Category Archives: thai economy

bangkok, covid, hospitality, hua hin, phuket, real estate, thai economy, thai food, thailand, tourism, transportation

Monday’s news-May 29

2 Comments

“Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.”

  • Residential market slows, new stimulus packages awaited/
  • Agriculture dept launches hunt for the best Thai coffee/
  • Diesel price will rise 5-baht/liter on July 21 if tax cut not extended/
  • Some Bangkok hospitals still have room for COVID-19 patients /
  • Convention center taxis draw fire for fares, rejections/
  • From sushi to salmon curry: Norwegian seafood makes its presence felt/
  • Thai residents use ancient ceremony for lottery prediction/
  • Deadly intersection sparks ghostly fears, Thai villagers hold exorcism ceremony/
  • Why Some Fear Thais Are Becoming Slave to the US/
  • Economy: Business groups back ‘fair growth’ principle/Thailand’s health tech industry valuable for the region/Putting clean energy in pole position/
  • Tourism: Thailand expected to delay launching of tourism tax – again/Thai geopark fusing prehistoric and natural wonders added to UNESCO list/Russian Tourist Drowns On Patong Beach/
  • Thailand Experience: 15 floating markets in Bangkok/Thai luxury hotel farms its own food, from eggs and bacon to bananas and mushrooms/Thai restaurants triple in Beijing as China’s craving for Thai cuisine surges/
  • International: Turkey’s Erdogan prevails in election test of his 20-year rule/China’s homegrown C919 makes first commercial flight/
  • Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Residential market slows, new stimulus packages awaited

Despite slowing inflation, the residential market in the first few months of 2023 has been sluggish, the real estate sector reports. Overall, the housing demand in Thailand has dropped and consumer purchasing power remains weak, although the sector is hoping to benefit from new government policies.

Leading property website DDProperty says higher interest rates are the main barrier for home buyers, resulting in a 2% decline in housing demand in the second quarter of this year. Continued …

Agriculture dept launches hunt for the best Thai coffee

The Department of Agriculture (DOA) is holding a contest for the best “sustainable coffee” in a bid to improve the quality of Thai coffee and bring it to international markets.

DOA Director-general Rapeephat Chantarasriwong said on Sunday that a similar contest had generated 1.3 million in revenue last year, especially from the sale of Arabic and Robusta coffee. Continued …

Diesel price will rise 5-baht/liter on July 21 if tax cut not extended

The pump rice of diesel will be increased by 5 baht/liter from July 21 if the caretaker government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha or the new government, which is yet to be formed, does not extend the excise tax cut introduced on Feb. 18 last year.

Excise Department Director-General Ekniti Nitithanprapas said on Sunday that the caretaker government could seek approval from the Election Commission to extend the tax cut, adding, however, that the issue has not yet been discussed with caretaker Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith. Continued …

Some Bangkok hospitals still have room for COVID-19 patients

Hospitals under the supervision of the Department of Medical Services in Bangkok still have room to accommodate more COVID-19 patients, as only 22.4% of the beds are currently occupied, said Dr. Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, director-general of the department.

The department’s hospitals are Lerdsin, Rajavithi, Nopparat Rajathanee and the Central Chest Institute of Thailand. Continued … 

Convention center taxis draw fire for fares, rejections

Taxi drivers operating at the Muang Thong Thani convention center during the Thaifex international trade fair have come under heavy criticism on social media for overcharging passengers, rejecting Thai passengers and refusing to use their meters for both Thai and foreign passengers.

Some of the drivers have charged up to 5,000 baht for a trip from Muang Thong Thani to the Silom or Sukhumvit areas. Continued …

From sushi to salmon curry: Norwegian seafood makes its presence felt

Back in the 1980s, the Norwegian salmon industry found itself facing a major problem: it simply had too much salmon and not enough markets to which it could be sold.

After much head-scratching, they decided to resolve the problem by introducing “Project Japan” and set out to convince first the Land of the Rising Sun and then the rest of the world that salmon sushi and sashimi were the next big thing. Continued …

Thai residents use ancient ceremony for lottery prediction

Residents in Prachin Buri took part in a two-day ceremony involving a legendary giant spider to predict lottery numbers. They hope to win in Thursday’s June 1 draw, as the ritual has proven successful, reportedly bringing good fortune in lottery prediction.

On May 28, villagers performed the lottery prediction ritual using a legendary spider at the Non Somboon house in Muang Kao, Kabin Buri district, Prachin Buri province. The ceremony previously resulted in two successful predictions, using five floral bouquets and various candles and incense. The head of the household recited incantations for good luck and wealth. He placed the spider above the numerals 0-9 on three pieces of paper. Continued …

Deadly intersection sparks ghostly fears, Thai villagers hold exorcism ceremony

The deadly intersection known as the “100-corpse intersection” in Thailand‘s northern Phayao province has locals on edge, with frequent accidents and fatalities causing ongoing fear. Residents in the Wat Pa Lan Kam community have sought the help of monks to perform an exorcism ceremony in an attempt to ward off evil spirits associated with the so-called “spirit of the deceased.”

The ceremony, which involves the chanting of mantras by monks, aims to harness a positive energy to combat and expel the spirits of the deceased. According to traditional beliefs in the region, following the ceremony, these spirits will be reborn and will no longer haunt the area. Continued …

Why Some Fear Thais Are Becoming Slave to the US

Former silver-screen superstar Jarunee Suksawat’s warning that Thais may become “slaves of America” attracted front page news in many media and many readers, particularly young readers, who found it ludicrous and hilarious.

Perception is reality for some Thais, however, and this writer has little doubt that the former actress, who was featured in hundreds of films back in the 1970s and 1980s, was speaking, or ranting, from her heart judging from her paranoiac face. Continued …

Business groups back ‘fair growth’ principle

Key business groups welcome the Move Forward Party’s campaign promises to tackle economic inequality, but wonder if it can solve a problem that has long plagued the country.

Eight political parties signed a memorandum of understanding on May 22, outlining 23 points they intend to focus on when governing Thailand, including a unified mission to reduce inequality and ensure fair economic growth. Continued …

Thailand’s health tech industry valuable for the region

The Thai Health Tech Assn. (THTA) hopes the new government will help develop Thailand’s health technology industry to match its growth.

The association’s president, Phongchai Petsanghan, said on Saturday that the Thai health tech industry should grow by 15% this year. He also said Thailand’s healthcare data is valuable and the government should work on seeking benefits from it, like selling it, using it to attract investment or developing new technology. Continued …

Putting clean energy in pole position

Efforts to reduce carbon dioxide in Thailand are gathering momentum as the government and businesses forge ahead with clean energy development projects.

Using more renewable fuel sources to generate electricity and the government’s promotion of electric vehicles (EVs) are among various efforts to create new businesses, driven by a commitment to take greater care of the environment. Continued …

Thailand expected to delay launching of tourism tax – again

Thailand is expected to delay the launching of a 300-baht tourism tax once again. The launching has already been postponed from June to September. Still, new reports suggest that the launching might have to be paused until 2024.

Besides the 300-baht charge for visitors coming by air, the plan also includes a charge of 150-baht for travelers coming by sea or land. Continued …

Thai geopark fusing prehistoric and natural wonders added to UNESCO list

Khorat Geopark has become the second Thai geopark to be included among the 195 UNESCO Global Geoparks worldwide.

The geopark in Nakhon Ratchasima province (also known as Korat) was approved as a UNESCO geopark on May 17. Satun Geopark made the list on April 17, 2018. Continued …

Russian Tourist Drowns On Patong Beach

A Russian tourist drowned at Patong Beach on Saturday in the early morning. The victim was pulled up to the beach and was later identified as Rafaylovich Pavel, 53, a Russian national. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Emergency responders said they were notified of the incident at 7:30am by family members of the victim. Rescue workers took about 20 minutes before they found the foreign man floating in the sea. Continued …

15 floating markets in Bangkok

If you’re keen to see the real Thailand, visit one of the many floating markets in Bangkok and beyond. Although floating markets are right throughout Southeast Asia, the city of Bangkok and its surrounding suburbs are the most famous places to visit these markets.

With hundreds of wooden houses and stalls on stilts selling traditional crafts, souvenirs, clothing and more, they’re also a perfect spot to pick up something special to take home. Continued … 

Thai luxury hotel farms its own food, from eggs and bacon to bananas and mushrooms

When on holiday, fresh eggs cooked to order, creamy yogurt, delicate smoked salmon and crispy bacon are some of the breakfast ingredients many travelers have come to expect from the average luxury resort.

But it certainly adds another dimension to the indulgence to discover that most, if not all of this food has been grown or made at the resort. Being offered freshly laid duck eggs at the egg station is often the first indication that, at the Conrad Koh Samui, there is more to the food than the mass-procured fare typically served by a large hotel group. Continued …

Thai restaurants triple in Beijing as China’s craving for Thai cuisine surges

Thai cuisine’s popularity is surging in China, with the number of Thai restaurants almost tripling in the capital of the world’s most populous nation over the past three years, government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said on Saturday.

It is now the fourth most popular foreign cuisine in China, Anucha added, citing one of the country’s most popular applications, Dianping, which means “public reviews” in English. Continued …

Turkey’s Erdogan prevails in election test of his 20-year rule

Turkey President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday Turks had given him the responsibility of governing for the next five years, declaring Turkey as the only winner of a runoff presidential election. Continued …

China’s homegrown C919 makes first commercial flight

China Eastern Airlines on Sunday sent the country’s narrow-body jet C919 on its first commercial flight, marking the homegrown plane’s entry into passenger service and a milestone for China’s efforts to become more self-reliant. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

  • Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
  • Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm

The one-way fare is 325 baht.

The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank.

Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day

Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departing from Pattaya at 8am and 4pm. Tickets are 473 THB.

Tickets can be bought in person at the Hua Hin bus station or online. Buses depart from the Hua Hin bus station and in front of Government Savings Bank, Cha Am.. Tickets 

Hua Hin-Chaing Mai flight schedule through October

Book a flight

 

90-day online reporting

climate change, covid, hua hin, immigration, phuket, thai economy, thailand, tourism, transportation

Saturday’s news-May 27

  • Move Forward will tie 450-baht wage raise with other benefits/
  • ‘Novids’ warned as Covid on the rise/
  • Siriraj Hospital Says All Beds For Critical Covid Patients Full/
  • DDC tackles dengue surge/
  • 10 Thai slang words and phrases you need to know/
  • Immigration Arrests Taiwanese Gang for Defrauding People of 2.3 Billion Baht/
  • Cyanide serial murders: Company to face prosecution for illegal import, resale/
  • Taxi scams damage THAIFEX expo/
  • Heavy bags bad for kids’ backs/
  • Economy: Ministry vows to keep tabs on prices/Eastern Economic Corridor continues to flourish, official says/Thailand sets its sights on hi-tech cooperation with China/Oil price volatility expected later this year/
  • Tourism: Knowing Thailand, Vietnam’s tourism problems are clear/Chinese Tour Groups Visiting Thailand Still Down by 90% Compared to 2019/Phuket Launches Operation to Crack Down on Foreigners Breaking the Law/Thailand a top digital nomad destination/
  • International: NATO struggles in the shadows to find new leader/Man who opened plane door in mid-air says he was uncomfortable/Key facts about Neuralink, Musk’s cyborg gamble/Antarctic ocean circulation slowing rapidly/
  • Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Move Forward will tie 450-baht wage raise with other benefits

The minimum wage increase will come with several other benefits, Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat promised after visiting a labor network in Samut Prakan on Friday.

He said the wage increase will be tied in with other aspects beneficial to workers, like better rights, a stronger social security system, and greater assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Continued …

‘Novids’ warned as Covid on the rise

Covid-19 infections are expected to peak between June and August and again next January and February, with those who have hitherto escaped the virus likely to contract it, according to a virologist at Chulalongkorn University.

Dr. Yong Poovorawan, director of the Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, wrote on his Facebook page on Friday that a surge in Covid-19 cases is expected. Continued …

Siriraj Hospital Says All Beds For Critical Covid Patients Full

Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital posted a message on its Facebook page yesterday that all beds for critical Covid patients are now fully occupied, with the emergency department also overflowing, thus it cannot accept any more patients.

The hospital’s emergency department is still awaiting referral patients, and for this reason cannot accommodate additional Covid-19 patients, the message said, while apologizing for the inconvenience caused. Continued …

DDC tackles dengue surge

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has opened an emergency operations center (EOC) to reduce the number of dengue patients after more than 15,000 people were diagnosed in the first five months of this year alone.

That figure was 5.4 times more than during the same period last year. So far, there have been 13 deaths from the disease. Continued …

10 Thai slang words and phrases you need to know

When choosing a new language to learn, Thai may not be on top of the list for many, even for polyglots. After all, it’s got one of the most complicated writing systems in the world, the tonal system is not the most easy for Westerners to get used to, and how useful is Thai when traveling around the world anyway?

