• Please welcome returning sponsor Anantasila Beach Restaurant/Bluport Hua Hin adjusts/Hua Hin videos/Thailand updates criminal record check rules/Thailand targets civil servants/Thailand Targets EV Dealers/Farang groom allegedly skips dowry/Two dead and 73 cats killed/Pathum Thani volunteers relocate 120 cats
• THE IRAN WAR: US and Iran intensify military exchanges/Brent oil surges
• ECONOMY: Business closures rise 12.5%/Thailand secures Chinese investment/Poll blames officials for illegal foreign businesses/Land bridge project can wait/Pet ownership creates new economic opportunity
• TOURISM: Visa Destinations in Hua Hin, nationwide/Swiss seasonal retirees face 30-day visa-free limit/Koh Samui cruise terminal project
• THAILAND EXPERIENCE: How to Ride MRT/7 art-filled hotels
• FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS 

Please welcome returning sponsor:

Anantasila Beach Restaurant Hua Hin

Our beach bar and restaurant veranda give access to beautiful, unobstructed views of the sea and Khao Takiab shoreline. The restaurant’s tree-canopied outdoor dining area offers a casual yet sophisticated dining experience.

Our restaurant offers a taste of local specialties, but also a wide choice of European dishes. Diners hoping for something a little more personalized can enjoy a fresh custom made pizza. Wine drinkers are invited to visit our wine pantry, which stocks a handpicked selection of Old World and New World wines. For those looking to enjoy a refreshing seaside cocktail or an evening aperitif, our bar serves a menu of classic and signature drinks.

Our restaurant is open seven days a week from 7.00-23.00 hrs. and we welcome all residents and non-residents. For reservation, Tel : +66 32 527 638; Email : fb@anantasila.com.

Bluport Hua Hin adjusts to emphasize family

Bluport Hua Hin Resort Mall is repositioning itself to attract more families and local visitors by expanding its lifestyle, sports and entertainment offerings, aiming to raise occupancy to 97% next year from 80%.

Vajee Klomkliang, an executive committee member of Hua Hin Asset Co, the developer and operator of the complex, said the strategy reflects changing consumer behaviour. “Hua Hin’s retail sector can no longer rely solely on tourists, despite the steady recovery in the area,” she said. “Bluport once appeared too luxurious and difficult for many people to access. We are making it friendlier and more welcoming.” Continued … 

Hua Hin’s Most Atmospheric Night Markets? Tamarind & Cicada Walking Tour

This walking tour in Hua Hin takes you through two of the town’s most atmospheric night markets — Tamarind Market and Cicada Market — on a lively tropical evening. The walk captures the colorful lights, delicious street food aromas and relaxed seaside vibe that make Hua Hin’s weekend markets so popular with locals and travelers.

Experience authentic ambient sounds, live music in the background and the natural buzz of people enjoying the evening. Food stalls serve a wide variety of Thai dishes, seafood and international snacks, while small bars and seating areas create a cozy open-air dining atmosphere. Video … 

Thailand updates criminal record check rules for foreign applicants

Thailand’s Criminal Records Division has announced requirements that may affect foreign nationals undertaking official procedures in the country. Under the rules, criminal record checks for nine categories of applications must be conducted using fingerprints.

These categories include key Immigration Bureau procedures, such as applications for permanent residence and extensions of stay. They also cover applications for Thai nationality handled by the Department of Provincial Administration. Continued … 

Thailand targets civil servants aged over 40 for retirement

Thailand’s government is considering a voluntary retirement scheme for civil servants as young as 40, in a bid to reduce personnel costs and modernize the bureaucracy. Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapunt said the proposed programm would initially cover officials in roles where technology could replace routine administrative tasks.

A detailed study is expected to be completed in time for the 2027 fiscal year. Officials aged 40 are being targeted because they have time to retrain, gain new skills and adapt to labor-market changes, Pakorn said. Those aged 50 and over may find career changes and reskilling more difficult. Continued … 

Thailand Targets EV Dealers Over Warranties, Disclosures, and Defect Issues

Thailand’s government has ordered nationwide inspections of electric vehicle dealers and showrooms, tightening scrutiny of a market that has grown faster than the regulatory and after-sales infrastructure built to support it.

