• Hua Hin beachfront demolition begins/Ezy Airlines Adds Surat Thani-Hua Hin flights//Nene Royal receives US$1.2-million condo/Thunderstorms across 41 provinces/Soil fever warning after 136 deaths/Pattaya roads flood/Phuket landslide evacuation warning/Highest tidal flooding in a decade
• ECONOMY: Thailand’s digital economy/Bangkok condo glut/Bangkok ultra-luxury condos/Inside a modern seafood processing plant/Food industry expansion slows/Russia and Thailand Financial Links
• TOURISM: 450-baht tourist fee explained
• CLIMATE THAILAND: Climate change is shaking up Thai businesses
• FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS 

Hua Hin beachfront demolition begins

Hua Hin began beachfront clearance work this morning, with the municipality urging the public not to obstruct officials as it prepares to demolish 15 buildings encroaching on the beach between the fishing pier and the Chao Mae Thap Thim Shrine.

Municipal enforcement officers, legal officers, demolition contractors and 30 officers from Hua Hin Police Station were scheduled to assemble at the fishing pier forecourt at 10 am. A further 40 crowd-control police officers was to be on standby. Continued … 

Ezy Airlines Adds Surat Thani-Hua Hin Flights From Nov 7

Thai carrier Ezy Airlines has launched its second scheduled route, offering nonstop Surat Thani–Hua Hin flights. Cessna aircraft will serve this route twice daily, although service will not be offered from Tuesdays to Thursdays. The first flight is scheduled on Nov. 7. The airline also operates Surat Thani–U-Tapao Airport twice daily, except for Tuesdays trough Thursdays). – Aeroroutes

CP tycoon gives Nene Royal gold Buddha as she receives US$1.2-million condo

Charoen Pokphand Group Senior Chairman Dhanin Chearavanont has given young Thai guitarist Nene Royal a gold Buddha image and his blessings as her family prepares to move into a luxury condominium worth 35 million baht (US$1.2 million).

Nene, 16, visited the Mulberry Grove The Forestias Condominiums yesterday to receive the keys to the family’s new home. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit has a floor area of about 98.69 square meters. It was reportedly given to Nene’s family before they traveled to the United States for the final of America’s Got Talent. Continued … 

TMD warns of thunderstorms across 41 provinces today

The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a nationwide weather advisory for today, warning residents across 41 provinces to brace for thunderstorms, gusty winds, and potential flash floods or forest runoffs.

Southern region (east oast): Sixty per cent of the area will see thunderstorms and isolated heavy rain, affecting Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, and Songkhla, with wave heights reaching up to two meters offshore. Continued … 

Thailand issues soil fever warning after 136 deaths

Thailand has warned farmers, people with diabetes and residents in flood-prone areas to take precautions against melioidosis, also known as soil fever, after recording 3,102 cases and 136 deaths nationwide this year.

The warning, issued by the Department of Disease Control (DDC) yesterday, comes as continued rainfall leaves standing water and wet soil in parts of the country, increasing the risk of exposure to the bacteria that cause the disease. Continued … 

Pattaya roads flood up to 80cm after heavy rain

Heavy rain in Pattaya yesterday caused flash flooding of up to 80 centimeters on several major roads in Pattaya, bringing traffic almost to a standstill in parts.

The downpour lasted for less than an hour, but water quickly surged across roads in parts of the resort city that are regularly affected by flooding. Pattaya City officials closed off heavily flooded routes, as small vehicles and motorcycles could not safely get through. Continued … 

Phuket landslide evacuation warning issued for Karon

Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has urged residents in parts of Karon, Phuket, to evacuate, as continuing heavy rain raises the danger of landslides and mudflows.

The warning, issued yesterday, covers communities around Patak sois 2, 4 and 6 in Karon subdistrict, Mueang Phuket district. Residents have been told to leave their homes for safer places or evacuation centers set up by Karon municipality. Continued … 

Amphawa and Mae Klong hit by highest tidal flooding in a decade

Coastal flooding, triggered by high tides, has inundated key economic zones, homes, and tourist spots across Samut Songkhram, with local residents reporting the highest water levels in over a decade.

The Mae Klong River and its connecting canals overflowed yesterday, submerging low-lying areas in Mueang and Amphawa districts, including the famous Amphawa floating market, Mae Klong railway market, and roads leading to Phet Samut Worawihan Temple. Continued … 

Thailand’s digital economy forecast to reach US$72 billion

Thailand’s digital economy is forecast to reach US$72 billion, or approximately 2.43 trillion baht, in gross merchandise value (GMV) in 2026, growing 19% despite economic challenges, according to the e-Conomy SEA 2026 report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Co. The report projects that GMV will rise to US$104 billion by 2030 and US$167 billion by 2035, with compound annual growth of 10%.

Thailand’s established digital foundations and supportive government policies underpin the outlook. The national artificial intelligence (AI) strategy covers digital sovereignty, AI governance, the development of highly skilled workers and stronger long-term competitiveness. Continued … 

Bangkok condo glut may take three years to clear

Bangkok’s condominium market may take another two to three years to return to normal, with more than 65,300 unsold units in the capital worth a combined 370 billion baht.

