A truck driver who thought he could get across a level crossing in southern Thailand this morning failed miserably and managed to derail a six-car train. Pongpol Sae Lim drove his truck through the safety barrier at 06:20 as Train 447 between Suratthani and Sungai Kolok was passing through.
Vietnam’s tourism bureau says the country plans to extend its free visa initiative for certain European tourists for another year. The current year-long scheme of giving visa exempt entry to Vietnam for nationals of five European nations was due to expire on 30 June 2016.
A spokesperson for Thailand’s government has announced that Bangkok’s newest urban train service will launch next month. Major-general Sansern Kaewkamnerd told reporters that the so-called Purple Line will have a soft opening in May and, during trials, passengers will be able to travel for free.
The Airports of Thailand (AoT) authority has set up a taxi queuing system for arriving passengers at Don Mueang Airport. Instead of the previous jostling during peak hours, travellers wishing to take taxis to Bangkok are now funnelled through an orderly queue system.
The Cambodia Tourism Ministry has submitted a request to the government that could see the visa fee for Russian nationals waived. Minister Thong Khon told reporters that Cambodia welcomed numerous Russians every year and it made sense to allow them visa-free entry.
A delegation led by the deputy-governor of Trat Province has conducted an inspection tour of Koh Chang island ferries. Chansak Tawin and his entourage visited ferry departure terminals on the Trat coast and looked over vessels and checked for their seaworthiness.
Pitched waterfights across Thailand marked the start of the annual Songkran Festival yesterday. Media sources say the waterfights were toned down when compared to previous years due to the ongoing drought affecting Mekong River nations in Southeast Asia.
Next month will see artistes take the stage for the 11th annual Borneo Jazz Festival in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. The event organisers have already released details of the line-up of performers who will play at the Parkcity Everly Hotel in Miri. The all-star cast will provide a real treat for fans of the music genre.
The first segment of Phuket’s annual bike fest has concluded successfully and the organisers are busy preparing for the start of the second section on Friday. The 22nd version of Phuket Bike Week began on 8 April and finished on Sunday.
What has been billed as Thailand’s first glass skywalk officially opened last week. The viewing platform occupies a stunning cliffside location in the Nong Khai region of Thailand and offers panoramic views over the mighty Mekong River and across to Laos.
National park officers in southwest Thailand say swimmers need to be careful of red jellyfish in the environs of the Phi Phi islands. The head ranger at Noppharat Thara-Moo Koh Phi Phi said park staff had spotted shoals of pink jellyfish in the locality of Bamboo Island (Koh Mai Pai) in the past few days.
The manager of Koh Samui’s main port says ferry operators are increasing the number of daily services for the duration of the Songkran Festival. Sompong Sandee explained that operators were laying on three additional ferries in each direction from the Suratthani mainland port of Donsak.
The British Embassy in Bangkok has issued a travel advisory specifically for this week’s Songkran Festival. The statement said that while the annual festival is typically a time for fun there are a few things that visiting Britons need to keep in mind when joining the festivities.
On Saturday, the first public passenger train to run in Cambodia for seven years departed from Phnom Penh Station. The 07:00 service to Sihanoukville left on time and without an empty seat. At around the same time, the Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh service also departed from the terminus station in the southern seaside resort.
The governor of Mukdahan has released details of an exciting festival being staged to mark the onset of the traditional Lanna Thai New Year next week. The Thai border town is the venue for the Indochina Songkran Fair between 11 and 13 April 2016.
Phuket’s Central Festival East mall has opened a theme park featuring authentic robotic models of a dinosaur, a giant-sized gorilla and a spaceship. The gorilla at Ghostinium stands eight metres above ground and is operated by animatronics to give the illusion of being alive.
Thailand’s national parks division has allocated a budget of THB500 million to give facilities at the 50 most visited parks a spruce up. Thanya Nethithammakul is the director of the Department of National Parks and he says the budget will be used to upgrade all the facilities visitors use at the park.
The Thai banking union is giving customers a present to mark the annual Songkran Festival next week. Kobsak Duangdee is the Thai Bankers Association’s general-secretary and he says customers will be able to withdraw cash from ATM machines across the nation without paying transaction fees.
Artists in the Lao capital of Vientiane are busy finishing off sand sculptures on the city’s beach to herald in the traditional New Year. Ratsadaporn Busadee told reporters that there will be 15 sculptures on Don Chan Beach and they will be finished by Sunday at the latest.
A representative for Bangkok’s governor says Bangkokians will have to forego waterfights for this year’s Songkran Festival next week. Wallop Suvarndee told reporters at a press conference that residents and tourists will have to make do with spraying each other with mini water pistols.