Tag Archives: thailand air pollution

bangkok, hua hin, prauchuap khiri khan, thai economy, thai environment, thailand, tourism

Saturday’s News-March 11

  • 89 National Parks Closed To Curb Wildfires, Reduce Dust/
  • Air pollution triggers respiratory diseases/
  • Coup window not closed/
  • Thailand OK, but bleak economic view for Asia/
  • Oxford Dictionary gives pad Thai special treatment/
  • 3,000 apply for Thailand’s new long-term visa in first 4 months/
  • Illegal Myanmar immigrants arrested in Prachuap with ‘ice’ and ‘yaba’/
  • Cobra Gold 2023 draws to a close with live fire drills/
  • Report finds Thai prisons well below international standards/
  • Health Check: Cervical cancer is preventable and treatable if detected early/Mobile clinic delivers dental care to villages in the mountainous North/Bumrungrad launches its world-class Heart Institute to treat all heart conditions/
  • Tourism: Hotel scheme generates Bt1.25 billion/Secluded Trang beach touted as the next Maya Bay/
  • Thailand Experience: Trendiest café chains in Thailand to try/International masks to be among attractions at colorful Loei cultural fest/
  • Links: 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

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89 National Parks Closed To Curb Wildfires, Reduce Dust

The Center of Air Pollution Mitigation (CAPM), Pollution Control Department, reports exceeding the PM2.5 (dust with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less) standard in many provinces of Thailand, especially in the north of the country.

(Editor: We are aware that our readers want air pollution information pertaining to Hua Hin and Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, but there just hasn’t been any local coverage to share. Given how sensitive local officials – and many foreigners – are to anything negative being reported about Hua Hin, and how local media is more interested in promoting than reporting, we do not expect any local PM2.5 news any time soon.)

In northern Thailand, 72–145 micrograms per cubic meter of dust are reported to exceed the standard value in 32 areas in 17 provinces. In addition, a total of 20 areas are classified as the red zone, meaning that the air quality is “very unhealthy”.

Many provinces reportedly are now covered with heavy smoke and have persistent air pollution. The Chiang Mai Health Department said it had not received any report of patients whose health had been threatened by the air pollution. However, there have been several posts on social media from locals, including the story of a family whose 9-year-old daughter had a heavy nose bleed. Locals have tried to do their best by using air purifiers or avoiding being outdoors. Continued …

Air pollution triggers respiratory diseases

More than 31,000 people in Bangkok and 1.4 million nationwide have developed respiratory diseases due to haze pollution since Jan. 1, according to the Public Health Ministry.

Dr. Pathomporn Siraprapasiri, inspector-general at the Public Health Ministry, on Friday said the ministry has teamed up with the Health Department and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to endorse the Department of Disease Control’s air pollution control measures.

Data from public hospitals and the BMA’s Medical Service Department showed there are 31,695 patients in Bangkok, and 1,449,716 patients nationwide, who have developed symptoms caused by air pollution. Continued …

Coup window not closed

Academics agree it will be difficult for coups to take place in the country from now on but they have not ruled them out, especially under extreme conditions such as political violence.

They discussed the prospects of another one occurring if Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is seen to represent the conservative group, fails to return to power after the next election and the Pheu Thai Party succeeds in forming a government.

Prayut previously vowed there would be no more coups, saying the 2014 putsch would never be repeated, in an attempt to allay fears heading closer to the general election. Continued …

Thailand OK, but bleak economic view for Asia

Thailand and China are among the lone bright spots in Asia, projected to have higher real GDP growth this year even as the rest of the region is battered by unfavorable global economic conditions and geopolitical tensions, according to global trade insurer Atradius.

The insurer’s recent “Regional Economic Outlook Asia” report indicated the regional economic recovery was “clearly losing momentum” because of tighter financial conditions, inflation, a weak global economic environment and geopolitical tensions.

While China and Thailand are expected to post higher year-on-year growth in 2023, economies in the rest of the region are estimated to take a step back as they try to shake off tight financial conditions and weak external demand, Atradius noted. Continued …

Oxford Dictionary gives pad Thai special treatment

The tasty Thai noodle dish “pad Thai” enjoyed all around the world has now been listed in the Oxford dictionary website as a category C2 international word, which puts it on par with words like pizza from Italy.

A search at https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/ yields the following definition for pad Thai:

“A dish from Thailand made with a type of noodles made from rice, spices, egg, vegetables and sometimes meat or seafood.” Continued … 

3,000 apply for Thailand’s new long-term visa in first 4 months

Almost 3,000 wealthy and/or skilled foreigners have applied for Thailand’s new long-term resident (LTR) visa in the first four months, government spokeswoman Traisulee Taisaranakul said on Friday.

The 10-year, multi-entry visa was introduced on Nov. 1 last year to attract foreign talent and multinational firms to Thailand.

Traisulee said 2,920 foreigners had applied for LTR visas from the Board of Investment (BOI) between Nov. 1 and Feb. 28 this year. Continued …

Illegal Myanmar immigrants arrested in Prachuap with ‘ice’ and ‘yaba’

A special task force of military, protection agency and police received a tip of a movement of Myanmar nationals crossing illegally into Thailand yesterday.

In Moo 5, Ao Noi, Muang Prachuap Khiri Khan, the task force arrested 18 illegal Myanmar workers who were on their way to work in Malaysia; there were 11 men and 7 women.

