The frozen food section at the local convenience store may not hold any lofty culinary treasures, but it does hold the key to saving time and energy after a long day. All around the world, people value frozen foods for their convenience and, sometimes, their deliciousness.
But can you really trust the picture on the front of the package to be what comes out of the microwave? One Thai netizen went on a quest to demystify the frozen food section of Thailand’s 7-Elevens and posted photos of 24 heated up meals to see how they compared to people’s expectations.
Lonelynite, a user of the Thai webforum Pantip, posted the photos to share what a diet of only frozen meals from 7-Eleven would look like. The meals all cost between 30 to 45 baht (US$0.92 to US$1.38) and were a variety of Southeast Asian, Chinese, and Western cuisine. There were even a few Japanese foods including karaage fried chicken or Japanese-style curry. While some of the food looked pretty good, some did not look appetizing at all. Check out all 24 meals below!
1. Fish in red curry fried with rice
2. Pork fried rice
3. Japanese curry and tonkatsu (pork cutlet) with Japanese rice
4. Stir fried mixed vegetables and omelette with rice
5. Shrimp fired rice
6. Korean-style chicken with rice
7. Spaghetti carbonara with ham
8. Spaghetti with chili pork basil leaf
9. Stir-fried Japanese rice with salmon
10. Chicken sausage fried rice
11. American fried rice
12. Stir-fried basil shrimp with rice
13. Stir-fried chicken with chili paste and bamboo shoots
14. Fried mackerel and shrimp paste sauce with rice
15. Hainanese chicken rice with soup
16. Pork panang curry with rice
17. Karaage chicken with Japanese rice
18. Spaghetti tomato sauce with chicken
19. Stir-fried basil vegetarian protein with rice
20. Stir-fried pork and basil with rice
21. Noodles
22. Stir-fried pork with basil leaf and rice
23. Grilled pork steak with Japanese rice
24. Crab fried rice
Αποστολή από: labiko στις Μάρτιος 11, 2015, 09:42:12 πμ
Everyday you get responses like "This is Thailand", or "This is how it is"
Well, its NOT and most of the rubbish posted is just that-RUBBISH.
Thailand, just like any other country in the world has laws and agency's which enforce it, People just need to know it.
So here is a break down of those agencies,, so hopefully it will help many many people.
1. Consumer Protection Board. http://www.ocpb.go.th/main.php?filename=index
This agency deals with all retails, realesate and alike problems, including faulty products, incomplete jobs, warranty's etc.
It also deals with unlicensed restaurants of food sellers
It is a government agency, so it does not cost you a single baht.
In most cases, after you contact them, just a phone call from them to the retailer will solve the problems.
Business owners and managers are aware of this agency and are afraid of complaints being filed.
2. City Hall
City Hall in each province has a 24 hour number, Pattaya is 1337
City Hall will deal with noise complaints. ie street parties(those need to have permit before being put on), without one, once called, party gets shut down
City Hall can be also called if you have problems with school,noisy bar,cars blocking driveways or alike.
3.National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission. http://www.nbtc.go.th/wps/portal/NTC/eng
This agency deals with any problems related to your phone or internet or cable provider.
This includes, wrong billing, no service, warranty on phones sold by telco and everything else related.
Again, all companies are aware of this agency,but most people are not. Hence all the problems.
Personal experience just to illustrate: My business phone bill was always 2 weeks late and each time Telco would disconnect the phone for non payment.
After contacting NBTC, while on hold, they contacted Telco, my phone was switched back on in less than 3 mins and has never been disconnected again, even if i was late to pay the bills.
4. NCPO Thai government. 24 hour Call Center 1111 http://www.1111.go.th/
They deal with any and all complaints related to anything and everything.
Noise, schools, retailers, builders, police or anything else.
Call to this agency and call from them to the other party solves problems within 24 hours
5. Insurance Commission http://www.oic.or.th/en/home/
Any problems insurance related.
I can not think of other agency's that i have had personal experience with, may be others can add to the list.
To people living in fear of their own shadow, you do not need to worry. Not too many Thai know of their rights or this agency's
When the problem arises, other party in my experience usually assumed you are very well connected to bring $hit storm like this and you will not be harmed in anyway.
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Μάιος 08, 2015, 07:25:03 πμ
07 May 2015 (Bangkok Post)
Poor safety record limits Thailand in world tourism rankings
(http://s11.postimg.org/bpz44x0v7/THAILAND_S_SAFETY_RECORD.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
WEF report ranks Spain world's most tourist-friendly nation
Spain was ranked the world’s most tourist-friendly country while Thailand was limited to 35th place due to poor safety in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report.
Spain's top showing in the bi-annual report released Thursday was attributed partly to its cultural resources, airport and infrastructure strength, and prevalence of wireless internet services.
France, Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom rounded out the top five.
Thailand improved from 43rd place in the WEF's 2013 report, but still ranks 10th in Asia, behind Japan (9th), Singapore (11th), Hong Kong (13th), China (17th), Malaysia (25th), South Korea (27th) and Taiwan (32nd).
The next closest competitor was Indonesia at 50th.
Safety rating plunges
While the forum ranked Thailand 10th overall in the Southeast Asia region, it scored last, behind even Myanmar and the Philippines, in terms of "safety and security".
Worldwide, Thailand's safety rank plummeted to 132 out of 140, worse than Lebanon, Mali, Burundi and Iran. Two years ago, the kingdom ranked 87th.
"Thailand experienced a decline in tourists' confidence beginning in December 2008 when international airports started closing and many foreign tour agents quit the country," the WEF wrote in its report. "The effects continued into 2010, with nearby countries benefiting from an increase in visitors."
The kingdom's best marks came in "human resources and labor", where it ranked second.
Thailand placed third in the region for "health and hygiene", "ICT readiness" and "business environment".
The country earned high marks for its tourist infrastructure, but ranked only in the middle of the Southeast Asian pack when it came to environmental sustainability.
Thailand fared well in Asia when judged on price competitiveness. Worldwide, it ranked 36th.
In Asia, it ranked behind Indonesia (3rd), Malaysia (6th), Vietnam (22nd), Philippines (24th) and China (34th).
And, despite its recent problems with the International Civil Aviation Organization, Thailand's air-transport infrastructure was well regarded, ranking 17th overall and third in Asia, behind only Hong Kong and Singapore, which placed fifth and sixth overall, respectively.
The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report is designed to assess how well countries can deliver sustainable economic and societal benefits through their travel and tourism sector.
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Μάιος 17, 2015, 20:19:30 μμ
A Chinese tourist who on Saturday shared the photo on social media wrote that a taxi driver suggested that she and her friends try a seafood restaurant on Ayutthaya Road in Ratchathewi district, Bangkok.
"The driver was chatty and looked honest, so my three friends and I decided to check out the restaurant. "We ordered one crab (Bt1,600), four tiger prawns (Bt1,750), a snapper (Bt1,800), a dish of stir...
The total charge written on the receipt was put at 8,039 baht, including the 17% VAT. An 800 baht "tip" was then added to the bill. In total, the tourists had to pay 8,840 baht.
The tourist said she and her friends were "feeling angry" about it. Most Thai social media members criticised the restaurant for taking advantage of foreign tourists and wanted relevant agencies to take a serious stand on the issue.
