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Thailand to Maldives: Countries that offer visa-on-arrival for Indians

<p>The big, fat, Indian wedding is the stuff of dreams.</p><p>For Krishma Sood Bhojwani, this meant hosting a four-day-long celebration at the JW Marriott in Phuket, Thailand. The bride imported cheese wheels from Italy, sourced Iberico ham directly from Spain, and hired a photography team from Mumbai. She flew in <a href="https://www.wedmegood.com/blog/epic-phuket-wedding-with-head-turning-bridal-looks/">chefs</a> from India and Japan, and had cooks preparing fresh food across 24 dining stations.</p><p>The wedding consisted of eight events spread across four days, all set against the backdrop of the oceanfront resort where lush jungle meets the province's coastline. The 120 guests, who flew in from around the world and wore black-tie attire and intricately embroidered lehengas, were treated to cocktail dinners by the beach and ballroom parties.</p><p>Bhojwani had arranged for a floating altar and wore <a href="https://wedbook.in/real-weddings/thailand-destination-wedding-of-a-couple-who-postponed-their-wedding-thrice/">traditional outfits</a> that were made by luxury designers like Sabyasachi, whose <a href="https://www.azafashions.com/products/floral-embroidered-lehenga-set/222913?utm_country=sg&amp;wpsrc=Google%20AdWords&amp;wpscid=&amp;wpsnetn=x&amp;wpkwn=&amp;wpkmatch=&amp;wpcrid=&amp;wpcid=17961464551&amp;wpkwid=&amp;wpscn=&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_source=google-pmax&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=SGD-ACQ-GOOGLE-PMAX-ALL-MCV-12August2022&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwmouZBhDSARIsALYcouoPDwycaxZa2Np04dLTMyBf5DqDEeZg9yHbJ1QgQ70oSm4Cs6s5uEIaAlgrEALw_wcB">designs</a> can go for $30,000 a piece.</p><p>As for the cost? Around $400,000 for the wedding events alone, Bhojwani estimates — and that doesn't account for the couple's jewelry and outfits. </p><p>"I did have a strict budget — money doesn't grow on a tree. We were sharp on cost and didn't spend a dollar over what I said we would," Bhojwani, who's from Australia, told Insider.</p><div type="image" title="Krishma Sood Bhojwani's wedding." height="3555" width="4740" msid="94268295" hostid="261"></div><p>In India, the wedding industry is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/indias-50-billion-wedding-industry-is-gearing-up-for-a-busy-winter/articleshow/78163437.cms">worth</a> a whopping $50 billion, and it's not uncommon for wealthy families to spend astronomical amounts of money on weddings. In 2018, billionaire tycoon Mukesh Ambani <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-10/real-crazy-rich-asian-wedding-is-said-to-cost-100-million?leadSource=uverify%20wall">spent</a> a reported $100 million on his daughter's wedding, with guests like Beyonce, Shah Rukh Khan, and Hillary Clinton in attendance.</p><p>But even for the just ordinarily wealthy, weddings can ring up serious price tags: Indian families are known to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-looks-indian-weddings-boost-tourism-revenue-2022-08-31/">spend</a> as much as $800,000 on destination weddings at five-star hotels and resorts across Southeast Asia. Traditionally, the bride's family would bear the wedding costs, but that's now considered an <a href="https://qz.com/2130328/how-hindu-weddings-became-indias-cultural-export/">outdated practice</a> — many families, including Bhojwani and her husband's, choose to share the expenses. As Bhojwani put it, Indian couples typically have a "huge amount of parental support" in financing the costs of their wedding.