Thai Ministry of Interior tells Provincial Governors to take urgent measures to prepare for potential further Covid-19 restrictions and measures
Yesterday afternoon, the Thai Ministry of Interior Permanent Secretary, Mr. Chatchai Phromlert, sent an urgent official communication to all the Provincial Governors of Thailand, informing them that the National Covid-19 Coronavirus Disease Management Center has asked for the following measures to be addressed immediately and urgently.
— The Pattaya News
Chinese man arrested hoarding over 62,000 protective face masks in Jomtien-Video
A 38 year old Chinese man, Mr. He Chunyu, was arrested yesterday afternoon and has been charged with several offenses related to price gouging and hoarding of medical supplies after being found with 62,000 protective face masks in Jomtien.
— The Pattaya News
Gov’t Bans Media From Field Report During Virus Curfew
Reporters are asked not to report in the field during the overnight curfew that will come into effect tonight, deputy prime minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said Friday.
— Khaosod English
Hospitals warned not to bill for Covid-19 care
The government has warned private hospitals not to send medical bills to Covid-19 patients or their families, saying their medical expenses will be paid for by the government.
— Bangkok Post
The current situation with any sort of visa “exemption” for foreign tourists stuck in Thailand during the Covid-19 crisis
Foreign tourists have been complaining for weeks now on social media regarding alleged confusion, lack of social distancing, grueling wait times, confusing red tape and forms required for a visa extension for those who are unable due to a variety of factors to leave Thailand in the midst of the Covid-19 Coronavirus crisis in Thailand.
— The Pattaya News
24 Thais from abroad warned their names will be published if they do not contact the authorities
Authorities are threatening to reveal the names of 24 Thais, who arrived at Suvarnabhumi international airport on Friday and returned home to avoid state quarantine, if they do not report in by 6pm today.
— Thai PBS News
Three more Covid-19 patients die as Thailand sees 102 new cases
Thailand’s total number of Covid-19 patients rose to 2,169, with 102 new cases confirmed over a 24-hour period and three patients, including a foreigner, dying, Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said on Sunday (April 5).
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Thailand reports youngest COVID-19 case so far
Thailand today reported the youngest confirmed COVID-19 case, after a one-month old baby, in the eastern province of Rayong, tested positive.
— Thai PBS News
PM orders security forces to track down any returnees evading quarantine
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is concerned over the standoff at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday when Thai returnees from overseas refused to be quarantined while some reportedly sneaked out through airport checkpoints, a source from the Covid-19 Administration Centre at Government House revealed.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Research houses concur on heavy toll
The Thai economy is forecast to shrink by 4.8% by Asian Development Bank (ADB), 5.6% by Siam Commercial Bank’s Economic Intelligence Center (EIC) and 5% by Standard Chartered Bank (Thai), heading for its deepest contraction since the financial meltdown of 1998.
— Bangkok Post
‘Blood donations cannot stop’ despite Covid-19 because of high demand
The National Blood Centre has said that it cannot stop blood donations because there are still patients who need blood regularly.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Prachuap Khiri Khan orders all hotels in province to close
Panlop Singhaseni, the governor of Prachuap Khiri Khan province, issued an order on April 4 to close all hotels to contain Covid-19.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Sudden changes by aviation authorities leave Thais overseas and their families frustrated
The sudden two-day complete flight ban imposed by civil aviation authorities have been frustrating for Thai families whose members are abroad and want to come home amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Recovered COVID-19 patients asked to donate plasma to treat other patients
The Thai Red Cross Society is seeking donations of plasma from people who have fully recovered from a COVID-19 infection, the antibodies in which can be used in the treatment of severe cases of the disease.
— Thai PBS News
British man jumps to his death from expressway
A British man reportedly killed himself on Saturday (April 4) by jumping from an expressway.
