• Cha Am pedestrian overpass finally completed/Fine increased for zebra crossing violations/New wall for Hua Hin Hospital to mute train sounds/February flight schedule for Hua Hin AirportThailand Open at True Arena starts Saturday/Krung Thep Aphiwat: All aboard the ‘smart’ future of Thai rail travel/Budget for four more months of power subsidy approved/Songkran on UNESCO list as intangible cultural heritage/80 immigration police face charges for accepting money to extend visas/Malaysian victims accuse Royal Thai Police of soliciting bribes of over 100,000 baht/Bangkok administration urges working from home due to air quality/Thai military’s ties to Myanmar junta compromising efforts to resolve crisis/Thailand’s 50 Richest in 2023/Thai exports fell for third successive month in December/Record-breaking year for Thai movie industry/Thief leaves an apology note in Chiang Mai/Thailand, US team on climate change initiative/MP says cannabis helps reduce meth addicts in Bangkok/
• Tourism: More European tourists than Chinese in Hua Hin/Thailand Sees About 25%-30% of Chinese Tour Group Bookings/Thailand VIP packages offered on Chinese e-commerce platform/Outcry over police VIP airport escort service/Chinese New Year generates at least 2.6B baht in tourism revenue for Phuket/Cabinet approves 5th phase of tourism subsidy scheme/
• Thailand Experience: 20+ places to check out in Bangkok’s Chinatown/Cooking Thai food at home: Tips and tricks/
• Covid: Covid-19 vaccine available for foreigners nationwide/
• International: US poised to approve sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine/
• Links: Calendar of events/airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

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Cha Am pedestrian overpass finally completed

Fine increased for zebra crossing violations

Motorists who fail to stop their vehicles for pedestrians at zebra crossings face a maximum fine of 4,000 baht and have one point deducted from their driving license immediately under the new law.

Previously, the fine was 1,000 baht.

Deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said the new law, which was put into effect on Jan. 9, increases penalties and adopts the point deduction system to ensure the safety of pedestrians at zebra crossings. Continued …

New wall for Hua Hin Hospital to mute train sounds

A new wall is being constructed behind Hua Hin Hospital, which will result in a one-way traffic system from Jan. 26.

The concrete wall be built between Soi 10 and Soi 14.

The ‘sound proof wall’ is being built to reduce the impact of noise from the new train line.

Thailand Open at True Arena starts Saturday

Krung Thep Aphiwat: All aboard the ‘smart’ future of Thai rail travel

Bangkok’s Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal was touted as the “smart” future of rail travel in Thailand on Tuesday, days after it took over as the national hub from the century-old Hua Lamphong station.

Krung Thep Aphiwat “is considered the first smart railway station in ASEAN, with facilities, such as robots called SRT Bots, smart wheelchairs and smart closed-circuit television cameras,” government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said.

It also connects with Bangkok’s urban train and bus system to provide seamless travel links to the rest of the city, he added. Continued …

Budget for four more months of power subsidy approved

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a budget of 7.5 billion baht as subsidy for household use of electricity for four more months.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said the subsidy would be given to household users of electricity from January to April.

A household must not use more than 300 units of electricity to be eligible for the subsidy, he added. Continued …

Songkran on UNESCO list as intangible cultural heritage

UNESCO has included the Songkran festival in a tentative list to be considered as Thailand’s intangible cultural heritage.

Thailand now has four items awaiting consideration at the end of this year — Khon, traditional Thai massage, Nora, and Songkran.

Intangible cultural heritage is considered by member states of UNESCO in relation to the tangible World Heritage focusing on intangible aspects of culture. Continued …

80 immigration police face charges for accepting money to extend visas

About 80 immigration police officers, including three generals, face disciplinary and criminal charges for allegedly extending visas for Chinese nationals involved in “gray’ businesses in Thailand in exchange for financial gain, according to Police Gen. Surachate Hakparn, the deputy national police chief.

He said all the suspects have been questioned and police investigators are expected to meet on Monday to conclude the case and submit the findings to the police inspector-general for further action.

He maintains that there are no exceptions being made for the three police generals allegedly involved, despite the fact that they were his classmates at the police academy, noting that their cases will also be sent to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Continued …

Malaysian victims accuse Royal Thai Police of soliciting bribes of over 100,000 baht

Two Malaysian victims told local media that corrupt Royal Thai Police solicited bribes of 100,000 baht to return their stolen cars, which were taken from their native country and driven to Thailand.

The Malaysian news agency, The Star, reported that the cars were stolen from Malaysia and shipped to Thailand. The media also added that RTP officers were involved in the car smuggling. Continued …

Bangkok administration urges working from home due to air quality

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has sought cooperation from the public and private sectors by allowing their staff to work from home tomorrow, in anticipation of poor air quality in the city, which may reach health-threatening levels.

