Thailand Weekly Vol. 52
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Good evening from Bangkok, Thailand everyone. Hope you’ve all had a great weekend wherever in the world you may be. We’ve finally made it to Volume 52 which means that Thailand Weekly has officially been around for 1-year! Time sure does fly… Anyways, enjoy this weeks edition and have a great week ahead 🇹ðŸ‡
45 Day Visa Waiver Period Finished, Back To 30 Days
The 45-day visa waiver program that has been in effect for citizens from 64 countries since 2021 ended this past week on March 31st. Travelers can now only stay for 30 days, but the visa can be extended for an additional 30 days by visiting an immigration office before the visa expiration date, submitting a passport photo, and paying 1,900 baht. In October 2021, the extension from 30 to 45 days was predicted to last until the end of 2023, however, with upcoming election campaigns in full swing, priorities have shifted, and the matter has not been addressed publicly, hence the expiry on the program. Here is the list of 64 countries whose citizens are eligible for a 30-day visa waiver upon arrival in Thailand.
Our Take
It’s a shame that this program has come to an end for the time being… especially given that there were a TON of people I knew that were able to enjoy the extra 15-days, but I understand fully that it was never meant to be a permanent thing. With tourism back in full swing, this isn’t something that Thailand needs to continue to do in order to attract tourists… ultimately, I doubt that we’ll see the 45 day visa-waiver period again any time soon. It was nice while it lasted though!
Bangkok Takes Cake In ‘Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ List
Bangkok has been named Asia's top food destination (once again), by taking four of the top 10 spots in the ‘Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2023’ list. Le Du, located in Silom, was awarded the top spot, beating other renowned restaurants in Tokyo, Singapore, Osaka, and Hong Kong. The restaurant, headed by chef Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn, offers a four or six-course tasting menu using seasonal Thai ingredients. Another of Thitid's restaurants, Nusara, located across from Wat Arun, was ranked third. Bangkok and Singapore each received nine spots on the list, while seven Tokyo restaurants made the cut.
Below is the list of each of the Bangkok-based restaurants that made the list if you’d like to try one out the next time you’re in town!
1. Le Du (Ranked #1)
2. Nusara (Ranked #3)
3. Gaggan Anand (Ranked #5)
4. Sorn (Ranked #9)
5. Suhring (Ranked #22)
6. Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh (Ranked #33)
7. Potong (Ranked #35)
8. Raan Jay Fai (Ranked #38)
9. Baan Tepa (Ranked $46)
Our Take
This is yet another case of Bangkok showing exactly why it’s one of the world’s greatest cities. From $1 street food to high-end dining beyond belief, you can find anything and everything in this city. It’s the perfect blend of everything that makes life so awesome. If you’ve been here, you know!
Thailand Travel Tip - Explore Hidden Bangkok
This week’s Thailand Travel Tip isn’t a specific service, restaurant, etc. we’re recommending, but instead a super fun day-trip you should consider next time you’re in Bangkok. Once again, this past week, I spent a half-day exploring the city’s ‘Green Lung’, which is officially named Bang Krachao. Just a 15-minute taxi ride south of Sukhumvit Road in Central Bangkok, followed by 10 baht longtail boat trip that takes no longer than 3-minutes, it’s a super cool nature area that makes you feel like you’re on an Island forgotten by time. With rustic wooden houses, jungle areas, thousands of coconut trees, temples, and all sorts of funky little restaurants and cafés, it’s hard to believe that you’re still in a city of more than 10 million people. It feels more like rural Thailand. Most people think Lumphini Park or Benjakitti Park are the best green spaces in town, but this place is on a totally different level given that it’s 6KM from top to bottom of pure nature. Just get a cab to Wat Khlong Toei Tok Pier, pay 10 baht (USD $0.28) for the short longtail ride, and then rent a bicycle on arrival (80 baht per day) from the local Thai business that’s stationed themselves directly at the arrival pier. I think they’re called M-BIKE? Anyways, it’s such a fun area to cycle around and explore for an afternoon.
The Countdown To Songkran Begins
Songkran is a festival that marks the start of of the Thai New Year and is a deep rooted tradition celebrating one of the most important dates on the Buddhist calendar. It’s also well-known as the world’s wettest celebration. The ‘true’ Songkran tradition is to sprinkle water on others ceremonially, however it has transformed greatly as locals and travellers alike often use buckets and water guns to create the world’s largest water fights. Festivities will take place from April 13th to April 15th and will see people travel all over the country to celebrate. In fact, Thailand’s Ministry of Transport just announced that 4,500 daily bus trips are scheduled to help accommodate travel to and from Bangkok. For those travelling domestically by bus, officials have advised to arrive at the terminal 2 to 3 hours before scheduled departure during the holidays.
Our Take
I’m beyond excited to experience my first ever Songkran and get a better understanding of what the festivities look like! I moved here 2-years ago and unfortunately haven’t been able to partake in any celebrations because of various COVID restrictions in place back then. I’ll likely end up doing 1-day here in the city and then 1-day out in the countryside with some friends. This way I’ll get to experience a few different ‘versions’ of the festival… Really looking forward to the 13th.
Only In Thailand 🇹ðŸ‡
It DEFINITELY doesn’t get any more ‘Thailand’ than this… this past week, condom manufacturer myONE has launched Pad Kaprow-flavored condoms in an attempt to reduce sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancies in the country. The condoms are available for purchase through the official store on Shopee and are touted to literally ‘spice up your sex experience’. Gotta love it!
Press Worthy 🔥
