- Food Carnival at Market Village March 25-April 16/
- Thailand’s surging PM2.5 dust pollution shows little sign of abating/
- Miss Thailand 2023 is Chonnikarn Supittayaporn of Chiang Mai/
- Thailand’s ‘phanaeng’ tops list of best curries in the world/
- Thailand’s e-commerce sector enters the next phase/
- Immigration announces latest arrests of foreign criminals in Thailand/
- Thailand to dissolve Parliament today ahead of election/
- Rain and hail storms hit Chiang Mai, causing widespread property damage/
- ‘Golden year’ for Phuket property as condos and luxury villas sell out/
- Teen pregnancy in Thailand decreasing, but the issue remains complicated/
- Low reserves of Rh negative blood raise concerns for foreigners in Thailand/
- Radioactive Cesium-137 found in smelting works – factories sealed off/
- 2 die, 5 hospitalized after eating poisonous horseshoe crab in Trat/
- Tourism: Chinese arrivals predicted to top 300,000 in April/Red cards issued in Phuket, foreigners deported/Swiss man on the run after underage sex ring shut down in police raid/7 people rescued after their vessel capsizes in Andaman Sea/Thai Tour Guides Unite to Address Issue of Illegal Foreign Guides/Foreign Tourist Drowns in Strong Waves at Pattaya beach/Treehouses, tents and rafts can now be used for hotels/
- Thailand Experience: The perfect fusion of what Thailand has to offer/
- International: Swiss banking giant UBS to buy troubled rival Credit Suisse/Global warming driving more extreme droughts and floods/China’s Xi heads to Russia in visit for ‘peace’/
- Links: 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
Food Carnival at Market Village March 25-April 16
Thailand’s surging PM2.5 dust pollution shows little sign of abating
Worries about Covid-19 may be gone, but PM2.5 is back, plunging Thailand into yet another crisis.
As the ultra-fine dust accumulates, blanketing many provinces, businesses and households are increasingly complaining about the health and economic impact.
The northern city of Chiang Mai, a top tourism destination, this month earned the unwanted title of worst air quality on the IQAir global index, reported by a Swiss technology company that monitors air quality in major cities worldwide. Continued …
Miss Thailand 2023 is Chonnikarn Supittayaporn of Chiang Mai
Thailand’s ‘phanaeng’ tops list of best curries in the world
Thailand’s spicy “phanaeng curry” topped the latest TasteAtlas.com list of “100 Best Rated Stews in the World”, with 4.8 points out of 5.
Following it closely in the list published on Sunday were Japan’s karē, China’s Sichuan hot pot, Vietnam’s bò kho and India’s shahi paneer.
Apart from phanaeng, several other Thai dishes made it to the list, including green curry at 8th place, massaman at 9th, Thai curry 15th, yellow curry 32nd and red curry 34th. Continued …
Thailand’s e-commerce sector enters the next phase
Thailand’s e-commerce landscape is entering the next stage, where major e-marketplace players are introducing innovative features to woo customers instead of focusing on price wars, while social commerce is strengthening in a bid to capture buyers.
The growth of e-commerce will happen across diverse channels, ranging from social media to websites owned by product developers, said analysts.
Live-streaming as a method to sell products is gaining popularity because it encourages consumers to quickly make a purchasing decision, according to analysts. Continued …
Immigration announces latest arrests of foreign criminals in Thailand
Thailand’s immigration Bureau headed by Police Lt, Gen. Phakphoomphat Sajjaphan announced the latest arrests of foreigners who found safe haven in Thailand after committing multiple crimes abroad.
The roll-call on this occasion featured fraudsters, a drug dealer, a gun-toting gambler and a tax evader.
They were picked up on warrants and overstay in Phuket, Pattaya and in the Bangkok area where they were living without a care …. until immigration came calling. Continued …
Thailand to dissolve Parliament today ahead of election
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has submitted a decree to dissolve Thailand’s Parliament before the upcoming election, May 7 or May 14.
The dissolution will come into effect upon its publication in the Royal Gazette, which is expected today.
The decree requires approval from Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Continued …
Rain and hail storms hit Chiang Mai, causing widespread property damage
Several districts in Chiang Mai were hit by rain and hail storms on Saturday, causing widespread damage to houses, utility poles, trees and billboards. There were no fatalities, although one person was slightly injured.
According to reports, the summer rain and hail storms struck Mueang, Mae Rim, San Sai and Doi Saked districts. Hail covered several areas, turning the landscape white like snow.
