- Hua Hin ready to clear beach/Satellite images show high flood risks/Price checks in flood-hit areas/All 50 Bangkok districts flood disaster areas/Eastern Bangkok under water/Khao Yai closes fover heavy rain/Nene Royal lands US TV interviews/Phuket prepares grand welcome for Nene Royal
- THE IRAN WAR: Iran proposes Hormuz plan/Houthi attacks aise risk of wider conflict/Renewable energy policies accelerate in ASEAN
- ECONOMY: Thailand’s August exports rise/Thailand Pushes for Global South Voice/China’s Innovation Drives Thailand’s Economy/Thailand eyes global energy majors/Thailand’s new AI regulations
- TOURISM: Thailand launches THIM app/Phuket named top wellness choice
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: Those darn elephants!/‘Three-Water City’ is rewriting the rules/Thailand expat urges Aussies to consider a cheaper life/Vegetarian Festival in Phuket
- CLIMATE THAILAND: $5-billion low-carbon industrial hub/Thailand leads ASEAN-6 EV sales
- INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS
Hua Hin ready to clear beach after decades-long dispute
Authorities in Hua Hin are stepping up their efforts to clear all houses and buildings encroaching on a public beach to resolve a decades-long dispute, in the face of defiance from some owners.
Mayor Nopporn Wutthikul yesterday led a team of 100 city officials to the disputed area to inform owners about the structures targeted for demolition, after the municipality signed a contract with a demolition contractor on Thursday. Continued …
GISTDA’s Satellite images show high flood risks across Thailand
Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) has released satellite imagery showing widespread high-risk flood areas across several provinces following continued heavy rain, urging residents in areas marked red to closely monitor the situation.
GISTDA said yesterday that it was using satellite technology and geospatial data to monitor water conditions across Thailand in real time through its “Check Nam” application. The latest data showed areas already affected by flooding, as well as locations at high risk from continued heavy rainfall. Continued …
Commerce orders supply and price checks in flood-hit areas
Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun has ordered commerce agencies to monitor essential supplies and prices in flood-affected areas, aiming to prevent shortages and keep goods affordable.
Suphajee said the Ministry of Commerce was closely monitoring heavy rain and flooding, directing relevant agencies and coordinating with businesses to deliver goods and essential supplies to affected communities. Continued …
Bangkok declares all 50 districts flood disaster areas
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has extended its flood-disaster declaration to cover all 50 districts, providing a framework for assistance under the applicable criteria. District offices have been instructed to advise residents on documenting damage, including keeping photographs taken before and after flooding, to support requests for assistance.
The governor called for close coordination between district offices and central agencies to ensure Bangkok’s flood response delivered assistance quickly and reached affected residents comprehensively. Continued …
Eastern Bangkok under water
Eastern Bangkok is heavily flooded, with all local canals full and 15 main roads deeply inundated this morning, according to Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt.
Chadchart said rain in the capital began at 4 pm on Thursday, with accumulated rainfall nearing 300 millimeters in Min Buri, Klong Sam Wa and Saphan Sung districts by ths morning. Continued …
Khao Yai closes for two days as heavy rain raises landslide risk
Khao Yai National Park will close temporarily for two days on today and tomorrow because of persistent heavy rain and concerns over visitor safety. The park announced yesterday that continuous rainfall had caused flash floods in several areas, leaving some routes impassable.
Officials also warned of the risk of landslides, rockfalls and falling trees, which could endanger tourists and members of the public traveling through the park. Continued …
AGT winner Nene Royal lands US TV interviews and global rock gigs
Thai teenage rock musician Nene Royal is extending her breakthrough on America’s Got Talent into US television appearances and major concert opportunities, days after becoming the first Thai contestant to win the competition.
Nene, whose real name is Rattikarn Amloy, 16, won America’s Got Talent Season 21 and the US$1 million grand prize after a run built around her vocals and guitar performances. She has since been invited to speak about her victory on three US television outlets. Continued …
Phuket prepares grand welcome for AGT winner Nene Royal
Phuket is preparing to welcome home 16-year-old Nene Royal after the young singer and guitarist from the province won the America’s Got Talent 2026 title.
The provincial administration congratulated Nene on her victory, describing it as a source of pride for Phuket and Thailand, particularly as the 16-year-old took her talent to an international stage and brought recognition to her hometown and country. Continued …
Iran proposes Hormuz plan, Trump reportedly refuses
Iran offered a plan to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Tehran said yesterday, but within hours reports indicated that US President Donald Trump rejected the proposal.
