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Today’s news: Our newest Sponsor: Expat Financial Services/Roses and teddy bears/PKK tops 11 million visitors/600+ hotspots in Thailand/Messy pot of inequality/Bangkok’s future aspirations/Thailand’s sugar intake/Lottery fever heats up/Kanom Krok top ASEAN pancake/Economy: Optimistic growth outlook/Economic crisis feared/On the edge of a precipice?/Backed into a corner/Japanese outlay of Bt10B/Tourism: Nearly 4 million arrivals/Visa-free a mixed blessing/Boat Carrying Chinese Tourists Capsizes/Koh Samui Sees Increase in Visitors/5,000 Chinese tourists a day on Phuket/Urged To Reduce Usage Of US$/Chinese Man Falls to His Death/Suvarnabhumi’s capacity to increase/Lufthansa plane splattered in blood/Environment: Solar solutions sought/Thailand Experience: Chinese New Year celebrations/Retiring as a Couple in Thailand/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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Roses and teddy bears top the list of Valentine’s gifts

Recognizing that 90% of couples tend to leave buying a gift for their loved one until the last minute, the 1 Insight and CRC VoiceShare are highlighting the top 10 perennially best-selling gifts to help retailers boost their sales in the run-up to Valentine’s Day, which falls on Wednesday.

They also recommend that shopping malls and restaurants, the two most popular locations for Valentine’s Day celebrations, engage in effective communication that resonates with these last-minute lovers. Continued …

PKK tops 11 million visitors in 2023

Prachuap Khiri Khan Province has emerged as the top revenue earner from tourism in Thailand’s central region for the year 2023.

Deputy Governor Komkrit Charoenpatanasombat announced on Friday (Feb 9) that the province attracted 11,143,079 visitors throughout the year, marking a significant 14.31% increase over the previous year. Continued …

Satellite images show 600+ hotspots in Thailand

Satellite images show there are some 600 hotspots in Thailand, mostly on forested land, and more than 4,000 in Cambodia, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Agency (GISTDA) said.

GISTDA said the hotspots included 169 in national forest reserves, 153 in protected forests, 130 in farm areas, 79 in farmland reform areas, 53 in other areas and seven along highways. Continued …

Why Bangkok is a messy pot of inequality and dysconnectivity

One can experience the heights of human material achievements inside luxury malls, condos, hotels, offices, and supercars. Step outside, and it’s a different world. One would cough up dust, skip over potholes, dodge construction tools dropping down from above, run after buses, sidestep speeding motorbikes, look left and right warily at road crossings as if about to enter a war zone, and always have some cash in hand in case the police stopped you for any reason.

Privileged children spend their lives inside chauffeured vans, eyes glued to their iPads, while outside, unfortunate children try to sell flowers to apathetic drivers, who avert their gaze and move their cars away. Towering high-rises stand next to the poorest slums. The finest European sportscar races past some makeshift crossbreed of a motorbike and a wagon. Continued …

Residents share their vision for Bangkok’s future aspirations

A recent announcement on the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) Facebook page inspired many Bangkokians to express their ideas and aspirations for the capital’s future.

The call to action resulted in many constructive comments and feedback either via an online platform or through mail. Here are the top 10 comments in response to BMA’s call for envisioning Bangkok’s ideal future: Continued …

Thailand’s sugar intake quadruples WHO daily limit

Thailand’s sugar consumption has soared to a worrying level, with Thai citizens consuming on average 23 teaspoons of sugar per day, almost quadruple the daily limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Pairoj Saonuam, the assistant chief executive officer at the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), highlighted the health risks associated with such high consumption on Sunday. He identified heart attacks, strokes, cancers and diabetes as the major health hazards linked to excessive sugar intake among the Thai population. Continued …

Thailand lottery fever heats up: Friday draw sparks fortune frenzy

Thailand lottery fever heats up for enthusiasts eagerly awaiting the latest draw on Friday, with various sources hinting at the numbers that may bring good fortune. The collective buzz around these predictions gathers momentum, capturing the imagination of those hoping to strike it lucky.

