Tag Archives: taiwan

Friday’s News-Jan 6

  • Proof of Covid vaccines will be required again for all arrivals to Thailand/Hua Hin-Phuket, international flights remain in limbo/Thailand ties with Italy on list of world’s top retirement destinations/Thailand’s official population at Dec 31 was 66,090,475/317 die, 2,437 injured on Thai roads during 7-day New Year holiday/British pensioner gunned down in Pattaya/33-million-baht signboard scandal derailing Thailand’s new grand central station/Bangkok workers fleeing back to the provinces/Thai inflation rate poised to slow to 2%-3% in 2023/Newly appointed chief spells out four-point plan to develop EEC/Leasing and renewable energy firms to promote solar rooftops/Tackling our plastic waste woes/
  • Tourism: Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccination Proof Angers, Panics International Travelers/Thailand’s entry rules on arriving Chinese tourists falls shorter than other countries/First planeload of 200 Chinese tourists to land in Thailand on Monday/Tourism sector preps for Chinese/Thai hotels in dire need of staff as tourists flock back/With few entry tests, SE Asia may gain most from China’s travel revival/Pattaya Beach is second most popular beach in the world on TikTok/
  • Thailand Experience: What You Should Avoid Ordering At Thai Restaurants/
  • Covid: Over a quarter of travelers from China test positive in Taiwan/
  • International: Asia tourist hubs ready for China influx/It’s a bountiful bunny world in Year of the Rabbit/Taiwan shipping giant Evergreen gives up to 52 months’ pay as year-end bonuses/Half of world’s glaciers expected to vanish by 2100/Teslas now over 40% cheaper in China than US/
  • Links: Calendar of events/airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas

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Proof of Covid vaccines will be required again for all arrivals to Thailand

Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has adopted four measures that will be applied to all tourists visiting Thailand, including from China. The announcement follows news that the Chinese Government would travel restrictions on their citizens on Jan. 8.

The first flights from China, in the wake of the announcement from China, are scheduled to arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Jan. 12. So the time for the re-introduction of the measures will be sometime from now until Jan. 12. The minister was not clear on this.

The newly announced measures:

  1. All visitors must have received at least TWO doses of Covid-19 vaccine before their arrival Continued … 

Hua Hin-Phuket, international flights remain in limbo

Perhaps the most discussed topic on the regional tourism scene is the continuing absence of scheduled flight connections to the Hua Hin Airport. That includes international flights, but also to Phuket, the most eagerly awaited domestic connection.

Hopes still remain high that more than the solitary Chiang Mai flights will happen soon, but some local hoteliers now openly state they aren’t expecting this to happen within the next six or even 12 months.

Stacey Walton, president of Skål international Hua Hin & Cha-Am, speaking during a visit to Phuket to consider that burgeoning tourism scene, is among those asking questions. Continued …

Thailand ties with Italy on list of world’s top retirement destinations

Thailand is the world’s ninth cheapest place to live for expat retirees, according to the Annual Global Retirement Index.

The 2023 list of “10 Cheapest Places to Live After Retiring” was compiled by experts at the International Living website and published this week. It details the best places to retire in terms of high quality of life and low cost of living.

Portugal tops the list thanks to the weakness of its currency and ease of acquiring a long-term visa. Second is Mexico, followed by Panama, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Spain, Greece and France. Thailand ties with Italy in ninth place. Continued …

Thailand’s official population at Dec 31 was 66,090,475

Thailand’s population as of Dec. 31, 2022, was 66,090,475, according to the latest census data provided by the Central Domicile Registration Office.

The population was made up of 65,106,481 Thai nationals and 983,994 who are yet to receive Thai citizenship.

Of the Thai nationals, there were 31,755,032 males and 33,351,449 females. Continued …

317 die, 2,437 injured on Thai roads during 7-day New Year holiday

A total of 317 people were killed and 2,437 others injured in 2,440 road accidents across Thailand between Dec. 29 and Jan. 4, according to statistics provided by the Department of Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and related agencies.

