- Thailand Asia’s top retirement destination/Hua Hin videos//Buying a Pool Villa in Hua Hin/Why expats may soon trust their phones/Bangchak cuts premium fuel prices/Heavy rain to most of Thailand/Joy of the lottery/National streaming plan
- THE IRAN WAR: 10 Thai-linked vessels exit Strait/Threat Over Fertilizer Import Trap/Asian airlines’ Europe windfall fades
- ECONOMY: Thailand extends property fee cut/Branded residences uxury safe-haven/Manufacuring index decrease/Business registration fully digital
- TOURISM: PKK pushes wellness tourism/Most visited city doesn’t mean most loved/Europeans steer clear of Thailand
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: Thai Towns Could Stretch Your Budget/Thailand’s Lesser-Known Gem
- CLIMATE THAILAND: Electric, hybrid and the road ahead
- FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS
Thailand named Asia’s top retirement destination
Thailand has been ranked the best country in Asia and ninth globally as a retirement destination in the Global Retirement Index 2026. Thailand was ranked ninth worldwide and first in Asia by International Living, a leading US media outlet specializing in overseas living and retirement.
The ranking evaluates seven key factors: housing, visas and retirement benefits, cost of living, development and governance, climate, healthcare, and overall lifestyle suitability. The assessment is based on input from experts, correspondents and expatriates living in each country. Continued …
New daily feature on Hua Hin Expat News – Hua Hin videos
Hua Hin: Is This Thailand’s Best Kept Secret for Expats?
Located in the heart of Thailand, Hua Hin offers a unique blend of traditional Thai culture and modern amenities, making it an attractive option for those looking to live in Thailand. From its stunning beaches to its vibrant nightlife, Hua Hin has something to offer for everyone.
If you’re considering moving to Thailand or retiring in Thailand, Hua Hin is definitely worth exploring. In this video, we’ll take you on a tour of Hua Hin, showcasing its beautiful beaches, delicious cuisine, and expat-friendly lifestyle. We’ll also provide you with valuable Thailand travel tips and insights into what it’s like to live in Hua Hin as an expat. Video …
Is Hua Hin only for old people?
Hua Hin has long been one of Thailand’s favorite beach getaways, known for its royal history, relaxed atmosphere, and easy access from the capital. But beyond the beach, the city has a lot more going on than you might expect.
Explore the lively Tamarind and Cicada Night Markets, sample the local atmosphere after dark, and see why Hua Hin remains such a popular weekend destination for Bangkokians, expats, and travelers alike. Video …
Buying a Pool Villa in Hua Hin
A private pool villa in Hua Hin costs far less than the same home would on Phuket or Samui, and for many buyers it delivers more: quiet, space, a real community, and Bangkok two and a half hours up the road.
The catch is that the result depends almost entirely on three choices — the area, the villa itself, and the builder behind it. Get those right and Hua Hin is hard to beat. Get them wrong and you inherit someone else’s mistakes. Continued …
Why expats may soon trust their phones more than their landlords
The most useful AI gadget for expatriates in Thailand may not be a robot, a smart speaker or a laptop priced like a small motorbike. It may be the smartphone already sitting beside their morning iced coffee, quietly judging their screen time while helping them translate Thai messages, plan trips, manage work calls, read banking alerts and understand condominium notices that seem to have been written by a committee in a hurry.
For years, smartphone makers sold progress by touting sharper cameras, brighter screens and processors with names that sounded like comic-book villains. Now the battle is moving toward something far more interesting: usefulness. Continued …
Bangchak cuts premium fuel prices by 5 baht
Bangchak Corp. (BCP) reduced the retail prices of two premium fuel products by 5 baht per liter from 5 am today. The price cut applies to:
Hi Premium Diesel Plus, now 49.25 baht per liter; Hi Premium Gasohol 98 Plus, now 48.44 baht per liter; and regular petrol, gasohol and diesel prices were unchanged. Continued …
Monsoon blast brings heavy rain to most of Thailand
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has warned of heavy rain in parts of Thailand, with very heavy downpours possible in some areas of the east and the western side of the south today.