(http://i.imgur.com/Zm2j1zI.jpg)
** The restaurant name Sriayudhya seafood market, 531 Sriayudhya road, Phatathai, BKK. ( http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g293916-d2093368-Reviews-Sriayudhya_Seafood_Market-Bangkok.html )
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Ιούνιος 05, 2015, 09:25:52 πμ
Friday, 05 June 2015
Six international airports placed on high alert for MERS-CoV
(http://s24.postimg.org/jfuvcs2yt/AOT.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
Thai health officials have now placed six international airports in the country on high alert following the rising cases of the Middle East respiratory syndrome corona virus (MERS-CoV) in South Korea.
The Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) is now in close coordination with the Bureau of General Communicable Diseases to monitor passengers coming into the country’s international airports from the Middle East and South Korea and those with records of having traveled to the said countries during the past two weeks.
The six major international airports in the country comprised of Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket and Hat Yai Airports.
Health officials have each set up temperature monitoring stations at these airports to monitor the possible entry of MERS-CoV disease among airline passengers.
At Suvarnabhumi airport health officials have installed three temperature sensitive cameras and have issued orders for any passengers with symptoms of extreme fatigue, high fever, severe coughing and hyper ventilating or out of breath to be immediately examined.
Anyone with very high fever will be quarantined in accordance with the Bureau of General Communicable Disease’s guidelines.
Thai pbs
Αποστολή από: Oytopikos στις Ιούνιος 17, 2015, 17:37:06 μμ
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is once again joining forces with Visa and some of Thailand’s biggest shops and brands to promote the annual Amazing Thailand Grand Sale, which has taken place from 15 June to 15 August. In 7 main tourist destinations; Bankok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Udon Thani. This year, in the spirit of the TAT’s 2015 Discover Thainess tourism campaign, shoppers who are wearing traditional Thai dress will enjoy extra special discounts and perks in many of the participating stores.
Mrs. Vilaiwan Twichasri, TAT’s Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business said, “The Amazing Thailand Grand Sale is always an eagerly anticipated event among bargain-hunting locals and tourists who love to take advantage of Thailand’s unparalleled shopping and pick up big-brand goods at the best prices. This year our Discover Thainess tourism campaign has influenced the sale with special incentives for shoppers who appreciate the Thai people’s innate sense of fun.”
The Amazing Thailand Grand Sale has grown year on year since its inception in 1998, and has to-date become the biggest event of its kind in the kingdom with 15,000 shops in 110 malls and shopping centres up and down the kingdom taking part in offering discounts of between 5 and 80 per cent on certain goods as well as other fun and money-saving promotions over the course of the sale. The grand sale includes clothes, electronic goods as well as items unique to the nation.
This year campaign will return with “Travel 365 Days in Thailand” grand prize, whereby The winners are entitled to bring a friend to visit Thailand for up to 10 days in each month of the entire year, with round-trip air tickets and hotel accommodation provided.[1] According to Mr. Somboon Krobteeranon, Country Manager, Visa Thailand, the campaign has been a success last year with winners from Penang, Malaysia and Bangkok, Thailand.
Mrs. Vilaiwan added, “For an extra element of fun, major discounts of up to 80 per cent will be offered to shoppers, Thai and foreign, who are wearing traditional Thai dress to shop at participating stores during the sale. This special activity has been inspired by TAT’s Discover Thainess 2015 campaign which promotes unique elements and cultural gems of Thai culture.”
Amazing-Thailand-Grand-Sale-2015-03Thai and foreign shoppers joining the fun by wearing Thai dress will be able to get bargains and privileges at 20 malls throughout Thailand, including: Siam Paragon, Siam Center, CentralWorld, Gaysorn, Amarin, Terminal 21, Emporium, Mega Bangna, Central Chidlom, Central Embassy, ZEN, EmQuartier, Platinum Fashion Mall, MBK Center, River City Mall, Krung Thong Plaza, and Intra Square in Bangkok. In addition, all branches of The Mall, Central and Robinson Department Stores nationwide will also take part. In Phuket, the Jungceylon Shopping Complex will be giving a special welcome to shoppers joining the campaign.
This year Amazing Thailand Grand Sale will once again start with an exciting ‘Shopping Challenge’ to get everyone in the mood to spend. The second Shopping challenge held last year was a great success as 15 teams of celebrities from across Asia raced each other round Bangkok’s best-loved shopping areas to find products and win exciting prizes. This year is expected to be even more challenging for the teams as even more shops will be joining the fun, set to take place on 17 June.
To encourage visitors and shoppers to visit the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2015, leading airlines are offering discounts to the kingdom and restaurants and spas are participating to ensure that visitors can sample some of Thailand’s mouth-watering local and international cuisine and enjoy exotic health and wellness treatments based on hundreds of years of Thai wisdom. There are also discounts on accommodation and popular activities such as golf. Participating venues in the sale can be easily found by looking for the ‘Red Bag’ symbol displayed in shops.
http://www.eturbonews.com/60322/amazing-thailand-grand-sale-returns-enhanced-elements-thainess
Αποστολή από: Oytopikos στις Ιούνιος 21, 2015, 19:57:33 μμ
Maj Gen Sansern said the move has been carried out with cooperation between the Prime Minister's Office's public service centre, the Tourism Police Division, ToT Plc and concerned government and private agencies to enable foreigners to file complaints around the clock.
In case of emergency, foreigners are advised to call hotline 1155 of the Tourism Police Division. In case of non-emergency, they can call Government House's hotline 1111.
Since March, a total of 1,793 foreigners had filed complaints through the two channels — 1,734 emergency and 59 non-emergency. Most of the callers — 1,633 — were British, followed by 59 Chinese nationals.
Non-emergency complaints can be filed with the public service centre via four channels: hotline 1111 ext 2; http://www.111.go.th; PO Box 1111, Government House, Bangkok 10302; and a public service booth at Gate No.4 of Government House.
Maj Gen Sansern said in the next one or two months the government will introduce an app, PSC1111, for use with mobile phones to add another channel for the people to lodge complaints."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/598704/channels-open-for-foreigners-to-lodge-complaints
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Ιούλιος 10, 2015, 13:16:36 μμ
(http://i.imgur.com/r1PwC4o.jpg)
Four people on Wednesday decided to discuss business in a coffee shop on Ratchadaphisek Road, Bangkok. After ordering six drinks and spending two hours at the table they were presented with a bill for 2,260 baht.
One of the customers, Atipoj Srisukhon, took a photo of the bill and posted it on his Facebook page, triggering a social media uproar.
Atipoj wrote that the bill was for six drinks costing 260 baht, plus a 2,000 baht "Open Food" charge.
The Bon Cafe staff explained to the four that the coffee shop discouraged customers from using the premises for direct sales and product testing, for business meetings and for working generally.
The Facebook user admitted there was a "small" sign on each table asking that customers cooperate and not conduct business activities there. If they did not cooperate, the coffee shop would charge them 1,000 baht per hour. However, the sign was very small and he and his companions did not see it.
The four refused to pay the additional 2,000 baht. The staff did not argue and subsequently handed them a new bill that excluded the "Open Food" charge.
The "Open Food" post was later removed from Atopoj's Facebook page after Bon Cafe (Thailand) isued a statement saying it was all a misunderstanding.
The coffee shop was only asking for cooperation from its customers, and none of their customers had actually paid the "Open Food" charge.
The company statement said the coffee shop is in a busy area, surrounded by many offices, and it has to provide fast customer service to meet the demand.
Most netizens criticised the coffee shop for overcharging, but others argued that people should not selfishly occupy tables for hours on end in a coffee shop. They could also disturb other customers.
© http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/619428/don-t-talk-business-over-coffee
Αποστολή από: android στις Ιούλιος 10, 2015, 17:00:56 μμ
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Ιούλιος 13, 2015, 13:44:55 μμ
(http://i.imgur.com/1YwGuW5.jpg)
I can’t for the life of me figure out what goes through the minds of most tourists in Thailand as they stand in the mirror dressing themselves in the morning.