Still, knowing language and knowing culture is important, especially when traveling. You’d be surprised by how much Thai people appreciate you trying out their language, even if it’s nowhere near perfect. Why not pique your own interest of the language by one of the most fun parts of language-learning: Thai slang words? Continued …

Immigration Arrests Taiwanese Gang for Defrauding People of 2.3 Billion Baht

Immigration authorities have apprehended the leader of a Taiwanese gang involved in operating a fraudulent pharmaceutical company amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The gang manipulated stock prices and deceived over 10,000 individuals, resulting in damages totaling 2.3 billion baht. The accused individual was found to have an arrest warrant from Taiwan.

Police Lt. Gen. Pakphoomphiphat Sajjaphan, Immigration commissioner, along with several other officials, announced the arrest of key suspects involved in the case. Continued …

Cyanide serial murders: Company to face prosecution for illegal import, resale

Following the shocking cyanide serial murders in Thailand, authorities have announced their intention to prosecute a company involved in the illicit importation and resale of cyanide to retailers.

The police officially confirmed that the Thai cyanide serial killer, Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, claimed a total of 15 victims, tragically resulting in the loss of 14 lives due to the deadly toxin. Adding to the complexity of the case, Sararat’s lawyer, Thannicha “Patch” Ek-suwannawat, has been implicated for allegedly aiding Sararat in concealing and tampering with evidence. Continued …

Taxi scams damage THAIFEX expo

Complaints about taxi scams at the THAIFEX exhibition flooded social media on Friday as passengers reportedly were charged 4,000-5,000 baht for trips from Impact Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi to Bangkok’s city center.

THAIFEX–ANUGA ASIA 2023, one of the biggest trade events in Thailand, returned for a full-scale exhibition for the first time following the pandemic, occupying 130,000 square meters of space at Impact Muang Thong Thani from May 23-27. According to the organizer, the event drew almost 2,700 exhibitors from Thailand and 40 countries. Continued …

Heavy bags bad for kids’ backs

Carrying a heavy school bag every day can cause spinal problems among children and worsen scoliosis, medical experts said, as they recommend limiting such bags to no more than 10% of a kid’s weight.

The warning came after one netizen raised concern about the weight of the bag that their Prathom 2 child had to carry daily, which is said to have totaled 4.5 kilograms. Continued …

Ministry vows to keep tabs on prices

During the transition period ahead of the formation of a new government, the Commerce Ministry has pledged to stay vigilant in monitoring and controlling the domestic prices of goods and services to prevent any impact on consumers.

According to Wattanasak Sur-iam, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, the agency continues to monitor the prices of goods, raw materials, and other factors that affect costs, such as oil and electricity prices. Continued …

Eastern Economic Corridor continues to flourish, official says

Investment in Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) has been continuing to expand since it was legally inaugurated in 2018, with the number of investment promotion applications rising by 92 in the first two months of this year.

Their total investment value is 90.3 billion baht, Trade Policy and Strategy Office Director Poonpong Nainapakorn said. The number of applications for investment promotion in 2022 increased by 40.6% year on year to 637 projects. Combined, their total investment value rose by 62.7% year on year to 358.83 billion baht, according to official data. Continued …

Thailand sets its sights on hi-tech cooperation with China

Thailand has been flagging the idea of joining hands with China in tapping new energy and digital markets in Southeast Asia, a move that would elevate bilateral cooperation to new dimensions beyond tourism and tropical fruits.

The notion, mentioned recently by Thailand’s ambassador to China, Arthayudh Srisamoot, could also be beneficial to Beijing, as the world’s second-largest economy looks to the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the 15 members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership as alternatives to the U.S. market. Continued …

Oil price volatility expected later this year

PTT Oil and Retail Business (OR) is bracing for possible challenges caused by oil price fluctuations and a global economic slowdown that could affect the company in the second half of this year.

Though the company benefited from the full reopening of Thailand, it is staying alert to the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, which was blamed for driving up global prices of oil, gas and coal last year, said Wilaiwan Kanjanakanti, OR’s senior executive vice president for finance. Continued …

Knowing Thailand, Vietnam’s tourism problems are clear

When my wife and I traveled Bangkok and Chiang Mai, there was nothing that outstanding about the famous Thai food and traffic infrastructure. While their transport system is indeed years ahead of Vietnam, I don’t think that’s the reason why tourism in Vietnam pales compared to our regional neighbor.

What impressed me the most was the hospitality and friendliness of Thai people. When we crossed the street, cars always made way for us in the politest ways. We spent six days in Thailand, but I barely heard horns honking, even though traffic jams were a frequent occurrence. Continued …

Chinese Tour Groups Visiting Thailand Still Down by 90% Compared to 2019

The number of Chinese tour groups in Thailand is still low – only 10% of the total that had visited before Covid-19 in 2019 – said prominent Thai tourism associations yesterday.

The secretary of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), Adit Chairattananon, said, “In 2019, there were 11 million Chinese tourists that visited Thailand. Of this number, 600,000 of them were in tour groups via ATTA.” Continued …

Phuket Launches Operation to Crack Down on Foreigners Breaking the Law

As part of the “White Accommodation for Foreigners” project, Phuket is launching a comprehensive clean-up operation to increase the scrutiny of foreigners who break the law.

This move aims to bolster confidence and increase the safety potential of Phuket as a tourist destination. This activity is part of the regular May 2023 program. Continued …

Thailand a top digital nomad destination

Thailand is the third-best destination in the world for attracting digital nomads after the United States and Spain, according to the online resume-building service Resume.io.

Resume.io said that it reached its conclusion after extracting 25,976 Instagram posts that featured the hashtag #digitalnomad and used geotagged locations to determine the most popular countries and cities. It pre-processed the dataset to ensure no spam accounts or bots were included in the sample. Continued …

NATO struggles in the shadows to find new leader

The race to be the next North Atlantic Treaty Organization boss is heating up. But it is a race run largely in the dark, with no sign of a winner yet. Jens Stoltenberg, the transatlantic military alliance’s Norwegian secretary-general, is due to step down at the end of September after nine years in the post. Continued …

Man who opened plane door in mid-air says he was uncomfortable

A passenger on an Asiana Airlines flight told police he opened a door on the plane minutes before it landed in Daegu, South Korea, on Friday because he was “uncomfortable”, according to reports. Continued …

Key facts about Neuralink, Musk’s cyborg gamble

Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-implant company, has won U.S. approval to test on humans. Here is what to know about the multi-billionaire’s dream project to enable the human brain to communicate directly with computers. Continued …

Antarctic ocean circulation slowing rapidly

Climate change-driven shifts in the circulation of waters to the deepest reaches of the ocean around Antarctica, which could reverberate across the planet and intensify global warming, are happening decades “ahead of schedule”, according to new research. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

  • Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
  • Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm

The one-way fare is 325 baht.

The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank.

Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day

Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departing from Pattaya at 8am and 4pm. Tickets are 473 THB.

Tickets can be bought in person at the Hua Hin bus station or online. Buses depart from the Hua Hin bus station and in front of Government Savings Bank, Cha Am.. Tickets 

Hua Hin-Chaing Mai flight schedule through October

Book a flight

 

90-day online reporting

 

bangkok, hua hin, marijuana, solar, thai economy, thailand, tourism

Friday’s news-May 26

  • Water pipe work to disrupt service today/
  • Strengthening monsoon to bring storms to all of Thailand/
  • Did Thailand just have its cleanest ever election?/
  • A guide to choosing the best international school for your kids/
  • Thailand Post to Launch Full-Scale Digital Mailbox Service/
  • Thailand’s most notorious serial killers/
  • US Offers Faster 4.5-Generation F-16 Fighter Jets To Thailand/
  • Myanmar junta says it will rethink relationship with Thailand/
  • Thailand’s Economy: Employers’ group wary of MFP wage policy/The profitable world of grasshopper rearing/SPCG keen on rooftop solar sales/Thai shrimp farmers urged to decarbonize now to escape new EU tax net/Metal producers to face new tariffs/Korean firms set to invest Bt7 billion locally/MFP to shield ‘registered cannabis businesses’/
  • Tourism: Pleas to shorten visa approval time as Chinese tourist arrivals drop/Tourism officials plan to market ‘Pita fever’ globally/
  • Thailand Experience: 8 of the best Thailand holidays 2023/Underrated tourist paradise: Thailand’s Mae Hong Son/Bangkok International Food Festival 2023 starts today/
  • International: Militia leader gets 18 years in prison over US Capitol attack/Vietnam battles plastic blight in idyllic Ha Long Bay/Energy majors go slow on green transition despite pressure/
  • Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Water pipe work to disrupt service today

There will be disruptions and low water pressure in many areas of Hua Hin today until 8pm. Essential work is being carried out to the water pipes at Hua Na on Soi 112, resulting in no or low water pressure from Hua Na and Nong Kae, to as far north as the intersection at Hua Hin Airport.

Strengthening monsoon to bring storms to all of Thailand

Provinces throughout Thailand are likely to experience thundershowers and gusty winds from Saturday to next Tuesday, the Thai Meteorological Department announced this morning, adding that isolated heavy rains are expected in the lower north, the northeast, the central region including Bangkok, the east, and the south.

The conditions are a result of the strengthening southwest monsoon prevailing across the country, while a low-pressure cell over Vietnam is expected to move through Thailand to the Gulf of Martaban, Myanmar. Continued …

Did Thailand just have its cleanest ever election?

Thailand’s Election Commission on Thursday certified the result of the May 14 election less than two weeks after the polls were held. It might be the fastest certification ever in Thailand’s electoral history.

One only has to look back to the previous election to see what the usual post-election landscape was like, with red and yellow cards handed to candidates for vote-buying or campaign violations. Continued …

Hua Hin International School

A guide to choosing the best international school for your kids

Moving to another country with your family is exciting, but can be stressful and full of worries. One of those worries could be the very real dilemma of trying to find an international school that fits your children’s needs.

Such things as the quality and type of curriculum, classroom size, location, and cost can complicate your international school hunt. However, here is a simple guide on how to choose an international school. Continued …

Thailand Post to Launch Full-Scale Digital Mailbox Service

Thailand Post has announced plans to launch a full-scale digital mailbox service called Prompt Post by the third quarter. The move is part of the company’s efforts to tap into the growing trend of electronic document handling and align with its Post Digital mission.

With Prompt Post, Thailand Post aims to offer comprehensive postal and logistics services, while providing convenience to its customers. The platform ensures security through identity verification using the national ID card system, and it operates as a closed platform, distinguishing it from traditional email services. Continued …

Thailand’s most notorious serial killers

The suspected crimes of Sararat “Am Cyanide” Rangsiwuthaporn, now accused of murdering 14 people with poison, are unusual not just only because the suspect is a woman and pregnant, but also because Thailand is not famous for cultivating serial killers.

While true crime is a national obsession that renews itself annually, there have been few known prolific killers with double-digit body counts. And, in most cases, their reasons to kill have sprung from banal motives such as money or infidelity rather than the archetypal thrill killer feeding dark appetites. Continued …

US Offers Faster 4.5-Generation F-16 Fighter Jets To Thailand

Upon postponing the sale of Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters to Thailand earlier this week, the U.S. offered the faster 4.5-generation F-16 warplanes in its place, according to a media report.

AVM Praphas Sornchaidee, Thai air force spokesman, said U.S. Ambassador Robert Godec stated in his talks with Air Force Chief ACM Alongkorn Wannarot that Thailand remains a very close partner of the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific region. Continued …

Myanmar junta says it will rethink relationship with Thailand

Myanmar’s military government said this week that it would have to rethink its relationship with Thailand following statements made by the next prime minister-elect of Thailand following his election victory, according to local media.

The second most powerful man in the Myanmar regime, Gen. Soe Win, warned his troops that Thailand’s likely new government was “pro West” and would help the “terrorists” operating in his country. Continued …

Employers’ group wary of MFP wage policy

The Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry (EconThai) on Thursday voiced apprehension over the possible impact on businesses of the Move Forward Party’s wage policy.

Private sector members, particularly small and medium enterprises, are perturbed after learning details of the discussions held on Wednesday between Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat and the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said Thanit Sorat, vice chairman of EconThai. Continued …

The profitable world of grasshopper rearing

A Surin couple is augmenting its teaching salaries by raising Patanga grasshoppers, also known as Bombay locusts, to sell their eggs and meat.

A kilogram of the grasshoppers goes for 450 baht, while the eggs can be sold for up to 10,000 baht per kilogram to other grasshopper farmers, said Somphong Cheuthong, 53, a teacher in Surin’s Sang Kha district. Continued … 

SPCG keen on rooftop solar sales

SPCG Plc, a pioneer in solar farm development in Thailand, expects to earn more revenue from sales of rooftop solar panels for residential and commercial buildings, as well as industries, as solar power becomes more popular.

A surge in electricity bills is a key factor driving demand for rooftop solar panels among households and businesses, said Pipat Viriyatranon, financial director of SPCG. Continued …

Thai shrimp farmers urged to decarbonize now to escape new EU tax net

Thailand’s shrimp farmers have been warned that a new European Union tax will take a big bite out of their billion-dollar export industry unless they start adapting now.

