Good Morning Thailand

Thai tourism to focus on short-haul markets | GMT | Ep.206 The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to attract at least 1.5 million tourists from short-haul destinations to compensate for the Chinese market by teaming up with airlines to spur demand. Russian invasion media coverage snafu. The first group of Thai evacuees from Ukraine arrived back in Thailand at 6.25am on Thai Airways Internati...

"The Indians are coming" | GMT | Ep.205 What is Thailand’s stance on the invasion? What effects does the Russian invasion have on Thailand? To what degree does Thailand rely on Russian energy? Thailand-India air travel bubble gets the green light to start this month. All these stories coming up on Good Morning Thailand with Jay and Tim.   Twinpalms Residences MontAzure – Asia’s Ultimate Beach...

Thai Cabinet Concerned Over Ukraine Fallout | GMT | Ep.204 The Thai government is expected to introduce economic measures to deal with the fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Over 80 Ukrainian and Russian tourists and expats were on the roadside by the Royal Phuket Marina with signs and national flags. A suspect in the Jimi Sandu murder case was arrested in Canada and a request for his retu...

Evacuation of Thais from Ukraine begins | GMT | Ep.203 A help centre has been set up in the city from which a chartered bus will transport the Thais to Warsaw. Russian flights keep arriving in Thailand, for now. Rainstorms and big sea waves damaged about 200 homes in the Southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. A Saudi Arabian Airlines plane will touch down at Suvarnabhumi airport later on Monday...

Fall out in Thailand following Russian invasion | GMT | Ep.202 The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is worried the Russia-Ukraine crisis may affect car exports. A charter flight is ready to be sent to help evacuate Thais in Ukraine if tensions with Russia escalate further. The Thai stock market tumbled 1.99% on Thursday while local gold prices rose by 850 baht after Russia launched attacks on m...

Entry Into Thailand Made Easier (Again) | GMT | Ep.201 The Day 5 PCR test for the Test & Go entry scheme has been scrapped. Land borders in Nong Kai, Udon Thani, and Songkhla will also reopen to international travel. A long-stalled bill criminalising torture and political disappearances cleared its first hurdle in Parliament on Wednesday and The 2022 World Women's Snooker Championship. All com...

Will Thailand Ease Entry Restrictions Today? | GMT | Ep.200 The government will on Wednesday weigh up whether it will scrap the second RT-PCR test for overseas arrivals under the Test & Go scheme. Tourism operators have thrashed the government announcement increasing the Covid-19 alert to Level 4. Prosecutors have indicted a junior police officer whose motorbike struck and killed a woman on a...

Thailand on Level 4 Covid Alert, No Change To Restrictions | GMT | Ep.199 The Public Health Ministry has raised its Covid-19 alert to Level 4 following a sharp increase in Omicron variant infections nationwide. Prosecutors will decide today whether a police lance corporal who rode a Ducati superbike that struck down and killed a doctor at a zebra crossing on Jan 21 will be indicted. A motorbike dr...

Demands for Covid restrictions to be lifted in Thailand | GMT | Ep.198 The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is calling on all 77 provincial governments to do everything they can to reduce the spread of the latest Covid surge in Thailand. Phuket is offering itself as the first province to declare the spread of Covid-19 as an endemic. Thai International Airways also plans to have direct flights between Ban...

New Visa for foreigners to work in Thailand | GMT | Ep.197 Thailand plans to use a newly introduced Thailand Elite Card programme offering a work permit to lure investments from international professionals. Another leak found in underwater oil pipeline off the Rayong coast. Thai PM orders Thailand Pass to be improved. Thailand is going a step further than the graphic (and disturbing) photos on pac...

Bangkok officially named "Krung Thep Maha nakhon" | GMT | Ep.196 The official for Thailand’s capital is in the process of being changed to its more formal name “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon". Almost 8,000 have signed up for compensation from the owner of the underwater pipeline that leaked crude oil into the sea in Rayong province. Interpol has issued Red Notices for both suspects wanted in the targeted...

Truckers win in Thailand | GMT | Ep.195 This year, 450 kilometres of communication lines will be placed underground. The cabinet on Tuesday agreed to cut the excise tax on diesel. Thai woman’s OnlyFans content stolen, officers say she could face pornography charges. Men are flocking to a barbershop in Chon Buri after the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei came in for a haircut. All this coming up on t...

Tourist faces 10 years prison and up to 1 million BHT fine | GMT | Ep.194 A tourist who posted a photograph of himself sitting on an endangered coral reef faces a fine of up to 1 million baht and a 10-year prison sentence. Thailand's falling birth rate is having a drastic impact on the economy and society. Thailand is revising surrogacy laws to allow foreigners to hire Thai surrogate mothers witho...

