- Hua Hin waterfront structures to be demolished/Thailand caps visa-exempt land border entries/Public health training for Hua Hin hospitality staffs/Police administration hearing in Hua Hin/Hua Hin Film Club launches/World food prices highest since 2022/USS Abraham Lincoln leaves Thailand/US Navy’s Pattaya visit is plain sailing/Koh Phangan beach dispute/Permanent team to trace nominee firms/Thailand mulls decriminalizing sex work
- THE IRAN WAR: New restricted zone in the Gulf
- ECONOMY: Thai factories suspend work/Thai SMEs face debt tsunami/Food Industry Drives Real Estate/570-Billion-Baht Data Center Boom
- TOURISM: Foreign arrivals decline 3%/Tourism sector divided over 30-day visa/Lucky Air cancels Udon Thani-Kunming launch/Udon Thani Airport joins international list/Thai Airways cancels flights to Jakarta/Riyadh Air starts Riyadh-Bangkok flights
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: World-famous Bangkok noodle shop
- CLIMATE THAILAND: Chiang Rai’s new water system
- FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS
15 Hua Hin waterfront structures to be demolished
Hua Hin Municipality has appointed a contractor to demolish 15 waterfront structures along Naresdamri Road after their owners failed to comply with removal orders following a final Supreme Administrative Court ruling.
The structures stand between Hua Hin Fishing Pier and the Chao Mae Thap Thim Shrine. Owners were given 30 days from receipt of formal notices to remove the buildings themselves. The municipality said no owner had reported completing the work and that officials would now proceed in accordance with the ruling and relevant laws. Continued …
Thailand caps visa-exempt land border entries at two a year
Thailand will start counting how often visa-exempt travelers walk across its land borders. From Sept. 15, most nationalities can use the exemption at a land checkpoint twice a calendar year, and no more.
The rule arrives with the new visa framework published in the Royal Gazette on Aug. 31. That framework replaces the 60-day exemption and cuts the standard stay to 30 days. Continued …
Public health training for Hua Hin hospitality staffs
Hua Hin hotels, resorts and holiday homes were the focus of a municipal training program on Friday aimed at improving disease prevention and public health standards.
The event at Hua Hin Grand Hotel and Plaza brought together 100 participants, including accommodation operators, their representatives and relevant officials. Specialists from Hua Hin Hospital provided guidance on preventing and controlling communicable diseases. Continued …
Police administration hearing held in Hua Hin
The Region 7 police chief chaired an advisory board meeting in Hua Hin on Friday to review police administration and discuss cooperation with public representatives and other agencies.
Police Lt. Gen. Phisit Tanprasert, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 7 and chairman of its advisory board, led the board’s fourth meeting of the year at Amari Hua Hin. Continued …
Hua Hin Film Club launches
More than 60 people attended Hua Hin Film Club’s first screening yesterday, joining actor Vithaya Pansringarm for an evening of cinema at Amara Resort Hua Hin.
The club launched with Only God Forgives, the 2013 crime thriller directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and starring Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas and Vithaya. Set in Bangkok, the film follows an American caught in a violent cycle of revenge, with Vithaya playing Chang, a formidable Thai police officer. Continued …
World food prices hit highest since 2022 amid supply fears
World food prices climbed to their highest level since November 2022 in August, as extreme weather and conflict increased concerns about supplies of staple commodities, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported on Friday.
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 133.3 points, up from July’s revised reading of 130.8. All five categories tracked by the index — cereals, vegetable oils, sugar, meat and dairy products — recorded increases. Continued …
USS Abraham Lincoln leaves Thailand after Pattaya visit
The US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln left Laem Chabang Port yesterday, ending a five-day stop in Thailand after a lengthy Middle East deployment.