BMA officials and the Pollution Control Department met on Tuesday to discuss the air pollution problem, caused by the accumulation of PM2.5 dust in the atmosphere, which is likely to worsen on Thursday due poor air circulation.

Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said that the amount of PM2.5 in the atmosphere in the capital has been increasing over the past two days, although the situation improved slightly Tuesday due to strong winds. Continued …

Thai military’s ties to Myanmar junta compromising efforts to resolve crisis

Thailand’s lenient stance, as well as the close ties between its armed forces and the Myanmar military — also known as Tatmadaw — would undermine the efforts of ASEAN and the international community to ease the ongoing crisis in that country, according to many independent observers.

Thousands of people have died in the neighboring country and over a million have been displaced since a military coup on Feb. 1, 2021.

The latest move that raised eyebrows in international circles was a meeting between the chief of Thailand’s Defense Forces, Chalermphon Srisawasdi, and Minister Aung Hlaing, the top commander of the Tatmadaw, at a resort in Myanmar’s strife-torn Rakhine state from Jan. 19-21. Continued …

Thailand’s 50 Richest in 2023

Thailand is home to a number of extremely wealthy individuals, many of whom have made their fortunes through a variety of industries including real estate, finance, and retail. As of 2023, the 50 richest persons in Thailand have a combined net worth of over $150 billion.

Leading the list is Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, a Thai businessman and founder of the TCC Group, one of Thailand’s largest conglomerates. With a net worth of $9.8 billion, Sirivadhanabhakdi has a diverse portfolio that includes real estate, beverages, and retail.

Coming in second is Dhanin Chearavanont, the chairman of the Charoen Pokphand Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Thailand, with interests in agriculture, retail, and telecommunications. Chearavanont has a net worth of $9.1 billion. Continued … 

Thai exports fell for third successive month in December

Thai exports fell for a third consecutive month in December, but the 2022 total rose 5.5% year-on-year to US$287.06 billion (9.406 trillion baht), according to the Commerce Ministry.

Total imports last year rose 13.6%, leading to a trade deficit of $16.122 billion (528.56 billion baht).

December saw exports contract 14.6% year-on-year, while imports shrank 12%, generating a trade deficit of US$1.03 billion (33.85 billion baht). Continued …

Record-breaking year for Thai movie industry

The Thailand Film Office (TFO) reported 2022 was a record-breaking year for the Thai movie industry despite a sluggish start to the new calendar year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The TFO compiled a list of impressive statistics for filming foreign movies in the Land of Smiles for 2022.

It recorded that film crews shot 348 different types of movies and generated a record-breaking 6.4 billion baht, the highest since the TFO collected foreign film shooting statistics in Thailand. Continued … 

Thief leaves an apology note in Chiang Mai

A thief stole over 12,000 baht from an electrical appliances store in Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand on Sunday morning and left behind a note apologizing for his crime.

CCTV footage captures a masked assailant, a man estimated to be around 30 years old, breaking into an electrical appliance store next to Wat Tha Mai-i Temple in Chiang Mai’s Mueang district at 1am. Continued …

Thailand, US team on climate change initiative

U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Robert Godec and Dr. Karen M. St. Germain, Earth Science Division director at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), have launched the SERVIR-Southeast Asia program – a collaboration between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and NASA – to help communities across Southeast Asia adapt to regional and transboundary climate issues and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

“This new program expands the geographic focus of SERVIR in Southeast Asia and deepens our engagement with regional institutions to accelerate climate resilience,” said Godec. “SERVIR-Southeast Asia will go a long way to ensure that communities and businesses throughout Thailand and across ASEAN are not only resilient to the impacts of climate change, but prosper in spite of these challenges.” Continued … 

MP says cannabis helps reduce meth addicts in Bangkok

Bhumjaithai Party MP Suphachai Jaismut says the legalizing of cannabis has led to a decrease in the use of methamphetamine (also known as Yaba) in Bangkok.

The Bhumjaithai Party MP admitted that he never expected legalizing cannabis would decrease the use of methamphetamine. He initially focused on its potential medical benefits and didn’t consider this possible outcome.

However, he stated that he had come to believe in the connection between cannabis legalization and decreased Yaba use based on information provided to him by community leaders. Continued … 

More European tourists than Chinese in Hua Hin

More European tourists are making their way back to Thailand’s coastal paradise of Hua Hin than Chinese tourists, according to officials. The vice president of the Thai Hotel Assn. Said most of Hua Hin’s tourists are European, from Scandinavia, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Germany.

The vice president,Udo m Srimahachota, said the number of foreign tourists is expected to rise throughout the year. He said the number of Chinese tourists will be small compared to the number of tourists from other countries. He noted that Chinese tourists prefer to visit Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Phuket.

