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From The Guardian Thailand’s gay-romance TV dramas help revive flagging tourism industry A scene from I Told Sunset About You – one of the ‘boy-love’ series that has attracted a large following across Asia. Photograph: Nadao Bangkok There is a table in Soontaree Thiprat’s Phuket cafe that is always fully booked. Most of her customers at the Dibuk restaurant want to sit in the corner, at the spot with the red tablecloth and purple flower. It is the table where the male student characters Teh and Oh-aew, played by the actors Putthipong “Billkin” Assaratanakul and Krit “PP” Amnuaydechkorn, would sit together and flirt in I Told Sunset About You and its sequel, I Promised You the Moon, a romantic Thai series that has proved hugely popular in its home country and abroad. Devoted fans of the show, who have flocked not only from across Thailand but also from Japan, Korea and Vietnam, pose for photos as they wait to dine in Billkin and PP’s hangout. “They scream so much that I would like to call an ambulance,” said Soontaree. I Told Sunset About You is part of a recent wave of Thai dramas known as “boys’ love” (BL) – also called the “Y” series in Thailand– whose portrayal of gay romance has attracted a large following across Asia. Already, 17 Thai BL series have been released this year, while 43 were released in 2020 and 2021, according to the fan website Blwatcher.com. The romcom drama series 2gether, one of the BL genre’s biggest hits, surpassed 100m views on the streaming platform Line TV just months after its release. As Thailand tries to rebuild its travel industry, the country’s tourism authority has sought to capitalise on their popularity, hosting “Thai BL” booths at a recent marketing event in Osaka, Japan, where the dramas are especially popular, and running a Japanese-language Twitter account profiling locations featured in famous scenes. Private firms have also responded to the trend. Japanese company HIS recently ran online tours of locations used in the filming of 2gether, while some Thai language teachers have also begun offering lessons that specialise in the slang used in BL dramas. Monruethai Harada, a Thai language teacher at Jaya & 3S Groups in Tokyo, said she has seen a 20-30% increase in students wanting to learn Thai after BL dramas became popular in 2020. Most of them are women aged about 30, though one recent student was 75 years old. “She really loves to watch the boys’ love dramas. She said it’s the most exciting and thrilling ever,” said Monruethai. While BL has its roots in Japanese manga comics, Thai production companies have transformed the genre by adapting it for TV and producing a flurry of popular series, said Rujirat Ishikawa, assistant professor at the School of Cultural and Creative Studies, based in Tokyo’s Aoyama Gakuin University. “In the past, I don’t think people believed there was a big market for the boys’ love dramas,” she said. Thai BL dramas first boomed in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. “Because of Covid, [people] had plenty of time,” said Ishikawa. In Japan, similar TV series are usually only accessible to viewers who have a paid subscription but Thai broadcasters are more relaxed about uploading content online, said Ishikawa. “[Audiences] just say: ‘We watch it on YouTube, it’s free, why not?’” Fans often add subtitles in their languages so that others can also enjoy the dramas.“You can see the internet power here and how it spreads,” said Ishikawa, adding that most fans are drawn to the series by the attractive male actors, the often happy story lines and the music. For Thailand’s struggling tourism industry, the popularity of the dramas is welcome news, though commenters point out that the Thai government, despite talk of building the country’s soft power abroad, has struggled to embrace the genre. “Initially, the Thai state appeared to be in an awkward position about the broadcast of Thai BL drama via traditional mediums like free TV channels,” said Poowin Bunyavejchewin, senior researcher at the Institute of East Asian Studies at Thammasat University in Bangkok. “Yet man has to eat. The Thai state needs money. It is as simple as that.” The majority of BL series are shown in Thailand on alternative platforms that link with smartphones, such as Line TV, added Poowin, which “may ease the concerns of Thai conservatives, as sweet erotic love between young men has not been highly visible to them”. Nor has it interfered with the traditional soap operas broadcasting on free TV channels. But some in the LGBT community have mixed feelings about the dramas. BL offers a happier, more positive portrayal of same-sex relationships than elsewhere in Thai media, where gay love tends to end in tragedy, said Kangwan Fongkaew, a lecturer at Burapha University in Chonburi province, who has studied the representation of LGBT communities in Thai media. But while this is in some ways refreshing, BL dramas do not offer true representations of society. They are generally focused on “puppy love” and omit the realities faced by gay men in Thailand, which still does not have basic rights such as equal marriage, said Kangwan. Viewers, added Kangwan, “might misunderstand that Thailand is a gay paradise, which is totally not true”. The leading characters are also predominantly light-skinned, middle class and educated, he said: “The boys’ love series don’t reflect the real diversity of the LGBT community in Thai society, and that’s why the stigma and discrimination against LGBT are still going on right now.” But he also believes the dramas could bring change, especially if their portrayals of same-sex love become more nuanced or political: “I am still hopeful.”