The waterway key to the world’s oil supply is central to the conflict between the United States and Iran, which is at a stalemate after nearly seven months. But new mediation efforts at the UN’s gathering of world leaders in New York this week offered some optimism of progress toward a deal. Continued …
Why new Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia raise risk of wider conflict
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan will hold an urgent, high-level meeting under a joint defense pact to discuss ways to support the kingdom amid attacks by Yemen’s Houthis. But could the latest escalation push the region to the brink of an all-out-war? Video …
Long-term renewable energy policies accelerate in ASEAN as a result of Iran war
With the Iran war causing energy prices to spike across most of Southeast Asia, governments in this region are accelerating the roll-out of renewable energy policies, according to report by Zero Carbon Analytics, a research group focused on energy transition.
The report noted that six major ASEAN economies – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – have introduced a total of 37 renewable energy and electrification policies since the start of the Iran war, compared with 29 fossil fuel policies. Continued …
Thailand’s August exports rise 24.3%, led by US
Thailand’s customs-cleared exports rose 24.3% in August from a year earlier, driven by strong shipments to the United States and continuing demand for electronics, the Commerce Ministry said yesterday.
The increase was slightly below the 24.9% rise forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll, but followed export growth of 21.6% in the previous month. Imports increased by 25.1% year-on-year in August. Thailand recorded a trade deficit of $2.48 billion during the month, smaller than the $3.9 billion deficit forecast by analysts. Continued …
Thailand Pushes for Global South Voice, Trade Expansion, and Regional Stability at UN Assembly
Speaking at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York, Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul delivered a statement under the theme “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All,” marking 80 years of Thai membership in the organization.
Addressing shifting global geopolitics, power fragmentation, and heightened strategic competition, the prime minister emphasized the urgent need to rebuild trust through consistent adherence to international law and equitable global governance. Continued …
How China’s Innovation Drives the Transformation of Thailand’s Economy
For most of the past two decades, the Thailand-China relationship was defined by trade volume and Chinese manufacturing relocation. Increasingly, it is defined by something else: the transfer of Chinese technology, standards, and industrial know-how directly into the operating base of the Thai economy.
The factory floors of Rayong and the boardrooms of Bangkok are where that shift is now visible, and it is reshaping what Thai competitiveness looks like for the rest of this decade. This integration carries risks, including US scrutiny over transshipment and tariff evasion, currency dependency as yuan-baht settlements expand, and data governance concerns as Chinese platforms embed in Thai operations. Continued …
Thailand eyes global energy majors for Andaman gas exploration
Thailand is preparing to open its 26th petroleum exploration and production bidding round in the Andaman Sea as part of efforts to increase domestic gas supplies, reduce dependence on costly liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports and strengthen long-term energy security.
Worakorn Prommobol, director-general of the Department of Mineral Fuels (DMF), said applications for exploration and production rights were expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2026 or, at the latest, early 2027. Continued …
What are the key measures in Thailand’s new AI regulations?
Thailand is developing a risk-based legal framework for artificial intelligence that focuses on enhancing digital accountability, consumer protection, and ethics. These regulations aim to establish safeguards for AI adoption and development while addressing potential risks such as bias, security, and privacy.
The government’s strategy is built upon a four-pronged National AI Action Plan, which prioritizes digital sovereignty, AI governance, skilled talent development, and the creation of a globally competitive domestic AI industry. To bolster trust, the National AI Board is working on governance sandboxes and frameworks that emphasize human oversight, particularly for high-risk applications like automated decision-making. Additionally, the Electronic Transactions Development Agency is focusing on AI governance as a key pillar for strengthening digital trust in the country by 2027.
Thailand launches THIM app for foreign visitors
Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has officially launched the THIM app, a digital platform intended to bring immigration and travel services for foreign nationals into one place.
The application, available since Aug. 1 through the App Store, Google Play Store and Huawei AppGallery, currently gives users access to the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) and travel promotions. It has recorded more than 600,000 downloads and over 580,000 users, or 97.2% of total downloads, according to the bureau. Continued …
Phuket named top wellness choice by Canadian travelers
Phuket has been voted the leading wellness destination by Canadian travelers in Air Canada Vacations’ 2026 Travelers’ Top Picks Awards. The result was announced at the company’s Toronto Product Launch at Universal Event Space in Toronto, Canada.
