- 2,000 Hua Hin firms targeted/Why nominee companies are under scrutiny/Police Raid 32 Koh Phangan Nominee Firms/Foreigners own 6% of Koh Phangan/Tugboat Sinks Near PKK’s Koh Thalu/Prachuap Port positioned as key logistics hub/Hua Hin set to swing/Rain predicted through Monday/Dutch Embassy Bangkok Ambassador Site/Will debt sink Chatuchak Market?
- ECONOMY: Price spike of up to 20%/Thai condos gain safe-haven appeal/Thai retail confidence falls/Easing rules not deregulation/Thai Airways Q1 profit
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: Royal Ploughing ceremony/Lumphini cat caretaker
- CLIMATE THAILAND: Wildfires and the climate crisis/Solar ‘must be affordable’/Thailand’s Biomass Energy Push
- FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS
Vilhelm Academy: Western qualifications for Hua Hin-based students
Vilhelm International Academy launched in March 2026 and has is campus at “The Hub” in Hin Lek Fai, less than 10 minutes from the center of town. They provide mentor-led academic supervision for students studying through accredited online school programs, whether independently enrolled or through integrated programs offered at Vilhelm. This means that students follow a fixed timetable, complete coursework under supervision, and receive ongoing progress monitoring. They can do this whist studying for their GCSE’s, A-Levels, NCAA approved US courses, or any other online school they choose to use.
Unlike more traditional options, at the academy children can learn at their own pace, not being forced forward before they are ready and also not being held back by the rest of the class. When they are ready to move on they do so. By coming to the academy each day, they are able to complement their studies with activities that develop leadership skills, community service (such as the recent helmet initiative), complemented by daily sports and physical activity to support a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
You can visit the website for more details, or you can book an appointment to meet with the academy co-ordinator to discuss what you are looking for and explain what they can offer. There is a completely free five-day trial period that can be taken advantage of by anyone interested in seeing if the academy is the right fit for them.
Website; Email: info@vilhelminternationalacademy.com; Phone: +66 065 991 5500; Facebook; Map location.
2,000 Hua Hin firms targeted in nominee crackdown
More than 2,000 companies in Hua Hin with foreign investment are set to face closer scrutiny as Thai authorities expand a national investigation into suspected nominee business structures in major tourism destinations.
The Department of Business Development (DBD), under the Ministry of Commerce, has joined forces with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to investigate nominee business structures in major tourism destinations. The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) is also preparing to classify nominee offenses as predicate offenses under money laundering law, which would allow authorities to examine financial trails and seize assets linked to wrongdoing. Continued …
Why nominee companies are under scrutiny in Thailand
Thailand is currently undergoing one of its most aggressive and coordinated crackdowns on nominee companies to date. As of May, the Department of Business Development (DBD) has partnered with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to actively investigate and dismantle these structures.
Under Thailand’s Foreign Business Act and Land Code, foreign nationals are restricted from majority ownership in specific sectors (like agriculture, tourism, and property trading) and are prohibited from owning land outright. To bypass these laws, some foreign investors use “nominee” structures. This involves using Thai citizens as proxy shareholders who hold 51% or more of the company on paper, while the foreign investor retains actual financial and operational control. This is illegal in Thailand. Continued …
Police Raid 32 Koh Phangan Nominee Firms
Thai police launched a major operation on Koh Phangan yesterday, raiding 32 companies suspected of using Thai nominees to illegally hold land on behalf of foreign investors. More than 300 officers took part in the coordinated crackdown, which targeted businesses linked to land ownership worth more than 150 million baht.
Authorities said the companies under investigation collectively hold 37 land title deeds. Officers seized corporate documents, shareholder records, company registration papers, land deeds, lease agreements, financial records, bank account details, and evidence of international money transfers. Digital evidence and computer equipment were also confiscated during the searches. Continued …
Officials say foreigners own only 6% of Koh Phangan
The director of Thailand’s Land Department stated that foreign nationals own only 6% of land on Koh Phangan, following growing concerns among residents about increasing foreign influence on the island.
