Yala struggles to enforce ban on Friday prayer at mosques
Yala authorities are hard-put trying to convince local Muslim leaders of the need to obey the Chularatchamontri’s order suspending Friday prayers at all mosques, amid worries that mass gatherings spread the coronavirus disease.
— Bangkok Post
Thai PM says tourists will get automatic visa extensions
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is concerned that foreigners seeking visa extensions have been gathering in their hundreds at Thailand’s immigration offices each day, at a time when social distancing is needed due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.
— The Thaiger
Prayut Warns Emergency Decree May Extend If Pandemic Doesn’t Ease
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday told the media after the Cabinet meeting that he may extend the state of emergency decree for another month or two should Thailand’s COVID-19 situation does not ease.
— Khaosod English
Thailand confirms 120 new coronavirus cases, 2 more deaths
Thailand confirmed 120 new coronavirus cases and two more deaths on Wednesday (Apr 1), said a spokesman of the government’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration.
— CNA
Over 300 commercial airplanes grounded at Thailand’s airports
Over 300 commercial airplanes have been grounded at two major airports of Thailand, Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi, due to novel coronavirus outbreak.
— Pattaya Mail
Thailand to sanitise coins, banknotes, issue new cash
Thailand’s Ministry of Finance on Wednesday (April 1) said the Treasury Department will release new coins and collect old ones for a thorough cleanup to help stem the spread of Covid-19.
— The Star Online
State Railway of Thailand cancels 22 long distance train routes due to Covid19 and to encourage people to stay home
Long distance trains are still running at limited capacity, with some destinations cancelled until the spread of COVID-19 can be contained.
— The Pattaya News
Man found dead on Thai train tests positive for COVID-19
A man found dead on a passenger train in Thailand has tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said Wednesday, as the country’s death toll from the contagion more than triples from a week ago.
— CNA
Sa Kaeo government confirms ninth case of COVID19 in Province is a Thai waitress back from Pattaya, releases timeline
Sa Kaeo The Sa Kaeo government and Covid19 response team reported today that the ninth case of Covid-19 in the province is a 38 year old Thai waitress who worked in Pattaya.
— The Pattaya News
Stranded migrant workers can stay and work in Thailand, for now
Today the Thai Labour Ministry is allowing stranded workers from Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar to stay and work beyond the expiration date of their work permits, due to the recent closure of their borders.
— The Thaiger
6 Covid-19 recovered patients head home to their families
The hospital director in Songkla, Dr. Supat Hasuwankit, posted on his Facebook page today, that it was a happy moment for 6 patients and their families after having been in hospital since March 17 fighting against the deadly Coronavirus, to finally go home.
— The Thaiger
Thai Immigration proposes extending tourist visas until June 30
The Thai Immigration Bureau has asked the Cabinet to approve a measure extending tourist visas until June 30 for foreigners stranded in Thailand following the disruption of international flights due to the Covid-19 coronavirus.
— The Thaiger
Rice exports seen rising as virus outbreak troubles competitors
Thai rice exporters expect to increase sales as the spread of coronavirus sparks global food security concerns and major competitors face export bans or go into lockdown to battle the outbreak.
— Bangkok Post
Nation Multimedia Cuts Pay, Permits Layoffs Amid Outbreak
The Nation Multimedia Group, one of Thailand’s largest media conglomerates, announced Tuesday that it will slash the salaries of its employees to cope with the business downturn brought by the coronavirus.
— Khaosod English
Grand Bella Hotel in Pattaya is set to become field hospital for Covid19 patients under investigation
As we originally announced yesterday, the Grand Bella Hotel in Pattaya was under consideration after offering to become a field hospital for Covid19 patients under investigation and has now been approved for that process.
— The Pattaya News
Veteran former politician Prachuab Chaiyasan dies of cancer
Former politician and minister in several previous Thai administrations, Mr. Prachuab Chaiyasan, aka Isan Idi (Amin), died of lung cancer at Siriraj hospital this morning (Wednesday).
— Thai PBS News
BMA orders capital’s convenience stores to close from midnight until 5am
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has reduced the opening hours of convenience stores, food shops and stalls by ordering them to close from midnight to 5am, from Thursday until end of April.