This was the second year Air Canada Vacations has held the Travelers’ Top Picks Awards. Canadians were invited to vote through the Travellrs’ Top Picks website in 10 categories, with more than 1.3 million votes cast this year. Continued …
Those darn elephants! Being the smallest means you’re never walking alone
How the ‘Three-Water City’ is rewriting the rules of travel
As a group of visitors walks deep into the fruit orchard, they’re shown different fruits and vegetables along the way. At one stop, they’re offered a taste of mahatsajan — the “miracle berry” or Synsepalum dulcificum — said to turn any sour flavor sweet. Most take the bait, popping the berry before reaching for a wedge of lime, only to find the promise true.
The path into the orchard doesn’t look like much of a tourist route. It’s a dirt track cutting between raised-bed orchards, the soil mounded and channeled by hand to work with the freshwater that floods this part of Samut Songkhram every year. Getting there is part of the experience: participants move through the routes by bicycle and sa-leng (sidecar motorcycle), on foot and by boat, switching pace and vantage point as the landscape itself evolves from orchard to canal to open water. Continued …
Thailand expat urges Aussies to consider a cheaper life
Australian expat Jay Houston says he has cut his rent to a quarter of what he paid in Australia after moving to Thailand, and is now running an online business to help other Australians make the move.
Houston, 50, said he can live what he describes as a luxury lifestyle for $1,800 a month, as rising living costs and pressure on household budgets prompt more Australians to consider working or living overseas. Speaking while sitting beside a pool at his condominium, Houston said: “This is my office, I’m in no hurry to leave it.” Continued …
Vegetarian Festival in Phuket to net 1.4 billion baht
Phuket expects this year’s Vegetarian Festival to generate at least 1.4 billion baht in economic activity. Visitors from Thailand, China, Malaysia, and Singapore are expected to be the primary groups attending the festival.
The festival is forecast to attract more than 140,000 visitors, with activities scheduled to run from Oct. 9 to 18 across more than 40 businesses on the island. Local officials expect this to provide a significant boost to tourism spending, noting that hotel occupancy rates in Phuket have already seen increases compared to last year.
PTT eyes $5-billion low-carbon industrial hub
PTT Plc is transforming the Map Ta Phut industrial zone into a low-carbon hub to drive new business growth and improve the competitiveness of Thai manufacturers in export markets. This transformation is being executed through the I-Spark initiative, which aims to attract climate-focused investors and international customers by offering access to green industrial development.
The initiative involves a planned investment of up to US$5 billion by 2035 and focuses on providing clean energy solutions and decarbonization technologies. Key components of this development include the creation of a carbon-neutral training center, the development of shared low-carbon infrastructure, and the implementation of advanced technologies such as carbon capture and storage (CCS). Additionally, the project will support high-value industries like sustainable aviation fuel and bio-based products through the development of specialized facilities and circular economy practices.
Thailand leads ASEAN-6 EV sales as volumes jump 47% in H1
Thailand recorded the highest electrified vehicle (xEV) sales among ASEAN-6 markets in the first half of 2026, with volumes rising 47% year on year to 206,000 units, according to PwC. Sales outpaced Vietnam at 127,000 units and Indonesia at 114,000 units, reinforcing Thailand’s position as a leading regional hub for electric mobility.
PwC’s overview of the ASEAN-6 automotive market: 6th market snapshot shows that electrified vehicles accounted for 32% of total ASEAN-6 vehicle sales in the first half of 2026. Thailand’s xEV penetration climbed from 32% in the first half of 2024 to 53% in the same period of 2026, signaling a rapid shift in consumer demand toward battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). Continued …
Pentagon Evaluating Sending Personnel To Cuba Within 4 Months
The U.S. Army Reserve has been asked to evaluate if it could furnish police forces, a medical brigade and a support batallion with logistics expertise for possible deployment under the military’s Southern Command, according to internal documents reviewed by CBS News. – huffpost.com
What happened when Trump met Xi: big fanfare, but no breakthrough
US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday for a lavish summit that was heavy on symbolism but light on substance, with no sign of breakthroughs on thorny issues such as AI, trade, Taiwan and the war with Iran. Video …
UN delegates walk out as Netanyahu defends Israel’s actions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a combative speech at the 81st United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, defending Israel’s actions in the region as dozens of delegates walked out of the chamber in protest. Continued …
Desolate Greenland outpost could host US troops
At a windswept gravel airstrip in eastern Greenland, a small Danish military detachment has quietly kept watch for decades. Now, under under a new US defense agreement, the outpost at Mestersvig could soon become a key American military foothold in the Arctic. Video …
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
Prachuap Khiri Khan Town: A serious option for long-term living
61 foreigners from scam call-centers handed over to Thai authorities
Cost, quality remain top considerations for travelers
Phuket ranks among top winter sun destinations
