The essence of the Pattaya Move On scheme is the possibility of foreign tourists arriving at the Pattaya resort from countries with a low incidence of Covid-19 and who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with a certified vaccine. At the same time, it is planned to establish a maximum vaccine validity period of no more than 12 months from the date of the last injection. Children under 12 years old will be able to come to Pattaya without any additional conditions, but they will have to stay with their parents at all times. And children between the ages of 12 and 18 will need to provide a negative Covid-19 certificate based on a test taken no later than 72 hours before departure to Thailand.

The second rule, causing the maximum number of questions, is the place of residence of foreign tourists. It is assumed that they will only be required to reside in the Sattahip and Bang Lamung districts. In this case, we are talking about a limited list of hotels that will have a SHA (Safety and Health Administration) certificate. For 7 days, foreigners will be able to participate in a limited number of activities, the list of which will include a visit to the beach and some other activities permitted by local authorities. On the fifth day of stay in Pattaya, every foreigner will be required to take a new test for Covid-19. If the test result is negative, foreigners will be able to visit other areas of the province from the 7th day of their stay in the country until the end of the vacation.

An important element of the plan is the mass vaccination of local residents, which should reach 70% by October 2021. Currently, the vaccination rate in Thailand is not very high, but from June 7, it is planned to accelerate the rate of vaccination many times over. According to the plan, this requires the use of about 900 thousand doses of the vaccine. Another condition for the approval of the Pattaya Move On plan is the success of a similar plan for receiving foreign tourists in Phuket. On this tropical island, the tourist season is planned to open from July 1, so in 3 months it will be possible to draw the necessary conclusions about the effectiveness of such a plan and make some adjustments.

Covid-19 Vaccination Center in Pattaya

It should be noted that this plan is not final and can be changed at any time (which has already happened several times since the beginning of the pandemic). Also, such important questions as the movement of tourists remained unanswered. For example, will foreigners be transported from airports by special transport or will they get there on their own? Will foreigners who own real estate in Pattaya be able to stay in their own apartments for 7 days or will they also be required to stay in hotels? Finally, the list of events and places that foreign tourists will be able to visit during the first 7 days in the Kingdom is not clear.

In most of the thematic forums, foreigners were disappointed with the current plan. According to the authorities, the Pattaya Move On plan will eliminate the mandatory quarantine for foreigners. But in fact, foreigners will not be able to use the hotel search at the best price and will be required to stay in special hotels from a limited list. And, most importantly, foreigners are convinced that the cost of these hotels will be as high as the price of expensive hotels for a 14-day quarantine at present. In addition, it is not yet clear whether tourists will be able to move freely or will be limited to visiting the beach and hotel grounds. In the latter case, it is very strange to talk about the abolition of quarantine, because we are not talking about any freedom of movement and choice of place of residence.

Finally, the likelihood of new outbreaks of infection after the arrival of thousands of workers from remote provinces in Pattaya, who will certainly come to the resort after its opening for mass tourism, is a serious concern. If such workers are found to be unvaccinated, this will greatly reduce the overall vaccination rate in Pattaya. And with the next outbreak of the virus, strict quarantine measures may be introduced again for everyone, including tourists. Do you like the current Pattaya Move On plan or do you find it too strict and unacceptable for foreigners? Write in the comments.

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Despite the fact that the news is clearly positive for all those who have long missed Thailand and dream of returning to this country for a vacation or long stay, it should be understood that such plans may not come true. Firstly, the Thai authorities had previously announced a decrease in quarantine to 7 days, but after a few days they canceled this decision. Secondly, the rate of vaccination in Thailand is currently not overwhelming and only a few million people received the first dose of the vaccine, while the kingdom is home to almost 70 million people. It should be noted that until recent months in Thailand there was a very favorable situation with Covid-19 and only in April the country was covered by a new wave of the epidemic.

Thai dancers in national dress and face shields

According to the plan of the authorities in the provinces open for tourism, about 70% of local residents should be vaccinated. The mass vaccination is planned from July 2021, when a large shipment of vaccines from Western manufacturers will arrive in Thailand and the mass production of some vaccines will begin in Thailand. AstraZeneca, Sinovac and Johnson & Johnson are currently approved for use in the Kingdom of Thailand. Negotiations are underway to supply Thailand with Sputnik-V and Pfizer vaccines. Another positive factor for the abolition of mandatory quarantine will be a successful experiment on the island of Phuket, which is going to open to tourists from July 2021.

Currently, all arriving in the country are required to undergo a mandatory 2-week quarantine in special hotels, the cost of which is very high even for wealthy foreigners. In addition, even if the test results for Covid-19 are negative, those arriving in the country must stay in the hotel room for at least 1 week and only after 1 week they are allowed to leave the room and stay on the territory of the hotel, subject to all safety measures and social distancing. All this does not contribute to the popularity of holidays in Thailand, and after the introduction of such a rule in 2020, only a few thousand people agreed to come to Thailand with such restrictions. The rest could only remember Thailand and watch live webcams of Ko Samui or other resorts.

Thailand hotels and rested beaches await tourists

The Thai authorities hope that the opening of the country to tourists in October 2021 will revive the tourism industry in the Kingdom, which is in deep crisis after the outbreak of the pandemic and the closure of borders. At the same time, everyone understands that in the coming years, even with positive trends, it will be very difficult to achieve the indicators of 2019. It was a record-breaking year for Thailand, with nearly 40 million tourists visiting the country and they spended over $ 61 billion in the country. If the planned activities are successfully implemented, about 3.5 million tourists will be able to visit Thailand by the end of 2021. Do you believe that quarantine will be canceled this year?

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The situation faced by Thai hotels and guest houses is critical at the moment. Marisa Sukosolnunphakdee, who is the head of the Thai Hoteliers Association, shared statistics and prospects for the Kingdom’s hospitality industry. At the beginning of May 2021, hotel occupancy is only 5% of the total room stock. This means that on average there are 19 vacant rooms per occupied hotel room.

Despite the start of vaccinations in Thailand, the hotel occupancy situation is getting worse every month. So, compared to March, the number of guests in hotels decreased by 30% and now this is the worst indicator in several decades. It should be noted that only a small number of large hotels continue to operate, while most small hotels have been completely closed since last summer. Also closed most of the hotels that in the past specialized in foreign tourists.