Thunderstorms in the south east coast area are expected in over 60% of the area, with heavy rain in some places. Heavy rain expected in Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Surat Thani. Minimum temperature: 23-26°C. Maximum temperature: 32-35°C. From Surat Thani northward: southwesterly winds of 20-35 km/h; waves 1-2 meters high, rising above 2 meters offshore and during thunderstorms. Continued …
The joy of the lottery
Thais genuinely enjoy playing the lottery. Even though the chances of winning the grand prize are staggeringly low, only one in a million, they buy more and more tickets every day.
A 2021 survey by the Center for Gambling Studies at Chulalongkorn University revealed that more than 24 million Thais – about 45.4% of the Thai population – snapped up national lottery tickets in 2021. The figure showed an increase of 8.3% from an earlier survey in 2019. Continued …
Commission backs national streaming plan
The planned establishment of a national TV streaming platform is far more than the launch of another video application; it is intended to ensure that every Thai can conveniently access all free-to-air television channels through the internet, according to commissioner of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) Pirongrong Ramasoota.
Pirongrong, who oversees the broadcasting sector, said this would preserve the principle of universal access to public-interest content, including news, emergency alerts, educational programming, cultural content and nationally significant events. Continued …
Foreign Ministry says 10 Thai-linked vessels safely exit Strait of Hormuz
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday that 10 out of 11 Thai-flagged vessels and vessels chartered by Thai operators stranded in the Strait of Hormuz area after the closure announcement on Feb. 28, had now safely left the area.
Only one vessel operated by a Thai company remains in the area. It is currently waiting to take on cargo and is preparing to depart at the earliest opportunity. Continued …
Thai Agriculture Faces Existential Threat Over Fertilizer Import Trap
Thailand’s total dependence on imported fertilizer has left its 16 million farmers dangerously exposed to global geopolitical shocks, according to industry leaders, state officials, and academics who gathered for a roundtable yesterday.
The panel discussion, titled “Hormuz Shock: World Fertilizer Crisis, Survival for Thai Agriculture”, concluded that while the immediate supply chain crunch triggered by recent tensions in the Strait of Hormuz has begun to ease, the episode has exposed critical structural vulnerabilities that demand urgent, systemic reform. Continued …
Asian airlines’ Europe windfall fades as Gulf rivals rebound
Asian airlines that gained passengers and charged higher fares on European routes after the start of the Iran conflict are seeing those advantages erode as Gulf carriers restore flights and offer lower ticket prices, industry data shows.
The shift has been gradual, but it is raising doubts over whether carriers, including Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Korean Air Lines and ANA Holdings, can retain much of the market share they gained during the disruption. Continued …
Thailand extends 0.01% property fee cut in one-year lifeline for homebuyers
Thailand’s Cabinet has extended ultra-low property transfer and mortgage registration fees for another year, keeping a key housing stimulus measure in place as the government seeks to ease costs for homebuyers and support a fragile real estate recovery.
The measure, approved yesterday, cuts both the property transfer registration fee and mortgage registration fee to 0.01 per cent, covering eligible residential property transactions until June 30, 2027, after publication in the Royal Gazette. The measure continues a similar 2025 scheme that was due to expire yesterday. Continued …
Thailand’s branded residences become luxury safe-haven
Thailand’s property market may be moving cautiously, but at the very top end developers are racing in the opposite direction. A new wave of branded residences — backed by global hotel, fashion, design and automotive names — is turning Bangkok, Phuket and resort destinations into a regional test ground for luxury homes sold not merely as places to live, but as managed, long-term collectible assets.
The shift comes as Thailand’s wider residential market faces a more selective buying environment. CBRE Thailand reported that Bangkok’s overall condominium market had a slow start to 2026, with only 12 new project launches in the first quarter, as buyers took longer to make decisions amid geopolitical risks, a weak local economy and elevated oil prices. Continued …
Slowdown in auto sector drives manufacuring index decrease
Thailand’s Manufacturing Production Index (MPI) decreased by 0.8% year-on-year to 101.18 points in May, due mainly to a slowdown in the domestic automotive sector, said the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE). The index increased from 92.76 points in April, however, when global conflicts and domestic challenges weighed on industrial activity.
Domestically, banks and car financing companies continued to tighten lending criteria, making it difficult for prospective buyers to get auto loans, while car exports bore the brunt of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israeli war with Iran. Continued …
Business registration becomes fully digital
New partnership and company registrations are now fully digitalized, improving convenience and speeding up the registration process, while reducing costs for both businesses and individuals, says the Department of Business Development (DBD).