On the last day of the New Year holidays on Wednesday, 25 people died and 253 others were injured in 241 road accidents.

Speeding was the cause of 34.9% of the accidents and 80.2% involved motorcycles; 24.5% were the result of cutting in front of another vehicle at speed.

Most of the accidents (85.1%) occurred on straight roads, 49% occurred on local and rural roads. Most of the accidents took place between 4pm and 5pm. Continued …

British pensioner gunned down in Pattaya

A British pensioner was shot multiple times in the back by an unknown assailant as he was returning home on a motorcycle in the Pattaya area.

Neil Lewis Roger, 71, had told his close friend that he was off to have a drink with a friend in town. After buying some groceries, he headed home to Huay Yai but was shot on the way at least three times.

He died in a pool of blood 2 kilometers from his home. His friend called him a popular man who had no known enemies. Continued …

33-million-baht signboard scandal derailing Thailand’s new grand central station

Thailand’s new national rail terminus has run into trouble even before its official unveiling.

Bang Sue Grand Station is setting social media alight with news that signboards for its new royally granted name will cost a whopping 33 million baht to install.

Enraged Thai netizens have posted pictures showing how such a large budget could be better spent elsewhere, including to fund the construction of classrooms for a small school. Continued …

Bangkok workers fleeing back to the provinces

Workers in Bangkok who live from hand to mouth have decided to return to their hometowns, as the cost of living in the capital becomes unaffordable.

They said expenses in Bangkok have doubled compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic. After deducting expenses, there is almost nothing left to save.

Capping the price of more essential commodities would help low-income workers, they said. Continued … 

Thai inflation rate poised to slow to 2%-3% in 2023

Thailand’s inflation rate is expected to slow to 2%-3% this year after soaring to a 24-year high last year, driven mainly by rising energy prices.

The Commerce Ministry on Thursday reported headline inflation, gauged by the consumer price index (CPI), rose by 6.08% in 2022 from a year earlier, which was close to the projection (between 5.5%-6.5%, with an average of 6%).

The main contributors were rising energy prices following limited production controlled by oil-producing countries, and the Russia-Ukraine war which led to a tight supply of energy and, finally, high domestic prices of fuel, electricity and liquefied petroleum gas. Continued …

Newly appointed chief spells out four-point plan to develop EEC

The new chief of the state agency that runs the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) has come up with a “4Rs” plan to push the special industrial zone as a model for sustainable development.

Chula Sukmanop, the newly appointed secretary-general of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO), said that his mission was to lead the agency to “re-evaluate, re-image, revive, and realize”.

Re-evaluation involves assessing challenges facing the EEC’s development, including the post-Covid “next normal” environment, the global recession, and climate change, he said in an interview. Continued …

Leasing and renewable energy firms to promote solar rooftops

Saksiam Leasing (SAK), a Thailand personal loan provider, has formed a joint venture with TC Renewable Energy with the goal of entering the solar rooftop system installation business and providing financing to Thai households nationwide.

The joint venture, Saksiam TC Energy Co., will have a registered capital of 50 million baht, with SAK and TC Renewable Energy holding 35% and 65%, respectively. This joint venture is scheduled to launch in this month.

Siwaphong Boonsalee, SAK’s managing director, said yesterday the joint venture is a significant step in expanding the service of providing loans for the installation of solar rooftop systems at residential properties, and supporting the public’s access to solar power as a clean and widely available source of energy. Continued …

Tackling our plastic waste woes

Today, most of the products and packaging in our local market are designed to be “disposable”, with little or no concern for environmental impacts and any negative influences on human health.

Yet, such waste is rarely recycled and barely managed in a sustainable manner. But in many countries, the policy of “extended producer responsibility” (EPR) is used to address this concern.