Abandoned hotel in Thailand (Koh Samui)

Ms. Marisa Sukosolnunphakdee expressed the hope that the situation will return to normal no earlier than 2023, that is, in the current and next years, there is no hope for a radical improvement in the situation. In this regard, the Thai Hoteliers Association has asked the government to provide funds to support the hotel business. The money is required to pay interest on loans, to pay salaries to the small number of staff who continue to maintain the buildings and grounds of the hotels.

There is another big problem that cannot be solved quickly and without large financial investments. The fact is that closed hotels in Thailand very quickly fall into a depressing state: the territory is dilapidated, the colors on the facades fade, furniture and walls become unusable from high humidity in the rooms. Pools that are no longer cleaned and treated with disinfectants quickly lose their original appearance, and tiles in pools without water crack and fall off.

Pools deteriorate in a few months without cleaning and disinfection.

As a result, even the abolition of quarantine does not guarantee that hotels will immediately be ready to receive tourists who have missed Thailand for many months. In this situation, there can be only one positive fact for tourists: after the end of the pandemic, many hotels will be restored and become more comfortable and modern. We can only hope that this will not take many years to wait, and this fall everyone will have the opportunity to visit Thailand without the need to collect a large number of certificates and without mandatory quarantine in hotels.

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The law that regulates the rights and obligations of drivers, passengers and pedestrians in Thailand has been in force since 1979 and is called the Ground Traffic Law. Since September 2020, all traffic violations have been divided according to their severity into 4 large groups.

The first group of violations, the fine for which is only 200 THB, included driving a vehicle (including a motorbike) without a driver’s license (including when the driver has a valid driver’s license, but cannot present it to a traffic police officer). In fact, this is great news for foreigners who use rented motorbikes in Thailand, but do not have an international driver’s license or Thai driving license. Until now, such a violation was considered more rude and ended with the need to pay a fine of 500 THB.

The second group of traffic violations in Thailand included: creating obstacles on the road and reckless driving. The fine for such violations is 400 THB, regardless of the type of vehicle. Another 100 THB more will need to be paid for exceeding the speed limit in settlements and outside them, for driving a vehicle without state registration or established license plates, for non-observance of road markings and road signs, for using a mobile phone without additional equipment (hands free). Also, 500 THB is assessed for driving at a red traffic light, not giving an advantage on the road to an ambulance, for parking a vehicle in the wrong place or leaving a vehicle in such a way that it obstructs the movement of other road users or pedestrians.

Traffic Police Mobile Post in Pattaya (Thailand)

The maximum amount of the fine is 1000 THB. It is intended for drivers who drive vehicles carrying dangerous objects or explosives without special identification marks. Also, a fine of 1000 THB will have to be paid by drivers of vehicles that are a source of increased noise or smoke. Finally, unscrupulous taxi services (for example, not taking a client to the final destination of the route or using a deliberately longer route in order to increase the cost of the service) were included in the same category.

Thus, the new fines are now clearly spelled out in the legislation and it is hoped that the Thai traffic police will use only these fixed fines. Unfortunately, I have found no information on the amount of the fine for riding motorbikes and motorcycles without a helmet. And in any case, I recommend not to relax with the reduction in the penalty for driving without a driver’s license. After all, the absence of a helmet can significantly increase the amount of the fine, and driving while intoxicated can generally lead not only to a fine, but also to criminal liability and problems with visiting Thailand in the future. Good luck on the road!

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The construction of the second terminal at Utapao Airport is part of a large-scale state program for the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor. At the same time, Utapo Airport will become the main airport in the eastern part of the country. In the coming years, this airport, which serves two cities at once – Pattaya and Rayong – will have to be connected to two Bangkok airports using the high-speed railway. After the construction of the new terminal, Utapao Airport should attract even more local and foreign airlines, which will be able to operate regular and charter flights here.

Second Passenger Terminal at Utapao Airport (Pattaya)

Currently, flights from Utapao are made by 15 airlines, which perform a total of about 40 flights on 33 routes daily. It should be noted that even before the commissioning of the second terminal, Utapao Airport was able to significantly increase passenger traffic in just a few years. If in 2015 this airport served about 180 thousand passengers, then for 11 months of 2019, 2 million passengers used the airport. Given the beginning of the high season, the airport director is optimistic about the figure of 2.5 million people by the end of this year. At the same time, airport services can serve up to 1,500 passengers per hour.

It is hoped that with the development of the Utapao airport, inexpensive transport will also appear, with the help of which it will be possible to get to Pattaya and from Pattaya to Utapao Airport. For example, regular buses or minibuses. Because at the present time it is still much easier and cheaper to get from Pattaya to Bangkok airport, although it is located much further.

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About 2.5 million tourists visit Samui Island annually, of which 60% are foreigners. This is not a very big figure, because Phuket Island, which is comparable in size, annually receives more than 5 times more tourists. But it is tourists who bring more than 63% of all revenues of the province of Surat Thani, which includes the islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Therefore, local authorities and representatives of the business community are interested in several times more tourists on the island. And the construction of a bridge that would connect Koh Samui to the mainland would make the island more popular.

Bridge to Koh Samui – new project of 2019

The main problem that hinders the development of tourism on the island is the transport problem. Currently, Koh Samui piers receive ferries from several ferry companies and the number of daily ferries is not very large. And at night, you can get to the island only using a special boat. All this makes the path to Koh Samui more expensive and takes tourists too much time. Koh Samui has its own airport, but it is private. Therefore, the Bangkok Airways airline, which is the owner of the Koh Samui airport, has monopolized flights to the island and the cost of flights is very high.

The chief physician of the local island hospital also advocates the construction of a bridge between Koh Samui and the mainland. Currently, if necessary, to deliver the patient to the mainland, ferries to Koh Samui are used for emergency care. On average, 1 patient needs urgent delivery to the mainland daily. With the help of ferries, this is difficult to do and the transportation of each patient takes several additional hours. And at night, due to strong waves in the Gulf of Thailand, such transportation may not be possible at all. When using a conventional road bridge, the delivery time of patients to the mainland would be only 15-20 minutes.

