- New deportation rules take effect/No Thai casualties in Nepal floods/Suvarnabhumi postpones elevated roadworks/100 million baht to Pattaya hospital/Nene Royal heads home/Thai 10-baht coin fetches 2.54 million baht/Can Thailand pay off its Myanmar problem?
- THE IRAN WAR: China’s help critical, but unlikely
- ECONOMY: Thailand exports beat forecasts/Housing market recovers/How will Thailand cope with U.S. debt?/56-story residential tower in Pattaya
- TOURISM: Koh Samui zoo dispute morphs into wider protest/Thailand turns to railways/Koh Larn speedboat crews fight/Thai AirAsia returns to Suvarnabhumi/Udon Thani Airport set for Kunming charter flights/Rise and fall of the superjumbo A380
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: The world’s third ‘Iron Castl/Betong, a small town with some good surprises
- CLIMATE THAILAND: El Niño brewing a new crisis for Thai economy/El Niño sparks drought fears in Chiang Mai
- INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS
New deportation rules take effect today
Thailand has published new regulations setting out how foreign nationals can be deported for immigration, employment and other offenses, as well as conduct considered contrary to public order, morality or public wellbeing. The regulation was published in the Royal Gazette on yesterday and takes effect today.
Under the new rules, the Interior Ministry’s permanent secretary, or a delegated official, must report cases to the Interior Minister where a foreigner is deemed to have acted against public order, good morals or the wellbeing of the public. The minister can then order deportation. Continued …
Foreign Ministry reports no Thai casualties in Nepal floods
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said flash floods and landslides struck areas along Nepal’s Bhote Koshi River on Wednesday, with deaths reported and more than 600 Nepalis and foreign nationals missing. No Thai nationals have been reported injured or killed.
Areas along the Bhote Koshi River suffered extensive damage, particularly to public utilities and infrastructure, while local agencies continued efforts to locate and assist those affected. Continued …
Suvarnabhumi postpones elevated roadworks after backlash
Suvarnabhumi Airport has postponed planned repair and maintenance work on expansion joints along the elevated road serving the passenger terminal following widespread criticism over potential disruption during the tourism high season.
The airport announced on Wednesday that the work, originally scheduled to run from Aug. 31 to April 7, 2027, would be delayed while officials reviewed the timing. Continued …
Anonymous donor gives 100 million baht to Pattaya hospital
An anonymous donor has given 100 million baht to Pattaya Patamakun Hospital in Chon Buri, with the money earmarked for a new six-story premium outpatient and inpatient building.
The government hospital announced the donation yesterday. It said the planned building will provide about 4,350 square meters of usable space. Continued …
Nene Royal heads home to Thailand before AGT finale in September
Nene Royal, the young Thai performer who has captured hearts on America’s Got Talent (AGT), is heading back to Thailand with her family after receiving a warm send-off from fans in Los Angeles.
Among those there to see her off was “Pangpond” from Luv2Eat Thai Bistro, along with representatives of the Thai Association of Southern California, members of the Thai community in Los Angeles, and Thai and Filipino fans. Continued …
1990 Thai 10-baht coin fetches 2.54 million baht
A rare 10-baht Thai coin minted in 1990 has sold for 2.54 million baht at an online auction, despite its face value being just 10 baht. The coin was made for the 16th Mint Directors Conference, held in the United Kingdom in 1990. Only 100 examples were produced, making it one of Thailand’s rarest circulating coin issues.
Coin expert and collector Natthakorn Akkaramanee secured the commemorative coin after 52 bids in an auction lasting 10 minutes and 39 seconds. The sale was the inaugural auction held through the Treasury Coin Market, an electronic platform to sell collectable coins and promote Thai coins as real-world assets. Continued …
Can Thailand pay off its Myanmar problem?
Myanmar’s civil war is increasingly becoming Thailand’s problem. Violence has crossed the border, criminal networks are exploiting the instability, and Thailand continues to shelter tens of thousands of refugees.
Instead of continuing to keep Myanmar at arm’s length, Thailand is now pursuing what it calls “calibrated re-engagement.” The goal is to bring its neighbor in alignment with ASEAN again, while addressing problems that Thailand can no longer ignore. Continued …
China’s help critical, but unlikely, for US to choke off Iran
The United States has threatened the “economic asphyxiation” of Iran, but analysts say that a successful chokehold would require unlikely cooperation from China.
