- Bangkok Hospital’s new Hua Hin building/PKK issues weather warning/Sam Roi Yot Run/Phuket nominee business probe expands/WWII Pilot Remains in Lampang/First phase of Cambodia border fence
- ECONOMY: Thailand among the best in Asia/Economy supported by tourism and exports/Fault Lines Rattling Global Economy/Future as a Global Tech Hub/Prime Haven for Business Start-ups/EEC high-speed rail contract at risk/Thai car output falls/Thai Bourse Surges/Thai durian sales soar/Rethinking Thai-US ties
- TOURISM: Malaysian Tourists Injured In Bomb Blast
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: Irish teacher in Thailand
- CLIMATE THAILAND: Social media fuels wildlife crime
- INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS
Bangkok Hospital shows off new Hua Hin building
Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin has offered a first look inside its new Zone B building ahead of its official opening in early July. The expansion will add 50 inpatient rooms and upgraded specialist departments, including the Heart Center, Gastrointestinal and Liver Department, Health Check-up Unit, Internal Medicine Department and Dermatology Department.
The new building will also support the hospital’s recruitment of more specialists and sub-specialists, including doctors in orthopedics, gastroenterology and pain management. Continued …
PKK issued weather warning through Friday
Residents and visitors in Prachuap Khiri Khan have been advised to monitor weather updates closely after officials issued a weather warning for heavy rain, flash floods, landslides and strong winds through Friday.
The Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command Center said areas expected to experience heavy rain could be at risk of forest run-off, flash flooding, standing water, landslides and strong waves. Continued …
More than 500 participte in Sam Roi Yot Run
The Sam Roi Yot Run 2026 drew more than 500 Thai and international runners to Sam Roi Yot Beach on Sunday for the seventh edition of the community race. The event was held under the theme “Through the villages, along the sea”.
The race was organized by the Sam Roi Yot Community Leaders Council and local partners to promote sports tourism, encourage exercise and support the local economy. Continued …
Phuket nominee business probe expands to 200 more firms
The Interior Ministry has stepped up its investigation into suspected nominee businesses in Phuket, with about 200 more companies set to be examined in the next phase.
Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee said yesterday that 159 companies believed to be using nominee shareholders have been referred to an investigation committee, with legal proceedings initiated against 39 firms and 34 ordered to cease operations. Continued …
US Identifies WWII Pilot Remains in Lampang
The United States has confirmed the identification of the remains of a World War II fighter pilot who went missing after his aircraft was shot down over northern Thailand more than 80 years ago, bringing long-awaited closure to his family.
The US Embassy in Thailand said on Sunday that the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains as those of 1st Lt. Franklin McKinney. He disappeared when his P-51 Mustang crashed in Lampang Province on Nov. 11, 1944, during an air battle. Continued …
First phase of Cambodia border fence ‘45% built’
Construction of the first 1.3-kilometer section of Thailand’s border fence with Cambodia in Chanthaburi is 45% complete, a parliamentary delegation has been told.
Naval Task Force Chanthaburi Commander Capt Pratchaya Hanthiam briefed the committee that the wall is being constructed close to the agreed boundary line, with prior notification to Cambodian counterparts to prevent misunderstandings. Continued …
Thailand among the best in Asia for business
Thailand has been ranked 27th in the world and 7th in Asia among the best countries for starting a business, aligning with the government’s ongoing efforts to reform the country’s economic structure and enhance its global competitiveness, according to the US News & World Report – Best Countries 2026 rankings.
Thailand was also recognized for its openness to business operations and investment, underscoring the country’s strength as a key destination for investment and business in the region. Continued …
Thai economy supported by tourism and exports amid external risks
Pisit Puapan, director of the Macroeconomic Policy Division and spokesman for the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO), gave an overview of the Thai economy for May 2026, saying the economy continued to receive its main support from growth in tourism and exports.
The government still needed to monitor external risks, however, he said, particularly geopolitical tensions and global oil prices, which could affect supply chains and domestic production costs. Continued …
Six Fault Lines Rattling the Global Economy
The world is entering an era of disorder. That was the stark message delivered at the Thailand Investment Forum 2026 in Bangkok, where Paiboon Nalinthrangkurn, chairman of the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organizations (FETCO), outlined six structural fault lines now bearing down on the global economy.
His assessment finds powerful corroboration in the latest annual economic report from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the central bank for central banks, which issued its own warning of overlapping vulnerabilities that risk tipping resilience into fragility. Continued …
How Thailand is Securing its Future as a Global Tech Hub
For decades, Thailand’s economic engine was driven by manufacturing and export-led industries. Today, the kingdom is decoupling its growth from the factory floor and tethering it to the server rack.