EPR emphasizes the entire life cycle of a product and encourages packaging manufacturers to keep resources in the loop as long as possible through product and packaging stewardship. Continued …

H O T HIGH SEASON D I S C O U N T: 500 BAHT

  • Treat yourself. Get away for the day. Get a beach bed at our Anantasila beach ! 
  • You get a Big Beach Towel for the day
  • You get to use our facilities
  • You are welcome to splash around in our infinity pool
  • You can enjoy the beautiful Anantasila environment
  • You can use the 500 Baht as a credit in our restaurant or beach bar, for food and drinks, up to that 300 Baht

That sounds like a deal, doesn’t it ? Welcome !

The Beach at Anantasila, Khao Takiab, Hua Hin

A spacious safe environment with all measures taken.

For information or reservations: e-mail fb@anantasila.com or dial 032 527638

Your deserve It!

Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccination Proof Angers, Panics International Travelers

A proposal made by multiple Thai agencies to require proof of at least two Covid-19 vaccine shots in the wake of the return of Chinese tourists next week has caused anger, frustration, and panic among many would-be travelers to Thailand.

The proposal was led by Thai Public Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and included input from multiple ministries such as Tourism and Sports, Transport, Office of the Insurance Board, and more.

In essence, the proposal is due to the return of Chinese tourists after three years effective from Sunday, Jan. 8, after China dropped most of its Covid zero measures and prepares to reopen its borders to travel. Continued …

Thailand’s entry rules on arriving Chinese tourists falls shorter than other countries

Thailand’s way of dealing with the expected influx of Chinese tourists starting this Sunday is much weaker than other countries that have put in place a requirement of RT-PCR test to be done before these tourist head into their country.

The move by the Thai government to impose restrictions on arriving Chinese tourists has come after heavy criticism that the government of 2014 coup leader Prayut Chan-o-cha was not doing enough to prevent another wave of outbreak.

The Thai government has come out to say that it was looking to impose entry regulations on all travelers to prevent outbreaks of Covid-19 from the expected influx of tourists this year, with no specific rules for Chinese tourists. Continued … 

First planeload of 200 Chinese tourists to land in Thailand on Monday

The first flight carrying around 200 Chinese tourists will touch down at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday as China resumes outbound travel, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Thursday.

The flight from Xiamen in southern China will be the first to arrive in Thailand after China scraps quarantine measures on Sunday, giving the green light for citizens to travel. The country is also downgrading Covid-19 from a top-tier Class A infectious disease to Class B.

Phiphat said the first flight is a good sign that Chinese tourists will return to Thailand in large numbers following more than two years of Covid-19 restrictions. He said more flights will be restored before the Chinese New Year, which falls on Jan. 22. China was Thailand’s largest overseas tourism market before Covid, accounting for 28% of total arrivals. Continued …

Tourism sector preps for Chinese

Tourism operators are prepared for a wave of Chinese tourists in terms of hotel room capacity, public health hygiene and flight capacity, though demand remains unclear.

The government confirmed on Thursday Chinese tourists will be exempted from RT-PCR Covid tests upon arrival, but will be required to buy Covid insurance to guarantee they have medical expense coverage in case they are infected before flying back home.

Phunut Thanalaopanich, president of the northern chapter of the Thai Hotels Assn. (THA), said Chiang Mai is ready to accommodate all tourists, including those from China, which are expected to return starting this month. Continued …

Thai hotels in dire need of staff as tourists flock back

The Thai hotel industry is seeking migrant workers to help relieve staff shortages, as millions of tourists have returned to the country.

Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, president of the Thai Hotels Assn. (THA), called on the government to relax the existing rules to make it easier for migrant workers to work in the hotel industry to help alleviate the shortage of workforce.

