travellers
- Business News
Thailand targets 23.1 million MICE visitors by fiscal 2024
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has set a target to attract a minimum of 23.1 million meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) visitors by fiscal 2024. Through this, they aim to generate a revenue of 136 billion baht, which equates to 75% of the income recorded in 2019. TCEB President Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya noted that the challenge…
- Phuket News
Phuket welcomes 2024 with soaring tourist numbers and an 8 billion baht boost
Thailand’s famed island paradise of Phuket has just witnessed an impressive upswing in tourist numbers over the new year break. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office has confirmed that the island has welcomed a remarkable 265,000 visitors, contributing more than 8 billion baht to the local economy. The head of the TAT Phuket office, Lertchai Wangtrakuldee, provided these…
- Things To Do
Best hotels in Pattaya for an amazing holiday
As the sun sets over the shimmering Gulf of Thailand, there’s no better place to rest your head than the vibrant city of Pattaya. With a plethora of luxurious hotels to choose from, it can be tough to decide where to lay your hat. But fear not, as we’ve handpicked the top six hotels in Pattaya to ensure your holiday…
- Hot News
Thailand beats foreign arrivals goal for 2022
Thailand has reportedly beaten its goal for foreign arrivals in 2022 after seeing a total of 11.15 million tourists enter the country last year. Initially, the kingdom had set a goal for 10 million tourists to arrive in 2022. But, as the world opened up after the Covid-19 pandemic, the country saw a significant jump in arrivals compared to 2021’s…
- China News
China plans to cut mandatory quarantine for foreign travellers
China is reportedly planning to cut mandatory quarantines for foreign travellers as early as next month. According to Bloomberg News, two anonymous sources say that officials are considering a “0+3” policy, which means that arrivals into the country won’t be required to spend time in a quarantine hotel or an isolation facility. China will continue to ease Covid-19 restrictions, according to its ambassador to…
- Thailand News
300,000 travellers arrive in Thailand during first week of May
About 300,000 international travellers have arrived in Thailand within the first week after the Thailand Pass program was simplified and the Test & Go and Sandbox schemes scrapped on May 1. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he’s “happy with the number of visitors” according to Government Spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana. A proportion of the ‘visitors’ continues to be Thais. After removing the…
- Tourism News
Half a million travellers passed through Suvarnabhumi Airport during Songkran
During the Songkran holiday, the number of travellers passing through Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) more than doubled. Between April 9 to 18, the main airport saw 585,100 people, a 119% increase compared to 2021 (when there was very little international travel). Some million passengers were expected to pass through the country’s 6 Airports and Thailand airport turnstiles during Songkran. The numbers…
- Thailand News
International travellers trickle back into Bangkok, but hoteliers say it’s not enough
Suvarnabhumi International Airport has seen a significant increase in international travellers since Thailand scrapped its pre-travel PCR test requirement last Friday. Well that’s the general narrative that’s been published in some media, although the published numbers don’t stand up to close scrutiny. Bangkok’s aviation hub saw an average of more than 11,600 daily arrivals from abroad touch down in the…
- Thailand Travel
Majority of Thailand hotels not profitable under Test & Go
A majority of hotels in Thailand are in the red, following the relaunch of the Test & Go program earlier this year. The bleak outlook for Thailand’s hotel industry follows nearly 2 years of little, or no, patronage with only a select few able to take advantage of the limited travellers coming through the turnstiles. According to a survey of…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Thai scientists develop anti-Covid nasal spray
A new “anti-Covid-19” nasal spray that is being developed by Thai scientists is expected to be available to the public later this year. In studies using lab animals, the nasal spray has been shown to block the virus from entering the body. The Health Systems Research Institute, Silpakorn University, Chulalongkorn University, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation and an unnamed private bioscience…
- Bangkok News
Suvarnabhumi airport predicts Lunar New Year flights up 37%
Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main airport in Bangkok, is predicting a swell of travellers for the upcoming Lunar New Year holidays. The bustling airport located in the Bangkok suburb province of Samut Prakan, is expecting to see about 380 flights each day during the holiday according to the Suvarnabhumi Airport General Manager. Airport officials, along with travel industry experts and airlines,…
- Thailand News
UPDATE: Talk of Test & Go cutoff date, approved travellers can’t reschedule flights
