New Year celebrations can be held as normal despite the rise in Covid-19 infections a senior medical official confirmed on Wednesday, saying the situation is controllable.

Last month’s commencement of twice-daily Azur Air charter flights from eleven Russian cities, including Siberia, to U-tapao Airport (near Pattaya) has outpaced all expectations.

The popular event continues to promote Pattaya and Thailand as outstanding sports destinations, especially for tennis enthusiasts.

Business is booming but staff hard to find

The market is helping to offset the lack of Chinese visitors, though air transport remains spotty

Outrigger Koh Samui Beach Resort completed its opening by unveiling its final complement of 102 rooms last week.

The Ministry of Public Health is advising people to wear face masks in crowded places as the number of daily Covid-19 cases has risen by 10-20%.

Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, has confirmed the signing of a new contract agreement with Dr Pornsak Thantapakul, CEO and Managing Director of Anda Beach Resort Co Ltd and owner of Centara Anda Dhevi Resort & Spa Krabi, to continue managing the property for 10 more years.

A year ago Pattaya was a ghost town, but the exorcism has been a remarkable success. International tourism has rebounded to around 60 percent of its pre-covid levels, whilst domestic tourism by Thais is responsible for the weekend traffic jams which are, alas, becoming routine.

French President Emmanuel Macron, his delegation and members of the foreign media covering the APEC Summit visited Phra Chetuphon Temple, or “Wat Pho”, a Royal temple in Bangkok last night (Friday).

Non-MT category to promote country as regional medical hub

The baht surged to its strongest level in almost three months on Friday after China eased some of its quarantine rules for travellers and speculation the United States Federal Reserve would be less aggressive with its rate hikes.

The Transport Ministry and taxi drivers have agreed on new fare rates for Bangkok and its vicinity that will see passengers paying about 7% more for a ride.

The Immigration Bureau (IB) unveiled its Electronic Extension of Temporary Stay (e-Extension) service on Tuesday to make it easier for expats to apply for visa extensions.

As more inbound flights are scheduled for the high season, tourism operators have raised concerns over airport congestion, with heavy traffic already clogging Suvarnabhumi airport during busy hours this week.