A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand

[Froggy]

Went to a noodle shop for breakfast today. Brought my own sambal chili sauce to go with the noodle

Very delicious

 

[Froggy]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2322710/addiction-fear-mars-law-change

Addiction fear mars law change
Mental health, accident risks eyed

PUBLISHED : 9 JUN 2022 AT 04:00

From left Public health permanent secretary Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit, chief adviser to public health minister Dr ML Somchai Chakkrabhand, and Committee of Cannabis Communications spokesman Panthep Puapongpan answer questions ahead of Thursday's removal of the plant from the Category 5 narcotics list. (Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya)

Starting on Thursday, people can grow cannabis plants at home, but the legalisation of cannabis has prompted concerns that it may lead to a rise in drug addiction.

Pol Gen Roy Ingkapairote, deputy commissioner of the national police and the director of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB), said police will not arrest anyone who smokes cannabis at home. But if they smoke it in public areas and cause a public disturbance, they can face charges, Pol Gen Roy said.

Cannabis will not be considered an illicit drug from today when a Ministry of Public Health announcement published in the Royal Gazette on Feb 9 takes effect. This means the production, import, export, distribution, consumption, and possession of cannabis will be formally legalised.

However, cannabis oil extracts that contain more than 0.2% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, are categorised as a category 5 substance and regulated under laws pertaining to narcotics control and suppression.

More than 4,200 prisoners whose cases are cannabis-related will be released, Pol Gen Roy said. Cannabis cases pending investigation will also be dropped while any arrest warrants issued for cannabis use will be revoked, he said.

Regarding health concerns, the Ministry of Public Health is aware that the improper use of cannabis could lead to an increase in drug users, said Kiattiphum Wongrajit, the ministry's permanent secretary.

Some people might use cannabis excessively or mix it with other narcotic substances, he said. The ministry will set up a system to monitor those who may have mental problems caused by the wrong use of cannabis, he said.

"We will have a team of psychiatrists in every province to offer help. We will also set up another team to look into road accident cases that could be linked to cannabis use," Mr Kiattiphum said. "We do need to set up preventive measures against improper cannabis use," he said.

The ministry has also set up a cannabis communications committee chaired by the ministry's permanent secretary which will educate the public on how to correctly use cannabis for health or commercial reasons. The communications committee will not cover recreational use which could result in drug addiction, he said.

Cannabis is no longer categorised as a narcotic. People can plant it legally, but they need to inform local authorities about any cannabis plantation, he said. The cannabis and hemp bill, now before parliament, will ban the sale of cannabis to pregnant women and people under 20 years old.

Panthep Puapongpan, the cannabis communications committee spokesman, said that the chance of cannabis addiction is low, or about 8% when compared with cigarettes and alcoholic drinks. Mr Panthep said cannabis has more benefits than harmful effects, which is the reason why it has been taken off the narcotics list.

"Eating food with an excessive amount of cannabis is more dangerous than smoking cannabis," Mr Panthep said.

"It has side effects such as panic attacks, rapid heart beats and high blood pressure. But I am sure no restaurant will use it the wrong way as customers will not come back if they suffer any side-effects," he said. The committee will educate people on how to use cannabis correctly.

According to the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there are 1,181 herbal products and traditional medicine cures that use cannabis. The value of cannabis products could reach 15 billion baht in 2026.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, parliament passed the first reading of the cannabis and hemp bill with 373 votes in favour, seven against, and 23 abstentions.

 

[Muthukali]

Go Pattaya if you want a joint

 

[Froggy]

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/can...-to-be-returned-to-drug-offenders-in-thailand

Sixteen tonnes of confiscated cannabis to be returned to drug offenders in Thailand
Published on Friday, June 10, 2022 11:34
By leah

In bonkers Thailand, the police are giving drug offenders their cannabis back. Now that cannabis is ‘legal’, sort of, Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board plans to return 16 tonnes of confiscated marijuana to its original owners, according to the board’s Secretary General Wichai Chaimongkol. The stockpiled cannabis is valued at 110 million baht.

