- Crystal meth seized in Khiri Khan/Ex-refinery diesel price cut by 4 Baht/Kui Buri elephants huddle under trees/Thailand birth rate tumbles/’Hands off Koh Kut’/Villagers carry elderly woman 9 kilometers
- THE IRAN WAR: Saudi oil export disruption
- ECONOMY: US$17 billion in Gastech deals/Thailand signs global minimum tax agreement/Bangkok’s Data Center Boom/Cargill commits 2 billion baht/MICE sector valued at 200 billion baht
- TOURISM: Pattaya battles sex tourism image/TAT’s Amazing Thailand Ambassador Campaign/More emphasis on visitor value/Thailand’s visa crackdown/DTV rules vary between Thai embassies
- CLIMATE THAILAND: 42.5-MWp Thai floating solar park/Why is Bangkok replacing diesel trucks?/Balanced path for Asia’s energy transition
- THAIS BEHAVING BADLY/FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS
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Police seize 464 kilograms of crystal meth in Khiri Khan
Highway police arrested a 23-year-old man and seized approximately 464 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine after the van he was driving crashed into a resident’s fence during a pursuit in Prachuap Khiri Khan last week.
The suspect, identified only as Minthada, was detained near the Don Sai traffic-light junction on Suk Chit Road in Ko Lak subdistrict, Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan district. Continued …
Government cuts ex-refinery diesel price by 4 Baht
The Energy Policy Administration Committee (EPAC) has announced a discount on the ex-refinery price of high-speed diesel by 4 baht per liter, effective from today until Oct.31.
Published in the Royal Gazette yesterday, the measure aims to mitigate domestic fuel price volatility being caused by ongoing Middle East tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which continue to disrupt global crude and refined oil supplies. The discount applies across all standard high-speed diesel grades, including B0, B7 and B20. – thaipbsworld.com
Kui Buri elephants huddle under trees as rain pours down
Thailand ‘must act’ as birth rate tumbles
Thailand is being urged to implement a coordinated effort across government, academia, and the private sector to address its declining birth rate crisis. The proposed approach involves covering the entire lifecycle, ranging from the initial stages of having and raising children to preparing them for the workforce.
The strategy emphasizes creating an environment that makes it easier for people to start families and raising children to be healthy and capable. Key focus areas include improving access to quality healthcare, promoting physical and mental health for children, infants, and mothers, and providing care during pregnancy. Additionally, government ministers have suggested that strengthening family support systems and enhancing digital skills and lifelong learning will be essential to helping child development and reducing inequality. – Bangkok Post
‘Hands off Koh Kut’: Thailand stands firm at UN maritime talks
Thailand maintains that the island of Koh Kut is not subject to the current maritime reconciliation process, as the government considers its sovereignty over the island to be a matter of land territory rather than maritime boundary. Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has stated that the ongoing conciliation proceedings should be strictly limited to the maritime boundary dispute and should exclude land borders, which includes Koh Kut.
The Thai government specifically rejects Cambodia’s 1972 continental shelf claim line, asserting that this unilateral claim lacks a legal basis. Officials have emphasized that any maritime demarcation conducted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) should clearly demonstrate that the island belongs to Thailand. This dispute is being addressed through a UN-facilitated conciliation commission currently meeting in Singapore. – Bangkok Post
Kanchanaburi villagers carry elderly woman 9 kilometers to bank
Villagers and local volunteers in Kanchanaburi carried an elderly woman 9 kilometers through continuous rain so she could reach a bank after her ATM card stopped working and she needed to verify her identity in person.
The journey took place on Monday, in a remote community in Sangkhla Buri district near the Thai-Myanmar border. The woman, who is in her 90s and bedridden, needed to resolve the banking issue so she could access money deposited by relatives each month for her living and care expenses. Continued …
Saudi export disruption sends some physical cargoes above US$130 a barrel
European buyers pushed some physical oil cargo prices above US$130 a barrel yesterday, while Brent and US crude futures reached their highest settlements since May 19 as disruptions to Saudi exports intensified.