In addition, three Myanmar facilitators were also arrested. Continued …

Cobra Gold 2023 draws to a close with live fire drills

The Cobra Gold military exercises, which this year saw 30 countries taking part, drew to a close on Friday.

The exercises are held annually and were co-hosted in Thailand by the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

This year’s closing ceremony at the Artillery Center in Lop Buri’s Phatthana Nikhom district was presided over by Gen. Chalermphon Srisawasdi, chief of defense forces, and Major Gen. Stephen Smith, commander of the U.S. 7th Infantry Division. Continued …

Report finds Thai prisons well below international standards

An annual report has found that Thai prisons in 2022 were well below international standards. The no-governmental organization, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and the Union for Civil Liberty released the report yesterday.

The report findings show that the aftermath of the Covid-19 outbreak led to authorities making little progress in implementing lessons learned from the pandemic to improve prison conditions and the well-being of inmates.

According to FIDH Secretary-General Adilur Rahman Khan, “Former prisoners described inhuman and degrading treatment to which no inmate should be subjected. While authorities have taken some positive steps to address some blatantly abusive situations, the overall picture of prison conditions remains bleak. The Thai government must increase its efforts to make prison conditions consistent with international standards and the country’s human rights obligations.” Continued …

Cervical cancer is preventable and treatable if detected early

Cervical cancer is a major public health burden with significant social and economic impact on health systems, national economies, and affected women and their families.

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. Nearly all women and people with a cervix are at risk. The main cause of cervical cancer is well-known: infection with human papilloma virus (HPV).

When women are ill, society is impacted. Women are major contributors to economies directly and indirectly and central to familial and community structures. Continued …

Mobile clinic delivers dental care to villages in the mountainous North

Communications channels and roads seem to reach every village in Thailand, except many in mountainous areas of the North that ethnic hill tribes call home. As a result, many still lack health centers offering the most rudimentary medical services.

The terrain restricts access to these remote villages. Instead of roads, there are only narrow, winding pathways leading to them.

Still, the dean of the Faculty of Dentistry at Chiang Mai University – Assistant Professor Dr. Narumanas Korwanich – continues to send mobile dental units to these villages to bring their residents the healthcare most Thais can easily access. Continued …

Bumrungrad launches its world-class Heart Institute to treat all heart conditions

As people around the world live longer, the need for comprehensive and innovative cardiac care is ever increasing. According to Artirat Charukitpipat, CEO of Bumrungrad International Hospital, “The World Health Organization estimates heart conditions take about 18 million lives each year.

The data reveals this trend is likely to continue and become more complex in the near future due to the elderly’s risk of facing heart health conditions.”

“Bumrungrad International Hospital recognizes the importance of improving the level of care and prevention, which includes promoting healthy lifestyles, as well as screening and early detection programs for risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol in response to the increasing number of heart disease cases and their associated complications”, she stated. Continued …

Hotel scheme generates Bt1.25 billion

Domestic tourists spent more than 1.25 billion baht on hotel bookings during the fifth phase of the “We Travel Together” scheme, snapping up 560,000 room nights within four days.

Chon Buri was the most popular destination, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Total expenditure on the scheme, which includes a 40% subsidy from the government, was recorded at 2 billion baht, generated for 3,583 hotel partners. Continued …

Secluded Trang beach touted as the next Maya Bay

A secluded beach on the Andaman coast is being touted as the next Maya Bay, the sandy paradise made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Beach”.

Hat Yao beach has all the ingredients to become a major attraction for international travelers in the South, according the Tourism Council of Trang (TCT).

It cited the towering limestone karts of Ao Po Bay, Hat Yong Ling beach, the caverns of Tham Chao Khun and chances to spot dugongs and turtles. Continued …

Trendiest café chains in Thailand to try

Thailand’s café culture is thriving, with an array of options to choose from. You can find everything from charming cafés to pet-friendly ones. And café chains are on the rise, as well.

So, whether you’re in need of a quick caffeine fix, a spot to catch up with friends, or a cosy workspace, café chains are an easy go-to as they have multiple locations scattered throughout the country.

Although most serve some really delicious menus, not all serve them in an equally nice atmosphere, so if you’re thinking of going for a coffee journey in Thailand, here are our recommendations of popular café chains in Thailand! Continued …

International masks to be among attractions at colorful Loei cultural fest

With a funfair and plenty of festive vibes, the Mask Festival 2023 is all set to rev up the hot season in Thailand’s northeast this month. Taking place in Loei province from March 17-19, the international festival will not only bring together Loei’s three famous mask processions – including the iconic Phi Ta Khon – but will also feature spectacular mask parades from around Asia.

The festival is being held at the Kud Pong public square in downtown Loei and promises festival-goers a series of mask parades, cultural shows and lots of tasty local food.