Yesterday, all parts of the marijuana plant were delisted as a Category 5 narcotic in Thailand. Growing cannabis at home became legal and more than 3,000 “cannabis convicts” were released from prison. Now that the plant – including the THC-rich flowers – is no longer illegal, the ONCB has a special plan for 16 tonnes of confiscated cannabis…

“On June 9, marijuana was “unlocked.” It is no longer considered a Category 5 narcotic… so the ONCB is taking action to return assets to offenders in 99 marijuana cases. The assets are valued at 110 million baht.”

“Collectively, there are 16 tonnes of marijuana sitting at ONCB offices around Thailand waiting to be returned. The marijuana was confiscated between October 1 2021 and May 27 2022. Cannabis is no longer considered a drug, so it must be returned to its owners.”

In order for ex-offenders to get their cannabis back, they need to put in a request at the ONCB office in Din Daeng or the provincial office where the drug case took place, added Wichai.

Wichai said that he is still against the recreational use of cannabis, but because the plant is no longer an illegal drug, it is only fair that the confiscated cannabis is returned home. The intended use of cannabis is for medicinal purposes, he added.

We hate to break it to you, Wichai, but we’re not convinced that mountain of cannabis will be used ‘medicinally’.

SOURCE: Thai Rath

 

[Froggy]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Th...=1&pub_date=20220609190000&seq_num=5&si=44594

Thailand delists marijuana as narcotic, releases 3,071 inmates
De facto cannabis decriminalization ahead of new law stirs concerns over misuse

A Thai smokes a joint in Bangkok on April 20 during a demonstration promoting the recreational use of marijuana. © Getty Images
APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT, Nikkei staff writerJune 9, 2022 14:17 JST

BANGKOK -- Thailand's decriminalization of cannabis, delisting hemp and marijuana as narcotics on Thursday, in effect sparks a fresh controversy.

With the change, the Thai government allowed individuals to grow cannabis plants at home for health purposes. However, smoking cannabis recreationally remains unlawful, punishable by a fine of 25,000 baht ($723) and up to three months in jail. Commercial cultivation without a license is not allowed either.

Despite limiting cannabis to medical use, Thailand is widely deemed to be the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize the use of marijuana, and critics have raised concerns about regulatory loopholes that could create more addicts.

Also on Thursday, Thailand began freeing 3,071 inmates who had been convicted of cannabis-related crimes. "The Corrections Department has prepared some paperwork in advance in order to facilitate the courts to issue release orders," said Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin.

Thais had mixed feelings on the release of the prisoners. Some said it was all right, since cannabis has been decriminalized. However, others feared that the inmates could commit new crimes.

Cannabis use among young Thais has risen since 2019, when the government started pushing for legalization. © Getty Images

"Legalizing cannabis for medical purposes is useful," said a 28-year-old office worker in Bangkok. "But I am not sure those prisoners released from jails are ready to return to society."

Thailand took its first step toward legalizing cannabis in 2019, when the government allowed people to use it for medical purposes. Last year it approved cannabis as an additive to food and drinks. This encouraged food processors and restaurants to add marijuana to everything from traditional Thai dishes to bread, cookies and pizza.

While the deregulation will help the economy grow with new products and services, some people raised concerns over its dark side of loopholes creating the potential for addiction -- the decriminalization took effect before the issuance of the new Cannabis-Hemp Act, which is expected to regulate cannabis and prevent its use as a narcotic.

A cannabis edibles store operates in the open in Bangkok in February. © EPA/Jiji

"What we know for sure now is that cannabis can be grown and used freely, and we may see marijuana being sold in the open on roadsides," police Maj. Gen. Pichai Sangchanchai said, concerned that deregulation without the new act "will allow teenagers to access the drug easily."

Rasmon Kalayasiri, director of the Center for Addiction Studies, warned, "No one can confirm that the existing law can stop people from smoking marijuana [recreationally] if they do it secretly at home or somewhere else."

The authorities also have made contradictory statements about how they will apply the law, causing confusion and possibly creating room for wrongdoers to break the rules.

A 35-year-old man who own a cannabis cafe right in the heart of Bangkok's Ladprao district can openly display and sell marijuana-smoking equipment without getting his business shut down, although smoking marijuana is not allowed for recreational purposes.