From Bangkok Post Officials step up monkeypox screening of air travellers The Public Health Ministry is ramping up the screening of air travellers from countries reporting a spread of monkeypox to step up precautions against the disease. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the screening is being conducted at airports and targets travellers from outbreak countries. He said monkeypox is not a serious disease and it is not highly transmissible without direct contact with bodily fluids or lesions or prolonged contact with an infected person. Generally, most patients are able to recover at home, he said. "Monkeypox can be avoided if we take precautions and abstain from risky sexual behaviour," Mr Anutin said. The minister added that monkeypox vaccines will initially be kept for immunisation of frontline healthcare workers first. Dr Sopon Iamsirithaworn, deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said the department has told quarantine offices at international airports across the country to step up the screening of arrivals from countries where monkeypox outbreaks are taking place.

From Bangkok Post A Nok Air Boeing 737-800 slid off the runway while landing at the Mae Fah Luang international airport in the northern province of Chiang Rai in heavy rain on Saturday night but nobody was hurt. According to an announcement issued by the airline on Saturday, Nok Air Flight DD108 (Don Mueang - Chiang Rai) with 164 passengers and six crew members on board departed from Don Mueang airport at 8.03pm and arrived at Mae Fah Luang airport at 9.06pm. While landing, the aircraft slid off the runway because of the heavy rain but the pilots managed to safely bring the aircraft to a halt. All of the passengers and crew members were safely moved to the passenger building. Nobody was injured. As a result, Thai Smile, Thai Vietjet and Thai Air Asia will on Sunday transport their departing passengers by bus from Mae Fah Luang airport in Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai international airport, from where they can further travel by air to their destinations.

TomNG, you'll find that many of your questions are covered in a concurrently running thread in this forum:

Stayed in Amara many times and absolutely no problem with bringing someone back with you. Neither did I have any problem at Raya. You don't have to check in with reception at either location. I found rooms at both hotels comfortable but, as Jimmy Joe pointed out, Amara is much newer property. Rooms and very well appointed and very well maintained. Amara has very good restaurant.

I try to pass along info I come across during my stays but I defer to both Divine Madman and Toyally Oz as they are long-time residents of this great town and have a keen eye for quality and recent developments in that industry we all love. For sheer volume in this area, Vinapu may well hold the indoor record on a time/experience ratio.

From Bangkok Post Hope is being regained that Thai tourism can attract 1 million Russian tourists this year as Aeroflot will resume direct flights to Phuket this winter after a pause of several months due to the Russian-Ukraine conflict. As of July 26, the number of Russian visitors to Thailand stood at 76,739. Most entered the country during the first quarter before Russia's invasion of Ukraine escalated, which prompted the European Union (EU) to impose aviation sanctions against Russia. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said Aeroflot has confirmed the resumption of the Moscow to Phuket service in the winter schedule, starting from Oct 30 with a daily service. "In discussions with tour operators focusing on this market, they are confident about demand to Thailand. The only problem is the lack of connectivity. If Aeroflot can resume direct services as planned, while more airlines could follow in the next few months, we can still anticipate an influx of tourists in the final quarter," said Mr Yuthasak. He said many airlines from Thailand, such as Thai Airways and Thai AirAsia X, were interested in operating this route to replace Russian carriers, but due to sanctions from European countries, technical assistance such as maintenance and shipments of spare parts were also banned over the past few months, as well as insurance that would not provide coverage in such circumstances. However, the EU on July 27 announced an exemption for the sharing of technical information in the framework of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which includes any technical support related to repairs, development, manufacture, assembly, testing, maintenance, or any other technical services. Mr Yuthasak said it has to clarify with related authorities again how this revised sanction from the EU could make any changes to the current aviation situation regarding Russia.

