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Chinese man on money-laundering rap

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested a Chinese national in Chiang Mai for allegedly laundering money for a transnational scam network linked to at least 16 online fraud cases.

CIB chief Pol Lt Gen Natthasak Chaowanasai said on Wednesday that Highway Police launched “Highway Scam Hunter EP4” last week to dismantle the network, which caused losses of more than 4 billion baht.

The investigation began after police assisted a retired government official who lost more than 1.4 million baht to scammers. It later uncovered a network involving Chinese nationals and a Cambodian police officer.

In the latest operation, officers traced money from victims through multiple mule accounts to Wei Huang, a Chinese suspect accused of converting fraud proceeds into digital assets.

Pol Lt Gen Natthasak said the network had clearly divided roles, with one group operating call centres to deceive victims and another supplying mule accounts and laundering the proceeds.

Investigators identified three methods of moving the money: cash withdrawals, gold purchases and transfers to mule accounts in Poipet, Cambodia, where the funds were allegedly converted into USDT before being returned to the scam network.

Financial records linked the network to at least 16 online fraud cases involving more than 7.2 million USDT, worth over 238 million baht.

Chasing the next $3b: What it will take for Sri Lanka’s apparel sector to get there

For thirty years, Sri Lanka›s apparel industry has quietly powered the country›s export economy accounting for roughly 40% of merchandise export revenue and employing 300,000 to 350,000 people. That scale wasn›t accidental. It was built through deliberate Government-industry planning dating back to the early 1990s.

The first transformation, anchored by the 200 Garment Factories Program, pushed manufacturing beyond Colombo, created jobs in rural communities, and built the industrial base the sector still runs on today. It worked because the Government and industry moved together, not apart.

Now the industry is asking for a repeat but for a very different set of problems.

Sri Lanka’s Government has launched an ambitious National Export Development Plan (NEDP) targeting an increase in merchandise exports from $13.6 billion (2025) to $28 billion in 2030. Aligned to this, JAAF is looking at a target of $ 8 billion. Against a backdrop of exports that have remained around the $5 billion mark for the last 5 years, this highlights a deeper challenge: the industry has outgrown the model that once drove its growth. The next phase will require a stronger focus on value addition, innovation, automation, productivity, market diversification and moving further up the global value chain.

The competition has changed. Manufacturing giants with deeper supply chains, wider trade access and lower costs have pulled ahead. Automation, digitalisation and sustainable manufacturing are no longer differentiators, they are the baseline, one thing is clear: simply adding more sewing lines won›t close the gap.

So what does the industry actually want?

JAAF is calling for stronger investment incentives, to attract new foreign direct investment and encourage manufacturers already established here to reinvest not just in apparel manufacturing, but also in fabric mills, trims and packaging. The goal is to grow our apparel manufacturing base whilst reducing Sri Lanka›s reliance on imported materials by building a stronger domestic supply chain, especially in synthetic yarn and fabric, where local production currently meets barely a third of demand. To deliver on this, Sri Lanka needs to have a proposition for investors that competes with the offers on the table by other countries. If not, investment will not flow into the island.

There is a strong case for a dedicated push toward automation, robotics and AI-driven manufacturing. Industry leaders don›t frame this as a cost-cutting exercise, but rather as increasing productivity as a driver to boost overall exports. It is also a matter of staying competitive, as without this shift, Sri Lanka risks falling further behind manufacturing hubs that have already made the leap.

On trade, the asks are specific: pursue the application for the EU›s new GSP+ scheme in 2027, secure a preferential trade arrangement with the United States, and strengthen the existing free trade agreement with India. JAAF also wants Sri Lanka to open new negotiations with South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, and to set up a dedicated Government-industry working group to keep trade talks focused and consistent.

Perhaps the least glamorous but most practical request is institutional. Industry leaders say there needs to become a genuine one-stop shop rather than one stop among many. That means faster approvals, clearer VAT treatment for exporters, more flexibility for companies to transact in foreign currency, and long-overdue labour law reforms.

Energy policy is also key. Open access and power wheeling regulations are moving toward being fast-tracked, alongside stronger incentives for battery storage together aimed at giving manufacturers more reliable and sustainable power options.

None of this stands alone. Industry commitments of new investment, productivity gains, local supply chain development and job creation are matched by asks of Government: market access, a competitive tax environment, reduced costs of doing business and regulatory certainty in return.

