- Hua Hin waterfront structures to be demolished/Thailand caps visa-exempt land border entries/Public health training for Hua Hin hospitality staffs/Police administration hearing in Hua Hin/Hua Hin Film Club launches/World food prices highest since 2022/USS Abraham Lincoln leaves Thailand/US Navy’s Pattaya visit is plain sailing/Koh Phangan beach dispute/Permanent team to trace nominee firms/Thailand mulls decriminalizing sex work
- THE IRAN WAR: New restricted zone in the Gulf
- ECONOMY: Thai factories suspend work/Thai SMEs face debt tsunami/Food Industry Drives Real Estate/570-Billion-Baht Data Center Boom
- TOURISM: Foreign arrivals decline 3%/Tourism sector divided over 30-day visa/Lucky Air cancels Udon Thani-Kunming launch/Udon Thani Airport joins international list/Thai Airways cancels flights to Jakarta/Riyadh Air starts Riyadh-Bangkok flights
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: World-famous Bangkok noodle shop
- CLIMATE THAILAND: Chiang Rai’s new water system
- FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN TRANSPORT and LINKS
15 Hua Hin waterfront structures to be demolished
Hua Hin Municipality has appointed a contractor to demolish 15 waterfront structures along Naresdamri Road after their owners failed to comply with removal orders following a final Supreme Administrative Court ruling.
The structures stand between Hua Hin Fishing Pier and the Chao Mae Thap Thim Shrine. Owners were given 30 days from receipt of formal notices to remove the buildings themselves. The municipality said no owner had reported completing the work and that officials would now proceed in accordance with the ruling and relevant laws. Continued …
Thailand caps visa-exempt land border entries at two a year
Thailand will start counting how often visa-exempt travelers walk across its land borders. From Sept. 15, most nationalities can use the exemption at a land checkpoint twice a calendar year, and no more.
The rule arrives with the new visa framework published in the Royal Gazette on Aug. 31. That framework replaces the 60-day exemption and cuts the standard stay to 30 days. Continued …
Public health training for Hua Hin hospitality staffs
Hua Hin hotels, resorts and holiday homes were the focus of a municipal training program on Friday aimed at improving disease prevention and public health standards.
The event at Hua Hin Grand Hotel and Plaza brought together 100 participants, including accommodation operators, their representatives and relevant officials. Specialists from Hua Hin Hospital provided guidance on preventing and controlling communicable diseases. Continued …
Police administration hearing held in Hua Hin
The Region 7 police chief chaired an advisory board meeting in Hua Hin on Friday to review police administration and discuss cooperation with public representatives and other agencies.
Police Lt. Gen. Phisit Tanprasert, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 7 and chairman of its advisory board, led the board’s fourth meeting of the year at Amari Hua Hin. Continued …
Hua Hin Film Club launches
More than 60 people attended Hua Hin Film Club’s first screening yesterday, joining actor Vithaya Pansringarm for an evening of cinema at Amara Resort Hua Hin.
The club launched with Only God Forgives, the 2013 crime thriller directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and starring Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas and Vithaya. Set in Bangkok, the film follows an American caught in a violent cycle of revenge, with Vithaya playing Chang, a formidable Thai police officer. Continued …
World food prices hit highest since 2022 amid supply fears
World food prices climbed to their highest level since November 2022 in August, as extreme weather and conflict increased concerns about supplies of staple commodities, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported on Friday.
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 133.3 points, up from July’s revised reading of 130.8. All five categories tracked by the index — cereals, vegetable oils, sugar, meat and dairy products — recorded increases. Continued …
USS Abraham Lincoln leaves Thailand after Pattaya visit
The US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln left Laem Chabang Port yesterday, ending a five-day stop in Thailand after a lengthy Middle East deployment.
The carrier, with a crew of around 5,000, arrived on Wednesday at the port north of Pattaya, about a half-hour drive from the resort city. It was the Lincoln’s first port call after reports of worsening conditions aboard during nine months at sea. Continued …
US Navy’s Pattaya visit is plain sailing with strong spending
Pattaya’s biggest US Navy visit in years has brought thousands of battle-weary sailors ashore, a massive round-the-clock security operation and a badly needed low-season spending surge. After 264 consecutive days at sea, USS Abraham Lincoln personnel have flooded shops, restaurants, hotels and entertainment areas across the resort.