+1 Amara also offers ample western cable channels and compact gym

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon On a recent radio interview with Pattaya’s 103 station, British ambassador Mark Gooding pinpointed the lack of medical insurance by Brits as his biggest takeaway from his tour of the city. The point has been hammered home for 20 years by the UK government, yet above half of all international visitors (not just Brits) are uninsured according to surveys. It’s human nature, of course, to think “the worse won’t happen to me” but there are many reasons for the reality that Brits alone ran up unpaid hospital bills of 300 million baht (8 million pounds) annually prior to the pandemic. That’s according to a report in The Nation newspaper which referenced only state hospitals and omitted the private sector which rarely offers treatment anyway without a copper-bottom guarantee. The first problem is definitional. Mr Gooding advised all visitors to Thailand to buy “travel insurance”, though he is obviously aware that expats or non-tourists likely won’t be covered if they are not based in the home country of departure. Medical Billing Advocates, an international watchdog leader, state that one in seven of all medical insurance claims are denied or rejected. They point out that the confusion between travel insurance, covering some but not all holiday mishaps, and comprehensive medical cover is a common cause of misunderstanding. Several recent cases of sick Brits appealing for crowd-funded donations to get them back to the UK for an emergency operation have been tourists who had not read the small print in policy documentation. Thai authorities during the pandemic made matters murky by insisting all visitors had medical insurance – it started at US$50,000 but ended up at US$10,000 prior to cancellation – but then stating it could be restricted to Covid only illness. In the ensuing confusion, some international visitors failed to appreciate that a traffic accident was not Covid-related, whilst several companies went bust because of the pressure of coronavirus claims. Whilst there were undoubtedly some good policies out there, the cheapest ones claiming a month’s cover for a few pounds were worthless and designed only to survive the nod-and-a-wink Thailand Pass entry bureaucracy. There were even policies claiming to be comprehensive, but in reality only offering cremation benefit, and even then requiring documentary evidence of being Covid-free on initially entering the country. Then we come to the expats. Many on one year extensions of stay, retirement or marriage, turn to agents for help because they lack cash in the bank or income to cover 800,000 or 400,000 baht respectively. The cash-strapped are unlikely to have the funds for comprehensive hospitalization and will simply hope for the best. It is known that a main reason for self-repatriation is fear of falling seriously ill in Thailand. But the only visas currently requiring medical insurance are one type of retirement visa and extension of stay (O/A) and the yet-to-start 10 year LTR or Long Term Resident Visa. There many alternative options without any insurance requirement at all, including the O retirement option and the Elite visa. The latter is seen by many observers as the safest bet because it guarantees multiple-entry for between five and 20 years. Finally, there are the elderly and the super-aged. Insurance companies prefer customers who won’t make a claim so issues like gerontocracy, pre-existing conditions and high cholesterol in a medical report are distancing strategies like no other. So these expats must either sit tight and hope the grim reaper strikes quickly, or pay through the nose, or self-insure. Interestingly, the Thai Cabinet has now authorized self-insurance as a concept, though how it will be implemented by Thai immigration offices, if at all, is not yet crystal clear. Expat residence in Thailand is never much different. Whilst it is platitudinous to go on repeating “get insurance”, it is equally important to recall the legal concept Caveat Emptor. Buyer Beware! re

From Coconuts Bangkok Reenter the cave again and again with two more rescue saga adaptations A promotional still for ‘Thai Cave Rescue’. Photo: Netflix The Ron Howard-directed Thirteen Lives premieres today – but not in Thailand – two days after Netflix pinned a September release date on Thai Cave Rescue, a six-episode limited series about the 2018 ordeal to free the boys and their coach from a flooded cave in northernmost Thailand. Directed by Kevin Tancharoen (Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Nattawut “Baz” Poonpiriya (Bad Genius, One For the Road), the Netflix dramatization will portray the incident with more emotional heft, focusing on the points of view of the 12 boys and their coach, as well as the volunteers. When it was first announced in 2019, Crazy Rich Asians director John M. Chu’s name was attached to it. Billed as “the most authentic and expansive retelling yet,” it was filmed in Thailand and is the only project officially sanctioned by the government agency established to control access to those involved. Scenes were shot at the boys’ homes as well as the cave site. It will feature a mostly Thai cast led by Papangkorn “Beam” Lerkchaleampote as football coach Eak, and Thaneth “Ek” Warakulnukroh as Chiang Rai Gov. Narongsak Osottanakorn. It stars Urassaya “Yaya” Sperbund and Manatsanun “Donut” Phanlerdwongsakul as Kelly and Pim, who represent real-world hydraulic engineers and park rangers. That it won government support suggests that audiences should expect a noncritical examination of events, given the complaints from Narongsak and other officials over the depiction in the first cinematic treatment of the crisis, 2019’s The Cave. Thirteen Lives, on the other hand, was filmed in Australia, and therefore avoided any creative conflict with the government-created 13 Tham Luang Co. Ltd. The film’s star-studded cast includes Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, and Tom Bateman. Mortensen, Farrell, and Edgerton play cave divers Richard Stanton, John Volanthen, and Richard Harris, respectively. Thirteen Lives will be released Aug. 5 on Amazon Prime, the same day as The Cave is released after a three-year pandemic delay in North America by Lionsgate as Cave Rescue. Thai Cave Rescue premieres Sept. 22 on Netflix. In late June, the boys visited Tham Luang to make alms and pay respects to their rescuers on the fourth-anniversary of their world-gripping ordeal.

