“Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.”

• Passenger bus stop pavilion opens outside Hua Hin Airport/
• How air treatment solutions can help tackle Thailand’s PM2.5 pollution problem/
• Why reducing plastic usage, not recycling, is the solution to saving the environment/
• TikTok sweeps wave of change over Thailand’s election campaigns/
• Students Stab Each Other at c Province School, one dead/
• Fat and lucky – Shifu proves cats have 9 lives after surviving a 6-story fall/
• 79 police fired in first five months over disciplinary offenses/
• Economy: Thai economy resilient, on path to full recovery/Thai baht under more pressure as political uncertainty persists/Bt450 minimum wage seen as an earthquake moment for Thai factories/Asian Sea, AAI consider relocation if wages rise/Planning unit touts revamp of labor force/EVs expected to supercharge 3.5% growth in Thailand auto manufacturing/Asia’s largest F&B expo smashes expectations with THB120 billion in trade/Eco-efficiency the key to environmentally friendly farming/Thailand Coffee Fest 2023 creates a buzz/Weed network fears law change/
• Tourism: TAT expects 30-35 million foreign tourists in 2024/Foreign visitors to Surat Thani surpass 1.5M this year/
• Thailand Experience: Why Phetchaburi is a gastronomic haven for food enthusiasts/Chaiyaphum: the ‘Land of the Phaya Naga’/
• International: Unlocking Bali’s plastic tourist trap/China plans to land astronauts on moon before 2030/Singapore’s private home prices soar to US$1.2 million/Frankfurt police mistakenly arrest stripper with toy gun at stag party/
• 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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Passenger bus stop pavilion opens outside Hua Hin Airport

A new passenger bus stop pavilion has been officially opened outside Hua Hin Airport, aiming to provide added convenience and improved travel options between the airport and Hua Hin town center.

The opening ceremony took place yesterday with several prominent figures in attendance. Continued …

How air treatment solutions can help tackle Thailand’s PM2.5 pollution problem

The issue of PM2.5 dust pollution has spurred various political parties in Thailand to propose policies aimed at controlling dust intensity and mitigating its impact on public health.

The current air quality standard in the country sets the maximum allowable level of PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter) at 50 micrograms per cubic meter, averaged over a 24-hour period. However, it is evident that PM2.5 concentrations often exceed these standards during certain periods, leading to adverse implications for public health and the economy. Continued …

Why reducing plastic usage, not recycling, is the solution to saving the environment

The world may need to reconsider the mantra of recycling to prevent environmental degradation after recent research revealed that the recycling process itself may lead to the release of a significant amount of microplastics into the environment.

Waste management is one of the major challenges faced in the current era, with a large amount of waste generated from consumption and consumerism every day. Each country has different methods of waste disposal; some bury it while others incinerate it, and each method has its environmental impacts. This led to the emergence of the concept of recycling, which appeared to be an effective solution to reduce waste and reuse materials efficiently. Continued …

TikTok sweeps wave of change over Thailand’s election campaigns

In a notable shift from traditional campaigning strategies, political figures in Thailand have turned to TikTok, using the fast, efficient and cost-effective platform to connect with a wider audience.

With a large percentage of Thai nationals active on social media, TikTok has emerged as a powerful tool for politicians to sway public opinion and secure votes. Continued …

Students Stab Each Other at Sisaket Province School, one dead

A renowned school in Sisaket Province was gripped by a shocking incident yesterday, as two young students in Grade 1 and Grade 2 engaged in a fatal altercation using a knife. The incident, which unfolded during school hours, resulted in one student’s tragic death and two in coma.

According to witnesses and initial reports, the incident began when the two boys had been engaging in what seemed to be a playful boxing game during their lunch break. However, the game soon turned violent, fueling anger in one of the boys. As the lunch break drew to a close and class resumed, tensions remained high between the two students. Continued …

Fat and lucky – Shifu proves cats have 9 lives after surviving a 6-story fall

A fat tomcat proved that cats indeed have nine lives when he survived a six-story fall by landing on a car below and shattering its back windscreen.

The car’s owner, who goes by the handle Apiwat Toyothaka on Facebook, posted a message on Saturday saying the condo’s management informed him that a cat had fallen on his car and smashed the back windscreen. Continued …

79 police fired in first five months over disciplinary offenses

A total of 79 police officers have been removed from service during the first five months of this year for committing severe disciplinary offenses, the Police Commission was updated on Monday.

