CDE News - The Dispatch

UPDATED: Thai night club fire kills at least 13, cause unknown

BANGKOK, Aug 5 (Reuters) - At least 13 people were killed and 35 injured when a fire broke out at a night club in Thailand's eastern Chonburi province early on…

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Thai tourist arrivals reach 1 million for first time in 2 years

BANGKOK, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Thailand's foreign tourist arrivals in July reached one million for the first time since early 2020 as tourism picks up following an easing of pandemic restrictions, bolstering…

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Thai PM survives 4th no-confidence vote, last big test before polls

BANGKOK, July 23 (Reuters) - Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and 10 cabinet ministers survived no-confidence votes in parliament on Saturday, with the government emerging on top in Prayuth's last major test…

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Thailand to offer land ownership to lure wealthy foreigners

BANGKOK, July 15 (Reuters) - Thailand will for allow foreigners to fully own land for residential use, a government official said on Friday, seeking to boost its economy by attracting a million…

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Thailand on verge of using voluntary chemical castration for sex offenders

Thailand is close to introducing chemical castration as a means of tackling sex crime after lawmakers approved a bill that will give some offenders the right to choose the procedure…

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Gig economy workers hit by high fuel prices and layoffs

BANGKOK/CAIRO (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Indian online grocer Fraazo cut commission and scrapped its fuel allowance, more than 100 delivery riders went on strike, shuttering outlets and taking their noisy protest…

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Thai tourism group sees 12-16 mln foreign visitors this year

BANGKOK, June 30 (Reuters) - Foreign visitors to Thailand are expected to number between 12 million and 16 million this year following the country's full reopening, a private tourism group said on…

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Thailand rushes to rein in cannabis use a week after decriminalisation

BANGKOK, June 17 (Reuters) - Thailand hastily issued a raft of new regulations for cannabis use this week after a long-planned decriminalisation raised alarm at the potential for unchecked use…

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Thailand eases entry rules for tourists, scraps mask policy

BANGKOK, June 17 (Reuters) - Thailand announced on Friday it would abandon its much-criticised pre-registration process for foreign visitors and no longer require face masks to be worn in public,…

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Photo story: Jurassic World Dominion promotion in Bangkok

A girl runs by in front of life-size and realistically moving robotic Tyrannosaurus Rex (L) and Giganotosaurus (R) dinosaurs presented during the Iconic Jurassic Adventure dinosaurs’ exhibition at the ICONSIAM…

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Thailand legalises growing, consumption of marijuana

BANGKOK, June 9 (Reuters) - Thailand legalised the growing of marijuana and its consumption in food and drinks on Thursday, the first Asian country to do so, with the aim…

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Thailand expects 7-10 million foreign tourists this year

BANGKOK, June 2 (Reuters) - Thailand expects to receive 7 to 10 million foreign tourists this year following an easing of COVID-19 restrictions, the tourism minister said on Thursday. In the first…

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Thailand to lift curbs on nightlife from June

BANGKOK, (Reuters) - Thailand will allow night clubs and karaoke bars to resume regular hours starting in June, a senior official said, dropping most of its remaining pandemic restrictions as…

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Thailand targets 5-15 mln foreign tourists this year

BANGKOK, May 6 (Reuters) - Thailand is aiming for 5-15 million foreign tourist arrivals this year as the country further eases travel restrictions to support the key tourism sector, a government spokesperson…

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Tourist favourite Thailand’s recovery lags on COVID rule changes

BANGKOK (Reuters) - When 23-year-old Norwegian Anastasia Johansen and her boyfriend were planning their first vacation in two years, they considered going to Thailand but chose nearby Vietnam instead, for its simpler…

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Thailand to scrap on-arrival COVID tests from May

BANGKOK, April 22 (Reuters) - Thailand will next month remove a requirement for arrivals vaccinated against COVID-19 to undergo a test and brief quarantine on arrival, an official said on Friday, the…

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Thailand to seek travel bubbles with China, Malaysia

BANGKOK, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Thailand will have talks on bilateral travel bubble arrangements with China and Malaysia later this month, an official said on Monday, as part of efforts…

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Thailand to resume quarantine waiver for vaccinated arrivals in February

BANGKOK, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Thailand will resume its 'Test & Go' quarantine waiver for vaccinated arrivals from Feb. 1, its coronavirus task force said on Thursday, in response to…

