THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Happy Air is announcing a new route Bangkok-Ranong, departing from Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 1.30 pm. and from Ranong at 3.30 pm. Flights will be operating two times a week, Friday and Sunday, 2,800 THB each way. Happy Airways works in cooperation with Thai Airways and is based in Phuket, [...]

THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: It’s been said often enough that there are lies, damn lies and statistics and those in the Thai travel industry are being left bewildered as to who to believe and who not, with conflicting information being bandied about on almost a daily basis on inbound tourist numbers. According to the Tourism Authority of [...]

THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Two peak Thai tourism industry bodies, the Thai Hotels Association (THA) and the Federation of Thai Tourism Associations (FTTA), have expressed concern at what the fallout will be to a bomb blast in the capital Bangkok on Sunday, that killed one and injured eight. The bomb, a modified M67 grenade, was dumped at [...]

THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS; Perched above the Andaman Sea 90-minutes from Phuket International Airport, Impiana Private Villas and Spa, Kata Noi, Phuket, is the latest boutique resort to open on the island province, with its villas and suites coming with their own private butler. Comprising just seven suites and four private villas, the Impiana Private Villas and [...]

These rusting T69-2 Chinese tanks will soon be a home for fish and hopefully coral regrowth as part of a royal Thai initiative. THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Recreational scuba divers in the waters off the southern Thailand provinces of Narathiwat and Pattani will soon have some unusual entries for their log books with 25 Chinese made main [...]

[ February 28, 2010; 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm. May 28, 2010; 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm. July 26, 2010; 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm. ] As large majority of people in Thailand practice Buddhism, this is evident especially during the significant days of Buddhist calendar such as Makha Bhucha, Visakah Bucha, and Asarnha Bucha. On these holy days, Buddhists all over the country will participate in ceremonies including: making merit by going to temples, offering food to monks and novices, listening [...]

Thai has appointed German ZIM Flugsitz as parallel seat supplier for its A300s and promised it the retrofitting of six B747-400s. THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Thailand’s national airline, Thai Airways International (THAI), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for the purchase of seven A330-300s. The MoU follows board approval last month for the airline buy [...]

THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: While the majority of Thailand’s hotels are offering free nights, three for two, or massive discounts and fighting over the same market, management of the newly opened Northgate Ratchayothin Serviced Residence has their eye on some of the Thai governments post protest and economic stimulus money. After putting down the anti-government protests in [...]

[ July 23, 2010 to July 27, 2010. ] Khao Yai National Park is pleased to invite you to its 14th Hin Pheung Rafting Festival, which is from July 23 to July 27, 2010. The festival promises to be a wonderful event full of activity that will attract both participants and supporters. The Southwest Monsoon causes the calm rivers and streams in Khao Yai National [...]

[ August 3, 2010 to August 8, 2010. ] The annual Hua Hin sailing regatta will take place over three days commencing on July 30, 2008. The strong seasonal winds from the annual monsoon promises lots of action and high speeds turns for ocean-going racers. Hua Hin is considered the traditional home for Thailand’s sailing community, due to HM the King’s keen interest in the sport and the Hua Hin Regatta is held each year in sight of the royal palace to honor him.

THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Another week and another new set of figures to show that brand Thailand as a tourist destination is so powerful and attractive that foreign tourists can’t keep away. The latest figures come from the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) who claim that despite the empty beaches and hotel rooms, tourism is recovering at [...]

THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Visitors to the island resort of Koh Samui now have another premium property to choose from following the opening of the Banyan Tree Samui. Situated on a 15ha (about 37 acre)plot near Lamai beach, the 78 all-pool villa resort is set on a series of cascading terraces on a private hill cove just [...]

[ September 6, 2010 to September 12, 2010. ] THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Lovers of fine food should mark September 6 through 12 in their diaries for the return of the World Gourmet Festival at Bangkok's Four Seasons Hotel. The annual event, one of the most anticipated of the Thai social calendar, will see a bevy of the world's leading chefs gather to present a culinary [...]

THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Just two weeks after a leading industry figure called for a moratorium on building new hotels and resorts on the island of Phuket, the idea has been raised again, with the Phuket provincial governor weighing into the debate now and suggesting an “amnesty” as a possible solution. Two weeks ago Phuket Chamber of [...]

Tourists are being invited to show their opposition to planned oil exploration off the coast of Koh Samui on July 31. THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Holiday makers and tourists visiting Koh Samui, Koh Phangan or Koh Tao are being invited to join local residents and environmentalists in a rally on July 31 against a proposal to carry [...]

THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: With foreign tourist arrivals well below expectations following months of political protests in the capital, Thailand tourism officials must have been close to orgasmic when told Bangkok and the northern city of Chiang Mai had been voted the worlds best two cities by readers of one of the world’s most prestigious [...]

An example of facilities at the Chiang Mai Breathing Space drug and alcohol rehab resort. THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Just when people started getting their head around terms such as medical tourism, eco-tourism and romance tourism, another vertical industry sector has popped up, rehabilitation tourism, with Thailand quietly establishing a good reputation in the field. Though an ally [...]

THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: At 4am on Sunday when most people will either be in bed or staggering their way home from the city’s infamous bars and clubs, several thousand others will be stripping down to their shorts and limbering up in preparation for the annual Pattaya Marathon. Traditionally held on the third Sunday in July, this [...]

THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Boutique luxury Phuket hotel, The Pavilions, is set to increase the level of luxury and privacy it delivers with the opening in November of 25 private pool villas, complete with their own stand-alone spa. The new villas comprise six Plantation Pool Penthouses measuring 400sq.m (about 4,305sq.ft) and 18 Plantation Pool Pavilions measuring 275sq.m [...]