She suggested that the Thai government’s memorandum of understanding (MoU) with neighbouring countries allow more positions in which migrant workers can be hired, easier hiring of migrants, and allow more foreign nationals to work in the hotel industry. Continued …

With few entry tests, SE Asia may gain most from China’s travel revival

Southeast Asia’s tourist economies are set to be leading beneficiaries of China’s scrapping of travel bans, as they have steered clear of the Covid-19 tests before entry that Europe, Japan and the United have imposed on Chinese visitors.

Even as the virus tears through its 1.4 billion people, the world’s second largest economy is opening its borders from Sunday, a move that promises to unleash a wave of travelers eager for diversion after three years of strict curbs at home.

Such newly mobile Chinese tourists will opt for “minimal hassle” and head for destinations that do not demand testing, which in turn stands to benefit Southeast Asia, said CIMB economist Song Seng Wun. Continued … 

Pattaya Beach is second most popular beach in the world on TikTok

Pattaya Beach was named the second most popular beach in the world on TikTok. The most popular beach prize goes to Bondi Beach in Australia.

The UK luxury holiday company, Destination2, created a list of the most popular beaches across the world on TikTok. The company conducted the research on TikTok by creating a specific hashtag for the dream beaches all over the world and tracked the number of views.

Pattaya Beach was ranked as the second most popular beach in the world with the number of views at 128.5 million. The champion, Bondi Beach in Australia, gained over 445.8 million views. Continued …

What You Should Avoid Ordering At Thai Restaurants

Thai food is super popular worldwide, and for good reason. The cuisine combines a unique array of flavors that offer a mind-blowing dining experience. After all, it’s not every day you find a single dish with sweet, salty, sour, and even bitter tastes in perfect proportion, but Thai food strikes an excellent balance.

However, there’s a distinct peculiarity in the interaction of Thai food with American culture that’s quite unlike the rest of the world. It’s tempting to assume that Thai food was integrated into America by the immigration of natives from Thailand, but there are a few more twists to the story, as Mark Padoongpat, a Thai-American professor of Asian studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, discovered.

Thailand was never a formal U.S. colony, but by 1946, all of its surrounding Southeast Asian countries were colonies of seven world powers, most of whom were Western nations. According to Northern Illinois University, this meant that Thailand was treated like a U.S. colony. Americans visited freely, became immersed in the food culture, and even wrote Thai cookbooks for Western audiences. Continued …

Over a quarter of travelers from China test positive in Taiwan

Thailand may want to rethink its pandemic prevention strategy for Chinese tourists after news broke this week that more than a quarter of passengers from China landing in Taiwan tested positive for Covid-19.

The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) in Taiwan reported that over a quarter of the 500 plus travelers who arrived in Taiwan from China returned positive Covid test results.

Last week, the CECC announced that travelers from China needed to take a PCR test when arriving in Taiwan from Jan. 1, as Taipei tried to fight the current wave of Covid infections. Continued … 

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Asia tourist hubs ready for China influx

In Tokyo’s Asakusa tourist district, caricaturist Masashi Higashitani is dusting off his Chinese as he prepares for an influx of travelers after Beijing ends inbound quarantine rules. Continued … 

It’s a bountiful bunny world in Year of the Rabbit

Now that 2023, the Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac, has kicked off, goods featuring bunny characters and places related to the lucky animal are drawing even more attention. Many rabbit lovers are eagerly working to make the new year a time of leaps and bounds. Continued … 

Taiwan shipping giant Evergreen gives up to 52 months’ pay as year-end bonuses

Taiwanese shipping giant Evergreen Marine has rewarded employees with massive year-end bonuses worth between 10 and 52 months of salary each, after posting bumper 2022 profits. Most of the company’s junior workers with a monthly salary of NT$40,000 (44,274 baht ) took home a bonus worth NT$2 million (2,212,550 baht ) each last weekend, which is equivalent to more than four years’ pay. Continued … 

Half of world’s glaciers expected to vanish by 2100

Half of the Earth’s glaciers, notably smaller ones, are destined to disappear by the end of the century because of climate change, but limiting global warming could save others, according to a new study. Continued … 

