Thursday 2 April 2026

Good morning Bangkok. It's Thursday and we're at 33-38°C (91-100°F) under partly cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms possible this afternoon. AQI in Bangkok is moderate, pushing toward unhealthy for sensitive groups. The BMA issued a formal heat index alert yesterday warning that it feels significantly hotter than the thermometer reads when humidity is factored in. Stay hydrated, stay inside between 11 AM and 3 PM if you can. Chiang Mai reported 83 wildfire hotspots yesterday with persistent haze. The North continues to burn. Gold at ฿70,900-71,100. SET at 1,448.14. Diesel at ฿40.74. Benzene at ฿58.64. USD at ฿31.59-33.13. 11 days until Songkran. Let's go.

Two things happened yesterday that frame the month ahead. First: the BMA issued a formal alert warning that Bangkok's heat index (how hot it actually feels when humidity is factored in) has reached dangerous levels. The Digital Ministry warned earlier this week that the heat index could hit 60°C in parts of upper Thailand. The TMD says the heat low-pressure cell covering upper Thailand will persist through at least April 5, with very hot weather in parts of the North, Northeast, and Central regions, combined with isolated thundershowers and gusty winds in 21 provinces. Chiang Mai reported 83 wildfire hotspots on April 1, with haze visibility severely reduced. Second: the government's targeted fuel subsidies for the transport sector kicked in yesterday (April 1). Freight trucks ("yellow plate" vehicles, 287,175 units) get a ฿4-6 per liter subsidy. Interprovincial buses (11,395 vehicles) get ฿4 per liter. Provincial buses and vans (19,414 vehicles) get ฿300 per day. Ride-hailing drivers (114,653 registered) get ฿300 per month. The subsidies run through April 30 and are verified through GPS tracking. Meanwhile, Thai trucking companies are raising freight rates by 10% starting this month.

Bottom line: The subsidies are real and targeted. They won't lower pump prices for you personally, but they should prevent transport costs from spiraling further, which means food prices should stabilize (not drop, just stop climbing). The 10% freight rate increase will still flow through to supermarket shelves over the next 2-3 weeks. Combined with the extreme heat (which affects crop yields, outdoor worker productivity, and electricity bills from AC usage), April 2026 is shaping up to be the most expensive month for daily living in Bangkok in recent memory. The Bangchak crude from the Hormuz deal should arrive this week, which helps supply. But the heat is a separate problem that money can't solve. Drink water. Check on people.

In news that feels like it belongs in a different universe from diesel prices and heat alerts: the Eurovision Song Contest is launching Eurovision Asia for the first time, and the grand final is planned for Bangkok on November 14. Ten countries have confirmed participation so far, including Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, and Bhutan, with more expected to join. The contest will follow the same format as the European version, with each country submitting an original song and competing live. Bangkok was selected as the host city, which is a significant cultural and tourism milestone. Eurovision draws hundreds of millions of viewers globally, and hosting the Asian debut puts Bangkok on a global entertainment stage in a way that transcends food and temples.

Bottom line: This is genuinely exciting news for Bangkok's cultural profile. Eurovision events generate massive tourism: hotels, restaurants, nightlife, and media coverage all benefit. November is also perfect timing, right in the middle of cool season when Bangkok is at its most pleasant. The event itself will likely be held at one of the city's large venues (exact location TBC). If you're an expat who grew up watching Eurovision in Europe, mark November 14 in your calendar. If you've never watched Eurovision, you're about to discover the most gloriously chaotic music competition on earth, and it's coming to your city.

Thursday calls for something special, and this might be the most exciting Italian restaurant opening in Bangkok in years. Cannubi is the Bangkok outpost of Chef Umberto Bombana, whose Hong Kong flagship 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana is the only Italian restaurant outside Italy to hold three Michelin stars. Cannubi earned its first Michelin star in the 2026 Thailand Guide within its debut year. The restaurant occupies the mezzanine floor of the newly rebuilt Dusit Thani Bangkok, overlooking Lumphini Park. Executive Chef Andrea Susto, who trained under Bombana in Hong Kong and previously worked at Tosca at the Ritz-Carlton, brings both technical precision and a sommelier's understanding of balance. Bombana is known as the "King of White Truffles," and during autumn months, the white truffle menu (฿12,800) features his signature handmade chitarra pasta with Alps cheese fondue and Alba white truffle, a dish that has been known to ruin all other truffle pasta for people forever. Year-round, expect impeccable Northern Italian fine dining: handmade pasta, refined meat and seafood courses, and over 350 wine labels with a particularly strong Barolo selection that nods to the restaurant's namesake (Cannubi is a legendary Barolo-producing hill in Piemonte). There's also a dedicated wine bar for cicchetti and aperitivo. The dining room is plush, warm-lit, and overlooks a calming waterfall. With a 4.5 on Google with 119 reviews.

TIP: Book well in advance, especially for Friday and Saturday dinner. The lunch set menu is a more accessible way to experience Cannubi's cooking without the full tasting menu price tag. If you're a wine person, ask the sommelier team about the Barolo selection. They're genuinely knowledgeable. The wine bar is a great option for a more casual visit with cicchetti (Italian bar snacks) and a few glasses. Smart casual dress code: long trousers, collared shirts, closed-toe shoes for men.

2 April 1805: Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark. He wrote 156 fairy tales, including "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly Duckling," and "The Emperor's New Clothes." The last one is particularly relevant today. In that story, a emperor parades through town wearing nothing, and everyone pretends he's dressed because they're afraid to say the obvious. 221 years later, Thailand's government is telling the public that fuel supply is "sufficient" while drivers in Chiang Rai sleep at empty petrol stations. Sometimes the most important stories are the ones where someone finally says: the emperor has no clothes. Or in this case, no diesel.

See you tomorrow morning. Drink water. Wear sunscreen. Check the fuel gauge.

— Devon