Thailand
- Crime News
Patient allegedly shoots and kills doctor in Phetchaburi for overcharging
A patient allegedly shot and killed a doctor for overcharging him. When police arrested 22 year old Denphum “Phum” Sangthong and took him back to the doctor’s office to reenact the crime, a regular practice in Thai law enforcement, a crowd of around 300 people gathered at the scene, some calling for Phum to be executed. 40 police officers were…
- Thailand News
Thailand plans large-scale 5G adoption by next year
Thailand could adopt a large-scale 5G network by next year. The fifth generation wireless technology has higher speeds, lower latency and the ability to connect more devices. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, or NBTC, says they are ahead of schedule. Along with the mass adoption of 5G, the commission’s strategic plan for next year includes promoting a telecom infrastructure-sharing…
- Covid-19 News
Samut Sakhon update: PM urges calm, BMA issues restrictions for Bangkok
The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is urging Thai people not to panic over the “new wave” of Covid-19 infections that have swept through Samut Sakhon, south west of Bangkok, and to keep themselves informed with updates. In a Facebook post today, the PM urged people “not to lower their guard and to wear face masks at all times while outdoors,…
- Covid-19 News
Samut Sakhon outbreak reaches 689 cases, spreads to Bangkok and Samut Prakan
There’s been an update in Covid-19 cases stemming from the Samut Sakhon outbreak. Thailand’s Public Health Ministry have now upgraded the provincial cluster, including mostly Burmese migrant worker, to 689 cases, all identified through contact tracing. Most worked in and around the provinces coastal fishing market according to the Department of Disease Control. Some traced cases have been located in…
- Northern Thailand News
Khon Kaen mandates Covid testing for travellers to and from Samut Sakhon
The Khon Kaen governor is taking action after the recent Covid surge in Samut Sakhon by mandating that people returning to the province must undergo a Covid-19 screening. Somsak Jangtrakul says the new measures include those returning as of December 1 after he called a meeting of the provincial disease control today. At the meeting, it was decided that those…
- Thailand News
Poll reveals Thais took better care of their health in 2020
A recent poll has revealed that Thais are taking better care of their health in 2020, after being plagued by various other problems, including the Covid pandemic. According to the Suan Dusit Rajabhat University poll, which was conducted online between December 12 and 17 on 1,135 people nationwide, 68% said that they have paid more attention to their health this year.…
- Thailand News
Thailand downplays UN criticism over imposing Lèse Majesté law
Thailand’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has played down the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ criticisms over the kingdom’s enforcement of the Lese Majeste law, which has seen the arrests and detentions of pro-democracy activists, including a 16 year old minor. Tanee Sangrat, a ministry spokesman, says the law is not aimed at curbing freedom of expression for the nation’s people,…
- World News
Netizens demand Minister of Public Health to resign after Covid surge
Today, Thai netizens are demanding the resignation of Thailand’s Minister of Public Health after the largest daily amount of Covid infections is being reported in Samut Sakhon Province. That number of infections, reported today, is now up to 576, 516 of which includes migrant workers who have been in the news recently after several were found to have entered Thailand…
- World News
Government urged to let in 100,000 migrant workers from Myanmar despite Covid surge
The government in Thailand is being urged by larger Thai multinationals, and the construction and fisheries industry, to let in about 100,000 migrants from Myanmar, despite a recent surge in Covid-19 infections inside the kingdom. Officials say they will comply with the demands to let the migrant workers in, however, they will regulate their arrivals. Suebsakun Kidnukorn, an academic with…
- Thailand News
Man’s body found tied up in upper central rice field
A man’s tied up body has been found in a rice field early this morning in the Nong Bua district of Nakhon Sawan, an upper central province in Thailand. A Nong Bua police officer says the discovery was reported at 8am near the Moo 2 village in tambon Wang Bo. The deceased man is thought to be aged 40 –…
- Tourism News
Thailand tourism is changed forever
OPINION by Andrew J Wood Last week the Thai government Minister’s speech shows me that tourism will never be allowed to recover to previous levels. The writing is definitely on the wall, windows and front door, that there has been a major policy shift in government thinking by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s cabinet. In a deeply worrying development for Thailand’s massive…
- Thailand News
Thai banks warn of cyber scams after surge in fraud
After a cyber scam surge involving Siam Commercial Bank earlier this month, police are warning the public of increased smartphone and call centre scams. Police say they are stepping up efforts to track down such criminals who have sent messages that ask for respondents to send their bank account information in an attempt to steal their money and identities. Since…
- Thailand Protest News
United Nations condemns Thailand’s use of lèse majesté law against minor | VIDEO
The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights has expressed shock and dismay at Thailand’s use of its strict lèse majesté law against a 16 year old pro-democracy activist. The lèse majesté law, also known as Section 112 of the Criminal Code, prohibits insulting, defaming, or criticising the Thai Monarchy, and carries a punishment of up to 15 years’ imprisonment.…
- Environment News
Smoke and mirrors – the truth about Bangkok’s air pollution | VIDEO
OPINION TRANSCRIPT Smoke, haze, smog. Every year it’s the same culprits in Bangkok. It’s all the cars sitting in traffic, it’s the old diesel buses, it’s people burning too many incense sticks… yes, that was actually used a reason to explain Bangkok’s bad air at one stage last year during Chinese New Year. Of course all those things contribute to…
- Visa Information
Golf ASQ facilities to be announced next week – green alternatives to mandatory quarantine
Now golfers will be able to come to Thailand, and presumably non-golfers, if they want to wander around large patches of manicured lawn during their 14 days of mandatory quarantine instead of the confines of a hotel room. The golf quarantine alternative could be used in conjunction with any of the visas allowing travellers back into Thailand at the moment,…
