Cloud 11: Bangkok's Shiny New Playground (Ages 18-29, Others Please Wait Outside)

Bangkok has a new place to lose an afternoon, and I'm too old for it. Cloud 11 is a 27-rai (10.7-acre) complex on Sukhumvit, near Udom Suk BTS station, designed as a hub for content creators. It has studios, shops, event spaces and Bangkok's largest sky garden. In practice, it's where a generation that films its lunch goes to film its lunch in better lighting.

When hospitality becomes a burden: Thailand’s struggle with tourism’s uneven costs

 

Israeli, Russian and Indian visitors have become focal points for frustration in Thailand. Behind the national labels lie distinct problems and a common question about who benefits from tourism and who bears its costs.

Photo: Protesters demonstrate in front of Israeli embassy in Bangkok (AP Photo)

At Pai Hospital in northern Thailand, a dispute involving four Israeli visitors became something much larger than a police matter. Following disturbances that drew public attention in February 2025, the men were fined, had their visas revoked, and were deported and blacklisted. Immigration authorities said enforcement applied to any foreigner causing such trouble, regardless of nationality. For medical workers, the case concerned their ability to deliver care without intimidation. Across social media, it became an argument about Israelis’ presence in the town. The Nation’s account of the enforcement action.

Vana Nava Hua Hin: a splash of fun for every age

Big slides, little-kid splashes and a lazy river for anyone taking life at a gentler pace. Hua Hin’s jungle-themed water park makes a cheerful diversion from the beach.

There’s always someone in the family who points at the tallest waterslide and says, “Let’s do that one.” Then there’s the person quietly looking for a sunlounger.

BACC: A little art between the shopping malls

You can never know what you'll find at the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (BACC) on Bangkok's busy Siam Square.

Anyone heading through Bangkok’s Siam district might expect another shopping centre at the end of the skywalk. Instead, beside National Stadium station, they find the BACC: nine floors of art, ideas and opportunities to say, “I wonder what that means?”

The Famous Ice Cream Floater in Bangkok's Canal

Many of the people who live right on klongs don’t have cars, let alone driveways and streets. They can’t afford cars but they also don’t need them. Instead, they manage perfectly well with their boats. Every house has some kind of pier or platform to which they can tie their boats, and the boats of visitors, and anything that will fit in a boat can be delivered in a boat. In fact, the owner of this business does a roaring trade partly because his customers can get to him so easily.

On Nut: Bangkok's Local Side Without the Tourist Crowds

Normally, when on assignment, I would stay closer to the centre of the action in Bangkok, likely at a branded property within walking distance of one of the central BTS stations. But on this occasion, I was here for a boring dental appointment and didn't need to be in the thick of it.

Thailand's "Pay Like a Local" Campaign Hits a Digital Speed Bump

 

Thailand has invested heavily in positioning itself as one of Asia's most digitally advanced tourism destinations. The Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) "Pay Like a Local" campaign encourages international visitors to use QR code payments in much the same way as Thai residents, reducing reliance on cash while making spending easier for travellers and merchants alike.

Thailand on Screen: Where Paradise Meets the Movies

Thailand has always looked ready for its close-up. With jungle-clad mountains, gleaming temples, tropical islands and Bangkok streets buzzing with neon, tuk-tuks and organised chaos, the country has become one of the world’s favourite filming locations.