Thailand

  • Covid-19 NewsMedical examiners investigate death of woman who died after Covid-19 vaccination

    Medical examiners investigate death of woman who died after Covid-19 vaccination

    Health officials are investigating the death of a 46 year old woman in Bangkok who died after she was injected with the Covid-19 vaccine. The woman was injected with the AstraZeneca vaccine yesterday and died just after midnight today. The woman was inoculated yesterday at the Thai Business Administration Technological College, her niece told police. When she got home, she…

  • Covid-19 NewsWednesday Covid Update: 2,669 new cases, provincial totals

    Wednesday Covid Update: 2,669 new cases, provincial totals

    Although the daily Covid count remains high, with 2,680 new Covid-19 cases and 35 coronavirus-related deaths reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, the number of active cases have decreased. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Natapanu Nopakun, who gives the daily Covid situation report in English, says that today more recoveries were reported than new cases, with the…

  • South Thailand NewsBurmese migrants headed toward Malaysia arrested in Songkhla

    Burmese migrants headed toward Malaysia arrested in Songkhla

    Police arrest a group of Burmese migrants and an alleged guide from Myanmar in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district. Officers say the guide was leading the migrants from Moulmein, a city on Myanmar’s western coast, then across the Thai border to the southern province Ranong, headed toward Malaysia where they had jobs lined up. The migrants allegedly told police that they…

  • Crime NewsJustice Minister says Thailand is a major transit point in the illicit drug trade

    Justice Minister says Thailand is a major transit point in the illicit drug trade

    Thailand is a major transit point in the transnational illicit drug trade, particularly crystal methamphetamine and heroin, with many routes destined for various countries, according to Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin. Due to the strict penalties for illegal drug production, Thailand is rarely used as a base to produce methamphetamine and heroin, the minister says. Most of the drugs are produced…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand to get 20 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, 5 million Johnson & Johnson doses

    Thailand to get 20 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, 5 million Johnson & Johnson doses

    The Thai government is ordering 20 million doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, along with 5 million of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. Thai PBS World reports that deliveries are expected in the second half of the year. The Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, and Nattaphon Narkpanich, chair of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, says the Pfizer and…

  • Covid-19 NewsWednesday Covid Update: 2,680 new cases and 35 deaths

    Wednesday Covid Update: 2,680 new cases and 35 deaths

    2,680 new Covid-19 cases and 35 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, the latest wave of infections, 156,365 Covid infections have been reported in Thailand. Out of the new cases reported today, 280 were in Thai prisons. In the latest wave of infections, around 30,000 inmates have tested positive for Covid-19.…

  • Phuket NewsAs the clock ticks down, Phuket’s sandbox plan moves a step closer to approval

    As the clock ticks down, Phuket’s sandbox plan moves a step closer to approval

    The Thai PM says the cabinet has agreed in principle to the Phuket sandbox scheme, which will see the southern island re-open to vaccinated tourists from July 1. Quarantine will be waived for fully vaccinated international arrivals from a yet-to-be-determined list of “safe” countries. However, they will have to spend 14 days on the island before being allowed to travel…

  • Covid-19 NewsThai PM apologises for delays in vaccination rollout

    Thai PM apologises for delays in vaccination rollout

    Sorry seems to be the hardest word… Or so the song goes. But the Thai PM has managed it (admittedly some would say it took a while). Prayut Chan-o-cha has apologised for the hiccups with the national vaccine rollout, admitting yesterday that there had been delays. The Bangkok Post reports that the PM insists the situation will improve with the…

  • Thailand News28 year old Australian man found dead near Krabi island last week

    28 year old Australian man found dead near Krabi island last week

    Thai police are investigating the death of a 28 year old Australian man who was found dead last week by Koh Pu, a small island in Krabi near Koh Lanta. Robert Wojcik, a Sydney native who had lived in Thailand since late 2019 working as a divemaster, took his boat out on June 1. When he did not come home…

  • Covid-19 NewsTuesday Covid Update: 2,662 new cases and 28 deaths, provincial totals

    Tuesday Covid Update: 2,662 new cases and 28 deaths, provincial totals

    2,662 new Covid-19 cases and 28 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, the start of the latest wave of infections in Thailand, the CCSA has reported 153,685 Covid-19 cases. Out of the new cases reported today, 534 were reported in correctional facilities. Over the past month, more than a dozen Thai…

  • Thailand NewsPolice raid Hat Yai restaurant and arrest 10 people for drinking alcohol