The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will collect tax on carbon-intensive imports from Jan. 1, 2026. CBAM taxes will initially apply to five products – aluminum, cement, iron and steel, electricity and fertilizers – but are expected to extend to shrimp and other agricultural products later. Continued …

Metal producers to face new tariffs

Steel and aluminum manufacturers should brace for a new levy on their exports as a result of the European Union’s (EU) introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on Oct. 1 this year, says the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE).

The transitional phase of CBAM requires importers of iron and steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, electricity and hydrogen to report greenhouse gas emissions embedded in their imports without being subject to financial payments or adjustments, according to the EU. Continued …

Korean firms set to invest Bt7 billion locally

Five South Korean companies are keen to embark on new investment projects in Thailand, ranging from an electric vehicle (EV) business to the construction of a new industrial estate, says the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT).

The prospective investors are expected to allocate around 7 billion baht for the projects, said Veeris Ammarapala, governor of the IEAT, after talks with executives during a recent roadshow in South Korea. Continued …

MFP to shield ‘registered cannabis businesses’

The Move Forward Party (MFP) assured registered marijuana growers and cannabis business operators yesterday that they would be protected, even when the new government re-lists cannabis as a narcotic.

The main objective of the party’s plan to put cannabis back on the narcotics list under a ministerial regulation of the Ministry of Public Health is to allow all state officials, including police and the Office of Narcotics Control Board, to work fully to control the abuse of cannabis, said deputy MFP leader Sirikanya Tansakun. Continued …

Pleas to shorten visa approval time as Chinese tourist arrivals drop

The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has urged the Department of Consular Affairs to shorten the visa approval period for Chinese tourists from up to 15 working days to facilitate tour groups from China that wish to visit Thailand.

“The current approval period is too long. Before the Covid-19 outbreak, it took only 3-5 working days to approve Chinese tourists’ visas,” ATTA President Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn said on Thursday. Continued …

Tourism officials plan to market ‘Pita fever’ globally

If the charismatic leader of the Move Forward Party fails in his bid to become Thailand’s next prime minister, he already has another high-profile option lined up – tourism ambassador for the “Land of the Smile”.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said on Thursday that it is planning to use Pita Limjaroenrat, 42, to charm more tourists to the kingdom by making him a tourism ambassador. Continued …

8 of the best Thailand holidays 2023

With culture-stacked cities, world-famous beaches and jungle interiors, Thailand’s unique landscape begs to be explored. Home to some of the best yoga retreats, beach bars and Buddhist temples in the continent, it’s no wonder that history-rich Thai towns have become such tourist hot spots.

Whether passing through on a budget world tour or relaxing on a family holiday, there’s something for everyone on the traditional shores of Thailand. Take a cooking class to get familiar with the local cuisine, go on a boat trip to scuba dive in lively reefs, or take a tuk-tuk to share in the street food of the bustling night markets with good-natured locals. Continued …

Underrated tourist paradise: Thailand’s Mae Hong Son

Nestled in the far northwest of Thailand and sharing borders with Myanmar, Mae Hong Son is one of the most spellbinding locations in the kingdom and, for many reasons, an ideal spot for an offbeat summer sojourn.

Despite a wealth of unspoiled attractions, tourists are seldom aware of this paradise, partly due to its remote location, as it is located over 900 kilometers from Bangkok. However, this only adds to its mystique, as it remains unspoiled by mass tourism. Continued …

Bangkok International Food Festival 2023 starts today

The Bangkok International Food Festival 2023 starts today at CentralWorld shopping plaza and complex. The festival will be held until May 30. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to further elevate Thailand’s standing as a premier gastronomy tourism destination and provide an immersive experience for tourists.

This event, centered around the culinary arts, will showcase Thailand’s vibrant food culture. It will also leverage the power of food as one of the country’s key “soft power” foundations. Continued …

Militia leader gets 18 years in prison over US Capitol attack

The founder of the far-right Oath Keepers militia was handed an 18-year prison sentence Thursday for seditious conspiracy in the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the toughest penalty given yet over the Jan. 6 assault. Continued …

Vietnam battles plastic blight in idyllic Ha Long Bay

Squinting in the bright light of a hot summer morning, Vu Thi Thinh perches on the edge of her small wooden boat and plucks a polystyrene block from the calm waters of Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay. Continued …

Energy majors go slow on green transition despite pressure

Most oil majors are stepping up investment in green energy amid rising activist pressure, but without abandoning fossil fuels, putting at risk reaching carbon neutrality in 2050. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

  • Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
  • Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm

The one-way fare is 325 baht.

The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank.

Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day

Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departing from Pattaya at 8am and 4pm. Tickets are 473 THB.

Tickets can be bought in person at the Hua Hin bus station or online. Buses depart from the Hua Hin bus station and in front of Government Savings Bank, Cha Am.. Tickets 

Hua Hin-Chaing Mai flight schedule through October

Book a flight

 

90-day online reporting

baht, climate change, covid, hua hin, immigration, marijuana, real estate, thai economy, thai environment, thailand, tourism

Thursday’s news-May 25

  • Electricity price to drop sharply from September/
  • Thailand’s Power Production Stable As Vietnam Kicks Off Nationwide Blackouts/
  • Heavy rain and thunderstorms threaten 50 provinces/
  • Netflix’s password sharing restriction has come to Thailand/
  • UK inquest: Brit stabbed to death with sickle by Thai neighbor/
  • Deceased police officer potentially 16th victim of Thai cyanide serial killer/
  • ‘Infrastructure’ constraints prevent US sale of F-35 fighter jets/
  • Thailand develops effective nasal spray against COVID-19/
  • Thailand’s economy: Overseas buyers to fuel Thailand’s real estate boom until Q4/Worries over baht volatility as coalition talks continue/Government revenues are shooting up/Construction, property, restaurants to be hardest hit by wage hike, study shows/Company Profile: Betagro/CPN to invest Bt10 billion for sustainability/Nissan Thailand and IVL broaden green footprint/Weed farms fret as MFP mulls U-turn on cannabis/
  • Tourism: Return of Chinese Tourists to Thailand Has Pros, Cons/TAT upbeat on arrivals in low season/Tourist taxes: All of the countries you will have to pay to enter in 2023/Thai food and herbs bid for pride of place at Asia Pacific exhibition/
  • International: Tina Turner: Music legend dies at 83/Super typhoon Mawar clobbers Guam with fierce winds, rains/World’s biggest warship visits Oslo, angering Russia/UN conference pledges $2.4B to head off Horn of Africa famine/Paralyzed man walks using thoughts with breakthrough brain-spinal cord implants/Indonesia adopts cool roofs to combat heatwaves, reduce energy costs/Syrians abandon babies at mosques, under trees as war grinds on/
  • Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Electricity price to drop sharply from September

The Energy Ministry expects to cut the fuel tariff (Ft) in September, leading to a significant drop in the price of electricity.

Consumers can expect a reduction of 40-50 satang per unit for the September-December electricity billing cycle, Energy Ministry Permanent Secretary Kulit Sombatsiri said on Wednesday. The Ft rate currently stands at 4.70 baht per unit. The planned reduction was made possible by the easing of global prices of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), he explained. Continued …

Thailand’s Power Production Stable As Vietnam Kicks Off Nationwide Blackouts

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) confirmed yesterday that electricity production and supply is sufficient in Thailand, after Vietnam launched nationwide rolling power cuts.

Vietnam started nationwide blackouts as it struggles to meet surging power demand amid extremely hot weather with even the capital Hanoi affected. Certain areas may experience up to seven hours of power outages and the disruptions could continue through May 31. Continued …

Heavy rain and thunderstorms threaten 50 provinces

The Thai Meteorological Department warned of thunderstorms and strong winds in 50 provinces, including Bangkok, as weather conditions change due to low-pressure systems. From May 27-30, rainfall is expected to increase, and it could be heavy in some areas. Boats have been advised to exercise caution and avoid areas with thunderstorms.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours is influenced by the southwesterly winds covering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, along with a low-pressure area covering northern Vietnam and the Tonkin Gulf. These conditions could cause thunderstorms and strong winds in some areas of Thailand, especially in the northern, northeastern, and eastern regions. However, warm weather is expected during the daytime. Continued …

Netflix’s password sharing restriction has come to Thailand

If you’ve been sharing your Netflix password, expect an email in your inbox sometime soon informing you that it will cost you extra now that Thailand is one of the countries implementing restrictions.

The streaming giant has talked about cracking down on password sharing for a while now, a common practice with its subscribers, which is probably why a lot of people have criticized the move. However, Netflix has started to slowly roll out the restriction, beginning in the West while other regions followed afterward. Continued …

UK inquest: Brit stabbed to death with sickle by Thai neighbor

An inquest at a court in the United Kingdom concluded that a British man died from brain stem and spinal cord contusion after being stabbed in the neck with a sickle by his Thai neighbor in a row over loud music last year.

In January 2022, 49-year-old Marcus Evans from Somerset, England, was playing music from a Bluetooth speaker and drinking with another Brit, 55-year-old Shaun Dagnan, outside of his girlfriend’s house in Mueang district of Kanchanaburi province late at night. Continued …

Deceased police officer potentially 16th victim of Thai cyanide serial killer

A shocking revelation has emerged in the case of the notorious Thai cyanide serial killer, as a relative of a police officer who passed away three years ago claims that the deceased might be the killer’s 16th victim.

This suspicion arises from the fact that the officer had a meeting with the alleged murderer, Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, shortly before suffering a fatal heart attack. Continued …

‘Infrastructure’ constraints prevent US sale of F-35 fighter jets

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has provided an explanation as to why the United States is not selling its F-35 fighter jets to Thailand at this time.

There were several time constraints that prevented the U.S. from supplying its fifth-generation fighter jets to the Thai air force following the request for procurement, RTAF spokesman AVM Prapas Sonjaidee said today. Continued …

Thailand develops effective nasal spray against COVID-19

A research team at the Center of Excellence in Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, has identified highly effective antibodies against COVID-19 from the human body. These antibodies have been developed into an innovation called COVITRAP, the world’s first nasal spray that traps and inhibits the COVID-19 virus using antibodies.

This spray has been certified as a medical device, and the team is confident in its efficacy for dealing with COVID-19 alongside other preventive measures. Continued …

Overseas buyers to fuel Thailand’s real estate boom until Q4

Thailand’s real estate will flourish until the fourth quarter, spurred by skyrocketing demand from overseas customers, real estate services and investment firm CBRE (Thailand) has forecast.

The head of residential sales, Artitaya Kasemlawan, said on Wednesday that the company’s sales to foreign buyers in the condominium sector had increased 383% and by 233% in housing estates over the past year. Continued …

Worries over baht volatility as coalition talks continue

Investors are concerned that the formation of a new government and political risk could lead to higher baht volatility over the next month, says Kasikornbank (Kbank).

The bank predicts the baht will move in a range of 33.80-35.40 per U.S. dollar during the next month because of internal and external factors. Continued …

Government revenues are shooting up

Government revenue collection exceeded its target by 8.9% in first seven months of this fiscal year, which began last October, the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Office said on Wednesday.

Its director-general, Pornchai Thiraveja, said 1.377 trillion baht in revenue was collected by the government during the period, and that this represented a 7.4% rise over the same period in fiscal year 2022. Continued …

Construction, property, restaurants to be hardest hit by wage hike, study shows

While the Move Forward-led coalition’s manifesto aims to address income inequality and stimulate economic growth, there are concerns about their plan to increase the minimum daily wage to 450 baht.

Businesses are worried this wage hike could have an adverse impact on their operations and profitability. Here are some details provided by Asia Plus Securities on the potential impact the wage hike will have on key industries: Continued …

Company Profile: Betagro

Betagro is a leading integrated agro-industrial and food company in Thailand. It was founded in 1967 and has since grown to become one of the largest food companies in Southeast Asia.

The company’s business covers the production and sale of animal feed, animal pharmaceuticals and supplements, livestock, swine, and poultry products, eggs, related processed food products and pet food, distribution of farm equipment, and related research and development. Continued …

CPN to invest Bt10 billion for sustainability

Central Pattana Plc (CPN) has set aside an investment budget of more than 10 billion baht for sustainability development under a five-year plan spanning 2023-27.

The company is also pushing its “Net Zero 2050” plan under “the ecosystem for all” theme, joining hands with partners at a green expo titled Better Futures Project at CentralWorld during May 24-29. Continued …

Nissan Thailand and IVL broaden green footprint

The Japanese car company Nissan Motor Thailand and the global chemical manufacturer Indorama Ventures are helping governments shape a cleaner future by producing more zero-emission cars and adopting eco-friendly manufacturing.

Executives of the companies shared their insights on Wednesday at the Bangkok Post ESG Conference 2023. ESG refers to environmental, social and corporate governance standards that can lead to business sustainability. Continued …

Weed farms fret as MFP mulls U-turn on cannabis

Community enterprises that grow cannabis on plantations in Nakhon Ratchasima are urging the next government, to be led by the Move Forward Party (MFP), to list only cannabis buds as narcotic drugs.

