Health Covid Cases Spike in Thailand: 28,000 New Cases in Just Two Days

[newbee2022]

4 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Let me put this another way. You're too dumb to notice I have answered or you're trolling. My guess is both. Having said this English must not be your 1st language if you think this is "gibberish". Apart from your comment (highlighted in bold) please specify any "gibberish" on my part. 

"I'm sorry your cognitive level is not up to a level that allows you to understand that my comment shows both vaxxed and unvaxxed get infected and my teacher friend had the same symptoms as myself. Both mild symptoms and pretty much over in a few days which is in line with this variant. Rapid spread with mild symptoms. As for this "No need to send your life story or CV 😂" you once again demonstrate to all and sundry just how inane and puerile you are."

This is pretty simple English that a middle grade student with any brain would understand (maybe not these days admittedly). Possibly would need to look up "cognitive". 

Why making your life so complicated? Just ask someone who could read.

Probably you forgot it already:

I asked a simple question in connection to rising COVID cases.

Did you get a COVID vaccine? Now I add: in case you got one...where, what brand, how many, when.

Hmmh, maybe too many questions?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s public health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, emphasising vaccination

 

Where has the Thai MoPH been "emphasising vaccination" to protect against COVID?

I haven't seen the current MoPH hardly mention COVID vaccination at all ever since the current Thaksin-aligned health minister (Somsak Thepsuthin) took over back in April 2024 -- even though vaccination clearly been shown as the best measure to protect against serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID. And when they have mentioned vaccination in another news report on COVID posted here the other day, it was inexplicably recommending flu vaccines, with no mention of COVID vaccines.

 

There's also some considerable nonsense in the above report sourced to The Nation. The report has public health officials blaming the current COVID outbreak on "late summer's rain-triggered illnesses and school openings." In fact, the Thai MoPH own COVID case tracking data showed Thailand's COVID cases at very low levels thru all of 2025 right up until just before the Song Kran holidays and tourist influx in mid April, and then the cases started rising rapidly and peaked at almost 87,000 for the third week in May, before declining somewhat to almost 72,000 for the last week in May. Thailand had previously seen similar COVID spikes starting with Song Kran periods in the past several years, so the Song Kran seasonal spike shouldn't have been much of a surprise.

 

As for COVID vaccination, I don't know what Somsak's personal / political views are on the subject, since I've almost never seen / heard him mention the topic in any of his reported public comments that I can recall, and he's a career politician, not a medical or public health professional. But if I were a guessing man, I'd guess that the current Thai government, relatively strapped for funding and finances, has basically decided they don't want to spend the considerable expense to buy imported COVID vaccines to protect their own people, even the most vulnerable and at-risk ones, the elderly and those with medical conditions -- especially since their once much-ballyhooed plans to develop and use a local COVID vaccine here appear to have vanished into thin air.

 

But nonetheless, here's what the Thai MOPH should be telling the Thai public about COVID and vaccinations, as reflected in the current advice from the U.S. CDC:

 

How to Protect Yourself and Others

March 10, 2025

 

"These actions can help you lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission (spreading or catching COVID-19) and lower the risk of severe illness if you get sick.

 

Core Prevention Strategies

CDC recommends that all people use core prevention strategies to protect themselves and others from COVID-19:

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Although vaccinated people sometimes get infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines significantly lowers the risk of getting very sick, being hospitalized, or dying from COVID-19. [emphasis added]
• Practice good hygiene (practices that improve cleanliness)
• Take steps for cleaner air"

https://www.cdc.gov/covid/prevention/index.html

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

authorities stress the importance of wearing masks

Huh?  How is mask-wearing important?

[Captor]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

File photo courtesy of Photo: Xinhua/VNA

 

Thailand is witnessing a significant surge in Covid-19 cases. Over two days, 28,294 new cases have been tallied, escalating concerns. The rise comes as the rainy season begins and schools reopen, leading to a spike in infections.

 

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) recorded 10,192 new cases on June 2, 2025. A day earlier, June 1, saw 18,102 new cases, underscoring the rapid increase. Among these, 9,304 were outpatient cases, while 888 were severe enough to require hospitalisation. Unfortunately, there was also a death reported during this time frame.

