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Songkran festivals around Thailand/
Foreigner slips, breaks neck on mossy seawall steps at Cha Am beach/
Airline industry blames rising costs for expensive airfares. Is this true?/
Consumer confidence at 3-year high/
Killer Cop’s Accomplice Caught In Phang Nga/
Tourism: Pollution choking Thailand’s north hits tourism, worries public/Songkran in Bangkok: Wild, wet and wonderful!/Khao San Road expects 30,000 tourists during Songkran/Phuket expects big holiday boost/Tourists Flock to Islands in Phang Nga During Songkran Festival/Thailand prepares for 14,000+ flights this Songkran/Bangkok among 2023’s top three destinations for backpackers’Kazakhstani tourist arrested for rampage on southern Thailand beach/Nok Air scraps only route to Mae Hong Son in northern Thailand/
Thailand Experience: Essential guide to staying healthy in Thailand’s climate/Best Thai restaurants in Bangkok for authentic Thai food/
International: Vietnam capital struggles with severe air pollution/
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

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Songkran festivals around Thailand

Filled full of festivals, fun and frolics, April is one of the most celebrated months of the year in Thailand with the traditional Thai New Year of Songkran one of the most culturally important celebrations in the kingdom.

The Songkran festival is known worldwide and is celebrated to honor family values, pay respect to seniors, and participate in traditional ceremonies throughout the nation’s temples. This festival is observed as a three-day national holiday from April 13 to April 15 in Thailand. However, some locations also celebrate this festival a little later with unique local festivities. Continued …

Foreigner slips, breaks neck on mossy seawall steps at Cha Am beach

A 55-year-old foreign man slipped on some mossy steps and “broke bones in his neck” at Cha Am Beach in Phetchaburi province, his wife reported on Friday.

On Friday, a Thai woman sought justice for her foreign husband who is still being treated in hospital after an incident at Cha Am Beach on March 19. Continued …

Airline industry blames rising costs for expensive airfares. Is this true?

Expensive airfares look set to stay for the foreseeable future according to the airline industry. The industry is trotting out the usual excuses that the recent spike in expensive ticket prices is attributed to a rise in operational costs, including surging fuel prices and other factors.

Nok AirCEO Wutthiphum Jurangkool cited a surge in prices for aviation supply chain items due to the pandemic, such as spare parts and aircraft insurance. Continued …

Consumer confidence at 3-year high

Thailand’s consumer confidence rose for a 10th straight month in March, reaching a three-year high, boosted by a recovery in the crucial tourism sector and spending for the upcoming election, a survey showed today.

The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) rose to 53.8 in March from 52.6 in February. Continued …

Killer Cop’s Accomplice Caught In Phang Nga

The accomplice of a policeman who killed his father-in-law and two other relatives at their house in Surat Thani on Saturday evening, with his wife, son and brother also now dead, has been arrested in Phang Nga.

National Police Chief Damrongsak Kittipraphat said at around 11 a.m. an unemployed man only identified as Mr. Manop, who accompanied Police Senior Sgt. Maj. Attaporn Wichien, 46, in the deadly attack was arrested in Phang Nga armed with an M16 rifle. Continued …

Pollution choking Thailand’s north hits tourism, worries public

High pollution levels in Thailand’s northern city of Chiang Mai and surrounding provinces are keeping tourists away and alarming locals, with the government on Monday urging residents to avoid outdoor activities.

For several weeks last month, the city was at the top of air quality information platform IQAir’s global chart on poor air quality, ahead of Lahore and New Delhi. Continued …

Songkran in Bangkok: Wild, wet and wonderful!

Water, colors, mud and more are coming to the Thai capital this week. After being kept under wraps during the pandemic, the Songkran festival is making a daring comeback in Bangkok with an international fiesta, street food and parties,

To make it the best Songkran yet, Bangkok will celebrate the Songkran Festival in full force, complete with Holi from India, South Korea’s Mud Festival, Setsubun from Japan and China’s Po Shui Jie. The fiesta, which promises plenty of dirt and fun, will be taking place at Sam Yan (Chula Soi 5) – the city’s up-and-coming neighborhood – from April 13 to 15. Continued …

Khao San Road expects 30,000 tourists during Songkran

Following years of Songkran party cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Songkran is back in Thailand.