Almost six months into the Middle East war, Washington this week laid out plans to expand sanctions against the Islamic republic, warning that any nation that continued to enable Tehran would become a “global pariah”. Continued …
Thailand exports beat forecasts as imports surge
Thailand’s exports rose 21.6% in July from a year earlier, beating market expectations, while imports climbed even faster and pushed the country’s trade deficit to a record $34.35 billion over the first seven months of 2026.
The Ministry of Commerce reported yesterday that July exports exceeded the 17.7% increase forecast in a Reuters poll. The result followed export growth of 20.8% in the previous month. Imports rose 36.7% year-on-year in July, producing a monthly trade deficit of $3.61 billion. Continued …
Housing market recovers in H1 with transfers soaring 17.6%
The housing market shook off a downturn in the first half of this year with transfers reaching 167,000 units, a 17.6% increase, driven by government measures. Sales of second-hand homes soared, accounting for 63% of the total, reflecting a focus on value for money.
At the same time, purchases by foreign buyers, particularly Chinese, remained weak, except for Russian buyers who have aggressively entered Phuket and Chonburi markets, with their purchases growing by 75.9%. Continued …
How will Thailand cope with U.S. 40-trillion-dollar debt?
The United States’ national debt has surpassed $40 trillion, potentially having a significant impact on global financial markets, including Thailand’s economy.
While volatility in the Thai baht may occur, Pimnara Hirankasi, head of the Research Division and chief economist at Bank of Ayudhya PCL (Krungsri), said this would have the least significant impact on the Thai economy. Video …
Bouygues Construction to build 56-story residential tower in Thailand
Bouygues Construction, through its Thai subsidiary Bouygues-Thai, was selected in June by developer Honour Thailand to design and build the ONCE Wongamat. Standing 239 meters tall, this 56-story tower project in Pattaya will be one of the tallest buildings in Thailand.
The tower is located on Pattaya-Na Kluea Road in North Pattaya. With a total floor space of more than 60,000 m², the building will consist of 548 luxury apartments with high-end finishes. Designed by the Thai architectural firm D103i (Design 103 International), the building will prioritize living spaces and amenities for residents, including five retail areas. Continued …
Koh Samui zoo dispute morphs into wider protest at Israelis and foreigners misbehaving
A bitter dispute involving Israeli tourists at a Koh Samui animal park has exposed a deeper Thai nationalist movement with political connections and access to government. On Monday, Thai Mai Thon, or “Thais Won’t Tolerate It,” took its “Thailand First” campaign to the Israeli Embassy. Its letter cited reported threats, harassment and business disputes involving Israelis in Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Pai.
It demanded respect for Thai laws, customs, property rules and business restrictions. However, embassy staff refused the letter and ordered activists to leave it outside. Meanwhile, politically connected Siam Asa helped park owner Jindarat and her French husband, Kevin, seek police protection over reported threats and a 500,000-baht bounty. Continued …
Thailand turns to railways to boost the appeal of Thailand to foreign tourists
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is preparing to embrace rail tourism as a new vehicle to revive Thailand’s fading appeal. Its plans span low-cost heritage excursions, packaged journeys, premium charters and possible luxury routes developed with Belmond.
The company currently operates premium railway experiences between Singapore and Malaysia. Meanwhile, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has shown that demand for rail adventures already exists. Its new Ayutthaya service, launched on Aug. 1, filled every seat on its first run. Continued …
Koh Larn speedboat crews fight over fares and customers
A group fight involving rival speedboat operators broke out on Tawaen Beach road on Koh Larn, off Pattaya, yesterday. Video shared online showed men who operate the Pattaya-Koh Larn tourist speedboats arguing before punches were thrown in front of beachgoers.
Reports said the dispute stemmed from competition for customers and fare-cutting among operators taking passengers back to Pattaya via Bali Hai Pier. One side was said to comprise speedboat operators based on Koh Larn who have worked in the trade for more than 30 years. The other group reportedly consisted of Pattaya-based speedboat operators who had crossed to Koh Larn to run the same business. Continued …
Thai AirAsia returns to Suvarnabhumi on October 1
Thai AirAsia will resume domestic operations from Suvarnabhumi Airport on Oct. 1, with direct flights to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi as part of a major increase in fourth-quarter capacity ahead of the year-end high season.
The airline will continue its dual-airport strategy in Bangkok, operating 22 direct routes from Don Mueang International Airport and three from Suvarnabhumi. Its network will also include nine cross-regional routes designed to improve domestic connectivity and support regional economies. Continued …
Udon Thani Airport set for Kunming charter flights from September
Phattrapong Phattraprasit, deputy transport minister, updated the public on the development of regional airports, saying the ministry continues to advance its “Airport for Regional Development” policy to bring safety and facilities up to international standards and support growth in international economic activity.
