Tourism News

Thailand tourism news, travel updates, visa policies, and destination highlights—stay informed on hospitality trends, cultural experiences, and major infrastructure projects. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for Thailand travel news.

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    Where to travel in Thailand in August [2025]

    There’s no better way to experience Thailand than through its cuisine. In the rainy season, flavours bloom alongside the landscape, steam rises from market pots, the snap of chilli echoes through alleyways, and rain makes every bite more vivid. “I...

  • China eases visa restrictions coming out of Covid | Thaiger

    China eases visa restrictions coming out of Covid

    China is relaxing some of its pandemic travel restrictions again. On Wednesday, the mainland will begin issuing a range of visas to foreign nationals, according to the country’s foreign ministry. The move inches China closer to full reopening, marking a departure from the zero-Covid strategy they had held tightly to up until a few months ago. A social media account…

  • Thailand is ‘smiles’ better than most in Cheapest Countries to Visit poll | Thaiger

    Thailand is ‘smiles’ better than most in Cheapest Countries to Visit poll

    Thailand once again proved it is “smiles” better than most when it comes to polls, ranking fourth in a 10 Cheapest Countries to Visit survey. The survey was produced by US-based Kiplinger magazine, which is an American publisher of business forecasts and personal finance advice. According to the survey, the average daily expenses during a visit to Thailand is around…

  • Record numbers of Russian tourists affect economy | Thaiger

    Record numbers of Russian tourists affect economy

    Thailand has seen a sharp rise in the number of Russian tourists in the country. So far this year over 370,000 Russian visitors have arrived in Thailand. That’s 67% of last year’s entire total of 435,000. Pol Maj Gen Phanthana Nutchanart, the deputy commander of the Immigration Bureau assures though that the influx has not increased Russian criminal activity. The…

  • 4 new unique airlines look to open in Thailand | Thaiger

    4 new unique airlines look to open in Thailand

    Thailand’s Transport Ministry revealed that four new airlines are seeking to operate in the country, according to a source who spoke to the Thai news site Thansettakij. The four companies are P80 Air, Really Cool Air, Landarch Airline and Siam Seaplane. The source added that it would take some time to obtain air service licences. The four airlines were expected…

  • Vocational education to aid Phuket labour shortage | Thaiger

    Vocational education to aid Phuket labour shortage

    Phuket tourism completed a full turnaround from the Covid-19 pandemic days of no customers to so many customers that there aren’t enough workers to take care of them. Now, an agreement has been signed between the Office of Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) and representatives of the business sector in Phuket to address the labour shortage in the province’s tourism and service…

  • Two foreign kayakers rescued from Phuket sea | Thaiger

    Two foreign kayakers rescued from Phuket sea

    The search for two missing foreign tourists who disappeared after renting kayaks from a hotel on Coconut Island in Phuket, southern Thailand, on Friday has been called off. It turns out they were rescued by the captain of a yacht later that day. At 6pm yesterday, officers at Mueang Phuket Police Station, Tourist Police, Phuket Marine Police, and Koh Kaeo…

  • Thai officials look to food trucks to draw tourists | Thaiger

    Thai officials look to food trucks to draw tourists

    Thai officials are looking to food trucks to draw tourists. The Department of Business Development (DBD) in Thailand is exploring the potential of food trucks as a new tourist attraction in the country. According to Thosapone Dansuputra, the director-general of DBD, food trucks could serve as “destinations” that will not only stimulate the economy but also raise awareness of Thai…

  • Pattaya mayor attends Thailand tourism event in Germany | Thaiger

    Pattaya mayor attends Thailand tourism event in Germany

    Thailand continues to make its mark as a tourism destination across the globe. Pattaya’s mayor this week visited Germany to attend a Thailand tourism event. Mayor Poramase Ngampiches visited Berlin to attend the ‘Discover Thailand, Journey to Happiness.’ The tourism stimulus expo was set to run from March 9 to 11, Pattaya News reported. The event aimed to attract high-spending…

  • TAT predicts 6 million European tourists to Thailand | Thaiger

    TAT predicts 6 million European tourists to Thailand

    Thailand is expecting to welcome six million tourists from Europe this year, generating over 420 billion baht in revenue. The figure represents approximately 80% of pre-pandemic levels. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn expressed confidence in Thailand’s ability to maintain its popularity as a tourist destination for European markets. He noted that pent-up demand for travel among…

  • Princess Ubolratana gets behind TAT’s Visit Thailand Year 2023: Amazing New Chapters’ campaign | Thaiger

    Princess Ubolratana gets behind TAT’s Visit Thailand Year 2023: Amazing New Chapters’ campaign

    Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana lent her support to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) at the ITB Berlin 2023 event. The occasion marks the official launch of the ‘Visit Thailand Year 2023: Amazing New Chapters’ campaign, which aims to promote sustainable and responsible tourism in Thailand, focusing on meaningful travel experiences. Princess Ubolratana graced the Thailand Stand on Tuesday,…

  • Thailand’s Prachuap Khiri Khan province gets tourism blast from long weekend | Thaiger

    Thailand’s Prachuap Khiri Khan province gets tourism blast from long weekend

    Thailand’s Prachuap Khiri Khan province got a tourism blast during the recent long weekend. The province generated a revenue of over 548 million baht, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). The director of TAT’s Prachuap Khiri Khan Office, Atchawun Kongkapan, reported that the tourism atmosphere in the province was very lively during the holiday weekend, with hotel occupancy…

  • THAI Airways announces 2023 summer schedule | Thaiger

    THAI Airways announces 2023 summer schedule

    THAI Airways has announced its summer schedule and expanded its services around the globe. The flagship carrier of Thailand will add 39 routes to Europe, nine to Asia, and 30 routes to China for the summer. Between March 26 and October 28, more routes will operate and flights will run more frequently on the most travelled routes. THAI Airways kickstarted…

  • Thailand tourism industry hails success of We Travel Together scheme | Thaiger

    Thailand tourism industry hails success of We Travel Together scheme

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand hailed the success of its We Travel Together scheme after holidaymakers rushed to book hotels during the latest phase of the programme. Within just six hours of the hotel subsidy programme’s availability, a remarkable 112,876 room nights were reserved out of the 560,000 available, demonstrating a high level of demand. According to Tourism Authority of…

  • DMCR report an abundance of healthy sealife in Krabi | Thaiger

    DMCR report an abundance of healthy sealife in Krabi

    Officers from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre (DMCR), Lower Andaman Sea were pleased to report the abundance of healthy sealife after they performed an aerial survey over Krabi last week. Between March 1 to March 5, 22 dugongs and 74 sea turtles were discovered. Yesterday, the Director of the DMCR, Lower Andaman Sea, Santi Ninlawat, reported…

  • Koh Samui welcomes inaugural flight from Chengdu, China | Thaiger

    Koh Samui welcomes inaugural flight from Chengdu, China

    On Sunday, Koh Samui Airport in Surat Thani province, southern Thailand, welcomed a flight from Chengdu in China for the first time in over three years. Chengdu Airlines flight EU2807 landed in Koh Samui at 5.40pm with 130 Chinese tourists on board. Samui Airport held a special welcome ceremony for the inaugural flight by using fire engines to spray water…

  • Swedish tourist found dead inside tent on Ao Nang Beach in Thailand | Thaiger

    Swedish tourist found dead inside tent on Ao Nang Beach in Thailand

    A Swedish tourist was found dead inside a tent on Ao Nang Beach in Krabi province in southern Thailand yesterday. At 1pm, officers at Ao Nang Police Station were informed that a tourist discovered a foreigner lying dead inside a tent. Police, doctors from Krabi Hospital and rescue workers rushed to the scene. Police found a blue camping tent pitched…

  • US tourist takes legal action against slap happy Bangkok security guard (video) | Thaiger

    US tourist takes legal action against slap happy Bangkok security guard (video)

    The US tourist slapped by a security guard in a Bangkok nightclub says he still loves Thailand despite the assault but added he will be taking legal action against two guards. The tourist, Rodric Carkhuff, was slapped and handcuffed by a security guard last month outside The Club Khaosan nightclub on Khao San Road after the 34 year old took…

  • Fight to keep iconic signs on Khao San Road | Thaiger

    Fight to keep iconic signs on Khao San Road

    Khao San Road is legendary as the backpacker hub of Thailand. It was once teeming with street vendors and bars spilling out into the streets, aggressive tuk-tuk drivers and ping-pong show advertisers. A barrage of sights and sounds and smells for fresh young backpackers to be overwhelmed by as Khao San Road stretched under snarls of metal signs hovering above…

  • 4 guides arrested leading Chinese tour group without ID | Thaiger

    4 guides arrested leading Chinese tour group without ID

    Police have been cracking down on illegal tour groups and guides, recently arresting a Russian man mid-tour. Now four Thai female tour guides have been arrested around Bangkok while leading Chinese tour groups. The guides turned out to be licensed, but they did not have the proper documentation. The arrests took place in the tourist area of Tha Rua, Tha…

  • Thai govt launches mouth-watering e-guidebook for foreign foodies | Thaiger

    Thai govt launches mouth-watering e-guidebook for foreign foodies

    Hold on to your buckled belts foodies, because the Thai government has just cooked up something delicious – a mouth-watering e-guidebook aimed at promoting gastronomy tourism for Muslim and foreign visitors alike. The guidebook is so good, it’ll have travellers licking their lips in no time! So, whether you’re foodies seeking new culinary adventures or a traveller looking to spice…