Shipping industry sources said crude loadings at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea export hub of Yanbu had been suspended. Trade sources also said Riyadh had informed European customers that some late-September crude cargoes would be cancelled, raising concerns that disruption could last for weeks. Continued …
Energy minister reports over US$17 billion in Gastech deals
Energy Minister Akanat Promphan said yesterday that Gastech 2026 in Bangkok had generated more than US$17 billion in energy business agreements. Thailand also handed over hosting duties for the 2027 event to Houston in the United States.
Akanat credited cooperation among all those involved in Gastech 2026 in Bangkok with helping the event secure the agreements. The outcome reinforced Asia’s potential as a center for global energy business, he said. Continued …
Thailand signs up to global minimum tax agreement
Thailand has signed an international tax information exchange agreement as part of the Global Anti-Base Erosion (GloBE) rules to support the collection of top-up taxes.
The agreement is part of Thailand’s participation in the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on the Exchange of Information. This move aims to facilitate the exchange of tax information concerning large multinational enterprises (MNEs) and reduce the burden of compliance by minimizing the need for duplicate information in multiple countries. – Bangkok Post
Bangkok’s Data Center Boom Runs Into a Regulatory Reckoning
Stallholders working a market along Rama XI, one of Bangkok’s arterial roads, started noticing a nauseating oil odor drifting from a boxy structure covered in gunmetal grey panels that had gone up across from their stalls with almost no warning.
A nearby hospital sat close enough to raise its own alarms. When authorities finally looked, they found 200,000 liters of oil being stored on site without a permit. The facility, known as BKK01, was tied to a $1 billion investment from the Dubai-based conglomerate DAMAC, part of a plan to turn Thailand into a Southeast Asian hyperscale hub. Continued …
Cargill commits 2 billion baht to Thailand expansion
Cargill is expanding its food production in Thailand by investing 2 billion baht (US$60 million) to enhance its feed business and processing facilities. This strategic move aims to increase production efficiency and reliability in the production process, while also providing better control over raw materials.
The investment includes upgrading machinery at three processing and slaughtering facilities in Nakhon Ratchasima and upgrading one primary facility in Saraburi. Cargill also plans to build a new silo in Nakhon Ratchasima with an expected capacity of 30,000 tons of feed to help manage costs during harvest seasons and mitigate the impact of fluctuating feed ingredient prices. These upgrades are intended to boost total production capacity to between 150,000 and 160,000 tons per year by late 2028. – Bangkok Post
Revived MICE sector valued at 200 billion baht
Thailand’s MICE sector is expected to be worth 200 billion baht this year as it transitions into recovery mode. This projection comes as the industry steadily moves toward economic recovery, with the sector’s growth playing a vital role in the nation’s broader economic landscape.
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has noted that the sector’s revival is essential for driving national revenue. While some earlier targets for the MICE segment in 2026 were set at 163 billion baht, with 29.4 million participants, the current outlook suggests a stronger valuation of 200 billion baht. To maintain competitiveness, the bureau is focusing on high-value industries and addressing challenges such as the need for more specialized incentives for international organizers and attendees. – Bangkok Post
Pattaya battles sex tourism image as crimes investigated
A media review of Pattaya has highlighted the resort city’s enduring association with sex tourism, despite efforts by local authorities to promote beaches, sport, conventions and family holidays.
The report comes as two Western foreigners face separate murder investigations linked to deaths in the Pattaya area. Pattaya Mayor Poramet “Beer” Ngampichet acknowledged the city’s nightlife reputation but said officials were trying to broaden its appeal. Continued …
TAT’s Amazing Thailand Ambassador Campaign Generates Over 448 Million Impressions
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) reports that its “Amazing Thailand Ambassador” project has generated more than 448 million impressions across media and digital channels.
The initiative reflects TAT’s efforts to evolve how Thailand is communicated as a destination in response to today’s changing traveler behaviors and digital landscape, using contemporary stories, content, and perspectives to connect audiences with Thailand’s unique charm.