The carrier, with a crew of around 5,000, arrived on Wednesday at the port north of Pattaya, about a half-hour drive from the resort city. It was the Lincoln’s first port call after reports of worsening conditions aboard during nine months at sea. Continued …
US Navy’s Pattaya visit is plain sailing with strong spending
Pattaya’s biggest US Navy visit in years has brought thousands of battle-weary sailors ashore, a massive round-the-clock security operation and a badly needed low-season spending surge. After 264 consecutive days at sea, USS Abraham Lincoln personnel have flooded shops, restaurants, hotels and entertainment areas across the resort.
Yet, through Saturday evening, only one minor drunken brawl had disturbed the visit. With police, military teams and US Navy liaison officers maintaining tight control, the feared disorder has failed to materialize. Instead, the carrier’s arrival has become an economic boost for Pattaya during an especially difficult tourism year. Continued …
Koh Phangan beach dispute spotlights nominee fears
A long-running dispute over public land at Laem Son Beach on Koh Phangan has revived concerns about alleged nominee companies used by foreign investors to bypass Thai land and business laws.
The Truth Investigation TV program visited the Surat Thani island on Friday, examining foreign capital in accommodation, restaurants, yoga businesses, real estate and long-term land leases. Its focus was a beach area occupied by businesses despite the absence of legal land title deeds. Continued …
Thailand sets permanent team to trace nominee firms
Thailand’s Commerce and Interior ministries will form a permanent joint team to pursue suspected nominee arrangements used by foreigners to operate businesses or hold land through Thai nationals.
The Department of Business Development, Department of Provincial Administration and Land Department will link and exchange their records. Their shared database will be updated monthly, allowing officials to cross-check company registrations, shareholder changes, people connected to firms and land ownership. Continued …
With Pattaya in global spotlight, Thailand mulls decriminalizing sex work
Pattaya authorities have launched a sweeping crackdown on the city’s red-light district in a bid to brush the sex trade under the carpet after the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived from the Middle East. The crackdown is clearly intended to sanitise the image of a seaside resort that has for decades been notorious as Thailand’s “Sin City”.
Critics have condemned the cleanup as cosmetic and hypocritical, pointing out that the sex industry remains a cornerstone of Pattaya’s economy. Continued …
Iran to announce new restricted zone in the Gulf
A restricted zone will be announced outside the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, Mohsen Rezaei, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said yesterday according to state media. He added that the zone would include areas in the Gulf. Video …
Thai factories suspend work as orders fall and costs rise
Businesses in Thailand’s automotive parts, garment, rubber products and plastics industries are increasingly suspending operations temporarily, as falling orders, accumulated losses and higher production costs put pressure on employment.
Temporary suspensions affected 18,998 workers in June 2026, an increase of 58% from May and 18.6% from a year earlier. Partial suspensions rose even as the number of establishments halting all operations declined. Continued …
Thai SMEs face debt tsunami as fresh defaults and overdue loans rise
Thai bank chiefs are warning that small businesses remain vulnerable to fresh defaults and a return to bad debt after restructuring, despite a decline in the commercial banking system’s overall non-performing loan ratio.
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) reported that the ratio fell to 2.8% in the second quarter of 2026. However, loans moving from Stage 2, which signals significantly increased credit risk, into Stage 3, or non-performing status, remain a concern. Continued …
How the Thai Food Industry Drives the Real Estate Market
When discussing the economy in Southeast Asia, we often hear about semiconductor production, electric vehicles, combustion cars, and tourism. However, one of Thailand’s key economic pillars tends to receive less attention. Beyond being a global tourism destination, Thailand is recognized as the “Kitchen of the World”, playing a crucial role in producing and exporting food to over 350 million consumers worldwide each day.
Currently, Thailand’s agriculture and food sector is transitioning from traditional agricultural production to a high-value export industry, which directly impacts the real estate sector. The growth of the food industry is creating structural demand for industrial space, warehouses, distribution centers, and logistics. Continued …
Thailand Set for 570-Billion-Baht Data Center Boom
Thailand is positioned to attract approximately $15.9 billion (570 bilion baht) in data center investments between 2026 and 2030, driven by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) workloads and cloud computing across Southeast Asia.
