Category: The Bangkok Post

Thailand has entered the top 50 in global startup rankings for the first time in six years, while cementing its position as Southeast Asia’s leading medical technology hub, according to the 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index released by StartupBlink.

The ranking, compiled by the global startup research and analytics platform, covers 120 countries and more than 1,500 cities worldwide, placing Thailand 49th globally for its highest position in six years, following Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia in Southeast Asia.

Yodchanan Wongsawat, the minister of higher education, science, research and innovation, said Thailand posted one of the fastest growth rates among the world’s top 50 nations, expanding by 62.6%. Thailand secured the top ranking in Southeast Asia for medtech startups and eighth globally in the sector.

The rankings underscore the country’s growing appeal as a regional innovation and technology hub, he noted.

Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket emerged as key magnets for startups, investors and digital nomads. Bangkok climbed five spots to rank 76th globally and fourth in Southeast Asia, while also being recognised as the leading robotics city in the region and 17th worldwide.

Meanwhile, Chiang Mai and Phuket recorded growth of 91.6% and 85.9% respectively, reflecting rising momentum in regional innovation clusters beyond the capital.

Pattaya, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani and Nakhon Pathom were new entrants in the rankings, placing Thailand third for most ranked startup cities in Southeast Asia.

New growth engine

Mr Yodchanan said the government views startups as a critical new growth engine capable of accelerating the digital economy, strengthening targeted industries, creating high-skilled jobs and enhancing the country’s global competitiveness.

‘Thailand entering the top 50 and becoming the leading medtech hub in the region signals growing confidence from investors, entrepreneurs and international innovation networks,’ he said.

The Ministry of Higher Education and the National Innovation Agency (NIA) are accelerating efforts to strengthen the country’s innovation systems through initiatives such as matching fund schemes, university holding companies and the expansion of Startup Thailand League.

Mr Yodchanan said Thailand’s rise in medtech highlighted the country’s readiness to tap into the rapidly expanding global wellness economy, which is seen as a future growth driver.

Despite the progress, he acknowledged startups still face challenges such as limited access to funding, insufficient testing opportunities for innovations and fragmented support networks.

Krithpaka Boonfueng, executive director of the NIA, said the agency plans to develop Bangkok’s Ari district into a dedicated innovation and startup community hub aimed at connecting entrepreneurs with global investment, technology and innovation networks.

Eli David Rokah, chief executive and co-founder of StartupBlink, told the Bangkok Post that Thailand’s improvement reflects a gradual stabilisation of its startup landscape after years of sluggish momentum, although structural weaknesses continue to limit the country’s regional competitiveness.

Global outlook lacking

Thailand still faces major structural obstacles if it hopes to become a leading regional startup hub, he noted.

One of the most urgent challenges is the country’s limited global orientation. Many Thai startups continue focusing primarily on the domestic market rather than building products and services for regional or international expansion.

‘Startup founders need to adopt a broader mindset if Thailand wants to compete more effectively within Southeast Asia and globally,’ said Mr Rokah.

Compared with regional rivals, Thailand still faces weaknesses in taxation, investment incentives, banking systems and regulatory clarity, making it less attractive for entrepreneurs seeking to establish scalable global businesses.

As a result, some high-potential founders are choosing to register companies in more business-friendly jurisdictions overseas, a trend analysts described as a serious long-term risk for Thailand’s innovation economy, he said.

No drugs were found in the system of a technician of a freight train involved in Saturday’s fatal collision with a public bus in Bangkok, police said on Wednesday.

Toxicology results from Police General Hospital for the technician, identified only as Siriphum, were negative, said Pol Col Kamphon Rattanaprateep, deputy commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1.

Investigators have questioned Mr Siriphum and are continuing to question injured parties and additional witnesses, including motorcycle taxi riders who were near the scene.

As well, testimony has been taken from officers with the prevention and suppression unit at Makkasan police station, who located and detained the train driver on the day of the train-bus collision that killed eight people and injured dozens of others.

Authorities are also examining whether any parties may have violated traffic laws in connection with the accident, said Pol Col Kamphon.

The investigation team is scheduled to question the masters of the Makkasan and Khlong Tan stations on Thursday to examine whether operational procedures were properly followed by the train driver and railway crossing gate supervisor at the time of the incident.

Journey re-enacted

On Wednesday afternoon, police and officials from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) boarded a train and entered the driver’s cabin to recreate the incident and assess visibility along the route. The simulation covered a stretch of about 9.2 kilometres from Hua Mak to Asok station.

The investigators were divided into two teams. One team observed from aboard the train, while the second monitored operations at railway crossing barriers. The train used was a regular passenger service, with the SRT confirming that operational procedures for passenger and freight trains were identical.

