The prime-minister of Thailand presided over ceremonies to open Bangkok’s newest Skytrain station on Monday. Samrong is the first of nine stations to open on a Sukhumvit Line extension which will eventually link the downtown area of Bangkok and Samut Prakan.
A Jersey based citizenship advisory firm has confirmed its appointment as the official promoter of Thailand’s long-stay visa programme. Henley & Partners explained in a briefing on the company’s website that the privilege visa was a global first and could be used by tourists to live in Thailand for 20 years.
The organisers of the 2017 Bangkok book fair say the event has attracted record numbers of visitors. The fair kicked off a week ago at the city’s Queen Sirikit Convention Centre and has drawn visitors through the doors with an eclectic mix of Thai and foreign publications.
A leading global cruise ship company has announced that one of its vessels will be based at Thailand’s Laem Chabang Port for the winter season of 2017. Star Cruises says the SuperStar Gemini will be offering short cruises from the Gulf of Thailand port from 17 December.
The northern branch of Thailand’s hoteliers’ organisation has reported a surge in reservations ahead of next week’s Songkran Festival. The head of the Thai Hotels Association in the city says hotels have reported bookings which on average will give them 80 per cent occupancy rates.
Thailand’s meteorologists say rainstorms are expected to sweep across the southern provinces of the country this week. The Meteorological Department has issued an alert saying the rains will hit tomorrow and will likely last until the weekend.
The recently opened Bangkok Siamgems Heritage Centre has confirmed schedules for stone-cutting and gem appreciation shows. The shows operate at half-hourly intervals between 12:00 and 16:30 with the final one beginning at 16:00.
The People’s Committee in Ho Chi Minh City has confirmed that a proposal to build a safari park will go ahead. The park will be located in Cu Chi District and incorporate an open zoo, a safari park and a zone with entertainment and dining outlets.
The CEO of a Cambodian development company says a new floating market will break ground in Phnom Penh in two month’s time. Sky Land boss Srey Chanthorn told media sources the Thai-style floating market will be set up at a 50-acre site in the northwest district of Vihear Sour.
Video clips of rare Indochinese tiger cubs roaming through a Thai national park were released earlier this week. Freeland anti-wildlife trafficking organisation spokesperson Josie Raine said the video clips showed a total of six cubs in Khao Yai National Park.
The tourist bureau in Luang Prabang says over 500,000 tourists are expected for next month’s Lao New Year celebrations. A spokesperson noted that all the town’s premium accommodation choices had been booked solid for the beginning of the festivities on 10 April.
Cambodia’s debut container market has proved to be a big hit with punters since its grand opening two weeks ago. The Phnom Penh night market was erected and opened by Jet Group and features 220 stalls selling a range of items including clothing, footwear, souvenirs, Cambodian silks, jewellery, food and drinks.
Bangkok’s governor says the city’s sole Bus Rapid Transit line is not heading for the scrap heap after all. Aswin Kwanmuang told media reporters the service will not be axed as planned next month and instead fares will go up to cover a shortfall in income.
Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City say they are adding the finishing touches to a plan to turn the downtown precinct into a pedestrian one. Tran Quang Lam is the assistant-director of the city’s Transport Department and he says the 2.2km² zone would become a no-go area for all forms of motorised transport.
Architects and academics have united in a bid to persuade Thailand’s railway operator to save the nation’s heritage stations from the wrecking ball. King Mongkut Institute of Technology’s Parinya Chukaew and leading architect Pongkwan Lassus say the country’s elderly rail stations have high cultural value.
The Meteorological Department of Thailand yesterday issued an adverse weather warning for the upper regions of the nation. A bulletin released by the department noted that extremely high temperatures from Bangkok upwards were the precursors for rain, hail and wind storms.
Thailand’s aviation authorities have warned that an increase in the number of flight arrivals for the Songkran Festival may cause delays at airports. Aeronautical Radio of Thailand says 10 per cent more flights are expected over the peak Songkran period between 11 and 17 April.
Council officials in Ho Chi Minh City say they have approved a proposal to start up a weekend market at a central riverside park. District 1 chief Tran The Thuan told local media sources the market would kick off some time over the next couple of months and feature stalls offering a mix of souvenirs and knick knacks, food, beverages and entertainment.
The man in overall charge of a project to enlarge Vientiane International Airport says work is progressing slightly slower than scheduled. Sengsangouane Chanthavong told reporters that to date only 13 per cent of the project is done whereas the schedule had called for 16 per cent to be complete.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung Temple in the east Thailand province of Buriram is preparing to hold its annual festival. The Khmers built the temple in the 10th and 11th centuries so that the sun rises through its 15 portals. The festival celebrates this.