• Feedback Re: Dismal Safety Standards/Buy-to-rent investment grows/Hua Hin aerobics event/Toxic air deadlier than tobacco/Muay Thai superfight at Bluport/Rise in COVID-19 cases/673 unsafe crossings highlighted/Cat ‘Arrested’/Thai Masseuse Wins Oil Massage Gold/Seven trapped in Laos cave
• ECONOMY: Thais Help Thais Plus opens registration/Could drive 40% SME growth/Headwinds drag on Thai private hospitals/Aviation faces tougher quarters/Cannabis market barely dented
• TOURISM: Boost Regional Airport Routes /Scandal hits Chinese bookings
• THAILAND EXPERIENCE: The Thai expat mindset/400-Year-Old Lanna Ruins/UNESCO Thai costume heritage
• CLIMATE THAILAND: Solar power can lead energy transition/Forests into sustainable economic capital
• FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS

Re: Can Thailand Finally Wake Up to Its Dismal Safety Standards?”

“I’ve witnessed Thais lack of safety awareness pretty much every day! I’ve been waiting 14 years to see an improvement but never have. I love Thailand and the Thais but they just don’t see danger like most expats do. I say most expats because there is a minority that seem to have gone native!” – Peter

Buy-to-rent investment grows in Cha Am and Hua Hin

Phetchaburi, Cha Am and Hua Hin are being touted as increasingly attractive locations for buy-to-rent investment, as Thailand’s wider property market faces pressure from household debt, tighter lending rules, and weaker demand from domestic homebuyers.

Reports from Kasikorn Research Center and the Real Estate Information Center indicate that the residential sales market remains under pressure, particularly in the lower-priced segment. Loan rejection rates for homes priced below 3 million baht have reportedly risen to between 40% and 70%, limiting the ability of many Thai buyers to enter the market. Continued … 

Hundreds attend Hua Hin aerobics event

More than 500 people joined the Beat on Track aerobics event at Hua Hin Railway Station on Saturday evening, 23 May, as Hua Hin City Municipality staged a public fitness activity at one of the city’s best-known landmarks.

The event, held at the old Hua Hin Railway Station, was opened by Hua Hin Mayor Nopporn Wutthikul. It was also attended by Deputy Mayor Busaba Choksuchart, Pol Col Samoe Yusamran, adviser to the mayor, Jirawan Boonrit, Deputy Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Prachuap Khiri Khan Office, and Kitipong Siriphetkasem, President of the Hua Hin-Cha-am Tourism Business Association. Continued … 

Toxic air deadlier than tobacco

Air pollution is one of the greatest environmental threats to human health. Every day, 99% of the global population breathes in invisible microparticles from dirty air, which enter our bloodstream and cause damage to our cells and organs.

This contributes to 7.9 million deaths around the world every year and is responsible for a host of preventable diseases such as asthma, respiratory disease, stroke, heart attacks, cancer, and dementia, as well as low birth weight, stillbirths, and miscarriages. Air pollution is now deadlier than tobacco. Continued … 

Muay Thai superfight held at Bluport

Muay Thai Saturday Superfight returned to The Legend Arena at Bluport Hua Hin on Saturday, with organizers saying the monthly event is aimed at promoting Muay Thai and creating more opportunities for fighters in Hua Hin.

The event drew Thai spectators and foreign visitors, with supporters gathering around the ring to watch a series of bouts featuring local fighters, young boxers, and foreign athletes training in Thailand. Continued … 

Thailand reports rise in COVID-19 cases, severity remains low

The Disease Control Department has reported a rise in COVID-19 infections over the past month, but the rate of increase is still far below the median level recorded five years ago.

According to the Digital Disease Surveillance (DDS) system, which tracks 59 communicable diseases in Thailand, a total of 3,642 COVID-19 cases were recorded between the beginning of this year and Saturday, with only one fatality. Most cases were among people aged 30-35, followed by those over 60, and those aged 20-29. Continued … 

673 unsafe crossings highlighted after Thailand train accident

The train-bus crash at the Makkasan railway crossing in Bangkok on May 16, which killed eight people and injured 32 others, continues to put Thailand’s rail safety standards into question, as level crossings pose a risk nationwide.

Pichit Khunathamrak, director-general of the Department of Rail Transport, said Thailand has 2,628 railway crossings in total. Of these, 1,955 meet safety standards, while 673 are informal crossings. In Bangkok, 29 of 208 crossings remain informal and risky. Continued … 

Cat ‘Arrested’ After Attacking Bangkok Police

A cat amused social media users after being “arrested” by police in Bangkok for repeatedly scratching and biting officers who rescued it. The American Shorthair, later identified as Nub Tang, was brought to a police station, after being found lost by a member of the public.