Concerns intensified in recent years as the number of long-stay foreign residents, particularly Israeli nationals, has increased on Koh Phangan. Some locals fear the island could gradually fall under foreign control as overseas investors purchase land and establish businesses that compete with local operators. Continued …
Tugboat Sinks Near PKK’s Koh Thalu, One Missing
A 60-ton tugboat sank in rough seas near Koh Thalu in Prachuap Khiri Khan, leaving one crew member missing and two others injured after they drifted in the sea for two days and two nights. Rescue teams, marine police and local fishing boats launched a search operation after the incident was reported to Bang Saphan Noi police yesterday.
Police said the vessel belonged to Phairat Rungroj Co. and had departed Bang Pakong port en route to tow another vessel at Koh Samui in Surat Thani province. Three people were on board: the 18-year-old captain, and a 15-year-old and an 18-year-old. Continued …
Prachuap Port positioned as key logistics hub for Gulf of Thailand economy
Prachuap Port in Bang Saphan in southern Prachuap Khiri Khan Province is being positioned as a key logistics hub for the Gulf of Thailand economy, following a visit by senior officials and transport representatives yesterday.
Royl Chitradon, secretary-general of the Hydro-Informatics Institute Foundation under royal patronage, led a delegation to Berth C at Prachuap Port Co., in Bang Saphan District. The visit focused on the port’s role in supporting water-based logistics, heavy cargo transport, and regional economic development. Continued …
Hua Hin set to swing as jazz city event takes over
Hua Hin turns into a city of jazz from May 29–June 1. Experience the Hua Hin Jazz City Event 2026 across 40+ locations, featuring Thai and international artists, smooth jazz, Swing, Bossa Nova, live improvisation, local culture, cafés, shops, and community vibes. About …
Rain predicted through Monday for Hua Hin, PKK
Prachuap Khiri Khan authorities have issued a weather warning, as heavy rain, possible flash floods, and strong waves are expected across the province from May 14–18. The warning covers all areas of Prachuap Khiri Khan, including Hua Hin, where thunderstorms are forecast for much of the week.
The Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command Center issued the warning yesterday, following an announcement from the Thai Meteorological Department about heavy to very heavy rain in parts of Thailand and strong waves in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. Continued …
Dutch Embassy to Buy Bangkok Ambassador Site
Thailand’s Cabinet has approved a draft exchange of letters between the Thai and Dutch governments allowing the Netherlands to purchase land and buildings on Soi Ruam Rudi in Bangkok for use as the new residence of the Dutch ambassador to Thailand.
Deputy government spokeswoman Lalida Periswiwatana said after the Cabinet meeting at Government House Tuesday that ministers had agreed in principle to the proposed exchange of letters between the government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Continued …
Will debt sink Bangkok’s Chatuchak Market?
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is addressing its debt management and operations at Chatuchak weekend market. The outstanding debt to the State Railway of Thailand amounts to 1.338 billion baht in unpaid land rental fees. This includes a court-ruled 672 million baht sum, with 605.7 million in principal rent and 66.4 million in interest up to June 2022.
The BMA is also liable for a 5% interest on the principal, adding up to 101.3 million baht from June 2022 to October 2025, along with monthly compensation payments of 14.1 million baht, totaling 564.7 million baht over three years and four months. Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt affirmed the administration’s commitment to repaying debt upon agreement on accurate figures. Continued …
Price spike of up to 20% as energy costs hit
The Bank of Thailand expects business operators to raise prices for goods and services by no more than 20%, with more frequent price adjustments in response to higher energy costs.
The central bank’s business survey found most large Thai companies plan to increase prices by no more than 20%, with adjustments remaining below the pace of rising costs due to constraints from weak purchasing power and intense competition. Continued …
Thai condos gain safe-haven appeal amid global uncertainty
Thailand is increasingly being viewed as a safe-haven destination for wealthy foreign buyers seeking investment security, quality of life, and greater flexibility in where they live, as global economic volatility, geopolitical tensions, and wars in several regions continue to reshape capital flows.
