- Thailand in 1946/Cha Am Music Festival/Mini-Balloon Festival/T&C Scholars Begin Hua Hin Camp/Songkla University unveils cancer treatment success/Boy dies after jellyfish stings/Thai deaths overseas/Lost wild elephant calf dies
- THE IRAN WAR: Tehran denies talks/Iranians voice distrust of US/’Last chance before decapitation’/Seafarer recounts Gulf ordeal
- ECONOMY: Thailand GDP claims questioned/Lost due to nominee problems/Extending co-payment scheme/Thailand Post unveils strategy/Second-Largest Pet Food Exporter
- TOURISM: Repeat visitors favor Hua Hin/Foreign tourist arrivals down 3.2%/Short breaks, marathons win over Thai travelers/Sniffer dogs at Suvarnabhumi/Songkhla gastronomy tourism campaign/Indonesia, Thailand launch new flight routes
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: Thailand’s Naga serpent/How History Made Thais Obsessed with Sugar
- INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS
What Thailand (Siam) was like in 1946
This is a long video …
Cha Am Music Festival set for August 7–9
The Cha Am Music Festival will be held Aug. 7–9, offering three evenings of free live music, food and fireworks beside Cha Am beach. The festival will take place at the Cha Am Beach viewpoint, with admission free throughout the three-day event.
Phetchaburi province is organizing the festival in partnership with Cha Am municipality, Cha Am District, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Thai Hotels Association Western Chapter, and public and private sector organizations. – HHT
Mini-Balloon Festival returns to Pak Nam Pran
The MiniBalloon Festival Pranburi will return to the Pak Nam Pran beachfront Aug. 7-9, alongside the annual Sun-Dried Squid and Seafood Festival.
The free event will take place from 4 pm to 9 pm each day at Maharaj Field in Pak Nam Pran, with balloon displays, live music and local seafood. Continued …
T&C Scholars Begin Hua Hin Climate Empathy Camp
Scholarship students of the T&C Foundation are embarking on a journey to expand the scope of their empathy by directly facing the climate crisis and ecological environment issues on site.
The T&C Foundation announced that 25 scholarship students from the 28th Fellow and 8th Ami cohorts will participate in the ‘2026 T&C Global Summer Camp’ held in the Hua Hin area of Thailand from Aug. 2-8. This camp is an empathy exploration program planned for scholarship students to directly confirm the impact of climate change on the livelihood and safety of local communities and the lives of the next generation. Continued …
Songkhla University unveils therapy with 90% cancer treatment success rate
The Faculty of Medicine at Prince of Songkla University (PSU) has unveiled progress in using locally developed CAR-T Cell therapy to treat blood cancers and autoimmune diseases, reporting that nearly 90% of patients have achieved complete remission.
The treatment uses a patient’s own immune cells, which are genetically modified to recognize and attack targeted cells. The university said treatment outcomes so far have shown nearly 90% of patients achieving complete remission. Continued …
Boy, 13, dies after jellyfish stings
A 13-year-old schoolboy has died after being stung by jellyfish while swimming at Ban Fai Tha beach in Sichon district, Nakhon Si Thammarat. Three people who went to help him were also injured by the stings but are now safe and recovering.
Nantaphat, known as New, was a student at Sichon Kunatharn Witthaya School. The fatal incident happened Saturday evening. The boy had traveled to the area to take part in a charity football competition raising money for the local community. Afterward, he entered the sea with friends, around 10 meters from the shore. Continued …
Thai deaths overseas hit five-year high
Thai embassies and consulates handled reports of 1,320 deaths involving Thai nationals overseas in 2024, based on latest available full year data, the highest figure in five years of data from the Consular Affairs Department.