Teslas now over 40% cheaper in China than US

Tesla Inc. made another round of price cuts on its Model 3 and Y electric vehicles (EVs) in China today, while also introducing its higher-end Model S sedan and Model X to get a better hold on the premium end of the world’s biggest EV market. 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 in 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 

 

90-day online reporting

Tuesday’s News-Dec 13

  • Prospect of new government after elections gets economy humming again/
  • Thailand’s election timeline explained/
  • Consumers cut spending, wait for sales/
  • Inflation, attrition push up salaries/
  • Jets, drugs and fast cars: the ‘super-rich’ Chinese gangsters who call Thailand home/
  • Big Joke says he’s investigating Immigration from top to bottom/
  • Top 6 Favorite Thai Dishes/
  • With locals not disposing of plastic correctly, Thailand is importing the world’s waste instead/
  • TerraCycle Foundation cleaning Thailand’s waterways/
  • 7-11 Goes Green/
  • Bangkok’s Skytrain Fares To Rise On Jan 1/
  • Thailand testing electric trucks to replace fleet of 400,000 diesel vehicles/
  • Seawalls are no panacea/
  • Tourism: Chiang Mai welcoming more tourists as flights start returning/At least 100,000 join in the Big Mountain music festival in Nakhon Ratchasima/
  • Covid: Nearly 4,000 patients with Covid hospitalized, 107 deaths reported in a week/Covid-19 now becoming a seasonal bug/XBB Covid Variant In India Will Soon Reach Thailand: expert/COVID monitoring center in Korat to reopen as infections rise/Hong Kong drops curbs on incoming travelers, scraps Covid app/
  • International: China sends record wave of bombers into Taiwan defense zone/Former FTX CEO Bankman-Fried arrested in Bahamas/Russia’s McDonald’s successor replacing Big Mac with ‘Big Hit’/

Foe more information, email us at aimhhexpatnews.com

Prospect of new government after elections gets economy humming again

Thailand’s stock market has been vibrant since the Constitutional Court gave the green light to new electoral bills that are likely to benefit bigger parties. Stock analysts viewed the passing of the election law as paving the way for the next general election and the formation of a stable government. A government made up of one or some of the bigger parties is considered more stable than one formed by many small parties.

The stock market is a leading indicator, as it moves faster than the economy while it is still subject to many uncertainties, because nobody knows for sure whether the democratic alliance will win over the rival conservative camp, which is backed by the military.

Observers say political parties and politicians will spend more during the election campaign early next year leading up to the election expected to be held in May. Continued …

Thailand’s election timeline explained

Thailand is entering “election mode” after two organic laws necessary for the next national vote were recently cleared by the Constitutional Court to be submitted for royal endorsement.

The House of Representatives’ four-year term expires on March 23, but many analysts expect Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to dissolve the House early in search of political advantage.

The Constitutional Court last month endorsed the two organic laws – the Political Parties Act and MP Election Act – which restore the two-ballot system and the party-list MPs calculation method of dividing total votes by 100. The previous general election in March 2019 used a single ballot and divided party-list votes by 500. Continued …

Home buyer confidence rises two years in a row

The home buyer confidence index in 2022 improved for the second consecutive year, as owners of all sizes of businesses were more confident about the current and future economy, according to property research and consultancy Terra Media and Consulting.

Sumitra Wongpakdee, managing director, said consumers in all careers, except students and the unemployed, were quite confident about the economy, with the most change among business owners.

“Business owners were no longer worried about the economy, unlike two years ago,” she said. Continued …

Consumers cut spending, wait for sales

Thai consumers have cut back their spending this year amid rising inflation, but more than half plan to make digital purchases during the sales season, while online shopping across Southeast Asia declined from last year, a recent study revealed.

