PM confirms no Thailand’s border closure yet, dashes hope for early revival of nightlife

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha / Photo from Royal Thai Government

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha made clear that his government has no plan to close Thailand’s borders again, to prevent the spread of Omicron, while dashing hopes that pubs, bars and other entertainment venues can reopen before the set D Day of January 16th.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241653-pm-confirms-no-thailand’s-border-closure-yet-dashes-hope-for-early-revival-of-nightlife/

Pattaya entertainment and tourism operators vow to keep pushing to allow alcohol sales at least at restaurants and hotels

 

 

Pattaya entertainment and tourism operators have vowed to keep pushing to allow alcohol sales in restaurants, hotels, and allowing the legal reopening of venues, even after Chonburi’s communicable disease committee declined to ease the alcohol rules when they released their most recent orders around Covid-19 restrictions last night, December 1st.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241695-pattaya-entertainment-and-tourism-operators-vow-to-keep-pushing-to-allow-alcohol-sales-at-least-at-restaurants-and-hotels/

In hunt for Omicron, Phuket health officials yet to locate 40 African tourists

 

Phuket Provincial Public Health Office Chief Dr Kusak Kiattikoon (left) with Phuket Immigration Superintendent Col Thanet Sukchai this morning (Dec 2). Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub)

 

PHUKET: Phuket health officials have yet to locate 40 tourists who have arrived in Phuket since Nov 15 in their campaign to track down any new arrivals who may have brought the Omicron variant of COVID-19 to the island.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241664-in-hunt-for-omicron-phuket-health-officials-yet-to-locate-40-african-tourists/

Thai civil society urges government to end plans to join CPTPP

 

 

Thailand’s anti-CPTPP civil society organizations, claiming to represent 400,000 citizens, issued an open letter today (Thursday), addressed to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, urging the government immediately to cease plans to join the 11-member Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade bloc.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241708-thai-civil-society-urges-government-to-end-plans-to-join-cptpp/

 

House committee slams Thai police for arresting, defrocking Cambodian monk

 

Photo from Radio Free Asia

 

Thailand’s House committee, tasked with scrutinising a bill against torture and enforced disappearances, has cried foul over Tuesday night’s arrest and defrocking of a monk by Thai immigration police, prior to his deportation back to Cambodia.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241709-house-committee-slams-thai-police-for-arresting-defrocking-cambodian-monk/

 

Celebrity call out of leather goods spark online debate

By Natcha Patanasophon

 

 

A famous Thai celebrity called on the fashion industry to build on sustainable alternatives to avoid animal products after controversy over a leather bag.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241711-celebrity-call-out-of-leather-goods-spark-online-debate/

 

Drone users in Hua Hin urged to register their devices

By Paul Andrews

 

File photo

 

Drone users in Hua Hin are being urged to register their devices after regulators increased the requirements for ownership in Thailand.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241722-drone-users-in-hua-hin-urged-to-register-their-devices/https://aseannow.com/topic/1241722-drone-users-in-hua-hin-urged-to-register-their-devices/

 

 

COVID-19: Thailand reports 4,912 new coronavirus cases, 33 deaths, 5,844 recoveries

 

File photo: REUTERS

 

Thailand on Friday (December 3) reported 4,912 new COVID-19 cases, 5,844 recoveries and 33 additional deaths over the past 24 hours.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241726-covid-19-thailand-reports 4912-new-coronavirus-cases-33-deaths 5844-recoveries/ 

 

Parliament agrees to set up "Casino Commission" - idea to get gambling money from foreign tourists gains momentum

 

Picture Sanook

 

The latest plan to open a legal casino in Thailand to get money from foreign tourists in picking up steam at a fast rate.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241736-parliament-agrees-to-set-up-casino-commission-idea-to-get-gambling-money-from-foreign-tourists-gains-momentum/

 

Thailand youth group says "No!" to legalized casino in house letter

 