The stakes go beyond a single industry. This is not just a plan for Sri Lanka to recover lost export ground. It builds a more resilient, higher-value apparel sector that can withstand global shocks better than the current one does.

Whether this plan of action takes shape will depend on how quickly Government agencies move to match the industry›s proposals with actual policy. Three decades ago, a similar alignment of purpose reshaped Sri Lanka›s apparel industry. The question now is whether that same coordination can happen again, at a moment when the competition has only gotten tougher.

Alen Simonyan receives Italian delegation amid Yerevan’s efforts to join EU

Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Armenia Alen Simonyan received a delegation headed by Italy’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Edmondo Cirielli.

The interlocutors discussed a number of issues concerning bilateral relations.

In particular, special attention was paid to the issue of intensifying economic cooperation in the context of diversifying foreign economic ties and export markets.

The parties also touched upon Armenia-EU relations and other issues of regional significance. All this is taking place against the backdrop of Yerevan’s efforts to join the EU.

It should be noted that Italy allocated pound 2 million in assistance to people in Armenia who voluntarily left Karabakh after Azerbaijan liberated its own territories.

A regional office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) will also be opened in Yerevan.

President Ilham Aliyev attended inauguration of Meysari Grand Hotel and SPA complex in Shamakhi

On September 17, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the inauguration of the Meysari Grand Hotel and SPA complex in Shamakhi.

Mehmet Balçik, Chief Executive Officer of Pasha Hospitality, briefed the head of state and the First Lady on the newly constructed Meysari Grand Hotel and SPA in Meysari village of Shamakhi district, noting that the complex is a multifunctional tourism and recreation destination.

Located at an altitude of 1,050 meters above sea level, the complex comprises a hotel and cottages, restaurants, a conference center, a spa and wellness center, sports and recreation areas, a children’s entertainment center, a parking lot and a helipad.

The complex features a total of 204 rooms, including 88 rooms of various categories in the main hotel building and 116 rooms in the cottage section. Additionally, three villas are located within the complex.

The wellness center offers extensive amenities for guests’ relaxation and well-being.

The complex features three swimming pools, gym and pilates halls, a tennis court, a football pitch, a padel court, and a children’s entertainment center.

The helipad is designed to enable guests to use air transport when necessary. Restaurants will also operate within the complex.

The Nasimi Conference Center is also located on the premises. The 420-seat center is designed to host conferences, meetings, presentations, business gatherings, and other events. In addition, the complex has a hall for organizing smaller-scale events and meetings.

Indoor and outdoor parking areas have been established at the complex.

A total of 320 new jobs have been created at the complex.

Shamakhi, distinguished by its ancient history, rich cultural heritage, beautiful nature, and unique mild climate, is one of Azerbaijan’s attractive tourism destinations. Mountain landscapes, vineyards, ancient monuments, and traditions of hospitality make the region a favorable destination for relaxation and travel in both summer and winter. The opening of the new hotel in Shamakhi will contribute to the development of tourism infrastructure, creating additional opportunities for the comfortable stay of local and foreign guests, more efficient utilization of the district’s tourism potential, and the development of the local economy.

Azerbaijan sets its sights on more complex, higher-value economy

Increasing the complexity of Azerbaijan’s economy is one of the country’s key objectives, Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov said.

Jabbarov made the remarks during the opening ceremony of the ‘Baku ID 2026’ innovation festival held at the SABAH.city innovation campus.

The minister said the goal is not simply to produce more goods, but to create goods and services with higher added value.

‘Our main goal and ambition is to increase the complexity of Azerbaijan’s economy. Put simply, this does not mean merely producing more goods, but creating goods and services with higher added value,’ Jabbarov said.

According to him, the integration of talent, technology and the ecosystem is essential to achieving this objective.

‘When the necessary policies and a favorable environment are provided, human capital stands at the very center of the process. Today, the concepts of illiteracy or a skilled employee are also taking on entirely new meanings,’ the minister added.

Jabbarov noted that in the modern economy, people are not merely individuals seeking jobs, but also people who create new employment opportunities.

He said this was also at the core of the philosophy behind ‘Baku ID’ and the festival’s fifth anniversary, and thanked those who had contributed to the project.

The minister said Azerbaijan had also gained important experience through cooperation with the World Economic Forum.

