BANGKOK — 11 May 2026, Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports is preparing to scrap extended visa-free stays for foreign visitors by reducing permitted lengths of stay in line with traveller behaviour. Data shows most tourists stay in Thailand for an average of only nine days; believed to have no significant impact on the Thai tourism market.

Speaking on 11 May 2026, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the proposal was being prepared for submission to the Cabinet.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will draft the full details of the plan, which would shorten permitted stays for travellers from 93 countries currently eligible for 60-day visa-free entry.

Surasak said the revised stay periods would be tailored to each country and aimed at matching actual tourist behaviour while helping authorities tackle criminals entering Thailand under the guise of tourism.

As studies found that foreign visitors to Thailand stayed for an average of just over nine days, he said. Visitors from Norway recorded the longest average stay at 21 days, meaning a 30-day visa period would still be sufficient for most travellers. He added that visitors entering Thailand for other purposes, such as internships or medical treatment, could apply for alternative visa categories suited to their needs.

Surasak said he was confident the reduction in permitted stays would not affect Thailand's overall foreign tourism market.

The minister clarified that the government would continue pushing ahead with plans to impose an entry fee on foreign tourists. The preliminary rate has been set at 300 baht per person per visit, mainly targeting arrivals by air, with the revenue earmarked for Thailand's tourism promotion fund. He expressed confidence that the plan would go ahead.

The Thai Meteorological Department issued a severe weather warning on May 11, 2025, forecasting intensified rainfall across southern Thailand over the next 24 hours due to strengthening easterly winds. Heavy to extremely heavy rain is expected in parts of the southern region, with potential for sudden flash floods and flash floods, especially in foothill areas, near waterways, and low-lying zones. Sea conditions in the Gulf of Thailand are expected to reach approximately 1 meter, with waves exceeding 2 meters in thunderstorm areas, prompting fishermen to avoid sailing in such zones. Northern Thailand will experience daytime heat with thunderstorms and strong gusty winds in some areas, as the high-pressure system from China weakens while moisture-laden southeasterly winds move in from the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea. The public is advised to prepare for thunderstorms and strong winds, while farmers should reinforce fruit trees and take precautions against crop and livestock damage during the changing weather conditions.

Detailed regional forecasts for the next 24 hours:

Northern Region: Daytime heat with thunderstorms in 60% of areas and strong gusty winds. Affected provinces include Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampun, Lamphun, Phayao, Nan, Tak, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit, and Phetchabun. Temperatures: low 22-25°C, high 32-38°C. Southeast winds at 10-15 km/h.

Northeastern Region: Daytime heat with thunderstorms in 20% of areas, primarily in Loei, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram, and Surin. Temperatures: low 23-27°C, high 35-37°C. East winds at 10-20 km/h.

Central Region: Daytime heat with thunderstorms in 40% of areas and strong gusty winds in some locations. Primarily affecting Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Lopburi, Saraburi, Suphan Buri, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, and Nakhon Pathom. Temperatures: low 25-27°C, high 36-38°C. Southeast winds at 10-20 km/h.

Eastern Region: Daytime heat with thunderstorms in 40% of areas and heavy rain in some places. Affecting Nakhon Nayok, Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi, and Trat. Temperatures: low 24-26°C, high 34-38°C. Southeast winds at 15-30 km/h. Sea waves approximately 1 meter, exceeding 2 meters in thunderstorm areas.

Southern Region (Eastern Coast): Thunderstorms in 60% of areas with heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in some zones. Affecting Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. Temperatures: low 24-27°C, high 33-36°C. Southeast winds at 15-30 km/h. Sea waves approximately 1 meter, exceeding 2 meters in thunderstorm areas.

Southern Region (Western Coast): Thunderstorms in 60% of areas with heavy rainfall in some locations. Affecting Ranong, Krabi, Trang, and Satun. Temperatures: low 23-26°C, high 33-35°C.

A tragic accident occurred around 2:00 p.m. on May 11, 2025, when a Toyota Revo pickup truck lost control on Highway 304 near the Samut Prakan entrance, close to a gas station and the Semet North U-turn point in Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province. The truck skidded on wet pavement and crashed into a roadside shelter, resulting in one fatality.

At the scene, authorities found a severely damaged white and black Honda PCX motorcycle with Chachoengsao registration plates scattered across the area. About 6 meters from the impact point, they discovered the body of a 23-year-old woman identified as Ms. Lalita, lying on the roadside with severe injuries from the impact. The gray Toyota Revo pickup truck with Trat registration had extensive front-end damage, with debris strewn across the roadway.

When questioned, the pickup truck driver explained that he had been delivering goods in Bang Khla District and was returning to Chachoengsao when heavy rain caused the road to become slippery. The vehicle hydroplaned, lost control, and spun multiple times before crashing into the roadside shelter without warning.

The driver was shocked and admitted he had not noticed anyone inside the shelter until after the collision, when he found the injured woman and immediately called for help. However, she had already died from her injuries.

Authorities documented the scene and took the driver for legal proceedings. The victim's body was sent for autopsy, and relatives were contacted to arrange funeral rites.

