- Police Trainer Hurt at Rama VI Camp/Thailand’s Dismal Safety Standards/Heavy rain forecast/Higher electricity prices/Thailand Prepares Ebola Labs
- ECONOMY: When 50 baht is everything/Worker shortages as costs soar/Prices of building materials soar
- TOURISM: Thais have had enough/Tourism operators back 30-day visa/Hotels, airlines defy Middle East crisis/Jet fuel surge/‘White Lotus’ Generated $36.5 Million/Bangkok Airport Cameras Questioned
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: Visakha Bucha Day/Sustainable elephant care in Ayutthaya
- INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS
Police Trainer Hurt in Blast at Rama VI Camp
A police training instructor was injured in an explosion while explosive materials were being moved at Rama VI Camp yesterday. The Special Training Command at Rama VI Camp confirmed that the injured officer was not a member of Rama VI Camp personnel.
According to the statement, the injured man was a police officer serving as an instructor who had been carrying out duties in the area at the time of the blast. Continued …
Can Thailand Finally Wake Up to Its Dismal Safety Standards?
Saturday’s horrific accident in Bangkok — in which a freight train crashed into a public bus at the Makkasan crossing, killing eight people and injuring more than 30 — can be viewed in at least two ways.
The first view is that this was merely an unfortunate, one-off accident. Under this outlook, similar incidents could supposedly be prevented simply by addressing the immediate factors involved: a train driver who tested positive for drugs, a crossing officer who allegedly failed to properly warn the driver, and a careless bus driver who stopped directly on the tracks expecting the train to stop. Continued …
Heavy rain forecast across Thailand as monsoon brings flood risk
The Thai Meteorological Department forecast today that parts of northern Thailand, the upper northeast, the east and the south would continue to see heavy rain in some areas.
Thunderstorms are expected in 60% of the southern east coast area, with heavy rain in some places, especially in Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, and Surat Thani. Minimum temperature: 24-26°C; maximum temperature: 34-36°C; southwesterly winds: 15-35 km/h. Continued …
Higher electricity prices to hit large households, small businesses
Large households and small businesses operating from residential properties are expected to face higher electricity bills from July, as the government prepares to roll out a new tariff system.
The revised rates are designed to ease the burden on low-consumption households while discouraging heavy usage. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has gathered data from state-owned distributors, including the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), to shape a progressive tariff structure. Continued …
Thailand Prepares Ebola Testing Labs
Thailand’s Department of Medical Sciences has prepared Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories to diagnose Ebola virus infections, following heightened global concern over outbreaks in Africa.
The move comes after the World Health Organization declared outbreaks of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. Continued …
When 50 baht is everything
‘We used to spend around 200 baht for a pot of soup for the whole family, but now we spend at least 250 baht for the same amount,” says Nantiya Thongsuk, 13. Fifty baht may not sound like much, but for Namwan’s family, it’s the difference between eating or going hungry.
Nantiya, known as Namwan, is in eighth grade and the second child of the family. After school most afternoons, she goes to a nearby market to pick up ingredients for dinner. It is one of the few things she can do to help her family and lately it has started to feel like a losing battle. Continued …
Thai business groups urge action on worker shortages as costs soar
The government must take urgent action to tackle a migrant worker shortage that has compounded the economic strains brought about by elevated energy costs and put key sectors in jeopardy, a business body said yesterday.
Authorities should fast-track work permit renewals, particularly for Cambodian labor, to prevent workers from losing their legal status, thereby avoiding disruptions to the manufacturing and agriculture sectors during a critical time for the Thai economy, said Wiboon Suphakarnpongkul, vice chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, speaking on behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking. Continued …
Prices of building materials soar as Middle East war drags on
The Commerce Ministry said yesterday the ongoing US-Iran war has led to the construction materials price index rising 112.4 points in April, a jump of 5.9%, which is the highest in 44 months.
Nantapong Chiralerspong, director of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, said as the Middle East war has pushed up oil and other energy prices, this has also impacted the production and logistics chains of construction materials, causing price increases in almost all categories. Continued …
Tourists go wild in Thailand (and Thais have had enough)
Thailand’s tourism industry is built on hospitality, entertainment, and the freedom to unwind. But a recent wave of tourist misconduct has sparked growing concerns about where the line should be drawn.
