Hua Hin tourist trains/Miss Grand International in Hua Hin/PM cools Trump’s peace bid/Trump wants peace deal role/Super app for unified health services/Thailand to Reconsider Cannabis Laws/Same-day delivery gains momentum/MP slams outdated booze ban laws/Three bomb blasts in Yala/Gold hits $4,000/ECONOMY: Inflation expectations crash to 0%/New course to escape middle-income trap/Thai influencers backed/TOURISM: Surat Thani transportation upgrades/Tourism Downturn Impacting Elephant Nature Park/EU’s new biometric border checks/CLIMATE THAILAND: Solar energy world’s cheapest power source/Bt720 billion clean energy investments/Push to recycle plastic waste/FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN LINKS
Hua Hin tourist train programs announced
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has launched seasonal travel programs featuring its Japanese-style KIHA 183 and luxury SRT Royal Blossom trains, running every weekend from October to December 2025.
The announcement is part of SRT’s late rainy to early cool season tourism calendar, aimed at offering passengers a mix of cultural, natural, and leisure experiences. Tickets went on sale on Oct. 5 and are available at all stations nationwide and through the SRT D-Ticket online system. Continued …
Miss Grand International 2025 contestants in Hua Hin
Miss Grand International 2025 Hua Hin officially began as contestants from 77 countries arrived in the city for an exclusive pre-pageant retreat. Organized by real estate developer Proud Group, the event highlighted Hua Hin’s unique charm under the theme “The City of Happiness”, with a focus on cultural and wellness tourism.
The contestants were welcomed with a series of activities designed to showcase the city’s appeal as a premier cultural and wellness destination. Hua Hin’s growing role in international tourism was at the heart of the program, providing opportunities to experience Thai culture while promoting the city on a global stage. Continued …
PM Anutin cools Trump’s peace bid in Thai-Cambodian conflict
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has poured cold water on Us President Trump’s attempt to mediate peace talks between Thailand and Cambodia, stressing that any negotiations must meet strict conditions agreed upon by Bangkok.
Anutin outlined four key conditions that must be met before talks can proceed. These include the complete withdrawal of military forces and weapons from disputed areas, removal of intruders from Thai territory, clearing of hazardous materials, and respect for Thailand’s sovereignty. Continued …
Trump wants peace deal role to attend ASEAN summit
US President Donald Trump has said he is willing to attend the ASEAN summit in Malaysia later this month — as long as he can preside over the signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, according to a US news site.
The White House has made Trump’s attendance at the Oct. 26-28 meeting in Kuala Lumpur conditional on the staging of a signing ceremony on the summit sidelines, as well as saying China should not be involved. Continued …
Thailand to launch ‘Moh Promt+’ super app for unified health services
Pattana Promphat, the minister of public health (MOPH), announced yesterday that as part of the ministry’s urgent four-month “Quick Win” policy agenda, a key initiative is “Doctors Not Exhausted, Citizens Not Waiting: Connecting All Services Through Technology.”
The MOPH is set to develop the existing “Moh Promt” application into “Moh Promt+,” which will serve as the principal super app for health, giving the public access to a comprehensive range of services. Continued …
Thailand to Reconsider Cannabis Laws Amid Industry Concerns
The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has announced a review of current cannabis laws following pressure from industry advocates. The group “Writing Thailand’s Cannabis Future” has argued that stringent regulations are crippling the sector and called for swift reforms to rejuvenate the market.
The advocacy group met with Deputy Permanent Secretary Sakda Alapach at the Ministry of Public Health to discuss concerns. The group has also reached out to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat, highlighting the need to reverse regulatory measures introduced by former minister Somsak Thepsutin, which they claim have undermined the industry. Continued …
Same-day delivery gains momentum
Same-day delivery has become the latest battleground for both competitive e-commerce and express delivery sectors. KEX Express (Thailand) Plc, an express parcel delivery firm, recently introduced a same-day delivery service.
Meanwhile, the Logistech Association Thailand is urging regulators to tell e-commerce platforms to allow sellers to have their own options for delivery providers. Continued …
Phuket MP slams outdated booze ban laws and calls for reform
Phuket MP Chalermpong Saengdee has criticized the country’s alcohol laws for causing confusion and chaos, particularly during religious holidays, and called for urgent reform to support Thailand’s tourism and nightlife industries.
Chalermpong blasted the long-standing Entertainment Venue Act of 1966, saying its vague and outdated regulations have created inconsistency in enforcement, especially during Buddhist holidays when alcohol sales are restricted. Continued …
Three bomb blasts in Yala disrupt city center
On Tuesday, a series of bomb explosions occurred near the Yala Municipality Youth Center in Muang district, Yala province, causing panic and disruption.
The first blast occurred near the fence of the Youth Center, followed closely by a second explosion at the Sirorot Road entrance, and a third blast was found inside a nearby trash bin. The third explosion occurred while emergency services were on site, and officers were forced to retreat for safety. Continued …
Gold hits $4,000, silver reaches record high
Reuters reports that gold prices surged past $4,000 per ounce yesterday for the first time, continuing a record-breaking rally driven by widespread geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Expectations of potential US interest rate cuts further fueled investor demand for safe-haven assets.