The MFP and its seven coalition partners touched on this topic in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) they signed on Monday evening, which will serve as policy guidelines for the government they plan to form together. Continued …

Return of Chinese Tourists to Thailand Has Pros, Cons

Thailand’s tourist industry hoped for a quick revival when Beijing ended its zero-COVID policy late last year, unleashing a crush of Chinese travelers freed from pandemic-related travel restrictions.

Data from Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports showed that more than 517,000 Chinese travelers visited Thailand during the first three months of 2023, up from 13,700 arrivals during the first quarter of 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, Chinese travelers were in the top five groups of foreign arrivals, along with Malaysian, Russian, South Korea and Indian visitors. Continued …

TAT upbeat on arrivals in low season

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects Thailand to have received 10 million foreign tourists by the end of this month and to continue to have at least two million visitors per month despite the low season.

TAT Gov. Yuthasak Supasorn said on Wednesday that the country has continued to maintain a consistent record of more than 50,000 arrivals per day, which means the monthly minimum rate could be expected at 2 million per month during the low season. Continued …

Tourist taxes: All of the countries you will have to pay to enter in 2023

Travel has well and truly bounced back since the pandemic, buoying tourist destinations that were crippled by restrictions and closures. But some popular destinations are once again reeling under the strain of overtourism.

As a result, some resorted to implementing a “tourist tax” in 2022 and others have plans to introduce one this year. Continued …

Thai food and herbs bid for pride of place at Asia Pacific exhibition

Thai herbs and food innovations are key highlights at Thaifex-Anuga Asia 2023, Asia Pacific’s largest international food and beverage exhibition currently under way at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi province. The event is expected to help promote Thai food as a soft power.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said at the opening ceremony on Tuesday that the country’s abundant and diverse agricultural products, such as rice, vegetables, fruits, and cassava, contribute to Thailand’s true strength in the industry. Continued …

Tina Turner: Music legend dies at 83

Singer Tina Turner, whose soul classics and pop hits like The Best and What’s Love Got to Do With It made her a superstar, has died at the age of 83. Turner had suffered a number of health issues in recent years, including cancer, a stroke and kidney failure. Continued …

Super typhoon Mawar clobbers Guam with fierce winds, rains

A Category 4 typhoon hit Guam on Wednesday, packing winds of up to 225 km/h and torrential rain, as it inched across the Western Pacific Ocean, but there were no early reports of deaths or injuries. Continued …

World’s biggest warship visits Oslo, angering Russia

The world’s biggest warship, the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier, arrived in Oslo on Wednesday for a stopover criticized by neighboring Russia as an “illogical and harmful” show of force. Continued …

UN conference pledges $2.4B to head off Horn of Africa famine

A United Nations-backed conference raised SS$2.4 billion Wednesday to prevent famine in the Horn of Africa, which is reeling from its worst drought in decades as global temperatures rise. Continued …

Paralyzed man walks using thoughts with breakthrough brain-spinal cord implants

A paralyzed man has successfully regained the ability to walk using only his thoughts, thanks to two innovative implants that have re-established communication between his brain and spinal cord. The breakthrough has given the 40-year-old Dutch patient, Gert-Jan, newfound freedom after being paralyzed in his legs for over a decade due to a spinal cord injury from a cycling accident. Continued …

Indonesia adopts cool roofs to combat heatwaves, reduce energy costs

A low-cost, sustainable solution to the increasing heatwaves in Southeast Asia is being implemented in Indonesia through the use of “cool” roofs. These roofs have a special coating applied to them that reflects sunlight and reduces the amount of heat absorbed by a building, resulting in lower indoor temperatures. Continued …

Syrians abandon babies at mosques, under trees as war grinds on

One cold winter night, Syrian Ibrahim Othman went out to pray and came home cradling a baby girl, abandoned at the doorstep of the village mosque just hours after she was born. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

  • Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
  • Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm

The one-way fare is 325 baht.

The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank.

Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day

Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departing from Pattaya at 8am and 4pm. Tickets are 473 THB.

Tickets can be bought in person at the Hua Hin bus station or online. Buses depart from the Hua Hin bus station and in front of Government Savings Bank, Cha Am.. Tickets 

Hua Hin-Chaing Mai flight schedule through October

Book a flight

 

90-day online reporting

chiang mai, climate change, covid, hua hin, marijuana, phuket, thai economy, thai environment, thai wildlife, thailand, tourism

Tuesday’s news-May 23

  • Thailand’s rains arrive, but will not be enough to fill reservoirs/
  • Devastating Rainstorm Claims 6 Lives at Phichit school/
  • Over 10,000 Covid Cases In Chonburi Last Week/
  • Move Forward’s ‘Government of Hope’ coalition delivers a program promising a new charter/
  • Foreign investment posts 77% rise in value/
  • Struggling to survive/
  • Chon Buri woman discovers pearl in local market oyster/
  • Farmer in Phitsanulok puts buffalo up for sale for US$1.5 million/
  • Huge explosion at rocket festival sends locals fleeing in Kalasin/
  • Unregulated cannabis expected to be curtailed/
  • Tourism: Two views of elephant tourism in Thailand/Phuket speedboat driver tests positive for meth after crash injuring 37 tourists/TAT to boost safety measures/
  • International: Sino-ASEAN land-sea trade corridor shows great vitality/Climate: ‘dangerous heat’ could afflict billions by 2100/Chinese researchers discover evidence of ancient ocean on Mars/Brazil faces dilemma: endangered macaw vs wind farm/
  • Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Thailand’s rains arrive, but will not be enough to fill reservoirs

Some parts of Thailand will suffer water shortages despite rains this year, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) announced. According to TMD, Thailand’s wet season arrived on Monday and will last until mid-October.

Some areas are expected to be hit with heavy rain until early June, while thundershowers will hit up to 80% of the east of Thailand and the southern west coast. Continued …

Devastating Rainstorm Claims 6 Lives at Phichit school

As anticipated by the Meteorological Department’s forecast for the onset of the rainy season, heavy rainfall swept through multiple areas of Phichit province, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. The province had braced itself for 20% of the predicted rainfall, and the forecast proved to be spot on.

During the rainfall, strong winds and a cyclonic storm affected the Wat Noinpo School located in Sam Ngam District, Phichit. The school had a large dome building used as a volleyball court, a 7-a-side football field, and for various other sports activities. Continued … 

Over 10,000 Covid Cases In Chonburi Last Week

Chon Buri’s Public Health office said yesterday that there were 10,648 new Covid cases and 12 deaths last week (May 14-20), with the majority being the elderly. Of this total, 13 were being treated for pneumonia while 19 require oxygen.

People in this province adjacent to Bangkok were urged to strictly follow Covid prevention measures as follows: Continued …

Move Forward’s ‘Government of Hope’ coalition delivers a program promising a new charter

The deputy leader of the Move Forward Party, tipped to be Thailand’s next Minister of Finance, Sirikanya Tansakul, on Monday spoke about growing confidence that the party would be able to form its proposed government with Pheu Thai, with more support coming from within parliament and positive noises from the Thai Senate.

The proposed coalition, on Monday afternoon, published a memorandum of understanding signed by the eight parties, which did not refer to the controversial Section 112 provision on lèse-majesté and promised a new constitutional reform program would be launched within 100 days with a referendum to be put to the people, which could lead to a new constituent assembly. me of reform being proposed by what the Move Forward Party describes as a ‘government of hope’ for Thailand. Continued …

Foreign investment posts 77% rise in value

The value of investment in Thailand soared by 77% year-on-year to 185.7 billion baht from 397 project proposals between January and March, with South Korea being the top foreign investor in terms of value in the first quarter, says the Board of Investment (BoI).

Foreign investment accounted for 155.2 billion of total investment, a year-on-year increase of 115%. Continued …

Struggling to survive

You are what you eat, but some do not have the privilege to choose. Nai, who is skinny and short for his age, lacks more than just a proper diet. He has been abandoned by his mother, and his father is serving a jail term. As a result, his uncle has kindly taken him into his own family.

But like others, he is living from hand-to-mouth, so providing his nephew with a balanced diet from the five food groups is difficult. Due to a lack of variety in their diet, slum children, though not starving, are suffering from malnutrition. Continued …

Chon Buri woman discovers pearl in local market oyster

A lucky woman in Chon Buri found a valuable pearl inside a large oyster purchased from a local market. The resident, Thevalee Sitonwong, discovered the stunning orange pearl while preparing a meal for her and her husband.

Thevalee revealed that she and her husband had gone to the market to buy some ingredients for their dinner, which included a popular Thai dish named Som Tum. They bought two large oysters, intending to cook them as part of their meal. As per usual, Thevalee cleaned and boiled the oysters before serving, and just as they began to eat, her husband bit down on something hard within the oyster’s flesh. Continued …

Farmer in Phitsanulok puts buffalo up for sale for US$1.5 million

A farmer in Thailand put a giant water buffalo up for sale for 50 million baht (US$1.45 million) yesterday.

Forget a pool villa in Phuket, for the same price you could bag yourself one of the biggest buffaloes Thailand has ever seen. “Petch Lamkhong,” a three-year-old water buffalo (“kwai“) from “Big Ice Farm” in Phitsanulok, weighed in at a whopping 1.4 tons at the 6th Phitsanulok Giant Buffalo Contest yesterday. Continued …

Huge explosion at rocket festival sends locals fleeing in Kalasin

A dramatic display unfolded during the annual Bun Bang Fai Talai Lan Festival in Kalasin Province’s Kuchinarai District as a single 20-million-fireworks rocket lifted off and exploded mid-air. The festival, which took place yesterday, is uniquely celebrated in this province, with numerous rockets being launched into the sky, attracting numerous local and international tourists.

At around 7pm, footage of the 20-million-fireworks rocket explosion was shared on the Facebook Page “Taxi Roi-Et 092-9030306.” The one-of-a-kind rocket was seen bursting mid-air, causing sparks and debris to shower down on frightened spectators. Fortunately, no one was injured as the event organizers had taken necessary precautions and arranged security measures. Continued …

Unregulated cannabis expected to be curtailed

The ease of buying marijuana on the streets of every province in Thailand will soon come to an end, as nearly all parties who contested Thailand’s election are calling for the repeal of the law that famously decriminalized the cannabis plant.

In the absence of strict regulations, the cannabis industry has flourished in Thailand. With over 250,000 growers and more than 4,500 dispensaries selling ganja in every province, the industry was valued at $1 billion by 2025 by University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. Thailand has become so notorious for cannabis this is prompting law enforcement agents in other countries to screen returning travelers for cannabis use. Continued …

Two views of elephant tourism in Thailand

The history of people and elephants in Chian Mai goes back thousands of years. Centuries ago, Thai kings rode these giants into battle. Elephants were used in harvesting timber until Thailand banned logging in national forests in 1989, prompting many owners to turn to tourism.

An elephant being “trained” for tourism

Then came the dramatic halt caused by the pandemic. Elephants are expensive to keep (they can eat more than 300 pounds of food a day). Most elephant attractions closed their doors, and many elephant owners – who rented out their animals to tourism operators – brought them back to their villages, some walking along the road for days. Continued …

Phuket speedboat driver tests positive for meth after crash injuring 37 tourists

The man who crashed a speedboat into a channel marker in Chalong Bay in Phuket, southern Thailand – injuring 37 Thai and foreign tourists – on Wednesday tested positive for methamphetamine.

The 29-year-old tour boat driver, Sathit Mardchai, underwent a blood test for alcohol and drugs following the incident, commander of Phuket Provincial Police Maj. Gen. Sermphan Sirikong said yesterday. Continued …

TAT to boost safety measures

With the number of Chinese visitors hitting 1 million, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Tourist Police Bureau have committed to strengthening safety measures for travelers.

Tanes Petsuwan, TAT deputy governor for Asia and the South Pacific, said the TAT still has work to do to reach the target of 5 million Chinese tourists this year, with about 70% expected to be independent tourists with high purchasing power who are unfazed by deflation in China. Continued …

Sino-ASEAN land-sea trade corridor shows great vitality

The new International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a major international logistics project, has achieved great success, as a recent report shows that its development index in 2022 surged to 135.2 from 122.6 in 2021 and 102 in 2020. Continued …

Climate: ‘dangerous heat’ could afflict billions by 2100

Current policies to limit global warming will expose more than a fifth of humanity to extreme and potentially life-threatening heat by century’s end, researchers warned Monday. Continued …

Meta hit with record 1.2-billion-euro fine over EU data rules

Facebook owner Meta has been fined a record 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) for transferring EU user data to the United States in breach of a previous court ruling, Ireland’s regulator announced on Monday. Continued …

Chinese researchers discover evidence of ancient ocean on Mars

Chinese researchers have uncovered direct evidence of an ancient ocean on Mars’s northern plains, according to a team from the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan. The discovery, recently published in the journal National Science Review, has the potential to further solidify our understanding of the Red Planet’s geological history. Continued …

Brazil faces dilemma: endangered macaw vs wind farm

A wind farm in northeastern Brazil sounds like a welcome climate-friendly energy solution, but it is causing controversy over another kind of environmental worry: the impact on the endangered Lear’s macaw. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

  • Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
  • Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm

The one-way fare is 325 baht.

