Friday’s news-Aug 18 -

Cha Am seafood festival returns Sept 9-16/
Sansiri partners with Huawei to launch ‘SOLAR to ZERO’ campaign/
Energy Ministry kicks off plan to transform Surat Thani with smart energy/
All 12 districts of Nakhon Phanom declared flood disaster zones/
Aging Thailand agonizes over welfare state as elderly subsidy cut/
Swedish man arrested for overstaying visa 3 years/
Elephant brutality: Wild Thai Park shooting sparks probe/
More than a ton of endangered pangolin scales seized in Thailand/
Thailand election: Coup-linked parties now part of new coalition/A long road ahead for Thailand/
Economy: Economy likely grew 3.1% in Q2 on higher tourist arrivals/Thailand preparing for a soft landing as ‘cracks’ open up in the Chinese economy/Foreign investments bolster Thai economy with 58.9-billion-baht boost/Thailand, India compete for semiconductor investments/Property developers bullish on 2nd half of year/
Tourism: Bookings down as China slumps/600-kilometer road in southern Thailand would aid tourism/Inside Thailand’s Child Sex Tourism Trade/
Thailand Experience: Thailand After Dark: Exploring the Kingdoms Enchanting Nightlife/Ten best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Bangkok/
Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/Air pollution index map/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

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Cha Am seafood festival returns Sept 9-16

The viewpoint at Cha Am Beach will play host to the 22nd “Shellfish & Squid Festival @ Cha Am” from Sept. 9-16. The event promises lots of delicious food, live music, and lots of fun activities.

One of the main highlights of the festival is the wide range of locally caught seafood that will be available for visitors to sample. From grilled prawns and squid to fried fish and crab, there will be something to please everyone’s taste buds. Continued …

Sansiri partners with Huawei to launch ‘SOLAR to ZERO’ campaign

Sansiri Public Co. plans to install 100% solar systems for 10,000 houses, reducing carbon emissions by up to 42,000 tons/carbon through revolving credit funds of over 2 billion baht in five years.

This collaboration in the “SOLAR to ZERO” campaign is in line with Sansiri’s mission as Thailand’s first real estate company to set a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (Net-Zero) by the year 2050, to create a sustainable turning point for the environment. Sansiri has several projects in the Hua Hin area. Continued …

Energy Ministry kicks off plan to transform Surat Thani with smart energy

The Energy Ministry on Thursday began a two-day seminar in Surat Thani to mark the official start of its effort to transform the southern tourism province into the first “smart province in terms of energy management” in Thailand.

Pethai said Surat Thani is the pilot province for smart energy management and other provinces will follow. The smart energy province project is part of Thailand’s plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and net zero emissions by 2065. Continued …

All 12 districts of Nakhon Phanom declared flood disaster zones

Nakhon Phanom Gov. Wanchai Chanporn on Thursday declared all 12 districts in the northeastern province as flood disaster zones to speed up aid efforts for the affected people.

The governor said that as per the initial estimates, some 40,000 rai (6,400 hectares) of paddy fields were under floodwater following several days of heavy rains. Continued …

Aging Thailand agonizes over welfare state as elderly subsidy cut

Thailand’s universal welfare has taken a backward step with the caretaker government’s recent decision to limit monthly subsidies of 600 to 1,000 baht per head to just poor, elderly Thais.

Previously, all elderly Thais were eligible. But those who register themselves as elderly from now on will not receive monthly state subsidies unless they can prove that they do not have enough income or resources to live on. Continued …

Swedish man arrested for overstaying visa 3 years

The Immigration Police arrested a Swedish man for overstaying his visa by over three years in the Isaan province of Sakon Nakhon.

Following an ongoing effort to thwart foreign criminals seeking refuge in Thailand, officers from the Sakon Nakhoh Immigration Office discovered a 49-year-old Swedish man, Toerner John Alexander, overstaying his visa. Continued …

Elephant brutality: Wild Thai Park shooting sparks probe

In Loei, law enforcement services are currently being solicited by park authorities to uncover the culprit behind a recent act of elephant brutality in Phu Luang wildlife sanctuary in this northeastern region. A wild bull elephant was confirmed to be the victim of the cruel act.

This elephant brutality discovery was made near a forest creek located within the Sri Song Rak sector of the Dan Sai district yesterday morning. Speculation from officials at Phu Luang suggests that the deceased appears to have been part of a roaming trio of elephants, who had been sighted near local farmland in the preceding two months. Continued …

More than a ton of endangered pangolin scales seized in Thailand

Thai authorities said Thursday they have seized more than a ton of pangolin scales worth over 50 million baht ($1.4 million) that are believed to have been headed out of the country through a land border.

The scales that cover a type of anteater were found Wednesday night in the northeastern province of Kalasin, and apparently were meant to be transported out through Mukdahan province, which shares a border with Laos, Thai police said at a news conference in Bangkok on Thursday. Continued …

Coup-linked parties now part of new coalition

The Pheu Tha-led coalition government now has mustered a combined force of 314 Mps, including those of the “uncles’ camps” on their side, confirmed Pheu Thai wheeler-dealer Bhumtham Wechayachai yesterday.

