Thailand could see tens of thousands of new COVID-19 cases per day by mid January, if people fail to follow the preventive guidelines issues to combat the spread of the virus.
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Thailand will remain closed to the vast majority of foreign tourists until at least the second quarter of 2021.
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The Thai embassies in London and Washington appear to have scrapped the recent requirement for foreigners applying for a Single Entry Tourist Visa (SETV) to show proof of funds totalling 500,000 THB or equivalent.
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Category II comprises 102 ordinary narcotics, such as morphine, cocaine, codeine, medicinal opium, and fresh opium.
Read more Foreigners who wish to apply for a Single Entry Tourist Visa (SETV) to Thailand are now required to provide 6 months worth of bank statements showing a bank balance of at least 500,000 THB.
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Thailand is predominantly Buddhist and deeply conservative, but is home to an extensive sex industry, largely catering to Thai men.
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Migrants from China, Myanmar, and Vietnam are increasingly entering Laos by boat and through lightly-guarded border crossings, avoiding more heavily inspected international checkpoints
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Our travel insurance plan is designed to meet the health insurance requirements for visitors wanting to enter / transit Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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A new model to reopen Phuket to foreign tourists is expected to be piloted in the middle of next month
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Thailand will not be fully reopened to foreign tourists along the lines of the so-called “Phuket Model” any time soon because the government has to consider too many details
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The scourge of liver fluke infection can be halted if there is a will to take action
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The Tourism Council of Thailand estimates that in the next three months up to 30 per cent of tourism-related businesses in Thailand are at risk of shutting down permanently
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The Thai government has again confirmed the requirements for people wishing to enter the country amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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The regulations state that passengers must show they have medical insurance which applies in Thailand and covers anything and everything to do with covering COVID19. The minimum medical coverage in Thailand is for an amount of not less than USD100,000.
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The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed another victim – regional budget airline NokScoot is closing down.
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Thailand will allow some foreigners to enter the country from July 1, in an easing of the months-long travel lockdown.
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The country’s porous borders have been an ongoing issue with some 5 million+ illegal immigrants floating around Thailand at any one time.
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Foreigners and Thai nationals returning to Thailand from abroad can choose special services at their own expense during their 14 days of quarantine on arrival.
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Under phase 3 of the lockdown relaxation, foreigners with work permits or permission from the Labour Ministry or other government agencies will be allowed to enter the country after registration
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39 days no infections prompts gradual reopening of int’l borders
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Thailand has made progress in developing a vaccine for Covid-19 after laboratory trials of a prototype proved successful
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Though Thailand will allow some businesses to reopen from Friday (May 1), the country is still not ready to welcome foreign tourists, say government officials.
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The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is planning to extend its inbound flight ban for another 15 days
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Thailand’s cabinet approved a second automatic visa extension for foreigners for three more months until July 31
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Businesses engaged in foreign trade have asked the government to allow imports and exports via local and traditional border checkpoints
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Thailand has effectively closed its doors for non-resident foreigners wanting to enter the country under the state of emergency that comes into force on Thursday (March 26).
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Medical officials are greatly concerned about the new coronavirus (Covid-19) spreading to other Thai provinces.
Read more The border crossing between Nongkhai and Vientiane will be closed to all personal and vehicle traffic at 10pm, March 22
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The Thai government will extend the requirement of medical certificates and health insurance from Sunday to cover all visitors to the country regardless of nationalities to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
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Health officials in Thailand have forecast that at least 400,000 people may be diagnosed with the coronavirus, COVID-19, by the end of next year.
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Thailand is preparing to restrict some aspects of daily life after the country’s biggest spike in coronavirus cases, further damaging one of Asia’s weakest economic outlooks.
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A Thai team known as 5Lab that develops websites, software and applications has introduced a site devoted to tracking the spread of the Covid-19 virus in Thailand.
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Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited has announced a decrease in flight frequency as well as flight termination on certain domestic and international routes to be in line with current passenger demand.
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Tesco, Britain’s biggest retailer, is selling its businesses in Thailand and Malaysia to Thailand’s CP Group entities for an enterprise value of US$10.6bil.
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During taxi at Laos, the A330 clipped the tail of a parked Gulfstream IV business jet (M-YWAY) damaging both aircraft.
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Vehicle owners who have not paid road tax will not be permitted to cross the border into other countries
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Any ‘farangs’ who do not wear face masks should be kicked out of the country, that’s according to Thailand’s health minister, Anutin Charnvirakul.
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The Customs Department will extend the use of an automated customs management system to other main customs checkpoints
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The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will continue to push health and wellness tourism and shopping to draw high-income tourists from Laos.
Read more Two land entry points – Nong Khai (between Thailand and Laos) and Sadao (between Thailand and Malaysia), will be open 24 hours a day for a three-month trial period.
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The Tourism Authority of Thailand is reminding travellers about its smoking ban in public areas, which aims to promote a safe, clean and smoke-free environment for all.
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Thai Airways International is offering a One Pass One Price Value Card Package for four economy class fares to destinations in the Mekong region
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Researchers from Climate Central say that Bangkok could be completely submerged within 30 years.
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The water in the Mekong River has fallen to a critical level, sand islands are now exposed along many sections of the waterway.
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U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday reinstated duty-free trade for certain items from Ukraine, but suspended it with Thailand.
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The baht could further strengthen to Bt29 per dollar, a Kasikornbank analyst warned this week.
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China has become a major player in the railway industry and, as a result, many countries — including Thailand — are working with China to develop their own high-speed rail networks.
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From quiet beaches in Bali to empty rooms in Hanoi’s hotels, pangs from China’s economic malaise and weakening yuan are being felt across Southeast Asia’s vacation belt.
