Hua Hin buildings inspected/Red tide reaches Hua Hin/Big C opens at Bluport/Cha Am-Phetchaburi Food Festival/Wildlife poachers caught/Death toll rises to 14/Watchdog Warned of Sub-Standard Steel/Steel bars test substandard.Aftershock prompts evacuations/Myanmar Quake a Wakeup Call/Aid rushes into Myanmar/Myanmar’s second chance?/Pavement pirates in Pattaya/Phuket stunner wins Miss Grand Thailand/ECONOMY: Thailand faces grim economic outlookEconomic activity slows in February/Earthquake to worsen tourism, property markets/Earthquake may cost Bt20 billion/Quake Hits Bangkok Condo Market/TOURISM: Chinese visitors to slide/CLIMATE THAILAND: EGAT Advances Floating Solar Project/INTERNATIONAL/LINKS: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/Air pollution index map/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers
Hua Hin’s high-rise buildings inspected
Red tide reaches Hua Hin
Big C opens at Bluport
Cha Am-Phetchaburi Food Festival starts tomorrow
Wildlife poachers caught in Kaeng Krachan park
Death toll rises to 14 in Bangkok building collapse
The grim scene continues to unfold in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district as rescue workers recover more bodies from the rubble of a collapsed government office building, three days after a deadly earthquake triggered the disaster.
What began as a desperate race against time has now become a painstaking recovery operation, as the death toll climbed to 14 following Friday’s structural collapse of the new Office of the Auditor General building on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road. Continued …
Bangkok Tower Collapse: Watchdog Warned of Substandard Steel
Last week’s 7.7 magnitude quake, centered in Myanmar, shook neighboring countries, with the skyscraper, designed for Thailand’s State Audit Office being the sole casualty in Bangkok. Rescuers are urgently searching for 76 individuals feared trapped under the debris of the unfinished 30-story structure, whose construction began in 2020.
The project, a collaboration between Italian Thai Development PCL and China’s China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) faced serious delays. It was originally due for completion by 2026 but was only 30% complete. The watchdog’s site inspections during its construction flagged potential corner-cutting, worker shortages, and severe delays, leading the government to consider canceling the contract earlier this year. Continued …
Test shows larger steel bars at collapsed building are substandard
A six-hour test of 28 steel samples collected from the rubble of the State Audit Building that collapsed during last Friday’s earthquake centered at Mandalay, Myanmar, shows that the larger pieces were substandard.
The samples were collected by a team from the Industry Ministry with the Iron and Steel Institute of Thailand using chemical and mechanical values to test the seven types of steel samples, with the small pieces being flattened before ascertaining their chemical values. Continued … https://thainewsroom.com/2025/04/01/test-shows-larger-steel-bars-at-collapsed-building-are-substandard/
Possible aftershock prompts evacuations at several Bangkok buildings
Evacuations were ordered at several high-rise buildings in Bangkok yesterday after tenants reported feeling the structures swaying, sparking panic over a possible aftershock from the Myanmar earthquake that occurred on Friday.
The evacuations took place around 10 am after individuals working inside the buildings alerted security officials about the swaying motion. Continued …
Myanmar Quake a Wakeup Call for Thailand
The long-held belief that Bangkok is free from major earthquakes, or dangerous tremors, from neighboring countries like Myanmar, was literally shattered on Friday afternoon as the 7.7 magnitude quake with the epicenter over 300 kilometers from the Thai border shook Bangkok, central, and northern Thailand.
It sent hundreds of thousands Thais and foreigners in the Thai capital fleeing from shopping malls, high-rise condominiums, office buildings, hospitals and hotels, in a scene resembling the end-of-the-world scenario of a Hollywood film. Continued …
Aid rushes into Myanmar as earthquake’s death toll continues to rise
Emergency aid has streamed into Southeast Asia in the two days since a massive earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand. Relief efforts are focused on Myanmar, where the estimated death toll rose to 1,644 by Sunday. The number of dead from Friday’s 7.7 magnitude quake is expected to increase. The number of injured was 3,408, while the estimated number of missing rose to 139 on Sunday.
While food, medicine and other vital supplies have reached Myanmar, a report issued Saturday by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said rescue efforts have been hampered by a severe shortage of medical supplies, including trauma kits, blood bags, anesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicine, and tents to house health workers. Continued …
Myanmar’s second chance?
Can the catastrophic outcome of last week’s earthquake transform Myanmar’s brutal regime into a more sympathetic one? The only answer is to wait and see.
Given Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing’s immediate appeal for international aid, it is clear he recognized that the scale of devastation was beyond his junta’s capacity. After all, for the past four years, the Tatmadaw has systematically dismantled the fabric of Myanmar’s society, killing more than 6,000 civilians. Continued … https://world.thaipbs.or.th/detail/myanmars-second-chance/57050
Pavement pirates spark outrage in Pattaya as officials fail to act
Fed-up locals are fuming as Pattaya’s pavements vanish beneath a sea of parked cars and motorbikes, with lawbreakers treating footpaths like private driveways and officials doing little to stop it.
Residents across the city are slamming the lack of enforcement over illegal parking, which has turned once-walkable pavements into motorbike showrooms and car parks. From zebra crossings to pedestrian walkways, no space seems off-limits, as vehicles for rent and personal rides are dumped without consequence. Continued …
Phuket stunner snatches Miss Grand Thailand 2025 crown
Trump’s trade war: Thailand faces grim economic outlook
The prospect of Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tomorrow has sent tremors through Thailand’s economy. As the American president prepares to announce his reciprocal tariffs targeting countries with trade surpluses against the United States, Thailand finds itself among the “Dirty 15” — nations specifically marked for punitive trade measures.
