- Train track work to close Soi 88 and Soi 70/
- Long-boat racing returns to Khao Tao lake in November/
- Thailand’s Valentine’s Day spending expected to jump for first time in 5 years/
- Pet ownership in Thailand becoming more popular/
- RTP officers must wear bodycam at all times at checkpoints/
- A guide to traversing Bangkok’s massive new rail station/
- 19-month-old girl, trapped in groundwater well for over 17 hours, rescued/
- Video: Bottom trawling destroying Thailand’s fishing industry/
- Huawei aims to groom 20,000 Thai IT developers in three years/
- GULF, AIS, and SINGTEL to launch data center/
- New law allows foreign talent to thrive in Thailand/
- Tourism: Tour Operator Fined 500,000 Baht for Attack on Chinese Tourist/Thailand’s first ever seaplane airline to launch this summer/
- Thailand Experience: The best new cafes in Bangkok right now/
- Covid: No new variants in weeks after China ended zero-Covid: study/
- International: Rescuers work against time as Turkey-Syria quake death toll passes 7,800/WHO: Turkey, Syria quake could affect up to 23M/
- 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
Train track work to close Soi 88 and Soi 70
Construction work for the new dual track train line will force the closure of Soi 88 today and Friday from 9pm-4am, and Soi 70 will be closed on Feb 13, 14and 16 from 9pm-4am.
Long-boat racing returns to Khao Tao lake in November
Traditional long-boat racing returns to Hua Hin in November Nov. 17-19 at Khao Tao Reservoir. Six different categories of boats are anticipated.
Long-boat racing events in Thailand date back hundreds of years and were originally held as a celebration of the bond between local communities and rivers throughout the country.
Other activities being planned include a music award for youths under 22 years old for music related to Thai long boat races. performances from the local ethnic group “Thai Song Dam”, and a food market with other tourism promotion activities or booths.
Thailand’s Valentine’s Day spending expected to jump for first time in 5 years
Thailand’s Valentine’s Day spending is expected to jump for the first time in five years this year, according to a survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC). Spending is expected to hit over 2.4 billion baht this year, the survey said.
The survey shows a 57.1% increase in spending compared to last year, with the majority of the money being spent on gifts, dining out, flowers, and movies. UTCC President Thanavath Phonvichai stated that this year’s spending is predicted to be active despite a relatively high cost of living and recent holiday spending.
The study, based on a survey of 1,225 people nationwide, showed that spending is expected to average 1,848 baht per person, compared to 1,176 baht last year. Continued …
Pet ownership in Thailand becoming more popular
Owning pets for Thai people has been found to be increasingly popular, according to data from Euromonitor. Data. The site has indicated that the number of Thais who count pets as family members has increased by 3% from 2019 to 2022. The number is expected to continue to rise as more Thais take a liking to pets.
In 2019, around 34% of Thai households had dogs or cats, with that number increasing to 37% in 2022. Part of the increase in pet ownership is attributed to the Covid pandemic. Those who worked from home or were self-quarantining at home took a liking to pets to help them stay relaxed.
The data is indicative of the wants and needs of Thais’ residential living, providing a clue for housing developers to allow pets in the future. The trend of Gen Z, Gen Y, and the elderly population who prefer having animals as companions is on the upswing. Continued …
RTP officers must wear bodycam at all times at checkpoints
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) have tightened checkpoint regulations in a bid to stamp out cop corruption amid the Taiwanese actress scandal. RTP officers have been ordered to be courteous and professional and to wear body cameras while working at checkpoints in the future.
The commissioner of the RTP, Damrongsak Kittipraphat, held an online conference with police officers across the country yesterday to emphasize the necessary rules and procedures to be followed while on duty at checkpoints.
In response to the money extortion scandal exposed by a Taiwanese actress, Damrongsak said to capture all incidents and provide evidence at checkpoints, every officer on duty must wear a body camera at all times. Continued …
A guide to traversing Bangkok’s massive new rail station
While many Bangkok residents never stray far from their tight orbits around Sathorn, Thonglor, or Lat Phrao, millions of travelers will eventually make their way through the capital’s monumental new rail hub to reach all parts of the kingdom and, one day, beyond.
Those trying their luck now with Bangkok’s massive new public transit cathedral known as the Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, aka Bang Sue Grand Station, would be wise to download a helpful guide to their phones for use in navigating its confusing immensity.
The author of the guide is Richard Barrow. The latest addition to the Barrow Expanded Universe is a 30-page PDF breaking down the what, where, and how of the station’s quarter-million square meters. Continued …
19-month-old girl, trapped in groundwater well for over 17 hours, rescued
Rescuers have successfully pulled a 19-month-old Myanmar girl from a 15-meter deep groundwater hole, where she had been trapped for over 17 hours.
Cheers of joy erupted when the child, helped by rescuers, emerged from the hole, was put on a stretcher and rushed to Phop Phra District Hospital for assessment and treatment.
The rescue team reached the girl at about 8am yesterday morning, but they could not immediately pull her out because she appeared to have suffered leg injuries in the fall. Continued …
Video: Bottom trawling destroying Thailand’s fishing industry
Ocean bottom trawling is destroying our marine ecosystems and damaging future food security for Thailand. The Environmental Justice Foundation is calling for its end. Report
Huawei aims to groom 20,000 Thai IT developers in three years
Huawei Technologies (Thailand) will focus on grooming at least 20,000 talents and developers in Thailand within three years as part of its sustainable growth strategy.