Located along the Thai-Lao border, Loei is about 520 kilometers northeast of Bangkok. The province is famous for the Phi Ta Khon Festival. Inspired by Buddhist legend, this festive event celebrates the return of King Vessandorn (the incarnation of the Lord Buddha) to his throne after a long period of living as a hermit monk in the forest. 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

 

90-day online reporting

baht, bangkok, chiang mai, hua hin, pattaya, prauchuap khiri khan, thai environment, thai food, thailand, tourism, transportation

Wednesday’s News-March 1

2 Comments

  • Prachuap Khiri Khan ramps up ‘100% helmet’ and mandatory car insurance campaign/
  • Chiang Mai flights will operate four times per week/
  • Demystifying sticky Thai goods prices/
  • Baht tipped to strengthen in 2023 after US rates peak/
  • Chiang Mai listed in top 10 most-polluted cities in the world/
  • Excessive PM2.5 pollution in most of northern Thailand today/
  • Thailand’s interprovincial bus operator ready to go electric/
  • Telemedicine lays the pathway to equality in medicine, Bangkok forum hears/
  • Traffic cop delivers 100 babies on the streets of Bangkok/
  • Thailand to promote use of insect larvae for making animal feeds/
  • Finnish expat found dead with throat cut in Chon Buri/
  • Tourism: Hua Hin and Cha Am 2nd most popular destinations for Thai families/TAT suggests tourism operators still upbeat on recovery outlook/Danish and Swedish passengers stranded in Bangkok/Plush cruises eyed to boost tourism cash/
  • Thailand Experience: Top 3 Place For Jungle Trekking In Thailand/11 Indian restaurants to try in Bangkok/
  • International: Drones Fly Deep Inside Russia; Putin Orders Border Tightened/
  • 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

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Prachuap Khiri Khan ramps up ‘100% helmet’ and mandatory car insurance campaign

Drivers of cars and motorcycles in Prachuap Khiri Khan are the subject of a new campaign aimed at boosting road safety.

On Tuesday, Satean Charoenyuen, the governor of Prachuap Khiri Khan, presided over the launch of a campaign to promote mandatory car insurance among motorists, as well as the wearing of helmets among motorcyclists.

According to the law in Thailand, all drivers must have car insurance, while motorcyclists must wear a helmet. Continued …

Chiang Mai flights will operate four times per week

Demystifying sticky Thai goods prices

Thailand may be unique in handling the domestic prices of products and services. Whenever manufacturers and business operators shoulder higher production costs and ask state units for permission to raise their prices, the Internal Trade Department always rushes to call a joint meeting with them.

Most of the time, the manufacturers and operators come to an “agreement” to maintain prices while authorities monitor the market.

In one recent instance, seven manufacturers and distributors of baby and adult diapers talked with the department and agreed to maintain prices, even after announcing to the local media their plan to increase prices starting in March, in line with rising production costs. Continued …

Baht tipped to strengthen in 2023 after US rates peak

The baht is likely to recover and strengthen to 33-34 to the U.S. dollar by the end of 2023, as the greenback could go into reverse and start to depreciate in six months, says SCB Chief Investment Office (CIO).

The Thai currency traded below 35 baht to the dollar yesterday, moving in a range of 35.15 to 35.38, amid continued concerns over U.S. interest rate hikes. The baht, analysts said, was under pressure from capital outflows from the Thai stock and bond markets amid the dollar appreciation.

The baht has weakened by 5.2% this year. Continued … 

Chiang Mai listed in top 10 most-polluted cities in the world

Chiang Mai and Bangkok were named the sixth and 14th most polluted cities in the world by IQAir in its latest global index.

The Swiss air-quality technology company released its list of the world’s worst polluted cities and their AQI (air quality index) readings as of 8.30am on Tuesday morning.

The top 10 worst polluted cities and their AQI readings are: Continued …

Excessive PM2.5 pollution in most of northern Thailand today

PM2.5 dust in most northern provinces today exceeds the safety level, being measured at between 61 and 200 microns. The situation is likely to deteriorate in the coming days, according to the Pollution Control Department.

The level of PM2.5 in most of Bangkok and its suburbs has been measured at between 39 and 114 microns, compared to the safety level in Thailand of 50 microns.

Only five areas in the northeast are reported to have excessive levels of PM2.5, measured between 23 and 130 microns. Continued … 

Thailand’s interprovincial bus operator ready to go electric

Transport Co.’s board of directors agreed on Tuesday to procure 75 electric buses for 12 routes across Thailand.

“The aim is to preserve the environment and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and PM2.5 dust particles,” Transport Co.’s Managing Director Sanyalak Panwattanalikhit said.

He added that the shift to electric buses also matches the Transport Ministry’s aim to develop transportation services that do not hurt the environment. Continued … 

Telemedicine lays the pathway to equality in medicine, Bangkok forum hears

The application of telehealth services in Thailand was the key topic of discussion at the Than x Forum 2023 held last week in Bangkok.

Telehealth, or telemedicine, is identified as the use of technology to provide healthcare from a distance without requiring in-person visits.

The objective of the forum was to let the world know of Thailand’s ambition to become a medical hub. The first step, however, will be turning Bangkok into a healthy city, so its people can also become healthier. Continued …

Traffic cop delivers 100 babies on the streets of Bangkok

Sporting big bikes, brown outfits and guns on their hips, Thai traffic police officers don’t look like your average midwives. But in gridlocked Bangkok, pregnant women don’t always make it to the hospital in time.

In a sprawling city home to nearly 11 million people, sometimes the only way to reach those in need of medical help is on two wheels.

