Are you a globetrotter with a penchant for shopping? Good news! Suvarnabhumi Airport is now the gateway to a more delightful and cash-saving experience as you bid farewell to Thailand. Picture this: you, gliding through the airport with your hands full of shopping bags, ready to claim your Value-Added Tax (VAT) refund without the hassle of long queues. Welcome to the new age of tourist-friendly shopping! In a bid to inject ease and joy into your travel retail therapy, the Thai government has rolled out a shiny new policy. From Tuesday onward, when you indulge in Thailand’s vibrant markets and gleaming malls, the VAT refund process will be as breezy as the country’s idyllic beaches. Government spokesperson, Chai Wacharonke, proudly announced the cabinet’s decision to streamline VAT refunds—a move certain to put a smile on shoppers’ faces worldwide. Here’s where it gets exciting: Say you fell in love with a…
Posts published in “Thailand”
It’s that bustling time of year when Bangkok’s central terminal in the lively Chatuchak district is awash with people. The terminal, usually a canvas of calm, has been transformed into a sea of travelers. Tuesday was particularly notable, as the throngs of New Year celebrants, their festive spirits still intact, wove through the crowds, making their way back to work from their quaint home provinces. The air brimmed with stories of celebration, family, and feasts – the usual suspects in holiday gatherings. (Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut) Yet, amidst these warm reunions and departures lingers a sobering reminder: the stubborn adversary that is Covid-19 is flaring up again. Chulalongkorn University’s epidemiologist, Assoc Prof Thira Woratanarat, with a vigilant eye on the numbers, reports a disquieting 7% uptick in hospitalisations from the previous week. Turning the screw tighter, respiratory complaints linked to Covid-19 have spiked by 6.2% – the most significant leap in a…
Once upon a time in the hallowed halls of Thailand’s parliament, the air was abuzz with a palpable fervor as the esteemed House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha took stock of the recent transformations within the chamber’s walls. With a sage nod, the Speaker mused how the noble art of debate had evolved, with parliamentarians now wielding their words with laser precision, and the bygone days of “redundant interjections” fading into nothing more than a distant murmur. A sense of focused determination permeated the room, as the MPs prepared to delve into the intricacies of the nation’s fiscal blueprint. Speaker Wan stood poised on the brink of history, anticipating the smooth sailing of the 2024 budget bill’s inaugural reading. The stage was set for Wednesday’s spectacle, where the great political tapestry of coalition and opposition would unfold over 20 hours each across a three-day rhetorical odyssey, culminating in Friday’s grand…
As the sun rose over the vibrant city of Bangkok, couples in love flocked to the Bang Rak district, with hearts aflutter, ready to tie the knot on the most romantic day of the year. The traditional Valentine’s Day rush to register marriages at the district, long famed as a haven for lovers, saw a continuous stream of starry-eyed soulmates making their bonds official on February 14, 2022. Their joyous unions added another chapter to the rich tapestry of love stories told within these walls, as captured by the watchful lens of the Bangkok Post. Yet beneath the surface of these celebrations, a tectonic shift in legislation was brewing. The Thai cabinet, in a move that reverberated with progressive promise, displayed its awareness of a compelling proposal that aspired to elevate the minimum age of marital consent from the tender age of 17 to 18. This milestone would bring Thailand…
Imagine yourself on a typical bustling Tuesday evening in Samut Prakan. The urban orchestra is in full swing: the humming of monorail trains, the cacophony of traffic, and here, the abrupt heart-stopping ‘thud!’ that disrupts the rhythm. Onlookers gasp as a wheel, seemingly possessed with a mind of its own, tumbles from the sky, bounces with the nimbleness of a ballerina and lands with an artful thump on an unsuspecting green-yellow taxi. No, this isn’t a scene from a whimsical movie; it’s the real-life spectacle that unfolded on Thepharak Road—courtesy of a Yellow Line monorail train that decided to shed some weight—a rubber wheel, to be precise. Picture the scene: it’s about 6.30 pm. The elevated railway above Thepharak Road plays host to this curious episode. A wheel from a train bound for Lat Phrao takes a leap of faith, strikes the road, and a taxi becomes an unwitting participant…
