Innovative hotel chain integrates cutting-edge technology and sustainability
Azure Rich Group (ARG) is set to redefine tourism development with the launch of its first-phase project, introducing nearly 1,000 keys across Jomtien-Pattaya and Bangtao-Phuket. This groundbreaking hospitality venture will feature state-of-the-art resort residences, integrating AI, robotics, fintech, and sustainability, alongside Thailand’s largest saltwater lagoon pool.
Initially scheduled for completion in late 2024, ARG has extended the Nebu Resort Residences timeline to enhance its technological and design innovations. The seven-hotel chain is positioned to set new benchmarks in luxury, connectivity, and guest experience.
Construction of the first and second hotels is well underway, while the third hotel is set to commence within two months at Jomtien, alongside 40% of the man-made lagoon, featuring two themed islands—one dedicated to well-being and creativity, and the other a water park attraction, making Jomtien’s initial phase a major operational milestone.
ARG’s international development team includes experts from the U.S., U.K., Switzerland, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand. Bryan Priestley, a founding partner of ARG, praised the team’s exceptional innovation and expertise, attributing the project’s success to their global talent and vision.
Dr. Supareak Charlie Chomchan, co-founder of ARG, highlighted the project’s commitment to holistic sustainability, spanning economic, social, community, design, health, technology, and environmental imperatives. The first phase will focus on 4-star resort residences, while a 5-star phase will introduce advanced room automation, immersive digital experiences, and seamless resort-wide connectivity.
ARG’s innovative fintech approach has already attracted investors from over 25 countries, offering returns before project completion through new financial models that prioritise commercial sustainability.
The group’s technology subsidiary, Pratu, is spearheading cutting-edge fintech and digital interface solutions set to launch in 2025. Joshua Priestley, Pratu’s millennial COO, noted that these innovations will revolutionise digital interactions, seamlessly merging traditional hospitality with next-generation technology.
As Thailand cements its status as a premier tourism and investment hub, ARG’s visionary developments are set to lead the next era of hospitality and resort living.
Officials cordoning off the area where a foreign female tourist was found dead at Kata Beach, Phuket Province. The cause of death remains unknown. March 5, 2025.
PHUKET — Police investigators have identified a foreign female tourist found dead under a large beach umbrella on Kata Beach in Phuket on Wednesday afternoon as Mrs. Karen, an 80-year-old Canadian national.
Upon receiving reports of an unresponsive tourist, officers from Karon Police Station, Phuket Tourist Police, Tourist Assistance Center personnel, and rescue workers quickly arrived at the scene near the Karon Municipality Office, where numerous tourists had gathered.
Initial examination revealed the Caucasian woman was lying face down on a beach towel spread over the sand. Red rashes were observed on her back and legs, but authorities found no signs of a struggle or wounds indicating physical assault. Medical examiners from Vachira Phuket Hospital conducted a preliminary investigation before transferring the body for further examination.
Officials cordoning off the area where a foreign female tourist was found dead at Kata Beach, Phuket Province. The cause of death remains unknown. March 5, 2025.
Sarawut Somboon, a lifeguard from Kata Beach under the Karon Municipality, stated that a local vendor alerted staff after noticing the elderly woman had been lying motionless for an unusually long time. “When we checked on her, we noticed her skin had a bluish tint, suggesting she had been deceased for some time,” Sarawut said, adding that she appeared to have been traveling alone.
Investigators confirmed on March 7 that Mrs. Karen checked into a hotel near Kata Beach on March 3 and was scheduled to check out on March 6. Hotel security footage showed that on March 5 at approximately 10:23 a.m., she left her room and asked staff for directions to Kata Beach, departing the hotel with no visible signs of illness.
The preliminary autopsy concluded that she had been deceased for no more than 4 to 6 hours when found. Doctors suspect the cause of death may have been related to elevated body temperature, which prevented her body from properly dissipating heat.
Officials have notified the Canadian Embassy to contact her relatives.
Thai administrative officers conducting inspections of accommodations in the Huai Khwang-Sutthisan area of Bangkok on March 6, 2025, specifically targeting those offering daily rentals without proper hotel business licenses.
