Petrol prices increase/Thailand Post Suspends US Parcels/Heavy rains, strong winds forecast/Heavy rains August 24-27/Venomous sea slugs/Lese majeste amnesty talks stall/10,000 Student Visas revoked/ECONOMY: The details of US tariffs/Land Bridge Project Gets Green Light/TOURISM: Chiang Rai Airport ‘s New Terminal/American Tourist Found Dead/CLIMATE THAILAND: Chiang Mai’s Eco-Friendly Moat Plan/Power Producer’s Clean Energy Expansion/Tetra Pak Cuts Global Emissions/FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/NEW PAGE – Hua Hin 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 https://hhexpatnews.com/hua-hin-links/
Thailand’s petrol prices increase, diesel remains unchanged
Retail petrol prices across Thailand have gone up, with benzene and gasohol now 0.40 baht more per liter after the adjustment took effect yesterday.
According to PTT Station, benzene now retails at 40.84 baht per liter. Gasohol 95 is priced at 32.55 baht, gasohol 91 at 32.18 baht, E20 at 30.34 baht, E85 at 28.69 baht, and premium gasohol 95 at 41.14 baht. Diesel prices remain unchanged across all categories. Continued …
Thailand Post Suspends US Parcels as Trump Axes Tax Exemption
Thailand Post has halted all international parcel services to the US following President Trump’s abolition of the de minimis tax exemption. This temporary suspension hits millions of global parcels destined for America.
For now, customers can still send packages via Courier Post and to Amazon FBA warehouses. Trump’s decision to remove the de minimis threshold, which allowed low-value imports into the US duty-free, has caused logistical chaos. This exemption, previously set at approximately 28,649 Thai baht ($800) daily per person, enabled the smooth import of small packages. Continued …
Heavy rains, strong winds, and rough seas forecast across Thailand
The Thai Meteorological Department has warned of isolated heavy to very heavy rains across the country, with the east likely to see the most severe downpours. Residents and authorities are urged to remain vigilant, as the risk of flooding and rapid water accumulation remains high.
South (east coast): Scattered thundershowers and isolated heavy rain in Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat; minimum 23-25°C, maximum 31-33°C; waves about a meter high and above 2 meters high in thundershowers. Continued …
Tropical depression to bring heavy rains to Thailand from August 24-27
The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a warning about a tropical depression that is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall across various regions of Thailand from Aug. 24-27. Continued …
Beachgoers alerted to venomous sea slugs
Beachgoers in Thailand have been alerted to beware of venomous blue dragon sea slugs (Glaucilla sp) after reported sightings along Karon Beach in Phuket following recent rainfall.
Blue dragon slugs feed on poisonous jellyfish, particularly the bluebottle jellyfish, storing the stinging cells as a defense mechanism, according to the Department of Disease Control and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. Continued …
Thailand’s lese majeste amnesty talks stall in Parliament
Plans to grant amnesty to lese majeste offenders have hit a political wall, as Parliament hesitates on revising the kingdom’s most controversial law.
Thailand’s House Committee on Peace Building confirmed this week that the current conditions for granting amnesty under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, commonly known as the lese majeste law, remain unchanged. On Thursday, a majority of committee members voiced support for revising the law, but no formal proposals have been tabled. Continued …
Thailand Revokes Nearly 10,000 Student Visas for Non-Compliance
The Thai government has revoked student visas for nearly 10,000 foreign nationals who failed to meet educational criteria, as authorities crack down on the abuse of student visas for unauthorized employment in the country.
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation ordered immigration police to cancel the visas of students enrolled in short-term, non-degree programs that do not comply with ministry regulations effective since May 14, 2025. Continued …
Breaking down the details of US tariffs
Following the US implementation on Aug. 7 of a 19% reciprocal tariff on imported Thai goods, some questions remain. The Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN) and the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) have clarified some concerns.