Alongside the higher standards, Udon Thani Airport is also preparing to welcome international tourists. Danai Ruangsorn, director-general of the Department of Airports (DOA), said Lucky Air was preparing to launch its inaugural charter flight from Kunming in China to Udon Thani. Continued …
The rise and fall of the world’s superjumbo A380
Australia’s Qantas Airways said yesterday itwould begin retiring its 10 Airbus A380 superjumbos from mid-2028, four years earlier than previously planned, as maintenance costs rise and newer, more-efficient aircraft join its fleet. Continued …
Bangkok’s Loha Prasat: The world’s third ‘Iron Castle’
Ratchanatdaram Worawihan is one of the capital’s most distinctive Buddhist landmarks, combining an ancient architectural concept with a striking golden appearance.
The name Loha Prasat translates roughly as “iron castle” or “iron monastery.” The approximately 36-meter-high structure was built during the reign of King Rama III within the grounds of Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan. Continued …
Betong, a small town in Thailand with some good surprises
The first thing that caught our attention in Betong wasn’t a temple, a market or a scenic viewpoint. It was two enormous yellow chicken statues keeping “watch” over a road junction.
My friend and I didn’t think much of it. We’d come across our fair share of unusual attractions while traveling, so we simply drove past them. It wasn’t until we noticed chicken sculptures perched on the nearby lamp posts that we decided it was worth looking into. Continued …
El Niño brewing a new crisis for Thai economy next year
Thailand is staring at the dire consequences of the El Niño phenomenon and below-average rainfall on the economy, as well as the wider impact on society, many experts have warned.
Water levels in dams across the country remain low despite the recent flash floods that inundated Nan province, and both local and international experts say an intensifying El Niño may drag into the first half of 2027. Continued …
Doi Tao Lake runs dry, impending El Niño sparks drought fears in Chiang Mai
The water level in Doi Tao Lake, located upstream of the Bhumibol Dam in Chiang Mai’s Doi Tao district, has dropped significantly, leaving local fishermen and floating restaurant operators high and dry and threatening a major blow to the area’s tourism industry.
The receding waters in Tha Deua subdistrict have left numerous floating restaurants aground. The vast dried-up lake bed has turned into an expansive field of weeds and grass, where local villagers now graze their cattle instead of navigating watercraft. Continued …
Nepal-Tibet floods: More than 1,300 missing as search for survivors continues
Rescue teams rushed yesterday to find more than 1,300 people missing on the Nepal-Tibet border in flash floods and landslides that killed at least 165 and swept away entire villages. Many of the missing are foreign tourists, officials said of the disaster, which the US Geological Survey believe was caused by a glacial collapse that sent a flow of debris engulfing homes along the way. Continued …
Two unstable lakes raise fresh flood fears in Nepal and China
Nepal and China issued fresh warnings yesterday over the risk of further flooding in the Himalayas, as two newly formed lakes on opposite sides of their border threatened to burst in an area already devastated by severe floods this week. Search-and-rescue operations continued across debris-filled valleys and mountain slopes after Wednesday’s flooding swept through border areas of Nepal and China’s Tibet region. Nearly 1,000 people remained missing, while at least 362 deaths have been reported. Continued …
Trump renames Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ for US federal use
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America” for US federal purposes, escalating an increasingly hostile trade dispute with Canada. The order applies to references used by the US federal government and does not determine what Canada, international bodies, state authorities, private companies or map providers call the lake. 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
If you have spent any time researching weight loss camp in Thailand, you have probably noticed that the options range widely. Some are fitness retreats with Muay Thai and green smoothies. Others are medical programs with clinical staff and blood tests every week. A few are somewhere in between.
Thailand is set for more unsettled weather over the next 24 hours, with heavier rain expected in parts of the north, east, and south as the southwest monsoon strengthens over the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand.
Rescuers say they are elated to have found survivors who have been trapped in a flooded cave in Laos for a week but caution that it will be difficult to extract them. Five people were found alive yesterday afternoon and rescuers are searching for two others who remain missing.
Iranian state television reported that it had received an unofficial draft preliminary framework of understanding between Iran and the United States aimed at ending the continuing conflict, with one key element being the restoration of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within one month.
An affordability crisis is approaching due to rising costs, says Vice Minister of Finance Santitarn Sathirathai, while urging all sectors to adapt to the challenges ahead.
Analysts are highlighting retail and consumer stocks as the major beneficiaries of Thailand’s latest consumer stimulus program called “Thai Chuay Thai Plus”, which is expected to provide short-term support for domestic consumption to stabilize the economy.
