visitors

  • Business News

    Political unrest fuels growth in Thailand Privilege Card membership

    Political unrest and geopolitical conflicts worldwide have propelled the Thailand Privilege Card’s membership count to a staggering 3,871, according to the card’s operator. The card’s operator, Thailand Privilege Card Co (TPC), noted that the long-stay visa, spanning from five to 20 years across four membership categories, has been a significant draw for individuals in countries facing severe political challenges. Russia,…

  • Business News

    Bangkok gems and jewellery fair exceeds expectations

    The 69th Bangkok Gems and Jewellery Fair, held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, concluded on a high note, exceeding its initial expectations. The event, organised by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) and the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (GIT), recorded an estimated value of orders surpassing 3.7 billion baht, a 12% increase over the target.…

  • Thailand News

    Visitors to explore the depths of heroism in Thailand’s Tham Luang Cave

    A handful of thrill-seeking visitors now have the golden ticket to explore the hidden depths of chambers 2 and 3 in Tham Luang Cave, nestled within Chiang Rai province. Renowned for the sensational 2018 Wild Boar football team rescue, this daring escapade promises an unforgettable journey into the heart of heroism. Registration kicked off on December 15, granting access to…

  • Things To Do

    The best parks to visit in Bangkok 2024

    Relaxing at an outdoor park is one of the best things to do during your days off. And, in Bangkok, there are many parks that offer a beautiful place to rest. So, grab a blanket, pack a lunch, and prepare to enjoy a fun day with plenty of suns. Here, we have the best parks in Bangkok for you to…

  • 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…

  • Travel Guides

    The best private villas to rent in Bangkok

    When it comes to accommodation in Bangkok, travellers have a lot of options. The city is brimming with hotels, resorts, and apartments for rent. However, those who want more exclusivity may want to look at what private villas have to offer. With prime locations and private quarters, renting a private villa can be the best bet to get away from…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand News Today | Dinosaurs in BKK, BOT tackles Baht, Special K isn’t special | November 23

    Start of the week, a busy day of news around Thailand with Tim Newton. Bank of Thailand takes action to curb Thai baht’s strength The Bank of Thailand is moving forward measures, originally meant to begin early 2021, but most of which will now take effect from end of this month. The end result is that the new rules will…

  • World News

    UPDATE: Covid-19 visitor entry around the region

    Around the region there are many countries starting to re-open their borders to allow some business or diplomatic visitors, even tourists, to enter their national borders. The situation is changing frequently and we’d urge you to contact the national embassies in your countries before making any concrete arrangements or paying money for airfares or accommodation before you clarify the situation,…

  • 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

    Special Tourist Visa – now officials want you to ‘quarantine’ in your home country before coming to Thailand

    On one hand the Thai government unveils its big ‘plan’ for a Special Tourist Visa, allowing minimum stays of 90 days, extendable to 270 days (almost 9 months). On the other hand they have put up a list of restrictions that, at best, will severely restrict any return to ‘normal’ tourism in the country. Apart from the local 14 day…

  • Covid-19 News

    Phuket officially reopens Monday, but with restrictions

    Phuket is scheduled to reopen to outsiders on Monday, to coincide with the start of Phase 3 of the easing of Emergency Decree restrictions enacted to fight the spread of Covid-19. It will also be a pleasant respite for the islanders who have been cooped up on the island since the last week of March. Phuket’s outgoing governor says his…

  • Tourism News

    The China Bounce – are the Chinese packing their bags ready to come back to Thailand?

    by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com The results of a comprehensive new survey of consumers in Mainland China’s first tier cities concludes that 53% of respondents would like to travel internationally sometime this year. Citing the opportunity, the most popular months for trips abroad for the remainder of the year are, specifically, August, October and December. Thailand is one of the…

  • Covid-19 News

    Visa amnesty for foreigners – but conditions apply

    “All foreign nationals are advised to closely monitor the Immigration Bureau’s website for updates, though the measures announced on Wednesday are valid until April 30 unless otherwise updated.” The visa amnesty has been announced, hopefully relieving some of the stress on stranded tourists and other foreigners that have ended up without flights or ways to get home. Many flights have…

  • Covid-19 News

    International visitor numbers down 35% January-March, exceeding worst predictions

    International visitor numbers to Thailand from January to March dropped by 8.5 million, or 35.3% year-on- year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand. You can be sure the specific numbers for March would have been a lot worse. The biggest decline, unsurprisingly, was in Chinese visitor numbers, which dropped by 59.4% compared to 2019, to around 2.4 million.…

  • Covid-19 News

    New immigration measures for stranded visitors considered by Thai cabinet tomorrow

    “Under the government’s social distancing policy, these tourists will no longer have to visit the immigration bureau and risk contracting the virus in a crowd.” Thai Immigration officials are seeking cabinet approval for new measures to categorise foreigners stranded in Thailand because of the Covid-19 crisis. The proposals will be submitted to tomorrow’s cabinet meeting. Last week Thai TM Prayut…

  • Covid-19 News

    Onerous new document requirements for stranded foreigners announced

    Thailand’s Immigration Bureau announced yesterday that 9 separate documents are now required for foreigners stranded here to extend their stay for up to 30 days. New requirements include land deeds, rental contracts, even selfies of foreigners at their accommodations, even as scenes of chaos and massive queues at immigration continue unabated. A Thai Immigration spokesman defended the inconvenience on the…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thai PM says tourists will get automatic visa extensions

    Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is concerned that foreigners seeking visa extensions have been gathering in their hundreds at Thailand’s immigration offices each day, at a time when social distancing is needed due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. This from a spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry today. Deputy ministry spokesman Natapanu Nopakun announced that the cabinet has responded with a…

  • Covid-19 News

    Tourism Authority of Thailand clarifies “self quarantine” situation

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand has posted a notice to clarify the “self-quarantine requirements” of all visitors coming to Thailand from “risk area” countries, relating to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. The clarification comes after two days of confusing announcements coming out of the Thai Public Health Department. On Tuesday night a document was released on the Thai Public Health Minister’s…

  • Northern Thailand News

    Tham Luang Cave reopens to visitors in November

    The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation says it is reopening the Tham Luang Cave in Chiang Rai on November 1. The cave had a test opening on October 27 and everything went as planned. It will be the first time visitors have been allowed into the caves since the famous Tham Luang Cave Rescue nearly 18 months…