Meanwhile, silver also reached an historic high on the same day, following gold’s upward trajectory, as investors rushed to buy precious metals. Spot gold prices jumped 1.7% to $4,050.24 per ounce , while US gold futures for December delivery closed at $4,070.50 per ounce, up 1.7%. Silver prices soared 3.2% to $49.39 per ounce, after briefly hitting an all-time high of $49.57. Continued …
Inflation expectations crash to 0% as BoT denies deflation
The Bank of Thailand claims it has not observed deflation in the Thai economy, even as it lowered its inflation forecast for this year to 0%, driven by declines in energy and fresh food prices.
Speaking after the Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) meeting yesterday, committee secretary Sakkapop Panyanukul said the Thai economy shows no indication of entering a deflationary phase. He said deflationary risks remain low as most goods and services continue to see stable or rising prices. Continued …
World Bank urges Thailand to chart new course to escape middle-income trap
Thailand has set an ambitious goal to move from a middle-income to a high-income nation by 2037 — just 12 years from now. To achieve this, the country must sustain average GDP growth of around 5% annually.
However, with the economy expected to expand by only 2% this year, and growth having rarely reached that target in the past decade, escaping the so-called “middle-income trap” appears far more challenging than anticipated. Continued …
Thai influencers backed in push for global market presence
The landscape of commerce has changed dramatically. One of the key factors influencing consumer purchasing decisions today is “influencers,” who play an essential role in driving the online market and e-commerce, both now and in the future.
The global creator industry is growing rapidly, with over 60 million content creators worldwide, generating an economic value of over US$20 billion annually. This highlights the power of content in motivating and connecting consumers with products effectively. Continued …
Surat Thani transportation upgrades to facilitate tourism push
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn yesterday inspected Surat Thani Airport and outlined policies aimed at transforming the province into a tourism gateway to the Gulf of Thailand.
The policies focus on improving transport infrastructure, expanding international flight connections, and addressing traffic congestion and flood problems. Continued …
Tourism Downturn Impacting Chiang Mai’s Elephant Nature Park
Located in the serene foothills of Chiang Mai, the Elephant Nature Park has long been a leader in ethical elephant tourism. Unlike many other tourist attractions in Thailand that rely on exploitative practices, such as elephant rides and performances, the park offers an entirely hands-off approach. Visitors can engage in feeding, bathing, and walking with the elephants in a natural, low-stress environment, ensuring that the elephants are not subjected to harsh training methods or overwork.
The slowdown in tourism has severely impacted the park’s finances, with visitor numbers dropping dramatically. The sanctuary is funded primarily by the entrance fees paid by tourists, and this decline has left the park unable to cover essential costs such as food, medical treatment, and the upkeep of the park’s expansive forested areas. Continued …
What the EU’s new biometric border checks mean for non-EU citizens
How all non-European Union (EU) citizens, including British visitors, travel to and from the bloc will start to change from Sunday when its long-delayed new biometric entry-check system starts operations.
The entry/exit system (EES) will require all non-EU citizens to register their personal details, including fingerprints and facial images, when they first enter the Schengen area – all EU nations apart from Ireland and Cyprus, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Continued …
Solar energy named the world’s cheapest power source
Solar energy has been branded the “key driver” in the world’s transition to clean, renewable power due to its ultra-low cost. A new study from the University of Surrey named solar energy the cheapest source of power, outranking other renewables such as wind, as well as coal and gas.
Researchers found that, in the sunniest countries, solar costs as little as €0.023 to produce one unit of power. Even in the UK, which sits 50 degrees north of the equator and is infamous for its dreary weather, solar came out victorious as the cheapest option for “large-scale energy generation”. Continued …
Government targets Bt720 billion of clean energy investments
The Energy Ministry aims to generate 720 billion baht in investment for energy development projects, notably solar power and carbon capture storage, putting Thailand on a fast track toward its net-zero goal, achieving it 15 years sooner than the target date.
The projects are meant to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and stimulate the economy under the ministry’s “Quick Big Win” energy campaign, aligning with the policy of the Anutin Charnvirakul government that wants to see Thailand strike a balance between greenhouse gas emissions and absorption by 2050. Continued …
Factories lead push to recycle plastic waste
Petrochemical factories want to promote a circular economy by stepping up efforts to recycle plastic waste, says the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). Aiming to build business sustainability, a circular economy encourages entrepreneurs to reduce waste by upcycling unwanted materials to make value-added products.
The FTI’s Petrochemical Industry Club wants to make use of plastic waste and increase the number of high value-added products, said club Chairman Apichai Chareonsuk. Continued …
- Police Rescue Woman Held Hostage by Chinese Gang in Pattaya – Continued …
- Indian Man on Bail Arrested Again for Selling Hashish on Phangan – Continued …
Starving children screaming for food as US aid cuts unleash devastation and death across Myanmar
Mohammed Taher clutched the lifeless body of his 2-year-old son and wept. Ever since his family’s food rations stopped arriving at their internment camp in Myanmar in April, the father had watched helplessly as his once-vibrant baby boy weakened, suffering from diarrhea and begging for food. On May 21, exactly two weeks after Taher’s little boy died, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat before Congress and declared: “No one has died” because of his government’s decision to gut its foreign aid program. Rubio also insisted: “No children are dying on my watch.” Continued …
Hua Hin Links
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Kui Buri Model for peaceful co-existence of humans and wild elephants
Lisa shines in acting debut as ‘Mook’ in The White Lotus
Majority of Thais have no travel plans for year-end
