Elephant charges tourist vehicle in Hua Hin/Inside Thailand’s constitutional battle/Heavy rain warnings/The real ‘Dark Side’ of Thailand/Thailand Denies BBC Documentary Interference/Thailand’s national digital health platform/ECONOMY: Baht May Strengthen Rapidly/2025 revenue shortfall/Microsoft to build 3 Thai data centers/TOURISM: Decline in visitors from Southeast Asia/Thai curry rice championship/’Marred by rampant cannabis use’/THAILAND EXPERIENCE: Thailand’s 6 top souvenir snacks/CLIMATE THAILAND: Green industrial policy race in Asia/Stopping Plastic Waste before It Hits the Ocean/Thailand’s Iconic Tuk-Tuks Evolve/EVs for Thai bank fleet/FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN LINKS
Heart-stopping encounter as wild elephant charges tourist vehicle in La-U Forest, Hua Hin
Panic erupted on the Nong Phlap–Huai Sat Yai road in Hua Hin when a wild elephant with long tusks charged at a family’s vehicle en route to La-U Waterfall. Quick action by a park ranger, who reversed his truck to block the elephant , prevented serious injury. Both vehicles were slightly damaged, but fortunately, no one was hurt.
The incident showed the elephant approaching a family car, while another vehicle, believed to be a ranger’s, moved to intercept. Amid the chaos, the two vehicles collided lightly before the elephant was guided back into the forest. Continued …
Elites vs the people: Inside Thailand’s constitutional battle
The push for a new, people-driven constitution is facing formidable opposition from entrenched conservative elites who are desperate to preserve their traditional political dominance in Thailand, analysts warn.
Conservatives are striving to keep the current charter unchanged while blocking any efforts to reform traditional power structures, they add. Continued …
Heavy rain warnings issued as monsoon strengthens
The Thai Meteorological Department reported today that the monsoon trough extends across the central region, the east, and the lower northeast, connecting with an active low-pressure cell over the South China Sea. Meanwhile, the moderate southwest monsoon prevailing over the Andaman Sea, the south, and the Gulf of Thailand is expected to strengthen.
Isolated heavy rain is likely across the country, with isolated very heavy rainfall possible in Bangkok and surrounding areas, as well as the east. Scattered thundershowers and isolated heavy rain is expected in Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Surat Thani. Continued …
The real ‘Dark Side’ of Thailand
The BBC’s “Thailand: The Dark Side of Paradise” seems to have really touched a nerve. Try replacing the country name in that title and you’ll get the picture: “Paris: The Dark Side of Romance,” “London: The Dark Side of Majesty,” or “Los Angeles: The Dark Side of Dreams.” The list goes on.
Every place has great aspects and bad sides, and that’s precisely why the BBC documentary on Thailand has been widely criticized, unsurprisingly by a number of expats and Thai influencers abroad. Continued …
Thailand Denies BBC Documentary Filming Interference Claims
Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Ministry has strongly denied claims that government officials interfered with BBC documentary filming in Bangkok, following viral reports that sparked concerns about the country’s film production environment.
Tourism and Sports Permanent Secretary Natriya Thaweewong revealed that the government immediately launched an investigation after the major international broadcaster alleged that Thai officials obstructed their documentary production in the capital. Continued …
Thailand connects 10,000+ facilities to national digital health platform
The Ministry of Public Health has reported major progress in Thailand’s digital health policy, with more than 10,000 service units now connected to the national Personal Health Record (PHR) system. The platform contains records for over 64.7 million patients, while more than one million electronic referrals and nearly 1.7 million radiographic images have been processed through linked digital systems.
Permanent Secretary Opas Karnkawinpong said the MOPH Digital Health Platform is designed to integrate data across service units and ease workloads for both patients and medical personnel. Currently, 10,628 facilities are connected to the PHR system, 2,824 facilities utilize the MOPH REFER system for patient transfers, and 589 facilities share images through the MOPH Imaging Hub. Continued …
US Rate Cut Impact: Thai Baht May Strengthen Rapidly
Vorapak Tanyawong, nominated for Thailand’s finance minister, expressed concerns about the potential rapid appreciation of the baht following the US Federal Reserve’s de cision to cut its interest rate by 0.25%. This development could impact Thailand’s export and tourism sectors if the baht strengthens too rapidly.
As investors might turn to Southeast Asian markets, the Thai bond and investment sectors could see increased foreign investment. The US Federal Reserve’s rate cut marks a significant move, with two additional reductions anticipated later this year. The diminishing interest rate gap between Thailand and the US could attract more foreign funds into Thailand. Continued …
Finance Ministry warns 2025 revenue shortfall amid weak economy
A senior Finance Ministry source revealed that government revenue collection for the 2025 fiscal year is likely to fall short of the 2.88-trillion-baht target set in the budget documents by tens of billions of baht. The shortfall is primarily driven by slower economic growth, with the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) projecting GDP expansion of just 2.2% for the year.