 

By May 27, 2025, the year’s cumulative count of COVID-19 cases had reached 323,301, alongside 69 fatalities. Mortality largely affects the “608 group”, comprising the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions. Prominent urban areas such as Bangkok, Chonburi, Chanthaburi, and Chiang Mai are the most affected, accounting for a significant portion of the fatalities.

 

Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin of the Department of Medical Services links the surge to late summer's rain-triggered illnesses and school openings. With influenza showing similar symptoms to Covid-19, individuals can easily confuse one illness for another. The situation is not yet critical, given a low mortality rate of 0.106 per 100,000 people.

 

Dr Suthat Chottanapund, Deputy Director-General of the DDC, notes that these trends align with seasonal patterns. Schools and the rainy season create environments conducive to upper respiratory infections. He calls for vigilance and personal preventive measures like social distancing and hand hygiene.

 

The prevalent Covid-19 strain, XEC, is highly infectious, but its symptoms remain mild. Therefore, fears of widespread hospitalisations are unwarranted. This is reflected in the mild symptoms most patients experience, akin to influenza, allowing recovery without extensive medical intervention.

 

Individual precaution is crucial, especially for high-risk groups, such as the elderly or the very young. Those with severe symptoms should seek medical attention. Treatment options include antiviral drugs like Remdesivir and Paxlovid, which remain in supply. To prevent widespread disruptions, authorities advise symptomatic individuals to wear masks and maintain hygiene but recommend against closing schools or workplaces.

 

Those with mild symptoms are encouraged to deal with Covid-19 as they would with a common cold. Some precautions include wearing a mask and avoiding large gatherings for the initial days of illness. Meanwhile, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation ensures no shortage of necessary medications, including Molnupiravir for moderate cases.

 

With the current measures and treatments in place, authorities stress the importance of wearing masks and regular handwashing, especially when symptoms are present. Dr Sakan Bunnag from the Department of Medical Services advises against halting daily activities or mandating self-quarantine, as the severity of the disease does not currently warrant such actions.

 

Thailand’s public health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, emphasising vaccination and personal precautions to mitigate further outbreaks while maintaining essential societal functions.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Nation 2025-06-05

 

 

And no vaccine to be found in Bangkok. Or is there some hospital having that? Or maybe it is to mu h to ask? If someone have information about where I can have vaccine please let me know.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Huh?  How is mask-wearing important?

 

Because consistently wearing good quality, N95-type masks when around other people who have been infected will help prevent the wearer from breathing in the virus that causes COVID.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just now, Captor said:

And no vaccine to be found in Bangkok. Or is there some hospital having that? Or maybe it is to mu h to ask? If someone have information about where I can have vaccine please let me know.

 

Just the other day, the farang-oriented MedConsult Clinic on Suk Soi 49 put out a social media advisory that they have the 2024-2025 version of the Pfizer JN.1 COVID vaccine available for people 12 years of age and up. 2500 baht plus I believe an added 200 baht facility fee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[johng]

Safe, Effective, Essential 

[Liverpool Lou]

19 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

25 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Huh?  How is mask-wearing important?

 

Because consistently wearing good quality, N95-type masks

So wearing masks is pretty much useless unless they're N-95s.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Even if the current Thai MoPH is basically silent these days on the subject of COVID vaccines, the leading figures in the Thai medical community are not, as illustrated by this BKK Post report from fall 2024::

 

Thai high-risk groups ‘still need Covid boosters’

Infection and death rates in Thailand the highest in Southeast Asia, says doctor

11 Oct 2024
 

Medical experts are urging some members of the public to get another Covid-19 vaccine booster after a report showed that there have been about 700,000 infections and 205 Covid-related deaths in Thailand this year.
...

Prof Dr Sasisopin Kiertiburanakul, a representative of the the Royal College of Physicians of Thailand, said some patients get sick with other diseases after recovering from Covid-19, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lung and brain disease. ... Boosters remain necessary, Dr Sasisopin said, adding the current data shows their effectiveness to be about 60-70% when it comes to preventing severe illness and death, especially among high-risk groups.

...