Investigators focused on two main issues during the simulation.

The first involved examining visibility distances for railway signalling systems, including flags and light signals, and the visibility of vehicles obstructing the tracks, in order to determine how far in advance a train driver could detect hazards.

The second issue concerned braking distance, specifically how much distance a train driver requires to slow down and stop before reaching a station or railway crossing.

Investigators also observed how crossing gate operators performed their duties, including at what distance warning signals were given to train drivers. The team additionally monitored train speeds throughout the journey, from acceleration and deceleration to the final braking process.

Police said all findings gathered from the field operation would be carefully reviewed and compared against statements provided by the crossing gate supervisor, the train driver, the technician and railway staff involved in the deadly level crossing collision.

The information will also be measured against SRT operational regulations for both train operators and crossing gate personnel.

In-depth investigation

Investigators are examining operational behaviour in detail, including train speeds, radio communication procedures, the distance at which crossing barriers are lowered, and the use of both light and flag signals by gate operators, in an effort to determine the exact cause of the accident.

On Monday, police filed charges of recklessness causing death, severe injury and physical danger against two state railway workers and a passenger bus driver.

Sayomporn Suankul, the 46-year-old driver of the Laem Chabang-Bang Sue freight train, failed to stop even though a level crossing worker raised a red flag, signalling that vehicles were blocking the crossing on Asok-Din Daeng Road in Huai Khwang district, said Pol Maj Gen Worasak Pisitbannakorn, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1.

The train driver also tested positive for drug abuse and faces an additional charge.

The level crossing supervisor, Uthen Sornkheeree, 46, was seen in CCTV footage briefly showing his red flag before calmly folding it and turning his back to the oncoming train, long before it reached him.

Mr Sayomporn and Mr Uthen have been suspended from duty. They have both denied the charges, police said.

The 56-year-old bus driver, Lapit Thongboon, was severely burned and remains in hospital.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin on Tuesday apologised to a reporter after a tense exchange over questions about a corruption survey involving the Pollution Control Department (PCD).

Mr Suchart appeared irritated when being questioned about findings that the PCD was the state agency with the highest average alleged bribe payments. The survey was conducted by the Zero Corruption working group on transparency in public administration.

The findings claimed the department recorded the country’s highest average bribe value per incident at 102,160 baht.

During the encounter at Government House before a cabinet meeting, the reporter repeatedly pressed Mr Suchart on why the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment had not immediately launched a formal investigation, instead of publicly rejecting the poll’s credibility.

The minister defended the department, arguing that the agency functions mainly as a technical body and lacks the authority to issue permits or directly approve factory operations.

As questions intensified, Mr Suchart compared the situation to defending one’s own children against accusations without evidence. The journalist countered that protecting subordinates before conducting an investigation undermined confidence in accountability mechanisms.

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense when the same reporter from The Better asked whether the ministry had actually initiated an internal probe. Mr Suchart insisted he had instructed the ministry’s permanent secretary to summon the poll organisers and demand supporting evidence.

After the interaction ended, Mr Suchart walked towards the reporter and brushed shoulders with him as they passed. The reporter protested, prompting the minister to tell the reporter, “You’ve got no idea who you’re dealing with.”

Mr Suchart later went to the media room to apologise in person after the cabinet meeting. He admitted he had spoken improperly and understood that the reporter had intended to raise the issues in good faith.

The reporter accepted the apology and said there was no personal issue.

A 70-year-old man has died and two others were injured after a car collided with a wild elephant on Highway 323 in Kanchanaburi province, in what officials say is the first recorded incident of its kind on the route.

The crash occurred at around 9pm on Tuesday on the inbound stretch of Highway 323 towards Muang district in Wang Dong subdistrict. Police from the Lat Ya station were alerted by the local radio centre to reports of a serious collision between a sedan and a wild elephant, resulting in casualties.

Emergency responders, including doctors from Paholpolpayuhasena Hospital, forensic officers, wildlife officers from the Salak Pha sanctuary and rescue volunteers attended the scene.

Despite the presence of street lighting, the area was described as poorly lit. Officers found a bronze Toyota Corolla severely damaged by the roadside. The front of the vehicle had been crushed, and flames had engulfed the engine compartment before spreading to much of the car. Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze prior to the arrival of investigators.

A 70-year-old male passenger seated in the front left seat was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was transferred to Paholpolpayuhasena Hospital for post-mortem examination.

The driver, aged 64, and a 74-year-old rear-seat passenger were injured and taken to hospital for treatment. All three men were residents of Muang district in Kanchanaburi. The vehicle was taken to the Lat Ya police station for further inspection.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the driver had been travelling from Sai Yok district towards Muang district when the vehicle struck a wild elephant that had emerged from the Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary.