The commission, the highest governing body of police officers, held a meeting at the Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok to endorse the decisions of the disciplinary committee against police officers found to have committed severe disciplinary offenses. Continued …

Thai economy resilient, on path to full recovery

Thailand’s economy is on a solid path to recovery and showing resiliency, helped by good revenue collection and a normalization of its tourism sector, while inflation should come in below 3% this year, its finance minister said on Monday.

Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy expanded faster than expected in the first quarter of this year due to a revival in its vital tourism sector. Continued …

Thai baht under more pressure as political uncertainty persists

A new low for the Thai baht looms and not even a rate hike by the central bank is likely to halt its slide. The Asian currency weakened for its third straight week against the U.S. dollar, closing at 34.77 on Friday and heading toward February’s year-to-date low of 35.39.

Hurdles to the Move Forward coalition are growing, increasing political uncertainty over who will form the next government in a development weighing on the baht, as it spurs foreign funds to sell both the nation’s equities and bonds. Continued …

Bt450 minimum wage seen as an earthquake moment for Thai factories

Thailand’s business leaders are increasingly concerned at the Move Forward Party’s determination to implement its Bt450-a-day minimum wage policy within 100 days of coming to power, if the eight-party coalition manages to elect Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister in August.

They warn that the move will cost Thailand jobs in terms of lost inward investment, the closure of factories where profitability is already marginal and a move toward automation, which will impact elderly and lower-skilled workers the most. One business leader describes the move as a potential earthquake for the critical manufacturing sector of the economy. Continued …

Asian Sea, AAI consider relocation if wages rise

Asian Sea Corp., a Thai frozen food producer, and its subsidiary Asian Alliance International (AAI) are ready to move their production base to Vietnam or the Philippines if the new coalition government raises the daily minimum wage to 450 baht.

President and Chief Executive Somsak Amornrattanachaikul said the group is preparing to relocate its production and investment bases to Vietnam or the Philippines to expand production capacity if the daily minimum wage is increased to 450 baht. Continued …

Planning unit touts revamp of labor force

Thailand needs to ramp up in-depth research and data analysis at provincial and regional levels to identify target markets for exports or investment in order to formulate appropriate promotion policies, according to the latest study by the Trade Planning and Strategy Office (TPSO).

The planning unit advised Thailand to accelerate building a skilled workforce ready for targeted and high-tech industries such as chip design and chip manufacturing. This is essential in order to facilitate the entry of foreign workers into Thailand who possess quality and expertise, said Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director-general of the TPSO. Continued …

EVs expected to supercharge 3.5% growth in Thailand auto manufacturing

The Thailand Automotive Institute (TAI) expects the domestic electric vehicle (EV) industry to drive 3.5% growth in auto production this year to 1.95 million units.

About 900,000 units will be sold domestically and 1.05 million will be exported. TAI’s projection comes after 625,423 vehicles rolled off Thai production lines from January-April, up 5% from the same period last year. Continued …

Asia’s largest F&B expo smashes expectations with THB120 billion in trade

Thaifex-Anuga Asia 2023, Asia’s largest food and beverage trade show, surged past its 70-billion-baht target to record a whopping 120 billion baht in deals, according to the Commerce Ministry.

A total of 3,034 exhibitors – 1,109 Thai and 1,925 international – presented their products and services at 5,859 booths at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi from May 23-27. The five-day fair welcomed 131,039 visitors from 140 countries, a 58% jump from last year. Continued …

Eco-efficiency the key to environmentally friendly farming

Eco-efficiency in agriculture is a key to reducing environmental impact while meeting the increasing demand for food, Katharina Staske, managing director of the German Agricultural Society (DLG) Asia Pacific, said. She made the remarks during the opening ceremony of ”AgriConnect Conference & Exhibition” at True Digital Park in Bangkok.

She said climate change causes an impact on many regions around the world, especially in Southeast Asia. She added that unsustainable use of resources caused climate change impact to be more severe. Continued …

Thailand Coffee Fest 2023 creates a buzz

Under the theme “Good Coffee For Everyone”, the much-awaited Thailand Coffee Fest 2023 will be held from July 13-16 at Impact Exhibition Hall 5–8 in Muang Thong Thani.

