• Alcohol Sales Banned/Government backs paperless e-Office/Samui water rationing begins/Schools Struggle with Children’s Phone Addiction/HIV Cases Rise in Chiang Mai/79 Bangkok entertainment venues shut
• THE IRAN WAR: Saudi Arabia joins US fight
• ECONOMY: Why Is the Thai Baht So Weak?/Thailand seeks US tariff exemptions/Thai exports set to take a hit/September Finish Line for EU Trade Deal
• TOURISM: Spending money in Thailand/Travel demand brighter/Thailand Expects Record Indian Tourism/More tourists are not enough/7 million visit Phuket/Thai Airways Bangkok–Da Nang
• THAILAND EXPERIENCE: Thailand has second-most national parks
• CLIMATE THAILAND: Thailand Braces for Severe El Niño
• FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS

Thailand Alcohol Sales Banned for Two Buddhist Holidays

Thailand will enforce a ban on alcohol sales for two consecutive days this week to mark the Buddhist holidays of Asalha Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent Day, with many shops, convenience stores and restaurants prohibited from selling alcoholic drinks, unless in areas falling under current exemptions.

The restriction began at 12.01 am today, and remains in force until midnight tomorrow. The Royal Thai Police have reminded businesses across the country that anyone selling alcohol outside the legal exemptions could face up to six months in prison, a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both. Continued … 

Government backs paperless e-Office

The government has backed the Education Ministry’s plan to introduce a fully paperless e-Office system across all agencies from Jan. 1, 2027, as part of its drive to modernize Thailand’s public administration through digital technology.

The initiative aims to improve efficiency, reduce paperwork and administrative duplication, and speed up decision-making, coordination and document tracking, while ensuring transparency and accountability. Continued … 

Samui water rationing begins Monday after drought

Koh Samui will introduce rotating water supplies for seven days from Monday after drought reduced available production well below daily demand, the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) Samui branch has announced.

The move follows a continuing decline in raw-water levels, leaving the island unable to produce enough tap water for residents and businesses. According to the authority, Samui’s main available water supply for tap-water production, from the pipeline system from the mainland, is now about 16,000 cubic meters a day. Average demand on the island is 34,000 cubic meters a day. Continued … 

Thailand Schools Struggle to Break Children’s Phone Addiction

Thailand’s schools are grappling with the lasting effects of children’s increased reliance on smartphones and tablets, as educators warn that habits formed during the Covid-19 pandemic are proving difficult to reverse.

The debate comes amid growing concern over the impact of excessive screen time on children’s mental health, learning and behavior. Unicef says nearly half of young people under 25 have participated in online gambling, while 33% are addicted to cyber gaming. Meanwhile, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation estimates that 98.2% of Thai children are now screen addicts. Continued … 

HIV Cases Continue to Rise in Chiang Mai

Health authorities in Chiang Mai have warned that HIV infections continue to rise across the province, with the virus increasingly affecting the wider community rather than remaining concentrated within traditionally recognized high-risk groups.

According to the Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office, the province has recorded around 23,900 cumulative HIV infections, with approximately 700 new cases each year – the equivalent of almost two new infections every day. Continued … 

Bangkok orders 79 entertainment venues shut in citywide safety checks

Bangkok authorities have ordered 79 entertainment venues and similar establishments to halt operations after inspecting 865 premises across the capital in a week-long safety and licensing campaign.

The inspections, conducted from July 19–26, covered 72% of the city’s target of 1,204 establishments. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration classified the 865 inspected establishments into three groups. Continued … 

Saudi Arabia joins US fight against Iran-linked fighters

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia joined the United States in attacking fighters aligned with Iran, the Gulf state’s Ministry of Defense announced today.

Saudi Arabia struck Iran-linked militias based in Iraq, the kingdom said. The strikes come in response to attacks from the militants on the oil and gas facilities in the kingdom. Defense ministry officials said the strikes were conducted in coordination with U.S. Central Command, the military arm overseeing operations in the Middle East. Continued … 

Why Is the Thai Baht So Weak?

The Thai baht has slid to 33.640 per US dollar, its 2026 high, marking an 8.% decline since February. This weakness stems primarily from the 250–275 basis point policy rate gap between the Fed (3.5%–3.75%) and the Bank of Thailand (1.00%), which sustains a strong carry advantage for dollar assets.

Compounding this, Brent crude near $88.50, up nearly 30% year-on-year, has increased Thailand’s energy import costs and dollar demand. Meanwhile, a B875.3-billion trade deficit from January–May, alongside a 19% US tariff on Thai exports, has further eroded currency support. Notably, softer US inflation and elevated gold prices — historically supportive of the baht — have failed to offset these combined pressures. Continued … 

Thailand seeks 78 additional US tariff exemptions for key export goods

The United States recently announced Section 301 tariff rates for 60 countries that had not introduced and enforced bans on imports of goods produced with forced labor, with Thailand placed in the highest rate band of 12.5%.

The latest measure followed a US Supreme Court ruling that import tariffs imposed through presidential powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were unlawful. The earlier US reciprocal tariff announced for Thailand was 36%. Continued … 

Thai exports set to take a hit from new US tariffs

The US tariff of 12.5% imposed on Thailand could weaken export competitiveness and add pressure to economic growth in the second half, with further US trade measures still looming, warns Asia Plus Securities (ASPS).

