A new survey of chefs and food enthusiasts named the most underrated food cities and countries around the world.
Ultra luxury villas come with palatial grounds, private chefs and nightly rates that equal many people’s monthly mortgage payments.
Lightnet saw that regulators moved faster in approving licenses to allow digital payments to catch up with consumer demand during the pandemic, says founder and vice-chairman Tridbodi Arunanondchai.
Thailand's IPOs have contributed more than 60% of the $6.44 billion in total funds raised across Southeast Asia as of Nov. 15, Deloitte data showed.
The best pockets of recovery are domestic travel in Taiwan, Thailand and increasingly, Vietnam, said John Brown of Agoda, a subsidiary of Booking Holdings.
Travel recovery has been a "domestic story" amid the coronavirus pandemic so far, with markets like Thailand and Taiwan performing "even better off" compared to last year, says Agoda CEO John Brown.
Despite the pandemic, marquee brands opened new hotels, resorts and lodges across Asia in 2020.
The coronavirus pandemic and ongoing political protests have left Thailand's economy in "pretty bad shape," said Euben Paracuelles of Nomura.
Thailand's political episodes have historically been a "very big distraction" for its fiscal plans, and its central bank may have "little choice" but to provide some form of monetary easing when fiscal support wanes, says Nomura's Euben Paracuelles.
ECA International's Lee Quane attributed this year's gains to a "sustained increase in productivity in many Asian nations" despite the coronavirus crisis.
The city is talking to 10 other countries about travel bubbles, and discussions with Thailand and Japan are "more advanced," said Financial Secretary Paul Chan.
The military would have the "perfect rationale" to intervene if clashes between pro-democracy protesters and "counter protesters" grow, said Paul Chambers from Naresuan University's Center of ASEAN Community Studies.
The Thai government rolled back measures that include bans on political gatherings of five or more people and publishing news that could affect security.
Recent protests in Thailand will be a "double whammy" for growth in the country, which has already suffered a blow from the Covid-19 pandemic, analysts say.
Any feasible scenario going forward will be a "daunting, uphill task" that calls for a "fundamental remake" of the country, says Thitinan Pongsudhirak of Chulalongkorn University.
The prognosis for Thailand is "really bleak," and it is in danger of being slightly isolated from the global economy especially given how it has been so affected by the coronavirus pandemic, says Paul Gambles of MBMG Group.
Pedro Martins of JPMorgan says rising economic activities, risk of drought fading and low foreign investor ownership make Thai markets more attractive than before.
Thailand's government banned protests and police arrested at least three protest leaders on Thursday in the face of escalating demonstrations targeting King Maha Vajiralongkorn as well as Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former junta leader.
The airline industry hopes preflight testing will restore passenger confidence and reopen borders. Medical experts aren't as convinced that one test is enough.
Tourism is starting to kick off slowly in Southeast Asia kicks again as the pandemic comes under control, but diverging solutions in healing the ravaged tourism industry highlight the challenges ahead.
