Thailand

Low-cost airlines are not immune to the threat of the coronavirus pandemic and plan to reduce or scrap routes to four major destinations — Japan, South Korea, India and China — while tourism operators say the battered stock market will further weaken travel sentiment. The suspension follows the decision to temporarily halt services on all routes connecting to mainland China …

Thai Airways International Plc’s (THAI) outgoing president Sumeth Damrongchaitham said he decided to resign after “those in power” told him that he was done with his mission. He said on Friday he had tendered his resignation to pave the way for the THAI board to find a more appropriate replacement who can follow the board’s policy. “We were here on …

The Public Health Ministry on Friday reported five new local cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), all linked to people arriving from Hong Kong and South Korea. Dr Sukhum Karnchanapimai, permanent secretary for health, said the new cases were cluster infections. Two were a woman, 36, and a man, 37, who went to a pub in a group of 15 …

A month long lockdown in the Philippine capital to contain the spread of coronavirus is set to curb economic growth and make an interest-rate cut next week more likely. Growth could weaken to below 6% in the first quarter of the year, according to Nicholas Mapa, an economist at ING Bank in Manila. With more than 12 million people, the …

Singapore ceased port calls for all cruise vessels and will bar the entry and transit of visitors with recent travel history to Italy, France, Spain and Germany. New York City declared a state of emergency, bringing the financial and cultural capital of the US to a standstill. French President Emmanuel Macron called the coronavirus the epidemic of the century and …

Thailand has 11 more patients infected with the coronavirus, all friends who went out drinking together despite some being ill, the Public Health Ministry said on Thursday. The ministry said the new patients were found infected in a cluster for the first time since Covid-19 hit the country. The latest report brought the total of the local patients to 70, …

The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) authorised the export of 330 tonnes of face masks in January and February when the items were in short supply and declared controlled products, according to the Customs Department. The department had no power to stop the shipments because the exporters held a licence under the Commerce Ministry’s regulations, said department spokesman Chaiyut Khamkhun. …

After a year and a half, a new US ambassador to Thailand has finally landed. Ambassador Michael G DeSombre, who took up his post earlier this month said taking sides in Thai politics is not the way to go and he will rather focus on promoting businesses, with energy and digital ventures, infrastructure and manufacturing projects also on his radar. …

The World Health Organization called the new coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on Wednesday, issuing a grim warning that the global spread and severity of the illness was due to “alarming levels of inaction”. The number of cases across the globe has risen to more than 124,000 with 4,500 deaths, including a jump in fatalities particularly in Iran and Italy, according …

People arriving from China, Iran, Italy, South Korea must disclose their self-quarantine locations, or face a 20,000-baht fine and later one-year jail for repeated failure to comply, according to the Public Health Ministry. Dr Suthep Petchmark, health inspector-general, announced the new measure at Suvarnabhumi airport on Wednesday. He said arrivals from the four countries must be screened at airports and …