• Cha Am tourism agenda/PKK anti-drug operation/New English classes at PKK school/Hua Hin videos//Thai police officers found guilty/Smuggled cannabis exports
• THE IRAN WAR: US conducts new strikes on Iran/Oil shoots up
• ECONOMY: Struggle to reduce retail oil prices/Prepared food prices remain high/Thai GDP Forecast Upgraded/Land bridge put on hold/Foreign platform flood drains Thai cash
• TOURISM: Thailand’s Pivot Toward the High-Value Wellness Economy/Tourism fee hits a snag/House approves Hotel Act updates/Visitors from Every Corner of Asia
• THAILAND EXPERIENCE: How many days to spend in Thailand/New long-necked dinosaur from Kalasin/Giant python captured
• CLIMATE THAILAND: China calls for probe into Mekong pollution
• FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS 

Hua Hin Airport tied to Cha Am tourism agenda

Phetchaburi’s tourism sector is looking to Hua Hin Airport as a potential driver of growth as officials move to position Cha Am and Hua Hin as higher-value wedding destinations, particularly for the Indian market.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Phetchaburi office said it is working to strengthen the province’s quality tourism offering, with a focus on weddings, golf, wellness, sport, family travel and higher-spending visitors. Continued … 

PKK launches anti-drug operation

Prachuap Khiri Khan has launched Operation 90 Days, a province-wide anti-drug campaign aimed at intensifying prevention, enforcement and rehabilitation across all eight districts.

Gov. Sittichai Sawatsan, who also serves as director of the Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Center for Drug Prevention and Suppression, presided over the launch ceremony Tuesday at Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Hall. Continued … 

New English classes started at PKK school

The English We Like project opened at Prachuap Wittayalai School yesterday, with Prachuap Khiri Khan Gov. Sittichai Sawatsan presiding over the ceremony for the program, which aims to improve students’ English skills and support university entrance exam preparation.

The project is organized by Rai Khanun Group Co. and is being held for the 19th year. Kritphak Suknaworakul, chief executive officer of Rai Khanun Group, delivered the project report. Continued … 

Hua Hin Night Market and Soi 80 at Night

This walking tour in Hua Hin begins along Soi 80 at night before heading to the famous night market, capturing the vibrant evening atmosphere of this seaside town. As you explore Soi 80 first, you’ll experience real ambient sounds, conversations from open bars, clinking glasses and the natural rhythm of the nightlife crowd. The street feels energetic but welcoming, with restaurants and small venues lighting up the night. From there, the walk continues toward the Hua Hin Night Market, where the focus shifts to street food, seafood grills and rows of illuminated market stalls. Video … 

Hua Hin Feels Perfect… Until You Spend More Time Here

Most people fall in love with Hua Hin in a few day. But what happens when you spend more time here? Share the real experience of Hua Hin beyond the honeymoon phase — not the travel version, but what it actually feels like over time. Break down the good, the bad, and the unexpected realities of life in one of Thailand’s most popular retirement destinations. Video … 

5 Thai police officers found guilty in extortion of 6 million baht from British fugitive

Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) resolved that there are sufficient grounds to pursue criminal and disciplinary action against six people, including five police officers, over the extortion of 6 million baht from a British drug kingpin, Ritesh Patel.

Patel, who was wanted in the UK over alleged drug trafficking offenses, fled to Dubai before traveling to Thailand in June 2022. Immigration officers later arrested him in Phuket after determining that he had entered the country using a fraudulent passport. Continued … 

Smuggled cannabis exports activity grows rapidly, with thousands of tourist cases to the UK intercepted

Thailand’s cannabis experiment is facing its strongest international reckoning yet after Thai and British authorities revealed that thousands of cannabis smuggling cases have been intercepted, with the United Kingdom accounting for nearly two-thirds of all seizures and organized crime gangs recruiting British couriers through social media.

As Bangkok launches a major new enforcement partnership with the UK’s National Crime Agency following huge overseas seizures and admits some cannabis intercepted abroad had originally left Thailand legally, pressure is mounting to return cannabis to the narcotics list amid an unprecedented crackdown on a trade now worth billions of baht. Continued … 

US conducts new strikes on Iran after Trump threats

The United States conducted a new round of airstrikes on Iran yesterday at the direction of President Donald Trump, marking the second night of renewed attacks and casting major doubt on the prospects for a long-term peace deal with Tehran.