Featuring more than 300 cafes and roasters, as well as a wide range of related products and innovative services, the four-day event, a partnership between the Specialty Coffee Assn. of Thailand and The Cloud, will take over a 20,000m² space across the exhibition’s four halls. It expects to welcome more than 30,000 visitors daily. Continued …

Weed network fears law change

Citing research by the Ad-Hoc Committee on Systematic Hemp and Cannabis Resolution, Thailand’s Cannabis Future Network has urged three alliance parties not to reinstate the plant as a narcotic drug, as that would be like “getting the first shirt button wrong” and lead to more problems.

Prasitchai Nunual, the network leader, wrote on Monday that before the election this particular ad-hoc committee was set up to discuss removing cannabis from the list in an attempt to study the systemic usage of the plant. Continued …

TAT expects 30-35 million foreign tourists in 2024

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) estimates 30-35 million foreign tourists will visit the kingdom in 2024, generating 3 trillion baht in total revenue, marking a 100% return to pre-Covid levels. TAT Gov. Yuthasak Supasorn said the recovery is expected to be driven by increased spending per trip.

In line with the government’s policy to stimulate economic recovery through tourism, TAT has launched the “Visit Thailand Year 2023: Amazing New Chapters” campaign to drive the recovery of Thai tourism. Continued …

Foreign visitors to Surat Thani surpass 1.5M this year

International arrivals to Surat Thani Province have exceeded 1.5 million, up 155% so far this year, according to the provincial governor.

Gov. Witchawut Jinto said yesterday 2.05 million visitors have arrived in the province since January. Of them, 1.5 million are foreign visitors, representing a 155% increase from the same period last year. Continued …

Why Phetchaburi is a gastronomic haven for food enthusiasts

Renowned for its rich culinary heritage and vibrant gastronomic scene, Phetchaburi stands as a must-visit destination for foodies seeking an unforgettable journey into Thai cuisine.

The city is dedicated to preserving traditional recipes held by local communities and is known for its high-quality ingredients that have been refined by local artisan producers for generations and form the core of Phetchaburi’s gastronomic excellence. Local cuisine has been adapted for more widespread national and global engagement, combining tradition with modern economic development. Continued … 

Chaiyaphum: the ‘Land of the Phaya Naga’

Chaiyaphum is a province located in the northeastern region of Thailand, known as Isan. It is situated approximately 340 kilometers northeast of Bangkok. Chaiyaphum Province covers an area of about 12,778 square kilometers and is divided into 16 districts (amphoes) and one subdistrict (king amphoe).

The province is characterized by its picturesque landscapes, which include mountains, forests, and fertile plains. It is surrounded by several mountain ranges, such as the Phetchabun Mountains to the east and the Sankamphaeng Range to the west. Chaiyaphum is often referred to as the “Land of the Phaya Naga” due to the mythical serpents that are believed to reside in the nearby Mun River. Continued …

Unlocking Bali’s plastic tourist trap

At 6:15 am, the first rays of the magical Bali light are breaking over the horizon. At the shoreline, hotel staff are finishing their daily routine of raking piles of plastic bags, cups, wrappers, and other trash that washed up overnight. Continued …

China plans to land astronauts on moon before 2030

China’s burgeoning space program plans to place astronauts on the moon before 2030 and expand the country’s orbiting space station, officials said Monday. Continued …

Singapore’s private home prices soar to US$1.2 million

The median price of a private home in Singapore reached US$1.2 million in 2022, making it the highest among Asia Pacific cities, according to a report by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Asia Pacific Center for Housing. Singapore is also ranked as the most expensive city in the region for renting a private home. Continued …

Frankfurt police mistakenly arrest stripper with toy gun at stag party

In Frankfurt am Main, Germany, a stripper was mistakenly apprehended by local authorities after receiving reports of a man armed with a gun, which was later discovered to be a toy. The event took place on a Friday evening when a “suspicious man” was spotted in the Nordend district of the city, dressed in a U.S. police uniform and helmet, and seemingly carrying an assault rifle. Continued …

Hua Hin-Suvarnabhumi bus schedule

• 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 one-way fare is 325 baht.

The VIP bus service from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi Airport has a new Cha Am boarding location in front of Government Savings Bank.

Hua Hin-Pattaya bus service twice a day

Hua Hin now has twice-daily bus service to Pattaya, leaving Hua Hin at 9am and 3pm, and departing 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-Chaing Mai flight schedule through October

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