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Foreigners who receive medical treatment or services at a government hospital in Thailand may pay significantly more than Thai nationals and those from neighbouring countries under new guidelines.
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If climate change trends continue and if population continues to increase, water conflicts will probably be an aspect of our future.
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Black henna tattoos are a popular holiday ‘souvenir sought after by many visitors to Asean’s holiday resort locations due to their allegedly non-permanent nature and the mistaken belief that they are safe, even for children.
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Landlocked, secretive and with ungovernable borders, Laos has become a sluice for transporting Made-In-Myanmar meth to the drug hungry markets of Southeast Asia and Australia, where billion-dollar seizures are now being made.
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Thai men have been told in no uncertain terms to stop trying to enlarge their penises.
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Despite Thailand’s vow to rely on domestic funding as it expands its network of high-speed railways, it could soon accept the offer of a low-interest loan from the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM), raising concerns about whether the country is on the verge of falling into a debt trap.
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By the end of 2019 Thailand will be free from three types of plastic – microbeads, cap seals and oxo-degradable plastics.
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Anyone who was planning to visit the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane to apply for a tourist or non-immigrant visa should be aware that there are no appointments available for at least two weeks.
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Laos, China, Myanmar and Thailand will soon come together to boost measures against drug trafficking, following the worsening situation in …
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An online video showed what one taxi driver was doing to rip off his customers.
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Source: ThaiVisa People who have a history of staying in Thailand using only tourist visas or ‘in-out’ border runs are
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The economy expert Banyong Pongpanich was studying recent statistics last week when he made an interesting discovery.
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A new report by the World Health Organisation paints a grim picture regarding road safety in Thailand.
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The Interior Ministry regulation will be amended to allow foreigners who receive a visa waiver for 30 days and travel into Thailand via land immigration checkpoints or land border checkpoints to enter the country with an unlimited number of visa waivers per calendar year.
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Last month Thailand officially launched its e-Visa on Arrival (E-VOA) application system.
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Thailand’s government is considering a proposed Life Partnership Bill, which would guarantee same-sex couples rights similar to couples in traditional marriages, including the use of one’s spouse’s surname, property rights and the right to end the partnership.
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Three Lao nationals – one man and two women – have been arrested while trying to cross the border into Laos from Nong Khai with Bt38 million in undeclared Thai banknotes hidden in their sedan’s speaker boxes and compartments.
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Thai sex hotel sparks outrage with bizarre Nazi-themed room decorated with swastikas and huge murals of HITLER overlooking bed
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Vientiane Airport has doubled the size of its international terminal, supporting a Laotian initiative to boost tourism. Laos expects Vientiane’s international passenger traffic to double over the next five years, driven by a rapid increase in visitor numbers.
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The Thai and Lao pollution control agencies have agreed to work together to reduce air pollution caused by vehicles in the two countries, especially at border checkpoints.
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Commercial banks in Thailand have boosted security to prevent unauthorised access to their automatic teller machines as cybercriminals are reportedly planning to carry out a large-scale global ATM attack.
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Thailand has announced its latest “D-Day” in the war against litter.
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The government is piloting the Lao National Single Window (LNSW) scheme at international border crossings, seeking to speed up customs clearance for vehicles and link the country to the Asean single window system.
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Thailand’s four largest banks have decided to waive off digital transaction fees to retain retail customers as new channels for online payments and electronic wallets are being launched in the country.
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MID-TIER lender Thanachart Bank has joined with Laos’ largest bank by assets, Banque Pour Le Commerce Exterieur Lao Public (BCEL), to provide a cross-border QR code payment service for Laotians visiting Thailand.
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Thai Airways International has banned passengers with over 56-inch waistline and passengers with kids on their laps from Business Class seating on its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
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There are plenty of stories about bad police planting evidence or fake police shaking down the innocent. What to do if someone claiming to be a police officer wants to search your person or belongings?
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THAI currency is getting a facelift, with new banknotes to feature the face of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, also known as Rama X.
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The Immigration Bureau and the Interior Ministry were instructed to speed up the implementation of a single-platform online database of foreigners entering and leaving the kingdom.
The single platform database would help prevent crimes by foreigners, such as call-centre scams and those related to underworld activities.
Nong Khai police will in two weeks apply for arrest warrants related to money-laundering charges for Lao siblings who were caught trying to cross the border into Laos from Nong Khai with more than Bt98 million in undeclared Thai banknotes in December.
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There will be bumps along the way between your visits to the beach, bar and immigration office (sometimes the bumps will be at the beach, bar and immigration office). Expat life is what you make it here in the Land of Smiles. Moaning about it never helps but accepting the bumps is part of the adventure. Here are our Top Ten Hard Truths for expats in Thailand.
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International visitors coming into Bangkok for the New Year long weekend should brace themselves for long waits for visas on arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
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Thailand, land of golden temples, white-sand beaches, smiling hosts. Or of overcrowded airports, epic traffic jams and littered seashores.
Facing a deluge of Chinese tourists that has strained its airports beyond capacity, the Southeast Asian nation is
The report, released by the World Atlas website, says there is more chance of people being killed on Thailand’s road than on the roads in places like Malawi, Iran, Rwanda and Lesotho.
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Lao authorities are tightening controls at a crossing on the border with Thailand, posting warning signs and interviewing travelers in a bid to end the exploitation of young Lao citizens for sex or labor in the neighboring country.
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Two Lao nationals were arrested while they allegedly attempted to smuggle nearly 100 million baht in cash into Thailand through a border checkpoint in Muang district yesterday.
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As from 1st January 2018, any vehicle crossing into Thailand from Laos that is driven by an individual who is not the vehicle’s owner must provide documentation authorizing use of the vehicle.
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Thailand plans to collect so-called “Asean road tolls” from foreign motorists entering the country via border checkpoints from the end of next year.
