Thailand
- Covid-19 News
Leading doctor says Thailand’s Covid success faces threat from rising cases in neighbouring countries
A leading academic at Mahidol University says rising cases of Covid-19 in neighbouring countries may prove a threat to Thailand’s apparent success in suppressing the virus. Prasit Watthana, dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Siriroj Hospital, says that while countries like Singapore, South Korea, and Australia have demonstrated success in bringing the virus under control, rising numbers in Malaysia and…
- Tourism News
Tourism Minister optimistic high season will see 10 million domestic trips a month
The Tourism and Sports Minister is aiming to see domestic tourists undertake 10 million trips a month during the forthcoming high season. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn is hopeful the stimulus measures approved by Cabinet will boost tourism numbers and help off-set some of the economic devastation caused by the closure of Thailand’s borders. Domestic tourism first began to pick up in May,…
- Crime News
Police arrest man for allegedly hiring a 9 year old boy to deliver drugs
Police arrested a man for allegedly hiring a 9 year old boy to help him deliver illicit drugs. Weerasak Khongsuk from Buriram was charged with drug possession and inciting youth to commit crimes. Weerasak would allegedly pay the child up to 300 baht per delivery. The pay would depend on the amount of drugs the boy was delivering. Police say…
- Crime News
Committee forms to investigate fatal shooting by police officer
Following outrage from locals over the killing of drug suspect by police, an investigation panel has been set up to look into the fatal shooting. 10 police officers, acting on an arrest warrant, surrounded 31 year old Charoensak Rachpumad at a rubber plantation in Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Ron Phibun district. Witnesses say Charoensak, who only had a small knife, was…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Temperatures to drop in Northern Thailand, heavy rain expected in the South
The wettest month of the Thai seasons has past. Now we head into cooler, and drier weather, at least in the central and northern regions. Cooler weather is expected in Northern Thailand while a monsoonal trough over Southern Thailand is expected to bring heavy rain, according to the Thai Meteorological Department. Meteorologists say cool weather with isolated rain is possible…
- Crime News
2 alleged drug traffickers killed in shoot off with task force officers
Special task force officers shot and killed 2 men suspected of drug trafficking in a shoot off in Chiang Rai’s Mae Fa Luang district during a 2-day drug suppression operation in 3 provinces. Altogether, authorities seized more than 9 million methamphetamine pills and arrested 2 men on drug trafficking charges. In Chiang Rai, soldiers from the Pha Muang task force…
- Phuket News
PM calls for long-term plans to revitalise Phuket and Koh Samui
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is calling for long-term plans to rehabilitate Thailand’s tourist destinations following his visit to Koh Samui and Phuket where he saw first hand how the Covid-19 pandemic affected both islands. Prayut says conditions at Phuket are much more drastic as the province heavily relies on international travel. The prime minister says Phuket generates the second-highest income from…
- Phuket News
Empty Emirates plane lands in Phuket, first international flight since lockdown
An empty Emirates Airlines plane landed at the Phuket International Airport, the first international arrival at the airport since the Covid-19 lockdown was put in place 7 months ago. While no passengers were onboard the aircraft, flight EK376 was welcomed by a “water cannon salute” and landed while PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was visiting the airport, according to a Facebook post…
- Crime News
2 dead, 1 injured in suspected murder-suicide in Samut Prakan
A man allegedly shot and killed a woman before shooting himself to death after finding her in bed with another man. Police say the other man was shot and injured as he was fleeing the Samut Prakan apartment. Police were called to the second floor apartment above a boat noodle shop and found the owner of the shop, identified as…
- Covid-19 News
Hotels reluctant to apply for ASQ status due to government’s cap on tourist arrivals
With the number of foreign arrivals who can enter Thailand on the special tourist visa limited to just 1,200 a month, hotel owners say they’re reluctant to apply for alternative state quarantine status. Hoteliers say a lack of tourists in sufficient numbers, coupled with the number of quarantine facilities already in existence, means the investment required to gain ASQ approval…
- Thailand News
Sarasas teacher sentenced to 7 months in jail for child abuse
The Sarasas teacher who was caught on camera abusing kindergarten students has been sentenced to 7 months in jail. An investigation was launched and charges were pressed after classroom surveillance footage showing the child abuse was obtained by parents and shared on social media. More child abuse accusations at the Sarasas Witaed Ratchaphruek School followed and an investigation was launched…
- Thailand News
Thai Airways offers ‘semi-commercial’ flights to 7 international destinations
After a major slowdown in both international and domestic travel due to coronavirus travel restrictions, Thai Airways is now offering flights to and from 7 international destinations over the next 2 months, according to the airline’s chief executive Wiwat Piyawirot. These flights are “semi-commercial.” Wiwat says return flights are intended for Thais returning home from overseas, those with families in…
- Thailand News
“Get the flu shot,” Thai FDA eases worries after post-injection deaths in South Korea
Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration is trying to ease the public’s fears over influenza vaccines after 59 people in South Korea reportedly died sometime after getting the flu shot (although there’s no evidence so far that links the vaccine to the deaths.) FDA deputy secretary general Surachoke Tangwiwat says that vaccine has never been imported to Thailand, adding that people…
- Pattaya News
Live grenade found in garbage pile near Chon Buri housing estate
A man found a live grenade in a garbage pile near a Chon Buri housing estate. 48 year old Sukhawut Wichada said he was looking around the area for papaya when he came across the grenade. “I was searching for papaya before I found this… I knew it was a grenade. I ran away before calling the police.” Both police…
- Covid-19 News
3 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, all asymptomatic
3 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. All were reported as asymptomatic. The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Thailand is now 3,787 with 3,595 recoveries and 59 deaths. 133 people are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. A 34 year old Thai woman travelling from Sweden tested positive…
- Phuket News
Phuket is “100% ready” for Special Tourist Visa flights – Transport Minister
The Phuket International Airport is ready for international tourists. The airport has been preparing for weeks and initially expected a group foreigners on the new Special Tourist Visa to arrive last month. Covid-19 mobile testing vehicles were even sent to the airport in early October, prepared to test all the tourists upon arrival, but the travel plans were cancelled last…
- Thailand Weather Updates
3 people missing after being swept away by flash flooding in Prachinburi
A Highways Department official and 2 villagers are missing in the eastern province of Prachinburi, after they were swept away by strong currents caused by heavy flooding. Thai PBS World reports that heavy rain resulted in water runoffs from mountains in Khao Yai and Tap Larn national parks, leading to flash floods. 32 provinces were on alert after heavy rains…
- Thailand News
Fuel tanker driver killed in crash, truck engulfed in flames
A fuel tanker truck driver died yesterday in the northern province Lamphun after crashing into a car. The truck carrying fuel overturned and caught fire. 59 year old Nikom Kamchan’s body was found near the wreck after firefighters extinguished the fire. It’s the second fuel tanker fire in the past week. 29 year old Patcharin Somsawan says he was driving…
- Tourism News
Answering the question, who will fight for Phuket’?