</p><div type="image" title="Krishma Sood Bhojwani's wedding." height="4023" width="5365" msid="94268298" hostid="261"></div><p>Now, as luxury resorts across Southeast Asia emerge from the pandemic, many of them are competing for these lucrative Indian weddings. Many of these establishments are still reeling from the financial impact of the pandemic, and they're sparing no effort to attract the business of wealthy Indian couples to make up for the deficits. After all, that big Indian wedding may just be the tipping factor between ending the year in red or black. </p><h2><strong>The big business of big Indian weddings</strong></h2><p>One reason high-end Indian weddings can be so expensive is because they're often not single-day events — Sikh wedding ceremonies, for example, are held over several days, said Vin Ramash, a wedding planner with Singapore-based wedding and events company Alangkaar. </p><div type="image" title="Krishma Sood Bhojwani's wedding in Phuket." height="4023" width="5365" msid="94268301" hostid="261"></div><p>"At the higher end, Punjabi weddings start at $100,000 per day, so spending $500,000 is possible," Ramash told Insider, explaining that this is typical of weddings held at premium hotels like Capella, St. Regis, or Ritz-Carlton.</p><p>But the bells, whistles, and whims of the couple also contribute to the hefty price tag.</p><p>Hand-made mandaps, or altars, and custom-designed decorations can cost around $40,000, Ramash said — and additional requests like fireworks can cost even more.</p><p>And then there's the travel element. </p><p>As destination weddings become more popular among high-net worth Indian couples, many couples are looking to Thailand. Ramash said Alangkaar's tourism partner in the country anticipates 400 to 500 "large-sale Indian weddings" in 2023 alone.</p><div type="image" title="Krishma Sood Bhojwani's wedding." height="3580" width="4773" msid="94268303" hostid="261"></div><p>"Couples love destination weddings in Thailand because of the value you get for every dollar you spend. People want an experience — it's not just about status," Ramash, who plans weddings in Singapore, Bali, and Phuket, added. </p><p>Bhojwani and her husband had initially planned to host their wedding at the Intercontinental Hotel in Phu Quoc, Vietnam. After lockdowns, travel restrictions, and four postponements, they finally decided to host their wedding in Thailand.</p><p>Vendors and planners in Phu Quoc failed to understand what they wanted for their wedding "no matter how hard we negotiated," Bhojwani said. The planners and venue in Thailand, meanwhile, "understood the vision, the scale, the grandeur, and experience" she and her husband were looking for.</p><div type="image" title="Krishma Sood Bhojwani's wedding." height="3881" width="5174" msid="94268305" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>Tourism boards and luxury hotels are fighting for weddings</strong></h2><p>Given the pent-up demand, and in an effort to get back to pre-pandemic business levels, tourism boards and luxury hotels are prioritizing marketing campaigns that target the ultra-luxe destination Indian wedding segment. That means that destinations like Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Maldives are often vying for the same big-budget weddings.</p><p>Resorts are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to become the destination of choice. Hotels are catering to all sorts of demands from the wedding parties, including making special arrangements for religious rituals like providing a Hindu priest to solemnize the wedding. In some instances, they've even offered to rebook guests at sister venues if a bigger wedding party wants to book out the entire property. </p><p>Tourism boards are getting in on it, too.