According to a report drawing on data from Cushman & Wakefield’s Asia Pacific Data Center Investment report, the massive capital outlay is drawing hyperscale providers, colocation operators, institutional investors, and lenders to the kingdom. Continued …
Foreign arrivals to Thailand decline 3% in first eight months
Thailand welcomed 20,935,135 foreign tourists during the first eight months of 2026, a decline of 3.1% from the same period last year, according to figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The cumulative total covers international arrivals between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, with China remaining Thailand’s largest source market at 3,543,272 visitors, up 16% year on year. Continued …
Tourism sector starkly divided over 30 days visa
Thailand’s new 30-day visa-exemption rule is opening a sharp fault line across its tourism industry before the crucial fourth-quarter peak. The Association of Thai Travel Agents says most genuine tourists need only seven to 10 days. It also wants tougher action against foreigners abusing tourist status.
However, Minor International founder William E. Heinecke warns the Sept. 30 change could hurt medical and wellness tourism. Treatment and recovery can require longer stays. Northern operators also fear disruption to established long-stay markets in Chiang Mai and Pai. Continued …
Lucky Air cancels Udon Thani-Kunming September launch
Lucky Air has cancelled tomorrow’s launch of its charter route linking Kunming and Udon Thani, disrupting September tour programs arranged around the new service.
The airline told the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) yesterday that it could not operate the inaugural Kunming-Udon Thani-Kunming flight as scheduled. No replacement launch date has been announced. Continued …
Udon Thani Airport joins Thailand’s international list
Udon Thani Airport officially became an international airport last Thursday after being added to Thailand’s list of airports permitted to handle overseas flights.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) issued a new announcement setting out the airports authorized to provide international flight services, replacing the previous list. Udon Thani’s addition brings the national total to 11 airports. Continued …
Thai Airways cancels flights to Jakarta due to volcanic eruption
Thai Airways International canceled flights to Jakarta today as eight Indonesian airports, including two serving the Indonesian capital, remained closed because of ash from erupting Krakatau volcano.
The Thai flag carrier announced the cancellation of flight TG433 leaving Bangkok for Jakarta at 8 am and the return leg, TG434, departing the Indonesian capital at 12.35 pm. Continued …
Riyadh Air starts Riyadh-Bangkok flights
Riyadh Air has launched direct flights between Riyadh and Bangkok, initially operating three times a week before increasing to daily services in October. The inaugural aircraft arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport last Thursday.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said the new route should reinforce tourism, transport, trade and investment links between Thailand and Saudi Arabia, while helping to rebuild the Saudi visitor market after arrivals fell this year. Continued …
How a debt-ridden mother of 6 built world-famous Bangkok noodle shop
After rising from financial ruin, a 70-year-old restaurant owner has transformed a small eatery in Bangkok into a culinary icon, drawing crowds that are willing to wait up to two hours for a meal.
You simply must queue up and try it at least once in your life — this is advice often shared on food forums about Jae Oh Khao Tom Pet, also known as Jae O Chula, an eatery famous for its Thai instant noodles in tom yum broth. Continued …
Chiang Rai communities get new water system to remove arsenic
Communities along the Kok River in Chiang Rai are receiving a new village water-treatment system designed to remove arsenic and heavy metals from water used for drinking and household purposes.
(Editor: Unfortunately, this will not solve the problem of mining pollution of the river in Myanmar, which is affecting fish, wildlife and crops.)
