Cambodia imposed fresh coronavirus restrictions Thursday for eight provinces bordering Thailand, clamping down on the movement of millions of residents to curb the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.In recent weeks, scores of Cambodian migrant workers have returned home from Thailand, which is battling a Delta-fuelled COVID-19 wave.Cambodian health authorities raised the alarm this week, citing 39 new Delta cases – 21 in migrant workers returning from Thailand and the rest in conta

Drugmaker AstraZeneca said Saturday it was searching its supply chain to find more doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for Southeast Asia, which is facing its most serious outbreak yet of the virus.The statement from the Anglo-Swedish company – which produces its vaccine in Thailand for use domestically and in neighbouring countries – comes in the wake of a supply shortage which has sparked heavy criticism of Thai Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha's administration.Under the terms of AstraZeneca's

Tuk-tuks and garishly coloured taxis that once weaved through chaotic Bangkok traffic are sitting idle in storage as a fresh coronavirus surge scuttles hopes of relief for Thailand's tourism-dependent economy.The kingdom is currently undergoing its worst-ever stretch of the pandemic after largely keeping COVID contained when the illness first emerged last year. Bangkok is subject to a night-time curfew and a ban on gatherings as authorities advise residents of the capital to sta

Thai police on Sunday deployed rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon against protesters who defied COVID-19 restrictions to call for Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha's resignation and mark the anniversary of a pro-democracy movement.The kingdom is currently battling its worst COVID-19 wave, registering daily case records as hospitals buckle under pressure.Exacerbating the toll has been the government's slow procurement of vaccines, which has drawn criticism as Thailand's economy r

Thailand on Tuesday defended mixing two different COVID-19 vaccines to battle a surge in infections, after the World Health Organization’s (WHO) top scientist warned it was a "dangerous trend" not backed by evidence.The kingdom is struggling to contain its latest outbreak fuelled by the highly contagious Delta variant, with cases and deaths skyrocketing and the healthcare system stretched thin.Authorities said they will mix a first dose of the Chinese-made Sinovac jab with a second

This was supposed to be the Asian century, with the ascent of China being only one – albeit a major – part of the story.

Over 10 million people were placed under fresh COVID-19 restrictions and a curfew in the Thai capital Monday, as the kingdom battles a surge of cases worsened by the highly infectious Alpha and Delta variants.Thailand has so far recorded more than 345,000 cases and 2,791 deaths – with the bulk of them coming in this latest wave that kicked off in April.First detected in clubs frequented by the Thai elite and politicians at an upscale Bangkok nightlife district, the surge in infections has bee

Thai beauty queens who took part in a pageant last month could face criminal charges for not wearing masks, police warned Sunday, after a cluster of 22 infections emerged from the event.13 contestants and nine others associated with the Miss Grand Samut Sakhon pageant, which was held at a Bangkok venue late June, have tested positive for the virus, officers said.Thailand is grappling with a deadly third wave of infections with 9,539 new cases announced Saturday and 86 deaths."There are l

From South Korea to Australia, authorities are struggling to contain the highly transmissible coronavirus strain that has caused a surge in UK, Europe and the United States (US). Countries throughout Asia Pacific – from South Korea to Australia – have been hit by a rise in coronavirus infections as the Delta variant threatens a new wave of the pandemic even in a region renowned for tackling the virus with a high degree of success.China reported 57 new coronavirus cases in the mainlan

An explosion near Thai capital Bangkok's international airport Monday left a plastics factory in flames, killing at least one firefighter and wounding 29 people, officials said.Heavy plumes of black smoke could be seen rising up to the sky from the city's downtown 35 kilometres (21 miles) away, as helicopters continued to dump fire suppression foam from the air on the site.The blast occurred around 3:00 am at Taiwan-based Ming Dih Chemical Co., located on the outskirts of Bangkok ne