IN AN era of interminable tumult and turmoil, the tourism destinations which survive will be those which can live at peace with themselves, with their neighbours and the world at large. This brilliant speech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa pinpoints how Thailand plans to navigate the swirling storms of global
Analysis
How Travel & Tourism is contributing to a decline in global press freedom
MILLIONS of dollars in advertising revenues being sucked up by tech giants such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft are strengthening their dominance over the dissemination of information and contributing to a “worrying decline” in press freedom worldwide, according to the RSF World Press Freedom Index released on May 3, 2025. Says the
Read moreAnalysis: Thaksin stuck in cul-de-sac steering Pheu Thai-led govt
DE FACTO PHEU THAI boss Thaksin Shinawatra is currently encountering dilemma and conundrum whilst steering the Pheu Thai-led coalition government, albeit literally behind the scenes, due to unresolved, inter-party conflict and sustained legal battles which might probably last until the end of their four-year term in the next couple of years, according to partisan
Read moreAnalysis: Yingluck’s scot-free homecoming Thaksin’s ultimate challenge
FUGITIVE FORMER prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra would have literally mingled with Songkran revellers in her home province of Chiang Mai over the upcoming weekend if de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra had not chosen to keep his self-exiled sister patiently waiting abroad for the yearly, water-splashing festival next time around. The billionaire power
Read moreCrisis-hit Thai tourism staring down an abyss
LED by sharp drops in its two top source-markets, Thailand ended the January- March first quarter with 9.5 million arrivals, an anemic 1.91% increase over the 9.37 million in the first quarter of 2024. Most disturbing is the downward trend from a high of 3,709,102 arrivals in January to 3,119,445 in February and 2,720,457 in
Read moreTrump’s ‘tariffquake’ marks the end of US leadership globally
THE sweeping tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump have been termed the end of globalisation and free trade. In fact, it marks the end of US leadership worldwide. If trust is the most important criteria of leadership, the US has clearly lost the trust of the vast majority of countries and the global
Read moreAnalysis-Trump tariffs pile stress on ailing world economy
By Reuters and published by Yahoo!News London/Tokyo –The latest round of US trade tariffs unveiled on Wednesday (Apr. 2) will sap yet more vigour from a world economy barely recovered from the post-pandemic inflation surge, weighed down by record debt and unnerved by geopolitical strife. Depending on how President Donald Trump and leaders of
Read moreNirmal Ghosh’s new book “Backlash” reveals why Trump now faces a “Counter- Backlash”
THE first question that came to mind while perusing this brilliant, page-turning book by veteran foreign correspondent Nirmal Ghosh was: Whence the name, “Backlash”? I will come to his response in a minute but before that, here’s a point-blank recommendation: Every American individual, corporation and institution in Asia and beyond should read this book.
Read moreAre global Travel & Tourism leaders inspiring HOPE? Gallup report offers food for thought
A REPORT on the future of global leadership by the Gallup Organisation says that inspiring hope is by far the most important characteristic followers seek in their leaders, especially young people. Next comes trust, compassion and stability. As I combed through that report, the first question that came to mind was: Have Travel &
Read moreAnalysis: Risk of violence escalates in Myanmar’s civil war as junta flags elections
By Reuters and published by Yahoo!News FOUR years after seizing power in a dawn coup that ousted an elected civilian government, Myanmar’s embattled ruling generals are making their most concerted effort to gain legitimacy – by pushing to hold another election. In the last two months, the junta has outlined plans to neighbours for
Read moreCollapse of World Economic Forum “Peace & Security” index exposes poor decision-making by global business leaders
A MEASUREMENT index of global cooperation in the field of “Peace & Security” has fallen to its lowest level ever. As a result of the growing sense of insecurity and frustration with “the system”, the patience of the global public is “wearing thin because time is running out.” So says the Global Cooperation Barometer
Read moreWarning signs emerge as Thai visitor arrivals fail to hit 2019 ‘normalcy’ level
PRELIMINARY visitor arrivals stats for 2024 show that Thailand ended the year below expectations. In fact, they are fraught with early-warning danger signs about the future growth prospects of Thai tourism in a rapidly changing and highly unstable operating environment, locally, regionally and globally. The preliminary stats show that Thailand ended 2024 with 35,545,714
Read moreNew Thai E-Visa scheme will NOT affect tourists from 93 visa-free countries
CITIZENS of 93 countries eligible for visa-free access to Thailand can continue to travel as normal WITHOUT having to apply for the online E-Visa set to take effect as of Jan. 1, 2025. The new scheme is only applicable to those coming for non-tourism purposes from the 93 countries as well as citizens of
Read moreNo hope for global peace as ‘merchants of death’, mostly American, rake in billions
THE Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), the world’s leading think-tank tracking global military expenditure, on Dec. 2 released new data on revenues earned by the 100 largest companies dealing in weaponry and military services. What’s that got to do with Travel & Tourism? Everything. The shocking statistics and trends unveiled in the report
Read moreThailand, Laos, Myanmar seek to head off looming dry-season haze and smog
THAILAND, Myanmar and Laos have launched a Joint Plan of Action, under the name of “CLEAR Sky Strategy” to pre-empt and prevent the annual dry-season haze and smog caused largely by forest fires and agricultural burning. While the joint effort may help mitigate the problem to some extent, speakers at the session admitted that
Read moreThai visitor arrivals stats prove link between tourism and peace
THAILAND has reported 26.08 million arrivals in the nine-month Jan.-Sept. 2024 period, up 30.09% over the same period of 2023. A deeper analysis shows how the country is benefitting from both internal peace and external conflicts as it seeks to safeguard the role of tourism as an economic mainstay in the second year of
Read moreTourism, connectivity and soft-power set to drive “proactive” Thai foreign policy
PROMOTING tourism, connectivity with the regional countries and Thai soft-power are to be the core drivers of the Foreign Ministry’s “proactive, people-centred economic diplomacy” in the next six months. Addressing the MFA’s second “Meet the Press” session on Sep. 19, Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said, “Diplomacy must be tangible, and diplomacy must put food
Read moreTouring local wisdom and soft power in Northeast Thailand
A STUDY trip organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the diplomatic corps and media to the Northeast was appropriately themed: “The Charm of Isaan:Transforming Local Wisdom into Creative Economy.” Participants were transported back in time to an era when simplicity, carbon-neutrality, organic and herb-based food were just a normal
Read moreThai tourism on track to hit 50 million by 2028 – IF peace prevails
THAILAND’S tourism comeback forged ahead in the first half of 2024 with 17.5 million arrivals, up 35% over 12.9 million in the first half 2023. Thai tourism is on track to regain the 2019 level of 40 million this year and hit 50 million by 2028, only IF global, regional and local risks and
Read morePolitical, economic conditions a bigger concern than technology, sustainability, ITB Berlin survey shows
MORE than 60% of the respondents to a survey by ITB Berlin fear “political and economic conditions” will have a bigger impact on business than either technology or climate change. The response has paved the way for a long-overdue shift in the focus of discussion at the world’s biggest travel show, as well as
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