Thailand

A leading financial advisor has spotlighted a striking finding: living abroad in Thailand, Vietnam, and parts of Eastern Europe can be roughly 30% cheaper than in India, with the added benefit of cleaner air in many cities. For Thai readers weighing the prospect of relocation or retirement overseas, this claim arrives at a moment of rising domestic living costs and a growing interest in international options that balance affordability with quality of life. The lead suggests not only a lower price tag but a potential upgrade in air quality and everyday conveniences that families and working adults often prioritize when planning long-term moves. The report also underscores how such savings could reshape household budgeting, healthcare decisions, and even education planning for dependents who might study abroad or transfer to foreign schools.

A veteran expat who has spent two decades hopping between continents says Bangkok is the easiest city to work in after twenty years abroad. He describes a city that blends familiar Asian hospitality with modern infotech, all supported by a government push to welcome remote workers. The verdict matters beyond personal comfort: it signals a growing global shift toward long-term, legally straightforward stays for people who work online. In Bangkok, the balance of affordable living, reliable connectivity, and a welcoming bureaucratic path appears to create a compelling package for those seeking stability after years of roaming. For Thai readers, it raises questions about how the city and the country are positioning themselves in a highly competitive international talent market.

Thailand is positioning itself as a premier haven for wellness travelers, with a concerted push from the Tourism Authority of Thailand to highlight a holistic experience that blends ancient healing traditions with modern health and hospitality. The latest wellness narrative casts the country as more than a leisure destination; it frames wellness as a lived journey that connects body, mind, and community. From mountain retreats in the north to pristine beach escapes in the south, Thailand offers a mosaic of experiences that resonate with Buddhist values, family life, and a long history of hospitality. The message is clear: wellness here is not a trend but a strategic fusion of culture, sustainability, and world-class service.

Thailand’s trademark landscape is shifting. New board decisions reveal that determining whether two marks are “too similar” goes beyond a quick side‑by‑side comparison; the dominant word in a mark and the transliteration filed with the application can tip the balance between approval and rejection. For Thai businesses planning to register brands at home or expand into fast-growing markets, these nuances are now as important as the logo itself. The changes underscore a broader move in Thai practice toward a holistic assessment of similarity, aligning filing strategies with how consumers actually perceive brands in everyday life.

Vietnam’s sudden rise as a regional export powerhouse is rewriting the Southeast Asia growth script, and Thailand now faces a reality check about its long-held status as the premier value creator in the region. In a world where global demand has swung between booms and slowdowns, Vietnam has shown resilience by expanding exports, posting healthy current account surpluses, and courting far-reaching investment in electronics and higher-value manufacturing. For Thai readers, the implications are practical: supply chains, jobs, and public policy may tilt toward a more multipolar regional economy where Vietnam’s gains are hard to ignore, even as Thai leaders seek ways to sustain growth through diversification.

A Singapore-based start-up with operations in Thailand has unveiled plans to build a 7,000-tonne-per-year insect protein facility in Kanchanaburi, northwest of Bangkok, signaling a bold push to diversify livestock feed and reduce reliance on traditional fishmeal. Groundbreaking is slated to begin soon, with production expected to commence by the end of November, according to the company’s latest disclosures. The project represents a concerted effort to address mounting protein scarcity in seafood farming while aligning with regional ambitions to promote sustainable agriculture and resilience against price swings in conventional feed ingredients.

Türkiye stormed further into the women’s world championship in Thailand with a flawless group-stage performance, riding Melissa Vargas’s 16-point night to a 3-0 victory over Canada. Vargas, the standout opposite, delivered two crucial blocks and the match-winning swing at the end of the third set to seal the result, while Eda Erdem added a 13-point contribution on a 64% hitting rate, underscoring Türkiye’s balanced offensive threat. “I am fine and I am really happy to be back with my teammates,” Erdem said after the win. “Today’s match was very important for us, because when we came here, we said we had to start well. So, we did three in three and we are very proud of that. I like this national team and being on the court is really priceless. We approached today’s game perfectly. The first set was good. In the second set, we kind of decreased our level, but at the end of the set we remembered who we were, and we pushed and we won. In the third set, the bench players also helped us a lot. So, we are very happy to finish the group with three wins.” The Canada side, meanwhile, showed resilience from the serving line with three aces, and Nyadholi Thokbuom erupted for two of Canada’s three direct serves, finishing with 12 points on the night, including two kill blocks and a 53% hitting efficiency. The result cements Türkiye’s 3-0 mark in the group stage and sets up a favorable path toward the knockout rounds as the tournament moves through the Thai-hosted phase of this globally watched event.

Greece’s summer of 2025 is unfolding as a paradox. Tourism booms to record levels, drawing millions of visitors to sun-kissed islands and historic towns. Yet for half of Greeks, the annual August holiday has become a distant dream. Wages have stayed flat for years, while the price of travel—from ferries to hotel rooms to meals—has surged beyond what many households can bear.