- Covid-19 News
Health Ministry to confirm list of “quarantine” golf resorts
The director-general of the Department of Health Service Support says officials will name the golf resorts that have been approved as alternative state quarantine facilities next week. Tares Krassanairawiwong says those who enjoy a game of golf will be able to indulge their passion while in quarantine – provided they come from a “low-risk” country, that is. Quarantining golfers are…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Thais praised for Covid response, Travel Stimulus doomed, Alcohol Ban | Dec 18
Final day of the week and a busy week of news. Please catch up with our other information videos at our YouTube Channel. While you’re there, please subscribe and click the bell for notifications. Thailand’s top epidemiologist warns against shortening quarantine Whilst the CCSA announced yesterday they were going to conduct yet another enquiry into shortening quarantine for arrives in…
- Thailand News
No… Eating loads of holy basil won’t protect you from Covid-19
In case you were eating loads of holy basil to protect yourself from Covid-19… Stop. Sounds a bit crazy, but the Thai public health officials and the Anti Fake News Centre Thailand are warning people not to believe the claim spread online that eating 50 grams of fresh holy basil each day will boost immunity and protect against the coronavirus.…
- Economy News
Deputy PM says pandemic exposed problems in Thai economy, time to improve
As the Covid-19 pandemic hit economies all over the world with business closures and travel bans, issues with Thailand’s economy were exposed, according to Deputy PM Supattanapong Punmeechaow. The country cannot go back to the way it was before the global outbreak, he says. Thailand’s large tourism industry was battered by the lack of foreign visitors. Small and medium businesses…
- Covid-19 News
15 new Covid-19 cases detected in quarantine
15 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand’s total number of confirmed cases is raised to 4,297 with 4,005 recoveries and 60 deaths. 232 people are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. 4 women, ages 25 to 41, travelling from Myanmar tested positive for Covid-19. 2 Thai women, ages 28…
- Thailand News
US Senate support for protest movement won’t impact Thailand – Foreign Minister
The United States Senate’s support for Thailand’s pro-democracy movement won’t have any impact, according to the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Don Pramudwinai. The US Senate recently introduced a resolution supporting the movement and calling on the Thai government to uphold human rights and refrain from “harassing, intimidating or persecuting those engaged in peaceful protests.” The US resolution is…
- Thailand News
Thailand sends smuggled orangutans back to Indonesia
After being smuggled through Southeast Asia, seized by Thai border officials, and then cared for at a Thailand wildlife centre for 3 years, a pair of endangered Sumatran orangutans are being sent back to Indonesia. Back in June 2017, border officials seized the orangutans, Ung Ing and Nathalie, from smugglers at a customs checkpoint in the southern province Songkhla, near…
- Tourism News
Phase 2 of travel stimulus may be cancelled due to fraud, as PM said to be “furious”
Officials are considering cancelling the next phase of the government’s domestic tourism stimulus campaign, after multiple cases of fraud emerged. To date, over 200 people have been prosecuted for corruption in the domestic travel campaign, as well as in other government stimulus schemes. The Tourism Authority of Thailand says that, in conjunction with the Tourism and Sports Ministry, it has…
- Bangkok News
Satirical fashion show leads to lèse majesté charges
A satirical fashion show led to a pair of young pro-democracy activists, one just 16 years old, to be charged with violating Thailand’s strict lèse majesté law after one of them dressed in traditional Thai dress, said to be mocking a royal consort, while the other wore a crop top. (An outfit a certain “someone” has been photographed wearing in…
- Thailand News
End-of-quarantine party for 28 Thais who returned from Myanmar
An end-of-quarantine party was held for 28 Thais who were just released from quarantine after returning to Chiang Rai from Myanmar. Not many details were reported about the event, just that it was a ceremony at a riverside resort with the provincial governor Prajon Prachsakul… Definitely a lot different than the parties just across the border in Tachileik. Many Thai…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | New Year Covid style, Currency manipulation?, SCB scam | Dec 17
Thailand News Today, coming from Phuket for the next few days. Mosquito-borne virus spreads in Pattaya If you’re in Pattaya, light the coils and get out the bug repellant. There’s been a report of an increase in chikungunya fever infections, that’s a mosquito-borne virus, similar to Dengue but can be quite painful and serious in some patients. The city’s mayor…
- Environment News
Discounts on services for old cars to reduce vehicle emissions, improve air quality
To help ease air pollution in Bangkok, several car manufacturers are offering discounts on maintenance services for old cars as part of a campaign launched by the Automotive Industry Club Federation of Thai Industries, known as the FTI. Deals on car inspections, oil changes and other services will be going on from now until the end of February. This week,…
- Covid-19 News
CCSA starts study to determine if quarantine should be shortened
Covid-19 testing during the mandatory quarantine period for arrivals has been increased from twice to thrice in an effort to determine if quarantine can be shortened from 14 to 10 days. The study will last until January 15, according to spokesperson for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, Thaweesilp Visanuyothin. Travellers were typically tested around 3 to 5 days after…
- Thailand News
Bank of Thailand says being on US currency “watchlist” won’t have a “material impact”
Thailand being added to the United States Treasury’s “watchlist” for suspected currency manipulation won’t impact foreign trade and investment too much, the Bank of Thailand says. Now that Thailand is on the “monitoring list,” US government says it will keep “close attention” on the country’s currency practices to determine if any measures are intended to gain an unfair advantage in…
- Covid-19 News
20 new Covid-19 cases detected in quarantine
20 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand’s total number of confirmed cases is raised to 4,281 with 3,989 recoveries and 60 deaths. 232 people are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. 5 Thai men, ages 33 to 42, and a 42 year old Indian man travelling from India tested…
