Thailand

  • Thailand NewsThailand still plans to fully reopen on October 15, despite Covid-19 uptick

    Thailand still plans to fully reopen on October 15, despite Covid-19 uptick

    Despite the recent and most severe wave of Covid-19 infections still peaking, Thailand is on track to reopen on October 15 to those travelling from overseas who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. The “Phuket Sandbox” model, which launched yesterday, will serve as a pilot project for the nationwide reopening plan. The “Samui Plus” travel model next on the list,…

  • Covid-19 NewsFriday Covid Update: 6,087 new cases and 61 deaths; provincial totals

    Friday Covid Update: 6,087 new cases and 61 deaths; provincial totals

    An uptick of 6,087 new Covid-19 cases and a record high of 61 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 270,921 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 2,141 fatalities. The recent and most severe wave of infections has accounted for the majority…

  • Covid-19 NewsMore than 100 doctors sent to Bangkok as Covid-19 deaths hit a record high

    More than 100 doctors sent to Bangkok as Covid-19 deaths hit a record high

    While PM Prayut Chan-o-cha attends the welcoming of foreign tourists under the “Phuket Sandbox” reopening scheme, more doctors have been sent to Bangkok following a spike in Covid-19 cases and a record high in coronavirus deaths. Hospitals in the capital, the epicentre in the latest and most severe wave, are experiencing a shortage of beds in intensive care units to…

  • Covid-19 NewsPolice warn of Covid-19 vaccine booking scam by fake insurance company

    Police warn of Covid-19 vaccine booking scam by fake insurance company

    Police are warning people about a Covid-19 vaccine booking scam after 20 people in the Isaan province Udon Thani were defrauded by a fake life insurance company promising Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines. A spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police says the fraudulent group claimed they could obtain the Chinese-made vaccines from the Federation of Thai Industries, which had ordered the doses…

  • Covid-19 NewsFriday Covid Update: Another record high, 61 deaths and 6,087 new cases

    Friday Covid Update: Another record high, 61 deaths and 6,087 new cases

    Another record high in Covid-related deaths and an uptick in new coronavirus cases were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The CCSA recorded 61 more deaths involving Covid-19 patients, the highest daily death count in Thailand since the start of the pandemic last year. 6,087 new Covid-19 cases were also reported, an uptick in cases over the…

  • Covid-19 NewsUptick in Covid-19 in Isaan as workers flee Bangkok construction camps

    Uptick in Covid-19 in Isaan as workers flee Bangkok construction camps

    With numerous workers fleeing to their home provinces to avoid Bangkok’s recent disease control restrictions sealing off construction camps for the next month, there has been an uptick in Covid-19 cases in other various provinces, particularly in the Isaan region. This week, 129 people in 32 provinces tested positive for the virus after travelling from Bangkok. 84 people tested positive…

  • Thailand NewsMore than 30 children at Isaan care centre test postive for Covid-19

    More than 30 children at Isaan care centre test postive for Covid-19

    More than 30 young children at a care centre tested positive for Covid-19. Health officials say a 2 year old boy, who was first infected by this mother, spread the virus to the childcare centre in the Isaan province Khon Kaen. Altogether, 8 teachers and 34 students at the centre tested positive for the virus. The 2 year old boy’s…

  • World NewsLaos reports first Delta variant cases, patients had returned from Thailand

    Laos reports first Delta variant cases, patients had returned from Thailand

    Laos has reported its first Covid-19 cases involving the rapid-spreading Delta variant of the virus. The patients who tested positive for the variant had returned to Laos from Thailand, according to the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control. Since the mutated strain, which was first found in India, is the most transmissible Covid-19 variant identified, Laos health officials are…

  • Bangkok NewsPolice in Bangkok seize 2 truck loads of sex toys valued at 1 million baht

    Police in Bangkok seize 2 truck loads of sex toys valued at 1 million baht

    Sex toys valued at 1 million baht were seized by police in Bangkok. Reports don’t say exactly how many sex toys were seized by police, but apparently, police filled 2 large trucks with the dildos, vibrators and other pleasure enhancing products. A Chinese man was arrested for allegedly smuggling illegal sex products into Thailand and selling them online. Photos from…

  • Thailand NewsThailand to import 5 million Moderna vaccine doses for private hospitals

    Thailand to import 5 million Moderna vaccine doses for private hospitals

    5 million doses of the US-made Moderna Covid-19 vaccine will be imported to Thailand at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 to be administered by private hospitals. A set price of 3,400 baht for a package of the 2-dose vaccine, including service fees and insurance, was agreed on by the Private Hospitals Association. The first 3.9 million…

