changes

  • EducationThings to look for when you change schools in Thailand

    Things to look for when you change schools in Thailand

    Are you considering changing schools in Thailand? There are many concepts and tips that you should know before you do so, follow along and be well-prepared when changing schools! Evaluating the educational systems An important aspect of initiating a school change in Thailand entails comprehensively evaluating local and international education systems, along with grasping the intricacies of the Thai National…

  • Politics NewsCharter amendment: Thailand’s Move Forward Party seeks controversial rewrite

    Charter amendment: Thailand’s Move Forward Party seeks controversial rewrite

    The Move Forward Party (MFP), Thailand’s principal opposition, is determined to push for a renewed charter amendment through a motion in Parliament on Wednesday. The motion, which is the first item on the debate agenda and is supported by the MFP and its spokesperson, Parit Wacharasindhu, has sparked concern among lawmakers due to the potential broad changes it could bring…

  • Thailand NewsEnd of the line: Thailand’s railway police disbands after 72 years

    End of the line: Thailand’s railway police disbands after 72 years

    After 72 years of service, the Thailand Railway Police Division (RPD), colloquially known as the train marshals, are bidding farewell today. These officers have been a stalwart presence on the trains coursing through Thailand since the modern railway system was established during King Chulalongkorn’s reign. The decision to disband the railway law enforcement unit comes in the wake of the…

  • Thailand NewsThai VietJet offers passengers change of flights during Covid outbreak

    Thai VietJet offers passengers change of flights during Covid outbreak

    Thai VietJet, along with all the other Thai domestic airlines, is being impacted by a drop in traffic during the current list of restrictions during the latest Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand. According to Thai Residents, “for passengers who booked tickets and made payments before January 1, 2021 with travel date between January 5 – 3, 2021, can change their travel…

  • Tourism NewsSecrets in the covid era – the future of Thailand hospitality | VIDEO

    Secrets in the covid era – the future of Thailand hospitality | VIDEO

    Banyan Tree founder KP Ho speaks to Bill Barnett. With a sudden lack of tourists and customers, many Thai hotels had to quickly review their business models and come up with new ways to pay their bills and retain staff. Some succeeded, many didn’t. In fact some hotels have thrived in the face of a seismic change to the hospitality…

  • Thailand Protest NewsChanges proposed to dress codes, haircuts and gender identity for Thai students

    Changes proposed to dress codes, haircuts and gender identity for Thai students

    The ‘Bad Student’ campaign and its withering attacks on the Thai education minister appear to have hit their mark. The Education Ministry has now announced amended regulations that cover dress codes and haircuts for students after a 4 month campaign. The Bad Student protests have been under-reported due to the larger protest movements, but have seen hundreds of students conducting…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya – fighting to survive its Covid crisis

    Pattaya – fighting to survive its Covid crisis

    Pattaya, like some of Thailand’s other former tourist hotspots, is facing some critical challenges. Hundreds of thousands of workers have left the city because there’s simply no work and up to 50% of the city’s shops are closed, some never to re-open. The Thaiger filmed most of this video on a long weekend at the end of October, the busiest…

  • Visa InformationTAT announces update to compulsory Covid-19 insurance for foreign visitors

    TAT announces update to compulsory Covid-19 insurance for foreign visitors

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand has announced today an update about compulsory Covid-19 insurance. They say it’s now “conveniently” available online in a one-stop-shop. Up to now the compulsory Covid-19 insurance, a pre-requisite before foreigners can come to Thailand, under any visa, was through selected insurance providers at their own websites. The Thailand Office of Insurance Commission has allowed the…

  • Things To DoTop 10 things that changed in Thailand during the Covid outbreak

    Top 10 things that changed in Thailand during the Covid outbreak

    Things have changed. In some cases they’ve changed a lot and may never be the same again. Many people are suffering as a result of the impacts of lockdowns and the border closures. Entire industries, like aviation and entertainment, have been profoundly affected. Some people are being forced to re-invent their lives as a result. Fears over Covid-19 are causing…

  • Crime News“Boss” commission chief says Thai justice system in need of reform

    “Boss” commission chief says Thai justice system in need of reform

    Former National Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Vicha Mahakun, who led the recent inquiry into the handling of the case against Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, says Thailand’s justice system is in need of reform. Red Bull heir and grandson of co-founder Chaleo Yoovidhya, “Boss” stood accused in a 2012 hit-and-run case that caused the death of a 47 year old Bangkok police officer who…

  • Things To DoThings that have changed in Thailand in the Covid Era | Top 10 | VIDEO

    Things that have changed in Thailand in the Covid Era | Top 10 | VIDEO

    Top 10 things that have changed in Thailand during the Covid-era Things have changed. In some cases they’ve changed a lot and may never be the same again. Many people are suffering as a result of the impacts of lockdowns and the border closures. Some people are being forced to re-invent their lives as a result. Here are some of…

  • Things To DoTop 10 ways life is different in the Covid Era

    Top 10 ways life is different in the Covid Era

    Get used to it. Things have changed. There is no ‘new normal’, there is just NEW. We’re living in the Covid era and all having to adjust to economic calamity, changed schedules and some things, previously easy, are now difficult, or banned altogether. What are some of the things that have changed? Wearing masks Like it or not, the wearing…

