Thailand

  • 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…

  • Events

    World body bans Thai weightlifters from Tokyo Olympics

    Thai and Malaysian weightlifters will be barred from the Tokyo Olympic Games, whenever they’re held, over their high numbers of doping cases. The sport’s governing body, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) said in a statement that the two countries’ lifters can’t compete at the Tokyo Games, regardless of the change of date. Previously there had been some hope in Thailand…

  • Covid-19 News

    Royal Thai Police announce consequences of violating the national curfew

    Yesterday, a spokesperson of the Royal Thai Police, Police Lieutenant General Piya Uthayo spoke about the severity and seriousness of the current situation that Thailand. Police Lieutenant General Piya said that people who violate the curfew under the Emergency Decree will face up to 2 years in prison or up to 40,000 baht in fines, or both.” “As of last night,…

  • Covid-19 News

    Coronavirus UPDATE: Tokyo faces climbing case numbers, makers of ‘Corona’ beer suspend production

    The international toll has reached 1,097,810 and deaths 59,140 with no sign of a slowdown at this stage (7.30am Thai time). The world will be adding 100,000+ new case every 24 hours within the next few days unless we start to see a flattening of the curve. The US has had another day of burden for its health system –…

  • Covid-19 News

    30 arrested for violating emergency decree, 18 teens jailed

    18 teenagers have been jailed for violating the Emergency Decree by holding a party and abusing drugs in Ayutthaya, north of Bangkok. Yesterday prosecutors indicted the teenagers for breaching the decree, taking part in a mass gathering and drug use. The teens were arrested on Monday after officials got a tip off from local residents. Homeowners reported illegal drugs were…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand News Today – Thursday, April 2

    Hosted by Tim Newton Thailand confirms 104 new coronavirus cases (Thursday) Thailand now has at total of 1,875 Covid-19 coronavirus cases, another drop in newly announced cases. 104 new cases were confirmed over the last 24 hours and 3 more patients died. Total deaths now stand at 15. This continues a hopeful trend of new cases in Thailand dropping as…

  • Covid-19 News

    National curfew announced. Takes effect tomorrow.

    Thailand will announce a nationwide curfew between 10pm – 4am starting tomorrow (Friday) to try to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. The government made the announcement in a statement today. There will be some exceptions to the new measure, including the transport of medical supplies, movement of people into quarantine, patients and travel of medical personnel, according to…

  • Northern Thailand News

    Chiang Rai puts strict conditions on people entering the province

    As of yesterday, the Governor of Chiang Rai Prajon Pratyakul issued an order that ‘everyone entering Chiang Rai province will have to wear a face mask and undergo screening at checkpoints’. “This order will apply to all visitors whether, on foot, private vehicles or public transport, those who cannot provide evidence of being a local resident or having a workplace…

  • Northern Thailand News

    Tiger kills, eats man in Nakhon Ratchasima

    A tiger has killed and partially eaten a man in Thap Lan National Park in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima. Local villagers have been warned not to enter the park after a man was mauled to death. 46 year old Jamras Phumwaengkuang was in the forest with two friends searching for plants and herbs when he reportedly split from…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand News Today – April 1, 2020

    Thailand coronavirus cases rise to 1771, two more deaths Thailand’s now has 1,771 Covid-19 coronavirus cases, with 120 new cases confirmed over the last 24 hours and 2 more patients succumbing to the disease. As of today 1,429 patients are under treatment, 23 are in critical condition. 342 have recovered and been discharged. There has now been a total of…

  • Covid-19 News

    6 new coronavirus cases in Phuket (Wednesday)

    Phuket has confirmed 6 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases today (Wednesday), bringing the total on in the southern province to 75 since the outbreak began in January. Phuket has effectively sealed its borders and become a virtual fortress. It will close its airport on April 10 but some flights are still leaving taking foreigners back home. All the new cases have a…

  • Covid-19 News

    Stranded. Nearly 21,000 Russians struggling to get home.

    The Russian Ambassador to Thailand claims there are about 20,800 Russian citizens stranded in the Land of Smiles. Ambassador Tomikhin says they’re desperate to get home. He says that most of them are stuck in Phuket and neighbouring provinces (Phuket is in virtual lockdown with the airport being closed to all passenger flights on April 10). Another 8,000 in and around…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand News Today – Tuesday, March 31

    “Far from over” in the Asia-Pacific region – WHO update The World Health Organisation says that the coronavirus pandemic is “far from over” in the Asia-Pacific region. Regional Director for the Western Pacific at the WHO, Takeshi Kasai, says “Let me be clear. This is going to be a long-term battle and we cannot let down our guard, we need…

  • Covid-19 News

    127 new coronavirus cases in Thailand (Tuesday), total 1651, 10 deaths

    The Department of Disease Control of the Ministry of Public Health today (Tuesday, March 31) confirmed 127 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases in its daily press briefing. 1 more death was reported, bringing the national total to 10 since the outbreak began in January. The latest number raises the total number of confirmed infections in Thailand to 1,651 The southern island…

  • Covid-19 News

    Government says they won’t allow Thai Airways to collapse

    “All rumours about a lay-off aren’t true. News involving Thai Airways that didn’t come from the Finance Ministry should be considered false.” Thailand’s deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak says the government won’t allow its struggling national airline Thai Airways to collapse. He dismissed rumours of impending lay-offs due to the virus outbreak. Thai Airways has been a financial basket-case for the…

