Thailand welcomes 3,000 foreign tourists in November
Thailand hosted 3,065 foreign tourists in November, official data showed on December 28, the second month of receiving long-stay visitors since a ban was imposed in April to keep COVID-19 infections under control.
A tourist has her body temperature checked at a temple in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand hosted 3,065 foreigntourists in November, official data showed on December 28, the second month ofreceiving long-stay visitors since a ban was imposed in April to keep COVID-19infections under control.
As reported by Reuters, the November figure isjust a fraction of the 3.39 million arrivals in the same period last year. InOctober, there were 1,201 foreign visitors.
Though the country is gradually opening to foreignvisitors and offering incentives to boost domestic travel, efforts to reviveits tourism-driven economy are being hampered by an outbreak found 10 days agothat has since infected more than 1,600 people across 43 provinces.
In the January-November period, the number of foreignvisitors slumped by 81 percent from a year earlier to about 6.7 million.
Last year, the country welcomed nearly 40 million touristswho spent 1.91 trillion THB (63 billion USD), or about 11.3 percent of its grossdomestic product.
The state planning agency predicts only 5 million foreignvisitors in 2021. Foreign visitors at present are required to obtain specialvisas and undergo two weeks of quarantine./.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha presided over the opening ceremony of the “MINE (Mission no Emission) Smart Ferry” project, which features an electric ferry route on Chao Phraya river and Thailand’s first smart pier at CAT Tower Pier in Bangkok’s Bangrak district.
Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said domestic travellers will continue to be a major market for at least the first four months of 2021.
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
Real estate agency ERA Singapore estimated that there are 2,703 condo developments in Singapore today, of which 836 or 31% are at least 30 years old. In 10 years, this number is expected to climb to 1,160, assuming none is sold en bloc.
The new framework is designed to ensure that incoming investments deliver tangible national benefits, such as the creation of high-quality jobs for Malaysians and the development of local company ecosystems and technologies.
Singapore led with a total of 8.8 billion USD in realised investment, followed by Hong Kong and mainland China, Malaysia, and Japan with 8 billion USD, 1.7 billion USD and 1.6 billion USD, respectively.
A tourist has her body temperature checked at a temple in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
