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Thailand’s foreign tourist numbers expected to plummet during 2021
Tourism officials have repeated a bleak prediction that international arrivals in Thailand are likely to drop to an all-time low this year. According to a Bangkok Post report, Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says foreign visitors to the Kingdom may only number 500,000 this year. “If the ongoing outbreak continues past September, the total number of foreign tourists this year might…
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Phang Nga reopening and “Phuket Sandbox” island hop extensions postponed
The Phang Nga’s reopening to travellers from overseas has been postponed until August 15, and the “7+7 Island Hopping” extension to the “Phuket Sandbox,” which includes a sealed route to Phang Nga, has been postponed indefinitely. The province’s reopening to foreign tourists under the “Phang Nga Prompt” campaign was initially set for August 1, but the scheme has not yet…
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Man arrested for allegedly robbing 7-Eleven stores in Bangkok to pay off gambling debt
A man was arrested for allegedly robbing 7-Eleven stores in Bangkok because he needed to pay off the debts from the money he had lost from gambling. He apparently painted his face to hide his identity and used a pocket knife to threaten the cashiers. The 30 year old man, identified as Sugipri, allegedly robbed two of the 7-Eleven convenience…
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Teenagers arrested for allegedly running underage prostitution racket
Two teenagers were arrested for allegedly running a prostitution racket where underage girls would provide sexual services. The 16 year old and the 19 year old were arrested at a hotel in Kanchanaburi’s Muang district by a task force investigating human trafficking. Officers also say they rescued two 15 year olds who were at the hotel and were hired to…
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Official detained after spreading rumour of planned coup to oust PM
Following a rumour that a military coup to remove PM Prayut Chan-o-cha from office was in the works, a state official has been detained, accused of spreading fake news. The Bangkok Post reports that deputy police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen has confirmed that a man has been detained for questioning in the central province of Chachoengsao, where he has admitted to…
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Thai AirAsia suspends flights, cuts salaries as financial woes continue
As Thailand’s airlines continue to struggle with the financial fallout from Covid-19, Thai AirAsia has suspended all flights for this month. The carrier is also cutting staff salaries or deferring partial or whole payment until September. According to a Bangkok Post report, the airline’s financial woes are worsening as low passenger numbers show no sign of improving and cash flow…
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Hua Hin Maya Club execs get 3 months for superspreader event
Many people living in Thailand long term grow weary of the persistence of action without consequence, especially for those that are well connected or with deep pockets. But a new ruling Hua Hin gives credit where credit is due and sentenced 2 executives of the Maya Club in Hua Hin to 3 months in prison plus fines for the illegal…
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August flight plans: Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion
With lockdowns, sealed provinces, travel restrictions and ever-changing updates due to the continuously growing Covid-19 infections around the country, struggling airlines are scrambling to keep up. AirAsia was the first earlier this month to cancel all domestic flights, and other local airlines quickly followed suit. Yesterday Bangkok Airways cut nearly all of their domestic flights, extending their flight suspension until…
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Phuket Sandbox Covid-19 infections: 35 today, 209 this week
35 new Covid-19 infections pushed rolling 7-day total in Phuket to 209, more than doubling the feared 90 per week that would trigger Sandbox reconsideration according to the original official plans. When the total first passed the 90 infection threshold and surpassed 100, the Department of Disease Control declared that the overall situation was still far from critical and the…
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Police nab 600kg heroin drug bust, year’s biggest in Northeast
The largest haul of heroin in Thailand’s Northeast region this year was intercepted today when authorities impounded 600 kilogrammes of compressed heroin in Nakhon Phanom. The chief of Provincial Police Region 4 confirmed that the stash with a street value of at least 2 billion baht was seized late last night by local police in possession of a suspected drug…
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Bangkok Airways extends flight suspension to August 11
In a post to Facebook this afternoon, Bangkok Airways announced that they will be extending the suspension of their domestic flights until August 11. They will ground all flights except flights connected to the Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus international reopening programs. The announcement comes following Covid-19 outbreaks in both Koh Samui and Phuket that threaten the international programs and…
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Buri Ram pig stable converted into gambling den: 22 arrests follow
Recently, the northeastern Thai province Buri Ram had a gambling den busted. It reportedly used to be a pig stable, but forward thinking/criminal-minded residents had renovated it to allegedly serve as a gambling den. Police arrested 22 people. 53 year old “Chakrabongse” and 21 associates were arrested. Reportedly, they were sitting close together and no one was wearing a mask.…
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Methamphetamine pills hidden in instant noodle packets delivered for Covid patient
Methamphetamine pills were found in packages of instant noodles that were dropped off yesterday morning for a Covid-19 patient being treated at Sanam Hospital in Nan, a province in northern Thailand bordering Laos. A young man, believed to be around 20 to 25 years old, came by the hospital to deliver the instant noodles to his 25 year old friend…
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Experience Phuket’s Islands with 5 Star Marine
Phuket and Krabi’s seascapes are famous for a reason. Boasting serene white beaches and untouched limestone karats, it’s an experience you don’t want to miss. With 5 Star Marine, its surrounding islands are easier to explore than ever. In the comfort of your own VIP speedboat, take in hidden bays, caves and lagoons, or visit deserted beaches off the beaten track. Luxury and…
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Media outlets call on Thai government to lift restrictions on freedom of expression
Thai media organisations have issued a joint statement calling on the government to lift restrictions on freedom of expression imposed under the Emergency Decree. Thai PBS World reports that the statement was issued yesterday by the National Press Council of Thailand, the News Broadcast Council of Thailand, the Thai Journalists Association, the Online News Providers Association, the Thai Broadcast Journalists…
