• Are Hua Hin waste-management fees on the horizon?/PKK survey project underway/Nene’s financial support/125,622 firms in property nominee crackdown/Thailand ends rubella
• THE IRAN WAR: Iran energy threats lift oil prices/Why isn’t oil above $100?
• ECONOMY: Thailand inflation reaches 3-month high/Data Centers Just Next Door/EEC’s Hospitality and Retail Bet/EEC’s Make-or-Break Infrastructure Bet/15.5-billion-baht disaster insurance/Registering a company in Thailand
• TOURISM: US Navy visit created ‘new Pattaya image’/US servicemen left behind a financial windfall/Siem Reap-Bangkok flights
• CLIMATE THAILAND: Thailand maps climate law
• FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/PM defends deporting foreigners
• INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS 

Are Hua Hin waste-management fees on the horizon?

Ysterday, the Hua Hin Municipality Ordinance Review Working Group met to consider the appropriateness of improving, drafting, and amending local laws enforced in the area to make them more effective and aligned with the city’s development.

During the meeting, the working group approved three draft municipal ordinances: Waste Management (No. 2), General Waste Management, and the determination or exemption of fees related to waste and waste management.

The next step is for the municipality to submit these three draft ordinances to the Hua Hin Municipal Council for approval. This is a crucial mechanism to improve the cleanliness and environmental management of Hua Hin.

PKK survey project underway

The Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Statistical Office has requested the public’s cooperation in providing information for the September 2026 survey project. The survey will collect important statistical data useful for national economic and social development planning. The survey projects are as follows: The 2026 Labor Force Survey Project; project on surveying the use of information and communication technology in households; informal labor survey project; the household socio-economic survey project; projects to improve the country’s common framework of establishment database; and the construction site data-processing project.

Data from thesesurveys can be used to inform policy making, planning, and national development that aligns with economic and social conditions. For more information, call 0 3261 1310.

Where is Nene’s financial support coming from?

On Sept. 5, Nene Royal and her family traveled to Bangkok to meet with Dhanin Chearavanont of the CP Group to express their gratitude for his support and encouragement throughout the America’s Got Talent competition. Previously, the company sponsored a promotional billboard in Times Square, New York, to show support for Nene during the recent live stream.

The cost of putting up such a billboard is estimated to be around US$20,000–200,000, or approximately 640,000–6,400,000 Thai baht, depending on the type and duration of the advertising medium.

There are also reports that, in addition to the aforementioned support, Chairman Dhanin and the CP Group are preparing to provide further support to fund Nene’s journey in the crucial AGT 2026 final round. Previously, Add Carabao, a legendary folk artist, donated 1,000,000 baht in cash to Nene as encouragement for her journey in pursuing her dreams on a global level.

From a young girl from Phuket to the global stage, today Nene is not alone. She is supported by her family, fans, fellow artists, and the private sector. She competes in the America’s Got Talent final competition next week.

Thailand screens 125,622 firms in property nominee crackdown

Thailand’s Commerce Ministry is using ownership records covering 125,622 companies to strengthen checks for nominee arrangements involving land and condominiums, with particular attention to economic centers and major tourist destinations.

Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director-general of the Department of Business Development (DBD), said the records include 36,277 companies with foreign investment holding 305,838 land plots totaling 1,064,265.38 rai. These are ownership figures used for screening, rather than findings that the companies have committed offenses. Continued … 

Thailand becomes seventh Southeast Asian country to end rubella

The World Health Organization (WHO) verified Thailand’s elimination of rubella as a public health problem on Sept. 5, making the country the seventh in the WHO Southeast Asia region to achieve the milestone.

Dr. Nilesh Buddha, officer-in-charge of the WHO Southeast Asia region, endorsed the Regional Verification Commission‘s recommendation. “Thailand has shown that rubella elimination is achievable when strong political commitment, resilient immunization services, high-quality surveillance and community trust come together.” Continued … 

Iran energy threats lift oil prices to six-week highs

Oil climbed to its highest levels in six weeks yesterday, after Iran threatened to attack energy infrastructure across the Middle East if Washington launched further strikes on Iranian assets.

Brent crude futures briefly reached US$98.06 a barrel, their highest since July 24, before settling at US$97.31, up US$1.03, or 1.1%. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was trading at US$92.65 a barrel, up US$1.17, or 1.3%. Continued … 

Why isn’t oil above $100 despite supply disruptions?

Global oil benchmark Brent crude has rallied this month but stayed below $100 a  barrel despite recent escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict that has disrupted Gulf exports from the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

Crude oil shipments from Middle East producers are at about 11 million barrels per ‌day (bpd) now, from 18 million bpd before the Iran war began seven months ago, according to Argus. Continued … 

Thailand inflation reaches 3-month high in August

Thailand’s headline inflation rose to 2.53% year on year in August 2026, its highest level for three months, as fuel costs and food prices increased across much of the country. The Consumer Price Index stood at 102.67 in August, up from annual inflation of 1.95% in July, according to Nantapong Chiralerspong, director-general of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO) at the Commerce Ministry.

For the first eight months of 2026, the average CPI was 1.37% above the same period in 2025. The ministry has kept its full-year headline inflation forecast at 1.5%-2.5%, with a midpoint of 2.0%. Continued … 

Data Centers Just Next Door

Review the risks and regulatory loopholes behind Thailand’s data center rush, and ask whether Thailand has the resources to pay the price.The Hazards: Massive fuel storage tanks, 80dB low-frequency noise pollution, and urban heat traps baking local alleyways.