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Bangkok-based rights group iLaw has warned that anyone with pornographic material on their computers or other data deemed illegal could be jailed.
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The authorities have warned people using internet services commercially provided by operators in neighbouring countries to refrain from doing so as it violates Lao law.
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A new daily bus service has begun between Nan and Luang Prabang in Laos, via Xayaburi. The 373-kilometre-long trip takes about 10 hours and tickets cost 660 baht.
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Visitors to Thailand be aware: Thailand is banning illegal drones; failure to register Drones within 90 days from Friday could result in a jail term of not more than five years and/or a fine of not more than Bt100,000 or both.
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Thailand is building up to what will be a historic period with final preparations under way for the funeral of the late King. The Royal Cremation Ceremony will be held in Bangkok from October 25-29. It will be a sad time for Thai people, but the country will remain as welcoming as ever for tourists and you will still be able to enjoy your trip. Although there is no need to change travel plans, please be respectful and if you are visiting Bangkok or other areas of Thailand in October, there are some important points to be aware of.
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When traveling in Thailand and your car breaks down, you run out of gas or you’re locked out, AXA Roadside Assistance helps make it simple and easy to get back on the road and on your way. This unique service is part of our new auto-insurance policy for Thailand, only available at J&C Services.
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Source: Bangkok Post The twists and turns of Thailand’s diplomacy toward its neighbouring countries have recently undergone a metamorphosis. The
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A man once dubbed the “most hated German in Thailand” was denied boarding a Thai Airways flight on Tuesday after being blacklisted by Thai immigration.
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The Thai Ministry of Interior has approved 90-day visas for medical tourists from Laos, Cambodia, China, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
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CHILDREN ARE being trafficked to Thailand from neighbouring countries for underage labour, sexual exploitation and forced begging, a new report revealed yesterday.
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Thai Prime Minister Chan-o-cha has ordered relevant agencies to ensure that long immigration queues at Don Mueang International Airport will be resolved quickly.
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If you are entering Thailand on a tourist visa, you may be required to show immigration officials 20,000 baht in CASH.
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Fearful that Thailand’s new labor rules will get them into trouble, tens of thousands of migrant workers are returning to neighboring Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, causing hardship to themselves and their Thai employers.
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Koi pla, raw fish ground with spices and lime, is thought to kill up to 20,000 people in Thailand every year.
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Foreigners found working in Thailand without a work permit face fines of between 2,000 – 100,000 THB or imprisonment of a maximum of 5 years.
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Ten Thai nationals have been released after being fined 15,000 baht each by Lao authorities for spreading the Buddhist faith and setting up a branch monastery in a village..
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Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok has been named among the top 10 worst airports in the world, according to a new study which measured punctuality, quality and service.
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Thailand has been ranked as one of the 20 most dangerous countries in the world for tourists, with high rates of crime and violence and low reliability of police services, according to a recent survey.
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All foreign tourists will soon be required to have travel insurance before entering Thailand under a proposal put forward by a committee of the Tourism and Sports Ministry
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Lao Government has removed several steps of filling in forms for tourist arrival in Laos to promote and attract more tourists and form a better regional and international links.
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Although the Asean Economic Community has resulted in increased economic activity between Laos and other countries in the regional bloc, the nation still must overcome numerous challenges to benefit from regional economic integration.
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If finding a late-night roost in the capital’s usual haunts has become more difficult, that’s because most clubs and bars in the Khaosan Road and Thonglor areas were ordered this month to close at midnight – a situation that may not change.
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Automatic passport screening machines on Sunday were introduced at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge border checkpoint in Nong Khai
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Thailand and Laos will work together on a tourism campaign dubbed “Two Countries, One Destination” aimed at boosting arrivals on both sides of the border.
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Source: Bangkok Post Travel operators in Laos have urged the Thai government to extend the closing time at border checkpoints
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Investors who have overseas exposure should take advantage of the baht, which is close to this year’s highest level, by swapping the local currency for the US dollar, says Credit Suisse Thailand.
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A Thai man was arrested at a customs checkpoint in Nong Khai for allegedly smuggling six tubes of semen from two men stored in a nitrogen freezing tank.
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In wake of a spate of deaths involving its citizens in Thailand, the British government has issued an advisory guiding relatives on how to go about handling crime-related deaths in the Southeast Asian country.
The advisory provides bereaved families with a general idea of the ….
The Thai baht has continued to appreciate against the Lao kip over the past few weeks, which could further drive up the price of products imported from the southern neighbour.
The Thai baht had increased by 5 percent against the Lao kip since earlier this month. The increase was due to the market principle of demand and supply as more …..
Ahead of the Songkran Festival, all vans operating across the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in Nong Khai have been improved to meet safety requirements.
In compliance with traffic regulations being imposed during the Songkran holiday period, van operators providing services across the First Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge have made necessary adjustments to their…..
Almost 40 Thai villagers and “creative tourism” advocates recently participated in several community tourism activities in Luang Prabang, Laos, looking to apply good ideas to their villages in six designated special zones.
They have learned precious lessons from these destinations — Whisky Village, Sa Paper Village, Living Land Community Farm, Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre, two museums, two mountains, a temple and ….
The Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane has issued a notice confirming the Kingdom’s new visa policies. The official notice serves to clarify the rumor of new policies after a draft notice surfaced on the internet last week.
The official notice issued by the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane stipulates the following three points:
Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital in Bangkok has introduced the vaccine against four strains of the dengue virus, making it the first facility in Thailand to offer immunisation against the mosquito-borne disease.
Dr. On-umar Banpamai, an infectious diseases specialist at Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital, said at a briefing the vaccine against the dengue virus had been studied and developed for decades. It has also been tested in ….