‘Several years ago, the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) was established in Azerbaijan. I am personally proud to have participated in its activities within the framework of the Job Accelerator,’ Jabbarov said.

He noted that technological transformation in the labor market is accelerating and that artificial intelligence is playing an important role in this process.

According to Jabbarov, one of Azerbaijan’s key objectives by 2030 is to become not only a creator of technology, but also a country capable of effectively adopting and applying such technologies to high standards.

Jabbarov said the indicators outlined in the ‘Future of Jobs’ report point to the direction of changes expected in the labor market in the coming years.

‘The share of jobs based solely on human labor, without technological involvement, is expected to decline, while the share of jobs involving cooperation between humans and technology is expected to increase. At the same time, the share of automated processes carried out solely by technology and artificial intelligence is also expected to grow,’ the minister emphasized.

He said these trends indicate that the labor market of the future will be based on the interaction between human capabilities and technology.

At the beginning of his speech, Jabbarov said the project was more than physical infrastructure, describing it as a platform bringing together economic actors, the education ecosystem, innovators, financial institutions and community representatives.

‘We see this space not simply as physical infrastructure, but as a point where economic actors, the education ecosystem, innovators and everyone important to the ecosystem, from financing to the community, come together,’ the minister said.

Trump meets Armenian religious leaders at White House as peace efforts take centre stage

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Armenian religious leaders based in the United States and Armenia’s Ambassador to the U.S. Narek Mkrtchyan at the White House.

According to the Armenian Embassy in Washington, the meeting included discussions on U.S.-Armenia relations, the Christian and cultural ties between the two nations, religious freedom, and efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region.

The participants also stressed the importance of peace and greater understanding between nations, as well as the role of faith and spiritual values in supporting these efforts.

During the meeting, the Armenian religious leaders held a joint prayer, asking for God’s blessing for the well-being and future of the peoples of Armenia and the United States, as well as for friendly relations between the two countries.

The religious leaders also expressed support for continued efforts toward peace and stability, while referring to the role of the United States and President Donald Trump in the Armenia-related peace process.

Thai flight capacity posts slight recovery in September

Thailand’s regional ranking for airline seats surged from third to second place this month, even as the country’s largest low-cost carrier Thai AirAsia continued to slash flights, according to OAG, an aviation intelligence and analytics company.

Amid the prolonged Middle East war, Southeast Asia’s flight capacity in September increased by 2% year-on-year to 48 million seats.

Thailand regained its No.2 slot for capacity with 6.61 million seats this month, down by 0.2% year-on-year, while Vietnam reported a 9.2% increase to 6.35 million seats.

In August, Thailand registered 7.19 million seats, dropping to third, as Vietnam posted 7.27 million seats.

Regionally, international flights accounted for 55% of total seats or 26.5 million, up by 0.7%.

Low-rise market shows glimpses of recovery

Bangkok’s low-rise housing market is showing signs of stabilisation after a sluggish first half, prompting developers to resume new project launches in the fourth quarter despite intense competition for limited demand.

Pakpring Karoon, deputy vice-president of SET-listed Sansiri, said the market had reached a stable level rather than continuing to deteriorate, encouraging developers to gradually introduce new projects.

“If we say the market is sluggish, it is sluggish but stable,” she said. “Developers have started launching projects in the fourth quarter after seeing signs that the market will not worsen.”

Developers face intense competition not only on prices but also with promotions, financial packages and lower booking payments as weak purchasing power continues to constrain homebuying decisions, said Ms Pakpring.

“We need to work with partners, including financial institutions, to offer attractive mortgage interest rates and help customers make purchasing decisions,” she said.

“Demand has not disappeared. Customers still want homes, but developers have to put in more effort to help them.”

Sansiri has been willing to wait for customers to improve their financial position before applying for mortgages, she said, citing cases where customers took several months to clear credit card debt before returning to purchase homes, said Ms Pakpring.

“Some customers disappeared for eight months to clear their credit card balances before they could qualify for a mortgage. We waited for them,” she noted.

NEW SUPPLY

The company is also seeking underserved segments, including along Srinakarin-Rom Klao Road from Krungthep Kreetha Road to Highway 9 (Kanchanaphisek Road), offering limited new detached houses priced at less than 30 million baht.

After acquiring 142 rai in the area, Sansiri plans to launch the Burasiri Well Krungthep Kreetha project on Saturday, with the first phase comprising detached houses starting at 23 million baht per unit.