BANGKOK — Administrative officials have inspected condominium units in Bangkok’s Pratunam area where foreigners were illegally offering daily rental services through popular applications. They also arrested operators of illegal hotel businesses in the Huai Khwang-Sutthisan area.
On March 6, Mr. Chaiwat Junthirapong, Director-General of the Administrative Department, revealed that he assigned the Investigation and Legal Affairs Office to investigate. Undercover officials posed as tourists, using the reported application to communicate with landlords and book two rooms—numbers 1001 and 914—in the complained-about condominium building for one night on March 5, at a rate of $82.40 USD per room.
The undercover agents made contact to check in at 2:00 p.m. as scheduled. Later, an individual presented themselves with keycards and escorted the undercover agents to open the rooms. Once inside, the agents found that the accommodations resembled typical hotel rooms in every way, constituting a violation under hotel laws.
The caption’s grammar is correct. It clearly describes Thai administrative officers conducting inspections of accommodations in the Huai Khwang-Sutthisan area of Bangkok on March 6, 2025, specifically targeting those offering daily rentals without proper hotel business licenses.
Mr. Chaiwat and officials then revealed their identities and conducted an inspection. They discovered three additional room keys in the bag of the person who had escorted the undercover agents. Evidence was collected and a complaint filed with Phaya Thai Police Station investigators to prosecute the room owners and related parties for operating a hotel business without a license.
Three Illegal Hotel Operations Busted
On the same day, Mr. Ratthawich Jitsujaritwong, a legal expert from the Investigation and Legal Affairs Office, led administrative officers to inspect accommodations offering daily rentals without hotel business licenses in the Huai Khwang-Sutthisan area.
They found three unlicensed daily rental establishments: The Athena, offering 53 monthly and daily rental rooms; The Oasis, with 120 rooms total, 40 of which were rented monthly and daily; and Chang, with 98 rooms for monthly and daily rentals. Officials conducted inspections, made arrests, and filed complaints with Sutthisan Police Station.
Problem Extends to Hadyai, Songkhla
Beyond Bangkok, Sitthipong Sitthipattraprapha, President of the Hat Yai Hotel Association in Songkhla Province, stated that condominium investments for daily rentals in Songkhla have been increasing among both Thai nationals and foreigners, especially Malaysian investors purchasing real estate and starting daily rental businesses.
He identified three groups: first, condominiums rented daily by unit owners or by monthly tenants who sublease on a daily basis; second, daily rental houses ranging from commercial buildings to pool villas; and third, monthly apartment buildings that also offer daily rentals.
Had Yai
Dr. Sitthipong noted that these illegal business operators haven’t obtained permits for daily accommodation services and don’t pay taxes equivalent to hotel operators—or don’t pay at all—impacting the overall accommodation industry through unequal operating costs. Searches on applications found more than 400 such operators in Hat Yai district alone, a number that will continue to grow without proper regulation.
Foreign Investors Using Nominees
“Renting condominium units daily without permission violates the Hotel Act of 2004, which carries penalties of imprisonment not exceeding one year, fines not exceeding 20,000 baht, or both, plus additional daily fines up to 10,000 baht for continuing violations. The Administrative Department has also learned that some condominium owners renting units daily involve foreign investors using nominee systems, which violates the law and is under further investigation,” Mr. Chaiwat said.
He added that the department is currently studying and updating relevant laws to address these issues in line with current conditions, and encouraged citizens who witness such activities to report them by calling 1567 any day.
Issue Raised in Parliament
On the same day at parliament, Bangkok MP Karunphon Thiansuwam of the People’s Party raised an urgent verbal question about foreign businesspeople renting out daily accommodations. Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat Samretwanich responded that daily rentals are not permitted, and officials from multiple agencies—the Administrative Department, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Commerce—are working together on this issue.
For businesses registered as legal entities, authorities must verify land and rental property ownership rights. The government has established penalties for violators, including both imprisonment and fines for unauthorized hotel operations, with additional daily 10,000 baht fines for continued violations.