In any area with more than a few foreigners around, it’s a sure thing to see men and women in baggy yoga pants with the crotch sagging around their ankles.
The elephant patterned version are super popular on the backpacker trail, but laughed at anywhere else.
And I get that it’s hot, and I certainly rock the board shorts/tank top/flip flops look sometimes, but if that’s what you’re wearing to restaurants, temples, and nights out, you’re doing Thailand all wrong.
Thais are very fashion conscious, taking their trend cues from Japan, Korea, Europe, the US, and increasingly, from their domestic designers.
There’s no one correct way to dress, but everyone tries to look good. I advise anyone coming here to try to do the same.
Of course in the end you should wear what you want, but if you want to make friends and be taken seriously in Thailand, you’ve got to make a reasonable effort to dress well. Here are a few guidelines that you’ll find useful if you want to be dressed well in Thailand.
Shorts or trousers
When you’re out and about at midday in the tropics, obviously shorts are slightly more comfortable than long pants.
Wearing them is fine, especially when you have a stylish pair. For a night out, a pair of nice jeans is much preferred.
Shorts are pretty common in most bars catering towards Westerners, and they’re fine in many casual Thai nightspots too.
For nightclubs in Bangkok and some other areas, men won’t be allowed in without pants.
Women can pretty much wear the right pair of shorts anywhere.
Shoes or flip flops
Nightclubs away from beach areas usually require shoes but flip flops are okay in most other areas.
I wear flip flops pretty often, but for me the difference in temperature between them and shoes is minimal.
If I’m out and about in a city, I usually opt for shoes just to keep my feet from getting filthy.
Tank tops, singlets, vests, or whatever else you want to call them
Nobody should wear tank tops to temples, and men won’t get into nightclubs in them.
I know they’re comfortable, but please don’t be that foreigner that wears nothing else.
They’re definitely fine for the islands, and around Bangkok you’ll see plenty of Thais rocking them too.
But for nights out, guys’ll do much better keeping the guns away (Khao San Road excepted).
Avoiding the tourist cliches
Sometimes it seems like there’s a standard uniform for travelers in Thailand, since they all seem to wear the same gear.
The primary culprits are the Singha or Chang beer tank top, the Thai fisherman pants, and the numerous variations on yoga pants you see everywhere tourists go.
These last ones are the most inexplicable to me since I don’t think those people wear them in their home country, nor are the something that Thais wear. Anyway,
I avoid these cliches at all costs and I recommend you do the same.
Not being offensive
Occasionally I see foreigners whose fashion choices are extremely inappropriate in Thailand.
The worst of these is topless sunbathing by women, which in addition to being offensive here is also illegal.
Overly-skimpy bottoms aren’t really appropriate either, but are common on Western women (and unfortunately, men) anyway.
Revealing swimwear is okay at the beach, but not away from it. On the streets, and in the shops and restaurants off of the beach, you should cover up; Thailand is a very conservative country in many ways.
A few packing essentials
For any trip I take in Thailand, even just a short weekend, there are a few things I almost always take along.
A pair of decent jeans and a collared shirt are a must; you’d be surprised how often in Thailand you find yourself spontaneously invited to a wedding (and those are fun here!).
If you score a date with anyone you’ll be glad you brought them too.
A pair of reasonably fashionable shorts are always in my bag as well. And I’m a big fan of the plain black or white T-shirt, so at least one of each always comes along.
Everything else you can play by ear, but these are the things I swear by.
Your call
This is all my personal opinion and you should wear what you want to wear, as long as it isn’t offensive here.
But if you are looking for something more than just a touristy experience or the same trip down the backpacker trail everyone else takes, then dressing well is a good first step towards that.
Dress reasonably fashionable, and ALWAYS in clean clothes, and you’ll set yourself apart from the other tourists and find yourself treated differently by Thais.
Oh and guys, if you’re looking for a hookup of the variety you don’t have to pay for, then this all goes doubly so.
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Ιούλιος 13, 2015, 13:54:30 μμ
Don't talk business over coffee
(http://i.imgur.com/r1PwC4o.jpg)
'Boncafe' faces fine for charging customer for 'business talk'
A Ratchada Road coffee shop accused of charging a customer thousands of baht for a "business talk fee" could face its own heavy fine.
The Office of the Consumer Protection Board said it has summoned the coffee shop’s manager to discuss the matter Friday, following an outcry after a customer alleged he was asked to pay THB2,000 for holding a two-hour business discussion at the Boncafe located outside the Muang Thai Insurance building,
On Wednesday, Facebook user Atipoj Srisukhin claimed he had to pay a THB2,000 fee for holding a two-hour business discussion at the cafe.
If the coffee shop is found to have inadequately informed customers of the hourly rate, it will be fined THB10,000.
The business previously denied it collected the fee from Atipoj, but let him off with a warning as its policy is to not allow business and direct-sales meetings.
Boncafe is a Singapore-headquartered franchise with branches in Asia.
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Νοέμβριος 21, 2015, 08:29:02 πμ
Don Mueang airport's terminal 2 to open in December
BANGKOK 20 November 2015
Renovation of Don Mueang airport’s passenger terminal 2 is 91.55 percent completed and is scheduled to open within December 2015.
Currently, Don Mueang airport accommodates an average of 90,000-93,000 passengers and 650 flights per day.
The passenger terminal 2 will help reduce the density of passengers at the terminal 1.
Given the new terminal, Don Mueang airport will be able to accommodate about 30 million passengers per year.
The Terminal 2 building at the airport will serve up to 70 percent of domestic passengers.
At initial stage, it will be used by several airlines, namely Thai AirAsia, Nok Air, Lion Air, Thai Airways and Thai Smile.
From November 27, 2015, Don Mueang airport will launch Airport Limo Bus Express service with 33 seats.
Wireless Internet access will be provided on the bus.
One bus route runs between the airport, Ploenchit area and Lumpini Park and the other route between the airport and Khao Sarn Road.
NNT
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Δεκέμβριος 03, 2015, 13:46:50 μμ
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Ιανουάριος 06, 2016, 11:24:33 πμ
For now, tourists without travel insurance can get some free basic hospital care.
QUESTION:
My friend is traveling in Thailand and has been running a real high fever. It seems to be getting worse.
He doesn’t have travel insurance or a lot of money, but needs to see a doctor.
Is there any house call doctor services here that we can call to have a doctor can visit the patient in his hotel?
If so, how much will this service cost?
If not, can we take him to government hospital and will they admit him or just send him to the expensive international hospital?
– Tasha, Phuket.
ANSWER:
Any tourists who become quite ill or are seriously injured but do not have any travel insurance should just go to the nearest government hospital.
It is the policy of every public hospital to take care of any patients who need medical care – not just Thai people, but also tourists, expats, migrant workers or anyone else who needs medical treatment.
Public hospitals do not provide house call services, but in case of emergency, please call 1669 for an ambulance to transport you to hospital. This service is free.
Callers must provide as much basic information as possible about the patient so that the medical staff responding to the call are well prepared by before they get there.
The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) in Phuket is one of the best in the country because of the huge variety of situations our staff have encountered in the past.
Our EMS is provided by well-trained staff and well-equipped ambulances.
For now, all tourists with no travel insurance can receive medical treatment at a public hospital in Thailand, regardless whether or not they can afford to pay.
However, please note that not all medical treatment is provided free.
