- Old Days Festival at Bluport this weekend/
- Cha Am seafood festival set for March 11-18/
- Beach Party/Music Festival in Cha Am April 29/
- Makha Bucha Day Monday: lots of Buddhism, no alcohol/
- Trafficker abandons 106 illegal migrants stuffed inside truck in PKK/
- FTI anticipates lower May power tariff/
- Lazada Thailand says its e-commerce merchants rose 30% last year/
- US serviceman found dead in Thai army barracks in Lop Buri province/
- China-Laos Railway has carried 10 million passengers/
- Dams constructed by China and Laos on the Mekong pose major problems/
- 50 elephants ‘addicted to sugarcane’ destroy 2000 rai of crops/
- Man arrested with 30 live monitor lizards, large quantity of reptile flesh/
- Yes, you can have a lion as a pet in Thailand/
- Foreigners flee Thai stocks at rapid rate/
- London dogs head to Thailand to sniff out pangolin smugglers/
- ‘Happy toilets’ on the way at land offices/
- The highs and lows of liberalizing marijuana/
- How Thailand’s booming cannabis industry can benefit all/
- Tourism: Over 7,000 Russians in Phuket apply for visa extensions/Where are rich Russian holidaymakers going to avoid travel sanctions?/Expensive flights to Thailand too hot for Chinese/Taiwanese Tourist Dies After Snorkeling in Krabi/New Zealand Tourist Rescued After Getting Lost in Phangan Island Jungle/German Tourist Rescued After Getting Injured Inside Krabi Cave/Two Russian Kids Back with Parents after Being Lost in Patong/
- International: Finnish parliament passes NATO bill with large majority/APEC posts lower economic growth, weaker trade activity/The ultra-rich lost 10% of fortune in 2022/
- 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
Cha Am seafood festival set for March 11-18
Cha Am will hold its annual seafood festival between March 11-18, with the festival taking place on the viewpoint on Cha Am beachfront.
One of the main highlights of the festival is the wide range of locally caught seafood that will be available for visitors to sample. From grilled prawns and squid to fried fish and crab, there will be something to please everyone’s taste buds.
The festival also features a walking street and night market where visitors can purchase local products and souvenirs. There also will be live music every night.
Beach Party/Music Festival in Cha Am April 29
The NangLay Beach Party and Music Festival will be held at the northern end of the Cha Am beach area, near the Triple Tree Resort on Saturday, April 29.
The non-stop party features many popular artists, including Bright Vachirawit and Nanon, Billkin, Palmy, Potato, Paradox, Joey Boy, Three Man Down, Tillybirds, Paper Planes And Sarah Salola, with a light and sound system throughout the night.
Early ticket sales start on March 31 HERE, in every 7-Eleven store or HERE.
Makha Bucha Day Monday: lots of Buddhism, no alcohol
Next week, Thailand will celebrate Makha Bucha Day, an important religious holiday for Thai Buddhists. The holiday falls on Monday, March 6.
While the day may not hold the same religious significance for non-Buddhists, it is still recognized as a significant day in Thai culture, and for tourists for the banning of alcohol sales.
Makha Bucha Day falls on the full moon day of the third lunar month. Even the massive Full Moon Party in Koh Pha Ngan, which rarely follows the rules and laws, postpones the big event by one day in observance of Buddha Day. Other parties start after midnight when it is technically the next day and drinking is legal again. Continued …
Trafficker abandons 106 illegal migrants stuffed inside truck in PKK
Police discovered 106 illegal migrants crammed into a truck in Prachuap Khiri Khan province yesterday. The driver was nowhere to be found.
A concerned forklift driver rang officers at Bang Saphan Police Station to say that he believed that a “suspicious” vehicle parked on the side of Petchkasem Road was carrying illegal immigrants.
Police arrived to find a six-wheel truck, about 20 meters in size, with a Bangkok registration plate. The truck driver was not there. Continued …
FTI anticipates lower May power tariff
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) expects the new mid-year power tariff, which is used to calculate electricity bills, to not exceed 5 baht per kilowatt-hour (unit) following a drop in liquefied national gas (LNG) prices.
The current rate for businesses, in effect from January to April, is 5.33 baht a unit.
Energy authorities are discussing the adjustment of the tariff, to be imposed from May to August. Continued …
Lazada Thailand says its e-commerce merchants rose 30% last year
The number of retailers using the platform of e-commerce firm Lazada Thailand rose 30% last year, its chief business officer, Thanida Suiwatana, told a press conference on Wednesday.
The company will provide more innovative features and services to attract more shoppers to its platform, Thanida said.
Although she did not provide comprehensive details, she did give some examples. Lazada will make it easier for users to get refunds and accelerate deliveries, Thanida said. Its average delivery time is 1.1 days, she added. Continued …
US serviceman found dead in Thai army barracks in Lop Buri province
Thai police are investigating the death of a U.S. serviceman who was found lifeless in a bathroom of the 31st Infantry Regiment of the Royal Guards barracks in Lop Buri yesterday.