The announcement came as David Li, the company’s newly appointed CEO, unveiled Huawei’s six core business directions for Thailand in 2023 at a media briefing on Tuesday.
Huawei’s goal is to contribute social values and cultivate local digital talents in addition to achieving business success, he said, adding Huawei Thailand will place strong emphasis on developing information and communications technology (ICT) personnel in Thailand, with the goal of grooming 20,000 developers in three years. Continued …
GULF, AIS, and SINGTEL to launch data center
A joint partnership between Gulf Energy, Singtel, and AIS will see the construction of a new 20+ MW data center, the operators said on Wednesday.
A new company, GSA Data Center Co. (GSA), has been created as a joint venture between the three companies to run the data center.
According to a statement, the data center will be a best-in-class hyperconnected data center and will serve the greater demands of enterprises and cloud service providers in Thailand and the region. The data center is scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2025. Continued …
New law allows foreign talent to thrive in Thailand
The government of Thailand has taken a step forward in attracting highly skilled foreign workers to the country, with the release of a new law that allows foreigners to work or invest in 18 select industries.
The Royal Thai Gazette website published a notice from the Ministry of Interior outlining the special permit for migrant workers, signed by Prime Minister Prayuth Cha-o-cha and Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda on Feb. 3.
This new law is an opportunity for skilled specialists, investors, executives, and entrepreneurs to make their mark in Thailand and a sign that the Thai government is open to foreign investment and willing to support the growth of the economy. Continued …
Tour Operator Fined 500,000 Baht for Attack on Chinese Tourist
Phuket’s governor, officials and representatives from the tourism sector met Li Chenglong, counselor director of China’s Phuket consular office to apologize for a tour agent’s attack on a Chinese tourist.
Both sides discussed the Feb. 1 incident when a woman at a Thai tour company in Karon subdistrict kicked a Chinese customer and inflicted a cut on his arm with a small knife during their argument over the 5,000- baht refund the client demanded for a trip to Similan Island he and his family missed because the tour firm had failed to pick them up at the meeting point.
Phuket Gov. Narong Woonciew reported the penalty given to the culprit for criminal offense and violation of the Tourism Business Act. The tour operator was fined 500,000 baht and the firm has been suspended from business for six months. Continued …
Thailand’s first ever seaplane airline to launch this summer
Thailand‘s first-ever seaplane airline, Siam Seaplane, is preparing to launch this summer to take the kingdom’s tourism industry to the next level.
Siam Seaplane has formed partnerships with 60 luxury hotels and resorts, including top brands Intercontinental and Four Seasons.
Chief Business Operator Dennis Keller revealed that the company faced plenty of setbacks during the pandemic, but is now working on securing over 40 landing sites around Thailand. Continued …
The best new cafes in Bangkok right now
When life gives you lemons, trade them for coffee. A morning cup of joe helps you jump start the day, and it’s always fun to find a new favorite cafe in town to grab one from. Here are the best new cafes in Bangkok right now.
Imagine: the aroma of ground coffee beans as you walk in, the relaxing, calming vibe as you take a sip of your drink of choice, the crisp, tangy taste of the pastry that comes with your cup. A good cafe lets you forget all your problems even for just a moment. Bangkok won’t have any shortage soon when it comes to good cafes, so let us show you the new places to update your bucket list.
Dosan Dalmatian
Ever-popular Siam Square has a new cafe to add to its arsenal. All the way from Seoul to Bangkok, Dosan Dalmatian is proud to present good coffees and teas, three stories of Instagrammable corners, and a pet-friendly welcome to man’s best friends. Continued …
No new variants in weeks after China ended zero-Covid: study
No new variants of Covid-19 emerged in Beijing in the weeks after China ended its zero-Covid policy late last year, a new study said on Wednesday.
China saw an explosion of infections after starting to lift its strict pandemic measures from early December, sparking fears the world’s most populous country could become a fertile breeding ground for new, more transmissible or severe strains.
More than a dozen countries promptly imposed fresh restrictions on travelers from China, also citing a lack of transparency about the scale of the outbreak, sparking Beijing’s ire. Continued …
Rescuers work against time as Turkey-Syria quake death toll passes 7,800
Rescuers worked against time in harsh winter conditions on Tuesday evening, trying to dig people out of the rubble of collapsed buildings as the death toll from Turkey and Syria’s devastating earthquake jumped to more than 7,900.
Turkish authorities say some 13.5 million people were affected in an area spanning roughly 450 km (280 miles) from Adana in the west to Diyarbakir in the east, and 300 km from Malatya in the north to Hatay in the south.
Syrian authorities have reported deaths as far south as Hama, some 250 km from the epicenter. Continued …
WHO: Turkey, Syria quake could affect up to 23M
Up to 23 million people could be affected by the massive earthquake that has killed thousands in Turkey and Syria, the WHO warned on Tuesday, promising long-term assistance. 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
The bus from Hua Hin to Pattaya departure time remains unchanged at 11am, at 473 baht. Tickets
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.