Annual totals generally range from 1,100 to 1,300, with deaths increasing after Covid-19 restrictions eased and overseas travel and employment resumed. The figures cover assistance cases recorded between 2020 and 2024, as well as notifications from local authorities where deaths occurred. Continued …
Lost wild elephant calf dies after suspected acute kidney failure
Jiew Sai Yok, a lost wild elephant calf being cared for at Sai Yok National Park, died peacefully at around 2am yesterday, leaving veterinarians and park officials deeply saddened.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) said the calf, which had been separated from its herd and cared for at Sai Yok National Park in Kanchanaburi province, had passed away. Veterinarians initially suspected acute kidney failure as the cause of death. Continued …
Oil falls sharply as Trump cancels Iran strikes, but Tehran denies talks
Global oil prices fell sharply after US President Donald Trump said he had cancelled planned attacks on Iran and claimed talks were under way, raising hopes that tensions in the Middle East could ease and the Strait of Hormuz may reopen more fully.
However, Iran denied that negotiations with the United States were taking place or scheduled, leaving markets to balance optimism over a possible diplomatic opening against continuing uncertainty over the five-month conflict. Continued …
Iranians voice distrust of US after previous deal ‘betrayals’
Iranians yesterday expressed deep distrust of the United States, saying any future agreement must guarantee Tehran’s rights after a history of what they described as broken promises by Washington. Video …
Trump says Iran facing ‘last chance before decapitation’
US President Donald Trump said yesterday that negotiations with Iran were ongoing despite Tehran’s denials and the Islamic Republic was facing a “last chance before decapitation.”
Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said he agreed to continue to pursue talks with Iran at the request of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and other countries. Continued …
Trapped by war, Bangladesh seafarer recounts Gulf ordeal
For 115 days, captain Mohammad Shafiqul Islam was stranded on the high seas of the Gulf, watching missiles light up the night sky and rationing food and water for his crew.
“I tried to stay calm because I was responsible for 31 lives, a ship worth $40 million, and cargo valued at US$8.2 million,” the 51-year-old Bangladeshi mariner told Agence France-Presse (AFP), back home after the ordeal. Continued …
Thailand GDP claims questioned as households cut spending
A Thai analysis published Sunday has challenged government claims of a strong GDP recovery, arguing that headline growth is failing to reach ordinary households and small businesses.
The analysis says the gap between positive official economic reports and daily financial pressures has become increasingly stark. It cites polls and public sentiment suggesting that nearly 90% of people feel financially vulnerable, with many cutting spending, including on food. Continued …
What Thailand has lost due to nominee problems
Government considers extending co-payment scheme
The government has not ruled out extending the Thais Help Thais Plus co-payment scheme following positive public feedback. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the government would consider any measure that benefits the public while taking into account economic conditions and fiscal constraints.
Under the co-payment scheme, the government subsidizes 60% of spending on food, beverages, goods and services, while consumers pay the remaining 40%. The subsidy is capped at 200 baht per person per day and 1,000 baht a month. The current program runs until Sept. 30. Continued …
Thailand Post unveils transformation strategy
Thailand Post is repositioning itself as a key driver of Thailand’s digital economy, unveiling a new corporate strategy dubbed “RelationSHIFT” as it seeks to transform from a traditional postal operator into a lifestyle logistics brand that connects people, businesses, communities and government services through its nationwide network.
The announcement coincided with the state-owned enterprise’s 144th anniversary, with executives highlighting the company’s role in supporting inclusive economic growth while reporting continued revenue growth in the first half of 2026, following total revenue of 22.1 billion baht in 2025. Continued …
Thailand Retains Rank as World’s Second-Largest Pet Food Exporter
Thailand has solidified its standing as the world’s second-largest exporter of pet food, trailing only Germany, as a global shift toward health-focused pet nutrition continues to drive robust overseas demand.
Data released by the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO) confirms the country’s pet food industry is maintaining strong momentum, recording an export value of $3.28 billion (107.47 billion baht) in 2025. Continued …
Thailand’s repeat visitors favor Hua Hin and Pattaya over Phuket
Thailand’s repeat visitors are showing stronger loyalty to Hua Hin and Pattaya than to Phuket, according to a new analysis by travel platform 12Go.
