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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Sponsored Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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China requests a five-time increase in flights to Thailand
A rise in Chinese tourism to Thailand may be on the horizon shortly as the Civil Aviation Administration of China has requested quintupling the number of flights between the two countries. There are currently three flights a week between Thailand and China but the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand announced that they received a letter from the CAAC asking to…
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Visa extensions for foreign visitors to Thailand coming in October
It’s official, that Thailand’s CCSA has said yes to longer visas for foreign travellers to the country. Starting October 1 this year, the exemption period extension for foreign visitors will be extended from 30 days to 45 days. Meanwhile, the visa-on-arrival scheme will go from 15 days to 30 days, the CCSA announced yesterday. The visa extensions will last until…
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Thailand’s CCSA talk tourist stats, visas on arrival & home isolation
Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Administration Situation (CCSA) met with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha today, August 19, to talk about coronavirus-related topics and foreign arrivals. The CCSA said Thailand is transiting into the “post-pandemic stage.” The CCSA said Thailand’s Covid situation is improving and its classification is changing from a “serious communicable disease” to a “communicable disease under surveillance.” Home Isolation…
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Thailand ranks as fourth most popular destination among Chinese travellers
Chinese tourists are finally returning to Thailand. International flights out of China have increased 200% this month compared with the same period last month. Out of those flights, Thailand is the fourth most flown-to destination by mainland Chinese tourists, according to the Variflight civil aviation data service. South Korea came in first place, Japan came in second and the United…
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Another long weekend brings huge crowds to Surat Thani
Another long holiday weekend has benefited tourism in southern Thailand, as the province of Surat Thani recorded over 57,000 visitors. Both domestic and foreign travellers made their way down to Surat’s popular islands for the three-day weekend. Data shared by the Surat Thani office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said that 24,639 foreigners made their way to one…
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Chinatown manhole covers to use art, tech to become cultural map
A new blend of utility, art, and technology will transform mundane manhole covers in Bangkok’s Chinatown into beautifying sources of information according to a new plan. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt met with members of the Office of Thailand Science Research and Innovation as well as Silpakorn University to develop the new project. The plan is to create beautiful manhole covers…
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Thailand getting high on cannabis boost to tourist economy
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha recently reported the government is expecting about 10 million tourists to hit the kingdom before the end of the year and it reports are true, most of them plan on getting high. The Thai government removed cannabis and hemp plants from its banned narcotics list on June 9 leaving people in Thailand free to grow and…
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Thailand’s economy grows but it still misses China’s cash
A new poll revealed Thailand’s economy grew at its fastest in a year over the last quarter but the kingdom’s outlook is still threatened by the high cost of living and China’s decision to maintain a zero-Covid-19 policy. The Thai economy grew largely because of tourism and the government’s decision to relax entry rules into Thailand such as the Thai…
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Europeans lost in Koh Pha Ngan forest found by tourist police
An emergency rescue party managed to find two missing tourists lost in a Koh Phan Gan forest after receiving an emergency call last night. Koh Pha Ngan Tourist Police received a call on their 1155 emergency hotline at about 8pm last night from a Spanish man and a Belarussian woman saying they were lost and couldn’t find a way back…
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Tourists can see rare orchids in bloom at northern Thailand waterfall this month
Tis’ the season for a rare orchid species to bloom in northern Thailand. The orchid species habenaria janellehayneiana is in full bloom at the Man Daeng Waterfall in the Hin Rong Kla National Park. The park is located in Thailand’s northern province of Phitsanulok. The flowers grow on the rocks around the waterfall, creating a colorful scenery. The unique orchid…
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StyleCation: Latest TAT campaign aims at young domestic tourists
Forget the staycation and the workcation, “StyleCation” is the hot new awkward portmanteau the Tourism Authority of Thailand is pushing to attract visitors. The TAT has recruited top actors/singers Krit “PP” Amnuaydechkorn and Putthipong “Billkin” Assaratanakul to promote a new campaign aimed at getting Thai people traveling around the country. “Amazing Thailand StyleCation with PP and Billkin” is the newest…
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Pattaya’s tourist buses are back at the floating market, but missing Chinese
Now that many of Thailand’s Covid-19 restrictions have eased, tourists are boarding buses to Pattaya once again. Tour buses were back at the Pattaya Floating Market earlier this week. While there were several Indian and Vietnamese tourists on the busses, the buses were missing a group that once played a major role in Thailand’s tourism market- the Chinese. One boat…
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Thailand’s hotels are short on workers
The majority of Thai hotels surveyed recently admitted they are short on workers, according to the Thai Hotels Association. About 68% of 118 hotels surveyed said they are short-staffed. The workers needed include maids, receptionists, cleaners, cooks, waiters, and technicians. The survey was conducted from July 17-25. The reason not enough people are seeking hotel jobs may likely have to…
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Thai tourism officials plan to propose new closing time for tourist areas
Thai tourism officials plan to propose a new closing time for night venues in tourist-heavy areas. The Tourism and Sports Minister plans to propose that the closing time move to 4am in these areas, as ‘high season’ is coming in October. He said the ministry plans to suggest the idea to the CCSA next month (September). Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has…
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Famous northern Thai dish declared world’s best soup
A famous northern Thai dish has been declared the world’s best soup by the foodie platform TasteAtlas.com. This was part of its list of “50 Best Soups in the World” published on July 25. The dish, called Khao Soi, includes red curry soup and meat, usually chicken, and egg noodles. It is then topped with crunchy noodles, fresh lime, pickled cabbage,…
