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Phuket Marriott Merlin Beach and Andamanda continue Water Heroes Project for second year

Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach, in collaboration with Andamanda Phuket, has launched the second year of the Water Heroes Project Phuket, a community initiative that provides water safety training to local students. The programme began on July 3, 2026, and will provide practical...

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  • OUTRIGGER Phi Phi Island Resort welcomes guests into the ‘Soul of Rest’ with sustainable, locally inspired design concept

    OUTRIGGER Phi Phi Island Resort welcomes guests into the ‘Soul of Rest’ with sustainable, locally inspired design concept

    OUTRIGGER Phi Phi Island Resort, the five-star sanctuary nestled on the powder-soft sands of Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands, is set to open its doors this May 2026, unveiling a new beachside sanctuary that showcases authentic Southern Thai design and introduces guests to the concept of “Nit Thra” – the “soul of rest,” which encourages harmony, …

  • Agoda’s plan to make everything possible for its partners in 2026

    Agoda’s plan to make everything possible for its partners in 2026

    Most people know Agoda as the app they use to book a hotel. What is less visible is the scale of what the company is building behind the scenes, a B2B partner ecosystem that powers travel for banks, airlines, retail platforms, and loyalty programmes across the globe. At a media roundtable held at Agoda’s new …

  • Thailand or Cambodia for Songkran 2026: Which festival fits your travel style?

    Thailand or Cambodia for Songkran 2026: Which festival fits your travel style?

    Here is something to consider today: the land border between Thailand and Cambodia has been closed since mid-2025. Armed conflict along the shared border escalated to the point where multiple governments, including the UK and US, now advise against travel near the border zone. If you were planning to combine both countries overland for Songkran …

  • Thailand’s April heat can kill, but it can also bankrupt you

    Thailand’s April heat can kill, but it can also bankrupt you

    The heat in Thailand in April is not just uncomfortable. It is, by measurable standards, medically dangerous. Air temperatures regularly hit 40°C and above, but the number that actually matters is the heat index, which is how hot it feels when humidity is factored in. In Bangkok, that figure climbs to around 53°C on an …

  • SRT sets deadline for 3-Airport High-Speed Rail contract changes

    SRT sets deadline for 3-Airport High-Speed Rail contract changes

    State Railway of Thailand sets July 2026 deadline for 3-Airport High-Speed Rail contract changes Anan Phonimdang, Deputy Governor and Acting Governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), has provided an update on the Thai-Chinese High-Speed Rail project (Phase 1: Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima). A key focus remains on Contract 4-1, the 15.21-kilometer Bang Sue-Don Mueang section, …

  • 6 ways your transit route can affect entry into Thailand

    6 ways your transit route can affect entry into Thailand

    Most travellers spend time making sure their visa is in order, their passport is valid, and they have enough cash before flying to Thailand. What far fewer people think about is the route they take to get there. The hub you connect through, how your tickets are booked, and even where you stopped two weeks …

  • Why the Japanese people love Thais so much, though there are still a few ‘what on earth?’ moments

    Why the Japanese people love Thais so much, though there are still a few ‘what on earth?’ moments

    According to a regular annual survey by the Japanese Cabinet Office, Thailand consistently ranks among the countries Japanese people feel most warmly towards, usually second only to Taiwan. Japanese tourists in Thailand often seem especially relaxed. They appear more cheerful, open and at ease than they do back home. They smile more easily, speak to …

  • Escobar Jungle Party puts Koh Tao on Thailand’s best nightlife destinations

    Escobar Jungle Party puts Koh Tao on Thailand’s best nightlife destinations

    When people think of nightlife in Thailand, the first thing that often comes to mind is the famous Full Moon Party. Their mind might also think about the bustling nightclubs in Bangkok or even the Walking Street in Pattaya. But in 2022, there’s a new destination rising fast, Koh Tao, an island that’s quickly becoming …

  • Can immigration check your phone when you arrive in Thailand?

    Can immigration check your phone when you arrive in Thailand?