The company’s Destination Devotion Index (DDI) analyzed 3.6 million bookings from 1.46 million international travelers between 2023 and 2025. The index ranks destinations based on how often first-time visitors return within two years. Continued …
Thailand’s foreign tourist arrivals down 3.2%
Thailand’s foreign tourist arrivals dropped 3.2% year-on-year in the Jan. 1 to Aug. 1 period to 18.51 million visitors, the Tourism and Sports Ministry said yesterday.
Tourism, a key driver of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, had a record of nearly 40 million visitors in 2019, before the pandemic. – Bangkok Post
Short breaks, marathons and hidden cities win over Thai travelers
Thai travelers are increasingly choosing short restorative breaks, marathon-related holidays and more in-depth visits to secondary cities as travel patterns shift in 2026.
Data from Agoda and Traveloka indicate that holidays are becoming easier to fit around work, study and personal schedules, while cost, wellbeing and local experiences are playing a greater role in destination choices. Continued …
Sniffer dogs permanently deployed at Suvarnabhumi airport
Sniffer dogs have been deployed on permanent basis at Suvarnabhumi international airport to help officials in drug trafficking interdiction operations.
The deployment of the K-9 units is a joint operation by the Customs Department, the Border Patrol Police, the Airports of Thailand Co. and other relevant security agencies. Continued …
Songkhla serves up new gastronomy tourism campaign
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thailand Gastronomy Network and HUG – Hatyai University Gastronomy Lab will launch a new campaign to position Songkhla as a gastronomy destination through an international livestream tomorrow.
The livestream, titled “World Kitchen of Spices: Thailand × Indonesia”, will bring together chefs, educators, tourism professionals, students and food enthusiasts from Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong and other markets. Participants can either cook along or join a watch-and-learn session. Continued …
Indonesia, Thailand launch new flight routes to boost tourism
Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto welcomed the launch of new direct air routes connecting key cities in Indonesia and Thailand, highlighting expanded aviation connectivity as a vital driver for strengthening people-to-people ties and boosting regional tourism.
“In terms of connectivity, we welcome the opening of new direct flight routes from Jakarta to Bangkok and Denpasar to Phuket, which are expected to further strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries,” Prabowo said in a joint press statement with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta yesterday. Continued …
Some history behind Thailand’s Naga serpent
How History Made Thais Obsessed with Sugar
Thailand’s love affair with sugar began centuries ago in the Ayutthaya royal court. During the 17th century, Marie Guimar introduced Portuguese-inspired egg-and-sugar sweets, embedding heavy sugar consumption into traditional Thai desserts.
In 19th-century Siam, refined white sugar had become an expensive imported luxury reserved exclusively for royalty and elites, while commoners still relied solely on local palm sugar. As refined sugar gradually became more accessible, commoners began adding it to their everyday cooking to emulate royal palace cuisine, believing that sweetness represented sophisticated, high-class food rather than unrefined rural cooking. Continued …
North Korea advises citizens to eat dog meat to beat the summer heat
North Korea’s state media has recommended dog meat soup as protection against summer heat, reviving Pyongyang’s long-running effort to promote the controversial dish as record high temperatures grip both sides of the Korean peninsula. Continued …
South Korea’s heat wave kills 16
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung urged authorities to step up support for people affected by a record heat wave in the country, saying the death toll had risen to 16 and warning that extreme weather was becoming more frequent. Continued …
Myanmar’s Suu Kyi meets Red Cross: Son says first proof of life in years
Myanmar’s detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi met with a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross yesterday, her son Kim Aris said, who has not heard from her directly in years. Video …
After dark, Malaysia’s crocodile hunters go to work
Searchlights sweep across the rivers of Malaysia’s Sarawak state as licensed hunters track crocodiles in the dark. Their work is part of a broader effort to manage a tension between wildlife and the communities that rely on the water every day. Video …
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
Immigration and police in Hua Hin have stepped up efforts to investigate suspected nominee business structures involving foreign nationals, as authorities intensify scrutiny of foreign-linked companies and land transactions.
Hua Hin has a new Taco Bell, which opened a new branch on Phetkasem Road, near the Hua Hin Clock Tower.
