Visa & Lifestyle: Thailand’s visa-free stay is set to drop from 60 days back to 30, but the legal framework hasn’t been published yet—so travelers planning long stays and remote-work “bases” may face a sudden rule change at passport control. Public Policy & Education: The Ministry of Higher Education and a national science agency launched “ABDUL Uni,” an AI teaching assistant platform aimed at personalised learning, boosting skills for the digital economy, and pushing responsible, critical AI use in classrooms. Bangkok Governance: Chadchart Sittipunt won Bangkok governor with a landslide in unofficial counts, promising transparency, tech-backed management, and improvements to education and health services in his next term. Tourism & Culture: A new look at Thailand’s tourism “waves” points to a tougher-than-usual green-season slowdown, shaped by air-route disruptions and heatwaves affecting long-haul travel patterns. Demography & Daily Life: Birth rates are falling across Southeast Asia, with Thailand facing a “demographic crisis” as couples weigh rising housing, childcare, education, and healthcare costs. Health & Money: With Thais living longer, retirement planning is becoming a crunch—many have emergency savings for less than a month, and a large share of elderly people have no savings at all. Crime & Society: Reports on the suitcase death case in Pattaya keep spotlighting calls for stronger protections and scrutiny of “sex tourism” fears, as an Australian suspect faces murder charges. Regional Culture & Community: Buddhists in Japan’s aging, shrinking communities are using festivals like Hana Matsuri to rebuild grassroots ties and welcome foreign residents.