tourism
- Pattaya News
Officials predict over 100,000 people at Pattaya International Fireworks Festival
The annual Pattaya International Fireworks Festival is coming up in November, and city officials have made some estimates about how many people will attend. Officials have estimated that over 100,000 domestic and foreign tourists will make their way to the festival. The festival will be held from November 25-26 on Pattaya Beach. If estimates come true, the festival will be…
- Tourism News
Thailand wants more tourists from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
Thailand’s tourism officials are eyeing two Central Asian countries in hopes of more tourists. Those countries are Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Travellers from both countries are interested in visiting Thailand, Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Monday. Phiphat said that Kazakh and Uzbek tourists started to show interest after Thailand extended its Visa on Arrival from 15 to 30 days on…
- World News
3-year jail term for carrying crops, fruit & veg into Japan
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan warned travellers against carrying fresh fruits, vegetables, and crops into the country without permission. Anyone who fails to follow the instructions could face imprisonment of three years and a fine of 1 million yen, or about 263,000 baht. Japan is strict on imports, especially for plants and crops, in a bid…
- Phuket News
Thousands join Chinese ceremony at Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Thousands of people yesterday joined a Chinese ceremony as part of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. About 2,200 locals and tourists gathered along the roadside during the Yu Keng parade. The ceremony participants paid respects and lit fireworks to call upon gods, in accordance with traditional Chinese beliefs. Many of the tourists who took part in the ceremony were from Malaysia…
- Property News
Thailand’s monsoon baht debacle lights fire to Phuket real estate sector
As Thailand’s monsoon season continues with what seems to be an endless line-up of thunderstorms and massive rain showers, the real story in Thai real estate is the baht. The Thai currency is precariously sitting at a 16-year low against the US dollar and has depreciated by nearly twelve per cent this year. As the exchange rate hovers near the…
- Tourism News
Thailand’s weak baht could have a silver lining in the tourism industry, THA says
There might be a silver lining to Thailand’s weakening baht for the tourism industry. The president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA) says the weakening baht is one of several factors making Thai tourism more attractive in post-pandemic times. THA president Marissa Nunbhakdi says that now the ‘Test & Go’ and ‘Thailand Pass’ schemes have been scrapped, momentum has built…
- Cannabis News
Tourist breaks Singaporean law by consuming cannabis in Thailand
A Singaporean tourist says she didn’t mean to consume cannabis in Thailand in July. Weed might be legal in the Land of Smiles, but it is still a crime for Singaporeans to consume cannabis at home and abroad. Sueanne said she ate a “very nice bowl of noodles” in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand, that were so delicious that she ordered…
- Property News
Phuket real estate shifts tide in wake of urban flight
Urban flight and a continuous stream of incoming lifestyle residents to Phuket are dramatically shifting Southeast Asia’s leading resort real estate market landscape. The new island property mantra is dominated by surging demand for single-family homes and larger condominiums. Phuket has witnessed a sharp change from 2019 when over 9 million tourists sought a place in the sun, highlighted by…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya official urges mayor to expand legal nightlife zone
A Pattaya official proposed that Mayor Poramase Ngampiches expand the city’s legal nightlife zone. Pattaya City Council member Damrongkiat Pinitkan made the proposal in a meeting on Friday. Damrongkiat argued that current zones, which have not changed since 2002, are archaic. Damrongkiat noted that rules only allow operators to run entertainment venues on the right side of Pattaya Third Road…
- Thailand Travel
Phuket welcomes 4 million tourists in 8 months
Phuket welcomed four million domestic and international visitors so far in 2022, pumping 66 billion baht into the economy, according to Deputy Governor Pichet Panapong. In recent months, top holidaymakers in Phuket include Indians (120,000 visitors from May – September) and Australians (around 60,000 visitors between May – September). Even with 3000 – 5000 tourists arriving on the island every…
- Thailand News
Military conscription in Russia could benefit Thailand’s economy
Thailand could be an attractive and realistic option for men fleeing military conscription in Russia. Reports say that men are fleeing Russia after President Vladimir Putin announced a plan to conscript 300,000 civilians into military service in Ukraine. Several European countries such as Lithuania have already closed their doors to Russian citizens, citing widespread support for Putin’s unprovoked invasion of…
- Bangkok News
Artists create sci-fi versions of Bangkok
Several artists are creating sci-fi versions of Bangkok in their work. Two filmmakers, a painter, and illustrators are imagining Bangkok with ghosts, AI, and snow in Bangkok. One filmmaker, Stephan Zlotescu, has produced a film about an AI robot falling in love with a woman in Bangkok. The AI takes over a man’s body to pursue the woman. The film,…
- Tourism News
TAT looks to draw more Japanese tourists to Thailand with new campaign