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Thailand plans to impose tourist fee from April

BANGKOK, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Thailand is planning to collect a 300 baht ($9) fee from foreign tourist from April to develop attractions and cover accident insurance for foreigners unable…

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Thailand rejects allegations of African swine fever cover-up

BANGKOK, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Thailand on Monday denied accusations it has covered up an outbreak of African swine fever, after a university lab test conducted last month indicated a…

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Thailand announces more coronavirus curbs after jump in cases

BANGKOK, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Thailand will extend the suspension of its quarantine waiver programme and bring in new restrictions after a jump in new coronavirus cases linked to the…

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Thailand allows visitors back to beach made famous by movie

PHI PHI LEH, Thailand (Reuters) - Thailand has reopened Maya Bay, a white sand beach made famous by the 2000 film "The Beach" starring Leonardo DiCaprio, more than three years…

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Thailand raises COVID-19 alert level due to Omicron spread

BANGKOK, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Thailand on Thursday raised its COVID-19 alert level following rising infections driven by the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, a senior health…

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Thailand fears “tens of thousands” of new COVID-19 cases, weighs curbs

BANGKOK, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Thailand is considering measures such as limiting large gatherings and banning alcohol sales in restaurants to discourage customers to avert a wave of coronavirus infections,…

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Photo Story: Christmas in Bangkok, Thailand

A young girl looks at a statue of baby Jesus at a nativity scene following a Christmas day mass at a church in Bangkok, Thailand. Although Thailand is a Buddhist…

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Thailand reports first Omicron cluster, cancels some New Year events

BANGKOK, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Thailand reported on Friday its first domestic cluster of coronavirus infections from the Omicron variant in Kalasin province in northeastern Thailand, officials said. “From the…

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Thailand detects first case of Omicron variant

Thailand has detected its first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant in a U.S. citizen who had traveled to the country from Spain late last month, a health official said…

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A month after reopening, Thailand sees gradual tourism recovery

Thailand was among the first countries in Asia to reopen for foreign arrivals, and it is seeing a slow recovery, including new hotels touting longer stays for individual travellers. In…

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Thai oil firm PTT expands pharma business with Alvogen deal

Thailand's state-owned oil firm PTT is set to expand further into pharmaceuticals as part of a consortium acquiring a unit of drugmaker Alvogen, the parent of Taiwan's Lotus Pharmaceutical, PTT…

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Many small Thai firms on brink of closure – survey

Many smaller companies in Thailand could already be out of business as they struggle with falling income, rising costs and a lack of liquidity due to the impacts of the…

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Apple warns Thai activists “state-sponsored attackers” may have targeted iPhones

Apple Inc issued alert messages to at least six activists and researchers who have been critical of Thailand's government, warning it believed their iPhones had been targeted by "state-sponsored attackers",…

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Thailand offers COVID-19 vaccines to migrant workers

BANGKOK, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Thailand will set aside up to 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines for foreign workers as it prepares to welcome them back to the country to…

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Thailand, Australia ease international border curbs spurred by pandemic

BANGKOK/SYDNEY, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Australia and Thailand eased international border curbs significantly on Monday for the first time in 18 months, offering an early litmus test of the demand…

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Thailand announces reopening rules for tourism reboot

BANGKOK, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Thailand announced rules on Friday for its quarantine-free reopening to visitors from 45 countries, in an effort to revive an economy struggling to recover from…

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Thailand to allow quarantine-free travel from 46 countries

Thailand will let vaccinated visitors from 46 countries forgo COVID-19 quarantine from next month, up from 10 previously announced, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said. The Southeast Asian country is poised…

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Thailand to reopen to more vaccinated visitors from November

Thailand will waive its mandatory quarantine requirement in Bangkok and nine regions from Nov. 1 to vaccinated arrivals, authorities said on Monday, as the country tries to boost its immunisation…

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Thailand seeks to slash quarantine period for visitors

Thailand's disease control committee has proposed a halving of a two-week hotel isolation requirement for vaccinated arrivals, amid delays in plans to waive quarantine and reopen Bangkok and tourist destinations…

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Thailand hopes to welcome tourists to Bangkok, top cities next month

Thailand plans to reopen Bangkok and other key destinations to foreign tourists next month, officials said on Thursday, aiming to revive its battered travel industry after indications the number of…