The “Inflation & Shopping in the Digital Age” survey, conducted in November, found inflation affected the spending of more than 9,000 consumers in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines this year.

While 90% of respondents reduced their expenses over the last six months, higher-income shoppers did not change their shopping behavior because they were less affected by inflation, according to the study, which was jointly prepared by global research companies Blackbox Research and ADNA. Continued …

Inflation, attrition push up salaries

The median salary increase for Thailand in 2023 will be 5.1% compared with this year, according to a survey of more than 700 companies in the six largest Southeast Asian economies by Aon Plc, a global professional services firm.

The figure for Thailand compares with an expected median increase of 7.9% in Vietnam, 6.8% in Indonesia, 6% in the Philippines, 5.1% in Malaysia and 4.7% in Singapore, the company’s 2022 Salary Increase and Turnover Study found.

While inflation plays a significant role in how salary changes look across the region, supply and demand in the talent market is also a big factor, Aon found in the survey conducted in the third quarter of this year. Continued …

Jets, drugs and fast cars: the ‘super-rich’ Chinese gangsters who call Thailand home

A seized private jet, supercars, drugs and palatial mansions: the spoils of crime committed by suspected Chinese gangsters based in Thailand are raising awkward questions over how foreign criminals have freely moved millions of dollars of illicit money through the kingdom.

The scandal began to unfold in late October, when a nationwide anti-drugs operation by the Thai police unearthed a cavernous illegal nightlife den – called Jinling – hidden behind a car wash in Bangkok’s Sathorn commercial district.

It catered to a near-exclusive Chinese clientele, serving up bags of ketamine and other party drugs in karaoke rooms that raged through the night, allowing guests to stash any unfinished drugs for their next visit. Continued …

Big Joke says he’s investigating Immigration from top to bottom

Top investigator Police Gen. Surachate “Big Joke” Hakpan did not mince his words when saying he intended to see a full investigation at the Immigration Bureau, from non-commissioned classes to the generals.

He is investigating links in the IB ranks to the granting of favors to Chinese nationals looking to live and do business in Thailand. Continued …

Cashew chicken

Top 6 Favorite Thai Dishes

Over 10 years ago, my wife and I traveled to different regions in Thailand. This was a fantastic adventure where I fell in love with Thai cuisine. While traveling, we got to taste extraordinary dishes with amazing flavors from different parts of Thailand.

After our trip, I started to learn how to make the dishes, adding a lot of flavor and joy to our meals! Check out the top 6 Thai dishes I’ve made and shared. I hope you love it!

Thai Red Curry

This is a delicious Thai curry that really balances the flavors of sweet, spicy, funky, and sour! This is a meal that bursts with flavor and is so simple to make that you will be adding it to your weekly meal rotation! Continued …

With locals not disposing of plastic correctly, Thailand is importing the world’s waste instead

A temple south of Bangkok has an unusual ask for its followers: They are encouraged to drop off plastic and glass bottles, milk cartons, paper and other used items.

At the Chak Daeng temple, the items are then sorted. Plastic bottles are compressed into bales that will be sent to a factory to be turned into polymer fibers. These are then mixed with cotton fibers to become thread, which is woven into fabric.

After the fabric is dyed saffron, it is sent back to the temple to be made into monks’ robes. “If we can make a robe from a plastic bottle, that means we’re following Lord Buddha’s teaching,” said temple abbot Pra Maha Pranom. Continued …

TerraCycle Foundation cleaning Thailand’s waterways

Some 80% of plastic waste in the ocean is transported via rivers or coastlines, demonstrating the importance of collecting it as far upstream as possible. To tackle this source of pollution, the TerraCycle Global Foundation, a non-profit founded by TerraCycle, has cleared 581 tons of waste from Thai waterways – roughly equivalent to the weight of more than 350 cars – in its first two years.

The foundation has operated in canals throughout Bangkok since June 2020. It partners with local community and government organizations to stop waste from reaching the ocean, where it degrades and becomes harder to capture and recycle.

