Visitors and residents to Bangkok have been making their way back to the city’s famous Chatuchak market now that Covid restrictions have eased. While some vendors have not returned, the market is once again humming with life. From a huge variety of clothing stalls, to handicrafts, household goods, pets and food Chatuchak remains a must-see on any visit to Thailand. There are also many cool venues here where you can grab a drink or a snack, sit back and watch the people traffic. Chatuchak is still arguably the largest market in Asia and without a doubt still one of the best.

Many of us have fond memories of Khao San Road. It has long been a mecca for backpackers and budget travelers looking for the streets famous Pad Thai, cheap souvenirs and a youthful place to party. A journey to the new Khao San road reveals a very different destination today. A 48 million baht or 1.5 million dollar facelift during Covid has resulted in a new streamlined and paved walkway with upgraded footpaths and a new drainage system. A maximum of 480 street vendors are split into two separate shifts. No more fake goods can be sold and there are spot checks for cleanliness. And these days no entry is allowed without a rapid Covid test on site or proof of double vaccination. Like all other places serving food & drinks in Thailand these days there is a cutoff time for alcohol consumption – depending on the current rules. We’ll let you decide if you like the new face of Khao San road.

Klong Ong Ang Walking Street in Bangkok’s bustling Chinatown district recently reopened much to the delight of locals and visitors. Bangkok’s newest Walking Street makes exploring the Old City and Chinatown neighborhood easier than ever. The Walking Street stretches 1.5 km along both sides of a beautified section of the canal Klong Ong Ang between Damrong Sathit Bridge and Saphan Han Bridge. Klong Ong Ang has a long history. It was constructed in the 1780s by King Rama I soon after the establishment of Bangkok as the new capital and in its early days was a bustling lifeline of trade and travel. The name Ong Ang actually means pottery. The renovation project was awarded the 2020 Asian Townscape Awards from the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. The restoration and beautification project saw this area transformed from a crowded enclave of hawker stalls and a polluted waterway into a charming urban recreational area.

Thailand has relaxed its quarantine restrictions and is reopening to vaccinated travellers arriving from several dozen countries and territories. It's expected the move - which includes Australia, the United States, the UK, India, China and Canada - to name a few, will provide a much-needed boost for the country's embattled tourism industry. Now, as of November 1, fully vaccinated travellers who have stayed a minimum of 21 days in one of 63 approved low risk countries and territories can avoid a lengthy hotel quarantine for the first time in more than 18 months. Instead, incoming travellers who meet the updated requirements will only need to stay one night in a government-approved hotel while they await the results of a COVID-19 test that will be administered upon arrival. Visitors under the age of 12 who are traveling with their parents are exempt from the vaccination requirement. Fully vaccinated travellers arriving from countries not on the list are eligible to enter through a sandbox scheme that requires them to stay in a government-approved hotel or resort in one of 17 destinations, including Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui, for seven nights before they will be allowed to travel freely in the country. You can find out all you need on travelling to Thailand here via the country’s Tourism Authority website: https://www.tatnews.org/thailand-reopening/

ITM is one of the prestigious renowned schools of its type in Thailand. Based in the northern city of Chiang Mai, the International Training Massage school has been focusing on training International students travelling from around the world since 1992 www.itmthaimassage.com www.nokair.com

There are several idyllic islands that are just a short distance from Bangkok and are ideal for a weekend escape. In this episode we take a short speedboat ride to Koh Larn's Nabaan Pier, just off Pattaya's beach, less than 2 hours from Thailand's capital metropolis. This little island in the Gulf of Thailand packs a lot of punch. Koh Larn is best known for is its stunning six main beaches and a few smaller escapes of white sand and crystal clear waters. The Island is only 4km long and 2km wide and is about 180 meters high at the highest point. The terrain is mostly mountainous and its best to explore here on a scooter, though you can walk or take a local taxi. The local village here is well worth exploring. Wander through the narrow streets and the colourful houses. You’ll find a vivid array of vendors, local restaurants and coffee shops. This place used to be filled to the brim with day trippers but these days its quiet and pristine and if you do happen to be in Thailand it’s a wonderful place to escape Covid Blues and just reconnect with paradise.

