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Thailand
Thailand
The latest news, in-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion about Thailand.
Capital
Bangkok
Head of State
King Maha Vajiralongkorn
King Maha Vajiralongkorn
Head of Government
Paetongtarn Shinawatra
Paetongtarn Shinawatra
USS Cincinnati docks at Ream Naval Base’s pier in Sihanoukville on Saturday. Photo: AP
Cambodia

Base instincts: why US warship visit won’t calm fears over Cambodian port

The USS Cincinnati is the first US warship to dock at Ream Naval Base since its China-funded expansion was completed in April last year.

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Tourism Authority of Thailand

Will Thai tourism ambassador Blackpink’s Lisa help lure Chinese visitors back?

IPO

3 Chinese firms add to Hong Kong’s IPO boom with US$2 billion in fundraising

Asean

Just 1 visa to rule them all? How European-style pass could help Asean tourism

While Asean members such as Malaysia and Vietnam have shown strong post-pandemic growth, tourist numbers have lagged in the Philippines.

Tourists have fun in the Cambugahay Falls on the Philippine island of Siquijor on December 10 last year. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong stock market

Muyuan Foods courts cornerstone investors for Hong Kong listing

Thai conglomerate expected to join a group of cornerstone investors in a deal that could raise about US$1.5 billion.

India

Nipah cases in India raise regional anxiety but experts say escalation unlikely

The virus’s high fatality rate has prompted precautionary measures across Asia, even as analysts say the outbreak remains limited.

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Indonesia

‘Cruellest’ practice: Elephant rides banned in Bali parks over welfare concerns

Asian countries, such as Cambodia and India, have ended commercial elephant rides due to the same concerns.

Tourists ride on elephants at Mason’s Elephant Park and Lodge, Bali, Indonesia. Photo: Dave Smith
Cambodia

Fear of Thai border action steers Cambodia towards UN law of sea after 43 years

Cambodia’s smaller and weaker navy will find safety in numbers and rule of law now that it has ratified Unclos, according to analysts.

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Science

Nipah virus outbreak in India sparks worry in China before Lunar New Year

Virus whose fatality rate can reach up to 75 per cent is said to be manageable and less likely to cause an outbreak in China.

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Hong Kong tourism

Blackpink lifts mainland Chinese arrivals in Hong Kong to January weekend record

Hotel and retail industry leaders say authorities should explore more cultural tie-ups to promote the Hong Kong brand, heritage.

Blackpink fans gather at Kai Tak Stadium on Saturday. Photo: Elson Li
Asia housing and property

The View | Why Thailand, India and Japan’s hotel sectors deserve a closer look

Thailand’s resilience in the face of an eventful 2025, India’s uneven boom in branded hotel supply and Japan’s record visitor numbers amid a row with China are deserving of attention.

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Tourists dressed in traditional Thai attire visit the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) in Bangkok, Thailand, on January 19. Despite the multiple challenges it faced, the land of smiles still managed to welcome 33 million tourists last year. Photo: EPA
Asia elections

Thailand’s Pita hopes to rise again through reformist People’s Party successor

The former leader was blocked from leading government and banned from politics after his party stunned the ruling elite in 2023.

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SCMP Highlights

Thailand’s Chinese weapons haul, Blackpink in Hong Kong: 5 weekend reads

From a rapid rise in solo living to Blackpink shows with a Hong Kong flair, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

Animals

Endangered leopard sharks return to Thai waters in landmark rewilding push

The spotted sharks have sharply declined in the wild over the past decade due to overfishing and habitat loss.

Conservationists release an Indo-Pacific leopard shark into the sea at Maiton Island in Phuket on December 8, 2025. Photo: Reuters
Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese carmaker BYD chases 24% export growth with new models, more showrooms

Shenzhen-based company expects to sell 1.3 million cars this year outside mainland China.

Cars unloaded from the ship BYD Changzhou await further movement at a port in Argentina on January 19, 2026. Photo: AFP
Banking & finance

Exclusive | Singapore Exchange hints at deeper ties with HKEX: can yuan business open doors?

SGX CEO also hopes to launch an international board with Nasdaq later this year and expand cross-trading schemes with mainland China.

China's military weapons

Why Thailand, a US treaty ally, is stocking up on Chinese weapons

Bangkok’s recent purchases of Chinese military hardware include tanks, missiles and ships, while a submarine deal is back on track.

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2025 Cambodia-Thailand conflict

Letters | When conflicts disrupt education, societies lose

Readers discuss education for crisis-affected children, how Donald Trump is reshaping global politics, and the truth about Europe.

A boy stands among adults waiting to collect supplies at Batthkav refugee camp, amid clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, in Chong Kal, Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia on December 12. Photo: Reuters
China trade

Vietnam grabs bigger slice of China’s durian market as Thailand loses ground

Vietnam’s exports of the pungent fruit to China rose by US$500 million in 2025 as the country emerges as a serious rival to Thailand.

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South Korea

73 South Koreans repatriated from Cambodia face online scam probe

Arriving in handcuffs, the suspects allegedly scammed fellow South Koreans out of US$33 million.

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Crime

3 children accused of setting man on fire in Thailand for a video

The suspects, aged just nine to 15, allegedly doused the sleeping man in liquid and filmed him as the flames erupted.

An incident involving three children who allegedly set a man on fire under a bridge in Prawet, Bangkok, on Monday was caught on video. Photo: Facebook
Artificial intelligence

‘So fake’: viral Lisa image for Thai tourism fuels AI concerns

The image of K-pop star Lisa Manobal framed against blooms of the Red Lotus Sea has sparked a meme wave and debate about AI in creative work.

A Thai tourism promotional image featuring K-pop star Lisa. Photo: Instagram/tourismthailand
Viral stories

Thai woman dates twin brothers at once, gets family support, sparks mixed reactions

Three-way relationship sees twins sleep with woman ‘in the middle’; pregnancy would see DNA test applied to identify biological father.

Cathay Pacific

Passenger numbers for Hong Kong’s Cathay go sky high with 27% increase

Cathay Pacific Airways and budget arm HK Express carried more than 36 million passengers in 2025 on the back of tourist growth.

Food and Drinks

Your Hong Kong weekend drinks guide for January 22-24

It’s guest shifts galore as The Aubrey and Lobster Bar – and Macau’s Wing Lei Bar – host top mixologists from across Asia.

A cosy corner at The Aubrey in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout
US-Asean relations

Foot in the door or trap? Risks of Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Southeast Asia

Nations are likely to try to avoid early commitment while steering clear of outright rejection to minimise US retaliation, analysts say.

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US President Donald Trump speaks to the media on the South Lawn of the White House on Monday. Photo: EPA
Viral stories

‘Not a gym’: Thai temple warns tourists not to do yoga, climb ancient rocks at place of worship

Officials at scared mountainside sanctuary threaten to close shrine to visitors permanently; online observers decry disrespect to Buddhism.

United States

Opinion | Why isn’t Trump learning from past foreign policy mistakes?

From Venezuela and Iran to Greenland and Canada, US interventions and threats risk spillovers and retaliation – as history shows.

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