As part of the initiative, Lisa, as the Amazing Thailand Ambassador, helped showcase Thailand’s stories and perspectives to travelers through the “Feel All the feelings” campaign, sparking widespread conversation and inspiring people to experience and discover Thailand for themselves.
Thailand is redefining tourism success by putting more emphasis on visitor value
Thailand is shifting the way it measures tourism success, moving beyond visitor numbers toward a model focused on value, distribution and sustainability.
TAT Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications Nithee Seeprae said the agency is increasingly tracking indicators including per-capita tourism revenue, length of stay, repeat visitation rates, the dispersion of tourists to secondary provinces and the quality of life of local communities. The approach is built around five strategies: life economy, sub-culture economy, night economy, circular economy and platform economy. Continued …
Thailand’s visa crackdown could cost more in tourist spending than in arrivals
Thailand has shortened the standard visa-free stay for tourists from 60 days to 30, and this change may have a bigger effect on tourism spending than on the number of foreign visitors entering the country.
The new rules took effect yesterday, as Thailand tries to shift its tourism strategy toward higher-value visitors. Most ordinary holidays will remain unaffected. But for travelers who stay for several weeks, the change could mean shorter trips, additional visa applications or a decision to spend their money elsewhere. Continued …
Thailand DTV rules vary between Thai embassies
Thailand’s revised Destination Thailand Visa rules, effective from Aug. 31, have created uncertainty for applicants applying outside their home country as Thai embassies and consulates publish differing residence requirements.
The Department of Consular Affairs replaced the previous requirement for proof of an applicant’s current location with proof of permanent residence. Applicants must now also submit a criminal record clearance certificate. Continued …
Amata, B.Grimm to co-develop 42.5-MWp Thai floating solar park
Thai industrial estate developer Amata Corp. and energy producer B.Grimm Power will invest 1.2 billion baht (USD36.1 million/EUR33.9 million) in a 42.5-MWp floating solar project at an industrial site in eastern Thailand’s Chon Buri province.
The proposed photovoltaic (PV) park will be installed at a water reservoir within Amata City Chonburi Industrial Estate, a major industrial estate development managed by Amata, to help meet growing demand for renewable energy and support the industrial sector’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Its output is expected to help mitigate around 29,300 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Continued …
Why is Bangkok replacing diesel trucks with EVs?
Bangkok is transitioning to electric vehicles to significantly reduce energy costs and mitigate air pollution. The plan to replace diesel rubbish trucks with electric vehicles is estimated to cut energy costs by approximately 4.75 billion baht, or 54%, over a five-year period.
This shift is part of a broader effort to improve environmental performance and air quality by reducing carbon emissions and PM2.5 pollution. For instance, the government is also working to convert various public-service vehicle categories to electric power, a move that could potentially reduce national oil consumption by 212 million liters annually.
Beyond waste management, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority is preparing to roll out 1,520 electric buses to improve passenger convenience and safety while lowering fuel and maintenance costs by an estimated 4.1 billion baht per year. – Bangkok Post
Energy leaders urge balanced path for Asia’s energy transition
Energy leaders at Gastech 2026 in Bangkok called for a balanced approach to the energy transition, arguing that reducing emissions cannot be pursued separately from energy security, affordability, reliability and economic growth.