Picture: Manager

 

A youth group called "New Kids Opposed to Gambling" made up of several national youth organisations have presented a letter to parliament expressing their opposition to the opening of a legal casino.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241740-thailand-youth-group-says-no-to-legalized-casino-in-house-letter/

 

Help on the way for people in nighttime entertainment industry - decisions on payouts expected today

 

Picture: INN

 

INN quoted Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin as saying that decisions on benefit payments to people in the badly hit nightlife sector would be thrashed out today.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241741-help-on-the-way-for-people-in-nighttime-entertainment-industry-decisions-on-payouts-expected-today/

 

Phuket marks 86 new COVID cases, no new deaths

By The Phuket News

 

Image: PPHO

 

PHUKET: The latest Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) daily COVID situation report has marked 86 new local infections confirmed across the island yesterday (Dec 2) bringing the total number of people recognised as infected with COVID-19 in Phuket since Apr 3 to 17,990.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241743-phuket-marks-86-new-covid-cases-no-new-deaths/

 

27-year-old man arrested after holding an 11-year-old girl hostage by knife point in Si Racha

By Goong Nang(GN)

 

 

Si Racha – A young man has been arrested after he took an 11-year-old girl hostage by knife point to her neck in Si Racha this week.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241745-27-year-old-man-arrested-after-holding-an-11-year-old-girl-hostage-by-knife-point-in-si-racha/

 

PM2.5 pollution returns to Bangkok

 

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is warning of an increase in PM2.5 dust between December 5th and 7th, especially in Khlong Sam Wa, Min Buri, Nong Khaem, Tawee Wattana, Bang Khae, Bang Khun Thian, and Bang Bon districts.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241746-pm25-pollution-returns-to-bangkok/

 

Phuket residents angered by Pfizer walk-in queue confusion

By Eakkapop Thongtub

 

People wait to enter the Indoor Sports Stadium at Saphan Hin yesterday (Dec 2). Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

 

PHUKET: Local residents have voiced their anger over the poor organisation of the walk-in Pfizer vaccinations at the Indoor Sports stadium at Saphan Hin yesterday (Dec 2).

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241747-phuket-residents-angered-by-pfizer-walk-in-queue-confusion/

 

Thai immigration launches new online 90 day reporting system

 

 

Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has announced the launch of a new online 90 day reporting system.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241749-thai-immigration-launches-new-online-90-day-reporting-system/

 

Anger expected as Bangkok's governor tells pubs and bars: If you want to open then serve food

 

File photo

 

Bangkok's governor - General Aswin Kwanmuang told his city's desperate nightlife entertainment industry - closed for most of 2021 - to open as restaurants if they want to make money.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241751-anger-expected-as-bangkoks-governor-tells-pubs-and-bars-if-you-want-to-open-then-serve-food/

 

PM orders travellers from Omicron areas to be traced and tested

 

Picture: New TV

 

Thailand's prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said through his spokesman yesterday that he had ordered 783 travellers who arrived from Africa before the latest restrictions came into force to be traced.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241754-hunt-on-for-783-africans-pm-orders-travellers-from-omicron-areas-to-be-traced-and-tested/

 

Thai tourism minister says "Omicron" won't affect tourism arrivals 

 

Picture: Manager

 

Manager reported that Thailand's minister for tourism and sports Pipat Ratchakitprakan responded to questions in the House about the new coronavirus variant omicron and its possible affect on tourism.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1241760-thai-tourism-minister-says-omicron-wont-affect-tourism-arrivals/

 

Acclaimed MICHELIN Guide Thailand gets 5-year extension from 2022-2026

Produced both digitally and in print, the prestigious bilingual Thai and English culinary guide will see amazing destinations and a new service award added.