From December 31st immigration checkpoints at land border crossings into Thailand will only allow visitors to enter the Kingdom on a visa exemption stamp twice in a calendar year, bringing an end to the much used loophole of staying in the country by doing back to back border hops.
Citizens of certain countries, including ….
The government is set to raise the issue of Laos’s value-added tax (VAT) in a joint discussion with Lao counterparts, fearing the new tax measure may cripple growing border trade.
Thailand will ask for leniency and a spending ceiling from Laos during the meeting, which is expected to be held soon.
Laos has begun collecting VAT on products imported from abroad, starting at the …..
The global economic recovery since the 2008 crash has failed to reach all levels of society and inequality continues to grow, according to a major report.
Credit Suisse’s Global Wealth Report 2016 identified Russia as the world’s most unequal country, with a staggering 74.5 per cent of the nation’s wealth controlled by the richest 1 per cent of people.
In India and Thailand, the top 1 per cent own nearly 60 per cent of the wealth, while the …..
Thailand’s new and possibly fanciest regular train service can now be booked for overnight trips from Nong Khai to Bangkok.
Equipped with new carriages featuring improved decor and facilities, the Special Express Train routes links the capital with Nong Khai, starting Dec. 2. Tickets are now on sale, prices range from 700 baht to ….
Affluent foreign residents over 50 will soon be able to apply for 10-year visas, a Thai government spokesman said Tuesday.
Intended to promote Thailand as a hub for medical services, the policy was approved by the interim cabinet on Tuesday. It would replace one-year renewable visas and come in two ….
Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died on Thursday aged 88, was the world’s longest-reigning monarch, having spent 70 years on the throne.
Thailand is now in 30 days of official mourning. During the mourning period, tourists and expats should be prepared to be flexible, not only now but also …
It happens on a daily basis all across Thailand. The casual insults come from a sense of superiority ingrained since school days: “Thais are better than their neighbours, the Lao.”
The insults usually don’t reach Lao ears and so are rarely challenged.
Last week, however, a Thai photographer was forced to apologise for a defamatory remark he made while covering the …..
Thailand has reported its first two cases of Zika-infected babies with microcephaly, or babies born with abnormally small heads, as health authorities urge pregnant women to avoid mosquito bites and unprotected sex to prevent infection.
Meanwhile, the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention added another 11 countries to its list where pregnant women …
A plan to require all foreigners in Thailand to use a special SIM card that can track their location will be reviewed by authorities Tuesday afternoon.
Announced last week by the national telecom regulator, the plan would require anyone – not just tourists but everyone who doesn’t hold a Thai passport – to use the new SIM card which would enable the authorities to track …..
The State Railway of Thailand on Thursday unveiled 39 modern train carriages with seat-mounted screens and aircraft-type toilets which will go into service on the Bangkok-Chiang Mai route next month.
The state enterprise showed off the new trains at its ….
A slowing in China’s economy is having rippling effects on Laos, which has been described by the World Bank as having “once of the fastest growing” economies in the East Asia and Pacific region.
A decade long mining boom, combined with a rapid development of hydropower, has seen Laos’ growth rate reach over 7 percent a year, allowing national output to more than double, generating some ….
The relationship between Thailand and Laos was supposed to develop further than it has since the two countries passed a turbulent period when the last people of Hmong ethnicity left the Kingdom in 2010. Despite international criticism over the forced repatriation, the two countries have managed to build a form of “trust” since then. Vientiane cannot blame Thailand any more for….
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Laos has signed a new cross-border tourism cooperation agreement with neighboring Thailand as part of its broader efforts to boost regional hospitality links, especially eco-tourism.
The agreement came during an official visit to Thailand this week by Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.
The deal builds on moves to expand regional ties and networks among countries in the …..
AirAsia, “World’s Best Low Cost Airline” 7 years running as ranked by Skytrax, began daily direct flights from Vientiane to Bangkok (Don Mueang Airport) of Thailand today (1 July) with an official press launch and a special promotional fare starting at only 35 USD per trip.
Available for booking today to 3 July 2016 for travel from ….
Promoted as one of Laos’ tourism destinations, Luang Prabang is angling for investors from Asean, including Thailand, by offering waiver of corporate income tax for up to six years as bait.
Luang Prabang has prioritised the tourism industry to drive its growth and lift Laotians from poverty under the 2020 strategic development plan, Governor Khamkhan Chamthavisouk said. “In general, Asean investors will be allowed to hold a 100-per-cent stake in …..
Udon Thani’s Sangkhom district has been declared off-limits especially to pregnant women after a resident of the district was quarantined in Taiwan after he was tested to be infected with Zika virus.
Health volunteers in all villages in Tambon Sang Nang Khao of Nong Khai’s Pone Pisai district were instructed to mount a campaign to …
Thai AirAsia is planning to expand service to Laos, followed by the service launch of Luang Prabang last month. Based on the airline’s schedule listing on its website, the airline plans to operate Bangkok Don Mueang – Vientiane route on daily basis, effective …..
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Foreign tourists will be banned from driving motorcycles and motor homes into Thailand as part of measures to control an influx of foreign vehicles onto Thai roads, particularly in the North.
The order will also prohibit people who have not made prior agreements on car usage abroad from driving cars into Thailand from China, Myanmar, ……..
The Laotian government has issued an urgent order for officials to get stricter on foreigners entering the country.
Everyone entering Laos from tomorrow must have complete documents, said a source at the 1st Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge border checkpoint om March 5th.
The move followed several recent incidents of armed robbers assaulting and killing people and the ….
On Friday, one hundred police officers and tourist police officers raided and roped off an entertainment complex in Chiang Mai, refusing to let tourists go, testing urine for drugs and arresting tourists without a passport on them.