— The Nation
Songkhla closes provincial borders
Songkhla will impose a ban on people entering and leaving the province after midnight on Sunday until the end of the month after becoming one of the provinces hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
— Bangkok Post
New coronavirus infections rebound to 102 after falling for six days
New COVID-19 infections in Thailand increased by 102 today, after six days of steady decline to yesterday’s 89, bringing total infections in the country to 2,169 to date.
— Thai PBS News
Covid-19 death rate in Thailand averages 0.97 per cent
The death rate of Covid-19 in Thailand is quite low at an average of 0.97 per cent of total patients, Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said on Sunday (April 5).
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Prachuap Khiri Khan locks down ‘until further notice’
The Prachuap Khiri Khan municipality, 240 kilometres south of Bangkok, has locked down the province from April 3 to combat the spread of the Coronavirus Covid-19, ” with immediate effect until further notice”.
— The Thaiger
Senior army officers to oversee passenger screening at Bangkok airports
The Thai military has appointed two senior officers to be in charge of the screening of arriving passengers at the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang international airports, to avoid a repeat of the incident at Suvarnabhumi international airport yesterday evening, when a group of arriving Thai passengers refused to be quarantined and were allowed to go home.
— Thai PBS News
Checkpoints set up to monitor night curfew
Police have set up checkpoint to monitor implementation of night curfew in front of Wat Sikan (Buddha Siam) on the night of Friday (April 3).
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
DPM Wissanu: curfew will be extended, if not effective
The government has indicated that the national curfew can be extended depending on the situation.
— NBT World (video)
COVID-19: Thailand’s new economic package to be worth 10 percent of GDP
Thailand’s new economic package to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will be worth about 10 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has said.
— Vietnamplus
Supermarkets asked to drop palm oil price by 2 baht
The Ministry of Commerce has asked retailers and vendors to reduce the price of bottled palm oil from 42 to 40 baht per bottle, following the decrease of crude palm oil pricing down below 30 baht per kilogram.
— NBT World (video)
Villages hit by storm, 70 houses damaged
A strong thunderstorm lashed two villages in Tha Tako district of this upper Central province on Saturday night, damaging about 70 houses. Nobody was reported hurt.
— Bangkok Post
50,000 returnees from Thailand to be transported back to villages via military trucks
Prime Minister Hun Sen said Saturday that the estimated 50,000 Cambodians who had returned from neighboring countries be closely monitored for their health and place them under quarantine where possible.
— Khmer Times
Roundup of airport escapees begins
The government vows to take legal action against those who fled quarantine after returning on a flight to Thailand on Friday night and failed to report themselves by deadline last evening.
— Bangkok Post
Cabinet approves plan to reassignment healthcare workers as government officials
The Cabinet has approved in principle the reassignment of more than 45,000 healthcare workers as government officials, as a token of recognition and moral support for frontline workers fighting against COVID-19.
— NBT World (video)
Immigration Bureau pursues visa relief for foreigners
The Immigration Bureau (IB) plans to seek cabinet approval for a new raft of measures for three different categories of foreigners in Thailand affected by the Covid-19 crisis.
— Bangkok Post
Krungsri unveils relief for customers
Krungsri (Bank of Ayudhya Plc) and its subsidiaries have introduced relief measures for customers with mortgages and other loans from the bank such as grace periods on payments for those affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand produces new COVID-19 test kits
Thailand is now able to produce new COVID-19 test kits itself with RT-PCR, a standard laboratory technique recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
— Vietnamplus
55 Thais returning from Indonesia quarantined at Aviation School in Nakhon Pathom
A group of 55 Thai nationals — who had returned from Indonesia on Thursday — is now quarantined in a facility at the Aviation School in Kamphaeng Saen district in Nakhon Pathom province, to see if they develop any symptoms of COVID-19.
— NBT World (video)
AHS outbreak kills 154 horses
African horse sickness (AHS), which was recently reported for the first time in Thailand, has caused the deaths of at least 154 horses in Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chon Buri and Phetchaburi, according to the Department of Livestock Development (DLD).