Bridge to Koh Samui – project of 2012 with tunnel

In the 2019 layout shown, the bridge between Koh Samui and the mainland includes a road, pedestrian paths and bicycle paths. It should be noted that 7 years ago, the idea of building a bridge on Koh Samui was also discussed. The first project was more complex and included an underwater tunnel between the mainland and the small island of Koh Tan (Ko Katen), which would ensure the unhindered movement of ferries and cargo ships between Koh Samui and the mainland (see picture).

Currently, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports does not give official comments on the possible construction of a bridge on Koh Samui. The issue will be thoroughly and comprehensively considered in the coming months, and only after that the more reliable information will become known to the press. At the same time, the implementation of such a large project in any case will take at least several years. This means that we can get from Koh Samui to Krabi or get from Phuket to Koh Samui as before – using ferries. Have a nice rest!

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Thus, from the beginning of 2020, the cost of a tourist package per day will be limited to specific amounts, depending on the region. The cheapest vacation in Thailand on a package tour will cost residents of Southeast Asia – from 800 THB per day. A slightly higher minimum price is set for residents of other Asian countries – 1000 THB. Less fortunate were residents of other countries of the world for whom the minimum tour package price per day was set at 1,500 THB per day (or 50 USD at the current rate). It is very important to note that the indicated price does not include the cost of air tickets to Thailand and from Thailand.

Thus, a two-week trip to Thailand for residents of Europe, Australia, the USA, Canada, Latin America and other non-Asian countries will cost about 700 USD, excluding the cost of the flight. In recent years, with the help of the service for searching for last-minute trips, you could easily find a ticket for about 70 thousand rubles for two for 2 weeks in Thailand. Those. The cost of the tour for each of the tourists began from 550-600 USD and, most importantly, this price included a round-trip flight. From all this we can conclude that holidays in Thailand will become more expensive and the number of foreign tourists in the kingdom will decrease even more.

As of 10 months of 2019, the number of tourists who rested in Thailand on a package tour has already decreased by more than 4% compared to the same period last year. However, the decline in tourists from different countries was uneven. For example, the largest outflow of tourists came from the Republic of Korea – more than 10%. The number of tourists from China has also significantly decreased – by more than 3%. Given that Chinese tourists occupy a dominant position among all foreigners in Thailand, the figure is very significant. Also, more than 4% decreased the number of tourists from Japan. At the same time, the flow of tourists from India increased by more than 5% and this is more and more noticeable in Thai resorts.

In the article Why is Thailand expensive – main reasons I already wrote that holidays in this Kingdom are becoming more expensive for a number of reasons and many foreigners consider cheaper and closer countries for their holidays. Therefore, a new initiative of the authorities, on the one hand, will allow to raise the level of service in the country (in theory), but on the other hand it can lead to an even greater decrease in the number of tourists (and the bankruptcy of a large part of small business). What will actually happen and whether foreign tour operators will find opportunities to circumvent the new ban and reduce the cost of tours – we will find out very soon. At the same time, tips on cheap holidays in Thailand are still relevant and can save a lot of money in the Land of Smiles!

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The first reason for the decline in interest in Thailand from Western tourists was a noticeable strengthening of the Thai baht to the Euro and the US dollar. Today, for one USD, tourists receive only 30 THB. Over the past few years, the Thai baht has strengthened by more than 15% against the US dollar (over the past year alone, this figure has exceeded 6%). A similar situation is with respect to the European currency, the exchange rate of which has fallen even more. Despite the relative price stability in Thailand, the general standard of living in the country has grown in recent years and this could not but lead to an increase in prices for certain types of goods and services.

Strengthen of Thai Baht – USD to THB weekly chart

Most of all in Thailand, the services of 5-star hotels, which are most attractive to western tourists, have risen in price. So, the average cost of 5-star resorts located on the first line of the sea on the islands of Phuket and Koh Samui increased to 500 USD per day for a standard room with breakfast. Even when using the smart hotel search, the price of accommodation may be higher than the prices of similar rooms in the sea resorts of Greece, Italy and Spain. And US residents can find luxury all-inclusive hotels in Mexico at a lower price. Moreover, these countries are located only in 1-2 hours of flight, while to Thailand you need to make a long flight.

In winter, more and more Europeans choose ski resorts in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. Such a vacation, always considered elite, still turns out to be cheaper than a vacation in Thailand. And the average cost of the best resort hotels in Egypt and Turkey in general is 150-200 dollars lower. As a result, even a short 7-day vacation in these countries saves a significant amount of money. In current time a lot of expensive hotels in Thailand, who believed in the endless increase in the number of tourists to Thailand, are currently unable to fill half the number of rooms, but do not want to reduce prices.

Centara Grand Beach Resort – hotel on the first line with an inflated price tag

The second reason that negatively affected the number of European tourists in Thailand is the country’s rapid development. The rapid development of the economy and the main island resorts led to the fact that they lost their identity and turned into places of mass recreation, another developed Asian country. A large-scale survey of European tourists showed that many of them still fly to Phuket and Koh Samui, but prefer to go further on the quiet and calm islands of the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.

Many Europeans even admitted that this is their last visit to Thailand and in the future they plan to travel to other countries of the region: Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, which over the past few years has become the main competitor of Thailand in the SEA region. It is this country that offers a comparable level of comfort in hotels, boasts a large number of picturesque and distinctive regions, a level of security and much lower prices for hotels, souvenirs, transportation, food and entertainment.

Another Phuket hotel on the first line with an inflated price tag

The third reason for the decline in Thailand’s popularity among western tourists was the rapid growth in the number of Asian tourists, primarily from China and India. Tourists from China have long reached the first place among the guests of the Kingdom of Smiles. As a result, the local tourism infrastructure is increasingly adapting to the interests and preferences of the Chinese (sometimes to the detriment of citizens of other countries). Not without reason, Europeans consider Chinese tourists to be too noisy and not very comfortable neighbors on the beaches and in hotels.

The Ministry of Tourism of Thailand is aware of the problems observed in the industry and is trying to find new ways to attract foreign tourists, including through the next cancellation of fees for visa fees for citizens of individual countries. At the same time, one of the main reasons – the strengthening of the Thai baht, still can not be solved. But this not only affects the cost of leisure in the country, but also becomes one of the most important factors in the onset of a recession in the country. This year alone, Thailand has closed hundreds of large enterprises and factories, investors are rapidly cutting investment and withdrawing capital from Thailand.