If any payment is required, the public hospital staff will inform you of any expenses and discuss how the bill is to be settled.
For example, if you call an ambulance and the relevant officials at the hospital you are taken to deem that the ambulance call was not for an emergency, be prepared to be charged as per one of three EMS services as follows:
1. First Re sponder Service for minor health concern, about B300.
2. Basic Life Support Service for moderate health concern, about B600.
3. Advance Life Support Service for serious health concern, about B1,000.
Hospital staff will do their best to make sure that free medical services are provided free, but that any other services are charged.
The relevant official will discuss whatever payment options are possible with you.
This issue is a growing concern. Last year, the Royal Thai Government spent about B420 million covering the medical costs of tourists who had no travel insurance.
Also, about 25,000 tourists visited Phuket’s main medical facility, Patong Hospital, in the past year.
The number of these patients who were covered by medical insurance was estimated at less than 1,000.
Thailand, and especially health officials in Phuket, are currently pushing to introduce compulsory travel insurance by law.
Very soon, all tourists who want to enter Thailand must have travel insurance.
– Dr Bancha Kakong, Director of the Phuket Provincial Health Office.
The Phuket News
06 January 2016
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Ιανουάριος 19, 2016, 11:48:23 πμ
(http://s9.postimg.org/oyws6afe7/GOOD_GYS_IN_BAD_GYS_OUT.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
(http://s11.postimg.org/il1cpfa6r/AIRPORT_IMMIGRATION.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
Russian faces deportation over gun attack
Authorities will deport a Russian national who was arrested over the weekend following a gun attack at a resort on Koh Phangan if he is found guilty of breaking Thai laws.
(http://s22.postimg.org/d0u7eymf5/RUSSIAN_in_KOH_PHANGAN.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
Sergei Milentie, 31, was apprehended on Saturday in connection with the pre-dawn attack at the Palita Lodge Bungalow which caused panic but no casualties.
Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan, commander of the Tourist Police Division, said foreigners found to have violated the laws will not be allowed to stay.
The Russian suspect faces deportation if he is proved guilty.
The Russian is one of the first to feel the effects of new policies currently being adopted by the Immigration Bureau.
They include the catchy slogan featured on the bureau's new web page at immigration.go.th: "Good guys in, Bad guys out".
Immigration police announced Monday the opening of a centralized mechanism to oversee and control the entry and exit of foreigners.
The newly established Thai Immigration 24/7 Centre, located at Immigration Bureau headquarters, is divided into three working rooms where officers can monitor real-time CCTV footage at airports, ports and border checkpoints.
An advance passenger processing system installed at the centre will allow officers to know personal details of visitors before they arrive, with more than 50 airlines cooperating.
"In the past, Thai police didn't have an official command operation centre like this to oversee the travel of foreigners, Pol Gen Wuthi Lipthapallop, deputy commissioner-general of the Royal Thai Police, told reporters.
"But from now on, commanders can quickly and concisely see every movement in each airport, port and border checkpoint nationwide,"
"This center will be able to entirely control the foreigners in order to let the good guys in and keep the bad guys out," Pol Gen Wuthi said.
That has become the Immigration Bureau's new slogan and can be seen on its revamped web page launched at the New Year: Good guys in, Bad guys out.
The new centre opens after the deadly bomb attack at the Erawan shrine killed 20 people and injured more than 100 last August.
The blast prompted Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to order a reform of the country's security and border control systems.
Mr Milentie's arrest also underlined concerns by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon who has instructed local authorities in Surat Thani to stamp out foreign mafia groups on the resort islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui in the wake of the attack.
Gen Prawit is concerned about influential figures who have frightened tourists and hurt the tourism industry, especially foreign business operators. "Be they foreigners or Thais, authorities will make a concerted effort to stamp out mafia groups," said Pol Maj Gen Surachet.
Mr Milentie appeared at a police press conference Monday, where he was told through an interpreter that his alleged offence could result in his deportation.
The Russian suspect denied being a member of any mafia groups and said he had nothing to do with the shooting.
He faces initial charges of violating the immigration law and the night entertainment business law.
His arrest followed those of three Thai nationals including 54-year-old Chanin Petchsri, mayor of Tha Khanom municipality in Surat Thani's Khiri Ratthanikhom district. The two others are Sihanath Chaipinij, 62, and Jarong Hongthong, 38, while a fourth suspect, Jirat Khwatkaeo, 38, is still on the run.
The court on Monday denied bail to the three Thai suspects out of concern they would interfere with the police probe.
Mr Chanin is accused of hiring two men to open fire on Palita Lodge, a resort next door to Chang Phuek Bungalows and Similan Bar, the property he owns on Koh Phangan's Hat Rin beach.
He leased the bar to the Russian businessman.
Meanwhile, Surat Thani police chief Maj Gen Apichart Bunsriroj has told officials to scrutinise all foreign nationals doing business in tourist areas and draw up a list of Thai nationals partnering with them.
The database will be used in the campaign against both Thai and foreign mafia groups.
Bangkok post
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Φεβρουάριος 14, 2016, 07:09:51 πμ
Thai Immigration Unveiles New (APPS) Screening System
(http://s29.postimg.org/7cruqig13/APPS_IMMIGRATION.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
Authorities check the data of passengers gathered before they arrive in Thailand using the data-tracking system installed at the new 24-hour center at Suan Plu’s Immigration Division One.
(http://s16.postimg.org/9y1702bid/APPS_IMMIGRATION_1.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
The APPS gathers passenger information from airlines flying to Thailand based on the data collected at the check-in airline service counters, including name, gender, nationality and country of residence.
That data are sent to the APPS database along with the flight number and passenger seat number.
Criminal data from Interpol would be linked to the APPS system this year so authorities could intercept criminals coming in to the country.
The system was set up this month at the newly opened Thai Immigration 24/7 Centre and at major airports.
APPS is already in use in other countries such as Japan, Canada, China, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The system is being used alongside other security tools including the Personal Identification Blacklist Immigration Control System, the Case Management Intelligence System, CCTV surveillance and the CRIMES system.
The immigration centre at Suanplu’s Immigration Division One will have officers monitoring incoming data 24 hours a day.
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Φεβρουάριος 26, 2016, 16:39:18 μμ
(http://i.imgur.com/F6iDMhB.jpg)
A tuk tuk on Yaowarat road
In a new survey by consulting company Mercer, political unrest has sent Bangkok close to the bottom of rankings measuring personal safety of expats.
Out of 230 cities across the globe, Bangkok shamefully ranks 173rd when it comes to personal safety for expats, according to the Quality of Living Rankings by Mercer, which was released Tuesday.
“Following considerable political unrest and terrorist attacks in several tourist areas over the last few years, Bangkok ranked 173rd for personal safety,” said the report.
Mercer highlights safety as it is a key factor that multinational companies consider when sending expatriate workers abroad. Topics such as social unrest and security threats are added to the complex challenges facing multinational companies when analysing the safety and health of their expatriate workforces.
But it isn’t all bad being an expat in Bangkok as the city came fifth in Southeast Asia in terms of good quality of living.
In the Asia Pacific region, Singapore dominates both lists as it ranked eighth place for personal safety and 26th place for the quality of living category.
Following Singapore in Southeast Asia was Malaysia, with Kuala Lumpur at 86th place and Johor Bahru at 103rd for quality of living. Also above Bangkok is Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei (102).
Other key Asian cities ranked highly in the quality of living index included Tokyo (44) and Hong Kong (70), followed by Shanghai (101).
Bangkok (129) was followed by Manila (136), Jakarta (142), Phnom Penh (195) and Yangon (201).
