Expats
- Thailand
Kanchanaburi park officials remove entry ban for foreigners
A ban on foreigners visiting the Srinakarin Dam National Park in the western province of Kanchanaburi has been rescinded. Park officials say both foreigners and Thais are now welcome to enjoy the park as it re-opens to visitors. A report in Khaosod English says the ban on foreigners was originally announced on the park’s official Facebook page two weeks ago.…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Thailand re-opens its international borders today
Thailand is lifting its ban on international flights on July 1. But before you dust off the suitcase and book your flight, there are still many restrictions on the return of foreigners into the country. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand says the ban on international flights is being lifted from July 1 but “conditions for re-entry apply”. “People entering Thailand…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Thailand extends international arrival ban except for certain groups
The current ban on international arrivals has been extended until further notice by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, with the exception of certain categories of foreigners and returning Thais. The news came late last night in a social media post by the CAAT. According to the statement, the extension is due to the ongoing global Covid-19 crisis, which many…
- Expats
Thailand renews cap on permanent residency applications
The Thai government has once again capped the number of expats who can apply for permanent residency in 2020 at 100 per nationality, rising to 150 in the case of stateless individuals. The quota remains the same as in previous years and has now been confirmed by Immigration officials. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha signed the order and it has now been…
- North East
Former employee of Buriram dog shelter accuses owner’s wife of harassment
A former employee of a dog shelter in Buriram province, northeast Thailand, says she has had to leave her home and go into hiding after being harassed by the wife of the Frenchman who set up the shelter. Her claim comes after the couple were accused last year of forcing shelter employees to sit in dog cages, claiming it would…
- Koh Samui
Murder investigation launched as body of Ukrainian woman found on Koh Samui
Two weeks after she went missing, the body of a 32 year old Ukrainian woman has been found in a wooded area of Koh Samui. The discovery has prompted local police to launch a full murder investigation. A report in Coconuts says the unnamed woman’s body was found off Soi Pracharat Pattana by hotel employee Uten Wiangnon. In a statement…
- Thailand
Thailand News Today – Tuesday, June 2, 2020
A slightly different Thailand News Today with some basic information for people wanting to return to Thailand during this current period. The documentation you will need and where to get help. We also have most of the up-to-date information about the daily updates and information about borders and bans here at thethaiger.com This article has a bit more information. The…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces re-entry procedures for foreigners
Yesterday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent out a letter to all Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand explaining the details and procedures for non-Thai nationals to re-enter the country. This procedure is not for only for people who legally work in Thailand. Those who don’t have a work permit yet, but your new employer can get permission from the…
- Economy
Phuket’s economy is more than just tourism
by Bill Barnett While Phuket’s brand and economic reality is that nearly half of its contribution to GPP (gross provincial product) comes from tourism is true, it’s important to understand that there are other generators that will aid in the island’s post-crisis recovery. The island’s real estate sector, that currently has a market value of over 100 billion baht (according…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Many farangs chipping in to help their stricken communities – VIDEO
Thai media are reporting that foreigners, together with their their Thai friends, are doing great work in Chiang Mai to ease the economic hardship felt by many due to the Covid-19 pandemic. MCOT reports that a group of foreigners as well as Thais outside a shop near the Chang Pheuak gate have been handing out 300 – 400 ready meals…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Thailand visa amnesty extended to July 30
Thailand’s cabinet has approved a second automatic visa extension for foreigners for three more months. The extended amnesty is a bid to prevent long queues at immigration centres around the country. Narumon Pinyosinwat, spokeswoman for the Thai government, says they want to stem the spread of the coronavirus and avoid foreigners having to wait in lines and threaten their own health…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Germans arrested for removing coronavirus barrier in Chiang Mai