Crowds of Chinese tourists – this is not what Europeans expect from a vacation in Thailand

I am also very saddened by the strengthening of the Thai baht, because only this factor makes rest more expensive by about 10%. Probably, I love Thailand too much to soon change it to some other country. Moreover, I have never lived in expensive 5-star hotels in Thailand’s island resorts. With Hotellook, I can still find inexpensive decent 2-3-star hotels, in modern apartments you can still live for bonuses (for free), and a flight to Thailand in any case will be cheaper than to any other Asian country, especially when there is an opportunity Find an airline ticket at the best price through a smart airline search. And when you are not traveling to Thailand for the first time, you can always spend less than during your first trip.

And how do you feel about the fact that holidays in Thailand have become much more expensive? Will you continue to come to this country or try to find another paradise on our planet?

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A visit to the Legend Siam park in just a few hours will allow you to easily get information about the past of Thailand and the present days of this Asian country. The park’s director general during the park’s opening ceremony admitted that there was initially a plan to create another Thai national style water park in the vicinity of Pattaya. However, marketing research unexpectedly showed that Western tourists are more interested in meditation and spiritual practices, and many tourists from China are more interested in the Thai culture. Therefore, the plans were changed and now anyone can find in the park a wide range of cultural entertainments and master the art of meditation.

Entrance gate to Legend Siam Park in Pattaya

Entrance to the park takes place through a giant gate, which guards by a huge statues of demons from Ramayana. Then visitors get into the first zone of the Legend Siam theme park, called the “Siam Village”. In this area of ​​the park you can get acquainted with the history of ancient Siam and see with your own eyes the significant architectural monuments of that time. Also here is represented the life of the people of ancient Siam and objects of culture of that time. For example, in this zone there are buildings from the time of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya – the ancient capital of Siam. And one of the main objects is the elephant Erawan and the statue of the deity Indra on his back. Also in the Siamese village a grand parade of elephants is held.

Statue of an elephant Erawan in the Legend Siam park (Pattaya)

The second zone of the Legend Siam park is called Araya Thai. There is also a large number of recreated ancient temples, including from Ayutthaya. This area of ​​the park has a traditional floating market and a market with a large selection of local produce and Thai fruits. The highlight of this part of the park is the selection of products and souvenirs from all 77 provinces of present-day Thailand. However, this is not just another large market or open-air museum. Widely used modern technology and special effects. You will see interesting scenes recreated using 3D technology, and you can also take part in interactive entertainment (some of which will definitely cause an adrenaline rush in the blood). Here you will see the reconstruction of the battles, including sword fighting and hand-to-hand combat with stuntmen, explosions and other special effects.

Entertainment area and houses of Ayutthaya in Legend Siam Park

The third zone of Legend Siam park is called Bhumi Pan Din and details the revolution in agriculture, authored by the late King Rama IX. It immediately details the achievements of modern Thailand and the development of the Thai economy. Tourists who are interested in local spiritual life can find out more about this in the Bhumi Pan Din area. An interesting feature of the park is the opportunity to visit in a national Thai costume. Currently, there are about 5 thousand costumes, and the planned attendance of Legend Siam Park is up to 20 thousand daily during the high season in Pattaya.

Temples of Ancient Siam in the Legend Siam Park (Pattaya)

The construction of the park cost investors 4 billion baht (more than 130 million USD). Currently, a simple admission ticket will cost only 350 THB. You can pre-pay for transportation by cpecial train, boats, buffet and some carousels, which are available only for a fee. In any case, even a simple admission ticket allows you to see a lot and it’s better to plan a full day to visit the Legend Siam Park, because in 5-6 hours you can only get around it without watching the show, food and other entertainments. Have a nice rest!

Location of Legend Siam Park on the map:

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However, in February 2017, the local authorities took up the issue seriously and have already taken this series of active actions to restore order in the matter of public transport in Pattaya. Already since February 1, 2017 came into effect the procedure for authorizing the movement of passenger pickups only on approved routes. At the same time employees of the State Inspectorate carried out a number of preventive raids and has revealed many violations: drivers of songthaew continued to move on the streets, which is not included in the new movement pattern. As a result, the violators were applied severe measures of influence: fines of several thousand baht and a three-day arrest of vehicles.

All this has led to the fact that tuk-tuk drivers have become more conscious of the new order and more or less follow the rules. One of the unpleasant aspects of the new traffic patterns become complete prohibition of passenger tuk-tuks in popularity among budget travelers  street  – Soi Buakhao. This practice has been perceived by many foreigners as an attempt to rid the resort from independent travelers and motivate their to stay in more expensive hotels with better transport accessibility. However, so far no one has no plans to abandon from the cheap hotels on Soi Lengkee and Soi Buakhao, but the inconvenience of the new ban is already felt by many tourists.

Soi Buakhao in Pattaya – even in the daytime you can see traffic jam

On the other hand, Soi Buakhao – is a very narrow street, and two-way traffic on it has often led to huge traffic jams, especially in the evening during high season in Thailand. And at times it was a right decision to leave the tuk-tuk and take a walk than to lose time in traffic jams. However, more correct in my opinion would be to make this a one-way street, and leave at least one circular route connecting the urban area such as the Bali Hai pier. And, of course, it’s time for city authorities to take care of road resurfacing on this street and make the normal conditions for pedestrian.

In the near future on the site will be added new article “Transport in Pattaya – public transport routes on the map”, where you will find the scheme of new routes on the city map, information on the cost of movement between different areas of the city with the new seven routes. Stay tuned and enjoy your holiday!

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According to the newly approved rules, the use of sun loungers and umbrellas on the beaches of Kata, Karon and Patong is allowed only 10% of the beach area. In order to present it more clearly, it is possible to give some figures: at Patong there are currently allocated 5 zones, each of which has 180 beach umbrellas and 360 sunbeds. Those. The total number of these beach “amenities” is 900 and 1800, respectively. Simultaneously with it the maximum cost of rent of one chaise longue per day – 200 THB is established also. Given that on the most resorts in Thailand, the price of one lounger is 40-100 THB, this price can not be called low. Although most likely this cost will be applied only for sun loungers on the first line from the sea.

