- Thailand vs. Vietnam vs. Malaysia/Tax and Business Enforcement for Expats/Red levels of PM2.5/Unnamed Khao Takiab restaurant said violating license/Cat Cafe Owner Faces Animal Cruelty Charges/US Siblings Reunite with Thai Hero/Senior PEA officials in crypto mining corruption/Contraceptive vaccine to manage elephant population
- ECONOMY: Finance Ministry maintains rowth forecast/Davos lifts Thailand profile
- TOURISM: TAT says Nipah virus hasn’t affected tourism/Tourism index dips/Foreign tourists to Thailand seen at 35.5 million/Singapore Airlines plans Chiang Mai flights
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: Getting to (and from) Suvarnabhumi Airport
- CLIMATE THAILAND: Line Man to deploy 50 BYD electric taxis
- FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN LINKS
Thailand vs. Vietnam vs. Malaysia: Which is better for long-term living?
Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia have each carved out their own space in the long-term expat landscape. Thailand offers dependable healthcare and a well-established expat infrastructure. Vietnam stands out for rock-bottom costs and relentless urban energy. Malaysia brings modern living standards, cultural diversity, and an English-speaking environment that makes settling in remarkably smooth.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. The right choice depends on what you actually need day-to-day: your budget, visa requirements, healthcare priorities, and the kind of lifestyle that keeps you sane over the years, not just months. Continued …
Tighter Tax and Business Enforcement for Expats Explained
Following recent media coverage highlighting the Thai authorities’ increasing scrutiny of nominee company structures, MBMG Group and Hua Hin Accounting & Law have released further insights from their recent seminar, which examined the broader tax, business, and compliance framework now facing expatriates and foreign business owners in Thailand.
The event, titled “2026 Expat Crackdown – New Tax & Enforcement Rules Every Expat Must Understand,” provided practical guidance on how expats can legally structure their income, businesses, and property holdings under a much stricter enforcement environment expected in 2026. Continued …
Red levels of PM2.5 cover about one-third of Thailand, including PKK
Harmful levels (red levels) of ultrafine dust shrouded about one-third of Thailand this morning, including Bangkok and nearby provinces.
The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) reported at 8 am that red levels of particulate matter 2.5 micrometers and less in diameter (PM2.5) ranged from 75.6 to 142.8 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) of air in Bangkok and 26 provinces. The air pollution was worse than red levels measured yesterday morning when red levels covered Bangkok and 19 provinces and the highest level of PM2.5 reached 116.4µg/m³. Continued …
Unnamed Khao Takiab restaurant said violating lincense
A forest task force has inspected a well-known restaurant on Khao Takiab in Hua Hin after finding that its license to operate in a forest area had expired, with officials confirming the business was still operating and legal proceedings have been initiated.
(Editor: The source of this report regularly does not name local businesses in legal cases such as this. We notice that other media have no problem with identifying those who break the law – see cat cafe story below – and we suspect the source of this article hides the truth to protect local buisnesses and Hua Hin’s “reputation”. Quite simply, that’s not how media should operate.)
The inspection took place on Monday after the Royal Forest Department received information from members of the public alleging that forest land in the Khao Takiab area of Nong Kae subdistrict was being used without permission. The report cited the operation of a restaurant, the presence of accommodation facilities and the construction of access routes within a forest area. Continued …
Cat Cafe Owner in Bangkok Faces Animal Cruelty Charges
A cat cafe owner in Bangkok’s Bang Khen district is under investigation for animal cruelty after a viral video showed him abusing cats at his business, the Just Cat Cafe. The footage, showing the owner hitting and throwing cats, prompted immediate backlash, leading him to close the cafe permanently. District officials confirmed the closure after inspecting the premises on Monday.
The incident came to light when the disturbing video was shared online, capturing the owner’s actions in a room full of cats. The visuals showed the man hitting several cats and throwing one against a wall. Allegations of poor hygiene, leading to skin infections among the cats, further fueled public outrage and demands for intervention. Continued …
US Siblings Reunite with Their Thai Hero
Three American siblings have been reunited with a Thai man who helped them during their childhood, over 50 years after they last met. During the Vietnam War, Raoul, Lisaree, and Mark Butland lived in Thailand with their father, an American GI in Ubon Ratchathani, where the now 80-year-old Poon Pong-aree supported their family.