UPDATE: At the conclusion of a Cabinet meeting this morning, a spokesperson for the Thai PM noted that Prayut Chan-o-cha supports extending the current suspension of the Test & Go program. The PM also indicated support for a January 10 sunset date for currently approved Thailand Pass applications – those approved before December 21 and for those applications made before…
- Tourism News
Travellers after November 1 told to book quarantine hotels
While many are excited that Thailand is finally reopening at least somewhat without quarantine to certain people in certain locations, the confusion and lack of confirmation of rules until the last minute is creating some conflicting information. Thai embassies are telling potential foreign travellers that they will still need to book quarantine accommodations before they are permitted to travel. Many…
- Expats
Thailand requires 3 million baht insurance for ‘retirement’ visas
In a revision to the rules for non-immigrant OA visas, foreigners will now be required to hold a minimum of 3 million baht in health insurance, for in-patient services, in order to be eligible for long-term stays in Thailand, 8 times more than the 400,000 baht that has been previously required. The OA visa is also known as the Retirement…
- Covid-19 News
Singapore allows vaccinated travellers from 8 countries to enter starting Tuesday
Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane scheme has approved travellers from 8 different countries to enter the country without quarantine as long as they are vaccinated. So far, around 2,400 people have been approved to enter under the new guidelines. The application process commenced last Wednesday, with travellers being officially allowed to enter this Tuesday. Such countries that made the list include…
- 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,…
- Sponsored
Travel Around Thailand & Abroad with Tadoo’s New Travel Insurance Packages
Tadoo, Thailand’s rising comparison platform, has announced the launch of a new line of travel insurance products in collaboration with recent partner AXA. Following the success of earlier online products such as Thailand Entry Insurance, Cancer and Tropical Disease Insurance, the company has decided to expand its online offerings. With more and more goods being produced at a rapid pace,…
- Sponsored
HOMA is now offering fully-serviced, affordable lifestyle apartments in Phuket Town.
Sponsored Phuket is Thailand’s most iconic tourist destination as it offers stunning beaches and surrounding islands. Thus, it is also known to feature a large expat community as many have decided to make it their home. The island is located among the crystal-clear waters of the Andaman Sea, where outdoor enthusiasts thrive. Moreover, Phuket offers some amazing shopping malls, world-famous…
- Sponsored
A Guide to Visiting Austria in 2021
Sponsored Can Travellers Visit Vienna from Thailand? A Guide to Visiting Austria in 2021 If you’re wondering whether visiting Austria from Thailand is currently possible, keep reading… It’s safe to say global travel has been difficult over the past 18 months. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many destinations have closed their borders to many international tourists. Austria, like most other…
- 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…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 round-up for expats 1: Should you travel to Thailand?
With so much information swirling around the reopening of Thailand and the international tourism and vaccine distribution for foreigners, we thought we’d round up some updates for our readers about what your home country says about if you should travel to Thailand and how they are helping with a vaccine and the Covid-19 situation inside the Kingdom. The information in…
- Tourism News
Refinements to the Sandbox as the countdown continues to Thailand’s reopening
Nearing the 10 day countdown to the Phuket sandbox and it couldn’t be a more important milestone for Thailand’s battered tourist industry. The official re-opening to world travellers and tourists to the tropical island in southern Thailand is a vital pilot program for the rest of the country. This week the PM proclaimed that all of Thailand will be open…
- 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…
- Tourism News
Jet fuel tax reduction extended again to aid airlines, tourism
A tax reduction, for jet fuel that has been in place to help the airline industry during the Covid-19 pandemic, has been extended until the end of 2020. With international travel decimated, this tax cut is aimed to help airlines stay afloat and get more customers with lower prices while travel figures are massively down. The extension was scheduled to…
- Covid-19 News
Phuket Covid infections reported as officials struggle with clusters in Bangkok entertainment venues
A week ago Phuketians were rallying behind the proposal to get the island open to tourists, quarantine-free, from July. The first tourists arrived from Germany and the local hotel industry were confident everything was heading in the right direction. That was until last weekend when the ‘Bangkok nightlife cluster’ came to town in the form of 3 big parties, the…
- Thailand News
Thailand wants incoming travellers to download tracking app before arrival