Ms. Theerarat stated that the arrests of foreigners conducting illegal condominium rental businesses should serve as a warning to other Thai renters to avoid violations and to cooperate with condominium juristic persons. She noted that past enforcement efforts have included inspections, arrests, and fines, and encouraged cooperation from residents and juristic persons.
Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat Samretwanich responds to an urgent verbal question from Bangkok MP Karunphon Thiansuwam of the People’s Party about foreign businesspeople renting out daily accommodations on March 6, 2025.
Legal Rentals Must Exceed One Month
The Deputy Interior Minister further explained that condominium owners can legally rent their properties, but rentals must exceed one month in duration, which is a right protected by law and the constitution. The failure to prevent daily rentals that disturb other tenants requires cooperation from all parties. Past failures often resulted from juristic persons lacking proper understanding and residents being unaware of their rights, necessitating longer-term education for both residents and juristic persons.
While laws must be updated to better reflect current conditions, foreign ownership of condominium units is limited to 49% of a building, a proportion that may be reduced in the future.
Illegal Gambling Dens in Condo
Karunphon raised additional concerns about Rama IX and Rama III areas, where raids have uncovered foreigners renting entire floors for illegal businesses like online gambling dens, with foreign-language signs posted outside rooms. Despite residents reporting these activities to juristic persons, the information wasn’t forwarded to local authorities.
He asked whether the Interior Ministry would establish cooperation agreements allowing officials to enter juristic person areas or enabling residents to contact officials directly without going through juristic persons.
Foreign Ownership Limits Under Review
The minister explained that opinions are being gathered regarding the proportion of foreign unit ownership. The previous proposal to increase foreign ownership rights under former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s government remains under consideration.
Regarding illegal gambling operations, officials can take action, and if juristic persons are found to be uncooperative in verified cases of wrongdoing, legal proceedings can be initiated.
Officers spot the Korean man at a popular Pattaya market showing clear signs of tour guide operation on March 5, 2025.
PATTAYA — Tourist Police have apprehended a South Korean national for illegally working as a tour guide in central Pattaya. The suspect was caught while conducting unauthorized tours with foreign tourists without proper licensing.
The arrest on March 5 follows an investigation ordered by Police Colonel Man Rotthong and Police Lieutenant Colonel Piyapong Raksa of the Tourist Police Bureau. Authorities were enforcing compliance with the Tourism Business and Guide Act of 2008 and the Immigration Act of 1979.
Officers spotted the suspect at a popular Pattaya market performing typical tour guide duties – purchasing tickets, escorting visitors between attractions, and providing detailed information about sites. After observing for over an hour, police approached the group and found no licensed guide present, only a van driver from the tour company.
Officers spot the Korean man at a popular Pattaya market showing clear signs of tour guide operation on March 5, 2025.
Investigation revealed the South Korean national lacked proper work authorization to serve as a guide. Further inquiry determined the tour company he worked with was operating with a revoked license.
The suspect faces four charges: conducting tour business without proper authorization, working as an unlicensed tour guide, working as a foreigner without proper work permits, and violating immigration employment regulations.
After being formally charged and informed of his rights, the suspect was transferred to Nong Prue Police Station for further legal proceedings.
Tourist Police officials remind visitors that legitimate guides must possess proper Thai licensing and operate under authorized companies. The ongoing crackdown aims to protect tourists from misinformation and fraud in popular destinations.
Tourists who notice suspicious tour activities are encouraged to contact the Tourist Police hotline at 1155.
Central Investigation Bureau officers arrest Li Zhijun, 43, a Chinese national, and his Myanmar wife, suspects believed to be key figures in the fake ID and extortion ring, at a residence in Sri Racha district, Chonburi province, on March 5, 2025.
BANGKOK — In a major operation dubbed “CIB Game On,” Thai authorities have arrested a Chinese-Myanmar couple running a sophisticated fake ID scheme that doubled as an extortion racket targeting Chinese nationals in Thailand.