The cat arrived at the station wearing a pink harness and quickly revealed a feisty personality. Several officers were scratched and bitten while trying to care for the animal. Continued … 

Thai Masseuse Wins Oil Massage Gold in Bangkok

A Thai masseuse from Nakhon Si Thammarat has won a gold medal in the oil massage category at the Wellness World Championship 2026 in Bangkok. Soraya Thaoram secured the top prize during the international competition held at TK Palace & Convention Hotel on Chaeng Watthana Road.

The event attracted around 200 contestants from 22 countries competing across four categories: facial massage, Thai massage, oil massage, and foot massage. Soraya, from Koh Thuat subdistrict in Pak Phanang district, received widespread congratulations from local residents after bringing home the gold medal for Thailand. Continued … 

Thai rescuers join race to save seven trapped in Laos cave

A joint team of 26-member Thai rescuers, at the request of Laos, have departed for Laos’s Xaysomboun province to help rescue seven Laotians trapped in a flooded cave in Long Cheng district six days ago.

The incident began on May 19, when the villagers became trapped inside a subterranean gold-mine after heavy rain caused flash flooding and a landslide that blocked the entrance. Continued … 

Thais Help Thais Plus opens registration for 30 million ahead of June 1 spending

Registration for the government’s Thais Help Thais Plus 60/40 co-payment scheme opens today for up to 30 million eligible people, ahead of the spending rollout on June 1.

The scheme is designed to ease household expenses while stimulating grassroots economic activity by channeling spending to community shops, small operators, and local businesses across the country, deputy government spokesperson Lalida Phertwiwatana said yesterday. Continued … 

FTI claims ‘Thais Help Thais Plus’ could drive 40% SME growth

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has thrown its weight behind the government’s newly launched “Thais Help Thais Plus” initiative, estimating it could boost the country’s small and medium enterprise (SME) GDP by 35% to 40%, provided it is executed thoroughly.

Weerachai Mansinthorn, vice chairman of the FTI and chairman of the Small and Medium Industrial Institute (SMI), stated that the scheme offers a comprehensive framework to stimulate purchasing power, incentivise investment, improve credit access, and upskill the workforce. Continued … 

Headwinds drag on Thai private hospital revenues, profits

Amid still-fragile economic conditions and geopolitical conflicts weighing on purchasing power worldwide, Thailand’s private hospital business is facing challenges on several fronts, including rising energy costs, patients delaying non-urgent treatment, and the impact on travel by foreign patients.

However, Thailand’s medical hub market continues to receive key support from the Middle East and CLMV patient segments, which continue to grow. Continued … 

Thai aviation faces tougher quarters

Thai airlines, which reported mixed financial results in the first three months of 2026, will remain under pressure in the second and third quarters from the oil price spike as the uptick in airfares and fuel surcharges are insufficient to cover the surge in costs.

The tourism and aviation outlook this month reflects the impact of the US-Israeli war with Iran, with elevated jet fuel prices continuing to weigh on airlines, particularly low-cost carriers, which face the highest risk, said Dithanop Vattanawakin, aviation analyst at Krungsri Securities. Continued … 

Cannabis market barely dented by new rules

Thailand’s latest effort to tighten cannabis controls has introduced stricter rules – but on Bangkok’s streets, particularly in tourist areas where cannabis shops thrive, little appears to have changed.

Despite regulations aimed at restricting cannabis use to medical purposes, including prescription requirements under the new framework, cannabis remains widely accessible for recreational use, workers and advocates say. Continued … 

Thailand to Boost Regional Airport Routes

Thailand’s Transport Ministry is offering incentives to airlines to launch new domestic and international routes to airports in secondary cities in a bid to boost tourism and strengthen local economies. The measures include service fee reductions for new routes and a temporary 50% discount on aircraft parking charges at airports managed by the Department of Airports (DOA).

Deputy Transport Minister Phattrapong Phattraprasit said discussions had been held with the Airlines Association of Thailand to encourage more flights to regional airports, particularly in the north, northeast, and south. He said many of these airports already have the capacity to handle additional flights and passengers. Continued … 

Extortion scandal hits Chinese bookings

Chinese tourists are losing confidence in traveling in Thailand again as their bookings slow for the coming months, following a recent case involving police officers extorting Chinese nationals in Sa Kaeo, says the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).