The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank.

Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day

Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departing from Pattaya at 8am and 4pm. Tickets are 473 THB.

Tickets can be bought in person at the Hua Hin bus station or online. Buses depart from the Hua Hin bus station and in front of Government Savings Bank, Cha Am.. Tickets 

Hua Hin-Chaing Mai flight schedule through October

Book a flight

 

90-day online reporting

bangkok, cha am, climate change, covid, hua hin, immigration, phuket, thai economy, thai environment, thai food, thailand, tourism, transportation

Monday’s news-May 22

  • Wild Animal Rescue Network conference June 13-15 at the Avani +/
  • Garbage traps installed in Thap Sakae/
  • 14 dead macaques found during raid on house in Cha Am/
  • Thailand faces sizzling heat, heavy rain, and health warnings/
  • El Niño could return in 2023; what that means for the world’s weather/
  • Private Sector ‘Confident Senators Will Back Pita For PM’/
  • Experts call for uniform air quality indicator in ASEAN/
  • Is honey good for you?/
  • Covid-19 cases rise, related deaths up/
  • Thailand’s Economy: Property developers call for a gradual increase in the minimum wage/Sudden wage hike ‘may lead to job losses’/Jobless rate lowest in 3 years as tourism rebounds/Thailand’s first data center powered by renewable energy open for business/
  • Tourism: ‘Not Thailand anymore’: Russians flocking to Phuket — not all is well in paradise/Thailand’s Tham Luang Cave reopens for tourists in July/Khon Kaen Opens ‘Blue Lagoon’ Tourist Destination/US TV late-night star Conan O’Brien to feature Bangkok in HBO travel show/Phuket som tam restaurant returns 200,000 baht to European tourist/
  • Thailand Experience: Fish Sauce To Palm Sugar; A Concise Guide To Essential Thai Ingredients/Thai Street Food Food Tour of Bangkok: Video/8 unique experiences in Phuket/
  • International: G7 stiffens resolve to thwart Russia, engage warily with China/Spacex Sends Saudi Astronauts, Including Nation’s 1st Woman In Space/Investigation Begins On Two Ancient Shipwrecks In South China Sea/Are cryptocurrencies making a comeback?/German police say probing suspected poisoning of Russian exiles/
  • Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Wild Animal Rescue Network conference June 13-15 at the Avani +

Garbage traps installed in Thap Sakae

Garbage traps were installed at Hat Wanakorn National Park in Thap Sakae on Friday in a bid to combat marine debris and sea pollution.

The nets have been installed in an area spanning 38 meters in locations specifically chosen to trap and intercept the most amount of litter. Continued …

14 dead macaques found during raid on house in Cha Am

Provincial wildlife protection authorities discovered the bodies of 14 dead macaques during a raid carried out at a house in Cha Am last Thursday.

Rescued from the property were another five macaques, who were alive but had been confined to distressing conditions, devoid of food and water. The operation was led by Prawet Sunthornthai, the director of the local wildlife conservation team, following a tip-off from a concerned neighbor. Continued …

Thailand faces sizzling heat, heavy rain, and health warnings

The Meteorological Department has issued a weather forecast for the next 24 hours, warning that the northern parts of Thailand may experience scorching temperatures with partly cloudy skies during the daytime. Some areas may experience heavy rain and thunderstorms. Residents are encouraged to take care of their health due to the intense heat.

Meanwhile, the westerly winds blowing across the Andaman Sea, southern Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand are likely to trigger heavy rainfall in some parts of the western south coast. Continued … 

El Niño could return in 2023; what that means for the world’s weather

An El Niño appears to be forming along the equato  off the west coast of South America in the Pacific Ocean. That could have a big effect on the weather around the world.

For three years now, La Niña was large and in charge, but the La Niña ended, and now warmer water temperatures signal an El Niño probably is forming. Continued …

Private Sector ‘Confident Senators Will Back Pita For PM’

The head of Thai Condominium Assn., Peerapong Jaroon-ek, said yesterday the private sector is certain senators would definitely endorse Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat for prime minister, as they would not dare oppose voters who gave his party a huge victory, with Pheu Thai Party coming second.

Peerapong, who is also CEO of Origin Plc, also foresees economic and social improvement after the new government is formed, with this boosting confidence among both Thai and foreign investors. Continued …

Experts call for uniform air quality indicator in ASEAN

The need for a common indicator to track air quality in Southeast Asia has become more urgent, with drier weather conditions and the likelihood of the warmer El Nino weather phenomenon developing in the coming months.

This call from experts comes as Singapore is set to host talks from June 7 to 8 with ASEAN members Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to develop a second road map for transboundary haze cooperation. Continued …

Is honey good for you?

Bees are, well, the bee’s knees. They are master pollinators. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, these busy pollinators “contribute to 35 percent of the world’s total crop production, pollinating 87 of 115 leading food crops worldwide.”

And, they create honey – a sweet, sticky, natural substance that they make as food for themselves. It also provides all kinds of benefits for humans. Sweet! Continued …

Covid-19 cases rise, related deaths up

The number of Covid-19 inpatients continued to increase and fatalities also rose over the past week, when schools reopened, the Department of Disease Control reported today.

The department recorded 2,632 Covid-19 inpatients from May 14 to May 20, up about 12% from 2,356 cases between May 7 and May 13. Continued …

Property developers call for a gradual increase in the minimum wage

Executives in the Thai property sector on Saturday called for the new government to be formed as quickly and smoothly as possible, and advised it to raise the minimum wage gradually to prevent a sudden surge in costs.

Worawut Kanchanakul, president of residential developer W House, said the new government should increase the minimum wage gradually, so entrepreneurs will be able to cope with rising construction costs. Continued …

Sudden wage hike ‘may lead to job losses’

The Move Forward Party (MFP) should let Pheu Thai handle the country’s economic policy, business leaders said, warning that raising wages too high and too fast could lead to job losses due to workers being replaced by machines.

Pratheep Watcharachokkasem, deputy chair of the United Chinese Clans Assn. of Thailand, said he had written to MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat. Continued …

Jobless rate lowest in 3 years as tourism rebounds

Thailand’s unemployment rate hit a three-year low in the first quarter, the state planning agency said today, declining to 1.05% from 1.15% in the last three months of 2022, as recovery in the crucial tourism industry strengthened.

Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter, driven by the continued pickup in the travel sector, a key source of jobs that was decimated by the pandemic. Continued …

Thailand’s first data center powered by renewable energy open for business

UK-based Telehouse opened its first data center in Thailand on Friday, saying it will provide the best ecosystem for all internet-related customers in the country, while also meeting Thailand’s sustainability needs.

It will be Thailand’s first data center entirely powered by renewable energy, said Telehouse Thailand Managing Director Ken Miyashita. The new 2.5-billion-baht data center will be a safe and reliable hub of connection in Bangkok and the Southeast Asia region, Miyashita said at the inaugural ceremony for the data center. Continued …

‘Not Thailand anymore’: Russians flocking to Phuket — not all is well in paradise

It is no wonder that Russians facing travel restrictions to most of the rest of the world are flocking to Thailand. With its fine white sands, stunning landscapes and rich culture, “the land of a thousand smiles” has much to offer paradise seekers, never mind those fleeing a tightening autocracy, economic downturn and war.

The Thai island of Phuket expects to welcome one million Russians this year — the biggest group of foreign visitors by far — according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Some are escaping the dim of winter. Some are dodging the draft. Others are buying local property as a ticket to a new life. Continued …

Thailand’s Tham Luang Cave reopens for tourists in July

Safety measures are being implemented ahead of the Tham Luang Cave site’s reopening in July, as announced by Thailand‘s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

The cave gained international attention in 2018 when 12 young Wild Boars football players and their coach were trapped inside for 18 days due to flooding before being successfully rescued. Continued …

Khon Kaen Opens ‘Blue Lagoon’ Tourist Destination

Khon Kaen has inaugurated “Blue Lagoon,” a new tourist attraction featuring an emerald-green quarry surrounded by expansive limestone hills, spanning over 100 acres.

Located in Na Fai subdistrict, Phu Pha Man District, Khon Kaen, also known as the Nong Haeo-Song Khon area, Phu Pha Man District, Khon Kaen, this natural quarry has rapidly gained popularity among travelers. The sight of the ancient green quarry, glistening under the midday sun, has earned it the esteemed title of Khon Kaen’s stunning and novel “Blue Lagoon.” Continued …

US TV late-night star Conan O’Brien to feature Bangkok in HBO travel show

Former U.S. late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien is getting ready to release a show on Bangkok that is due to air on HBO Max, the popular U.S.-based streaming TV service, in the coming year as part of his “Conan Without Borders” series.

One of America’s longest-running late-night talk show hosts has been working in recent weeks in Bangkok with a broadcast understood to be in the pipeline promoting the world’s most visited city. Continued …

Phuket som tam restaurant returns 200,000 baht to European tourist

A European tourist was reunited with his bag containing money and assets worth 200,000 baht yesterday thanks to the honest owner of a som tam restaurant in Phuket.

The restaurant, Som Tam Yam 3 Aow, posted photos of the smiling tourist with a big stash of cash on Facebook with the caption, “From the incident where a customer had forgotten a bag at the shop yesterday containing cash and assets worth almost 200,000 baht.” Continued …

Fish Sauce To Palm Sugar; A Concise Guide To Essential Thai Ingredients

Thai food is famously known for its liberal use of flavors derived from fresh ingredients, as well as an array of pre-made condiments that add depths of flavor to food. Whether it is a soup, curry, salad or even grilled vegetables or meat, Thai food is packed with spice, citrus and tons of umami flavor.

While it isn’t always possible to peel, chop and grind ingredients to make pastes or condiments from scratch, one can always stock up on a few basic ingredients to bring that Thai flair to your food. Here’s a list of a few must-haves in your pantry, if Thai food is something you find yourself steering toward often, for meals like lunch or dinner. Continued … 

Thai Street Food Food Tour of Bangkok: Video 

8 unique experiences in Phuket

At Phuket’s far southeastern tip, sleepy Ao Yon Beach is the perfect place to ease into a Phuket escape. Accommodation at The Mooring Resort comprises a handful of stylish villas arrayed with a shaded swimming pool, with free kayaks and paddleboards for launching off a private bay. Just a sandy barefoot stroll away, The Cove dishes up wood-fired pizza and great cocktails.

On weekends, Ao Yon gets slightly busier, as local families swim at a nearby cove, picnic on the beach, and enjoy a scattering of street food stalls. If you’re after something more energetic, fire up the handy Grab or Bolt ride-sharing apps for the 20-minute journey north to Phuket Town. Continued …

G7 stiffens resolve to thwart Russia, engage warily with China

The Group of Seven (G7) nations signaled to Russia their readiness to stand by Ukraine for the long haul, while giving President Volodymyr Zelensky a chance to win over countries such as Brazil and India on the last day of a summit in Japan. Continued …

Spacex Sends Saudi Astronauts, Including Nation’s 1st Woman In Space

Saudi Arabia’s first astronauts in decades rocketed toward the International Space Station on a chartered multimillion-dollar flight Sunday. SpaceX launched the ticket-holding crew, led by a retired NASA astronaut now working for the company that arranged the trip from Kennedy Space Center. Also on board: a U.S. businessman who now owns a sports car racing team. Continued …

Investigation Begins On Two Ancient Shipwrecks In South China Sea

An archaeological investigation on two ancient shipwrecks discovered in the South China Sea was launched on Saturday, opening a new chapter of China’s deep-sea archaeology, according to a press conference held Sunday in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province. Continued …

Are cryptocurrencies making a comeback?

Last year was a rough one for cryptocurrencies, as Bitcoin, the largest digital asset in the world, lost nearly 65% of its market value. Crypto enthusiasts were caught off guard by a series of unfortunate events, such as the Terra Luna crash, the collapse of major exchange FTX, and unfavorable macroeconomic conditions. Continued …

German police say probing suspected poisoning of Russian exiles

German police are investigating the possible poisoning of exiled Russians after a journalist and an activist reported health problems following a Berlin meeting of dissidents, a spokesman for the force said on Sunday. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

  • Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
  • Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm

The one-way fare is 325 baht.

The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank.

Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day

Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departing from Pattaya at 8am and 4pm. Tickets are 473 THB.

Tickets can be bought in person at the Hua Hin bus station or online. Buses depart from the Hua Hin bus station and in front of Government Savings Bank, Cha Am.. Tickets 

Hua Hin-Chaing Mai flight schedule through October

Book a flight

 

90-day online reporting

bangkok, hua hin, immigration, solar, thai economy, thai environment, thailand, tourism, transportation

Saturday’s news-May 20

  • Downpours expected to herald arrival of rainy season on Monday/
  • Thap Sakae EV charging station part of 5,000km SE Asian EV highway/
  • The election is over, a new round of ‘war’ begins/
  • Pita Limjaroenrat: Meet Thailand’s (probable) next leader/
  • He promised change in Thailand. But will he be allowed to lead?/
  • Phitsanulok locals stock up on eggs amid rising price and tight supplies/
  • EGAT plans hybrid hydro-floating solar project in Khon Kaen/
  • Thailand sending essential supplies to cyclone-hit Myanmar/
  • C.P. Group collaborating with French companies on food, energy and transportation/
  • Tourism: Immigration Bureau Intensifies Crackdown on Overstaying Foreigners/Almost 10 Million Foreign Tourists So Far This Year/
  • Thailand Experience: 7 Most Scenic Bangkok Train Trips To Take At Least Once/Koh Samui Is an Idyllic Thailand Getaway/Isaan booming as fuse lit for annual Rocket Festival/
  • International: Queen’s funeral costs taxpayers £162M amid cost-of-living crisis/
  • Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

  • Subscribe to Blog via Email

    Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Downpours expected to herald arrival of rainy season on Monday

Heavy rains are forecast for most parts of the country when the wet season officially begins on Monday, the Meteorological Department announced on Friday.

