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PM orders quick deportation of errant foreigners

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in his capacity as the interior minister, has ordered provincial governors and district chiefs to act quickly to deport foreigners who commit offences and take advantage of Thais.

Mr Anutin issued the order on Thursday during a video conference with provincial governors, district chiefs and administrative officials nationwide to discuss policy implementation in the last quarter of this year.

He told the meeting that any expatriates who were aggressive, engaged in undesirable behaviour or took advantage of Thai people must face decisive action by provincial governors and district chiefs.

‘The new deportation regulation of the Prime Minister’s Office has already taken effect. Please take action fairly, carefully and decisively,’ he said.

‘I have signed the Interior Ministry notice on the deportation of individuals. You have all the mechanisms necessary to take this action. Enforce the law strictly if their behaviour meets the criteria.’

The order focuses on foreigners who illegally occupy land, run business and work in the country without permits, and those who disrespect Thai traditions and culture, be they tourists or expatriates.

The order concerning expatriates placed special emphasis on some provinces such as Phuket and Surat Thani including Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, according to an Interior Ministry post on Thursday.

Provincial governors must also look into the establishment of religious sites in Thailand to protect the interest of Thai people, said Mr Anutin.

He gave no details but controversies have arisen recently over a Jewish cemetery in Chachoengsao, as well as a Jewish New Year observance that was cancelled on Phuket after Thai protesters gathered near the venue.

Mr Anutin also told provincial governors that they should not wait for errant foreigners to be punished in Thailand because keeping them in the country would cost national resources.

Governors must choose immediate deportation, he said. They could even advance airfares and claim repayment for the sake of quick departures, the prime minister added.

An Israeli and a Frenchman recently became the first foreigners to be ordered out of Thailand under the new regulations. The Israeli was convicted of making threats after his family was barred from a zoo owned by the Frenchman and his wife.

The Frenchman, a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, was cited for actions that stirred religious division and conflict.

The duo were taken into custody pending the outcome of appeals against the order and were still in Thailand as of Thursday, police confirmed.

Skill Bridge to train over 80,000 in targeted sectors

A previous phase approved 42 projects under Skill Bridge with total funding of 2.03 billion baht and workforce development plans for 76,728 people, bringing the total number of people covered by workforce development plans to more than 80,000.

Workforce development projects are assessed in terms of curriculum standards, alignment with the needs of the industrial sector, the expertise of trainers and readiness to provide training.

The goal is to ensure the skills can be put to practical use in industry, helping Thai workers qualify for jobs requiring higher levels of skills and offering greater value, said Ms Lalida.

The challenge for the government is not simply how to attract more investment to the country, but also how to ensure such investment creates more opportunities for Thai businesses and people, she said.

The government needs to accelerate efforts to help Thai entrepreneurs gain access to artificial intelligence (AI), automated systems, R and D and new technologies, while developing workers with skills that match the needs of industry, said Ms Lalida. This effort will ensure that when new industries grow in Thailand, Thai businesses can become integrated into their supply chains and capture a greater share of the benefits generated by that growth, she noted.

“The government aims to promote investment while strengthening the economy, including upgrading the technology used by Thai companies, developing the workforce, increasing domestic procurement and facilitating knowledge transfer,” said Ms Lalida.

“The goal is to ensure Thailand is not merely a destination for investment, but also has Thai businesses and workers capable of growing and creating greater value alongside the industries of the future.”

The Competitiveness Enhancement Fund also provided financial support for business transformation, recently approving funding for 48 projects with a total investment of 3.54 billion baht, including 1.66 billion baht from the fund.

The projects cover R and D, improving business efficiency through modern technologies, adopting automation, digital technologies and AI, as well as transitions into new and green industries.

The goal of the scheme is to ensure Thai entrepreneurs have sufficient technology and productivity to grow alongside the industries of the future, she noted.

Some 66 projects received support for business transformation, representing total investment of 5.80 billion baht, with 2.79 billion baht allocated from the fund.

The Board of Investment, which oversees the National Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, estimates all of these projects will increase participating businesses’ revenue by 3.90 billion baht per year, bolstering domestic procurement of raw materials, components and services by more than 7.10 billion baht annually.

The benefits of investment should not be confined to the companies receiving investment promotion, but also extend to Thai component manufacturers, suppliers and service businesses throughout the supply chain, said Ms Lalida.

