travellers

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s biometric data lapse leaves borders vulnerable

    Thailand’s biometric data lapse leaves borders vulnerable

    The Immigration Bureau did not collect biometric data from approximately 17 million travellers entering and leaving Thailand last year due to the system reaching its capacity, as stated by People’s Party deputy leader Rangsiman Rome. Rangsiman highlighted on his Facebook page yesterday, February 21, that Thailand’s current lack of biometric data collection for border security presents a significant risk, as…

  • Business NewsTech-savvy traveler: gadgets that will enhance your next Thailand trip

    Tech-savvy traveler: gadgets that will enhance your next Thailand trip

    Thailand has it all: stunning beaches, vibrant cities, and a rich culture. But getting around isn’t always easy, especially if it’s your first time. The right gadgets make the journey more comfortable, so you can enjoy the trip without hassle. Here are some tech essentials worth packing. Travel-Friendly Smart Devices Your phone and a few good apps can make getting…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok named world’s most visited city with 32.4m tourists

    Bangkok named world’s most visited city with 32.4m tourists

    Bangkok has been named the world’s most-visited city for 2024, welcoming an impressive 32.4 million international tourists. This announcement was made in a report by Euromonitor International yesterday, December 6. The Thai capital experienced a significant growth of over 30% from the previous year, solidifying its status as a leader in global tourism. The city’s allure is attributed to its…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman faces backlash over luggage request to Japan

    Thai woman faces backlash over luggage request to Japan

    A Thai woman travelling to Japan faced online backlash after posting a request for someone to carry her extra luggage for a fee of 2,000 baht. Her post, which appeared in the Facebook group กลุ่มคนชอบตะลอนเที่ยวญี่ปุ่น (Japan Travel Group), was quickly removed following a flood of critical comments. The traveller asked if anyone flying to Tokyo with China Eastern Airline on…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket welcomes 2024 with soaring tourist numbers and an 8 billion baht boost

    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 DoBest hotels in Pattaya for an amazing holiday

    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 NewsThailand beats foreign arrivals goal for 2022

    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 NewsChina plans to cut mandatory quarantine for foreign travellers

    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…

  • Tourism NewsHalf a million travellers passed through Suvarnabhumi Airport during Songkran

    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 NewsInternational travellers trickle back into Bangkok, but hoteliers say it’s not enough

    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 TravelMajority of Thailand hotels not profitable under Test & Go

    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 newsThailand News Today | Thai scientists develop anti-Covid nasal spray

    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…

  • Thailand NewsUPDATE: Talk of Test & Go cutoff date, approved travellers can’t reschedule flights

    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 NewsTravellers after November 1 told to book quarantine hotels

    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…

  • ExpatsThailand requires 3 million baht insurance for ‘retirement’ visas

    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 NewsSingapore allows vaccinated travellers from 8 countries to enter starting Tuesday

    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…

  • SponsoredTravel Around Thailand & Abroad with Tadoo’s New Travel Insurance Packages

    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,…

  • SponsoredHOMA is now offering fully-serviced, affordable lifestyle apartments in Phuket Town.

    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…

  • SponsoredA Guide to Visiting Austria in 2021

    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 newsThailand News Today | Upgraded Sandbox entry, over-the-counter Covid tests | July 12

    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…

  • Tourism NewsRefinements to the Sandbox as the countdown continues to Thailand’s reopening

    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 NewsTAT re-confirms Phuket’s reopening date of July 1 | Thaiger

    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 NewsJet fuel tax reduction extended again to aid airlines, tourism

    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 NewsPhuket Covid infections reported as officials struggle with clusters in Bangkok entertainment venues

    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 NewsVaccinated visitors still required to undergo quarantine for 10 days from April 1

    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 NewsMore restrictions being lifted on April 1 – shorter quarantine and no fit-to-fly certificates

    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 NewsThai Airways cuts down international flight schedule

    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 News60 day Tourist Visa stiff income requirement being wound back

    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…

  • Tourism NewsAnswering the question, who will fight for Phuket’?

    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 NewsForeigners who test positive for C19 in Thailand won’t be able to use the public health system

    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…