Speaking during the panel “On track or off course? Navigating the path towards lower carbon energy systems” yesterday, executives from PETRONAS, PTT, Saipem and Wood, alongside the CNPC Economics & Technology Research Institute, broadly agreed that the transition would require both existing energy systems and new lower-carbon technologies. Continued …
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Russian tourist robbed at gunpoint in Pattaya – Continued …
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Pattaya police hold teens over Turkish man’s robbery – Continued …
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Five Indian tourists report North Pattaya hotel assault – Continued …
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British man injured in attempted Pattaya phone robbery – Continued …
Over 200 Brits held over Thailand cannabis mule trips
More than 200 British nationals are currently detained overseas in drug-smuggling cases involving cannabis originating from Thailand, Foreign Office figures show. The UK government said consular cases involving Britons arrested abroad for drug smuggling more than quadrupled between 2023 and 2025, rising from just over 80 to more than 340. There have already been more than 160 new cases in 2026. Continued …
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Chinese fugitive held after Malaysia visa run – Continued …
Former Google DeepMind researcher warns of AI extinction risk
A former Google DeepMind researcher warned on Monday that artificial intelligence (AI) could potentially “kill all humans”, saying the world may be running out of time to prevent such an outcome. Continued …
US acknowledges that it has deployed weapons in space
The United States has confirmed for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space, a remarkable revelation after previous warnings about countries such as Russia possibly weaponizing a global frontier long agreed in treaties to be used for only peaceful purposes. Continued …
Hua Hin Links and Transport
Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/Air pollution index map/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport
Thailand has long appealed to retirees seeking sunshine, affordability, reliable healthcare, and a slower pace of life.
Thailand has ranked third in the world for digital nomads and fourth for retirees in the Rumavi Global Relocation Index 2026, which assessed 192 countries and territories.
A new concrete road and drainage system for Hua Hin Soi 10 have been completed under a municipal project, with a construction budget of 5.42 million baht. Mayor Nopporn Wutthikul and municipal officials inspected the work last week as part of the formal acceptance process.
Camera traps have recorded tigers in Prachuap Khiri Khan alongside Fea’s muntjac and other rare wildlife during a five-month survey, conservation officials announced yesterday.
A new NIDA Poll has found that many Thai respondents who had heard reports of, or experienced, alleged inappropriate or illegal behavior by Israelis in Thailand said their main concern was a lack of respect for the law.
Thailand’s Interior Ministry has expanded its investigation into Gan Chabad Co., from a Jewish cemetery in Chachoengsao to land holdings, company structures and possible nominee arrangements involving dozens of linked businesses.
Thailand still has 2,574 subdistricts without adequate standard emergency medical units, while a Senate working group is pushing for expanded local coverage and plans to increase the number of paramedics to 7,500 within five years.
Thailand’s Energy Ministry hopes to launch its 26th petroleum bidding round in the Andaman Sea by late 2026, with five major energy companies identified as potential participants, but Cabinet approval of key fiscal terms remains pending, according to media reports.
This week, the global energy industry gathers in Bangkok for Gastech, the world’s premier gas conference. Thailand is a fitting host, both for its own industrial ambitions and because it sits at the heart of the region that is reshaping global energy demand.
Thailand’s Customs Department collected more than 4 billion baht in import duties on goods worth no more than 1,500 baht in the first 11 months of fiscal 2026, Director-general Phantong Loykulnanta said, reporting a shift toward purchases from domestic sellers.
Phuket’s property market has reached a total value of more than 705 billion baht, the highest among Thailand’s regional provinces, with resort condominiums and villas accounting for more than half of residential supply and foreign buyers remaining a major source of demand.
Thailand’s proposed Thai Travel Plus, or Thai Tiew Thai Plus, scheme has an admirable objective: to encourage domestic tourism and spread tourism spending more widely across the country. The proposal is expected to go before Cabinet on Sept. 22, with a government budget of around 3.5 billion baht.
Chiang Mai farmers move to preserve local herb as ‘Makwean’ earns GI registration
What began as a defensive response to a global energy supply shock is rapidly turning into Thailand’s most ambitious economic transformation in decades.
Indonesian rescuers continued searching today for 129 people missing after the Virgo Transport 8 capsized in the Java Sea. Six people have died and 108 have been rescued. The vessel carried 243 people and was sailing from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it encountered bad weather early yesterday. 
Rescuers retrieved more remains from a passenger ferry in the Philippine that was gutted by fire, bringing the death toll on Saturday to 76, with 13 missing. Forty-three people survived the fire on Wednesday night among the 132 on board. 
