Tag Archives for thailand.
In Lopburi, Thailand, a significant escalation has occurred involving conflicts between rival monkey factions, leading to significant disruptions. To mitigate the situation, officials have engaged, successfully capturing a key figure among the monkeys, Ai Krao, along with several of his followers. Despite these efforts, the challenge persists due to the monkeys’ adeptness with firearms and understanding of human cues.
The former CEO of Thai low cost airline Nok Air is starting a new venture, Really Cool Airlines, which promises to “Fly The Future.”
Thailand was set to re-institute a vaccine requirement for passengers arriving into the country effective Monday, January 9. When this was first announced, I described it as “confusion reigns.” And in an update that can only be described as ‘very Thai’ this policy was rescinded on.. Monday, January 9.
They aren’t requiring mRNA vaccines, and they aren’t requiring boosters. Showing proof of a Chinese vaccine whose effectiveness against the original Wuhan strain was questionable at best is considered enough. Fear of an onslaught of infected people from China demands that politicians do something. And this is something.
On your next trip to Thailand, if some have their way, you could smoke pot, gamble, and pay a bar fine all in a single visit. Funny, all I want to do when I go there is eat great street food.
A year and a half ago an American in Thailand was taken to jail for writing a bad review of a hotel on TripAdvisor. He spent a couple of nights in jail on charges of defamation. Under pressure of public outrage, the hotel finally dropped charges.
Around the same time the owner of the Sri Panwa Resort in Phuket was threatening to sue guests who left negative reviews for the property. Now that Thai hotel owner is again.
Thailand will fully open to vaccinated Americans as well as those from China, Singapore, Germany and six other countries starting November 1. Travelers from additional countries will be welcomed starting December 1. Previously visitors could only enter – and had to remain in – designated resort places in the country such as Phuket.
With tourism to and within Asia virtually halted by the coronavirus pandemic, Thailand has struggled mightily. In 2019 tourism represented over 18% of the country’s GDP.
So the country is going to impose a new tax on foreign tourists starting in 2022. The goal is to reduce low “quality” tourism.
Thailand will welcome vaccinated visitors to 9 regions without quarantine starting November 1. This includes Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phangnga, Krabi, Hua Hin, Pattaya, and Cha-am in addition to already-open Phuket and Samui.
Thailand has a new outbreak of Covid-19, threatening tourist re-opening. In the Maldives cases are falling dramatically, over 90% of tourism workers have been vaccinated, and nearly all visitor life is outdoors. Yet the CDC categorizes Maldives as the highest possible risk ‘do not travel’ and Thailand the lowest risk.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