Officials believe the elephant, along with an unknown number of others, had crossed the Khwae Yai River in search of food before attempting to cross the highway at the point of impact. The extent of any injuries to the animal remains unknown.

Authorities noted that while vehicle collisions with wild elephants have previously occurred on Highway 3199, the Kanchanaburi-Si Sawat route, this marks the first such incident ever recorded on Highway 323. Investigations are ongoing.

Phuket immigration authorities have revoked the visa of a 39-year-old Austrian man and ordered him deported after he repeatedly harassed local residents while drunk in the Rawai area.

Police and immigration officers took action on Tuesday after a video widely shared online showed an intoxicated man riding a motorcycle while blocking traffic and aggressively demanding money from people.

Investigators found that the suspect, identified only as Raphael, had entered the kingdom on a temporary student visa, ostensibly to study Thai language and culture. He had previously received a warning for similar behaviour but reoffended shortly afterwards, they said.

Immigration officials said his conduct – public intoxication, harassment and intimidation – was damaging to public order, Thai cultural values, and the country’s tourism image.

His permission to remain in the kingdom has been revoked and he is being expelled from Thailand, they said.

A sand dune that vanished for half a century now attracts visitors to the middle of the Chao Phraya, the main river of the Central Plains, in this satellite province north of Bangkok.

On the days of very low tides in the dry season, a sand dune about 20 metres wide and 100 metres long emerges in the middle of the Chao Phraya River in tambon Sam Khok of Sam Khok district, typically in the evenings.

The freshwater sand formation disappeared about 50 years ago due to sand mining in the river. Mining stopped a decade ago because of depletion, and the sand dune has since returned. Its length can sometimes reach 300 metres, depending on river levels.

Visitors can reach the dune by boat from the piers of two riverside Buddhist temples, Wat Thua Thong and Wat Surat Rangsan, in Sam Khok in the evening.

The sand dune usually appears near the western bank of the Chao Phraya between 3pm and 6pm. The natural attraction lasts about a month in the dry season but does not appear daily, depending on the river’s tides.

Police have arrested a self-styled spiritual healer in the northern province of Lamphun for allegedly raping teenage boys who sought his ‘sin-removing’ services.

The 67-year-old suspect, identified only as Paisarn, has been remanded in police custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, when police will seek his detention.

The man was arrested on Tuesday at a house in tambon Pak Bong of Pa Sang district after police investigated complaints from two young men, said Pol Lt Gen Nathasak Chaonasai, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).

One of the young men told police that he suffered from chronic headaches and had learned online about Mr Paisarn, who claimed to be able to cure illness through a ‘karma-cleansing’ ritual.

When the young man visited Mr Paisarn on May 2 he was told to take part in a private rite claimed to be a part of the process. On that occasion, he said, the elderly man raped him.

The suspect claimed the act was part of a Brahmin-Hindu karmic cleansing ceremony, the complainant said.

The other complainant told police that in February last year Mr Paisarn promised to treat the chronic backache of his mother, but he also claimed to see the young man was burdened by many sins.

Mr Paisarn told the young man’s parents to wait at a nearby restaurant while the young man entered his room for treatment.

Investigators said the suspect told the teenager he was burdened with severe karma and required a one-on-one ritual to remove it before molesting him. Police added the suspect also made sexually explicit remarks involving humans and dogs during the encounter.

During the arrest and subsequent searches, police found student yearbooks containing names and addresses in the suspect’s possession.

The suspect shared information from the yearbooks with his victims, claiming they were the names and addresses of the people whom his victims had offended in a past life, said Pol Maj Gen Patanasak Buphasuwan, commander of the Crime Suppression Division.

Victims had faith in the suspect when they discovered real people at the addresses the suspect gave them, police said.

Investigators said the suspect has for decades been a popular faith healer admired by people ranging from the working class to the elite, with many seeking his spiritual guidance and help to heal.

But he gained widespread attention across the country after being visited in 2023 by a popular actor suffering from an autoimmune disease. The actor died the following year.

Police charged Mr Paisarn with raping and removing from parental care young people aged between 15 and 18. The offences carry a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of up to 400,000 baht.

Authorities said additional victims have since come forward with information, with several reporting similar patterns of abuse, Pol Lt Gen Nathasak said.

Police have arrested a Nigerian man and two Thai women with 65.5 kilogrammes of heroin, saying they were linked to a Nigerian romance scam network that lured Thai women to distribute drugs in Thailand.

The Nigerian suspect, identified only as Obi, was arrested on Monday at a hotel on Phatthanakan Road in Suan Luang district of Bangkok, Pol Col Jetnipat Siriwat, a superintendent with the Crime Suppression Division, said on Wednesday.

