tourists
- Phuket News
UPDATE: TUI Nordic to continue services into Phuket
UPDATE: Yesterday it was reported that Europe’s largest travel firm TUI Nordic announced it had cancelled scheduled chartered flights to Phuket from December to April next year. We’ve since been contacted by TUI Nordic to say that the information, originally published by The Nation, was incorrect. A Phuket representative was quoted originally, but the Senior Product Manager of TUI Nordic,…
- World News
Indonesia bars travellers from Denmark, Norway and the UK amidst fear of Omicron
Amidst fear of the Omicron outbreak, Indonesia has barred travellers from Denmark, Norway, and the UK aside from ten African countries and extended the quarantine period for all arrivals to 14 days, according to the Jakarta Post. The Indonesian government decided to add Denmark, Norway, and the UK to the no-entry list because “Omicron has been spreading very fast in…
- Krabi News
Thailand’s Maya Bay will reopen on January 1, no swimming and possibly a fee to visit
After some doubt on if Thailand’s Maya Bay would reopen next month, Thai officials have confirmed that the bay, which was made famous by the Leonardo Dicaprio movie, The Beach, is opening back up on January 1… but no swimming and there might be a fee to visit the site. The New Year’s Day reopening of the popular tourist attraction…
- World News
Bali is open, but only 45 international tourists have visited this year
As Thailand’s most popular beach destination, Phuket, failed to draw in an influx of tourists throughout 2021 with the debut of its “Phuket Sandbox” program on July 1, it fared far better than its Indonesian neighbour. Only 45 international tourists have visited Bali in the last ten months as borders have been shut down and so has Ngurah Rai Airport in…
- Pattaya News
Tourists stranded an island off the coast of Sattahip rescued by Royal Thai Navy
Six Belgian tourists stranded on an island off the coast of Chon Buri’s Sattahip district were rescued by the Royal Thai Navy on yesterday. According to the navy officials, the tourists took three small boats into the sea on Sunday and got themselves into trouble when one of the boats had a mechanical failure, and a water leak to another boat.…
- Thailand News
Tourism minister tells the public “not to worry” about Omicron
Don’t worry… Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister says everything is under control (as the government always says) and Omicron has not been detected in the country. Minister Phiphat Ratchakit Prakarn says the Public Health Ministry is keeping track of all tourists from high-risk countries, including the 330 tourists from eight African countries with a high risk of Omicron variant. The…
- Tourism News
Maya Bay reopening likely to be postponed | VIDEO
Maya Bay, on Koh Phi Phi Leh, in between Krabi and Phuket, was slated for a reopening on January 1. But now there’s a building swell of local support to keep the famous Bay closed, for a while anyway. A Line group used by the Marine National Park, along with tour operators and other stakeholders, has revealed a groundswell of…
- World News
New Zealand sets to reopen to tourists from April 30, 2022
International travellers who have been fully vaccinated will be able to enter New Zealand starting April 30, 2022, with the reopening to be phased in over time, according to Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins, after two years of border shut down since March 2020. Fully vaccinated residents and Australians with a residence visa can travel to New Zealand starting January…
- World News
Deepavali holidaymakers leave popular Malaysian cities full of rubbish
Popular tourist spots in Malaysia are resembling rubbish dumping grounds as the recent 4 day Deepavali holiday, ended in mounds of litter. The Deepavali, or Diwali, holiday last week saw the Penang Island City council cleaning up an estimated 5,256 tonnes of garbage. Xavier Sebastian, the city council urban services department director, told the Straits Times that the increase was…
- Tourism News
TAT revises goal to 700,000 international travellers to Thailand in 2021
Perhaps revising their previous goal of 1 million international tourists in the next 2 months, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is hoping to hit a total of 700,000 international travellers in 2021. Thailand has launched a number of schemes to bring in foreigners during the Covid-19 pandemic to various levels of success so far. The Phuket Sandbox has been the…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok landmarks like Wat Po are not seeing many tourists
The doors are open, flights are landing, international tourists are finally allowed back in the country as of Monday. But popular tourist attractions like Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew are so far not seeing an increase in foreign visitors. The temple complex by the Grand Palace that holds such national treasures as the Reclining Buddha and the Emerald Buddha…
- Tourism News
Tourism industry aims for improvement over Sandbox for reopening
Thailand’s battered tourism industry is making final preparations for the big November 1 reopening with high hopes of welcoming back international travellers across Thailand. On November 1, the country will reopen with still somewhat convoluted 3 entry options and quarantine-free travel for arrivals from 46 low-risk countries. The Phuket Sandbox, with nearly 58,000 arrivals from July 1, has been viewed…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand plans huge reopening event with matching price tag
Thailand is planning on throwing a massive extravaganza to celebrate the country’s reopening. The Tourism and Sports Ministry is planning on hosting concerts in Bangkok and Phuket, with a budget of 500-600 million baht. The concerts will feature famed Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, and Thai K-pop singer Lisa Monaban. Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says bringing the 2 artists…
- Tourism News
November reopening to international tourists predicts 1.5 trillion baht
Bangkok and areas in 4 key provinces are set to reopen on November 1 and the government is predicting that will lead to 1.5 trillion baht in tourism revenue for 2022. The goal is to open without quarantine restrictions for international tourists, barring any unforeseen surge in Covid-19 infections too dire to contain. A government spokesperson said that a total…
- Tourism News
Thailand hotels hopeful on reopening, short-term focus on domestic travellers
With Thailand’s traditional high season approaching, along with plans to reopen more key tourist destinations, hotels and hospitality groups are hoping that the arrival of more tourists this year will provide a much needed boost to the economy. This is especially the case in Bangkok, which is traditionally so reliant on tourism. But with reopening plans having been delayed repeatedly,…