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is looking to draw in more Japanese tourists. TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn announced that TAT will introduce a new partnership campaign in the last three months of the year called “It’s Time to Go To Thailand”. The campaign aims to increase Japanese tourists’ average spending per trip, which right now is only 6,400 baht, the…
- Phuket News
Price hike in vegetables prior to Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Phuket is seeing a jump in its vegetable prices as the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival is coming up on September 26. The prices of many vegetables have shot up on average from five to 20 baht per kilogram. The prices on other vegetarian ingredients have bumped up as well. Vegetable prices usually increase in Phuket before and during the festival…
- Tourism News
New plans to expand Bangkok’s nightlife tourism
New plans are underway to help expand Bangkok’s nightlife tourism. Bangkok Governor Chadchar Sittipunt said yesterday that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is talking to experts about decorating some areas so they can become attractions. These are mainly spots in downtown areas and riverside zones, he said. Chadchart has also announced a plan for Bangkok to become a sister city of…
- Phuket News
TAT expects Phuket Vegetarian Festival to make over 3 billion baht
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says it expects Phuket’s upcoming annual vegetarian festival to rake in more than 3 billion baht of visitor money this year. The festival will be held from September 26 to October 4. Some 81,429 travellers on 506 international flights are due to visit Phuket during the festival. Meanwhile, 110,165 domestic travellers are due to…
- World News
Cambodian officials consider new border pass scheme for Thais to Siem Reap
Cambodian officials are looking to boost tourism, and are mulling over a potential new scheme for Thais who live in provinces bordering Cambodia. The idea for the potential new scheme was brought up at a meeting on Monday. The scheme would allow Thais who have an official residence in any of the seven bordering provinces to travel by land to…
- Thailand News
Thailand lifts ban on foreigners with Covid from visiting
Got Covid? Thailand is now saying feel free to come after a new provision has unbarred those with the virus from entering the Kingdom. The Cabinet moved forward with the decision to allow foreign visitors with the virus to enter Thailand while removing the virus from a list of forbidden diseases in foreign visitors. Deputy Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek says…
- Thailand Travel
Thailand to fly in Russian tourists on chartered flights this High Season
Unlike several European countries launching travel bans on Russia, Thailand is welcoming tourists from the former Soviet state with open arms this winter. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) unveiled plans this week to fly Russian tourists into Thailand via regular chartered flights to boost tourism revenue this High Season, which runs from November to February. In the years leading…
- Visa Information
Thailand officially grants longer stays to tourists with extended visa on arrival
Tourists arriving in Thailand will soon be permitted to stay in the kingdom for longer. Today, Government Spokesperson Traisulee Traisornkul announced that Thailand’s Cabinet had approved the temporary extension of both visa on arrival stays and visa exemption stays. The government hopes the extensions will stimulate tourism and the economy, which is still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. Between October…
- Tourism News
Tourism is rebounding but travellers expected to spend less
A government spokesperson is saying that tourism is nearly back to pre-Covid levels, though the Ministry of Tourism and Sports expects travellers will spend less money than previously predicted. Since January, 5 million international travellers have now landed in Thailand, about half the amount the government forecasted by the end of the year. One million tourists entered during September, garnering…
- Phuket News
Shrines preparing for Phuket’s upcoming vegetarian festival
Phuket‘s annual vegetarian festival is right around the corner, coming up on September 26 to October 4. Now, city workers and volunteers are helping Chinese shrines prepare for the festival. Yesterday, teams helped scrub the forecourts of the main shrines participating in the celebration, including the Pud Jor and Jui Tui shrines in the main city district. Phuket’s Vice Governor…
- Tourism News
Over 5 million foreign tourists arrived in Thailand in 9 months
A Thai government spokesperson has announced yesterday that over five million foreign tourists arrived in the ‘land of smiles’ between January 1 and September 8. The total number of foreign visitors was 5,018,172, said spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says the biggest group of tourists came from Malaysia, with 751,397 arrivals. Up next was India, with…
- Northern Thailand News
Rain flooding likely to dampen third quarter flood of tourism
Thailand has been ecstatic to finally welcome back tourists – mostly – but now, after the pandemic, a new threat to tourism has emerged. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said it expects a normally profitable third quarter to be muted by the flooding in 21 provinces across Thailand. The floods are expected to affect corporate travel especially. Much of…
- World News
Thailand’s largest group of foreign tourists come from Malaysia
