Bangkok has achieved a prominent position in the global landscape following its ranking as the second-best city in the world in Time Out magazine's 50 Best Cities in the World 2025 list, falling behind only Cape Town, South Africa.

This ranking stems from a comprehensive survey of 18,500 travelers worldwide, assessing cities across various parameters such as culture, food quality, nightlife, resident satisfaction, and overall value for money.

According to the findings, a significant 84% of residents in Bangkok perceive dining out and café experiences as affordable, with 86% of respondents applauding the city’s food scene as either 'good' or 'amazing'.

The city is noted for its diverse culinary offerings, from accessible street food to upscale dining experiences.

In addition to its culinary merits, Bangkok is celebrated for its rich cultural offerings and natural landmarks, including the iconic Wat Arun, or Temple of the Dawn, and the Grand Palace.

The city’s urban infrastructure also offers a reliable public transportation system, highlighted by the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) and the Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) networks, facilitating exploration of both popular and lesser-known areas.

Neighborhoods such as Thong Lor and Ekamai have gained recognition as global hotspots.

This latest ranking marks a significant rise from its position at 24th last year, reflecting Bangkok's increasing appeal to both tourists and residents.

Other cities making the top ten include New York, Melbourne, London, New Orleans, Mexico City, Porto, Shanghai, and Copenhagen.

In related developments, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has introduced a proposal to establish Phuket province as a 'Bitcoin sandbox', aimed at facilitating the acceptance of cryptocurrencies within Thailand's tourism sector.

This initiative seeks to attract cryptocurrency holders to spend their digital currencies in the country, fostering economic activity.

Thaksin noted that several countries in the region are interested in discussions regarding cryptocurrency as a method to boost their economies.

While cryptocurrencies are not currently accepted as a payment method in Thailand, the proposal for a Phuket sandbox is anticipated to launch in October, in collaboration with private sector stakeholders.

The sandbox model is intended to provide a controlled environment where Bitcoin and stablecoins can be used for transactions, particularly appealing to foreign nationals, who often engage in high-value transactions such as real estate purchases.

Crypto exchange leaders like Nirun Fuwattananukul have suggested that this initiative could elevate Thailand’s status within the global digital economy, potentially positioning the country as a leader in cryptocurrency adoption in Southeast Asia.

Simultaneously, the Board of Investment (BoI) has granted approval for the development of Jurassic World: The Experience in Bangkok.

This project, costing 1.2 billion baht and spanning 4,000 square meters, is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia and will be located at Asiatique The Riverfront.

The attraction is designed to feature animatronic dinosaurs and themed settings inspired by the Hollywood franchise, aiming to provide an immersive experience for visitors of all ages.

With plans to open in the second quarter of 2025, this project is part of a wider strategy to bolster tourism in Thailand, which welcomed 35 million foreign tourists last year, contributing over 1.6 trillion baht to the economy.

Since 2015, the BoI has approved 209 tourism-related investment projects totaling approximately 200 billion baht.