Thailand

  • Thailand News

    Bodies of two teen girls found in Kwae Noy river, Kanchanaburi

    The bodies of two teen girls who went missing in the Kwae Noy river last Friday in the western province of Kanchanaburi, were discovered yesterday morning. Friday, three teenage students from Ban Kao Withaya School in Kanchanaburi went for a swim in the Kwae Noy river. The girls were quickly overpowered by the strong current and washed downriver. An onlooker…

  • Covid-19 News

    Covid-19 causes ‘Koi’ to contemplate an abortion

    The Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand, under the Patronage of HRH the Princess Mother, marks their 50th anniversary tomorrow, but today more than ever, Thai women are being forced to ask the difficult question of how to manage an unplanned pregnancy during the Covid-19 global pandemic. As government policies to contain the Covid-19 virus continue to devastate Thailand’s economy, some…

  • Covid-19 News

    New national curfew exceptions

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has issued exceptions to the nationwide curfew mandate for some groups and job sectors. The order gives exemption to government authorities, including civil servants on duty by order of state agencies. Also exempt are the first responders such as healthcare personnel who must be available at all hours. This also extends to emergency patients and transport of…

  • Thailand News

    Education minister does U-turn on ‘tablets for students’ plan

    The government has done a swift U-turn on last week’s plans to purchase tablets (iPads and the like, not medicines) for Thailand’s students for home learning during the Covid-19 crisis. The Thai Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan says his ministry will now focus on maximising existing resources and “not invest money buying new equipment unnecessarily”. “We will ask for digital TV…

  • Covid-19 News

    33 new coronavirus infections confirmed, 3 more deaths (Sunday)

    33 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases were confirmed in Thailand today (Sunday), and 3 more deaths. The total number of infections in Thailand since the outbreak began now stands at 2551. There have been 38 deaths. A spokesman for the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration says the deaths were 2 Thai men, aged 74 and 44, and a 65 year…

  • Covid-19 News

    Ranong province still Covid-19 free

    Five people in the southern province of Ranong, just north of Phuket, have been placed under observation but initial tests show no signs of a positive infection. Dr Sathit Timkham explained five Ranong residence displayed symptoms similar to Covid-19 including fever, cough and sore throat have been placed in isolation and will continue to be monitored though initial fluid tests…

  • Covid-19 News

    US Embassy passes on message to Thailand from US Department of State

    “Our countries have enjoyed a profound friendship for over 200 years. Our friendship and decades-long health partnership have given us the resilience to address this global health crisis caused by Covid-19.” The message from spokesperson Morgan Ortagus from the US Department of State. In the same statement issued yesterday, the US Embassy sent their good wishes to the people of…

  • Phuket News

    Soi Dog Foundation distributes over 11 tonnes of food to stray animal feeders across Phuket

    In preparation for the island-wide ‘lockdown’ and travel restrictions from April 13-26, the Soi Dog Foundation has distributed over 11 tonnes of dog and cat food to stray animal feeders across Phuket. A fleet of animal rescue vehicles delivered 470 large bags of dog food and 140 large bags of cat food to popular feeding hotspots, such as temples, as well…

  • Covid-19 News

    Kanchanaburi poacher arrested, three others escape after ranger attacked

    A poacher was arrested in the western Thailand’s Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary in Sri Sawat district of Kanchanaburi in possession of dead animals and wild honey. Three other accomplices eluded capture after allegedly stabbing a forest ranger during the escape. Niphon Chamnonsirisak, director of Forest Conservation Zone 4, said wildlife rangers discovered the four armed men inside Salak Phra Wildlife…

  • Covid-19 News

    Facebook sues Bangkok man for ‘cloaking’ software

    Facebook is suing a Bangkok resident for developing and marketing software that ‘cheats’ the social network’s advertising review process to enable users to post dangerous ads to other users. Facebook explained that Mr Basant Gajjar, an Indian-American software architect living in the Thai capital, developed a “cloaking” technique in software that hides the real content of advertisements, while showing the user…

  • Covid-19 News

    Newborns get extra protection with mini-face shields

    Bangkok health care professionals have come up with protective face shields for newborns to prevent infection to the most precious among us. Parents understand the challenge of asking a toddler to wear a mask. (Just take a trip to Tesco while you still can and notice “the couple,” protected head to toe in what looks like a sponsorship deal from…

  • Covid-19 News

    14 Thai provinces apply travel restrictions for residents

    14 provincial governors around the country have declared ‘travel restrictions’ in and out of their provinces. Under the emergency decree PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has given full authority to provincial governors to increase prevention measures. The ‘lockdowns’ are done to help contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus. In some provinces, inter district and inter sub-district travel is also being restricted.…

  • Covid-19 News

    Move over WHO and CDC, Marvel and DC have joined the fight in Thailand

    While it may seem that a plague swept across our world with a snap of the fingers as if Thanos and the infinity gauntlet indeed managed to set asunder half the worlds population, not though a dematerialised cloud of ash (sorry for the spoilers…but come one it’s been two years now) but rather a global pandemic that has shut down…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand News Today – Thursday, April 9

    Chamber predicts 7 million Thai people to be jobless by June 7 million Thais could be on the unemployment queue by June in dire predictions from an industry chamber. The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking have predicted that 7 million people will be jobless by June. The report says… “Low wage workers will be affected the most…

  • Covid-19 News

    More time with your kids :) Government Schools to reopen July 1

    Remember that New Year’s resolution you made to spend more quality time with your kids? Well, the government heard your prayers and raised you another month and a half of close and personal self quarantine time by postponing the return of the school semester to July 1. A recent notification from the Ministry of Education stated: “All public and private…

