Thailand
- Northern Thailand News
800+ people found in close contact with an infected food vendor in Nakhon Phanom
Local disease control workers are continuing to track and trace Covid-19 infections at several villages in the That Phanom district of Nakhon Phanom, north eastern Thailand. The areas were locked down after a 51 year old local food vendor tested positive for Covid-19 and more than 800 people were reported to have had contact with the infected person. According to…
- Thailand News
Banned politician says government silencing him by invoking Lese Majeste law
A banned politician, who criticised the government’s Covid-19 vaccine plan, is claiming the government is silencing him (again) by invoking the Lese Majeste law against him. The alleged defamation case concerns his questioning of using one of the king’s companies as part of the Covid-19 vaccine strategy that he says will slow down the process of inoculations. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit accused…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Gambling crackdown, Seafood market to reopen, Vlogger challenge | Jan 21
In a nationwide crackdown on gambling, police in the Isaan province Khon Kaen raided a warehouse and seized more than 400 slot machines. Acting on a court warrant, police searched the warehouse. The locks on the door had been changed and police had to break into the warehouse. Inside, canvases covered 418 slot machines. Police say the machines were “plug…
- Covid-19 News
Pattaya hotels take food to the streets in bid to survive
Pattaya’s hotels are taking their restaurants to the streets by offering food stalls outside and delivery in a bid to save their businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. Such changes in their attempts to avoid closing, come as city officials say they will use funds to spruce up the city for Chinese New Years on February 12. As Chonburi province is…
- Tourism News
Pattaya cleaning up its Walking Street act in time for Chinese New Year
Pattaya City is planning to clean up its Walking Street act in time for the upcoming Chinese New Year. But, as the second wave of Covid-19 mostly destroyed what was left of any foreign or domestic tourism, it might all be in vain. Thousands of businesses remain closed due to Chon Buri province being a “highly controlled” Covid-19 zone, which effectively…
- Thailand News
Tower Of Babble – Have your say on The Thaiger – January 21
Tower of Babble is where we read some of your comments made on The Thaiger YouTube videos, as well as our website thethaiger.com and Facebook page. Some are insightful, some are interesting, some need to be shared! And some are just plain funny. If you leave a comment under any of our videos it may be shared on our Tower…
- Environment News
Air pollution in Bangkok expected to get worse due to “cold spell”
Air pollution in Bangkok is expected to get worse over the next few days as pollutants are getting trapped in the atmosphere thanks to a recent cold spell and a lack of wind to blow the haze away from the city. In response to the unhealthy air pollution, The PM’s Office permanent secretary says he has asked several ministries to…
- Thailand News
210 billion baht stimulus confirmed for “Rao Chana”
A budget of 210 billion baht of stimulus handouts to help financially-affected people from the Covid-19 outbreak, has been confirmed and ready to be distributed to 31 million people. Each applicant in the project will get 7,000 over 2 months, but not in cash. They will only get money transferred via the “Pao Tang” app once subscribing to the website…
- Thailand News
Samut Sakhon governor remains on ventilator with serious lung infection after Covid-19
After nearly recovering from Covid-19, the Samut Sakhon governor was diagnosed with a bacterial infection in his lungs and now remains on a ventilator after nearly a month of the breathing treatment. Doctors are now doing hourly checks to monitor governor Verasak Vichitsangsri’s condition. While the 58 year old governor’s Covid-19 infection has subsided, the virus negatively affected his lung…
- Covid-19 News
CCSA Update: 59 new Covid-19 cases and 1 death
The new wave of cases has been on a downward slope in recent weeks. Today’s count of 59 new Covid-19 cases is the lowest daily count since mid-December. A coronavirus-related death was also reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. A 48 year old Thai woman died after testing positive for Covid-19. The woman worked as…
- Economy News
Shoppers disgruntled as registration for co-payment scheme fills up in 10 minutes