Prime Minister Mark Carney calls Canada “the most European of non-European countries,” and while formal EU membership may be tricky, he is pursuing unprecedented closeness with the bloc to reduce dependence on a hostile United States. 
August was the hottest single month ever recorded globally, with ocean temperatures also reaching unprecedented highs as western Europe capped its warmest summer, the EU’s climate monitor said today.
Apple joins foldable phone race with $1,999 passport-shaped iPhone Duo
Thailand and the United States are days from a sweeping trade deal reaching far beyond tariffs. Minister of Commerce Suphajee Suthumpun says every substantive issue is settled, with only legal drafting left. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is then expected to speak directly with US President Donald Trump to close the pact.
Don Mueang is attracting more high-end housing development as transport links, international schools and demand from affluent families broaden its appeal beyond the airport, according to Cushman & Wakefield Thailand.
Thailand’s DSI is moving toward its first summons in a widening Israeli-linked business probe centered on Pattaya. Israeli businessman Maimon David Marsiano and several Thai shareholders are expected to face questioning over suspected nominee structures, company control and investment funding.
Nestlé invests $194 million in Purina pet-food production in Thailand
Top Family-Friendly Tourist Destinations in Thailand
Registration will open in mid-October for a solar rooftop scheme offering subsidies of up to 50,000 baht per installation, initially targeting one million households.
Thailand has approved a regulatory policy framework for small modular reactors (SMRs), beginning work on the laws, specialist skills and safety arrangements needed if it eventually adopts nuclear power.
Nawee Changpirom has spent years working to rescue trafficked wildlife in Thailand, but even he can sometimes hardly believe the creatures he has found: leopards, hornbills, and once an anteater. “We even found living corals hidden in a ceiling,” he said.
US President Donald Trump promised every adult U.S. citizen would receive a $5,000 check if Republicans retain their majorities in Congress during the party’s first-ever midterm convention yesterday. The president capped off the event by attacking Democrats while rallying supporters in Texas in a bid to boost GOP enthusiasm across the country. 
The US-Canada trade war has escalated rapidly, rupturing what was once one of the world’s closest economic partnerships. But the conflict is a mismatch, with the $31 trillion US economy roughly 13 times larger than Canada’s, raising questions about the limits of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s defiance. 
Most fuel prices at PTT Station and Bangchak rose yesterday, while premium grades remained unchanged. PTT Station increased petrol and non-premium gasohol prices by 0.80 baht a liter and non-premium diesel by 0.70 baht.
Thailand’s proposed secondary alcohol rules could severely limit how breweries, bars and restaurants display beer products, according to the Craft Beer Business Assn. The draft measures will be discussed at a public consultation today and are not yet in force.
10 popular lunch dishes in Thailand loaded with sodium that could wreck your kidneys
The Thai baht weakened against the US dollar from 33.90 to 32.70, supported by dollar softness and Middle East risks. Thailand’s central bank kept rates unchanged at 1.00%, maintaining accommodative stance through H1 2027. Commerzbank expects near-term consolidation around 32.50-33.00 range.
Thailand’s tariff negotiations with the United States are down to the final wording, which should be completed within a week, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said yesterday.
Thailand’s consumer confidence strengthened for a third consecutive month in August, reaching its highest level in six months, as purchasing power and economic activity showed early signs of improvement, according to the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).
Thailand had 26 companies licensed to operate data centers by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) as of July 27, with their declared electricity demand exceeding 1,059MW.
Bangkok ranked second among Asia’s most revisited destinations in Agoda’s latest repeat visitor ranking, behind Tokyo and ahead of Bali, based on accommodation bookings made during the first half of 2026.
Royal Thai Navy opens free ticket bookings for Royal Barge Procession
US President Donald Trump yesterday suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz as “Trump Strait,” asserting US control of the vital waterway even as fighting raged there with Iran.