Police Colonel Suriyasak Jirawat of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) revealed that the investigation began in late 2023 when a Chinese victim reported being extorted of 2 million baht by corrupt police officers. The victim had originally responded to a Facebook advertisement offering “legal” Thai ID cards for 1 million baht ($29,650).
The masterminds behind the operation were identified as Mr. Li Zhijun, 43, a Chinese national, and his Myanmar wife, Ms. Aye Sant, 30. The couple would arrange for victims to receive authentic-looking ID cards at a municipal office in Nakhon Ratchasima province with the help of corrupt local officials.
After obtaining the ID card, victims would be taken to apply for a passport at the Department of Consular Affairs in Bangkok. While waiting at a nearby coffee shop, three immigration police officers would “arrest” the victim for using a fake ID and demand 5 million baht ($148,220) to drop charges, later negotiating down to 2 million baht ($59,300).
Further investigation revealed that Li was also a fugitive wanted in China for a 15 billion baht ($445 million) fraud scheme involving 3,000 victims. He fled to Thailand in 2021 using a special ID card normally reserved for ethnic minorities who have lived in Thailand for more than 10 years.
The criminal network involved various players with specific roles: recruiters who lured victims, middlemen who obtained real ID cards later reported as lost, corrupt local officials who issued new cards, and four immigration police officers who conducted the extortion.
Li also established a company with Thai nominees located in Samut Prakan province, using brokers to register the company. The company had a clearly specified location, but upon investigation, authorities found no actual business operations, no physical office, and no employees.
Central Investigation Bureau officers arrest Li Zhijun, 43, a Chinese national, and his Myanmar wife, suspects believed to be key figures in the fake ID and extortion ring, at a residence in Sri Racha district, Chonburi province, on March 5, 2025.
They also discovered that the listed address was used by 14 other companies. The company partners were repeatedly the same Thai names. Police randomly summoned five of these listed partners, all of whom admitted they were not actual partners but were merely hired to establish the company. Authorities believe that further investigation will reveal more than 100 companies operating in the same manner.
On March 6, Police General Thatchai Pitanilabut, National Police Inspector General, along with other high-ranking officers announced the successful operation that targeted 11 locations across 7 provinces. Authorities seized numerous items including bank accounts, cash, phones, computers, vehicles, and nearly 200 documents.
The couple has been charged with multiple offenses including public fraud, inputting false information into computer systems, forging official documents, and supporting corrupt officials. Financial investigations revealed that the network’s companies had circulated 400-500 million baht ($12-15 million) within a year, with money flowing from illegal businesses along Thailand’s borders and scammer networks.
Police General Thatchai Pitanilabut, National Police Inspector General, and Police Lieutenant General Jirapop Phuridet, Commander of the Central Investigation Bureau (center), announce the results of “CIB Game On” operation that dismantled a fake ID gang, at the CIB headquarters in Bangkok on March 6, 2025.
The four implicated immigration officers, who are currently in prison for a separate 10-million-baht extortion case from early 2023, now face additional charges of official misconduct and corruption in this new case.
Police Lieutenant General Jirapop Phuridet, Commander of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), stated that initially, Mr. Li will complete his prosecution in Thailand. Afterward, he will be extradited to China to face charges related to the Red Notice according to legal procedures.
“We have been consistently coordinating information with China throughout this process. Similarly, the investigative information for this case also came from China. Moving forward, we will continue to collaborate with China to eliminate criminals who have fled to hide in Thailand.
Singha Corporation's beverage brand 'Leo' is one of the sponsors of the 'MotoGP 2025' World Motorcycle Championship at Chang International Circuit, Buriram Province, on March 1, 2025. (KHAOSOD Photo/Todsaporn Lohkunceam)
BANGKOK — Singha Corporation strengthens its Global Sports Partnership strategy, extending its collaboration with MotoGP for the 13th year. MotoGP is the world’s most-watched motorcycle racing programme in 220 countries, and Singha’s partnership will cover seasons 2025 and 2026.
Voravud Bhirombhakdi
Voravud Bhirombhakdi, Senior Executive Vice President and Executive Director of Boon Rawd Brewery Co., Ltd., and Deputy CEO of Boon Rawd Trading Co., Ltd., said on March 6 that Singha and MotoGP have been working together since 2014.