Thailand’s Civil Court will hold its first case-management hearing today in a consumer lawsuit against 17 digital platform, application and financial service providers over alleged losses linked to fraudulent investment advertisements and other online scams.
Appetite grows for Talay Noi swamp buffalo meat
Thailand will not face a crude oil shortage in August despite the ongoing war in the Middle East, as supply remains sufficient for all six domestic refineries, according to the Department of Energy Business (DOEB).
The Thai baht is trading near its weakest level in over 15 months against the US Dollar, as a confluence of external pressures continues to erode its value. The currency’s decline has been driven by a renewed spike in oil prices, compounded by a firmer USD and rising US Treasury yields.
Thailand’s personal income-tax base remains heavily concentrated among a relatively small number of earners, with only 5.14 million of 12.57 million people who filed returns for the 2024 tax year required to pay tax.
When Thailand’s Revenue Department released its latest personal income tax filing figures, the headline number was not the roughly 12 million people who submitted a return. It was the much smaller group behind it: an estimated 5 million filers, or around 40%of those who filed, who actually owed any tax at all.
Here he goes again. US President Donald Trump is increasing and decreasing tariffs willy-nilly, violating international agreements that he himself signed and almost surely violating federal law. The only difference this time is that he has a new pretext for abusing tariffs: stopping forced labor.
Trade deficit marks a sea change
Private consumption in Thailand increased by 1.1% month-on-month in June, accelerating from 0.6% in the previous month. It marked the second straight month of growth, driven mainly by stronger spending on non-durable goods amid higher consumer goods sales following government stimulus measures, as well as improved fuel consumption as retail fuel prices declined and sales returned closer to normal levels.
Inviting the fury of the Thai public on a matter that is admittedly done and dusted, I cannot help but feel compelled to at least voice my misgivings over the recent “noisy Italian students” incident, especially how it played out compared with another similar occurrence.
Bangkok’s Chao Phraya draws new hotels, attractions and megaprojects
Thailand launches 10 hiking schools for responsible forest tourism
Footage from a hotel in Krabi is leaving viewers unsettled after a couple reportedly discovered a large cobra lurking near their bed before sunrise.One of the guests initially treated the commotion as just being startled from a bad dream or some other misunderstanding. Only moments later did they realize why their partner had suddenly woken up and run from the room in a panic at about 5 am.
The History of Talad Noi
Thailand must accelerate its transition to advanced green manufacturing if it hopes to remain competitive in an increasingly sustainability-driven global economy, according to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO).
Waste is often seen as the inevitable by-product of economic growth. In reality, it may become one of the most valuable resources economies possess.
Data center race faces power, water logjam
Retail fuel prices in Thailand remained unchanged yesterday, despite the Oil Fuel Fund reducing subsidies for several diesel and gasohol products and raising the contribution collected from petrol.
Best known as Viagra, the erectile dysfunction drug sildenafil started off as a treatment for reduced blood flow but soon saw its value spike after its other effects became clear.
Thai Singer Nene Royal Advances to AGT Judges’ Callbacks
Geopolitical conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran erupted in late February. Although negotiation efforts produced an agreement at one stage, fighting subsequently resumed, leaving shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea facing uncertainty.
Out of the blue, the Anutin government has made an abrupt policy U-turn by announcing it will abandon the 1-trillion-baht land bridge project. The reversal follows an official review that found the original project carried significant financial risks and uncertain economic returns.
Thailand must stop measuring tourism success simply by visitor numbers and build a system that protects destinations, local communities and infrastructure, according to two researchers at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).
A severe drought and the peak travel season have left Koh Samui facing a water shortage that is affecting businesses, prompting tourism operators to call for greater investment in water infrastructure to keep pace with rising visitor numbers.
Thailand’s largest island records decline in hotel guests in first half
The private sector and Thailand’s Department of Health Service Support (HSS) are collaborating to push for the creation of “Wellness Special Economic Zones”. The scheme will begin with a three-to-five-year pilot phase dubbed the “Wellness Sandbox”, designed to generate economic value, stimulate employment, and attract foreign investors.
