Phuket tourism

  • Phuket NewsPhuket official suggests drawing tourists with sharks

    Phuket official suggests drawing tourists with sharks

    After an animal, which some suspect was a shark, bit a child at a Phuket beach on this week, one official thinks sharks could be a cool new tourist attraction. Earlier, a lifeguard had voiced concern that if the attack was indeed a shark attack, this would impact tourism in the area. But Jutha Dumlak, the president of the Kamala…

  • Thailand video newsThailand News Today | Bangkok gears up for an Endemic Phase

    Thailand News Today | Bangkok gears up for an Endemic Phase

    authorities in Bangkok are preparing to shift their Covid strategy to an ‘endemic phase’, as the Thai Public Health Ministry acknowledges a steep drop in infections and deaths. According to a Nation Thailand report, Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the health ministry says the vaccine rollout, coupled with home isolation programmes and outpatient schemes, has contributed to the significant improvement in the…

  • Phuket NewsAnother Phuket festival showcases the island’s traditional clothing

    Another Phuket festival showcases the island’s traditional clothing

    Another Phuket seafood festival, but this time, there’s a unique new feature! From Friday until Saturday night, officials in Kathu district Phuket organised the ‘Suk Jai Naithu’ festival. The festival included a parade of people dressed in colourful, elaborate costumes. These costumes are the traditional clothing of Phuket. ‘Suk Jai Nathu’ means ‘Happy Naithu’. Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Pitsuwan and…

  • Phuket NewsOfficials inspect Phuket airport ahead of entry restriction ease

    Officials inspect Phuket airport ahead of entry restriction ease

    Ahead of Thailand’s plan to ease entry restrictions starting May 1, officials have inspected a Phuket airport yesterday to inspect how ready it was for an expected rise in tourist numbers. The secretary-general of Thailand’s National Security Council went to make sure Phuket International Airport was ready to welcome tourists back to the island province. Among the officials joining the…

  • Thailand video newsThailand News Today | Political activist found dead in Isan Region in Thailand

    Thailand News Today | Political activist found dead in Isan Region in Thailand

    The Ministry of Public Health reports that Thailand will receive 2 hundred thousand Covovax vaccines from India today. Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, will be on call to receive the vaccine delivery personally. The Director-General of the Disease Control Department, Dr. Opas Kankawinpong says that the Covovax vaccines were donated by the QUAD, or the countries that agreed on Quadrilateral…

  • Thailand video newsChanges to the Thailand Pass | GMT

    Changes to the Thailand Pass | GMT

    A few minor changes to the current Thailand Pass and last week tourism officials announced that they plan to present a proposal to cancel Thailand’s Test & Go entry scheme at the next meeting of the CCSA. Songkran, full moon party, Maya bay and Caviar. All these stories and more coming up on todays Good Morning Thailand.  

  • Phuket NewsPhuket introduces new seafood and gastronomy “Tastival” festival

    Phuket introduces new seafood and gastronomy “Tastival” festival

    Following Phuket’s Roi Rim Lay seafood festival last weekend, the island’s officials have come up with another seafood and gastronomy festival for the first time yesterday. The festival is called “Phuket Tastival Seafood and Gastronomy: Roi-Yok-Lo”. It will run until Monday, April 4. Phuket Deputy Governor Anupap and several other officials attended the opening at Saphan Hin, the huge public…

  • Phuket NewsClub Med Phuket reopens after over 2 years

    Club Med Phuket reopens after over 2 years

    After closing its doors for over two years since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, Club Med Phuket is now back in business. The resort reopened yesterday following efforts to clean up the area and bring back tourists. The island province’s Vice Governor Pichet, who attended the reopening, said the reopening should help Phuket’s disheveled tourism economy. “Club Med is known around…

  • Thailand TravelPhuket boat tour business begs government to stop fuel price spike

    Phuket boat tour business begs government to stop fuel price spike

    A speedboat tour company in Phuket is begging the government to not allow fuel prices to spike. The company, Nikorn Marine Tour Phuket, offers tourists group boat trips, as well as private trips. It also offers beach parties, but its main services require boats. The company’s CEO told The Phuket News yesterday that after Covid-19 had already hit marine tourism…

  • Thailand video newsThailands ‘secret weapon’ to bring back tourists | GMT

    Thailands ‘secret weapon’ to bring back tourists | GMT

    More than 7,000 tourists from Russia and Ukraine in Thailand are allowed to extend their visas without an application fee as the government considers to offer humanitarian assistance as well. Don’t read too much news, at least that’s what Thailand’s Department of Mental Health is saying. One public health official says Thailand has a “secret weapon” to bring back tourists.…