The American was a member of the U.S. force participating in the Cobra Gold 2023 joint exercise, being held in Lop Buri Province.
The body has been sent to the Ananda Mahidol Hospital, where a doctor said that there was a wound to his head. Mueang district police said that they have reported the incident to the Immigration Bureau for further action. Continued …
China-Laos Railway has carried 10 million passengers
The China-Laos Railway operated 20,000 passenger trains and carried 10.3 million passengers by Jan. 31, 2023, according to an update from the China Railway Kunming Bureau Group Co.
The China-Laos Railway, with a total length of 1,035 km, runs from Kunming in China to the northernmost provinces and Vientiane in Laos.
Since the full line was made operational on Dec. 3, 2021, related departments in Laos have scientifically analyzed the travel rules for passengers, constantly enriched passenger transport products, optimized station services, and set up ticket offices in major cities in Laos to extend the pre-sale time. Thus, the China-Laos Railway is able to meet the travel needs of passengers better. Continued …
Dams constructed by China and Laos on the Mekong pose major problems
50 elephants ‘addicted to sugarcane’ destroy 2000 rai of crops
A herd of around 50 wild elephants has migrated into farmland in Loei province in northeast Thailand, destroying 2000 rai of crops so far. There is no sign of them retreating into the forest.
Recently, around 50 elephants migrated into agricultural land in the Phra Kradueng district from the Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary.
No wonder the elephants moved away from their home, given the goodies on offer – the herd has worked their way through entire fields of sugarcane, bamboo, bananas, and cassava, and even chomped on rubber trees. Continued …
Man arrested with 30 live monitor lizards, large quantity of reptile flesh
Wildlife officials and police have arrested a man and seized 30 live monitor lizards (Varanus salvator), 59 lizard carcasses and several live turtles in a raid on an illegal slaughterhouse in Suphan Buri province.
Padet Laithong, director of the Wildlife Conservation Office, said that the meat was being sent to wildlife restaurants in Trat province, falsely identified as tree monitor (Varanus bengalensis) meat.
He also said that officials are investigating a report in social media that the monitor lizard meat might have been sent to customers to turn into meatballs. Continued …
Yes, you can have a lion as a pet in Thailand
Thai media were reporting that you can keep a lion as a pet in Thailand, as long as you have the required paperwork and tell the authorities in good time.
Earlier, a senior Pattaya policemen, vets and park staff, had been alerted to a foreigner keeping a lion at a housing estate in Nong Prue.
Neighbors were terrified that their children might soon be attacked and eaten by the lion – still actually a cub – that was allowed to prowl round the house. Continued …
Foreigners flee Thai stocks at rapid rate
Foreign investors were net sellers of US$1 billion (37 billion baht) worth of shares on the Thai stock exchange in February, the highest value among Asian bourses for the month and the biggest net sell-off on the exchange since April 2020, with several factors pressuring investments, according to analysts.
Foreign investors sold 3.33 billion baht worth of Thai shares on Tuesday, according to LH Securities. The current account deficit reached $2 billion in January, as reported by the Bank of Thailand on Tuesday, prompting continued capital outflows and a further weakening of the baht. Continued …
London dogs head to Thailand to sniff out pangolin smugglers
Two Labrador dogs, which have been trained by British police, are to be flown to Thailand to help crack down on the smuggling of critically endangered pangolins, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) said on Tuesday.
Pangolins, nocturnal creatures famed for their full armor of scales, are the most trafficked mammal in the world, according to the World Wildlife Fund, and all eight species are on the red list of threatened species and at risk of extinction, the ZSL said.
The two dogs, Buster and Bess, who have already undergone an eight-week training program with London’s Metropolitan Police, will be sent to Thailand to complete their training, and then use their sniffing skills to detect pangolins being smuggled through airports, ports and by road. Continued …
‘Happy toilets’ on the way at land offices
The Health Department and the Department of Lands have teamed up to renovate 461 public restrooms at land offices nationwide to meet health, accessibility and safety (HAS) standards.
During the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the Bangkok Metropolitan Land Office between the two departments, Amporn Chantawibul, a senior sanitary expert of the Health Department, said the project aims to provide hygienic restrooms. Continued …
The highs and lows of liberalizing marijuana
A boom in cannabis businesses has helped jolt the tourism industry back to life, as travelers flock to Thailand for marijuana tourism.
However, decriminalization preceded passage of the legislation needed to control and regulate cannabis, which has led to a free-for-all in the industry, as businesses, many owned by foreigners, invest in cannabis outlets and users buy weed with little or any medical or consumer guidance. Continued …
How Thailand’s booming cannabis industry can benefit all
With the increasing legalization of medical cannabis in many countries, a unique opportunity has arisen for Thailand to use this industry as an engine for positive change. An innovative example is Bloom Thailand using cloning technology to bring education and resources to disadvantaged communities in Bangkok.