  • World News

    Stranded Burmese permitted to return home

    Stranded Burmese people at Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai Tachileik border crossing in Northern Thailand have been allowed to return home to Myanmar. The Burmese people, stuck in Thailand since borders were closed as a prevention in the spread of Covid-19, have been held in quarantine at Phra That Doi Wao temple in Mae Sai. Myanmar officials allowed them to cross…

  • Covid-19 News

    Former deputy commerce minister faces charges over murder of Judge’s brother

    Former deputy commerce minister Banyin Tangpakorn, along with 5 other suspects, is facing charges from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) relating to the killing of a senior judge’s brother. Deputy chief of the CSD Anek Taosupab, says investigators are planning to question Banyin in prison over the murder of Wirachai Sakuntaprasoet, (brother of Criminal Court senior judge Phanida Sakuntaprasoet). Banyin…

  • Covid-19 News

    BIG arrest on price gouging of Covid-19 safety gear and fake test kits

    2 Chinese men identified as Chen Lei and Wein Pinpin have been arrested inside a home in Pra Khanong district, Bangkok, after officials received a tip-off that fake Covid-19 test kits were being smuggled into the country. 45,000 fake Covid-19 test kits, 350,000 medical masks, and 1,200 infrared thermometers were seized. The evidence was valued at 33,750,000 baht. These items…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand News Today – Wednesday, April 8

    111 new Thai coronavirus cases. 3 more deaths, all foreigners 111 new confirmed cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus have been announced today. Of the 111 cases announced today, 69 got the virus from contact other infected people, while 42 were those returning from a religious festival in Indonesia. Phuket is the province with the highest percentage of active Covid-19 cases,…

  • Covid-19 News

    111 new Thai coronavirus cases. 3 more deaths, all foreigners

    Thailand’s National Covid-19 Coronavirus Disease Management Centre has announced 111 new confirmed cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus today. Total cases now stand at 2,369 nationwide. 3 foreign men died, pushing the total death toll up to 30. 42 of today’s new cases were all returnees from a religious festival in Indonesia. The new fatalities include a 48 year old Russian man…

  • Covid-19 News

    Health ministry begs children to ‘save parents’ and avoid Songkran visits

    Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year festival, is typically a week long celebration including a mass exodus to the provinces as dutiful children visit their homes bringing best wishes to their elders. This year’s celebrations have been postponed indefinitely to prevent that exodus, for fear of spreading the Covid-19 coronavirus to the provinces and among the elderly. Now the the Department…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand’s “Wild Boar” vows to save his province

    The northern province of Lampang been hit by Covid-19, despite the best efforts of its famous governor, Narongsak Osotthanakorn. Who? Narongsak was the face of the rescue mission to retrieve the 13 young men from the Tham Luang cave two years ago and was the Chiang Rai governor at the time. “When I heard of the first Covid-19 infection in…

  • Covid-19 News

    Government doubles cash stimulus period for informal workers

    The Thai government is doubling the period of monthly cash handouts for “informal workers,” from 3 months to 6. Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana made the announcement after yesterday’s weekly Cabinet meeting. The government initially only planned to provide cash to 3 million people for 3 months. The new stimulus marks a huge investment by the Thai government to keep the…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand News Today – Tuesday, April 7

    New coronavirus cases in Thailand fall to 38, 1 more death In another dramatic drop in new case numbers, Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported only 38 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases in the previous 24 hours, and one additional death. The cumulative death toll for Thailand now stands at 27. The 38 new infections appears to show a declining…

  • Covid-19 News

    CP will start production of medical masks in Thailand

    4 weeks ago the Charoen Pokphand Group announced plans to build a factory specifically to start the production of medical masks for medical personnel and Thai citizens. CP has now bought an automatic medical mask machine from China with the ability to produce 50,000 medical masks per day. In the past 3 weeks, the CP group has been constructing the…

  • Covid-19 News

    Indonesian cases spike, 24 doctors have now died

    The Indonesian archipelago has announced its highest daily increase in Covid-19 coronavirus cases. There has also been a concerning rise in the deaths of doctors and health workers at the frontline of the national fight against the disease. Statistics have doubled in the last week. The 218 new coronavirus cases took the number overall in Indonesia to 2,491. The 209 confirmed…

  • Covid-19 News

    308 curfew breakers are facing imprisonment and fines up to 40,000 baht

    Yesterday 18,893 officers including police officers along with officials from the army, Ministry of Public Health and volunteers were on the lookout for curfew breakers. A total of 836 checkpoints were placed across the kingdom. On the second night of the curfew (April 4) officials reported 308 people arrested who had violated the 10pm to 4am curfew. Police Lieutenant General Piya…

  • Covid-19 News

    Broke and stranded, Russian tourists take shelter in Phuket temple

    When their flight was eventually cancelled, they had no money left and decided to walk from the airport. They didn’t know where to go. When they came across Wat Mai Khao they asked to take refuge there. Tourism authorities in Phuket are now trying to help the 3 stranded Russian tourists who have taken shelter at the local temple. Their…

  • Covid-19 News

    Officer who allowed 152 returnees to leave airport without quarantine has been ‘recalled’

    152 Thais who arrived home from the US on Friday were inexplicably allowed to return to their homes to self quarantine, rather than endure the mandatory 14 day quarantine at state facilities faced by other arrivals. As a result, the permanent secretary of the defence ministry has recalled an army major-general from Suvarnabhumi International Airport and ordered an investigation. A…

  • Northern Thailand News

    146 horses dead in Korat of African Horse Sickness

    African Horse Sickness, a viral disease which affects only animals, has now killed 146 horses in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, or Korat. The chief of the provincial livestock development office says 13 other horses also had severe symptoms. The deaths have so far been limited to the province’s Pak Chong district. Previously, tests confirmed that more than 100…