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LATest e-bulletin February '26
- Feb 9
- 9 min read
Look at the endless innovative touring products developed by LAT. From slow tourism to tours aways from crowds, from an agile system of modular scheduled departures in different languages to arts, architecture, outdoor, experiential, culinary food and education packages, just to name a few!
All our offers are strictly carbon contribution @ LAT Climate Contribution, all emissions being calculated and offset by projects in cooperation with Climate Partners.
In this issue: ① Quote of the month ② Asian Megacities ③ Sabah Coast Pollution ④ Malaysia and Indonesia say No to Grok ⑤ LATest News ⑥ Thailand Rattan Revolution ⑦ Indonesia Raja Ampat Entry Fees ⑧ Bali fights Abusive Developments ⑨Singapore Scoot flies Chang Rai ⑩Thailand, Cannabis Clampdown
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.
Benjamin Franklin
Asian Megacities
For decades, Tokyo was considered the world’s most populous city, but revised population measurements that account for urban sprawl have reshuffled the rankings. Several Asian metropolitan areas now exceed 30–40 million residents. Jakarta and Dhaka now surpass Tokyo, followed by Delhi and Shanghai.
This reflects rapid urbanization. Nearly half of humanity now lives in cities, with most recent growth concentrated in middle-income Asia. Only a small share of the world’s largest cities is located in wealthy countries, and this imbalance is set to widen further.
Urbanization can improve living standards by expanding access to jobs and services. However, rapid growth also risks worsening congestion, pollution and informal housing, undermining economic gains. Several large Asian cities already rank poorly in global liveability due to these pressures. Addressing them is essential to avoiding long-term economic stagnation.
A central problem is fragmented urban governance. Metropolitan areas such as Jakarta, Dhaka and Delhi span multiple municipalities and jurisdictions with weak coordination. Transport systems, housing policy and infrastructure planning often stop at administrative boundaries rather than reflecting real commuting patterns. The result is long travel times, heavy reliance on private vehicles, lower productivity and severe air pollution.
These challenges are widespread. In some metropolitan regions, authority is split among municipal bodies, regional governments, national agencies and specialized authorities, each responsible for narrow functions and lacking overall control. In extreme cases, hundreds of governing entities operate within a single urban area, making coherent planning nearly impossible.
More effective models exist. Shanghai benefits from highly centralized authority over planning and transport, while Tokyo combines metropolitan-level coordination with strong local governments and an extensive public transport network. In Tokyo’s wider urban region, dense rail connectivity reduces car dependence and integrates the metropolitan economy.
Although wealth makes reform easier, improving governance does not require massive spending. Clearer authority, stronger coordination and integrated planning can significantly improve urban liveability. Such reforms are politically difficult, but the long-term economic and social returns are substantial.
Sabah Coast Pollution
Waters along the Sabah coasts are experiencing significant pollution, primarily driven by untreated sewage, plastic waste, and industrial runoff from rapid urban development and land-based activities. The situation is particularly severe near major towns and densely populated areas, with localized hotspots of contamination.
The primary sources and types of pollution include untreated sewage/wastewater which is a major issue. Many wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are non-operational or inefficient, often bypassing the system and discharging raw or poorly treated sewage directly into rivers and the sea. High levels of coliform bacteria confirm significant faecal contamination, posing health risks and increasing nutrient loads that deplete oxygen for marine life.
Plastic and Marine Debris: Plastic is the most abundant type of marine litter, with single-use plastics and discarded fishing gear being major components. Beaches near urban centres like Kota Kinabalu and Semporna are heavily affected, and high quantities of microplastics have been found in river and coastal waters, including in marine organisms.
Industrial and Agricultural Runoff: Activities like palm oil plantations, sawmills, and general industrial development contribute pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides, and heavy metals (e.g., chromium, nickel, copper) into coastal environments.
Oil and Grease: Oil and grease pollution is a concern on the West Coast of Sabah, potentially related to industrial activities and marine traffic, with some areas classified as exposed to effluent discharge, though overall water quality indices can still be moderate.
Impact and Current Situation
Ecosystem Degradation: The pollution threatens sensitive marine habitats such as coral reefs and mangrove forests, which serve as crucial nurseries for marine life.
Varying Conditions: The extent of pollution varies. Semi-enclosed bays like Brunei Bay and Marudu Bay tend to accumulate pollutants due to slow water exchange (long flushing times), while areas offshore from Kota Kinabalu, which are better flushed, disperse pollutants more quickly.