    Deep forensic searches of phones at Thai immigration are extremely rare. Most travellers pass through without anyone touching their devices. However, your phone will likely be required for border crossing, as Thailand now requires digital documentation for entry. The chances that phone immigration will search your phone when you enter Thailand will be slim, but …

  • Why flying this Songkran 2026 might actually be cheaper than you think

    Why flying this Songkran 2026 might actually be cheaper than you think

    Flights that normally cost 1,500 baht are hitting 8,000 baht during Songkran 2026. If you haven’t booked yet, you’re running late, but not out of options. Thailand’s April 13 to 15 public holidays create a natural five-day break that will push roughly 2.7 million domestic passengers through the country’s six major airports. The good news? …

  • Here is why Thai locals are fed up with Visa-free Tourists

    Here is why Thai locals are fed up with Visa-free Tourists

    Sitting in a Nimman cafe in Chiang Mai, a Thai local notices a good-looking foreigner working on a laptop next to them for hours. Having ordered just one cup of coffee, this person is clearly not a tourist, nor are they here to relax. They sit quietly, working as if the cafe were their own …

  • Jungceylon kick offs their summer campaign in Phuket

    Jungceylon kick offs their summer campaign in Phuket

    Phuket Square Co., Ltd., the management of Jungceylon Shopping Center in Patong, Phuket, is preparing to welcome the summer season with a series of activities aimed at attracting food lovers and shopping enthusiasts through its Hot Summer Sale campaign, offering discounts of up to 70%. The campaign aims to promote Phuket to global travellers using …

  • Looking for a family-friendly resort in Phuket? Here’s what Karon Beach has to offer

    Looking for a family-friendly resort in Phuket? Here’s what Karon Beach has to offer

    When you start planning a family holiday to Phuket, the big question that always comes first is, “Where can you stay that keeps everyone happy?” You want a beach that feels safe and walkable, a hotel with enough space for kids to burn off energy, and restaurants that don’t turn every meal into a negotiation. …

  • From fashion to private jets: New luxury ecosystem shapes Thailand’s high-end travel landscape

    From fashion to private jets: New luxury ecosystem shapes Thailand’s high-end travel landscape

    Luxury in Thailand is evolving beyond traditional markers of wealth such as hotels, shopping and real estate, as lifestyle brands, mobility and curated experiences increasingly shape how high-net-worth travellers engage with the destination. Rather than focusing solely on luxury goods or property ownership, affluent consumers are prioritising lifestyle, identity and personal experiences. This shift is …

  • 6 reasons you can be denied entry into Thailand

    6 reasons you can be denied entry into Thailand

    Thailand has significantly tightened its border controls since 2024, and what used to be casual entry procedures have become strict enforcement checkpoints. While most travellers enter without issues, understanding what can get you denied entry into Thailand and detained at the airport is essential for anyone planning a trip to the kingdom. The legal framework …

  • Indonesia Tourism Xchange 2026 to unite industry leaders for a forward-looking dialogue on the future of travel

    Indonesia Tourism Xchange 2026 to unite industry leaders for a forward-looking dialogue on the future of travel

    Indonesia’s tourism and hospitality sector will gain a new national industry platform with the launch of Indonesia Tourism Xchange 2026 (ITX 2026), a focused forum bringing together hotel owners, operators, investors, and senior decision-makers from across the archipelago to examine the forces shaping the country’s tourism economy at a time of renewed growth and increasing …

  • Best SIM cards to stay connected in Thailand (2026)

    Best SIM cards to stay connected in Thailand (2026)

    You’ve just landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport after a long flight to Bangkok. Your phone automatically searches for a network, and within seconds, you see the roaming charges: US$15 per day just to check Google Maps or message your hotel. For a two-week trip, that’s over US$200 before you’ve even left the airport. There’s a better …

  • Bangkok beats out hundreds of cities to land in the world’s top 5 for food

    Bangkok beats out hundreds of cities to land in the world’s top 5 for food

    Bangkok has just been named one of the best food cities in the world, and honestly, if you’ve eaten here, you already know that. A new study by UK-based long-haul travel specialists Travelbag ranked Bangkok fifth on their list of the world’s top foodie destinations for 2026. The ranking looked at four key factors across …

  • Kora Beach Resort Phuket wedding showcase recaps multi-cultural ceremonies on Valentine’s Eve

    Kora Beach Resort Phuket wedding showcase recaps multi-cultural ceremonies on Valentine’s Eve

    On the eve of Valentine’s Day, Kora Beach Resort Phuket made a statement about love in its grandest form through its wedding showcase, opening a new chapter in Phuket’s destination wedding story. A year since its grand opening, Kora Beach Resort Phuket has welcomed delegates from more than 120 countries when it served as an …

  • Middle East airspace disruption: What you need to know about delays and reroutes

    Middle East airspace disruption: What you need to know about delays and reroutes

    The Middle East airspace situation remains highly disrupted as of March 5, 2026, with conflict-driven closures, restrictions and airline suspensions affecting key routes between Europe and Asia. The disruption extends beyond airline cancellations, as airlines, regulators, cargo operators and passengers face a fast-changing risk environment shaped by military escalation, missile and air-defence threats, and navigation …

  • Makha Bucha Day 2026: What is it and why is it observed in Thailand?

