Coronavirus Update for Phuket & Thailand
Thursday 13th of January, 2022: As of January 12th Phuket has had 452 new local infections confirmed across the island, but no new deaths, bringing the total number of people recognised as infected with COVID-19 in Phuket since Apr 3 to 24,968. Phuket is still open to...
Thailand to begin talks on Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
The Cabinet has decided to join talks on the US’s newly proposed multilateral trade agreement, known as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). According to the Thai government’s website, the decision will allow Thailand to join other countries...
Power Play Podcast: The US’ and China’s courtship of Asean
May 12 and 13 saw US President Biden hosting Asean leaders to a special summit, and most of them descended on Washington. Eight out of 10 were there, except for the Myanmar junta leader and the Philippines, which had just had an election. Highlights (click/tap above):...
‘Thailand Pass’ registration eased for international arrivals from 1 June 2022
Bangkok, 20 May, 2022 – Thailand’s Centre of COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) today approved the simplified Thailand Pass registration and entry rules for international arrivals, effective 1 June 2022. Foreign nationals are still required to apply for a...
Philippine Election Marred by Violence, Vote-Buying: Monitoring Mission
AdvertisementThis month’s presidential elections in the Philippines fell far short of “free and fair” due to rampant vote-buying, politically-motivated violence, and serious shortcomings in the electoral process, according to a group of international election...
Indonesia to Scrap Controversial Palm Oil Export Ban
AdvertisementIndonesia said yesterday that it will lift a ban on palm oil exports that has played havoc with global edible oil markets, citing improvements in the domestic supply of cooking oil. The announcement was made by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in a press...
Bottled palm oil price soars to over 70 baht per litre
Despite appeals to palm oil producers, by the Commerce Ministry, to maintain their ex-factory price at between 65 and 68 baht per one-litre bottle, the price of bottled palm oil has soared to over 70 baht per litre in most markets. A random survey, conducted by Thai...
Blast at South Korean oil refinery kills 1 worker, injures 9
SEOUL (REUTERS) - One person died in a blast at South Korea's S-Oil Corp's Onsan refinery in Ulsan, and nine others were injured late on Thursday night, an Ulsan Fire Department official said on Friday (May 20). S-Oil is the country's third-largest refiner and its...
More than 59 million internally displaced in 2021
IOM has welcomed the report, produced by its partner the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), calling it a valuable tool for the organization, humanitarians, and governments, in supporting communities affected by disasters and other...
Delhi’s day-and-night shelters offer daily wage workers respite from blistering heat
NEW DELHI - Satish Kumar's eyes were glued to the television playing a Hindi movie in an air-cooled room. This is how the 38-year-old daily wage worker has been killing time on a scorching Thursday afternoon, a day he has chosen not to work.Often employed as a roti...
‘I mean Ukraine’: Former U.S. president George Bush calls Iraq invasion ‘unjustified’
WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) – Former U.S. President George W. Bush mistakenly described the invasion of Iraq as “brutal” and “unjustified” before correcting himself to say he meant to refer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Bush made the comments in a speech during an...
First ever Amazing Thailand Roadshow to Saudi Arabia a success
Bangkok, 19 May, 2022 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pleased to report the great success of the first ever Amazing Thailand Roadshow to Saudi Arabia, following a return of cordial Saudi-Thai relations after 32 years. A total of 67 tourism businesses from...
Thailand to consider further easing of COVID-19 restrictions on Friday
The easing of restrictions on entertainment venues, such as bars and pubs, readjustment of COVID zoning and the lowering of the national alert level, from Level 3 to 2, are expected to be considered by the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) tomorrow...