new electric vehicle projects. The 24 projects allow car makers to produce electric vehicles of all types, including hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles. BOI data shows that these types of EVs will have a combined capacity…

  • Bangkok NewsCovid test required to enter CentralWorld’s Groove area in Bangkok

    Covid test required to enter CentralWorld’s Groove area in Bangkok

    Shoppers entering CentralWorld’s Groove area in Bangkok will need to take a rapid antigen test to enter the two-storey section in one of the Thailand’s largest shopping centres. Alcohol sales and consumption at the Groove zone, which has a variety of cafes, restaurants, and space to hang out, is still allowed. Customers who enter test negative in an ATK (antigen…

  • Thailand NewsGay rights advocacy groups seek help from opposition

    Gay rights advocacy groups seek help from opposition

    LGBTQ+ advocacy groups are now turning to the opposition Pheu Thai Party for their support on attaining marriage equality in Thailand. This is coming on the heels of a major Constitutional Court ruling that essentially upheld the ban on same-sex marriage in the country. These groups are campaigning to revise the Civil and Commercial Code, which at the moment only…