Across Athens and the Aegean, the story is visible in the queues at the port, the empty sunloungers on beaches that would normally be packed by now, and the dissonant chatter of families weighing the cost of an island escape against other essential expenses. One ferry clerk in a busy port booth captures the mood: ticket sales are down by about 50 percent from last year. The anecdote echoes through coastal towns where tourism should fuel livelihoods, but the daily math on a family budget often refuses to cooperate with the dream of a seaside break.

A new luxury rail experience in Thailand promises a deeper, more meaningful way to explore the kingdom’s heritage. The Blue Jasmine will launch a nine-day boutique hotel on wheels route between Bangkok and Chiang Mai in November 2025, prioritizing cultural immersion over rapid transit.

The project marks a shift toward higher-value tourism designed to encourage longer stays and stronger engagement with local communities. By linking cultural encounters with sustainable livelihoods, the Blue Jasmine aims to distribute tourism benefits more widely across rural areas.

Thailand welcomed more than 35 million international visitors in 2024, underscoring its status as a top leisure and cultural destination. Yet there are still no direct flights from the United States to Thailand, despite growing interest from American travelers. The gap stands out when compared with other Asian markets that enjoy multiple nonstop services from major U.S. hubs.

Regulatory progress is reshaping the landscape. In April 2025, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration restored Thailand to Category 1 safety status, removing a major hurdle for Thai carriers seeking direct U.S. routes. The designation signals that Thailand’s aviation authority meets international standards for airline oversight, laying a stronger foundation for future direct services.

Thailand is launching a premium rail experience this November that redefines how visitors encounter the kingdom’s heritage. The Blue Jasmine is a meticulously restored luxury train service that champions slow travel and meaningful cultural immersion over rapid sightseeing.

Starting November 16, 2025, the nine-day itinerary travels from Bangkok to Chiang Mai with only 37 guests aboard. The intimate scale and carefully curated stops reflect Thailand’s shift toward sustainable, community-friendly tourism that preserves cultural heritage while delivering high-end experiences.

A horticultural boom is reshaping Thailand’s economy. In nurseries and exhibition halls, rare plants are becoming valuable assets, with some specimens selling for eye‑watering sums. The scene has evolved into a vibrant botanical marketplace that attracts collectors from around the world and highlights Thailand as a growing center for exotic plant trading.

Data from Thailand’s agricultural and export authorities show ornamental plant shipments generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Floriculture now supports thousands of rural families, shifting some communities away from traditional crops toward plant propagation and export markets. Urban shows, such as Bangkok’s flagship exotic plant event, showcase Thailand’s breeding skill and its appeal to international buyers. The trade is increasingly formal, with legitimate nurseries, tissue-culture studios, and certified propagation programs underpinning export pipelines.

A peer-reviewed study published in 2024 shows Thailand’s captive lion population has more than tripled in seven years. The surge is driven by a growing commercial market that moves animals among breeding farms, lion cafés, private homes, and zoos for photography, breeding, and private sales. The investigation tracked 444 lions alive in Thailand as of November 2024, up from about 131 in 2018, and highlights unregulated ownership, hybrid breeding, and cub exploitation for online content.

A sharp rise in Thailand’s captive lions has sparked a national debate about wildlife welfare, illegal trafficking, and the impact on conservation. Between 2018 and 2024, the country’s captive lion population grew from about 130 to nearly 500, while an estimated 350 individuals disappeared from official records in a single year. Experts warn that missing lions may have been trafficked across borders, inadequately cared for, or failed to be reported, highlighting serious gaps in monitoring and enforcement.

A rigorous investigation challenges the polished image of Thailand as a dream destination for remote workers. Fieldwork in Chiang Mai over several months included expense tracking, social dynamics analysis, and wellbeing assessments to reveal the gap between glossy social media portrayals and the lived experiences of foreigners building remote careers in Thailand. The study aligns with Thailand’s aim to attract high-value long-term visitors by 2025, including remote workers, and asks whether promotional messaging reflects practical realities.

Bangkok’s family-friendly experiences reveal Thailand’s tourism strengths and areas for improvement as the country repositions itself as Southeast Asia’s top family destination. International visitors share authentic perspectives that help Thai stakeholders boost satisfaction while preserving the culture that makes Thailand special for families seeking meaningful immersion.

As Thailand’s tourism sector recovers from the pandemic, understanding how international families move through Bangkok is increasingly important. Regional competitors are actively courting family travelers, so guest insights guide better infrastructure, communication, and cultural exchange. This approach supports sustainable tourism that benefits both visitors and local communities.

A new Ipsos poll places Thailand among the world’s happiest nations, with about 79% of Thai respondents describing themselves as happy or very happy. The finding contrasts with lower rankings in United Nations happiness reports, highlighting how different measurement methods shape our understanding of wellbeing in Thai society.