“We recently announced the extension of our partnership until 2026. This year’s highlight will be the participation of Thai racers in MotoGP for the whole season for the first time, with Thailand having the honor to be the opening field of the season,” said Voravud.
“Singha Corporation’s beverage brand ‘Leo’ has come up with a host of fun activities to entertain MotoGP fans. The mission is to turn a Thai brand into a global brand with global recognition and to support Thai athletes to compete at a world-class level,” he added.
Beyond Singha, energy giant PTG Energy has also announced an investment of 8.9 million dollars to secure rights as a main sponsor of MotoGP Thailand until 2026, further demonstrating Thailand’s corporate commitment to the championship.
Government Investment in MotoGP
Thailand has hosted MotoGP events since 2018, with the government subsidizing license fees paid to the event owners. The latest 5-year contract renewal (2021-2025) involves government budget support for licensing fees of 26.6 million dollars (900 million baht), or 5.9 million dollars (200 million baht) annually, from the full licensing value of 53.3 million dollars (1,800 million baht).
MotoGP recently made headlines when Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra addressed questions about contract renewal, stating that business details unrelated to politics were under review. This came after Newin Chidchob, Chairman of Chang International Circuit where MotoGP events are held, posted that the government might not renew the MotoGP contract, with 2026 potentially being Thailand’s final race.
MotoGP winner Spain’s Marc Marquez, center, second placed Spain’s Alex Marquez, left, and third placed Italy’s Francesco Bagnaia celebrate on the podium after the MotoGP race at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (KHAOSOD Photo/Ekachai Rattanawong)
“It’s a world-class big event where the government invests no more than 500 million baht annually, with private sector support of at least 300 million baht yearly,” Newin said, expressing regret about the possible non-renewal. “This event generates economic circulation and business stimulation exceeding 5,000 million baht.”
Negotiations for Better Terms
Subsequently, Sorawong Thienthong, Minister of Tourism and Sports, clarified that negotiations for renewing the MotoGP licensing rights are ongoing, with the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) handling the process.
“The past 7 years have shown significant economic value,” said Sorawong. “In the new contract negotiations, Thailand should receive some benefits and special privileges from the rights holder, as Thailand is essentially a regular customer.”
These developments come as Formula One owner Liberty Media has purchased MotoGP in a deal worth an enterprise value of $4.5 billion. The US media company will acquire approximately 86 percent of Dorna, the commercial rights holder of the global motorcycling series. This ownership change could impact future negotiations, as MotoGP reported sponsorship revenue of $83.14 million in 2024.
Rescue members work at a bomb accident site where a South Korean fighter jet accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area during training, in Pocheon, South Korea, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Yonhap via AP)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean fighter jet accidentally dropped eight bombs on a civilian area during training on Thursday, injuring eight people, officials said.
The MK-82 bombs “abnormally” released by the KF-16 fighter jet fell outside a firing range, causing civilian damages, the air force said in a statement.
The air force said it will establish a committee to investigate why the accident happened and examine the scale of civilian damages. It said the fighter jet was taking part in the air force’s joint live-firing drills with the army.
South Korea army soldier police officer stand guard near a bomb accident site where a South Korean fighter jet accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area during training, in Pocheon, South Korea, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Yonhap via AP)South Korean Air Force F-35A fighter jets fire flare shells during the joint military drill between South Korea and the United States at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, South Korea, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Yonhap via AP)
The air force apologized for the incident and expressed hopes for a speedy recovery of the injured people. It said it will actively offer compensation and take other necessary steps.
The accident happened in Pocheon, a city close to the heavily armed border with North Korea. Pocheon’s disaster response center said that six civilians and two soldiers were injured and they were receiving treatments at hospitals.
Center officials said the conditions of four of the injured were serious and that they are all civilians. They said two of the seriously injured are foreigners — one Thai and one Myanmar.
Three houses were partially damaged, a Catholic church and a greenhouse but they did not appear to have been directly hit by the bombs, according to the Pocheon center.