  • Covid-19 NewsWHO spokesman: Covid-19 may never be wiped out

    WHO spokesman: Covid-19 may never be wiped out

    As nations around the world begin gradually lifting lockdown restrictions enacted to stem the spread of Covid-19, the World Health Organisation is warning that the virus may never be completely wiped out. The virus was first detected in Wuhan in China in December last year and has now infected more than 4.3 million people and killed nearly 300,000 worldwide. The WHO’s…

  • Business NewsBusiness winners and losers, and the lumpy recovery

    Business winners and losers, and the lumpy recovery

    As we slowly start to emerge from enforced lockdowns, how have things changed? There have been early ‘winners and losers’ but the profound changes to our lives will now start to morph into lingering economic hardships and unpredictable business outcomes. Different countries are going to restart their economies at varying speeds and retain some restrictions and drop others, depending on…

  • Covid-19 NewsWhat could happen after April 30? Thailand’s new ‘normal’

    What could happen after April 30? Thailand’s new ‘normal’

    What could happen after April 30? Will it be the same in all provinces? Will the government prioritise public health, or a return to business? At this stage no final decisions are made. This is a collection of the latest information from various sources which provide a framework for what is likely to be the Thai government’s response to the…

  • ExpatsUPDATE: Thai immigration scraps TM28 reporting requirements

    UPDATE: Thai immigration scraps TM28 reporting requirements

    Well, for most foreigners anyway (full list of exemptions below)… Thai immigration have scrapped the TM28 form’s change-of-address reporting requirements for all but a few foreigners. The changes came into effect, with little fanfare, on January 28. The TM28 is still listed on the Immigration website but there’s now a long list of exceptions added which means that almost no…

  • Tourism NewsThailand’s changing tourist demographic – the Indians

    Thailand’s changing tourist demographic – the Indians

    Take a walk around the markets of Pratunam in downtown Bangkok and you’ll soon discover there’s a new type of tourist in town. For years, Thailand’s tourism scene was dominated by Chinese visitors, with 10.5 million in 2018 alone, accounting for about 28% of total foreign arrivals. It still is. But after the tour boat Phoenix, carrying mostly Chinese tourists, sank off…

  • Transport NewsShake-up at the top in Thai state enterprises – Transport Minister

    Shake-up at the top in Thai state enterprises – Transport Minister

    PHOTO: BTS station – YouTube In a major management shakeup in Thai state enterprises, the transport minister has now appointed a new chairmen to the boards of the Port Authority of Thailand, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMA). The list of new chairmen has been…

  • Tourism NewsJapan’s Okinawa takes on Bali and Phuket

    Japan’s Okinawa takes on Bali and Phuket

    by Bill Barnett While Okinawa is often called the Hawaii of Japan, a changing Asian travelscape driven by low-cost airline carriers is seeing the resort destination attract a rising number of regional tourists. Last year, arrivals hit 9.84 million which is now elevating the market to the likes Asia’s twin resort icons, Bali and Phuket. Summing up the current shift…

  • Things To DoTen things the Thai Government could to do right now

    Ten things the Thai Government could to do right now

    OPINION Thailand is a proud country with a rich cultural tradition. And great food. Expats and visitors have been flocking to the Land of Smiles for a century, especially the last 20 years when tourism has surged to become a major contributor to the country’s GDP. But the veneer of a never-ending rise in tourism numbers lost some of its…

  • ExpatsThailand tightens the screws on TM30 reporting, petition ongoing

    Thailand tightens the screws on TM30 reporting, petition ongoing

    Nearly 5,000 Thai expats have now signed a petition pleading for modification or abolition of the TM30 immigration form. The well-organised petition calling for changes to the form is an unusual step for expats who, most of the time, keep their head down and out of the daily operations of the Land of Smiles. For its part, Thai Immigration says…

  • ExpatsOrganisers meet with immigration over TM30 petition – full report

    Organisers meet with immigration over TM30 petition – full report

    (This post, re-published with permission, has been edited by The Thaiger to clear up the grammar and spelling without changing any of the intentions or meanings. Here it is, in full…) Yesterday, I met the Officer Longtor at Korat immigration. He was very nice, very polite and we had a conversation in Thai. I had with me a copy of…

  • Transport NewsThai transport minister agrees to taxi fare hikes in Bangkok

    Thai transport minister agrees to taxi fare hikes in Bangkok

    The Ministry of Transport has given approval for taxi fares in Bangkok to go up within a month. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob met with representatives of four Bangkok taxi groups and officials of the Land Transport Department to discuss demand by taxi drivers to hike taxi fares. Taxi drivers have been pleading for an increase for years and have staged…

  • ExpatsScrews tightening on Non Immigrant visas for expats wishing to live in Thailand

    Screws tightening on Non Immigrant visas for expats wishing to live in Thailand

    SOURCE: ThaiVisa A decade ago there seemed to be various ways to stay in Thailand long-term. There was a bit of wriggle room in the interpretation of the guidelines and there was always ‘ways and means’ of securing a visa (nudge nudge, wink, wink). But the screws are being tightened on expats, retirees and long-stayers who are finding their options…