Channel 3’s Chinese calendar lottery numbers are generating excitement this cycle. The calendar, featuring news presenters such as Sorayuth Suthasanachinda, Bright Pitchayatan, Korrakot Kamaneeploy, and Kittisanghahapad, is touted as particularly lucky, having seemingly bestowed good fortune numerous times in the preceding year. Continued …

Kanom Krok flips named top ASEAN pancake

Online foodie travel guide TasteAtlas ranked Thai dessert Kanom Krok as the fourth best pancake in the world. Additionally, the delectable dessert was crowned champion in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

TasteAtlas last week released its list of Top 85 Pancakes in the World on its platform with one of Thailand’s much-loved desserts, Kanom Krok, high on the list. Continued …

Optimistic growth outlook for 22 industries in 2024

Twenty-two industries have demonstrated growth, while 12 are battling contraction, according to a recent report by the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry, and Banking (JSCCIB), which revealed the findings from a comprehensive survey on likely industry trends in 2024.

Covering insights from 46 industrial groups across five regions, the survey highlighted notable patterns and concerns shaping the industrial landscape. Continued …

Economic crisis feared amid digital wallet dispute

The Bank of Thailand and the government have been at odds for months, with tensions escalating last week when the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) kept interest rates at 2.5% despite political pressure for a reduction. This disagreement came to the fore during discussions about the digital wallet scheme, a 560-billion-baht (US$15.58 billion) project that the central bank has urged caution over.

A poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) revealed that 68.8% of respondents wouldn’t be upset if the project was abandoned, while Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai remains committed to the scheme. He argued it is essential for reviving the economy and warned that a crisis akin to the 1997 Tom Yam Kung crisis could occur without some form of stimulus. Continued …

On the edge of a precipice? Not so fast

Tensions between the Bank of Thailand and the coalition government led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who is also the finance minister, have been apparent for months and flared up last week after the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to maintain interest rates at 2.5% following a political push for a reduction.

The rift was exposed during the discussion on the digital wallet scheme, with the central bank urging caution with the 560-billion-baht project. Continued …

Government finds itself backed into a corner on digital wallet scheme

The Thai government’s controversial plan to raise 500 billion baht through an off-budget loan for the digital wallet scheme has run into another roadblock.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) recently issued a warning that the scheme risked violating the Constitution and related laws and was vulnerable to corruption. Continued …

Japanese outlay of Bt10B fuels Thai S-curve sectors

Two Japanese firms are planning to spend a total of 10 billion baht expanding their investment into Thailand in S-curve industries, says the Industry Ministry.

The Thai government is promoting 12 targeted S-curve industries, including smart electronics. The two companies are interested in investing in air and compressor manufacturing, said officials. Continued …

Tourism sees strong start to the year with nearly 4 million arrivals

Thailand welcomed 128,969 foreign visitors on Feb. 8, two days ahead of this year’s Chinese New Year, while total foreign arrivals this year nearly reached 4 million, Government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke said on Saturday.

From Jan. 1 to Feb. 8, a total of 3,963,744 foreigners entered Thailand, Chai reported. Visitors from China topped the list with 730,747, followed by travelers from Malaysia (419,116), Russia (275,641), India (209,431) and Laos (130,551). Continued …

Visa-free influx proves to be mixed blessing

Thailand is experiencing an influx of foreign visitors, as the government’s visa-free policy for tourists from countries including China has given the industry a much-needed boost.

However, business operators have called on the government to devise measures to address shortages of skilled laborers in the industry, improve transport infrastructure in provinces that are also major tourist spots, as well as deal with criminals exploiting the visa-exemption policy to enter the country and run illegal businesses. Continued …

Boat Carrying Chinese Tourists Capsizes, All Safely Rescued

A long-tail boat carrying seven Chinese tourists plus the vessel’s crew members capsized off Krabi yesterday, but fortunately all were safely rescued by a passing boat. The accident occurred near Koh Lao Lading island, around 300 meters from Koh Hong, with the two islands being part of Krabi’s Than Bok Khorani National Park.

The long-tail boat capsized after being hit by high waves, with the tourists and crew members struggling to stay afloat in the middle of the sea. Continued …

Koh Samui Sees Increase in Visitors Following Visa Exemptions

Wiwat Chuenban, the chairman of the Surat Thani Provincial Tourism Industry Council, revealed an increasing number of foreign and Thai tourists visiting Koh Samui in January and February.

