Jan 3, 2015, 10:09 pm
Last edit by: aBroadAbroad
This thread is for Thailand news/events and general discussion. It is meant to reduce clutter in the main forum. If you notice a topic here that deserves its own thread, please alert a moderator.
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Special thanks to FlyerTalker Kalboz for launching the original Thai News & Open Discussion lounge back in 2009!
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Special thanks to FlyerTalker Kalboz for launching the original Thai News & Open Discussion lounge back in 2009!
Thailand Forum Lounge-Thread: Thai News & Open Discussion
Oct 19, 2018, 6:02 am
#1081
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
Nevermind...I read it to be a done deal, rather than a trial balloon.
Ministry backtracks on visa fee waiver plan
The government's plans to exempt tourists from visa-on-arrival fees to attract foreign travellers is unlikely to happen this year, according to Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat. He said at...
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business...ee-waiver-plan
In other news...
THAI 'sorry' passengers forced to vacate seats for crew
The Thai Airways International president has apologised to two passengers forced to give up their first-class seats for two off-duty pilots deadheading from Zurich to Bangkok.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gen...seats-for-crew
Ministry backtracks on visa fee waiver plan
The government's plans to exempt tourists from visa-on-arrival fees to attract foreign travellers is unlikely to happen this year, according to Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat. He said at...
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business...ee-waiver-plan
In other news...
THAI 'sorry' passengers forced to vacate seats for crew
The Thai Airways International president has apologised to two passengers forced to give up their first-class seats for two off-duty pilots deadheading from Zurich to Bangkok.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gen...seats-for-crew
Oct 22, 2018, 11:53 pm
#1082
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ*G, Mar LTT, Hyatt Glb, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,018
Oct 25, 2018, 5:31 pm
#1085
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SNA/LAX
Programs: Hertz PC, Hilton DMD, IHG Spire Amb, Bonvoy Titanium Elite & WoH Globalist
Posts: 8,076
Dumbass Tourists Facing 10 Years in Prison for Vandalizing Ancient Thai Wall 
https://thepointsguy.com/news/touris...ent-thai-wall/
According to Reuters, Brittney Schneider of Canada and Furlong Lee of the UK were arrested last Friday for defacing an ancient wall in Chiang Mai.
The tourists, both 23, were caught spray-painting remains of a 13th-century fortress near the Tha Phae Gate. And it’s going to be hard for either Schneider or Lee to convince authorities to go easy on them. Reuters reported that the pair was documented committing the crime on a CCTV.
https://thepointsguy.com/news/touris...ent-thai-wall/
According to Reuters, Brittney Schneider of Canada and Furlong Lee of the UK were arrested last Friday for defacing an ancient wall in Chiang Mai.
The tourists, both 23, were caught spray-painting remains of a 13th-century fortress near the Tha Phae Gate. And it’s going to be hard for either Schneider or Lee to convince authorities to go easy on them. Reuters reported that the pair was documented committing the crime on a CCTV.
Oct 30, 2018, 7:58 pm
#1088
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
Please let them get some jail time.
Why? As punishment? Or to "send a message"?
I will stipulate that this was a stupid thing for this young woman, and young man, to do, even if highly intoxicated.
Everywhere I go here in Thailand I see thousands of examples of graffiti - specifically tags - done by Thais. Everything is covered with graffiti - a new telcomms streetside cab. in my neighborhood was tagged ~ 5 times in less than one day.
Additionally, there is a robust artistic graffiti movement here, which seems condoned by the "authorities" as long as it is not critical of the ruling military Junta.
Thai prisons are chock-a-block with prisoners - quite high incarceration rates, mostly "commoners" on very low-level drugs charges. Jailing these two, assuming they are found guilty of some crime which requires a sentence, will be costly to the state. And if something were to happen to them in jail - which might be gleefully accepted by the "lock-'em-up" crowd - it would reflect very badly on Thailand.
Personally, I might ask them to make a PSA for Youtube, pay for the cleaning or even help clean it, and then ban them from entry for five years.
Letting a wealthy person roam free after sending nine people plunging to their deaths, or contributing to the death of a police officer, or shooting a police officer in front of hundreds of witnesses, and then jailing two young people for a stupid activity seems to send a mixed message?