Effective today, all new business registrations, including the establishment of partnerships and limited companies, must be completed online through the Digital Business Registration System (DBD Biz Regist), though amendments to existing registration information are excluded. Continued …
PKK pushes wellness tourism across all eight districts
Prachuap Khiri Khan is moving ahead with its wellness tourism strategy, with model communities selected across all eight districts as part of plans to develop the province as a wellness city. At a meeting yesterday at the Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Public Health Office, officials reviewed work being carried out in each district to strengthen health services and support sustainable wellness tourism.
The selected model health-conscious subdistricts are Hin Lek Fai in Hua Hin, Pak Nam Pran in Pranburi, Rai Kao in Sam Roi Yot, Kui Buri in Kui Buri, Ao Noi in Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan, Na Hu Kwang and Thap Sakae in Thap Sakae, Ron Thong in Bang Saphan, and Pak Phraek in Bang Saphan Noi. Continued …
The most visited city doesn’t mean the most loved
Bangkok was named the world’s most visited city for 2025 by Euromonitor International, drawing an estimated 30.3 million international arrivals, ahead of Hong Kong, London, Macao, and Istanbul. Thailand expects that number to climb further in 2026, with 34.9 million foreign visitors forecast and tourism revenue projected at 1.63 trillion baht, an 8% increase year on year.
By any conventional measure, this is success, the kind of ranking tourism boards spend years chasing. What it does not measure is whether the city living underneath all those visitor numbers actually feels good about hosting them. Continued …
Europeans steer clear of Thailand amid heatwave
Europe’s most severe heatwave has yet to trigger a surge in tourists to Thailand, with Phuket hotels slashing low-season rates by 70%-80% compared with the high season, as surging airfares continue to deter both domestic and foreign visitors.
Somjai Tungkoo, vice president of the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Assn., said summer holidays typically attract large numbers of European tourists, but demand this year has been weaker than expected, as many travelers seek to escape the heat by visiting cooler destinations within their region rather than taking long-haul trips. Continued …
These 3 Small Thai Towns Could Stretch Your Budget Further
Big-city life in Southeast Asia often gets the most attention — with Bangkok and Hanoi among many travelers’ favorite destinations — but some of the region’s best (and most affordable) long-term living can be found in smaller towns.
In a recent report, International Living tapped its global correspondents to share the towns in Southeast Asia that “combine charm, affordability, and a quality of life that larger cities often can’t match,” and three specific places stood out. Spoiler: They’re all in Thailand. Continued …
Experience Thailand’s Lesser-Known Gem With A Gorgeous Beach
Many people choose the Caribbean for its pristine beaches and abundance of islands. But a trip to this Southeast Asian paradise in the Andaman Sea is worth the jetlag for its own stunning beaches.
Similan Islands National Park features numerous islands, although some are restricted from visitors to protect wildlife. However, Donald Duck Bay features viewpoints, water activities, unique rocks shaped like Disney characters, and white-sanded beaches that rival the Caribbean. Continued …
Electric, hybrid and the road ahead: Mercedes-Benz CEO on the future of driving
“The future is fully electric,” the president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand), Christian Schell, declared, expressing his confidence in the automobile’s future path. This was emphasized in the first half of 2026 by the oil crisis, when people turned to buying electric vehicles (EVs) in fear of fuel shortages.
Even so, there will be some who prefer cars that run on fossil fuel, and that is the current gap that car manufacturers need to bridge. In this episode of “The Road Ahead – What Will We Be Driving Next?”, two car enthusiasts discuss the past and the future of the vehicles we drive. Continued …
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Chinese Fugitive Arrested in Chiang Mai Over Loan Fraud – Continued …
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Finnish Fugitive Arrested in Bangkok Home by Immigration – Continued …
Global energy investment hits record as ASEAN power grids face strain
Global investment in the energy sector continued to expand, with total investment reaching US$3.3 trillion in 2025, the highest level on record. Of this, US$2.3 trillion went into clean energy, helping lift the share of renewables and nuclear power in global electricity generation to 42%. Continued …
‘I’m going to stay calm’: 48 hours under the rubble in Venezuela
Andrea Canonico focused on her breathing to stay calm as she lay trapped under a building that had crumbled during the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela last week. Just 23 years old, Canonico spent almost 48 hours in the same position before being pulled out – alive. 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
Is Hua Hin really the perfect retirement destination in Thailand… or is there a side of life here that most YouTube videos never show? In this video, I take an honest look at what happens after the honeymoon period ends for many expats and retirees living in Hua Hin.