The trend is becoming more visible in the property market, where foreign demand for Thai condominiums remains resilient despite slower domestic purchasing power. Continued …
Thai retail confidence falls as panic buying drains April spending
Thailand’s retail sentiment weakened sharply in April, as consumers cut back on spending after panic buying in March, while high fuel prices, rising utility bills, and concerns over product costs continued to weigh on household purchasing power.
The April Retail Sentiment Index, or RSI, conducted by the Thai Retailers Assn., in cooperation with the Bank of Thailand, from April 16 to 27, found that retail operators’ economic confidence fell by 7.2 points from March. Continued …
Government says easing rules for eight foreign business sectors is not deregulation
Rachada Dhnadirek, spokesperson for the prime minister’s office, yesterday clarified reports claiming that the government is allowing foreigners to operate businesses without seeking permission, saying the claim was a misunderstanding of the substance of draft subordinate legislation under the Foreign Business Act 1999.
Rachada said the draft law was not intended to open the door for foreigners to run businesses without supervision. Instead, it updates certain business categories, most of which involve advanced technology or sectors already governed by specific laws and strictly supervised by state agencies. Continued …
Thai Airways tops B10-billion Q1 profit
Thai Airways International Public Co. (THAI) announced its operating results for the first quarter of 2026 today, showing strength and a continued recovery. Thai Airways recorded a net profit of B10.107 billion, up B268 million (+2.7%) from the same period last year.
Net profit attributable to owners of the parent was B10.093 billion, representing earnings per share of B0.36, up from B0.35 in the same period last year. Continued …
Royal Ploughing ceremony predicts low water, stronger trade
Thailand’s Royal Ploughing ceremony points to scarce water, good lowland harvests, food abundance, and stronger foreign trade following the sacred oxen’s choices. Their Majesties the King and Queen on Wednesday (May 13) presided over the Royal Ploughing Ceremony for 2026 at the ceremonial ground of Sanam Luang in Bangkok.
The ancient royal ceremony is held to bring auspiciousness to the farming season, and boost the morale of farmers across the country. The ceremony is traditionally held around the sixth lunar month, or in May, when the timing is considered suitable for the start of rice cultivation, one of Thailand’s most important occupations. Continued …
Retired Californian finds fulfilment as Lumphini cat caretaker
Lumphini Park opens its doors before sunrise. Joggers weave past monitor lizards. Groups gather for Tai Chi, and cats are preparing for a new day of being petted and loved. But beneath the park’s visible harmony lies a growing stray cat problem.
Even though abandoning animals has been illegal since 2014, people leaving their cats in the park is a well-known problem, which has fueled the crisis. Once beloved pets, many now face hunger, disease, stress, and uncontrolled breeding. They only survive thanks to volunteers who feed them. Continued and video …
Wildfires and the climate crisis: A higher risk of several cancers?
Prolonged contact with wildfire smoke would increase the risk of developing different types of cancer, according to a study presented at a recent meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
The research, which has not yet been submitted for peer review, reveals that people exposed to high concentrations of smoke during the three years preceding the study had an increased risk of lung, colorectal, breast, bladder, and blood cancers. The data come from a longitudinal follow-up covering more than 91,000 people. Continued …
Solar ‘must be affordable’
The government’s push for solar rooftop installations must not burden citizens with debt but instead serve as a tool to reduce living costs and expand energy choices, says Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee.
Polapee said the government views clean energy as a key tool for improving people’s quality of life. He said policies include support for rooftop solar systems, the promotion of electric vehicles, energy-saving campaigns, and the development of smart power grids to address energy crises and rising energy costs. Continued …
Green Ambition, Burning Reality: Thailand’s Biomass Energy Push
Thailand plans to expand biomass energy as part of its net-zero strategy, but disputes between communities and biomass operators are intensifying over allegations of air pollution and health impacts.