A motorbike weaving in and out of the traffic will reach someone in need much faster than an ambulance. That’s why the 160 men comprising Royal Thai Police’s traffic unit are medically trained first responders. Continued …

Thailand to promote use of insect larvae for making animal feeds

The National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards will promote the use of larvae of black soldier flies as main ingredients for making farm animal feeds and pet foods for both local consumption and export.

Bureau Secretary-general Pisan Pongsapitch unveiled the plan during a seminar jointly held by the Livestock Development Department, and the Thai Feed Mill Assn. at the Rama Gardens Hotel in Bangkok on Tuesday.

The seminar was aimed at educating animal feed makers and farmers of black soldier flies about the regulations for using black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) in making the feeds and for exporting BSFL and feeds and pet foods that are made of BSFL. Continued …

Finnish expat found dead with throat cut in Chon Buri

A Finnish expat was found dead with his throat cut in Thailand’s Chon Buri province this morning. His Thai wife, 49-year-old Aranya Srisaeng, told police that she was the first person to find the body of her husband, 57-year-old Markku Tapanni Karjalainen. His death was reported at 8.30am.

Karjalainen had lived with Aranya in a single-story house in the Bang Saray subdistrict of Sattahip district.

According to Aranya’s statements, she and Karjalainen had been living together for five years without registering their marriage. Her husband had returned to Finland for a few years, but he came back about nine months ago and decided to buy a house. Continued …

Hua Hin and Cha Am 2nd most popular destinations for Thai families

Pattaya is this year’s most popular destination for Thai families looking to enjoy a domestic vacation together.

Based on early 2023 search data from digital travel platform Agoda, Pattaya tops the list and is joined on the podium by Hua Hin/Cha Am and Phuket.

According to Agoda, Thai families are most likely to enjoy some quality time around seaside cities this year. The full list of top 10 most-searched domestic destinations by families contains Pattaya, Hua Hin/Cha Am, Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Khao Yai, Krabi, Rayong and Ko Samet, respectively. Continued …

TAT suggests tourism operators still upbeat on recovery outlook

Business operators still have confidence in the country’s tourism recovery as campaigns for the general election kick into high gear and the next phase of the “We Travel Together” scheme is projected to have the participation of more than 9,000 hotels, with the aim of stimulating domestic spending, says the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

TAT Gov. Yuthasak Supasorn said there had been 2 million foreign arrivals per month since January, which helped build positive momentum for the tourism industry.

He said that with the launch of the fifth phase of hotel subsidy under the We Travel Together program, domestic tourism should be stronger during the Songkran festival and would also help maintain domestic consumption during the transition period before a new government takes over in the second half of the year. Continued …

Danish and Swedish passengers stranded in Bangkok

About 200 passengers from Denmark and Sweden were stranded at Bangkok airport after their flight from Krabi to Bangkok was delayed due to problems with the airport’s electricity.

The passengers were stranded because the flight they would otherwise have been on took off without them and there are no other available seats on flights to Europe.

Initially, Thai Airways, which is the airline behind the delayed departure, blamed bad electrical installations for the problems. Continued …

Plush cruises eyed to boost tourism cash

Authorities are looking at cruise ships to support the recovery of the tourism sector, which will also be boosted by a new plan to cooperate with Netflix in launching a creative travel guide to attractive locations featured in movies. Continued …

Khao Sok National Park

Top 3 Places For Jungle Trekking In Thailand

Thailand is popularly known for its mesmerizing beaches and delicious street food, but did you know that it also features some of the most beautiful and diverse range of rainforests in the world? If you’re an adventure seeker looking for a chance to immerse yourself in nature, then jungle trekking in Thailand should be on your bucket list.

With its lush rainforests, diverse wildlife, and beautiful scenery, Thailand offers a variety of trekking options for all levels of fitness and experience. In this post, we will take a look at the top three places for jungle trekking in Thailand that you don’t want to miss.

Khao Yai National Park

Khao Yai National Park, located in northeastern Thailand, is a nature lover’s paradise. It’s home to lush rainforests, grasslands, and cascading waterfalls, making it an ideal destination for jungle trekking. With a variety of trekking options available, there’s something for everyone, from easy walks in nature to more challenging treks that lead to scenic viewpoints. Continued … 

11 Indian restaurants to try in Bangkok

Compared to many cities in the world, Bangkok’s Indian food scene tilts toward the higher end – and a little pricey, even those places at the budget end of the spectrum.

But that also means an abundance of excellent cuisine to choose from, with a range of fine-dining options spanning the subcontinent from terrific Punjabi treats to delectable southern dosas.

Here are some of our favorites to choose from. Continued …

Drones Fly Deep Inside Russia; Putin Orders Border Tightened

Drones that the Kremlin said were launched by Ukraine flew deep inside Russian territory, including one that got within 100 kilometers (60 miles) of Moscow, signaling breaches in Russian defenses as President Vladimir Putin ordered stepped-up protection at the border. 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 March flight schedule

 

 

90-day online reporting

bangkok, chiang mai, climate change, hospitality, hua hin, marijuana, pattaya, prauchuap khiri khan, real estate, solar, thai economy, thai environment, thai food, thai wildlife, thailand, tourism