As videos of public indecency, altercations, and disruptive behavior continue to circulate online, Thai authorities are now taking a much harder stance, massively scaling back its visa-free waivers. Video …
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Foreign Tourist Poses Nude on Phuket Beach – Continued …
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Ghanaian Man Found Living at Phuket Temple – Continued …
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Thai Immigration Detains Chinese Fraud Suspect – Continued …
Tourism operators back 30-day visa return
Tourism operators in Phuket and Pattaya have backed the government’s decision to restore 30-day visa-free stays, saying the move would help curb illegal businesses and low-spending long-stay visitors.
According to the Department of Consular Affairs under the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the policy overhaul is part of a wider restructuring of Thailand’s visa system aimed at reducing confusion, tightening immigration controls, and aligning permitted stay periods with actual travel behavior. Continued …
Hotels and airlines defy Middle East crisis with Q1 profits
Thailand’s major listed hotel and aviation businesses managed to stay profitable in the first quarter of 2026, despite pressure from the Middle East conflict and growing uncertainty over energy and travel costs.
The conflict began in late February, but its impact on Thai tourism businesses was still limited during the first three months of the year. Thailand was in its high season, while travel from the Middle East was in a low-season period, meaning arrivals from that region were not a major factor. Continued …
Thai airlines grapple with jet fuel surge
Despite increased airfares, airlines have been unable to absorb rising jet fuel costs during the summer period, with this expense increasing from 30%-35% of operational costs to 60% in May.
Anawat Leelawatwatana, senior vice president for finance and accounting at Bangkok Airways, said the airline already canceled or reduced capacity on routes with low demand and profitability in the first half. These include Bangkok-Phnom Penh, which was reduced from three to one daily flight, while Bangkok-Phuket was cut from six to five daily flights, and Bangkok-Krabi was trimmed from three to two daily flights. Continued …
‘White Lotus’ Generated $36.5 Million in Thailand Spending and 300% Tourism Surge
Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, director-general of Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), said the HBO series “White Lotus” generated approximately $36.5 million in local production spending across 129 days of filming and engaged around 1,000 Thai crew members.
After it aired, travel bookings to Thailand surged by around 300%, and online searches for the country rose by roughly 88%. Continued …
Public Viewing of Bangkok Airport Cameras Questioned
Concerns have surfaced regarding passenger privacy at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport after a video showing a popular actor at an immigration checkpoint was shared online. Social media users questioned the legality and privacy implications of making CCTV footage publicly accessible, sparking a broader discussion about airport security practices.
The controversy began when a Thai X user highlighted the potential breach of privacy laws after video footage from the airport’s immigration area circulated online. Suvarnabhumi Airport responded on its official X account, clarifying that the CCTV cameras were installed to monitor passenger flow and that live footage was visible to all international arrivals. Continued …
Visakha Bucha Day 2026: Buddhism’s global holy day
Visakha Bucha Day 2026, or Vesak Day 2026, which falls on the full moon day of the sixth lunar month, will be observed this year on Sunday, May 31.
For Buddhists, Visakha Bucha Day is one of the most important religious occasions. It is a major Buddhist holy day when devotees take part in merit-making, offer alms to monks, join candlelit processions, and perform religious ceremonies to honor the Buddha and reflect on the core teachings of Buddhism. Continued …
Visitor programs on sustainable elephant care in Ayutthaya
Footage of tourists interacting with elephants in Thailand’s tourism industry has frequently drawn criticism over animal welfare concerns.
At one of the country’s best-known elephant attractions, the Royal Kraal Village in Ayutthaya province, American mahout Lexi Zamrzla shares insights from eight years of caring for elephants there, while the village’s general manager, Ittipan Kharwlamai, examines the issue through its historical and cultural context. Video …
Closure of Strait of Hormuz piles misery on stranded sailors
Iran’s publication of a new map asserting its control over the Strait of Hormuz risks extending an already punishing ordeal for thousands of mariners trapped on ships in the Gulf. Video …
WHO ups risk of national outbreak of Ebola in Congo to ‘very high’
The World Health Organization has raised the risk of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola turning into a national outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo to “very high.” Video …
Eight dead, 38 trapped after China coal mine blast
At least eight people have been confirmed dead and 38 others remain trapped underground after an explosion at a coal mine in northern China. As of 6 am today, 201 workers had been rescued and brought safely to the surface. A total of 247 people were working underground when the gas explosion occurred yesterday. Continued …
World Bank document shows 27 countries seeking crisis funding
An internal World Bank document reportedly shows 27 countries are moving to secure rapid access to crisis financing as the Iran war disrupts energy markets and supply chains. Continued …
Hua Hin Links and Transport
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