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) has raised its 2026 economic growth forecast for Thailand to 2.1%-2.5%, from 1.6%-2.0%, but warned that stronger exports and private investment are producing increasingly uneven benefits across the economy.
Thailand recorded a trade deficit of US$35.3545 billion in the first seven months of 2026, according to the Commerce Ministry. However, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said more than 70% of imports were materials and capital goods used in production.
Narongsak Putthapornmongkol, president of the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, released the findings of the chamber’s confidence index survey for the fourth quarter of 2026. Conducted from Aug. 18-20, the survey covered 503 respondents and found that 46.2% expected Thailand’s economy to grow by 1.5%-2% this year, while 37.8% forecast growth of 2%-2.5%. The results pointed to an outlook below the government’s midpoint forecast of 2.2%.
Thailand’s retail sector is calling for stronger economic stimulus, including the revival of the Easy e-Receipt scheme, with an eligible spending ceiling of 100,000 baht, as household debt and accumulated living costs continue to squeeze consumers’ purchasing power.
The government is moving to address a regulatory gap in the data center sector, with the Data Center Business Policy Committee preparing an urgent meeting to develop a coordinated oversight framework.
U.S. Shrimp Coalition seeks zero tariffs for Thai shrimp
Indian tourist arrivals to Thailand fell 11.6% year-on-year between Aug. 1-22, making India the only one of the country’s four main overseas markets to record a decline during the period.
Thai Airways International (THAI) will operate 66 domestic and international routes during its winter 2026/27 timetable, covering destinations across Europe, Australia and Asia. The schedule will run from Oct. 25 to March 27, 2027), coinciding with Thailand’s peak tourism season.
AirAsia has signed its first-ever codeshare agreement, teaming up with Turkey’s largest low-cost carrier, Pegasus Airlines, to open seamless connections between Southeast Asia and Europe through Istanbul, the two airlines announced at AirAsia’s headquarters in Sepang, Malaysia, yesterday.
Thailand currently ranks as the world’s 20th-largest coffee producer, down from the top 15 a decade ago. The country grows mainly robusta, although arabica production is growing, highlighting a sharper focus on quality.
EGAT explores SMRs to bolster Thailand’s energy security
The world has failed in its goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times, the United Nations (UN) said yesterday, in a sober assessment that laid out a new goal for fighting climate change that would set the world on an uncertain path.
US energy firms yesterday signed a raft of multibillion-dollar deals with Venezuela, days after the South American country agreed to grant the United States control of a huge chunk of its vast oil reserves. Energy Secretary Chris Wright traveled to Caracas to oversee the signing of deals worth “tens of billions of dollars of investment,” seen as a quid pro quo for Washington winning majority control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves. 
The Dutch central bank said yesterday it had moved 86 tons of its gold reserves out of the United States and Canada to London, citing “increasing geopolitical unrest”. De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) said gold reserves held in London could be traded more easily than those held in New York and Ottawa. 
Fuel prices at PTT Station and Bangchak outlets rose today, with most petrol and gasohol products increasing by 0.60 baht per liter. PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Co. (OR) and Bangchak Corp. (BCP) announced the new retail rates.
The 2026 Siam PGA Pairs Classic brought 104 golfers to Hua Hin for two days of competition at Black Mountain Golf Club and Pineapple Valley Golf Club. Held on Aug, 15-16, the tournament marked its ninth staging since launching in 2017.
Civil society groups have come out against proposed changes to the universal healthcare law, warning the amendments could erode rights to public health coverage.
Oil prices jumped more than US$4 a barrel to five-week closing highs yesterday, after renewed fighting between the United States and Iran intensified concerns over Middle East supply disruptions.
Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Chaichanok Chidchob said yesterday that there are some data centers in Bangkok that are located in restricted areas where permission cannot be granted.
Thailand is slashing visa-free stays from 60 to 30 days while imposing tough new worldwide restrictions on its five-year Destination Thailand Visa. From Sept. 15, long-haul Western visitors face shorter stays, uncertain extensions and tighter land-border limits.