Monitoring and Action: The state government and various organizations are undertaking monitoring programs and new initiatives. For instance, a project in the stilt village of Lok Urai has installed small sewage treatment plants to treat wastewater on-site. A new solid waste disposal site is also planned for Semporna to address the lack of proper landfill facilities.
Overall, the situation is one of ongoing environmental stress, with the current infrastructure often unable to cope with the waste generated by development and population concentration along the coastal areas.
Malaysia and Indonesia say No to Grok
Malaysia and Indonesia have become the first countries to block Grok, an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Elon Musk, amid rising concern that generative AI tools are being misused to create sexually explicit and non-consensual images. Global authorities are increasingly scrutinizing AI systems capable of producing realistic images, audio and text, as existing safeguards appear insufficient to prevent abuse. Particular concern centres on the creation of manipulated sexual images involving women and minors.
Authorities in both Southeast Asian countries said current controls failed to prevent the creation and circulation of fake pornographic content. Access to Grok was temporarily blocked in Indonesia, followed shortly by Malaysia, as a preventive measure while legal and regulatory processes continue.
Initial assessments found that Grok lacked effective protections against the manipulation of real photographs without consent, posing risks to privacy, dignity and image rights. Malaysian authorities cited repeated misuse to generate obscene and non-consensual content, including material involving minors, and said access would remain restricted until effective safeguards are implemented.
Regulatory attention is also increasing in United Kingdom, France, India and across the European Union. In the United Kingdom, authorities have launched an investigation into whether Grok breached obligations to prevent illegal content, including material that may constitute child sexual abuse imagery.
Officials in Britain have indicated plans to criminalize applications that digitally undress individuals without consent and to hold providers accountable for supplying such tools, with potential penalties including substantial fines and access restrictions.
The episode reflects a broader shift toward treating non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights and public safety, and toward regulating generative AI at its source rather than relying solely on user controls.
So Many Good Reasons to Work with LAT
Established in 1991. Independently owned and operated. Purely B2B with travel industry partners. Online booking engine with immediate confirmation of hotels, tours and transfers. Long experience in MICE industry. Knowledgeable and efficient reservations personnel Fully committed to CSR. Direct access to a vast pool of local professional contributors. | Centralised bookings and payments for multi destination tours. 24/7 assistance in 4 different languages Extensive selection of modular scheduled group departures in different languages. Owner of five boutique island hotels. Owner of one luxury Phinisi Yacht. Climate Contribution for all packages and services on offer. LAT app with updated itineraries and guest info (Apple and Play Stores). |
TATTLER
Thailand Rattan Revolution
Western architecture practice exposed to regional Thai and Southeast Asia building traditions, using bamboo, rattan and other natural materials, has sparked a shift toward sustainable, plant-based design and construction methods.
In Thailand, this approach has evolved into a broader architectural philosophy that seeks to reduce reliance on carbon-intensive materials, particularly concrete, which accounts for a significant share of global emissions. Growing demand from clients for natural, organic and locally sourced materials has reinforced this shift, alongside a rejection of rigid, rectilinear forms in favour of organic, flowing structures inspired by nature.
The practice has since produced projects characterized by curvilinear forms, natural textures and extensive use of plant-based materials, demonstrating how traditional craftsmanship can be combined with contemporary design and advanced digital modelling. Large-scale installations have shown that lightweight, natural materials can perform structural roles typically assigned to concrete, while creating warmer and more human-centred spaces.
Key works include transport hubs, hospitality venues and retail environments across Asia and beyond, many of which integrate local artisanship and regional materials. These projects have gained international recognition for redefining luxury as meaning, sustainability and craftsmanship rather than excess.
Dedicated fabrication site in Thailand, employing local craftspeople and seasonal workers produce large plant-based structures using time-honoured techniques such as soaking and heat-forming. This model supports community livelihoods while preserving traditional skills increasingly threatened by industrialisation.
Interest in such approaches accelerated during the pandemic, as designers and developers sought environments that emphasised tactility, nature and well-being. The work aligns with a wider movement in hospitality and commercial design toward community-based materials, lower environmental impact and reduced material mass.
Advanced digital tools remain essential to the process, enabling complex organic forms to be engineered safely and efficiently. The long-term aim is to demonstrate that natural materials can be used not only decoratively, but structurally, at much larger scales.