Globally, Western European cities enjoy some of the highest quality of living worldwide as they took seven places in the top-10 list with Vienna at the top spot, followed by Zurich (2), Auckland (3), Munich (4), and Vancouver (5).
At the bottom of the list were mainly Middle Eastern and African countries, with Baghdad taking the bottom spot, followed by Central African Republic’s Bangui (229), Yemen’s Sana’a (228), Haiti’s Port-au-Prince (227) and Sudan’s Khartoum (226), which all ranked low for personal safety.
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Μάρτιος 17, 2016, 15:16:55 μμ
(http://s18.postimg.org/7punduehl/Sleep_Box_short_stay.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
The Miracle Group is eyeing Suvarnabhumi airport for its next “sleep box” hotel after the soft launch of the sleep cabins at Don Mueang airport this week.
Aswin Ingkakul, executive director of the Miracle Group, said the company is negotiating with the Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) over the proposal for Suvarnabhumi airport. He said the sleep box hotel at Suvarnabhumi could open this year. It is aimed at serving passengers who are waiting for connecting flights. The sleep box hotel at Don Mueang airport is the first of its kind in the country.
There are 25 sleep cabins available, but only five sleep box rooms are available during the soft opening. The hotel is expected to be fully operational at the end of this month.
The sleep box rooms at Don Mueang airport are partitioned into five sections, each consisting of five, 15 square metre rooms.
Each cabin of the sleep box hotel, located on the fourth floor of Terminal 2 of Don Mueang airport, is equipped with a bed and a private toilet and can accommodate two guests. A television and Wi-Fi are also provided.
Room rates for the first three hours are 1,000 baht with a meal voucher and 200 baht for each subsequent hour. Customers who stay only an hour will be charged 300 baht with towels and bathroom amenities provided and those who stay from 9pm to 6am the next morning will be charged a flat rate of 1,800 baht and provided with a meal voucher.
Mr Aswin said it is too early to predict how the sleep box hotel will fare. Compared with Japanese capsule hotels, which charge an average of 400 baht per hour without en suite bathroom and meal voucher, he said the sleep cabins at Don Mueang are excellent value.
According to Mr Aswin, the Miracle Group will launch an office facility, Co-Working Space, on the fourth floor of Terminal 2 covering 700 sq m in the next few months. It will be fully equipped with modern office accessories.
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Απρίλιος 25, 2016, 09:35:52 πμ
Grimy, neon-splashed Walking Street, populated largely by young hookers and pie-eyed Western men, is the main attraction of a Thai beach town called Pattaya. Sex for hire there was most certainly what drew Ben Bartanyi, the 49-year-old American real estate broker recently arrested for allegedly performing a sex act on a 20-year-old dancer in one of Pattaya’s many strip clubs as other patrons cheered him on.
Some people may have been surprised by the outrageousness of it all. I wasn’t. Ten years ago I visited Thailand to do a story on the commercial sex trade there. By all accounts, nothing has changed.
Then and now, lining Pattaya’s red-light strip, open-fronted bars bear suggestive names such as Virgins and SugarBaby (which vows “p - - - y without attitude”); they offer illicit promises that all too often are kept.
Small stages inside teem with nude or bikini-clad women who are there for the taking — so much so that they have numbers pinned to their skimpy tops or G-string bottoms. These numerical designations make it easy for customers to call them and take them out for cheap sex.
I remember my Pattaya hotel selling condoms at the front desk and having signs warning that the age of consent is 15. In a Marriott there, a clutch of men loudly strategized about visiting a brothel where you must have two women at a time. Nobody seems to care.
It was a raunchy scene where women were readily available. Most of them came from the poor northern part of Thailand. They moved to Pattaya or Bangkok to earn money to send back home. As one girl wearing a skin-tight knock-off T-shirt that read J’Adore Dior, explained to me, “I need to make money for family. They grow rice and raise buffalo, but they are very poor. They need money for tools. You can get very hungry in Isan [the northern, rural region from which she comes].”
Of course, many of the naive family members thought their daughters and sisters were working in the big cities’ department stores. Surely, family members would be horrified to know what comes with making the money they receive. “What’s hardest is when I have a drunk customer who becomes really stupid,” I heard from a girl who called herself Lin.
Sitting on a bench, staring out at the Gulf of Thailand, she continued, “Maybe he refuses to wear condom, tells me that he wants me to have his baby. Or he beats me. That happened once, when a customer was drunk, shouting at me, and I couldn’t understand a word he was saying. He ran toward me, tried to punch me, missed and hit the wall. Then he kicked me. I grabbed my bag and ran.”
These days the girls earn as little as $28 per hour. It’s a pittance for the work involved, but a lot more than the $10 per day that they could make with factory jobs at home. Still, they sacrifice a lot by being in Thailand’s sex trade, where diseases run rampant (according to one 2007 study in the International Journal of STD of AIDS up to 20 percent of Thai working girls are HIV positive) and drugs can be the only thing that gets the girls through shifts.
“I have few friends and no life outside of work,” a Bangkok bar-girl told me, standing on the fringe of Nana Entertainment Plaza, a three-story mall of sorts, where hundreds of prostitutes work out of strip clubs with names such as Play School and Bottoms Up. “It is bad what I do, and I cannot have a Thai man. Now I look for farang [Thai slang for Westerners] to support me. Someday I will be a good person.”
As the Thai government seems to turn a mostly blind eye to the trade, — it’s not technically legal but it is widely tolerated — the beat goes on. Westerners keep coming for the thrills they can’t afford at home, and Thai women who are caught up in the sex biz grimly endure.
“I miss my family, my baby girl,” a young mother, six months into the trade, told me and started to sob. “This is not the life for me. It’s a bad life.”
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Απρίλιος 29, 2016, 10:36:52 πμ
People queue outside the Sta Travel shop in Birmingham to grab cheap tickets to Thailand. Photo: Shopping In Bham
A recent flash sale in England for a limited number of round trip tickets to Thailand costing THB2,500 shows that the kingdom still has the power to lure travellers despite its recent reports of attacks (http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/04/29/british-family-beaten-unconscious-after-son-bumped-thai).
Or maybe people just love cheap flights.
Bargain hunters queued outside Sta Travel shops in London and Birmingham for two days to get their hands on flights to Thailand for GBP49 (THB2,500), with some even quitting their jobs to try and get the tickets.
Dozens of people camped out @STATravel_UK Victoria to buy £49 return flights to Thailand. Old school. pic.twitter.com/paEiiIVUjY
— Sally Peck (@mathildeny) April 27, 2016
Invalid Tweet ID
The flash sale started at 9am UK time on Thursday and was held at STA Travel’s offices in Grosvenor Gardens, London, and Corporation Street in Birmingham.
Some people queued for 33 hours, pitching up tents and camping overnight in sub-zero temperatures outside the stores.
The sale for the 50 tickets, which normally cost THB18,000, even made some people quit their jobs in the hope of snatching up a bargain.
Mollie Merrifield, 18, and her 19-year-old boyfriend Dan Jeffs were working at McDonald’s and Domino’s before they heard about the sale, reported the Express.
Mollie said: “We both quit our jobs to come here today, because otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to make it on time.”
She added: “They just didn’t reply. We tried to explain.”
It is unclear if their foolish bold endeavour paid off.
The reduced fares will fly to Bangkok from Heathrow and Birmingham Airport, via Doha, with travel from May 1 to June 30.
