Category: The Bangkok Post

Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai has won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature, the award-giving body said on Thursday.

‘The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2025 is awarded to the Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art,’ said Mats Malm, permanent secretary at the Swedish Academy.

Krasznahorkai, 71, is just the second Hungarian to win the prize, after Imre Kertesz, who won in 2002 for his semi-autobiographical novel Fatelessness about surviving the Holocaust.

His novels, short stories and essays are best known in Germany – where he lived for long periods – and Hungary, where he is considered by many as the country’s most important living author.

Critically difficult and demanding, his style was described once by Krasznahorkai himself as ‘reality examined to the point of madness’.

His penchant for long sentences and few paragraph breaks have also seen the writer labelled as ‘obsessive’.

Exploring themes of postmodern dystopia and melancholy, his first novel Satantango (1985) brought him to prominence in Hungary and remains his best-known work.

Recounting life in a decaying village in communist-era Hungary, its uncompromising style (12 chapters each consisting of a single paragraph) was called by its translator as ‘a slow lava-flow of narrative’.

The book was for people who ‘want something other than entertainment. who have a preference for the painfully beautiful,’ Krasznahorkai said in a interview.

Last year’s prize was won by South Korean author Han Kang who became the 18th woman – the first was Swedish author Selma Lagerlof in 1909 – and the first South Korean to receive the award.

The Nobel prize is awarded by the Swedish Academy and is worth 11 million crowns ($1.2 million).

Established in the will of Swedish dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel, the prizes for achievements in literature, science and peace have been awarded since 1901.

Over the years, the choices made by the Swedish Academy have drawn as much ire as applause.

In 2016, the award to American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan sparked criticism that his work was not proper literature.

Prizegivers have also been accused of being snobbish, of having an anti-American bias and of ignoring some of the giants of literature, including Russia’s Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, France’s Emile Zola and Ireland’s James Joyce.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says it is a “nightmare” to see Thailand’s economy lagging behind Vietnam.

In his keynote speech at the Economic Reporters Association’s annual seminar, the premier said Thailand has fallen behind Vietnam, describing it as his worst nightmare and noting he never imagined Thailand would grow more slowly than other nations in Indochina.

“We need to work together as this is not beyond our capability. In the past we were leaders. With the strong foundations of the industrial and agricultural sectors, and Thai society as a whole, I am confident we can achieve renewed growth as the Thai economy remains resilient,” he said.

Mr Anutin said Thailand has many advantages, particularly its geographical position, which allows the country to serve as a land bridge for the region, and can result in it becoming the regional trade hub.

He emphasised the need to revive the Thai economy, increase employment, and promote domestic investment to build a stable tax base for the government, which is necessary to support the financial burdens of an “ageing” society.

The government is considering extending the retirement age for civil servants beyond the current 60 years, as people are living longer, said Mr Anutin.

On environmental policy, he said the government is accelerating its goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions to 2050, 15 years earlier than targeted, helping Thai exports to become more accepted globally. To this end, the government plans to expedite enactment of the Clean Air Act and the Climate Change Act, said Mr Anutin.

“We must reset our way of thinking and review our actions — whether they are still necessary, effective, appropriate and aligned with global changes,” he said.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said at the same event if the economy is not stimulated during this government’s term, it could result in a severe downturn.

He said the Thai economy grew by 3% in the first half, with third-quarter growth projected at 1.7% and the fourth quarter only 0.3%. The issue is the administration only has a four-month tenure to work with, said Mr Ekniti.

Thailand’s economy before 1997 grew at an average of 7%, then fell to 3% after 1997. From 2012 to the present, growth failed to reach an average of 2%, largely attributed to low investment. Before 1997, investment comprised 40% of GDP, but after 1997 it dropped to only 23%, he said.

“The government will try to implement stimulus measures every week, such as resolving individuals’ debt issues and improving liquidity for small businesses,” said Mr Ekniti.

In November, the Finance Ministry is slated to revise the medium-term fiscal framework, which has been a concern for credit ratings agencies and resulted in an adjustment of Thailand’s outlook. He said the revision will cover revenue, expenditure and public debt management in a transparent manner, in a nod to the ratings agencies.

“We may not be able to accomplish everything within four months, as some measures require amendments to laws,” said Mr Ekniti.

A fire broke out in a 38-storey condominium building on Somdet Phra Pin Klao Road in Bangkok Noi district of the capital on Thursday, with multiple occupants still trapped inside.

According to initial reports, dense smoke was first seen emerging from the 16th floor of the building, located opposite Pata department store.

Fire crews and rescue teams arrived at the scene at 2pm, with rescuers were deployed inside the building to assist and evacuate people trapped on various floors.

