The Thai government recently approved the upgrade of the railway line linking the cities of Khon Kaen and Nakhon Ratchasima. The 187km-long line linking the two locations is currently only single track. The upgrade will see the line turned into a dual-track one.
In a testament to the burgeoning popularity of Thailand as a holiday destination, a Chinese firm has booked almost 13,000 of its staff on holidays here. Direct sales retailer Infinitus China booked the employees on their Thai trips as a productivity reward.
The Thai town of Aranyaprathet lies close to the border with Cambodia. As it is only 250kms due east of Bangkok, the border crossing here is a popular choice for foreign tourists to enter and leave the country or activate additional entries on their visas. Visa-run companies in Bangkok offer services which provide fully inclusive round-trip mini-bus transfers and help crossing the border and coming back again.
Thailand’s transport-minister has announced that trial runs on Bangkok’s newest suburban train route will take place at the end of this year. Prajin Juntong said the first trials on the Metropolitan Rapid Transit’s (MRT) Purple Line have been moved forward to 5 December.
Thailand and Vietnam have agreed to establish an international highway link to promote tourism and trade. Thai transport-minister Prajin Juntong and his opposite number, Dinh La Thang, reached an understanding on the route’s establishment in Hanoi last Thursday.
Three more foreign tourists are awaiting sentencing by a Cambodian judge for indecent exposure at the country’s ancient Angkor Wat temple complex. Two males, one from Argentina and the other from Italy, stand accused of baring their derrieres at the temple while a Dutch female has been charged with taking photographs of the exposed nether regions.
Phuket provincial authorities say they may lay on a free bus service linking the island’s airport to key tourism destinations. At a meeting last week, representatives discussed the issue and seemed to reach agreement but laid down several stipulations.
The North Vietnamese city of Halong says it is all set to launch an electric vehicle service to transport tourists between its main attractions. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism says the service will operate on two fixed routes and should be up and running by the end of next month at the latest.
In a country with a limited rail network, buses have filled the gap and there are very few places in Thailand not served by a bus route or shared taxi service. The same is true when travelling between Bangkok and Pattaya. Again, there is a train service linking the Thai capital and the popular seaside resort.
Many international tourists visiting Thailand find they are in a bit of a quandary when it comes to deciding whether to travel by train or bus. The Thai bus network is more comprehensive than that of the railway system. It also has the bonuses of getting you nearer your destination and more quickly than the train does.
Last weekend saw the official opening ceremonies of a river-bridge linking the Southeast Asian countries of Myanmar and Lao. The 690-meter-long Friendship Bridge spans the Mekong River and links Myanmar’s Shan State and Luang Namtha Province in northern Laos.
American songstress Katy Perry is all set to wow fans in Bangkok tomorrow evening. The singer of numbers such as I Kissed a Girl and Roar is scheduled to take the stage at the Thai capital’s Impact Arena in the Muang Thong Thani Exhibition Centre.
The Thai Transport Minister told the main public transport operators in the country on Monday that they ought to think about buying electric powered vehicles. Air-chief-marshal Prajin Juntong chaired a meeting attended by the three main operators and he said electricity generated less of a carbon footprint than either diesel or NGV (natural gas vehicle).
The Thai national rail company is temporarily putting a hold on services to the Folding Umbrella Market near Bangkok. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) says the section of track linking the last four stations on the line to the market is closing with effect from tomorrow.
Tourism in the Southeast Asian nation of Cambodia has been given a boost as the country has just collected another travel industry award. The country bagged the number one spot in the category of Cultural and Heritage Destination at the World Travel Fair 2015 staged in Shanghai at the weekend.
The Vietnamese tourism hub city of Danang has just opened a brand new visitor centre. The bureau is located on Bach Dang Street. This central thoroughfare runs up the left bank of the city’s Han River.
The UK’s Premier Inn group has announced it is to open a new hotel on the southern Thai island of Phuket. The establishment is near Patong and will feature 350 guestrooms plus facilities such as a swimming pool, a gym, a bar and restaurant, and conference suites.
According to Myanmar’s tourism bureau, Government House in the new capital city of Naypyidaw will soon be to open to tourists and educational groups. The opening is a part of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism’s project to increase visitor draws in the purpose-built capital.
This weekend will see the annual Borneo Jazz Festival take place in the Sarawak city of Miri. Artistes scheduled to perform are in the process of setting up their equipment. The venue for the 10th festival in the series is the lush gardens of the ParkCity Everly Miri Hotel.
In a country not renowned for its culinary prowess, a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in downtown Yangon may be a welcome sight for international visitors in the near future. In a statement released on Tuesday, a representative speaking on behalf of the US based fast-food chain stated it is set to open a KFC outlet on the city’s Bogyoke Aung San Road.