    Police raid Hat Yai restaurant and arrest 10 people for drinking alcohol

    Police arrested 10 people for gathering and drinking alcohol in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district, a violation of the local disease control measures banning alcohol consumption at restaurants. A local had called police reporting people were having a party at the restaurant last night. Hat Yai district chief Chawakit Suwankhiri says police went to the Khru Pattakhan Ban Thung restaurant immediately…

  • Tourism NewsKoh Samui set to reopen on July 1, 50% of residents vaccinated so far

    Koh Samui set to reopen on July 1, 50% of residents vaccinated so far

    Koh Samui is hoping to also reopen to vaccinated foreign tourists on July 1. At this stage it’s a proposal that will need to be approved by the CESA and CCSA. So far, 57,000 residents on the popular Gulf of Thailand island have been vaccinated, making up 50% of the population on Koh Samui, according to the president of the…

  • Thailand NewsBillionaire couple in Koh Tao drowned, preliminary autopsy results show

    Billionaire couple in Koh Tao drowned, preliminary autopsy results show

    A preliminary autopsy results suggest the billionaire couple died from drowning at the Koh Tao resort pool. Water was found in both their lungs and medical examiners at the Police General Hospital say the couple died from lack of oxygen. More tests are being done and police are still investigating. Last Friday, the Thai-Indian couple Anshoo and Rakeshwar Sachatamakul, 55…

  • Visa InformationFinance Ministry challenges tax cut proposal for holders of new long-stay visa

    Finance Ministry challenges tax cut proposal for holders of new long-stay visa

    A proposal to introduce a long-stay visa for 4 target groups of foreigners has already hit a hitch, with the Finance Ministry pushing back against a suggested tax rate of 17% on local earnings. The ministry argues that the reduced rate will affect government revenue. Under the proposal, wealthy foreign nationals could apply for a special visa that would permit…

  • Chiang Mai NewsChiang Mai applies to implement sandbox re-opening from August 1

    Chiang Mai applies to implement sandbox re-opening from August 1

    Officials in the northern province of Chiang Mai will be watching Phuket’s July 1 re-opening carefully, as they seek to follow suit a month later. The southern island will re-open to fully vaccinated tourists from qualifying countries in just over 3 weeks’ time and Chiang Mai hopes to do the same from August 1. The sandbox program is the Thai…

  • World NewsThailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses concern over violence in Myanmar

    Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses concern over violence in Myanmar

    With more than 850 people killed by security forces since the February military coup in Myanmar, and the junta’s ongoing clashes with ethnic troops and rebel fighters, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement expressing concern over the violence in the neighbouring country. Along with reiterating the call to end violence and the release of detainees, the ministry’s spokesperson…

  • Thailand News235 people in 10 Thai provinces infected with Covid variant first found in India

    235 people in 10 Thai provinces infected with Covid variant first found in India

    235 people in 10 of Thailand’s 77 provinces have tested positive for the Covid-19 variant first found in India. Most of the cases are linked to an outbreak at a construction camp in Bangkok’s Laksi district. Thailand’s Department of Medical Sciences tested samples from 3,964 Covid-19 patients to detect mutated variants of the virus. 235 of the samples were positive…

  • ExpatsMass vaccination campaign starts today, first phase includes foreigners in “at risk” groups

    Mass vaccination campaign starts today, first phase includes foreigners in “at risk” groups

    “All foreign nationals on Thai soil are included in the national vaccination programme.” Thailand’s nationwide mass Covid-19 vaccination campaign officially started today. For foreigners living in Thailand, those who are 60 years old and above as well as those with certain underlying health conditions, will be given priority during this phase of vaccinations. In Phuket and Koh Samui, tourist destinations…

  • Covid-19 NewsMonday Covid Update: 2,419 cases and 33 deaths, provincial totals

    Monday Covid Update: 2,419 cases and 33 deaths, provincial totals

    2,419 new Covid-19 cases and 33 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising Thailand’s cumulative case count since the start of the pandemic last year to 179,516 and the death toll to 1,269. Since April 1, the latest wave of infections, the CCSA has reported a total of 151,023 Covid-19 infections. Thailand now has 49,101 active…

  • Crime NewsThai-Myanmar border patrol tightens, 11 Burmese migrants caught hiding in containers

    Thai-Myanmar border patrol tightens, 11 Burmese migrants caught hiding in containers

    In the latest bust by border patrol, officers searched a pickup truck and found 11 Burmese migrants hiding in plastic containers. Over the past few months, dozens of Burmese migrants have been caught in Kanchanaburi for allegedly crossing the Myanmar border illegally, evading checkpoint screening and the mandatory 14 day quarantine for those entering the country. Many migrants who have…

  • Bangkok NewsTaxi driver arrested for allegedly stealing from Australian man in Bangkok