The attacks, confirmed by the U.S. Central Command in a statement, came after Trump at a NATO summit in Turkey earlier in the day said he considers the U.S. ceasefire with Iran to be “over” and warned of more powerful strikes to come. Continued … 

Oil shoots up as Trump says Iran ceasefire ‘over’

Oil prices soared anew and stock markets slid yesterday after US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was over, following renewed strikes in the Middle East.

The markets responded, with oil shooting back up again having in recent days come back down toward pre-war levels around $70 a barrel. International benchmark Brent North Sea crude jumped more than 5% to around $78 a barrel while the main US contract, West Texas Intermediate, also soared 5%, although both slipped back slightly mid-afternoon. Continued … 

Government in struggle to reduce retail oil prices

The government continues to grapple with the challenge of lowering retail oil prices, which remain stubbornly above 30 baht per liter despite recent declines in global crude markets.

An energy official who requested anonymity said authorities have limited tools at their disposal to ease the burden on motorists. Recent measures have focused on reducing levies collected through the Oil Fuel Fund, resulting in modest cuts of 2.56 baht per liter for diesel and 2.51 baht per liter for gasoline. Continued … 

Prepared food prices remain high despite cheaper fuel

Lower domestic fuel prices are expected to lift consumer confidence, but are unlikely to immediately reduce prepared food prices, according to the Thai Restaurant Assn.

The drop in fuel prices is a positive sign and is likely to boost consumer purchasing power, said Thaniwan Kulmongkol, president of the association. After the Middle East war began, many eateries raised their menu prices, citing higher costs. Continued … 

Thai GDP Forecast Upgraded to Market-High 2.3%, Inward Investment Nears 1 Trillion Baht

The Thai economy is demonstrating far greater structural resilience than initially projected, prompting the central bank to upgrade its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the year to 2.3% — the most bullish estimate currently available in the market.

The optimistic reassessment was delivered by Bank of Thailand (BOT) Gov. Vitai Ratanakorn, at a high-level meeting of the Joint Public and Private Sector Consultative Committee (JPPSCC) in Bangkok yesterday. H revealed that the economy has successfully shaken off severe contraction fears that emerged following geopolitical escalations in the Middle East. Continued … 

Thailand postpones land bridge and SEC bill for wider consultation

Siripong Angkasakulkiat, deputy minister of transport, gave an update on the transport infrastructure development project for the Southern Economic Corridor, intended to link transport between the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, known as the land bridge.

He said the Transport Ministry would not move ahead with the land bridge for the time being, nor with the draft Southern Economic Corridor Act (SEC), and that there was still no timeframe for submitting them to Cabinet for consideration. Continued … 

Foreign platform flood drains Thai cash as SMEs face 40% fee squeeze

Thailand’s growing dependence on foreign digital platforms is raising fresh concern over whether the country is slowly surrendering economic value to businesses based overseas.

What began as a shift toward convenience, ordering meals by phone, buying cheap goods online or paying monthly for streaming services, has become part of everyday life for millions of Thais. But behind that convenience, economists and business groups are warning of a deeper problem: a vast stream of money moving out of the country through foreign-owned platforms that now sit between Thai consumers, small businesses and the wider economy. Continued … 

Thailand’s $50 Billion Strategic Pivot Toward the High-Value Wellness Economy

Thailand is no longer competing simply for the highest volume of tourists; it is pivoting deliberately toward the highest value per visitor. Positioning itself as the global “Land of Life”, the kingdom is tapping into a wellness economy that is outperforming global GDP growth and drawing a new generation of “experience collectors”.

That was the central message from a panel discussion on unlocking the affluent travel economy, held as part of Visa’s Destinations Thailand launch in Bangkok on Tuesday. Anthony Watson, Visa’s country manager for Thailand, noted that affluent travel across Asia-Pacific had moved well beyond simple recovery from previous disruption and that the real opportunity now lay in understanding what affluent travelers valued throughout their journey — spanning transport, accommodation, wellness, dining, retail and broader lifestyle experiences — and how businesses could capture a greater share of that high-value spending. Continued … 

Planned tourism fee hits a snag – airlines can’t implement

The plan to collect a tourism fee of at least 300 baht through airlines is infeasible because of the limitations in airlines’ back-office systems, with the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) a better option, say aviation bodies.