Downpours are expected to be frequent in most regions of the country as Thailand’s summer season ends and the wet season begins, according to weather forecasts. Continued …

Thap Sakae EV charging station part of 5,000km SE Asian EV highway

Singapore-based charging provider for electric vehicles (EVs) Charge+ has announced a strategic partnership with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) to boost the country’s EV ecosystem as it strives to become a zero-carbon emission nation by 2050.

EGAT will provide Charge+ with a site for a direct current (DC) charging station in Thap Sakae, about 320 kilometers south of Bangkok, according to a statement from Charge+. Continued …

The election is over, a new round of ‘war’ begins

After the polls have closed, the victories of two major opposition parties mark a new chapter in Thai politics, as the country enters the phase of forming a new government. However, the Thai political scene is abuzz with several pressing questions:

Will the Forward Party manage to establish the government successfully? Will Pita Limcharoenrat become the prime minister? Could the Forward Party face dissolution or will Pita face a dismissal? Continued …

Pita Limjaroenrat: Meet Thailand’s (probable) next leader

Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat is on the road to becoming Thailand’s next prime minister after his three-year-old progressive party’s shock victory in last Sunday’s general election.

The election results, which are awaiting endorsement by the Election Commission, show Move Forward in first after winning 152 of the 500 MP seats in the House of Representatives. Continued …

He promised change in Thailand. But will he be allowed to lead?

When Pita Limjaroenrat was a student at Harvard in 2008, he shadowed his American classmates who were campaigning at the time for Barack Obama. The experience gave him a window into electoral politics, from phone banks and polling data to knocking on doors and putting campaign flags on front lawns.

Fifteen years later, Pita said he used what he learned in Massachusetts to help his recent campaign in Thailand, where he stunned the country’s political establishment by leading his progressive Move Forward Party to a momentous victory. Continued …

NOTICE: Avatar Garden has temporarily closed for renovations. We will reopen about July 1. Stay tuned!

Phitsanulok locals stock up on eggs amid rising price and tight supplies

Consumers in Phitsanulok are bristling over a 0.2 baht per piece rise in the price of chicken eggs, or six baht per tray of 30 eggs. The price hike was announced by Thailand’s Egg Farmer Cooperative Network earlier this week.

The network on Monday told its members to raise the price of assorted eggs at farms from 3.6 baht to 3.8 baht per egg, the highest price yet this year. Continued …

58.5MW Floating PV Plant with Sungrow PV and Floating Solutions

EGAT plans hybrid hydro-floating solar project in Khon Kaen

The EGAT (Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand)–MPD Consortium has signed a construction contract for a hybrid hydro-floating solar project at Ubol Ratana Dam in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand.

The project will ensure renewable energy stability for sustainability, driving the country to achieve carbon neutrality, according to a press release. Continued …

Thailand sending essential supplies to cyclone-hit Myanmar

Thailand will be sending a plane carrying essential supplies to Myanmar, after the neighboring country was hit by powerful cyclone “Mocha”, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

The spokesperson for Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kanchana Patarachoke, said that the Thai government had expressed its concerns to Myanmar, where Cyclone Mocha has killed 145 people and left 800,000 people in need of food aid, according to reports as of Friday evening. Continued …

C.P. Group collaborating with French companies on food, energy, transportation

Charoen Pokphand Group Co. (C.P. Group) announced that the group will collaborate with leading French corporations on projects that span the agribusiness, renewable energy, and transportation sectors.

The projects and the broader partnership will strengthen bilateral trade and investment cooperation, introduce advanced technologies and innovation into Thailand, and create employment opportunities for the local economy in Thailand and France. Continued …

Immigration Bureau Intensifies Crackdown on Overstaying Foreigners

In their most recent effort to crack down on overstaying foreigners, the Thai Immigration Bureau (IB) delivered a robust display of enforcement.

Yesterday, a briefing was held to share the results of the dureau’s operations. In attendance were various high-ranking officials, including the commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, his deputies, and other members of the force. Continued …

Almost 10 Million Foreign Tourists So Far This Year

The Thai tourism industry is soaring, as seen by altogether 9.47 million foreign tourists having come here from the beginning of the year until May 15, with the biggest markets being east and south Asia, plus ASEAN countries.

Trisulee Trisoranakul, deputy spokesperson for the prime minister’s office, also said that total tourist expenditure during this period reached 391 billion baht. Continued …

Kanchanaburi railway bridge

7 Most Scenic Bangkok Train Trips To Take At Least Once

Flying is one way to get to different cities in Thailand. But if you’re after an epic journey that lets you wind through dramatic valleys, forests, and mountains, then you should hit the rails.

From short jaunts to cross-country trips, here are seven scenic trains in Bangkok for you to indulge in slow travel. We’ve even provided helpful train travel tips because you’ll most likely want to book a trip after seeing what’s in store. Continued …

Koh Samui Is an Idyllic Thailand Getaway

Phuket has its nightlife and Pha Ngan has its full-moon parties, while Krabi has the coastline and Koh Tao has dominion over Thailand’s scuba scene. Samui stands apart by offering a slice of it all, with strings of serene, white sandy beaches and blissful indulgence from a collection of the country’s swankiest resorts, combined with no shortage of amusement or adventure.

Thailand is picking up where it left off after a lengthy pandemic shutdown to international tourism, returning as one of the most favored of far-flung destinations. Koh Samui, part of the Surat Thani province, is an island found in the Gulf of Thailand about halfway down the country’s thin central land strip. It caters to tourists, and as such, rather than mourning the sense of calm their absence provided, it’s celebrating their return in grand style, eager to once again offer its signature, friendly hospitality. Continued …

Isaan booming as fuse lit for annual Rocket Festival

Isaan skies are streaked with gray smoke trails from May to July every year, as locals launch Bang Fai or bamboo missiles to prod the rain god awake. Celebrated in Thailand’s northeast and Laos, the Bun Bang Fai rocket festival blasts off to summon clouds at the start of the rainy season around the end of May.

“Bun” means merit while “bang” refers to the giant bamboo bodies of the missiles. “Fai” (fire) is what happens when fuses are lit and the sparks ignite the gunpowder packed inside. Continued …

Queen’s funeral costs taxpayers £162M amid cost-of-living crisis

The UK government has disclosed that the state funeral and related events for Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away last September, cost taxpayers almost £162 million (US$201 million). This is the first public estimate of the expenses associated with the funeral of Britain’s longest-serving monarch. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

  • Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
  • Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm

The one-way fare is 325 baht.

The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank.

Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day

Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departing from Pattaya at 8am and 4pm. Tickets are 473 THB.

Tickets can be bought in person at the Hua Hin bus station or online. Buses depart from the Hua Hin bus station and in front of Government Savings Bank, Cha Am.. Tickets 

Hua Hin-Chaing Mai flight schedule through October

Book a flight

 

90-day online reporting

bangkok, covid, hua hin, immigration, thai economy, thailand, tourism

Friday’s news-May 19

  • Here we go again: Thai PM Candidate Faces Disqualification Bid/
  • More senators back Pita’s bid to be prime minister/
  • Move Forward musters 8-party bloc/
  • Business leaders want outdated laws scrapped, concerned over wage hikes/
  • Projected slowdown in global economic growth could hurt Thai exports/
  • Thailand aims for 80% global trade coverage with new FTAs by 2027/
  • Thailand’s Scamdemic: how Covid-19 supercharged online crime/
  • Thai snooker legend James Wattana loses 3.2 million baht to call center gang/
  • Farmers Guarding Durian Orchards Day And Night After Big Price Hike/
  • Thailand officially anointed as host of 2025 SEA Games/
  • Tourism: Number of Chinese tourists continuing to increase/British family offers reward to ‘detain’ teenager missing in Pattaya/
  • Thailand Experience: Hua Hin Offers Stunning Beaches, Waterfront Living and a ‘Hot’ Golf Game/Nakhon Ratchasima is world’s 4th city to be declared “Triple Crown” by UNESCO/
  • International: High stakes for Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian troops/New Covid-19 variant spreading swiftly/Colombian president says missing children in jungle still missing/Half world’s largest lakes and reservoirs drying up/The Noah’s Ark for plants beneath the English countryside/
  • Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

  • Subscribe to Blog via Email

    Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Here we go again: Thai PM Candidate Faces Disqualification Bid

Thailand’s Election Commission is weighing a last-minute legal challenge to the pro-democracy front-runner in the country’s race for prime minister, in a case that could derail the political career of one of the military-backed government’s fiercest critics.

The complaint against Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat bears strong echoes of the case that brought down another rising star of Thailand’s gaining pro-democracy movement four years ago and set the stage for a wave of anti-government protests. Continued … 

More senators back Pita’s bid to be prime minister

A growing number of senators are rallying behind Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s bid for prime minister, citing the people’s mandate shown in Sunday’s election and the MFP’s increased chance of forming a government.

Sen. Sathit Limpongpan has pledged support for a government coalition that manages to secure more than 250 House seats, or half of all the seats at stake. He joins at least 14 other senators reportedly gearing to back Pita’s bid to become prime minister. Continued …

Move Forward musters 8-party bloc

The Move Forward Party (MFP) has announced the formation of an eight-party alliance and the setting up of working groups to lobby senators for support and thrash out policy platforms, with a memorandum of understanding to be disclosed on Monday.

With the inclusion of the Pheu Thai Ruam Palang and Palang Sangkhom Mai parties, the MFP-led bloc has pulled in 313 House seats and requires 63 more votes to support MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s bid to become prime minister. Continued …

Business leaders want outdated laws scrapped, concerned over wage hikes

Industry leaders are looking forward to the removal of outdated laws to make it easier for them to do business, as promised by the Move Forward Party during its election campaign, but they are worried that implementation of wage hikes would hit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) hard.

The business leaders said they welcomed the formation of a coalition government led by election winner Move Forward Party, and hoped the next administration would take office soon to start driving Thailand’s economy to stability and sustainability. Continued … 

Projected slowdown in global economic growth could hurt Thai exports

The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDB) expects the global economy to grow 2.7% this year, with global trade volume falling to 2.1% due to low growth among key trading partners.

Thai export growth could therefore be negative this year, making it imperative that the new government seeks new export markets and pursues trade negotiations to support Thai exports. Continued …

Thailand aims for 80% global trade coverage with new FTAs by 2027

Thailand is aiming to expand its free trade agreements (FTAs) to cover 80% of its global trade with over 50 countries by 2027, according to Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of the Trade Negotiations Department.

The department is exploring the feasibility of establishing new FTAs with various countries and trade blocs, including Israel, Bhutan, South Korea, the Pacific Alliance, the Southern African Customs Union, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The private sector has also expressed interest in forming an FTA between Thailand and the Mercosur trade bloc in South America, which comprises Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Continued …

Thailand’s Scamdemic: how Covid-19 supercharged online crime

Cyberscamming has become a trillion-dollar industry, with the numbers of both scammers and victims soaring over the past three years.

Many young Thais have been enticed by online job advertisements promising well-paid work in Cambodia and Myanmar. but once they cross the border into these “special economic zones” (SEZs), many wind up in the hands of Chinese gangs who confiscate their passports. They’ve been scammed, and now – on pain of death or torture – they’re scammers themselves. Continued …

Thai snooker legend James Wattana loses 3.2 million baht to call center gang

Thai snooker star James Wattana, who is better known locally as “Tong Sitchoi”, has fallen victim to a call center scam gang who allegedly cheated him out of about 3.2 million baht.

James, who has just won a gold medal in the doubles snooker competition at the SEA Games in Cambodia, said he received a phone call at about 11pm on Tuesday, informing about an allegation that he had been involved in illicit drug trafficking and money laundering and demanding that he wire them money to settle the case. Continued …

Farmers Guarding Durian Orchards Day And Night After Big Price Hike

Durian farmers in Tak province just across the border from Myanmar are guarding their orchards day and night to keep thieves at bay after a big price rise this year.

Chub Buasom, or Uncle Chub, a farmer in Ruam Thai Phatthana subdistrict, Phop Phra district, said previously durians were sold at 120 baht a kilogram at the orchards but the price has soared to 180 a kilogram this year. This is due to low output, with orchards affected by frequent temperature fluctuation, from hot to cold then hot again. Continued …

Thailand officially anointed as host of 2025 SEA Games

Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt was in Phnom Penh on Wednesday where he was presented with the flag of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Tea Banh as Thailand prepares to host the next Games in 2025.