    Taxi driver arrested for allegedly stealing from Australian man in Bangkok

    Police arrested a taxi driver who allegedly stole thousands of baht and Australian dollars from an Australian man back in May 2018. The Australian had hired a taxi to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. When he got out, he realised that not only his passport was missing, but 40,000 baht and AUD$4,000 were also gone. Surveillance camera footage shows the man getting…

  • Covid-19 NewsPrivate hospitals in Thailand to confirm price of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine today

    Private hospitals in Thailand to confirm price of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine today

    The Private Hospital Association is expected to confirm the price of the Covid-19 Moderna vaccine, which will be provided as a paid alternative outside of the government rollout. The Moderna vaccine has been approved by Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration and will be made available for purchase at private hospitals. According to a Pattaya News report, Paiboon Eksaengsri from the…

  • Pattaya NewsForeign driver detained following alleged road rage incident in Pattaya

    Foreign driver detained following alleged road rage incident in Pattaya

    A foreign national has been detained in Pattaya, accused of reckless driving and road rage that caused significant damage to other vehicles. According to the Pattaya News, the incident occurred on Saturday night, when a black vehicle was seen bumping into and dragging 2 other vehicles along a road in the Banglamung district. Witnesses alerted the police, who arrived on…

  • Covid-19 NewsHealth Ministry insists supply issues won’t affect vaccine rollout

    Health Ministry insists supply issues won’t affect vaccine rollout

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry says the country’s vaccine rollout will begin today, with 2 priority groups: the elderly and those with 7 underlying health conditions. The Deputy Minister of Public Health, Sathit Pitutecha, acknowledges that many hospitals around the country have postponed vaccination appointments scheduled for today over concerns they had not received enough vaccine doses. “We are aware of…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid UPDATE Sunday: 2,671 new infections and 23 deaths, provincial totals

    Covid UPDATE Sunday: 2,671 new infections and 23 deaths, provincial totals

    There has been another 2,671 new infections of Covid-19 detected across Thailand in the past 24 hours. There’s also been 23 deaths. 604 cases were detected in Thai prisons. Most of the current outbreaks continue to be around Bangkok and its immediate provinces. Bangkok registered 675 cases yesterday. Provincial totals below… GRAPH: worldometers.info • A recent survey, conducted by the Centre…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid UPDATE Sunday: 2,671 new infections and 23 deaths

    Covid UPDATE Sunday: 2,671 new infections and 23 deaths

    There has been another 2,671 new infections of Covid-19 detected across Thailand in the past 24 hours. There’s also been 23 deaths. 604 cases were detected in Thai prisons. Thailand has now registered a total of 148,604 cases, the vast majority since the start of April in what’s being called the third wave, which emerged from the bars, nightclubs and…

  • Covid-19 NewsWhich Thai provinces have been the hardest hit by Covid?

    Which Thai provinces have been the hardest hit by Covid?

    As Thailand starts to ramp up its vaccination, especially in the hardest hit provinces, we ask which ARE the hardest hit provinces? The third wave of Covid-19 around Thailand has had the most pronounced affect on the Kingdom and is now threatening the re-opening of the country to general travel – starting with the Phuket Sandbox on July 1. Here’s…

  • South Thailand NewsPolice arrest suspect who allegedly sold assault rifles stolen from military base

    Police arrest suspect who allegedly sold assault rifles stolen from military base

    Officers in Thailand’s Deep South have arrested a man for allegedly selling assault rifles that were stolen from a military base in Narathiwat, a province by the Malaysian border with ongoing violence from the religious separatist insurgency. 6 out of the 26 AK102 assault rifles stolen from the the 4th Army Area base have been found. Earlier reports said 28 assault…

  • Bangkok NewsChulabhorn Royal Academy receives no vaccines from government, postpones first doses

    Chulabhorn Royal Academy receives no vaccines from government, postpones first doses

    Bangkok’s Chulabhorn Royal Academy says it has to postpone its planned administration of first doses as the Thai government has not allocated it any supplies of the AstraZeneca or Sinovac vaccines. The academy, which is sponsored by Princess Chulabhorn, sister of His Majesty, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, says the administration of first doses will be stopped from June 14. However, those…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid-19 vaccination to be delayed in provinces with low infection rates

    Covid-19 vaccination to be delayed in provinces with low infection rates

    Several Thai provinces with low infection rates have had to delay their Covid-19 vaccine rollout after receiving fewer doses than expected. The Bangkok Post reports that the Public Health Ministry has cut the vaccine allocation of provinces that have reported substantially lower infection rates. However, Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Health Ministry says 2 million doses of both Sinovac and the…