The Day of Love in the Land of Smiles | GMT | Ep.193 Bangkok's Bang Khun Thian district celebrates Valentine's Day on Monday by handing special certificates to LGBTQ+ couples recognizing their relationship. Thailand to ban alcohol sales on February 16, for Makha Bucha Day. Police have identified the 2 gunmen who are being sought over the apparent gangland killing of Indian-born Jimi Sandhu. All th...

Will Thailand add more restrictions today? | GMT | Ep.192 The government is considering tightening anti-Covid measures on Valentine's Day and the Songkran holiday period in response to a rapid increase in new infections. Officers used metal detectors to search the seaside by the Rawai beachfront villa where Sandhu was killed and found a semi-automatic Walther PPK and a CZ gun in the water. The col...

Fall Out From Feminist Female Fighter | GMT | Ep.191 The Muay Thai Female Fighter has gone viral and has taken a stand for women in Thailand! Thailand Pass hotlines, emails for assistance with the registration process, Songkran to be cancelled if daily Covid numbers hit 30,000, Bangkok experiencing Covid surge as new infections rise to 2,000 a day, Building a better future for Thailand - 8 areas T...

Truckers, Muay Thai chicks & Expensive Cats | GMT | Ep.190 A female Muay Thai boxer gets revenge after a man gets offended by her rejection on the streets. The owner of a luxury sports car has reportedly filed a lawsuit against their neighbour because of their cat. Lorry drivers yesterday gathered outside the Energy Ministry on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road to stage a "Truck Power Final Season" prote...

Does Thailand need travel bubbles? | GMT | Ep.189 Ministry will change the way it reports covid number.” WHAT?! Thailand will propose a travel bubble between Thailand, China, and Malaysia. Around 16 locals and Thais were evacuated from a forest in Phuket after a fire broke out and spread quickly by the Laem Krating viewpoint by the Krating Cape. The Land Transport Federation of Thailand (LTFT) wil...

Relaxation of Virus Curbs in Thailand? | GMT | Ep.188 The Public Health Ministry is preparing to propose a relaxation of measures to the CCSA this week, Poor transport planning and road conditions are also to blame for the capital's high accident rate, Petrochemical firm apologises for the oil spill in Rayong, Phuket police search for 2 gunmen over shooting death of Jimi “Slice” Sandhu. All coming...

Minister throws mask-wearing into confusion | GMT | Ep.187 Thailand’s Public Health Minister confirmed that there are no laws forcing people to wear face masks. There have been warnings to travellers against going to Thailand. The Covid 19 effects on the Fitness and tourist industry and how prescribed and illegal drugs are readily open for purchase in Thailand. And check our morning news at: https...

Thailand's covid infections creeping up again | GMT | Ep.186 More than 23,000 travellers registered for entry under the Test & Go programme on Tuesday, the first day the suspended travel scheme resumed. Authorities will close an emergency centre after oil sludge was cleared from Mae Ramphueng Beach and the sea off the beachfront of this eastern province. A Thai sugarcane farmer in Prachin Buri...

Test & Go website crashes on 1st day | Good Morning Thailand PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed tourism businesses in Pattaya to prepare a traveling roadshow, authorities have slapped the Phuket taxi driver, who is accused of overcharging a passenger, with a 2,000 baht fine and have ordered him to go through etiquette training, authorities are warning the public that Thailand’s face mask mand...

Test & Go restarts, will the tourists come? | GMT | Ep.184 One Thai traveler claims a Phuket taxi driver ripped him off by charging a fare of 600 baht and even got the police involved to sort out the situation. The Phuket Lantern Festival 2022, also known as Yaun Xiao which is a traditional celebration following the Chinese New Year, will be running in Phuket Old Town from now until February 2...

One day to go before Test & Go resumes I GMT | Ep.183 The Test & Go program of the Thailand Pass is set to start again this Tuesday, country’s outspoken top virologist, is raining on Thailand’s endemic parade, survey finds that most people don’t feel that the government is capable of effectively dealing with the soaring prices of consumer goods and Bloomberg places Thailand in the middle o...

Thailand defies WHO over Covid becoming endemic | GMT | Ep.182 AstraZeneca vaccines free for walk-ins in Bangkok from Monday, Thailand will declare Covid-19 endemic, whether WHO agrees or not, Oil spill update, Disco quarantine hotel in Phuket, Stricter traffic rules expected in July. All these stories coming up on today's Good Morning Thailand with Jay and Tim   Link to the Jonathan Miller s...