Min has discussed Vietnam in some of his recent trip reports.

Thanks, Olddaddy, for your brutal honesty. The issue of aging and loneliness is something I believe all gay men have to come to terms with at some point. It seems to be happening now for you. Some on the forum have found a life partner and that affects their decision to retire to Thailand. Others find that they're simply happier in Thailand than they are in their home country. But for most of us, Thailand remains a frequent destination but not our home base. It has crossed my mind to retire to bkk but I wouldn't consider it unless I could first master the language. Learning any new language is more difficult with age but still possible if you're adequately motivated. I'm not and I can't envision a life in Thailand without being able to communicate in Thai. If you're seeking boyfriend material, maybe just start looking for friends first. Friendships can have a way of turning into more meaningful relationships over time. But if you begin by limiting your field of candidates to sexual contacts, you may find that the relationships never grow beyond that point. In any case, you're still a relatively young old man. You have a right to a happy future and I wish you well on your journey.

From Richardbarrow.com The Luang Phor Pan Festival at Wat Mongkol Kothawas in Klong Dan, Samut Prakan Province, will this year take place from 28th October to 3rd November 2022. The big parade on land and sea is on 28th October at 6:09am. This is one of my favourite festivals in Thailand. More information is available at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) website: https://www.tatnews.org/2022/02/40th-thailand-tourism-festival-2022-from-18-22-february-in-bangkok/

Yes. Coming to appreciate and embrace the difference between pleasure and joy has been critical for me. Keep in mind that that if you're at all considering naming a foreign national in your will, the post-death transfer process is more complicated than if you both resided in the same country (at least that's the case in the US and I suspect other countries have their own laws regarding this). The laws of the country where the beneficiary lives also come into play. I've found that not all lawyers are familiar with them and prepared to properly advise you. Finding a lawyer who is could be your first step.

From Bangkok Post The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and the Airports of Thailand (AoT) are being told to prepare for a surge of up to 19 million air passengers in the last quarter of this year, Thailand's high tourist season. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, in his capacity as chairman of the Civil Aviation Commission (CAC), said the two agencies have been instructed to prepare for a surge currently being experienced in the United States and Europe after the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions. Peak season is in the fourth quarter when the number of international visitors will rise to up to 19 million, according to a projection by the Bank of Thailand, he said. The number of tourists was projected to slowly grow in the third quarter, a low tourist season, before picking up again and rapidly rising in the fourth quarter, he said, citing forecasts by the two agencies. Thailand should learn from what is happening in the US and Europe to better prepare for a similar situation, he said. Massive flight delays and close to 100,000 flight cancellations have occurred in Europe since April, while at least 20,000 cancellations happened in the US in the past two to three months, he said. To help airlines cope better with the current high costs of operation, the CAC has agreed to extend financial measures for airlines operating flights to and from Thailand for another quarter, he said. Measures include a 50% landing and parking discount for both domestic and international flights and a waiver for airlines suspending their operations, he said.

I agree with all of your points with the exception of the above. If you're staying in the Silom /Surawong area, you can walk to the city's premier park at the intersection of Rama IV and Silom roads. Lumpini Park spans 142 acres (57 hectares) and attracts thousands of visitors daily. It has all the facilities you'd imagine, including the often mentioned outdoor weight lifting area where those dedicated to acquiring hard muscle can be seen working out at all hours. The best times to visit are early mornings and early evenings when the heat is manageable and the sun is low. There's a no admission fee. There's a foot bridge connecting Lumpini to Benjakitti Park. There are many other large parks around the city but Lumpini remains the most celebrated.