Several key tax categories have underperformed expectations. Most notably, automobile tax revenue has been hit by the government’s electric vehicle (EV) promotion scheme, which reduced the number of combustion engine cars paying tax. Continued …
Microsoft to build 3 Thai data centers amid national AI push
Microsoft Thailand is constructing three local data centers under strategic partnerships to deliver localized cloud services. The company is also introducing advanced intelligence technologies to enable Thai organizations to become “frontier firms”.
Microsoft defines a frontier firm as an organization that strategically adopts artificial intelligence (AI) to gain a competitive edge. Continued …
Thailand sees decline in visitors from Southeast Asia
Thailand welcomed more than 6.4 million tourists from nine markets in Southeast Asia during the first eight months of this year, down 9.4% year-on-year amid safety concerns and political instability.
Malaysia led the arrivals with 3 million, followed by Laos and Singapore with 630,000 and 612,000, respectively. Indonesia and Vietnam were fourth and fifth largest inbound markets with 550,000 and 482,000 arrivals. Visitors from Myanmar and the Philippines grew 18.8% and 22.4%. Continued …
TAT launches Thai curry rice championship to globalize Thai cuisine
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in collaboration with the Thai Restaurant Assn. and several other partners, has launched the “Khao Gaeng Thai Curry Rice Championship 2025” to identify the best Thai curry rice chefs in the country.
The competition is aimed at promoting Thai curry rice as a global culinary experience and driving international awareness of Thailand’s diverse food culture. Continued …
Phuket’s image ‘said marred by rampant cannabis use’
People’s Party (PP) MP Chalermpong Saengdee has called on the newly formed government to urgently address the widespread use of cannabis in Phuket, warning the province’s image as a world-class tourist destination is at risk, especially ahead of the high season.
Chalermpong told the media yesterday that although the Bhumjaithai Party-led (BJT) government will only have four months in office, it is enough time to resolve long-standing issues, particularly since the party was the driving force behind the legalization of cannabis. Continued …
Thailand’s 6 top souvenir snacks
Souvenirs don’t always have to be keychains or fridge magnets. Sometimes the best keepsakes come in bite-sized form. After all, what better way to remember a place than through its flavors?
In Thailand, snacks are a wild mix, inspired by local flavors offering both sweet and savory bites. Local snacks capture the spirit of a city in a way nothing else can – crunchy, sweet, savory, or sometimes all three at once. Continued …
Green industrial policy race in Asia quickens despite US retreat
Despite the United States retreating from green subsidies, governments across the Indo-Pacific are accelerating their investment in green technology to address energy security, climate pressures, and industrial competitiveness.
This intensifying policy race — driven by China’s leadership and widespread economic incentives — risks global economic distortions unless managed through transparency, reciprocity, and regional cooperation. Continued …
Chula Partners with the Ocean Cleanup to Stop Plastic Waste before It Hits the Ocean
Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University has partnered with The Ocean Cleanup and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources to use camera technology and AI to analyze the amount of waste in the Chao Phraya River, aiming to reduce environmental impacts and to promote effective waste-management policies both on land and in water sources.
“By examining the label of plastic waste found on the Chao Phraya River, we found garbage that dates back 10 years!” Suchana Chavanich, professor of marine science, Faculty of Science, and deputy director of the Aquatic Resources Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, revealed findings from the Chao Phraya River Plastic Waste Disposal Research Project in Bangkok, where Chula researchers used cameras and AI technology to intercept and track waste in the Chao Phraya River from 2021 to 2024. Continued …
Thailand’s Iconic Tuk-Tuks Evolve: From Smoker To Zero Emission
Bangkok’s streets tell the story of Thailand’s transportation evolution through the distinctive puttering of its three-wheeled tuk-tuks. What began as noisy, smoke-belching two-stroke engines in the 1960s transformed into cleaner LPG-powered vehicles in the 1990s, and now these iconic vehicles are completing their technological journey with electric powertrains that promise to reshape Bangkok’s urban mobility landscape.
The tuk-tuk’s fuel evolution mirrors Thailand’s broader approach to environmental progress through practical, incremental change. The original two-stroke engines that gave tuk-tuks their characteristic sound also made them significant contributors to Bangkok’s air pollution problems. The transition to liquefied petroleum gas in the 1990s reduced emissions while maintaining the vehicles’ economic viability for drivers operating on thin margins. Continued …
Changan supplies 443 Deepal EVs for Thai bank fleet
Changan is supplying the 443 Deepal EVs via asap Car Rental, a service provider based in Samut Prakan District, Samut Prakan Province. Krungthai Bank is leasing all the EVs from the local rental company and has already taken delivery of the first batch.
The Chinese automaker states that the fleet order consists of three models: the Deepal S05 compact SUV, the Deepal S07 mid-size SUV, and the Deepal L07 mid-size saloon. Continued …
Kirk killing sparks fierce US free speech debate
For Americans, the words are practically sacred: the First Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees freedom of speech. But that right is now the subject of bitter debate, following the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. Continued …
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