Friday 27 Feb 2026

Good morning Bangkok. We're looking at 27–29°C (81–84°F) today with broken clouds and 81% humidity, proper hot season weather now. PM2.5 is sitting at 67 µg/m³ (moderate/yellow level), so maybe save the morning run for the gym. In today's edition: Thai Airways addresses activist claims, the tourism debate everyone's having, and a very chaotic day in Chiang Mai.

Thai Airways is categorically denying social media reports that it transported F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel — claims that sparked protests from activists in Australia. CEO Chai Eamsiri released a statement this morning emphasising the airline's role as a "commercial operator" focused on passenger and cargo transport, implicitly pushing back against any suggestion of involvement in military logistics. The airline didn't elaborate on what specific cargo triggered the controversy, but the denial comes amid heightened scrutiny of airlines operating in conflict zones.

Bottom line: THAI is already fighting an uphill battle on profitability — the last thing it needs is a reputational crisis over geopolitics. If the airline's actually clean here, they need to get ahead of this fast with receipts, not vague corporate speak.

Foreign tourists complaining that Thailand is becoming too expensive and Thais too unfriendly has dominated local headlines for weeks now, prompting a lot of hand-wringing in the media. But here's the thing: Thailand is more expensive than it was five years ago (hello, global inflation), and yes, some service standards have slipped post-pandemic. But "rude"? That's painting 70 million people with one brush because someone didn't smile enough at your hotel. The real issue isn't rudeness, it's that Thailand's tourism model is stretching thin trying to serve everyone from backpackers to oligarchs simultaneously, and nobody's getting the experience they expect.

Bottom line: If you think Bangkok's expensive, try spending a week in Singapore. And if you want perpetual smiles regardless of how you behave, you're conflating hospitality with subservience. Most complaints I've seen come from people who never bothered learning "thank you" in Thai.

Roast (Thonglor)

If you're tired of "specialty coffee" places that prioritise Instagram over espresso, Roast on Thonglor is your antidote. This Australian-Thai operation takes beans seriously — they roast on-site and rotate single origins every few weeks — but the vibe stays relaxed. The flat whites are legitimately good (none of that burnt, over-extracted nonsense), and the breakfast menu does proper smashed avo without the ฿450 tourist tax. Indoor seating's limited, but the little garden out back is ideal for laptops and eavesdropping on startup bros.

TIP: Go before 10am on weekdays if you actually want a table. Weekends turn into a full Thonglor zoo by 11.

Thursday 26 Feb — Live Jazz Night, Brown Sugar (Sukhumvit Soi 23), 8pm–midnight

Friday 27 Feb — Chatuchak Weekend Market opens, 6pm onwards (early bird shoppers)

Saturday 28 Feb — Father Ray Foundation Charity Bowling, Pattaya (~10am start)

Saturday 28 Feb — Jodd Fairs Night Market, Rama IX, 4pm–midnight

Sunday 1 Mar — Muay Thai fights, Rajadamnern Stadium, 6:30pm

Sunday 1 Mar — Sunday Rooftop Sessions, Octave Bar (Marriott Sukhumvit), 5pm–10pm

On 26 February 1991, the Gulf War ended after just 42 days of ground combat. In Bangkok news: exactly zero expats could find affordable housing in Thonglor that year either, so some things never change.

See you tomorrow morning. — Devon