In a separate incident, again more than 100 officers raided Pattaya’s famed Walking Street and took ……
Thai AirAsia will inaugurate a daily flight from Bangkok (Don Mueang Airport) to Luang Prabang in Lao PDR effective 24 March.
In the past, authorities rejected applications by low-cost airlines to fly to Luang Prabang. The country also opted out of the ASEAN Open Skies agreement, apparently to protect its national airline, at the expense of its fledging ….
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand arrived in Vientiane yesterday for a two-day official visit to Laos, aimed at enhancing bilateral ties between the two neighbours and mutual understanding between the Lao and Thai peoples.
The ministry said the princess’s visit will be an important boost in enhancing mutual understanding between the people of Laos and Thailand, and furthering …..
Thailand’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) has confirmed that it will be launching a new six-month multiple-entry tourist visa (METV) in November.
In a notice posted to the Thai MFA’s Facebook page Monday, it said: “Thailand will soon grant multiple-entry visas to visitors to facilitate the forthcoming ASEAN Community and to boost Thailand’s tourism industry.”
The introduction of the new visa represents ……..
Reports of a ‘crackdown’ on border runners along the Thai/Cambodian border first started surfacing over the weekend when several Thaivisa members posted about not being allowed to re-enter Thailand on visa-exempt entries.
On Monday evening, Thaivisa spoke to an Immigration officer based at Chaeng Wattana who confirmed that renewals of 15/30 day visa exempt entries are not allowed.
The source, who did not ……
On request of the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane, J&C Services publishes the Embassy’s warning for visa applicants:
Read more Immigration officials in Nong Khai province have exerted greater vigilance at the border checkpoint, as police continue to search for those behind the Ratchaprasong bombing.
Nong Khai Immigration Chief Police Colonel Panlop Suriyakul Na Ayutthaya has instructed police officers to be more rigorous in screening and monitoring foreign nationals that enter and leave Thailand. He singled out the …..
The Bank of Thailand will issue a new 1,000 baht banknote later this week, one that celebrates the many contributions made to the country by King Chulalongkorn, who reigned from 1868-1910.
The first 100 million of the new banknotes will be put into circulation on Friday, central bank governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul said on Monday.
The new note will eventually replace the …..
Anyone that has a prepaid SIM in their Thai mobile MUST register their SIM card until next Friday, 31st of July. Failure to do so means your mobile number will unable to use data or make calls when the deadline passes.
Here’s a gentle reminder if one were needed that you have until next Friday the 31st of July to register your prepaid mobile phone number with your operator.
If you don’t, you’ll be unable to make calls or use ….
Misbehaviour and “inappropropriate dress standards” by Thai officials during a visit to Laos have prompted a stern order from Education Minister Narong Pipatanasai.
Adm Narong has ordered all ministry staff and students to dress and behave properly when making official visits to the country.
The Thai embassy in Vientiane was informed that several Thai delegates dressed and behaved improperly when …..
While the opening of the first Myanmar-Laos Friendship Bridge last month may bring long-awaited economic benefits, it has also raised concerns over the risk of increased drug trafficking along the route.
The bridge linking Tachilek in Myanmar’s Shan State to Luang Namtha district in Laos is also known as part of Route R3B, which connects Thailand, Myanmar and China. The route links to the R3A Highway, which runs through Thailand, Laos and Xishuangbanna in southern China.
The Friendship Bridge abets trafficking networks, particularly in the northern areas of ……
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Thursday “red flagged” Thailand for failing to solve significant safety concerns (SSC) on aviation standards within the 90-day deadline after receiving a warning.
The action follows an audit by representatives of the UN agency of the Department of Civil Aviation’s air transport safety certification for Thai-registered airlines in February.
The ICAO found conflict of interest in that the ….
The Public Health Ministry yesterday announced the first MERS case in Thailand after laboratory tests confirmed that a foreign visitor had contracted the deadly virus,.
The patient was understood to have contracted Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in a foreign country, before arriving in Thailand, where he was diagnosed.
The patient, a 75-year-old man from an Arab country, has reportedly had contact with up to 59 people since arriving on Monday. He was also undergoing treatment for ….
Cambodia and Thailand have joined hands to increase foreign and inter-ASEAN tourism under the “Two Kingdoms, One Destination” tourism pact.
Tith Chantha, secretary of state at Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism, said Cambodia and Thailand have already created a single-visa option for tourists looking to explore both countries in one trip.
“Now, we’re joining with Thailand to promote Two Kingdoms, One Destination. It will make it much easier for tourists who don’t want to visit only one country during ……
THAILAND is swinging into full alert against the killer Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) threat, which has already had serious impacts on South Korea, compelling the country to cut its interest rate in a bid to soften the blow to its economy already burdened by slack demand.
Thailand has seen no MERS cases yet, but Surachet said the move was necessary to facilitate efforts to control the deadly disease if it was ……
Travelers to Thailand be aware: Spitting, blowing nose and littering in public places now could face a fine of 2,000 baht under a tightened enforcement of city cleanliness law by city police.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) City Law Enforcement Department director Sophon Photisop said now he has ordered city police in all 50 …..
Thailand — In an effort to crackdown on undocumented immigrants, police in Pathum Thani have instructed migrant workers in a major market to wear wristbands indicating they have been properly registered.
Pol.Maj.Gen. Montri Yimyaem, commander of Pathum Thani Police, said that workers from neighboring countries who have registered with police will be required to wear the dark red wristbands in public …..
All the economic engines appear to have stopped functioning rendering Thailand’s economic outlook the worst in 40 years.
The contraction of economic growth, the shrinking of export and domestic consumption, farm price slump and delayed disbursement of government’s spending budget have combined to make the private sector feel not confident with the …..
