Thailand

The Finance Minister said low inflation and the strong baht is not conducive to economic expansion. He vowed to revive the "Easy E-Receipt" initiative to stimulate spending at the beginning of 2025

Grab reported its year-end statistics, including: • 400% growth of the GrabCar Saver option in major cities • 267% growth in visitors to Khao Kheow Open Zoo, attributed to the viral hippo Moo Deng • 67% rise in ride-hailing trips to/from Thailand’s airports, with the most frequent users including from Singapore, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, and Vientam • Shopping destinations like ICONSIAM, CentralWorld, Siam Paragon, Khao San Road, and Chatuchak Market saw significant foot traffic • 90% rise in ride-hailing demand in secondary regions such as Chiang Rai, Tak, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, and Phitsanulok • 200% increase in Grab EV Rides feature • A surge in use of Grab’s Advance Booking feature, especially for airport rides • Thai cuisines dominated food delivery, with orders for pork dishes rising 38% in Sep • Iced americano saw 5 million cups sold, followed by Thai iced tea • The Butterbear mascot has driven sales by 1,200% • Imported premium fruit tea brands such as Jian Cha, Chagee, and Naixue grew tenfold in popularity • Oh! Juice smoothies, inspired by US trends like Erewhon smoothies, saw sales soar by 400% over a three-month span. • Dubai Chocolate bars saw a 20-fold increase in demand

Phuket to hold a special event at Jungceylon mall in Patong on 22 Jan to celebrate the first day of legal same-sex marriages in Thailand, and to mark the launch of the nationwide “Embracing Equality: Love Wins in 878 Districts” nationwide campaign

The Tourism Council of Surat Thani said that around 20%-30% of hotel occupancy in Surat Thani was lost due to flooding in the South, which affected over 90% of the provincial tourism supply chain. Floods obstructed transport and affected shops, hotels and tourism attractions in the area. Hotels in the area have not been able to fully reopen due to the need for major cleaning, with operations expected to resume within a week. Hoteliers estimate a 60% occupancy due to the floods in Dec, vs the usual up to 90% occupancy rate due to the high season

Phu Kradueng National Park in Loei to reopen on 23 Dec, after being closed since 12 Dec due to the death of a Thai tourist from a wild elephant attack. Deputy chairman of the committee studying sustainable approaches to solving the wild elephants issue said that in FY 2024 ending 30 Sep, 34 people were injured and 39 died, the highest number of deaths from wild elephants in Thailand since records began decades ago

The Thai baht opened at 34.22 to the USD on 19 Dec, compared to 34.16 on 17 Dec

SiteMinder reported that Thailand has emerged as the top destination for international tourists in Dec. International room bookings have increased to 87%, vs 84% during the same period in 2023. Average daily rate for hotel rooms increased by 16%, from 7,149 THB to 8,313 THB. Average length of stay rose by 5% to 2.76 days, whilst booking lead time grew 10% from 85 days to 93 days. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket remained the top destinations

The Professional Tourist Guides Association of Thailand said that the issue of illegal tour guides in Thailand has worsened, attributed to longer visa-free stays and weak law enforcement. An illegal Russian tour guide was recently caught leading a tour group in the Similan Islands, using a Thai guide as a sitting nominee

Agoda named Bangkok as the world’s top destination for international travellers for Christmas, with a 14% YoY increase in accommodation searches

The Foreign Minister announced that the Thai e-visa system would be operational at all 94 Thai embassies and consulates from 1 Jan 2025. Travellers from some countries will still be required to show payment slips at embassies and consulates. The e-visa system covers tourists, students, and workers

The Federation of Thai Industries reported that the industrial sentiment index rose to 91.4 in Nov, from 89.1 in Oct, driven by tourism and exports, as well as year-end orders and government spending

The Commerce Ministry’s Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO)’s survey in Nov showed that: • 67.72% of Thais have not made any travel plans for the year-end holidays, due to concerns about current financial status or problems (38.55%), and high expenses during the high season (32.12%) • 32.28% of respondents said they have travel plans, roughly the same level as last year • 32.19% of those who have travel plans said they want to visit the Northern region, thanks to the government’s tourism promotion campaigns. • 51.48% said they are concerned about safety issues at tourist attractions and road accidents, up from 30.85% in 2023 • 50% of respondents are concerned about crowds, whilst 47.49% are concerned about traffic congestion • 44.59% of respondents plan to spend from 5,001-10,000 THB/person/trip during the year-end, up from 42.07% in 2023 • 31.79% planned to spend under 5,000 THB, up from 24.71% in the 2023 survey • 19.54% planned to spend from 10,001-30,000 THB, down from 30.02% in 2023