Officers also arrested a woman identified as Kanyarat at an apartment on Navamin Soi 42 in Bung Kum district, and Somporn at the southern bus terminal in Bangkok on Monday.

According to Pol Col Jetnipat, the 65.5kg of heroin worth about 200 million baht was smuggled from Laos into Nong Khai province in northeastern Thailand. Mr Obi reportedly stored the heroin at the hotel before packaging it for distribution to dealers who would sell it at tourist destinations in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket.

Ms Somporn said she was just about to board a bus to Phuket to deliver the heroin to dealers in the southern province when police found her.

Both Mr Obi and Ms Somporn said they received the heroin from Ms Kanyarat. The drugs were packed in snack and pet feed packages. Police found 49.5kg of heroin with Mr Obi and 16kg with Ms Somporn.

Pol Col Jetnipat said a Nigerian gang lured Thai women through romance scams and later hired the women to distribute drugs for 30,000 baht per delivery.

The Nigerian scammers were not in Thailand and the three arrested suspects did not know one another, he said.

Thailand will consider increasing its long-planned foreign tourist entry fee from 300 baht, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said on Wednesday.

He said the tourism tax – first proposed in 2020 but never implemented – could be higher than 300 baht because of inflation and rising insurance costs, in order to extend coverage at private hospitals.

The majority of the revenue from tourism fees would be allocated to tourist insurance, with the remainder used to maintain tourist attractions and improve infrastructure, authorities have said.

Mr Surasak made the comment a day after the government announced it would scrap 60-day visa exemptions for travellers from 93 countries, another long-planned move made in response to concerns about an increase in illegal activity by foreigners.

He said his ministry is now finalising details of the fee collection method to ensure it does not affect traveller sentiment.

He said there are two collection options: via airline tickets or through the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system.

Airlines have said they cannot discriminate by taxing foreign passengers and excluding Thais, which means the government might have to collect the tax from all passengers and allow Thais to obtain refunds via an application later, he said.

The alternative would be to levy the tax through the TDAC system, which all foreign visitors are required to submit upon arrival.

In any case, the final amount of the fee will depend in large part on the projected costs of accident insurance and treatment at private hospitals.

Unpaid medical bills by foreign visitors cost Thai hospitals around 2.5 billion baht per year, studies have found.

The ministry plans to discuss an appropriate insurance premium with the Thai General Insurance Association at the next stage, noted Mr Surasak.

Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said the ministry needs to clarify what types of incidents would be covered by the insurance fund. Authorities should also decide the exact proportion earmarked for major infrastructure projects, he added.

For instance, authorities should assess which types of incidents involving foreign tourists place a burden on hospitals, and whether the policy will also cover events such as floods, train construction accidents, or motorcycle crashes involving riders without licences.

Visa-change timeline

Authorities are also working out the timeline for ending the 60-day visa exemption for 93 countries and reverting to 30-day and 15-day allowances, and visa-on-arrival arrangements similar to those in place in 2024.

Mr Surasak said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the lead agency in the national visa policy committee, needs to coordinate communications with the foreign ministries of other countries.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports plans to ask the visa committee to adjust the scheme for selected countries.

For instance, India is a top-five source market for Thailand but its citizens only qualify for visas on arrival. The ministry favours a 15-day visa exemption for this market, said Mr Surasak.

Meanwhile, the ministry has asked the Tourism Authority of Thailand to revise its goals and strategy for 2026 as the prolonged US-Iran conflict could result in foreign arrivals missing the target of 33 million.

Mr Surasak said the shortened visa exemption period should not affect arrivals because the average stay for most foreign tourists is only nine days.

Labour Minister Julapun Amornvivat has declared his support for a campaign to improve rights protection and welfare standards for workers in Thailand’s creative industries.

The ministry is ready to step in and help address long-standing problems including unfair employment contracts, unpaid wages and excessive working hours, he said on Wednesday after a meeting with three creative industry associations.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Thai On-Screen Actors Association, the Thai Film Directors Association and the Thai Studio Industry Promotion Association, who discussed cooperation with the ministry to improve the quality of life for workers in the creative sector.

Mr Julapun said many people tend to associate the entertainment industry with leading actors and celebrities, overlooking the large number of behind-the-scenes workers.

‘These include extras, production crews, photographers and lighting technicians,’ he said.

‘I agree that these workers must receive proper protection, decent working conditions and access to basic welfare.’

He said a new working group would spearhead a broader effort between the government and industry representatives to develop a fairer employment system for creative workers.

Regarding working hours, Mr Julapun said more discussions were needed to determine appropriate standards that balance labour protection with the nature of production work in the entertainment industry.

The meeting also discussed raising professional standards and issuing certificates for the creative industry. Details are still being reviewed.