A number of German expats have been arrested in Chiang Mai for allegedly trying to remove a community Covid-19 coronavirus barrier. The expats claim the barrier was blocking access to their home. Locals, however disagreed, claiming the barrier was vital in stopping the spread of Covid-19 and filed a police report. The district headman claims the moving of their barrier…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Visa amnesty for foreigners – but conditions apply
“All foreign nationals are advised to closely monitor the Immigration Bureau’s website for updates, though the measures announced on Wednesday are valid until April 30 unless otherwise updated.” The visa amnesty has been announced, hopefully relieving some of the stress on stranded tourists and other foreigners that have ended up without flights or ways to get home. Many flights have…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
New immigration measures for stranded visitors considered by Thai cabinet tomorrow
“Under the government’s social distancing policy, these tourists will no longer have to visit the immigration bureau and risk contracting the virus in a crowd.” Thai Immigration officials are seeking cabinet approval for new measures to categorise foreigners stranded in Thailand because of the Covid-19 crisis. The proposals will be submitted to tomorrow’s cabinet meeting. Last week Thai TM Prayut…
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Onerous new document requirements for stranded foreigners announced
Thailand’s Immigration Bureau announced yesterday that 9 separate documents are now required for foreigners stranded here to extend their stay for up to 30 days. New requirements include land deeds, rental contracts, even selfies of foreigners at their accommodations, even as scenes of chaos and massive queues at immigration continue unabated. A Thai Immigration spokesman defended the inconvenience on the…
- Thai Life
‘Watching the Thais’ – understanding Thai culture
Why does a Thai smile at you after crashing into the back of your car? Why do Thais deplore walking? The heat, the heat. What about the weather? Why is everything done as a pack? What is all this ‘face’ stuff about? Lies? Confrontation? Sleeping and shopping? Just what is it with the Thais? What’s it all about? Author and…
- Thai Life
The Top 10 types of expat in Thailand (2020)
Being an expat in Thailand you’ll go through plenty of phases – from excitement, to astonishment, to bewilderment, to (eventually) acceptance. It’s all an exciting journey, and will rarely go to plan. But that’s why so many of us love living in Thailand. There are some particular sub-sets of Thai expat we can spot a mile away. Far from type-casting…
- News
Immigration nabs foreign criminals
Three foreign nationals have been arrested, as well as a Thai man supplying fake documents. The Immigration Bureau held a press conference Tuesday giving details of the arrests. The first suspect is 45 year old Chen Ying, a Chinese national who allegedly used forged documents to get bank loans. Chen is wanted by Chinese authorities for using fake documents in…
- Economy
High-speed rail link approved
Plans for a new 7.4 billion dollar high-speed rail link from Bangkok to Pattaya got the thumbs-up Thursday (October 24). The approval comes after months of acrimonious negotiations. The government said it had signed an agreement on Thursday to begin construction with a consortium led by conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group (CP) and including China Railway Construction Corporation. Japanese banks have…
- Expats
Visa fee waiver extended
Thailand’s Cabinet has approved a 6 month extension of the Visa on Arrival fee waiver for visitors, designed to generate more tourism spending in Thailand. A deputy government spokesperson said yesterday (October 28) that the Cabinet has in principle approved the draft fee waiver extension for six months beyond the initial expiry date to April 30 2020. Under the campaign,…
- Crime
Arrest warrant issued for Korean suspected of stabbing another Korean man in Pattaya
Police in Pattaya have issued an arrest warrant for a 38 year old Korean man, named as Keunhei Park, who is the chief suspect in the stabbing of another Korean national. The Pattaya News reports that the victim is an expat man who was stabbed seventeen times in the early hours of Thursday morning. He is understood to have undergone…
- Economy
Thai Airways not at risk of shutting down: president
Thai Airways is not at risk of shutting down and recent news reports about the airline’s situation were “misinterpreted”, the beleaguered carrier’s president insisted on Wednesday. The statement appeared to directly contradict remarks he made to high-ranking THAI staff in a speech on Tuesday. He said the remarks were to encourage staff to make an earnest effort to ensure the…
