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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  • 4 day coffee festival near Bangkok starts today

    4 day coffee festival near Bangkok starts today

    Bangkok’s coffee lovers have something to look forward to for the next few days. A 4-day coffee festival starts today at Impact Exhibition Hall 5-7, located in Nonthaburi province, north of Bangkok’s city centre. According to Thailand Coffee Fest’s Facebook Page, the event will be held from today until July 17 (Sunday) from 10am-8pm. The festival, titled Thailand Coffee Fest…

  • Airlines battle high operation costs, ask for government help

    Airlines battle high operation costs, ask for government help

    With tourists slowly returning to Thailand, airlines are fighting to stay afloat as they battle soaring operating costs, especially with the high price of fuel, and are calling for government assistance. The surge in passengers this month and over this 5-day weekend may not be enough to offset the coming low season after over 2 years of limited travel during…

  • Vistara launches new nonstop Thailand – India route

    Vistara launches new nonstop Thailand – India route

    Vistara Airlines is launching nonstop flights between Mumbai and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport 5 times per week, starting next month on August 5. Vistara’s 3 cabin Airbus A320neo aircraft will operate the route on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The new route is the airline’s second service to the Thai capital. In August 2019, Vistara launched direct flights between Delhi…

  • 8 million tourists to enter Thailand by the end of 2022 – BoT

    8 million tourists to enter Thailand by the end of 2022 – BoT

    There are now about 30,000 international tourists entering Thailand every day. By the end of 2022, the total number of tourists could hit 8 million. This is 2 million above the Bank of Thailand’s prediction of 6 million if the current pattern continues until the end of this year. According to the bank’s data, the first five months of 2022…

  • Chatuchak Market revitalisation planned by BMA and SRT

    Chatuchak Market revitalisation planned by BMA and SRT

    Once a bustling centre of commerce and socialising, Chatuchak Market has been much quieter since reopening after being closed down because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now the State Railway of Thailand is cooperating with local authorities in Bangkok and City Hall to try to revive the famous market back to its previous thriving glory. As with most of the tourism…

  • 5 day long weekend this week, starting with Asahna Bucha Day

    5 day long weekend this week, starting with Asahna Bucha Day

    This week Thailand will have a long weekend, a very long weekend. From this Wednesday there will be a 5 day break for many Thais although the official holidays, depending on who you work for, are only Wednesday, July 13, and Thursday, July 14 – Asanha Bucha Day and the start of the Buddhist Lent. The two days are two…

  • Indian man arrested for tearing out passport pages to hide Thai trip

    Indian man arrested for tearing out passport pages to hide Thai trip

    We all have secrets from our past, and some may go to great lengths to hide them, especially from their family or their mates. But a man in Pune, India went a little too far when he was arrested for tearing out pages from his passport before getting married to hide trips to Thailand from his wife. The man was…

  • Buddha Days, Full Moon Party brings 5-day holiday surge to Surat

    Buddha Days, Full Moon Party brings 5-day holiday surge to Surat

    The Southern Thailand province of Surat Thani – home to Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Tao – is set to see a money-making surge of travellers during next week’s 5-day holiday. The Surat Thani office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand is estimating over 70,000 visitors generating about 833 million baht in tourism revenue for the province. The…

  • TAT promotes I Lert U mobile app to connect tourists to police

    TAT promotes I Lert U mobile app to connect tourists to police

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand has issued a press release touting the Tourist Police I Lert U mobile application and encouraging visitors to download it. The app was launched on December 15 to allow tourists quick access to emergency response and general assistance, and yesterday’s press release was intended to raise awareness of the application as tourism begins to ramp…

  • Life of Thai digital nomads made easier by Airbnb TAT alliance

    Life of Thai digital nomads made easier by Airbnb TAT alliance

    Airbnb today announced it is going to work closely with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to make it easier for remote workers to live in the kingdom. The California-based vacation rental company reported that a number of projects are in the pipeline, including constructing a dedicated custom-built hub for Thailand, showcasing local long-term stay listings as well as providing information on entry…

  • Thai hospitality sector opposes dual accommodation pricing

    Thai hospitality sector opposes dual accommodation pricing

    Many hotels have voiced their opinions over the government’s proposal to adopt dual pricing in the hospitality industry. They described the plan as “impractical” and asked that the government come up with promotions and campaigns to boost tourism instead. A government spokeswoman said yesterday that hotels would be expected to adopt a dual pricing system where Thais would continue to…

