Saturday 13 June 2026

Good morning Bangkok. Happy Saturday.

🌡️ Weather: 28-37°C (82-99°F). Hot through the afternoon with scattered thundershowers from mid-afternoon. The monsoon delivers patchy rain but mornings stay dry. Good morning to be outside.

🌫️ AQI: 68-147 (Good to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). Wide range. At the lower end, genuinely clean air. At the upper end, mask recommended. Check your local sensor.

Thai police arrested the suspect at a luxury condominium in Bangkok on June 9, describing him as the leader of a network distributing cocaine across the city. Officers seized cocaine, cash and assets valued at approximately ฿700,000 during the raid. The arrest was carried out by a joint task force targeting mid-level drug distribution networks operating out of high-end residential properties in central Bangkok. The suspect, whose name was not immediately released in English-language media, had been under surveillance for several weeks.

The story follows a pattern that has become increasingly visible: drug operations running from luxury condominiums in Bangkok's most desirable neighborhoods. The nominee crackdown this newsletter has been tracking for months has focused on property and business fraud, but the condo-as-base-of-operations model extends into narcotics as well. For expats living in high-end condos on Sukhumvit, Sathorn or Silom, the practical implication is not that your building is dangerous. It is that the same anonymity and privacy that make Bangkok's luxury condo market attractive to legitimate residents also make it attractive to people running operations you would rather not live next door to. Building management, juristic persons and condo committees are increasingly being asked to cooperate with law enforcement when suspicious activity is flagged.

Bottom Line: This is not a story that should make you worried about your building. It is a story that should make you aware that the luxury condo market in Bangkok is large, liquid and occasionally used by people whose business model does not appear on any lease agreement. If your building has an active juristic person and a responsive management team, that is a feature, not a cost.

AI is moving from experiment… to essential.

Every major industry is integrating it.
Every major company is investing in it.

By late 2025, AI was already an $800B market — growing at a pace that could push it well beyond $1 trillion in the years ahead.

Cloud infrastructure is scaling fast.
AI-enabled devices are multiplying.
Automation is becoming standard.

But here’s the real question…

When trillions flow into this transformation — which stocks stand to benefit most?

Our new report reveals 10 AI stocks positioned across the backbone of this shift — from the companies powering the infrastructure… to those embedding intelligence into everyday systems.

If you want exposure to one of the defining growth trends of this decade, start here.

Download the Report Now

Jasmine International has officially confirmed it secured the broadcast rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and 2030 for Thailand, announcing a 5,999 baht premium viewing package at a press conference on June 11. For context, the previous World Cup was available on free-to-air television. The shift from free to ฿6,000 is the kind of price jump that lands differently depending on who you are: for an expat household with a sports subscription budget, it is a reasonable cost for six weeks of tournament football. For a Thai family earning minimum wage, it is more than a week's income to watch a sport the country loves.

The deal also covers the 2030 World Cup, meaning JAS has locked in Thai broadcast rights for the next two tournaments. The press conference framed the package as "premium" with additional features, but the public reaction has focused almost entirely on the price. Social media responses ranged from resigned acceptance to outrage, with many commenters pointing out that neighboring countries secured free-to-air or significantly cheaper options. Thailand was the last ASEAN nation to sign a deal, and the premium price point suggests the negotiation came down to what the market would bear rather than what the public expected.

Bottom Line: If you want to watch the World Cup in Thailand, the cost is ฿5,999. If that number feels steep, the alternative is finding a pub or sports bar screening the matches, which most venues on Sukhumvit and Silom will be doing through July. The tournament is underway. Lisa performed at the opening ceremony. Thailand is watching. The question is whether ฿6,000 feels like access or a toll.

Implementing usage-based pricing successfully requires more than just a pricing strategy.

Download this guide for practical advice and best practices when considering usage-based pricing. 

👉 Get your guide

There is a white Thai-style house surrounded by lush greenery in a quiet soi near Sathorn, and inside it a chef is making souffles that have earned 1,545 Google reviews, a 4.6-star rating, and 115,000 Facebook followers. Soufflé and Me was created by Chef Kai, a former Iron Chef Thailand competitor, and the concept is built around the souffle in all its forms: sweet, savory, dramatic and delicate. The lobster souffle (฿980) is the signature: a whole Canadian lobster, grilled and served alongside a puffy egg-white souffle and a rich bisque that ties everything together. It is the kind of dish that arrives at the table looking like it was designed to be photographed, and then tastes good enough that you forget to take the photo. Beyond the lobster, the menu covers European-Thai fusion fare with enough range to work as a proper brunch or a full Saturday dinner. The garden setting is the other half of the experience: outdoor seating under trees, white furniture, natural light and the general atmosphere of having found somewhere that Bangkok forgot to make noisy. Reservations are required, which on a Saturday is the difference between eating and waiting. A kids' menu is available, making it one of the better family brunch options on this side of the river.

TIP: Book ahead via 090 978 0442. The lobster souffle is the thing to order. Go for a late brunch around noon on Saturday for the best garden light. Address: 417 Soi Wat Pho Maen, Chong Nonsi, Yan Nawa, Bangkok 10120. Phone: 090 978 0442. Instagram: @souffleandme. Website: souffleandme.com. Hours: Daily 11AM-10PM. Reservations required. Rating: 4.6 stars, 1,545 Google reviews. Price: ฿400-1,200 per person.

Interested in reaching Bangkok's expat community? If you have an upcoming event or volunteer opportunity you think our readers would like, reply to this email and we can feature the event or activity for free.

If you or your business serves or helps expats in Bangkok and you want to get in front of our readers, reply to this email and I will send you our media kit.

Have a great Saturday, and see you tomorrow morning.

— Devon