Ep 282: Nipah Virus Alert, a New Tourism Tax in Indonesia & a Blackpink AI Controversy in Thailand: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show

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26 Jan 2026 • 15m57s

Welcome to the third edition of our Start The Week show; a fast-paced ride through the hottest 5 travel topics in South East Asia and beyond. This week, Gary and Hannah take a sharp intake of breath as Thailand raises an alert for the deadly Nipah Virus. We also discuss 13 intriguing new city pairs for Changi Airport (with China a key focus), and a new tourism tax in Raja Ampat. Plus, we look at how the Philippines is trying to tap into the lengthy visa-processing wait for its citizens wishing to visit Japan, a new hotel art programme in Singapore, and the Red Lotus Lake social media furore around a Was-it-Wasn’t-it-AI-Generated? image of Blackpink’s Lalisa, Thailand’s tourism ambassador. Very ‘Zeitgeist 2026’!

All this - and some top talking points to watch for over the next 7 days - in just 15 minutes.

« Next Episode Ep 283: ASEAN Launches 2030 Tourism Roadmap, 20 Years of the Singapore Air Show & Bangkok's Major MICE Win: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show Previous Episode » Ep 281: Trip.com's Antitrust Troubles, Cambodia & Philippines Go Visa-Free for Chinese Tourists & Singapore's Big BTS Win: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show

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Ep 282: Nipah Virus Alert, a New Tourism Tax in Indonesia & a Blackpink AI Controversy in Thailand: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show

About This Episode

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Ep 315: Australia Zones-in on ASEAN Tourists, Vietnam Loads Up WeChat & Brunei Wants to Join the "1 Million Tourists Club"

Ep 314: As Intra-ASEAN Tourism Competition Intensifies, What Are South East Asia's Major New Battlegrounds?

Hannah Pearson

Gary Bowerman