  • Thailand video newsPattaya’s struggling entertainment sector wants later closing times I GMT

    Pattaya’s struggling entertainment sector wants later closing times I GMT

    Entertainment officials in Pattaya say the tourism economy would improve if the closing time for venues serving alcohol was 1 am instead of the current 11 pm. Despite Russia banning Facebook in the country just 2 days ago, the Russian Consulate in Phuket has posted on its own Facebook page yesterday. The Russia-Ukraine crisis has already hit Thailand’s import and…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket police feel public backlash over arrest of foreign tourists in “scooter-gate”

    Phuket police feel public backlash over arrest of foreign tourists in “scooter-gate”

    Some members of the public have reacted with anger after Phuket police arrested a number of foreign tourists who were riding electric scooters. According to police in the normally busy tourist area of Patong, the tourists were charged with using unregistered vehicles on the road. Officers confiscated the scooters, threatening legal action against those who rented them out. However, photos…

  • Thailand video newsTest & Go restarts, will the tourists come? | GMT

    Test & Go restarts, will the tourists come? | GMT

    One Thai traveller claims a Phuket taxi driver ripped him off by charging a fare of 600 baht and even got the police involved to sort out the situation. The Phuket Lantern Festival 2022, also known as Yaun Xiao which is a traditional celebration following the Chinese New Year, will be running in Phuket Old Town from now until February…

  • Thailand video newsThailand defies WHO over Covid becoming endemic | GMT

    Thailand defies WHO over Covid becoming endemic | GMT

    AstraZeneca vaccines free for walk-ins in Bangkok from Monday, Thailand will declare Covid-19 endemic, whether WHO agrees or not, Disco quarantine hotels, Stricter traffic rules expected in July. All these stories coming up on todays Good Morning Thailand with Jay and Tim

  • Thailand video newsVenues in Phuket selling alcohol must apply for new permit | GMT

    Venues in Phuket selling alcohol must apply for new permit | GMT

    In Phuket, entertainment venues that were originally licenced to sell alcohol but then got licenced to serve food (so they could sell alcohol) must now get a new license to sell alcohol in their bar turned restaurant turned bar again.

  • Thailand video newsNew Omicron strain and “Stoner sandbox” | GMT

    New Omicron strain and “Stoner sandbox” | GMT

    New strain of Omicron detected in Thailand, Thailand’s FDA plans “Cannabis Sandbox” entry scheme for tourists, A woman puts up billboard in Phuket to find missing cats, 30,000 baht reward for each and Thailand’s Test & Go registration opens on February 1. All of these stories coming up on today’s Good Morning Thailand with Jay and Tim

  • Thailand video newsThailand News Today | High demand for sandbox entry into Thailand

    Thailand News Today | High demand for sandbox entry into Thailand

    In today’s news, Phuket is proving popular with foreign tourists, social media uncovers the aftermath of the Full Moon party, and a survey reveals the pandemic is taking a big toll on mental health. All this is coming up in today’s program. You’re watching Thailand News Today, bringing you the latest headlines in Thailand and beyond. And in today’s news. …

  • Phuket NewsPhuket seeing healthy tourism demand, with 4,000 Thailand Pass applications a day

    Phuket seeing healthy tourism demand, with 4,000 Thailand Pass applications a day

    The president of the Phuket Tourism Association says the island is proving popular with foreign tourists, receiving 4,000 applications a day through the Thailand Pass system. Bhummikitti Ruktaengam says most of those visitors are from Germany, Russia, Kazakhstan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and France. Bhummikitti credits the success of the island’s Covid-19 measures for inspiring confidence among foreign…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket governor vows to iron out issues with sandbox requirements

    Phuket governor vows to iron out issues with sandbox requirements

    The governor of Phuket has pledged to sort out a number of issues with the island’s sandbox scheme as infection rates continue to rise. According to a Bangkok Post report, Narong Woosiew says the matters identified will lead to improvements, adding that he will soon introduce “Phuket Sandbox Version 2“. “Currently, the local economy is doing well due to the…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket governor says island will remain open for tourists, despite rise in infections

    Phuket governor says island will remain open for tourists, despite rise in infections

    The governor of Phuket has reassured local businesses that the island remains open for tourists under its sandbox scheme. Narong Wunsiew says that despite a steep rise in Covid-19 case numbers, there are no plans for a lockdown. “As we aim to contain Covid-19 while boosting the economy, we have received pleas for us not to shut down the island…

  • Thailand video newsThailand News Update | Omicron Update & Impacts on Thai tourism