— Bangkok Post
AI Door to reduce the risk of Covid 19 infection
Many inventions are coming to life to help us avoid Covid-19 exposure. At the International Academy of the Aviation Industry, King Mongkut ‘s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang , they have presented an AI controlled door which the inventors claim to be fast and accurate, raising the effectiveness of screening before visitors enter the campus. Let’s find out more from this report.
— NBT World (video)
Thailand Seeks Myanmar, Laos Help to Fight Haze Effecting Air Quality
The Thai Government is seeking help from Myanmar and Laos to support the fight against haze and poor air quality in northern Thailand.
— Chiang Rai Times
Police warn of punishments against curfew violators
The Royal Thai Police has warned that those going out during national curfew hours — from 10 PM to 4 AM — without a valid reason will be prosecuted for violating the measure aimed at preventing any further spread of COVID-19.
— NBT World (video)
Thailand communicates with people, tourists on first night of curfew
A curfew from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. came into force last night in an effort to reduce people’s movements and gatherings to curb the spread of COVID-19.
— Pattaya Mail
Weightlifting: Thailand, Malaysia get Tokyo ban over doping
Weightlifters from Thailand and Malaysia will miss the Tokyo Olympics after the sport’s governing body said on Saturday it had banned their athletes after a high number of doping cases.
— Reuters
Foreigners Arrested in Phuket for Partying During Emergency Decree
Nine foreigners were arrested in Phuket for allegedly using drugs and partying in violation of the emergency decree.
— Chiang Rai Times
MEA refunds 465 million baht to electricity users within three days
Regarding the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA)’s offer of refunds of collateral deposits for service meters through its online channel and telephone no. 0- 2256-3333, from 25 March to 1 April 2020, 181,000 electricity users received a refund, amounting to 465 million baht.
— Bangkok Post
Khon Kaen to shutter hotels from April 7
Khon Khaen will shut down all hotels on April 7 to stem the Covid-19 outbreak, according to the resolution of the province’s Communicable Disease Committee on Friday (April 3).
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Trat halts all movement of people across its borders
Trat has prohibited its people from entering and leaving the province from Saturday (April 4).
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Expressways to offer only limited access during curfew hours
Expressway service at all tollgates will offer limited access from 10pm to 4am following the government’s curfew order, which came into effect on Friday (April 3).
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Coronavirus: All Hotels in Pattaya Ordered to Close
All hotels in Pattaya and elsewhere throughout Chonburi province in eastern Thailand have been ordered to temporarily close in a sustained effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Khaosod English
Tycoons’ fortunes take a dive
Even the extravagantly wealthy are feeling the pinch from the coronavirus pandemic, as members of Forbes Thailand’s 50 richest list saw US$28 billion erased from their combined wealth, an 18% decline to a total of $132 billion.
— Bangkok Post
Thai cabinet announces 1.6 trillion baht third economic stimulus package
Thailand’s cabinet has approved a third economic package, estimated to cost about 10% of the country’s GDP, or 1.6 trillion baht, to help those who did not benefit from the previous two, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises and the financial sector, during the current deep economic crisis, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Thai PBS News
Mother of two killed battling forest fire
A mother of two in Chiang Mai province was killed on Friday (April 3) as she helped residents battle a forest fire in Chom Thong district.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Covid-19 now covered by Bt30 health scheme
The Royal Gazette announced on its website on Friday (April 3) that the National Health Security Office (NHSO) will be adding the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) to the list of diseases that will be covered by the fund from March 31 onwards.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Tourist-Fed Elephants Low on Food As Pandemic Closes Site
Over 70 elephants at a tourist attraction in Ayutthaya province are at the risk of starvation after the venue is forced to close down during the coronavirus pandemic, organizers said Thursday.