The directive, issued by the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), comes as complaints over defective vehicles, misleading range claims and collapsing service networks pile up across the country’s dominant EV segment. Continued … 

Thai bride throws lavish 130-table wedding, farang groom allegedly skips dowry

A wedding catering business in Nakhon Ratchasima has filed a police complaint after being left with an unpaid bill of nearly 200,000 baht when a Thai bride allegedly failed to settle the cost of her lavish wedding reception, claiming her foreign groom never paid the promised dowry.

The owner of Krua Thong To Chin, a catering service in Pak Chong district, reported the incident to police after suffering losses of 195,000 baht. According to the complaint, the bride hired the company to organize a full-service wedding reception, including 130 banquet tables, a live band, lighting and sound systems, and other event equipment. Continued … 

Two dead and 73 cats killed in Thonburi house fire

Two people were found dead and 73 cats were killed in a fire at a three-story house in Bangkok’s Thonburi district early on Saturday. During the firefighting operation, rescuers safely rescued and evacuated a two-month-old baby and a bedridden elderly woman who had been trapped inside the house.

Rescue workers searching a second-floor room found the bodies of a couple, a 62-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman. Officials found the remains of more than 73 cats inside cages in the house. A further 19 cats were rescued alive, with two being given oxygen by responders for smoke inhalation. Continued … 

Pathum Thani volunteers relocate 120 cats before eviction

A total of 120 cats have been relocated from a rented home in Pathum Thani after the landlord required the animals to be removed. Volunteers, rescue workers and animal welfare supporters transported the cats to a newly built shelter in Khlong Luang district.

Their owner sought public help in June after being told to vacate the property. After the case received media attention, a donor contributed 100,000 baht toward the construction. The landlord also agreed to extend the deadline, giving the owner additional time to complete the new accommodation. Continued … 

US and Iran intensify military exchanges amid regional escalation

Fresh Iranian attacks were reported in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan yesterday as the United States concluded an eighth consecutive night of military operations against Iran. The latest escalation came as an interim ceasefire signed a month earlier continued to unravel.

Growing confrontation over control of the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about one-fifth of global oil trade, has heightened the danger of full-scale hostilities resuming. The renewed US action followed an Iranian attack in Jordan on Friday that killed two American service personnel and left another missing. Continued … 

Brent oil surges past $90 as US-Iran conflict hits Gulf shipping

Oil prices jumped today, with Brent crude rising above US$90 a barrel, as intensified attacks between the United States and Iran deepened concern over energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude futures rose US$2.69, or 3.05%, to US$90.79 a barrel, touching their highest level since June 11. The gain extended a sharp rally from last week, when Brent rose 15.9%, its largest weekly increase since April. Continued … 

Business closures rise by 12.5% in first half

A total of 7,024 businesses ceased operations in the first half of this year, up 12.5% year-on-year, with total registered capital of 98.9 billion baht, an increase  of 224%, according to the Department of Business Development (DBD).

The sectors with the highest upticks for closures were general construction with 671 closures and registered capital of 1.64 billion baht; real estate with 400 closures and registered capital of 4.21 billion baht; and electrical installation with 89 companies and registered capital of 124 million baht. Continued … 

Thailand secures Chinese investment pledges worth B70 billion

Thailand expects more than B70 billion in investment from four leading Chinese electric vehicle and advanced-technology companies, following talks in Chengdu yesterday. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said the commitments followed a Thailand investment roadshow led by Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in the Chinese city.

The expected total comprises B50 billion in expansions of existing investments and more than B20 billion in new investment. Ekniti said geopolitical tensions were encouraging companies to shift manufacturing capacity from China to ASEAN, with Thailand among their preferred destinations. Continued … 

NIDA poll blames officials for illegal foreign businesses

Corrupt government officials are seen as the leading reason foreigners can illegally run businesses in Thailand, according to a nationwide NIDA Poll. Some 67.1% of respondents blamed corruption or misconduct among state officials for businesses directly operated by foreigners or run through Thai nominees.

The findings were released yesterday after telephone interviews conducted from July 13-15 among Thai residents aged 18 and over. The issue has particular relevance for foreigners living, investing or working in Thailand. The poll reflects strong public concern about nominee businesses, restricted occupations and alleged gray-money operations. Continued … 

PM says controversial land bridge project can wait

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in China’s Chengdu that the controversial land bridge project can wait and the seaports in the southern provinces of Ranong and Chumphon should be upgraded as the first priority.