Yet, through Saturday evening, only one minor drunken brawl had disturbed the visit. With police, military teams and US Navy liaison officers maintaining tight control, the feared disorder has failed to materialize. Instead, the carrier’s arrival has become an economic boost for Pattaya during an especially difficult tourism year. Continued …
Koh Phangan beach dispute spotlights nominee fears
A long-running dispute over public land at Laem Son Beach on Koh Phangan has revived concerns about alleged nominee companies used by foreign investors to bypass Thai land and business laws.
The Truth Investigation TV program visited the Surat Thani island on Friday, examining foreign capital in accommodation, restaurants, yoga businesses, real estate and long-term land leases. Its focus was a beach area occupied by businesses despite the absence of legal land title deeds. Continued …
Thailand sets permanent team to trace nominee firms
Thailand’s Commerce and Interior ministries will form a permanent joint team to pursue suspected nominee arrangements used by foreigners to operate businesses or hold land through Thai nationals.
The Department of Business Development, Department of Provincial Administration and Land Department will link and exchange their records. Their shared database will be updated monthly, allowing officials to cross-check company registrations, shareholder changes, people connected to firms and land ownership. Continued …
With Pattaya in global spotlight, Thailand mulls decriminalizing sex work
Pattaya authorities have launched a sweeping crackdown on the city’s red-light district in a bid to brush the sex trade under the carpet after the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived from the Middle East. The crackdown is clearly intended to sanitise the image of a seaside resort that has for decades been notorious as Thailand’s “Sin City”.
Critics have condemned the cleanup as cosmetic and hypocritical, pointing out that the sex industry remains a cornerstone of Pattaya’s economy. Continued …
Iran to announce new restricted zone in the Gulf
A restricted zone will be announced outside the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, Mohsen Rezaei, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said yesterday according to state media. He added that the zone would include areas in the Gulf. Video …
Thai factories suspend work as orders fall and costs rise
Businesses in Thailand’s automotive parts, garment, rubber products and plastics industries are increasingly suspending operations temporarily, as falling orders, accumulated losses and higher production costs put pressure on employment.
Temporary suspensions affected 18,998 workers in June 2026, an increase of 58% from May and 18.6% from a year earlier. Partial suspensions rose even as the number of establishments halting all operations declined. Continued …
Thai SMEs face debt tsunami as fresh defaults and overdue loans rise
Thai bank chiefs are warning that small businesses remain vulnerable to fresh defaults and a return to bad debt after restructuring, despite a decline in the commercial banking system’s overall non-performing loan ratio.
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) reported that the ratio fell to 2.8% in the second quarter of 2026. However, loans moving from Stage 2, which signals significantly increased credit risk, into Stage 3, or non-performing status, remain a concern. Continued …
How the Thai Food Industry Drives the Real Estate Market
When discussing the economy in Southeast Asia, we often hear about semiconductor production, electric vehicles, combustion cars, and tourism. However, one of Thailand’s key economic pillars tends to receive less attention. Beyond being a global tourism destination, Thailand is recognized as the “Kitchen of the World”, playing a crucial role in producing and exporting food to over 350 million consumers worldwide each day.
Currently, Thailand’s agriculture and food sector is transitioning from traditional agricultural production to a high-value export industry, which directly impacts the real estate sector. The growth of the food industry is creating structural demand for industrial space, warehouses, distribution centers, and logistics. Continued …
Thailand Set for 570-Billion-Baht Data Center Boom
Thailand is positioned to attract approximately $15.9 billion (570 bilion baht) in data center investments between 2026 and 2030, driven by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) workloads and cloud computing across Southeast Asia.
According to a report drawing on data from Cushman & Wakefield’s Asia Pacific Data Center Investment report, the massive capital outlay is drawing hyperscale providers, colocation operators, institutional investors, and lenders to the kingdom. Continued …
Foreign arrivals to Thailand decline 3% in first eight months
Thailand welcomed 20,935,135 foreign tourists during the first eight months of 2026, a decline of 3.1% from the same period last year, according to figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The cumulative total covers international arrivals between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, with China remaining Thailand’s largest source market at 3,543,272 visitors, up 16% year on year. Continued …
Tourism sector starkly divided over 30 days visa
Thailand’s new 30-day visa-exemption rule is opening a sharp fault line across its tourism industry before the crucial fourth-quarter peak. The Association of Thai Travel Agents says most genuine tourists need only seven to 10 days. It also wants tougher action against foreigners abusing tourist status.