  • Suvarnabhumi Airport expansion capacity up to 15 million visitors

    Suvarnabhumi Airport expansion capacity up to 15 million visitors

    The eastern side of Suvarnabhumi Airport’s main terminal will be modified to boost Thailand’s arrival capacity to 15 million travellers annually. The upgrades will be completed in 3 years. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Suvarnabhumi hosted 65 million passengers, international and domestic, through its arrival gates. The eastern side of the terminal will be large enough to accommodate up to…

  • Ferries to Koh Pha Ngan is costing 40% more (and the other islands too)

    Ferries to Koh Pha Ngan is costing 40% more (and the other islands too)

    Business owners on Koh Pha Ngan are demanding cheaper ferry charges after they increased by more than 40% since the start of July, impacting businesses and living expenses. For the average car, the ferry service from Don Sak dock to Pha Ngan with the Raja Ferry increased from 620 baht to 900 baht as of July 1. The Raja Ferry…

  • Foreigners may have to pay more for hotels than Thais

    Foreigners may have to pay more for hotels than Thais

    Dual pricing could be coming to a hotel near you. That’s if a proposal from the tourism ministry and Tourism Authority of Thailand gets the go-ahead. Yes, despite Thailand tourism officials’ express wish to attract as many foreigners to Thailand, there are plans to increase hotel prices to pre-pandemic levels to boost the recovery of the hospitality industry – but…

  • Thailand’s tourism sector is asking for an additional 1 billion baht budget

    Thailand’s tourism sector is asking for an additional 1 billion baht budget

    The Thai tourism sector has asked for an additional budget of about 1 billion baht to boost the Thai economy in hopes of making 265 billion baht (from inbound tourists). The tourism sector says they should be able to secure at least 80 million domestic trips, gaining 215 billion baht, alone. Then, they predict, the international market will see 1…

  • Government panel now fears negative effect of cannabis on tourism

    Government panel now fears negative effect of cannabis on tourism

    The decriminalisation of cannabis could actually severely damage tourism in Thailand, according to a House committee discussing the 2023 fiscal year budget bill. The committee spokesperson said that a meeting yesterday was discussing money allocation for the Ministry of Public Health when the debate topic turned to the effect of legalised cannabis on the budget. Members of the committee fear…

  • PM Prayut accelerates progress at Bangkok’s Benjaketti Forest Park

    PM Prayut accelerates progress at Bangkok’s Benjaketti Forest Park

    Before Her Majesty, the Queen Mother Sirikit’s birthday on August 12, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered agencies to speed up the progress of Benjakitti Forest Park. The development of Benjakitti Park is part of the government’s efforts to raise the number of public green spaces in Bangkok to a level that is acceptable on a global scale. “Once the development…

  • “Thailand should be a luxury and premier holiday destination” – Deputy PM

    “Thailand should be a luxury and premier holiday destination” – Deputy PM

    In the first half of 2022, Thailand welcomed around 2 million international travellers, marking a promising recovery after the Land of Smile’s tourism sector suffered from the outbreak and the restrictions imposed on entry requirements, such as the Thailand Pass. Thailand holiday Thailand holiday But rather than offering significant discounts to attract world travellers, hotels, businesses and private hospitals should…

  • BKK Airport reports increase in flights after Thailand Pass nixed

    BKK Airport reports increase in flights after Thailand Pass nixed

    Since the elimination of the Thailand Pass complicating entry into Thailand, flights and passengers have increased at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport by about 10% on average. July 1 saw the lifting of travel restrictions, including the need to apply in advance for a Thailand Pass, which the government touted as opening the floodgates to a surge of international travellers, predicting 3…

  • Family of trampled woman calls for UK ban on elephant parks ads

    Family of trampled woman calls for UK ban on elephant parks ads

    More than 20 years after a British woman was trampled to death at Nong Nooch Village Elephant Show in Thailand, her family is frustrated that elephant shows and rides are still being advertised and promoted in the UK. Andrea Taylor was just 20 years old in 2000 when an elephant charged into the crowd, killing her and injuring her sister…