Israeli tourists receive first aid for wounds sustained in a fight with transgender women on Bangla Road, Phuket, while the transgender women show similar injuries at Patong Police Station on March 5, 2025.
PHUKET — A violent altercation in Phuket’s nightlife district has sparked widespread online criticism after video footage emerged showing foreign tourists fleeing from transgender individuals before a physical confrontation.
Police Lieutenant Pongpipat Khamchoomphoo, Deputy Inspector of Patong Police Station, reported that the incident occurred in the early hours of March 5 on Bangla Road. The conflict began when 4-5 transgender women confronted two Thai women, Wilaiporn, 21, and Sunisa, 23, accusing them of stealing Israeli clients.
When Israeli tourists Nathan and Ofir attempted to intervene, they became entangled in the dispute with the transgender group. Video shows the chaotic fight that ensued, with the tourists running away on the road pursued by the transgender women. Both parties sustained injuries before the transgender group fled the scene. Emergency responders provided first aid to the tourists before transferring them to Patong Hospital.
Authorities later identified and summoned three transgender individuals – Suwicha, 20, Apisit, 28, and Siwaphum, 29 – to acknowledge charges of public disturbance, which carries a maximum fine of 5,000 baht. The tourists were also charged with the same offense.
President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued what he called a “last warning” to Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza, directing a sharply worded message after the White House confirmed that he had recently dispatched an envoy for unprecedented direct talks with the militant group.
Trump, in a statement on his Truth Social platform soon after meeting at the White House with eight former hostages, added that he was “sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job.”
“Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” Trump said. “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!”
The pointed language from Trump came after the White House said Wednesday that U.S. officials have engaged in “ongoing talks and discussions” with Hamas officials, stepping away from a long-held U.S. policy of not directly engaging in the militant group.
Confirmation of the talks in the Qatari capital of Doha come as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains in the balance. It’s the first known direct engagement between the U.S. and Hamas since the State Department designated the group a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to provide detail on the the substance of talks, but said President Donald Trump has authorized his envoys to “talk to anyone.” Egyptian and Qatari intermediaries have served as mediators with Hamas for the U.S. and Israel since the group launched its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the war.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Wednesday, March 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“Look, dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what’s in the best interest of the American people is something that the president … believes is a good-faith effort to do what’s right for the American people,” she said.
Leavitt added that Israel has been consulted about the direct engagement with Hamas officials, and noted that there are “American lives at stake.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office offered a terse acknowledgement of the U.S.-Hamas talks. “Israel has expressed to the United States its position regarding direct talks with Hamas,” the prime minister’s office said.
Israeli officials say about 24 living hostages — including Edan Alexander, an American citizen — as well as the bodies of at least 35 others are believed to still be held in Gaza.
Adam Boehler, Trump’s nominee to be special envoy for hostage affairs, led the direct talks with Hamas. Boehler, founder and CEO of Rubicon Founders, a healthcare investment firm, was a lead negotiator on the Abraham Accords team during Trump’s first term that strove to win broader recognition of Israel in the Arab world.
The talks, which took place last month, focused mainly on the release of American hostages, and a potential end of the war without Hamas in power in Gaza, according to a Hamas official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The official added that no progress was made but “the step itself is promising” and more talks are expected. Egyptian and Qatari mediators helped arrange the talks.
The direct engagement comes as continuation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains uncertain. Trump has signaled that he has no intentions of pushing Netanyahu away from a return to combat if Hamas doesn’t agree to terms of a new ceasefire proposal, which the Israelis have billed as being drafted by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.
The new plan would require Hamas to release half its remaining hostages — the militant group’s main bargaining chip — in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners, a key component of the first phase.
Trump on Wednesday welcomed eight former hostages — Iair Horn, Omer Shem Tov, Eli Sharabi, Keith Siegel, Aviva Siegel, Naama Levy, Doron Steinbrecher and Noa Argamani — to the White House.
“The President listened intently to their heartbreaking stories,” Leavitt said. “The hostages thanked President Trump for his steadfast efforts to bring all of the hostages home.”