However, Minor International founder William E. Heinecke warns the Sept. 30 change could hurt medical and wellness tourism. Treatment and recovery can require longer stays. Northern operators also fear disruption to established long-stay markets in Chiang Mai and Pai. Continued …
Lucky Air cancels Udon Thani-Kunming September launch
Lucky Air has cancelled tomorrow’s launch of its charter route linking Kunming and Udon Thani, disrupting September tour programs arranged around the new service.
The airline told the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) yesterday that it could not operate the inaugural Kunming-Udon Thani-Kunming flight as scheduled. No replacement launch date has been announced. Continued …
Udon Thani Airport joins Thailand’s international list
Udon Thani Airport officially became an international airport last Thursday after being added to Thailand’s list of airports permitted to handle overseas flights.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) issued a new announcement setting out the airports authorized to provide international flight services, replacing the previous list. Udon Thani’s addition brings the national total to 11 airports. Continued …
Thai Airways cancels flights to Jakarta due to volcanic eruption
Thai Airways International canceled flights to Jakarta today as eight Indonesian airports, including two serving the Indonesian capital, remained closed because of ash from erupting Krakatau volcano.
The Thai flag carrier announced the cancellation of flight TG433 leaving Bangkok for Jakarta at 8 am and the return leg, TG434, departing the Indonesian capital at 12.35 pm. Continued …
Riyadh Air starts Riyadh-Bangkok flights
Riyadh Air has launched direct flights between Riyadh and Bangkok, initially operating three times a week before increasing to daily services in October. The inaugural aircraft arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport last Thursday.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said the new route should reinforce tourism, transport, trade and investment links between Thailand and Saudi Arabia, while helping to rebuild the Saudi visitor market after arrivals fell this year. Continued …
How a debt-ridden mother of 6 built world-famous Bangkok noodle shop
After rising from financial ruin, a 70-year-old restaurant owner has transformed a small eatery in Bangkok into a culinary icon, drawing crowds that are willing to wait up to two hours for a meal.
You simply must queue up and try it at least once in your life — this is advice often shared on food forums about Jae Oh Khao Tom Pet, also known as Jae O Chula, an eatery famous for its Thai instant noodles in tom yum broth. Continued …
Chiang Rai communities get new water system to remove arsenic
Communities along the Kok River in Chiang Rai are receiving a new village water-treatment system designed to remove arsenic and heavy metals from water used for drinking and household purposes.
(Editor: Unfortunately, this will not solve the problem of mining pollution of the river in Myanmar, which is affecting fish, wildlife and crops.)
The system was developed through cooperation between the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), the Synchrotron Light Research Institute and research partners. It is designed to address deteriorating raw water quality in areas along the Kok River, including turbidity and contamination by arsenic and other heavy metals. Continued …
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Anutin orders Israeli man’s deportation from Thailand – Continued …
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Pattaya raid of unlicensed Argentinian steakhouse – Continued …
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Tourist sought over alleged assault at Pattaya cannabis shop – Continued …
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Chinese women detained at Pattaya school over work permits – Continued …
Australians could opt out of social media algorithms under new law
Australians could be given the option of opting out of powerful social media algorithms under new legislation cracking down on big tech. The draft law requiring a “digital duty of care” is expected to be introduced to Australia’s parliament this week. It would require firms like Meta to give users the option of turning off algorithms that tailor recommendations to their personal taste. 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
Thai superstar Lisa, Lalisa Manobal, released the music video for her latest single, “SaWaDiKa”, yesterday, showcasing Thai identity through Muay Thai, tuk-tuks, Chula kites and energetic choreography.
Thailand is forecast to become wetter from September 8–10, with isolated very heavy rain expected in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, the lower North, lower Northeast, Central region, East and the South’s west coast, according to the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD).