Social media users are up in arms after registration for the government’s Kon La Khreung (“Let’s Go Halves”) co-payment scheme filled up within 10 minutes. The scheme, first introduced as an economic stimulus measure in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, gives shoppers 50% off the purchase of everyday items, up to 150 baht a day and capped at 3,500…
- Thailand News
Amnesty International condemns “shocking” 87-year sentence for lèse majesté offences
Amnesty International has roundly denounced Thailand’s sentencing of a 65 year old woman to 87 years’ imprisonment for the offence of lèse majesté and violation of the Computer Crimes Act. Nation Thailand reports that the sentencing has also been condemned by Human Rights Watch, who described it as, “a spine-chilling signal that not only criticisms of the monarchy won’t be…
- Thailand Protest News
Security guard slaps student for displaying protest sign at Bangkok mall – VIDEO
A security guard at the luxury Iconsiam shopping mall in Bangkok has slapped a student activist after she held up a protest sign at the facility. The confrontation occurred at around 2.30pm yesterday, when the Thammasat University student displayed a sign that read, “You monopolised the vaccine so the Monarchy could take the credit.” The student, named as 21 year…
- Bangkok News
Man arrested for allegedly importing millions of fake designer sunglasses
A 42 year old Chinese man was arrested for allegedly importing fake designer sunglasses after police raided 2 locations in Bangkok’s Thonburi area and seized 3 million pairs of fake designer sunglasses worth around 300 million baht. Officers from the Department of Special Investigation raided multiple rooms at the Dao Khanong Condominium and the BMC Dao Khanong Cinema. The department…
- Crime News
Police shoot and kill man suspected of dealing “K-powdered milk”
A man suspected of selling the ketamine-based drug cocktail, which is said to be tied to at least 10 deaths in Bangkok, was shot and killed in a shootout with police in Nakhon Pathom, just west of the capital. The narcotic cocktail, known as “K powdered milk,” is ketamine laced with methamphetamine, heroin and the anti-anxiety medication diazepam, all crushed…
- Covid-19 News
AstraZeneca vaccine could be approved for emergency use in Thailand this week
Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration is likely to approve a Covid-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca in partnership with Oxford University as early as this week. The vaccine, already given the go-ahead in the US and UK, would be approved for emergency use, with administration likely to begin next month. Healthcare workers and those with underlying conditions will be prioritised. Opas…
- Tourism News
The Thai government threw a tourist party (sound of crickets) | VIDEO
The Thai Government, flushed with the success of their containment of Covid-19, decided to market the Land of Smiles to the world as the safe place to travel. With the annual wet season starting to weaken the tourists would flock back to the S E Asian country that had such a remarkable success containing, then almost eradicating itself, of the…
- Thailand News
SRT studies alternative plans for Bang Sue Grand Station after no show of interested bidders
There seems to be little interest in the new Bang Sue Grand Station project, which is planned to be Thailand’s new railway hub in place of Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Railway Station and the largest railway station is Southeast Asia. Bidding for the station’s Plot A opened 3 weeks ago, with envelopes each costing 500,000 baht, but not one was sold.…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Covid testing for visas, Business impact, Vaccine approval | January 19
Confusion reigns today over if Covid-19 tests will be required for visa extensions. While Phuket News spoke with an immigration official who said “no… you don’t need a Covid-19 test to extend your visa or apply for a work permit”, Khaosod English wrote an article headlined “Covid-19 test will be mandatory for all visa extension”. The Thaiger also contacted a…
- Thailand News
Thai FDA files complaint against TV celebrity for false advertising
A well-known TV host in Thailand is under fire after she made advertisements saying health supplement products could change a person’s face shape and even help people recover from Covid-19. The Thai Food and Drug Administration filed a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division against TV star Patcharasri “Kalamare” Benjamach for false advertising. Kalamare advertised Botera “power shots.” The drinks…
- Visa Information