The real way to travel Thailand: Bangkok to Hua Hin by train
Thailand has secured a place among the world’s top 10 healthcare systems, ranking eighth globally and first in Southeast Asia with a score of 77.5, reflecting the strength of its medical personnel and healthcare services.
The Thai Meteorological Department has warned people in the north, northeast, east, and south to prepare for heavy rain in some areas over the next 24 hours, while Bangkok and its surrounding provinces are forecast to see thunderstorms across 70% of the area.
Thailand’s public finances are under intense scrutiny after Prachachart Party leader Thawee Sodsong exposed a widening budget crisis marked by a B138-billion revenue shortfall, a B754-billion borrowing bill, and billions more in unused loans and stalled stimulus funds.
Thailand’s hotel investment market is no longer seeing the same transaction value as during its peak years, but investor appetite remains strong as the sector enters a new growth cycle after the Covid-19 crisis.
The Thai Retailers Assn. (TRA) wants to unlock the conditions for the “Thai Chuay Thai Plus” co-payment scheme by expanding eligibility to business of all sizes, supporting business continuity and employment.
Replacing visa-free entry with a visa-on-arrival scheme for Indian tourists will not affect this market as affordable prices remain the decisive factor for them, while the policy change can help curb visa abuse, according to an Indian travel agent.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is positioning Africa as a key growth market as it seeks to diversify visitor sources amid ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East.
India’s largest low-cost carrier, IndiGo, has announced that its direct service to Krabi will be suspended from July 1 to Sept. 30 as part of a restructuring of its international route network.
Skip Chiang Mai’s usual northern loop for this 3-day Lamphun-Lampang road trip
At first glance, it may appear to be a simple question. Yet, it exposes a potentially significant anomaly within Thailand’s fisheries data system. While government agencies have consistently maintained that Thailand legally imported blackchin tilapia only once — and solely for research purposes — official records indicate that the same species was subsequently exported in remarkably large quantities to foreign markets during roughly the same period.
Passengers in Thailand can now utilize QR codes for enhanced taxi ride safety and convenience. This new feature allows users to verify driver details, real-time track their journey, share trip information, and rate their experience. The Department of Land Transport plans to equip around 70,000 taxis with these QR codes by June.
A ride-hailing driver posted a touching experience on the “Grab Car Driver Club Thailand” Facebook group, declaring: “I want 10 more jobs like this”. The first image showed the journey details – from Huai Khwang to Phra Khanong. The second revealed the adorable passenger: what appeared to be a long-coat Chihuahua.
The 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) shows Thailand scored 33/100 and ranked 116th globally — below the world average of 42. The index, released by Transparency International, placed Thailand 116th out of 182 countries and territories, down one spot from 2024 when it scored 34.
The cabinet has been instructed to start preparing to void a 25-year-old memorandum of understanding (MoU) used by Thailand and Cambodia as a framework to settle their overlapping maritime boundaries.
Chula Researchers Transform Thai Silk into Medical Innovation
Airports of Thailand (AOT) plans to seek approval from Thailand’s next cabinet for two major airport expansion projects worth a combined 269 billion baht, covering Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports.
Thailand’s once-robust manufacturing sector is facing a protracted slowdown, with factory capacity utilization hovering below 60% for the past two years, raising concerns about the country’s economic competitiveness and industrial policy effectiveness.
Arada Fueangthong, director-general of the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT), said Thailand’s utilization of trade preferences under free trade agreements (FTAs) continued to expand in January–November 2025.
If the incoming coalition government implements its IT policies as pledged during the campaign, it should increase revenue growth of system integrator and data center businesses by 5.8% year-on-year to 260 billion baht this year, says Krungthai Compass, a research unit under Krungthai Bank.
The cabinet yesterday endorsed a comprehensive visa package proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to boost tourism, attract long-stay visitors, and stimulate the economy.