Bangkok Community Help Foundation and Bloom sponsored a workshop in the Khlong Toei community to teach cloning techniques for growing vegetables.
The goal of the workshop was to empower the community to cultivate its own food using sustainable methods, leading to greater self-sufficiency. Continued …
Over 7,000 Russians in Phuket apply for visa extensions
Over 7,000 Russians in Phuket are applying for visa extensions in a bid to stay in Thailand. Local immigration chief, Thanet Sukchai, says the great weather is one factor in their attempts to stay.
“Phuket is a nice place to visit, with delicious food and good weather. As word has spread about the island, Russian tourists keep coming to the province.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year, Thailand has become a refuge for Russian citizens, as reported by Al Jazeera. Continued …
Where are rich Russian holidaymakers going to avoid travel sanctions?
Travel sanctions didn’t stop rich Russians from going on holiday last year, a new report has revealed.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union suspended visas for Russian travelers. But wealthy tourists simply decided to holiday elsewhere.
According to research from flight data firm ForwardKeys, wealthy Russians returned to travel “with a vengeance”. Continued …
Expensive flights to Thailand too hot for Chinese
Expensive flights to Thailand from bigger cities in China are delaying Thailand’s tourism recovery. Most tariffs are still one and a half times more than pre-pandemic prices, while for smaller cities, fares are more than double previous levels.
According to Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Gov. Yuthasak Supasorn, while most tickets are cheaper than last year, prices for March and April are still higher than before the pandemic in every Chinese city.
Prices of flights from major cities in the mainland are 1.5 times higher, with prices from Shanghai as high as 24,500 baht (US$690). Ticket prices to and from smaller cities – in China a city of 4.2 million like Xiamen is considered “smaller” – are still around double the previous rates, and direct flights are still hard to come by from most transit hubs. Continued …
Taiwanese Tourist Dies After Snorkeling in Krabi
A Taiwanese tourist died after snorkeling at an island in Mueang Krabi.
The Mueang Krabi Police said they were notified of the incident by Krabi Hospital on Tuesday. Yueh Lee, 36, a Taiwanese national, was taken from Hong Island in the Khao Thong subdistrict. He was pronounced dead at the Krabi hospital. A doctor said he died from drowning.
Yueh’s unidentified friend told police that they went to Hong Island for snorkeling. Continued …
New Zealand Tourist Rescued After Getting Lost in Phangan Island Jungle
A tourist from New Zealand has been rescued after he got lost in a forest on Phangan Island in Surat Thani.
The Samui Tourist Police said on Monday they were notified that a 56-year-old New Zealand tourist was missing.
His friends told police that he was missing from a resort at 4am on Sunday. They went out to search for him but failed before they called for help. Continued …
German Tourist Rescued After Getting Injured Inside Krabi Cave
A German tourist has been rescued after she sustained injuries inside a cave in Mueang Krabi.
Emergency responders were notified on Tuesday from a local long-tailed boat operator that a 61-year-old female German tourist fell and injured herself inside a cave.
Rescue workers went into the area with the long-tailed boat before climbing up on a ladder in the natural hall inside the cave, which is more than 10 meters high. Continued …
Two Russian Kids Back with Parents after Being Lost in Patong
Two Russian kids are back with their parents after they got lost near Bangla Road.
The Phuket Tourist Police said on Sunday night at 9:35pm that they were notified by a Russian woman that she had lost her two kids aged four and five years old.
The Phuket Tourist Police, the Patong Police, and the Patong Beach lifeguards searched for the kids along Patong Beach. Continued …
Finnish parliament passes NATO bill with large majority
Finland’s parliament on Wednesday overwhelmingly backed its bid to join NATO. Approval of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s treaties and Finland’s accession passed with 184 members of the 200-seat parliament voting in favor, seven against and one abstaining. Continued …
APEC posts lower economic growth, weaker trade activity
The Asia-Pacific’s economy grew 2.6 % in 2022, a decline from 6.1 % growth in 2021, according to a new report published by the APEC Policy Support Unit. The region’s economy is expected to pick up in the short term with the gross domestic product (GDP) projected to expand by 3.1% this year. Continued …
The ultra-rich lost 10% of fortune in 2022
The world’s ultra-richest saw their fortunes shrink by 10% in 2022, due to the war in Ukraine, a study said Wednesday, but the outlook for them this year is bright. The study, by London-based property consultants Knight Frank, examined the fortunes of what it calls ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs): people with a net worth of at least $30 million, including their main residence. Continued …
Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule
The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location 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
Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day
Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, starting Feb. 19. The bus leaves Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departs 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-Chiang Mai flight schedules
