Thailand
- Crime News
Attackers of hospital emergency ward receive prison sentences
Attackers of a hospital’s emergency ward in July have received prison sentences from the Samut Prakan Court. The 2 men attacked medical staff at the emergency ward at Vibharam Chaiprakarn Hospital in Phra Pradaeng district, south of Bangkok, on the night of July 19. The incidents were due to 2 rival gangs fighting with members showing up at the hospital…
- Thailand News
74 Thais in quarantine after Burmese truck driver tests positive for Covid-19
74 Thais are now in quarantine after coming in close contact with 2 Burmese truck drivers, who had since tested positive for Covid-19, in Thailand’s northwestern Tak province. According to an unnamed, female doctor’s Facebook post yesterday, all 74 Thais were given PCR tests and told to enter home quarantine for at least 14 days, and are being monitored by Thai…
- Thailand News
2 new cases, Covid-19 update (Sunday)
Thailand’s CCSA has reported 2 new cases of Covid-19 today, with a Thai soldier returning from South Sudan included in the daily report of new cases. The total of Covid-19 positive cases in Thailand sits at 3,636 with reported deaths remaining unchanged at 59. The 36 year old Thai soldier tested positive on his 4th test on Friday after returning…
- Environment News
Bangkok residents not satisfied with floodwater management-Nida Poll
Bangkok residents are largely unsatisfied with the floodwater management in the capital, according to a recent poll. The National Institute of Development Administration conducted the poll on October 6-7 with 1,322 respondents from various levels of education and occupations. Almost 60% of people say they are not satisfied with 33% of those saying poor preparation and flood management contributed to…
- Thailand News
Bangkok police warn protesters not to block King’s motorcade in October 14 protest
Bangkok police are warning political demonstrators not to block His Majesty the King’s motorcade in their upcoming protest event on October 14. Thailand’s King is set to preside over the graduation ceremony for Level 6 and 9 Pali scholars at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Thailand’s deputy national police chief, Damrongsak Kittiprapat, says to cope with the demonstration, police…
- Economy News
Minor International Chairman calls for major overhaul of Thailand’s ASQ
Minor International’s outspoken Chairman, Bill Heinecke, has penned an open letter to Thailand’s Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul. The thrust of the letter is that the current ASQ and general quarantine requirements and restrictions, is making any recovery of the country’s tourism and hospitality industry. Minor hotels have already serviced 2,500 guest as part of the Thai government’s Alternative State…
- Thailand News
Rain with “strong winds” forecast for most of Thailand
Rain with strong winds are forecast for most of Thailand with “severe conditions” possible. As if we need to tell you. The Thailand Meteorological Department warns “those in risky areas to be aware of such conditions and advises ships to proceed with caution”. “Strong winds will blow over the Andaman Sea and upper Gulf with possible waves of 2-3 metres…
- Thailand News
Burmese truck driver tests positive for Covid in Tak province
A Burmese truck driver has tested positive for Covid-19 in Thailand’s northwestern province of Tak. The driver and his assistant arrived yesterday at a market in the Thai province’s Mae Sot district, to purchase goods to deliver to clients in the Myawaddi Township, just over the border in Myanmar. The Myawaddi governor says the driver was taken to a hospital…
- Politics News
Progressive Movement party to recruit 32 local candidates for December local elections
The Progressive Movement (code for “the-new-Future-Forward-party”), says it will recruit 32 local candidates for the upcoming December elections. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the movement’s leader, and former Future Forward Party MP, says more provinces could be added later to the Provincial Administrative Organisation election. The party will use the slogan “Changing Thailand starts at home” for its campaign. The Move Forward Party…
- Covid-19 News
Is it time for Thailand to restart its tourist industry? – SURVEY
It’s been 10 months since the first murmurings of a novel coronavirus emerged in China. Since then there’s been an unprecedented effort to control or contain the disease by governments around the world – some more successful in their efforts than others. Covid-19 has also had more words written about it, more conspiracy theories and more debate than any other…
- Thailand News
