LGBTQ+ groups in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have struggled during the Covid-19 pandemic and are in dire need of financial and other support, a forum heard on Wednesday.

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has unveiled its new suburban railway routes to be used once Bang Sue Grand Station becomes Bangkok's rail system hub replacing the 105-year-old Hua Lamphong station on Dec 23.

The Immigration Bureau and the Ministry of Public Health are tracking down about 783 African travellers who have entered Thailand since Nov 15.

Bangkok was rated behind Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City as the best place for expatriates to live in Southeast Asia in a global survey released on Wednesday.

Dutch authorities scrambled on Saturday to see if 61 passengers from South Africa who tested positive for Covid-19 have the new Omicron strain, as the shutters came down around the world to contain the new variant.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has warned Thais to avoid travelling to countries where a new Covid-19 variant first detected in South Africa has been found.

Thailand logged 6,073 new Covid-19 cases and 32 fatalities on Friday, the Public Health Ministry announced on Saturday morning.

Night entertainment venues will not be allowed to open before Jan 16 as the government has extended the emergency decree for another two months, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) confirmed on Friday.