Visa-Free: The Temptation of Going Backwards

An elected official from Phuket has taken advantage of a series of incivilities involving foreign visitors to question the visa exemption policy. His argument: the ease of entry encourages deviant behavior. He is therefore calling for a “review” of the system, even suggesting that a paid visa for all might be more appropriate.

Where are we really? No changes have been adopted. The current regime — exemption up to 60 days, extendable by 30 days on site — remains in effect. The authorities are observing the situation, but nothing has changed. Travelers can therefore plan their stay without immediate fear of a change of rule at the border post.

Fundamentally, the equation “long stay = problems” does not hold. The recorded excesses occur regardless of the length of stay, often upon arrival. Linking staying 60 or 90 days to a mechanical increase in incivilities is not supported by any solid data. If the aim is to reassure public opinion, the political angle is understandable; if the objective is to concretely improve security, targeted control of behavior and law enforcement seems more effective than questioning an exemption that weighs heavily on the country's attractiveness.

Bangkok: Road Collapse Reveals a High-Risk Construction Site

The spectacular road collapse in Bangkok, linked to underground metro works, continues to produce shockwaves. While the teams are filling the “sandbox” at a good pace, the essential thing is happening underground: the foundations of a neighboring police station have been weakened to the point that the acting Prime Minister recommends demolishing and rebuilding it.

This choice will delay the deadlines, but it responds to an imperative: to avoid a repeat. The incident has exposed the extreme sensitivity of construction sites in dense environments. Filling a hole is rarely enough when the subsoil has moved; only a structural overhaul can permanently secure the structure and the neighborhood.

Life Imprisonment in Bangkok: A Political Assassination at the Heart of the Trial

The case of the Franco-Cambodian opponent killed in broad daylight in Bangkok has progressed: the court has sentenced the shooter to life imprisonment. A second suspect, a Cambodian national who traveled on the same bus as the victim, is still wanted; Thai police are hoping for extradition. A third individual, accused of driving the shooter to the border, was acquitted.

The widow wants answers: “Why was he killed and who ordered it?” For the time being, the investigation has not established a mastermind. The trial is scheduled to continue until March. The articulation between political motive, cross-border flows and regional police cooperation remains important in a crossroads country where news items can intersect with national security issues.

Tourism: −7.5% Year-on-Year… But a Higher Average Basket

The thermometer is not looking good: arrivals are down 7.5% compared to the previous year, which was considered a good year. The contraction is largely due to the absence of Chinese visitors, who are significantly down (−35%).

The picture is not uniformly gray: the average expenditure per traveler is up 1.74%. Expect around 46,000 baht per stay, or about 1,212 euros, excluding airfare. Total announced revenues reach 1,113 billion baht, a sign that a more spending visitor base partially compensates for the decline in flows.

Who is at the top of the arrivals ranking? Malaysia, China, India, Russia, South Korea, Japan, United Kingdom, United States, Taiwan, Singapore. Note: +15% for India, and +13.66% for the United Kingdom. European countries, excluding the United Kingdom, do not appear in this top 10.

The Return of the 300 Baht Tourist Tax

The famous 300 baht tax (about 7 to 8 euros) is resurfacing. The new Minister of Tourism and Sports has indicated that he wants to implement it during his four-month term. The expected revenue would finance health insurance coverage for visitors as well as tourist infrastructure.

In principle, it is difficult to object to a modest contribution dedicated to security and equipment. The real question is operational: online collection (with systems that have sometimes faltered recently) or on arrival (at the risk of lengthening queues)? What possible exemptions (children, transit, nationals)? The devil is in the execution. At this stage, the modalities remain unclear.

The Government's Plan to “Revive” in Four Months

With a tight political horizon, the executive is rolling out a dense agenda. The announced priorities:

• Reassure and protect travelers: visible security, law enforcement, enhanced alert systems.
• Ease regional tensions and nurture economic diplomacy, via a “Thailand Team” oriented towards investment.
• Reduce the cost of living and household debt, with in particular the “60/40” scheme reserved for declared taxpayers.
• Combat corruption and illegal gambling: a signal sent to investors as well as voters.
• Strengthen aid to disaster victims and alert systems, after several seismic shocks and climatic episodes.
• Undertake a constitutional reform in a logic of transitional administration.

The schedule is tight. Some measures are symbolic but useful if they restore confidence, the linchpin of a tourism sector sensitive to rumors as well as geopolitical frictions.

Controversy in Patong: Deciphering a Video That Misses the Target

A viral video filmed in Phuket (more precisely Patong) denounces the “presence of Arabs everywhere”, the supposed absence of Thai personnel in shops, and is offended by signs in foreign languages. All this, accompanied by a comparison with a district of Paris. Let's pass the slogans through the filter of facts.

Phuket is not Patong, and Patong does not have “a single main street”

Phuket is a large island-province, Patong is only a city, and its network is multiple. Pointing to a busy alley and deducing a “general truth” makes no sense. Tourist arteries necessarily condense signs oriented towards international clientele.

Foreign personnel: possible, but supervised

The law imposes a strict framework on companies for hiring non-Thais (ratios of local employees and social capital requirements vary depending on the activity). In short: it is not prohibited, but it is cumbersome and expensive, hence a presence mainly in hotels, international-level catering or certain qualified niches. “100% foreign” structures without Thais are illegal and do not last: controls exist.

Signs in Arabic, c...