  • Inflation causing a problem for airlines coming to Thailand

    Inflation causing a problem for airlines coming to Thailand

    The Thai tourism industry is trying to recover as fewer international flights are now arriving due to inflation as prices of fuel are rising. There are also problems in both Europe and the US with flights being cancelled or with long delays, causing additional travel chaos as the world’s travel and aviation tries to recover. World inflation is also hitting…

  • Koh Pha Ngan ranked top workation location in the world

    Koh Pha Ngan ranked top workation location in the world

    Open your suitcases and your chakras – Koh Pha Ngan has been ranked as the top destination for a workation – an increasingly popular way of squeezing in a getaway while continuing to work. The popular tourist island in the southern Thailand province of Surat Thani ranks number one out of 16 choices gathered and analyzed by William Russell, a prominent…

  • Bangkok is best city in Southeast Asia according to travel mag

    Bangkok is best city in Southeast Asia according to travel mag

    Bangkok is at the top of a list of the 2022 10 best cities in Southeast Asia, ranked by travel magazine Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia. The list was published last week. The next 9 best cities in Southeast Asia, in order, are: Singapore, Danang, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Saigon, Phenom Phen, and Jakarta. So why is…

  • Thailand tourism: 9.3 million arrivals predicted, south busy

    Thailand tourism: 9.3 million arrivals predicted, south busy

    In its latest estimates, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports predicts that the second half of 2022 will bring more than 7 million travellers to Thailand. The first 6 months nearly hit the 2 million tourist mark, with 1.987 million visitors arriving from abroad from the beginning of January until June 28. Tourism generated around 114 billion baht so far…

  • What will be Thailand’s new tourism mix? – VIDEO

    What will be Thailand’s new tourism mix? – VIDEO

    This is an hour-long discussion with our YouTube audience… Now the Thailand Pass is history, Thailand’s tourism moves into a new era. From now until high season there will be many new dynamics that will affect how the kingdom recovers its vital status as a top 10 world tourism destination. Also, the mask dilemma. We’re sick of talking about face…

  • Travel to Surat Thani, it’s where the fun begins | Jay and Natty’s Adventures

    Travel to Surat Thani, it’s where the fun begins | Jay and Natty’s Adventures

    The Thaiger‘s Natty and Jay recently went on a long weekend trip to Thailand’s southern province of Surat Thani, and they’re dying to show our viewers their adventures. People typically see Surat Thani as a passing point to somewhere exciting like Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Phangan. But The Thaiger’s top news presenters want people to know about Surat…

  • Thailand tourism looking up, predictions of 1.5 million per month

    Thailand tourism looking up, predictions of 1.5 million per month

    After years of devastation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Thailand looks hopefully toward a resurgence of tourism with the further easing of restrictions starting yesterday. The required Thailand Pass for entry into the country is no longer needed as the restriction was lifted yesterday, with tourism authorities predicting an influx of travellers entering the country as a result. Tourism and Sports…

  • Pattaya eyes tourism revival with nightlife until 2am again

    Pattaya eyes tourism revival with nightlife until 2am again

    Pattaya is expecting a tourism revival now that the government has lifted another Covid-19 restriction and nightlife is allowed to open until 2 am. Pattaya mayor Poramet Ngampichet praised the easement, predicting it will open the door to tourists from around the world including the Middle East and the UK, and about 3 to 4 million tourists from India, who…

  • Goodbye, adios, good riddance Thailand Pass – OPINION

    Goodbye, adios, good riddance Thailand Pass – OPINION

    From today, July 1, there is no more Thailand Pass. The digital online pre-travel registration for people coming into Thailand has had a checkered history and left a bad taste in the north of many foreigners, and Thais, who have had a poor experience with the digital gateway. After the launch of the Phuket Sandbox on July 1, 2021 –…

  • China key to Thailand’s tourism industry recovery

    China key to Thailand’s tourism industry recovery

    The Tourism Council of Thailand yesterday confessed that building up tourism to pre-Covid-19 levels is going to be a challenge to the kingdom despite encouraging signs of recovery this year. And without Chinese tourists, the task remains even harder. The last of Thailand’s Covid-related restrictions were lifted today. Tourists no longer need a Thailand Pass or insurance, and you don’t…