The energy transition is a game-changer for the economy, says Amonthep Chawla, executive vice president and head of the research office at CIMB Thai Bank.
Thailand’s housing market showed signs of recovery inthe first quarter of 2026, the Government Housing Bank said on yesterday, with transaction volumes rising amid government stimulus even as gains in value lagged, underscoring weak purchasing power.
Thailand’s exports to the United States remain exposed to renewed tariff pressure despite a recent decline in effective US import duties, as Washington is likely to deploy other trade measures, including Section 301 investigations, the National Economic and Social Development Council has warned.
Thai pig farmers are facing mounting losses as farm-gate prices continue to fall below production costs despite a recovery in pork consumption, prompting the National Swine Raisers Assn. to warn of possible market distortion from aggressive pork-shop competition and suspected external supply.
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has set up screening checkpoints at Suvarnabhumi Airport to monitor passengers arriving from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, following the Ministry of Public Health’s classification of both nations as dangerous communicable disease zones for Ebola.
Over recent years, the idea of being a “digital nomad”, or a worker able to work from anywhere in the world, has moved from a niche lifestyle into a widely popular way of life, especially after remote work became normal in many industries around the world. But 2026 has reflected a significant shift in digital nomad culture.
Phuket’s Banana Beach Breaks Into the World’s Top 10
Britain was thrown into meteorological confusion Tuesday after temperatures reached 35 degrees Celsius, a temperature Thai people traditionally describe as “the walk from 7-Eleven to the motorbike.” The reading, recorded at London’s Kew Gardens and Heathrow Airport, broke a century-old spring temperature record for the second time in 24 hours. 
According to data compiled by Thansettakij, PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Co. (OR) and Bangchak Corp. (BCP) announced a B2.14-per-liter cut across all diesel products.
Hua Hin City Municipality is moving to address recent low water pressure problems in part of the town after residents in the Hua Hin 55 area complained about weak water flow.
Iran blocks Hormuz oil traffic as Israel keeps hitting Lebanon
Israel pounded Lebanon with its heaviest strikes yet yesterday, killing hundreds of people and drawing a threat of retaliation from Iran, which suggested it would be “unreasonable” to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace deal with the United States.
Launching war on Feb. 28, US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would learn never to challenge the US military and called on the people to rise up against their unpopular cleric-led government.
The government has outlined management guidelines to tackle the ongoing plastic pellet crisis. Key initiatives will focus on identifying high-priority items, promoting the use of alternative materials, and enhancing recycling.
Bangchak said its oil tanker MT.POLA arrived safely in Thailand at Si Racha district, Chon Buri, yesterday, after passing through the Strait of Hormuz and delivering crude oil to the company’s refinery. The voyage followed diplomatic coordination involving Thailand, Iran and Oman, which reportedly allowed Thai cargo vessels to use the route on March 23 to 24.
Thai Trade Office Signals End of Deflation as Q2 Price Hikes Loom
The World Bank has downgraded Thailand’s economic growth forecast for 2026 to 1.3%, warning that the country is among the most vulnerable in Southeast Asia to the ongoing global energy crisis.
Despite worries from Thailand’s tourism sector that the Middle East war could reduce the number of long-haul travelers, two restaurant operators remain optimistic. They say that an increase in Asian travelers could help compensate for any decline in visitors from other regions.
Songkran 2026 travel surge: AOT expects 3.7 million passengers
Suvarnabhumi airport anticipates handling 1.82 million passengers over the 10-day Songkran holiday period (April 10–19), averaging about 182,000 travelers per day, says director Kittipong Kittikachorn. This represents a 1.9% drop compared to the same period last year.
Opposition parties have renewed calls for urgent action on air pollution, pledging to push forward a clean air bill while urging the government to address the wildfire and PM2.5 fine dust crisis through both immediate relief and long-term structural reforms.
Mae Hong Son is facing a deepening environmental crisis as PM2.5 pollution has surged and a large number of hotspots have been detected. In response, the province has imposed its strictest measures, banning people from entering nine national reserved forest areas covering seven districts from April 7-30, in a bid to tackle the root causes of wildfires.
Thailand to tax under-1,500-baht imported goods
(Editor: We have heard from a reader who has renewed her one-year retirement visa, that Hua Hin immigration is not asking for any Thai tax ID or information.)
Thailand and Cambodia Begin Troop Pullback Amid Border Tensions
Surprising Chinese origins of common Thai words
NATO learns as Ukraine’s ‘creativity’ changes battlefield
Free wi-fi soon for passengers on long-haul trains