‘Lisa Effect’ Turns Thailand’s Travel Dreams into Real Search Demand
Euro zone inflation jumped to 3.3% in August, the highest level in three years, as the war in the Middle East kept pushing up energy costs, official data showed yesterday. Well above the European Central Bank’s 2% target, the figure from the EU’s statistical office was up sharply from 2.9% in July and in line with forecasts by analysts. 
A sell-off of bonds from key countries worldwide deepened yesterday, sending government borrowing costs soaring and equities lower as investors fretted that energy-driven inflation would force central bankers to hike interest rates. The latest bout of fighting between the United States and Iran has pushed oil prices higher, stoking the fears of tighter monetary policy that could weigh on economic growth. 
China has seen an explosive growth in its renewable installation, with coal’s share in its energy mix edging down in recent years. Now, China’s solar energy capacity has surpassed that of coal-fired power for the first time ever. 
A Western man walks down Beach Road holding hands with a Thai girl and naturally assumes the local men are glaring at him with quiet jealousy. He thinks he is a predator who just entered the local ecosystem and stole the best women from the dating pool, leaving the native men with fewer options.
Police detained 25 woman during a late-night prostitution crackdown in Pattaya on Saturday, as authorities prepare for the arrival of about 5,000 US military personnel in Chon Buri next week.
InterContinental Residences Hua Hin Achieves Complete Sell-Out
Thai teenage rocker Nene Royal has advanced to the live semifinals of America’s Got Talent Season 21 after Mel B awarded her a Live Golden Buzzer for her performance of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun”.
Thailand’s Excise Department is pressing ahead with plans to overhaul cigarette taxation by introducing a single tax rate in a move aimed at improving revenue collection and reducing price distortions created by the existing two-tier system.
Thailand wants 2027 to transform its tourism industry, but what will actually change for visitors? Perhaps high-value tourism shouldn’t simply mean higher prices.
Royal water project lifts farming and livelihoods in Chiang Mai
Thailand’s Energy Ministry plans to increase the quota for electricity purchased from household rooftop solar systems fivefold, from 100 megawatts to 500MW, as part of efforts to encourage more people to generate and sell clean power.
Thailand will accelerate its energy transition following parliamentary approval of a 400-billion-baht borrowing decree, with plans for household solar rooftops and a restructuring of vehicle taxes expected to become clearer in September, Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said.
Authorities in Nepal warned of possible fresh flooding yesterday and urged residents in flood-affected districts to remain on high alert after water levels rose in the Bhotekoshi River. Wednesday’s catastrophic floods killed at least 800 people and left more than 3,000 missing in Nepal and Tibet. 
Be Well Medical Center and BPK9 International Hospital are teaming up to host an interactive health seminar in Hua Hin focusing on common vascular diseases and circulation problems.
InterContinental Hua Hin Resort has been named The Most Favorite Pet-Friendly Hotel at the 16th AROUND AWARDS 2026. The annual awards, organized as part of AROUND Magazine’s 16th anniversary, recognize hotels, restaurants and lifestyle businesses across Thailand.
Thai police say they arrested suspects in 7,261 firearms-related cases and seized 7,872 guns during a nationwide 15-day crackdown between Aug. 12-26.
New vehicle sales in Thailand increased by over 20% to 59,196 units in July, up from 49,102 units a year earlier, according to the latest data released by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).
Thailand’s passport has been ranked 99th worldwide by Passport Reports, with a mobility score of 93. The assessment places Thailand fifth among the 11 ASEAN countries and 21st among 50 Asian countries assessed.
A Glimpse of Solar Energy in Thailand
Since Aug. 12, any Thai exporter shipping packaged goods into the EU has technically fallen under the bloc’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) – whether they know it or not.
As the world shifts toward a greener future, Thailand’s Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) is stepping up to ensure Thai businesses don’t just survive, but thrive.
