Over 3.000 elephants are used for tourism in the country, more than anywhere else, almost all privately owned; the collapse of tourism during pandemic had a crucial impact on their owners, many of whom no longer earn enough to care for them

On 23 January, the first day of legal same-sex marriages following the introduction of the Marriage Equality Bill, mass weddings were held across the country, in a celebration of a historic date for Southeast Asia

Thailand may soon restart negotiations with Cambodia on overlapping claims in the Gulf of Thailand; the talks would aim to resolve disputes over resource-rich maritime areas, with both nations seeking mutual economic and diplomatic benefits

In Bangkok, public transport will be free for a week to try to counteract the heavy smog enveloping the city these days; pollution has also led the local government to close 352 of the 437 schools in the metropolitan city

Phuket faces a growing garbage crisis, with over 1.000 tonnes of daily waste overwhelming its landfill; authorities plan to cut waste by 15%, expand the landfill, and build an incinerator, stressing the need for better waste separation