  • Thailand strengthens tourism ties with China in high-profile meeting | Thaiger

    Thailand strengthens tourism ties with China in high-profile meeting

    Thailand is strengthening its tourism ties with China after the two countries inked a letter of intent in a high-profile meeting. Chinese Culture and Tourism Minister, Hu Heping, and Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, signed the Letter of Intent between the TAT and China Tourism Group Travel Services. As 2023 marks 48 years of diplomacy between the two…

  • Ladyboy steals English tourist’s gold necklace in Phuket | Thaiger

    Ladyboy steals English tourist’s gold necklace in Phuket

    Police managed to reunite an English tourist with his gold necklace after it was snatched by a ladyboy in the Patong area of Phuket, southern Thailand, in the early hours of this morning. At 4.30am, officers at Patong Police Station were informed that a tourist’s gold necklace was stolen in front of the Central Department Store in Patong. Police rushed…

  • Thailand wins award for ‘Best Tourist Country’ in Sweden | Thaiger

    Thailand wins award for ‘Best Tourist Country’ in Sweden

    Thailand continues to make waves across the globe for its reputation as a tourist magnet. Thailand has been recognised as the Best Tourist Country at the 30th annual Grand Travel Awards 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden. Organised by TravelNews, the award is based on a survey conducted by research company Nordic Bench, which collected responses from 3,227 Swedish travellers and travel professionals…

  • Hong Kong launches free airline ticket giveaway to reboot tourism | Thaiger

    Hong Kong launches free airline ticket giveaway to reboot tourism

    Hong Kong’s government-supported “Hello, Hong Kong” ticket giveaway of half a million free airline tickets is swamping airline websites. Cathay Pacific, one of the carriers participating in the programme, said it had allocated all 17,400 round-trip tickets from Thailand to Hong Kong within the first hour of the giveaway, even though it was scheduled to last seven days. The airline…

  • Over 7,000 Russians in Phuket apply for visa extensions | Thaiger

    Over 7,000 Russians in Phuket apply for visa extensions

    Over 7,000 Russians in Phuket are applying for visa extensions in a bid to stay in Thailand. Local immigration chief, Thanet Sukchai, says the great weather is one factor in their attempts to stay. “Phuket is a nice place to visit with delicious food and good weather. As word has spread about the island, Russian tourists keep coming to the…

  • Expensive flights to Thailand too hot for Chinese mainland mainstream | Thaiger

    Expensive flights to Thailand too hot for Chinese mainland mainstream

    Expensive flights to Thailand from bigger cities in China are delaying Thailand’s tourism recovery. Most tariffs are still one and a half times more than pre-pandemic prices, while for smaller cities, fares are more than double previous levels According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn, while most tickets are cheaper than last year, prices for March…

  • Agoda says these are the most popular vacation spots for Thai families | Thaiger

    Agoda says these are the most popular vacation spots for Thai families

    According to early 2023 search data from the travel platform Agoda, Pattaya is the most popular destination for Thai families looking for a domestic vacation this year. Hua Hin/Cha-am, and Phuket followed in second and third place. The full list of the top 10 most searched domestic destinations by families includes: Pattaya, Hua Hin/Cha-Am, Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri,…

  • Thailand gears up to welcome more cruise ships | Thaiger

    Thailand gears up to welcome more cruise ships

    Thailand is gearing up to welcome more cruise ships. The country is making efforts to improve existing ports, and building new ones, according to government spokesperson Anucha Buraphachaisri. Today, Anucha cited data from the Tourism and Sports Ministry, revealing that cruises are becoming increasingly popular among tourists. Some 1,800 to 2,400 tourists arrive in Thailand on cruise ships every year…

  • Thailand’s Phetchaburi immigration office to move next month | Thaiger

    Thailand’s Phetchaburi immigration office to move next month

    Thailand’s Phetchaburi Immigration office is set to move to a new location next month. The office will move from its current location in Tha Yang to a new office in Cha-am, with the opening date scheduled for March 20, 2023. The new location will be situated in Khao Yai sub-district, near Khao Nang Phanthurat Forest Park, and is expected to offer…

  • Chinese and Indian investors buying up Pattaya | Thaiger

    Chinese and Indian investors buying up Pattaya

    Pattaya has been attracting foreign investors for years, but now Indian and Chinese investors are leading the way, buying up businesses in the area and catering to people from their home countries. Business people in the Chonburi province have commented on a rise in businesses specifically by and for Indian and Chinese tourists. Indian investors were the first to strongly…