</p><p>For Thailand, wedding revenue is embedded into the tourism revenue for the year. Thailand expects a 600 billion to 700 billion baht, or $16 to 19 million, boost to tourism revenues this year from luxury weddings and honeymooners, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-looks-indian-weddings-boost-tourism-revenue-2022-08-31/">reported</a>, citing a senior tourism official. Indian tourists are the "priority" this year, Tanes Petsuwan, the deputy governor of Thailand's tourism authority, <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Travel-Leisure/Thai-tourism-eyes-Indian-weddings-as-Chinese-spending-dries-up">told</a> Nikkei Asia.</p><div type="image" title="Krishma Sood Bhojwani's wedding." height="2250" width="3000" msid="94268475" hostid="261"></div><p>Other tourism boards, like Indonesia's, are also on the prowl to woo these glitzy-eyed couples. These exclusive weddings can cost anywhere from $200,000 to $500,000, Sanjay Sondhi, the CEO of Om Tourism and the head of Indonesia's tourism board for India, told Insider. </p><p>Indonesia tourism board officials often collaborate with the biggest wedding planners in countries like India, and in some instances are even present when resorts are pitching to the prospective brides and grooms. </p><p>The fruits of this labor can be sweet. For one high-profile wedding slated to be held in the tropical island of Bali, talks are now revolving around a chartered flight for around 250 guests, Sondhi said. The couple was previously mulling a destination wedding in Thailand. </p><h2><strong>Hotels lay out the red carpet</strong></h2><p>With the main Indian wedding season, which runs from October to December, just around the corner, hotels are seeing a pick-up in inquiries.</p><p>Demand for Six Senses properties across Southeast Asia for Indian destination weddings has been on the rise, with Six Senses Uluwatu in Bali being the absolute "favorite," Agnes Poon, the director of sales and marketing for Six Senses in Asia, told Insider. In August, the five-star resort held the wedding for a high-end family based in South India, Poon said. And in late 2021, the hotel chain <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/vicky-kaushal-katrina-kaif-s-wedding-suites-in-six-senses-resort-costs-rs-7-lakh-per-night-exclusive-1882458-2021-11-30">hosted</a> the wedding of Bollywood stars Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal. The wedding took place at the chain's flagship property in India, Six Senses Fort Barwara.</p><p>Poon said queries are coming in for minimums of 200-250 rooms at the resort, which rests on the famed limestone cliffs of Uluwatu and opens up to sweeping views of the Indian Ocean.</p><p>To be sure, it's not just Indian weddings that are big business. The global wedding services industry generated $160.5 billion revenues in 2020 and is expected to generate revenues of $414.2 billion in 2030, per an Allied Market Research <a href="https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/wedding-services-market-A15864">report</a>.</p><p>Luxury hotel Capella Singapore has weddings scheduled for every weekend of the year, Victoria Lim, a content marketing specialist at Capella Hotel group, told Insider. Demand for venues is topping pre-pandemic levels — but the type of demand is also diversifying. Capella is seeing an increase in small and intimate solemnization, especially for couples who put their weddings on pause due to the pandemic, Lim said. </p><div type="image" title="Krishma Sood Bhojwani's wedding." height="3843" width="5124" msid="94268478" hostid="261"></div><p>But for many of those taking the traditional big Indian wedding route, it's worth it to dish out — even if they had to change their plans multiple times along the way.</p><p>"I've always dreamed of having a beautiful wedding," Bhojwani said of her April wedding. "It was really hard, it was delayed for three years but we got there in the end. It's definitely worth it."</p>