Friday’s News-Feb 24

2 Comments

  • Adverse weather expected through Feb 28/
  • Academics ask Westerners to donate rare blood/
  • Bangkok professor says air pollution cost Thailand 4.6 trillion baht in 2019/
  • Thai food and kidney disease – an unholy alliance/
  • Aging with grace: New health and social care model for older people in Thailand/
  • Chinese agencies devouring Chiang Mai property market/
  • Foreigners invest 5 billion baht in Thailand in January/
  • Investors target high-end Pattaya hotels/
  • Thailand’s EV exports double in 2022/
  • Forest encroachment at Thap Lan puts tigers at risk/
  • CP Foods installing solar panels at 180 facilities in renewable energy push/
  • Want a sex toy? Try Thai rubber/
  • Bhumjaithai party to champion cannabis bill next term/
  • Tourism: The growing popularity of traditional Chinese medicine among western tourists/Pattaya Resurrects, Tourist Spending Increases to ฿100 Million Per Night/
  • Thailand Experience: Traditional Songkran promoted in Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai/
  • International: UN marks one year of Ukraine war with ‘historic’ vote/One year of the Russia-Ukraine war – a loss for all/Ransomware 3.0 strikes on the rise/Global wildlife contaminated by ‘forever chemicals’/
  • 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

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Adverse weather expected through Feb 28

Adverse weather conditions are forecast across much of Thailand through at least Feb. 28. The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a weather warning for a combination of factors affecting different parts of the country Feb. 25-28.

The northeast monsoon prevailing over the Gulf of Thailand is likely to bring waves of 2-3 meters (6.5-10 feet) in the upper Gulf of Thailand from Surat Thani Province northward and waves of 2-4 meters (6.5-13 feet) in the lower Gulf of Thailand from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province southward, as well as waves of 1-2 meters (3-6.5 feet) in the Andaman Sea. Authorities have requested that all vessels navigate with caution and avoid thunderstorms. Small boats are advised to refrain from leaving the shore. Continued …

Academics ask Westerners to donate rare blood

Rh-Negative blood reserves in Thailand are extremely low, academics told a panel discussion on Wednesday evening, during which they encouraged the international community in Thailand to donate blood. Continued … 

Bangkok professor says air pollution cost Thailand 4.6 trillion baht in 2019

A Bangkok professor has come forward with some troubling facts about the financial cost of Thailand’s air pollution in 2019.

The Kasetsart University professor, Wissanu Attawanich, said that air pollution from PM2.5 particles caused a staggering 2.173 trillion baht economic damage to Thai households that year. Wissanu said that when counting the damage from all pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, CO, NOx, NO2), the total was 4.616 trillion baht.

Wissanu’s research paper, disseminated by the Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research (PIER), revealed five provinces with the highest cost of damage to households. The top five provinces were Bangkok, Chon Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai, and Khon Kaen. Bangkok had the largest cost of 436.330 billion baht per year for PM2.5, and 927.362 billion baht per year when all air pollutants are considered. Continued … 

Thai food and kidney disease – an unholy alliance

About 17.6% of the Thai population, or eight million people, are suffering from chronic kidney disease, of which 200,000 are in the final stages. These figures are increasing by an average of 7,800 a year, according to Professor Dr. Atiporn Ingsathit, deputy director of Ramathibodi Hospital, quoting a 2020 report by the Ministry of Public Health.

According to the U.S. Renal Data System, Thailand ranks fifth in the world for kidney disease.

One of the causes of the high incidence of the disease is excessive consumption of sodium, averaging 3,635 milligrams per day, or about two teaspoons full, which is twice the amount recommended. Sodium is present in seasonings, such as soy sauce, fish sauce, shrimp paste, soup and seasoning powder. Continued …

Aging with grace: New health and social care model for older people in Thailand

In several poorer countries, aging populations and a lack of universal access to long-term care place the burden of care for older adults on their family. To mitigate this, researchers have successfully implemented a community-integrated intermediary care model in Thailand.

This care service has proven effective in reducing caregiver burden and improving the functional ability and independence of seniors. The multi-pronged model includes care prevention activities, capacity-building for family caregivers, and community respite services.

Rapidly aging populations are a problem that many low- and middle-income countries are currently facing. However, for several of these countries, inclusive health and social care is not a reality. Since older adults require constant attention and monitoring due to age-related morbidities and disabilities, the onus of caring for them usually falls on their families. Continued …

Chinese agencies devouring Chiang Mai property market

Property agents warn that an increasing number of Chinese nationals are buying houses in Chiang Mai via Chinese agencies opened using Thai nominees.

The Real Estate Trade Assn. of Chiang Mai Northern said on Thursday that around 1,000 houses worth over 3 million baht in Chiang Mai are now owned by Chinese nationals, with total value of at least 5 billion baht.

“Chinese have been buying real estate in Chiang Mai for more than a decade,” said association President Non Hirunchetskul. Continued … 

Foreigners invest 5 billion baht in Thailand in January

In the first month of 2023, foreign investment in Thailand amounted to 5.129 billion baht, the biggest investors being the Japanese, investing 3.588 billion baht.

Foreign investment is expected to reach 100 billion baht by the end of the year.

Today, Deputy Minister of Commerce Sinit Lertkrai revealed 52 cases of foreign investment in January under the Foreign Business Act (1999). Continued … 

Investors target high-end Pattaya hotels

Hotel investors are focused on buying upscale establishments because of high demand from independent guests, instead of hotels targeting mass tour groups, which have unfavorable locations and produce low returns, say Pattaya operators.

Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Chon Buri Tourism Council, said 4- and 5-star properties, or those located near beaches and city centers, are more attractive investments because their customers tend to have high spending power.

“Investors learned from Covid-19 that location is an important factor,” said Thanet. Continued …

 

Thailand’s EV exports double in 2022

Exports of electric vehicles (EV) in 2022 rose to 9,515 units, double the number sold in the previous year, according to the Federation of Thai Industries’ Automotive Industry Club.

Total EV production last year reached 92,746 units, increasing 37.9% year-on-year, the club reported on Thursday.

Of these, 84,685 units were hybrid electric vehicles, a 44.9% year-on-year increase in production, while 8,061 units were plug-in hybrid EV, whose production dropped 21.2%. Continued … 

Forest encroachment at Thap Lan puts tigers at risk

Forest encroachment at Thap Lan National Park in Prachin Buri – the heartland of Thailand’s tiger population – has become so severe that Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa is considering the possibility of new borders being drawn up.

“I’m confident the government won’t be disadvantaged by using forest borderlines to solve this problem inside the park. We would accept any borderline that ends the encroachment problem.”

Throughout Thailand, tigers have been driven to extinction. Until recently, there was only one known viable population of tigers in the country, along its western border with Myanmar. Then, in 2017, a population of at least 18 cats was found in Thap Lan National Park. Khao Yai National Park next door lost its tigers due to poaching. Continued … 

CP Foods installing solar panels at 180 facilities in renewable energy push

Agro-industrial and food conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Co. (CP Foods) announced it plans to increase its usage of green energy via the installation of solar panels at 180 animal farms, feed mills, and processing plants across Thailand.

The total energy capacity of the company’s Thailand-based operations will be 65 MW by 2023 the Bangkok-based company stated in a press release. It added that it aims to reach 100 MW of solar energy across its supply chain by 2025.

“CP Foods works to promote the use of solar energy throughout the value chain to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enable cost optimization. The company had earlier this year announced that it had successfully phased out coal use across all of Thailand’s operations in accordance with coal-free 2022 campaign. The business substitutes biomass energy for coal,” CP Foods Executive Vice President Peerapong Krinchai said. Continued …

Want a sex toy? Try Thai rubber

In an effort to boost the price of natural rubber, Agriculture Minister Chalermchai Sri-on said this commodity should be channeled to the production of sex toys and dolls, which would draw additional income for the country.

Chalermchai, who is also the secretary-general of the Democrat Party, said, “Made in Thailand sex toys and dolls produced from the best natural rubber will raise the value of this commodity, with these sex products not just being about pornography but “a matter of sexual health.”

In 2021, the global sex toy market was worth 1.3 trillion baht, having grown 300% since 2016, he said, also estimating that it will increase to 2 trillion baht by 2030. Continued …

Bhumjaithai party to champion cannabis bill next term

The Bhumjaithai party yesterday pledged to push for the passage of a bill on cannabis and hemp after the next election as the controversial draft law appears unlikely to clear the House of Representatives before the end of its current term.

Supachai Jaisamut, chairman of the House committee vetting the draft law and a Bhumjaithai list-MP, seemed resigned to the fate of the bill sponsored by his party.

On Wednesday, the House continued its second reading of the draft law, and it took almost three hours to try and meet a quorum and vote on Section 15/3. Continued … 

The growing popularity of traditional Chinese medicine among western tourists

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has become increasingly popular among western tourists visiting Thailand and other Asian countries where TCM is widely practiced and easily accessible.

Western tourists are often attracted to TCM for various reasons, including its perceived effectiveness, natural remedies, and holistic approach to health and wellness.

At Chinglian TCM Clinic, which is located next to Ratchathewi BTS station, we are seeing a particular increase in younger westerners seeking out alternative treatments for a wide range of ailments. Continued …

Pattaya Resurrects, Tourist Spending Increases to ฿100 Million Per Night

The tourism industry in Pattaya, both day and night, including Walking Street and entertainment venues, is experiencing an increase in spending by tourists from Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The level reaches 100 million baht per night, the figure trumping the record set pre-COVID-19. Business owners in the area are calling on the government to make it a free zone for entertainment until 4 am, like Phuket.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya Director Anoma Wongyai said Pattaya is in high season right now and many Russian tourists, along with travelers from India, Indonesia and China, want to visit the city, starting with private and family groups. Continued …

Traditional Songkran promoted in Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai

Following the inclusion of the Songkran Festival to a tentative list for recognition as an intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Thai authorities plan to promote the festival in a more traditional way in key tourist provinces this April.