The talks between U.S. and Hamas officials were first reported earlier Wednesday by the news site Axios.
Leavitt, the White House press secretary, is one of three administration officials who face a lawsuit from The Associated Press on First- and Fifth-Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
BANGKOK — The 43rd Thailand Tourism Festival is set to transform the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center into a vibrant showcase of Thai culture, traditions, and sustainable tourism initiatives from March 26-30, 2025.
This year’s festival, operating daily from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM in Halls 1-4 of the convention center, aims to stimulate domestic tourism by presenting unique regional attractions under the “Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism & Sport Year 2025” campaign.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), celebrating its 65th anniversary, has organized the festival around the theme of carbon-neutral tourism, emphasizing sustainable travel experiences while highlighting the distinctive characteristics of each Thai region.
Visitors will experience “5 Must Do in Thailand” attractions categorized as Must Taste, Must Try, Must Buy, Must Seek, and Must See – all showcasing the unique cultural heritage, traditions, local wisdom, and culinary delights from across the country.
3D video displays and interactive filters promoting “Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism & Sports Year 2025”
Opportunity to win “Huuyaow & Worldboy” Art toy Journey Collection items
Eastern Region Village
Featuring the “Colors of Paradise Near Bangkok” concept, this zone highlights nine eastern provinces (Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Sa Kaeo, Chachoengsao, and Samut Prakan) through immersive technological displays showcasing:
Coastal attractions
Culinary experiences
Shopping destinations
Adventure tourism opportunities
Central Region Village
Designed with a premium nostalgic atmosphere connecting past and present, this zone features:
Railway tourism routes, including the new Japanese-style SRT Royal Blossom train
Environmentally friendly structures and sustainable tourism concepts
“5 Must Do in Central Thailand” experiences promoting convenient year-round travel options
Northern Region Village
Under the “SEASON OF NORTH 2025” concept, this pavilion features:
The North LED Show with virtual tourism experiences and 3D animations, including Chiang Mai Night Safari’s tiger Ewa
The North Fashion Show featuring traditional textiles from 17 northern provinces
Daily workshops and DIY activities
“Ministry of Happiness” café zone with northern-style beverages and DJ performances
“365 DAYS COFFEE AT NORTH” featuring regional coffee, tea, cocoa, and craft sodas
Daily cultural processions reflecting northern identity, including Lampang’s Salung Luang festival
Performances by famous artists and contemporary dance performances from the Colleges of Dramatic Arts
“Aew Nuea” photo check-in points
Premium northern “Khan Tok” dining experiences with 50 sets available daily
Southern Region Village
Highlighting the distinctive identity of southern Thailand through “5 Must Do in Thailand: GO SOUTH,” this zone presents:
Contemporary landmark photo spots in the “Virtual Roi Reality” area
“Lat Klai Sen” traditional southern massage services
“Lat Roi” southern cuisine and beverage stalls from 14 southern provinces
“Multiverse Dan Tai” spiritual zone featuring famous southern monks
Daily “Ram Wong Wian Krok” traditional dance from 6:00-7:00 PM
Northeastern (Isan) Region Village
Offering special experiences through “Isan Color Traditions, Path of Faith,” this zone features:
Displays from 20 northeastern provinces
“5 Must Do in Isan” attractions
A giant high-tech incense tree landmark representing the tenth lunar month merit-making tradition
Tourism Partners Zone
TAT has partnered with tourism associations, clubs, and businesses to offer domestic tourism packages.
Main Stage
Thai fabric fashion shows from five regions
Thailand Tourism Festival Beauty Pageant
Performances by famous artists and celebrities
Contemporary cultural performances representing all five regions
Interactive games with prizes
Sustainable Tourism Goals (STGs) Zone
This zone presents the concept of Sustainable Tourism Goals toward Net Zero Carbon Tourism, connecting tourist attractions with modern technology while educating visitors about sustainability.
The entire festival is designed, produced, decorated, and will be dismantled under the Sustainable Tourism Goals concept, reinforcing Thailand’s commitment to low-carbon, sustainable tourism initiatives.
