Tourism News
Get your daily dose of Tourism News in Thailand with the latest updates on exciting destinations, events, and travel industry developments. We provide relevant and insightful information about Thailand’s diverse travel scene, which includes innovative hospitality trends, cultural experiences, and sustainable tourism practices. Stay informed on various tourism-related matters, including visa policies and major infrastructure projects, to ensure you’re always one step ahead in the vibrant world of travel.
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Sponsored Top 10 reasons for expats to get a comprehensive health insurance in Thailand
Moving to Thailand offers plenty of excitement and adventure, but the local healthcare system can be complex to navigate as an expat. From unique health risks to high costs at private hospitals, having a comprehensive health insurance plan is essential....
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China Southern Airlines ready for Bangkok takeoff
News breaking yesterday that China Southern Airlines is planning to resume flights to Bangkok signals more good news for the Thailand tourism industry aiming to attract another 12 million foreign travellers before the end of the year. In 2019 more than 12 million Chinese tourists travelled to Thailand, making up one-quarter of the kingdom’s foreign arrivals. There had been a…
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Tourism operators demand cheaper flights to Phuket
Phuket tourism operators are demanding that airlines cut ticket prices to make the island destination more financially attractive. As Chinese tourists are largely missing from the Phuket tourism market, operators are worried that travelling to the island is being seen as too expensive. According to The Bangkok Post, Chinese tourists accounted for 40% of the Phuket tourism market before the…
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Thai tourism industry wants 5 billion baht handout to draw tourists
The Thai tourism industry is asking for a five billion baht handout to boost tourism and draw 12 million foreign tourists to Thailand by the end of this year. The President of the Tourism Council of Thailand, Chamnarn Sisawat, revealed yesterday that the council and other 11 tourist associations organised by the private sector will meet PM Prayut Chan-o-cha tomorrow to…
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‘Pay for a pool villa in Phuket instead of paying the energy bills’ this winter, advises Thai official
Instead of wasting money on high energy bills this winter, Westerners should turn off the heating and spend their money in Thailand instead, advises the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). With wholesale gas and electricity prices rocketing in Europe TAT’s invitation makes sense. In the UK, the average household is about £2,500 a year, up from £1,400 in October 2021.…
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Infamous Tham Luang caves reopened after monsoon season
Tham Luang caves, where 12 boys and their football coach were dramatically rescued in 2018, reopened to the public today. The site had been closed since July 1 to weather the monsoon season. In late June 2018, a young football team exploring the caves became trapped when heavy storms brought flash floods that filled the cave with water. The caves…
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Iceland considers a consulate in Phuket
Iceland is considering opening a consulate in Thailand on the island of Phuket. Currently, there are two Honorary Consuls of Iceland in Thailand, both based in Bangkok. But the European island nation sent their ambassador from China to discuss the possibilities of a consulate with Phuket authorities. The Icelandic ambassador from the Embassy of Iceland in Beijing was in Phuket…
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Thailand expects tourism boom over October holidays
Tourism officials say they are expecting to see more than three million travellers over this month’s two holiday periods. The four-day anniversary holiday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great’s passing started on Thursday. Both Thais and foreigners have taken off to major tourist destinations around the kingdom. The other holiday from October 22-24, is expected to also see…
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‘Until the pots are dry’ – where 10 baht dishes rule the menu
In Chiang Mai, a tiny eatery specialising in 10 baht dishes is attracting shuffling lines of rumbling stomachs in the Chang Pueak area. “And it’s delicious,” said a regular who seemed very happy to stand in a long queue of hungry patrons. Open for just a fortnight, Khao Gang Khun Yai on Photharam-Jet Yod Road, is cooking up quite a…
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Philippine Airlines takes off to Bangkok
Philippine Airlines (PAL) today announced it will reintroduce direct flights between Cebu City and Thailand’s capital city Bangkok in December. The Philippine flag carrier made public it is to introduce a twice-weekly service, operating on Monday and Friday, which will depart from Cebu in the morning of December 9 and depart from Bangkok in the early afternoon. PAL previously operated…
