Thursday’s news-May 16 -

Today’s news: Hua Hin on new Thai tax laws/Extreme Heat and Storms/What Bangkok looks like from space/Thailand Eyes FIFA World Cup 2038/Tiger on the Prowl/Elephant kills ranger/Selling 10-year-old rice/Foreigners arrested/Economy: Committee refuses universal Bt400/Business Confidence Declines/Consumer confidence takes a hit/Thailand’s six advantages/Latest round of US-China trade war/Thailand loses to Malaysia/Should Thai durian fear Vietnam/From Thai Orchards to Chinese Markets/Control weed, don’t kill it/Tourism: Petch-Hua Hin Airport?/Special tourist train launched/Airports’ 6-month profit up 400%/Rats on the rampage/Thailand Experience: Tales from Infamous Thai Prison/After 3 years in Thailand, I moved back to New York/Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/Air pollution index map/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

Hua Hin seminar sheds light on new Thai tax laws

On Monday, nearly 200 people gathered at the G Huahin Resort & Mall for an event titled “Tax Talk – Decoding Thailand’s New Rules for Foreign Income”.

Organized by MBMG Group, Hua Hin Accounting and Law, and Nextto, the session aimed to clarify the recently tightened tax regulations affecting expatriates and residents earning overseas income. Continued …

Thailand Faces Extreme Heat and Storms: Northern Temps Hit 41C

Thailand is gearing up for an unusual bout of extreme weather today, as the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued warnings for both soaring temperatures and thunderstorms.

The northern region is set to sizzle, potentially reaching a brutal 41 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the southern provinces brace for rough seas with waves climbing over 2 meters. Continued …

What Bangkok looks like from space

The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) hosted “THEOS-2’s First Images” event on Wednesday, inviting everyone to witness the first images captured by the satellite. The event was held at ScreenX Cinema at Bangkok’s Siam Paragon mall.

The first images from the satellite capture Bangkok with remarkable clarity. Landmarks, buildings, roads and even cars on the streets, as well as boats navigating the Chao Phraya River and the city’s extensive canal system, are clearly visible. Continued …

Thailand Eyes FIFA World Cup 2038 Hosting Rights – in 2038

As the ball spins further into the future, Thailand’s newly appointed minister of tourism and sports, Sermsak Pongpanich, has announced plans for Thailand to bid for hosting rights of the FIFA World Cup from 2038 moving forward, with emphasis on a joint venture together with other Southeast Asian nations.

The ambitious announcement was made alongside the backdrop of the prestigious 74th FIFA Congress held in Bangkok last week. It is important to note that the hosts for the World Cup events up to 2034 have been confirmed already. Continued …

Tiger on the Prowl Alarms Thailand Locals

A community in Thailand was thrown into a state of alarm after a tiger emerged in the dead of night, apparently attacking residents. The incident took place in the early hours of today when a tiger cub was spotted within a residential area of Bang Pakong, Chachoengsao, causing chaos and prompting an urgent response from local authorities and rescue teams.

What they found was a village rattled by an unexpected visitor, a medium-sized tiger, resting outside a home in the area. Continued …

Elephant kills ranger, deaths from elephant attacks now 21 this year

A forest ranger was killed by a wild elephant in Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary in Sanam Chai Khet district of Chachoengsao on Wednesday, bring deaths in elephant attacks this year to 21. Six other people were also injured, according to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

The latest victim has been identified as Wallop Burapha, 36. He was a member of the department’s rapid response mobile unit, tasked with returning stray wild elephants to their habitats. Continued …

Thailand mulls selling 10-year-old rice

The government’s plan to sell old rice stored in warehouses for a decade in northeastern Thailand stunned some onlookers, leading to concerns about the adverse impact on public health.