Using innovative wildlife-safe traps, the foundation collects all types of waste, including plastic, reducing the chance of the waste breaking down into microplastics and other hard-to-capture particles. Continued …

7-11 Goes Green

CP All Public Company Limited, the sole operator of 7-Eleven stores and 7-Eleven Delivery committed to society development and environmental sustainability. The company has driven its 7 Go Green strategy as well as complying with the government’s new “BCG” (Bio-Circular-Green) economic model by developing innovations to reduce energy consumption in 7-Eleven stores and delivery services.

Wichien Jungviroj, Managing Director (Co) of CP All Public Company Limited, said, “CP All strongly committed to run our business under sustainability framework by implementing a strategic plan to drive Thailand’s BCG economic model for 2021-2026.” Continued …

Bangkok’s Skytrain Fares To Rise On Jan 1

Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTS), the operator of the Skytrain system in the metropolis, yesterday announced a fare increase for rides to 24 stations over a distance of 23.5 kilometers starting Jan. 1.

The fare hike is applicable to the following lines:

  • Sukhumvit – Mo Chit to On Nut station;
  • Silom – National Stadium to Saphan Taksin;
  • Silom Extension – Krung Thon Buri to Wong Wian Yai station. Continued … https://thainewsroom.com/2022/12/12/bts-confirms-skytrain-fares-to-rise-on-jan-1/

Thailand testing electric trucks to replace fleet of 400,000 diesel vehicles

Thailand’s trucking industry will decide whether to switch its fleet of 400,000 diesel trucks to electric vehicles in April next year after EV tests, according to the Land Transport Association of Thailand.

Association President Apichart Prairungruang said the plan to switch from diesel to electric trucks came after the government released support measures for EVs.

He said that the association would test the EV trucks for safety to address concerns over possible battery explosions. It would also compare the capacity of electric and diesel trucks, since the new EVs will be used for long-distance trips of 300-500 kilometers, he said. Continued … 

Seawalls are no panacea

Last week, the environmental group Beach for Life launched a protest to urge the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment to review its policies on the construction of seawalls and breakwaters intended to help prevent coastal erosion.

The group, which represents 94 civil groups and coastal communities, demanded the ministry overturn a ministerial resolution issued about nine years ago, which allowed the Public Works and Town Planning Department (DPT) to build such structures along the coast without conducting an environmental impact assessment (EIA). Continued …

H O T HIGH SEASON D I S C O U N T: 500 BAHT

  • Treat yourself. Get away for the day. Get a beach bed at our Anantasila beach ! 
  • You get a Big Beach Towel for the day
  • You get to use our facilities
  • You are welcome to splash around in our infinity pool
  • You can enjoy the beautiful Anantasila environment
  • You can use the 500 Baht as a credit in our restaurant or beach bar, for food and drinks, up to that 300 Baht

That sounds like a deal, doesn’t it ? Welcome !

The Beach at Anantasila, Khao Takiab, Hua Hin

A spacious safe environment with all measures taken.

For information or reservations: e-mail fb@anantasila.com or dial 032 527638

You deserve it!

Chiang Mai welcoming more tourists as flights start returning

Chiang Mai returned to its top spot as a favorite destination after the number of daily arrivals rose beyond 20,000 in December.

Nattawut Ta-inta, Chiang Mai Airport’s deputy director, recently said that the airport now welcomes between 18,000 to 20,000 passengers daily; of them, some 2,000 are international arrivals.

Some 130 domestic and about 20 international flights land in Chiang Mai daily. He said 11 international airlines have returned to their pre-pandemic schedule, including flights from Incheon and Busan in South Korea; Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam; Singapore; Luang Prabang in Cambodia; Taiwan capital Taipei; Hong Kong; Yangon in Myanmar; and the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. Continued … 

At least 100,000 join in the Big Mountain music festival in Nakhon Ratchasima

At least a hundred thousand people joined in the Big Mountain Music Festival in Nakhon Ratchasima over the past weekend. The music festival returned after two years of being basically canceled due to Covid-19.