UPDATE: Confusion over Covid-19 tests for visa extensions
UPDATE: Khaosod English removed a story on Covid-19 tests for those seeking visa extensions and replaced it with the article “Immigration backtracks on plan to require Covid-19 test for visa extensions.” They say the previous report sparked uproar among expats and immigration police spokesperson has since apologised for the misunderstanding. Original article… Confusion reigns today over whether Covid-19 tests will…
- Covid-19 News
Outbreak in Samut Sakhon is “worrying,” CCSA spokesperson says
While the number of daily new Covid-19 cases continues to drop, health officials are still scrambling to contain the virus in the prime hotspot: Samut Sakhon. The outbreak in the coastal fishing province is “worrying,” according to Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration spokesperson Taweesilp Visanuyothin. Health officials rolled out a proactive mass testing campaign after a spike of Covid-19 cases…
- Visa Information
Man arrested for allegedly overstaying 60 day tourist visa by 7 years
Immigration police arrested a 40 year old Nigerian man for allegedly overstaying his visa by 2,683 days. The man entered Thailand in April 2014 on a 60 day tourist visa. He was arrested in in Ratchathewi district of Bangkok. Illegal immigration is considered as a major factor of the second wave of Covid-19 after the outbreak Samut Sakhon seafood market…
- Thailand News
Tower of Babble, commenting about your comments – Tuesday, January 19 | VIDEO
Tower of Babble is where we read some of your comments made on The Thaiger YouTube videos, as well as our website thethaiger.com and Facebook page. Some are insightful, some are interesting, some need to be shared! And some are just plain funny. If you leave a comment under any of our videos it may be shared on our Tower…
- Pattaya News
Chon Buri records no new Covid-19 infections for first time in 3 weeks
For the first time in 3 weeks, since it was hit by the resurgence of Covid-19 in late December, the eastern province of Chon Buri has recorded no new cases. It comes after weeks of restrictions and the closure of businesses, including nightlife and entertainment venues. The provincial Department of Public Health confirmed the positive development, which is being attributed…
- Thailand News
Research shows home-learning causes 50% drop in mathematical ability among Thai students
Research shows that online learning causes a 50% drop in mathematical comprehension, and a 30% drop in reading literacy among Thai students. Research presented by the government’s Equitable Education Fund indicates that months of home-learning cannot match in-school study and in fact, can cause a deterioration in students’ ability. With schools currently closed in 28 Thai provinces, thousands of children…
- Covid-19 News
PM instructs Samut Sakhon officials to check employers are not hiring illegal workers
With the number of Covid-19 infections among migrant workers in Samut Sakhon failing to go down, the PM has instructed officials to make sure companies are not still hiring illegal workers. Prayut Chan-o-cha spoke to deputy governor Surasak Pholyangsong by video conference from Government House yesterday. The central province of Samut Sakhon is considered the epicentre of Thailand’s second wave…
- Thailand News
Government in control of Mor Chana app, says user data will be kept private
The Thai government is taking full control of the Mor Chana application, which is used to trace Covid-19 infections and alert users if they are in a high risk area. The Digital Economy and Society Minister says the government will still be working closely with the app developers, adding that users can be assured that their data will be kept…
- Covid-19 News
Visitors to Phuket from “highest risk” areas must show Covid-19 test results
People arriving Phuket from the “highest risk” areas are required to take a swab test by the staff at emergency operation centres (EOC) or show the test result document endorsed by the EOC staff made within 72 hours of their arrival. The revised order is effective from now until January 31, according to the Phuket Governor. Those people who are…
- Thailand News
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha considers legalising gambling
In the midst of a nationwide crackdown on gambling, an effort driven to contain Covid-19 by stopping the illegal gatherings after an outbreak at a Rayong gambling den, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says now he will consider the legalisation of gambling. He says he’ll start by staging discussions about the pros and cons. In the recent wave of Covid-19, major clusters…