Later phases will include three-storey twin houses priced from 12-13 million baht, targeting younger buyers who previously lived in condos and now want larger usable living space.

Sansiri is prepared to accept a 30% lower gross margin than its previous high-end detached-house projects in the area to reach a price point that better matches current demand, said Ms Pakpring.

Arnut Kittikulmetee, senior executive vice-president of Sansiri’s low-rise project development, said the low-rise market remains weak in line with economic conditions.

“The market peaked in 2022-23 when Covid-19 prompted many consumers to shift from condos to landed homes, driving a sharp increase in sales,” he said.

Mr Arnut expects investment and the economy to improve next year, particularly with greater government involvement, but does not expect the market to return to its previous peak within two years.

“Next year, we expect the market to improve slightly as investment starts to pick up. However, it will not return to the level seen three or four years ago,” he said.

Mr Arnut said developers were also keeping new low-rise home prices close to levels seen three years ago despite higher land and construction costs.

Sansiri has maintained margins through economies of scale from factory-produced structures and features, as well as land acquired at favourable costs, he said.

He expects the existing low-rise supply to take about three years to be absorbed as demand gradually strengthens.

“People still need to buy homes,” said Mr Arnut.

“Once the market falls to a certain level, it should not get much worse and will gradually recover.”

EC reports big jump in complaints

The Election Commission (EC) handled thousands of election complaints and cases in fiscal 2024 and 2025, while allocating 282 million baht in subsidies to political parties, its secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said on Wednesday.

Mr Sawaeng presented the EC’s performance reports to parliament, chaired by House Speaker Sophon Zaram. The reports covered work during fiscal 2024 and 2025. A fiscal year closes at the end of September.

In fiscal 2024, the EC organised Senate and local elections and allocated 139 million baht in subsidies to political parties under the organic law on political parties.

The EC resolved to submit 95 case files to the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Appeals Court and regional appeals courts.

It also approved action on 198 other files involving criminal cases, dismissed complaints, closed cases and new elections. A further 394 cases concerned MP and Senate elections, local polls, political parties and other matters.

The EC also carried out 23 projects and 42 activities to promote political participation and understanding of democracy.

In fiscal 2025, party subsidies increased to 143 million baht. The EC received 2,541 election-related complaints, including 1,919 criminal cases, four civil cases and 15 administrative cases.

The EC also organised many elections for provincial administrative organisations and local administrative organisations in 2,462 areas, as well as four by-elections for House seats.

The House set five hours for debate on the EC reports, and 210 minutes for an urgent motion on the southern border provinces.

Israeli firms’ role in Greece’s pound 3 billion air defense program sparks scrutiny

Greece’s planned pound 3 billion ‘Achilles Shield’ air-defense program is facing renewed scrutiny over the involvement of Israeli defense companies and concerns surrounding surveillance, sovereignty and dependence on foreign technology.

The program is being developed largely around systems supplied by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Rafael. IAI’s involvement has drawn particular attention because of its previous links to Cytrox, the company associated with Predator spyware.

According to Greek newspaper Documento, IAI held a 31 percent stake in Cytrox in 2017, the year the company developed Predator spyware. The spyware was later used to target a Greek journalist and senior officials in a surveillance scandal widely known as ‘Greek Watergate.’

IAI has since sold its stake in Cytrox and has said that its cyber-technology activities are limited to defensive applications.

The company’s role in the Achilles Shield program has nevertheless revived concerns among critics in Greece over the use of Israeli technology in sensitive military infrastructure.

Moshe Patel, head of Israel’s Missile Defense Organization, told Greek daily Kathimerini that Greece would not receive the source code covered by the agreement’s license. Israel would instead continue to provide technical support and maintenance for the systems.

The arrangement has prompted questions about Greece’s technological dependence on Israeli defense companies, particularly regarding long-term control and maintenance of critical elements of the country’s air-defense infrastructure.

Critics have also raised concerns about the level of public scrutiny and transparency surrounding the pound 3 billion program, amid broader debate in Greece over surveillance practices and the country’s military and logistical cooperation with Israel and the United States.

The reported links between IAI and Cytrox do not establish that the Achilles Shield systems themselves incorporate Predator spyware or related surveillance technology. The concerns instead center on IAI’s corporate history and the broader implications of relying on an Israeli company for critical defense infrastructure.