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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Covid-19 screening not necessary for China arrivals
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) met on Saturday to assess the Covid-19 situation in China and the border reopening on January 8. Covid-19 screening tests for arrivals from China might not be necessary for the time being although vaccination documents will be checked Tares Krassanairawiwong, DDC director-general, said nearly five million visitors from China are expected this year while…
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Free electric buses to Bangkok attractions from today
In a bid to boost visits to tourist attractions in Bangkok, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration created a program to run free electric buses to the floating markets on weekends, starting today. The plan was created to connect the main public transportation lines across Bangkok with nearby tourist attractions. The BMA announced yesterday the new, eco-friendly service that will feed from…
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POLL: Majority opposed to 4am venue curfew
A new poll shows that, despite vocal advocates and support amongst tourists, the majority of Thai people don’t believe that nightlife entertainment venues should be allowed to open until 4am. The poll found that 48.6% of people believe that 2am is a late enough time for bars and clubs to close. Only 40.6% of people believe that some or all…
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Thai Airways rehab plan soars ahead of schedule
The embattled Thai flag carrier has sold at least eight aircraft and other non-core assets since October, as part of Thai Airways‘ rehab plan. Thai Airways International updated its ongoing bankruptcy rehabilitation to the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). THAI, whose subsidiary – Thai Smile, made global headlines yesterday after a mid-air brawl captured on video went viral– said in…
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Thailand to offer free Covid-19 booster shots to foreign tourists
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports Ministry (MOTS) announced its plans to provide free Covid-19 booster shots for foreign tourists entering Thailand next year. The disclosure will be welcomed by many who fear another Covid wave after China announced it will open its borders and relax quarantine measures. The MOTS also briefed the press that the government will introduce the…
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Russians take Thailand by storm
Since September, Russian tourist arrivals in Thailand have increased sevenfold. A number of favourable factors make Thailand the perfect place to escape the icy grip of winter in Russia this year. Thailand, especially Pattaya and Phuket, has always been a popular holiday destination for Russians, with 1.48 million of them arriving in Thailand in 2019. Pre-pandemic, Russia was once Thailand’s…
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Thailand prepares to welcome infected tide of Chinese tourists
As Thailand prepares to welcome an infected tide of Chinese tourists, in the US, the Biden administration is changing its policy for arrivals from China, including Hong Kong, and Macau. Washington is scared. Coronavirus infections running rampant in Beijing could spawn new and more dangerous variants. From January 5, all travellers from China, including Hong Kong, and Macau, must present…
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Scottish man fights for his life in Thai hospital
A Scottish man is fighting for his life in a Thai hospital after a virus triggered a respiratory disease and rendered him unconscious while on holiday. Robert Kessell flew to Thailand on November 24 for a three-week holiday but was struck by illness on Thursday, December 8. The 66 year old, from Wishaw in North Lanarkshire, was rushed to Pattaya…
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Chinese tourists may bring growing pains to the Thai travel industry
While people in the tourism and entertainment sector are celebrating China’s announcement to reopen and allow outgoing travel, others have raised fears about the potential problems that could come with an influx of Chinese tourists. Some fear an overwhelming surge of Chinese tourists flooding Thailand’s hotspots. Others worry that the healthcare systems in Thailand could be overburdened by the influx…
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Downhill cycling banned in Doi Inthanon National Park
Fearing a string of preventable injuries and deaths, authorities have banned all downhill cycling in the mountainous Doi Inthanon National Park. The park, located in the Chom Thong district of Chiang Mai province, is popular for its scenic nature and picturesque mountains. But slippery roads and dangerous driving conditions have the potential for deadly accidents for those riding their bicycles…
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China opening up a boost for Thailand tourism
China yesterday announced it will reopen its borders and abandon its strict Covid-19 quarantine for travellers and mainland citizens on January 8. The announcement signals great news for Thailand as the kingdom continues to prosper from the worldwide relaxation of Covid restrictions. Chinese visitors topped the nation’s No.1 tourist charts before the pandemic outbreak in 2020. From 2014 there had…
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Top 5 Fun Things to Do in Thailand
There are lots of places to visit in the world and Thailand is on the bucket list of so many travelers. Once you’re there you’ll get to enjoy the sun and engage in lots of interesting activities. While you’re there, you can do all sorts of things to pass the time instead of being stuck in your hotel room. When…
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Holiday bus tickets escaping Bangkok close to selling out
More than 90% of bus tickets heading out of Bangkok for the holidays on December 28 and 29 had been sold by yesterday evening. Most advance bookings are for travel to Chiang Mai, Nakhon Phanom in the Northeast and Hat Yai in the South. Sanlak Panwatanalikit, managing director of the state transport company, said Thursday that about 55,000 passengers will…
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Bangkok tops list of trending Airbnb destinations this year
Thailand’s capital topped a list of trending Airbnb destinations in 2022. Based on searches made in the first to third quarters of the year for check-ins, Bangkok was the #1 most trending destination for Airbnb guests across the globe. The entire list is as follows: Bangkok, Thailand Sydney, Australia Málaga, Spain Seoul, South Korea Melbourne, Australia Itapema, Brazil Angra dos…
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Thailand welcomes nearly 11 million tourists this year
Tourist arrivals in Thailand could hit the 11 million mark before the year is through, according to the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Yuthasak Supaporn. Between January 1 and December 20, Thailand welcomed 10.9 million tourists from around the world, the governor said this morning. With High Season in full swing, Yuthasak said he expects tourist arrivals…
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Could Thailand’s Southeast Coastal Gem Khanom Be the Next Koh Samui?
