A statement released on behalf of singing icon Tom Jones has confirmed the cancellation of his scheduled concerts in Bangkok and other Asian cities. In the statement, the singer said that he had regretfully had to call off the Asian sector of his world tour as a member of his immediate family was ill.
Thailand’s tourism bureau has released a schedule of events planned for the upcoming Songkran Festival. The traditional New Year Festival begins on 13 April, but this year the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is getting a head-start with a colourful parade three days beforehand.
On Friday, authorities in Bangkok inaugurated a public passenger ferry service on one of the city’s arterial canals. The service plies a route along Phasi Charoen Canal between Pratunam Phasi Charoen Pier in Bangkok Yai to a terminus pier near the BTS Skytrain’s Bang Wa Station on Ratchaphruek Road.
Volunteers in Chachoengsao joined hands on Saturday to clean up the town’s historic fortress. The clean-up operation was held to mark Thai Heritage Day and saw the volunteers clear litter up and cut back foliage.
A senior Thai government official presided over the official signing of a contract for infrastructure on a brand new Bangkok rail line earlier this week. Deputy transport minister Aomsin Sheewaruek looked on as State Railway of Thailand and Japan’s MHSC Consortium representatives signed the contract.
A Thai triathlete has spent the last two years on an odyssey that saw him add 150 new tourist sites to Google Street View. Panupong Luangsa-ard clocked up an estimated half a million kilometres on the expedition which saw him travel to the various sights and then collect images on foot with a Google Trekker strapped to his back.
Yesterday saw the start of the ever-popular annual Red Cross Fair in Bangkok. The 2016 version is a continuation of a tradition begun in 1923 and provides fun for the whole family with an eclectic collection of food, sales items and display booths.
A 1,000-year-old statue of a Hindu deity which vanished during Cambodia’s civil war four decades ago has landed back in Phnom Penh. The Denver Art Museum’s director accompanied the Torso of Rama back to its homeland and presided over a formal handover in the Cambodian capital city.
Thailand’s government has confirmed it is to press on with projects to develop high-speed rail links between major cities. Arkhom Termpittayaphaisit, the national transport-minister, told reporters that the construction schedule will go ahead as originally planned.
Staff responsible for the operation of Bangkok’s Airport Rail Link conducted simulated emergency evacuations of one of their trains early yesterday. Officials ran drills focussing on getting passengers out of trains in an emergency situation at a little after 01:00 in the morning.
Thailand’s transport ministry has given the green light for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to run new Skytrain services when they launch next year. The memorandum of understanding will see the council assume control of the twin extensions of the elevated Green Line system.
The organisation in charge of the UNESCO listed Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia has signed a contract that will see disguised mobile telephone towers installed. The agreement between the Apsara Authority and Camtowerlink Communications will initially see six towers built and they will be built to look like tall trees.
A prolonged lack of rain has left waterfalls in a national park in Thailand’s Chiang Mai Province dry. The four waterfalls affected by the ongoing drought are in Doi Suthep Pui National Park and rangers say they are currently bone dry.
Officials in Quang Ninh have announced a change in regulations designed to improve safety for passengers taking boat cruises around Halong Bay. Vu Van Khanh is the North Vietnamese Province’s transport-officer and he told reporters that wooden-hulled boats will be phased out and replaced with steel ones.
Thailand’s prime-minister says the government has decided to pay for a new high-speed rail line itself. On a flying visit to the site for the project, Prayuth Chan-ocha told media representatives that Thailand had decided not to jointly fund the Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima line with China.
Myanmar’s Heritage Management Committee says hotels encroaching on land close to historic monuments in Began are being given a deadline to move. Sai Kyaw Ohn told reporters that the ruling will affect 42 hotels and their owners have 10 years to comply before the buildings are demolished.
Phuket is all set to inaugurate a hot-air balloon extravaganza to mark the forthcoming Lanna New Year holiday. The Phuket Thailand Balloon Music Festival will debut on 14 April 2016 at Phuket Paradise Park.
Airport authorities in Thailand have reacted to the Brussels bombings earlier this week by stepping up security screening. The director of the nation’s main air gateway, Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, revealed that security patrols and personnel were patrolling the passenger terminal and that stringent baggage checks were being conducted.
Thailand’s transport-minister has put a hold on a planned increase in the fares for taxi journeys in Bangkok. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith told reporters that cabbies in Bangkok had not mended their ways and it was more urgent to find a means of ensuring they offered good customer service.
Cambodia’s Royal Railway Company has announced it will run trial passenger trains from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville next month. The concessionaire currently operating the nation’s limited freight train routes says it will run one train a day in each direction for eight days beginning on 9 April.