Thailand is wanting incoming travellers to download its pandemic health tracking app before arriving in order to streamline safety procedures for its upcoming reopening. The request come along with a list of others including proof of a negative Covid test and the mandatory time needed to be spent in quarantine. Thai officials say potential tourists should pre-register for their visits…
- Thailand News
Vaccinated visitors still required to undergo quarantine for 10 days from April 1
Despite shortening the required quarantine time for visitors to Thailand, those who are vaccinated won’t be able to skip quarantine just yet. Recently, the Thai government shortened quarantine times from 14 days to 10 starting April 1, but have not announced when or it vaccinated tourists will be able to forego quarantine altogether. The move to shorten quarantine was to…
- Covid-19 News
More restrictions being lifted on April 1 – shorter quarantine and no fit-to-fly certificates
No, it’s not an April Fool’s Day prank. At yesterday’s CCSA meeting it was decided to formally drop the quarantine period to 10 and 7 days, and ditch the fit-to fly documents, previously required for anyone travelling to Thailand. This all starts on Thursday, April 1. The CCSA meeting agreed to shorten the former mandatory 14 day quarantine period to…
- Covid-19 News
Thai Airways cuts down international flight schedule
Due to the ongoing spread of Covid-19, Thai Airways is reducing its international flight schedule from now until March 27. Domestic flights will still operate as normal under the airline’s sister carrier Thai Smile. Thai Airways will reduce international flights to the following destinations: Asia Hong Kong: One daily return flight – TG638/TG639 Manila: One weekly return flight – TG624/TG625…
- Tourism News
60 day Tourist Visa stiff income requirement being wound back
The hefty income requirement for Thailand’s Tourist Visas look like they’re being wound back following online backlash and low uptake. Previously, travellers were excited to learn they could visit a “Covid-free” Thailand, but their moods dipped after learning of the steep financial proof they needed in order to be granted under the revised Tourist Visa provisions. Now, some embassies and…
- Visa Information
Tourist Visa stiff income requirement being wound back
The hefty income requirement for Thailand’s Tourist Visas look like they’re being wound back following online backlash and low uptake. Previously, travellers were excited to learn they could visit a “Covid-free” Thailand, but their moods dipped after learning of the steep financial proof they needed in order to be granted under the revised Tourist Visa provisions. Now, some embassies and…
- Tourism News
Answering the question, who will fight for Phuket’?
OPINION by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com Thailand’s tourism industry is sadly at the short end of the stick as policies gyrate over the reopening of the country to international travellers, yet no single province has more to lose than the resort island of Phuket. Phuket’s economic engine is leveraged on tourism. It’s a place where on a combined basis, one…
- Covid-19 News
Foreigners who test positive for C19 in Thailand won’t be able to use the public health system
The battle to reopen Thailand’s borders is shaping up as a 3-way PR fight between economic hawks who are eager to re-open to reboot the country’s tourism industry, a government and medical officials resting on their laurels after containing the virus, and a risk-averse population who, survey after survey, indicate they are keen to keep the borders closed. In another…
- Visa Information
Chinese travellers CAN depart China and travel to Thailand on the STV
Another day and another day of confusing news and discussion about the Special Tourist Visa and, specifically, the Chinese arrivals. BKK Post posted this yesterday, without clarification. The headline said… “China says will maintain ban on outbound tours due to virus risk” The story, whilst not incorrect, confused a lot of readers who thought that meant ALL Chinese travellers and…
- Tourism News
“Low-risk” tourists could see quarantine period cut in half upon arrival
Low-risk tourists entering Thailand under the Special Tourist Visa could see mandatory quarantine period cut in half down to 7 days, according to the Public Health Ministry. Tanarak Plipat, the deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control under the ministry says the current quarantine system, however, must be “redesigned” if such measures are in place. “Seven-day quarantine is possible…
- Visa Information
First batch of Special Tourist Visa arrivals for Phuket ‘postponed’, no refunds
If you were a traveller, trying to get accurate information about how and when you could return to Thailand, you’d be rightfully confused. So are we. Now it emerges that the arrival of the first Special Tourist Visa travellers, headed for Phuket, has been postponed at least until the end of the month. Scheduled charter flights for Scandinavian and Chinese travellers…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Poll-Keep borders closed, quarantine exemption, heavy rain | October 7
Today’s Thailand News Today with Tim Newton… Zoos to be investigated for possible involvement in black market animal trade Zoos across Thailand will be investigated for possible involvement in the black market wildlife trade. The probe follows a case where 2 rare albino barking deer went missing at Songkhla Zoo and a top zoo official investigating the disappearance was shot and…