Don’t let lifting of martial law fool you: Thailand junta’s slide towards dictatorship warrants stronger stances from the US, EU and Japan whose business and tourism it craves
This week’s lifting of martial law by Thailand’s military ruler, Prayuth Chan-ocha, looks like a brazen attempt to dupe key overseas allies, notably the US, the EU and Japan, into believing the country is on a return path to democracy. The Bangkok junta, which seized power from …..
The “dominoes” that Transport Minister Prajin Juntong worried would begin falling over a global safety warning about Thailand’s aviation industry have indeed begun to tumble, with China and South Korea now banning new Thai-registered flights and Singapore imposing strict inspections.
The moves by China and South Korea follow a ban by Japan on new flights and aircraft changes by …..
Parts of Bangkok are at risk of getting submerged permanent in the next 30 years because due to land subsidence coupled with rising sea level, said Associate Professor Vichitbusaba Marom, a town planning expert at Thammasat University, on Friday.
She pointed out that sea level has been rising at an average of 5 mm annually while land in Bangkok has been subsiding at an average of …..
The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) says it is investigating a claim that a taxi driver stranded a family of foreign tourists on a highway in Bangkok.
The family hailed the cab from Suvarnabhumi Airport and asked to go to Rama IX Road, but the driver missed the exit on the expressway and did not want to ……
The Bank of Thailand today unveiled the new 100-baht banknotes to commemorate and honour King Taksin the Great.
The new commemorative banknote will have the same size and colour as the old 100-baht banknotes currently in use, but with advanced anti-forgery printing design which allows the ordinary people and the blind to identify the value and differentiate easily.
The new banknote features the portrait of …..
Over 300,000 pieces of counterfeit products worth at least 500 million baht were seized on the Thai-Lao bridge in the border province on Tuesday.
Acting on a tipoff, customs officials at the third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge stopped an 18-wheeler with a Lao licence plate and a container filled with illegal goods. The bridge links Nakhon Phanom with Kam Muan in Laos.
Authorities found around 80,000 watches of well-known brands, as well as …..
Thai immigration officials will be closely questioning Lao teenagers entering the country at the Vientiane-Nong Khai Friendship Bridge in a bid to combat human trafficking, Thai-based media have reported.
The Thai authorities said the move was aimed at preventing young people from being lured into the Kingdom by human traffickers for the flesh trade, but Lao authorities said they had not been informed of the fact.
More than 100 Lao girls believed to have been lured into …..
Thailand and Laos yesterday agreed to underscore their partnership by boosting and developing border trade, which is expected to reach US$8.16 billion over the next three years.
According to Commerce Minister Chatchai Sarikulya, Thailand and Laos agreed to set up a joint border trade committee as a key mechanism to drive and supervise the economic links of key border towns, mainly through Nong Khai-Vientiane, Chiang Khong-Bokeo, Nakhon Phanom-Khammouan and ……
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It was about 9pm on a weeknight in March last year, and Mat, an American business consultant, was trying to hail a taxi on Sukhumvit Soi 36 when he was stopped by six policemen on motorcycles.
Mat was completely sober, drug-free and dressed like a typical foreigner, in a T-shirt, cargo shorts and flip flops.
“You smoke ganja mai?” one of the officers asked, referring to marijuana, while pressing his index finger and thumb to mimic smoking a joint. Without asking permission, the officers removed …..
Seventy-two Lao girls, who were forced into providing sexual services in four karaoke bars in Suphan Buri province of Thailand have been rescued, Thai local media reported last week.
Thai police officers on Wednesday night raided the four establishments which operated as karaoke bars and found them to be fronts for illegal activities, Thailand’s influential newspaper Thai Rath reported.
The girls rescued were between 13 and 20 years old. The four bars were
Laos has warned Thai Airways International (THAI) to stop breaching its air service agreement by deploying its budget airline subsidiary for flights to the neighbouring country that are designated for the parent.
The order came after Lao authorities found THAI Smile had been flying the route in place of the parent airline, an act considered a violation of the rights originally extended to THAI.
In the eyes of the authorities, THAI Smile, despite being wholly ….
Over recent weeks there has been a sharp increase in reports of police harassment, intimidation and flat-out extortion in the Sukhumvit area, usually between Thong Lor and Asoke. While stories of the Bangkok police engaging in less than exemplary behavior are not new, and no official statistics for ‘on-the-spot fines’ exist, there does seem to be a policy of targeting foreign males in prime tourist areas at the …..
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Release of U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s report on the CIA’s Rendition, Detention and Interrogation Program:
U.S. citizens in Thailand should be aware that release of declassified versions of the executive summary, findings, and conclusions of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s report of the CIA’s Rendition, Detention and Interrogation program could prompt anti-U.S. protests and violence against U.S. interests, including private U.S. citizens.
U.S. citizens should pay attention to their surroundings and take ….
Interior Minister Gen Anupong Paojinda said today that additional visa-on-arrival services were approved and published in the Royal Gazette on November 10 and will take effect tomorrow, December 10.
The move is aimed at promoting tourism, economic activities, transport, trade and the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community, he said.
The 10 new visa on arrival locations are the immigration checkpoints at …..
A 25-year-old German man was admitted to the ICU after he was allegedly attacked by drunk teenagers in Udon Thani who wanted to imitate the brutal murder of two British tourists on Koh Tao island in September.
Police say the German man was sitting with two Thai friends near a park in Udon Thani’s Muang District in the early morning of 15 November when three Thai teenagers suddenly attacked him with a garden hoe.
The man is now being treated for severe ….
An agreement between Thailand and China on the construction of a new rail line linking the two countries has put the spotlight on Laos, the country this proposed railway would pass through.
Thailand and China has agreed to cooperate on building a new rail line, which would eventually connect Southern China with Bangkok. This initiative has put the spotlight on Laos, the country this proposed railway would pass …..