And nowhere will tourists get a better bang for their buck than on Khao San Road, the famed tourist district of Bangkok. That is the aim of Thai officials organizing safety and emergency procedures. Continued …

Phuket expects big holiday boost

Visitors to Phuket during the Songkran Festival are expected to exceed those of 2019, with numbers 30% higher than before the pandemic, while authorities say local tourism will generate 4.5 billion baht in revenue.

Lertchai Wangtrakuldee, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office, said on Monday that over 100,000 hotel rooms in Phuket had been booked for Songkran week — about 85% of room vacancies. Continued …

Tourists Flock to Islands in Phang Nga During Songkran Festival

Lots of Thai and foreign tourists are visiting islands in Phang Nga during the Songkran festival.

The president of the Phang Nga Tourism Assn., Lertsak Pomklin, said more domestic Thai tourists are visiting islands in Phang Nga such as Similan Island and Surin Island. Most of them are from Bangkok and Phuket but some are from the northern part of Thailand who are escaping from dust pollution. Continued …

Thailand prepares for 14,000+ flights this Songkran

Thailand will facilitate 14,180 domestic and international flights over the Songkran holidays, from today until April 17, according to the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai). This represents a 66% increase in flights compared with the same period last year.

On average, there will be 2,026 flights per day, Aerothai President Nopposit Chakrapitak revealed yesterday. He said Thailand’s aviation industry is heading in a positive direction, with an average of 2,000 flights per day, which will increase to 2,026 per day during the Thai New Year holidays. Continued …

Bangkok among 2023’s top three destinations for backpackers

With approximately 44 million backpacking trips being taken each year, Cotswold Outdoor reveals the best 2023 destinations for backpackers, looking at the average likely costs, along with crime rates, mobile internet speeds and the number of couch surf hosts and free attractions available.

Yerevan, Baku and Bangkok have been revealed as the overall top three destinations for backpackers in 2023, and Hanoi and Seoul complete the top five. Continued …

Kazakhstani tourist arrested for rampage on southern Thailand beach

Police arrested a Kazakhstani tourist for attacking people and destroying property yesterday at Haad Rin Beach in Koh Pha Ngan, Surat Thani province, southern Thailand.

As officers approached to try and detain the tourist, he jumped off Haad Rin Pier and sat on a rock in the middle of the sea to try and escape arrest, where he vigorously flailed his arms around and shouted in Russian. Continued …

Nok Air scraps only route to Mae Hong Son in northern Thailand

Nok Air flights between Bangkok and Mae Hong Son Airport in northern Thailand will be discontinued on April 19. The province, home to the popular backpacker town Pai, will only be accessible by road since Nok Air was the only airline servicing the airport commercially.

The airline said they can no longer fly the Don Mueang–Mae Hong Son route because they are scrapping their fleet of Q400 aircraft (80-seat turboprops) and swapping them for Boeing 787-800 jets (189 seaters). Continued …

Essential guide to staying healthy in Thailand’s climate

Thailand’s climate, a defining feature of this Southeast Asian gem, is predominantly tropical, marked by hot temperatures and high humidity levels throughout the year. The country’s geographical location near the equator, coupled with the influence of monsoon winds, contributes to the distinct weather patterns that characterize Thailand’s climate.

Known for its intense heat and humidity, Thailand’s climate can be dangerous for both locals and visitors who aren’t aware of the risks. The hot weather can cause many health problems, making it important to understand the challenges of living in a tropical climate. Continued …

Best Thai restaurants in Bangkok for authentic Thai food

Thai food, renowned for its exquisite balance of flavors and aromatic complexity, has captured the hearts and taste buds of foodies worldwide. When it comes to enjoying authentic Thai cuisine, there is no better place to indulge than in the bustling city of Bangkok. Home to an array of exceptional dining establishments, the city offers a diverse culinary landscape just waiting to be explored.

From humble street food stalls to Michelin-starred restaurants, Bangkok caters to every palate and preference. As you embark on a gastronomic adventure in search of the best Thai restaurants in Bangkok, prepare to be captivated by the delightful burst of flavors and the artful presentation that epitomize Thailand’s rich culinary heritage. Continued …

Vietnam capital struggles with severe air pollution

Hanoi experienced severe air pollution on Monday as the air quality index (AQI) in the Vietnamese capital climbed to 161, breaching the “unhealthy” level. 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