"Those marijuana pipes are sold as decorations," he told Nikkei Asia. "It's not my responsibility if clients want to use them to smoke at home. As long as they do not smoke it here, I'm not in the wrong."

Facebook has several fan pages gathering cannabis lovers and marijuana smokers, who frequently come together at events held by the groups. The Ganjachon (Cannabis People) page is a famous one, with more than 460,000 followers.

"People should have the right to live their own lives," said Rattapon Sanrak, a 35-year-old who supports the legalization of marijuana. "If they want to smoke [marijuana], they have right to do so. It's not the authorities' business."

But some doctors and health workers disagree with the liberalization because they fear that legalizing marijuana completely would allow more people to get addicted to it, leading to mental health problems and possibly even to addicts committing crimes.

Data from the Center of Addiction Studies shows that the number of people 18 or 19 years old who smoke marijuana has been rising substantially since 2019, when the government started pushing for the legalization of cannabis.

"Those who smoke marijuana habitually for about three years normally are diagnosed with a psychotic disorder," Rasmon said.

"The cat is out of the bag, and what concerns us the most is that during the period when we have no [new] law to control it, the number of new smokers will rise, and that will bring further problems."

Additional reporting by Kosuke Inoue in Bangkok.

 

[Froggy]

Black Canyon Coffee is a chain restaurant in Thailand and can be found everywhere. I rarely go to Black Canyon for anything but today had a very late breakfast there.

The restaurant

Counter

Dining area

My S$6.90 breakfast

This is known Kai Kata and is a very popular breakfast in the province of Udonthani many said it’s brought by Vietnamese during the war

 

[Froggy]

Felt like having a nice piece of meat my choice is always El Gaucho at Thonglor

Fresh and warm bread

Always have a nice Malbec with the meat here

Starters - Jamón Serrano Ham

Cheese

Avocado salad

The star of the dinner - 1.7kg tomahawk

Slowly carved

Dinner is ready

Finally what's left

 

[Froggy]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/L...1&pub_date=20220610190000&seq_num=29&si=44594

Central Bangkok redevelops around new green heart
Major public open space projects aim to transform urban face of Thai capital

The retention pond at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park acts as a leisure amenity. (Courtesy of Chulalongkorn University/Landprocess)
KEN BARRETT, Contributing writerJune 10, 2022 08:00 JST

BANGKOK -- Canny taxi drivers had always known a way to avoid the tailback that afflicts Bangkok's worst junction, at Soi Asoke on the city's famous Sukhumvit Road, by turning left into the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center car park. The turn brought them into an immense estate of green lawns, flame trees and stately old buildings before emerging through a small gateway into the top end of Sukhumvit.

This hidden land was occupied until 2018 by the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly, now located about 80 km north of Bangkok at Ayutthaya. Far from being given over to commercial development, however, this prime land has been turned into a public park that is so novel it is helping to redefine this part of the city center.

Benjakitti Forest Park is not a carefully landscaped municipal park but a wilderness with swamps, tiny islands, a network of water channels and a lotus lake, all threaded by pathways and a cycle trail. A green amphitheater has been created for live performances, and the park has already become an attraction for locals, in part because of a skywalk that links it to the long-established 57-hectare Lumpini Park, 1 km away.

The forest park has no need to use the public water supply, for its wetlands are fed entirely by wastewater from local communities, much of it drawn from the nearby Phai Singto canal. Designed by a community and environmental architectural studio that is part of Thailand's not-for-profit Arsom Silp Institute of the Arts, and with infrastructure built by the Royal Thai Army, the park acts like a gigantic sponge, soaking up stormwater during the rainy season and helping to alleviate Bangkok's perennial flooding problem.

The new park adjoins the preexisting Benjakitti Park, officially opened in 2004 on land that had also been used by the tobacco monopoly. This earlier venture consists largely of a lake, formed from the ponds used for washing the tobacco leaves. Together, the parks cover 72 hectares, making the area Bangkok's second-largest park.

Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park, which takes up an entire block of Bangkok’s city center, was a forerunner of Benjakitti Forest Park. (Courtesy of Chulalongkorn University/Landprocess)

Until now, no one would have described Bangkok as a green city, not least because it has the unenviable reputation of having one of the lowest ratios of public green space per resident among 22 of Asia's biggest cities, with just 7 sq. meters, compared to an average of 39 sq. meters for the Asian Green City Index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Green Bangkok 2030 project, announced a couple of years ago, aims to increase the ratio to 10 sq. meters by 2030 -- beyond the World Health Organization's recommended minimum of 9 sq. meters.

Although Bangkok's present rating is possibly not quite as dismal as it appears -- the index average is distorted somewhat by a few high-scoring cities such as Guangzhou, with 166 sq. meters per resident, Hong Kong with 105 sq. meters and Singapore with 66 sq. meters -- the new park is helpfully nudging the ratio toward the 2030 goal.

The forest park takes part of its inspiration from the Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park, about 3 km away, near to the Siam Square shopping and entertainment district. Designed by N7A Architects, with landscaping by Landprocess, and laid out to commemorate the university's 100th anniversary in 2017, Centenary Park takes up a city block of almost 5 hectares. A constructed wetland with a rain garden, a water retention pond and an enormous green roof covering storage tanks and a museum, the park collects and absorbs rain along with wastewater from the neighboring areas, which is treated by the park's filtration system.

The Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, which has been completely rebuilt, sits on the edge of the new Benjakitti Forest Park. (Courtesy of Queen Sirikit National Convention Center)

Benjakitti Forest Park is one of the key elements of a massive rebuilding program, the most extensive since this part of Bangkok was laid out in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which is reshaping the city center while at the same time increasing the proportion of green space.

On the edge of the forest park is the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, built in 1991 but closed a few years ago for rebuilding. The revamped center will reopen in September as the city's premier conference and events venue, and has been designed with environmental features that include water efficiency, natural light and ventilation and 5,400 sq. meters of solar panels on the roof. With vastly improved facilities, shops and restaurants, and direct access to the park and lake, the center will play an active role in the local community.

New hotels, residential apartments, offices, shops, and a 550-bed private hospital are opening around the southern side of the convention center site and the forest park, forming an entirely new residential and business center along Rama IV Road, previously a glum and seedy district occupied by old shophouses and the famed Lumpini Boxing Stadium.

Top: Dusit Central Park will include a reimagining of the classic old Dusit Thani hotel, which has been demolished. Bottom: The park will feature a roof garden that blends visually into Lumpini Park. (Courtesy of Dusit International)

Completing this new district when it begins its phased opening next year, and facing Lumpini Park, will be One Bangkok, a massive development built and operated by TCC Group and Frasers Property Holdings. Occupying land previously occupied by Suan Lum Night Bazaar, One Bangkok will consist of multiple towers, including the 92-story Signature Tower, with 8 hectares of its total of 17 hectares given over to public green space.

On the southern edge of Lumpini Park stood the well-known Dusit Thani hotel, demolished two years ago. Opened in 1970 as one of the city's first five-star hotels, it is being replaced by Dusit Central Park, a venture between Dusit Thani and Central Pattana. Covering 44 hectares of land in the core central business district, Dusit Central Park will be a distinctive reimagining of the Dusit Thani hotel, with offices residences and a high-end shopping complex. The design also includes more than 1 hectare of public roof park some 20 meters above the ground, providing a visual blending with Lumpini Park.

On the northern edge of Lumpini Park, Sindhorn Village opened in 2020 and spans 9 hectares of prime land that had previously been occupied by shophouses and piecemeal developments. Intended to evoke the sensation of living in a residential extension to the Lumpini parkland, the village includes residencies, a five-star hotel, shops and restaurants along a pedestrianized street, and has a green park of more than 2 hectares.

Top: A failed elevated railway project, sandwiched between two lanes of a road bridge across the Chao Phraya River, has been transformed into an aerial park. (Courtesy of Landprocess) Bottom: Sindhorn Village is a new development styled as a residential extension to Lumpini Park. (Courtesy of Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok)

All these new developments are easily accessible from mass transit stations, and in the case of Dusit Central Park from both subway and Skytrain stations.