Scammers ‘rented Bangkok mansion for B900,000 a month’

Immigration police have arrested a group of foreigners who rented a mansion in Bangkok for 900,000 baht a month to operate a call scam centre targeting Japanese victims.

Officers raided the two-storey mansion on Ekachai 112 Road in Bang Bon district late Wednesday night after neighbours reported suspicions about a large number of foreigners staying there, said Pol Maj Gen Panthana Nuchanart, deputy commander of the Immigration Bureau.

He said police arrested 15 men at the mansion including Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese suspects. A Thai man was also detained.

On the second floor of the mansion, a series of rooms had been fitted out to look like police stations. Investigators found Japanese scripts as well as fake uniforms, cards and badges of Japanese police. On the first floor there were karaoke and poker rooms.

Scammers posing as Japanese police used the rooms to make video calls telling their targets that their financial transactions were suspicious and they should transfer money for further examination.

Police said that the Chinese suspects controlled the call centre and paid the monthly rent of 900,000 baht for the use of the mansion over the past year.

US Fed raises rates as inflation, Middle East war weigh on US economy

The US Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday, marking its first rate increase since July 2023 as persistent inflation and higher energy costs made the oulook of the world’s largest economy uncertain.

The Federal Open Market Committee unanimously raised the federal funds target range to 3.75 percent -4 percent, reversing the easing cycle that began in 2024.

‘Inflation remains elevated. Today’s policy action will support a timelier return to the Committee’s 2 percent goal,’ the committee said in its statement.

The decision comes as the US economy faces renewed inflationary pressure from the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran, which has pushed up energy prices. Gasoline prices are averaging about $1 a gallon above last year’s levels, while diesel recently reached a record $6.31.

The higher rates are intended to slow consumer and business spending and prevent inflation from becoming entrenched. However, the move also raises borrowing costs for households and businesses at a time when affordability is already under pressure.

Mortgage payments, car loans, student debt and other forms of borrowing are likely to remain more expensive as the central bank seeks to contain price pressures.

Historically, when the Federal Reserve raises rates once, they usually raise them again, which signals the possibility of the Federal Reserve raising rates further.

Most officials expect the benchmark rate to increase soon and now estimate that inflation could take until around 2029 to return to the central bank’s 2 percent target.

The rate decision could put Fed Chair Kevin Warsh at a different odds with President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said the US should have lower rates than any country in the world.

Warsh, whom Trump nominated as Fed chair, has maintained that the central bank should remain independent from the White House.

Meanwhile, inflation is increasingly weighing on US consumers. Real hourly earnings fell 0.1 percent year-on-year in August and 0.3 percent from the previous month, while consumer sentiment has also weakened and expectations for further inflation have risen.

The rate increase also comes amid pressure in the US bond market, where the 10-year Treasury yield recently reached a 19-year high. Higher government bond yields can feed into borrowing costs for consumers and businesses.

Palestinians turn rugged caves into homes

Palestinian herder Mohammed Emar has set up a fully functional home for his family where his daughters can even sing karaoke. Only it is inside a cave after the Israeli army demolished his two houses.

In the occupied West Bank’s arid region of Masafer Yatta, Emar made a smooth concrete floor on two caves’ rough limestone ground before applying a white limewash on the brittle stone walls.

With time, electricity from solar panels and water from a well turned the grotto into a new home for the 33-year-old Emar, his two wives and 11 children, who nonetheless long for life above ground.

‘We once lived in a house above ground, where you could see the world. But today, we live in an underground cave that resembles a grave,’ Emar said.

His children now play on the patio built out of the side of the hill in front of the cave, with his daughters singing Arabic songs on a karaoke machine and keeping an eye on the younger boys.

The youngest son, Raz, short for Razeeq, is named after a Russian-Israeli man Emar met in a Tel Aviv jail during a one-year stint he says he did after an altercation with an Israeli settler when his wife Fatima was pregnant.

Above the caves, some rubble from his two houses remains three years after the army demolished them.

On a ridge roughly 300 metres away, Israeli flags, floodlights and fences signal the presence of the Israeli settlement of Avigayil, some of whose residents Emar says make life difficult for his family, with occasional theft and attacks.

Masafer Yatta, in the West Bank’s south, is known for frequent home demolitions and tensions between local Palestinians and Israeli settlers.