This development comes at a particularly vulnerable moment for Thailand. The country’s economy grew just 3.2% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2024, falling significantly below market expectations. Continued …
Thailand’s economic activity slows in February
Thailand’s economic activity eased in February due to slowing activity in manufacturing and services, according to the central bank, which said it was monitoring any impact on the tourism sector of last week’s earthquake.
Tourism, a key driver of the Thai economy, also slowed in February from the previous month. The central bank said Friday’s quake, which was centered on Myanmar but collapsed a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok, could dent tourism further. Continued …
Earthquake set to worsen tourism and property markets
The Bank of Thailand expects the earthquake will further slow the already sluggish recovery of the property sector and impact foreign tourist arrivals.
The central bank’s initial assessment suggested that the tragic event would affect economic activities across three key sectors – property, tourism and domestic consumption – according to Sakkapop Panyanukul, assistant governor for the Bank of Thailand’s monetary policy group. Continued …
Kasikorn Research: Earthquake may cost Bt20 billion, hit tourism and real estate
Last Friday’s earthquake in Myanmar, which sent strong tremors across Thailand, has caused economic damage estimated at about 20 billion baht and may cause Thailand’s GDP forecast for this year to drop by 0.06%, to under 2.4%, according to the Kasikorn Research Center.
The GDP projection may drop by another 0.3% if the Trump administration decides to impose 25% tariffs on Thai exports to the U.S. market tomorrow, said the center. Continued …
Quake Hits Bangkok Condo Market: Sales expected to dip
In Bangkok, high-rise buildings are feeling the aftershock of a recent earthquake, with condo buyers’ confidence shaken to its core. Damages found in many condos have homeowners worried, causing experts to predict a slump in condo sales and transfers to levels not seen since 2010.
Industry professionals are bracing for the worst quarter for condo activity in over a decade. Phattarachai Taweewong from Colliers Thailand reports that potential buyers and existing condo owners are hesitant, impacting sales for high-rise units. Continued …
Chinese visitors to Pattaya set to slide
Pattaya tourism operators are bracing for a sharp plunge in arrivals this low season, largely attributed to the Chinese market, as independent tourists have started to pivot to other overseas destinations.
Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Association of Chonburi Tourism Federation, said Chinese groups were affected by reduced confidence in safety in Thailand earlier this year, and now independent Chinese travelers are shifting to other destinations. Continued …
EGAT Advances Bhumibol Dam Floating Solar Project
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is moving forward with the development of the Bhumibol Dam Floating Solar Project 1 in Tak Province, with a generating capacity of 158 MWac, according to Thidade Eiamsai, deputy governor – power plant development and renewable energy at EGAT.
The project, which involves generating electricity from floating solar panels installed on the dam’s reservoir, is part of Thailand’s broader strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and net zero emissions by 2065 through carbon offset and avoidance mechanisms. The commercial operation is expected to commence in 2027. Continued …
UK imposes travel permit on Europeans from tomorrow
In a shake-up of long-standing travel rules, European nationals heading to the UK will from tomorrow need a mandatory entry permit, which the British government says will strengthen border security. The Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) can be bought online in the next few days for £10 (12 euros), but the price is rising swiftly from April 9 to £16. Continued …
Asian Stock Markets Plunge Amid Looming Trump Tariffs
Asian stock markets are experiencing significant declines, driven by mounting concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s impending tariffs. Investors are growing increasingly uneasy about the potential impact on global trade, as fears of a trade war escalate. Continued …
Computer pioneer Microsoft turns 50
Microsoft has been at the heart of computing for half a century, becoming a tech stalwart almost taken for granted as lifestyles embraced the internet. As the company, founded with a vision of putting computers in every home and office, celebrates its 50th anniversary on Friday, it is looking to boost its fortunes by being a leader in the fast-developing field of artificial intelligence (AI). Continued …
New bus service between Hua Hin, Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok
The new first-class bus service between Don Mueang Airport and Hua Hin will offer two round trips daily. The fare would be 200 baht each way and would take three-and-a-half hours. The Hua Hin departure will be from the current Transport Co. terminal just north of Hua Hin Airport.
- The bus will leave Hua Hin at 7 am and 2 pm
- It will depart from Don Mueang at 7:30 am and 4 pm
- Online Booking and Customer Service: Facebook Page: BorKorSor; LINE ID: @TCL99; Website: TCL99 Transport.
Hua Hin-Chiang Mai flight schedule from Oct 27
Thai Airasia has updated its flight schedule between Hua Hin and Chiang Mai (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday):
Hua Hin to Chiang Mai: Departure 5:15pm, Arrival at 6:30pm
Chiang Mai to Hua Hin: Departure 3:25pm, arrival at 4:45pm
Hua Hin train schedule
Van/minibus service at Market Village
Vans and minibuses provide services to the following destinations:
- Hua Hin – Mo Chit (089-919-8055) starts service at 03:50
- Hua Hin – Kanchanaburi (085-822-6063)
- Hua Hin – New southern line service starts at 5:40
- Hua Hin – Rangsit (090-138-0427) service starts at 05:40
- Hua Hin – Nakhon Pathom (088-709-2364)
The last service departs at 6pm. Departures every 25 – 40 minutes. For inquiries or reservations, call 089-9198055,090-1380427.
Emergency hotline numbers:
- Emergency hotline – 191
- Emergency medical services – 1554
- Water accident – 1196
- Motorway hotline – 1586
- Emergency medical – 1669
- Highway police – 1193
- Tourist police – 1155
- Bus ticket – 1490
- Department of Highways – 1586
- State Railway – 1590