Bangkok has substantial areas of derelict and underused land that could be converted to green public areas, and a number of other projects are underway or have recently been completed. Chulalongkorn University's Urban Design and Development Center, the BMA, Landprocess and N7A were responsible for transforming the viaduct of a failed elevated railway project that crosses the Chao Phraya River at the Phra Pok Klao Bridge and is now the 280-meter-long Chao Phraya Sky Park, a linear garden that connects to parks on either side of the river.

More parkland will open in 2024 in the Dusit inner suburb, where the site of the now-closed Nang Loeng Racecourse of the Royal Turf Club is being transformed into a 45-hectare public park to commemorate the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

At Benjakitti Forest Park, it is likely that a rear exit from the enlarged convention center site will be constructed to allow traffic to disgorge onto a road that runs alongside the railway line, bringing vehicles out close to the earlier shortcut through the tobacco monopoly site at the start of Sukhumvit Road. That way, even the taxi drivers will be happy. You don't often see a happy taxi driver in Bangkok.

 

[mudhatter]

a loot more vibrant and lively modern than stinkypura anytime anywhere

 

[Froggy]

Just applied a ThaiPass a few minutes ago, received email said it will be ready in 1-2hrs. This is a big jump improvement.

 

[Froggy]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Tu...=1&pub_date=20220613123000&seq_num=2&si=44594

Three years on, walls start closing in on Thai leader Prayuth
Cracks form within ruling coalition as countdown to next election begins

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha may soon face another vote of no confidence. © Reuters
YOHEI MURAMATSU, Nikkei staff writerJune 11, 2022 13:05 JST

BANGKOK -- Thailand's Prayuth Chan-ocha faces an increasingly precarious position three years since he became prime minister, amid speculation that part of the ruling coalition could break ranks in an upcoming vote of no confidence.

On June 3, shortly after the lower house passed the draft fiscal 2023 budget, Prayuth said that "the overwhelming support for the bill reflects the increased stability of the government."

But the fate of the measure had been in question until the eleventh hour. Frustrated by their position within the pro-military ruling coalition, around 40 lawmakers from smaller parties were said to be considering opposing the bill.

Prayuth persuaded them to toe the line by promising parliamentary committee posts to their parties, local media report. The draft budget was ultimately passed with a vote of 278-192.

But Prayuth's troubles are far from over. The opposition led by the Pheu Thai Party, run by allies of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is expected to submit a motion for a vote of no confidence in the coming weeks. Some believe that the same parties that considered breaking from the ruling coalition over the budget may actually do so for this vote.

At the heart of such speculation is Thamanat Prompow, who was secretary-general of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party until January. Thamanat was booted from the party over a failed attempt to turn against Prayuth in a separate no-confidence vote last September.

He now leads a different party within the ruling coalition and voted in favor of the budget. But he is said to still harbor ill will against Prayuth and is seen possibly leading another push to oust him.

Prayuth led the 2014 coup and subsequently became head of the military junta. After being elected prime minister by the parliament on June 5, 2019, he was officially appointed to the post by the king on June 11, 2019, a few months after the country's first general election since the coup.

The lower house's current term expires in March 2023. A new election must be held no later than May under the Thai constitution -- less than a year away.

Meanwhile, Prayuth and his pro-military ruling party face growing public pushback due to their crackdown on pro-democracy movements as well as Thailand's sluggish economic recovery from the coronavirus.

In the Bangkok gubernatorial race this May, widely seen as a bellwether of the next general election, Chadchart Sittipunt, a pro-Thaksin candidate, beat Aswin Kwanmuang, a former military-appointed governor who resigned just before the election, by a landslide. Palang Pracharath won just two seats in the Bangkok Metropolitan Council that day, despite having fielded candidates in all 50 districts.

The "big loss" has put Prayuth in a "difficult position," said Prajak Kongkirati, an associate professor on the faculty of political science at Thammasat University here, adding that his "popularity is coming down."

Thailand is the chair of this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings and is scheduled to host the APEC summit in Bangkok this November.

"There's a view within the ruling party that Prayuth can't compete in the general election," a foreign diplomatic insider in Thailand said. "Even if he survives the no-confidence vote, there will be a growing push for him to resign voluntarily after the APEC summit."

The prime minister could still employ forceful political measures to tighten his grip on power again. He repeatedly postponed elections to transition the country back to democracy after the 2014 coup, and in 2020, the military-influenced Constitutional Court dissolved the opposition Future Forward Party.