— Thai PBS News
Digital payments nearly double in March amid virus outbreak
Thailand’s digital payments jumped 93% in March from a year earlier, the central bank said on Wednesday, as the coronavirus outbreak pushes up demand for online services.
— Bangkok Post
Well known investment banker Pakpoom Vallisuta dies of COVID-19
Mr. Pakpoom Vallisuta, Chairman of the Quant Group, Thailand’s leading investment banking advisors, has died of COVID-19.
— Thai PBS News
BOT responds to temporary breakdowns for online payments
The new online payment systems, put in place to provide payments related to government stimulus packages, have suffered from temporary breakdowns in the past few days.
— The Thaiger
Phuket’s Patong all but shut down
A notice from Patong municipality is urging Patong’s residents to stay at home and not venture out of doors, including the Soi Bangla entertainment area, which has become the hotbed of Covid-19 coronavirus in the island province of Phuket.
— The Thaiger
Thailand Manufacturing PMI Hits Record Low in March
Thailand’s manufacturing PMI fell to a record low in March as declines in output and new orders accelerated markedly, IHS Markit said Wednesday.
— Marketscreener
Thailand 4.0 Reinvigorates ASEAN and Connects Thailand to the Global Community
As it takes on the mantle of chair of the ASEAN in 2019, the Kingdom of Thailand has maintained an extremely favourable business environment.
— Bangkok Post
Pattaya tourism execs call for massive tax cuts, economic relief to survive coronavirus pandemic
Pattaya tourism executives called on the government to grant them massive tax breaks and economic relief to prevent hotels, tourist attractions and related businesses from going bankrupt.
— Pattaya Mail
Bangkok to close parks as Thailand’s coronavirus cases rise
The Thai capital of Bangkok will close all parks as it tightens measures to rein in a coronavirus pandemic by limiting people’s movements, a city hall spokesman said on Wednesday.
— ABS-CBN News
Government issues more measures to assist business sector affected by COVID-19
To ease the impact of COVID-19 on the business sector in Thailand, the Revenue Department has extended personal income tax filing to August 31, while SME operators are allowed to suspend loan payments for up to 12 months.
— NBT World (video)
Thailand’s new asylum law leaves refugees with more questions, few protections
The Thai-Myanmar border has long been home to refugees and people displaced by Myanmar’s cycle of internal conflicts.
— Asean Today
Local measures enacted to limit COVID 19 spread
Several provinces have already implemented their own measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
— NBT World (video)
Air Quality in Northern Thailand at Very Unsafe Levels Due to WildFires
The Pollution Control Department has reported very unsafe air quality levels were reported in nine northern provinces on Wednesday.
— Chiang Rai Times
Bangkok checkpoints screen 38,000 travelers
Officials being stationed at the more-than-370 recently erected road checkpoints across the country are working hard to perform health checks on motorists entering their respective areas, as the number of COVID-19 patients continue to rise in a daily basis.
— NBT World (video)
Stranded Thai students prefer to stay in US than risk travel
Several Thai students stranded in the United States have said they would rather stay put than return home and risk contracting or transmitting COVID-19 en route because the US has more than 188,000 COVID-19 cases.
— The Phuket News
Spirit figures help village keep out infection
Hmong people at a village in Phop Phra district have taken stringent precautions against catching Covid-19, including seeking help from divine spirits, which are represented by masked wooden figures.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand suspends commercial trains
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has on Wednesday (April 1)suspended the service of its 44 commercial trains to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
— The Star Online
Big cleaning events curbing COVID 19 spread
Various parts of the nations have held big cleaning events to disinfect public spaces, in order to reduce the infection rate of COVID-19.
— NBT World (video)
Thailand’s Sex Workers Screwed by the Government They Help Support
Empower Foundation, an organization promoting rights and opportunities for sex workers in Thailand has written a letter to the government pleading for help.
— Chiang Rai Times
Thailand’s family conglomerates have a stranglehold over food retail
When the U.K.’s largest supermarket chain, Tesco, announced that it was selling its Thai and Malaysian stores to Charoen Pokphand Group, a gigantic Thai family conglomerate, for $10.6 billion, it was the biggest deal in Asia this year so far.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)
Thailand’s parliamentary opposition pledges full cooperation in fight against COVID-19
Thailand’s opposition parties have promised full cooperation with the Government in the fight to win the battle against COVID-19.