The hilly, semi-arid area, which is almost entirely under Israeli control according to the Oslo Agreements of the 1990s, was the subject of the Oscar-winning 2024 documentary No Other Land.

Despite an ever-shrinking living space, locals point to family and community ties as the reason for their capacity to remain on their land after home demolitions.

‘Ancient times’

‘Whenever someone loses their homes to demolitions, neighbours and families come to help them build new shelters. The fact that we all live close to each other helps,’ Emar said.

Fatima Emar, Mohammed’s wife, says that the family had originally erected tents after the houses they had built in 2023 were destroyed.

‘Now, we have sought refuge in the cave. Since it has existed since ancient times they cannot demolish it, and (the army) has allowed us to live there,’ she said.

The army justifies home demolitions by saying that the construction is illegal in areas under Israeli control. Palestinians complain that their requests for permits are almost systematically denied.

Although not the case with Emar, Israel also often destroys home to punish the families of Palestinians involved in attacks.

Emar says he hoped that the region’s roughly 1,100 Palestinian residents could one day live safely in houses.

‘While the world moves forward, we here in Palestine, in Masafer Yatta, are moving backwards.’

AY laments rising cost of booking Nigerian artistes for comedy shows

Stand-up comedian and actor Ayo Makun, popularly known as AY, has lamented the rising cost of booking Nigerian artistes for comedy shows, revealing that some top music stars now charge as much as N200 million to perform at a comedy concert.

AY, who made the disclosure on Instagram while reflecting on the show’s evolution, said even emerging artistes who have yet to attain mainstream success now demand up to N80 million for appearances.

According to the comedian, top acts including Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage and Olamide have all graced the AY Live stage in the past.

‘For many years, since the beginning of AY Live, Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, and Olamide have all performed at AY Live,’ AY said.

He noted that in the early years, bookings were largely driven by friendship and mutual support, with artistes accepting modest fees to cover logistics.

‘In those days, many appearances were made possible through friendship. An artiste would accept any reasonable amount to cover their logistics, but today, the Nigerian musicians charge N200 million, N120 million, N80 million to appear on my show,’ he added.

AY attributed the sharp increase in performance fees to the global growth of the Nigerian music industry.

‘The industry has changed so that today the Nigerian musicians are global stars; they earn from streaming, international endorsements, and several other opportunities that come in foreign currencies. So they no longer depend on comedy shows for visibility,’ he explained.

He added that the high fees are no longer limited to A-list acts.

‘Even the upcoming artists wey never blow dey ask for N80 million,’ he said.

AY further noted that securing top artistes for comedy shows now largely depends on personal relationships, as the cost has become prohibitive without them.

‘The reality is that if you don’t have a strong personal relationship with any of these artists, bringing them to a comedy show can really be expensive,’ he added.

Skill Bridge to train over 80,000 in targeted sectors

A previous phase approved 42 projects under Skill Bridge with total funding of 2.03 billion baht and workforce development plans for 76,728 people, bringing the total number of people covered by workforce development plans to more than 80,000.

Workforce development projects are assessed in terms of curriculum standards, alignment with the needs of the industrial sector, the expertise of trainers and readiness to provide training.

The goal is to ensure the skills can be put to practical use in industry, helping Thai workers qualify for jobs requiring higher levels of skills and offering greater value, said Ms Lalida.

The challenge for the government is not simply how to attract more investment to the country, but also how to ensure such investment creates more opportunities for Thai businesses and people, she said.

The government needs to accelerate efforts to help Thai entrepreneurs gain access to artificial intelligence (AI), automated systems, R and D and new technologies, while developing workers with skills that match the needs of industry, said Ms Lalida. This effort will ensure that when new industries grow in Thailand, Thai businesses can become integrated into their supply chains and capture a greater share of the benefits generated by that growth, she noted.

“The government aims to promote investment while strengthening the economy, including upgrading the technology used by Thai companies, developing the workforce, increasing domestic procurement and facilitating knowledge transfer,” said Ms Lalida.

“The goal is to ensure Thailand is not merely a destination for investment, but also has Thai businesses and workers capable of growing and creating greater value alongside the industries of the future.”

The Competitiveness Enhancement Fund also provided financial support for business transformation, recently approving funding for 48 projects with a total investment of 3.54 billion baht, including 1.66 billion baht from the fund.

The projects cover R and D, improving business efficiency through modern technologies, adopting automation, digital technologies and AI, as well as transitions into new and green industries.