 

[Froggy]

Just applied a ThaiPass a few minutes ago, received email said it will be ready in 1-2hrs. This is a big jump improvement.

As promised the ThaiPass was approved in 56 minutes this time. A round of applause to ThaiPass.

 

[Froggy]

Prices of 95 octane benzene has really gone through the roof with prices rising almost 50% since beginning of the year.

That's $2.15 per litre

 

[Froggy]

Dinner at an Isaan restaurant last night

Love restaurants like this with lots of parking space

Very simple and rustic

Outdoor dining

Indoor dining

Raw vegetables

Deep fried duck beak

Grilled pork collar meat

Grilled chicken (whole)

Somtam with crab

Chicken tamarind tomyam

Korat style fried glass noodle

The spread

All these with 2 bottles of Heineken and a bottle of Coke costs only 930 baht or $37.00

 

[Froggy]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Bu...1&pub_date=20220615123000&seq_num=29&si=44594

A king's best friend: Thailand sees pet ownership boom
Businesses rush to grab a piece of billion-dollar market

Thailand's pet owner population grew to combat the plague of COVID loneliness. © Reuters
KOSUKE INOUE, Nikkei staff writerJune 15, 2022 03:37 JST

BANGKOK -- Thailand is becoming one of the fastest growing markets for the pet industry, with the bonanza sparked by the effects of COVID isolation and a special royal bond.

The boom was on full display at last month's Pet Expo, held in the Bangkok suburbs. Tens of thousands thronged the more than 300 booths featuring hawkers selling pet food, toys and services connecting animals in shelters with new owners.

"I got these at a 10% discount off the usual price," said a visitor accompanied by three chihuahuas, referring to bag full of dog treats and dental care products.

The expo drew 127,000 people during its four-day run surpassing its attendance in 2019, even though it was held in a smaller venue.

Thailand's pet market stood at 44 billion baht ($1.2 billion) in 2021, according to local financial group Krungthai Bank. The market is projected to expand to 66.7 billion baht by 2026.

According to one survey, 70% of pet owners see their pets as part of the family. That bond has apparently led to higher spending on pet care.

Pet ownership boomed during the pandemic as people turned to animals to make up for a loss of human conduct as lockdowns forced people to stay at home.

However, the rise in pet popularity goes beyond the pandemic. It is believed Thailand's royal family laid the groundwork for the pet boom.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the previous monarch who died in 2016, was known for adopting a stray puppy in Bangkok. The media regularly covered the king with his dog, Tongdaeng, in tow during visits of provinces.

Because the public loved Bhumibol, many citizens began to treat dogs with more respect. Shelters for stray dogs were reportedly established in keeping with that trend.

Thai corporations have entered the pet market to take advantage of the boom. Store operator Central Retail launched a chain, Pet n' Me, in Bangkok last October.

"Central Retail will open the stores at a clip of four to eight locations a year," according to Ty Chirathivat, the company's chief financial officer. The outlets will be housed in shopping centers, such as Central Retail's Robinson Lifestyle chain of malls. The group will also roll out pet salons and veterinary clinics.

"It will have annual sales of 2 billion baht by 2027, making it the largest pet goods chain in the country," Ty said.

 

[Froggy]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Tr...1&pub_date=20220615190000&seq_num=23&si=44594

Thai hotels court Indian and local tourists to fill China void
Europeans top returnees but cannot match Arab and Chinese spending

Reviving Thailand's tourism industry will involve reduced dependence on the China market, more arrivals from new markets, and maintaining attention on domestic travelers. © Reuters
FRANCESCA REGALADO, Nikkei staff writerJune 15, 2022 12:33 JST

BANGKOK -- In a bid to reduce its dependence on any one country as it revives its once tourism-dependent economy, Thailand is luring visitors from India, the Middle East and its neighbors in Southeast Asia.

"We aim to exceed pre-COVID revenue by 2024," Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the minister of tourism and sports, said last week. "Although the number of tourists will not be as high as pre-COVID levels, the emphasis will be on quality tourists who respect our environment."