Tanapol Dokkaew, from the Kidney Friends Association of Thailand, urged the government to ensure enough Covid-19 vaccines were available for patients with chronic illnesses and those who are considered high-risk. “Many people have forgotten about Covid-19 but the disease will be with us forever. Therefore, booster shots are still needed, particularly among the 608 [age 60+ and 8 chronic diseases] group” he said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2882201/thai-high-risk-groups-still-need-covid-boosters

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

So wearing masks is pretty much useless unless they're N-95s.

 

Regular drugstore masks are better than nothing when it comes to COVID.  But to be most effective, studies have shown the best, most effective masks are N95 and KN94 types, which are available here in Bangkok at least, often from hospital-area/oriented pharmacies.  And of course, any mask is only going to be effective to the extent it is actually and consistently worn when around others.

 

Even the Thai MoPH is continuing to recommend masking, though unfortunately, their general public advice, at least as it gets reported by news agencies, often doesn't seem to talk about what kind of masks people should use.

 

 

[MaskLover2025]

Your time on this earth is limited; if you spend it constantly worrying about new strains of a virus that even if you do catch, you'll spend a couple of days feeling under the weather, then you are not living, and as far as I am concerned, you might as well be dead - because metaphysically, inside, that is precisely what you are.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Interesting that after a long absence involving most of 2025, Thailand is once again showing its COVID cases in COVID monitoring data collected by the World Health Organization, ranking by far the country with the most reported COVID cases during the past month, among 90 reporting countries (which is less than half of the countries in the world, since many no longer publicly report COVID case data):

 

 

 

 

 

The U.S. would be high on the list also, except that the U.S. under Trump no longer publicly reports COVID cases data.

 

https://data.who.int/dashboards/covid19/cases?m49=764&n=c

 

 

Here's the COVID deaths data collected by the WHO for the past month, again, with an even smaller number of countries reporting, only 37 including Thailand and the U.S., the latter which does still publicly report its COVID deaths.

 

 

https://data.who.int/dashboards/covid19/deaths?n=c

 

In Thailand's case, at least, the reported COVID case numbers are most likely some fraction of the actual COVID infections, because the only cases that get officially counted are where the person goes to a hospital to get treated and tested for COVID. That leaves out all those who just weather the sickness at home and even those who get their own COVID self test and test positive, but don't seek out care at hospitals.

 

[potless]

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Because consistently wearing good quality, N95-type masks when around other people who have been infected will help prevent the wearer from breathing in the virus that causes COVID.

I saw a program on Channel News Asia a couple of years back. The presenter went to a lab to test the effectiveness of wearing a mask. It was shown that without a mask, a sneeze or cough would expel droplets around 6 to 8 feet. With a mask on, the droplets were confined to around one foot. It has always been my honest opinion that the main purpose of wearing a mask is to reduce the chance of spreading a virus to someone else as opposed to preventing an individual from catching the virus from someone else.

That program was just a general investigation and covid wasnt mentioned at all.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

21 minutes ago, potless said:

I saw a program on Channel News Asia a couple of years back. The presenter went to a lab to test the effectiveness of wearing a mask. It was shown that without a mask, a sneeze or cough would expel droplets around 6 to 8 feet. With a mask on, the droplets were confined to around one foot. It has always been my honest opinion that the main purpose of wearing a mask is to reduce the chance of spreading a virus to someone else as opposed to preventing an individual from catching the virus from someone else.

That program was just a general investigation and covid wasnt mentioned at all.

 

 

I think it works both ways, to varying degrees...  But the higher quality masks certainly do help protect the wearer... if worn/fit properly to achieve an airtight seal on the face and consistently.

 

On the issue you raised above of the mask wearer protecting those around them:

 

N95 respirator gets top billing in stopping SARS-CoV-2 viral leakage into the air

June 4, 2024

 

"Researchers who compared the ability of cloth and surgical masks and KN95 and N95 respirators to impede SARS-CoV-2 leakage into the environment show that the "duckbill" N95 won handily, stopping 98% of the virus that causes COVID-19.

...

N95s as standard of care in healthcare settings

All masks and respirators reduced exhaled virus at least 70%, but the duckbill N95 reduced SARS-CoV-2 load 98% (95% confidence interval [CI], 97% to 99%) and performed significantly better than cloth or surgical masks or KN95s. Cloth masks impeded more virus than surgical masks and KN95s.

...