President of the Thailand Privilege Card (TPC) admitted that the 5-20 years visa and perks programme are facing issues that limit growth, caused by several factors such as the trend of neighbouring countries promoting similar schemes, and other Thai government initiatives such as the Destination Thailand Visa. He also noted that some TPC customers were concerned about the latest interpretation by the Thai Revenue Department that foreign expats could be taxed on some earned income transmitted from abroad. TPC currently has over 38,000 members, of which 47% were Chinese

The Thai Cabinet has approved a revised cash rebate scheme for foreign film shoots from 1 Jan 2025. The new incentive offer a cash rebate of 15%-30% for foreign film shoots in Thailand with no maximum refund limit, up from the previous rebate of 15%-20%. Director-General of the Tourism Department believes that the new incentive should help stimulate revenue from foreign film shoots by 20%, generating at least 7.5 billion THB in 2025. The budget for cash refunds would be allocated from the Tourism Department, and will be drawn from the central budget if insufficient. There were 471 film shoots in Thailand as of 15 Dec, generating over 6.19 billion THB. A total of 72 films have applied for the incentive programme from 2017-2024, generating over 16.1 billion THB, whilst the value of cash rebates totalled 2.84 billion THB

The Commerce Ministry is collaborating with food delivery app LINE MAN to offer free delivery for Thai SELECT restaurant from 16 Dec-31 Jan 2025, under the LINE MAN X DBD Thai SELECT campaign

TAT held a welcome ceremony at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on 16 Dec for the arrival of the 2 millionth Indian tourist in 2024. This achievement surpassed the full-year record of 1,961,069 Indian visitors in 2019

The President of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) believes that the inbound Chinese market may remain flat in 2025, with around 7-8 million arrivals, attributed to economic challenges in China, including the impact of the incoming Trump administration’s possible tariff hikes

Bangkok’s air pollution is estimated to have led to annual losses of over 400 billion THB, according to an associate professor from the Faculty of Economics at Kasetsart University

The Foreign Minister to hold two regional meetings on Myanmar. Thailand previously offered in Oct to host informal talks to resolve the crisis in Myanmar. Representatives from Myanmar would attend the informal consultation on border security and transnational crime on 19 Dec. The meeting will also be attended by representatives from China, India, Bangladesh, Laos and Thailand, which all share borders with Myanmar. On 20 Dec, there will be a foreign minister-level meeting for interested ASEAN member, including a discussion on ASEAN’s “Five Point Consensus” plan for peace in Myanmar

TAT Deputy Governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas reported that luxury and high-spending tourists alone are estimated to contribute 40%-50% of the 2 trillion THB in tourism revenue generated in 2023. He said that Tat is promoting Thailand as an “affordable luxury destination for foreign tourists”, claiming that Thailand can “offer exclusive travel experiences on a lower budget than other destinations”

Malaysia and Thailand have agreed to strengthen collaboration in several areas, including tourism, border management, and halal and digital industries. The two PMs welcomed further discussion for the “Six Countries, One Destination” initiative proposed by Thailand, as well as to explore potential joint campaigns to co-promote Visit Malaysia 2026 and Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism Year 2025. The two countries also agreed to continue joint export promotional activities on Halal goods and services, exchange best practices, research and development of Halal products, and more active collaboration of both countries’ public and private sectors. The PMs also hope to expedite progress on the proposed integrated double-track rail link between Ipoh-Padang Besar and Padang Besar-Hat Yai

Thailand expressed readiness to become a self-drive tourism hub in ASEAN, aiming to attract tourists from neighbouring countries, generating no less than 2.23 trillion THB in revenue through the “5 Must Do in Thailand” products. The TAT Governor said that the Thai government, through TAT and the Tourism Ministry, is driving the government’s policy of building international relations. TAT held a welcoming ceremony for 37 Porsche drivers from Singapore and 20 from Malaysia, who entered Thailand through the Sadao Immigration Checkpoint in Songkhla Province. Another 17 cars from Cambodia entered through the Aranyaprathet Immigration Checkpoint in Sa Kaeo Province. They are touring Bangkok, the Central, and Eastern regions before attending Das Treffen 9 in Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi

TAT launched the “Workation Paradise Throughout Thailand Season 2” project, which includes Pop-up Workspaces at five locations across Thailand – Siam (Bangkok), Central Pattaya (Chon Buri), Khao Yai National Park (Nakhon Ratchasima), Ang Kaew at Chiang Mai University (Chiang Mai), and Ko Pha-ngan (Surat Thani) – as well as the “100-THB Voucher” promotion, which offers discounts on premium services. The programme will run from Dec 2024-Mar 2025

Thailand has welcomed 32.7 million international tourists as of 8 Dec, spending 1.5 trillion THB. The top 5 source markets are China (6.3 million), Malaysia (4.6 million), India (1.9 million), South Korea (1.7 million) and Russian (1.5 million). It expects more long-haul travellers to arrive in the remainder of Dec

The Ministry of Culture, together with Phuket Province, the Peranakan Association of Thailand, and Phuket residents, organised a parade on the streets of Phuket Town to celebrate the recognition of two Thai cultural heritage products – Tom Yum Goong and Kebaya – in the UNESCO intangible heritage list

The “Royal Blossom” train to visit three UNESCO World Heritage sites – the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex, the Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve, and Khorat Geopark – in Nakhon Ratchasima province on 23-24 Dec. Travellers will also be allowed to take part in activities at other tourist attractions, such as Baan Suksomboon Community, Wat Thammachak Semaram, Chan Ngam Mountain, and Khao Yai Thai Elephant Conservation Centre. Tickets cost 5,900 THB/person and are limited to only 160 pax

TAT supports Thailand Sustainable Islands Alliance (TSIA)’s “30+ Islands Clean-Up: So Cool Mission” collaborative initiative, which aims to advance sustainable tourism and environmental stewardship. The clean-up event will be held on 8-9 Jun 2025 on Koh Chang, Trat Province, coinciding with World Oceans Day and the 3rd Thailand Sustainable Island Tourism Symposium

Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra insisted on Thai sovereignty over Koh Kut island in Trat province. He noted that the 2001 MoU on maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand only serves as a framework for talks on the issue between Thailand and Cambodia

The Transport Minister confirmed that the 20 THB all-route electric train project, which will connect five electric train lines, will begin operation in Sep 2025

Radisson Hotel Group has signed a partnership with JWP Group to debut Radisson Blu and Radisson branded resorts in Phuket’s Layan Beach in Q1 2025 and Q4 2026, respectively. The Radisson Blu Resort, Layan Phuket will feature 281 guestrooms and 31 two- or three-bedroom suites, whilst the adjacent Radisson Resort Layan Phuket will feature 500 rooms and suites, including two- and three-bedroom options

Managing Director of Raja Ferry Port Plc said that the company will reconsider lifting its ban on electric vehicles (EV) early in 2025, after installing fire-dousing kits made particularly for EVs

TAT held the Amazing Thailand MEGA Fam Trip to the North Trade Meet on 11 Dec at the Shangri-La Hotel in Chiang Mai. The event facilitated business negotiations between travel companies from Asia and South Pacific and Thai tourism businesses in the Northern region

Thailand PinkTech Ecosystem Report 2024 revealed that addressing LGBTQIA2S+ discrimination could open new business opportunities worth US$7.6 billion, that could increase GDP by up to 1.47%. The report was jointly conducted by the Artificial Intelligence Centre at Thammasat University and Canvas Ventures International (CVI). The report showed that 65% of LGBTQIA2S+ youth feel socially unsafe, which drives demand for augmented and virtual reality social platforms and venue discovery apps. This market is expected to grow 300% over five years

PM Paetongtarn outlined her administration’s 90-day progress report, focusing on future initiatives under the theme “2025 Empowering Thais: A Real Possibility”. Key initiatives include major infrastructure projects and social welfare programmes, as well as tackling environmental issues through plans such as a new floodway construction and a targeted 50% reduction in burning activities in Chiang Mai to battle PM2.5 pollution. The government also proposed economic measures such as support for SMEs in rice exports, promotion of AI and EV industries, development of the semiconductor sector, and a workforce development programme for 280,000 students. The PM also detailed the second phase of the 10,000 THB Digital Wallet scheme, which will distribute cash payments to 4 million elderly citizens before the Chinese New Year on 29 Jan. The third and final phase of the scheme is expected to be completed in 2025

The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce reported that the consumer confidence index rose to 56.9 in Nov, from 56.0 in Oct

The Phu Kradueng mountain in Loei province has been temporarily closed after a tourist was fatally attacked by a wild elephant. Around 700 existing visitors were told to leave the mountain by 13 Dec. Park rangers would drive wild elephants away from tourist zones during the closure