He added, however, that the land bridge remains a flagship policy of his government and further study will continue, but that an urgent infrastructure project must be implemented to connect the Ranong province on the western coast with Chumphon province on the eastern coast, and a land-based logistics infrastructure to connect with other countries in the region. Continued … 

Pet ownership creates a new economic opportunity

Once regarded as household companions, pets are increasingly being treated as family members, and that emotional bond is transforming into a major economic force. From premium pet food and health supplements to insurance, luxury boarding services and even pet strollers, owners around the world are spending more than ever on their four-legged companions.

The trend, known as the pet economy, is creating new business opportunities globally while positioning Thailand to become one of the world’s leading producers of premium pet food. Continued … 

Thailand launches Visa Destinations in Hua Hin and nationwide

Thailand has become the first country in the world to introduce Visa’s Destinations program nationwide, with the scheme intended to make payments easier for visitors and widen digital-payment acceptance among smaller businesses.

Launched with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Visa Destinations Thailand covers Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Udon Thani, Samui, Hua Hin and Hat Yai. It is open to all Visa cardholders. Continued … 

Swiss seasonal retirees face Thailand’s 30-day visa-free limit

Thailand plans to halve visa-free entry from 60 to 30 days for citizens of 54 countries, including Switzerland, a move likely to affect those seasonal retirees who spend much of the European winter in the kingdom. The change has not yet appeared in the Royal Gazette. It will take effect 15 days after publication. Until then, Swiss visitors and other eligible nationals can still enter visa-free for 60 days.

The existing arrangement, introduced in July 2024, allows a 60-day stay followed by one 30-day extension at a local immigration office. This has enabled many visitors to remain for up to three months with relatively little paperwork. Continued … 

Thailand advances B12-billion Koh Samui cruise terminal project

The Transport Ministry is advancing a 12.17-billion-baht cruise terminal project on Koh Samui that is expected to accommodate up to 400,000 tourists and 240 cruise calls annually.

The proposed terminal, capable of serving large cruise ships, is among the ministry’s 262 major transport projects planned for 2027, with a combined investment of 229.76 billion baht. Continued … 

How to Ride MRT: Easy Thai Phrases for Asoke and Sukhumvit Transit

Traveling around Bangkok is great, but it becomes so much more fun and rewarding when you can speak the local language. In this episode of THE JOURNEY GO OUT, we are changing the way you commute by teaching you basic Thai phrases specifically for riding the city trains.

You do not need to rely only on English or automatic machines because speaking Thai with the station staff and locals adds a whole new layer of excitement to your adventure. We break down everything from buying tickets at the counter to finding the right platform, making your underground transit smooth and stress-free. Video … 

7 art-filled hotels to explore across Thailand

It’s no secret that Thailand is home to some of the world’s most stunning stays. Beyond breezy beachfront resorts, Thailand is also home to stunning art-filled hotels where art takes center stage — whether through paintings, sculptures, bold design, traditional Thai craftsmanship, or contemporary installations.

For travelers who like their stays with a side of artistry, there are seven art-filled hotels across Thailand worth checking into. More than just a place to sleep, these properties turn the hotel experience into part of the destination itself. Continued … 

Lax visa and enforcement encourages fugitives to Thailand

A former FBI agent who spent a decade based in Thailand says lax visitor entry and law enforcement, combined with the country’s appeal as a place to live, have made it attractive to international fugitives. Continued … 

• Chinese man held over 15.68-million-baht Phitsanulok scam – Continued … 

• Tourist fined after driving onto Phuket beach – Continued … 

• Belgian Interpol suspect held at Patong condo – Continued … 

Russia batters Kyiv in major ballistic missile attack

Russia battered Ukraine’s capital Kyiv overnight with one of its biggest ballistic missile barrages of the war, killing at least one person and wounding 16 others, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said yesterday. Video … 

Over 500 Rohingya feared dead after boats capsize off Myanmar

More than 500 people, mostly Rohingya, are feared missing after two boats reportedly capsized off Myanmar, the UN refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. 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 cinemas/Emergency numbers