Just not seeing a strong case for incarceration here, other than to satisfy some creepy "lust"?
This video was published yesterday, a bit of a cross-over: graffiti, Chiang Mai, prison...maybe worth a visit before it is demolished?
Why? As punishment? Or to "send a message"?
I will stipulate that this was a stupid thing for this young woman, and young man, to do, even if highly intoxicated.
Everywhere I go here in Thailand I see thousands of examples of graffiti - specifically tags - done by Thais. Everything is covered with graffiti - a new telcomms streetside cab. in my neighborhood was tagged ~ 5 times in less than one day.
Additionally, there is a robust artistic graffiti movement here, which seems condoned by the "authorities" as long as it is not critical of the ruling military Junta.
Thai prisons are chock-a-block with prisoners - quite high incarceration rates, mostly "commoners" on very low-level drugs charges. Jailing these two, assuming they are found guilty of some crime which requires a sentence, will be costly to the state. And if something were to happen to them in jail - which might be gleefully accepted by the "lock-'em-up" crowd - it would reflect very badly on Thailand.
Personally, I might ask them to make a PSA for Youtube, pay for the cleaning or even help clean it, and then ban them from entry for five years.
Letting a wealthy person roam free after sending nine people plunging to their deaths, or contributing to the death of a police officer, or shooting a police officer in front of hundreds of witnesses, and then jailing two young people for a stupid activity seems to send a mixed message?
Just not seeing a strong case for incarceration here, other than to satisfy some creepy "lust"?
This video was published yesterday, a bit of a cross-over: graffiti, Chiang Mai, prison...maybe worth a visit before it is demolished?
Oct 31, 2018, 8:27 am
#1089
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,755
Oct 31, 2018, 10:21 am
#1090
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
Nov 7, 2018, 5:56 pm
#1091
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
Looks like this may be back on, again?
Cabinet waives visa-on-arrival fee for 21 countries
The cabinet on Tuesday gave the green light to waive the visa-on arrival fee for visitors from 21 countries for two months to give the tourism industry a much-needed boost.
Government spokesman Buddhipongse Punnakanta said the cabinet agreed with a draft ministerial regulation to waive the 2,000-baht fee from Dec 1 to Jan 31 for visitors staying in the country for no more than 15 days.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gen...r-21-countries
Nov 7, 2018, 6:44 pm
#1092
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
Looks like this may be back on, again?
Cabinet waives visa-on-arrival fee for 21 countries
The cabinet on Tuesday gave the green light to waive the visa-on arrival fee for visitors from 21 countries for two months to give the tourism industry a much-needed boost.
Government spokesman Buddhipongse Punnakanta said the cabinet agreed with a draft ministerial regulation to waive the 2,000-baht fee from Dec 1 to Jan 31 for visitors staying in the country for no more than 15 days.
Cabinet waives visa-on-arrival fee for 21 countries
The cabinet on Tuesday gave the green light to waive the visa-on arrival fee for visitors from 21 countries for two months to give the tourism industry a much-needed boost.
Government spokesman Buddhipongse Punnakanta said the cabinet agreed with a draft ministerial regulation to waive the 2,000-baht fee from Dec 1 to Jan 31 for visitors staying in the country for no more than 15 days.
Oh ya, TiT @:-)
Nov 8, 2018, 1:33 am
#1093
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
The explanation I read was that it was in hopes of luring Chinese tourists during the high season since their numbers have dropped a lot since the Phuket accident killing many Chinese.
Nov 8, 2018, 2:16 am
#1094
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
India, another big tourist origination point for Thailand, is also VoA.
It's a lot of revenue, figure ~ 2.0+ million at 2,000 baht a pop. And Imm. can't collect "tips" any longer.
Not sure how this will induce a lot of incremental tourism given it's pre-CNY, and people probably plan a bit farther out?
Maybe tour operators will flash sale Thai trips by discounting this 2,000 baht?
It's a lot of revenue, figure ~ 2.0+ million at 2,000 baht a pop. And Imm. can't collect "tips" any longer.
Not sure how this will induce a lot of incremental tourism given it's pre-CNY, and people probably plan a bit farther out?
Maybe tour operators will flash sale Thai trips by discounting this 2,000 baht?
Nov 8, 2018, 8:53 am
#1095
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