Indian weddings are big money &mdash; and luxury resorts across Southeast Asia are competing to draw them in to make up for their Covid deficits

<br /> For Indian travellers who love to explore the world, <keyword id="3739" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Thailand">Thailand</keyword> is like a weekend getaway. People from all over the country throng to this island country to enjoy the bliss called beaches. You may have dipped your feet in sea water of Goa or enjoyed the solitude of <keyword id="67979" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Alappuzha">Alappuzha</keyword>, but Thailand’s beaches are different. You just can’t compare them with anything in the world. <keyword id="51958" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="YES">Yes</keyword>, it’s out of the world. Blue sea, white sand and a hell lot of pubs to keep you hydrated.<br />
<br /> But wait, if you are thinking of <keyword id="3741" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pattaya">Pattaya</keyword> or <keyword id="3565878" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="patong">Patong</keyword> where most of your friends click selfies with the coolest expressions in their faces, you are wrong. This article isn’t about the popular places in Thailand where crowd is already bustling with excitement. Here are the little known places in Thailand where you should visit if you want to have a fairy tale trip.

These are the little
known places in Thailand, perfect to have a fairytale-trip

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><p class="source">REUTERS/Edgar Su</p><p class="caption">Store employee Jeffrey puts his hand on a <keyword id="18712" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Gold">gold</keyword> and porcelain Buddha statue that the store had valued at S$38,888 ($34083) at a Cash Converters used goods store in Singapore, August 30, 2013.</p></div><p></p></div><keyword id="3739" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Thailand">Thailand</keyword> saw a 57% year-over-year rise in Q3 gold jewelry demand, and a 126% YoY rise bar and coin investment, according to the <a href="http://www.gold.org/media/press_releases/archive/2013/11/gdt_q3_2013_pr/">World Gold Council's latest report</a>.</p>
<p>"Thailand staged the most impressive rally, more than doubling from year-earlier levels," the report said of the surge in Thailand's investment demand for gold. Gold demand was boosted by concerns that the Thai baht might be devalued.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"The prospect of a devaluation of the Thai baht boosted demand among domestic investors as a means of storing wealth. The increasing prevalence of small gold bars within jewelery retailers across the Asian region supported demand."</p>
<p>But this wasn't the only reason. "This was in no small part due to Thailand being used as a route to channel gold into other markets, notably India and Vietnam."</p>
<p>Earlier this year India moved to suspend <a href="http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130221/jsp/business/story_16587226.jsp#.UoUBQo38Vz8">gold imports from Thailand</a>. India had a 1% duty on the import of gold jewelry from Thailand at the time, compared with 10% on other countries. </p>
<p>Indian officials believed gold imports from Thailand originated elsewhere and that Thailand was taking advantage of the bilateral free trade agreement between the two nations.</p>
<p>Thailand's consumer demand for gold was 35.6 tonnes and paled in comparison to 148.2 tonnes in India, and 209.6 tones in mainland China. But the year-over-year-growth demand has been huge.</p>
<p>Here's a look at total bar and coin demand in tonnes:</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source">World Gold Council</p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>Meanwhile, here's a chart that shows the percent change in jewelry demand:</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source">World Gold Council</p></div><p></p></div></p>

Thailand Has Become A Major Hub For Gold

<ul><li>Oyo’s booking trends show that from 25th October to 31st October, 2019, people are heading to the land of beaches, Goa.</li><li>Meanwhile, Zostel has seen a 32% increase in inbound foreign travelers along with a 28% increase solo female travellers. </li><li>Travel booking platform Cleartrip has also received got bookings for international travel during the <keyword id="6998258" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali-long-weekend">Diwali long weekend</keyword>.</li></ul>When it’s a <keyword id="6369743" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="long-weekend">long weekend</keyword>, travel plans are sure to follow. And there are many who are away from home for Diwali celebrating its away from home. <br /><br />That has increased the business for hotel aggregators and travel booking platforms. <br /><br />Oyo’s booking trends show that from 25th October to 31st October, 2019, people are heading to the land of beaches, Goa, followed by Delhi and Bangalore. The company also said that most Delhiites have booked trips to Amritsar, Jaipur and Lucknow whereas Mumbaikars plan to visit Pune, Mahabaleshwar and Lonavala. People from Bangalore, on the other hand, are planning for Mysore, Ooty, Coorg, Mangalore, Kochi and Puducherry.<br /><br />They are expecting more business from last minute plans as well. <br /><br />“We are expecting the bookings to increase manifold with large traction coming in from last-minute bookings,” said Gaurav Ajmera, Chief Operating Officer, India &amp; South Asia, OYO Hotels &amp; Homes. <br /><br />Another popular platform – Zostel which offers the hostel experience, too has seen a 70% hike in bookings from last Diwali. For the festive season in October, Zostel has received over 14,000 room night bookings with a total expected of 24,000. <br /><br />Zostel saw a 32% increase in inbound foreign travelers, and 27% increase in solo travelers, 42% increase in female travelers along with a 28% increase in solo female travelers.<br /><br />But it’s not just about short getaways, Indians also have long planned international vacations. According to booking platform Cleartrip, Indians have been booking for trips to Thailand, Istanbul, Dubai, Singapore and Malaysia. <br /><br />“Among international travellers, we are seeing an emergence of the quest for new. Thailand bookings that are usually skewed in favour of Bangkok and Pattaya are seeing a shift towards Phuket. Another top emerging destination on the list of international travellers is Istanbul, which has made it among the top 10 destinations this festive season. The emergence of Phuket and Istanbul is also propelled by the new capacity added by Indian LCCs to those destinations,” said Balu Ramchandran, Senior Vice President – Cleartrip.<br />