The minister was speaking at a hotel strategy announcement by a leading conglomerate. It was an unusual appearance that signaled how closely the public and private sectors are joining hands to resuscitate tourism.

Phiphat is tasked with reviving the tourism industry that comprises about 12% of Thailand's gross domestic product. That will involve reducing dependency on China -- which provided more than a quarter of arrivals in 2019 -- by attracting tourists from other markets, and maintaining the attention of domestic travelers.

Even before COVID, Thailand has tried without much success to diversify from the sheer number of Chinese arrivals. If the strategy succeeds, it could set the model for Southeast Asia's other tourism-dependent economies as local and regional populations continue to grow in numbers and spending power.

"We want to break down the old concept that when you think about hotels, you're thinking about international tourism only," said Wallaya Chirathivat, chief executive of Central Pattana, which unveiled its midterm plans on Thursday.

The retail property development arm of Central Group on Thursday announced 37 new hotel projects in Thailand spanning three price-segmented brands, in addition to 49 existing properties in nine countries. Central Pattana is aiming for hotels to generate 10% of revenues within five years, catching up with retail, residential and office property earnings, Wallaya said.

"Many have asked why Central Pattana started a hotel business at this time," said Phoom Chirathivat, the company's head of hotels.

"The domestic tourism market is still growing and can recover faster than the international market," he said.

As an example, the domestic market kept occupancy in Indonesia afloat throughout COVID, accounting for more than 90% of rooms sold by French hotel group Accor last year.

"One thing we taught ourselves is to work heavily in that domestic market to make sure we don't lose that in the future," said Garth Simmons, chief executive of Accor Southeast Asia.

In Thailand, 30 million Thais traveled around the country last year, nearing the 38 million seen in 2019. "Vacation, staycation and digital nomads -- these are the groups that are likely to grow," said Phiphat.

Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, center, appeared at Central Pattana's recent press conference to announce its hotel investment strategy. (Photo by Francesca Regalado)

Hoteliers have seen more stable performances during the pandemic in destinations easily reached by car from major metropolises like Bangkok and Jakarta. The first new Central hotel to be opened will be in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima, known as Korat, 220 km northeast of Bangkok.

An industrial park in the province has attracted several Japanese manufacturers, including Canon, bringing along business travelers. Central said its nationwide development projects will create 3,900 jobs, a particularly urgent need in Thailand's underdeveloped northeast.

"We found that the hotel market of Nakhon Ratchasima province has great potential, and average occupancy tends to be longer," said Phoom.

Stays in Thailand have grown longer as Europeans, who stayed an average of 16.82 days in 2019, topped international arrivals this year and last. But European spending has not matched that of Chinese tourists who remain locked down at home.

Tourism receipts are at a third of pre-COVID levels and may only grow to half by year's end without Chinese arrivals, said Somprawin Manprasert, the chief economist at SCB Economic Intelligence Center.

As summer temperatures peak in the Middle East and India, the tourism ministry has held roadshows for potential tourists there to meet the minister's revenue target of 1.5 trillion baht this year. Kuwait, Egypt, U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia led in per capita expenditure in 2019, with average spending of more than 6,800 baht per day.

Tourism will be a major growth engine in the Thai economy in the near term, according to SCB, as the signs of recession in the U.S. and Europe cloud the Thai export forecast. The research house raised its projection for international tourists this year from 5.7 million to 7.4 million thanks to pent-up travel demand in Southeast Asia, India and Europe.

But roadblocks remain in Thailand's path to tap into this demand, including inflation eroding travel budgets and constrained airline capacity.

Phiphat said last week said he will propose to the cabinet removing Thailand Pass, the last COVID-era barrier to entry. The online pass requires only flight and accommodation details and a vaccination record, with no need for a negative COVID test.

"It's another requirement that makes you less desirable as a destination," said Simmons.

 

[shittypore]

It will be dark days for Thailand.

 

[TheGreatWhite]

It will be dark days for Thailand.

Huh why?

 

[Froggy]

My breakfast this morning - Thai Beef Noodle

 

[Froggy]

Simple dinner at a Thai roadside restaurant near home

My drink - whiskey soda

Kale with pork

Grilled squid

Chicken wings

Boiled fish