Wild tiger population in Thailand’s protected reserves reaches 210
Hua Hin City’s Waterworks Division has launched a citywide survey to update customer water meter records and improve the efficiency of meter-reading routes.
Avani+ Hua Hin appoints new general manager
A collection of camera-trap images documenting Kaeng Krachan tigers over eight years has been released as evidence of the continued health of the forest ecosystem. The images were shared yesterday to mark Global Tiger Day.
Global Tiger Day: How we’re helping wild tigers
Thailand’s premier resort islands of Phuket and Koh Samui are rapidly transitioning from traditional holiday destinations into major global real estate investment hubs, driven by evolving international buyer demographics and expanding private investment networks.
There is a comforting myth that poverty in Asia and the Pacific is a story about the region’s least-developed economies. The assumption goes that if we can just lift the poorest nations, the job is largely done.
Why Men Are Drawn to Thailand for Sex Tourism
Southeast Asia has quietly become one of the most contested electric vehicle battlegrounds on the planet. Vietnam and Singapore have pushed EV sales shares to roughly 40% of new car sales, a level that now exceeds the UK and the EU, while Indonesia has overtaken the United States on EV penetration and Thailand has sold more EVs in three quarters of 2025 than Denmark managed in the same period, according to energy think tank Ember.
The US Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest-rate target unchanged at 3.50–3.75% yesterday, extending its pause for a fifth consecutive meeting as inflation remained above the central bank’s 2% target. The Federal Open Market Committee voted nine to three to maintain the target range, a decision that was broadly expected by financial markets. 
Up to 23 people were feared dead today after a major earthquake in Japan, with four bodies now pulled out from the tangled wreckage of a shopping mall ripped apart by a suspected massive gas explosion. The Kumamoto disaster-management office’s latest tally put fatalities at 17 and those without vital signs at six, with five more in critical condition two days after the 7.1-magnitude tremor. 
Thailand will enforce a ban on alcohol sales for two consecutive days this week to mark the Buddhist holidays of Asalha Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent Day, with many shops, convenience stores and restaurants prohibited from selling alcoholic drinks, unless in areas falling under current exemptions.
Samui water rationing begins Monday after drought
Thailand Schools Struggle to Break Children’s Phone Addiction
Bangkok authorities have ordered 79 entertainment venues and similar establishments to halt operations after inspecting 865 premises across the capital in a week-long safety and licensing campaign.
The Thai baht has slid to 33.640 per US dollar, its 2026 high, marking an 8.% decline since February. This weakness stems primarily from the 250–275 basis point policy rate gap between the Fed (3.5%–3.75%) and the Bank of Thailand (1.00%), which sustains a strong carry advantage for dollar assets.
The US tariff of 12.5% imposed on Thailand could weaken export competitiveness and add pressure to economic growth in the second half, with further US trade measures still looming, warns Asia Plus Securities (ASPS).
Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun says Thailand is two-thirds of the way through concluding a free trade agreement with the European Union and is pressing Beijing on three fronts to correct an increasingly lopsided trade relationship — all part of a wider strategy to reduce Thailand’s reliance on any single major power.
Thailand expects to welcome a record 2.7 million Indian visitors next year after recommending a 30-day visa-free entry, instead of the visa on arrival initially proposed, for Indian nationals, with tourism officials also banking on expanded flight connections from smaller Indian cities to boost demand.
More tourists are good news for Thailand. But not if the country cannot cope with the pressures they bring. Tourism is one of Thailand’s biggest sources of income. For decades, success was measured by the number of visitors. That yardstick no longer tells the whole story.
Phuket generated 263 billion baht in tourism revenue during the first six months of this year, attracting nearly seven million visitors, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Thailand’s Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) has issued a warning that an impending El Niño phenomenon could prove more severe than the country’s 2015 drought crisis, with prolonged dry spells potentially stretching well into 2027.
The era in which global order rested on a US monopoly over military and economic power and values has finally come to an end, taking Europe’s long period of stability with it. The world has become significantly more turbulent and uncertain, and the near future will bring even more instability. 