The goal of the scheme is to ensure Thai entrepreneurs have sufficient technology and productivity to grow alongside the industries of the future, she noted.

Some 66 projects received support for business transformation, representing total investment of 5.80 billion baht, with 2.79 billion baht allocated from the fund.

The Board of Investment, which oversees the National Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, estimates all of these projects will increase participating businesses’ revenue by 3.90 billion baht per year, bolstering domestic procurement of raw materials, components and services by more than 7.10 billion baht annually.

The benefits of investment should not be confined to the companies receiving investment promotion, but also extend to Thai component manufacturers, suppliers and service businesses throughout the supply chain, said Ms Lalida.

NCBA Golf Series blends competition with community impact

The NCBA Golf Series 2026 brought together golfers, customers, business leaders and partners in Arusha over the weekend, with the tournament combining competition with initiatives supporting education and environmental conservation.

The Arusha leg, held at Kili Golf in partnership with the Diplomatic Golf Tournament, was also used to raise funds towards school fees for students from low income families.

The event was attended by NCBA Group Managing Director and CEO John Gachora, NCBA Bank Tanzania Managing Director Alex Mziray and other senior officials and stakeholders. Beyond supporting the education initiative, NCBA will sponsor the overall winner to participate in the wider NCBA Golf Series, giving the golfer an opportunity to compete at a higher level.

Mziray said the partnership reflected the bank’s approach of using sport to create opportunities while supporting causes that benefit communities.

‘Golf gives us an opportunity to connect with our customers and partners, but its impact can go much further. Through this partnership, we are supporting education while creating an opportunity for golfing talent to progress,’ he said.

The Arusha tournament followed the opening Tanzania leg at Dar es Salaam Gymkhana and is part of the NCBA Golf Series being held across markets where the banking group operates.

The Tanzania series will culminate in Dar es Salaam, with qualifiers advancing to the NCBA Group Grand Finale scheduled for Nairobi at the end of November.

NCBA says the series is intended to provide a platform for competition while strengthening relationships among golfers, customers, partners and the wider community.

The initiative also ties in with the bank’s Ndoto Zako, Hatua Zetu campaign, which focuses on supporting customers and communities to turn their ambitions into tangible progress.

The bank’s community activities in Arusha continued the following day when Gachora, Mziray and the NCBA team joined stakeholders in a tree planting exercise at Kijenge Primary School.

The initiative forms part of NCBA’s target to plant and nurture 20,000 trees by December 2026 in Arusha, Mwanza, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. The programme is being implemented in collaboration with TEEMO and other stakeholders under the Change the Story, Badilisha Simulizi campaign.

At Kijenge Primary School, students were encouraged to take part in caring for the trees and promote environmental conservation within the school and their communities. The two activities highlighted the bank’s wider approach to community engagement, linking sport with education and environmental sustainability.

While the golf tournament created an opportunity for competition and supported an education cause, the tree planting initiative focused on creating a greener environment for future generations.

Arabic/Chinese Curriculum: Apologise Or Sack Haruna – NPP To Mahama

The Education Sector Policy Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has challenged President John Mahama to either apologise to Ghanaians or sack the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, over the controversy surrounding the proposed introduction of Arabic and Chinese languages into schools.

The committee said if the Education Minister announced and pursued the policy without presidential or Cabinet approval, then the President should relieve him of his position.

However, if the minister acted with the knowledge or authority of the President or Cabinet, it said President Mahama must apologise to the Ghanaian public for denying a policy that his government had already set in motion.

In a statement released yesterday, the committee said the President’s recent declaration that there was ‘absolutely no new policy’ on the introduction of Arabic and Chinese had created a serious contradiction, particularly in view of earlier actions by the Education Ministry and its agencies.

It recalled that on April 24, 2026, Mr. Iddrisu publicly announced that Chinese and Arabic would become compulsory foreign languages at the secondary school level and linked the policy to President Mahama’s vision for education.

According to the committee, the Ministry subsequently instructed the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) to undertake curriculum development work, involving about 160 writers and reviewers over several months.

It said a revised curriculum incorporating Arabic and Chinese among foreign-language options was presented to the Education Minister on July 22, 2026.

The committee claimed that instead of rejecting the curriculum, the minister referred it to the Ghana Education Service (GES) and directed the service to bring it to ‘full implementation readiness’, take early ownership and prepare for classroom implementation.