The system was developed through cooperation between the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), the Synchrotron Light Research Institute and research partners. It is designed to address deteriorating raw water quality in areas along the Kok River, including turbidity and contamination by arsenic and other heavy metals. Continued …
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Anutin orders Israeli man’s deportation from Thailand – Continued …
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Pattaya raid of unlicensed Argentinian steakhouse – Continued …
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Tourist sought over alleged assault at Pattaya cannabis shop – Continued …
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Chinese women detained at Pattaya school over work permits – Continued …
Australians could opt out of social media algorithms under new law
Australians could be given the option of opting out of powerful social media algorithms under new legislation cracking down on big tech. The draft law requiring a “digital duty of care” is expected to be introduced to Australia’s parliament this week. It would require firms like Meta to give users the option of turning off algorithms that tailor recommendations to their personal taste. 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
Thailand’s Alcohol Control Committee has opened a public consultation on a draft regulation setting days when alcohol sales would be prohibited, with feedback accepted until May 30. The move signals a potential update to existing restrictions, while confirming that recent changes to daytime alcohol sales have not increased accident rates.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul yesterday confirmed that Thais will definitely view World Cup 2026 football games to be broadcast live from host countries in North America between next month and July.
Even if you don’t drink coffee, you will know that the coffee business has grown tremendously because coffee shops, either small or large, have been mushrooming. Due to the growth of this market, Thailand is set to host one of the world’s most influential coffee events – World Of Coffee Bangkok 2026.
Is 60 truly the perfect endpoint of a working life? This question is becoming ever more pressing as Thailand, and the broader Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, rapidly transform into a “super-aged society” – a definition for a country or society where 20% or more of the population is aged 65 or older.
U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday he would briefly pause an operation to help ships escape the Strait of Hormuz, citing progress toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran. 
Thailand’s rice exporters say the Iran war has dealt a major blow to shipments to the Middle East, wiping out more than 200,000 tons of exports over the past three months.
The Cabinet yesterday approved a draft emergency decree authorizing the Finance Ministry to borrow up to 400 billion baht to address the impact of the energy crisis and support Thailand’s energy transition. Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the decision was necessary because conflict in the Middle East had severely affected energy prices and economic activity worldwide.
Thailand’s condominium market in 2026 is facing pressure from all sides, including the domestic economy and external factors, particularly tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel that have pushed oil prices higher, significantly affecting the cost of goods and services, as well as the cost of living for Thai consumers.
Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said Thailand and the United States have agreed to move forward with talks on a reciprocal trade agreement after discussions with senior US trade officials. Suphajee made the remarks after meeting US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer on Monday.
An environmental advocacy organization, the Environmental Law Foundation (EnLAW), yesterday launched a nationwide campaign titled “Stop SEC Act & Land Bridge”, calling on the public to oppose the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC), or land bridge project, through an online petition.
More than 50% of farmer debtors are unlikely to fully repay their debts within their lifetime, largely because most of them are elderly, according to the Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research (PIER). The institute says a combination of debt relief measures is needed to address the issue.
Vilhelm Academy: Western qualifications for Hua Hin-based students
Thailand’s hotel industry is bracing for a weaker low season as rising oil prices, fewer flights, and softer travel demand begin to weigh on bookings. The prolonged conflict in the Middle East, now running for more than two months, has pushed global oil prices sharply higher and added fresh pressure to the tourism sector, which had only recently recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Before we go too far down the road of new tourism taxes, it is worth pausing to ask a simple question. Are we really talking about something new, or are we revisiting an old idea that has already been tried, tested and, in many cases, quietly abandoned?
A tourist complaint has put photographers at Wat Arun back in the spotlight after visitors claimed they were told to move from public areas to make way for paying photo clients.
Bangkok food vendor curbs push city staple from the streets
Chinatown in Bangkok is one of the world’s most vibrant Chinese districts, famous for its atmosphere and energy. Visitors can explore Yaowarat Road, admire landmarks like China Gate and Wat Traimit, wander through Sampheng Lane, and enjoy a rich variety of street food after dark. 
In 2026, longevity tourism has shifted to focus on maximizing health span, with Thailand at the forefront. The country integrates medical innovation with cultural wisdom, addressing its aging society through proactive health management.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered the Ministry of Energy and related organizations to set up a one-stop center for solar rooftop consulting.
Thailand’s electric pickup market is shifting into high gear, fueled by a mix of global energy pressures and domestic policy support, says the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).