- Cruise ship docks off Hua Hin/
- Why Thailand golf courses are appealing to Aussies again/
- Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park officials spot rare, endangered serow/
- Ten fishing boats sunk by storm, three crew drowned/
- AUKUS countries don’t want Thailand to build Kra canal/
- Songkran news: TAT estimates 18.5 billion baht spent during Songkran festival/Covid-19 cases will probably rise after Songkran festival/DDC to modify Covid jab policy to cope with rising cases/31 more people died from accidents on Thai roads Saturday/Songkran Road Rage: Driver rams vehicles at water splashing in market/Songkran tragedy: Pick-up plows into roadside tent where kids were splashing water/8 victims injured during Songkran party shooting in Bangkok/
- Tourism: Ministry details soft power initiative/Airlines encouraged to add planes to push down fares/Thailand set to cruise into marine tourism boom with Koh Samui project/Koh Samui passenger ferry half sinks in heavy seas at Surat Thani port/Thailand’s Internet Key for Future Tourism/
- Thailand Experience: If you’re bored of the over-rated attractions in Phuket, go to these instead/
- International: Malaysia plans $8.5 billion port to keep up with regional rivals/Iranian court reaches verdict in Ukrainian plane crash investigation/
- 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
Cruise ship docks off Hua Hin
Why Thailand golf courses are appealing to Aussies again
After three years of government lockdowns, curfews and border closures, golf tourism in Southeast Asia has begun to recover. Thailand, in particular, is approaching pre-COVID levels of golf as international tourists return.
During a national three-month lockdown (March-May 2020), the seaside retreat of Hua Hin resembled a ghost town with a 9pm curfew. Hua Hin, three hours from the Thai capital, is now coming back to life as a golf destination. Thailand opened up in the second-half of 2022 and visitors are no longer required to be vaccinated or undergo a two-week quarantine. Continued …
Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park officials spot rare, endangered serow
Wild animal enthusiasts will be delighted to hear that Thai National Park officials spotted a rare, endangered serow in the past week. Officials at Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, located in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, spotted a serow on April 11.
Video footage shows the majestic creature carefully and gracefully climbing the very steep, jagged edges of a mountain, and feasting on leaves from trees. Continued …
Ten fishing boats sunk by storm, three crew drowned
A violent storm sank 10 of 60 fishing boats that left ports in five coastal districts of Nakhon Si Thammarat on Sunday morning, and three crewmen were confirmed drowned.
Forty-eight of the 60 boats, with 121 crewmen, were from Pak Phanang district. Ten of them sank during the storm. Continued …
AUKUS countries don’t want Thailand to build Kra canal
Members of the new trilateral security pact AUKUS (Australia, UK, United States) are concerned that the building of a ship canal on the Isthmus of Kra would give China easy access to the Indian Ocean, a source said today.
The AUKUS pact was created, according to analyst, in-part to counter growing Chinese assertiveness in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. The pact includes among its provisions technology sharing and joint security exercises. Continued …
TAT estimates 18.5 billion baht spent during Songkran festival
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has estimated that Songkran celebrations have seen about 18.5 billion baht in spending by revelers across the country.
For this year, the TAT estimates total revenues from tourism at about 2.38 trillion baht, including 1.5 trillion baht from as many as 30 million foreign arrivals and about 800 million baht from Thai tourists. Continued …
Covid-19 cases will probably rise after Songkran festival
Covid-19 infections are expected to increase two weeks after the Songkran festival, but the situation will remain under control, because hospitals have the capacity to take the extra patients, according to Associate Professor Dr. Nitipat Jiarakul, director of the Thoracic Society of Thailand.
He noted that during the pre-Songkran period the number of COVID-19 patients admitted for treatment at large hospitals had increased from March, but most of the patients had mild symptoms. Continued …
DDC to modify Covid jab policy to cope with rising cases
The Ministry of Public Health is modifying its Covid-19 vaccination strategy to handle the sudden increase in infections amplified by Songkran festivities.
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) announced the change on Sunday in response to a surge in new Covid-19 cases last week. DDC Director-general Tares Krassanairawiwong said a total of 435 new inpatient Covid-19 cases were recorded, or about 62 cases per day, from last Sunday until Sunday, a 2.5-fold increase compared to the infection rate of the previous week. Continued …
31 more people died from accidents on Thai roads Saturday
Road accident fatalities in the first five days of Songkran rose to 197 people. Almost 80% of those involved were on a motorbike.
