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 Why long-term expats in Thailand say insurance is worth every baht
Thailand’s warm weather, low cost of living, and good healthcare attract many long-term expats, including retirees and remote workers. Life here feels easy and affordable, but medical costs can be high if something goes wrong. Private hospitals are popular because...
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Condé Nast Traveller ranks Thailand in Top 20 Best Countries in the World
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is delighted to announce that Thailand has ranked #7 in a ranking of the Top 20 Countries in the World by readers of Condé Nast Traveller in the 33rd Readers’ Choice Awards 2020. Some of Thailand’s most popular locations also scored well in the prestigious listing. Italy, Sri Lanka and Portugal scored the top 3…
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Phuket Airport to see surge in domestic passengers during Vegetarian Festival
The director of Phuket Airport says at least 15,000 domestic passengers per day are expected during the upcoming Vegetarian Festival. Thani Chuangchu says the event, which runs from October 16 to 25, will see an increase in domestic traffic at the airport, which normally receives around 13,000 domestic travellers per day during holidays and long weekends. During the week, Phuket…
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Medical chief in favour of re-opening borders, calls zero cases target unrealistic
A senior Thai medical professional has confirmed he’s in favour of Thailand re-opening its borders, saying attempting to maintain zero cases of Covid-19 is “unrealistic”. Somsak Akksilp, from the Department of Medical Services, insists the country is adequately prepared in the event of a resurgence of the virus and, with no date set for vaccine availability, the country must move…
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Thailand’s Health Ministry wants to reduce tourist quarantine to 10 days
Thailand’s Health Ministry is seeking to reduce the mandatory quarantine period for foreign tourists, currently mandated at 14 days, to 10 days. The reduction would be assessed after one month and, if successful, quarantine could be further reduced to 7 days. However, this reduction would only apply to those arriving from countries considered “safe” from Covid-19. Those arriving from high-risk…
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Poll finds many disagree with reopening borders, lack confidence in Covid-19 prevention measures
A number of people in a recent survey say they disagree with reopening Thailand’s borders to foreign tourists. Many say they lack confidence in the government’s ability to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and that the move could cause a second wave of the virus. The National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll, conducted a random survey last week…
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Possible delay of foreign tourists arriving to Phuket
Thailand is lifting its 6 month ban on international tourists, allowing only those who are on a Special Tourist Visa to arrive on select charter flights, but there are conflicting reports on when exactly they will arrive. Many reports say the tourists should arrive on Thursday, but a recent report from a respected Thai media outlet claims the plans are…
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Head of economic recovery panel warns of collapse if borders not re-opened now
A businessman heading up an economic recovery panel is warning the government that unless Thailand’s borders are re-opened for the last quarter of the year, the country is headed for total economic collapse. The Bangkok Post reports that Pailin Chuchottaworn says the gradual easing of Covid restrictions in recent months is not enough, insisting the country must re-open to international…
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Global tourism plunges up to 80% in 2020
Internationally, tourism will plunge between 60 – 80% by the end of the year. The UN World Tourism Organisation makes the forecast in their latest report. The prediction, broad and probably conservative, will put millions of workers in the world’s tourism industry, out of work. In Thailand, with its reliance on tourism as a significant contributor to its GDP, will see…
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Despite delay, Tourism ministry says travellers are coming this month
Despite a delay in the first group of long-stay travellers arriving under the newly-formed Special Tourist Visa, the Tourism and Sports Ministry says it is vowing to bring in 1,200 tourists this month. The Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says the slight delay was due to some entry processes being muddled. “The first two groups from China had a prospective schedule of…
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Travel agents push to end quarantine for tourists from countries at low risk for Covid-19
Travel agents are pushing to end the 14 day quarantine required for foreign tourists arriving from countries classified as a very low risk for spreading Covid-19, hoping the government will agree with the idea and start in December. The move could bring in at least 100,000 tourists per month, according to president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, or…
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Opening borders could cause a second Covid-19 outbreak, epidemiologist says
Opening Thailand’s borders to foreign tourists may open a “Pandora’s box” of Covid-19 infections, according to leading epidemiologist on the Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine Thira Woratanarat. After a 6 month ban on international tourists, the first group of travellers on the new Special Tourist Visa are set to fly from China to Phuket on October 8. Thira says the…
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Buy a meal on a Thai Vietjet flight, get a 40% discount at a hotel
Now that the ban on inflight food and drink has been lifted for domestic flights, Thai Vietjet is offering deals to promote their meals. Those who buy a hot meal, either purchased onboard the flight or reserved online, will get a 40% discount for a stay at Serene Phla Resort and Restaurant. The airline just resumed inflight food and beverage…
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83% drop in foreign tourists expected by the end of 2020
Travel restrictions brought on by the Thai government, as a response to the coronavirus pandemic, have contributed to a drastic decline in number of foreign tourists with an expected drop of 83% from last year’s count of 39.8 million foreign tourists to this year’s predicted total of 6.74 million foreign tourists, according to President of the Tourism Council of Thailand…
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Bangkok’s Khao San Road re-opening for local trade
Bangkok’s Deputy Governor Sakoltee Phattiyakul says the capital’s iconic Khao San Road is set to re-open for trade, targeting the local market of Thais and expats. The street is normally a mecca for international tourists, in particular, younger backpackers making the rite-of-passage pilgrimage through Southeast Asia. There was a pre-Covid botched attempt to meddle with the area’s long-established, and rather…
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23 Koh Samui hotels seek alternative state quarantine certification