    Makha Bucha Day 2026: What is it and why is it observed in Thailand?

    Makha Bucha Day is a national Buddhist holiday in Thailand observed on Tuesday, March 3 2026. It honours a pivotal event in early Buddhism more than 2,500 years ago, when 1,250 of the Buddha’s disciples spontaneously gathered to hear his teachings without prior arrangement, a moment seen as a reminder of commitment to Buddhist principles. Makha …

  • Stronger movement starts with a new summer recovery programme at Sole Mio Clinic Phuket

    Stronger movement starts with a new summer recovery programme at Sole Mio Clinic Phuket

    March in Phuket carries intensity with a brighter sun, longer days, and more outdoor activity. Whether it’s early morning training, golf under tropical skies, or balancing work and workouts as a digital nomad, the body works harder during this season. With heat and movement comes fatigue, stiffness, and hidden muscle imbalance. At Sole Mio Clinic, …

  • 10 things you absolutely cannot bring into Thailand

    10 things you absolutely cannot bring into Thailand

    Your vape just got you arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport. You thought it was fine, legal in your home country, tucked discreetly in your carry-on. But Thailand does not care if what you bring is legal back home. The customs officer is now holding your device, citing a 2014 import ban, and you are facing up …

  • Thailand Good Travel certification ceremony under the Thailand Green Plan 2030 initiative

    Thailand Good Travel certification ceremony under the Thailand Green Plan 2030 initiative

    Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, hosted the Thailand Good Travel Sustainable Tourism Certification Ceremony under the Thailand Green Plan 2030 initiative, held under the concept Champions of Change: Showcasing Models of Transformation Toward Sustainability. The event celebrated and honoured tourism destinations and operators that have successfully met national sustainability standards, while promoting …

  • Has Thailand lost its edge? Comparing expat life across Southeast Asia

    Has Thailand lost its edge? Comparing expat life across Southeast Asia

    The “Thailand lost its edge” narrative has become common expat discourse in 2025 and 2026. Bangkok rents climbed 8 to 12% year-on-year, visa enforcement tightened significantly, and a remittance tax shock led 55% of expats to consider leaving, according to a Thai Examiner survey. But Thailand climbed to 4th globally for expat satisfaction in the …

  • Arriving in Thailand with too much cash? Here’s what to do

    Arriving in Thailand with too much cash? Here’s what to do

    You step off the plane at Suvarnabhumi Airport with an oddly specific stack of US$25,000 tucked into your carry-on, maybe it’s relocation savings, a property deposit, or business capital. At the gate, the question hits you as you approach baggage claim: Do you need to declare this? The short answer: yes. But the exact threshold …

  • Why you still can’t get a direct flight from the US to Thailand

    Why you still can’t get a direct flight from the US to Thailand

    Thailand welcomed more than 35 million international visitors in 2024, and interest from US travellers continues to grow. Undoubtedly, Thailand has become a bucket-list destination for many Americans. Yet a question remains: Why are there still no direct flights between the United States and Thailand? In reality, the answer is quite complex. A mix of …

  • Takieng Phuket and Sand Box receive new international dining awards for Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa

    Takieng Phuket and Sand Box receive new international dining awards for Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa

    Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa continues to affirm its standing as one of Phuket’s leading culinary destinations, as its signature restaurants Takieng Phuket and Sand Box Beachfront Bar & Eatery receive prestigious accolades recognising their culinary excellence, distinctive experiences, and Takieng Phuket’s leading new dining awards for Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa’s exceptional beachfront settings. …

  • Is family health insurance in Thailand worth it?

    Is family health insurance in Thailand worth it?

    A family’s day in Thailand can change in an instant when an accident sends a child to the emergency room, with medical bills rising beyond USD 10,000 within hours. While Thailand appeals to many expat families for its safety, lifestyle, and education options, healthcare costs can be high, especially at private hospitals. For families living …

  • What to do in Bangkok this weekend (February 6 to 8)

    What to do in Bangkok this weekend (February 6 to 8)

    Bangkok weekends have a very specific energy. You start with one plan, accidentally add three more, and somehow end up eating something spicy at a time your body did not agree to. This weekend leans nicely into that chaos, with culture, books, beats and very strong opinions about tea all happening at once. Things to …