The resource drain: Millions of liters of water and megawatts of power used from public grids to feed private tech servers. The profit: Billions flowing to major contractors while local communities shoulder the fallout. Video … 

EEC’s Hospitality and Retail Bet on Lifestyle

While government officials at yesterday’s “EEC Never Stop: The Next Chapter” roundtable focused on industrial targets and infrastructure timelines, another strand of the discussion argued that the Eastern Economic Corridor’s next phase depends as much on hotel rooms, shopping baskets, and public parks as it does on factory floors.

Industry leaders — including Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun (Thai Hotels Assn.), Nat Wongpanich (Thai Retailers Assn.), Ekanut Ungphakorn (Asset World Corp.), and Meesak Chunharakchote (Thai Real Estate Assn.) — painted a picture of a region with untapped tourism and consumer potential. Continued … 

U-Tapao and High-Speed Rail: EEC’s Make-or-Break Infrastructure Bet

The physical hardware of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) is being forced to adapt. For years, the U-Tapao airport expansion and the high-speed rail link connecting Bangkok’s three major airports have served as the corridor’s twin anchor projects — and its most visible bottlenecks.

Yet, discussions during the industrial and infrastructure track of the recent “EEC Never Stop: The Next Chapter” roundtable yesterday revealed a pragmatic shift: developers are recalibrating their scale and decoupling their timelines to get things moving. Continued … 

Thailand approves 15.5-billion-baht disaster insurance scheme

Thailand plans to provide government-funded disaster insurance to around 30 million households in high-risk areas against floods, storms and earthquakes under a scheme approved on Sept. 1.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the government approved the 15.5-billion-baht (US$467 million) annual program. It would provide around 75 billion baht in annual coverage, with private insurers taking on claims beyond the portion funded directly by the government. Continued … 

Step-by-step guide to registering a company in Thailand for foreign investors

Foreign investors typically establish a company in Thailand by following steps such as company structuring, reserving a company name, registering with the Department of  Business Development (DBD), and completing necessary tax, licensing, and employment registrations. The specific pathway depends on the company’s activities and the extent of foreign ownership, which influences licensing and regulatory requirements.

A Thai-incorporated company is generally considered foreign under the Foreign Business Act (FBA) if foreigners own at least 50% of its capital. Certain business activities are restricted for foreign investors, making the company’s intended operations vital for determining permissible ownership levels and licensing options. Continued … 

Mayor says US Navy visit created ‘new Pattaya image’

The five-day visit by US sailors from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln group has helped promote a “new image” of Pattaya as a diverse tourist destination, rather than mainly about “nightlife and beer bars”, according to Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet.

While Pattaya still has a nightlife scene, the mayor said, it is now concentrated in specific areas. The city also offers a wide range of tourist goods and activities – shopping, restaurants, cultural attractions and activities for different groups of tourists. Continued … 

US servicemen left behind a financial windfall in Pattaya but also a spirit of optimism and generosity

The USS Abraham Lincoln left Thailand on Sunday after nearly 5,000 US sailors and Marines poured into Pattaya following 286 days at sea, spending heavily across shops, restaurants, hotels, bars and local services. The five-day visit delivered a major low-season windfall, produced striking stories of 1,000- and 2,000-baht tips, and sent some retail sales surging.

Yet, the sailors also surprised many locals by spreading their spending far beyond nightlife, while workers repeatedly described them as polite, disciplined and generous. After months of combat operations linked to Iran, their first substantial break ashore brought money, momentum and a rare burst of optimism to Pattaya. Continued … 

Cambodia Airways adds Siem Reap-Bangkok flights

Cambodia Airways will begin flying between Siem Reap and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sept. 15, adding a direct link between Cambodia’s main Angkor tourism gateway and Thailand.

The airline plans to operate the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI)-Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) service five times a week using ATR 72 turboprop aircraft. For foreigners living in Thailand, as well as tourists and regular cross-border travelers, the route will provide another direct air option for visits to Siem Reap and the Angkor temple complex. Continued … 

Thailand maps climate law to tackle economic risks and fund green transition

Thailand is preparing a Climate Change Bill that could take effect in the third quarter of 2027, as officials warn that inadequate action to address climate risks could leave the economy facing losses equivalent to as much as 14% of GDP by 2050.

The proposed legislation would introduce carbon-pricing mechanisms, connect voluntary carbon credits with a mandatory emissions trading system, and establish a climate fund to support businesses and communities through the transition. Continued … 

PM defends deporting foreigners over bad behavior

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has confirmed that Thailand will proceed with the deportation of a French national under new Interior Ministry regulations, making the person the second foreigner to be expelled under the rules after an Israeli national.

The prime minister said, “The law is already in place, so it must be enforced.” Asked whether the first Israeli national deported under the new regulations had filed an appeal, Anutin said the person would have to appeal directly to the prime minister. Continued … 

• Samui Frenchman sought after deportation order – Continued … 

• Heathrow cannabis courier jailed after Snapchat Thailand trip – Continued … 

Nepal mourns flood victims while search for survivors continues

At least 1,380 people have died and more than 5,500 remain missing in Nepal and Tibet following the Aug. 26 glacier collapse. Continued … 

Hua Hin Links and Transport

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