    Thailand News Update | Omicron Update & Impacts on Thai tourism

    Thailand has suspended its Test & Go program that allowed vaccinated travellers to enter the country with only one night of quarantine, Singapore is also putting their quarantine-free travel plans on hold for now. Phuket seems to have emerged as a slight winner in the mess, with the Phuket Sandbox remaining open. A 29 year old Israeli tourist who escaped…

  • Phuket NewsTourism officials say Test & Go suspension could have knock-on affect for Phuket

    Tourism officials say Test & Go suspension could have knock-on affect for Phuket

    The head of the Phuket Tourist Association says the potential knock-on effect of the Test & Go suspension is not yet known. Bhummikitti Raktaengam says the number of foreign tourists arriving on the island via the sandbox scheme could be affected. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says it remains to be seen if overall visitor numbers to Thailand…

  • Thailand video newsThailand Top Stories | More Protests in Bangkok, Truck with 6 million meth pills flees | November 15

    Thailand Top Stories | More Protests in Bangkok, Truck with 6 million meth pills flees | November 15

    Natty gives us a quick update on the national Covid-19 situation as well as the top headlines in Thailand and around the region: Reopening of bars & nightclubs pushed to Jan 2022, Truck with 6 million meth pills flees police, Protesters march to German Embassy, Vaccinated Singapore residents can travel without quarantine to seven European countries

  • Tourism NewsPhuket to get 3 new tourist attractions

    Phuket to get 3 new tourist attractions

    4 months after the launch of the Phuket Sandbox, a pilot reopening scheme that has now morphed into a country-wide reopening plan for international travellers, the local Phuket government are talking about spending 100 million baht on new landmarks to help attract tourists. The first of 3 landmark projects is a glass skywalk which would allow visitors to walk along…

  • Thailand video newsThailand News Today | Chiang mai ICUs pushed to the limit, Famous Hackers target luxury hotel | Oct. 29

    Thailand News Today | Chiang mai ICUs pushed to the limit, Famous Hackers target luxury hotel | Oct. 29

    Jett goes through the main headlines across Thailand that include: The Thailand Pass is set to replace the COE on Monday. Guests of the Centara Hotel chains are urged to change their passwords and be aware of phishing after a data breach, and ICU beds in Chiang Mai nearing full capacity.

  • Phuket NewsSenior hotels association member says NYE stars will boost Phuket tourism

    Senior hotels association member says NYE stars will boost Phuket tourism

    The president of the Thai Hotels Association’s southern chapter is backing the government’s decision to spend millions of baht on Phuket’s end-of-year festivities. Officials have confirmed that K-Pop star Lalisa “Lisa” Manoban and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli will perform in Phuket on New Year’s Eve. Critics have derided the plan due to the cost involved, with many suggesting the money…

  • Thailand video news3 categories allowed back in Thailand, Updates on re-opening | Good Morning Thailand | Ep. 115

    3 categories allowed back in Thailand, Updates on re-opening | Good Morning Thailand | Ep. 115

    In today’s episode Jay and Tim talk about the 3 categories of tourists allowed back into Thailand, Updates on reopening and an increase in the no. of countries allowed to enter Thailand without quarantine starting November 1st, Joe Ferrari update and the full moon party.

  • Phuket NewsPhuket officials confirm island’s recovery plan following sandbox “success”

    Phuket officials confirm island’s recovery plan following sandbox “success”

    The southern island of Phuket is looking to the future, with ambitious plans to evolve into a tourism, education, and service innovation hub between 2023 and 2027. The Bangkok Post reports that officials are preparing to launch the “Together Phuket Stepping Forward” campaign, in line with the country’s imminent re-opening. Governor Narong Woonciew says the campaign will follow on from…

  • Thailand video newsTAT plans big new year celebrations, Crackdown on street Racing | Good Morning Thailand | Ep.108

    TAT plans big new year celebrations, Crackdown on street Racing | Good Morning Thailand | Ep.108

    In today’s episode Jay and Tim talk about the TAT plan to celebrate New Years with big name celebrities. Thai police crackdown on motorbike street racing and former MP Thanathorn awaiting judgement.

  • Phuket NewsPhuket tourism operators banking on 5 billion baht recovery fund

    Phuket tourism operators banking on 5 billion baht recovery fund

    Businesses on the resort island of Phuket are counting on a 5 billion baht fund to revitalise the decimated tourism sector. Thanet Tantipiriyakit from the Phuket Tourism Council says tourism operators on the island are pinning their hopes on the fund being created. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the fund will materialise. With the money, we can breathe a…