  • Covid-19 NewsThursday Covid Update: Record high of 57 deaths; 5,533 new infections

    Thursday Covid Update: Record high of 57 deaths; 5,533 new infections

    5,533 new Covid-19 cases and a record high of 57 Covid-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, the CCSA has reported 235,971 Covid-19 cases. Out of the new cases, 44 were reported in correctional facilities, showing an improvement in the Covid…

  • Crime NewsBangkok airport police stop Chinese with babies, seize fake birth certificates

    Bangkok airport police stop Chinese with babies, seize fake birth certificates

    Police are investigating a suspected illegal surrogacy operation after 2 Chinese nationals were stopped at a Bangkok airport as they were attempting to leave the country with 2 baby boys. Police say they seized fake birth certificates. The Chinese nationals were at the Suvarnabhumi Airport with the 6 month old and 1 year old boys. Airport officers stopped and checked…

  • Covid-19 NewsRayong governor orders nightly beach closures to curb the spread of Covid-19

    Rayong governor orders nightly beach closures to curb the spread of Covid-19

    Starting today, all beaches on the coastal province Rayong, near Pattaya, will be closed to the public during the night and early morning hours. The beach closures are an effort to prevent the spread of Covid-19 after the province reported an uptick in infections. Rayong governor Charnna Iamsaeng signed an order earlier this week to close the beaches from 8pm…

  • Covid-19 NewsWednesday Covid-19 Update: 4,786 new cases; provincial totals

    Wednesday Covid-19 Update: 4,786 new cases; provincial totals

    A record high of 53 Covid-related deaths was reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 2,023. The vast majority of Covid patients died over the past 3 months with the daily fatality count in the 20s to 40s. 4,786 new Covid-19 cases were reported today, with most infections reported in…

  • Crime NewsDutchman arrested for allegedly selling used cars with fake registration

    Dutchman arrested for allegedly selling used cars with fake registration

    Thai Immigration police arrested a 35 year old man from the Netherlands who ran a dodgy used car business where he allegedly faked the vehicle registrations. Police say he was also overstayed his visa by 10 years. Police identified the Dutchman as Stanley Richy. They say he ran a second-hand car business and had a business page on Facebook under…

  • Tourism NewsThailand tourism officials predict best and worst case scenarios for reopening

    Thailand tourism officials predict best and worst case scenarios for reopening

    The best-case scenario in Thailand’s reopening… 3 million foreign tourist arrivals this year, Tourism Council of Thailand says. It’s a far cry from the around 40 million welcomed to Thailand in 2019. But with Phuket set to reopening tomorrow under the “Sandbox” travel model, and other areas posed to reopen later this year, tourism officials guess, that in the best…

  • Thailand NewsKrabi man allegedly fires gun at quarantine hotel, flees with wife and son

    Krabi man allegedly fires gun at quarantine hotel, flees with wife and son

    A man in Krabi was arrested after he allegedly fired a gun, shooting through a window of an alternative state quarantine, or ASQ, hotel and ran off with his wife and 9 year old son who were staying at the hotel after coming in close contact with those infected with Covid-19. 45 year old Somyos Khongsiri’s wife and son were…

  • Covid-19 NewsThai FDA issues warning about using Ivermectin to cure Covid-19

    Thai FDA issues warning about using Ivermectin to cure Covid-19

    The Thai Food and Drug Administration is warning people not to use a drug usually reserved for veterinary treatment to treat Covid-19. Surachoke Tangwiwat from the FDA (and many other international studies) have determined that the anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin is not designed for human use. “The side-effects can be severe and include dizziness, rash, nausea, hives, and the potential to…

  • Covid-19 NewsWednesday Covid Update: 4,786 new cases, record high of 53 deaths

    Wednesday Covid Update: 4,786 new cases, record high of 53 deaths

    4,786 new cases and a record daily high of 53 Covid-related deaths were recorded today by Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The daily coronavirus death tally in Thailand has been in the 20s to 40s during the current and most severe wave of the virus, infecting 230,438 people since April 1. Out of the new cases recorded today, 127…

  • Covid-19 NewsTuesday Covid Update: 4,662 new cases; provincial totals

    Tuesday Covid Update: 4,662 new cases; provincial totals

    Continuing on an upward trend in Thailand’s most severe wave of Covid-19, 4,662 new infections were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported 254,515 confirmed Covid-19 infections. Of that number, 225,652 were reported since April 1, the start of the recent and most extreme wave of…

  • Covid-19 NewsSinovac vaccine 71% to 91% effective against Alpha variant, Thai study shows