Senior author Don Milton, MD, DrPH, professor of environmental health at the UMD School of Public Health, credits the N95's tight seal, powerful filter, and large air space for its success in blocking viral passage. "Our research shows definitively why it's so important to have non-pharmaceutical responses like wearing masks, and why we need studies like this to illuminate which masks are most effective," he said in a UMD news release.

 

(more)

 

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/n95-respirator-gets-top-billing-stopping-sars-cov-2-viral-leakage-air

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On the issue of masking protecting the wearer from COVID, there are many quality, credible studies out there on the topic. The U.S. government's Environmental Protection Agency did research on the subject early in the COVID pandemic, and one of their research efforts found the following:

 

EPA Researchers Test Effectiveness of Face Masks, Disinfection Methods Against COVID-19

Published April 5, 2021

 

"In one study, the researchers sought to determine whether alternatives to high-efficiency N95 masks reserved for health care workers could offer similar protection for hospital personnel in the event of shortages. They tested the filtration ability of expired N95 masks, N95 masks that had been sterilized for reuse, and dozens of other face mask alternatives. The results show that both expired N95 masks and sterilized N95 masks provided the same level of protection as new N95 masks with greater than 95 percent filtration. Other alternatives provided less protection. For example, surgical masks with ties provided 71.5 percent filtration, while surgical masks with ear loops only provided 38.1 percent. Knowing the relative performance of alternatives to new N95 masks will help hospital administrators make evidence-based decisions to protect their staff." [emphasis added]

 

Also:

 

"In another study, the researchers examined the filtration ability of a variety of medical procedure masks, cloth masks and coverings recommended for the public. They tested masks made from cotton, nylon, and other materials and in different styles, including masks with ear loops and ties.

 

They found that the effectiveness of the masks varied widely: a three-layer knitted cotton mask blocked an average of 26.5 percent of particles in the chamber, while a washed, two-layer woven nylon mask with a filter insert and metal nose bridge blocked 79 percent of particles on average. Other masks scored somewhere in between."

 

https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/epa-researchers-test-effectiveness-face-masks-disinfection-methods-against-covid-19

 

 

[norsurin]

Not surprised if they start with quarantine hotels again to a sick price like they did before.

I don't trust this country at all about getting money from tourists.

[rattlesnake]

13 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

Also that's child abuse in the photo.

 

Poor little guy has to suffer at the hands of that barbarian sticking a swab up his nose.

 

Vulgar Display Of Power.

 

 

Such a great album. Those were the years…

[rattlesnake]

4 hours ago, johng said:

Safe, Effective, Essential 

 

I would laugh if it weren't so tragic.

[Patong2021]

17 hours ago, Spilornis said:

Who even tests or reports these days in most countries? What is driving a different approach in Thailand

There are tests and reports in most countries. You just are not aware of the methods.

In addition to individual tests Waste water is used. Modeling is done on the amount of virus found in sewage.

Hospitals are still reporting their covid  cases to their state or national health authorities. The information is no longer published regularly in MSM, but is available.

 

For example, Health Canada and UKHSA;

 https://health-infobase.canada.ca/respiratory-virus-surveillance/covid-19.html\

https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/

 

[potless]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

On the issue of masking protecting the wearer from COVID, there are many quality, credible studies out there on the topic. The U.S. government's Environmental Protection Agency did research on the subject early in the COVID pandemic, and one of their research efforts found the following:

Interesting stuff. 

 

4 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Even the Thai MoPH is continuing to recommend masking, though unfortunately, their general public advice, at least as it gets reported by news agencies, often doesn't seem to talk about what kind of masks people should use.

Or how long they should continue to wear one. A disposable mask lasts 1 day max.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9 minutes ago, potless said:

Interesting stuff. 

 

Or how long they should continue to wear one. A disposable mask lasts 1 day max.

 

 

Thailand is tough, because the hot and humid weather produces a lot of sweating, etc.

 

At least for N95 masks, there is no hard and fast 1 day rule... I generally wear mine longer than that, but that's because I only wear them when I'm going outside for limited periods, not when I'm staying at home most of the time as a retiree.

 

The general rule for N95s has been they're OK to continue wearing until they become soiled, worn, damaged or breathing thru them becomes more difficult. I think common sense generally should apply.

 

[papa al]

In 2020 papa  

unvaccinated

caught covid twice.