@STATravel_UK @bournemouthuni You guys were incredible!Everyone in the queue was amazed how well you looked after us pic.twitter.com/ofq6RS9Evh
— Gav Topley (@gavtopley) April 28, 2016
http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/04/29/cheap-travel-brits-quit-their-jobs-queue-thb2500-flights-thailand
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Μάιος 04, 2016, 11:31:10 πμ
May 01 (Sunday): National Labour day
May 02 (Monday): Substitution for National Labour day
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 05 (Thursday): Coronation Day National holiday
May 06 (Friday): Coronation Day National holiday
May 09 (Monday): Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day National holiday
May 20 (Friday): Visakha Bucha National holiday
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Μάιος 15, 2016, 21:13:07 μμ
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Μάιος 27, 2016, 12:02:49 μμ
The surreal true story of how a western teenager came of age in 1960's Bangkok, turned international drug smuggler and walked the prison yards of Thailand's notorious "Bangkok Hilton"
(https://i.imgur.com/XPTZrOS.png)
by Jon Cole
The surreal true story of how a western teenager came of age in 1960's Bangkok, turned international drug smuggler and walked the prison yards of Thailand's notorious "Bangkok Hilton"
(https://i.imgur.com/YudxmUi.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/M4Noqv6.jpg)
It was 1967 Bangkok, the Summer of Love, and for teenager Jon Cole, son of a US Green Beret colonel serving in the Vietnam War, life as a young Westerner in the Southeast Asian City of Angels is sweeter than mangoes on sticky rice with coconut milk ... then he is introduced to the infamous House of Lek.
Drawn to the underbelly of Bangkok, the International School Bangkok pupil soon discovers ganja, opium and the two-dollar bordellos.
What follows is a surreal but true story of one Westerner's relationship with Thailand spanning over four decades.
A drug habit picked up at the House of Lek with schoolmates and GIs on R&R from Vietnam leads to a lucrative career as a drug smuggler, a nasty smack habit and, ultimately, a stretch inside Thailand's notorious prison, the "Bangkok Hilton".
At the heart of Jon's account of his arguably misspent youth in Thailand and his subsequent life inside Klong Prem prison is a hard Thai-Style acceptance of the consequences of his own karma and a desire to expose the fallacy that Westerners are mistreated in Thai prisons.
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Μάιος 27, 2016, 21:46:25 μμ
Having lived in Bangkok for two and a half years, my wife and I have had the opportunity to visit most of Bangkok’s top attractions, as well as many of the off-the-beaten path places that most tourists and many expats never make it to.
Here’s a list of our most overrated (and overpriced) and underrated experiences in Bangkok.
Overrated/Overpriced Bangkok
The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
Though cognizant that it’s arguably the “#1” tourist attraction in Bangkok, at the risk of sounding sacrilegious, at a whopping ฿500 entry fee, it doesn’t stack up in terms of bang for your buck to other cultural attractions in Bangkok.
With entry to Wat Pho and Wat Arun (two of the other “Big 3”) priced at ฿100 each (plus at Wat Pho you at least get a free bottle of water), is the Grand Palace really five times better? Not to mention the countless other Bangkok temples you can visit for free or a mere ฿10-30.
฿500 is roughly the equivalent of entry to Angkor Wat in Cambodia – an all day affair and probably the second most impressive sight I’ve ever seen after Machu Picchu in Peru. Even in Bangkok, I’d probably rather spend that money on a 4D IMAX movie at Siam Paragon. At least you get two hours of AC for that price.
Fancy Thai Restaurants
Whenever my friends from overseas come to visit Thailand, they almost always want to visit one of Bangkok’s fancy Thai restaurants (Nahm and Bo.Lan, for instance, or to a lesser extent, Krua Apsorn).
While I admittedly haven’t been to all of them, I’ve been to some, and I almost always leave disappointed. Not so much in the food necessarily (it’s typically good, as is the presentation), but in the overall value and authenticity. Some of these chefs aren’t even Thai – Nahm’s head chef is Australian – but my bigger gripe is paying Western prices for Thai food in Thailand.
Personally, I’ll take a mom and pop restaurant or even a good street food stall over a fancy Thai meal any day. In fact, whenever I take those same friends who are visiting for a local meal where there’s no English menu and I have to order everything for them, they almost always leave saying that was their best meal in Thailand, not the fancy restaurant at ten times the price.
Craft Beer Scene
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good craft beer. But at ฿300-350 a pint, I rarely get them.
Bangkok’s craft beer scene has exploded in the past two years but how they get away with charging their prices escapes me. For the same price (or less), you can get a “craft” burger, pizza, pasta, fajitas or whatever else your Western taste buds are craving.
Craft beer is one of the very few things in Thailand that costs more than it does in the West, so when I do partake, I typically find a deal like Wishbeer’s 5-7pm happy hour where all their draft beers are ฿200 a pint. Still not cheap, but not laughable either.
Jim Thompson’s House
This is another top Bangkok attraction that I personally think is overrated. Not for the price so much – ฿150 baht – but rather because it’s just boring.
Bangkok is such a vibrant city with so many exciting things to do. Spending an hour or two of your typically three day vacation walking through a modest (by today’s standards at least) house of someone that you likely knew little to nothing about before arriving in Thailand is not how I would want to spend my vacation.
For expats, maybe it’s worthwhile if you’ve run out of other things to do in BKK. But for visitors, your time is better spent perusing one of the many nearby malls which are rightfully famous.
Leaving Bangkok
My wife and I love to vacation. We try to take one at least every six weeks. However, without fault, no matter where we go, we’re always thrilled to come back to Bangkok.
Like New York City where we used to live, it’s a city that has everything and never leaves you wanting for anything. As much as we look forward to our vacations, we equally look forward to coming back to Bangkok.
Underrated Bangkok
The Malls
As suggested earlier, the malls of Bangkok are among the most famous in the world, but nonetheless, I don’t think they get the proper credit they deserve.
Before we moved to Asia, my wife and I were not Mall People. In fact, when people told us we’d love the malls in Bangkok, we foolishly scoffed at them.
But having lived here for almost three years now, I can honestly say that not a weekend goes by when we don’t visit at least one of them. Not for shopping, unless you count groceries, but rather just for the experience and people watching – and of course, the AC.
We’ve been to over a dozen countries in Asia (not to mention the rest of the world) and I can confidently say that no one does malls like Bangkok. Whether it’s Siam Paragon, Central World, MBK, Central Embassy, EmQuartier, Terminal 21, or even our own Mall Bangkapi, each one is unique in its own way and each seems to be more glamorous than the one before.
Frankly, were it not for the malls in Bangkok, I don’t think we could live here. And best of all, they’re free.
River Transport
Living in Hua Mak away from the BTS, MRT and Airport Link, my wife and I use the Klong Saen Saeb as our main mode of transport into the city.
But surprisingly, few of our friends use it. Instead, they’ll take a mototaxi or even a regular taxi to the BTS to get into the city. In traffic, our commute is often shorter and certainly cheaper.
Although admittedly smelly at times and always a chance of a splash (make sure to sit on the side and try to take control of the pull down cover if possible), at a maximum ฿16 pp, it’s cheap, relatively fast and convenient.
More recently, last weekend we visited the Old Town area and used the Chao Phraya Express Boat to get from Phra Athit to Silom. Besides being cheap and fast, you also get amazing views of the city. We’ll certainly be using it more in the future.
Bang Krachao
Though only a short distance from the city, Bangkok’s “Green Lung” feels a world away.
We visited a few months ago and rented bicycles for the day. On top of being different and somewhat active, we also left with dinner for the next three nights (a whole duck, a whole fish and a seafood smorgasbord of squid, shrimp and oysters).