Tourists are already positive about the news of the “rehabilitation” of sun loungers in Phuket, but the general of the Thai army, Santi Sakuntanak, who personally oversaw the installation of sun loungers on the island, said that a month later he will return to the beaches to assess the situation and decide on their future fate. Also, the general ordered to make changes to information boards on the beaches, which regulate the rules of behavior in the beach area. In information about the return of sun loungers, you can see for yourself, using the live webcams Phuket, which located on these popular beaches of the island.

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If you have not previously rested in Pattaya and do not know which of the beaches in question, I advise you to get acquainted with the information on the page “Beaches of Koh Larn Island – detailed description and map”. Samae Beach is one of the island’s best beaches, with a wide coastal strip and high transparency of sea water. By the way, this is the beach, where you can getting from Pattaya to Koh Lan with using big boat for 150 baht (price for both directions).

Since the island of Koh Larn is already long time a natural addition to Pattaya, the ban on the installation of sun loungers and umbrellas will be similar – every Wednesday (the same restriction applies to the urban beaches of Pattaya). Currently, the deck chairs are removed for a longer period, and on the beach, works are carried out to improve and clean it of debris, including natural origin (seaweed, stones, dry branches and leaves).

View of the wide Samae beach and rows of sun beds from the viewpoint

In 2016-2017, the beaches of Koh Larn Island are visited by about 5,000 tourists every day, so the island was faced with the problem of timely garbage collection. Local authorities expect that with the help of one day “without sunbeds” the beach will be cleaner and will be more tidy, because its cleaning will be greatly simplified. Every Wednesday, all landlords of sun loungers and umbrellas are required to completely free their beach area from this kind of “amenities”.

I sure, as same on the all beaches of Pattaya, such an innovation will be accepted by tourists ambiguously. However, if this really will makes the Samae beach more clean, this practice can be extended to other beaches of the island of Koh Larn. Moreover, local authorities have been discussing for about two years the possibility of limiting daily tourists on this island near Pattaya. So maybe this option will not be the worst possible.

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However, do not worry about the fact that no one will ever be able to visit Maya Bay. The restriction on visiting the island will be temporary and will last from June to October. As you probably know, it is at this time in Phuket and in the resorts of Krabi province, including the Phi Phi Islands, that there is a low tourist season due to the rainy season in Thailand (on the Andaman coast of the country). Therefore, if you want to visit the island of Phi Phi Lei and its most famous bay – Maya Bay – during your holiday in Thailand, you should do it before June 2017 or already in the new tourist season, which starts in November.

Maya Bay – frame from the movie “The Beach” (in the center was added one more big rock).

The main reason why visiting Maya Bay is prohibited for tourists is the deterioration of the water quality in the bay. And the direct and the main reason for what happened experts call numerous motor boats that bring tourists from the mainland and neighboring islands. Indeed, even modern Japanese engines, which are installed on speedboats, can leave in the sea water particles of oil and fuel. And if you remember how old engines look (either from trucks or from airplanes), which are installed on long-tailed boats, then you yourself understand what trail such boats can leave behind in the water.

Mr. Sarayuth Tanthien, who is the head of the national park, expressed his confidence that the ban on visiting Maya Bay during the low tourist season will have a positive impact on the quality of the sea water on which the well-being of marine life and the fauna in the water area depends. And this will also contribute to the more early recovery of corals, which are one of the most important natural indicators of water quality deterioration and always signal about existing environmental problems

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Since the end of June 2017 on all beaches of Pattaya, a strict ban on the use of sun beds not only on Wednesdays (as it was established in 2016), but also on Thursdays. Those. Lovers of the pristine beaches will enjoy the rest on the sand and in the shade of the palms for two days in a row, and those tourists who used to relax with a greater level of comfort – under the beach umbrellas on the sun beds – will be enjoy in the remaining days of the week. It should be noted that the ban on the use of sun loungers on Thursdays is temporary and, according to preliminary information, will be valid only until the end of July 2017 (unless renewed by a new local government decree).

The main reason for the innovation was the desire of the city administration to fundamentally solve the problem of cleaning beaches of the resort from garbage, branches and stones. Therefore, all owners of umbrellas and sun loungers will be obliged on Tuesday evening to completely clear the leased section of the city beach, so that on Wednesday and Thursday special equipment and cleaners could perform their work in a qualitative way. That’s why it’s forbidden to store umbrellas and deck chairs under the trees, as it was before (from Tuesday evening to Friday morning). Of course, for owners of sunbeds, a new regulation means lower incomes and additional costs for transporting and storing beach equipment, however, for guests of the city and visitors to the weekend from Bangkok to Pattaya, the Thai people will be more comfortable and safe on a clean beach.

Pattaya beaches without umbrellas and sun loungers on Wednesdays and Thursdays

However, it should be noted that the new order does not mean that every Wednesday and Thursday the beaches of Pattaya will be unsuitable for recreation, because a thorough cleaning with the use of special equipment (for loosening and sifting of sand) will be conducted not on the entire length of the beaches of Pattaya, and in some areas in Different weeks. This is why a two-day ban on the use of beach umbrellas and sun loungers will last for at least 6 weeks. In addition to the ban, a special commission of representatives of local authorities plans to periodically conduct spot checks of beach umbrellas and sun loungers for compliance with security requirements.

Finally, another news (more relevant to locals, not tourists) is the holding of special lotteries in August 2017. As a result of the draws, landlords will be identified who will be able to enter into an official contract with the city authorities for the lease of a certain section of the beach and provide specialized services on this site – renting umbrellas and sun loungers. This step was taken by local authorities in the fight against corruption, which resulted in the seizure of most of the territory of the beaches of Pattaya (including the Jomtien area) by several influential families that do not allow competitors to this business. The lottery results will be valid for the calendar year, until the next lottery. It is hoped that the beaches of Pattaya after the reconstruction and cleaning will really become cleaner and more beautiful, and rest on them – more comfortable and safe.

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First, Uber drivers are completely forbidden to work in Pattaya. Each identified fact of paying a taxi, which was ordered through mobile application Uber, will be the reason for a fine from the driver of 2,000 Thai baht (almost 60 USD). In addition, the driver of the Uber service, who risks working in Pattaya, will be deprived of a driving license for three months. Thus, this is bad news for Uber, because such strict measures should lead to the fact that no one should be tempted to work as a driver of this service in Pattaya.