The 33rd Games are scheduled for Dec. 9-20, 2025, with most of the events being held in Bangkok, while marine competitions will be held in the seaside provinces of Chonburi and Songkhla. Continued …

NOTICE: Avatar Garden has temporarily closed for renovations. We will reopen about July 1. Stay tuned!

Number of Chinese tourists continuing to increase

The number of flights between China and Thailand is continuing to increase but is still significantly lower than pre-Covid, according to Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Co. (Aerothai) President Nopasit Chakpitak.

A total of 12,805 flights landed in the country between October 2022 and April 2023, and with this increasing trend predicted to continue, preparations are being made to manage air traffic and ensure smooth operations. Continued …

British family offers reward to ‘detain’ teenager missing in Pattaya

A worried British family is offering a 10,000-baht reward to anyone who can locate and “detain on sight” a runaway 17-year-old believed to be missing in Pattaya.

The family has reason to believe that Ryan White, from Gateshead in England, traveled to Sin City after flying to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport one week ago on Friday, May 12. Continued … 

Hua Hin Offers Stunning Beaches, Waterfront Living and a ‘Hot’ Golf Game

A summer climate year round, jungle scenery and a currency with a more than generous exchange rate make Thailand a prime option for passionate golfers looking for second homes or retirement estates.

Thailand meets the sea along its southern stretch, with its coast bending like a horseshoe around its titular gulf. Hua Hin resides along the beaches of that horseshoe’s western shore — almost directly across from another tourist enclave, Pattaya City on the gulf’s eastern seaboard. Continued …

Nakhon Ratchasima is world’s 4th city to be declared “Triple Crown” by UNESCO

Nakhon Ratchasima, in Thailand’s northeast, has become the world’s fourth place to gain UNESCO’s coveted “Triple Crown”, after the international organization declared the Khorat Geopark a Global Geopark on Wednesday.

The Khorat Geopark covers five districts in the province, including Mueang, Sikhio, Sung Noen, Kham Thale So and Chaloem Phra Kiat. Continued …

High stakes for Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian troops

Ukraine’s highly anticipated counteroffensive will be an important test of its ability to make significant new gains against Russian forces, and of the effectiveness of the massive amount of military assistance provided by Kyiv’s international supporters. Continued …

New Covid-19 variant spreading swiftly

Doctors are warning that a new substrain of Omicron – FU.1 – is spreading worldwide at a 50% faster rate than the Omicron substrain XBB.1.16. The FU.1 substrain (also known as XBB.1.16.1.1) has infected 122 people worldwide, including one Thaiy. Continued …

Colombian president says missing children in jungle still missing

The fate of four children who were missing after a plane crash in southern Colombia was unclear on Thursday after President Gustavo Petro deleted a Tweet saying they had been found alive, adding in a new message that reports of their discovery was unconfirmed and the search still ongoing. Continued …

Half world’s largest lakes and reservoirs drying up

More than half of the world’s largest lakes and reservoirs are dwindling and placing humanity’s future water security at risk, with climate change and unsustainable consumption the main culprits, a study said yesterday. Continued …

The Noah’s Ark for plants beneath the English countryside

Inside bomb-proof frozen vaults underneath the English countryside hides a treasure trove of 40,000 species of wild plant seeds from around the world, many of which are in danger of disappearing. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

  • Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
  • Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm

The one-way fare is 325 baht.

The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank.

Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day

Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departing from Pattaya at 8am and 4pm. Tickets are 473 THB.

Tickets can be bought in person at the Hua Hin bus station or online. Buses depart from the Hua Hin bus station and in front of Government Savings Bank, Cha Am.. Tickets 

Hua Hin-Chaing Mai flight schedule through October

Book a flight

 

90-day online reporting

bangkok, climate change, hua hin, marijuana, pattaya, phuket, prauchuap khiri khan, real estate, thai economy, thai environment, thai wildlife, thailand, tourism, transportation

Thursday’s news-May 18

  • How people in Prachuap Khiri Khan voted in the general election/
  • Four scenarios for next Thai govt and only two have Pita as PM/
  • What role will senators play in naming Thailand’s next PM?/
  • Move Forward lines up changes for 45 laws as soon as Parliament reopens/
  • Royal Ploughing Ceremony forecasts bumper crops and prosperity for year ahead/
  • Baby elephant saved after falling in a golf course well/
  • Cyanide murder suspect had massive online gaming debts/
  • Teen Girl, 2 Youths Held For Killing Chinese Factory Owner/
  • Thailand’s Economy: Residential sales revenue delines in Q1/CBRE Reveals Positive Signs of Foreign Demand for Luxury Residences in Thailand/Thailand Remains Popular Filming Location/Thailand keen to serve as ASEAN energy hub/Thailand eases EV restrictions to attract European manufacturers/US$20M invested in data center expansion amid cloud services boom/3 municipal biomass power plants approved/After election, Thai cannabis ready to roll with the changes/
  • Tourism: Tourism to limit economic pain as new government awaited/Pattaya Police ban prostitution on the beach/30 tourists injured, 1 missing after Phuket speedboat crashes into pillar/Flights to Mae Hong Son to resume in August/
  • International: Heat Wave in Asia Made 30 Times More Likely Because of Climate Change/Vietnam bets big on LNG, South China Sea gas fields/Four kids, including baby, found alive in Amazon after plane crash/
  • Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

  • Subscribe to Blog via Email

    Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

How people in Prachuap Khiri Khan voted in the general election

The Election Commission of Prachuap Khiri Khan has announced the results of how people in the province voted during the election, which took place on Sunday. Officials said that Prachuap Khiri Khan witnessed higher voter turnout in this election.

According to the unofficial results released by the Election Commission of Prachuap Khiri Khan, 328,366 people, or 76.4% of eligible voters, cast their ballots out of a total of 429,883 eligible voters. This is a significant increase compared to the 2019 election, which had a voter turnout of 70.2%. Continued …

Pita Limjaroenrat

Four scenarios for next Thai govt and only two have Pita as PM

Even though Move Forward Party won Sunday’s general election with 152 seats, that won’t be enough for party leader Pita to become Thailand’s 30th prime minister.

Pita will need a majority of at least 376 votes from the 500-seat House of Representatives to nullify the 250 votes from the junta-appointed Senate. The four scenarios for the next government’s formation are as follows: Continued …

What role will senators play in naming Thailand’s next PM?

Despite declaring that Move Forward will form the next coalition with five other parties, party leader Pita Limjaroenrat is facing one formidable obstacle on his journey to the premiership – the junta-appointed Senate.

Move Forward’s allies are Pheu Thai, Thai Sang Thai, Thai Liberal, Prachachart and Fair parties, and together they will have 310 of the 500-seat House of Representatives. Continued …

Move Forward lines up changes for 45 laws as soon as Parliament reopens

Move Forward Party will submit 45 bills to either amend or enact new laws once Parliament reopens, a party executive said.

Bencha Saengchantra, a Move Forward party-list MP, said on Wednesday that the 45 bills will aim to reform the bureaucracy and abolish mandatory conscription. In her post, she grouped the 45 items into eight groups, as follows: Continued …

Royal Ploughing Ceremony forecasts bumper crops and prosperity for year ahead

The year ahead will be one of bumper crops, booming trade, and economic growth for Thailand, according to Wednesday morning’s Royal Ploughing Ceremony.

The ceremony was held at Sanam Luang at 8.30am and was presided over by Their Majesties the King and Queen. It was the second day of the annual two-day ceremony, during which the King blesses the start of the rice-growing season. Continued …

Baby elephant saved after falling in a golf course well

The calf was found in a cement well at Chatrium Golf Course in Chanthaburi Province. Staff from the local wildlife sanctuary and volunteers scrambled to save it, using a digger to dig around the well as its mother watched on. Video …

Cyanide murder suspect had massive online gaming debts

Online gambling debts are believed to be the leading motive of murder suspect Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, who allegedly poisoned at least 14 people with the deadly chemical cyanide, Deputy National Police Chief Surachet Hakparn said on Wednesday.

He said police discovered 78 million baht spread over 180 bank accounts belonging to Sararat, which had been used to transfer money to and from several online gambling websites. Continued …

Teen Girl, 2 Youths Held For Killing Chinese Factory Owner

Police arrested a teenage girl and two youths on the charges of stabbing a Chinese parawood processing factory owner to death at a resort in Trang province after the girl called for help upon being physically assaulted by her sex client.

The 17-year-old girl, only identified as Fai, together with Natdanai (surname withheld), 22, and Nattaphon, 19, were arrested in Satun province after being tracked down there and were charged with jointly killing Li Zhri Rui, 43, a Chinese national and owner of several parawood processing factories in the south by stabbing him around 20 times in the rented room. Continued …

Residential sales revenue delines in Q1

The expiration of the easing of loan-to-value (LTV) limits has had an impact on two-thirds of listed developers, resulting in residential sales revenue declining year-on-year in the first quarter of 2023.

Based on reports submitted to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, of the 30 developers engaged in residential development business, 20 experienced a year-on-year decline in revenue from residential sales in the first quarter. Continued …

CBRE Reveals Positive Signs of Foreign Demand for Luxury Residences in Thailand

CBRE, one of the world’s leading property consultants, says foreign interest in purchasing luxury residences in Thailand, including condominiums, houses, and villas in prime locations, has surged since the return of international tourists in the second half of 2022.

Sales transactions through CBRE have increased by more than 200%-300%, confirming this trend. In response to the growing demand, developers are gearing up to launch new luxury and super-luxury residential projects in 2023, with a particular focus on single houses. Continued …

Thailand Remains Popular Filming Location

Thailand remains a popular filming location among international production houses. Filming activities have generated massive revenue for the country and local people, while at the same time revitalizing the country’s own film industry.

Thailand has maintained its reputation as a popular filming location and has recently welcomed the production teams of two series from Singapore and the U.S. television network HBO, who chose Hat Yai City in Songkhla as a filming location. Continued …

Thailand keen to serve as ASEAN energy hub

Thailand is ready to be ASEAN’s future energy and mobility hub, as part of the global trend to improve sustainability through collaboration with countries worldwide, a senior Thai official said.

Veerapat Kiatfuengfoo, deputy permanent secretary at the Energy Ministry, revealed this ambitious objective during his speech at the opening ceremony on Wednesday of “Future Energy Asia and Future Mobility Asia Exhibition and Summit 2023”. Continued …

Thailand eases EV restrictions to attract European manufacturers

The caretaker Cabinet on Tuesday approved changes aimed at making it easier for European and other foreign manufacturers of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to set up production in Thailand.

The two amendments to the EV3.5 promotion package offer more flexibility in the requirement for foreign manufacturers to offset imports to Thailand with an equal number of BEV units manufactured here. Continued …

US$20M invested in data center expansion amid cloud services boom

Etix Itel Bangkok Co., the company behind the ETIX Bangkok#1 data center, is set to invest nearly US$20 million in expanding its capacity to meet the increasing demand for cloud services and digital transformation in Thailand. The growth of the digital economy in the country has been bolstered by global cloud providers investing in the region.

The data center is currently in its second phase, with a capacity of 0.6 megawatts and 85% occupancy. The company anticipates full capacity in the next quarter and is preparing for the third phase, worth US$11 million, which will increase capacity by an additional 1.5MW in the fourth quarter of 2024. Continued …

A biomass-fired power plant operated by TGE in Surat Thani

3 municipal biomass power plants approved

Thachang Green Energy (TGE), a SET-listed biomass power plant developer and operator, has been awarded contracts to develop three municipal solid waste-fired power plants as the firm aims to reach a revenue target of more than 3 billion baht in 2026. Last year TGE’s revenue was 955 million baht.

The company signed power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the Provincial Electricity Authority, the state electricity distribution arm, to supply electricity to three administrative bodies in Ratchaburi, Sa Kaeo and Chumphon. Continued …

After election, Thai cannabis ready to roll with the changes

Is the sky falling on Thailand’s nascent cannabis industry? Not according to some of its biggest players.

After the votes were counted Sunday, cannabis entrepreneurs were even more confident that the future of weed is green, with most saying the outcome gave them more confidence that much-needed regulation will be rational and reasonable under a Move Forward-led coalition government. Continued …

Tourism to limit economic pain as new government awaited

Thailand has not been spared the political uncertainty that usually comes with elections, yet foreign tourists returning by the millions this year are counted on to help shield Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy.

The influx of visitors — totaling 6.5 million in the first quarter of 2023 compared with 498,000 a year ago — is aiding greater business and consumer activity in Thailand. On track to hit the government’s target of hosting three times more foreign guests this year from 10 million in 2022, tourism is seen as an anchor amid the political noise, even as the exports growth-engine sputters. Continued …

Pattaya Police ban prostitution on the beach

Thailand’s Tourist Police have banned sex workers from selling services on the beach in Pattaya.