Make sure to visit on a weekend when the Bang Nam Phueng floating market takes place, where we got the majority of our take home food.
Scala/Lido Movie Theaters
Bangkok’s movie theaters are among the best, and cheapest, in the world. Every mall worth its salt has one, and many have specialty cinemas like IMAX, 3 or even 4D, butler service and private beds.
But my go-to theaters in Bangkok are the Scala and Lido cinemas which are located across from Siam Discovery.
They charge ฿100-120 (depending on the length of the film), show the same first run Hollywood movies as SF Cinema and Major Cineplex, and have equally good, big screens. Scala in particular is a unique place with an early 1920s feel. And best of all, they don’t have commercials and have far fewer previews.
You can find the show times here.
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Ιούλιος 09, 2016, 21:38:22 μμ
HOW TO SPOT THOSE FAKE THAI BAHT NOTES IN CIRCULATION
The 1000 Baht banknote is of the greatest value In Thailand and vastly used within the kingdom. Reports have been given that counterfeit 1000 Baht notes were retrieved by police in the province of Chonburi at the local market. One vendor of a butcher’s stall said he did not realise the tender was fake until after goods had been purchased from him.
(https://i.imgur.com/x5LUfjc.jpg)
The fake 1000 Baht note contains the serial number 2D784400.
It was also reported that counterfeits had been used in Trang Province which is a worry considering the two provinces are such a long distance apart. There are major concerns about how the fakes have spread throughout the eastern sea board, which could mean Pattaya has been targeted!
Additional training has been given to workers having to deal with money on how to identify forgeries. Visitors should also be aware that a majority of bus and local transport Providers will probably not accept 1000 Baht notes so try and have some smaller change on you just incase.
(https://i.imgur.com/cT9hfId.jpg)
Please be vigilant on your travels especially if you are changing up foreign currency. A hefty fine of 40,000 Baht could be issued for having counterfeits in your possession or even worse, if using the fake notes with the intent to do so is a 15 year year prison sentence! (You wouldn’t put wish you were here on a back of a postcard if that happened)
(https://i.imgur.com/CSbSRgk.jpg)
To try and prevent that happening while in the land of smiles, here are a few helpful little tips of what to look out for.
#1. Always check if the silver strip down the left hand side is not to far from the edge. It should not overlap the garuda image in the top left hand side or the Box at the bottom. The box should not have a zero in it.
#2. Hold up to the light and check there is a water mark of his majesty the king and a translucent water mark of the Thai numeral 1000.
#3. Always feel the texture as counterfeits are usually very thin and are easy to tear
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Σεπτέμβριος 16, 2016, 20:26:13 μμ
Αποστολή από: Oytopikos στις Οκτώβριος 14, 2016, 16:43:47 μμ
TAT issues advice for foreigners in Thailand
Recommendations regarding Mourning Period for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Thailand is now in an official period of mourning following the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
In this regard, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like all visitors to Thailand to continue with their travel plans as normal. Furthermore, kindly be advised of the following:
• Many Thai people will be wearing black or white clothing as a sign of mourning. This is not required of visitors but if possible, they should wear sombre and respectful clothing when in public.
• Visitors should refrain from conducting any inappropriate or disrespectful behaviour.
• Tourist attractions will be open as usual with the exception of Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and the Grand Palace, as they will be the venue of the Royal Funeral Rites.
• The Government has asked for the cooperation from the entertainment venues; such as, bars and nightclubs to consider the opening of their business operations during this time. The decision will be made by the individual owners.
• Most of the traditional and cultural events will be taking place as usual, although the celebrations may be changed for appropriateness as a mark of respect, or the events may be dedicated to the memory of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
• All transport, banks, hospitals and other public services will be operating as usual.
• The related authorities have stepped up safety and security measures for all Thais and visitors to facilitate their travelling around the country.
• For any enquiries, please contact our TAT domestic offices or Tel.: 1672.
TAT would like to thank all visitors for their understanding and supporting Thailand during this period of time.
Source: http://www.tatnews.org/recommendations-regarding-mourning-period-for-his-majesty-king-bhumibol-adulyadej/
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Οκτώβριος 18, 2016, 16:37:38 μμ
(http://image.ibb.co/iiayfa/DRESS_CODE_DURING_MOURNING_PERIOD.png) (http://ibb.co/kHuDDv)
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Νοέμβριος 22, 2016, 14:49:22 μμ
In order to promote tourism during the tourism high season, the cabinet agreed on Tuesday to waive visa fees for tourists from 19 countries as of December1 until February 28.
Tourists from 19 countries which include Andora, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Mario, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan need not have to pay the 1,000 baht visa fee when they apply for a visa at Thai embassies or consular offices.
In the meantime, the cabinet agreed to reduce fee for visa on arrival at immigration checkpoints for tourists from the 19 countries above mentioned.
The two measures are expected to increase tourist arrivals by over 357,000 during the three-month festive season, generating revenue amounting to 28,703 million baht. They will help create over 62,000 temporary jobs and increase the government’s tax revenue by about 1,200 million baht.
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Δεκέμβριος 15, 2016, 06:26:11 πμ
Immigration announce crackdown on illegal activities at tourist sites throughout Thailand
(http://image.ibb.co/k0g8Va/Immigration_Crackdown.jpg) (http://imgbb.com/)
BANGKOK: 15 Dec., 2016
The immigration department has announced a crackdown on illegal activities at tourist sites throughout Thailand as the tourist season gets into full swing ahead of the New Year.
The department said they will be particularly looking out for foreign gangs preying on tourists.
Chuchat Tareechat said that in Bangkok his department would be focusing their attention on Khao Sarn road, the Bang Rak area, Sukhumvit Road and Soi Nana.
Outside the capital they will target activities in Phuket, Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Surat Thani and Songkhla.
Their attention will concentrate on Pattaya, Samui, Hua Hin, Doi Suthep and Phu Kradung in Loei province.
They will be looking for tips, conducting searches and hopefully making arrests.
Of particular interest will be international law breaking, criminal activity, sex offenses and human trafficking in children.
Members of the public with information about law breaking can call the department on 1178 or use the ID of INVEST_IMM on the Line application 24 hours a day.
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Ιανουάριος 05, 2017, 07:02:15 πμ
Guidelines for Foreign Applicants Applying for
THAI POLICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE
Applicant residing Abroad / Applicant in Thailand:
The applicant can send application by mail to the Police Clearance Service Center, with the following required documents:
1) A photocopy of Passport
2) Document(s) stating that the applicant is used to work or live in Thailand
3) A photocopy of Thai Working Permit (if available)
4) Two Photographs (1 inch by 2 inches)
5) Three sets of fingerprint. Fingerprint must be taken at local police or at the Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country together with the official seal and signature of the official taking the fingerprint.
6) An envelope with pre-paid stamps and applicant's address to mail certificate back to the applicant.
Note: Applicant must certify true copy of all documents.
Police Clearance Certificate processing time:
Applicant with no criminal record, or behavior endangering peace and order or security of the State, will receive police clearance certificate within 7 working days.
To receive the police clearance certificate:
1. Applicant receives the certificate at the Police Clearance Service Center by him/herself.
2. Authorize his/her representative to receive on his/her behalf
3. The Police Clearance Service Center mails the certificate to the applicant
(a self-addressed envelope with pre - paid stamps and applicant's address provided for Police Clearance Service Center ).
Location:
The Police Clearance Service Center is located at Building 24, Royal Thai Police Headquarters,
Rama I, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Phone numbers: 0-2205-2168-9 Fax: 0-2205-2169
E-mail: pcsc@police.go.th
Suggestion:
• The best way to get Royal Thai Police Headquarters is by taking BTS to Siam Square station.
