- Today is Chilrden’s Day in Thailand/
- Bangkok urologist at Be Well Clinic Jan 18/
- Chiva-Som Hua Hin Appoints Patience Sangwa as Resident Naturopath/
- Will Thailand’s new residency visa achieve results?/
- Thai lawmakers endorse study on legalizing casinos/
- Nearly 9,000 Holiday Traffic Offenders To Be Put on Probation/
- Thai beauty queen wows with gown made from pull tabs/
- Pension for elderly raise proposed to 3,000 baht a month/
- Thailand to nominate King Bhumibol as a UNESCO World Eminent Personality/
- Bangkok taxi fares increase for first time in 8 years/
- Electric tuk-tuk innovator MuvMi to triple fleet as demand soars/
- Thai power generator to adopt green fuels, technologies/
- From Ancient to Modern: The Cannabis Tale of Thailand/
- US weed giant to open Bangkok store/
- Tourism: PKK to focus on places of worship, sacred religious sites in new tourism campaign/Will Thailand’s 300-baht tourist fee apply to expats?/TAT working on increasing flights, longer visa on arrival/
- Thailand Experience: Exploring the Chinese New Year/Sustainability In Action: The Karen People’s Farming System/
- International: Ant farms turn from science project to new agri-business in Cambodia/Steven Spielberg wins big as Golden Globes make comeback/Promised tanks a logistical challenge for Ukraine/
- Links: Calendar of events/airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas
Today is Chilrden’s Day in Thailand’s
Today is Thai Children’s Day. Bumper crowds are expected after the popular event, which sees state organizations fling open their doors to parents and their kids, was canceled for the last two years in the pandemic.
A police spokeswoman said they were concerned about parents losing their children in the big crowds and had five recommendations for the public, including advice on “sharenting”. Continued …
Bangkok urologist at Be Well Clinic Jan 18
Hua Hin’s Be Well Clinic will host visiting urologist Dr. Isares Saisorn from Samitivej Hospital Bangkok on Wednesday, Jan. 18.
He will be scheduling appointments for those suffering from changes in bladder functionality or urine, and lower abdomen or pain in the groin region.
To make an appointment: Tel. 02 111 6644; email – info@bewell.co.th, web.
Chiva-Som Hua Hin Appoints Patience Sangwa as Resident Naturopath
Chiva-Som Hua Hin has launched an online naturopathic and nutritional consultation program specifically for children.
The program, which will be headed by naturopathic doctor Patience Sangwa, has been designed to provide parents much-needed information on anything that concerns their child, such as nutrition and sleep, as well as mental and physical development.
Patience, a board-certified naturopath with the Allied Health Professionals Council of South Africa, completed dual bachelor’s degrees in complementary ehalth sciences and naturopathy at the University of the Western Cape before undergoing clinical training in Cape Town.
As resident naturopath at Chiva-Som, Patience will investigate the hindrances to the well-being of guests and enable them to get closer to their health goals by looking at nutrition, mental health, sleep practices, physical activity and lifestyle habits. – travelnewsasia.com
Will Thailand’s new residency visa achieve results?
On Sept. 1, 2022, Thailand introduced a new long-term resident (LTR) visa program. The program offers a 10-year renewable visa and a range of tax and non-tax benefits to four distinct categories of foreigners. These are wealthy global citizens, wealthy pensioners, work-from-Thailand professionals and highly skilled professionals.
Thailand’s Board of Investment contends the LTR program will attract wealthy, “high-potential” and talented individuals, who, in turn, will stimulate economic growth, through innovation, investment and domestic spending. Thailand’s government has set a target of attracting one million foreigners into the program over the next five years.
This target seems overly optimistic. The LTR visa enters a highly competitive global industry of long-term and second-home visa programs because of its focus on attracting wealthy global citizens. But it is difficult to envisage why applicants would invest at least US$500,000 in Thai property or low-yield Thai government bonds to be approved for this visa if they are expected to hold US$1 million in assets. Continued …
Thai lawmakers endorse study on legalizing casinos
Thailand’s lower House endorsed a feasibility study on legalizing casinos on Thursday, as the country seeks tax and tourism revenue to boost economic recovery from Covid-19.
The study report was produced by a special House committee and will now be sent to Cabinet for consideration.