Last night, Tourist Police and officers from Pattaya City Police Station headed down to Pattaya Beach and instructed the city’s ladies and ladyboys of the night to move along. Continued …

30 tourists injured, 1 missing after Phuket speedboat crashes into pillar

Thirty tourists, most of them Russian, have been injured after the tour boat they were traveling in crashed into a concrete pillar/navigation marker approaching Chalong Pier in the south of Phuket. According to a number of media reports, one person is still missing following the incident, which happened at around 5.30pm yesterday.

There were over 33 people on board when the Thanathip Marine speedboat hit a channel marker in Chalong Bay as it was bringing tourists back from a trip to the Phi Phi islands (about a 45-minute journey). Provincial marine chief Nachapong Pranit says that in addition to the tourists and the boat driver, the driver’s assistant and a tour guide were also on board. Continued …

Flights to Mae Hong Son to resume in August

Tourism operators in Mae Hong Son expect a more active market during the cool season, with Bangkok Airways poised to revive flights from the capital after Nok Air ended operations in April.

Phanuwat Khatnak, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) Mae Hong Son office, expects air travel to increase tourist numbers by 10%, as there are currently no commercial flights. The tourist tally this year would reach 1.5 million, he said. Continued …

Heat Wave in Asia Made 30 Times More Likely Because of Climate Change

A searing heat wave in parts of southern Asia in April this year was made at least 30 times more likely by climate change, according to a rapid study by international scientists released Wednesday. Continued …

Vietnam bets big on LNG, South China Sea gas fields

Vietnam’s plan to quadruple by 2030 its gas-processing capacity, turning it into its first source of energy, marks a big bet on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) and its reserves in the South China Sea, despite supply and geopolitical risks. Continued …

Four kids, including baby, found alive in Amazon after plane crash

Four Indigenous children, including an 11-month-old baby, have been found alive in the dense Colombian Amazon after a plane crash more than two weeks ago, President Gustavo Petro said Wednesday, declaring “joy for the country.” Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

  • Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
  • Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm

The one-way fare is 325 baht.

The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank.

Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day

Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departing from Pattaya at 8am and 4pm. Tickets are 473 THB.

Tickets can be bought in person at the Hua Hin bus station or online. Buses depart from the Hua Hin bus station and in front of Government Savings Bank, Cha Am.. Tickets 

Hua Hin-Chaing Mai flight schedule through October

Book a flight

 

90-day online reporting

chiang mai, climate change, hua hin, marijuana, pattaya, phuket, thai economy, thai environment, thailand, tourism, transportation

Wednesday’s news-May 17

  • Is this election a new dawn for Thailand?/
  • What Thailand’s Election Outcome May Mean for Military, Monarchy/
  • Liberal govt led by Move Forward may be a pipe dream/
  • Analysts upbeat on Thai growth outlook/
  • Thailand’s Election Results May Reverse Cannabis Policy/
  • WHO: Artificial sweeteners do not help in weight loss/
    Royal Ploughing Ceremony kicks off rice-growing season/
  • Fruit prices hike on Chinese demand/
  • Polish killer asked taxi driver to help cut up Ukrainian woman’s body/
  • Chinese Businessman Found Dead With Over 20 Knife Wounds at Trang Resort/
  • First raise in a decade sought for Thailand’s defenders of the wild/
  • Tourism: Tourism operators express hope post-election/Thai tourism operators target more arrivals from India/Police help 9 foreign tourists stranded at the Thai-Cambodian border/American Tourist Rescued from Pattaya Sewer, Trapped For Over Seven Hours/Lost luggage soars with air travel revival/
  • International: Council of Europe gathers to discuss future prosecution of Russian leaders/Cyclone toll in Myanmar’s Rakhine state at least 41/UN: Time running out in war on plastic pollution/Pacific islanders: Rich countries are not doing enough to control climate change/Hidden lives of terminal dwellers in South Korea/Vietnam pledges no new coal plants after 2030/
  • Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

  • Subscribe to Blog via Email

    Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Is this election a new dawn for Thailand?

On May 15, Thailand woke up to a new dawn. Nine years after Prayut Chan-ocha conducted a coup d’etat to oust Yingluck Shinawatra’s government, the electoral landslide by the opposition parties in the latest general election appears to put Thailand back on a path to democracy. After a decade of hopelessness, Thailand welcomes back the long lost sense of hope, aspiration and optimism.

Spearheading this change is undoubtedly Move Forward. The party’s growing popularity is not a surprise. Strong showings in the censure debates has clearly demonstrated the party’s competence and commitment to human rights and democratic values. However, the party shocked everyone (and probably themselves) by winning the entire general election, beating the old serial champion-like Pheu Thai Party in the process. Continued …

What Thailand’s Election Outcome May Mean for Military, Monarchy

Pro-democracy groups in Thailand have made a stunning political comeback after nine years of rule by the conservative military-backed bloc helmed by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha.

The next leader faces challenges including steering the future of the $506 billion economy that counts China as its largest trading partner, while navigating U.S. and ASEAN relations. Also at stake is the fate of one of Asia’s worst-performing stock markets and the revival of Thailand’s key tourism sector. Continued …

Liberal govt led by Move Forward may be a pipe dream

For many Thais, the proposed new coalition government of parties from the opposition camp represents a “dream team” of liberal democrats. The six-party coalition, led by election-winner Move Forward, would have 310 MPs and an absolute majority in the 500-seat House of Representatives.

However, to make this dream come true, the coalition would need majority support in both houses of Parliament, comprising 500 MPs and 250 senators. Backing from at least 376 parliamentarians is required for the coalition’s PM candidate to get the country’s top job. Continued …

Analysts upbeat on Thai growth outlook

Thailand’s economic growth is expected to accelerate in the final nine months of this year, even as the global economy teeters near a recession, thanks partly to a lift following the May 14 election, analysts say.

First-quarter GDP growth of 2.7% year-on-year beat the consensus forecast of 2.3%, and accelerated from 1.4% growth in the fourth quarter last year, as external demand improved, reflected by exports and a strong recovery of the tourism sector, according to BMI, a unit of Fitch Group. Continued …

Thailand’s Election Results May Reverse Cannabis Policy

Thai voters have delivered a surprising and stunning verdict in favor of an opposition party that advocates for significant institutional reforms in the country. However, the winning parties may reverse the current cannabis policy, which has resulted in an unregulated market and has faced criticism from many parts of society.

Thailand’s reformist opposition and the youth-led Move Forward Party (MFP) emerged victorious in the country’s general elections held on Sunday, May 14. They secured the majority of seats in the House of Representatives, with 152 out of 500 seats, showing a strong rejection of the military-aligned parties within the current government coalition. Continued …

WHO: Artificial sweeteners do not help in weight loss

Artificial sweeteners, used to replace sugar in a vast range of products, do not help in losing weight and can have serious health effects, according to the World Health Organization.

The United Nations’ health agency this week released new guidelines advising against using so-called non-sugar sweeteners, or NSS. Continued …

Royal Ploughing Ceremony kicks off rice-growing season

Their Majesties King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida on Tuesday evening oversaw a ceremony to appoint the Phraya Raekna (Lord of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony) and celestial maidens for the Royal Ploughing Ceremony today.

The ceremony took place at Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram (Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district. Continued …

Fruit prices hike on Chinese demand

Fruit prices have been consistently rising, driven by increasing demand from the Chinese market, improving transport services and falling shipping costs.

According to Wattanasak Sur-iam, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, the agency has been monitoring prices and found they are increasing, particularly for durian and mangosteen. Continued …

Polish killer asked taxi driver to help cut up Ukrainian woman’s body

A taxi driver revealed that the Polish man arrested under suspicion of murdering and attempting to dismember his Ukrainian girlfriend “Alona” in a Bangkok condo room yesterday asked him to help get rid of her body via Google Translate.

The taxi driver said that he picked up the suspect – Lagoda Filippow Jan Jerzy – on the roadside outside a condo and communicated with him via Google Translate. The Polish tourist told the taxi driver that he wanted to gamble at a casino. The pair drove around but couldn’t find one. Continued …

Chinese Businessman Found Dead With Over 20 Knife Wounds at Trang Resort

A Chinese businessman was found dead with more than 20 stab and slash wounds at a resort in Mueang Trang. The Mueang Trang Police were notified of the incident on Tuesday afternoon at a resort in the Tub Tieng subdistrict.

They and emergency responders arrived at the resort to find the body of a 43-year-old Chinese man (Zhirui Li) inside a bathroom. He was face down wearing only a towel and covered in blood. Continued …

First raise in a decade sought for Thailand’s defenders of the wild

The parks department is seeking a long overdue bump in the salaries of park rangers to kick in Oct. 1.

Attapol Charoenshata, acting chief of national parks, said today that a formal letter was sent to the finance ministry asking for 13,000-plus ranger salaries to be increased from THB9,000 to THB11,000 per month. Though it amounts to over 20%, it would be the first such increase in 10 years. Continued …

Tourism operators express hope post-election

Chiang Mai and Phuket tourism operators hope the new government led by the Move Forward Party (MFP) can solve the PM2.5 dust crisis, work to decentralize power, and allocate budget for regional development and restoring tourism competitiveness.

La-iad Bungsrithong, board adviser for the Thai Hotels Assn., said the election result reaffirms that Chiang Mai desires change. Continued …

Thai tourism operators target more arrivals from India

Thai tourism operators plan to woo more visitors from India, the world’s most populous country with 1.4 billion people. Thai tourism business operators hope to expand the Indian tourist market in the post-Covid-19 era to ensure more balance in market diversity and reduce excessive dependence on the Chinese market.

According to a report by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, a total of 1,961,069 Indians visited Thailand, generating revenue of over 80 billion baht. Continued …

Police help 9 foreign tourists stranded at the Thai-Cambodian border

The Royal Thai Police helped nine foreign tourists who were stranded near the Cambodian border in Sa Keao province, eastern Thailand, to find a place to rest their heads last night.

The tourists, including six Spanish nationals, one Ukrainian national, and two Indian nationals, were “very impressed” with the work of Sa Keao Tourist Police, soldiers of the 13th Ranger Forces Regiment, and officers at Khlong Luek Police Statio,n and would be advising their friends to travel to Thailand. Continued …

American Tourist Rescued from Pattaya Sewer, Trapped For Over Seven Hours

Pattaya locals and rescuers rescued an unlucky American man who fell and got trapped in a sewer last night. The man said he fell into the sewer around noon and wandered down there for hours.

At around 8pm yesterday, rescuers from the Sawang Boriboon Thamasathan Foundation responded to a report of a tourist being stuck in a sewer on Soi Thep Prasit 8 in the Nongprue subdistrict, Banglamung district, and rushed to help. Continued …

Lost luggage soars with air travel revival

The rate of lost, damaged or delayed luggage nearly doubled last year as air travel rebounded and the sector faced staff shortages following the Covid pandemic, a new study has found.

The report issued on Tuesday by Sita, an IT provider for the air transport industry, said 7.6 bags per thousand passengers were mishandled in 2022, up from 4.35 the previous year. Continued …

Council of Europe gathers to discuss future prosecution of Russian leaders

A year after Russia’s expulsion from the Council of Europe (CoE) due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the leaders of the 46-nation human rights body convened in Iceland to take preliminary steps toward the potential prosecution of Russian leaders. The summit’s main focus was the creation of a “register of damages” to document evidence for use in a special court that Ukraine and several Western allies hope to establish. Continued …

Cyclone toll in Myanmar’s Rakhine state at least 41

The death toll in cyclone-hit Myanmar’s Rakhine state rose to at least 41 on Tuesday, local leaders said. Myanmar’s strife-torn Rakhine State bore the brunt of Sunday’s storm that unleashed winds of up to 210 kilometers per hour (130 miles per hour), ripped roofs off homes and brought a storm surge that inundated the state capital Sittwe. Continued …

UN: Time running out in war on plastic pollution

The world must halve single-use plastics and slash throwaway consumption to stem the tide of environmental pollution, according to a UN report on Tuesday that warns the next few years are critical. Continued …

Pacific islanders: Rich countries are not doing enough to control climate change

Pacific Island leaders are criticizing rich countries for not doing enough to control climate change despite being responsible for much of the problem, and for profiting from loans provided to vulnerable nations to mitigate the effects. Continued …

Hidden lives of terminal dwellers in South Korea

In February 2020, an African man landed at Incheon Airport in South Korea, seeking asylum. He had fled his homeland, where a civil war had killed many of his family members and relatives. The South Korean immigration office, however, refused to accept his application for refugee status, because he was a transfer passenger. His eligibility as a refugee was not even reviewed. Continued …

Vietnam pledges no new coal plants after 2030

Vietnam will not develop new coal power plants after 2030, according to a long-delayed national power plan published Tuesday, although the blueprint drew criticism that the transition to renewables is too slow. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

  • Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
  • Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm

The one-way fare is 325 baht.

The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank.

Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day

Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departing from Pattaya at 8am and 4pm. Tickets are 473 THB.

Tickets can be bought in person at the Hua Hin bus station or online. Buses depart from the Hua Hin bus station and in front of Government Savings Bank, Cha Am.. Tickets 

Hua Hin-Chaing Mai flight schedule through October

Book a flight

 

90-day online reporting