Poon, then a tricycle driver and Muay Thai boxer, assisted the Butlands by finding them housing and a school, even teaching the boys boxing. Mark Butland recalled a tense moment when Poon protected the family from Vietnamese troops during a wedding in Laos. After returning to the US in 1972, they lost contact with Poon, although they never forgot his kindness. Continued …
Senior PEA officials exposed in crypto mining corruption scandal
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) searched the residences of three active and one former officials of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) and seized thousands of illegal crypto mining rigs, cash, laptops, phones, and bank passbooks.
The four officials are under investigation for alleged abuse of authority to facilitate a bitcoin mining syndicate, with cash and bank deposits of over 19 million baht seized from an assistant PEA governor. No names were disclosed. Continued …
Thailand uses contraceptive vaccine to manage elephant population
Thailand has, for the first time, administered contraceptive vaccines to female wild elephants, as part of an initiative to control the elephant population safely and promote sustainable coexistence between humans and elephants.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation carried out the operation on three female wild elephants in Bo Rai district, Trat province, on Jan. 25. The project was initiated due to the rapid growth in the wild elephant population in eastern forest areas. Their numbers increased from 334 in 2015 to 799 in 2025, an annual growth rate of approximately 8.2%. Continued …
Thai Finance Ministry maintains 2026 growth forecast at 2.0%
Thailand’s economy is expected to grow 2.0% this year, the Finance Ministry reported yesterday, maintaining its previous forecast. Exports, a key driver of Thai growth, are also expected to rise 1.0% this year, compared with an earlier forecast of a 1.5% decline, Vinit Visessuvanapoom, head of the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Office (FPO), told a press conference.
Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy is estimated to have expanded 2.2% in 2025, the ministry said, slowing from 2.5% in 2024. Continued …
Davos lifts Thailand profile, Bt500 billion lined up for digital/AI
Ekniti Nitithanprapas, deputy prime minister and finance minister, said he was assigned by the prime minister to lead “Team Thailand” to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. He said the meeting’s core purpose was to serve as a platform for leaders to discuss and help shape global directions on the economy, trade, finance, and investment.
Ekniti said he met executives from around 30 leading companies interested in investing in Thailand, particularly in digital and AI. He said the companies confirmed they would invest and expand investment in Thailand, with a combined value of around Bt500 billion across existing and new projects. Continued …
TAT says Nipah virus hasn’t affected tourism yet; Indian arrivals up 20%
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said today the agency is closely monitoring reports of Nipah virus (NiV) infections in West Bengal, India, and the containment measures being implemented by Indian authorities.
(Question: Given the deadly nature of this virus, and the fact there is no cure, should Thailand allow tourists from India to enter the country at this time? Did Covid not teach us anything?)
She said Thailand has not detected any infections to date, but the situation could have a psychological impact on travelers who feel anxious after widespread reporting and social-media discussion. Continued …
Tourism index dips in fourth quarter
The tourism confidence index in the fourth quarter of 2025 dropped year-on-year, marking a sluggish recovery due to southern flooding, the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict, and the strong baht, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT). TCT President Chai Arunanondchai said 2025 was a challenging year despite an improvement during the high season.
The council’s survey of 740 operators between Nov. 10 and Dec. 10 tallied a tourism confidence index of 72, down from 75 year-on-year, though improving from 66 in the third quarter. The score remained below the benchmark of 100 recorded before the pandemic. Continued …
Foreign tourists visiting Thailand seen at 35.5 million in 2026
Thailand’s Ministry of Finance reported yesterday that it has kept its forecast for foreign tourist arrivals this year unchanged at 35.5 million. The number of foreign visitors to Thailand dropped by 7.2% to 32.97 million last year.
In 2019, before the coronavirus (Covid) pandemic, Thailand had a record of nearly 40 million foreign visitors. Continued …
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Singapore Airlines plans Chiang Mai flights
Singapore Airlines plans a new service linking the island state with Chiang Mai, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).
The Thai aviation regulator said CAAT Director General Manat Chavanaprayoon met Daniel Ho, Singapore Airlines’ station manager in Bangkok, and other airline executives in Bangkok on Monday to discuss the airline’s preparation for a new route to Chiang Mai. Continued …
Getting to (and from) Suvarnabhumi Airport
Suvarnabhumi Airport is Bangkok’s major international gateway. Here’s how to reach the city center upon arrival or travel to the airport for departure.