We miss its beautiful beaches & gorgeous resorts. We think about its friendly people and pristine nature. We dream about its spicy cuisine and fascinating markets. We imagine cruising Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river, exploring the vibrancy of Chinatown and discovering the majesty of its temples. We miss its misty mountains and its sparking nightlife. Until you can visit again, let Destination Thailand remind you of what awaits in the Land of Smiles. If you are a travel blogger, maintain engagement & grow your own audience even more with our awesome hashtags partner: https://www.hashtagsforlikes.co/grow-your-instagram?id=547

While there are Covid related restrictions in Thailand, and social distancing and mask wearing is still required, domestic tourists and expats are starting to explore again. The island of Samet off the coast of Rayong in Thailand’s gulf only allows 1500 visitors at a time. For those of us lucky enough to escape lockdown, an escape here is paradise in every sense of the word.

Many seasoned sailors who visit this idyllic club hidden away in the middle of the city of Pattaya, agree that it is one of the best sailing clubs in the world. Whole generations of Thais and Expats have learned the ropes and trimmed their sails on this shoreline. The Varuna Yacht Club was established in 1957 and was bestowed with Royal patronage in 1965. In the past, Thailand’s former King Bhumpol and many other royals often sailed here. We were here for the highly competitive Varuna Cup Regatta weekend. Sailors included a team of youngsters sailing their Optimists, Keelboats, Mono hulls predominantly Lasers and Catamarans including NACRA's All that was needed was the wind and Mother Nature delivered

Motor Bikes and bike culture are very popular in Thailand. The Burupha Bike week is a multi-day festival held during Thailand’s dry season in February every year. A yearly pilgrimage to Thailand’s most famous party city – Pattaya, a beachside city 150 kilometers south of Bangkok. Traditionally, the festival begins with a “Ride for Peace” parade through the city along the beach. It all started as a small club party …. well over 20 years ago …. now it’s the biggest bike event in South East Asia. This family friendly festival is about vendors, parades, cool music performed by both top Thai and international performers on multiple stages and heaps of food and entertainment Its loud, exciting and electric ….. and raises huge amounts of money for charity, drawing more than 100,000 visitors including many international riders visiting from the region.

It has changed so much! In October 2019 the streets of Pattaya were overflowing with tourists. Up to 15 million people visited this beachside city each year. The attractions were bustling with local and foreign visitors, beach road and the main South Pattaya beach strip overflowed with sun seekers while the famous Walking street was heaving with bars, clubs and scores of sightseers. October 2020 and the beaches are deserted, go-go bars stand empty and cabarets have shut their doors. Business has ground to a standstill thanks to the worldwide travel restrictions resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. For one of the world's most infamous tourism hotspots, the economic devastation is crippling.

The fishing village of Bang Saray and its fabulous long sandy beach are among the most pleasant destinations in the Pattaya area, as well as being an atmospheric small quaint town. In this episode we visit the Bang Saray Club, a hideaway nestled on a beach at the end of Bang Saray village. An idyllic setting in which to enjoy a glass or two, or a leisurely meal.

The Thailand based Pattaya Plus TV team visited Latin America in 2019 for 3 weeks to produce a series of Marketing Videos promoting Pattaya's New Nordic's latest developments. Brazil Colombia Costa Rica Mexico This presentation is one of the main compile videos

Motto Auction was established in Thailand in 2002 and took over the office of world renowned international vehicle auction company Manheim which began in this business in 1945. Across Motto’s 13 Thailand locations, every year, the company handles over 100,000 vehicle transports, processes over 4 million documents, supports over 3,000 dealers and generates around 6 billion baht in transactions. And that’s both in facilities like this and online. With all the data gathered through Motto’s sales, and the new normal brought about thanks to the Covid 19 pandemic, creating an online marketplace made perfect sense. The result is MottoRaka.com. Supporting the governments ‘Thailand 4.0’ directive, it’s the first AI-driven data website to facilitate fair pricing deals for those wishing to sell their cars or buy a second-hand car in Thailand. Compiled from over 20 years of data, the Thai-language website not only assists, buyers & sellers but also dealers along with financial and insurance entities. It incorporates Classified Car Listings, editorial content and a Dealers’ platform – in essence a digital manual to refer to for fair and trustworthy depreciation value of any vehicle brand and model.

One of Pattaya's top attractions is EasyKart, an adrenaline fused go-kart racing complex just behind Walking Street. The first EasyKart Thailand branch was opened in Bangkok in 2004. The indoor complex is on the 2nd Floor of a Royal City Avenue shopping center and it has been in operation ever since. Their most recent branch is in Chewang Koh Samui. We highly recommend that give it a go. Highly professional and a great day out!