Secondly, Manot Carnvatanasin, who oversees transportation issues in Chonburi province (in whose territory Pattaya is located), without hesitation expressing himself very harshly spoke about the enmity of the drivers of the Uber service and the drivers of the traditional taxi in Pattaya. The latter were strictly forbidden to take any active action against the drivers of Uber. Any attempt to cause physical or material damage will be severely punished without any indulgence. The only thing they have to do in case someone is suspected of working for Uber in Pattaya is to report to the competent authorities for an inspection (control rides are possible).

Thirdly, representatives of taxi companies present at the meeting were confronted with the fact that they needed to equip cars with meters (taximeters) in the shortest possible time, and serious penalties were also provided for the violators of this rule. In the near future, it becomes clear what the effectiveness of the measures taken at the meeting and whether they allowed to resolve the conflict situation between the drivers. As for tourists, for them the lack of an alternative in the form of Uber service in Pattaya will not be the most pleasant news, because the fare when using the service was several times lower than when using ordinary city taxis.

This was the essence of the problem – local taxi drivers expressed dissatisfaction with the ever-increasing competition from Uber drivers, whose low rates deprived taxi drivers of their usual income level. If the plans of local authorities become a reality and a taxi in Pattaya will go by the taximeter, it will only benefit the passengers – both local residents and tourists. Also, it is not yet clear whether the rule of compulsory use of the meter will apply when traveling outside the city, for example, to Bangkok airport. Currently, tourists often use international service Kiwitaxi for transfers to airport, where they can book a car of any class in advance, negotiate with taxi drivers personally, desperately bargaining, or book a taxi to the airport at special racks in the city or in hotels at a fixed price.

Also from September 1, 2017 taxi drivers and songthaew drivers in Pattaya were forbidden to use parking facilities at shopping centers and hotels for customers’ expectation. In the event of a violation of this rule, drivers face confiscation of the vehicle for up to seven days.

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So, the first rule is the mandatory availability of the price list for the driver of a motorcycle taxi. The price list should indicate the fixed cost of the trip for all distances. Fulfillment of this requirement will allow each passenger to know in advance the price of the trip. The second rule is that transportation of more than two passengers on one motorcycle (motorbike) is forbidden. At first glance, this rule should make the trip more expensive, but in fact, when transporting two or more (which is not uncommon) passengers on mototaxi in Pattaya, in any case, tourists had to pay for each passenger. Compliance with the new rule should improve the safety of passenger transportation and the level of their comfort.

The third rule, which is not as important as the first two, prohibits motor taxi drivers from attracting the attention of pedestrians (potential customers) with loud cries, a sound signal and a clap of hands. The remaining 4 rules regulate the behavior of motorbike drivers in parking lots and generally during the whole work shift: they can not to drink alcohol while working; they need have an ID card, they can not gamble during working hours (taxi drivers are often make it in parking lots, especially when there are few potential customers). Also they can not obstruct the traffic on the streets and alleys throught parked motorcycles.

Violation of each of the specified rules will entail the imposition of penalties (both in cash, and in the form of temporary confiscation of the vehicle or temporary suspension of the license). Also moto taxi drivers need urged to monitor cleanliness and order at special parking lots and in rest areas. It is hoped that the new rules will really make the motorcycle taxi service in Pattaya more convenient and safe for passengers.

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It may seem strange, but the ban on smoking on the beaches of Thailand has nothing to do with the tightening of anti-tobacco legislation in the country. The main declared goal of the ban is to improve the ecological situation on the beaches of resorts by significantly reducing cigarette butts in sea water and directly in the coastal zone. A recent study on the beaches of Phuket revealed a large specific weight of cigarette butts in the general composition of garbage. So, according to this study, 55,000 cigarette butts were found for every kilometer of the beach. Agree, the figure is very impressive, and cigarette butts containing modern filters, decompose slowly and cause damage to the environment, highlighting elements that are hazardous to human health, such as lead and cadmium.

By the way, the tightening of smoking rules on the beaches of Thailand, which comes into effect with the official start of the high tourist season) did not require the introduction of new laws. The corresponding decision (on damaging the environment) was adopted in the country in 2015 and provides for the punishment in question – a fine of 100 thousand baht or one year in prison (in some cases both penalties can be applied at once). Smoking is prohibited not only during rest on sunbeds or on the sand, but also during walks on the beaches. And for those who can not refuse from tobacco smoke, special places for smoking will be equipped. Local authorities are sure that they can control compliance with the new ban, because the amount of fines will compensate for all the funds spent for this.

A new ban will help Thai beaches not turn into this

Currently, a complete list of beaches in Thailand, where smoking is prohibited, has not yet been made public. But it is already known that it will be all beaches in Pattaya (including Jomtien), the main beaches on the island of Phuket, beaches in Hua Hin, Cha-Am and Bang Saen. A full list of beaches will be made public later, but in any case, all smokers should be more careful and generally give up smoking on the beaches of Thailand, because justice in the country is very specific, and in any case, giving up smoking will not damage to health of the smoker.

It is also known that the ban will apply to all passenger boats, ferries and pleasure boats in Thai territorial waters, because cigarette cigarette butts thrown overboard are a very serious problem for Thailand, being a dangerous contaminant of coastal waters. By the way, at the end of October 2017 in Thailand (Phuket island) is planned to hold a major ASEAN conference (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the main theme of which will be just a discussion of the problem of sea and beach debris in the region. And local authorities were obliged to demonstrate their efforts in solving this serious problem, as recently Thailand was ranked sixth in the ranking of the world’s largest polluters of ocean.

And how do you feel about the new ban and the total ban on the use of electronic cigarettes in Thailand? Leave your thoughts in the comments to this page!

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Individuals and organizations that have not yet registered an aircraft device in the established manner and continue to use it in personal, scientific or commercial spheres can receive a fine of up to 1,000 THB (almost 3100 USD) or even receive a prison term of up to 5 years. It must be remembered that the new rules and responsibility for their violation extend not only to local residents and Thai companies, but also to foreign tourists. Therefore, anyone wishing to make beautiful videos from Thailand with even light and compact quadrocopters such as Mavic Pro and even more affordable DJI Spark drones that can shoot professional video even for beginners should get a special permission for flights.