- Visa Information
New deadline to apply for Covid visa extension confirmed as November 26
Thai immigration officials have confirmed that the deadline for a so-called Covid visa extension has been moved to November 26. The previous deadline was September 27. The new date means foreigners in the Kingdom can avail of permission to remain until early next year, at a cost of 1,900 baht. The Covid visa extension scheme came into force last year…
- Thailand News
Thailand to overhaul reopening plans for pilot areas, one system policy to be adopted
Thailand is overhauling their reopening plans to simplify and unify current protocols. The new idea is to adopt a “One SOP, One System policy, with SOP standing for standard operating procedure. The new plan will toss out mandatory quarantine and sealed routes for pilot areas sometime this year. They will also slash Covid tests costs in half, in some instances.…
- Thailand News
Thailand tourism officials call for restrictions on Indian tourists to be lifted
Tourism officials say Thailand should allow Indian tourists to visit the country again as the Covid-19 situation in India has significantly improved. There have been no commercial flights between Thailand and India since April when Thai authorities suspended the issuance of Certificates of Entry, which are mandatory to enter the country, to Indian nationals due to the emergence of the…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | More BKK protester v police clashes, PM revokes media crackdown | August 11
Pro-democracy activists clashed again with police in Bangkok last evening. After widespread criticism from Thai media and human rights organisations, Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has backed down and repealed his order banning the posting of information that could cause ‘fear’. Hopes are fading for a tourism revival in the third quarter of this year after the US government cautioned its…
- Phuket News
Phuket vice governor says “Sandbox” tourists aren’t scared off by Covid situation
Thailand’s latest and most severe wave of Covid-19 isn’t scaring away potential “Phuket Sandbox” tourists… at least that’s what the island province’s vice governor says. The official recently shot back claims that around a third of tourists who entered under the new reopening scheme decided to return home because of the continuous rise of Covid-19 infections and deaths. Under the…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Upgraded Sandbox entry, over-the-counter Covid tests | July 12
Tougher controls have now been introduced for domestic visitors to the Phuket Sandbox. Three more infections were found among tourists who arrived on the island yesterday, total six. The Public Health Ministry has approved in principle for rapid antigen tests to be made available for the public to purchase from Bangkok clinics and pharmacies. Surprise surprise, the Burmese military junta’s…
- Phuket News
Phuket reviews taxi rates after “Sandbox” tourists report high prices
The notoriously high taxi rates in Phuket have been looked into after reports of overcharging the “Sandbox” tourists. The governor says he ordered local authorities to review claims of overpriced rides and found that rates are appropriately priced. From the Phuket International Airport to Patong, a “Sandbox” tourist can pay 600 to 1,050 for a ride. One tourist planning a…
- Tourism News
Despite struggles, Phuket tourists are happy to be here
One thing many forget when they’re considering the condition of Phuket for the returning international tourists is that, while we are comparing it to the pre-Covid-19 glory days of Phuket, those travelling in the first days of the Sandbox are comparing it to their life at home now. While Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on the Thai economy and tourists are…
- Tourism News
Koh Larn to pilot Pattaya’s reopening to tourists
Koh Larn off the coast of Pattaya could be reopening to tourists in the near future. As Thailand prepares to reopen to foreign tourists by October, the Chon Buri island will serve as a pilot project for the area’s reopening. Pattaya Mayor Sontaya Khunpluem says the city is in favour of the Thai government’s 120-day reopening plan, a goal announced…
- Thailand News
Prayut going to Phuket, see if it’s Sandbox ready
Thailand’s Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, is set to travel to Phuket and determine its “readiness” to reopen for the proposed reopening on July 1. This news comes from a report in Thai media. The report says Prayut and other ministers will go to Phuket next Friday. When he gets to the island, Prayut and his cohorts will “inspect” the full…
- Thailand News
Tourism officials eye August reopening under “Pattaya Move On” travel scheme
Pattaya tourism officials are pitching a travel scheme similar to Phuket’s “Sandbox” where the mandatory 14 day quarantine is waived for foreign tourists who are vaccinated against Covid-19. The government plans to reopen Chon Buri to tourists in October, but tourism officials are hoping the start the proposed “Pattaya Move On” travel scheme in August. Under the proposed “Pattaya Move…
- Thailand video news
Good Morning Thailand | Samui quiet/flights/reopening, Thailand’s botched vaccine roll out
GMT heads off to Samui today to get the latest ‘on the ground’ reports on the suffering of businesses and possible reopening for the island. We also discuss the botched vaccine roll-out in Thailand… that’s not our words but the words of a number of Thai officials in leading rolls in the Thai health system. As usual we discuss your…
- Phuket News
Best-case for Phuket’s Sandbox: up to 1.2 million tourists, Kasikorn predicts
Up to 1.2 million foreign tourists could travel to Thailand through Phuket’s “Sandbox” travel scheme. That’s the best-case scenario, according to the Kasikorn Research Centre. They estimate that the scheme, which is planned to allow vaccinated tourists to enter the country and stay on the island without going through quarantine, could draw in 550,000 people to 1.2 million from July…
- Phuket News
TAT re-confirms Phuket’s reopening date of July 1
The Thai PM, and the CCSA, have confirmed that Phuket’s re-opening WILL happen on July 1. This confirms months of insistence that the plan will go ahead. The confirmation comes against a background of daily new infections in the country of over 2,000 and ongoing confusion about the country’s vaccine roll out. Saturday’s Thailand Covid report HERE. According to the…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya’s homeless population on the rise after a year without foreign tourists
More people are sleeping on the streets in Pattaya. Even some women who work in bars in the city’s red light district are setting up tents in the empty bars to sleep at night. The lack of foreign tourists in Pattaya, a city that was named one of the top 20 most visited cities in the world back in 2019…
