Singapore Airlines subsidiary LCC Scoot has announced that it will introduce the newly introduced Embraer E190-E2 aircraft on six routes.

Of the nine E190-E2s that the company will introduce, the first and second will be received in April. Initially, it will be used on the existing Singapore-Krabi route and Singapore-Hat Yai route from May 7th.

Subsequently, on May 13th, a new route between Singapore and Samui was opened as a daily service (with increased flights to double daily in June). Furthermore, it will be launched on Kuantan, Miri, and Sibu (new routes) from late May to June.

For details, please refer to the company's announcement.

According to a survey of 30,54 foreign tourists in 2023 by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), It has become clear that there is a trend that foreign tourists are increasing their spending on accommodation after the pandemic, preferring luxury hotels and resorts.

The survey found that the average spend per trip increased by 50,900 baht year-on-year, with accommodation accounting for the majority of this spend, averaging 23,518 baht per trip.

Meanwhile, the survey found that among foreign tourists, the number of people choosing to eat at street food increased from 63% to 77.3%, and the average amount spent on food and beverages decreased from 5,875 baht in 2019 to 4,094 baht. However, cafe hopping has emerged as a new trend and is gaining popularity among tourists.

Tha Tien Pier, located in Bangkok's Phra Nakhon district, is a historic building in the area, and has undergone extensive renovation work in collaboration with the Thai Marine Department and the Crown Property Bureau of Thailand.

The renovation of Tha Tien Pier will cost 39 million baht and is scheduled to reopen in March 2024.

Due to the inability to use the pier, water buses and cross-river ferries have been used to cross the Chao Phraya River, but it is hoped that the reopening of the pier will further strengthen water transportation on the Chao Phraya River.

The pier will also provide visitor amenities such as an indoor waiting area, wheelchair access, and parking, as well as information displays and an audio system.

In addition to Tha Tien Pier, the Marine Department of Thailand is also undertaking an extensive project to renovate 29 piers along the Chao Phraya River as water bus stops. To date, renovations have been completed on nine piers, and work is also underway on several other piers, including Phra Pinklao Pier, Rama V Pier, and Khiak Khai Pier, which are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

There are plans to renovate four more piers by 2025, with the goal of completing all pier renovations by 2026.

The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) has announced that from March 1, 2024, tolls on two major expressways in Bangkok, the Chalong Rat (Ramindra-At Narong) and Burapha Withi, will be increased.

The toll for those driving four-wheelers on the Chalong Rat Expressway will be increased by 5 baht to 45 baht. The toll for vehicles with 6 to 10 wheels will also be increased to 65 baht, and the toll for vehicles with 10 or more wheels will be 90 baht. However, in certain sections from Ramindra 1 to Sukhapibal 5-2 toll plaza, the toll for four-wheelers will remain at the previous 20 baht, with a slight increase for larger vehicles.

The Burapha Withi Expressway's toll structure is adjusted to reflect the distance traveled. Four-wheeled vehicles traveling less than 20km will continue to pay the current rate, but beyond this distance the toll will be added starting at 5 baht, with a maximum increase of 10 baht. Toll adjustment for heavy vehicles follows a similar pattern, with caps of 20 and 25 baht based on distance traveled.

These price increases were originally scheduled to take effect from September 1, 2023, but have been delayed by six months and will now begin from March 1, 2024.

Khon Kaen province has announced plans to begin construction of a light rail transit (LRT) system in 2025, a major development in the region's public transport infrastructure.

This LRT project will be the first LRT project outside of Bangkok. It is expected to modernize transportation in the area, starting with a route around Bueng Kaen Nakhon Reservoir.

A 4.4-kilometre section will be constructed in the initial phase of the project, and a feasibility study has already been completed. Construction will take approximately two years, with an estimated cost of 650 million baht, and is expected to be operational by 2027.

Once the above section is completed, construction of the section from Samran district to Thapra district will begin. The distance of this section is 22.8 kilometers. The budget includes a large investment of 26.96 billion baht.