Therdsak Taveeteeratham, executive vice-president at ASPS, said the export sector faces growing uncertainty after the US introduced new tariffs under its Section 301 trade measures, raising concerns over the country’s competitiveness despite a strong recent export performance. Continued … 

Thailand Eyes September Finish Line for EU Trade Deal

Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun says Thailand is two-thirds of the way through concluding a free trade agreement with the European Union and is pressing Beijing on three fronts to correct an increasingly lopsided trade relationship — all part of a wider strategy to reduce Thailand’s reliance on any single major power.

While the bulk of public attention has been fixed on Thailand’s tariff negotiations with Washington, Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said two other relationships — with the European Union and China — are just as central to her ministry’s strategy for insulating the Thai economy from the volatility of US trade policy. Continued … 

Spending money in Thailand does not afford foreign nationals special privileges

Tourists cannot buy special treatment in Thailand simply because they spend money, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul declared yesterday as two explosive disputes involving Chinese and Italian visitors spiraled into diplomatic rows, official investigations, a GMMTV inquiry and police intervention.

As public anger intensified, the government delivered a blunt warning that Thai law applies equally to everyone, vowing to protect its citizens, reject foreign privilege and stop viral confrontations from damaging Thailand’s tourism industry or international diplomatic relations. Continued … 

Travel demand outlook turns brighter

A weak baht, an incentive offering free domestic flights to foreign travelers, and the reintroduction of visa-free entry for Indian tourists offer upsides for travel demand in Thailand during the second half of the year through to 2027, although conflicts in the Middle East linger, say analysts.

Boonyakorn Amornsank, an analyst with Maybank Securities (Thailand), said recent data from Cirium, an aviation data and analytics company, indicates that travel demand in the fourth quarter of 2026 is likely to remain relatively flat, despite a 3% year-on-year increase in airline seat capacity in the third quarter. Continued … 

Thailand Expects Record Indian Tourism in 2027

Thailand expects to welcome a record 2.7 million Indian visitors next year after recommending a 30-day visa-free entry, instead of the visa on arrival initially proposed, for Indian nationals, with tourism officials also banking on expanded flight connections from smaller Indian cities to boost demand.

The Thai cabinet has approved the visa exemption, although it will only take effect once the decision is published in the Royal Gazette. According to Patsee Permvongsenee, executive director for the ASEAN, South Asia and South Pacific region at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Indian market remains one of Thailand’s strongest tourism performers despite an overall slowdown in international arrivals this year. Continued … 

Why more tourists are not enough

More tourists are good news for Thailand. But not if the country cannot cope with the pressures they bring. Tourism is one of Thailand’s biggest sources of income. For decades, success was measured by the number of visitors. That yardstick no longer tells the whole story.

More visitors mean more revenue. They also mean greater pressure on local capacity. The challenge is to make sure that tourism money does not come at the expense of natural resources, local communities, public infrastructure, and the industry’s long-term competitiveness. Continued … 

7 million visit Phuket in H1, B263 billion in revenue

Phuket generated 263 billion baht in tourism revenue during the first six months of this year, attracting nearly seven million visitors, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

The TAT Phuket office reported yesterday the island welcomed 6.96 million visitors between January and June, generating 263.01 billion baht in revenue. It said hotels recorded an average occupancy rate of 81.9% during the period. Continued … 

Thai Airways Bangkok–Da Nang Flights from Dec. 1

Thai Airways will operate direct flights between Bangkok (BKK) and Da Nang (DAD), offering travelers a more convenient option for journeys between Thailand and central Vietnam, while further expanding Da Nang’s international air connectivity.

Thai Airways will operate two daily flights in each direction between Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok and Da Nang International Airport. Continued … 

Thailand Braces for Severe El Niño as Water Office Warns of Dry Spells into 2027

Thailand’s Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) has issued a warning that an impending El Niño phenomenon could prove more severe than the country’s 2015 drought crisis, with prolonged dry spells potentially stretching well into 2027.

The agency convened an urgent meeting with 14 key government entities — including the Thai Meteorological Department, the Royal Irrigation Department, EGAT, GISTDA, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration — to coordinate emergency measures for the 2026 rainy season. Continued … 

• Four Europeans Held at Phuket Airport in Cannabis Smuggling Case – Continued …

• Chinese Fugitive Held in Chiang Mai, Faces Deportation – Continued … 

Who will top the next world order?

The era in which global order rested on a US monopoly over military and economic power and values has finally come to an end, taking Europe’s long period of stability with it. The world has become significantly more turbulent and uncertain, and the near future will bring even more instability. Continued … 

Airbus completes record 24-hour flight

A specially modified Airbus A350 plane touched down in France yesterday after a record 24-hour test flight from Australia, ahead of it joining Qantas’s fleet next year. Its 23,076-kilometer (14,339-mile) journey was across three continents and two oceans, and through two sunsets and two dawns. Continued … 

J&J reaches sweeping talc product settlement

Johnson & Johnson has announced that it will pay an estimated $5.5 billion to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging its baby powder and other talc products cause ovarian cancer, in a landmark deal that could end a contentious legal battle that has dogged the company for a decade. Continued … 

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