The future of this design philosophy lies primarily in Asia, where adaptive thinking, skilled craftsmanship and deep material knowledge continue to support experimentation rooted in some of the oldest building traditions in the world.
HIGHLIGHTS
Indonesia Raja Ampat Entry Fees
Raja Ampat Regency has raised tourism fees to support conservation and increase benefits for local communities.
Domestic visitors are now charged 300,000 rupiah per visit, up from 75,000 rupiah, while international visitors pay one million rupiah, up from 300,000 rupiah. Children under 12 are exempt. The regency fee is applied on top of existing provincial and national charges, bringing total entry fees to 650,000 rupiah for domestic visitors and 1.7 million rupiah for international visitors.
Authorities said the increase is intended to address imbalances in tourism revenue distribution and ensure funding for conservation, village-level tourism development and operational management, including patrols, reef rehabilitation and waste management.
Tourism operators warned the higher fees may affect budget travellers more than higher-end visitors and noted that immediate implementation poses challenges, as many trips are booked months in advance.
We consider fees to be acceptable as long as they are managed transparently and not abused by local authorities.
Bali fights Abusive Developments
Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism has tightened accommodation licensing after finding widespread unlicensed listings on online travel platforms, particularly in Bali, raising concerns over safety, service standards and fair competition.
Under the new rules, all accommodation providers must hold valid operating licenses and correct business classifications by March 31, 2026. Properties that fail to comply risk removal from online platforms.
Government mapping shows a significant gap between online listings and licensed properties. In Bali, more than 29,000 non-hotel units were listed online, compared with about 14,500 registered. In Jakarta, only around 1,500 of roughly 5,000 listed non-hotel properties held valid licenses.
Authorities said unlicensed operations undermine safety, data accuracy, tax compliance and local revenue planning. The ministry is coordinating with regional governments and major platforms and has rolled out education, verification and support programmes to help operators comply, particularly smaller businesses.
Industry groups have welcomed the move but stressed the need for consistent enforcement, clearer technical classifications and a review of foreign investment rules in the accommodation sector.
Singapore Scoot flies Chang Rai
The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Scoot marked the New Year with the launch of the inaugural Singapore–Chiang Rai service on January 1.
The new route expands international air access to northern Thailand and strengthens Chiang Rai’s position as an emerging destination for cultural and nature-based tourism.
The inaugural flight arrived at Mae Fah Luang International Airport on New Year’s Day and was welcomed with a ceremonial reception, including a traditional cannon salute and locally crafted souvenirs for passengers.
Thailand, Cannabis Clampdown
The Ministry of Public Health is seeking to enact a new ministerial regulation on cannabis before the next government takes office, with the draft currently under legal review by the Office of the Council of State.
The regulation would significantly tighten controls on the cannabis sector by limiting sales to approved venues such as hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, herbal shops and authorised folk-healer premises. Sellers would be required to obtain licences from the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine and complete mandatory training.
The draft has been submitted for consideration and could take effect immediately upon approval. Even if delayed, it would not need to return to cabinet, allowing the next government to either proceed with or abandon it depending on policy direction.
Thailand currently has 18,433 registered cannabis shops. Of these, 8,636 licences expired last year, and only 1,339 outlets renewed their permits, highlighting weak compliance under the existing regulatory framework.
Our whole product for free and independent travellers, groups and MICE is based on a Climate Contribution programme. This means that part of the greenhouse gas emissions that will be generated are offset by projects in collaboration with Climate Partner, one of the leading climate protection solution providers for companies.
The arising emissions are being compensated by supporting a third-party certified forest conservation project in Indonesia. This initiative plays a vital role in protecting the habitat of critically endangered orangutans, while also preserving biodiversity and maintaining important carbon sinks. By preventing deforestation and promoting sustainable land use, the project helps reduce CO₂ emissions and supports the long-term resilience of Indonesia’s ecosystems.
For over thirty years, Lotus Asia Tours Group has provided services and assistance to travellers the world over, specialising in the design and implementation of corporate events, activities, incentive tours and motivational travel, targeted at FIT, GIT and MICE markets, in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indochina. The group also operates five boutique island hotels in Indonesia, in Lombok, Bali, Sulawesi, Papua and Maluku, as well as a seven-cabin luxury sailing yacht.
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