Thai exports to the US face a tariff rate that consists of the most favored nation (MFN) rate plus an additional reciprocal tariff of 19%, according to both departments. Continued …
Thailand’s ‘Land Bridge’ Project Gets Green Light to Transform Global Trade
The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) has given the go-ahead for a landmark “Land Bridge” project, a critical infrastructure initiative connecting the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. The project is expected to create a new economic corridor with massive financial benefits, leading to a planned public bidding process in 2026.
According to a comprehensive study by the OTP, the project’s economic internal rate of return (EIRR) is a high 17.4%, a figure that “reflects the potential for long-term economic growth,” said Panya Chupanich, the OTP’s director. Continued …
Chiang Rai Airport Secures 5.7 Billion Baht for New Terminal
Chiang Rai’s Mae Fah Luang Airport is set for a major expansion after the Ministry of Transport and Airports of Thailand (AoT) approved a 5.7-billion-baht project to build a new passenger terminal, aiming to increase capacity to six million travelers per year by 2032.
Currently, the airport handles around 1.9 million passengers annually. The new terminal, which has already entered the conceptual design phase following the appointment of consultants, will accommodate up to five million domestic and one million international passengers each year. Continued …
American Tourist Found Dead on Patong Beach
Authorities in Phuket are investigating the death of a 28-year-old American tourist whose body was discovered washed ashore on Patong Beach yesterday afternoon.
Patong Police received an alert from their dispatch center regarding a body found near a bridge on Thaweewong Road. Police officers and rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation were immediately dispatched to the scene. Continued …
Geese Patrol: Chiang Mai’s Eco-Friendly Moat Plan
In a twist in urban management, the picturesque city of Chiang Mai has embarked on a unique environmental project involving geese. This week, a pilot initiative saw the release of 10 geese into the city’s historic moat to investigate their potential role in cleaning the water and reducing pollution.
The trial, launched on Thursday near the Chiang Mai Gate, caught locals by surprise, with pedestrians and motorists alike pausing to capture the quirky scene. The initiative’s visibility sparked curiosity and debate, particularly as many residents were initially unaware of the project’s purpose. Continued …
Thailand’s Largest Independent Power Producer Accelerates Clean Energy Expansion
Thailand Stock Exchange-listed Gulf Energy Development PCL (Gulf) recently announced that through a series of strategic investments and project acquisitions, it is expected to achieve its 2035 target of adding 5.4GW of clean energy capacity five years ahead of schedule.
Currently, the company’s operational solar, wind, and waste-to-energy projects have a total installed capacity of 1GW, with projects under development reaching 2.6GW. Continued …
Tetra Pak Cuts Global Emissions by 25%
Tetra Pak has delivered substantial progress toward its climate goals, cutting greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 25% since 2019, while achieving an even more dramatic 54% reduction within its own operations, the company announced in Bangkok this week. The Swedish processing and packaging giant’s annual Sustainability Report 2024 reveals that renewable energy now accounts for 94% of the company’s global electricity consumption.
Thailand has emerged as one of the key testing grounds for Tetra Pak’s next-generation technologies, with new tubular heat exchangers and separators deployed locally achieving energy consumption reductions of up to 40% compared with earlier designs. Continued …
- Chinese Gang Escapes After Failed Kidnapping in Pattaya – Continued …
- Zimbabwean Man Arrested for Phuket Romance Scam – Continued …
- Shop Owner ‘Disappointed’ After Japanese Tourists Steal Shirt – Continued …
Clouds clearing on the global economic front
Following a tense trade war period, the global economic and trade outlook has become clearer. The US settled on tariffs for most trading partners, with developed markets such as Europe and Japan facing 15% rates, and developing countries including Thailand, Vietnam, and Philippines receiving rates of 19%-20%. Continued …
US reviewing all visa holders for possible deportable violations
The United States is reviewing the records of all the more than 55 million foreign nationals holding valid visas, regardless of their nationality, for any possible deportable violations, the State Department said on Thursday. Should there be any indications of overstays, threats to public safety, support for a terrorist organization, or other forms of potential ineligibility, the US is ready to revoke visas at any time. Continued …
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Navigating new foreign income rules
Strong Thai Public Support For Cannabis Reclassification 
Investment in Phuket real estate continues to surge