The Health Ministry has identified a "foreign male" as the source of Thailand's second case of monkeypox. Let's hope this doesn't turn into another "dirty foreigners" episode. From Khaosod English / Thaiger A Thai man in Bangkok has tested positive for monkeypox, becoming Thailand’s second recorded case of the virus since the global outbreak began in May this year. At 2:30pm today, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul revealed that the positive result from Wachira Hospital in Bangkok had been confirmed by the Ministry of Health. The 47 year old Thai man started to feel ill on July 12. Two days later, the man developed a fever, body ache and swollen lymph nodes. A week later, a rash appeared on his genitals, torso, face and arms which is when the man went to be tested at the hospital. The man told the doctors he had sex with a foreign male, who he suspects gave him the virus. He will isolate at the hospital for 21 days. Director-General of the Department of Disease Control Dr.Opas Karnkawinpong said that ten people from one household in Bangkok are at high-risk of contracting the virus after having close contact with the man. All ten will be tested for the virus, observe their symptoms and be tested again after 21 days.

From The Tourism Authority of Thailand Bangkok, 28 July, 2022 – Bangkok Airways has announced the resumption of its direct daily flights on the Bangkok-Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Bangkok-Yangon (Myanmar) routes from 1 August, 2022, and the Bangkok-Da Nang (Vietnam) route from 1 September, 2022. The Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) – Siem Reap route will be operated by an ATR72-600 aircraft. Flight PG905 will depart Bangkok at 10.30 Hrs. and arrive in Siem Reap at 11.45 Hrs, with Flight PG906 departing Siem Reap at 12.15 Hrs. and arriving in Bangkok at 13.55 Hrs. The Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) – Yangon route will be operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft. Flight PG703 will leave Bangkok at 16.45 Hrs. and arrive in Yangon at 17.35 Hrs, with Flight PG704 leaving Yangon at 18.20 Hrs, and arriving in Bangkok at 20.20 Hrs. The Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) – Da Nang route will also be operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft. Flight PG947 will depart Bangkok at 10.55 Hrs. and arrive in Da Nang at 12.45 Hrs, with Flight PG948 departing Da Nang at 13.55 Hrs. and arriving in Bangkok at 15.25 Hrs.

From Thai Enquirer The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced on Wednesday that public parks in the capital will start to open at 4:30 am and close at 10 pm instead of the current opening hours, starting August 1.

From Thai PBS World The House committee vetting the Civil Partnership Bill decided today (Wednesday) to amend the bill to make it possible for same-sex couples who are both foreigners to register their partnership in Thailand, instead of one of them having to be a Thai national. Spokesperson for the House scrutiny panel, Thanikarn Pornpongsarote, said that the committee decided to scrap the entire Section 8 of the bill, which stipulates that one of the same-sex couples who are eligible to register their partnership here must be a Thai national. The deletion of the clause means that the door is open for same-sex couples who are both non-Thais to register their union, which can help boost tourism, said Thanikarn. She disclosed that some religious leaders had earlier raised concerns about this bill and observations were also raised by the Council of State, but the House scrutiny committee has made its decision today. The Civil Partnership Bill was proposed by the Ministry of Justice to allow same-sex couples to register their partnerships. The bill also introduces amendments to the Civil and Commercial codes, which will give them almost the same rights as straight couples. The civil partners may adopt children, secure inheritance and engage in the joint management of assets. The bill also includes rules on separations. But the union is still not legally recognised as a marriage.

There's a lot of great advice in the posts above. I think as we get older we come to accept that sex is not necessarily the panacea that it seemed to be even 10-15 years ago. Sometimes less can be more for some of us. I recently spent eight weeks in Bangkok and found myself gradually cutting back my activities. I concentrated on those things that left me with pleasant and lasting memories. For me, the key was whether or not I felt energized by what I was doing. Be forgiving of yourself. Don't think of trip as a contest. And ask yourself what you really want your time away to do for you. The answer may surprise you.

From the BBC Seven players in Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) will boycott a key match over their team's decision to wear a pride jersey. On Thursday, the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles will become the first team in the competition ever to don a kit which promotes LGBT inclusivity in the sport. But players weren't consulted and some object to the move on religious and cultural grounds. The club apologised for its handling of the situation. Coach Des Hasler said the club had made a "significant mistake" that had caused "confusion, discomfort and pain for many people, in particular those groups whose human rights we were in fact attempting to support". In a press conference on Tuesday, he apologised to the LGBT community and to the players involved. "They were not included in any of the discussions, and at a minimum, they should have been consulted," Hasler said. Under league rules, players from the same team cannot wear different jerseys.