Gov. Nirat Pongsitthithavorn has ordered the provincial public disaster prevention and mitigation office, district chiefs and local administrators to provide initial help to those affected and to survey the extent of the damage. Continued …
‘Golden year’ for Phuket property as condos and luxury villas sell out
Phuket’s property market has returned to pre-pandemic levels and all finished condo units and villas with pools have been sold, most of them to foreign nationals, according to the Phuket Real Estate Assn.
Phattanan Phisutvimol, its president, said the surge in sales of condominiums and luxury villas started after the Covid-19 pandemic receded last year.
Sales have surged to pre-pandemic levels and 823 real-estate projects, including hotels, were approved for construction last year, she said, adding: “This year will be the golden year for Phuket’s property market. The boom will continue.” Continued …
Teen pregnancy in Thailand decreasing, but the issue remains complicated
Maneerat got pregnant with her first child when she was only 17. As a result, she did not complete her education and was pushed into adulthood when she was not ready.
Her unplanned pregnancy has changed her life forever. Looking back, there was also mounting pressure that pushed her to this turning point.
“It was like when you’re squeezing something too hard, it trickles through your fingers. Can you imagine? I was just like that.” Continued …
Low reserves of Rh negative blood raise concerns for foreigners in Thailand
Low reserves of Rh negative blood are raising concerns for foreigners in Thailand.
While only 0.3% of the Thai population has Rh negative blood, around 15% of the UK and European population has the blood type. This shortage has resulted in concerning shortages of Rh negative blood in blood banks across Southeast Asia.
Visitors to the region who have had accidents or required surgery have found themselves in life-threatening situations because of the lack of available Rh negative blood supplies. In some cases, it has taken up to two weeks to find enough donors to supply the required amount of blood. Continued …
Radioactive Cesium-137 found in smelting works – factories sealed off
Missing radioactive material – Cesium-137 – has been found after checks at two smelting works in the Kabinburi industrial estate.
On Sunday, provincial Gov. Ranarojng Nakhonjinda and Permsuk Sajjaphiwat from the Office of Atoms for Peace were called in to examine a large amount of waste metal.
Hand-held Geiger counters found suspicious waste in a mountain of scrap metal that is brought in and processed at the factories. The factories were sealed off to protect the public. No further details were given about the origin of the waste. – Thai Rath
2 die, 5 hospitalized after eating poisonous horseshoe crab in Trat
Two people in the southeastern province of Trat have been confirmed dead, while five others were hospitalized after eating lethally poisonous mangrove horseshoe crabs.
Health officials in Trat repeated warnings this morning for people to be careful before consuming horseshoe crabs, which are a staple. The mangrove variety is poisonous, however, and is blamed for the deaths of two residents in the seaside province located next to the gulf.
There have been cases of people occasionally misidentifying mangrove horseshoe crabs, aka the round-tail horseshoe crab, which contains a toxin, for the Indo-pacific horseshoe crab, which has a tail covered by a sturdy carapace. The latter species is not poisonous and safe to eat. – Coconuts
Chinese arrivals predicted to top 300,000 in April
The Chinese government expects the number of Chinese tourist arrivals will rise to more than 300,000 in April, according to the Chinese ambassador to Thailand.
Han Zhiqiang, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of Thailand, on Saturday paid a courtesy call to Phuket Gov. Narong Woonciew at the Provincial Hall.
After welcoming the ambassador, Narong gave an update on moves to set up sister cities with China, the Sino-Thai tourism outlook, and Thailand’s plans to chair the Specialized Expo 2028. Continued …
Red cards issued in Phuket, foreigners deported
Phuket’s new “red” and “yellow” card system has resulted in warnings and arrests for several foreigners. The system, launched earlier this month, has been implemented, without details, and is aimed at reducing crime and illegal activity committed by foreigners in Phuket.
The new system has been initiated in Phuket under the banner of the local immigration office, but has not, as yet, been introduced in other tourist zones around Thailand.
The system awards a yellow or red card warning for various offenses with no avenue for protest or appeal. Continued …
Swiss man on the run after underage sex ring shut down in police raid
The Royal Thai Police has, in recent years, prioritized the fight against underage prostitution linked with the human trafficking industry. On Saturday, Deputy National Police Chief Gen. Surachate Hakparn, or “Big Joke”, described it as a particularly egregious form of human trafficking.
However, there remains the blooming business of human traffickers importing young women into Thailand from poorer countries who are indentured, often for years, into a massive prostitution and wider sex industry with links across the kingdom’s borders.