The 314-MPs-strong coalition partners include the Pheu Thai under de facto party boss Thaksin Shinawatra with 141 MPs, the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob with 71 MPs, the Palang Pracharath led by Prawit “Uncle Pom” Wongsuwan with 40 MPs, the Ruam Thai Sang Chart under de facto party boss/caretaker prime minister Prayut “Uncle Tu” Chan-o-cha with 36 MPs, the Chart Thai Pattana led by Varawut Silpa-archa with 10 Mps, and the Prachachart led by House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha with nine Mps, plus those of six splinter parties with only one MP or two each. Continued …

A long road ahead for Thailand

We all should have been celebrating. The celebration should have started the night of the election when the Democratic Alliance, led by the Move Forward Party, claimed victory.

I still vividly remember that night’s energy — people thronging the streets, social media posts celebrating progress’s triumph over fear and intimidation, and even my friends marveling at how the Move Forward Party had achieved the impossible. Continued …

Economy likely grew 3.1% in Q2 on higher tourist arrivals

Thailand’s economy likely grew 3.1% in the April-June quarter from a year ago, up from 2.7% in the previous quarter, driven by increased foreign tourist arrivals, according to the median forecast of 21 economists polled.

On a quarterly basis, gross domestic product (GDP) was forecast to have grown by a seasonally adjusted 1.2%, a slowdown from the 1.9% growth in the preceding quarter, according to a smaller sample of forecasts in the Aug. 14-17 poll conducted by Reuters. Continued …

Thailand preparing for a soft landing as ‘cracks’ open up in the Chinese economy

The Thai baht has fallen in value against the U.S. dollar by 8.4% since Jan. 30, as the kingdom finds itself being buffeted by the country’s political instability and a growing crisis linked with the Chinese economy, as well as elevated interest rates in the United States.

This week, at a conference in southern Thailand, Bank of Thailand Gov. Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput suggested that while the economic recovery was still intact, the bank was now focused on achieving a “soft landing” as he referred to “cracks” in China’s economy. Continued …

Foreign investments bolster Thai economy with 58.9-billion-baht boost

From January through July of this year, Thailand saw 377 foreign business people invest 58.95 billion baht in the kingdom, an increase of 17% in the number of investors but a drop of 20% in the value of foreign direct investment (FDI), a senior official said.

Estimates suggest that the Japanese investors led the pack with a total outlay of 19.9 billion baht. They were closely tailed by Singaporean enterprises who injected 12.9 billion baht into the Thai business sector. Additionally, Chinese and U.S. firms put in 11.7 billion and 3.04 billion, respectively, catalyzing foreign investments within the nation. Continued …

Thailand, India compete for semiconductor investments

Thailand and India are competing to attract semiconductor investments, aiming to reduce dependency on the supply chain from China.

The trade dispute between the U.S. and China regarding the transfer and export of advanced semiconductor technology has led both countries to see an opportunity to become a production base and benefit from major technology players seeking new options in the supply chain system. Continued …

Property developers bullish on 2nd half of year

SET-listed developers are hoping an economic recovery in the second half will help them achieve their performance goals this year after modest first-half results.

Wongsakorn Prasitvipat, managing director of Property Perfect Plc., said the company plans to launch nine new residential projects worth a combined 13.3 billion baht in the second half after introducing just one 1-billion-baht project in the first half. Continued …

Bookings down as China slumps

China’s economic woes are pressuring inbound tourism during the Golden Week holiday in October, leading to sluggish forward bookings, according to tourism operators.

Surawat Akaraworamat, vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said travel agents reported slower booking than usual for China National Day, one of the longest holidays in that country. Continued …

600-kilometer road in southern Thailand would aid tourism

The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) in Thailand recently announced a forthcoming impact study concerning a proposed coastal road project linking the provinces of Ranong and Satun to boost Andaman tourism.

The proposed two-lane highway, covering a distance of 600 kilometers, is designed to notably enhance the ease of access for tourists to key attractions spread across six different provinces – these being Ranong, Phangnga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang, and Satun, relayed Punya Chupanit, who is at the helm of OTP. Continued …

Inside Thailand’s Child Sex Tourism Trade

Thailand’s multibillion-dollar sex tourism trade is thriving again after its shutdown during the COVID-19 lockdowns. With the country’s borders open again, tourists are flocking from around the world.

Despite prostitution being illegal, bar girls in the coastal city of Pattaya can earn triple the average wage, drawing workers from the country’s poor rural provinces. But police say children are increasingly targeted in the city’s red-light district. Video

Thailand After Dark: Exploring the Kingdoms Enchanting Nightlife

A completely new universe comes to life when the sun sets over Thailand’s beautiful surroundings. Thailand’s nightlife is a vivid tapestry of colors, noises, and sensations that captivates both locals and tourists alike, from bustling cities to peaceful seaside towns.

Thailand changes into a land of lit streets, bustling marketplaces, and exciting entertainment as the day gives way to night. Everyone may find something to enjoy in the country’s diversified nightlife culture, which spans the vibrant metropolis of Bangkok to the calm beaches of Phuket. Continued …

Ten best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Bangkok

For decades, vegetarian dining in Bangkok was synonymous with rice and curry dishes crafted from tofu, soy protein, and additives. However, a rapid transformation occurred almost overnight. Chefs embraced creativity, menus underwent a renaissance, and a wave of trendy specialized restaurants emerged.

New culinary terms entered the lexicon: legumes, quinoa charcoal burger, chia seed pad Thai, tempeh. And just like that Bangkok became a vegan- and vegetarian-friendly city. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 11am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 5:10pm, and 6pm
Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 1pm, 2:30pm, 4pm, 5pm, and 6:30pm

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 once-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and departing from Pattaya at 8am. 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