OPINION by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com Thailand’s tourism industry is sadly at the short end of the stick as policies gyrate over the reopening of the country to international travellers, yet no single province has more to lose than the resort island of Phuket. Phuket’s economic engine is leveraged on tourism. It’s a place where on a combined basis, one…
- Thailand News
It’s beetle fighting season in Northern Thailand
It’s fight season … for Rhinoceros Beetles. The bugs battle on a wooden stage. Their horns lock as they push against each other until one backs down. People watch and place bets. Some wagers are as high as 100,000 baht. From the start of wet season until winter, locals in northern provinces Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Lampang gather for…
- Tourism News
Suvarnabhumi’s new terminal ready for 2022
The extension of the Suvarnabhumi terminal will be operational by the start of 2022, according to Thai transport minister Saksayam Chidchop. The new Satellite Terminal 1 at Suvarnabhumi International Airport will increase the total capacity of Thailand’s largest airport terminal by 15 million passengers a year, allowing the total airport capacity to cope with traffic up to 90 million per…
- Economy News
Free Trade Agreement talks continue between Thailand and EU
Thailand is resuming trade talks with the European Union on the long-delayed Thai-EU free trade agreement. The 15th Thai-EU Senior Officials’ conference was held virtually between leading Thai and European trade officials this week. The push was on to have the Free Trade Agreement signed and sealed by the end of this year. Discussions were held regarding the ongoing affects…
- Tourism News
From tourist heroes to zero – how the world’s former tourist magnets are coping
If over-tourism became the buzzword in the travel industry in 2019, the opposite applies in 2020 when most of the world’s most popular tourist magnets are now facing a genuine economic crisis, forced on them by government closures and a risk-averse travel public, most of whom are prevented from travel beyond their own borders. We visit Dubrovnik, Santorini, Ibiza, Barcelona,…
- Tourism News
Ang Thong National Park – Thailand’s most beautiful islands?
Today Manit takes you to Thailand’s second-largest island Koh Samui and then on to the stunning Ang Thong National Marine Park off the coast of Surat Thani in the Gulf of Thailand to seek the answer to the question… are the Ang Thong National Marine Park islands Thailand’s most beautiful. Then we will explore a magnificent turquoise lagoon, enjoy paddling…
- Thailand News
Lockdown may contribute to Thailand’s rise in dengue fever cases, study suggests
Social distancing and lockdown measures may have contributed to a rise in dengue fever in Thailand, according to a recent study funded by the Singapore Ministry of Health’s National Medical Research Council. Researchers, which included scientists from the University of Singapore, examined dengue fever cases in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. No impact on the dengue transmission was found in Malaysia…
- Thailand News
Man arrested for allegedly driving with monitor lizards tied to his motorbike
A man was arrested on animal abuse charges for allegedly catching water monitor lizards, tying them to his motorbike and driving around Prachuap Khri Khan, south of Phetchaburi province. The man, who is identified as Chaowalit, posted photos on Facebook of lizards tied up to the back of his motorbike. One photo shows a large monitor lizard tied up to…
- Covid-19 News
12 new Covid-19 cases in Thai quarantine
12 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The total number of confirmed cases is raised to 3,775 with 3,585 recoveries and 59 deaths. 131 are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. Here’s a list of the cases identified in the past 24 hours… 4 Thai people, ages 26, 30, 42…
- Phuket News
Phuket tops travel destination list of cheapest hotel prices – Dertour 2020 Price Index
Phuket tops a list of the cheapest travel destinations with a 1 night stay at a hotel costing on average less than $30 USD, according to a study by the German travel company Dertour. Phuket is going through what some say is a “crisis”, certainly a current tourist vacuum. The island province largely relies on income from foreign tourists, but…
- Visa Information
Some immigration offices open tomorrow for last minute visa extensions
The latest amnesty is up tomorrow (October 31) and some immigration offices will be open for those who still need to apply for visa extensions. Those who miss the deadline could face fines for overstay, immigration officials warn. The extensions all go into effect on November 1 and allow a 60 day stay. Some immigration offices that are typically closed…
- Crime News
Police arrest woman for allegedly selling fashion dental retainers
Police arrested a woman for allegedly selling and fitting fashion dental retainers and braces. They seized equipment used for making dental casts and retainers found at her home in Ratchaburi and charged 27 year old Mukda Luanrod with illegally fitting fashion dental retainers. The woman has allegedly been selling the retainers on a Facebook page under the name “Cherdchu Retainer”…
