Thailand: A business visa is required to start a business while a SMART visa is available for startups and professionals in the tech industry. Remote workers can also apply for a digital nomad visa. Overall, Thailand’s visa system is more structured while Vietnam’s offers more flexibility.

Thailand expects its 609-km (378 miles) portion of a high-speed railway that will connect it with China through Laos to begin operations in 2030, its government said on Wednesday, nearly a decade later than originally planned.

Vietnam has become the second-largest exporter of fruit and vegetables to China, surpassing Chile and closing in on Thailand, with a turnover exceeding US$4 billion.

Launched in December 1986, Vietnam’s “reform” era (đổi mới) came to an end in August 2024. Domestic political events in the ensuing months ushered the country into a new era, although the coming period may turn out to be a Gramscian interregnum, when “the old is dying and the new cannot be born.”

An Italian and an Indian tourist were caught on camera brawling on Phuket’s Bangla Road, drawing a crowd of onlookers—some cheering, others filming. Security intervened before anyone suffered serious injuries. The viral footage reignited debate over Thailand’s visa-free policy, with critics urging stricter regulations to prevent similar incidents.

HO CHI MINH CITY -- Con Dao used to be an island prison where French colonizers subjected the Vietnamese to a regimented life of isolation, controlled diets, austerity and the sound of silence, all under a perceived shroud of spirits of inmates past.

Thailand says its $13bn high-speed railway to China through Laos will enter service in 2030, South China Morning Post reports.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is revising its target for Asian visitors this year, focusing on potential markets to counter a decline in Chinese arrivals.

In ‘Destination Anywhere’, Melanie Oliveiro finds out about the travel adventures of Charlyn Ding, a real estate agent and founder of Homes in the Lion city - a subsidiary company of PropNex Realty, and founder of wellness brand Om & Away.

Thailand expects its 609-km (378 miles) portion of a high-speed railway that will connect it with China through Laos to begin operations in 2030, its government said on Wednesday, nearly a decade later than originally planned.

After a stellar year in terms of traveller numbers and new products, industry leaders wish to capitalise on the forward momentum. Hoteliers spoke to VIR’s Hoang Dan about their optimism for the sector in 2025.

Vietnam's e-commerce achieved new records in 2024, driven by the growing habit of online shopping, which boosted livestreaming and attracted new players to the industry.