Thailand Explained

2025 tariffs, and China's warnings to global partners. This episode unpacks the dilemma for dual-trading nations like Thailand, caught between economic giants, and examines the impact on global supply chains and trade.

The U.S. imposes 36% tariffs on Thai exports starting August 1, 2025, threatening Thailand’s key industries. This analysis explores Thailand’s response, economic risks, and legal challenges that could overturn the tariffs.

Facing a looming 36% tariff on exports, Thailand is urgently negotiating with the US to secure a better deal. The proposal includes cutting its trade surplus, boosting American imports, and removing tariffs on US goods—highlighting Thailand’s strategic role in global supply chains and the high stakes for its economy.

The Trump administration plans to block AI chip exports to Thailand and Malaysia to prevent Chinese smuggling, reshaping the global tech supply chain. How will this impact Thailand’s tech ambitions, data centers, and U.S.-Thailand relations?

With the July 9, 2025, deadline approaching, Thailand’s trade future hangs in the balance. This analysis explores upcoming tariff negotiations with the US, the impact of the TCJA and “America First” policy, and what lessons Thailand can draw from the US-Vietnam deal.

Bhumjaithai’s defection and a leaked call shake Thailand’s Pheu Thai-led government. Explore how a conservative-populist and progressive bloc form a tactical opposition, exposing deep instability in the political landscape.

Explore Thailand’s complex political journey through decades of coups, military influence, and public resistance. This overview traces the roots of instability and the evolving role of democratic institutions.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra following a petition by conservative senators over a leaked call with a Cambodian leader. The move signals a deepening political crisis and revives concerns over judicial interference targeting the Shinawatra family, potentially destabilizing the current coalition government.

Multiple reports from major news outlets highlight growing political unrest in Thailand as protests intensify against Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Triggered by a leaked call with Hun Sen, critics accuse her of undermining national sovereignty. The coverage explores rising nationalist sentiment, judicial investigations, and the fragile state of the ruling coalition.

Amnesty International’s latest report exposes Cambodia’s role in enabling cyber slavery operations run by Chinese criminal gangs. Victims, including children, are trafficked and forced into digital scams under horrific conditions, while authorities fail to act.

Discover how AI tools like ChatGPT impact brain function, creativity, and memory according to a groundbreaking MIT study. Learn practical, science-backed strategies to use AI responsibly—boosting productivity without weakening your cognitive abilities. Includes expert insights, related research, and actionable tips.

This episode explores Thailand’s evolving abortion laws, tracing changes from strict bans to broader access after a 2020 court ruling. It explains current legal limits, highlights persistent access barriers such as facility shortages and cultural stigma, and examines public health coverage. The discussion also credits civil society’s role and outlines needed reforms to improve real-world access to safe abortion services.

Thailand’s Neta EV market faces turmoil as parent company Hozon Auto declares bankruptcy, triggering fire sales, warranty concerns, and poor after-sales service. This episode explores consumer protection laws, the impact on Thai buyers, and government efforts to stabilize the EV industry.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra faces possible charges after a leaked call with Hun Sen sparked allegations of constitutional violations. A petition has been filed with the Constitutional Court as political pressure mounts and a no-confidence vote looms.

Thailand’s Health Ministry has reinstated cannabis as a Category 5 narcotic, limiting its use strictly to medical purposes. The new policy includes urgent measures such as mandatory prescriptions and stricter controls on dispensaries—likely resulting in a sharp decline in licensed cannabis shops. The move has sparked political debate and raised fears of economic fallout, black market growth, and potential lawsuits.

 Ahead of their June 29th rally, we look at the unlikely alliance between Thailand’s once-bitter political rivals: Yellow Shirt leader Sondhi Limthongkul and Red Shirt figurehead Jatuporn Prompan. Former foes, now united in a new white-shirted movement called “Guardians of the Land,” are challenging Thaksin Shinawatra’s influence and a controversial sea border deal with Cambodia. What brought them together—and can it last?

We explore the proposed Malaysia-Thailand border wall and its wide-ranging implications. This episode breaks down the security concerns driving the project, the economic impact on border communities, and how it could reshape Malaysia–Thailand bilateral relations. We also examine regional reactions and what this means for ASEAN cooperation going forward.

A global crisis—or a deliberate design? This episode of Thailand Explained investigates whether the surge in worldwide conflict since 2017 is a result of failed leadership or a coordinated strategy. From state actors to private agendas, we explore who benefits from chaos—and what it means for Thailand’s place in a rapidly changing world.