Director of the Flood, Storm, and Landslide Relief Operations Centre announced that train services on the southern railway line will fully resume operations by 12 Dec, following repairs to routes impacted by the recent floodings

True CJ Creations, Ryoii Film, TAT, and ICONSIAM collaborated to launch the Hidden Gem Food Festival, bringing together street food vendors featured in Netflix documentary series “Hidden Gem”. The event is sponsored by Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited and Petchdam Foods Company Limited

The Thai Embassy in New Delhi announced that the implementation of the Thai e-visa system in India will start from 1 Jan 2025. Applications for all visa types must be made through the thaievisa.go.th website

The Thai Restaurant Association expects a surge in the restaurant industry during the New Year season, driven by year-end holiday travel. President of the association expressed concerns that total spending on F&B may decrease due to weak purchasing power. She noted that many Thais have been cautious with their spending since the beginning of Dec, likely saving for the year-end holidays, causing the restaurant sector to remain flat. She added that tourism spending may also remain concentrated in key tourism destinations

Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business at the TAT said that the agency is targeting four niche markets for 2025 – wellness, luxury experience, sports tourism, and honeymoons. She cited the Allied Market Research and noted the value of those four markets was around 31 billion baht globally in 2019 and is estimated to reach 390 billion in 2027. Ipsos data showed that luxury tourism in Thailand was valued at 60-70 billion in 2023, with TAT forecasting it to grow by 8%-10% annually. Tourists from the four niche markets travelled to five key destinations in Jan-Sep, namely Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Krabi and Samui. Their average spending totalled 77,693 THB per pax per trip, or 6,171 THB daily. TAT noted that hotels with four stars and above already improved their daily room rates by 20%-30%. TAT hopes to host international events, such as concerts, seminars, sports and fashion shows, for the next three years, collaborating with luxury operators nationwide. TAT’s long-term plans also include promoting wellness and art tourism, along with driving facilities and supplies to accommodate luxury tourists. TAT plans to develop new exclusive events in Thailand in 2025, as well as make local events like Chinese New Year, Songkran and Loy Krathong more globally known. TAT also plans to prioritise promoting sustainable tourism and responsible tourism among local operators and suppliers. It aims to promote the Krabi Model in 2025, a sustainable prototype that includes green events, electric vehicle usage, and tourism service skills training

The Asian Development Bank has upgraded the Thai GDP forecast for 2024 from 2.3% to 2.6%. It maintained the forecast for 2025 at 2.7%. ADB has also lowered inflation forecasts for 2024 from 2.8% to 2.7%, and for 2025 from 2.9% to 2.6%

The House of Tin Baron in Phuket Old Town opened on 1 Dec, offering two luxury dining experiences: the world’s first and only Louis Roederer Cristal Room at House of Tin Baron, and Terra, an Italian restaurant

The Tripartite Wage Committee is set to convene on 12 Dec to finalise the government’s proposal for the nationwide daily minimum wage hike to 400 THB. The committee aims to implement the wage hike as a new year’s offering to workers

Raja Ferry Port Public Company Limited, a Samui ferry operator, announced a temporary ban on electric vehicles (EVs) on board ferries, citing the risk of fire due to batteries overheating. Seatran Ferry allows EVs, but requires owners to sign a declaration of risk

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) reported that Thailand has welcomed 1.16 million international MICE visitors in FY2024 (Oct 2023-Sep 2024), up 42% from 810,000 in FY2023 and nearing the pre-pandemic record high figure of 1.2 million. The top ten source markets for MICE are China, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, the US, and Japan. The top European markets are Germany, the UK, Russia, France, and Italy. Conventions recorded the biggest growth of delegates with a 200% YoY increase, followed by incentive, exhibitions, and meetings

President of the Thai Retailers Association (TRA) said that the group sees public investment as a key driver for economic growth in 2025. He believes that the government should speed up budget disbursement and public spending for 2025. He also believes that the government should facilitate access to low-interest loans or funding sources, expand trade opportunities, and increase marketing channels for Thai product distribution in order to support SMEs and counter the increase in cheap Chinese goods. The TRA also called on the government to implement measures to stimulate consumer spending, such as the "Shop Dee Mee Khuen" programme, Easy e-Receipt, and incentives for private sector investments

Southeast Asia programme director for NGO International Rivers believes that deforestation, dams and encroachment were the three key causes for the recent floodings in Thailand