A lot of Indians are celebrating Diwali in Goa, Thailand, Dubai and more

Agoda, a digital travel platform, has revealed the top trending holiday destinations today, as international travel is slowly regaining popularity.<br /><br />Explorers are dusting off their suitcases and getting ready to celebrate the holiday season after a two-year hiatus.<br /><br />Indians are increasingly crossing borders to satisfy their wanderlust and seek new experiences.<br /><br />According to Agoda Booking Data, the top five current preferences are South-East Asian countries such as <keyword id="11905404" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="thailand" source="Orion">Thailand</keyword>, <keyword id="8692" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="indonesia" source="Orion">Indonesia</keyword>, and <keyword id="6356662" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="singapore" source="Orion">Singapore</keyword>, as well as European destinations such as France and Switzerland. Indians are looking for scenic views, rich culture, and places where they can enjoy the best of both worlds (mountains and beaches). Interestingly, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore have consistently topped the list of top destinations, and they were also the most popular pre-pandemic destinations [2019 Booking Data].<br /><br />Domestic travel booking data show that the lively metropolises of New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and <keyword id="12864" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="chennai" source="Orion">Chennai</keyword> are the most popular choices within the country. It is unsurprising that <keyword id="826" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="goa" source="Orion">Goa</keyword> remains a strong contender, ranking alongside the bustling metropolises as the ideal beach destination for unwinding.<br /><br />Bangkok will be the world's most populous city in 2022. The bustling city has embraced the holiday season, offering nightlife, beaches, temples, culture, and cuisine, with almost entirely relaxed travel rules. Other Asian treasures that make the top five are Jeju Island, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, and Seoul.<br /><br />Top Global Destinations in 2022:<br /><br />. Bangkok<br /><br />. Jeju Island<br /><br />. Kuala Lumpur<br /><br />. Tokyo<br /><br />. Seoul<br /><br />. Singapore<br /><br />. Bali<br /><br />. Pattaya<br /><br />. Manila<br /><br />. Penang<br /><br />. Hong Kong<br /><br />. Busan<br /><br />. Osaka<br /><br />. Johor <keyword id="14515210" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bahru" source="Orion">Bahru</keyword><br /><br />. <keyword id="582547" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="taichung" source="Orion">Taichung</keyword><br /><br />"We are seeing an increase in international travel this year as travel restrictions ease, demonstrating that people have been looking forward to travelling internationally again for the past two years." Travellers are making the most of their vacations and are eager to visit both domestic and international Asian destinations."<br /><br />"Reliving memories as well as going back to places travelers once enjoyed seems to be the theme this summer. At Agoda, we strive to enable even more people to travel by providing best-in-class travel options both on the website and app, with great deals on accommodation, and flights along with great things to do as travel continue to get back to normal," said Omri Morgenshtern, CEO, Agoda.<br /><br />Summer travel facts:<br /><br />. Indian travellers are excited to re-visit Thailand, followed by Indonesia, Singapore, France and Switzerland this summer holiday season<br /><br />. Bangkok is the top <keyword id="119132" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="asia-pacific" source="Orion">Asia Pacific</keyword> destination for both US and UK travellers, and ranks in the top three spots globally for all regions<br /><br />. Singaporeans are visiting neighbour Malaysia the most followed by Thailand and Indonesia<br /><br />. Australians are the biggest international travelers to Bali, followed by Singaporeans, Koreans, and Indian travelers<br /><br />. American travellers' top three Asia Pacific destinations are Bangkok, Manila and Tokyo

Travel platform reveals that Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore are top destinations for Indians this summer

<br />
India, Thailand and Myanmar are collectively working on a 1,400-kilometre long highway, which would be linking India with Southeast Asia by land. It would be the first time in decades that this would happen, and is required to give a boost to trade and cultural exchanges between the three countries.<br />
<br /> <keyword id="2645574" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhagwant-Singh-Bishnoi">Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi</keyword>, Indian Ambassador to Thailand, has said that there are 73 bridges in Myanmar, built more than seven decades ago during World War II, and these are being renovated with the help of India, so that they can safely bear vehicles.<br />
<br />
The repair work is expected to be completed in 18 months, after which the highway would be opened to traffic from all three countries. <br />
The planned highway has its starting point in the eastern region of India from Moreh, and would run till Myanmar's Tamu city.<br />
<br />
A tri-nation motor vehicle agreement for the use of the 1,400-km road that will reach Thailand at Tak, Mae Sot district is under consideration.<br />
<br />
"There has always been a meeting of minds between India and Thailand. Our two countries share cultural, spiritual and linguistic links. With this road we will also have physical connectivity," Bishnoi said.<br />
<br />
<em>Image for representational purpose| <a href="http://www.misswalkingshoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/imt-highway2.jpg">Source</a></em><br />