Kowit Pakamart, director-general of the Department of Cultural Promotion, said his department is collaborating with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to promote traditional Songkran to showcase Thai culture for this year. Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt reaffirmed the collaboration, adding that the city’s cultural council will host events throughout the year to promote the nation’s intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in the capital. It will also promote information on ICHs, including cultural displays in Bangkok’s 50 districts. Continued …

UN marks one year of Ukraine war with ‘historic’ vote

The United Nations overwhelmingly isolated Russia on Thursday, marking one year since Moscow invaded Ukraine by calling for a “comprehensive, just and lasting peace” and again demanding Moscow withdraw its troops and stop fighting. Continued …

One year of the Russia-Ukraine war – a loss for all

One year into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the West is convinced that, with more powerful arms support to Ukraine, the country will win the war. After all, the U.S. and NATO can still take comfort in the fact that it was Russia’s blatant contravention of the UN Charter, by violating the territorial sovereignty of an independent state, that caused the conflict. Continued … 

Ransomware 3.0 strikes on the rise

Thailand recorded the second-highest number of targeted ransomware attacks in Southeast Asia and hackers are expected to increase their extortion and inflict greater damage on financial and reputational victims with Ransomware 3.0, says Russia-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky. Continued …

Global wildlife contaminated by ‘forever chemicals’

From pandas to sea lions to tigers, hundreds of wildlife species across the globe are contaminated by potentially harmful “forever chemicals”, according to a review of hundreds of peer-reviewed studies. Continued …

Click on imge above for more information

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 

 

90-day online reporting

bangkok, hua hin, prauchuap khiri khan, thai environment, thailand, tourism, transportation

Saturday’s News-Feb 4

  • Muay Thai festival events this weekend/
  • Today’s Thailand Open matches/
  • Hua Hin one of 30 Thai ‘Smart Cities’/
  • Commercial fishing banned 3 months off PKK, Surat Thani/
  • Bangkok disappearing under smog/
  • Confusion reigns over e-cigarette enforcement/
  • Thai Police Continue to Warn Vaping is Illegal/
  • THB24 billion for subsidies to boost domestic manufacture of EV batteries/
  • Ex-national parks chief ‘temporarily’ dismissed from government service/
  • Tourism: Digital ID now accepted to board domestic flights/85% of Hotel Rooms in South Booked Until Next Month/Bangkok’s New Chinatown bustling again as Chinese tourists return/2023: A vital year for tourism in Asia Pacific/Thai AirAsia adding back idled jets amid China tourism restart/
  • Thailand Experience: Thailand’s uber luxe eco resort Soneva Kiri/
  • International: Hong Kong to give away 500,000 free airline tickets/
  • 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

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Muay Thai festival events this weekend

Today’s Thailand Open matches

Hua Hin one of 30 Thai ‘Smart Cities’

Senior ministry officials were in Hua Hin recently to discuss the Hua Hin Smart City project. Hua Hin is among 30 cities in Thailand that will be transformed into “Smart Cities”, Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn, minister of Digital Economy and Society (DES), announced at the meeting.

A Smart City is defined as a city that takes advantage of modern and intelligent technology and innovation to increase the efficiency of service and city management.

The aim is to reduce the cost and resource utilization of the target city and population, with an emphasis on good design and the participation of business and people in urban development.

Commercial fishing banned 3 months off PKK, Surat Thani

The Department of Fisheries will close the southwestern part of the Gulf of Thailand for three months from large-scale commercial fishing this month, after finding a similar closure last year led to a 63% increase in mackerel in the area.

Chalermchai Suwanrak, chief of the department, revealed that the closure will ban large-scale fishing in the central section of the Gulf of Thailand in Prachuap Khiri, Chumphon and Surat Thani provinces.

The policy is part of the department’s marine resources management to allow time for mackerel to breed and nurture their young. The announcement was endorsed by the Chumphon and Surat Thani provinces. Continued …

Bangkok disappearing under smog

Bangkokians awoke to a shroud of fine dust this week with over 70 areas reporting levels of PM2.5 had breached 90 micrograms per cubic meter of air (μg/m3).

Thailand’s safety limit is 50 μg/m3. High levels of PM2.5 pose health risks, especially for people with chronic lung disease.

The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts levels of PM2.5 – particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter – will rise across much of Thailand through Friday as the fine-dust pollution accumulates in stagnant air. Continued …

Confusion reigns over e-cigarette enforcement

A senior Thai cabinet minister called for the legalization of e-cigarettes on Friday following this week’s dramatic events linked with the damaging extortion case involving Taiwanese actress Charlene An or An Yu Qing.

Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakhamanusorn said a move to legalize the currently illicit activity would help to raise money for the government and eliminate a dangerous breeding ground for corruption. His view appears to contradict sentiments expressed by Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the Thai public health minister who controversially made cannabis legal in Thailand last year.

Anutin told a conference in August 2022 that e-cigarettes should remain prohibited as a threat to public health, despite being used regularly by over 80,000 Thai adults, many of them young while it is perfectly legal in most countries. Continued …

Thai Police Continue to Warn Vaping is Illegal

A Thai senior police officer from the Legal and Litigation Department said that anyone caught carrying e-cigarettes or vapes can be fined up to 500,000 baht and get a maximum jail term of five years.

Lt. Gen. Trairong Phiewphan, head of the department, said Wednesday that e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, are prohibited products, which cannot be imported into the Kingdom, according to the 2014 and 2016 directives of the Ministry of Commerce. The statements come after several high profile cases of alleged extortion have hit Thai news.

People with e-cigarettes in their possession, therefore, violate the law for accepting or owning prohibited products and can be fined up to 500,000 baht and/or get a jail term of up to five years in line with Section 246 and Section 244 of the 2017 Customs Act, said Trairong. Continued …

THB24 billion for subsidies to boost domestic manufacture of EV batteries

A budget of 24 billion baht has been set aside to subsidize domestic manufacturing of battery cells for electric vehicles (EVs), Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said on Friday.

