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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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Sponsored Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you
Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...
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Strict measures to mitigate virus risk as Surat Thani re-opens tomorrow
The governor of Surat Thani says the measures in place under the “Samui Plus” model will help guard against the spread of Covid-19 as 3 islands re-open to international tourism. Governor Witchawut says foreign visitors to Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phang Ngan will have to adhere to strict rules as part of the Samui Plus model. From tomorrow,…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 9,317 new infections and 87 deaths
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration logged another 9,317 confirmed Covid-19 infections and 87 coronavirus-related deaths. In the latest and most severe wave of the virus, the CCSA has recorded 334,166 Covid-19 cases since April 1. The virus is still spreading in Thailand’s overcrowded prisons and health officials have been rolling out active testing to identify infections, even asymptomatic, and…
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Concerns raised as Health Ministry appears to ignore WHO warning on mixing vaccines
The public is questioning the Thai government’s proposal to combine Covid-19 vaccines from different manufacturers despite a warning from the World Health Organisation. The WHO’s chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, has warned against the practice, saying there is not enough information on the potential risks. However, the Pattaya News reports that Thailand’s National Communicable Disease Committee has just approved the proposal…
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42-billion-baht aid package to cushion the financial impact of Covid restrictions
The government will provide a 42-billion-baht aid package for businesses and individuals affected by the latest Covid-19 restrictions in the 10 “dark red” provinces. The Bangkok Post reports that 30 billion baht of the relief package will come from the government’s loan decree, while the other 12 billion will come from the national budget. The provinces of Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom,…
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Kashmir: Protracted conflict pushes youth to heroin addiction
Jibran Ahmad, 17, from Indian-administered Kashmir, led a normal life until two years ago, when his friends first offered him heroin. Ahmad (name changed), had been a promising student before developing the addiction, which destroyed his and his family’s lives. Ahmad, whose family is from southern Kashmir’s Damhalhanjipora village in the district of Kulgam, was in the ninth grade when…
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Bali to deport 4 tourists for not wearing masks, breaking disease control orders
Four tourists in Bali are being deported after they apparently did not follow local disease control measures during their stay on the resort island in Indonesia. Some didn’t wear face masks while the other, who was infected with Covid-19, apparently left a quarantine hotel during her mandatory isolation period. Covid-19 has been on the rise in the Southeast Asian country,…
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Afghanistan: Can Pakistan ‘manage’ the Taliban?
The security situation in Afghanistan is rapidly deteriorating amid the withdrawal of NATO troops from the country. The Afghan Taliban have intensified their attacks on government forces and have captured vast swathes of territories in the past few months. A political settlement in Afghanistan seems unlikely at this point, with both the Taliban and President Ashraf Ghani’s government blaming each…
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DSI asked to step in and investigate multimillion baht street lamp project
Following the ongoing controversy of hundreds of millions of baht spent by local officials on expensive street lamps, the Department of Special Investigation has been asked to step in and investigate the projects in the Racha Thewa subdistrict of Samut Prakan, just outside Bangkok. The National Anti-Corruption Commission is also establishing 5 panels to investigate the lamp project, a probe…
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Cyprus vaccine drive: ‘SafePass’ mandatory, no more free COVID tests
Cyprus’ coronavirus cases have exceeded 6,500 in the past two weeks, with over 850 infections reported on average every day. One hundred and twenty-five COVID-19 patients are hospitalized, among them 32 in critical condition. Although Cyprus has managed to vaccinate more than 65% of its population with a first dose, while 55% of its population is now fully vaccinated, vaccination…
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Thailand monitoring Myanmar situation, will work to end conflict
Since the February 1 military coup in Myanmar, the Thai government has been relatively quiet on the situation in the neighbouring country, with a few statements urging for peace and an end to the violence after more than 700 people were killed by Burmese security forces. Some clashes between the military and ethnic troops have been along the Thai border,…
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First night of curfew: 299 arrested
From last night to this morning, police arrested 299 people across 10 provinces. The suspects were allegedly not adhering to the new curfew, says police spokesperson Yingyot Thepjamnong. The breakdown of arrested is as follows: 57 arrested in Bangkok 187 arrested throughout: Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, and Pathum Thani 7 arrested in Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon 48 arrested in Songkhla,…
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Tour van drivers suffer from lack of passengers, Covid restrictions
Tour van drivers are currently suffering under the weight of vehicle payments against the lightness of tourists to drive around. In northeastern Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima, 41 year old tour van driver Punnawit Jaenlue, says he used to do 20 trips a month, raking in about 50,000 baht. However, due to Covid restriction pertaining to interprovincial travel, he says making even…
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More than 1,000 people file damage complaints related to Samut Prakan chemical fire
More than 1,000 residents in Samut Prakan’s Bang Phili district have filed damage complaints relating to the Ming Dih Chemical Company explosion and massive fire last week which took more than 24 hours to control. Helicopters were deployed to spray fire retardant foam. Residents within a 5 kilometre radius were told to evacuate. Toxic black smoke billowing from the chemical…
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Bangkok Government Complex provides free Covid testing, registering online first imperative
For people who wish to get a free Covid test at the Government Complex, they must register online first, says the National Health Security Office, today. The test will be the rapid antigen test. The testing location is on Chaeng Wattana Road and will be open until July 30. The hours are 8 am and 4 pm, but not on…
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Thai authorities crackdown on Covid-19 “fake news,” posters could face jail time