Planning a trip to Hua Hin, and looking for the best accommodation recommendations? Hua Hin, a coastal resort city just a three-hour drive from Bangkok, is famous for its vibrant night markets, unique creative markets, and an impressive range of accommodation options.
The Thai government has indefinitely postponed peace talks with southern insurgency groups after two attacks last week, with five rangers killed and six civilians injured in one of them, while a police officer was slightly injured in a car bomb blast.
Despite rising costs, the Thai restaurant industry is expected to continue expanding this year, according to an executive of Central Restaurants Group Co . (CRG). Nath Vongphanich, chief executive of CRG, anticipates the government’s “Thai Chuay Thai Plus” co-payment scheme will help lift sales among small restaurateurs in the second half of 2026.
Thailand’s manufacturing production index dropped 3.1% in June from a year earlier, the Industry Ministry said yesterday, weaker than analysts’ forecasts. The June reading compared with a forecast increase of 0.2% in a Reuters poll. The May reading was revised to a fall of 1.3% from an original figure of a 0.8% drop.
In economics, few indicators of food security are as simple — and as powerful — as the price of eggs. Affordable, accessible, and nutritious, eggs should be the most democratic source of protein in any society. Yet, in Thailand, a single egg tells a far more complex story — one of market power, distorted incentives, and a system that may no longer serve the public interest.
The Cabinet yesterday decided to retain the 7% value-added tax (VAT) rate for another year, until Sept. 30, 2027. Government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said maintaining the 7% VAT rate will help ease the cost-of-living burden, stimulate domestic consumption and stabilize the economy.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul yesterday defended the government’s decision to scale back the land bridge megaproject, saying it had been adapted – not abandoned – in response to financial, environmental and geopolitical realities.
Minister of Tourism and Sports Surasak Phancharoenworakul at a meeting with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) board and senior executives yesterday delivered key policies to drive Thailand’s tourism industry.
Thailand has never had more to offer the luxury traveler. New flagship properties are opening across Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui. The country generated $48.5 billion in tourism revenue in 2024 alone. The Southeast Asia luxury travel market reached $91.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to more than double to $205.8 billion by 2034, according to IMARC Group.
Thai AirAsia has announced it will temporarily suspend services from Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) from July 15 to Sept. 30, then resume operations on Oct. 1. During the period, the airline will suspend all flights on the nine routes it had operated from Suvarnabhumi.
Surin lies about 450 kilometers from Bangkok, in Thailand’s lower northeast. It is flat, agricultural country: rice paddies stretching to the horizon, sugar palms standing like sentinels along the roads, and the occasional water buffalo chewing at overgrown grass.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin said Thailand will seek UNESCO World Heritage status for seven temples in Chiang Mai. The move follows the inscription of Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat as a cultural World Heritage site.
Deer trapped by walls of flame, lizards unable to escape the heat, habitats reduced to charred wood and ash: wildlife are paying a steep price as France’s forests burn. Some 42,000 hectares (103,000 acres) of forest west of Bordeaux has burned since Wednesday and authorities fear a heatwave forecast this week could breathe fresh fury into the blaze. 
Hua Hin Food Fest 2026 will return to Hua Don Beach in Khao Takiab Aug. 28-30, featuring local food, fresh seafood, cooking competitions and live entertainment. The three-day festival will bring together restaurants, hotels and food businesses from Hua Hin and Cha-am, giving visitors the opportunity to sample regional dishes beside the beach.
New Hua Hin-Chiang Mai flight schedule
A nine-day Hua Hin cultural tourism event will be held at the old Hua Hin Railway Station Aug. 10-18, showcasing the art, culture and historical identity of Prachuap Khiri Khan.
Thailand has launched a digital application that allows diners to find certified street-food vendors, forming part of a government program to raise operating standards and expand market opportunities for small businesses.
Concerns over children’s mental health is renewing debate whether excessive use of mobile devices is harming academic performance and learning capability, while boosting social isolation and criminal behavior influenced by online personalities.