The search for the next big resort destination in Thailand is an absolutely big ask. An expansive country with 77 provinces and an amazing array of diverse geographical locations, Instagram-worthy aspects, and distinctly different nuances. Out of this brazen travel chaos, the endearing term ‘same same, but different’ was born and remains highly relevant. Yet, one of the simple truths…
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Chiang Mai’s Dhara Dhevi Hotel goes on sale again
The ill-starred Dhara Dhevi Hotel Chiang Mai will be auctioned yet again this January, with the starting price dropping to 2 billion baht (US$60 million) from the 2.1-billion-baht initial price in the 2021 auction. The first round of the auction will take place at the Chiang Mai Legal Execution Office on January 27. If there is no interest during the…
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AoT app expanding: flight info, taxis, shopping and more
Airports in Thailand are hard at work souping up their travel app in hopes of making it an essential super-app for the incoming flood of tourists. Their “Sawasdee by AoT” app currently provides flight and airport information for people landing at six AoT-run airports. But they plan to add a host of tourism services, to aid the predicted 90 million…
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Thai AirAsia predicts 90% post-pandemic recovery
Thai AirAsia is predicting a great year next year, forecasting passenger load to reach 90% of the levels it was at before the Covid-19 pandemic. The rosy outlook was stated as foreign arrivals have been pouring into Thailand. The popular budget airline also has faith that the mega-demographic of Chinese tourists will be able to rejoin the tourism world next…
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Iconic Bangkok road sees staff shortage as tourists return
An iconic Bangkok road is seeing a staff shortage as tourists return. Bangkok’s Khao San Road, renowned as a hotspot for backpackers, is seeing a comeback in tourism after the Covid-19 pandemic took them down. Now, hotels, bars, and other businesses on the road are almost at pre-pandemic levels. Business operators report that their businesses are back to 90% to…
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Thailand tops BBC poll for Southeast Asia travel
A recent BBC poll saw Thailand on the top of the list of most desired destinations to travel to in Southeast Asia. BBC News conducted a poll of people planning a trip from Europe and North America to Southeast Asia in July. Thailand topped the list with 57.4% of people responding that they would be likely to visit the kingdom.…
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Over 2,000 tourists leave Koh Samui by plane amidst huge waves
Over 2,000 tourists left Koh Samui by plane yesterday amidst the ongoing huge waves wreaking havoc on Thailand’s waters. Waves were up to 4 metres high in the Gulf of Thailand near Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Tao. Boats were banned from leaving ports on Koh Samui yesterday, and a total of 2,400 tourists left the island by…
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Thailand to promote tourism to Pattaya in new campaign
Thailand is gearing up to focus on promoting the beach town of Pattaya as part of its new tourism campaign. Known as the country’s “sin city”, it will reportedly be part of the “Amazing Thailand, Amazing New Chapters” campaign put forth by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Partnering with Tiger Airline, the authority will launch the “Fresh Up Chonburi Family…
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Pheu Thai Party wants to reform tourism, cut red tape
The Pheu Thai Party is calling for reform of the way Thailand approaches tourism, though its focus seems to be the same as the ruling party’s. The opposition party held a brainstorming session on Friday to discuss how to improve tourism in Thailand. They stressed branching out and eliminating outdated red tape, but also put their hope squarely on medical…
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Surat Thani authorities optimistic about tourism as another cruise ship arrives in Koh Samui
Officials in Thailand’s southern province of Surat Thani are remaining optimistic about the recovering tourism sector as another cruise ship arrives around Koh Samui island. As the industry continues to recover after the Covid-19 pandemic, the government is urging businesses to uphold the country’s positive reputation. According to the Pattaya Mail, 31 cruise ships are scheduled to arrive in Koh…
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Tourist police warn travellers of Thai scams
Spiderman’s uncle once said, “With great tourism, comes great scamability.” We might be paraphrasing a bit, but as Thailand is welcoming international tourists once again pouring into the country, the tourist police are warning that perhaps not-so-welcomed scammers are also returning to prey on fresh foreign victims. The commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau says that they are increasing police presence…
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Battle lines drawn in Koh Lipe turf war
Thailand’s human rights commission (NHRC) is calling for the government to take urgent action in the Koh Lipe turf war to help sea gypsies living on the island in Satun province. The Moken are a semi-nomadic tribe that lives in Thai coastal provinces and inhabits over 800 islands in the Andaman Sea. They number less than 3,000 people. The Moken have…
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Field of cosmos flowers open to tourists to central Thailand province
Flower lovers have yet another attraction to see in Thailand, as flowers continue to bloom during the winter season. A field of cosmos flowers is open to tourists in the main city district of Lop Buri province in central Thailand. A Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) director’s office in the province brought a group of people to admire the purple,…
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Phuket hotels see labour shortages as tourism swells
Maybe hoteliers didn’t believe in the government’s rosy tourism predictions. Hotels in Phuket are reporting a labour shortage as Russian tourists pour into the holiday island. Now they are rallying the government to market hospitality jobs in Phuket to attract foreign workers. They say Thai people just don’t want maintenance, kitchen, and food and beverage jobs. The president of the…
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Russians still biggest tourist group in Phuket, peak expected during holidays
Russians remain Phuket’s biggest tourist group, and the island resort’s tourism is expected to peak during the holidays, according to the president of the Southern Thai Hotels Association, Sueksit Suwannadissakun, who believes the peak of tourism High Season will be between December 24 to January 5. About 57% of hotels in the island province reopened in October, jumping to 70%…
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