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Police investigate hackers selling stolen vaccine appointments
Amid vaccine scarcity in Thailand’s slow rollout, and a tumultuous registration process with changing systems and tiny sign-up windows, people have taken to desperate means to get vaccinated. People posing as doctors online sold fake vaccine appointments, and authorities accused members of the Hi-So elite of renting motorbike taxi vests to pose as taxi drivers who are given priority for…
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Exploring Phuket’s islands with 5 Star Marine’s Captain’s Choice | VIDEO
Phuket and nearby island beaches are always here, despite the different seasons. So, even when you visit in the rainy season, with so many beaches to experience, you can always find one to enjoy. At this time of year, travellers might need to dodge the occasional heavy shower. It happens. But most of the time the rain is brief… and…
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Thousands of inmates granted royal pardon on HM the King’s birthday
On his 69th birthday, HM the King granted a royal pardon to more than 200,000 prison inmates and convicts on house arrest. 35,000 of them from 143 prisons will be released on parole while prison sentences for the others will be reduced. Under the 2021 Royal Pardon Royal Decree imposed today, pardons will be granted within the next 120 days,…
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“Phuket Sandbox” still on, provincial restrictions set after uptick in Covid-19
The “Phuket Sandbox” is still on, but the uptick in coronavirus infections pose a threat to the tourism experiment. Before the July 1 reopening, the government said it would reconsider the travel scheme if cases exceeded 90 Covid-19 infections. Over the past week, the island reported 125 new infections. With the weekly case count exceeding the government’s threshold, new restrictions…
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Hong Kong officials seize 61 kilograms of heroin shipped from Bangkok
Hong Kong customs officials seized 61 kilograms of heroin found hidden in instant rice vermicelli seasoning packets in a shipment from Bangkok. Following up on orders to work with foreign agencies on drug trafficking, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board is requesting more information from Hong Kong authorities on the case. Customs officials in Hong Kong seized the drugs…
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Indian landslide kills 9, injures 3
Yesterday, 9 people died and 3 were injured after their car was struck by falling boulders in Himachal Pradesh, a northern Indian state. The landslide also sent rocks crashing down on a bridge that crossed the Bapsa river Jairam Thakur, the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh characterised the incident as “heart wrenching”. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers his “heartfelt…
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Today is Asanha Bucha Day (Wednesday is also a public holiday)
Asanha Bucha Day is a special Buddhist holiday in Thailand marking the day when the Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon at Benares in India over 2,500 years ago. The exact date of the holiday is determined by the waxing moon and the lunar months, but is usually held in July or August each year. In 2021 it falls on…
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Peaceful pro-democracy protests in Bangkok by Taloo-Fah
Peaceful protesters gathered in Bangkok earlier today for pro-democracy demonstrations and a Buddhist Lent ceremony as well. The protests were organised by the pro-democracy group Taloo-Fah and their leader Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpattararaksa hosted the peaceful event. The Taloo-Fah organised smaller groups around Bangkok in areas like Ratchaprasong intersection and Pathumwan, where they held a candle-making ceremony, a tradition…
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Phuket “car mob” protest demands the removal of PM, calls for mRNA vaccines
Hundreds of cars and motorcycles drove through Phuket in a so-called “car mob” rally, calling for the resignation of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and the procurement of mRNA Covid-19 vaccines. Many have criticised the Thai government as it grapples with the most severe wave of Covid-19, a limited supply of vaccines and the emergence of the highly transmissible Delta variant. Earlier…
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Surat Thani announces new Covid-19 measures for Samui Plus
Less than 10 days after the less-than-thrilling Samui Plus reopening that saw just 31 international arrivals to Samui (with 2 to Koh Phangan and 1 to Koh Tao) so far and 110 people from the Phuket Sandbox, Surat Thani province in which the islands reside has announced immediate Covid-19 measures to curb the spread of the virus. The announcement today…
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Vaccination registration open for foreign residents over 60 in Bangkok
Vaccination registration for foreign residents aged 60+ only (born in or before 1961) residing in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces… Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon. Here’s the link… https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSf…/viewform SOURCE: NBT
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Nakhon Si Thammarat arrest drug suspect hiding in jar
Today, a suspected drug dealer and a teenager were both arrested in southern Thailand’s Nakhon Si Thammarat. 34 year old Sakrin Phitchalad was arrested in Tha Sala following police complaints that drug dealing was taking place in the area. The dealer was found hiding in a giant clay jar. Police discovered the suspected drug dealer and 2 teenagers in a…
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Phuket company plans to pitch “Diving Sandbox” for liveaboard trips
A local diving company is working on a project to offer liveaboard dive excursions to travellers entering Thailand through the “Phuket Sandbox” travel scheme. Under the plan in the works by Seafarer Divers, travellers would get picked up directly from the airport after arriving in Thailand and be transferred to a dive tour boat. While on board the boat, the…
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“Sandboxers” can travel to specified islands and beaches after 7 days in Phuket
A new rule for the “Phuket Sandbox” was passed allowing visitors under the reopening scheme to travel to specified islands after spending 7 days in Phuket. The rule goes into effect on August 1. The islands include Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao, which are off the coast of Surat Thani in the Gulf of Thailand. The trio…
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Yet another update to rules for entering Phuket, new exceptions
Perhaps feeling restless as it had been a day or two since any changes or additions to the constantly evolving rules to enter the Phuket Sandbox had been made, Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew issued a new provincial order granting special entry exceptions for certain people. The order would allow qualifying people passing through Phuket briefly to only present one of…
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