Chinese New Year in Thailand: A National Celebration and a Regional Travel Magnet
As Thailand enters the post-election period, many foreign tourists and long-term visitors say their expectations are not focused on political personalities or campaign rhetoric, but on practical changes that shape daily life, travel decisions, and confidence in Thailand as a long-stay destination. Conversations among foreign residents and repeat visitors consistently return to the same themes: clarity, fairness, and predictability.
With Chinese New Year approaching next week, Pattaya tourism operators expect similar conditions as last year. Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Association of Chonburi Tourism Federation, said Pattaya operators expect a large number of foreign tourists for the holiday, particularly from long-haul markets, accounting for 80% and helping the occupancy rate near 90%.
Phuket is preparing to welcome a surge of visitors during the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations, with a month-long program of events beginning today aimed at stimulating early-year tourism and generating more than 600 million baht in revenue.
Picture this for a moment. You’ve worked decades, paid into Social Security your entire adult life, and when retirement finally arrives, the monthly check lands somewhere around $1,800. In many parts of the United States, that barely covers rent. It’s frustrating, I know.
13 Mouth-Watering Thai Dishes You Need To Try
Kintetsu World Express has taken another step toward cleaner operations by installing a solar power generation system at its warehouse in Prachinburi Province. The project has been carried out by its local subsidiary, KWE-Kintetsu World Express (Thailand) Co., as part of the group’s wider push toward decarbonized and sustainable business practices.
Planned or under-construction solar and wind projects slowed last year, analysis showed yesterday, casting doubts on whether countries will hit a goal of tripling renewable capacity by 2030. Dozens of nations agreed in 2023 to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 as part of efforts to limit global warming.
At least 10 people died yesterday in a remote part of western Canada, including seven who were shot at a secondary school and two others found dead at a residence, federal police said. Twenty-seven people were injured. An individual believed to be responsible for the killing in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, was found deceased with what appears to be a self-inflicted injury. 
Noise pollution is affecting bird behavior across the globe, disrupting everything from courtship songs to the ability to find food and avoid predators, a large-scale new analysis showed today. 
In 2026, Thailand is expected to complete one of the most significant transformations in its immigration system, the abolition of passport stamping and the full adoption of a 100% digital immigration platform.
Thailand is tightening its grip on gold trading to curb its impact on the baht. Authorities plan to cap daily online gold trading between 100 million and 200 million baht, as announced by the Bank of Thailand. Additionally, a cap on foreign currency transactions at money changers is set at 800,000 baht daily.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has detailed a high-stakes strategy to revitalize the nation’s economy, appointing global icon Lalisa Manobal — known professionally as LISA — as its ‘Amazing Thailand Ambassador’ for 2026. The partnership is the cornerstone of an ambitious plan to attract an additional five to 10 million ‘high-quality’ international travelers.
A grayscale sky is showing signs of life over slumbering waves, with sunshine breaking through clouds that had earlier brought steamy tropical rain to the northeast coast of Koh Samui.
Southeast Asia’s solar energy market is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by falling technology costs, strong national climate commitments, and an increasing need for energy security. Recent industry forecasts indicate that the region’s solar capacity is expected to grow from around 38.29 gigawatts in 2025 to over 92.77 gigawatts by 2030, reflecting an annual growth rate of nearly 19.4%. This surge highlights a clear shift away from fossil fuels toward cleaner, renewable energy sources.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. will seize control of Greenland “the easy way” or “the hard way” and warned that he won’t miss out on the opportunity to Russia or China. “We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not,” he said. 
Iran is currently cut off from the outside world. The government has severed internet and telephone lines nationwide, hoping to blind and deafen the international community to the brutality of its crackdown. Yet, the screams of frustration from the streets echo far beyond the digital blackout. This nationwide uprising is a clear signal: the 40-year-old theocratic regime is facing its most catastrophic crisis of faith yet. 
Monks under probe for keeping 73 corpses in Phichit province
Thai actress claims international Emmy award
Minister sounds alarm on emissions
Duty-free shops on the way out, wine tariff may be reduced
Hua Hin: A magnet for retirees, second home buyers
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10 Thai stories that trended the most on social media in 2022
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7 Airlines To Slash Airfares By Up To 20% From January
AOT expects 2 million passengers to use its 6 airports from Dec 29-Jan 4
More than 50 perish, so far, in US frigid weather
Hong Kongers to pay HK$1 (4.5 baht) per plastic bag at supermarkets