After a visa exemption for Chinese tourists, there were four direct flights from Chengdu, China, to Surat Thani in one week. There was also a direct flight route from Taiwan to Surat Thani, as well, resulting in a surging number of bookings of more than 672 hotels, and 25,000 rooms were reserved, according to Wiwat. Continued …

5,000 Chinese tourists a day on Phuket over Chinese New Year

Chinese tourists have descended on Phuket to celebrate Chinese New Year, pushing hotel occupancy on the island to 81%. Phuket has long been a popular destination for Chinese travelers due its strong Chinese heritage and ancestry.

The director of the Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand says the number of Chinese arrivals has jumped to between 4,000 and 5,000 a day. Lertchai Wangtrakuldee says this is the highest number of arrivals of any nationality and the island expects to see revenue of 6.8 billion baht from the holiday period. Continued …

Thai Travel Industry Urged To Reduce Usage Of US$

In a lecture at this year’s joint meeting of the Association of Thai Travel Agents and the Thai Hotels Assn. , Professor Dr. Piti Srisangnam, head of the ASEAN Foundation, cited “de-dollarization” as one of “6D” trends that will shake up travel and tourism, the other five being decoupling/derisking of the global value chains, deglobalization, destabilization, the digital divide, and degradation of environment.

The lecture is set to reset the content of industry discourse, in Thailand and beyond. For the first time, two leading Thai travel and tourism industry associations invited a professor to discuss the impact of geopolitical conflicts on their businesses, jettisoning the repetitively boring talks on post-Covid recovery, sustainability and technology. Continued …

Another one? Chinese Man Falls to His Death From Pattaya Condo

A 35-year-old Chinese man on vacation with his family in Pattaya for the Chinese New Year reportedly fell to his death from a condo in north Pattaya yesterday afternoon. The incident took place at approximately 2pm at a condo in central Pattaya whose name has been withheld pending further investigation.

The victim, identified by his family to the press and police as 35-year-old Yuanhui Lai, had reportedly fallen to his death from the balcony of a rented condo on the 18th floor of the condominium. Continued …

Suvarnabhumi’s capacity to increase after third runway is operational in July

The construction of the third runway at Suvarnabhumi Airport will be completed in time for its use in July, Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said Sunday. Once the new runway is in use, the airport capacity will be increased from 67 flights per hour to 94 flights per hour, Suriya added.

The airport’s first runway is located on the west side of the airport and the second runway on the east side, separated by passenger terminal buildings and other facilities. The third runway is being built further away from the first runway near the east edge of the airport. Continued …

German passenger’s mid-flight death leaves Lufthansa plane splattered in blood

On a Lufthansa flight from Bangkok to Munich, a 63-year-old German passenger sparked panic in the cabin when he began spurting an endless flow of blood.

The German passenger boarded the plane visibly ill. As the flight progressed, his condition rapidly deteriorated, causing panic among the passengers. A fellow passenger described the scene as absolute horror, with everyone screaming in fear. Continued …

Solar solutions sought for residential electric users

Four years ago, Boonyuen Siritham, president of the Thailand Consumers Council (TCC), paid around 17,000 baht to 18,000 baht monthly in petrol and electricity bills.

As an environmentalist, she aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut her expenses so she decided to install a solar rooftop and switched to an electric car. Since then, she pays only 2,500 baht per month for electricity. Continued …

Chinese New Year celebrations across Thailand

Chiang Mai has been transformed into a mesmerizing spectacle, as lion and golden dragon dance troupes from Bangkok took to the streets for the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Store owners eagerly invited them inside, hoping to bask in the good luck and prosperity they brought. Meanwhile, at the iconic Tha Phae Gate, Chinese tourists swarmed, dressed in Thai traditional attire, as they posed against the backdrop of the ancient city wall, a sight that truly defined Chiang Mai. Continued …

From Dreams to Reality: Retiring as a Couple in Thailand

Dreaming of retiring to Thailand with your better half? You’re not alone. Thailand, with its sun-kissed beaches, lush landscapes, and vibrant culture, has become a haven for couples looking to spend their golden years in paradise.

Whether you’re enticed by the tranquillity of rural towns or the bustling expat communities in cities like Hua Hin, retiring in Thailand offers a blend of adventure and relaxation that’s hard to beat. Continued …