— Thai PBS News
Grab reduces commission
Grab Thailand has reduced the commission fee collected from food merchants from 35% to 30% to accommodate rising demand for food delivery in amid the pandemic.
— Bangkok Post
Curfew By Other Name? Bangkok Orders All Shops To Close at Midnight
All business enterprises, including convenience stores and roadside food stalls, in the capital must be closed at midnight starting tonight, the City Hall ordered Wednesday.
— Khaosod English
Gov’t MP Blames Amateur Housewives for Egg Shortages
A pro-government lawmaker blamed young housewives for the ongoing egg shortages, saying they are only capable of making desperate egg dishes during their quarantines.
— Khaosod English
PM may suspend public transport over virus fears
Even though intra- and interprovincial travel has fallen by about 40%, following the declaration of a national state of emergency last week, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said today that he might order a reduction or even a suspension of public transport if the rate of Covid-19 coronavirus infections does not show a sustained drop.
— The Thaiger
King and Prayut Praise Bureaucrats on National Civil Servants’ Day
His Majesty the King and PM Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday called upon Thai bureaucrats to serve with honesty and uphold their honor on the occasion of Thai Civil Servants’ Day, which falls on April 1.
— Khaosod English
Covid-19 policies wind down
Some 6.8 million coronavirus insurance policies were taken out in less than two months since they were made available, with many companies already ceasing sales of lump-sum payout plans, says Suthiphon Taveechaiyagarn, secretary-general of the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC).
— Bangkok Post
Thailand Races Ahead as Global Healthcare Hub
Investors bet on medical device market as health tourism surges
— Bangkok Post
Feature photo Sachi23
This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo focuses on COVID-19 in Asean.
Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).
—
About Thailand morning news.
Thailand morning news roundup is the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of Thailand English language news headlines published. Each weekday we scour hundreds of local and international news sites and websites to find the most recent Thailand English language news today.
We filter our the dull, the boring, the repetitive, and the click-bait and package all of the Thailand daily news that you need to know to start your day into an easy to read, time saving format of Thailand news headlines and first paragraphs before 7.15am Bangkok time.
We clearly identify the source of all the Thailand news headlines, whether it is behind a paywall, a media release, or whether the news site uses annoying pop-up advertising or auto-play video, in case those things annoy you too. If a website uses particularly invasive pop-up adverts, we’ll tell you.
This enables you to make an informed choice of whether you want to learn more by clicking directly through to the original Thailand news article, or keep on reading the remaining Thailand daily news headlines.
Click here to get your Thailand English language news today by email before 8am Bangkok time daily. Remember to watch out for the confirmation email from us to confirm your subscription. Check your trash folder if you do not see it.
For more immediate updates download the AEC News Today Mobile App from the Apple or Google stores, or follow us on Twitter.
#Independentmedia
Governance, not government; policies not politics.
John Le Fevre
He has spent extensive periods of time working in Africa and throughout Southeast Asia, with stints in the Middle East, the USA, and England.
He has covered major world events including Operation Desert Shield/ Storm, the 1991 pillage in Zaire, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 1999 East Timor independence unrest, the 2004 Asian tsunami, and the 2009, 2010, and 2014 Bangkok political protests.
In 1995 he was a Walkley Award finalist, the highest awards in Australian journalism, for his coverage of the 1995 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola outbreak.
Prior to AEC News Today he was the deputy editor and Thailand and Greater Mekong Sub-region editor for The Establishment Post, predecessor of Asean Today.
In the mid-80s and early 90s he owned JLF Promotions, the largest above and below the line marketing and PR firm servicing the high-technology industry in Australia. It was sold in 1995.
Latest posts by John Le Fevre (see all)
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 26 — 16 mln case barrier breached, Vietnam records community transmission – July 26, 2020
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 25 — new high for daily infections, 16 mln infection barrier to break today – July 25, 2020
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 24 — Asean tops 230,000 cases, nudges 90,000 active – July 24, 2020
- Thailand morning news for July 24 – July 24, 2020