As seasonal haze blanketed northern Thailand this past summer, 44-year-old farmer Nongluk Pla-nguen traveled four hours from her Ton Muang village in Phrae province to Chiang Mai Administrative Court. She was determined to file a lawsuit against authorities for allowing a wood pellet fuel factory to continue operating, which residents believe is affecting their health. Continued …
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Chinese Poker Ring Raided in Pattaya – Continued …
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American Fugitive Arrested in Chiang Mai – Continued …
Trump and Xi open Beijing talks as world watches
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping began high-stakes talks in Beijing today, opening a closely watched meeting that could shape the next phase of relations between the world’s two largest economies. Continued …
‘Promised to us’: Israelis dream of settling south Lebanon
From her home in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, Anna Sloutskin yearns to expand her country’s borders and one day move to southern Lebanon. And she is not alone. With fighting between Israel and Hezbollah displacing more than a million Lebanese, a far-right fringe of Israel’s settler movement is turning its gaze northward. Continued …
Why are Britons so fed up?
In less than two years, Britain’s governing Labor Party has gonefrom a landslide election victory to a historic rout at last week’s local and regional votes that has put Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s job on the line. While incumbents across Europe face similar difficulties, Britain’s politics have become ever more febrile in the decade since it voted to leave the European Union. 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
Hua Hin Hospital has reported positive feedback from amputees who have used the Thai-developed “dynamic prosthetic foot”, which enables them to walk and even run with a level of ease much closer to that of a natural foot.
A Hua Hin youth football tournament brought together 180 young players from schools in Hua Hin and Pran Buri yesterday. The inaugural Hua Hin Youth Football Championship for Literacy 2026 was held at Khao Takiab Stadium in Hua Hin.
Strict disciplinary action will be taken against officials implicated in the granting of preferential treatment for Chinese inmates at Bangkok Remand Prison late last year, the Department of Corrections (DoC) says.
If the Iran war escalates into a prolonged global conflict lasting six to nine months or extends to a full-scale global confrontation involving major powers, Thailand faces the most severe economic outcomes.
The war in the Middle East is poised to deliver the most severe blow to global energy markets since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the World Bank warned this week, with consequences stretching from oil fields to farmlands to the dinner tables of the world’s poorest households.
Thailand pushes land bridge as energy hub to guard against Hormuz risk
One of the flagship projects the Bhumjaithai Party-led government is determined to deliver is the land bridge linking the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand between Ranong and Chumphon. The government is eager to capitalize on disruptions to global shipping caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, seeking to revive a project discussed for decades.
The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) is questioning the economic viability of the land bridge project, which requires a massive investment of up to 1 trillion baht, as well as whether the government should provide financial support.
While a majority of people in southern Thailand support the proposed land bridge megaproject, more than half say they have only a limited understanding of it, according to a Nida poll survey released yesterday.
According to the latest residential market survey by the Thai Real Estate Research and Valuation Information Center at the Agency for Real Estate Affairs Co., Phuket property has expanded sharply. Phuket is the second-largest real estate market, behind only Greater Bangkok.
The government’s stimulus package should emphasize targeted, appropriate investment to support economic growth through next year, says the central bank chief.
Thailand’s smart devices industry is showing strong export momentum, with “mart home” exports soaring 86.5% in 2025 to US$19.17 billion, underlining the country’s growing role as a key production and export base for technology products, according to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO) under the Commerce Ministry.
Thailand is firmly establishing itself as the regional frontrunner for the electric vehicle (EV) revolution, outpacing its Southeast Asian neighbors in consumer readiness.
Bangkok’s beloved street food culture at risk as vendor crackdown widens
Deputy Transport Minister Sanphet Bunyamanee says he is pushing for a 5-billion-baht cruise terminal on Koh Samui in the southern province of Surat Thani, with a targeted completion date in 2032.
In Thailand, local wisdom and medical experts alike warn that pairing durian with certain substances can be physically taxing or even life-threatening. If you are planning to indulge, here are the three critical combinations you must avoid to stay safe.
Thailand has launched the “Amazing Green Journey” campaign to help move the country’s tourism industry toward sustainability, while encouraging consumers to adopt more environmentally responsible lifestyles and travel habits.
The European Union (EU) will enforce new rules from 2027 requiring smartphones and other battery-powered devices to allow easier battery replacement, though the law does not necessarily mean handsets must return to removable back covers as many consumers assume.