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Today’s news: Cha Am Shellfish and Squid Festival/Hua Hin-Cha Am Golf Festival/Heavy rain to affect 44 provinces/Thailand among top 10 medical systems/Nationwide dental planned/Fearless tabby cat saves bedridden girl/The implications of Thailand’s turbulence/Economy on road to recovery/Heat affects indoor factory workers/Esso exits Thailand market/Solar energy to power petroleum production/Rice exports increase 12%/Minister touts medical cannabis policy/20 unique wellness itineraries/Best Times to Visit 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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Cha Am Shellfish Eating and Squid Fishing Festival Sept 9-16

Cha Am Beach will host its annual “Shellfish Eating and Squid Fishing Festival @ Cha Am 2023” from Sept. 9-16 at the Cha Am Beach viewpoint.

Visitors can expect food choices from over 50 outlets, including leading hotels and restaurants. The event also includes musical performances by popular bands, as well as the opportunity for visitors to try their hand at squid fishing for 100 baht per person.

For more information: 0 3247 2550, 0 3247 1665

Heavy rain to affect 44 provinces

The Thai Meteorological Department has warned of heavy to very heavy rain for 44 provinces, including Bangkok and its vicinity today.

This is due to the influence of a strong monsoon trough passing through the northern, northeastern, and upper central regions of the country. Additionally, the southwest monsoon is also relatively strong, covering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. This weather pattern is causing heavy rain in many provinces. Continued …

Thailand rated among top 10 countries with best medical systems

In a comprehensive assessment of healthcare systems around the world, a recent study has revealed the top 10 countries that stand out for their exceptional quality of healthcare services.

These nations have consistently demonstrated their commitment to providing accessible, effective, and high-quality healthcare to their citizens. Here’s a closer look at the countries that have secured the top positions: Continued …

Nationwide dental department, provincial hospitals planned

The Thai government is set to establish a dedicated dental health department, a move aimed at promoting oral healthcare across the nation, the Public Health Ministry announced.

Permanent Secretary for Public Health Opas Karnkawinpong revealed to the press that the government had acknowledged the Senate Public Health Committee’s proposal to form the new department, though the plan is yet to be discussed with the incoming health minister. Continued …

Fearless tabby cat saves bedridden girl from venomous cobra

In a tale of courage and claws, a fearless tabby cat saved the life of a bedridden 12-year-old girl from a venom-spitting cobra snake in her bedroom in Saraburi Province. The incident took place yesterday at the girl’s home in Kut Nok Plao subdistrict.

The cat, a female white and brown tabby, defended its young owner by standing guard over the snake and raising the alarm, causing the girl to wake up in shock and run out of the room. Continued …

Thailand’s Turbulence: Implications for the Region and the World

It has been a turbulent summer for Thailand’s political scene, capped with the return of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra after 15 years abroad, and with the Pheu Thai Party — long de facto under Thaksin’s sway — forming a governing coalition with pro-military parties and other establishment forces. What do the recent elections mean for Thailand’s democracy?

While the elections themselves were free and fair, their aftermath shows that Thailand remains controlled by a military-royalist establishment aligned with the judiciary and some larger companies. Continued …

Economy on road to recovery, central bank says

The Bank of Thailand (BoT) revealed yesterday that figures for July seem to indicate that the Thai economy is making a gradual recovery.

The bank is currently adjusting its GDP forecast for the September meeting but warns that exports remain slow and tourism is lower than expected. It will also be taking account of the potential impacts of the digital cash handout program promised by Pheu Thai. Continued …

Amid record heat, even indoor factory workers enter dangerous terrain

When temperatures in Thailand shot past 112 degrees earlier this year, the government issued extreme heat warnings for large swaths of the country. It wasn’t safe, officials said, to be outdoors.

But Rungnapa Rattanasri, 51, didn’t work outdoors. She worked inside, on the second floor of a dilapidated garment factory with no fans or air conditioning. For $10 a day, she cut and trimmed bolts of rayon in rooms where the ambient temperature regularly exceeded 100 degrees. Continued …

Esso exits Thailand market after 129 years

Petroleum company Esso Thailand has been acquired by Bangchak, following the completion of a majority stake acquisition by ExxonMobil. Esso’s petrol stations across the country will be operating under Bangchak’s brand from tomorrow.

The acquisition of Esso Thailand by Bangchak Corp. is now complete, with the Thailand-based petroleum company acquiring a 65.99% majority stake in Esso Thailand from ExxonMobil Asia Holdings. Continued …

Solar energy to power petroleum production

Thailand’s leading petroleum producer PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) recently opened its “Lan Saeng Arun” solar power plant in Lan Krabue district of Kamphaeng Phet province in upper central Thailand.

Operated by PTTEP’s subsidiary FutureTech Energy Ventures (FTEV), the 9.98-megawatt power plant will supply energy to the company’s S1 petroleum production project, Montri Rawanchaikul, PTTEP’s CEO said on Thursday. Continued …

Thailand’s rice exports increase 12%

The Commerce Ministry reported a significant increase in Thailand’s rice exports. Data reveals an 11.91% rise in exports from January to Aug. 29, compared to the same duration last year. During this period, Thailand managed to export 5.29 million metric tons of rice.

Despite the rice export figures, the agricultural sector in Southeast Asia has been grappling with lower-than-usual rainfall. This has adversely affected the growth of rice, palm oil, sugarcane, and coffee crops. The lack of sufficient rainfall has been particularly severe in Indonesia and Thailand. Continued …

Public Health Minister plants seeds for ongoing medical cannabis policy success

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul strongly advocates for the continuation of the current medical cannabis policy under the incoming health ministry. He asserts that, if used correctly, cannabis provides immense benefits to users.

This discussion took place at the Public Health Ministry, where he expressed confidence that the new government would not terminate the “cannabis for medical treatments” policy. He also highlighted that the policy is still on the new government’s agenda, as per the leader of the ruling Pheu Thai Party. Continued …

TAT reveals 20 unique wellness itineraries

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently hosted a Thailand Wellness Business Makeover seminar aimed at encouraging health and wellness providers to devise creative offerings that appeal to the global wellness tourism market. A key aspect of the event was a wellness itineraries contest that drew participation from a range of providers.

Aligned with the Thai government’s Thailand wellness economic corridor (TWC) strategy, TAT’s campaign is designed to promote high-value health and wellness tourism and foster a competitive edge for Thai providers in this sector. Continued …

The Best Times to Visit Thailand

The best time to visit Thailand is from December to March — though, as with any tropical destination, a short and ridiculously torrential burst of rain is unpredictably possible, even on the sunniest of days.

The time to not go to Thailand is the rainy season, from May to October, when monsoons blow in from all directions. The rain is heavy but sporadic in the first few months, while in the final months of the rainy season, it’s more persistent. Continued …

Super Typhoon Saola Hurtles Toward Southern China, Hong Kong

China issued its highest typhoon warning on Thursday as Super Typhoon Saola drew closer to Hong Kong and the mainland’s southern coast, with several cities delaying the start of the school year as a precaution. Continued …

Building Fire in Johannesburg Leaves at Least 73 Dead

A nighttime fire ripped through a rundown five-story building in Johannesburg that was occupied by homeless people and squatters, leaving at least 73 people dead early Thursday, emergency services in South Africa’s biggest city said. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

Leaving Hua Hin: 6am, 8am, 10am, 11am, 12:00, 2pm, 4pm, 5:10pm, and 6pm
Leaving Suvarnabhumi: 7:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 12:00, 1pm, 2:30pm, 4pm, 5pm, and 6:30pm

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 once-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and departing from Pattaya at 8am. 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