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Supercar display at Bluport/Amateur Charity Golf Classic/Police bust two Chinese syndicates/ECONOMY: Tariffs could affect Thai exports to US/Economic and investment landscape/AirAsia parent makes $100-million commitment/Auto industry employment declining/Online food delivery market/TOURISM: Thailand-China Visa-Free Policy/Extra flights, airfare checks/Koh Samui tourist numbers surge/Tourist’s Body Found Washed Ashore/THAILAND EXPERIENCE: 12 Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries/LINKS: 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

Supercar display at Bluport Nov 29-30

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Second Australian dies after Laos poisoning, toll at 6

A second Australian teenager has died of suspected methanol poisoning, bringing to six the number of foreign tourists who have died after apparently drinking tainted alcohol in Laos.

The owner of the backpacker hostel where the two young Australians were staying before they fell violently ill has been detained by police for questioning in Laos. Continued …

Police bust two Chinese syndicates

Police have dismantled two Chinese scam networks responsible for more than 700 million fraudulent calls and one million fake SMS messages over just three days.

Assistant national police chief and deputy director of Thailand’s Action Taskforce for Information Technology Crime Suppression (Tactics), Police Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelabut, released a statement yesterday about two recent operations by the police in which the two scam groups were brought down. Continued …

Tariffs ‘could affect 25% of Thai exports to US’

Thai exports to the United States are expected to be the most seriously affected in Southeast Asia based on potential U.S. tariff increases, as Thailand has a significant share of trade with the U.S., according to ttb analytics.

The research house of TMBThanachart Bank (ttb) said that once Donald Trump is sworn in as president, Washington is expected to introduce several aggressive policies, including significant increases in import tariffs. This scenario is expected to affect at least 25% of Thailand’s total exports to the U.S. Continued …

Thai economic and investment landscape under Trump 2.0

The global economy in the first quarter of 2025 will be shaped by three themes, according to Dr. Piyasak Manason of the Investment Strategy Department at INVX-Research Group, at InnovestX Securities: U.S. economic resilience, China’s strategic pivot, and escalating economic tensions following Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

Despite showing signs of strength, Manason says, the U.S. economy exhibits some vulnerabilities. While employment growth has slowed significantly, the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book signals a broader economic deceleration. “We expect the Fed to make four interest rate cuts in 2025, potentially bringing the federal funds rate down to 3.4% by year-end,” he says. Continued …

AirAsia parent makes $100-million commitment to Thailand

Capital A, the parent company of AirAsia, is planning new aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities worth $100 million in Thailand, scheduled to start construction in 2025.

ADE, one of the company’s affiliates, is considering investing in an MRO hangar at several airport locations, including U-tapao, Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and Chiang Mai, Capital A Chief Executive Tony Fernandes said at the Forbes Global CEO Conference in Bangkok this week. Continued …

Thai auto industry employment declining

Employment in Thailand’s automotive and auto parts industries, as well as car financing services, is declining as domestic car sales have been sluggish for months, with the latest job cuts by Nissan Motor adding to the misery.

These businesses have gradually laid off workers, which will lead to higher unemployment rates, said Tanit Sorat, vice chairman of the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry (EconThai). Continued …

Revenue growth of the online food delivery market in Thailand

The revenue change in the online food delivery market in Thailand was forecast to continuously decrease between 2024 and 2028 by in total 13.3 percentage points. After the eigth consecutive decreasing year, the revenue change is estimated to reach 7.29 percent and therefore a new minimum in 2028. – Statista

Thailand-China Visa-Free Policy: Boon or Bane to Tourism?

The temporary visa-free travel scheme for Chinese tourists to Thailand was launched in September 2023 after Covid-19 badly impacted tourism. It has become permanent after both countries officially agreed to waive visa requirements this year.

While this has improved accessibility for Chinese tourists going to Thailand, concerns persist among Chinese visitors and Thais about the potential misuse of the policy by a minority of individuals. Continued …

Extra flights, airfare checks in place for New Year travel rush

The government is coordinating with local and international airlines to ensure sufficient passenger capacity during the peak travel period over New Year, while keeping a close eye on ticket prices to prevent unfair increases.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has urged airline operators to increase flights and seat availability to avoid passengers being stranded at airports over the holidays, government spokeswoman Sasikarn Wattanachan said on Friday. Continued …

Koh Samui tourist numbers surge

Two cruise liners with over 2,000 tourists have arrived at Koh Samui in Surat Thani, with at least 10 ships scheduled to visit the island until next month.

The popular resort island welcomed 1,924 international visitors on MS Noordam, operated by U.S.-based Holland America Line, at Nathon pier in tambon Ang Thong on Friday. Continued …

Tourist’s Body Found Washed Ashore at Wong Amat Beach, Pattaya

Pattaya rescue officials from Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation received a report yesterday from a concerned citizen about a body floating near Wong Amat Beach. The deceased, believed to be a foreigner, had washed ashore.

The deceased was identified as a foreign male, estimated to be between 40 and 50 years old, approximately 170–180 centimeters tall. He was shirtless, wearing black trousers, and had a short haircut. Initial assessments suggest the man had been dead for no more than four hours. Continued …

12 Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries in Thailand

When it comes to elephant tourism in Thailand, there is plenty to chew over. This industry has evolved a lot over recent years and the ethics of animal tourism are always changing. If you want to get up close to nature’s giants while you’re visiting the country, our list of ethical elephant sanctuaries in Thailand will provide you with plenty of options.

All the sanctuaries on our shortlist prohibit riding and a few of them offer completely “hands-off” experiences, allowing elephants to just be elephants. Before we dive into the recommendations, we’ll have a little look at why elephant tourism exists in Thailand and determine exactly what makes a sanctuary ethical so you can make responsible choices. Continued …