A Swiss man was being tracked and his known associates in Phuket placed under surveillance this weekend after Thai police smashed an underage prostitution network with tentacles and customers throughout the island. A Swiss national is reportedly on the run through neighboring countries to Thailand after police smashed his sex trafficking ring specializing in prostituting young girls on the holiday island of Phuket. Continued …
7 people rescued after their vessel capsizes in Andaman Sea
Three tourists and four crew members from a speed boat were safely rescued after their vessel capsized near Ma Island in the Andaman Sea.
Responding to a distress call from the Andaman Adventure Co., operator of the speed boat service, after its vessel took on water as it was heading for Phuket from Lanta Island, marine police and other officials from the Hat Nopparat Thara National Park rushed to the rescue.
The rescue team managed to pluck all the seven crew members and passengers from the sea and took them to hospital on Phi Phi Island for first-aid treatment. Continued …
Thai Tour Guides Unite to Address Issue of Illegal Foreign Guides
A group of Chinese-speaking tour guides convened on Saturday to discuss the trouble caused by illegal guides who are stealing their jobs. The group complained they are being overlooked by the government, as their complaints, so far, have not been heard.
The complainers revealed at a meeting that some foreign guides are working illegally in Thailand and are stealing their jobs. These guides do not have a guide license, which is required by Thai laws, to operate as a guide. A guide is a protected occupation in Thailand that foreigners cannot work in.
They said they met on Saturday to petition the government to take action against the illegal guides, citing although their multiple complaints in the past about this issue have not been heard, they still want justice to be served. Continued …
Foreign Tourist Drowns in Strong Waves at Pattaya beach
Pattaya authorities have warned people of strong waves and winds after a foreign tourist drowned in the sea yesterday.
Sawang Boriboon rescuers rushed to Pattaya Beach near the Nipa Lodge intersection around 2pm after getting a report about a drowning tourist. When they arrived, they found multiple onlookers circling an unidentified foreigner who was lying unconscious on the beach.
The tourist of unknown nationality was about 55-65 years old. The rescuers tried to revive him by providing him with life-saving CPR but failed. There were no signs of a wallet or identification documents nearby. Continued …
Treehouses, tents and rafts can now be used for hotels
Owners of bungalows, container houses, treehouses, tents and houses on rafts can now turn them into hotels, as the Cabinet has approved an ministerial draft regulation related to buildings suitable for the hotel business, deputy government spokesperson Tipanan Sirichana said on Sunday.
The Cabinet approved the Interior Ministry’s draft regulation on Tuesday, she said, explaining that the goal is to “promote competition in the tourism industry”.
The draft ministerial regulation states that bungalows, container houses, houses on rafts, tree houses and tents are specialty buildings that people can live in or use. Continued …
The perfect fusion of what Thailand has to offer
If you’re anything like me, and your ultimate holiday is the perfect mix of discovering new cuisine, trying a variety of sports activities, and finding true relaxation, Thailand may very well be your perfect next travel destination. Whether you’re looking to visit vibrant Bangkok, or gorgeous and peaceful Khao Lak, both locations have it all on offer.
At The Athenee in Bangkok, located on the grounds of former royal residence Kandhavas Palace, the palace of Princess Malaya Alongkorn, food lovers can explore eight different restaurants, serving anything from local traditional to modern international cuisine.
At the Kintsugi Bangkok, by Japanese-American celebrity chef Jeff Ramsey, highlights include a cold walnut soba noodle dish and wonderfully fresh high-quality sashimi. Try to secure a seat at the counter, as seeing the dishes prepared and plated up close is quite the theater. Continued …
Swiss banking giant UBS to buy troubled rival Credit Suisse
Banking giant UBS is buying its smaller rival Credit Suisse for $3.2 billion in an effort to avoid further market-shaking turmoil in global banking, Swiss President Alain Berset announced on Sunday night. Continued …
Global warming driving more extreme droughts and floods
Twenty years of NASA’s global satellite data show just how much the extent, duration and severity of extreme droughts and floods have risen alongside warming global temperatures, a new study reveals. Continued …
China’s Xi heads to Russia in visit for ‘peace’
Chinese President Xi Jinping begins a state visit to Russia today, a trip Beijing has touted as a “visit for peace” as it seeks to play mediator in Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Continued …
Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule
The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank. The one-way fare is 325 baht.
- 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
Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day
Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, starting Feb. 19. The bus leaves Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departs 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-Chiang Mai flight schedules