Thailand and the United States have reached agreement on the main terms of a reciprocal trade pact, with Washington offering assurances on tariff competitiveness while negotiators work to resolve the remaining details, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said.
Thailand has ordered a temporary pause on 166 data center projects while government agencies draw up nationwide standards governing resource use, locations, safety and economic benefits. It covers 49 projects under construction and 117 awaiting permission from various agencies.
Thailand’s trade deficit with China has surged to US$55.13 billion, alarming even the Thai-Chinese business community. Imports from China jumped 38.5%, while the bilateral deficit widened 59.3% in seven months.
China’s global influence campaign has been particularly evident in Southeast Asia, including Thailand. Historically, the Thai public and many elites have had relatively warm views of China. However, Beijing has launched a multitude of efforts to expand its influence within Thailand’s society and politics.
Phuket’s foreign arrivals by air rebounded in July, with more than 379,000 travelers recorded as the impact of the Middle East conflict eased, according to Travel Link data.
Electricity tariffs in Thailand could reach 4.11–4.58 baht per unit in 2050 under four scenarios in the draft Power Development Plan, as planners weigh the cost of integrating renewable energy and capturing carbon emissions.
Former Twitter employees have launched a new social media platform called Twitter.now, featuring an automated artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to detect misinformation and fake news, alongside the revival of the iconic blue bird logo and signature blue-and-white theme amid an ongoing trademark dispute with X Corp. 
The day after Volkswagen management, shareholders and unions agreed to cut a total of 100,000 jobs over the coming years, automotive workers said yesterday they were feeling a mix of fury and disappointment. The 10-brand group, which apart from its namesake also includes the likes of Skoda, Audi, Seat and Porsche, said late Thursday it would cut an additional 50,000 jobs, bringing total planned reductions to 100,000. 
Thailand’s Energy Ministry has warned that global oil prices could remain highly volatile and continue rising after renewed fighting between the United States and Iran, while the country’s Oil Fuel Fund is running a deficit of more than 80 billion baht.
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) has raised its 2026 economic growth forecast for Thailand to 2.1%-2.5%, from 1.6%-2.0%, but warned that stronger exports and private investment are producing increasingly uneven benefits across the economy.
Thailand recorded a trade deficit of US$35.3545 billion in the first seven months of 2026, according to the Commerce Ministry. However, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said more than 70% of imports were materials and capital goods used in production.
Narongsak Putthapornmongkol, president of the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, released the findings of the chamber’s confidence index survey for the fourth quarter of 2026. Conducted from Aug. 18-20, the survey covered 503 respondents and found that 46.2% expected Thailand’s economy to grow by 1.5%-2% this year, while 37.8% forecast growth of 2%-2.5%. The results pointed to an outlook below the government’s midpoint forecast of 2.2%.
Thailand’s retail sector is calling for stronger economic stimulus, including the revival of the Easy e-Receipt scheme, with an eligible spending ceiling of 100,000 baht, as household debt and accumulated living costs continue to squeeze consumers’ purchasing power.
Bangkok has suspended three planned standalone data center projects and ordered them to undergo a fresh review, as authorities prepare tighter regulations covering fuel storage, land use, safety, and pressure on electricity and water supplies.
The government is moving to address a regulatory gap in the data center sector, with the Data Center Business Policy Committee preparing an urgent meeting to develop a coordinated oversight framework.
U.S. Shrimp Coalition seeks zero tariffs for Thai shrimp
Indian tourist arrivals to Thailand fell 11.6% year-on-year between Aug. 1-22, making India the only one of the country’s four main overseas markets to record a decline during the period.
Thai Airways International (THAI) will operate 66 domestic and international routes during its winter 2026/27 timetable, covering destinations across Europe, Australia and Asia. The schedule will run from Oct. 25 to March 27, 2027), coinciding with Thailand’s peak tourism season.
AirAsia has signed its first-ever codeshare agreement, teaming up with Turkey’s largest low-cost carrier, Pegasus Airlines, to open seamless connections between Southeast Asia and Europe through Istanbul, the two airlines announced at AirAsia’s headquarters in Sepang, Malaysia, yesterday.
