Thailand
- Covid-19 News
PM to host Covid task force meeting as officials say no plans for national lockdown
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will host a special meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration today, to debate potential additional disease prevention measures. Having seemingly gone months without a case of community transmission, Thailand finds itself in the grip of a sudden Covid-19 outbreak, linked to illegal migrants. Officials are currently insisting there is no talk of a nationwide lockdown,…
- Covid-19 News
Officials say no evidence of hoarding, price hikes, among face mask retailers
As demand for face masks spikes amid a new Covid-19 outbreak in the Kingdom, the Commerce Ministry has conducted checks on pharmacies and other retailers to ensure pricing is fair and there is no hoarding of supplies. Permanent secretary Boonyarit Kalayanamit says officials carried out spot-checks on 573 retailers yesterday and found no evidence of any wrongdoing. Masks are being…
- Events
Chiang Mai New Year countdown events still on
New Year countdown events in Chiang Mai are still on, despite Thailand’s record spike in Covid-19 cases. Cancelling the celebrations would hurt the already battered economy and local officials decided not to ban the events due to the economic impact, according to director of the Public Health Promotion Division Chiang Mai municipality, Danai Sarapruek. Danai says measures are in place…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Covid outbreak update, migrant workers ‘dumped’, Phuket’s fake cases | Dec 23
Before we get started today just a quick note about the comments section in YouTube. Like any other news source we get our fair share of trolls, haters and whackos. We also get plenty of interesting comments, and from time to time, some important corrections. During these times when facts matter, and times here in Thailand when protesters are addressing…
- Crime News
Police identify armed robbery suspect after he allegedly dropped his phone at the scene
Police have identified a man wanted for armed robbery charges after he allegedly dropped his mobile phone as he took off with 800,000 baht worth of gold stolen from a Chon Buri shop. Using the mobile phone, police identified the suspect as 44 year old Utit Puangthong from Chon Buri’s Koh Jan district, according to Mueang Chonburi Police Chief Colonel…
- Thailand News
Ayutthaya elephants “Santas” add a face mask to their Christmas costume
Each year, elephants dress up in Santa Claus costumes to spread Christmas cheer to children at a school in Ayutthaya. This year is a little different. Not only were all the students wearing a face mask, so were the elephants. Using their trunks, the 4 elephants also carried baskets of face masks to hand out to the students at the…
- Covid-19 News
New Covid-19 cases in 17 provinces, CCSA spokesperson says to view migrants as “family”
With Covid-19 cases spreading in Thailand and many concerned with the migrant population after the outbreak at a Samut Sakhon seafood market, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration spokesperson Taweesin Visanuyothin says to view the migrant workers as family. “When family members are sick, we have to take care of them.” 46 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed today in the…
- Phuket News
Phuket’s Covid High Season Crisis | VIDEO
https://youtu.be/hK_j52xMwnU We visited Phuket 3 months ago and found the west coast tourist towns empty and devoid of people. Businesses had closed, vendors headed back to their home towns, shops shuttered and streets very, very quiet. The island’s east coast was still busy with the locals and many expats getting on with their daily lives, getting used to the ‘new…
- Economy News
Economy to lose billions of baht from Covid-19 lockdown – Kasikorn Research Centre
The economy will lose billions of baht following the Covid-19 outbreak in Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok, according to Kasikorn Research Centre. Shutting down the seafood industry in the province, calling off New Year parties in Bangkok and trips being cancelled due to virus fears will cost the economy a total of at least 45 billion baht over the…
- Covid-19 News
Samut Sakhon vendor tests positive for Covid-19 in Nakhon Si Thammarat
A new Covid-19 case confirmed in the Southern province Nakhon Si Thammarat, the provincial governor announced today. The 42 year old woman sold curry in Samut Sakhon, a province just southwest of Bangkok where more than 1,000 people have tested positive for the virus. Most cases are concentrated around a seafood market in tambon Mahachai in the Muang district. The…
- Covid-19 News
Epidemiologist transferred to Samut Sakhon to tackle Covid-19 outbreak
With a record high count of active Covid-19 cases, Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has appointed an epidemiologist to tackle the recent outbreak concentrated around a seafood market in Samut Sakhon. More than 1,000 coronavirus cases are linked to the “Samut Sakhon cluster.” Many migrant workers who lived in cramped rooms together and worked seafood markets tested positive. The epidemiologist Naretrit…
- Thailand News
Samut Sakhon employer allegedly “dumps” migrant workers at a highway outside Bangkok
A group of Burmese migrant workers ended up on the side of a highway near Bangkok after their employer allegedly told them to get in a van to go get tested for Covid-19. The incident caught media attention as many coronavirus prevention measures focused on migrant workers were recently imposed after hundreds of workers at a seafood market in Samut…
- Phuket News
Health officials confirm Phuket’s first case of local transmission in months
Phuket officials have confirmed a case of Covid-19 in the province and given a timeline of the new infection. The patient is a 40 year old Thai man from the Kathu district, who recently returned from a “big bike” event on Koh Lanta, in Krabi province. The man belongs to a “big bike” afficionados’ group and travelled to an event…
- Covid-19 News
Thai PM calls for unity in latest Covid fight, hints at further restrictions
The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, has called on all citizens to unite in the fight against Covid-19, while implying further restrictions may be introduced. In a televised address to the nation, he said the virus outbreak in the central province of Samut Sakhon has now resulted in over 1,000 infections but is being dealt with through strict measures. He added…
- Covid-19 News
Thai government may replace emergency decree with strict amendment to Communicable Disease Act
The Thai Public Health Minister says the government is considering repealing the emergency decree come the new year and replacing it with a tougher amendment to the Communicable Disease Control Act. Anutin Charnvirakul says the proposal was raised at a Cabinet meeting yesterday. Addressing the Thai media, he said the amendment would allow the Disease Control Committee more authority to…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand News Today | 427 new C19 infections, Pattaya countdown cancelled, Elite Visa update | Dec 22
Plenty of talk around today about future lockdowns, but NOTHING IS CONFIRMED at this stage. The Thaiger will keep you up to date with the latest. Possibility of an “end of year travel boost” has been shattered As if things weren’t already bad enough for Thailand’s tourism sector, the events in Samut Sakhon in the past week have just made…
- Crime News
Driver allegedly obstructs and stops ambulance, patient dies
A driver may face serious charges after he allegedly cut in front of and stopped an ambulance that was rushing to pick up a patient who later died on the way to a local hospital. Emergency responders received a call to pick up a patient who was in critical condition and being given CPR at his home in Samut Prakan,…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket primary school reports parent tests positive for Covid-19
A primary school in Phuket made a brief announcement that a student’s parent tested positive for Covid-19. The Kajonkiet School Group made a post on its Facebook page, which was taken down within an hour, saying they were “unofficially” notified by the province’s public health office about the recent case and they are awaiting results from the second test to…
- Crime News
2 police officers fired for allegedly planting drugs on a woman, demanding money and sex
The Samut Prakan police chief fired 2 officers for allegedly planting methamphetamine pills on a woman and extorting her for 25,000 baht, then later demanding sex. The sacked police officers may also face criminal charges. The 34 year old woman sought help from the “Help Crime Victim Club,” claiming that the 2 police officers in Samut Prakan, a province just…
- Events
Pattaya cancels end of year countdown events
Pattaya officials have cancelled all public gatherings planned over the next few weeks. A Chonburi provincial order has banned the events, including the 3 day Pattaya New Year Countdown Music Festival. All other provincial countdowns have also been cancelled as a precaution against the current outbreak in Samut Sakhon which is now spreading to neighbouring provinces, including Bangkok. The Koh…
- Covid-19 News
5 people in Bangkok among 427 new Covid-19 cases
5 people in Bangkok are among 427 new Covid-19 cases reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. 397 of the new cases are migrant workers while 14 of the new cases were detected in quarantine from people arriving to Thailand from overseas. Many of the local cases link to seafood market in Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok,…
- Covid-19 News
Health officials release list of “high risk” areas in 10 provinces
Health officials have released a list of areas at “high risk” of Covid-19 infections. Those who have recently visited any of the places listed are advised to monitor for coronavirus symptoms and check their body temperature. Bangkok Nuanchan Market in Bueng Kum district The residential area near Prachachuen Road in Bang Sue district Samut Sakhon The Central Shrimp Market Mahachai…
- Covid-19 News
UPDATE: Thai PM says lockdown could become unavoidable
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is warning that another lockdown could prove unavoidable, should Covid-19 figures escalate out of control. Today, 427 new Covid-19 cases were reported by the Centre Covid-19 Situation Administration, 397 of which are migrant workers. Yesterday, the CCSA reported 382 new cases, 360 of which are in migrant workers. Spokesperson Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin says 14 local cases…
- Covid-19 News
UPDATE: 1,000+ Samut Sakhon Covid-19 cases
More than 1,000 Covid-19 cases are linked to the outbreak in Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. 242 cases were reported today, adding to the 821 previously confirmed cases, tallying up to 1,063. Since the surge of infections over the weekend, hitting a record high in daily cases, health officials have rolled…
- Covid-19 News
Official says Thailand can handle rise in demand for face masks
The director-general of the Internal Trade Department says there will be sufficient face masks to meet a spike in demand as a result of the outbreak in Samut Sakhon. Wattanasak Sur-iam says he’s asked manufacturers to step up production from a current combined capacity of 5 million masks a day. He adds that the retail price of surgical masks will…
- Economy News
30 property developers expected to sign up to Elite visa incentive scheme
The president of Thailand Privilege Card, which runs the Elite Visa scheme, says around 30 real-estate developers have expressed interest in offering foreign buyers 5-year visas in return for investing at least 10 million baht in Thai property. Somchai Sungsawang says the scheme, known as the Elite Flexible One launches on January 1, with cards valid for 2 years. Nation…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 fears after hundreds of migrants infected, Thai Army says they can’t stop border breaches
With fingers pointing at Burmese workers after the recent Covid-19 infection cluster at a Samut Sakhon shrimp market, the Royal Thai Army says there’s no way to completely seal Thailand’s borders and keep migrants from crossing illegally. Out of the 821 positive cases linked to the market, 788 are migrant workers and 33 are Thais, raising fears with Thai officials…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | 800+ cases in Samut Sakhon, Countries block UK travel | Dec 21
Back in Bangkok for this week’s Thailand News Today, wondering if we’re going to be locked down again? All the latest news at thethaiger.com More than 800 Covid-19 cases now linked to seafood market More than 800 Covid-19 cases are now linked to the Samut Sakhon province seafood market outbreak. Up to the weekend the largest number of cases reported…
- Thailand News
Amnesty International campaign urges PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to drop charges pressed on protesters
The human rights group Amnesty International has launched a campaign calling on PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to drop charges pressed on a number of activists for their role in the pro-democracy movement and to repeal, or at least amend, Thailand’s draconian lèse majesté law which carries a punishment of 3 to 15 years in prison for insulting or defaming the Thai Monarchy. …
- Crime News
Bangkok city employee found shot to death in Surat Thani
Police have opened a homicide investigation after a Bangkok city employee was found shot to death in her car in the Southern province Surat Thani. A resident noticed a Toyota Yaris was parked along a road in the Phun Phin district for 3 days. Yesterday evening, the resident decided to check it out and saw a woman’s body in the…