Welcome to the land of smiles, where the skyline is punctuated by the gilded spires of temples and the streets are buzzing with the energy of endless discovery. It was a scene reminiscent of a vibrant postcard when gaggles of tourists flocked to the hallowed grounds of Bangkok’s Temple of the Emerald Buddha; their shutters clicked in unison, capturing the ethereal beauty of Thailand’s spiritual haven. In a game-changing move destined to send ripples of excitement across the globe, Thailand and the Middle Kingdom, fondly known as China, have unfolded the maps to a new era in travel. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, during a congregation of minds at a weekly cabinet meeting, introduced a masterstroke in international tourism policy: a permanent reciprocal visa-free scheme between their nations, sparking off celebrations amongst wanderlust spirits, with the red-letter day marked as March 1st. Imagine stepping off the plane and straight into adventure…
Welcome to the sun-drenched shores and shimmering waters of Krabi, where tranquility is usually the order of the day. However, beneath the calm exterior of this tropical paradise, a tempest of emotions recently erupted between two caretakers of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, resulting in a rare and shocking outburst of violence in the peaceful Maya Bay, a haven beloved by travelers worldwide. The park’s chief, Yutthapong Damsrisuk, recounts how a blaze of fury led to one employee sustaining serious injuries after being shot not once, but twice. The altercation, a shocking break from the soothing hum of waves against the bay, unfolded in the place they both called home, amidst the serene backdrop of Maya Bay. Despite the chaos, the injured party was swiftly transported to Krabi Hospital, where surgeons raced against time to tend to his wounds, while the hot-tempered shooter found himself confined within…
Imagine the bustling streets of Bangkok, where the symphony of horns and engines melds into the daily rhythm of the city. But tune in a bit closer, and you’ll notice an environmental symphony playing its part: Thai Smile Bus (TSB) Company is orchestrating a monumental shift in public transportation. Their fleet of 350 natural gas-fuelled vehicles (NGV) buses is taking a final bow, with the ensemble set to retire gracefully by the month’s end. This poignant move by TSB echoes their unwavering commitment to serenading the skies with cleaner air and environmental sustainability. Leading the green parade is none other than Kulpornpath Wongmajarapinya, TSB’s visionary chief executive officer. With the precision of a maestro, she’s ensured that a resounding 95% of these NGV buses have already exited stage left. The latest act saw 58 buses bidding adieu just this Monday. Their departure, akin to notes fading from a musical score,…
Welcome to the verdant heart of Thailand’s wilderness, where majestic tigers roam with a silent, powerful grace through the dense jungle, ruling their realm with a prowess that commands both awe and respect. Nestled within this lush landscape lies the esteemed Huay Kha Kaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, a true jewel in the crown of global conservation efforts. It’s not just a haven for these regal beasts; it’s also a buzz-worthy hub for wildlife enthusiasts keen to catch a glimpse of these striped marvels in their natural habitat. A sanctuary that is as mysterious as it is magnificent, this site has been immortalized in countless photos and write-ups, but nothing compares to the experience of being there, where the thrill of the wild pulses through the air. The dedicated Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has been bustling with plans to bolster the tiger populace that prowls the Western Forest…
Amidst the gleaming halls of Government House, there was a buzz of anticipation as Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin stepped up to the press podium. The hot topic, naturally, was the government’s avant-garde initiative—the 10,000-baht digital wallet program. Despite the unforeseen setback in its kickoff, there was palpable confidence in the air. “We’ve put our heart and soul into this, and we’re optimistic that the economy will continue to flourish,” beamed Mr. Srettha to the sea of reporters hanging onto every word. It was the kind of statement that stokes the fire of progress. “Initially, we had dreams of launching the digital wallet phenomenon between February or March, yet here we are, rallying the troops for a tour de force in tourism and economic prowess,” articulated the Prime Minister. With his eyes firmly set on the horizon, Mr. Srettha painted a picture of interim solutions designed to bridge the gap while…