  • Covid-19 News

    Government aims to limit travel around Thailand by 90%

    It won’t do much for oil prices, but it will flatten Thailand’s Covid-19 ‘curve’ and help with the country’s air pollution problems. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration is aiming to cut public transport use by as much as 90% around the country in order to stem the rise of Covid-19 coronavirus infections. Just yesterday, Thailand’s Department of Land Transport announced that…

  • Crime News

    Woman convicted for 2005 stabbings, allegedly kills 5 year old

    A mental patient who served prison time for the 2005 stabbings of 4 girls in Bangkok has turned herself in to police after allegedly stabbing a 5 year old girl to death. 50 year old Ms. Jitrlada Tantiwanitchasuk gave herself up to police in Nakhon Pathom province otside Bangkok yesterday. The 5 year old victim was pronounced dead on arrival…

  • Covid-19 News

    Coronavirus spreads to Lamphun province

    The northern province of Lamphun, near Chiang Mai, has reported its first 2 Covid-19 coronavirus cases. Provincial Governor Pongrat Piromrat made the announcement yesterday. A 39 year old man is the first case. He returned from abroad on March 19 and began home quarantine from March 20 until today, when he tested positive and was transferred to a local hospital.…

  • Covid-19 News

    Coca-Cola to suspend advertising, divert cash to fight Covid-19

    Today Coca-Cola Thailand announced on its official Facebook page “cocacolaTH” that they will suspend all digital and TV advertising campaigns of all the brands under its umbrella in Thailand and divert all the money to support the fight against Covid-19. “We realise that the current situation is difficult for everyone, therefore we will continue to work hard to make sure…

  • Covid-19 News

    Phuket reports 9 new coronavirus cases

    9 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus have been reported in the southern island province of Phuket, bringing the total to 62 cases. Most of the new cases originated in the Patong district, again, and many in the area of the Bangla Road red light district. Details of the new cases… Case 54: A 35 year old Canadian man working at…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand confirms 143 new coronavirus cases, 1 more death

    Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and its Department of Disease control announced 143 new confirmed cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus at their daily press briefing today in Bangkok (March 29), up from yesterday’s 109 new cases. There has been 1 additional death, bringing the national Covid-19 toll to 7. The latest figures brought the total cases to 1,388 across 57…

  • Covid-19 News

    6 new coronavirus cases in Phuket

    Phuket island officials have reported 6 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus as of today (Sunday, March 29), bringing the total to 53 on the southern island. The details as known at time of publication are… Case 48: A 42 year old Thai woman, a gift shop owner in Patong. Case 49: A 32 year old Ukrainian woman who runs…

  • Covid-19 News

    Handful of Thais catch last flight back to Thailand from Singapore

    Flights are thin on the ground now and very few regional carriers are still in the air. Singapore Airlines Flight 972 was the last scheduled service to Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Passengers, only a few dozen, mostly Thais fleeing back home to ride out the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, flew out of Singapore’s Changi Airport yesterday. Airlines worldwide are cutting flights and grounding…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand’s Covid-19 snippets (Sunday)

    • The last service out of Singapore’s Changi Airport to Bangkok left yesterday with just over 20 passengers – mostly Thai citizens trying to get home. After Thailand’s emergency decree was announced on Thursday, it banned all but its own citizens from flying into the country with strict, almost impossible, requirements of special papers, called ‘fit to fly’ documents. Almost all passengers…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand’s airlines line up for 16 billion baht lifeline

    Thai airlines are mostly grounded, basically due to lack of traffic from government restrictions to stop people from travelling. But they still have staff and regulations that require them to be paid. So 7 Thai airlines are seeking a 16 billion baht lifeline from the Thai Finance Ministry so they can keep employees whist their planes remain on the ground.…

  • Covid-19 News

    109 new coronavirus cases for Thailand (Saturday)

    The Thai Public Health Ministry has reported 109 new coronavirus cases and 2 new death today. This brings the total to 1,245 cases and 6 deaths in the Kingdom. The latest figures brought the total cases to 1,245 across 57 provinces – 1,032 of the patients are Thais. Bangkok has a total of 515 cases, followed by Nonthaburi with 58…

  • Covid-19 News

    Phuket residents told to stay home from 8pm – 3am ‘until further notice’

    A virtual curfew has been announced for the island of Phuket which will restrict residents to their accommodation or homes from 8pm – 3am until further notice. The only exceptions would be URGENT errands. The announcement takes effect from today until further notice, according to the notice signed by the Phuket Governor. The notice “seeks the collaboration of local residents and…

  • Covid-19 News

    Four major banks close branches for the weekend to prevent crowds

    Four of Thailand’s biggest commercial banks are closing all branches over the weekend to promote social distancing and fight the spread of the Covid-19. Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank, Krungthai Bank and TMB-Thanachart Bank announced yesterday that they would close all branches nationwide today and tomorrow (Saturday and Sunday). Electronic services will remain available. Krungthai Bank’s announcement said the decision was…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand’s health ministry identifies coronavirus hotspots

    The ministry of Public Health has released a list of what it considers Covid-19 coronavirus hotspots – places and times where the risk of contagion was extremely high. People who were in these places on these dates are urged to self-quarantine themselves in their homes, and to seek medical advice if they feel ill or show symptoms. The list covers…