Thai authorities are cracking down on fake news, particularly false claims about the Covid-19 situation in Thailand. The Digital Economy and Society Ministry’s Anti-Fake News Centre reported more than 50 cases of fake news posted since last month, most involving Covid-19 or vaccines. Police are now investigating the cases. Those who posted or shared misleading information found to threaten national…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 8,685 new cases; provincial totals
Continuing on a sharp upward trend in the latest wave of Covid-19 infections, Thailand now has 95,410 active coronavirus cases. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration recorded 8,685 new Covid-19 cases today, raising the total case count since the start of the pandemic last year to 353,712. The latest and most severe wave of the virus, first recorded on April…
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Thai government accused of mismanagement during the pandemic
The Thai government is being accused of mismanagement related to the Covid-19 pandemic and procurement of vaccines. The Thailand Development Research Institute released a report outlining the government’s role in combating the spread of the virus, saying there were poor preparations leading up to the recent and most severe wave. The institute is now calling for an independent committee to…
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Rapid antigen tests should be available next week for testing at home
Yesterday, the Public Health Ministry announced that rapid antigen tests will now be sold for home use. The tests will be sold at hospitals, health clinics, pharmacies, and other locations that have been approved by the FDA. The announcement states that government institutions that get the kits must send them to hospitals. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul also said yesterday…
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Infections in the sandbox not surprising, says Phuket health office Chief
“The infected cases among Phuket Sandbox tourists were expected under the plan made before opening the island.” Phuket Provincial Public Health Office Chief Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon announced at a press conference yesterday that Covid infected tourists popping up in the sandbox were “expected”. Dr Kusak assured the public, and tourists mulling where to go on vacation, that zero of the…
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5 movie theatres in Bangkok temporarily close
Yesterday, Major Cineplex stated it was closing 5 of its movie theatre locations in Bangkok. They will stay closed until July 25. The move is a precautionary measure against Covid. The movie Major Cineplex theatres closing are: Ratchayothin Rangsit Pin Klao Sukhumvit Esplanade Certain establishments are still open inside the shopping centre, however. They will still be closed at 8…
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2 Bangkok hospitals allowing foreigners to register for Covid-19 vaccination
UPDATE: The Thaiger has been informed that registration is open for 5 days only @ 100 people a day only. We would also urge people to understand that these vaccines are not in the country at this time and that people may be asked to pre-pay for the service. Following the decommissioning of the bug-ridden Thailandintervac.com website, expats in Thailand…
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Private hospitals call on government to cover costs of caring for Covid patients
Thailand’s private hospitals say that if the government would help cover the medical costs of Covid-19 patients, private facilities could help ease the burden on the public health system. The Bangkok Post reports that Pongpat Patanavanich from TPP Healthcare International, which owns MedPark Hospital, says medical costs at private hospitals are too high for those with limited budgets. According to…
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World Health Organisation warns against “dangerous trend” of mixing Covid vaccines
A chief scientist at the World Health Organisation has warned against an emerging practice of mixing Covid-19 vaccines. Speaking during an online briefing, Soumya Swaminathan described the practice of combining vaccines from different manufacturers as a, “dangerous trend”. She says a lack of safety data means countries should refrain from random decision-making on vaccine boosters and combinations. “It’s a little…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 8,685 new cases and 56 deaths
8,685 new Covid-19 cases and 56 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, the latest and most severe wave of Covid-19, the CCSA has reported 324,849 infections. Out of the new cases reported today, 146 infections were reported in correctional facilities. The recent wave of infections spread to Thailand’s overcrowded prisons, infecting…
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Study shows antibodies drop by 50% every 40 days after 2 doses of Sinovac
A study carried out by the faculty of medicine at Thammasat University and the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology has found that antibodies halve every 40 days after 2 doses of the Sinovac vaccine. Researcher Anan Jongkaewwattana says 500 people who received both doses of the Chinese vaccine took part in the study. The findings confirmed that their…
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Euro 2020: Racism rears its ugly head — again
One of the lasting and most compelling images of the Euro 2020 was that of England players taking the knee before their games to highlight racial inequality and discrimination. Those efforts were undone in the early hours of Monday morning. As if losing the Euro 2020 final to Italy wasn’t bad enough for most English fans, the country woke up…
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Afghanistan: Can Turkey tame the Taliban?
Now that almost all Western troops have withdrawn from Afghanistan, the central government in Kabul is largely on its own to fight the radical Islamist Taliban. But Afghanistan might now receive military help from Turkey. During talks on the sidelines of last month’s NATO summit in Brussels, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with his US counterpart Joe Biden about…
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Dilip Kumar: Bollywood legend who narrowed India-Pakistan divide
Indian movie stars, particularly from Bollywood, remain immensely popular in Pakistan despite the bitter political rivalry between the two nations. But Dilip Kumar wasn’t just any film star — his appeal transcended borders, generations — and the silver screen. Over the past week, the actor was remembered for the roles he played in movies, and the ones he played in…
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18 arrested and 8 luxury cars seized in alleged online gambling operation bust
18 people were arrested after Thailand’s Police Cyber Taskforce raided 2 homes in Pathum Thani suspected of being used for operating several online gambling websites. The suspects face charges of illegally running an online gambling operation and violating the Emergency Decree, which was put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19. Recently, the Thai government imposed tight restrictions in…
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AstraZeneca approved as third “booster” shot and as second dose after Sinovac
The AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine has been approved to be used as a third “booster” shot as well as a second dose for those who have been injected with a dose of the Sinovac vaccine. Thailand’s National Communicable Disease Committee officially approved the additional AstraZeneca doses. Following hundreds of cases involving vaccinated healthcare workers testing positive for Covid-19, as well as…
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