Thailand’s Soi Dog Foundation has some of the biggest stars in Britain speaking out against the dog-meat trade in a video that starts with a warning about its “distressing” content.
Dame Judi Dench, Ricky Gervais and two of the stars of the international-hit series “Downton Abbey” – Laura Carmichael and Phyllis Logan – give voice to the “I Never Knew” campaign in the moving (and, yes, distressing) three-minute video that drives home what you probably didn’t want to know. But of course you should know …
Thailand’s tourism minister said on Tuesday that identification wristbands would be distributed to tourists following the murder of two British backpackers earlier this month that has raised fresh concerns over tourist safety.
Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said she had approached hotels over the idea of handing out wristbands to help identify ….
Thailand’s poor standing in a recent global survey on the quality of education has caused alarm among educators here and prompted the authorities to respond.
Thailand is ranked 87th in the world in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015 – behind most other member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including less economically developed neighbours such as Laos, which is ranked 60th. This is both embarrassing and ….
In another positive move to boost the Thai travel and tourism industry, the Immigration Bureau has allowed citizens of 48 countries and Hong Kong SAR to get a 30-day extension of their stay in Thailand after the expiry of their normal period of stay.
The move is effective as of 29 August, 2014. It will apply to visitors holding travel documents of Australia, Austria, …….
With many Expats traveling from Laos to Bangkok by train, this latest news raises new concerns about the safety on Thai trains:
Passengers on a southbound train were reportedly robbed in their sleep just metres away from the lady-only car installed in the wake of a deadly rape on the same rail route last month.
According to Pol.Col. Witset Ketpan, deputy commander of Thai Railway Police, nine passengers said they lost their phones and cash in the theft. 30 passengers were in the car at the time, adding that the perpetrator managed to remove …..
For decades, hundreds of thousands of home-weary expats have lived in Bangkok or in the palm-lined beach resorts dotted along the Gulf of Thailand.
Drawn to the country by its tropical weather, laidback hospitality and cut-rate comforts, most have made Thailand their home after completing the correct immigration paperwork.
However, others have easily dodged lax visa enforcement, itself another reason Thailand has remained so attractive.
But following the coup in late May, the new military government issued warnings that it will soon start to clampdown on immigration offenders, raising fears among many that …..
Forceful punishment for foreigners who overstay their visas in Thailand including multi-year entry bans were officially announced yesterday.
Under the new rules which had been rumored earlier this month and posted online Tuesday by the Immigration Bureau, foreign nationals who overstay their visas will be expelled from the kingdom and blacklisted for at least one year.
Those remaining in Thailand more than ….
Two young women from New Zealand narrowly escaped spending three months in a Thai prison after they were found in possession of counterfeit American dollars.
Casey Hanson, 21, and her friend Megan Taylor, 24, said the group withdrew US$1000 (NZ$1135) at Vientiane International Airport in Laos on June 30 and US$300 of that was changed into kip, the local currency. The group spent seven days in the country before travelling to Bangkok where Hanson and Taylor exchanged US$100 into Thai baht before heading to a mall to exchange a further US$500. At the mall, red flags were raised about the authenticity of ….
FOREIGNERS WHO do regular visa runs in order to extend their stay in Thailand have less than a month before a crackdown by the authorities to enforce immigration laws more strictly.
From August 13, people will not be able to re-enter the country, regardless of their choice of transport.
The Immigration Bureau has already instructed officials to deny entry to foreigners doing visa runs as a measure to stop the …..
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) yesterday urged hotels and shopping malls to clean their air-conditioning systems as a precaution after a recent random check found that several hotels had legionella bacteria, which could pose a risk of respiratory diseases.
BMA explained that a random check on hotels, malls and cinema theatres had found some premises with dust, bacteria and fungi, but ….
Lao Airlines sought permission from Aerothai to change its flight paths in Thailand during the Buddhist Lent festival due to safety concerns
Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) wants stricter measures put in place to limit the height of traditional bang fai, or Isan rockets, to make it safer for aircraft.
The agency is increasingly concerned with threats to aircraft safety posed by illegally modified rockets, which can reach as high as ….
Major Cineplex Group Plc, Thailand’s largest cinema operator, is looking to expand further in Indochina as the region’s entertainment industry develops.
“Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos are fresh entertainment markets, and we should take this opportunity to establish our presence in these countries before our rivals,” said Major Cineplex chairman Vicha Poolvaraluck.
Its first cinema with five screens would open by the end of this year at the ……
The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok has informed the foreign Embassies and Consulates in Thailand and the Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates worldwide about the visa run crackdown, the former in a letter dated June 23, 2014.
For the first time in writing, the ministry confirms the Thai Immigration Bureau’s current crackdown on border runners.
The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the crackdown is aimed to prevent visa runners who abuse the visa exemption scheme from working illegally in ….
More than 140,000 Cambodians had fled jobs in Thailand to return home as of Monday, fearing a crackdown on illegal migrants under junta rule, an official said.
Thailand is believed to have about two million documented foreign migrant workers from countries including Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos who work in low-paying jobs that Thais are unwilling to so.
Video of shooting of pickup carrying cambodians may have raised fears. The military junta yesterday reiterated it has no policy to crack down on migrant workers here despite the …..
Alliance International Medical Centre in Vientiane has joined hands with Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand to provide healthcare services for people from Laos.
Under the agreement, patients in Laos including Lao people and foreign expatriates who wish to go for treatment at Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok can register through Alliance International Medical Centre.
The Alliance International Medical Centre will facilitate arrangements for patients to receive treatment at Bumrungrad International Hospital including ….
ONE in two Australian travellers get sick on overseas holidays – and India, Vietnam and Thailand are clocking up the highest number of holiday casualties.