Earlier this month, Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, along with representatives of private and public organizations, rice surveyors, and rice exporters, visited two rice warehouses in Surin province to sample grain stored there for more than a decade to test the quality and whether it is edible. Continued …

Foreigners arrested for illegally running daycare, wakeboarding center

Two foreigners were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly operating a daycare facility and a wakeboarding service center on Koh Phangan.

Tourist police reported that a 26-year-old Russian woman and a Myanmar woman, 18, were arrested at a house while receiving foreign children for daycare. Continued …

Lop Buri’s monkey move begins

Authorities on Wednesday began to relocate the first batch of macaques that have occupied parts of downtown Lop Buri, endangered pedestrians and brought business to a halt.

The operation to rid the city center of the monkey menace began with 25 macaques being removed to a designated holding facility in tambon Po Kao Ton in Muang district. Continued …

Committee refuses universal Bt400 minimum wage

The tripartite wage committee has granted freedom to wage panels to fix the proper minimum wage for their respective provinces after refusing to bow to pressure from the government to approve a raise at a flat rate of 400 baht across the board, said a source.

The 15-member committee insisted on Tuesday that it had not yet approved the 400-baht wage proposal. This came hours after the mobile cabinet meeting in Phetchaburi green lit the Ministry of Labor’s proposal on the 400-baht hike. Continued …

Thailand’s Business Confidence Declines Amid Wage Hike Worries

Business confidence in Thailand has taken a notable dip as the latest Thai Industries Sentiment Index (TISI) dropped in April, highlighting mounting concerns among entrepreneurs over economic pressures, notably a proposed increase in the daily minimum wage. The TISI recorded 90.3 points in April, a drop from March’s 92.4 points, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).

Entrepreneurs are facing a barrage of challenges, including anticipated lower sales, production hurdles, and the financial ramifications of the government’s policy shifts. Their anxieties chiefly stem from the proposed wage hike, rising domestic diesel prices, and increasing raw material costs. Continued …

Consumer confidence takes a hit from high living costs

The consumer confidence index declined for a second consecutive month in April, attributed to a slow and uneven economic recovery and higher living costs, according to a survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).

Thanavath Phonvichai, president of the UTCC, said the index dropped to 62.1, from 63 in March. Continued …

PM highlights Thailand’s six advantages as investment destination

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin told potential investors on Wednesday that Thailand is extremely well-suited to being a hub for key industries, including electrical vehicle (EV) and electronics manufacturing, thanks to six distinct advantages over its competitors in the region.

Srettha was speaking at SUBCON Thailand 2024, an international trade show for part-sourcing and business-matching of subcontracting manufacturers, organized by the Thai Subcontracting Promotion Assn. from May 15 to 18 in Bangkok. Continued …

Both crisis and opportunity in latest round of US-China trade war

The United States’ recently erected tariff wall against China might have a short-term effect on the global economy, but will impact Thai manufacturers who are part of the Chinese supply chain, the Thai National Shippers’ Council (TNSC) said on Wednesday.

Most likely to feel the impact are Thai manufacturers of electronics and automotive components for Chinese markets, TNSC Chairman Chaicharn Charoensuk noted. Continued …

Thailand loses to Malaysia as ASEAN’s second-biggest auto market

Thailand has been overtaken by its southern neighbor Malaysia, which is now Southeast Asia’s second-largest auto market after Indonesia, Nikkei Asia reported on Wednesday.

The change in ranking is a major shift in a region that has become a key battleground for Asian automakers, the Japanese-based online news magazine noted. Continued …

Email link: kenbrown@businessclassasia.com

Should Thai durian fear Vietnamese competitors?

At Youyi Port, a land border port with Vietnam in Pingxiang, China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, China imported 48,000 tons of fresh durians in the first quarter of this year. Among them, 35,000 tons were imported from Vietnam, an increase of 48.1%, and 13,000 tons of fresh durians were imported from Thailand.