— Khaosod English
Phuket will close all hotels from Saturday (April 4) until further notice to curb the escalating Covid-19 outbreak
Phuket governor Phakkhaphong Thawiphat issued the order on April 2 after the move was endorsed by the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Chanthaburi gets tough with those who don’t wear face masks
Chanthaburi has ordered all people in the province to wear sanitary or cloth face masks when leaving their homes, or face a maximum fine of Bt20,000.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Thai Military battling to regain public trust after grave missteps
The Army have been sanitising several locations every night and producing face masks in the daylight.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
‘Fit-to-Fly’ imposes high cost on returnees, exposes them to Covid-19 risk: TDRI
The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) has advised the government to suspend the issuance of letters by Royal Thai Embassies and consulates and the use of fit-to-fly medical certificates for people to enter the country to reduce the risk of Covid-19 infections.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Four jailed for violating night curfew
The provincial court on Sunday sentenced four people to 15 days in jail and a fine of 15,000 baht each for violating the 10pm-4am curfew imposed nationwide by the government to curb the Covid-19 outbreak.
— Bangkok Post
PCT – we’re all going to be suffering from Post-Coronavirus Trauma
The sun will rise. All this utter disruption to our lives will come to an end at some time. But the hangover will linger a lot longer than the fairly sudden stop to just everything we were familiar with.
— The Thaiger
Phuket: Patong on official lockdown from today
Phuket’s Governor Pakkapong Thaweepat has issued a closure order for Patong with all non-essential travel in or out of the popular tourist town banned in an attempt to slow a potential large scale outbreak of Covid-19 in Phuket.
— The Thaiger
Chaturon slams government’s handling of overseas Thais wanting to return
Chaturon Chaisang, a former member of the dissolved Thai Raksa Chart Party, wants overseas Thais to be able to return to their homeland despite the new directive restricting arrivals.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Scared but desperate, Thai sex workers forced to the street
A shutdown to contain the coronavirus has killed Thailand’s party scene and forced sex workers like Pim out of bars and onto desolate streets. She’s scared but desperately needs customers to pay her rent.
— CNA
Tourist complains about crowded visa office, shoddy treatment by Thailand
Tourists stranded in Koh Samui were treated badly by Immigration officials, a German tourist moaned.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Opinion: Thai Poor Face Either Death by Coronavirus, or Economic Ruin
Monitoring daily government press conferences and its latest coronavirus figures has become a daily ritual for many Thais as they enter a nationwide lockdown in April.
— Khaosod English
Thai army orders probe into General who allegedly let 152 Thais from US go home
The Permanent Secretary of the Defence Ministry has recalled an army major-general from Suvarnabhumi international airport and ordered an investigation into his reported decision to let 152 Thais, arriving from abroad yesterday, to return home instead of being quarantined in state facilities.
— Thai PBS News
How to safely reuse your sanitary and N95 face masks
UV-C sterilisers can effectively kill the Covid-19 virus and allow you to reuse your sanitary and N95 face masks, research shows.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Number of people seeking unemployment benefits on the rise
As many as 144,861 people have registered for social security benefits for unemployment in the month of March, marking a 41.89 per cent and 48.38 per cent increase compared to January and February respectively, Suchart Phonchaiwisetkun, director-general of the Department of Employment, revealed on Friday (April 3).
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Rent suspended at 11 Bangkok markets
Eleven markets under City Hall supervision will suspend rent until further notice, Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang said on Friday (April 3).
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Family Mart prioritises at-risk shoppers
Family Mart stores have limited customers to 10 at a time as part of social distancing measures to reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Pawn shops to reduce interest rate during Covid-19 crisis
Pawn shops in Bangkok will employ measures to help alleviate the financial burden of customers during the escalating Covid-19 situation, city Governor Pol General Aswin Kwanmuang said on Thursday (April 3).
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Thailand Reopens Mekong Ports to Allow Essential Goods From China
Thailand has lifted its ban to close four ports at the Mekong River to allow essential goods to be shipped to and from China as Thailand is currently facing the COVID-19 outbreak.