Watcharee Pratchanusorn, president of the Tourism Council of Nakhon Ratchasima, said, “There were at least 100,000 people who joined in the music festival. One hundred percent of rooms at hotels and resorts nearby were sold out, in which 208 hotels with a total of 8,221 rooms were full. Continued …

Nearly 4,000 patients with Covid hospitalized, 107 deaths reported in a week

A total of 3,961 patients diagnosed with Covid-19 received treatment in hospitals during the past week, and 107 patients succumbed to the disease, the Disease Control Department (DCD) reported on Monday.

In its weekly report, the DCD said 3,961 patients were hospitalized from Dec. 4 to 10, or an average of 566 patients a day.

The DCD said 107 people had died of Covid during the period, an average of 15 deaths a day. The number of Covid deaths has reached 11,694, the DCD added. Continued …

Covid-19 now becoming a seasonal bug

Covid-19 is becoming a seasonal virus in Thailand, primarily active during two periods of the year, said Yong Poovorawan, director of the Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University.

Dr. Yong said infections are expected to peak between June and September and November and February. He said the virus can re-infect a person, similar to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), but unlike diseases such as measles, which, once infected or vaccinated, can build immunity that lasts for life. Continued …

XBB Covid Variant In India Will Soon Reach Thailand: expert

A pulmonary disease expert said yesterday that Thailand has to watch what Covid-19 strain is spreading in India because the same variant usually comes here, with the one currently taking hold there being XBB.

Dr. Manoon Leechawengwong, who is based at Vichaiyut Hospital, said the Delta variant was first discovered in India late 2020, after which it spread globally, with Thailand suffering from a big Delta wave in the middle of 2021.

In June this year, India was among the countries where the BA.2.75 Covid subspecies was first identified and it then replaced BA.5 as the dominant strain there. After that ,this strain spread to many countries, including Thailand where it set off a new Covid wave. Continued … 

COVID monitoring center in Korat to reopen as infections rise

The Nakhon Ratchasima provincial administration plans to reopen the COVID-19 monitoring center next week, in the wake of a rising trend in new infections.

Currently, an average of two COVID-19 patients are dying each day in this northeastern province, with six fatalities reported Sunday alone, most of them elderly people who were not fully vaccinated. Continued …

Hong Kong drops curbs on incoming travelers, scraps Covid app

Arrivals in Hong Kong from Wednesday will no longer receive an “amber” code barring them from some venues, Chief Executive John Lee said, while dropping use of a government-mandated Covid-19 mobile application.

The news of a further loosening of Covid-19 curbs in the global financial hub, which has trailed most of the world in easing them, is set to boost resumption of travel and business, as the code had limited access to bars and restaurants. The government’s move to scrap its mobility-tracking app governing access to restaurants and venues such as gyms, clubs and salons, comes after mainland China dropped the requirement. Continued … 

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International

China sends record wave of bombers into Taiwan defense zone

China sent a record 18 nuclear-capable bombers into Taiwan’s air defense zone, Taipei said Tuesday, just days after Beijing banned more Taiwanese imports in the latest sign of deteriorating ties. Continued … 

Former FTX CEO Bankman-Fried arrested in Bahamas

 

Sam Bankman-Fried, who founded and led FTX until a liquidity crunch forced the Bahamas-based cryptocurrency exchange to declare bankruptcy, was arrested on Monday in The Bahamas after being criminally charged by U.S. prosecutors. Continued … 

Russia’s McDonald’s successor replacing Big Mac with ‘Big Hit’

Starved of Big Macs since McDonald’s Corp. closed its Russian restaurants in March, Russians will from next year be treated to an alternative from the burger chain’s successor – the “Big Hit.” Continued …

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