According to the report of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, before the time of the entry into force of the regulations, they produced about 8,000 registrations of drones, most of which belong to private individuals. The main reason for the introduction of such stringent regulations by local authorities is the constant increase of incidents with drones in the country, which entailed causing material damage and damage to human health. Probably, they mean the cases of loss of control by owners over their drons, as a result of which the drone can fall on tourists and local residents or damage property. Of course, such cases will occur with registered devices, but now it will be possible to easily find the owner and present him with relevant claims.

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In particular, instead of the immigration form No. 6, which has been used for many years, electronic data of passport of foreigners and biometric data will be used. To do this, all checkpoints will be equipped with new passport scanners and fingerprint scanners. This will allow in live mode bring in a common database of all foreigners at the time of their arrival in the country and monitor the implementation of immigration legislation (term stay in the country, the visa, etc.). The Thai authorities understand that control only at the borders does not allow to fully control the presence of foreigners in the country. For example, there are data that at the beginning of 2018 there are approximately 8,000 foreigners illegally in the country and their identification among law-abiding tourists is a difficult matter.

Therefore, on the initiative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a new procedure for informing about the accommodation of foreigners in hotels, guest houses, apartments, etc. will operate. Owners (or employees) of these establishments will be required to store and transfer data about customers to the nearest immigration office or police station. Later these data will be entered in the common base of foreigners in the country. Thus, the relevant authorities will be able to quickly find individuals who have violated migration laws and do not want to leave Thailand after the visa or stamp has expired for a temporary stay in the country. Surely, the new rules will not be able to find all the violators of the country’s migration legislation without exception, however, the new order will obviously complicate the lives of the latter – it will significantly reduce the number of safe places and ultimately lead to deportation and large fines for overstay in Thailand.

It is to be hoped that such total control over foreigners will really allow to make rest in Thailand even safer and will not lead to negative consequences. Also, it remains unclear how the new legislation will be respected by the owners of houses and apartments in Thai resorts, where we can rent accommodation through a popular service with bonuses AirBNB or other similar services.

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It is assumed that the fee for visiting Koh Larn will be charged from every tourist who has arrived to the island. All the funds raised in this way will be used to improve the infrastructure and clean up Ko Larn from the heaps of rubbish that remain after a daily visit to the island by thousands of tourists. A few years ago, when the number of daily tourists on Koh Larn was much smaller, most of the garbage was exported to the mainland for recycling. At the present time in the central part of the island a large garbage dump is organized, which is rapidly expanding and spreading unpleasant smells. If you already visited the island of Koh Larn and used public transport for a trip from Naban Pier to Samaye Beach or Thien Beach , you could saw this landfill and could feel an unpleasant smell.

Garbage dump on the island of Koh Larn – a source of unpleasant odors in the center of the island

Representatives of the Pattaya City Council intend to levy from 20 to 100 THB a person per visit to Koh Larn. This is the amount of fees for visiting a number of islands in the southern part of the country, located in the waters of the Andaman Sea. But in this issue there are some nuances that distinguish Ko Larn from other islands of the country with a paid visit. The islands of Phi Phi, the Similan Islands, the island of Poda and a number of other islands are national parks, while the island of Ko Larn does not have this status. Therefore, there is an opinion that charging for visiting Koh Larn will have a negative impact on attracting tourists to Pattaya, because the city beaches are far from ideal and only on Ko Larn island you can find clean beaches with perfectly clear and transparent water. In particular, the Mayor of Pattaya adheres to this opinion.

As a result of the last discussion, it was decided to form an ad hoc committee, which will study the issue in depth. Based on the received data, it will be correctly concluded, that will have a more detrimental effect for tourism: charging fees for visiting Koh Larn Island or further deterioration of the ecological situation on the island due to the inability to recycle all debris and interruptions to water supply. If in the end the fee for visiting the island is established, Ko Larn will cease to depend on the city budget of Pattaya and will become almost self-sustaining. What do you think about the fee for visiting Koh Larn? Write your thoughts on this in the comments.

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The new Bangkok-Bang Plu Ta Luang train (the name of the final railway station in the Sattahip area) will carry passengers in a test mode for six months – from March 17 to the end of September 2018. In the future, a conclusion will be made about the expediency of this railway route. Unfortunately, at the first stage this train is a “weekend train” and will carry passengers only on Saturday and Sunday. Currently, the train timetable is the following: departure from Bangkok at 06:45 am, and the train should arrive at 09:50 on the final station Ban Plu Ta Luang. The return journey begins at 15:50 to arrive at 18:55 at the central Hua Lamphong railway station in Bangkok.

The fare on the train between the first and last stations is 170 THB one way. At the same time the train is equipped with air conditioning, but it is not a express train. Therefore, while the train is moving between Bangkok and Ban Plu Ta Luang, there are several stops. However, such stops are justified, because they are located in the area popular facilities for foreign tourists and local residents. For example, the train stops at Si Racha (where a famous tiger zoo is located), in North Pattaya, in the vicinity of Nong Nooch Park and Pattaya Floating Market, in Wat Yan Sang Wararam (the famous temple of Wat Yan). At the indicated stops of the train passengers, an inexpensive public transport will already be waiting, which will deliver directly to the nearest attractions and to the train departing station in the opposite direction.

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According to a ministry of health report, marijuana or cannabis have proven to be highly effective in treating and preventing a number of diseases and physical conditions of the body. In particular, marijuana helps in the treatment of epilepsy, muscle stiffness, peripheral neuropathy, etc. The legalization of medical marijuana in recent years has been observed in an increasing number of developed countries. Therefore, the Kingdom of Thailand is not going to be away from such a global and progressive process, while the NLA is going to take active measures for government control of cannabis after its reclassification into a medical drug.

Speaking at a press conference, Wicha Mahakun, who holds the position of head of the Anti-Corruption Fund of Thailand, outlined three conditions for the legalization of marijuana. First, it is required to pass a new law in the shortest possible time, which will cease to classify marijuana and kratom (a Thai plant with opioid properties and used in traditional medicine) as drugs, but will be recognized as a medicine, the circulation of which in the country will be under the control of the authorities. Secondly, it is necessary to create in advance an obstacle to the formation of a monopoly in the medical marijuana market. Thirdly, the new legislation should provide that not only cannabis extract can be used for medicinal purposes, but the whole plant as well.