Policemen were arrested for kidnapping and extorting five Chinese nationals, as the investigation probes possible links to transnational crime syndicates. Continued … 

Understanding the Thai expat mindset

From “We love Isaan” 

One thing I’ll never understand is the expat who moves into a rural Thai village… then spends the next 10 years complaining that it isn’t Europe, Australia, or America.

The same people who constantly talk about how their home countries have “changed too much” because of immigration, lost culture, different values, and outside influence… somehow arrive in Thailand and immediately want Thailand to change for them.

Too noisy. Too local. Too Thai. Too much family around. Too many festivals. Too much temple noise. Too much community life. Too much culture.

So why stay? Seriously. If you hate the food, the language, the customs, the pace of life, the social culture, and the people around you… what exactly are you doing here?

Thailand doesn’t exist to make foreigners comfortable. Rural village life especially was never designed around Western expectations. That’s why it still has character. It still feels human. Kids still play outside. Neighbors still know each other. Families still live together. Communities still act like communities. Yet, some expats arrive and spend years trying to recreate the exact lifestyle they claimed to escape from.

Nobody says you must love every part of living here. Some things frustrate everyone at times. But there’s a difference between adapting to another culture and demanding it changes around you. You’re the outsider here. Act like it.

The funny part is many Thais show far more patience toward foreigners than foreigners would show if the situation was reversed back home. Thailand is special because it’s still Thailand. Not because it’s becoming westernized.

400-Year-Old Lanna Ruins Found in Mae Hong Son Forest

A group of abandoned Lanna-era pagoda ruins, believed to be at least 400 years old, have been found deep in a forested area of Mae Hong Son province, prompting authorities to begin surveying the site for conservation.

Mae Hong Son Gov. Wiboon Waewbandit led officials to inspect ancient sites in Mueang Mae Hong Son and Khun Yuam districts to gather preliminary information, assess the condition of the areas and plan conservation measures. Continued … 

Thailand pushes UNESCO bid for Thai costume heritage status

Thailand and UNESCO are moving to deepen cooperation on culture, tourism, education, and sustainable development, with Bangkok intensifying efforts to push “Thai costume” onto UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul held talks with UNESCO Director-General Khaled Ahmed El-Enany Ali Ezz at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on May 22. Continued … 

Official: Solar power can lead energy transition

Thailand’s clean energy development can be successfully implemented if the nation focuses on solar power, according to an energy official who requested anonymity. He said Thailand’s solar sector offers opportunities across all scales, from micro-installations producing just a few kilowatts to gigawatt-scale projects.

This flexibility allows investments ranging from small households and micro-businesses with limited capital to billion-baht ventures by large corporations. Continued … 

Doi Tung model turns forests into sustainable economic capital

When “biodiversity” is no longer just about planting forests, but also about “economic capital” and a tool for tackling the global climate crisis, a new sustainability strategy is emerging — one that turns forests into a mechanism for the bioeconomy while pushing Thai community models toward international standards such as OECMs and biodiversity credits.

Amid the environmental crisis facing the world, the terms “natural capital” and “biodiversity” have moved beyond the world of conservationists to become unavoidable priorities for the economy and business sector. Continued … 

Foreigners Held in Koh Phangan Nominee Probe

Police in Surat Thani will oppose bail for 21 foreign nationals accused of using Thai nominees to illegally hold land and operate businesses on Koh Phangan, with all suspects due to appear before Koh Samui Provincial Court today. Continued … 

• Nigerian Romance Scam Gang Busted in Nonthaburi – Continued … 

• Vietnamese Women Arrested for Soliciting in Lumpini – Continued … 

• French Drug Suspect Arrested in Pattaya – Continued … 

• Vietnamese Scam Gang Busted in Bangkok – Continued … 

• Indian Gun Suspect Arrested on Koh Phangan – Continued … 

• British Rider Held After Hit and Run on Phangan – Continued … 

• Chinese Theft Suspect Arrested in Bangkok – Continued … 

Three Months In, Is Trump Losing The Iran War?

U.S. President Donald Trump may have won just about every battle against Iran, but three months after attacking the Islamic Republic, he now faces a bigger question: Is he losing the war? Continued … 

China launches year-long space station mission amid moon race

China launched three astronauts to its Tiangong space station yesterday, beginning a Shenzhou-23 mission that will include the country’s first year-long stay in orbit and support research into how humans cope with extended time in space. The mission is also tied to Beijing’s wider plan for a crewed moon landing by 2030. Continued … 

Hua Hin Links and Transport

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