The 14th Thailand Tourism Forum will be held on 13 Jan 2025, expecting to attract nearly 1,000 travel and hospitality executives. The event is organised by C9 Hotelworks

“Starry Night over Bangkok 2024”, the largest stargazing event in Thailand, took place on 7 Dec at the Benjakitti Park Amphitheater in Klongtoey. The event took place on the night of Jupiter’s closest approach to Earth in 2024. The event was a collaboration between the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT), the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), and other related organisations

Global Statistics latest report showed that Thailand is now ranked third in the world for countries experiencing the most significant drop in birth rates, with an 81% decline over the past 74 years. The data was gathered by Global Statistics from the United Nations Population Division (UNPD)’s data from 1950-2024

The Tourism Ministry reported that Thailand has welcomed 32,020,169 international visitors from 1 Jan-1 Dec, generating around 1.5 trillion THB in revenue. China was the top source market with 6,214,226 arrivals, followed by Malaysia (4,506,898), India (1,915,152), South Korea (1,685,600), and Russia (1,503,312). Malaysian arrivals dropped by 18,161 people, or -22.18% WoW, in the last week due to flooding in key destinations like Hat Yai, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. The decrease contributed to a 6.76% overall drop in short-haul market arrivals. Thailand welcomed 706,382 international arrivals last week, -5.73% WoW. The top source market was China with 118,216 arrivals, -3.12% WoW, followed by Malaysia (63,725 arrivals; -22.18% WoW), Russia (47,914; -4.13%), India (46,350; +0.20%), South Korea (38,272; -1.76%)

Pattaya saw an influx of tourists as the city hosts two major events – the Pattaya International Jazz Festival 2024 from 6-7 Dec at Pattaya Beach, and the 16th Naklua Walking & Eating Festival from 7 Dec-12 Jan

The 2024 Flower Festival is being held at the Suan Luang Rama IX Park until 10 Dec

TAT expects over 1.7 million visitors to Koh Chang, Koh Kood, and Koh Mak in Trat by end-2024. The islands saw a surge in domestic tourists during the extended Father’s Day holiday from 5-8 Dec. Ferry operators, such as Boonsiri High-Speed Ferries, added extra trips to accommodate the influx

Euromonitor International reported that Bangkok was the world’s most-visited city in 2024 with 32.4 million international tourists, +30% YoY. The report attributed Bangkok’s popularity to Thailand’s visa exemption policies

The Thai Restaurant Business Association expressed concern for the proposed hike in VAT rate from 7% to 15%, noting that the increase could lead to even more closures of F&B establishments. He projected food prices to increase by 20%-25% should the VAT hike be implemented

PM Paetongtarn clarified the government’s plans for tax reform and assured that no decision had been made to increase VAT rate from 7% to 15%

TAT welcomed the delegation of the 7th One Belt One Road Colourful Yunnan Car Rally in Thailand. The rally features 45 vehicles and 120 participants from China. It began the journey from China on 19 Nov before entering Thailand through the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge in Mukdahan on 22 Nov. The rally will visit multiple Thai provinces over the next 18 days. The event is part of the effort to strengthen Thai-Chinese bilateral ties under the “One Belt, One Road” initiative

The Phuket Tourist Association believes that Israel’s warning of a terrorist threat against Israeli citizens in the region should not impact Phuket as safety and security have been tightened. Israel's National Council previously warned of a terrorism threat in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, following the murder of an Israeli rabbi in the UAE. Israelis arriving via direct flights to Phuket airport reached around 57,000 in Jan-Oct 2024, down from 60,000 YoY

The Commerce Ministry projects headline inflation to stand between 0.2%-0.8% in 2024. Headline inflation is projected to stand between 0.3%-1.3% in 2025. Consumer price index (CPI) in Nov was 108.5, up from 107.5 YoY, whilst headline inflation rose by 0.95%. Average CPI in Jan-Nov rose 0.32% YoY. Core inflation rose by 0.8% YoY, up from 0.77% in Oct. Core inflation average for Jan-Nov was 0.55%. Inflation rate for Dec is expected to rise 1.2%-1.3%

TAT Governor expects 40 million international arrivals in 2024, including 29 million short-haul and 11 million long-haul tourists. Tourism revenue is expected to rise by 7.5% YoY in 2025

UNESCO has included tom yum kung in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Experts from UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee to review the high-speed rail track construction project in Ayutthaya. The experts will discuss the project’s Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and provide technical recommendations for preserving the integrity of the world heritage site