To the question of all journalists: “Will the use of marijuana in Thailand for recreational purposes be legalized?”, the representatives of the National Assembly replied that this question could be considered later, but is not currently being considered. Thus, by the end of 2018 in Thailand it may be officially allowed to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, as has already been done in several other countries.

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According to the Pattaya Police Department, foreign nationals will be fined 1,000 THB (about USD 31) for driving vehicles in Pattaya without the necessary documents. These documents include: a passport (or ID card), an international driver’s license (with the required category) and a national driving license. Clarifies that these documents are not just necessary to be available (for example, to lie in the hotel safe), but should be with you while driving a car or motobike. Thai citizens will also be fined if there is no driver’s license, but the amount of the penalty will be less and at the moment it is not yet definitively determined.

However, this is not all innovations. Vehicles (cars and motorbikes) will be confiscated on site and delivered to a special parking lot. In this case, the arrested vehicle can be returned only by the real owner (for example, a rental office). And the rental company will also pay a fine of 2000 THB. Of course, first of all, the new rules will lead to difficulties for the rental of motobikes, because it was difficult to rent a car without an appropriate driver’s license and before the introduction of new rules. At the same time, money in Thailand solves many issues and it is quite possible that rental offices will simply require an additional cash deposit (in the amount of 2000 THB) from every foreigner who wants to rent a car in Thailand or a motorbike without the necessary documents.

As a reason for the tightening of the rules, local authorities have called the ever-increasing number of accidents and road accidents in Pattaya, which are caused by tourists. It is foreigners without the necessary knowledge of local traffic rules and without practical experience that often become the culprits of an accident. In addition, there is information on the increase in the number of crimes that foreigners commit on vehicles rented in Pattaya. Thus, renting a vehicle in Pattaya will become more difficult for foreigners. And one more way out of this situation will be obtaining a Thai driver’s license, which a foreigner can receive even during temporary residence in Pattaya or in another city in Thailand.

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The new sand is already placed on a 100-meter stretch in the northern part of the Central beach in Pattaya and its color really quickly became bright under the influence of sunlight. Therefore, contractors promise to complete the renovation of the beach for three months – until the end of August 2018. Currently, sand from the island of Koh Rang Qian (it is located about 10 km west of Ko Lan) is delivered to the coast of the resort by special barges and is used as needed. By the way, you can see the central beach in Pattaya in real time with the help of one of the live webcams in Pattaya..

The width of the Сentral beach in Pattaya is constantly shrinking

The main reason why local authorities began to renovate the Central Beach is its gradual washing out by sea waves. To illustrate this process more clearly, it is enough to mention a few figures. In the middle of the last century, when Pattaya was not yet a popular resort, the width of the central beach of Pattaya was more than 35 meters. And in our days in many places the width of this same beach does not exceed 5 meters. If the authorities refused to reconstruct, then in about five years the beach would completely disappear.

In addition to directly placing new sand, special geotextile nets will be installed in the water area of ​​the beach, which will hold sand. If everything that has been planned will be implemented and the funding will be received in full, the central beach of Pattaya in the northern part will be increased to 35 meters in width. It is also planned to pour a 15-meter strip of sand along the beach below the water level. With positive experience, it is planned that a similar reconstruction in the future will be carried out in other parts of the beach in central Pattaya.

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Why e-cigarettes are banned in Thailand

Vapes are included in the list of items that are prohibited from being brought into Thailand. In addition, in the territory of this country there are no own manufacturers of electronic cigarettes and special liquids for them. Therefore, the use of such devices is also prohibited and law enforcement officers may have natural questions about where you got your electronic cigarette and what kind of smoking fluid you use.

The Thai government is concerned about the health of its citizens, and the effects of using electronic cigarettes on human health have not yet been studied. Despite the fact that many consider this type of smoking to be completely safe, there are other points of view. In particular, the presence of carcinogens in vapes, which contribute to the development of cancer, has already been proven. And after the latest events in the United States, where the use of electronic cigarettes in the fall of 2019 led to the development of a new, unexplored death disease in people, the control over the use of electronic cigarettes in Thailand has become even more stringent.

Another reason for the ban on electronic cigarettes in Thailand (like hookahs) is the lack of a law that regulates the circulation and use of these devices. Therefore, liquids for electronic cigarettes and special tobacco for hookahs in Thailand belong to the category of unhealthy goods and are equated to light narcotic substances. Advertising and official sale of such goods is completely prohibited. In Thailand, anti-tobacco laws have been tightened (for example, smoking is prohibited on beaches in Thailand). And the use of electronic cigarettes, according to local authorities, promotes this unhealthy habit and violates the rights of other persons.

It is believed that one of the reasons for the ban on electronic cigarettes in Thailand is the interest of the state in maintaining a monopoly on the production of tobacco products. The excise tax on cigarettes in Thailand is very high and this is one of the ways to replenish the budget and the royal treasury. Therefore, the authorities simply do not want electronic cigarettes in Thailand to compete with classic cigarettes. After all, as I wrote earlier, in this country there is no own manufacturer of electronic cigarettes and liquids for them. And this means that there is no one to tax on the production and sale of this kind of goods.

Finally, another reason for the ban on electronic cigarettes in Thailand is the country’s stringent drug laws. During the use of electronic cigarettes or hookah, various kinds of narcotic substances and harmful toxins can be added to the liquid or tobacco. To some extent, this makes sense, because many tourists during their holidays in Thailand risk their health and freedom when they try to relax even more with the help of marijuana or other, more powerful narcotic substances.

What conclusion can be made? When you go to Thailand, it is better not to bring an electronic cigarette and liquid for it. By doing so, you will protect yourself from a possible large fine, legal costs, deportation with a ban on visiting Thailand in the future and, in the worst case situation, many years in prison. And if such a ban does not become an incentive for you to completely quit smoking, you can always buy regular Thai cigarettes and smoke them in places allowed for this. Have a nice and healthy vacation in Thailand!

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