Thailand Sets Ambitious Tourism Targets For 2026

Thailand, the 2nd most visited nation of Southeast Asia in 2025, has set ambitious tourism targets for itself for 2026 and it includes achieving US$95 billion in tourism revenue, according to a VnExpress news release. Thailand attracted over thirty million international arrivals last year which was actually a decline of more than 7% compared to 2024.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Have you ever toured Thailand before? If you did, how long did you stay in Thailand and how was your overall travel experience there? Do you think Thailand will be to achieve its ambitious tourism targets this year?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Trump’s America Urges Allies To Increase Defense Spending To 5% Of GDP

Under the leadership of US President Donald J. Trump, America’s new defense strategy urged its allies and partner to increase their defense spending to 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP), according to a news report by Kyodo News. This latest development could result in a chain of events in which American allies will not only spend more but also act more responsibly when it comes to securing their respective nations.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Kyodo News report. Some parts in boldface…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the new American strategy will create a huge impact on how the allies will defend their respective nations? Do you think this will lead to the containment of Communist China’s aggression on the Indo-Pacific? Do you think the new strategy could lead to more stability in both Asia and Europe?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Varied And Impactful Changes Realized Since Trump Returned As US President

A year ago, Donald J. Trump returned as President of the United States and a wide series of changes were realized since January 20 of 2025. Those changes are still happening and it is very clear Trump’s America made impact not only on Americans but also on the world. Trump is on his 2nd term as President and he has three years remaining.

As such, the White House issued a statement titled “365 WINS IN 365 DAYS: President Trump’s Return Marks New Era of Success, Prosperity” which contains a very extensive list of changes and developments since January 20 of 2025. The statement contains an extensive list of developments covering a wide series of categories such as economics, immigration, national security, border security, jobs, income, international relations and more.

Clearly, I cannot highlight all the items from the White House statement in this blog post. What I can share with you are the items that caught my attention.

To put things in perspective, posted below are excerpts from the White House statement. Some parts in boldface…

The selected items shared above are only a portion of the extensive list of the White House statement. Still, it give you an idea as to how vast the Trump administration’s initiatives really are. Truly, America is back and we should observe what else could President Trump and his team do over the next three years.

To see the full statement and list, click https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2026/01/365-wins-in-365-days-president-trumps-return-marks-new-era-of-success-prosperity/

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Among the many initiatives Trump launched since January 20, 2025, how were you affected? Do you think the international community is respecting America more under the leadership of President Trump? Do you think the US economy is taking off towards a new economic boom? Do you think Trump’s America should start striking the terrorist state of Iran to bring down the Islamic regime once and for all?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Takes Back Grande Island

Due to lease violations on the part of GFTG Holdings Corp., the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) repossessed Grand Island in Subic Bay, according to a news report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Grande Island is a historic island located several kilometers away from the shores of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The island used to be Fort Wint (American military defense point) and through the decades, it became a US naval resort and even as a processing site for foreign refugees. Grande Island today is a tourism location accessible by boat. For the Philippines, Grande Island is considered strategically important as it provides a clear view of sea lanes in the West Philippine Sea.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from news report of the PDI. Some parts in boldface…

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you glad that the SBMA took back Grand Island given its high value as a tourism spot as well as being a highly strategic site related to developments in the West Philippine Sea? Were you surprised that Chinese nationals were caught in Grande Island for spying on Philippine and American naval assets?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Japan Achieves New Record-Highs On Foreign Visitor Arrivals And Related Revenue In 2025

2025 is officially a year of tremendous tourism breakthroughs for Japan as a record 42.7 million foreign visitors were counted along with more than US$60 billion in related revenue, according to a news article by Kyodo News.

Overtourism has been going on in Japan for some time now and it does not seem to be slowing down even though there was a sharp drop of tourists from Communist China which was the result of increased tensions between China and Japan. As a lot more foreign tourists explored Japan, local businesses benefited in different ways but overcrowding, increased littering and acts of bad behavior by foreigners were reported.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…

For added insight about tourism-related attractions, activities and trends in Japan, watch the Nippon TV videos below.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Japan will be able to attract even more foreign tourists and be able to collect better revenues this year without China? If you plan to visit Japan this year, what is the purpose of the trip and where do you plan to visit?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Philippines Grants 14-Day Visa-Free Entry To Chinese Visitors

In what is clearly a bid to enhance tourism, investments and trade, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that Chinese nationals are being granted visa-free entry into the Philippines and they are allowed to stay up to fourteen days, according to a GMA Network news report.

The Philippines continues to fail to attract enough foreign tourists and the growth of the national economy clearly slowed down in recent times.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from news report of GMA News. Some parts in boldface…

For added context about the potential risks that come with attracting Chinese tourists, watch the video below.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think this new policy by the national government is the right move even though there is tension between Communist China and the Philippines? Does this new policy make the Philippines look very desperate to attract money from Chinese visitors? Are you concerned that criminal activities here in the Philippines will get worse as more Chinese tourists enter the country?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Japan And Italy Agree On Strategic Cooperation

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and they agreed to cooperate with each other on enhancing economic security, according to a report by Kyodo News. Meloni is on her first official visit to Japan since taking office in 2022.

For the newcomers reading this, Japan is currently dealing with the aggression of Communist China not only diplomatically but also economically. Prime Minister Takaichi will soon meet US President Donald Trump in America.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…

For added insight, watch the Nippon TV videos below.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think big developments will happen once Japan and Italy start a new series of cooperation tackling economics and military matters? Do you think Italy and Japan will be able to find alternative sources of rare earth supplies and heavily cut their dependence on China? Do you think China will react angrily at Japan and Italy?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

83 Illegal Aliens Arrested In Parañaque City

Recently in the city of Parañaque, a raid happened at a certain shopping mall which resulted in the apprehension of more than eighty illegal aliens, according to a news release by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). A great majority of the suspects were from Bangladesh.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be foreigners secretly working illegally at the nearest commercial center?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Vietnam Attracts All-Time High 21.2 Million Foreign Tourist Arrivals In 2025

Vietnam, a nation ravaged by war decades ago, has emerged as a major tourism magnet in both Southeast Asia and Asia as a whole after successfully attracting more than twenty-one million foreign tourists in 2025, according to a VnExpress International news report. The figure is a new all-time high. What Vietnam achieved was more than 20% higher than its 2024 foreign tourist numbers. For 2026, Vietnam is aiming high with a target of 25 million foreign visitors.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…

Foreign tourists welcomed in Vietnam. (photo credit: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism)

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Considering the strong international tourism momentum it has right now, do you think Vietnam will succeed in attracting 25 million foreign tourists this year? Do you think a lot more visitors from Europe will come to Vietnam this year?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Chinese National Rescued In Parañaque City, Foreign Suspects Arrested

Recently in the city of Parañaque, local police officers rescued a Chinese national and apprehended two foreign suspects, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The police received an emergency call which led to the rescue.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be more Chinese nationals kidnapping their fellow people and detaining them within the city? Do you think criminal activities in Parañaque involving Chinese nationals will only get worse over the next six months?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673