In 18 months, you can take a 1400-km long road trip from India to Thailand and Myanmar

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>Thailand</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai satellite has detected 300 floating objects in the southern Indian Ocean where an international search is under way for a missing Malaysian jet liner, <span class="highlight"><span class="highlight">Thailand</span></span>'s Geo Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISDA) said.</p>
<p>The objects were spotted around 2,700 km (1,680 miles) southwest of Perth by the satellite "Thaichote" on March 24, the GISDA said in a statement.</p>
<p>(Reporting by Amy Sawitta Levevre; Editing by Nick Macfie)</p>

Thai Satellite Images Show 300 Objects In Malaysia Jet Search Zone

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>For a brief period in the late 1990s, Thailand was the only country in southeast Asia that possessed one of the ultimate symbols of military strength: an aircraft carrier.</p><p>Its carrier, the HTMS Chakri Naruebet, was meant to be a point of pride for Thailand and symbolize the developing country's power. </p><p>Then the late 1990s Asian financial crisis hit Thailand. Bangkok's grand plans for its carrier were significantly hobbled. Commissioned in 1997, the same year the financial crisis struck the country, the Chakri Naruebet - which means "Sovereign of the Chakri dynasty," the Thai monarchy's ruling family - was mostly consigned to sitting in port due to lack of funding. </p><p>Now, <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/03/09/you-get-an-aircraft-carrier-and-you-get-an-aircraf.aspx">according</a> to The Motley Fool, Asia has plenty of aircraft carriers, as China, India, Japan, and South Korea all have carriers of different sizes. Not wanting to be left out, Singapore is on its way to constructing a carrier too. </p><p>All this competition has only made Thailand's once-proud carrier look like a bizarre reminder of the country's dysfunction, rather than the symbol of growing prestige that it was intended to be.</p><p><a href="http://thediplomat.com/2013/09/aircraft-carriers-or-not-flattops-in-the-pacific/3/">According</a> to The Diplomat, Thailand's AV-8S Matador (Harrier) accompanying jet fleet was withdrawn from service in 2006, leaving Bangkok with an aircraft carrier without aircraft. Thailand experienced a military coup <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/20/world/asia/20thailand.html">that same year</a>, along with a second one in <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27517591">2014</a>.</p><h3>Thailand ordered its aircraft carrier from Spain in 1992. The vessel was commissioned five years later, in 1997</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>Almost immediately, Thailand ran into budget constraints. The Chakri Naruebet was put to port for the better part of each month and in 2006 its associated air wing was withdrawn. The Harriers are now over 30 years old. </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>Even while operational, the carrier has been outclassed by the larger vessels of India and China, not to mention the US's super carrier fleet pictured below. It's now the smallest functioning aircraft carrier in the world.</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>The Chakri Naruebet was built to carry 9 Harrier aircraft and 14 helicopters, with a 605-person crew. Some of those planes are decades old, and the carrier <a href="http://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/detail.asp?ship_id=RTN-Chakri-Naruebet-CVS911">reportedly doesn't have a functioning anti-aircraft defense system</a>. </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>Still, despite its shortcomings, the Chakri Naruebet has proved useful in humanitarian missions. The Diplomat <a href="http://thediplomat.com/2013/09/aircraft-carriers-or-not-flattops-in-the-pacific/3/">notes</a> that the carrier was used after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami as well as in rescue operations after flooding in Thailand in 2010 and 2011</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/taiwan-navy-stealth-missile-warship-corvette-2014-12">The Taiwan Navy Just Unveiled A Stealth Missile Warship Dubbed The 'Carrier-Killer'</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="VzZTRncjpwgLe6_-fMu3OhMAZehw4Hn_" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Thailand has an aircraft carrier with no aircraft