Thailand is facing a double crisis: an overwhelming volume of illegally dumped hazardous waste and a deadly climate of intimidation against activists trying to stop it.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s commercialhub, is proposing to gradually restrict gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles from its downtown area from mid-2027 as part of a planned low-emission zone (LEZ). Under the proposal, the city would pilot the LEZ from July 2027 in its core downtown area and the new Thu Thiem urban area, which covers roughly 930 hectares (3.59 square miles). 
Heavy rain and flash floods threaten upper Thailand
Bangkok gun dealers say Thailand’s long-running firearms import ban is forcing some businesses to seek other income, while proposed new restrictions could further reduce legal sales.
Thai and Australian Prime Ministers Anutin Charnvirakul and Anthony Albanese yesterday signed two joint statements on upgrading strategic partnership in four areas, across trade, law enforcement, defense and innovation, after their full-scale bilateral meeting at Parliament House in Canberra.
Thailand’s industrial sentiment index rose for a second straight month in July due to strong electric vehicle (EV) sales and government support measures, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) reported yesterday. The federation’s industrial sentiment index rose to 90.0 in July from 88.2 in June.
Data from CBRE Research showed that the downtown Bangkok condominium market recorded more new project launches in the first half of 2026 than in the same period a year earlier. Luxury and super-luxury developments were the main drivers, with both segments again attracting developers’ attention.
Southeast Asian nations are close to finalizing the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), a landmark regional pact designed to govern their digital economy, projected to reach $2 trillion by 2030.
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Suphajee Suthumpun has ordered urgent measures to reduce delays for arriving passengers at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, focusing on immigration, baggage collection and public transport.
“Oh, we’re on the wrong side of the road,” I blurted out as I hopped into our van after landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. “It’s not the wrong side,” said Lisa, the journalist I was traveling with. “It’s a different side.”
Inside Wat Phra Kaew Wang Na, a rare window into Bangkok’s royal past
The US gross national debt has surged past $40 trillion for the first time, government data showed yesterday, outstripping earlier forecasts at a pace fueled in part by President Donald Trump’s invalidated tariffs. 
Portugal’s president has enacted a law pushed by the far right banning the concealment of faces in public, a measure widely seen as targeting Muslim women wearing a full-face veil. 
Thailand has warned dentists that pre-signing cannabis prescription forms without personally examining, diagnosing or treating a patient could lead to legal action and professional disciplinary consequences.
A Thai army explosives disposal specialist lost a leg after stepping on a landmine while clearing explosives near Chong An Ma in Ubon Ratchathani yesterday. The accident happened in an area near the border under the responsibility of the 2nd Army Region.
Thailand’s next industrial upgrade may not be defined only by new roads, railways, factories and smart cities, but by how intelligently they can be designed, operated and maintained.
Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) ranked first in SEAsia Stats Research’s Top Manufacturing Hubs in Southeast Asia by Integrated Industrial Area, with more than 13,000 megawatts (MW) of power capacity in the Chon Buri–Rayong area.
There is a particular kind of traveler who is no longer satisfied with simply visiting a beautiful place. They want to feel it in their body. They want to leave measurably better than they arrived. For this traveler, Thailand is not just a destination. It is beginning to look like a blueprint for how life should be lived.
Phuket has shut Freedom Beach after German tourist Jannik Jürgen Knobel, 30, was swept away in fierce monsoon seas despite red flags. His companion survived, but rescuers found his body near rocks the next day. Two other foreign tourists died at the secluded beach in 2025.
Discover the giant Buddha at Bangkok’s Wat Paknam
Thailand’s renewable power pipeline is gathering pace, with 449 projects licensed by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and investment expected to reach up to US$2.61 billion.
Dow Thailand Group is producing high-quality post-consumer recycled (PCR) resins from plastic waste collected in Thailand, advancing a local recycling pathway that transforms used plastics into valuable materials for packaging and industrial applications.
US President Donald Trump’s approval rating fell to the lowest level of his presidency, with an overwhelming majority of Americans concerned the U.S. war with Iran will last a long time, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that concluded yesterday.