Kratom, or Mitragyna speciosa, is a native plant closely associated with local ways of life and traditional Thai medicine. Its removal from Thailand’s narcotics list in 2021 marked an important turning point, opening the way for broader research, economic value creation and commercial development.
Despite US efforts to impose tariffs, Thai exports to America expanded over the first nine months of the fiscal year, up by nearly 34% year-on-year for a value of 2.13 trillion baht. In contrast, exports to China grew by only 0.78%, totaling 1 trillion baht.
China’s ambassador to Thailand, H.E. Zhang Jianwei, has set out a three-point plan for expanding trade, investment and industrial links between Thailand and China. Speaking at the Thailand-China Cooperation Expo 2026 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani Friday, Zhang said closer business cooperation could turn high-level agreements into practical economic results.
Thailand is tightening its screening of data center investments, shifting its focus from the number and value of projects to their quality as the expansion of artificial intelligence drives demand for electricity, water and large-scale computing infrastructure.
The robot army is coming
Thailand Food Supplement Market to Reach US$ 2.52B by 2033
Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS), one of Asia-Pacific’s leading healthcare providers, has unveiled WellEra Bangkok, an approximately US$865 million (THB 29 billion) wellness-integrated development that reimagines how the built environment can actively support healthier, longer lives.
The decision to give Indians 30-day visa-free entry is expected to drive the market to a new record of 2.7 million visitors next year, supported by more flights from second- and third-tier cities to Thailand, say authorities.
Nakhon Si Thammarat Temple Wins UNESCO Status
Mitsubishi Motors is set to invest B16 billion ($473.23m) in Thailand by 2030, backing the automotive sector’s move toward electric vehicles (EVs). The funding will be channeled into EV technology.
The world is sinking under more than 460 million tons of plastic waste each year. More alarming than the figure itself is the fact that about 19 million tons escape into the environment, wreaking havoc, damaging biodiversity, worsening the greenhouse-gas crisis and ultimately harming our own health.
Thailand’s coastal destinations are witnessing a significant rise in staycation bookings, with Krabi leading the charge, according to recent data from Traveloka. Krabi’s bookings have more than doubled year on year, followed by Hua Hin with an increase of over 80%, Pattaya at around 65%, and Phuket nearly 60%.
Thailand’s private hospital sector is facing a new source of competition as the government expands premium services at public hospitals, putting pressure on mid-tier operators that rely on domestic self-pay and insured patients.
Thailand has uncovered one of its biggest suspected cryptocurrency power theft operations after investigators seized 1,900 bitcoin mining machines. Detectives uncovered more than B280 million in stolen electricity and have launched a widening hunt for the financiers behind the organized criminal network.
Thailand shelves Land Bridge plan after study
Exports surged 20.8% year-on-year to US$34.7 billion in June, driven by strong demand for industrial goods such as electronics, smartphones, electrical appliances, and automobiles and auto parts, says the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO).
The Cabinet has approved a 12.76-billion-baht fisheries management plan targeting the recovery of aquatic resources, tighter controls against illegal fishing and stronger competitiveness for Thailand’s seafood industry by 2027.
Thailand’s sex industry is illegal under the 1996 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, but an analysis on Thursday argues that it remains deeply embedded in the country’s tourism economy, supporting hotels, bars, restaurants, taxis and other businesses.
By 5:30 in the morning, the Trok Mor alley in Old Bangkok is already awake. Metal shutters rattle open one by one. A woman arranges bundles of holy basil and Chinese celery beneath a bare light bulb while another vendor lays out bitter beans and kitchen herbs on a wooden table.
Experience a mouthwatering journey in Hua Hin, with cheap eats and local street food to upscale dining at beachfront restaurants and everything in between. We’ll try appetizing Thai foods like creamy khao soi, delicious pad thai, fresh seafood, crispy pork belly, fried bananas and more in this Hua Hin food tour. 
Thailand is promoting its road-safety strategy on the world stage despite recording one of Asia’s worst motorcycle death tolls, as new figures reveal more than 14,000 riders died last year, British tourists remain under official travel warnings and two high-profile fatalities on Koh Samui have intensified international scrutiny.