It further cited the training of teachers by NaCCA on September 3, 2026, with support from the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Coast, as evidence that preparations had progressed beyond a mere proposal.

The NPP committee said the sequence of events would reasonably lead the public to believe that the policy had been authorised by the government, particularly because the Education Minister had attributed the policy direction to the President.

It therefore questioned the President’s subsequent assertion that there was ‘absolutely no new policy’, arguing that the statement had failed to explain the actions already taken by the Ministry, NaCCA and GES.

The committee also raised questions about public expenditure associated with the process, including curriculum development, workshops, technical work and teacher training.

‘If there was ‘absolutely no new policy’, why were public resources committed to developing the curricula, preparing the system for implementation and training teachers?’ it asked.

The committee also pointed to President Mahama’s concern about the availability of Chinese language teachers, particularly when Ghana was already experiencing shortages of French teachers.

It questioned why the implementation process had progressed to curriculum development and teacher training if teacher availability remained unresolved.

The NPP, however, distinguished between Arabic and Chinese, noting that Arabic had existed as an optional subject at the Junior High School level before the current government assumed office.

Chinese, it said, was different, because the 2026 process involved curriculum development, consideration by the Education Ministry, preparations by GES and teacher training.

The committee said the controversy had broader implications for government policy coordination and accountability.

It argued that if a minister could announce a major policy, attribute it to the President, involve government institutions and commit public resources to its development without the required approval, questions would arise about how other government decisions were being taken.

The committee said parents, teachers, school administrators and taxpayers deserved clear and consistent communication from the government.

It maintained that the controversy could not simply be declared settled, and repeated its call for President Mahama to either apologise to the nation and provide a full account of the policy and expenditure involved, or sack the Education Minister for acting without the necessary authority.

Thais complete stunning comeback

Paripan Wongsa struck twice to complete a remarkable turnaround as Thailand came from two goals down to beat Kyrgyzstan 3-2 in their opening Group A match in the 20th Asian Games men’s football tournament at Toyota Stadium in Japan on Wednesday.

Thailand lined up with Jehhanafee Mamah leading the attack, while Yotsakon Burapha began the match on the bench.

The Thais started on the front foot, going close through Chawanwit Sealao, whose effort was denied by a Kyrgyzstan defender before a second chance saw him drag his shot over the bar.

Thailand continued to dominate possession and should have taken an early lead through Thanakrit Chotmuangpak in the third minute, only for Kyrgyzstan goalkeeper Kurmanbek Nurlanbekov to keep the score level.

Against the run of play, Kyrgyzstan took the lead in the 23rd minute after a mix-up at the back. A long ball forward found Kimi Merk, whose shot was parried by Thai goalkeeper Sorawat Phosaman, only for the rebound to fall to Kuduret Iskandarbekov, who steered the ball through the legs of Chanon Thamma and into the net to put Kyrgyzstan 1-0 ahead.

Thailand responded by pushing men forward in search of an equaliser, with Jehhanafee firing off target from a promising position.

Kyrgyzstan threatened again on the counter with a long ball forward, but the Thai defence recovered in time to clear the danger. Jehhanafee had one further sight of goal in the closing stages of the first half, again denied by the Kyrgyzstan goalkeeper, and Thailand went into the interval trailing 1-0.

Thailand made their first change of the match at the start of the second half, with Yotsakon Burapha replacing Pichitchai Sienkrathok.

The switch did little to arrest Kyrgyzstan’s momentum, however, and they doubled their lead in the 47th minute when Phon-ek Maneekon failed to clear his lines properly, allowing the ball to fall to Aitenir Balbakov, who fired home to make it 2-0.

Thailand hit back almost immediately. In the 55th minute, Thanakrit swung in a corner that was met by Jehhanafee, who headed home to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

The comeback gathered pace as Thailand continued to press forward, and their pressure paid off in the 68th minute when Yotsakon squared the ball to Paripan, who curled a fine finish in from the right-hand side to draw the scores level at 2-2.

Four minutes later, Thailand completed the turnaround. Paripan struck again, this time driving forward on a solo run before finishing well to put Thailand 3-2 ahead.

Kyrgyzstan pushed for a late equaliser, but resolute Thai defending held firm, and Thailand held on to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory in their opening match of the tournament.

Thailand will next face Hong Kong on Sunday, while Kyrgyzstan take on hosts Japan on the same day.