The Bank of Thailand has given virtual bank licence applicants additional time to meet pre-licensing conditions, even if they face delays beyond the specified timeline.

Thailand will benefit from its southern land bridge project as the Strait of Malacca is to reach full capacity in 10 years, according to Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat.

Thailand’s Donald Duck Bay in the Similan Islands has been ranked 10th in the World’s 50 Best Beaches 2026, with two beaches in Trang and Phuket provinces placing 23rd and 27th.

While a majority of people in southern Thailand support the proposed Land Bridge megaproject, more than half say they have only a limited understanding of it, according to a Nida poll survey released on Sunday.  

The government has pledged to intensify efforts against human trafficking, with the goal of moving Thailand from Tier 2 — where it has remained for four consecutive years as of 2025 — to Tier 1 in the US Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. 

The opposition People’s Party (PP) has played down speculation it has approached incumbent Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt to run under its banner in the capital’s upcoming gubernatorial election, insisting no political deal has been made.