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Thai PM survives no confidence vote as more anti-government protests planned

BANGKOK, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and five cabinet ministers comfortably survived a vote of no confidence in parliament on Saturday as activists planned more protests…

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Hair cuts and dining in as Thai malls reopen after virus cases ease

Thailand allowed shopping malls in the capital Bangkok to reopen on Wednesday and restaurants to operate at half capacity, after nearly three months of tough restrictions aimed at containing the…

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Thailand eases curbs on retail and restaurants to spur economy

Thailand will lift most coronavirus restrictions on retail and dining from next month and permit gatherings of up to 25 people in Bangkok and other high risk areas, its COVID-19…

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Thailand reaches 1 million COVID-19 cases, plans vaccine boosters

Thailand's passed the 1 million mark in coronavirus cases on Friday, 97% of which were recorded in the past five months, as the country struggles to boost vaccinations and get…

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Thailand projects doubling of daily coronavirus infections next month

Thailand could see coronavirus cases double to 45,000 per day by early next month, even with current lockdown measures in place, its COVID-19 taskforce said on Friday, as authorities urged…

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A year after taboo on Thai king broken, 103 face jail for royal insult

In the year since making an unprecedented, taboo-breaking speech openly calling for discussion on the role of Thailand's powerful king, human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa has spent months in jail, charged with…

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Migrant worker shortage threatens key Thai exports, economic recovery

Thailand's exports have been a rare bright spot in the struggling economy, but migrant worker shortages are threatening labour-intensive sectors, undermining a fragile recovery as the country struggles with its…

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Thailand warns COVID-19 surge pushing hospitals to the brink

Hospitals in Thailand's capital Bangkok and surrounding province are running out of beds due to a jump in COVID-19 patients, a health official said on Thursday, as the country reported…

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Thailand puts Covid patients on sleeper trains home to ease crisis in Bangkok

Thailand has begun using sleeper trains to transport Covid patients out of Bangkok, where hospitals have been overwhelmed by a recent surge in cases. The first train left the capital…

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Philippines to bar travel from Malaysia, Thailand to curb Delta’s spread

The Philippines will ban travellers coming from Malaysia and Thailand, as well as tighten restrictions in the Manila area, in a bid to prevent the spread of the contagious Delta…

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Thailand warns daily COVID-19 cases could hit 30,000 in worst case

Thailand's COVID-19 task force on Monday called on people to follow stricter containment measures, warning that without cooperation record daily infection rates could roughly treble to reach 30,000 under a…

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Thailand reports record number of COVID-19 cases for fourth day

Thailand reported on Monday 11,784 new COVID-19 cases, the fourth consecutive day of record infections, as the country struggles to tackle its worst outbreak to date. The Southeast Asian nation's…

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Thailand bans public gatherings as coronavirus cases and deaths hit daily records

Thailand imposed a nation-wide ban on public gatherings and is considering more restrictions on movement as authorities reported record numbers of new cases and deaths on Saturday, despite partial lockdowns…

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Thailand to mix Sinovac, AstraZeneca vaccines to increase protection

Thailand's immunisation strategy against the coronavirus will see a shot of AstraZeneca's viral vector vaccine administered after one dose of Sinovac's vaccine, its health minister said on Monday, The plan,…

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Thailand starts tighter coronavirus lockdown around capital

Thailand implemented its toughest coronavirus restrictions in more than a year on Monday in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, with new curbs on movement and gatherings imposed and widespread suspensions by…

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JPMorgan finds five emerging economies among most vulnerable to Delta variant

Economies of the Philippines, Peru, Colombia, South Africa and Thailand are among the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 Delta variant within emerging markets, mostly due to low vaccination rates, a…

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Thai authorities propose tighter curbs as COVID-19 deaths climb

Thailand's health ministry said on Thursday it had proposed new travel curbs and tighter restrictions in high-risk areas to contain COVID-19 cases, as the country reported a daily record of…

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Leaked memo raises Thai concern about Sinovac vaccine’s efficacy

A leaked health ministry document has prompted calls in Thailand for medical staff inoculated against COVID-19 to be given a booster of an mRNA vaccine, after it included a comment…

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UPDATED: Fire rages, mass evacuation after Thai factory blast

Thousands of people on the outskirts of Thailand's capital were being evacuated on Monday as firefighters battled blazes for hours after a factory explosion that killed a rescue worker and…

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