Treated with Ivermectin and 

it quickly cleared up

both times.

fyi

[Captor]

16 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Just the other day, the farang-oriented MedConsult Clinic on Suk Soi 49 put out a social media advisory that they have the 2024-2025 version of the Pfizer JN.1 COVID vaccine available for people 12 years of age and up. 2500 baht plus I believe an added 200 baht facility fee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah... Thank you very much! Do you think it start to be to late to take the vaccine now as I read that the peak has passed already?

[frank83628]

So what, as per 2020 cases are not deaths. 

[Mindful Spender]

Wearing the same facemask all day in the heat is good for bacteria and fungi to grow, which you then breath in efficiently. 

[Mindful Spender]

10 hours ago, papa al said:

In 2020 papa  

unvaccinated

caught covid twice.

Treated with Ivermectin and 

it quickly cleared up

both times.

fyi

Unvaxed, covid in march and december 2022, about 5 days sick, with fever of 39C
Extra zinc does help to recover quickly

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

33 minutes ago, Captor said:

Ah... Thank you very much! Do you think it start to be to late to take the vaccine now as I read that the peak has passed already?

 

Still a lot of COVID going round...and will be for some weeks to come.... I believe the vaccine takes about 2 weeks to reach full effectiveness....

 

Keep in mind, while it reduces your chances of catching COVID, it's more effective at reducing your risk of serious illness / hospitalization and death from COVID... and those are longer lasting protections than those against mere infection, which wane sooner over time.

 

Those latter protections are especially important if you're older in age, say 65 and up, and/or have any medical conditions such as high blood pressure, overweight, diabetes, any respiratory issues, and some others.

 

[Captor]

4 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Still a lot of COVID going round...and will be for some weeks to come.... I believe the vaccine takes about 2 weeks to reach full effectiveness....

 

Keep in mind, while it reduces your chances of catching COVID, it's more effective at reducing your risk of serious illness / hospitalization and death from COVID... and those are longer lasting protections than those against mere infection, which wane sooner over time.

 

Those latter protections are especially important if you're older in age, say 65 and up, and/or have any medical conditions such as high blood pressure, overweight, diabetes, any respiratory issues, and some others.

 

Thank you for the nice info/post. We have been taking the vaccine already 4-5 times since 2021 (me, wife and daugther). But this time we are late to get a booster shot (simply forgot about it) and now when we suddenly waked up it look like the vaccine is hard to find in Bangkok. I am over 60 but wife 50 and daugther 18 and we have no underlaying conditions. Maybe that is why we forgot about the whole thing 😕

[saintdomingo]

On 6/5/2025 at 5:35 PM, dinsdale said:

Absolutely insane comment. Teacher friend who is Thai and vaxxed had exactly the same symptoms as me ....last week. Why do you continue to post such utter nonsense. Do you get some sort of a thrill from it? Simply pitiful as I'm sure your response to this comment will be. Puerile denialism.

I was coughing and headachey from the weekend then the missis complained of bad headaches and not sleeping well. She went to the doc on Weds and was told it was covid. She says she must have got it from me cause I won't wear a mask.

Both had three vaxxes during covid but none since. I am much improved today she a bit better.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

41 minutes ago, saintdomingo said:

Both had three vaxxes during covid but none since. I am much improved today she a bit better.

 

With the current state of COVID, the current vaccines do their best job at protecting people from serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID. A very substantial reduction in the risk of those, compared to people who have not had a current vaccine.

 

To a lesser extent, the current vaccines will also reduce the person's chances of contracting a COVID infection, maybe like starting at a 50-60% lesser chance than someone not currently vaccinated. But that protection against infection alone lasts maybe 4-6 months post-vaccination at a gradually declining rate.

 

So vaccinations from more than a year ago aren't really going to protect against current infection alone, which is why the medical community advises re the need for periodic COVID vaccine boosters. The protection against serious illness from COVID from vaccinations, on the other hand, is believed to be somewhat longer lasting and more durable.

 

The other reality is, the COVID virus is continually mutating... So vaccines formulated two years ago aren't likely to be a good fit against the version of COVID that's circulating today. Thus the need for updated vaccines and periodic revaccinations -- very comparable to what occurs each year with the flu and annual reformulations of the flu vaccine.