The small town of Umphang, nestled near Thailand’s western border, opened its arms and heartily greeted the incoming slew of eager tourists. Leading the warm welcome was none other than the district chief of Umphang, Thanpawat Puriwattanametha, along with officials hailing from the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary. This dedicated team of officials and wildlife experts were on standby to provide valuable guidance and ensure the well-being of adventurous tourists eagerly rafting down the majestic Mae Klong River. At the heart of this enriching natural extravaganza is the breathtaking Thi Lo Su, the undisputed champion of waterfalls in Thailand and arguably, the entire Southeast Asia. This monumental limestone waterfall is a spectacle to behold, cascading from a staggering height of 250 metres and stretching over an expansive width of nearly 450 metres. The Mae Klong River, the lifeline of this spectacle, is sourced from the fertile waters of Huai Klotho, channelling its…
Posts published by “Editorial Team”
In light of notable deceleration in China’s economic growth, predominantly due to severe issues in its real estate sector, shedding light on fears of an economic stagnation, a word of caution comes from the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC). The council’s concerns specifically pertain to Thailand, given the close economic ties between the two Asian nations. Danucha Pichayanan, the NESDC secretary-general, has remarked on China’s situation with a discerning sentiment, saying it’s crucial to remain attentive, even though the extent of the influence on Thailand’s economy is yet to be quantifiably observed. He issued these remarks at the release event of Thailand’s economic outlook for the following quarter, emphasizing the interconnected nature of global economies. Pichayanan explained, “While the specifics are not completely visible at this juncture, it is important to consider the potential repercussions if China’s economic situation deteriorates. Any setback for the global and Thai economies…
Highway 317, a pivotal link between the eastern province of Chanthaburi and Sa Kaew on the Cambodian frontier, has suffered from severe flooding, making navigation particularly challenging for smaller vehicles. This flooding is especially evident traversing through the Makham district region of the highway. Authorities from the local area are urging motorists piloting larger vehicles to refrain from using this segment of the roadway, as flood levels remained significantly high during the time of reporting. Some sections of the road have been reduced to just one operable lane due to the floodwaters and long stretches of pooling water that extend up to 500 metres. In response to these flood-stricken areas of Chanthaburi, additional resources including flat-bottomed boats and towering trucks have been deployed. These are operated by a contingent of rescue personnel, military officers, and defense volunteers, all doing their utmost to assist the inhabitants affected by the flooding. Knicknamed…
The bustling metropolis of Bangkok has long served as Thailand’s economic locomotive, pulsating with productive energy. However, as this growth engine loses momentum, it opens the way for other rising cities like Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, and Rayong to step in. Critical to their ascension will be massive investments in pioneering urban projects such as mass transit systems and renewable energy platforms, suggests the “Thailand Urban Infrastructure Finance Assessment” study. To back these ambitious endeavors though, cities cannot solely depend on contributions from the central government. The report advocates the exploration of other financial avenues such as municipal loans and public-private partnerships. Urban expansion will bestow remarkable benefits to rural and urban inhabitants alike. The development of reliable transportation networks, the installation of comprehensive electrification systems and enhanced access to markets, school systems and health institutions are just a few highlighted perks. These advances will streamline the cross-city movement of…
Setting its sights on enhancing the urban landscape and improving the day-to-day experiences of both locals and tourists, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has embarked on an ambitious project aptly named “Beautiful Roads”. This initiative rolls out various improvements across the city’s myriad roads, including the optimization of street surfaces, traffic lights, light fixtures, and utilities on the road. Furthermore, it marks a grand new chapter in city planning as it involves a comprehensive rearrangement of street food vendors and general roadside surroundings to elevate the aesthetic appeal of the city. Our source, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, shared that this transformative venture is the result of a fruitful collaboration among key departments such as the BMA, the Public Works Department, the Environment Department, and the Traffic and Transport Department. The initial stages of the project will be focusing their resources on enhancing three major roads in the city, namely, Ram…
The Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin, affirmed his commitment to the plight of the nation’s fisheries industry during a recent visit to Samut Songkhram. This vow comes on the back of pleas from industry representatives urging the fresh-faced government to reevaluate extant laws and lessen the blow of stringent measures tailored to curb illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing. Staunch in his resolve, Thavisin declared that ameliorating the predicament of the fisheries sector was a top-shelf priority for the newly enthroned Pheu Thai-led government. In a bid to take concrete steps, Thavisin, aged 61, suggested the establishment of a task-oriented committee. Expectations are ripe that this board would come under the leadership of Thamanat Prompow, the soon-to-be agriculture minister who also serves as the secretary-general of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP). The objective of the proposed committee is to devise a holistic strategy aimed at resolving the multi-faceted issues…
The Thai government, in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), is currently reevaluating its visa policies with a keen eye for improvement. These progressive modifications are being plotted to enhance influx from comprehensive tourist sources such as India and China, with an ultimate goal to stimulate the nation’s earnings. The impetus behind these prospective changes was provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry was spurred into reconsidering the visa system due to constant grievances from tourism stakeholders who cited the prevailing visa procedures as both intricate and extortionate. The ongoing system, bemoaned for being off-putting, has been reported to deter a substantial number of prospective visitors, particularly from the high-priority Chinese and Indian demographic. The Ministry, therefore, seeks to upgrade the accessibility and efficiency of the e-visa system. Adopting these enhancements should attract an even higher quota of intrepid travelers, particularly from China, to enjoy the…
In a cutting-edge move, the trailblazing Chiang Mai University (CMU), hand in hand with the Stock Exchange of Thailand, has launched a pioneering platform coined “Builds”. With an eye on the future, this novel initiative is architectured to serve as a stepping-stone for students, aiding them to metamorphose their research projects into profitable businesses, armoured with the economic potential to drive the country. Like an enlightened captain of this innovative ship, Pongruk Sribanditmongkol, a rector at CMU, voiced the institution’s far-reaching vision to evolve into an entrepreneurial nucleus. The ambitious target, he revealed, is to surge the university’s economical contribution to a whopping 60 billion baht in the imminent four years. Pongruk elucidated, “Builds is not just a platform; it’s an engine geared to fast-track CMU students’ research finesse, using cutting-edge technology to spin studies into viable business models. These business models wouldn’t just be profit-making entities but employment vehicles…
The respected Thai Rice Exporters Association has recently issued an appeal to the country’s new government. Their plea is simple yet crucially important: to abstain from intervening with rice market prices. Instead, the association strongly recommends the strategic development and production of innovative rice strains. Such a move is seen as vital to keeping pace with other nations in the highly competitive world of rice exporting. Chookiat Ophaswongse, the association’s esteemed honorary president, stressed the importance of rice strain development for the future of Thai rice. He shared his insights based on various discussions held in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. According to him, these countries share concerns about rice prices and the key to address these lies in reducing production costs for farmers, increasing yield, and introducing new soft-textured rice varieties that meet market demands. “Other exporting nations have significantly advanced their research and development capabilities, leading to the…
Revelations from the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO), depicting the repercussions of escrow legislation in the past 15 years, accentuate the hefty value of escrow service transactions during this time. An FPO informant who chose to remain anonymous divulged that an astronomical 867 billion baht of transactions, with a significant chunk being capital market transactions, was recorded in this span. The Escrow Account Act, rolled out in 2008, was a cornerstone in the upsurge of escrow service transactions. From its inception until the second quarter of this year, the gross value of such transactions breached an impressive 867 billion baht. A breakdown of this cumulative transaction value reveals that a whopping 862 billion baht or a mammoth 99.5% was associated with capital market transactions. In stark contrast to this, product and service purchase transactions constituted a minuscule 0.38% of the total, amounting to a paltry 3.3 billion baht. Astonishingly, real estate…