Tourism News
Get your daily dose of Tourism News in Thailand with the latest updates on exciting destinations, events, and travel industry developments. We provide relevant and insightful information about Thailand’s diverse travel scene, which includes innovative hospitality trends, cultural experiences, and sustainable tourism practices. Stay informed on various tourism-related matters, including visa policies and major infrastructure projects, to ensure you’re always one step ahead in the vibrant world of travel.
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Sponsored Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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UK ditches “non-essential travel” alert for 32 countries, Thailand remains on red list
The British government has amended its advice to avoid non-essential travel to 32 countries. The Bangkok Post reports that the move comes as countries around the world continue to make progress in fighting the pandemic. However, according to the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Thailand remains on the red list, along with South Africa, Brazil, and Mexico. “The Foreign,…
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Thai AirAsia operating 20 domestic routes from this month
From this month, Thai AirAsia is resuming a number of domestic routes, as well as introducing new ones. TTR Weekly reports that the low-cost carrier is now operating flights from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Phitsanulok, Nan, Loei, Sakon Nakhon, Surat Thani, Krabi, and Trang. It will also launch a new route from Chiang Mai to Hua Hin from October…
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All countries now eligible for Thailand’s sandbox programme
The Thai government has got rid of its list of “approved countries”, opening up the sandbox tourism programme to fully vaccinated visitors from anywhere in the world. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has welcomed the move, which means Indonesian and Malaysian tourists can now visit the kingdom. Prior to Covid-19, Malaysia was Thailand’s second…
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Thailand to charge foreign arrivals 500 baht “tourism fee” from next year
Despite Thailand struggling to reboot its decimated tourism sector, the government is pushing ahead with a proposed tourism fee – and has increased it by 200 baht. The National Tourism Policy Committee originally approved a fee of 300 baht at the start of this year, which would be used to develop tourism destinations and provide tourists with insurance benefits. According…
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Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival kicks off this week
Get out your protective eye-wear and ear muffs. It’s THAT time of the year on Thailand’s southern island. Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival kicks off next week, but under the remaining Covid restrictions that limit the size of crowds, etc, etc on the island. The Vegetarian Festival, aka. Nine Emperor Gods Festival, is an annual commemoration inviting ancient Chinese spirits to come…
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Phuket Sandbox revised to 7 days, more excursion freedom
As restrictions are widely eased for entry into Thailand and the various Sandbox programs, the Phuket Sandbox has simplified, shortened, and streamlined as well. Beginning yesterday, Phuket Sandbox travellers arriving internationally will only be required to stay 7 days before being allowed to travel on to the rest of Thailand. An RT-PCR test will be given upon arrival and a…
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Koh Samui Plus simplified: 7 days on Samui, Phangan or Tao
As part of the widely expanded Sandbox programmes launched or revised yesterday, the Samui Plus Sandbox has simplified and diversified its rules as well. While previously the entry to Koh Samui and the nearby islands was a 14-day programme with the first few days in full quarantine and the first week staying only on Koh Samui, the new rules allow…
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Australian travel abroad coming soon with 7-day home quarantine
A news release issued today says Australian citizens will soon be able to travel and return home with just a 7-day quarantine period. The Australian Consul-General for Phuket says this is great news for Australia and for Thailand. He notes that Australians can now travel abroad knowing that they will be able to return home again and vows to Phuket…
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Pattaya beach vendors see domestic tourist business increasing
Beach vendors along Pattaya beaches say that they are starting to see earnings increase due to domestic travellers in recent weeks. Their revenue is still far below the levels they were before Covid-19, but they are seeing an uptick of weekend and holiday travellers. Vendors selling food, massage, beach umbrellas and more are slowly seeing improvement, with each weekend seeming…
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Government reveals Thailand’s 2022 tourism slogan
The Thai government has unveiled the new slogan that will be used to market the country to foreign tourists next year: “Visit Thailand 2022, Now Even More Amazing Thailand Has It All”. Thai PBS World reports that the slogan was revealed at an online meeting of the Centre for Economic Situation Administration yesterday. The meeting was chaired by PM Prayut…
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Officials expect tens of billions of baht in Phuket tourism revenue in next 6 months
The governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand expects Phuket to welcome 1 million foreign visitors in the next 6 months. Yuthasak Supasorn says this will generate around 60 billion baht in tourism revenue, as a result of some travel restrictions being relaxed. “We expect the number of visitors will significantly increase in the final quarter factoring in the quarantine…
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Updated regulations on Thailand’s quarantine period for international arrivals
Starting tomorrow, the mandatory quarantine period for vaccinated travellers entering Thailand will be reduced from 14 days to seven. Those who are either unvaccinated, or who cannot show proof of their vaccination status, face a longer quarantine period of between 10 to 14 days. The mandatory isolation period is waived for vaccinated travellers entering Thailand through the pilot reopening projects…
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Plans for digital or crypto assets – the TAT Coin – to grow tourism
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is considering jumping into the world of digital assets by launching its own tourism-based utility token called the TAT Coin. Crypto is often looked at as the way of the future, and traders are considered high-value, big-spending tourists, especially those that work as digital nomads and stay long-term. Discussions are underway with the Securities and…
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Thai Airways to resume flights to countries with high vaccination rates
Thai Airways says it will start selling seats on flights to highly-vaccinated destinations from October 1. The struggling national carrier expects to resume flights to the UK, France, and Germany, as well as Japan and Australia. The Bangkok Post reports that airline bosses made the decision after several destinations reported vaccination rates of around 70%. Airline spokesman, Chai Eamsiri, says…
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Phuket tourism operators want COE process reformed, other rules amended
Tourism operators on the southern island of Phuket are calling for the certificate of entry process to be reformed in order to attract more sandbox visitors. And, according to Bhummikitti Ruktaengam from the Phuket Tourist Association, they would also like to see changes made to other entry criteria. “Simplifying the certificate of entry process is the first and foremost key…
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Government urged to clarify tourism marketing plan ahead of high season
Following the government’s decision to re-open a further 10 provinces to international visitors from November, tourism operators are calling for a clear plan ahead of high season. Yesterday, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration agreed a number of measures, including reducing curfew hours in the dark red provinces, allowing a number of businesses to re-open, and extending the emergency decree…
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Quarantine shortening proposed for certain situations
In an attempt to boost the economy, the National Communicable Disease Committee is proposing a shortening of quarantine periods for travellers under certain circumstances. The proposal was made in a meeting today of the committee with Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul chairing the meeting and vowing to pass on the plan to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The…
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Reopening Pattaya: Will it happen next week or not?
