Search Results for: cat
- News
Closing Maya Bay – Tough steps to save reeling paradise
By Piyaporn Wongruang The young American backpacker Richard found his way to Bangkok, arriving in Khao San Road bustling with backpackers, before venturing further to a so-called paradise, where he joined the neo-hippie lifestyle pursued by a number of adventurous tourists who arrived before him. It’s Maya Bay on Phi Phi Island, famously chosen as the so-called paradise setting for…
- News
Cooler weather surprises central & northern Thailand
PHOTO: The Pinoy Legacy Thais in many provinces are surprised about the sudden cool spell that has brought them relief from the sweltering summer heat. According to the Meteorological Department, Thailand’s summer officially began on March 3 (we admit to being totally unaware how they arrive at this date). But instead of experiencing almost unbearable heat, as they expect to,…
- Health
On time – cultural differences in being punctual
How late is late? Is being 5 minutes late, late? 10 minutes? An hour? Depending on where you live and a number of other cultural factors, the definition of being late can be quite different around the world. In Japan your lateness can be measured in unites whilst in Thailand and parts of southern Europe you will get a solid…
- News
We’re in for a bumper Songkran this year
Economists are predicting a bumper Songkran festival this year due to a number of factors. he University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce’s Centre for Economic and Business Forecasting says surveys indicate that Thai new year revellers are showing greater willingness to spend more this year. They estimate there will be 3-5% growth in spending which they predict will bring…
- Thai Life
New GLOW for Ao Nang, Krabi
by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com Thailand’s InVision Hospitality has debuted their GLOW brand in Krabi with a 130 room boutique hotel. Located in the popular tourism area of Ao Nang, this is the fifth GLOW hotel in Southeast Asia, and third in Thailand. Krabi has swiftly expanded its tourism market, between 2006 to 2016, airport arrivals surged from just over 240,000 up to…
- News
The economic impact of closing down Maya Bay for four months
So what impact will closing down Maya Bay for four months have? Will it be cataclysmic for Phi Phi and Krabi tourism? Will tourist operators survive? Pullawat Pitigraisorn from SCB’s Economic Intelligence Centre has done the sums and estimates that tourist earnings for Krabi Province will only suffer a 6 percent drop as tourists will continue to come to the…
- Thai Life
Boracay’s closure sparks global travel fallout
By Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com The biggest worldwide tourism story going is that of the trending closure of the iconic resort island of Boracay in the Philippines. In a bold move President Rodrigo Duterte who termed the island a “cesspool” is banning tourist visits from April 26 through October 25. For an island that last year hosted over 2 million…
- Travel
Customs scraps order requiring Thai travellers to declare valuables
The Thai Customs Department says it will scrap an order that requires Thais leaving the country to declare their personal belongings they take out of the country so that they won’t be taxed when they return. The requirement was heavily criticised when it was announced because the procedure of declaration at the international airports would be complicated and time consuming adding…
- Thailand News
41 year old Singaporean arrested following Scoot bomb hoax
PHOTO: Kevin Lim A 41 year old man has been arrested for making a false bomb threat on board a Scoot flight from Singapore to Hat Yai, Songkhla, which resulted in the plane returning to Changi Airport. Flight TR634, which left Changi Airport at 1.20pm on Thursday (April 5), was escorted back by two Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)…
- News
Police getting ready for Songkran – national initiatives to increase safety over the holiday
The Royal Thai Police are launching various safety and security measures, including a vacation home-watch scheme, for the upcoming Songkran holidays. Among the measures are preparedness of the Bangkok-based 191 Emergency Call Centre (Phanfa), which is in the process of being upgraded to a national-level centre linking related agencies to ensure help arrives within 10 minutes of a call. Tourist…
- Thai Life
TOONS TUNES – Myles Kennedy “The Year of the Tiger”
Checking new and amazing music for The Thaiger everyday with Donna Toon As we say here at The Thaiger, it is always “The Year of the Thaiger” so naturally when I heard this song from American artist Myles Kennedy it had to be a Toons Tunes! The song comes from the musicians debut studio album as a solo artist which…
- Thai Life
Why selling property too fast is bad business?
by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com One of the most common mistakes by property developers in hot markets or with premium properties is the misconception that a fast sell-out is good. It’s often hard for real estate sales people whose mantra follow’s the ABC’s (always be closing) to understand the big picture, or more importantly the bottom line. Property projects remain…
- News
4th set of turtle eggs found on Miang Island, Similan National Park
More than 106 turtle eggs have been found on Nui Beach, Miang Island in the Similan National Park. This is the 4th time on Miang Island and the 2nd time at Nui Beach that turtles have chosen to lay their eggs there. Today, the Chief of Mo Koh Similan National Park in Kuraburi District, Ruamsin Manajongprasert, said that the forest…
- Thai Life
Thailand Event Round-Up – April
with The Sponsorship Experts – Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co. Ltd. The month of April is typically dominated by a slew of events related to Songkran, the Thai New Year, and this year is no different. One of our favourites is the Singha Songkran Night Run, which returns to Chiang Mai on 13 April. The run, which takes place…
- News
Nothing to see here… move on. Prawit opens up about wristwatches.