This strategic pivot toward a high-value digital economy marks Thailand’s emergence as the definitive “digital gateway” to Southeast Asia. The scale of this ambition was recently codified by the Board of Investment’s (BOI) approval of a staggering 842.3 billion baht (approximately US$25 billion) investment by TikTok. Continued …
Thailand Ranked 27th as Prime Haven for Business Start-ups
Thailand has solidified its reputation as a premier destination for global entrepreneurs, ranking 27th globally and 7th in Asia as one of the world’s best countries for starting a business, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report survey.
The findings, published in the “Best Countries 2026” report, underscore the kingdom’s openness and highly competitive commercial environment. Financial analysts note that the ranking reinforces Thailand’s position as a top-tier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) moving through the second half of the year. Continued …
EEC high-speed rail contract at risk
Thailand’s long-delayed high-speed rail project linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports faces a critical decision, as the State Railway of Thailand prepares to ask the Eastern Economic Corridor Policy Committee to decide whether the joint-investment contract should be revised or brought to an end.
The project was signed under a public-private partnership agreement between the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and Asia Era One Co., a CP Group-led consortium, in 2018, during the first government of Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha. Continued …
Thai car output falls 17.9% in May
Thailand’s vehicle production fell sharply in May 2026, as weaker exports, particularly to the Middle East, weighed on the automotive industry, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).
Surapong Paisitpattanapong, adviser to the chairman of the FTI’s Automotive Industry Club and the club’s spokesman, said total vehicle production in May stood at 114,214 units, down 17.9% from the same period last year. Continued …
Thai Bourse Surges 25% in First Half
The Thai stock market has delivered a stellar performance for the first half of 2026, generating returns of approximately 25% and locking in a spot as one of the top three best-performing bourses in the region.
Capitalizing on this momentum, the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has unveiled a fresh strategic roadmap specifically designed to attract “New Economy” sectors to its trading board. Continued …
Thai durian sales soar as TikTok live commerce drives demand
Live commerce is becoming a more powerful sales channel for Thailand’s farm produce, with a joint TikTok and Department of Internal Trade (DIT) campaign pushing durian sales on TikTok Shop up 10.6-fold.
The program was designed to support durian sales from eastern Thailand during the 2026 harvest season, while widening sales channels for farmers, stimulating domestic consumption and improving the distribution of agricultural produce through online platforms. Continued …
America at 250: Rethinking Thai ties
America celebrates its 250th birthday this week. The US is now the world’s most powerful country, and every word and signature of President Donald Trump can shape events around the globe.
Contrary to conventional wisdom that America is in decline, the country today is more powerful than ever before — just watch President Donald Trump’s daily pronouncements. In the past, Washington had to consider other countries and their perceptions. For many, America was the good guy, seeking to reshape the world in its own image, especially on issues of democracy and human rights. Continued …
Malaysian Tourists Injured In Narathiwat Bomb Blast
Two Malaysian tourists were injured when a bomb hidden inside a road culvert exploded in Tak Bai district, Narathiwat, yesterday.
The two injured tourists received emergency assistance at the scene and were taken to hospital. Authorities did not immediately disclose the extent of their injuries. The blast took place in Tak Bai district, where the device detonated on a public road. Continued …
Irish teacher in Thailand: I’ve moved to a city known for the ‘slow life’
Last year, I moved to Chiang Mai, a city known for what Thais have termed “slow life”. I’m almost five years living in Thailand, and came to the country’s second city for a new teaching job.
This northern center has for long been a mandatory stop on tourist itineraries, and it’s not hard to see why. It contrasts strongly with the metropolis of Bangkok, 700km to the south. Its appeal is in its proximity to nature. (Some days, when stuck in traffic on my way home from school at 5pm on a Tuesday, I question that “slow life” tag, I have to say.) Continued …
When social media fuels wildlife crime
The ghostly white creature curled up on a weighing scale is almost unrecognizable in the Facebook post offering it for sale. Only closer inspection reveals it to be a dead pangolin.
The animal, one of the world’s most endangered and trafficked mammals, has been stripped of its scales and is being advertised by a Thai account selling “seasonal wild delicacies”. The post is one of dozens that illustrate what conservationists call rampant illegal wildlife trafficking across social media platforms, particularly those belonging to Facebook parent company Meta. Continued …
Philippines leads the world in rush to solar as power prices soar
People in the Philippines are flocking to install solar power on rooftops and escape the burden of soaring electricity prices, making it the world’s biggest spender on solar panels since the war in Iran started. Continued …
Volkswagen weighs sweeping German plant closures and job cuts
Volkswagen management has told employee representatives that the job cuts already agreed are not enough, according to a works council note. The note said any further reductions had not yet been quantified, at least not to the employee side. Continued …
Hua Hin Links and Transport
Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/Air pollution index map/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers