- Sheraton Hua Hin Resort Recognized/Bangkok Remains the Choice for Retirees/CNN Picks Bangkok/What Worries Thailand?/West Has Already Lost Southeast Asia/Pet-Friendly Gone Too Far?/New friendship bridge/Police corruption war
- THAILAND-CAMBODIA CONFLICT: Fighting continues in Sa Kaeo/Clashes heavy in Si Sa Ket–Surin/Trump ready to act?
- ECONOMY: Analysts predict baht to hit 30/Measures to Curb Surge in Baht/Strong baht threatens to slow exports/New import duty double-edged sword/Auto Industry Pins Hopes on Exports
- TOURISM: Foreign arrivals top 31 million/Strong baht threatens tourism/Firmer Baht may be good for tourism/39 million foreign tourists predicted
- CLIMATE THAILAND: Phasing out coal
- INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN LINKS
Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa Awarded Trusted Thailand Certification by TAT
Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa has been awarded the Trusted Thailand Certification by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), a national recognition designed to enhance traveler confidence and promote responsible tourism across the country.
The Trusted Thailand Certification is granted to tourism establishments that meet rigorous standards in guest safety, secure and reliable systems, clear communication, and inclusive accessibility. This recognition reflects Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa’s continued commitment to delivering dependable hospitality and ensuring a safe, comfortable, and well-managed experience for guests at every stage of their stay. Continued …
Why Bangkok Remains the Premier Choice for Thailand’s Retirees
For decades, the traditional Thai retirement dream was synonymous with a quiet retreat to the provinces or a seaside escape. However, as the nation enters the “Longevity Era,” a new survey by DDproperty reveals a decisive shift in strategy.
Far from seeking isolation, over a third of consumers (33%) now name Bangkok as their primary retirement destination, prioritizing structural readiness over rural tranquility. Continued …
CNN Picks Bangkok for Global Countdown
CNN is set to broadcast its New Year’s Eve 2025 celebrations live from Bangkok. This year, one of CNN’s Asia-Pacific live studios will be based at ICONSIAM, located on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River.
Hosted by anchor and correspondent Kristie Lu Stout and senior international correspondent Will Ripley, live audio and visual signals from Bangkok will be transmitted through CNN’s global news network to international audiences worldwide across all CNN television and digital platforms. Continued …
What Worries Thailand?
The final What Worries the World survey of 2025 highlights a significant shift in the collective consciousness of the Thai public. While structural issues remain at the forefront, the year concludes with a sharp rise in environmental concern, marking the first time in 2025 that climate change has broken into the top five national worries.
This surge reflects the immediate impact of severe environmental events witnessed throughout the final quarter of the year. Most notably, the historic flooding in southern Thailand during November and December has left a profound mark on public sentiment. Described by officials as the heaviest rainfall in three centuries, the floods affected over 4 million people across provinces like Songkhla, Pattani, and Narathiwat. The devastation to infrastructure and livelihoods has transformed climate change from a theoretical future risk into a tangible, high-priority emergency for the Thai people. Continued …
Thailand Shows the West Has Already Lost Southeast Asia
It doesn’t begin with tanks. It begins with a fiber-optic cable. With a battery production facility. With a data center in Thailand’s heartland, owned by Chinese interests. While the West talks about “values,” China invests — systematically, irreversibly.
Thailand, long a neutral buffer between competing great powers, is tilting. Not loudly. Not on command. But through infrastructure, through economic logic, through cultural proximity. The country that once served as a bulwark against communism is becoming China’s gateway for trade, logistics, infrastructure, and IT security. Continued …
Pet-Friendly Gone Too Far? Thai Restaurant Defends Dogs Dining at Tables
A pet-friendly restaurant in Thailand has defended its policy after a video showing dogs dining at tables with customers sparked criticism online over hygiene concerns. The clip showed a dog eating from a plate placed on a dining table alongside people, prompting questions about cleanliness and food safety.
The restaurant, Ko-Ya, said it allows pets as part of its concept and uses separate plates and utensils exclusively for animals, which are washed separately using high-temperature dishwashers. It added that pet food is prepared to the same quality standards as food for customers. Continued …
Thailand, Laos hail new friendship bridge
Thailand and Laos will hold an inauguration ceremony of the Fifth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge (Bueng Kan–Bolikhamsai) tomorrow.
The event will mark an important milestone in celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Continued …
Police corruption war airs in Nakhon Si Thammarat
The provincial police chief in Nakhon Si Thammarat was removed on Monday after a scandal erupted, linked to allegations of corruption and threats. The move by National Police Chief Kittirat Phanphet followed the online release of an audio clip, published alongside photographs of Police Major Gen. Kriangsak Noonkliang and graphic captions highlighting key claims.
The removal and rapid replacement of the newly appointed chief triggered mixed reactions within the force. Some officers expressed relief at his exit, while others supported the view that he was the victim of a coordinated effort to frame him. Continued …
Fighting continues in Sa Kaeo; Poipet military targets hit
The First Army Area command issued an update on the Thailand–Cambodia border situation today in Sa Kaeo province, marking the 17th day of countermeasures and sovereignty defense operations.
The command said operations continue across three frontline sectors along the Sa Kaeo border, where the terrain is largely open and lacks strong defensive positions or solid cover, making it vulnerable to attack. It also accused Cambodian forces of using civilian areas as military positions to launch attacks on Thai forces. Continued …
Clashes remain heavy in Si Sa Ket–Surin; rockets hit Thai civilian areas
The Second Army issued an update on the Thailand–Cambodia border situation across multiple sectors. It said clashes continued in Si Sa Ket and Surin, but Thai forces remained in control of the battlefield.
The update said Cambodian forces continued firing salvos of unguided BM-21 multiple-launch rockets into Thailand, aimed at applying pressure and creating psychological impact. Thai forces responded with coordinated fire support and drone strikes against key targets, including the opponent’s communications systems, enabling them to hold their positions. Some Thai personnel were reported injured. Continued …
Trump ready to act after ‘solving eight wars’
US President Donald Trump has claimed credit for resolving “eight wars”, adding that Thailand is “starting to shape up” amid renewed attention on Thai–Cambodian tensions.
“I’ve solved eight wars and Thailand is starting to shape up… they started with Cambodia, they started up again. But I think Marco (Secretary of State Marco Rubio), we have that in very good shape. There’s a lot of hatred between those two people,” he told US media yesterday following the special ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, which focused on possible ceasefire arrangements. Continued …
Analysts predict baht to hit 30 to the dollar
The baht could potentially appreciate to test 30 to the dollar in the near term amid a sharp rise in international gold prices to a new record high and broad weakness for the US dollar, say analysts.
Gold soared to a new high, approaching US$4,500 an ounce yesterday, driven by broad US dollar weakness, intensifying geopolitics amid US-Venezuela tensions, and strong buying from central banks. Continued …
Thai Authorities Launch Emergency Measures to Curb Surge in Baht
Thai financial authorities have launched a three-pronged strategy to stop the baht’s rapid appreciation, which they have identified as being primarily driven by the country’s booming online gold trade.
The emergency measures include requiring online gold platforms to submit transaction data, evaluating a new tax on online gold sales, and considering a “ceiling” on trading volumes. Continued …
Strong baht threatens to slow 2026 exports as orders soften, shippers warn
Thailand’s exports in 2026 risk growing more slowly as the strong baht, a high base, and softer orders weigh on performance, the Thai National Shippers’ Council (TNSC) has warned.