Depending on which government officials you are listening to and what statement they make on which day, it would be easy to believe that Thailand’s reopening is continuing on October 1, or October 15, or possibly November 1. And Pattaya is perhaps reopening in just over a week or perhaps delaying for weeks or months. So where does the reopening…
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Pattaya tourism focusing on Russian and Indian travellers
Chinese travellers have been the bread-and-butter for Pattaya tourism, but with Covid-19 restrictions, The Pattaya Business and Tourism Association is focusing on Indian and Russian tourists instead for the planned reopening on October 1. The president of the PBTA had announced that while other cities and provinces have postponed reopening plans, Pattaya stands ready to reopen to international travellers in…
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Officials say Bangkok could re-open from November 1, if 70% are vaccinated
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has indicated that Bangkok could re-open to international tourism from November 1, provided 70% of the population are fully vaccinated. The Bangkok Post reports that this is the first time the CCSA has used the November 1 date when discussing the re-opening of the capital. The original date given by the tourism ministry for…
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Travel data to Thailand for 106 million people unprotected online
106 million visitors to Thailand over the last 10 years were discovered to have had their personal information unsecured online. Comparitech, a cyber security firm that discovered the database, revealed that the data has been unprotected online without any password protection possibly for the last decade. The unprotected data included people’s full names, passport numbers, gender, residency status, date they…
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Governor says Bangkok will only re-open when safe to do so
The governor of Bangkok says 3 criteria need to be met before the capital can re-open, in order to protect the health and safety of residents. Aswin Kwanmuang says while Bangkok is anxious to re-open and reboot its economy, it can only do so when it’s safe. This means the re-opening could be pushed out to mid-November, according to a…
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Phuket domestic travel rules need streamlining, officials discuss
Officials in Phuket met yesterday to consider ideas about how to ease travel restrictions for domestic travellers in hopes of enabling domestic tourism to grow. With current harsh restrictions, mostly people with an imminent need to travel in and out of Phuket can jump through the hoops to access the island. Many business owners say they have seen little benefit…
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Local businesses say they aren’t profiting from Phuket Sandbox
While large resorts and big businesses in Phuket might be seeing revenue from the Phuket Sandbox, interviews with small local businesses suggest they are seeing little to no benefit from the reopening with its strong restrictions. Most business owners agree there won’t be any real income for most until there is a full reopening with fewer rules and more nightlife…
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Bangkok Governor: NO reopening October 15 despite PM plans
As any well-informed reader of the news in Thailand knows, Bangkok will definitely be reopening on October 1. Also, it won’t be. It will be pushed back 2 weeks to October 15, the definitive date of Bangkok’s reopening for sure. Or… not. The Governor of Bangkok avowed today that despite the national government’s ever-changing and lofty plans, Bangkok will NOT…
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Occupancy at alternative quarantine hotels takes a nosedive
Bookings at alternative quarantine hotels have plummeted, with Prin Pathanatham from AQ Club Thailand saying average occupancy is currently around 25 – 30%. It’s believed rumours the quarantine period may be reduced from next month have led to the drop in bookings, coupled with signs that infections may have peaked. And Prin says the resumption of domestic flights from dark…
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Desperate hotel operators look to Bangkok re-opening for signs of hope
Even with plans still up in the air and nothing confirmed, Thai hotel operators are pinning their hopes on Bangkok’s proposed re-opening next month. The president of the Thai Hotels Association says that while hotels don’t expect a huge uptake in bookings immediately, they are hopeful that average occupancy might reach 15 – 20% in the last 3 months of…
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Will it, won’t it? October re-opening in doubt as Anutin defers to medical experts
Thailand’s public health minister has responded to comments from top medics who have questioned the wisdom of re-opening the country next month. Anutin Charnvirakul says any re-opening will need the go-ahead from the Department of Disease Control, adding that nothing has been confirmed yet. “No one said the country will re-open on October 1.” The Bangkok Post reports how, back…
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PM orders government officials to get ready for Thailand’s re-opening
The countdown is on to the October re-opening of Bangkok and 4 other provinces and PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the tourism, health, and interior ministries to get ready. According to a Bangkok Post report, the PM has instructed officials to prepare to boost tourism while still living with Covid-19 restrictions. However, not everyone agrees with the October re-opening, with…
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Re-opening of Bangkok pushed back 2 weeks to reach 70% vaccination goal
Following a meeting between the Bangkok governor and the tourism minister, officials have decided to delay the re-opening of the capital by 2 weeks. Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says the capital’s re-opening will be pushed back to October 15, as most residents are still waiting for their second vaccination. Currently, just 37% of residents are fully vaccinated. The Bangkok Post…
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