TAT forecasts Thailand to welcome 1.56 million international visitors from 21 Dec-1 Jan, +16% YoY, generating 45 billion THB, +20% YoY. The domestic market is expected to see 4.41 million Trips during the 28 Dec-1 Jan holiday, +29% YoY, generating 17 billion THB, +30% YoY. Total tourism revenue during the year-end holiday is expected to reach 62 billion THB, +23% YoY

Ambassador of the Netherlands to Thailand met with the Phuket Vice Governor, discussing various issues, including public transport, airport expansion, and support for vulnerable groups like the elderly and children. There are around 500 Dutch nationals living in Phuket, and over 250,000 Dutch tourists visit Thailand annually

The Finance Minister proposed changes in Thailand’s tax strategy, including raising the value-added tax (VAT) whilst reducing corporate and personal income tax rates. The minister stressed the importance of lowering the corporate income tax to stay competitive on an international scale. He also commented on the global competition for skilled workers, and that many countries have lowered their personal income tax rates to attract talent. He noted the challenge of the weaking baht and suggested strategies such as transferring international reserves to other accounts

Twinpalms Hotels & Resorts has opened the Twinpalms Bangtao Phuket Tented Resort on Phuket Island’s west coast, featuring 28 luxurious tents

The 6th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Tourism Ministers’ Meeting was held in Yangon, chaired by Laos’ Deputy Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism. It looked at ACMECS cooperation, and agreed to actively promote “Five countries, one destination”, as well as prioritise digitalisation

The UAE Ambassador to Thailand said that the UAE is ready to sign several bilateral agreements with Thailand to strengthen cooperation

Thailand’s disaster agency reported that flooding since 22 Nov has affected over 660,000 homes in the south. Death toll from flooding has risen to 25. The weather agency predicts more heavy rain in the south until 5 Dec. The Thai Cabinet has approved a 9,000 THB payment per family for those affected by the flood

The Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) did a test run of its fleet of electric buses on 2 Dec. The project costed 121.7 million THB and aims to replace 24 passenger trucks with electric buses. The buses will initially cover three routes, namely Saphan Hin Park-Central Phuket shopping mall; Chalong Pier-Super Cheap market; and Rassada Pier-Suan Nam. More routes are expected to be added in the future, such as Phuket International Airport-Rawai Beach. The buses are expected to be fully operational by Jan-Feb 2025

The Pattaya International Jazz Festival 2024 to be held from 6-7 Dec at Pattaya Beach. Pattaya Mayor called a meeting with representatives from the event’s organizing agencies, contractors, and participating vendors on 2 Dec to ensure readiness for the event. The mayor stressed the importance of offering high-quality food at reasonable prices, maintaining cleanliness, and using eco-friendly materials for the event

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) recorded “impressive results” in terms of attracting international conferences and events to four key regions of Thailand in Thailand. The four regions – defined as the lesser-known northeast – includes Nakhon Ratchasima, the southern area with Phuket, Phitsanulok province, and the central region close to Bangkok, including the city of Phetchaburi. The northeast will host the International Horticultural Exposition in 2029. Phuket will host the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference (GSTC) in 2026. Phitsanulok province will host the World Cultural Heritage City and Night Festival Conference 2025, the first international conference to take place in the city following its designation as a MICE city by TCEB. Phetchaburi recently hosted PATA’s Destination Marketing Forum (PDMF) 2024

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Zeekr launched its EV caravan, comprising 12 electric vehicles and 48 participants. The caravan departed from China, passing through Laos before entering Thailand on 26 Nov. The caravan is heading to the 41st Thailand International Motor Expo 2024, which runs from 29 Nov-10 Dec at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani. Zeekr will showcase its EV technology at the expo. TAT supported the caravan, aiming to raise awareness of Thailand as an eco-conscious tourism destination. Exposure from the caravan is expected to reach over 100 million people across Thailand and China

Kata Rocks to host its Kata Rocks Superyacht Rendezvous (KRSR) event from 12-14 Dec in Phuket

The Phuket Carnival at Patong 2024 will be held from 8-10 Dec at the Bang La ground adjacent to Patong Beach. The carnival will feature over 30 parades and other entertainment activities. The event is expected to generate at least 100 million THB in additional tourism income. Patong will also host countdown events from 30 Dec-1 Jan

The death toll from flooding in southern Thailand reached 9 as of 29 Nov, with 534,000 households impacted

The Pollution Control Department warned that Greater Bangkok will face thick smog from 2-6 Dec due to smoke from farmland fires and stagnant air in the area