    Sinovac vaccine 71% to 91% effective against Alpha variant, Thai study shows

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry says 2 doses of the Chinese-made Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine are 71% to 91% effective against the Alpha variant of the virus which was first detected in the UK. A study on the effectiveness of the Sinovac vaccine, also known as Coronavac, was done by Thailand’s National Communicable Diseases Committee and the National Vaccine Committee. The study…

  • Crime NewsMan in Pattaya arrested after allegedly stealing liquor, running across roofs

    Man in Pattaya arrested after allegedly stealing liquor, running across roofs

    Police in Pattaya arrested a foreigner and budding ninja yesterday for allegedly grabbing 2 bottles of liquor from a local store and running off without paying. The shop clerk and nearby residents chased after the man, who apparently ran across the roofs of people’s homes to get away. Reports say he was caught after falling from a roof. Residents found…

  • Thailand NewsGoogle takes down customised maps targeting anti-monarchy activists

    Google takes down customised maps targeting anti-monarchy activists

    Custom Google maps pinpointing hundreds of people in Thailand who are accused of opposing the monarchy have been taken down by Google, the company told Reuters reporters. The Google My Maps targeting anti-monarchy activists, listing their names and addresses, were made by a team of 80 royalist volunteers who planned to report the activists for allegedly insulting the monarchy. Under…

  • Covid-19 NewsTuesday Covid Update: 4,662 new cases and 36 deaths

    Tuesday Covid Update: 4,662 new cases and 36 deaths

    4,662 new Covid-19 cases were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising Thailand’s total since April 1, in the current and most severe wave of the virus, to 225,652 infections. The CCSA reports that 36 more people infected with Covid-19 have died. Only 10 of the new cases reported today were found in correctional facilities, a downward…

  • Thailand NewsWorkers caught attempting to flee camps as new restrictions take effect

    Workers caught attempting to flee camps as new restrictions take effect

    With PM Prayut Chan-o-cha imposing sudden and unexpected restrictions, including orders for factories at risk of a Covid-19 outbreak to use the so-called “bubble and seal” method, workers have been attempting to flee the camps to escape being stuck at the site for a month. Some were caught and forced to return as they were trying to leave the area.…

  • Covid-19 NewsRestrictions imposed in areas at risk of a “public health crisis,” spokesperson says

    Restrictions imposed in areas at risk of a “public health crisis,” spokesperson says

    Disease control restrictions have tightened in Bangkok and surrounding provinces which are at risk of becoming a “public health crisis,” according to a Thai government spokesperson. The restrictions were published in the Royal Gazette over the weekend and went into effect today. Of the restrictions set for the next 30 days, restaurants in Bangkok and surrounding provinces are prohibited from…

  • Covid-19 NewsMonday Covid Update: 5,406 new cases; provincial totals

    Monday Covid Update: 5,406 new cases; provincial totals

    A significant uptick of 5,406 new Covid-19 cases was recorded today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, just as new restrictions are taking effect in Bangkok and other “dark red” provinces to curb the spread of the virus. Of the 249,853 Covid-19 cases recorded in Thailand since the start of the pandemic last year, the recent and most severe…

  • Covid-19 NewsAsymptomatic patients in Bangkok can self-isolate at home while waiting for hospital bed

    Asymptomatic patients in Bangkok can self-isolate at home while waiting for hospital bed

    Amid an ongoing shortage of hospital beds, the Medical Services Department has agreed that asymptomatic Covid-19 patients in the Bangkok area can self-isolate at home until a bed becomes available. According to a Thai PBS World report, department chief Somsak Akkasilp says each patient will be provided with a thermometer and oximeter, allowing them to monitor their symptoms. Patients considered…

  • Tourism NewsTourism Minister threatens to cancel travel stimulus if only some operators benefit

    Tourism Minister threatens to cancel travel stimulus if only some operators benefit

    Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister says if all operators cannot benefit from a domestic travel stimulus scheme, it may be cancelled. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says he will meet with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to ensure everyone in the sector can be helped by the scheme. According to the Bangkok Post, the government plans to launch the Tour Teaw Thai scheme…

  • Covid-19 NewsFirst case of Beta variant reported in Bangkok

    First case of Beta variant reported in Bangkok

    Bangkok has reported its first case of the Beta variant of Covid-19, originally detected in South Africa. According to a Bangkok Post report, the patient had contact with an infected person in the southern province of Narathiwat. Hundreds of cases of the Beta variant have already been reported in southern Thailand and are believed to have been imported from Malaysia.…