Nearly 2 dozen hotels and resorts in the Thai Gulf island resort of Koh Samui are seeking certification to be alternative state quarantine facilities. Talk of a potential travel bubble scheme to the island is also set for today, the Nation Thailand reports. 8 of the 23 hotels have already gone through a government check and the rest will be…
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Phuket prepares to welcome first Chinese tourists in over 6 months
The first group of tourists to arrive under Thailand’s new Special Tourist Visa scheme are expected to land in Phuket on October 8. The Bangkok Post reports that a flight from Guangzhou in southern China will carry 120 tourists, who will spend their first 14 days in alternative state quarantine. They are reported to be travelling under the government’s new…
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Domestic tourism stimulus campaign set to be extended
Officials are discussing an extension to the domestic tourism stimulus package, following the approval of additional public holidays between now and the end of the year. The extra holidays will take place between November 19 and 22, and again from December 10 to 13, as the government continues its efforts to boost domestic tourism. Thailand’s tourism industry has been left…
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Thai Vietjet introduce new “Deluxe” product for domestic routes in Thailand
Thai Vietjet, which currently operates 13 domestic routes within Thailand, is launching a new “Deluxe” product, starting from 999 baht. The “Deluxe” tickets will include 7 kilos of carry-on and 20 kilos of checked luggage (currently an additional charge), as well as seat selection and priority check-in. Date, route and flight changes are also permitted 1 time, free of charge.…
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Phuket airport ready for tourists after finishing Covid screening labs
Phuket Airport is officially ready for tourists as authorities say they have finished installing Covid screening labs in an effort to welcome international travellers. The 5T Model for Covid-19 is being used at the airport with the goal of screening large groups of people in a quick and efficient manner. The Phuket health chief says the 5T’s stand for Target,…
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Koh Chang resort sues American over bad review
A Koh Chang resort is fighting back and, reportedly, suing an American citizen after posting a nasty online review on TripAdvisor. After recently visiting the Sea View Resort on Trat province island in the Gulf of Thailand, American Wesley Barnes wrote an unflattering, almost bitchy, account of his stay prompting the owner to file an official complaint over the ‘unfair’…
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Flights to nowhere. The latest ‘cunning plan’ by Thai Airways
Sort of counter-intuitive, but you get on a plane, take off, and land at the same airport. Not usually the way it’s meant to work, but that’s the latest brain child of the Thai Airways management, via their budget Thai Smile brand, who are already back in the air. The idea is to offer people who have missed the experience…
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The future of Thailand’s hotels, tough times ahead – VIDEO
Thailand’s hotels are facing a very dark time with the Thai borders still largely closed and many of them remaining closed for business. Whilst some local domestic stimulus has provided a bit of a minor reboot for the battered industry, there is still more than 90% of the rooms in the country remaining unoccupied with staff unemployed, debts and leases…
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Quarantine could be reduced to 7 days from November, if border re-opening succeeds
Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister says the mandatory quarantine period for those arriving from overseas could be reduced to 7 days if there is no spike in Covid-19 infections after the border re-opens to limited arrivals from October. For the minister’s part, the 7 day quarantine is merely speculation at this stage. Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says more details on the…
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70% of Phuket’s tourism businesses are closed, many for good
Most tourism businesses in Phuket have closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and they probably won’t be up and running again until foreign tourists are let back in Thailand. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew says around 70% of tourism businesses have closed, most of them just temporarily, but some have shut down permanently. But the statistics are not quite that simple,…
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Thai hotels concerned extra holidays may not benefit all
As the Cabinet confirms two additional long weekends in November and December, the country’s hotels are concerned that not all operators will benefit. The extra holidays, running from November 19 to 22, and from December 10-13, are being introduced to further boost domestic tourism. Although they have been given a cautious welcome by hotel operators, the Thai Hotels Association points…
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Struggling airlines to get reprieve through small loans, extension to fuel tax cut
Airlines in Thailand are being offered a financial lifeline, as the Government Savings Bank announces soft loans for carriers left struggling as a result of the current Covid-19 ‘disruption’. Nation Thailand reports that the GSB is offering the loans over a 60 month period, with an annual interest rate of 2%. Chairman Patchara Anuntasilpa says the proposal will shortly be…
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Phuket’s governor calls for help in restoring island’s economy
The governor of Phuket has likened the southern province to a “patient in a coma”, as he pleads for help to restore its devastated economy. According to a report in the Bangkok Post, Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew was addressing a Public Health Association forum, where he highlighted the economic crisis caused by the ongoing ban on international tourists. The island’s…
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Thailand details new visa strategy to welcome rich tourists
The Thai government has revealed their detailed strategy to bring back “rich” tourists while keeping Covid numbers low. The plan, to be rolled out next month, has been touted by officials as a way to help recover Thailand’s hard hit tourist economy, but some say the government needs a reality check. The Tourism and Sports Authority Minister claims the plan…
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Covid-19 mysteries still unsolved, health officials brush off risk of reopening borders
What’s the risk of spreading Covid-19 if borders are reopened? None apparently, just as long as tourists go through a 14 day quarantine when they enter the country, according to the Department of Disease Control. Long stay tourist visas were just approved by the Cabinet and the DDC deputy director general Tanarak Plipat says the move will not raise the…
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Budget airlines ask for lifeline, no answers from PM
No surprise that one of the biggest industries to suffer from the border closures and travel restrictions was the airlines. Whilst there has been a gradual reboot of domestic travel within Thailand, there is still a ‘fear’ factor and reticence to travel. And the carriers are restricted to the domestic routes and have lost an entire sector of their businesses…
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