The airport rail link offers a budget-friendly, traffic-free option, costing 15 to 45 baht. Trains depart from the B1 level of the airport terminal and connect to the BTS Phaya Thai and MRT Phetchaburi stations, providing access to major areas across Bangkok. Continued …
Line Man to deploy 50 BYD electric taxis on its ride-hailing platform
The Thai super app Line Man has partnered with ITPP Co., which provides taxis on both a lease and hire-purchase basis, to develop an electric taxi service under the Line Man EV taxi program. Under this program, ITPP is providing the BYD e6 electric taxis to drivers operating on the Line Man platform on five-year lease agreements.
Energy Absolute will provide participating drivers with a 10% cashback when charging their electric taxis at its EA Anywhere charging stations to help reduce operating costs. Through its EV hire-purchase subsidiary, Paypop Co., together with Italig Co., Energy Absolute has acquired an equity stake in ITPP Co. to support the company’s expansion in the energy and electric vehicle sectors. Continued …
- British Man Arrested After Thai Wife Shot Dead in Mahasarakham – Continued …
- Police arrest 3 Chinese suspects hiding in Bangkok after Myanmar scam crackdown – Continued …
- Two Russian women refuse to pay for two, sparking Pattaya ride dispute – Continued …
Loud threats, quiet retreats from Trump
It’s too early to be sure, but it seems likely that we have just seen “Peak Trump”. Last week, US President Donald Trump arrived at the Davos conference radiating power and menace. Fresh from his attack on Venezuela, he was going to invade and annex Greenland. If his European allies in the NATO alliance tried to protect it, he would crush them with tariffs. And he would launch a rival to the United Nations that would make him World President for Life. Continued …
EU and India agree on ‘mother of all’ trade deals
India and the European Union announced yesterday the “mother of all deals”, a huge trade pact to create a market of two billion people, reached after two decades of negotiations. EU chiefs and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi hope the pact will help shield against challenges from the world’s two leading economies, the United States and China. Continued …
Gold surges to record $5,136/oz on safe-haven bid
Global gold prices continued to climb, hitting a new all-time high of $5,136 an ounce overnight, as uncertainty boosted demand for safe-haven assets. Markets expect the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged today. Continued …
Hua Hin Links
Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/Air pollution index map/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers
The Amazing Muay Thai Festival 2026 will be held Feb. 4-7 at Rajabhakti Park in Hua Hin, with the Royal Thai Army working alongside tourism and provincial authorities to showcase Muay Thai as a key part of Thailand’s cultural heritage.
Seriously harmful levels of ultrafine dust, three times the safe limit, were reported in Greater Bangkok this morning, while most of Thailand was blanketed with unsafe smog.
Thai gold shops face closures as prices top 70,000 baht
Standard Chartered Bank (Thai) expects the baht to continue to appreciate against the US dollar in the first quarter of this year, in line with rising global gold prices. However, the Thai currency is projected to return to its fundamental level in the second half of the year, the bank noted.
Thailand’s export outlook for 2026 could improve if reforms accelerate, but speakers at a trade forum warned that global competition is intensifying and domestic growth may remain subdued.
Thailand must rethink its economic resilience strategies to respond to China’s accelerating outward expansion, which presents both significant opportunities and growing risks for the Thai economy, experts said at a regional forum yesterday.
Thailand’s hotel sector is shifting toward a more mature phase, which will see more of the country’s hotel assets repositioned to accommodate changing market dynamics.
As 2026 unfolds, Thailand’s tourism industry faces a complex and delicately balanced moment. The long-expected rebound in Chinese arrivals has fallen short of official forecasts, while breaking news of a new virus outbreak in India and Nepal now threatens to disrupt one of Thailand’s fastest-growing source markets.
Agoda, a digital travel platform, says Bangkok ranked second among the most popular Asian destinations for international travelers during the Chinese New Year period. Tokyo topped the list, followed by Bangkok, Taipei, Osaka, and Seoul.
Can Southeast Asia keep the lights on for solar projects as costs rise?
Phuket has long been synonymous with tropical splendor thanks to its world-famous beaches, emerald rainforests, and waters teeming with life. This profound natural beauty is the very soul of its allure. Yet, for years, the pressures of overtourism, relentless development, and pervasive pollution have threatened to unravel the delicate ecological balance that sustains this paradise.
French lawmakers have passed a bill that would ban social media use by under-15s, a move championed by President Emmanuel Macron as a way to protect children from excessive screen time.