I stayed at the excellent Hyatt Regency Sukhumvit hotel last week and it was faultless… but the jungle outside on the streets was absolutely appalling! Illegal street vendors clogging up the pavements, taxi hustlers blocking the roads and scamming tourists, pickpockets, drug dealers, and prostitutes plying their trade openly without fear of prosecution. Doesn’t the Thai government care? Sukhumvit is the golden kilometre and window to the world. It must be one of the most heavily trodden streets in Thailand and all those people are seeing the worst possible display of Thai culture and hospitali ..read more

Dear friends, Last year, thanks to the help of some people, we (the Xaverian Missionaries) organised camps for poor children and teenagers in the slum areas in Khlong Toey and the villages in Mae Sot. Our evaluation was positive, and that’s why we would like to repeat this experience with other poor children and teenagers. This year we will invite other children and teenagers from new villages. The aim of these activities is to give the children and the teenagers the opportunity to spend some days outside the slums and the villages. During these days, they have time to relax, to receive human ..read more

In October 2023 an elderly, disabled Englishman living in Thailand booked a business class ticket with business-class.com from Bangkok to Orlando. The customer booked a business class ticket with wheelchair assistance for all stages of the, two stopover flight, for the 24-hour each way trip, safe in the knowledge that if his health deteriorated any further he would be insured, or could cancel the ticket and receive a full cash refund. The cost of the ticket was $4,390 and was paid for by his Thai bank VISA card. Sadly surgeons decided to operate on the client and provide hip replacem ..read more

BANGKOK: When I first arrived in Bangkok in 1991 I worked in the Bang Rak area at the Shangri-La Hotel. So let me share a secret – around Charoen Krung Road (which literally means New Road) is a favourite venue of mine and Bang Rak is served by the BTS skytrain which is just a short stroll away at Saphan Taksin station and boat pier. Situated next door to the Shangri-La hotel just before the bridge that crosses the impressive Chao Phraya River-known as Bangkok’s River of Kings. At the BTS station take exit 3, which takes you straight onto Charoen Krung Road, take a left and stroll down the mai ..read more

In July 2022, Chulalongkorn Hospital confirmed that I needed a right hip replacement. I had been referred there to the professor of spinal medicine but he was more concerned with my hip which he said was racked with arthritis. After meeting with the hip specialist who agreed to operate, sadly I was in such a state that I failed the pre-op with blood sugar levels of 323. This was way too high and as a diabetic the hospital turned me down for the operation and told me to get my diet and medication in order and then come back to the hospital. As I had previously worked with Praram 9 Hospital in b ..read more

Ceramic Art Showcase by 14 Global Talents Organized by Ken Yutdanai 20 January – 18 February 2024 Opening Night: 20 January 2024; 5-8pm ATTA Gallery warmly welcomes you to the inaugural celebration of ‘Unveiling Emotions: A Journey Through Love,’ a global showcase of figurative ceramics orchestrated by Ken Yutdanai, taking place on Saturday, 20 January 2024, from 5 to 8 pm. The event promises the presence of several participating artists along with the curator. This captivating exhibit will be available until 18 February 2024. Featuring Artists Ariya Sittibud, Chanakarn Semachai, Delia Maxim ..read more

CHIANG RAI, THAILAND – Reu Doo Gaan restaurant at Visama Mae Chan luxury tented camp in Chiang Rai hosts exclusive dinners for Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year. Valentine’s Celebration in Chiang Rai’s Hills On Wednesday, February 14th, from 5-9pm, Reu Doo Gaan – “Seasons” – restaurant will present a Valentine’s dinner titled “The Culinary Poetry of Love by Bo.Lan”. The dinner will support Friends of Thai Daughters charity, promoting vocational training and university education for hilltribe women. Celebrated chefs Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava and Dylan Jones, known for their distinguished Th ..read more

Several “falangs” can successfully lay a claim to have had a direct, positive impact on Thailand and its rapid development into a modern nation during the 19th century. This group of notables included Dr. Dan Beach Bradley, a noted educator, physician, and missionary; Bernhard Grimm, and his partner, Erwin Muelle, major traders and pharmacists, and Louis T. Leonowens, Jr., a successful entrepreneur and businessman. Most likely, the most influential person during this period would be a far-sighted trader, entrepreneur, and merchant, Hans Niels Andersen. He helped in the transformation of Thaila ..read more

Bangkok, January 19, 2024 — Jim Thompson, Thailand’s celebrated global lifestyle brand, marked the beginning of the New Year with a unique “Ceramic Plate Painting” workshop at its Surawong flagship location. This exclusive event welcomed esteemed customers and members to express their creativity by designing and crafting one-of-a-kind ceramic plates, transforming them into stylish home décor pieces. In collaboration with “A Clay Ceramic,” a well-known ceramic studio from Bangkok’s Sathorn district, the Jim Thompson workshop provided a creative outlet for pottery enthusiasts. Participants had ..read more

The New Zealand – Thai Chamber of Commerce (NZTCC) in collaboration with The New Zealand Society Thailand, is excited to announce the much-awaited return of the “Kiwiana New Zealand Ball 2024”! Event Highlights: Date: Saturday, 30th March 2024 Time: 6:30 PM onwards Venue: The Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park Ticket Price: THB 5,000 (NET) per person Dress Code: Black Tie Reserve your tickets today, as they are now available for booking! Payment for tickets is to be made by 4th February 2024. NZTCC and NZS have worked diligently to increase seating capacity, but prompt booking is advised ..read more