He said that the state subsidy was aimed at helping manufacturers cut their production costs, which would result in cheaper prices for EVs in the domestic market.

The subsidy is part of measures agreed upon by the National Electric Vehicle Policy Committee at its first meeting of the year. Among other measures is a reduction in excise tax for EV battery-makers, from 8% to 1%. Continued …

Ex-national parks chief ‘temporarily’ dismissed from government service

Embattled former national park chief Rutchada Suriyakul Na Ayutya was “temporarily dismissed” from government service yesterday, with immediate effect, after initial findings show there are grounds to support bribe-taking allegations against him.

Natural Resources and Environment Permanent Secretary Jatuporn Buruspat, who signed the dismissal order, said that the action is intended to ease pressure on and damage to the image of officials at the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and to ensure transparency.

Thalerngsak Petchsuwan, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, in his capacity as head of the disciplinary committee, said today that the panel had questioned about 50 people and most of them have given testimonies pointing in the same direction, namely that bribes have been paid to Rutchada, with a handful of them insisting that they paid money to Rutchada in return for images of King Chulalongkorn. Continued …

Digital ID now accepted to board domestic flights

Passengers are now allowed to use digital IDs to verify their identity when boarding domestic flights, a government spokesperson said on Friday.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has given the go-ahead for the use of digital ID following the rollout of the D.DOPA mobile application, said Traisulee Taisaranakul.

D.DOPA was developed by the Department of Provincial Administration (DPA) for registering a digital ID. It can be used on both the iOS and Android platforms. Continued … 

85% of Hotel Rooms in South Booked Until Next Month

The southern tourism situation has improved, with 85% of hotel rooms booked until next month, said the president of the Southern Hotel Assn.

Sueksit Suwandissakun, the president of the association, said, “Tourism in the southern part of Thailand is better than December last year. Room bookings are at 85 percent, which is more than we expected. Tourism has increased to levels at about the same as before Covid -19 in 2019. Many hotels are full in famous tourism areas. However, most of the room bookings are in three-star hotels and below.

“The booking rate this month is up to 80 percent; meanwhile, next month it is at 60 percent and even more booking is continuing . The limiting factor for tourism is that only 50 percent of flights are back to service when compared to 2019 (240 fights from 450 flights). Continued …

Bangkok’s New Chinatown bustling again as Chinese tourists return

Eateries, shops and street stalls in Bangkok’s New Chinatown area are once again bustling with customers after having been quiet for two years due to the pandemic.

The New Chinatown (not to be confused with the original Chinatown in Yaowarat area) stretches from Huai Khwang intersection to Pracha Uthit Road.

3.Most of the people spotted in the area this past week were Chinese nationals who had arrived to mark the Lunar New Year and decided to extend their vacation. Continued …

2023: A vital year for tourism in Asia Pacific

This year is shaping up as a big one for tourism in the Asia Pacific. Travel started recovering in 2022, with more and more countries throwing open their borders – and now China, with its zero-Covid policy left behind, is ready for Chinese group travel tours to start heading overseas from Feb. 6 to a handful of countries, including Thailand.

The travel and tourism outlook for Asia Pacific was recast in the evening of Dec. 26, 2022. The Chinese government decreed that, from Jan. 8, 2023, Chinese travelers would no longer need to undertake quarantine when re-entering China.

Few other details were released, but the announcement delivered what the travel industry had coveted for almost three years: the return of the world’s largest outbound market. Continued … 

Thai AirAsia adding back idled jets amid China tourism restart

Budget carrier Thai AirAsia plans to resume operations of eight aircraft that were idled during the pandemic and is considering shifting planes from other parts of the group to cater for the growing number of visitors from China.

Asia Aviation, the operator of Thailand’s biggest low-cost airline, also expects improved earnings growth with the resumption of more flights to Chinese cities, Chief Executive Officer Santisuk Klongchaiya said during an interview in Bangkok on Thursday.

“Our advance bookings have demonstrated strong earnings momentum”, Santisuk said. “We may find a big challenge to expand seat capacity with demand from Chinese travelers. But seat shortages are a problem we’re happy to deal with”. Thai AirAsia currently has 53 jets in its fleet, he said. Continued … 

Thailand’s uber luxe eco resort Soneva Kiri

Walking barefoot up the wooden pathway, it’s hard not to feel slightly Robinson Crusoe-esque. My partner admits he’s having more of a Lost Boys in Hook moment. But one thing is clear, this is unlike any place we’ve been before.

Soneva Kiri is Thailand’s uber luxe eco resort on the island of Koh Kood, one of the biggest, yet least developed islands in the country on the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Thailand.

Unlike Robinson Crusoe, who washed ashore to his far-flung paradise in heavy storms, we arrive by the resort’s private eight-seater plane on an 80-minute trip from Bangkok, landing on a tiny neighboring island. Continued … 

Hong Kong to give away 500,000 free airline tickets

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will distribute 500,000 free airline tickets to woo visitors “from every part of the world” to visit the financial hub in a bid to revive the battered economy and boost its global image. Continued …

Click on imge above for more information

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

The bus from Hua Hin to Pattaya departure time remains unchanged at 11am, at 473 baht. Tickets 

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.

 

90-day online reporting