Thirty-one people were killed and another 304 injured in 311 accidents on Thai roads on Saturday, raising the road-accident death toll for the first five days of Songkran to 197 people, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said. Continued …
Songkran Road Rage: Driver rams vehicles at water splashing in market
A road rage incident happened on the final day of the Songkran festival at Si Khio market in Nakhon Ratchasima, northeast Thailand.
A video showed a Toyota Vios smashing into another vehicle and then deliberately reversing to cause yet more damage. Continued …
Songkran tragedy: Pick-up plows into roadside tent where kids were splashing
An accident occurred on a road in Sa Kaeo province in the east of Thailand where children were splashing water near a Sawang Sa Kaeo rescue tent.
An Isuzu driven by Daeng, 47, lost control on the wet road and CCTV showed him driving into the tent. A 36-year-old woman from Klong Hat was killed and seven people were injured, two seriously, including an 11-year-old boy. Continued …
8 victims injured during Songkran party shooting in Bangkok
Police arrested a gunman in connection with a shooting at a Songkran party in front of Onyx bar at the popular entertainment venue Royal City Avenue (RCA) in Bangkok. Four victims were injured by gunfire, while four others were hurt while trying to flee the scene.
Officers from Makkasan Police Station were notified of the shooting incident. Upon investigation, officers discovered six bullet casings scattered at the event space near the entrance. Continued …
Ministry details soft power initiative
The Commerce Ministry has pledged to move ahead with measures to drive the government’s soft power development policy, with a focus on promoting Thai cultural products worldwide through a “5F” approach, referring to food, film, fashion, fighting and festivals.
According to Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, director-general of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), the government recognizes these areas as potential vehicles for soft power, with the Commerce, Culture and Tourism and Sports ministries collaborating to push the soft power policy forward. Continued …
Airlines encouraged to add planes to push down fares
Aviation regulators will speed up approvals for airlines seeking to add planes to boost capacity and bring down airfares that have soared in recent months with a rapid recovery in tourism, a government spokesman says.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Ministry of Transport to ensure travelers were not overcharged, spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said in a statement on Saturday. Continued …
Thailand set to cruise into marine tourism boom with Koh Samui project
Thailand’s Marine Department is set to revive the Cruise Terminal Development Project on Koh Samui to cater for the growth in marine tourism.
In 2018, Thailand ranked third globally for most cruise ship stopovers, with 581 ships stopping per year and 14% growth year on year. Despite this growth, the country lacks a legitimate standard cruise terminal. Continued …
Koh Samui passenger ferry half sinks in heavy seas at Surat Thani port
One of the Raja ferry company’s passenger ferries listed and half sank in heavy seas at the Donsak port on the mainland in Surat Thani, southern Thailand.
The incident happened after passengers and crew had disembarked, so there were no deaths or injuries. Continued …
Thailand’s Internet Key for Future Tourism
Thailand’s place as a tourism hotspot was well-established before the digital age. In the era of the internet, however, investment in online infrastructure has driven the country to the forefront of travel destinations for many accomplished and would-be travelers.
Backed by some of the best internet speeds in the world, Thailand’s adoption of modern systems has made a significant difference in appealing to entertainment, education, navigation, work opportunities and safety. Continued …
If you’re bored of the over-rated attractions in Phuket, go to these instead
The largest island in Thailand is also one of its biggest tourist attractions. If you don’t want go where all the tourists go, try these Phuket attractions instead.
Ah yes, Phuket. With an abundance of scenic escapades and so much water sports almost anyone would be jealous, the province has been one of Thailand’s most beloved tourist destinations for as long as we can remember. Those visiting can expect clear skies, deep blue seas, and glistening beaches that are simply perfect for an island vacation. Plus, the shopping areas and activities available don’t hurt a bit, either. Continued …
Malaysia plans $8.5 billion port to keep up with regional rivals
The Malaysian government has confirmed it is going ahead with the plan to build a RM28 billion (S$8.5 billion) port to significantly boost the handling capacity for both container and conventional cargo at the main shipping hub of Port Klang. Continued …
Iranian court reaches verdict in Ukrainian plane crash investigation
An Iranian court on Sunday reached a final verdict in its investigation of the 2020 downing of a Ukrainian jetliner by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. The court found 10 people guilty, sentencing the main defendant to 10 years in prison, with others receiving prison terms of between one and three years, according to Iranian media. 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
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