Of those struck down by illness, most lost at least two days of their holiday. And many of those wasted sick days could have been avoided, with travellers admitting to being slack when it comes to basic preventive measures.
Tummy troubles like diarrhoea and gastro were the …..
Update 28th May: Our readers report that the situation at the Vientiane / Nongkai crossing is back to normal
Lao residents and Expats living in Laos with vehicles who intend to travel to Thailand will not be able to cross with ease as restrictions have been placed on all border checkpoints after the Thai military staged a coup to seize power and maintain peace and order on May 22.
Lao people who carry border passes are currently restricted from using them to enter Thailand.
Thai military officials have advised residents to use a passport and only go into Thailand if …..
The national commander of Thai Immigration, Lt Gen Phanu Kerdlaphon, has confirmed that “Out-In” visa runs are – apart from a few exceptions – a thing of the past.
Speaking with The Phuket News this morning, Gen Phanu said, “We have been very lenient about this. I’ve had many comments about [our excessive leniency].”
Several factors have come together to kill off the tourist visa run. The first is fallout from the disappearance of …. .
The Samitivej private hospital group has opened an international children’s hospital in Bangkok to serve up to 1,000 outpatients and 100 inpatients per day.
Samitivej International Children’s Hospital is staffed by specialist paediatricians who cover all aspects of a child’s health. The hospital offers a full spectrum of primary and tertiary care services including paediatric air and ground medical transport to treat medical ….
Thailand is now being branded as ‘the sick man of Southeast Asia’ given its low economic growth, unstable politics and lack of investors’ confidence, according to the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.
480 out of 4,000 small- and medium-sized Thai enterprises have planned to invest in neighbouring Indonesia, Myanmar and Laos with a total investment of Bt77 billion. The political turmoil will compel other manufacturers to relocate from Thailand, about 1,440 Thai operators will possibly move their production bases to neighbouring countries.
If the political impasse continues until next year, Thailand’s investors overseas will ….
Like many girls in Laos, where almost one-third of the population lives below the poverty line, Vahn* was desperate to earn money for her family. This made her a prime target for sex traffickers.
As an uneducated 15-year old, Vahn said she was convinced by her stepsister to work at a farm in central Thailand. But she ended up at a Thai brothel, where she was forced to have sex with a client who paid to take her virginity.
Vahn’s story is not unique. Laos, a landlocked, communist state with one of the worst poverty rates in Southeast Asia, is a prime source for Thailand’s flourishing sex trafficking rings. Around 90 percent of Lao trafficking victims are transported to ….
The Udon Thani Tourism Business Association has set an ambitious goal of placing the northeastern province on the global tourism map. Newly appointed president Tanakorn Weerachatyanukul said the plan includes improving infrastructure and better transport with more flights to Udon Thani.
He said in the near future, the number of flights between Bangkok to Udon Thani will increase to 27 per day, ranking as the third highest destination from Bangkok after Phuket and Chiang Mai.
More flights from Singapore, …….
The first Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge which links Vientiane and Nong Khai in Thailand will increase services to support the Asean Economic Community (AEC) next year. The 1st Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge is one of Vientiane’s checkpoints which will be busy after Laos joins the AEC.
Officials are of the belief that there will be a large increase in transportation at the bridge after Asean nations officially launch the AEC.
“We are now improving many sections at the bridge to support the community including infrastructure and services at the …….
Immigration Police in North East Thailand have announced the start of a major crackdown on foreigners entering the country posing as tourists, who it believes are in fact working illegally in the Kingdom, said Pol Major General Chartchai Lamsaeng at a seminar for immigration officers held on Monday in Khon Kaen.
This latest crackdown is to also target foreign nationals on border runs and those who have re-entered Thailand a considerable number of times using tourist visas over a ……
Lao PDR’s export market may be under threat by continued political turmoil in Thailand, an economist has warned, according to a report in state-run daily Vientiane Times on Thursday.
“Thailand is not only our major trading partner but our transit road to export our products to the international market. We cannot avoid an impact if the political turmoil in the neighboring country gets worse,” a senior economist told the paper.
As turmoil in Thailand continues, Lao exporters are becoming increasingly concerned about the future of exports to ….
Travellers to Bangkok being urged to avoid rally sites, stock up on cash, food and water. Many countries have advised their nationals to stay away from demonstration sites on Monday and ensure that they have enough cash on them, a fully-charged communication device as well as enough food and water to last a while. They have also been advised not to wear red or yellow.
“Participating or showing support in any form to any of the parties is strongly discouraged,” the Philippines Embassy in Bangkok said on its website. Meanwhile, the United States Embassy has warned its citizens to be careful, because although mass rallies have been generally peaceful over the past few months, there have still …..
THAI Smile, a business unit of Thai Airways International, will start a new four weekly service to Luang Prabang in Laos, 15 December.
It pitches the airline in direct competition with Bangkok Airways that was the first international airline to serve the World Heritage town. It flies three daily services to Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabang was designated by UNESCO as the “The Best Preserved City in Southeast Asia” and registered as a World Heritage City, due to its anciednt temples and well preserved colonial building and former royal palaces.
THAI Smile will operate flights from …..
Officials overseeing the first Laos-Thailand Friendship Bridge border checkpoint have told the Asean Secretariat they will streamline procedures to speed up crossings between Vientiane and Thailand’s Nong Khai province.
In 2012 almost 1.9 million people entered Laos at the bridge and more than 2.1 million people left Laos for Thailand the same way. With 36,958 vehicles coming in and 246,468 going out of Laos, the bridge has become noticeably more crowded in recent times.
Under a newly-drawn plan on how to address the crowding problem presented at yesterday’s visit, the checkpoint will introduce a single-window system and parking spaces and roads will be expanded and improved…..