TAT Newsroom

 

 

Bangkok, 2 December, 2021 – The Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) are pleased to announce that the success of The MICHELIN Guide Thailand over the past five years, since its launch in 2017, has resulted in the project being extended for another five years from 2022 to 2026 guaranteeing continued promotion of gastronomy tourism in Thailand to the highest international level.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241763-acclaimed-michelin-guide-thailand-gets-5-year-extension-from-2022-2026/

 

100 embankment ‘roads to nowhere’ built by Thailand’s Royal Irrigation Department

 

 

The Royal Irrigation Department has spent about 795 million baht since 2017 building more than 100 canal embankments, similar to the one in Chaichana district of the north-eastern province of Yasothon, as part of the government’s policy to use surplus para rubber latex in road building, to support rubber growers suffering from low rubber prices.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241767-100-embankment-‘roads-to-nowhere’-built-by-thailand’s-royal-irrigation-department/

 

Thai/German agreement as Thailand aims to become hub of railways in ASEAN

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Daily News reported from a seminar called GTRA Workshop #6 with a focus on "High Speed Rail: The Changing Face of Thai Railways. In the Series of Railway Technology, Operations and Management".

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241768-thaigerman-agreement-as-thailand-aims-to-become-hub-of-railways-in-asean/

 

Smart Ferry on the Chao Phraya - a new era for "safe - clean - economical" travel on the "River of Kings" - tourists to benefit too

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Cooperation between the government, private sector and the harbor department is seeing ever greater options for safe, clean, economical and environmentally friendly transport on the Chai Phraya - Bangkok's River of Kings.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241769-smart-ferry-on-the-chao-phraya-a-new-era-for-safe-clean-economical-travel-on-the-river-of-kings-tourists-to-benefit-too/

 

“Police must be the finest examples": Officers undergo drug tests

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

Naew Na reported that every serving policeman in the north eastern province of Kalasin must take a urine test for drugs.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241770-“police-must-be-the-finest-examples-officers-undergo-drug-tests/

 

Phuket airport under fire for delaying noise pollution compensation payouts

By The Phuket News

 

The formal request to expedite resolving the issue was delivered at Phuket airport yesterday (Dec 2). Photo: PR Phuket

 

PHUKET: The Phuket branch of Airports of Thailand (AoT Phuket), which operates Phuket International Airport, has insisted that it is not ignoring or delaying compensation owed to local residents in the area over noise pollution.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241772-phuket-airport-under-fire-for-delaying-noise-pollution-compensation-payouts/

 

Muscle pain, fatigue among initial symptoms of Omicron variant – DCD

 

CDC via AP, File

 

Thailand’s Disease Control Department has published basic information about the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, so the public can monitor for physical symptoms. The initial symptoms include muscle pain and fatigue, but not serious, and the patients do not lose their sense of smell or taste, as in the case of infection by other variants.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241777-muscle-pain-fatigue-among-initial-symptoms-of-omicron-variant-–-dcd/

 

Pilot injured in Air Force F5 jet crash Thailand’s in Lop Buri province

 

 

The Thai Air Force pilot of a F5 fighter jet was injured after he ejected from his plane when it developed mechanical trouble and before it crashed into a rice field in Chai Badan district of the central province of Lop Buri yesterday.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241791-pilot-injured-in-air-force-f5-jet-crash-thailand’s-in-lop-buri-province/

 

Hua Hin restaurants allowed to serve alcohol

 

 

Restaurants in Hua Hin are now allowed to serve alcohol.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241793-hua-hin-restaurants-allowed-to-serve-alcohol/

 

More hotels in Prachuap Khiri Khan awarded SHA+ safety certification

 

 

More hotels in Prachuap Khiri Khan have been awarded the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA+) certification.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241794-more-hotels-in-prachuap-khiri-khan-awarded-sha-safety-certification/

 

BluPort kicks off holiday season with lights switch on and festive events

 

 

The Christmas tree lights at BluPort will be officially switched on Saturday evening (Dec 4).

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1241795-bluport-kicks-off-holiday-season-with-lights-switch-on-and-festive-events/