Thai berry-pickers from Sweden and Finland return home after salary windfall
Thai berry-pickers from Sweden and Finland have returned home after striking the jackpot during the prime picking season. The Thai labourers have reportedly earned almost 800 million baht in the last 3 months. Thailand’s Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin says the workers arrived back today and were happily not empty-handed. “Today, 895 Thai labourers returned home via Suvarnabhumi Airport, 365 of…
- Tourism News
“Low-risk” tourists could see quarantine period cut in half upon arrival
Low-risk tourists entering Thailand under the Special Tourist Visa could see mandatory quarantine period cut in half down to 7 days, according to the Public Health Ministry. Tanarak Plipat, the deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control under the ministry says the current quarantine system, however, must be “redesigned” if such measures are in place. “Seven-day quarantine is possible…
- Crime News
Phuket police to use hospital blood tests to confirm drivers’ alcohol levels
Phuket police are using hospital blood tests to confirm drivers’ alcohol levels after the national police chief suspended checkpoints due to “transparency issues”. Arayapan Pukbuakhao, the island’s police deputy commander, is warning that police will continue to arrest and charge drink drivers despite the absence of roadside tests. All roadside blood alcohol checkpoints were cancelled last weekend through to October…
- Thailand News
Thai woman arrested for offering fake visa services to hundreds of migrant workers
A 45 year old Thai woman has been arrested after offering fake visa services 10 hundreds of migrant workers, valued about 7 million baht. The woman, Wassana Wongkhamjan, was arrested at her house where police found around 40 passports and receipts inside. The house was the registered address of KPS Management Company. Wassana denied the public fraud charge saying she…
- Thailand News
Koh Chang hotel agrees to drop charges against American “if he issues public apology over his bad reviews”
A Koh Chang hotel has agreed to drop charges against an American if he issues a public apology over his bad TripAdvisor reviews. The American, Wesley Barnes, has agreed to the conditions put forward by Sea View Resort in exchange for avoiding up to 100,000 baht in fines and a possible jail time of up to 5 years. The hotel…
- Tourism News
“Tourists arriving on Special Tourist Visa must be 100% Covid-free” – Tourism minister
“If there’s even a single case, we cannot continue to the second phase.” Thailand’s sports and tourism minister of says the first phase tourists arriving under the Special Tourist Visa scheme must be 100% Covid-free. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says if this is not achieved, then the reopening plan will be halted indefinitely. Given the number of infections the have surfaced from Thai…
- South Thailand News
Pattani ranger volunteer killed in bomb explosion, 2 others shot in ambush
A ranger volunteer was killed from a bomb explosion after an ambush in Pattani’s Sai Buri district in Southern Thailand. Gunmen in the ambush shot and injured 2 volunteers. A team of officers protecting teachers were driving on motorcycles through the district when they were ambushed by gunmen, police say. The alleged gunmen opened fire on the group, shooting 33 year…
- Covid-19 News
Travellers from Thailand positive for Covid-19 in new saliva test at Japan airport
Over the past few weeks, 15 people who travelled to Japan from Thailand tested positive for Covid-19 in a new preliminary screening method, according to Thailand’s Department of Disease Control, or DDC. Laboratory testing was done to confirm the cases. Half of the cases came back negative in laboratory testing while 2 people tested positive in laboratory tests and 5…
- Thailand News
Cyber policy report: Royal Thai Army recruited Twitter to “cheerlead”
The Royal Thai Army used Twitter to “cheerlead” for the Army, criticise the Future Forward Party and neutralise criticism after February’s mass shooting where an Army soldier killed 30 people and injured 57 others, according to a cyber policy report. Twitter announced 926 accounts, linked to the Royal Thai Army, have now been suspended for violating the company’s “platform manipulation”…
- Thailand News
The myth of native English speaking teachers in Thailand – OPINION
OPINION from guest writer Dr. Mariano Carrera There is a myth in Thailand that one must learn English from a native speaker. Propagating this myth are the many beneficiaries of the practice, which does not include learners. Ignoring research that shows to learn English, one does not need a native English speaker (NES) only emphasises the myth-makers dominance. After all,…