With this trend, Vietnamese durian exports to China are expected to increase by 30% in 2024, while Thailand would face more risks, said an academic. Continued …

Journey of Durians from Thai Orchards to Chinese Markets

A worker stood atop a durian tree and cut the fruit with a knife, while his colleague caught the durian firmly with a sack under the tree. With the durian harvest season starting in eastern Thailand, farmers are busy organizing workers to cut durians off.

Sasitorn, owner of a durian orchard, has been in the business for over 10 years. Located in Thailand’s Chanthaburi province, Sasitorn’s orchard has more than 2,000 durian trees. Chanthaburi province, about 250 jilometers away from the capital Bangkok, is an important durian planting area in eastern Thailand. Continued …

Control weed, don’t kill it

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin may mean well in attempting to re-list cannabis as a narcotic, but his aim only attests to his mediocre knowledge about the plant and the dilemma facing the country. Continued …

PM Suggests “Petch-Hua Hin” Name for Airport Development to Attract Tourists

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has proposed the idea of developing Hua Hin Airport to accommodate international flights. The plan is to attract additional passengers from the nearby Phetchaburi Province, which has potential for cultural and food tourism, apart from the beautiful Cha Am Beach.

“I have an idea that is not yet final, so I would like to propose that everyone try to think about it. If we expand this airport by combining it with Phetchaburi Province, we can change the name of this airport to Petch-Hua Hin or something else,” Srettha said. (Note: “Phet” in Thai also means “diamond”.) Continued …

Special tourist train launched, Hua Hin on its route

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is set to launch the “SRT Royal Blossom”, a newly refurbished luxurious train, with Hua Hin earmarked as one of its destinations.

The SRT says the service will help to boost domestic tourism, offer a unique travel experience and connect passengers with some of Thailand’s most beloved locales. Continued …

Airport operator’s 6-month profit up 400%

Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) has reported a net profit of 10.35 billion baht for the first six months of its 2004 fiscal year, a jump of nearly 400% from the same period a year earlier.

The increase reflects a steady increase in passenger traffic through the six international airports, including Suvarnabhumi, operated by the company. Continued …

Rats on the rampage: Infestations hit Pattaya beaches

The shores of Pattaya and Jomtien are under siege by a horde of unwelcome guests – rats. This alarming infestation is not just an eyesore but a significant health hazard, leaving locals and tourists in a frenzy.

The burgeoning rat population, thriving on nocturnal scavenging, is wreaking havoc, threatening the area’s cleanliness and charm. Continued …

Why flying in Vietnam is becoming a luxury

Flying to Vietnam has become increasingly costly for tourists, with airfares reaching unprecedented heights. But what’s driving these price hikes, and why are neighboring countries like Thailand offering cheaper alternatives?

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Danh Huy highlighted the factors propelling Vietnam’s flight costs to stratospheric levels during a recent session of the National Assembly. According to Huy, Vietnam Airlines has witnessed a staggering 14% to 20% surge in average ticket prices since the close of 2023, now peaking between US$0.08 to 0.12 per kilometer. Continued …

Aussie Woman Reveals Harrowing Tales from Infamous Thai Prison

Holly Deane-Johns, an Australian woman who spent seven grueling years in a Thai prison for heroin trafficking, has opened up about the appalling conditions she endured in the notorious Lardyao Women’s Correctional Institution, often dubbed the “Bangkok Hilton.”

In 2000, Holly, then aged 29, was caught trying to mail a parcel of heroin to her family in Perth. She faced the death penalty but was instead sentenced to 31 years in the overcrowded and squalid prison. Continued …

After 3 years in Thailand, I moved back to New York. It didn’t feel like home anymore

As I tucked into a bowl of wisp-thin Thai rice noodles studded with bok choy and sprinkled with fried garlic, all I could do was wax poetic about Buffalo wings.

Plastic spoon in one hand, chopsticks in the other, I described my hometown’s finest fare, which included hot, buttery chicken wings. My favorite basket always came from a local dive bar in western New York, 15 miles from Niagara Falls. Continued …