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>US Navy/PH3 Alex C. Witte</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>For a brief period in the late 1990s, Thailand was the only country in southeast Asia that possessed one of the world's ultimate symbols of military strength: an aircraft carrier.</p><p>Its carrier, the HTMS Chakri Naruebet, was meant to be a source of pride for Thailand and symbolize the developing country's power. </p><p>But that was before the late 1990s Asian financial crisis. Bangkok's grand plans for its carrier were significantly hobbled as a result of the region's economic downturn. Commissioned in 1997, the same year the financial crisis struck the country, the Chakri Naruebet - which means "Sovereign of the Chakri dynasty," the Thai monarchy's ruling family - was mostly consigned to sitting in port due to funding shortfalls. </p><p>There are several aircraft carriers in service with Asian militaries, as China, India, Japan, and South Korea <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/these-graphics-show-the-crucial-differences-between-the-worlds-3-types-of-aircraft-carriers-2015-12">have carriers of different sizes</a>. Not wanting to be left out, Singapore is <a href="http://nationalinterest.org/feature/exposed-singapores-aircraft-carrier-disguise-12438">on its way to constructing a carrier</a>, too. </p><p>All this competition has only made Thailand's once-proud carrier look like a bizarre microcosm of the country's dysfunction, rather than the symbol of growing national prestige that it was intended to be.</p><p><a href="http://thediplomat.com/2013/09/aircraft-carriers-or-not-flattops-in-the-pacific/3/">According</a> to The Diplomat, Thailand's AV-8S Matador (Harrier) accompanying jet fleet was withdrawn from service in 2006, leaving Bangkok with an aircraft carrier without any actual aircraft. Thailand experienced a military coup <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/20/world/asia/20thailand.html">that same year</a>, along with a second one in <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27517591">2014</a>.</p><h3>Thailand ordered its aircraft carrier from a Spain-based shipbuilder in 1992. The vessel was commissioned five years later, in 1997</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>AP/Pornchai</span></p><p class="caption">Crew members salute from Thailand's first aircraft carrier the HTMS Chakri Naruebet during an official ceremony to commission the Spanish-built ship at Sattahip Naval Base in Chon Buri, 70 kilometers (44 miles) south of Bangkok, Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997. The 182.6-meter-long vessel is capable of carrying nine Sea Harrier AV-8S jets and six SH-70B helicopters.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>Almost immediately, Thailand ran into budget constraints. The Chakri Naruebet was in port far more often than it was at sea. In 2006 its associated air wing was withdrawn. The Harriers that used to be deployed to the carrier are now over 30 years old, and Thailand was the last country in the world to fly first-generation Harrier airframes.</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>PH3 Alex C. Witte/US Navy</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>Even while operational, the carrier is tiny compared to the larger vessels that India and China posses, not to mention the US's super carrier fleet. It's now the smallest functioning aircraft carrier in the world. Here's how it compares to the USS Kitty Hawk:</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>PH3 Alex C. Witte/US Navy</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>The Chakri Naruebet was built to carry 9 Harrier aircraft and 14 helicopters, along with a 605-person crew. Many of the aircraft are now decades old, and the carrier <a href="http://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/detail.asp?ship_id=RTN-Chakri-Naruebet-CVS911">reportedly doesn't have a functioning anti-aircraft defense system</a>. </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>AP/Pornchai</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>Despite its shortcomings, the Chakri Naruebet has proved useful in humanitarian missions. The Diplomat <a href="http://thediplomat.com/2013/09/aircraft-carriers-or-not-flattops-in-the-pacific/3/">notes</a> that the carrier was used after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami as well as in rescue operations after flooding in Thailand in 2010 and 2011.</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Stringer Thailand</span></p><p class="caption">Tourists climb up to the Royal Chakri Naruebet light aircraft carrier with the help of the Thai Navy from Koh Tao Island after heavy storms in Surat Thani, south of Bangkok March 30, 2011. Severe flooding and mudslides in southern Thailand have killed 21 people, stranded thousands of tourists and threatened to delay shipments of rubber in the world's largest rubber-producing country, authorities said on Wednesday. Thailand's navy sent four vessels including an amphibious landing craft with on-board helicopters to the rubber-rich region to deliver supplies and rescue tourists and villagers in areas severely hit.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/taiwan-navy-stealth-missile-warship-corvette-2014-12">The Taiwan Navy Just Unveiled A Stealth Missile Warship Dubbed The 'Carrier-Killer'</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="VzZTRncjpwgLe6_-fMu3OhMAZehw4Hn_" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Thailand has an aircraft carrier without any aircraft