Representatives of the Airlines Association of Thailand (AAT), airports and regulators held a meeting with the Tourism and Sports Ministry last month. The ministry asked airlines to act as an intermediary platform to collect a tourism fee on behalf of the government. Continued … 

House approves Hotel Act updates in principle

The House of Representatives yesterday unanimously approved in principle two bills to amend the Hotel Act, despite opposition criticism they would not adequately address long-standing regulatory problems.

The changes seek to update provisions of the 2004 Hotel Act, which prohibits operating a hotel without a license. Under current regulations, homeowners may rent out accommodation without a hotel license only if the property has no more than four rooms and can take no more than 20 guests, provided they notify the registrar under Interior Ministry regulations. Continued … 

Thailand Draws Visitors from Every Corner of Asia, Malaysia, South Korea, and China Lead the Way

Digital travel platform Agoda has revealed fresh insights into the Thai travel landscape for the first half of 2026. Based on accommodation check-ins between Jan. 1 and June 30, compared to the same period in 2025, Agoda’s data shows Malaysia leading international travel interest in Thailand, followed by South Korea, China, India, and Japan to round out the top five.

A standout in this year’s ranking is China, which climbed from seventh place in 2025 to third in 2026, recording a 38% year-on-year growth in searches on the platform. Together, the top five reflect a diverse and growing mix of markets drawn to Thailand from across Asia. Continued … 

How many days to spend in Thailand

Thailand spans roughly 1,000 miles from the mountains of Chiang Rai to the beaches of Koh Lipe, and that geography alone should shape how many days you plan for. A short trip means picking one region and staying put.

A longer one lets you combine north and south, city and coast, without feeling rushed. The right answer depends less on a fixed formula and more on what you want to see. Continued … 

Thailand names new long-necked dinosaur from Kalasin

Thai palaeontologists have named a new long-necked dinosaur species from Kalasin province, adding a 15th formally recognized dinosaur species to Thailand’s fossil record and strengthening the country’s place on the map of Jurassic dinosaur discoveries.

The new species, Uragasaurus kalasinensis, was announced on yesterday after being published in the journal Scientific Reports by a research team led by Apirut Nilpanapan, Sita Manitkoon, Varavudh Suteethorn and Komsorn Lauprasert. The fossil was discovered at the Phu Noi fossil site in Din Chi subdistrict, Kham Muang district, Kalasin province, within the Lower Phu Kradung Formation, which the study places in the Upper Jurassic period. Continued … 

Giant python captured after woman’s cats go missing

The radio center of Rescue Sattahip received a call from Pailin Sappana, 75, of tambon Sattahip, Sattahip district, asking for help after a large snake slithered into her home at 1 am on Tuesday. Pailin told the center she feared for her family’s safety.

Rescue workers sent a snake-catching specialist to the house, where a python more than four meters long, with a body as thick as a human leg, was found hiding in a storage room. Continued … https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3282905/giant-python-captured-after-womans-cats-go-missing

China calls for joint Thailand-Myanmar probe into Mekong pollution

China has called for a joint investigation by Thailand and Myanmar into the heavy metal contamination of Mekong River tributaries, based on facts and scientific evidence, to identify those truly responsible.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok said that China supports both countries in strengthening communication and coordination and expediting a joint investigation so that the issue can be addressed as soon as possible. Continued … 

Russian Crime Network Busted in Phuket Raids

Thai police have dismantled an alleged Russian organized crime network operating in Phuket, seizing more than 5.4 million baht in cash during coordinated raids linked to online fraud investigations. One Russian suspect was arrested under an outstanding court warrant, while another foreign national was taken into custody. Continued … 

• Russian Held With 17kg of Cannabis at Phuket Airport – Continued … 

• Swede Held in Jomtien Over Interpol Drug Red Notice – Continued … 

• Russian Romance Scam Suspect Arrested in Nong Prue – Continued … 

• US Tourist Arrested After Patong Jet Ski Assault – Continued … 

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