Up to now Deputy PM and Thai Defence Minister, Prawit Wongsuwan, has remained largely silent over ongoing allegations into the many luxury watches adorning his right arm over a series of months. And a flashy diamond ring. But today he says that the wristwatches were lent to him by Patthavart Suksriwong, a wealthy businessman who was his close former classmate at…
- News
30,000 people line up for free herbal cancer ‘cure’
People will go to any lengths in desperation to find a cure for a life-threatening disease. When it comes to cancer, fear and mis-information are a dangerous combination and can lead to people taking risks with almost anything or anyone offering a remedy to their condition. An estimated 30,000 cancer patients and their relatives showed up yesterday (Sunday) outside the…
- News
Abandoning the cap – Campaign to get rid of bottle cap seals starts today
By Pratch Rujivanarom Thai bottled water producers have responded well to a plan to stop using cap seals, which will not only decrease plastic waste but also reduce unnecessary production costs. In a campaign kicking off today, the Pollution Control Department plans to totally abandon the use of cap seals on bottled water by the end of 2019. Five giant…
- Food
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list – “Biased, commercialised and a big publicity stunt.”
By Clinton Palanca The winners of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants has been announced, the list released. There will be the usual accusations that the list is biased, commercialised, a big publicity stunt and, most important, that it is of very little value to the vast majority of the population. Food tourism has become a big deal. I remember when I…
- News
Thalang robber arrested
Thalang Police have arrested a 27 year old man from Phang Nga, Kittikorn Somsert, who robbed valuables worth about 200,000 Baht from a local house during daylight. The police saw the robber riding a bicycle along with plenty of bags and seemed suspicious so they stopped him to talk. Police found that the stolen items include a bicycle, a Nikon…
- Health
Thailand regional Number Two in ‘new fatties’
PHOTO: BFM TV Thailand is become a country of fatties, certainly when compared to the average Thai 20 years ago and in relation to the other countries around us. A study called ‘Obesity in Thailand and its Economic Cost Estimation’ by the ADB Institute shows that Thailand now ranks Number Two in ASEAN countries when it comes to people suffering…
- News
Sexual harassment isn’t our fault, it’s mens’ – Sirinya “Cindy” Bishop
A well-known model has launched a social-media campaign to tackle the widespread and erroneous belief that sexual harassment stems from a woman’s choice of clothes. Sirinya “Cindy” Bishop, who is also an actress, has used social media to counter recent messages propagated by authorities that sexual harassment can be stopped by urging women not to dress in a revealing way.…
- Thai Life
Patong and Kamala Number One in Hotels.com survey
The recent Hotel Price Index from Hotels.com revealed that Kathu District, where Patong and Kamala beaches are located, is among the top five destinations for low cost 5-star accommodation among global travellers in 2017. The HPI uncovered the Top 5 most popular destinations for low cost 5-star accommodation – from resorts and high-end chains to villas and luxury boutiques: 1.…
- News
4.5 metre King Cobra captured in Karon
This morning (March 28), the Phuket Ruamjai Rescue Foundation captured a 4.5 metre male king cobra. Records show that there have been about 80 snakes captured within the past 3 months by the Ruamjai team. The rescue team was contacted by a local about the snake in Soi Patak 24 in Karon. The snake was hidden underneath a green-plate taxi parked…
- News
35 million make-over for the Charter Bank building in Old Phuket Town
The Sino-Portuguese mansion of Charter Bank is poised for a full renovation thanks to a 35 million Baht budget to turn it into a museum and to accommodate VIP guests of the island, aiming to attract more tourists to visit the place as well. “There are many buildings in the area of Phuket Municipality that are unique in Sino-Portuguese style,…
- News
Four Andaman provinces discuss logistics issues
The Transport Commission of the National Assembly of Thailand held a meeting at the Proud Phuket Hotel to discuss logistics development for Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga and Ranong with the governors of the 4 provinces. The Chairperson of the Transport Commission, Lt Gen Charaesak Anupap, says that the commission board have received many submissions from individuals, including operators and players…
- News
4,000 runners compete at 4th Supersports 10 Mile International Run 2018 @ Thanyapura, Phuket
A weekend of sporting fun saw a record-breaking 4,000 runners enjoy the 4th Supersports 10 Mile International Run 2018 Phuket Presented by Thanyapura. Held on March 24 & 25 at the award-winning Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort, there was something for everyone with distances including a 500 metre Kids Run, 3 Mile (4.8km), 5 Mile (8km) and the iconic 10…
- News
A PHAB night of Glam, Glitz and Glitter
The Phuket Hotels Association, a nonprofit group of hoteliers focused on promoting a positive image for Phuket while supporting community-based projects, is hosting a benefit gala dinner on Saturday, 28 April 2018 to raise funds for 20 plus hospitality scholarships and traineeships for local residents. The Glam, Glitz and Glitter event will take place at the Latitude Marquee, Laguna Phuket…
- News
35 tourists jump off burning dive boat in Krabi
35 passengers escaped unscathed after a diving boat called ‘Chontara’ they were travelling in caught fire near an island in Krabi province late last night/Sunday morning. No injuries were reported. The diving boat with 35 passengers was on its way back from a diving trip from Lanta Island to Phi Phi Island just after midnight. Fortunately, a nearby boat was…
- Thai Life
Phuket gets Number Two in list of Top Asian Destinations
The trip advisor list of Asia’s top 25 destinations is in. Good news… Thailand has five locations in the Top 25 reader-voted list. Bad news, Thailand’s not Number One. The Indonesian island of Bali has come in Number One with Phuket in Number Two spot. Hanoi in Vietnam is in Number 3, Cambodia’s Siam Reap Number 5 and the mega-city…
- News
14 Thai Provinces off Rabies ‘red zone’ list
The Department of Livestock Development (DLD) has taken 14 provinces off its list of rabies outbreak zones. Another 24 provinces remain on the list because they contain areas where rabies is still suspected. Originally, zones in 38 provinces were announced in January, with the observation period expiring on Tuesday (March 20). The DLD Deputy Director-General Jeerasak Pipattanapongsophon says that, as…
