Thailand & Pattaya LATEST NEWS from Fabulous 103fm (12 January 2023)
Numerous flights to and from Thailand were affected as of yesterday and thru this morning following a computer blackout of the FAA system in the US which saw ALL flights there grounded and planes stuck in all the wrong places. No word on why a backup didn’t work but the FAA was forced to allow landings only as staffers struggled to get the system, which liaises between ground control and pilots, back on track. Anyone flying to the US or with US carriers is advised to check with their offices for details of delays to and from Thailand.

In the capital, police are still investigating the fall of an Austrian man, to his death, from a 4th floor hotel balcony. Initial investigations found his room strewn with beer cans and his room window smashed, perhaps to gain access to the side as most Bangkok hotel windows are sealed shut. The 49 yr old fell, and despite an awning breaking his fall, was declared dead at the scene.

From mid year, all tourists will pay a 300 baht visitor fee on arrival to Thailand, with those funds allocated toward a tourist medical fund and to develop tourist destinations. IT’S NOT A SUBSTITUTE for medical insurance, and anyone dreaming it is, is best to think again but, as in other Asian countries, the funds will be allocated to the support for tourism. The concept was launched last year but delayed as Thailand worked to recover from the covid era. GOOD NEWS if you work here. The fees wont be collected, we are told, from those with work permits.

When the local snake catcher got the call to Thappraya road side soi this week, the team burst into action. The service, which is free to all in Thailand, saw the team ride out on a pickup truck, locals point out the 4 metre long python and, despite weighing in at around 2KG, had it quickly trapped and bagged. Step two is always to take snakes out to the jungle areas, away from homesteads and release them back into the wilds. But this one, well he obviously had the taste for Pattaya. As the truck rode out, the snake forced itself out of the sack in which it had been tied up, and scared the living daylights out of the snake team, seeing one man fall from the back of the moving pickup, banging his head on the road as he fell. All was well tho, and hissing sid, well he is away from the bright lights, and the catcher has one hell of a headache. A reminder though NOT to try and catch snakes yourself, the service to snag them is free and can save you a lot of hassle for sure.

Phase 2 of the Jomtien beach renovations is due to begin very soon. With the first phase covering 3.5KM and now complete, the second 2.5 KM length is due to be addressed in the coming weeks and will see the whole of the shoreline offering excellent beaches ahead of the next tourist.. rush.
For more of the latest local & national video news updates, subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqqv5O_uGcm-BdVXfgrZyWg
For more news: https://alwayspattaya.com/news/
Listen to the radio online from our homepage!: http://www.alwayspattaya.com