Thanakorn Kasetsuwan, chairman of the TNSC, said Thailand’s export base in 2025 was unusually high — with growth seen at more than 10% — which could make it difficult for exports in 2026 to expand at a similarly strong pace. The council’s current forecast for 2026 export growth is 2%-4%. Continued …
New import duty a double-edged sword
The Customs Department’s imposition of import duties on goods valued less than 1,500 baht starting on Jan. 1 will have both positive and negative impacts for Thailand.
According to Kulthirath Pakawach-krilers, president of the Thai e-Commerce Assn., on one hand the move will benefit Thai manufacturers and domestic sellers who have been paying full import duties and value-added tax (VAT) on higher-value goods. The change enables fairer competition with foreign sellers, especially those shipping low-value items from China or other countries that previously entered duty-free. Continued …
Thai Auto Industry Pins 2026 Hopes on Exports
After a year marked by weakening exports and political uncertainty, Thailand’s auto industry expects 2026 to bring more stability, setting a production target of 1.45 million vehicles, pending clarity on trade policy and the post-election landscape.
Surapong Paisitpattanapong, an adviser to the FTI chairman and spokesperson for its Automotive Industry Club, said total vehicle production in the first 11 months of 2025 fell 1.64% from a year earlier to 1,341,714 units. Continued …
Foreign arrivals to Thailand top 31 million; Malaysians lead visitor list
Thailand has recorded more than 31 million foreign tourist arrivals so far this year, led by visitors from Malaysia, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
In its latest update covering Jan. 1–Dec. 21, the ministry said Thailand welcomed 31.76 million foreign visitors, down 7.25% year-on-year. Spending by overseas tourists generated an estimated 1.48 trillion baht in revenue. Continued …
Strong baht threatens Thailand’s tourism price competitiveness
Thailand’s tourism industry is warning that an “overstrong” baht could undermine the country’s price competitiveness from the late-2025 high season through 2026, making Thai travel and services appear more expensive to foreign visitors compared with regional rivals such as Japan and Vietnam.
Adit Chairattananont, secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said that if the baht strengthens beyond 30 to the US dollar, it could weigh on tourism for an extended period. He argued that Thailand already has the highest cost of living in ASEAN, and a stronger currency adds further pressure at a time when competition for international tourists is intensifying. Continued …
Why a firmer Baht may be good for Thailand’s tourism future
As Thailand enters the height of the travel season, the strengthening baht has once again become a focal point of discussion across the tourism industry. Trading recently between 31.4 and 31.8 to the US dollar, the firmer currency has raised familiar concerns: will a stronger baht deter visitors, or does it reflect a deeper shift in how Thailand is positioning itself on the global tourism stage?
At first glance, there is little evidence of a slowdown. International arrivals remain solid, flights are busy and hotels in key destinations continue to report healthy occupancy levels. Beneath the surface, however, spending patterns suggest a more complex picture. Continued …
39 million foreign tourists predicted for 2026
The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) expects 39 million foreign arrivals next year, including 9 million Chinese tourists, while announcing its readiness to help stimulate 3 billion baht via its trade show in January.
The “Thailand Tourism and Mice Next 2026” is scheduled for Jan. 23, with 1,200-1,500 participants from Thailand and overseas, and is expected to generate at least 3 billion baht in revenue. Continued …
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Phasing out coal makes economic sense
Thailand’s recent update to its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) was met with polite applause from diplomatic circles and global communities. By finally aligning the national net-zero target with the mid-century goals of our neighbors, the kingdom appears to be getting back on track.
However, experienced observers of Thai energy policy know that targets are easy to set but difficult to realize. A closer look at the Energy Sector Investment Needs and Prioritization section reveals a roadmap that focuses on speculative technology over economic reality. Continued …
Trump administration orders nearly 30 US ambassadors to leave their posts
The Trump administration has ordered nearly 30 ambassadors in embassies around the world to return to the United States within weeks, a move that would leave a large gap in the American diplomatic corps even as President Donald Trump has said he wants to resolve conflicts through diplomacy. Continued …
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Thailand to tax under-1,500-baht imported goods