• In case of driving a car to Royal Thai Police Headquarters, it will be more convenience to park your car at the shopping mall around Royal Thai Police Headquarters such as Central World Plaza or Siam Square.
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Ιανουάριος 16, 2017, 05:28:14 πμ
(http://preview.ibb.co/jbnG1F/FLOODS_in_THAILAND.jpg) (http://ibb.co/f7SG1F)
Thailand faces more hardship from unseasonable floods that have killed 40 people in its south, with more rain expected in the major rubber-producing and tourist region in coming days, a top disaster agency official said Sunday.
Persistent heavy rain well into what should be the dry season has triggered floods across the south, cutting road and rail links, threatening crops and affecting about 1.6 million people, said Chatchai Promlert, head of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.
“The worst isn’t over. We’re expecting more rain this week while clean-up efforts are underway in places where the waters have subsided,” Chatchai told Reuters.
The Meteorological Department said on its website more rain was expected Monday.
Not the rainy season
The rainy season in Thailand normally takes place from June to November.
The floods, which began January 1, have followed unseasonably heavy rain.
Thailand is one of the world’s most important producers of natural rubber and the national rubber authority said Thursday output in 2016-2017 would be about 10 percent lower because of the floods.
Global rubber prices have spiked on concern about the impact.
(http://image.ibb.co/iyzkva/BRIDGE_in_SURAT_THANI.jpg) (http://imgbb.com/)
A bridge damaged by floods in Chai Buri District, Surat Thani province, southern Thailand, Jan. 9, 2017.
Flooding occurs in Thailand regularly during the rainy season but January is traditionally sunny and clear, and a high season for the tourist industry, including in southern seaside resorts.
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Ιανουάριος 31, 2017, 12:24:07 μμ
31 Jan 2017
(http://image.ibb.co/en3R1F/FINGERPRINTS_to_REGISTER_SIM.jpg) (http://imgbb.com/)
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) will have to use an online fingerprint ID system for new prepaid and postpaid mobile SIM card registrations by March without exception, says the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
An MVNO is a company that provides mobile service but does not have its own mobile network. MVNOs have called on the regulator over the past several months to exempt them from the rule, saying the system will impose additional cost burdens on them and make it difficult for them to compete with major mobile operators.
All mobile operators will have to introduce the online fingerprint ID system by March, but mobile users can choose whether or not to put their fingerprints in the system for their own security.
"Any violation will face penalties ranging from a fine, to a ban on receiving new mobile numbers from the regulator, to a licence revocation," said NBTC secretary-general Mr Takorn.
Mr Takorn urged all mobile users to participate in the fingerprint system to ensure greater security in mobile banking and prevent the risk of fraud, which is likely to increase in a cashless society.
He insisted that the fingerprint system will complement the existing registration system. The regulator will not force all mobile users to register with the new system.
Thailand has 103 million mobile subscribers, 14 million of whom use mobile banking services.
Mobile banking is a service provided by banks or other financial institutions as well as mobile operators that allows customers to conduct some financial transactions remotely using any mobile device, with no bank account required.
The popularity of mobile banking activities marks a significant trend taking place in banking.
Fraud and other criminal acts targeting telecommunication networks are also becoming increasingly sophisticated.
Bangkok Post (31 Jan 2017)
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Φεβρουάριος 25, 2017, 12:39:04 μμ
An elderly Japanese tourist filed a report with Suvarnabhumi Airport police yesterday, claiming his money was stolen from checked luggage on a flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.
Sato Shoji, 63, said his JPY100,000 cash (THB31,000) was stolen from his checked suitcase on Thai Smile flight WE161. His important documents were still intact, and only the money had disappeared.
Sato said he sought help from the Thai Smile staff, but they told him to go to the police himself and send them a complaint e-mail.
The tourist said he didn’t know how the Thai legal process works or how to get to the police station. He was deeply sorry that he was denied any help from the airline staff.
The money was intended to pay for his accommodation and food while traveling in Thailand.
Police will check CCTV and track down whether his money was stolen at Chiang Mai or Suvarnabhumi airport as the crime has caused a damage to the image of Thai tourism, The Nation (http://breakingnews.nationtv.tv/home/read.php?newsid=805464) reported.
https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/japanese-man-flying-thai-smile-says-money-stolen-checked-luggage/
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Μάιος 21, 2017, 15:22:55 μμ
One of the biggest Vietnamese communities in the country.
Nakhon Phanom celebrates Ho Chi Minh’s 127th birthday anniversary
One of the biggest Vietnamese communities in the country is in the Northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom.
The northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom held an event Friday to celebrate the 127th birthday anniversary of Vietnam’s former President Ho Chi Minh.
(http://preview.ibb.co/nC93Ca/T21_5_17_Ho_Chi_Minh.jpg) (http://ibb.co/meYVsa)
The celebration took place at Baan Na Chok Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Village in Mueang Nakhon Phanom district.
Governor Somchai Witdamrong, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vu Hong Nam, Vietnam’s Ambassador to Thailand and Vietnam’s Consul General jointly presided over the commemorative ceremony.
Born on 19th May 1890, Ho Chi Minh stayed in Baan Na Chok between 1923 and 1931 while planning the Vietnam liberation movement.
To honor the independence leader, the Thai and Vietnamese governments have jointly erected a Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Village and the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex in the northeastern province.
The event was also organized to foster good relations between Thailand and Vietnam and promote tourism to Nakhon Phanom.
Αποστολή από: Oytopikos στις Ιούλιος 04, 2017, 16:28:49 μμ
The Ministry of Public Health announced Monday the implementation of new laws designed to further restrict the purchase and consumption of tobacco, in a bid to reduce the number of smokers in the country.
“There are a lot of interesting regulations. Some are completely new and others are updates with higher fines,” Witune Chartngiew, lawyer at the Ministry of Health’s Bureau of Tobacco Control said Tuesday.
According to the 2017 Tobacco Product Control Act, it is now illegal to sell or give cigarettes to minors. The previous 1992 act only outlawed the sale of tobacco to those under 18. The 2,000 baht fine for smoking in non-smoking areas was increased to 5,000 baht, while the fine for keeping cigarettes in plain sight in stores was doubled from 20,000 to 40,000 baht. A new fine of 40,000 baht on the seller was also adopted for the sale of individual cigarettes. The list of public spaces in which it is forbidden to smoke was increased, most notably including temples and educational institutions.
The previous punishment for the unauthorized sale of tobacco to minors was a one-month jail term or a 2,000 baht fine, or both. Those who infringe the new law – both the seller and the customer – risk a maximum punishment of three months in jail or a 30,000 baht fine, or both.
While older tobacco laws only prohibited smoking in public places, workplaces and vehicles, the list of smoke-free zones was increased under the new law. Temples, places of worship, nursing areas, drugstores, educational institutions and amusement parks are additional non-smoking areas, said Witune.
Over 50,000 Thais die each year due to smoking-related causes, according to the Ministry of Public Health.
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2017/07/04/tougher-smoking-laws-come-effect-today/
Αποστολή από: halfway inn στις Αύγουστος 10, 2017, 17:19:26 μμ
(http://preview.ibb.co/eHcPsF/AIR_POLUTION_in_THAILAND.jpg) (http://ibb.co/dskoKv)
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Σεπτέμβριος 24, 2017, 20:44:39 μμ
Αποστολή από: thailandgr στις Αύγουστος 17, 2018, 20:05:29 μμ