Global energy supplies are being squeezed across three major shipping fronts, with conflicts threatening the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea route through Bab el-Mandeb and Russia’s Black Sea oil infrastructure at the same time.
Oil prices surged to $100 a barrel yesterday as Tehran-backed Houthi rebels targeted Red Sea shipping and US President Donald Trump threatened to strike them in return.
The current AI boom has triggered a wave of investment flowing into developing economies across Southeast Asia, including Thailand. According to Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI), investment applications in the first quarter of 2026 exceeded B1 trillion across more than 600 projects, led by the digital and electronics industries to support AI-related growth.
Thailand’s government and Huawei set out a shared roadmap for the country’s artificial intelligence ambitions yesterday as the Huawei Thailand Digital & AI Summit 2026 opened in Bangkok under the theme “Advancing ALL Intelligence Thailand” — with the two sides using the occasion to launch a new national AI ecosystem initiative alongside fresh economic and talent figures.
Thailand should recognize its LGBTQ+ economy as a new growth engine that requires legal and structural reforms to attract investment and enhance global competitiveness, according to several speakers.
Culture Ministry selects 76 cultural highlights for Unseen Thai
If yesterday morning’s opening speeches at the Huawei Thailand Digital & AI Summit 2026 in Bangkok were about ambition, the address that followed was about plumbing. Poonpat Leesombatpaiboon, secretary-general of Thailand’s Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), used his keynote — titled “Green Technology for AI Thailand: Powering the Foundation of the AI Era” — to argue that Thailand’s AI future will be decided as much in power plants and transmission lines as in data centers.
The Renewable Energy Industry Club, under the Federation of Thai Industries, has called on the government to allow renewable power producers with expired adder tariffs to sell electricity to businesses, which require vast amounts of clean energy.
InterContinental Hua Hin Resort named Thailand’s best resort hotel
Discover where locals truly eat in Hua Hin. Visit five stops spanning 3.5 hours, sampling 18 different dishes: First, a 100-year-old, three-generation noodle shop serving Gaolao beef soup with multiple cuts, including tender gristle (nature’s collagen supplement!) Next, Yum Naem Khao Tod – fermented pork sausage wrapped in betel leaves with herbs, peanuts, and ginger, eaten like tiny flavor-packed tacos. 
Expat health insurance in Thailand gets harder to buy the closer you get to 60. If that birthday is creeping up on you, you’ve probably already wondered whether your current coverage will actually hold up when you need it most.
The Origin of the Word ‘Farang’ Did Not Begin in Thailand
Thailand presses on with Cambodia border fence
Oil prices settled at their highest level since June 11 yesterday as escalating US-Iran hostilities and growing threats to shipping through two major waterways heightened fears of global supply disruption.
I have a monumental task: convincing readers that Thailand’s economy is performing poorly and is likely to contract this year. My strongest evidence is not the abundance of statistics or economic theories at my disposal. It is far simpler: people are spending much more on energy and, inevitably, less on everything else.
The Thai baht has fallen to its weakest level in 15 months, depreciating by more than 6% since the start of the year, as soaring global energy costs and lingering Middle East tensions push Thailand’s current account into deficit.
Thailand’s trade relationship with the United States is entering a critical new phase as Washington prepares to use Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974 to examine countries accused of unfair trade practices.
The financial results of Thai Airways International (THAI) are expected to bottom out in the second quarter, while recently approved tourism stimulus efforts should help airlines in the second half even as renewed US-Iran tensions cause jet fuel prices to rise, say analysts.
Thai travelers are increasingly turning marathon weekends into full travel experiences, as the “run-cation” trend — traveling while joining running events — gains momentum across Asia.
Chon Buri tourism operators are urging the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to address persistent issues affecting the low season and safety, including unlicensed hotels, illegal tour operators and unregulated entertainment venues.
If you’ve ever had a conversation with a Thai person, you might have encountered their unique way of telling time.
A new set of trade rules is sweeping through the business world. This time, it is not about price or quality. It is about carbon reduction — and whether companies can keep up.