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Pockets jangling – 1,500-baht weekend in Bangkok
Is Bangkok ready for the descent of an aircraft filled with penny-pinching Japanese tourists intent on eating out of the 7-Eleven and sleeping under bridges? Perhaps. Japanese travel site Soranews today sets out how tourists can spend a weekend in Bangkok for a “mere” 50,000 yen (US$340, 12,900 baht), which, from the parsimonious point of view and salary grade of…
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Big fat fraud – bear-faced cheating in Alaskan wildlife poll
Katmai National Park and Preserve have announced that Bear 747 is the winner of its annual Fat Bear Week contest. It is the bear’s second win. Tipping the scales at an estimated 635 kilograms, Bear 747 won 68,105 votes, beating first-time contender Bear 901 with 56,876 votes. Fat Bear Week is an annual tournament celebrating the park’s bears’ success in…
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Columbia Pictures’ Aquaverse theme park opened today
Columbia Pictures’ Aquaverse finally opened today, welcoming the public to the theme park and water park. The movie and television company selected Thailand to create its first theme park, choosing Pattaya because of its proximity to U-Tapao Airport, high-speed trains, and easy transportation. The park opens to patrons of all ages daily from 10am to 6pm. The grand opening today…
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Airline flight capacity is up, Thai tourism officials hopeful
Airline flight capacity has shot up, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand. The aviation authority said that seat capacity from October to March next year went up by 74.2%, to 573,538 seats per week from the summer schedule. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is aiming to achieve the government’s goal of 1.5 trillion baht in revenue from…
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No peace for Maddie as ‘prime suspect’ charged with historical sex offences
The latest of so many prime suspects in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been charged in Germany with unrelated sex offences. Convicted sex offender 45 year old Christian Brueckner is accused of five offences in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. The investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance is ongoing. Brueckner was identified as a suspect in the case in June 2020…
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TAT going green to smash a Guinness World Record
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is calling on all diving enthusiasts to help smash an official Guinness World Record. The TAT wants tourists and residents to get involved in their Go Green Active drive, a conservation diving event at Phuket’s famous Patong Beach between November 18 and November 20. The TAT wants to set a new Guinness World Records…
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Island in eastern Thailand listed in ‘Top 100 Green Destination Stories’
A small island in eastern Thailand has been listed in the Green Destination Foundation’s Top 100 Green Destination 2022 Stories. The island of Koh Mak is located off Trat province. The Green Destinations Foundation is based in the Netherlands, and is dedicated to sustainable tourism. Koh Mak’s story is titled, “Koh Mak, the journey to becoming the first low carbon…
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Andaman Sea coast set for UNESCO recognition
Three conservation areas on the Andaman Sea are to be nominated for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognition by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa. As the islands prepare to welcome tourists on October 15, Varawut was inspecting a maintenance and waste collection project on Koh Miang of the Similan Islands in Phangnga province. Reports in…
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Thailand’s 5 national parks raise entry fees for foreigners by 100%
Thailand’s five national parks announced new entry fees to their attractions and they’re stinging foreigners in the pocket, increasing entrance costs by 100%. Entry fees for Thai people remain the same. The Department of National Park, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation Facebook page posted a two-page document about the new entry fees last Friday, September 30. Khao Yai National Park in…
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17 of Thailand’s national parks close waterfalls and attractions due to floods
Thailand’s national parks continue to bear the brunt of the country’s devastating floods. Seventeen national parks in the kingdom are now temporarily closing waterfalls and other natural sites due to the floods, Nation Thailand reported yesterday. Below is a list of the 17 sites that will be temporarily closed: Mae Keong Luang waterfall in Wiang Kosai National Park Tat Mok…
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Thailand voted No.3 in list of ‘Top Countries In The World 2022’
