Thailand week in review: The top five national stories in Thailand for the last week

Here is a look at the top NATIONAL stories, chosen by our team, from last week, September 7th to 13th, with some commentary. They are not in any particular level of importance but are listed in order of date of publication.

1. Thai government prohibits selling and promoting alcohol online, effective this December

After several months of debate among liquor businesses and customers, a regulation to ban online alcohol sales will be officially implemented in December, announced by the Royal Gazette last Wednesday. The law also includes promoting alcoholic beverages in all electronic channels since the online sales of such beverages have risen on social media and also encourage young people under the age of 18 to access to buying alcohol with no strict regulation. The regulation will be effective ninety-days after the public announcement which will be in December.

Thai government prohibits selling and promoting alcohol online, effective this December

2. Phuket Airport practices New Normal procedure before any potential re-opening, welcomes first trial tourist group to resort island

Despite the launching delay of the Phuket Model scheme, authorities have conducted a dress rehearsal of a New Normal procedure with health measures to build confidence among Phuket airport staff and locals in case the resort island would be potentially re-opened for foreign tourists in the near future. The safety and health process at the airport can be read here:

Phuket Airport practices New Normal procedure before any potential re-opening, welcomes first trial tourist group to island

3. Student activists plan to hold a major rally on September 19 to pressure the military-based government

Shortly after the release of two pro-democracy protest leaders from Bangkok Prison, a group from the United Front of Thammasat and other groups continue to pressure the government under Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-O’Cha with what they believe to be a major political movement on next Saturday. The peaceful gathering will start off at Thammasat University before moving forward to the PM’s office on the next day, ignoring the disapproval of the university sector to hold the gathering at the Thaprachan Campus.

Student activists plan to hold a major rally on September 19 to pressure military-based government

4. Thailand’s Comptroller General’s Department fails to provide an allowance for the elderly and disabled due to budget shortage

A large group of Thai pensioners and disabled persons who are registered for government allowance are having a hard time as the Comptroller General’s Department has postponed their pension payment as they have run out of their budget for September. According to the Ministry of Finance yesterday, the budget is being rearranged to conform with the number of eligible persons before the Comptroller General’s Department will urgently continue the process to pay them by the end of the month.

Thailand’s Comptroller General’s Department fails to provide allowance for elderly and disabled due to budget shortage

5. One football player from Buriram United tested positive for Covid-19, Ministry of Public Health confirms

This is the second possible local discovery of an infected patient in the country after a DJ prisoner two weeks ago. The case was found one day before the Thai football league was scheduled last Saturday, resulting in the postponement of several football matches last weekend. Meanwhile, hundreds of direct contacts of the Covid-19 infected footballer have gone through a second test for the coronavirus. Some have tested with negative results while other contractors are still waiting for their results.

One football player from Buriram United tested positive for Covid-19, Ministry of Public Health confirms this evening

That is all for this week, thank you all for reading!

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Nop Meechukhun
National News Writer at The Pattaya News from September 2020 to October, 2022. Born and raised in Bangkok, Nop enjoys telling stories of her hometown through her words and pictures. Her educational experience in the United States and her passion for journalism have shaped her genuine interests in society, politics, education, culture, and art.