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THAILAND LIVE Thailand Live Friday 15 August 2025
Thailand Losing Tourist Edge to Vietnam and South Korea Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. File photo courtesy of Wikipedia Thailand's once-thriving tourism industry is experiencing a significant slowdown due to intense competition from Vietnam and South Korea. Industry executives have flagged ineffective domestic subsidy schemes and unfavourable safety perceptions as additional hurdles to growth. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1369776-thailand-losing-tourist-edge-to-vietnam-and-south-korea/ -
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Tourism Thailand Losing Tourist Edge to Vietnam and South Korea
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. File photo courtesy of Arianos via Wikipedia Thailand's once-thriving tourism industry is experiencing a significant slowdown due to intense competition from Vietnam and South Korea. Industry executives have flagged ineffective domestic subsidy schemes and unfavourable safety perceptions as additional hurdles to growth. Vietnam and South Korea are gaining attention by expanding their visa-free entry schemes, specifically targeting markets such as Belgium, the Netherlands, and China for Golden Week holidays. While Thailand's visa-free policy covers 93 countries, industry insiders stress that safety concerns and a lack of promotional initiatives hinder its effectiveness. Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), highlights the government's tardy response to incidents affecting Thailand's safety image. The government has been slow to act after facing border issues with Cambodia and an attack on Malaysian tourists in August, which has impacted confidence. The delay has led to a rise in negative sentiment on social media, challenging the country’s target of 35 million foreign arrivals in 2023. IIn response to the declining tourist confidence, Atta is organising roadshows in Taiwan and India. AAs of August, Thailand welcomed 20.2 million arrivals, reflecting a 6.9% decline compared to the previous year. Chinese tourists, the largest segment, have decreased by around 30%, shifting focus to other destinations. Vietnam appears to be a major beneficiary, boasting a 22.5% increase in foreign tourists in the first seven months, a total of 12.2 million. Notably, Da Nang attracted over a million South Korean tourists, reported the Bangkok Post. Morrakot Kuldilok, president of the eastern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), has also noted shifts in tourist hotspots. She observed that tourists from Russia, Europe, and India are moving from Pattaya to Vietnam because they are attracted by newer and more affordable accommodations. A luxury hotel in Vietnam can cost half that of a similar property in Pattaya. The Thai government has been urged to tackle challenges, including the strong baht, which has elevated hotel prices by 5-7%. A recent THA survey of 126 hotels revealed that 47% felt the domestic tourism co-payment scheme would not increase revenue, while 28% predicted only minimal gains. Despite these challenges, Chon Buri remains a top destination, with 48,000 bookings projected from a pool of 300,000 in major cities. Stakeholders stress the need for swift action to rejuvenate Thailand's slipping tourism momentum. Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-08-15 -
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Ear problem, crackling sound when chewing
No, nothing like that... I ride motorbike a lot when I'm in Thailand.. -
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THAILAND LIVE Thailand Live Friday 15 August 2025
Baht Boost: Thai Currency Set to Soar as Dollar Dips File photo Analysts predict that the Thai baht will soon test 32 against the US dollar, with even stronger gains due to a weakening greenback. The US Federal Reserve faces mounting pressure to cut interest rates in September, creating a favourable environment for the baht's rise. Following Thailand’s 25 basis points policy rate cut, the baht hovered between 32.24 and 32.26 to the dollar on Thursday, after wrapping up at 32.31 on Wednesday. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1369775-baht-boost-thai-currency-set-to-soar-as-dollar-dips/ -
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Economy Baht Boost: Thai Currency Set to Soar as Dollar Dips
File photo Analysts predict that the Thai baht will soon test 32 against the US dollar, with even stronger gains due to a weakening greenback. The US Federal Reserve faces mounting pressure to cut interest rates in September, creating a favourable environment for the baht's rise. Following Thailand’s 25 basis points policy rate cut, the baht hovered between 32.24 and 32.26 to the dollar on Thursday, after wrapping up at 32.31 on Wednesday. Asian currencies are on the rise, with substantial gains for the Indonesian rupiah and Malaysian ringgit, as the US dollar slumps to its lowest in weeks. This rebound comes amid heavy dollar sell-offs and diminished US bond yields, as markets anticipate a Federal Reserve rate reduction next month. Head of research at K-Research, Kanjana Chockpisansin, noted the impact of this dynamic on currency strength across the globe. According to CME FedWatch, there is a near certainty (99.9%) that the Fed will cut rates by 25 basis points at its September meeting, spurred by the latest inflation figures. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated a potential rate cut of up to 0.50% due to weak employment numbers. He advocates for a minimum 1.5 percentage point reduction in the benchmark rate, reported the Bangkok Post. Despite the rate interventions, the Bank of Thailand is vigilant about the baht’s rising strength relative to regional currencies, a factor affecting Thailand’s export and tourism competitiveness. Forecasts from Maybank Securities suggest the baht could appreciate further to 31.5 by year’s end. K-Research highlights that the baht has climbed 5.6% year-to-date, trailing the yen’s 7.5% rise but ahead of the yuan’s 1.8% growth. Regional currencies saw a surge, with the Philippine peso and rupiah up by 1.3% and 0.3%, respectively. Meanwhile, the ringgit posted an impressive 6.5% growth. Ms. Kanjana noted the potential for the baht to strike a range of 32.00–32.10 against the dollar through the end of the year. Kasikornbank maintains its forecast of 33.7 baht by the end of 2025. As global markets prepare for further shifts, eyes are on the baht’s trajectory amid evolving economic conditions. Adapted by ASEAN Now from [source] 2025-08-15 -
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Trump and Putin: The meeting.
Ukraine war latest: Trump says Putin 'is not going to mess around with me' on eve of Ukraine summit Donald Trump says Vladimir Putin wants to "make a deal" as he floats holding a trilateral meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Alaska and "maybe" inviting European leaders. https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-latest-putin-trump-meeting-alaska-summit-zelenskyy-russia-nato-missiles-talks-ceasefire-12541713 Putin is gonna play Trump like a lapdog, that is my opinion.
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