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TAT says Thailand drew 3.3 million foreign tourists from January-July
Thailand has drawn 3.3 million foreign tourists between January and July this year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. While about 1.9 million tourists travelled through Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport, about 600,000 travelled through Phuket International Airport. About 190,000 people travelled through Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport. As tourism officials had predicted in June, Malaysia has now beat India as…
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Northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai Airport to stay closed for 2 more days
The Nok Air plane that skidded off the runway in Chiang Rai on Saturday night, August 1, still hasn’t been removed. Mae Fah Luang Airport in northern Thailand announced that the airport will remain closed for two more days and plans to reopen on Friday, August 5, at 10pm. The airport announced the suspension of all flights in and out…
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YOU can voice your opinion on Thailand in PR online survey
If you ever wanted a chance for your voice to be heard about Thailand – and judging from our comments section, a lot of you really, really do – now is your chance! Simple click here and fill out the impressively-catchy named survey “Foreigners’ Awareness, Confidence in Important Government Policies, and Perceived Image of Thailand.” The thoroughly titled survey was…
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Chiang Mai hotel reduces room rate to 1 baht per night to stimulate tourism
If you’re looking to travel northern Thailand on a budget, book this week and get a room for just 1 baht at Harmonize Hotel in Chiang Mai province. The room must be booked before August 7 for a stay anytime before October 31. Not only does the room cost a mere 1 baht – or US$0.028 – but the hotel…
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Thailand’s Nok Air relaunches Chiang Mai – Korat route
After four years, Nok Air has relaunched the airline’s route between Chiang Mai in northern Thailand and Nakhon Ratchasima – also known as Korat – in northeast Thailand. The route’s inaugural flight took off from Chiang Mai International Airport at 8.45pm yesterday and landed in Korat at 10.15pm. The route will serve two flights per week. The outbound service from…
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Northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai Airport to resume flights on Wednesday
Flights in and out of Chiang Rai’s Mae Fah Luang International Airport in northern Thailand are expected to resume as normal on Wednesday, August 3, at 10pm. The runway has been closed since 6am yesterday after a Nok Air Boeing 737-800 aircraft skidded off the runway during landing due to adverse weather conditions on Saturday night. No one was injured.…
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Celebrity among thousands of tourists on holiday in Koh Chang
Eastern Thailand’s picturesque island of Koh Chang has been drawing tourists over Thailand’s long holiday weekend, including one celebrity. One of Thailand’s most famous actors, Nadech Kugimiya, was spotted at a show at the Klong Son Elephant camp yesterday. Nadech reportedly donated 160,000 baht for elephant feed. He posted photos and videos of his visit on Instagram. One video shows…
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Russian airline Aeroflot resuming flights from Moscow to Phuket
After halting flights due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Aeroflot is now planning on relaunching service from Russia to Phuket. The Russian airline will start its daily flight service from Moscow to Phuket on October 30, to shepherd Russians to the tropics to escape the cold of winter. Earlier this year, Aeroflot was joined with other Russian airlines in…
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Travel packages mired by pricey airfare, slowing tourism recovery
Many that have been eagerly awaiting the full reopening of Thailand and the return of tourism, did not anticipate the severe cost of airfare and travel packages that has come with it. Now, tourism recovery in Thailand is threatened by the staggeringly high cost to fly, pricing many would-be travellers out of the trip. The president of the Thai Travel…
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Thai celebs join Olympic Day Walk-Run fun at Pattaya Beach
A number of famous Thai celebrities have signed up to make an appearance at the Olympic Day Walk-Run of 2022 at Pattaya Beach in Chon Buri. The final of the Olympic Day Walk-Run of 2022, which is scheduled to kick off at 6pm on Saturday, September 10, will be attended by Thai actors Phakin “Tono” Khamwilaisak, and Nuttanicha “Nicha” Dungwattanawanich,…
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Mayor of Pattaya expects 80,000 tourists to visit Koh Larn this holiday
Pattaya is expected to be bustling with tourists from today until Sunday, in celebration of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun’s 70th birthday today. Mayor of Pattaya Poramet Ngampichet estimates that a whopping 80,000 tourists will travel to Koh Larn island off the coast of Pattaya in the eastern province of Chon Buri during the four-day royal birthday weekend from…
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UPDATE: Body of foreigner found dead in Phuket is US man
UPDATE: The foreigner’s body that was found in waters off Yanui Beach in Phuket’s main city district yesterday morning has been named as US citizen John Joseph Sheridan. The 74 year old’s body was discovered floating in the water after he apparently fell on sharp rocks and bled to death. Fisherman found Sheridan, from Pennsylvania, floating on the rocky part of the shore…
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Thailand has 2 of the world’s most beautiful beaches, UK newspaper says
After all these years, Thailand continues to be renowned for its breathtaking beaches. Thailand has two of the “World’s 20 Most Beautiful Beaches” on a list published by UK’s Daily Star newspaper. Thailand’s Sunrise Beach was ranked in sixth place, and Maya Bay came in at 12th place on the list. Both beaches are located in South Thailand. Sunrise Beach is…
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No more monkey business! Phuket monkeys lose tourists from monkeypox scare
Phuket’s monkeys are missing out on their usual feedings from tourists at Koh Siray island’s monkey viewpoint. At the viewpoint, tourists usually buy fruit from vendors to feed to the roughly 200 monkeys there. But following Phuket’s recent monkeypox scare, after a Nigerian man was found to have the virus, fewer tourists are coming to feed their furry friends. Local…
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Samut observation tower to finally open after 10 years
Construction work in Bangkok is historically slow, whether it is burying cables underground, opening new roads, or, in this case, the reopening of Samut Prakarn Observation Tower. Thirteen years after plans were drawn up and 10 years after construction work began the building will finally open to the public on August 22. Last month, a Facebook page, Must Share, ต้องแฉ…
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