Thailand was voted No.3 best country in the world to travel to in this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine. Europe dominated the list of 48 countries, with Thailand and Singapore the only Southeast Asian nations to make the top 10. Thousands of people voted in numerous ‘best of’ lists… best countries, cities, islands, resorts, hotels, etc.…
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Flooding may impact Thailand’s tourism recovery
Hopes for Thailand’s tourism industry to recover are being challenged by the worst flooding the kingdom has seen in years. With large areas of croplands being suffocated by seasonal storms and rising rivers, food prices are at risk of increasing while tourism recovery is undoubtedly being slowed. According to Bangkok Post, popular tourist destinations are now being flooded by heavy…
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Phuket Vegetarian Festival wraps up
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival officially wrapped up its last day yesterday. The last day began with street processions in the main city district. The processions started in the morning at the Lor Rong Shrine and headed toward Saphan Hin Public Park. Later in the afternoon, there was a fire-waking ritual from Kathu Shrine. In the evening, there was another fire-walking ritual…
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Officials predict over 100,000 people at Pattaya International Fireworks Festival
The annual Pattaya International Fireworks Festival is coming up in November, and city officials have made some estimates about how many people will attend. Officials have estimated that over 100,000 domestic and foreign tourists will make their way to the festival. The festival will be held from November 25-26 on Pattaya Beach. If estimates come true, the festival will be…
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British Embassy Bangkok to hold a conference on tourism safety and security
This is a one-day conference bringing together the Phuket tourism industry, Thai government departments and the international community to discuss matters relating to tourism safety and security in Phuket. The following topics will be discussed: Security Awareness and Crime Prevention Protective Security Incident Response Panel Discussion: Emerging Consular Trends Post Covid-19 Tourism Industry Cyber Risks Engaging Embassies and Consulates Event…
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Thousands join Chinese ceremony at Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Thousands of people yesterday joined a Chinese ceremony as part of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. About 2,200 locals and tourists gathered along the roadside during the Yu Keng parade. The ceremony participants paid respects and lit fireworks to call upon gods, in accordance with traditional Chinese beliefs. Many of the tourists who took part in the ceremony were from Malaysia…
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Korean Air resumes two routes to Thailand
On October 1, Korean Air resumed two direct routes to Thailand. The airline reopened services between Seoul to Chiang Mai and Phuket, which were both suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The South Korean flag carrier announced the return of the popular routes in August. Flights from Seoul Incheon to Phuket depart on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and…
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Maya Bay reopens once again to the public
After a two-month hiatus, Maya Bay on Koh Pi Pi Leh in Krabi province has reopened to the public. The iconic bay had been closed to tourists to allow for environmental recovery. The closure will be an annual occurrence to try to protect the ecology and wildlife living or visiting the iconic bay. Maya Bay exploded in popularity after serving…
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Ao Kung gets green light for marina despite opposition
Conservationists are opposed to plans to build a new marina in a sleepy bay in Phuket. Developers believe it will reignite tourism blighted by the Covid-19 pandemic but preservationists hit back saying the project will damage the island’s coral reefs and affect marine life in the area. A developer has targeted Ao Kung, a sleepy bay north of Phuket Island,…
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Reopening Thailand has a busy activity schedule
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) took the occasion of the country’s full and unrestricted reopening today as an opportunity to point out a busy event and attraction schedule they hope will bring a variety of people from around the world to the kingdom. From new flight schedules to international political and business meetings to sporting events, exciting new restaurants,…
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Today is the day! Full post-pandemic Thailand reopening
After nearly three years, today is THE DAY. In July of 2021, officials cheered the reopening of Thailand with the Phuket Sandbox. Then we had other sandboxes, Test & Go, the Thailand Pass, and numerous other stepping stones. Then in July of this year, we ditched so many regulations and declared a reopening. But today, October 1, Thailand officially declares full and…
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