- Thailand News
Twitter takes down 926 accounts linked to the Royal Thai Army
Twitter suspended 926 accounts that are linked to the Royal Thai Army for violating the social media company’s “platform manipulation” policies. They say the accounts were “amplifying pro-government propaganda” and engaging in behaviour that targeted political opposition figures. Altogether, Twitter permanently suspended 1,594 accounts from state-linked operations in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Thailand and Russia, the company announced yesterday. Thailand…
- Chiang Mai News
Chiang Mai police investigate elderly American’s death from apparent 7th storey fall
Police are investigating the death of an 85 year old American man who appeared to have fallen out a window of his 7th floor condominium. Officers say they do not suspect foul play and there are no signs of struggle. The man’s wife speculates that her husband may have fainted while cleaning the glass. Jerry Harris Bunker has lived in…
- Tourism News
Condé Nast Traveller ranks Thailand in Top 20 Best Countries in the World
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is delighted to announce that Thailand has ranked #7 in a ranking of the Top 20 Countries in the World by readers of Condé Nast Traveller in the 33rd Readers’ Choice Awards 2020. Some of Thailand’s most popular locations also scored well in the prestigious listing. Italy, Sri Lanka and Portugal scored the top 3…
- Visa Information
Foreign Ministry to work with Tourism Authority to speed up entry paperwork for foreigners
Foreign Ministry officials plan to coordinate with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to make the processing of international arrivals more efficient. The Bangkok Post reports that hundreds of foreigners are awaiting approval to enter the Kingdom, whether through the Special Tourist Visa scheme or as Elite Card holders, or one of the other handfuls of visa-type allowed to return to…
- Crime News
Woman arrested for allegedly running illegal fashion braces business
Police arrested a 30 year old woman for allegedly selling and fitting fashion teeth braces. Officers say they seized more than 600 fashion braces and dental tools from the woman’s home in Nakhon Pathom, a province west of Bangkok. Natsuda Sriwichian ran the business out of room at the Salaya Eua Arthorn apartments in the Sam Phran district, according to…
- Visa Information
Special Tourist Visa flight postponed, National Security Council confirms
After much confusion about when the group of Chinese tourists will arrive in Phuket, the secretary general of Thailand’s National Security Council confirmed that today’s flight has been deferred to October 25. Officials decided to postpone the flight and reschedule it after Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival is finished. The annual spectacle is known to draw large crowds. The council’s secretary general…
- Covid-19 News
7 new Covid-19 cases detected in quarantine, most asymptomatic
7 new Covid-19 cases have been detected in quarantine from those people entering Thailand via Suvarnabhumi Airport, plus 1 patient who appears to have contracted the virus for a second time. The cases come from Hungry, India, Kuwait, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and the US, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand now has a total…
- Bangkok News
Dive team searches for couple’s bodies in Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river
A dive team was sent to Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river early this morning to search for the bodies of 2 people who are believed to have been swept away by the river’s current. The current was so strong, divers had to stop their search until the water was more calm. The couple was seen walking to a pier by the…
- Crime News
Man arrested for alleged involvement in tiger carcass sale
A 70 year old man was arrested for alleged involvement in the illegal wildlife trade. Yusup Sae Ma has been wanted since 2015 for his alleged role in the sale of a tiger carcass. Back in 2015, police at a checkpoint in Tak’s Mae Sot district found a female tiger carcass in a foam box in the trunk of a car…
- Visa Information
Covid-19 testing units ready for tourists at Phuket International Airport
Covid-19 mobile testing units are now stationed at the Phuket International Airport, ready to test foreign tourists, but there’s been some confusion exactly when they will arrive. Foreign tourists on the Special Tourist Visa were set to fly in from Guangzhou, China and arrive in Phuket today, then the Phuket governor said the trip is postponed, and then the Thai…