The committee plans to ask the government to legalize casinos in five regions, aiming to increase state income from tax while suppressing illegal gambling dens. The five locations targeted for legal casinos are: Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket, Phang-nga or Krabi. Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani or Khon Kaen. and Greater Bangkok. Continued …
Nearly 9,000 Holiday Traffic Offenders To Be Put on Probation
Thai police announced that they will put traffic offenders in 8,923 cases caught nationwide during the New Year period on probation, said Weerakit Hanpariphan, director-general of the Probation Department.
Weerakit revealed that the majority of the offenses recorded during the Seven Days of Danger road safety campaign from Dec. 29 to Jan. 4 were related to drink driving, which accounted for over 8,567 cases or 96%, followed by driving under the influence of illegal drugs, with 335 cases or 3.8%, and reckless driving with 21 cases or 0.2%.
The three provinces with the highest number of road accidents were Roi Et with 469 cases, Samut Prakan with 388 cases, and Nonthaburi with 364 cases. Continued …
Thai beauty queen wows with gown made from pull tabs
Pension for elderly raise proposed to 3,000 baht a month
Senior citizens should receive a universal pension of 3,000 baht per month to ease their financial burden, activists and academics said at a forum.
Four Regions Slum Network representative Nuken Inthachan was one of those calling for the government to revise its old age monthly allowance as a universal pension and lift it to 3,000 baht a month.
“The existing 600 to 1,000 baht subsidy for senior citizens is barely enough, even with them finding supplementary income themselves,” he said. Continued …
Thailand to nominate King Bhumibol as a UNESCO World Eminent Personality
Thailand’s Ministry of Education is preparing to propose His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, the ninth monarch of Thailand, to the list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s world eminent personalities, coinciding with the centennial anniversary of King Bhumibol’s birth in 2027.
The nomination aims at honoring his countless achievements, which impacted not only the country but also the world community.
A committee will be set up in charge of collecting all relevant information regarding King Bhumibol’s royal projects, in accordance with the UNESCO criteria, before submitting it to UNESCO by Dec. 1, 2024. Continued …
Bangkok taxi fares increase for first time in 8 years
A taxi fare rise for the first time in eight years took effect for taxis in Bangkok on Friday as Prime Minister Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha ordered relevant agencies to assess its impact on people.
Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said the prime minister was concerned about impacts on the general public, so he instructed many agencies, such as the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, to monitor the impacts on people and the economy in general. and to propose proper economic measures to alleviate those impacts, particularly during the transition period.
At the same time, he realized the hardship of taxi drivers, affected by the rising cost of living and energy prices. It is the first fare rise in eight years to help them, the spokesman said. Continued …
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Electric tuk-tuk innovator MuvMi to triple fleet as demand soars
Thai startup MuvMi will nearly triple the number of its electric tuk-tuks this year from 350 to 1,000 due to rising demand for rides in vehicles, said the CEO of its parent company, Urban Mobility Tech.
Krisada Kritayakirana, who is also the co-founder of Urban Mobility Tech, told a press conference on Friday that demand for rides in electric tuk-tuks is growing in tandem with the rising popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) in Thailand.
“Our initial goal is to provide environmentally friendly vehicles for city dwellers who struggle to find public transportation after departing skytrain, subway, and bus stations,” he said. Continued …
Thai power generator to adopt green fuels, technologies
Electricity Generating Plc (Egco), a power generation arm of state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, is planning to adopt green fuels and technologies to better manage electricity generation, part of efforts to achieve a carbon neutrality goal by 2050.
The company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Friday with JERA Asia Pte, a subsidiary of JERA Inc. – Japan’s largest power company – to jointly conduct a study on ways to decarbonize Egco’s businesses by using hydrogen and ammonia as fuels, as well as adopting carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology. Continued …
From Ancient to Modern: The Cannabis Tale of Thailand
On June 9, 2022, Thailand became the first country in Asia — and only the third in the world, after Canada and Uruguay — to decriminalize cannabis nationwide. But did you know that cannabis was not always illegal in Thailand? In this video, we give you a brief history of cannabis in Thailand, as well as experts giving us more information on the present situation of cannabis in Thailand. Continued …
US weed giant to open Bangkok store
After months of delay, one of America’s most popular weed brands is landing in Bangkok later this month.
Jan. 21 has been set for the opening date of Cookies in Bangkok’s Soi Ruamrudee, about four months after it was originally expected.
The San Francisco-based weed giant even invited a Buddhist monk to come over and bless the new storefront, where visitors will be able to buy cannabis alongside clothing and fashion accessories such as smell-proof backpacks, sweaters, and baseball caps. Continued … 
PKK to focus on places of worship, sacred religious sites in new tourism campaign
Some of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s most sacred buildings and religious sites are to take center stage in the province’s latest tourism campaign, officials have announced.
