Thailand News Today | Are face masks required on Thai flights?
Face masks on Thai flights?
The world is moving on from the pandemic, but is Thailand? You may see people on domestic flights in Thailand wearing masks, but are they mandatory?
The Thai government made face masks “voluntary” in June but still recommends wearing them in crowded spaces. A statement in the royal gazette said that.
The wearing of a mask is a voluntary practice. The Ministry of Public Health only recommends that the general public wear masks when with others in a crowded or poorly ventilated place.
Some places, like the BTS SkyTrain in Bangkok, say they ask passengers to wear face masks on the train. However, I’ve tested this out myself, and so far, no one’s stopped telling me to put on a diaper.
Planes are considered the same. It is not a lawful requirement to wear face masks on domestic flights, but a few airlines still recommend them. Some airlines may push for mask-wearing more than others.
Bangkok Airlines, where I’ve flown several times without a mask since the government announcement, told The Thaiger that wearing face masks is unnecessary. They also don’t require presenting any Covid Test result or vaccination.
Thai Smile also told The Thaiger that face masks are not a requirement, but they recommend wearing them during the flight. I’ve flown on them once without a mask since the announcement, and no one said a thing.
However, AirAsia flights said the cabin crew will likely ask passengers to wear masks unless they eat.” However, one mask-opposing passenger told The Thaiger that they had flown AirAsia for the past three weeks multiple times and did not wear a mask. They do, however, announce on the speaker system, “Please wear a mask at all times,” but there were no real consequences.
Similarly, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air, and Thai VietJet recommend wearing a mask during flights but don’t require it.
The nation’s flag carrier, Thai Airways, which serves both domestic and international flights, recommends but doesn’t enforce the use of face masks.
One passenger flying from the UK to Bangkok with Thai Airways told The Thaiger…
“From the moment I boarded the plane until now, I haven’t worn a mask or been asked to wear one. On the flight, only Thais wore them and the odd non-Thai. Same at Suvarnabhumi Airport.”
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Flood levels in the Rangsit district
Flood levels in the Rangsit district of Pathum Thani province near Bangkok are dangerous after nine water pumps broke down. It gonna repaired after three days.
The official district website revealed the level of water in the Rangsit Canal had risen to 1.8 meters this morning.
Rangsit had 20 water pumps in operation, but nine broke down.
The director of the water management project in the southern part of Rangsit revealed yesterday that the outsourcing company that took care of the water pump repairs ran out of spare parts. During the peak of the rainy season,….and reported that the spare parts would be delivered from abroad, which takes about three days.
The Director of the Royal Irrigation Department promised residents he would find more water pumps to replace the broken ones waiting for repair.
The Rangsit Municipality Office announced today that they would support the residents affected by the flood. In addition, the office urged flood victims to provide any damage via the online platform.
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Tourists gathered at Phanom Rung Historical Park.
Tourists gathered at Phanom Rung Historical Park in Isaan province of Buriram this morning to observe a solar phenomenon through the 15 doors of the ancient Phanom Rung Temple. This event happens only four times a year.
The Phanom Rung Temple is at Phanom Rung mountain in the Chaloemprakiat district of Buriram province. The temple, constructed during the 15th – 18th Buddhist century, is made from pink sandstone in an ancient Khmer architectural style.
Phanom Rung also evolved from the Khmer language, which means excellent mountain.
What makes this place more remarkable is the solar phenomenon through the temple’s doors which happens only four times per year. You can view the phenomenon during
- The sunset on March 5 to 7
- The sunrise on April 3 to 5
- The sunrise on September 8 to 10
- And The evening on October 5 to 7
The date and month could be slightly different depending on each year.
Today is the first day of the third solar phenomenon this year. Many tourists, mostly Thais, gathered at the Phanom Rung Historical Park this morning to capture the best shot of sunrise through the 15 doors.
People waited at the spot from 5.50 am. Unfortunately, the solar phenomenon is only visible for a few seconds. The report said the light wasn’t as clear as the tourists expected because of the overcast.
One visitor informed the media that it was exciting to observe the sunrise at the temple. It was worth being there, even if it was briefly and the light wasn’t obvious.
Visitors still have two days left to experience the temple’s iconic sunrise on September 9 and 10.
Locals near the temple also host the yearly Phanom Rung Festival 2022. Visitors can expect a parade, religious ceremony, performance, and Isaan-style street food.
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A fire broke out at an Indian restaurant in Phuket
A fire broke out at an Indian restaurant in Phuket’s famous tourist town of Patong in the early hours of this morning. Firefighters rushed to the restaurant on Taweewong Road to find it ablaze.
The firefighters took 40 minutes to bring the flames under control. The restaurant was damaged, but luckily no injuries were reported. The restaurant owner said no one was inside because the restaurant was closed and staff did not live on the premises. The fire did, however, wake up and scare nearby residents.
Believed that an electric short circuit causes fire. Phuket Forensic Police are continuing to investigate.
This news comes after another fire broke out at a Patong bar last month. The fire caused a massive power outage on Bangla Road for several hours, and a photo showed a crowd of people across the street from the bar watching as firefighters worked for almost an hour to bring the situation under control.
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Submit ideas for Thai names for a star and a planet
Astronomy lovers can now submit ideas for Thai names for a star and a planet. The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand is seeking Thai name submissions for an international contest titled “NameExpoWorlds 2022.”
The contest aims to name planets and stars outside the solar system that have been discovered or confirmed this year. Narit researcher Suphachai Awiphan said yesterday that the institute is inviting people to submit Thai names for the star GJ 3470 and the planet GJ 3470b that orbits around it.
Star gazers can submit their name ideas via the link in the video description until October 7. Submit your star naming ideas here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdqtBqrkMQSgvQ6NRAMO5Fn6lnzX-NbcLn2s0LETckzT55oYA/viewform
A committee will select ten teams to make short videos explaining their concepts and meanings. Finally, the committee will choose two team name ideas for the public to vote on.
Names must be four to 16 characters long when written in English. According to the submission form, the names should be…
“…for objects, people, or places of cultural significance. History or geography that has a long history worth remembering.”