— Khaosod English
Vendors at MBK Group malls spared rent burden
Shopping centres under MBK Group will temporarily exempt vendors from paying rent, the Group said in a statement on Thursday (April 2).
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
47 Kilograms of Marijuana seized after undercover sting of marijuana operation using social media to sell product
Banglamung Police arrested three suspects yesterday afternoon who were caught with 47 Kilograms of marijuana that they were selling in Chonburi and Bangkok, primarily through a Facebook page and social media.
— The Pattaya News
President of Eastern Thai Hotel Association discusses hotel closures in Chonburi, situation with tourists still in rooms
The President of the Eastern Thai Hotel Association,Mr. Prueksae Khu, spoke with The Pattaya News this weekend in an interview to clarify and discuss the current situation in Chonburi and Pattaya regarding hotel closures.
— The Pattaya News
Sorrayuth back on air – for inmates only
Sorrayuth Suthassanachinda has returned to a talk show again — this time from a prison.
— Bangkok Post
10 new coronavirus cases in Phuket today (Sunday)
The island of Phuket in Thailand’s south has reported 10 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases today (Sunday), bringing the total to 119.
— The Thaiger
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.
— The Thaiger
Banks to resume full services from April 7
All banks will resume normal services on Tuesday (April 7), including opening new accounts and PromptPay registration services that had been temporarily suspended since last week to reduce crowding at the banks’™ branches in an attempt to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Three of a family become first Covid-19 cases in Lampang
Lampang province in the North of Thailand on Saturday (April 4) reported its first three confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Thailand closed to arriving flights for three days after incident
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CVAT) has stopped all international flights from landing in Thailand for three days, from midnight last night, after some members of a group of about 100 Thai passengers returning from the United States protested and refused to be quarantined at a state facility on their arrival.
— Thai PBS News
CAAT reinforces Phuket Airport shutdown until April 30
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has ordered that Phuket Airport stop operations from 00.01am on April 10 to 11.59pm on April 30.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Public Transport, Food Delivery Adjust Service Hours For Curfew
Public transport services, as well as food delivery services, announced their new service hours in the wake of an overnight curfew set to begin tonight.
— Khaosod English
Woman with low fever caught spitting on train
A woman with a low fever was detained on Friday (April 3) for intentionally spitting while on a train to Khon Kaen province.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Public Health Ministry seeks to boost its workforce to fight Covid-19
The Cabinet on Friday (April 3) approved the Public Health Ministry’s plan to enroll 45,684 government employees as special officers to deal with the Covid-19 outbreak.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Rent cut for exhibitors at Bangkok STYLE expo
The government is cutting the rent for traders at one of Thailand’s largest international trade fairs to help ease the economic shock of the virus pandemic.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Amid economic gloom, some companies on hiring spree
Organisations that have benefited from the Covid-19 situation are bucking the trend and recruiting staff.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Crew jumps ship after hit-and-run in Thai Gulf
An alleged hit-and-run incident in the Gulf of Thailand destroyed a fishing trawler and left its crew of eight swimming for their lives on Friday (April 3).
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Train Passengers, Employees Quarantined After Man Aboard Dies of COVID-19
Dozens of train passengers and employees are currently being quarantined for fear of the COVID-19 pandemic after an elderly male was found dead due to the highly infectious disease on board a train, Thai railway officials said.
— Khaosod English
Mixed-use projects drive Lat Phrao
Completion of the skytrain’s Sukhumvit Line extension from Kasetsart University to Khu Kot this year should mean increased traffic near Lat Phrao intersection, with developers planning mixed-use projects worth a combined 50 billion baht over the next few years.
— Bangkok Post property
Phuket hotels put launches on hold
New hotels in Phuket scheduled to open in the first half have postponed plans indefinitely, while new investments are in doubt. Yet long-term investors remain bullish on the Andaman island.
— Bangkok Post
Feature photo Suvarnabhumi Airport
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).
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About Thailand morning news.
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Thailand morning news for April 6 added by John Le Fevre on
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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