<ul><li><strong>Bengaluru-based Wipro has developed a blockchain-based solution for banks in Thailand.</strong></li><li><strong>Wipro had partnered with R3, an international consortium working on <keyword id="6357624" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="blockchain-technology">blockchain technology</keyword>.</strong></li><li><strong>This will allow Thailand's banks to settle dues with each other through de-centralised digital currency.</strong></li><li><strong>The solution was developed for Thailand's central bank and a consortium of 8 commercial banks. <br /></strong></li></ul>An Indian technology major, Wipro, is now helping eight banks in Thailand to settle dues with each other through de-centralised digital currency.<br /><br />"Developed as part of the first phase of Project lnthanon, the solution will enable de-centralised interbank real-time gross settlement (RTGS) using wholesale Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) to prove that the technology can perform key functionalities of payment and enhance efficiency," Wipro's statement on May 7 said.<br /><br />Project lnthanon is an initiative led by the <keyword id="338583" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bank-of-Thailand">Bank of Thailand</keyword>, launched in August 2018. The first phase focussed on rolling out a payment infrastructure, followed by the blockchain initiatives. " The prototype has demonstrated the merits of blockchain technology adoption for making interbank payments more efficient," Krishnakumar N Menon, Vice President and Blockchain Theme Leader, Wipro said.<br /><br />In April 2018, the Reserve Bank of India revealed its plan to issue a digital currency, CBDC, while forcing a bunch of cryptocurrency exchanges operating in the country to shut shop. However, the <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/money-and-banking/rbi-shelves-plan-to-launch-digital-currency/article25883102.ece" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">plan was shelved</a> after three-month long feasibility study; the findings have not been made public.<br /><br />CBDC is digital money equivalent to – and redeemable for – a country's domestic currency that a central bank can issue. It can choose to simultaneously remove an equivalent amount of physical currency from the system.<br /><br />There are at least 40 countries, including Singapore, UK, France, Sweden, and Cambodia, where the central banks are working on blockchain technology with various goals, not just digital currencies, according to <a href="https://www.weforum.org/press/2019/04/central-banks-becoming-leaders-in-blockchain-experimentation-says-world-economic-forum/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">a recent report from the World Economic Forum</a>. "Blockchain technology could enable new capabilities for central bank processes that have not yet been identified," the report had said.<br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:<br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/Blockchain-could-soon-power-stock-markets-music-sales-and-even-prevent-child-labor-heres-how-it-works/articleshow/54881954.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">What is Blockchain?</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/microsoft-is-partnering-with-jpmorgan-chase-on-its-blockchain-product/articleshow/69153485.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Microsoft is partnering with JPMorgan Chase on its blockchain product</a><br />

An Indian tech major is helping Thai banks use digital currency while the RBI hangs back

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<br />
Globetrotting Indians made the most of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Attention-Travellers-Heres-how-you-can-make-the-most-of-extended-weekend-offs-in-2016/articleshow/50043013.cms">long weekend offs</a> and holidays in the year 2015.<br />
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The most preferred destinations by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=INDIAN+TRAVELLERS">Indian travellers</a> were in Asia only. According to a report by Hotels.com, Indians mostly preferred short haul destinations in Asia.<br />
<br /> "Short-haul destinations in Asia were preferred by <keyword id="158657" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-travellers">Indian travellers</keyword> in 2015. This was mainly due to 13 long weekends that influenced Indian travellers' choices to opt for short-haul holiday destinations," according to latest Hotel Price Index (HPI) report of Hotels.com.<br />
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READ MORE: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Here-are-52-countries-where-Indians-can-travel-without-a-visa/articleshow/51224140.cms">Here are 52 countries where Indians can travel without a visa</a><br />
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While Thailand topped the list, here are the other places that made it to the top 10 destinations where Indians travelled overseas in 2015 list.<br />
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(Images: Thinkstock)<br />

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