From Thai PBS Now testig wastewater for monkeypox at Bangkok airport Sewage at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is being tested for the monkeypox virus by researchers from Naresuan University in the northern province of Phitsanulok. The tests can detect traces of the virus in wastewater immediately – even before the infected person begins to show symptoms – and could be used as a “budget surveillance measure” to catch and control local outbreaks early on. Authorities are ramping up monkeypox prevention measure since Thailand’s recorded its first case of the virus in Phuket last week and since the World Health Organisation declared the monkeypox outbreak a “global health emergency” on Saturday, after 16,000 cases were recorded in 75 countries. According to research, the monkeypox virus can be detected in feces between 7 – 14 days of contracting the virus, often before the infected person begins to show symptoms. Therefore, testing wastewater could help to locate and control the disease before an outbreak occurs. Dr. Thanaphon Penrat from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Research Innovation said the idea is not only preventative, but cost-effective… “Monkeypox does not spread easily but has a fatality rate ranging between 1-10%. Testing wastewater for traces of monkeypox at airports and tourist destinations is the cheapest way of finding early-warning signs of monkeypox outbreaks.” Testing wastewater could be a sensible way to screen tourists arriving in Thailand for monkeypox instead of testing every person who comes through the airport. Introducing pre-arrival or on-arrival monkeypox testing for individual arrivals could be catastrophic for Thailand’s tourism industry, which has only just started to recover since the removal of Covid-19 related entry requirements. ================== From The Nation 40 year old smallpox vaccines effective against monkeypox Thailand has a stockpile of smallpox vaccines in cold storage which were produced more than 40 years ago in 1979 and 1980. Not only are the vaccines still effective against smallpox, but they are 85% effective against monkeypox too, according to Thailand’s Department of Medical Sciences (DMS). The vaccines could be used in the instance that the global monkeypox outbreak becomes a public health emergency in Thailand and the government is unable to procure fresh, more recently produced vaccines. There are 10,000 vials in storage which each contain 50 doses of the vaccine, amounting to around 500,000 doses in total. The vaccines are left over from when smallpox was completely eradicated in Thailand by 1980. The vials are from 13 batches, produced in 1979 and 1980, have been stored at 2-8 degrees Celsius for over 40 years.

From Bangkok Post Seat shortage stymies tourism recovery The shortage of airline seats remains a major obstacle for the recovery of Thai tourism as most European flag carriers haven't resumed flights and frequencies to the pre-Covid level. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the agency met the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand last week and was informed that Thailand might secure just 30.9% international seat capacity of the pre-pandemic level in the upcoming high season. At present, international airlines, mostly from major long-haul destinations, have not resumed flights as usual, leaving a limited choice for travellers who want convenient direct flights. The TAT has prepared a marketing plan to support airlines to bring passengers to Thailand, particularly from Russia and other countries in Europe, but it depends on the additional budget it requested. In 2019, Thailand had a seat capacity of 56.2 million, before plunging to 14.8 million in 2020 and 4.9 million in 2021. Tassapon Bijleveld, executive chairman of Thai AirAsia and acting chief executive of Thai AirAsia X, said most airlines are facing extremely high operational costs and insufficient manpower and aircraft. "The aviation business cannot pick up overnight, particularly for those who slashed their workforce during Covid-19," said Mr Tassapon. He said after parking aircraft for over two years, all engines need major maintenance work before taking to the skies, resulting in long queues and full bookings at every maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. Mr Tassapon said the TAT's initiative to help airlines increase seat capacity is a good strategy to boost the tourism industry. In the past, governments from many countries adopted similar mechanisms, such as providing incentives for airlines that can carry international passengers at certain levels. He said Thai AirAsia maintained all staff in the past two years to avoid such circumstances during the recovery period as commercial pilots have to extend their licences every six months by training with flight simulators.

From South China Morning Post HONG KONG: All incoming travellers from overseas must complete their Covid-19 health declaration online from Thursday before flying into Hong Kong under a new requirement by the government to speed up processing at the airport. Under a trial scheme announced on Sunday, arrivals will have to complete a declaration form on the Department of Health's website to obtain a QR code before boarding their flights. While the declaration system has been in place since June 2020, a government spokesman noted that some people only logged on to register upon arriving in Hong Kong. "[It] may hinder others, who have valid health declarations, from arriving in Hong Kong during peak hours," he added. The validity period of the health declaration QR code will be 96 hours, which means users travelling to the city can submit the form online as early as three days before their flight. Health authorities on Sunday confirmed 4,250 coronavirus infections, including 186 imported cases. Eight new deaths linked to the virus were also reported. The city's Covid-19 tally stands at 1,321,739 cases, with 9,469 related fatalities.