In July, Malaysians made up the largest portion of Thailand’s foreign arrivals, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Thailand welcomed 220,554 Malaysian tourists in July, most of them arriving via the land border crossing in Songkhla province. In a post-pandemic world, Malaysian travel to Thailand has never been easier, with the removal of Thailand Pass and insurance requirements. The…
- Tourism News
More tourists are venturing into rural Thailand, says Airbnb
Airbnb says more tourists in Thailand are opting for ‘off-the-beaten-track’ destinations, benefiting the environment and local economies. Thailand’s usual top tourist destinations are places with international airports – Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Phuket. According to Airbnb, more tourists are venturing out of these hubs and into “lesser-known” destinations such as Koh Lanta, Trat, Pai and Cha-Am. Koh Lanta…
- Krabi News
With Maya Bay closed to tourists, a group of dolphins shows up
Krabi’s iconic Maya Bay has been closed for the past few months to help its wildlife recover, and it appears to be working. On Friday, a group of about 10 bottlenose dolphins were spotted in the south of the Maya Bay by Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park staff. Maya Bay has been closed since August…
- Tourism News
Venues surveyed in Thailand say they make the most money at later hours
Night venues recently surveyed by Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Ministry made known that tourists spend the most money in the early hours of the morning. The venues surveyed were located in the tourist hotspots of Koh Samui, Phang Nga, and Khao San Road in Bangkok. Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn told the press yesterday… “The results suggested that tourists…
- Thailand News
Japan donates cute trains to Thailand, ready for public use next month
On Tuesday, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) conducted a trial run of a cute white and purple locomotive donated by Japan. It is one of 17 Kiha 183 passenger trains donated by the Hokkaido Railway Company, which will be used for short tourism routes as soon as next month. Governor of the SRT Nirut Maneephan said the trains will…
- Transport News
AirAsia X disagrees with government’s proposed tourism fee
AirAsia X’s chief executive disagrees with the Thai government’s proposal of a tourism fee on flights. Tony Fernandes, the acting group chief executive of AirAsia X says, instead, that the government should bank on the influx of travellers as aiding the economy. He says the tourism fee would be a smaller impact on the economy than an increase in tourism.…
- Tourism News
Small hotels call for looser regulations to allow them to be legal
Hot on the heels of the Ministry of Interior proposing to loosen laws that would let small hotels operate more simply as homestays, a coalition of hotel associations is calling for a relaxation of building guidelines that have made 20,000 small hotels illegal. The group of 10 hotel and tourism associations submitted a letter on June 29 to the prime…
- Pattaya News
Deputy Mayor says Pattaya’s Walking Street makeover almost finished
Following an inspection this week, Pattaya’s Deputy Mayor Manoch Nongyai has announced that the resurfacing of the city’s famous Walking Street is almost finished. Manoch, along with other authorities, inspected Walking Street on Wednesday. He said the resurfacing is about 95% complete, with only the street art left to complete. He added that advertising signs obstructing the street must be…
- World News
Laos-China high-speed railway to bring increased trade opportunities
The high-speed railway from Laos to China is full steam ahead as Laotian authorities say they hope it will increase trade opportunities for the region. The link, known as the Vientiane-Boten railway was opened late last year on December 3, as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Now, the railway operates daily to offer more economical travel, cutting travel…
- Phuket News
Phuket Immigration reports over 100,000 Indian tourists since May
Even though Malaysia has now beaten India for its number of tourists to Thailand overall, Indians are still the biggest tourist group in Phuket. From May 1 to August 30, the island province saw 104,350 Indian tourists arrive on its shores, according to Phuket Immigration. This was out of a total of 436,326 foreign tourists that arrived in Phuket in…
- Tourism News
50 dogs join owners on pet-friendly flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
Nok Air provided a chartered flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai allowing pet owners to bring their furry friends along with them. The flight, named ‘Paws Can Fly Season 1’ saw about 50 dogs tag along with their owners yesterday from Don Mueang International Airport to Chiang Mai International Airport. There were reportedly several influencers and actresses on the chartered…
- Phuket News
Annual vegetarian festival coming up in Phuket
For all the Thai cultural enthusiasts out there, brace yourself for Phuket’s annual vegetarian festival! On Monday, Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Pitsuwan told local media after a meeting that this year’s Phuket Vegetarian Festival will be held from September 26 to October 4. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is known for its Ma Song. These spiritual devotees will self-mutilate, and slice their…
- Pattaya News
Two ladyboys allegedly rob Indian tourist who rejected their ‘services’ in Pattaya
An Indian tourist was robbed of 12,000 baht cash and other assets last night on Pattaya’s infamous Walking Street in Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand. He claims that two ladyboys robbed him after he rejected their “services.” At 12.16am today, 33 year old Vishal Vajbhaw went to Pattaya City Police Station to request the police’s help in tracking down the…