Thailand currently ranks as the world’s 20th-largest coffee producer, down from the top 15 a decade ago. The country grows mainly robusta, although arabica production is growing, highlighting a sharper focus on quality.
EGAT explores SMRs to bolster Thailand’s energy security
The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) is preparing 1,520 electric buses to replace aging vehicles, with deliveries expected to begin in March 2027. Kittikan Chomdoung Charuworapolkul, BMTA director, said the transition would improve passenger convenience, safety and environmental performance while reducing the organization’s fuel and maintenance costs by an estimated 4.1 billion baht annually.
The world has failed in its goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times, the United Nations (UN) said yesterday, in a sober assessment that laid out a new goal for fighting climate change that would set the world on an uncertain path.
US energy firms yesterday signed a raft of multibillion-dollar deals with Venezuela, days after the South American country agreed to grant the United States control of a huge chunk of its vast oil reserves. Energy Secretary Chris Wright traveled to Caracas to oversee the signing of deals worth “tens of billions of dollars of investment,” seen as a quid pro quo for Washington winning majority control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves. 
The Dutch central bank said yesterday it had moved 86 tons of its gold reserves out of the United States and Canada to London, citing “increasing geopolitical unrest”. De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) said gold reserves held in London could be traded more easily than those held in New York and Ottawa. 
Fuel prices at PTT Station and Bangchak outlets rose today, with most petrol and gasohol products increasing by 0.60 baht per liter. PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Co. (OR) and Bangchak Corp. (BCP) announced the new retail rates.
The 2026 Siam PGA Pairs Classic brought 104 golfers to Hua Hin for two days of competition at Black Mountain Golf Club and Pineapple Valley Golf Club. Held on Aug, 15-16, the tournament marked its ninth staging since launching in 2017.
Civil society groups have come out against proposed changes to the universal healthcare law, warning the amendments could erode rights to public health coverage.
Oil prices jumped more than US$4 a barrel to five-week closing highs yesterday, after renewed fighting between the United States and Iran intensified concerns over Middle East supply disruptions.
‘Lisa Effect’ Turns Thailand’s Travel Dreams into Real Search Demand
Thailand’s draft Power Development Plan for 2026–2050, or PDP 2026, sets out a major restructuring of the country’s energy system, including about 50,900 megawatts of new capacity in its first phase and a substantial increase in clean power.
Euro zone inflation jumped to 3.3% in August, the highest level in three years, as the war in the Middle East kept pushing up energy costs, official data showed yesterday. Well above the European Central Bank’s 2% target, the figure from the EU’s statistical office was up sharply from 2.9% in July and in line with forecasts by analysts. 
A sell-off of bonds from key countries worldwide deepened yesterday, sending government borrowing costs soaring and equities lower as investors fretted that energy-driven inflation would force central bankers to hike interest rates. The latest bout of fighting between the United States and Iran has pushed oil prices higher, stoking the fears of tighter monetary policy that could weigh on economic growth. 
China has seen an explosive growth in its renewable installation, with coal’s share in its energy mix edging down in recent years. Now, China’s solar energy capacity has surpassed that of coal-fired power for the first time ever. 
The Hua Hin Ship to Sea Ceremony will return on Saturday, Sept. 26, offering residents and visitors the chance to witness one of the town’s longstanding fishing community traditions.
Prachuap Bay coastal defenses reviewed
Thailand recorded 220 deaths and 19,316 injuries in road accidents during the latest week, according to figures from the ThaiRSC accident reporting centre released on Sunday.
From heartbreak to history as Thailand finally reaches the Olympics
The Department of Local Administration terminated the employment of 3,868 officials nationwide yesterday, suspecting them of rigging their recruitment examination results late last year.
Pattaya authorities have designated Soi 6, Soi 6/1 and Soi 7 as “off-limits” areas for US Navy personnel during the upcoming visit of the USS Abraham Lincoln and two accompanying vessels to Chon Buri.
The Legacy of Thai Elephants
Celebrating 50 Years of Thailand’s Dinosaur Renaissance
In the Ukrainian frontline town of Druzhkivka, the buzz of Russian drones and sound of artillery shelling have become daily life for the few residents who still remain there, sheltering in damaged apartment blocks and homes ripped by years of Russian attacks.