The new campaign will offer tourists information on places of worship that they can visit and pay their respects to, while at the same time experiencing local cultures and traditions in each district of Prachuap Khiri Khan.
The year-long promotional campaign will shine a light on the province’s most spectacular and significant religious sites and centuries-old temples, as well as some little unknown cultural attractions and far-flung places of worship. Continued …
Will Thailand’s 300-baht tourist fee apply to expats?
After years of false starts, Thailand is about to start slapping fees on every arriving tourist, a measure being adopted in the post-pandemic era in countries ranging from Brussels and Oslo to the Maldives.
While various fees have been considered and rejected over the years, officials began beating the drum last year for a THB300 fee that would offset tourist healthcare costs and be reinvested in tourism development. That’s now set to take effect in June.
There are still five months for them to reconsider: Arrival fees for travelers have been proposed numerous times in years past, only to be abandoned or shelved under criticism, such as a THB360 “tourism maintenance fee” proposed by the tourism authority in 2016. Indeed, the fee was supposed to happen nine months ago. Continued …
TAT working on increasing flights, longer visa on arrival
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to increase the number of flights in a bid to boost tourism during the high season.
“The flight load capacity must reach 90 percent during the high season this year,” TAT Gov. Yuthasak Supasorn said on Friday. The high season in Thailand is from November to March.
He added that Chinese authorities have requested information from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand to boost the number of flights to 2019 levels, before the Covid-19 pandemic. Continued …
Exploring the Chinese New Year traditions in Thailand
Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, has been celebrated in Thailand for centuries by the country’s Chinese-Thai community. The festival typically takes place in January or February and is a time for families to come together, clean their homes, and decorate with red lanterns and other symbols of good luck.
Traditional activities include lion and dragon dances, fireworks, and the giving of red envelopes filled with money to children. Chinese New Year is also an important time for businesses, as it is considered a peak shopping season.
In recent years, Chinese New Year celebrations have become more popular among the general population in Thailand and are now celebrated by people of all backgrounds. Continued …
3 Thailand locations for the eco-conscious travelers to explore this year
Sustainable tourism is predicted to be the biggest trend for the global travel industry in 2023. This is due to the environmental and social pressures calling for responsible living in communities worldwide.
According to the director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand London office, Sadudee Sangnil, Thailand is fully on board with the global shift toward more responsible travel practices.
“Eco-tourism reaps multiple benefits for travelers, local communities and the environment. It also provides countries like Thailand with the opportunity to build its economy in a way that will preserve its natural resources, landscapes, wildlife and people for future generations to experience and enjoy,” said Sangnil. Continued …
Sustainability In Action: The Karen People’s Farming System
For 2,000 years, the Karen people in northern Thailand have practiced a form of long-term rotational farming that allows the land to recover, then thrive, ready for the next harvest.
This practice lies at the heart of the way the people of the Hin Lad Nai community in the hills of Chiang-rai province manage natural resources. The philosophy of sustainable management is captured in a poem that says, “Auf hti K’tau hti, auf kauj k’ tauz kauj, auf deif k’ tauz lei, auf nyaf k’ tauz kwiv” (use water care of rivers, use land care of forest, use/eat frogs care of cliff and use/eat fishes care of water sources).
The system of fallow, or “rational farming cycle”, allows an area to regenerate for seven to 10 years, then the farmers cultivate it again for one year. After harvesting, they let the field become fallow again for another seven to 10 years while it regenerates. Continued …
Ant farms turn from science project to new agri-business in Cambodia
Forest-dwelling weaver ants are a common species in Cambodia and are often employed as a tasty addition to many traditional dishes like some sour soups, or prahok. They are usually collected wild from the countryside, but one enterprising woman has discovered how to raise them commercially. Continued …
Steven Spielberg wins big as Golden Globes make comeback
Steven Spielberg claimed top honors, including best drama, at the Golden Globes on Tuesday for his deeply personal film “The Fabelmans,” as Hollywood’s A-list stars flocked to the first major awards show of the year despite a series of scandals swirling around its organizers. Continued …
Promised tanks a logistical challenge for Ukraine
The imminent arrival in Ukraine of Western-made light tanks and armored vehicles, as well as possibly heavy tanks, means Kyiv will need to quickly train up troops to use and maintain the sometimes complex equipment, analysts say. Continued …
Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule
The VIP bus service schedule from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has been updated. In addition, a new Cha Am boarding location has been added 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