Udom said foreign tourists now make up around 60% of all tourists in Hua Hin, Thai media reported. He said foreign tourists flooded Hua Hin’s beaches, hotels, restaurants, and gift shops this past weekend. Continued …

Thailand Sees About 25%-30% of Chinese Tour Group Bookings

After China approved overseas group tours to resume to several countries, including Thailand, from Feb. 6, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has seen about 25%-30% of Chinese tour group bookings.

TAT deputy governor of marketing for Asia and South Pacific, Thanet Phetsuwan, said Thailand is among 20 countries approved by China for outbound tour groups.

The TAT joined hands with leading Chinese tour agencies to prepare for tour package sales in major cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Kunming next month. Continued …

Thailand VIP packages offered on Chinese e-commerce platform

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) insists no VIP service packages, or fast passes, have been made available for purchase in China, despite a Thai travel blogger revealing that those services and elite visas are indeed available to buy on the Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao.

Thai police are already under fire over the video of three police officers escorting a female Chinese tourist and her mother from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to a hotel in Pattaya.

The Chinese woman stated in the video that she booked an airport transfer service with an agency and that agency urged her to pay more to get a better, more convenient service provided by the Royal Thai Police (RTP). Continued …

Outcry over police VIP airport escort service

Tourism operators have slammed the Thai police VIP escort service sold online in China, saying the move severely damaged the image of Thailand.
Continued …

Chinese New Year generates at least 2.6B baht in tourism revenue for Phuket

The Tourism Authority of Thailand says Phuket generated at least 2.6 billion baht in tourism revenue during the recent Chinese New Year holiday. This will come as a much-needed boost for the island’s recovering tourism sector, which was crippled by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The real test will now be if the return of Chinese travelers extends past the Chinese New Year holiday, but new flights are being added each week, so a slow rise of Chinese tourism is expected throughout this year.

Nanthasiri Ronnasiri, director of the TAT’s Phuket office, says the island welcomed 150,000 domestic and international tourists during the recent Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) holiday. Continued …

Cabinet approves 5th phase of tourism subsidy scheme

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the fifth phase of the tourism subsidy scheme, with a budget of 2.016 billion baht, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters after the weekly Cabinet meeting, Phiphat said the Cabinet had approved the fifth phase of the Rao Thiew Duay Kan (We Travel Together) scheme, as well the budget for the subsidy.

Phiphat said the government expected to allow Thai tourists to register for the subsidy from next month. The ministry forecast that the subsidy rights would be grabbed by some 112,000 people and the program would generate tourism revenue of 12.539 billion baht. Continued …

20+ places to check out in Bangkok’s Chinatown

From a legendary 60-year-old braised goose stall and an authentic Hakka hole-in-the-wall to emerging hip businesses, there’s a side of Chinatown that retains and extends its charm.

Soi Song Wat, a historic road in the capital’s old town, is also a lesser-known hidden gem great for foodies and arts and culture fiends. The road’s name, which literally means “drawn by the king,” was built during the reign of King Rama V, who ordered the road’s construction (it’s said that the king himself wrote the line with a pencil on the map).

The century-old road runs along the Chao Phraya River for one kilometer and contains a mix of old and new — from colonial-style shophouses, street food stalls and long-standing restaurants to modern hostels, minimalist cafes, and laid-back bars. It can be reached from MRT Sam Yot or MRT Wat Mangkon. Continued …

Cooking Thai food at home: Tips and tricks

Do you love Thai food? Have you ever wanted to try and cook it at home? Well, you’re in luck! Thai food is incredibly flavorful, and it’s not as difficult to make as you might think. Here are some tips and tricks to help you cook Thai food in your own kitchen.

The first thing you need to do is to make sure that your pantry is well-stocked with the essential Thai ingredients so you’ll be ready to cook authentic Thai dishes whenever you like. Remember, Thai food is sweet, salty, and sour. In order to achieve this balance of flavors, you’ll need all the right ingredients. Here is a list of must-have ingredients to cook authentic Thai food.

1. Fish sauce

First, you need to make sure you have fish sauce, which is made from fermented fish. This is an essential ingredient used in many Thai dishes. It has a salty, umami flavor and is used to add depth to dishes such as curries, stir-fries, and noodles. If you can’t find fish sauce, you can use soy sauce as a substitute. Continued …

Covid-19 vaccine available for foreigners nationwide

The Public Health Ministry plans for at least one Covid-19 vaccination center per province for foreign tourists paying for shots, while foreign residents will continue to get free jabs. Continued …

US poised to approve sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine

The United States, in a reversal, is poised to start a process that would eventually send dozens of M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, two U.S. officials said Tuesday. Such a decision by the United States would come just days after Washington argued against sending the Abrams, despite demands from Kyiv and public pressure from Berlin as it faced calls to send German-made Leopard battle tanks. 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 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