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Top National Thailand Stories From the Past Week:Â Extension of Visa Exemption for Indian and Taiwanese Visitors, and More

Published

6 months ago

May 14, 2024

Yamna Khan

Here are the top stories from Thailand, curated by our Pattaya News/TPN National team, spanning from Monday, May 6th, to Sunday, May 12th, 2024. They are presented in chronological order:

BeachAtlas, a UK-based startup specializing in beach-related information, has announced the winners of the 2024 Golden Beach Award, featuring the top 100 beaches worldwide. Among them, Maya Bay, propelled to fame by its role in the movie “The Beach,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, continues to attract tourists from across the globe.
The Thai cabinet has granted an extension of the 30-day visa-free entry for Indian and Taiwanese nationals until November 11th, 2024. This exemption, initially set to expire, has been prolonged for an additional six months, offering continued ease of travel for passport holders from these countries.
The Thai Central Investigative Bureau (CIB) convened a press briefing concerning the apprehension of an American individual at a condominium in Bang Phlat, Bangkok. The suspect stands accused of coercing women into prostitution within the United States and is alleged to have enticed Thai women to his temporary residences.
Thoen police responded to a tragic accident involving a coach transporting 33 Chinese tourists, which veered off Phahonyothin Road in Thoen, Lampang, colliding with roadside trees. The tourists, en route from Fang, Chiang Mai, to Bangkok, were aboard the coach at the time of the incident.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has initiated discussions with relevant agencies to tackle drug-related issues and advocate for the reclassification of cannabis as a Schedule 5 narcotic drug. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, highlighted a proposal for this reclassification, eliciting responses from Mr. Prasitchai Nunual, secretary-general of the network for Shaping the Future of Thai Cannabis. During his visit to Kanchanaburi, Prime Minister Thavisin addressed concerns over potential internal conflicts among coalition government parties stemming from the proposed reclassification, emphasizing that cannabis remains a contentious topic in Thailand’s future discourse.