A female construction worker fell into a drainage pipe and was critically injured after being pierced by three steel rods. Emergency responders were forced to use cutting equipment and a crane to extract the victim. On May 11, the Sawaeng Haet rescue unit in Ban Thung Hiyang responded to an emergency call reporting a woman with critical injuries from metal rods inside a drainage pipe at a construction project located in a residential subdivision at Moo 3, Ban Chang Subdistrict, Panasnikhom District, Chachoengsao Province. The scene involved a rectangular inspection pit measuring approximately 1 meter wide and 1.2 meters long, with corrugated steel rods protruding roughly 1 foot from the concrete, surrounded by excavated earth. Inside the pit, 30-year-old Ms. Pannida was found with three steel rods from the concrete drainage pipe under construction piercing her lower body. She suffered severe injuries and was unable to move. Emergency rescue teams and paramedics raced against time, using cutting equipment and a crane to support the victim's body until they successfully extracted her. She was then rushed to Panasnikhom Hospital for emergency treatment.

On May 11, 2026, Huawei Technology (Thailand) Co., Ltd.'s Huawei Digital Power division received the Smart Innovation Award for its LUNA S1 high-performance energy storage battery at the ASA Platform Selected Materials 2026 awards ceremony, a major event within the Architect'69 program. The ceremony honors quality products and materials selected by experts in the architecture and design fields.

The 2026 Smart Innovation Award was presented to LUNA S1, a high-efficiency residential energy storage system from Huawei Digital Power, designed as an intelligent energy solution for modern homes that seamlessly combines advanced performance with aesthetic excellence. LUNA S1 is more than just an ordinary energy storage device—it has been designed to harmonize with contemporary living spaces through careful attention to both beauty and detail. The design draws inspiration from stars and halo light, expressed through a dynamic star ring that reflects the balance between technology and nature, complemented by soft lighting effects that create a relaxing atmosphere in the home. The front design conveys the image of "a stream of starlight flowing downward," blending elegance with strength in a distinctive way.

The minimalist frameless form allows it to integrate seamlessly with various interior design styles, while intelligently designed side ventilation ports enhance both aesthetics and heat dissipation performance, perfectly balancing beauty with engineering.

LUNA S1 was developed to support efficient clean energy use, capable of storing solar energy generated during the day for use at night, improving energy efficiency, reducing electricity bills, and enabling proper household energy management. Additionally, LUNA S1 features a comprehensive five-tier intelligent security system that ensures safe, stable, and reliable daily operation.

During the awards ceremony, Wutthisak Thetadhipak, Vice President of Regional Affairs at the Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage, welcomed participants and congratulated Huawei Digital Power on receiving the Smart Innovation Award for LUNA S1, amid an atmosphere of pride and recognition from professionals in the architecture and design industry.

The ASA Platform Selected Materials 2026 award represents an important platform for elevating the standards of products and materials in Thai architecture, providing brands and innovation developers the opportunity to showcase their product capabilities to architects, designers, and industry entrepreneurs.

This Smart Innovation Award reflects Huawei Digital Power's commitment to developing clean energy technology that integrates intelligent innovation with practical application, while continuing to drive the future of sustainable home design and energy use in Thailand.

At the Matichon X AIS Forum 2026: Innovation Changes Thailand held on May 11, 2026 at Pullman King Power Hotel in Bangkok, Phupa Akavipat, head of AIS's corporate customer division, discussed the company's expanded role beyond mobile telecommunications. AIS now operates as a comprehensive digital infrastructure provider offering telecommunications networks, broadband, data centers, cloud services, and digital solutions for businesses and industries.

With network coverage exceeding 95% and connections to multiple global hyperscale providers through its data center and network infrastructure, AIS handles massive daily data transfers—approximately 41 petabytes per day, equivalent to millions of hours of continuous video streaming. Phupa noted that global usage patterns are shifting: users are now uploading more data for AI systems to process rather than simply downloading, significantly increasing data traffic.

Using its network data, AIS analyzes consumer behavior, user distribution, and population migration trends to develop innovations and new services. This data helps businesses understand customer demographics at different locations and identify areas with hidden population potential, enabling more efficient business planning, marketing, and urban management.

Digital innovation requires three essential components: connectivity infrastructure, processing systems, and data. AIS possesses complete readiness with 5G, intelligent networks, cloud, AI, data analytics, digital platforms, and APIs capable of driving industrial transformation.

AIS collaborates with Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) on smart city development, analyzing network data to understand population patterns, mobility, and area usage behavior to design urban layouts, infrastructure systems, and resource management aligned with actual population numbers. Modern urban planning now relies on real data and AI analysis rather than intuition for more accurate and efficient decision-making.

Additionally, AIS partners with SCG (Siam Cement) to develop intelligent transportation systems using 5G technology to control autonomous electric trucks in mining and industrial areas in real-time through an Intelligent Transportation Management system. This enables rapid data transmission and processing at millisecond speeds, reducing safety risks, improving transportation efficiency, and decreasing fuel consumption.