- Thailand’s shift from paper passports to digital ID/Hua Hin Among Top 10 PlacesTo Retire/Sri Lanka most affordable place to retire, Thailand third
- THAILAND-CAMBODIA CONFICT: Army Chief: Cambodia Began Border Tensions/Long-term Thai–Cambodia border plan/US Announces $45M Aid
- ECONOMY: Thai Gold, Currency Trading Face Limits
- TOURISM: 100-billion-baht ‘Disneyland Thailand’ proposal/TAT Targets Record Revenue/Eastern Thailand domestic tourism up
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: Hope for Tigers Grows/Backpacker island wooing a new generation
- CLIMATE THAILAND: Southeast Asia’s Solar Surge
- FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN LINKS
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Expats navigate Thailand’s shift from paper passports to digital ID
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.
This change is not merely an administrative upgrade. It represents a fundamental shift in how the Thai state monitors, manages, and regulates foreign residents, and it will inevitably become part of Thailand’s new normal. For the expat community, the implications are both reassuring and unsettling. Continued …
Hua Hin Among Top 10 Places for Americans To Retire Overseas
Americans looking to retire and stretch their dollar are turning to overseas real estate to spend their golden years. Live and Invest Overseas has released its latest list of the best places to retire abroad, and there are some familiar stalwarts combined with unexpected new destinations.
To determine rank, the index took into account 14 factors of “key relocation criteria,” including cost of living, climate, health care quality and costs, entertainment and recreation, English-speaking population, expat community, infrastructure and access to the U.S., environmental factors and crime, real estate restrictions, and residency and taxes. Continued …
Sri Lanka ranked most affordable place to live or retire, Thailand third
International Living magazine has identified the five most affordable places to live or retire in 2026, which scored the highest in the cost-of-living category of its 2026 Global Retirement Index. It evaluated retirement destinations across climate, healthcare, visa and lifestyle, along with cost.
Sri Lanka ranked top of the list due to affordable local transportation and easy-to-obtain retirement visas. A couple can live extravagantly on $2,200 (£1,637) a month, or on $1,000 (£744) with some budgeting. Continued …
Army Chief Tells US: Cambodia Began Border Tensions
Thailand’s army chief told a senior United States official that Cambodia initiated recent tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border, rejecting claims that Thailand was the aggressor. The comments were made during a high-level meeting in Bangkok focused on security cooperation and regional stability.
The Thai army said the discussion underscored Thailand’s commitment to peace while addressing what it described as misinformation surrounding the dispute. Continued …
Defense Council backs long-term Thai–Cambodia border plan
Thailand’s Defense Council has acknowledged the armed forces’ long-term plan for managing the Thai–Cambodia border, including adjustments to humanitarian mine-clearance operations and renewed deployments based on areas under Thai control.
Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, said the council’s first meeting of 2026 reviewed defense actions related to the border situation, strategic communications, and public information. Continued …
US Announces $45M Aid to Bolster the Thailand-Cambodia Truce
The United States unveiled a substantial aid package yesterday, committing approximately 1.55 billion Thai baht to strengthen a fragile ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia.
Michael DeSombre, a senior official in charge of East Asian affairs, made the announcement during his diplomatic visit to the region. The initiative aligns with the efforts of US President Donald Trump to promote the ceasefire as a significant diplomatic success. Continued …
Thai Gold, Currency Trading Face Limits to Tame Baht’s Strength
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.
This move comes as the country tackles the record-breaking rally of gold, which affects the currency’s value. Officials also discussed improving financial data collection and tightening measures for reporting gold trades. Continued …
100-billion-baht ‘Disneyland Thailand’ proposal adopts Tokyo business blueprint
A proposal to establish “Disneyland Thailand” has drawn significant attention from the investment sector following a detailed analysis by the financial publication Longtunman. The report outlines a project with an estimated value of 100 billion baht, positioning it as a strategic development for the Thai tourism industry.
The analysis indicates that the project will likely operate under a licensing structure similar to that of Tokyo Disneyland, which is owned and managed by the Oriental Land Co. rather than The Walt Disney Co. Continued …
TAT Targets Record Revenue with Lisa Appointment as Global Ambassador
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.
Gov. Thapanee Kiatphaibool confirmed that TAT aims to generate total tourism revenue of no less than 3 trillion baht ($88.5 billion) this year, eclipsing the record set during the pre-pandemic peak of 2019. Continued …
Eastern Thailand domestic tourism up, foreign visitors decline by 11%
Eastern provinces recorded an increase in tourist visits last year despite the border conflict with Cambodia, driven by domestic trips, although fewer international tourists put pressure on revenue.
Domestic tourism remained resilient, with a 5.5% increase year-on-year to 36.9 million in the region, while foreign tourists dropped by 11.2% to 10.8 million arrivals. This resulted in a revenue decline of 4.6% to 374 billion baht last year from 392 billion in 2024. Continued …
Hope for Tigers Grows as Thailand Safeguards a Key Link in Their Habitat
Following the path of the tiger isn’t easy. Yet, the three rangers, clad in camouflage, move lithely through the steep bamboo thicket, tracking the muddy hoofprints of a sambar deer. Out of the snagging vines, they emerge on a forested ridgeline overlooking a landscape that swells and shrinks in watercolor hues of indigo.
A breeze rustles the stone oak trees as the sound of grasshoppers pierces the silence. It’s easy to imagine the tiger slinking confidently across this terrain, the master of its Thai kingdom. Continued …
Original Thai backpacker island wooing a new generation
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.
Thailand’s second-largest island has been a tourism hotspot since the backpacker boom of the 1980s. It offers a dizzying array of experiences: quiet jungle trails, ornate Buddhist temples, energetic nightlife, and a vast fringe of beaches. Continued …
Southeast Asia’s Solar Surge Driving Clean Energy Growth
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.
Several factors are fueling this expansion. The cost of solar technology, particularly high-efficiency modules has decreased significantly. Governments across the region are also actively revising their power development plans to prioritize renewables. Continued …
- Russian Man Arrested in Koh Samui for Extortion Charges – Continued …
- Chinese Fugitive Arrested in Chiang Mai Over Bt7B Fraud Case – Continued …
Trump vows to take Greenland
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. Continued …
How hunger protests turned into a fight to topple Iran’s Islamic Republic
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. Continued …
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