The market remains under pressure from a large backlog of completed and uncompleted homes, weak household purchasing power and a fall in demand from Chinese buyers, according to property consultancy Cushman & Wakefield Thailand. Surachet Kongcheep, the firm’s head of research, said developers face continued uncertainty when planning new projects. Continued … 

Bangkok ultra-luxury condos could top 1 million baht per square meter

Bangkok’s ultra-luxury condominium prices could exceed 1 million baht per square meter in the near future, according to Savills, as rising prime land costs, distinctive developments and demand from wealthy buyers support the top end of the market.

Phattarachai Taweewong, senior director of market research and public relations at Savills (Thailand), puts the potential price shift in the ultimate class segment in high-potential locations, rather than the broader condominium market. Continued … 

Inside a modern seafood processing plant: from boat to shelf

A tuna boat docks in Samut Sakhon at sunrise. By lunch, that same fish is cleaned, portioned, cooked, and sitting in cans on a pallet bound for supermarket shelves in Europe, North America, and the Middle East. That speed is the result of efficient and seamless choreography most shoppers don’t think about, but it’s what a modern seafood processing plant handles daily.

Raw catch turns up fresh or frozen, gets sorted by species and size, and moves through cleaning lines where scales, bones, and skin come off. From there, depending on the product, it’s cooked, smoked, or frozen, then canned or pouched for retail. Every stop along the way has a temperature log, and there’s a metal detector waiting at the end. Continued … 

Food industry expansion slows amid surging costs and weak consumer spending

Thailand’s food and beverage market is projected to reach 682 billion baht in 2026, marking a 3.9% year-on-year growth, according to the Kasikorn Research Center (Kresearch). The growth rate continues to decelerate though, and remains uneven across the sector due to fragile consumer purchasing power, intense competition and elevated operational costs depressing profit margins.

Department of Business Development Director-General Kittiwat Patchimnan stated that they are accelerating efforts to support food operators, grocery stores and small businesses. He emphasised the upgrading of skills, creating market opportunities and establishing business networks to help operators adapt to changing consumer behaviors and maintain competitiveness. Continued … 

Russia and Thailand Seek Direct Financial Links to Unlock $1.7 billion in Trade

Bilateral trade and investment between Russia and Thailand are expanding at a rapid pace despite mounting global macroeconomic friction, but the lack of direct financial infrastructure and persistent regulatory barriers threaten to cap future growth, according to high-level commercial representatives.

Trade turnover reached approximately $1.7 billion in 2025 and accelerated further in the first eight months of 2026, surging by 25% year-on-year to hit $1.55 billion. This growth was driven primarily by a 90% leap in Russian exports, which reached $1.05 billion. Continued … 

Thai 450-baht tourist fee explained

Relying solely on the national budget may not be sufficient to develop the “supply” of the tourism sector to keep pace with the continued demand flowing into Thailand. Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports is proceeding with the collection of a “tourist entrance fee” of 450 baht per person for air travel.

The revenue will be channeled into the “Thai Tourism Promotion Fund,” an off-budget mechanism to improve the quality of the supply side and strengthen confidence. The latest draft of the fee collection announcement proposes a rate of “450 baht per person” specifically for eligible foreign tourists entering Thailand via air once the announcement comes into effect. Continued … 

Climate change is shaking up “Thai businesses,” urgent adaptation needed

The Thai Management Assn. (TMA) points out that Thai businesses must urgently adapt to the climate crisis while simultaneously mitigating environmental impacts. They must also accelerate investment in infrastructure, develop long-term plans, and elevate sustainability as a strategy to build competitiveness, especially by helping SMEs adapt to global trade regulations.

Veerathai Santiprabhob, chairman of the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) and former governor of the Bank of Thailand, stated at the FUTURE FORUM 2026, organized by the TMA under the theme “The Future of Competitiveness: Building Sustainable Growth Through Mitigation and Adaptation,” that climate change is impacting Thailand more severely, causing floods, droughts, heavy rainfall, and rising sea levels. Therefore, businesses must prioritize adaptation alongside mitigation, reducing environmental impacts. Video … 

Upmarket prostitution racket in Singapore procuring Thai women smashed

A seven-year prostitution racket trafficking Thai women to Singapore has been smashed in a major police operation. Four suspects, including two Singaporeans, were arrested in Thailand. A fifth faces charges. The breakthrough followed 19 sex worker arrests in Singapore. Continued … 

• Thailand revokes Chabad leader’s Thai citizenship over US passport use – Continued … 

• Chinese national charged over durian firm nominee claim – Continued … 

• Phuket police arrest Chinese woman over nominee firms – Continued … 

• Thai police detain two Chinese men wanted in China – Continued … 

• Prachin Buri raid nets 18 Chinese and Myanmar workers – Continued … 

Saudi Arabia using solar farms to breed endangered species

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Wildlife Sanctuary covers a vast area of 24,500 square kilometers, stretching from volcanic plains to the Red Sea coast. Although this area represents only 1% of the country’s land and 1.8% of its marine land area, it is home to more than 50% of all species in Saudi Arabia, distributed across 15 diverse ecosystems. Continued … 

Patrick Stewart, Star Trek and X-Men actor, dies

Patrick Stewart, the Shakespearean actor who became a global screen star as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, has died aged 86. A statement on Stewart’s X account announced his death yesterday, saying he had died the previous day at his home in Los Angeles, in the care of his wife, American musician Sunny Ozell. Continued … 

Hua Hin Links and Transport

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