Ipsos surveyed 23,765 people across 30 countries between December 2024 and January 2025. In Thailand, 79% reported feeling happy or very happy, while only 2% said they were not happy at all. This self-reported happiness is notably higher than Thailand’s position in the UN World Happiness Index, illustrating methodological differences between subjective sentiment and broader socio-economic indicators.

Thailand’s dental tourism market is growing, but safety concerns and hidden costs are prompting a clearer look at standards. A recent SBS Insight story follows an Australian patient in Bangkok who sought extensive restorative work. The experience raised questions about post-procedure care, transparency, and patient responsibility in a booming sector that also promises affordable dental work and renowned hospitality.

Travelers are drawn to Thailand for lower prices, modern clinics, and shorter waiting times. The country has earned a reputation as a dental tourism hub, supported by a robust hospitality sector. Procedures like crowns, veneers, and implants can cost significantly less than in Australia or the United States. Yet the promise of an affordable, painless smile can clash with real-world outcomes when care standards vary.

A bold shift is underway in Bangkok as the city embraces green, water-smart design to cope with floods and subsidence. Sponge parks are being engineered to absorb, store, and gradually release rainwater, transforming how communities live with water and protect neighborhoods, heritage, and the economy.

Urban expansion has eroded natural flood defenses. Paved roads, dense development, and vast construction replaced wetlands and rice fields. The 2011 floods, which caused loss of life and long-term displacement, underscored the need for a different approach. Bangkok now pursues nature-based solutions, aiming to create 500 urban parks by 2026. Projects at Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park and Benjakitti Forest Park illustrate this broader green infrastructure push in Thailand’s capital, supported by collaboration among universities and local agencies.

Koh Samui is gaining global attention as the backdrop for HBO’s The White Lotus, season three. The island’s pristine coastlines are drawing film fans and travelers, signaling a potential rise in film tourism that could boost local businesses while requiring careful planning to protect ecosystems.

Film tourism blends cinema with travel. Viewers increasingly visit on-screen locations, turning beloved stories into real-world economic activity. Thailand’s collaboration with The White Lotus producers marks a strategic branding win and demonstrates destination marketing’s growing power in a digital age. Data from hospitality experts shows film-driven interest can translate into new inquiries and bookings for destinations both well known and less visited.

Thailand’s tourism sector is rebuilding with a clear objective: lasting recovery and inclusive growth. New analyses show the shift from mass arrivals to a model that centers value, safety, and local authenticity. The insights highlight how the pandemic disrupted livelihoods and how smart policies can guide a more resilient comeback.

Before the crisis, Thailand welcomed a record 40 million visitors in 2019, with tourism contributing around 20% of GDP and supporting millions of jobs. International travelers typically spent more per person than domestic visitors, fueling growth in hotels, dining, and retail. The pandemic froze travel, devastating both major hubs and small operators dependent on visitor spending.

A rare Asian golden cat was captured on a trail camera in Khao Luang National Park, southern Thailand, highlighting both wildlife richness and conservation needs. The 10-second clip, recorded on June 20, 2025, shows the cat with a warm, golden coat crossing a sun-dappled path before vanishing into the forest. Park rangers say the sighting emphasizes the species’ vulnerability and the ecological value of the park.

In Thai folklore, the animal is linked to supernatural beliefs and is often nicknamed the “fire tiger” for its striking fur. While some communities hold myths about fiery fur, scientists note there is no evidence to support such claims. Nevertheless, the fire tiger symbolism helps local audiences connect with forest conservation and the species’ fragile status.

A national push to protect night skies and attract stargazers is gaining momentum in Thailand. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) have announced 16 new dark sky conservation areas, part of the Incredible Dark Sky in Thailand Series Season 4. The expansion reinforces Thailand’s commitment to sustainable tourism while raising awareness about light pollution and environmental stewardship.

For Thai travelers, the initiative offers a chance to rediscover the night sky—often hidden behind urban lights. As cities grow and lighting intensifies, safeguarding darkness becomes both a scientific priority and a cultural opportunity. Globally, dark sky destinations—from Chile’s Atacama Desert to New Zealand’s Aoraki Mackenzie—have turned nocturnal beauty into a tourism draw. Thailand aims to join this celestial map, making stargazing accessible for students, families, and adventure seekers alike.

A post-pandemic travel rebound and growing global curiosity are reshaping Thailand’s hospitality scene. Condé Nast Traveler highlights six affordable hotels that deliver a “White Lotus” experience on a budget, echoing the resort magic seen in the HBO series. The piece argues these wallet-friendly properties offer high-end design and attentive service at accessible prices, appealing to both Thai and international travelers.

Travellers are weaving streaming-inspired fantasies with real-world budgets. In an era of inflation and shifting expectations, Thai hotels are well positioned to provide luxury without excessive cost. The feature spotlights boutique hotels and independent resorts in Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Yao Noi, and Bangkok. Guests can expect designer aesthetics, personalized service, and authentic local experiences—delivering the aspirational vibe without the steep price tag.