As of 2.20pm, authorities reported multiple individuals remaining inside, mainly on the 17th and 24th floors as well as the balcony of the 33rd floor, a particularly challenging area for rescue operations.

38-storey condo fire in Bangkok, multiple occupants trapped

By 2.40pm, two residents trapped in an elevator were rescued without injury, and a foreign man trapped on the 15th floor was safely guided to the ground floor.

At 3pm, officials reported that the fire was now under control. Smoke was being ventilated, and rescue personnel continued to check for anyone remaining inside the premises.

Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Kunlavut Vitidsarn eased into the second round of the US$475,000 (approx 15.2 million baht) BWF Arctic Open in Finland on Wednesday.

The Thai top seed cruised past Ayush Shetty of India 21-15, 21-16 in his opening match of the World Tour Super 500 event on Wednesday.

Kunlavut will face Yushi Tanaka of Japan in the last 16 on Thursday.

Women’s doubles pair Benyapa Aimsaard and Sabrina Sophita Wedler made an early exit after losing to eighth seeds Hsu Yin-Hui and Lin Jhih-yun of Taiwan 12-21, 13-21.

Women’s singles hopes Ratchanok Intanon and Busanan Ongbamrungphan both reached the last 16 after winning their first round matches on Tuesday.

Second seed Ratchanok defeated Romane Cloteaux-Foucault of France 21-5, 21-12 and will play Tanya Hemanth of India in the last 16.

Fourth seed Busanan defeated Polina Buhrova of Ukraine 21-15, 21-13 in the first round and will next meet Line Christophersen of Denmark.

The two could face each other in the semi-finals.

Mixed doubles world No.3 pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran also came through their opener on Tuesday, beating Dutch players Andy Buijk and Meerte Loos 21-7, 21-12 in only 23 minutes.

The third seeds will play Czech pair Ondrej Kral and Tereza Svabikova in the last 16.

Dechapol and Supissara won the China Masters last month, their fourth title this year and sixth overall.

Another mixed pair, Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai, ended a string of first-round exits after an upset win over fourth seeds Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui of China 21-7, 21-15 on Tuesday.

They will play Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch of Denmark in the last 16 on Thursday.

Also, men’s third seed Christo Popov of France, fifth seed Kodai Naraoka of Japan and Lee Chia-hao of Taiwan all won their opening matches on Wednesday.

A special joint session of parliament will be held on Oct 14-15 to debate three proposed constitutional amendment bills, Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said.

These dates were the outcome of a joint meeting on Wednesday between himself, party whips, representatives from the cabinet, the Senate, and MPs from both the government and opposition parties.

The meeting agreed the three proposed constitutional amendments submitted by the People’s Party, the Pheu Thai Party, and the Bhumjaithai Party will be considered concurrently, though separate votes will be held during the first reading.

A 42-member special committee will be set up to study the bills further as they embark on the next stage of their journey.

The second and third readings will be handled according to the proportional representation of MPs and senators.

The total debate time has been allocated at 19 hours and 30 minutes, divided as follows: one hour for the session chair’s duties, five hours and 30 minutes for the Senate, three hours for the governing coalition parties, and 10 hours for opposition parties.

The debate sessions will be broadcast live over two days.

Voting is expected to take considerable time, as each of the 700 members must cast their vote individually, indicating whether they approve, disapprove, or approve all three bills.

Mr Wan added that during Wednesday’s tripartite whip discussion, no parties raised concerns about the content of the bills.

There was mutual agreement across all sides on moving forward with constitutional reform, with the goal of drafting a new constitution, Mr Wan said.

The process must adhere to the Constitutional Court’s ruling, which has already guided how amendments may be undertaken.

“The ruling outlines how the constitution can be amended, what methods are permissible, and how a Constitutional Drafting Assembly (CDA) may be formed,” Mr Wan said.

“Today, we have distributed the interpretation of the Constitutional Court’s ruling to all MPs and senators, so it may serve as the basis for their deliberations.”

He said the court had been consulted on various concerns, including the number of referendums necessary, procedures for amendments within the existing constitutional framework, and the scope of permissible changes.

Mr Wan said amending the constitution is a significant matter.

“It must undergo readings one, two, and three, and must meet the required vote thresholds in accordance with the established criteria,” he said.

At The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 award ceremony, held in Hong Kong last night, Bar Leone in Hong Kong ranked No.1 on list, making it the first bar in Asia to be awarded the title. It also took home the title of The Best Bar in Asia 2025.

Nestled in Hong Kong’s Central district, Bar Leone is the brainchild of Lorenzo Antinori, whose storied resume encompasses some of Europe and Asia’s most beloved hotel bars, including London’s American Bar at The Savoy and the now-defunct Dandelyan. Built on the philosophy of “cocktail popolari” or “cocktails for the people”, Bar Leone pays tribute to the neighbourhood bars of Rome, where locals gather for coffee, aperitivi and casual conversation. The interior is a love letter to the city in the 80s and 90s and is designed to be approachable, unpretentious and deeply rooted in Italian culture and hospitality.

The 2025 list features bars from 29 cities with eight new entries spread across Athens, Bratislava, Guangzhou, Lima, New York, Oslo, Tirana and Tokyo. In Bangkok, Bar Us rose a remarkable 26 places to No.15 and BKK Social Club is at No.49.

Of the 23 bars in Europe, London reigned supreme as the region’s cocktail capital with four bars: Tayer + Elementary at No.5, Connaught Bar at No.6, Satan’s Whiskers at No.21 and Scarfes Bar at No.31. They were joined by Edinburgh’s Panda and Sons at No.34.

The title of The Best Bar in Europe was retained for the third time by Barcelona’s Sips at No.3 as co-founder Simone Caporale was awarded the Industry Icon Award. Paradiso in Barcelona came No.4 with Madrid’s Salmon Guru at No.37. Athens continues its ascendancy, with Line at No.8 alongside Baba au Rum, this year’s Legend Of The List, at No.27 and new entry The Bar In Front Of The Bar at No.47.

Milan’s Moebius Milano was the Highest Climber, having risen an impressive 31 places to No.7. It was joined by 1930 in Milan at No.43, with Florence’s Locale Firenze at No.22 and Rome’s Drink Kong at No.40. Paris was represented by Bar Nouveau, rising 22 places to No.17, The Cambridge Public House (No.20) and Danico (No.30).

For the first time, bars from Eastern Europe were ranked in the list, with new entries Mirror Bar in Bratislava at No.25 and Nouvelle Vague in Tirana at No.28. In Scandinavia, Oslo’s Himkok (No.14) was joined by another new entry, Svanen at No.32, with Röda Huset in Stockholm at No.35.

New York City reaffirmed its status as North America’s cocktail powerhouse, with four bars making this year’s list: Superbueno (rising 15 places to No.12), who was joined by newcomer Sip and Guzzle (No.39), named this year’s Three Cents Best New Opening, alongside Double Chicken Please (No.41) and Overstory (No.46). In New Orleans, Jewel Of The South is No.44.

In Mexico City, The Best Bar in North America is Handshake Speakeasy at No.2, with Tlecan, a new entry in 2024, at No.23. Bar Mauro, which placed at No.54 on the extended list of bars ranked 51-100, is the recipient of the One To Watch Award. The Best Bar in South America is once again Buenos Aires’ Tres Monos at No.10, with neighbour CoChinChina at No.26. Lima’s Lady Bee is No.13 and the recipient of this year’s Art Of Hospitality Award, alongside new entry Sastrería Martinez at No.33. Alquímico in Cartagena is No.11 while São Paulo’s Tan Tanis No.24.

With three bars on the list, stalwart Bar Benfiddich (No.18) was joined by Virtù at No.45 and new entry The Bellwood at No.48. Host city Hong Kong also had Coa at No.38 on the list. Singapore’s Jigger and Pony is No.9, with creative director and partner Uno Jang being the recipient of this year’s Bartenders’ Bartender Award, while Nutmeg and Clove is No.50. Seoul’s Zest is No.16 with new entry Hope and Sesame, the first bar from Guangzhou to feature at No.29. The winner of the Best Cocktail Menu Award is Penang’s Backdoor Bodega.

Mimi Kakushi in Dubai (No.36) was named The Best Bar in the Middle East, while Nairobi’s Hero Bar was crowned The Best Bar in Africa after ranking No.69 on the extended list. This is the first time either accolade has been awarded as part of The World’s 50 Best Bars, having previously been presented as The Best Bar in the Middle East and Africa.

At No.19, Melbourne’s Caretaker’s Cottage retains its title as The Best Bar in Australasia, at No.19, with Sydney’s Maybe Sammy at No.42. The Best Bar Design Award is bestowed upon Sydney’s Tigra + Disco Pantera.

Highlights at a glance:

Bar Leone in Hong Kong ranks No.1 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025, the first time this has been awarded to a bar in Asia.

Simone Caporale of Barcelona’s Sips was awarded the Roku Industry Icon Award.

Bar Mauro in Mexico City received the One To Watch Award.

The Cambridge Public House in Paris won the Sustainable Bar Award.

Entering the list at No.25 and winner of the Highest New Entry Award was Bratislava’s Mirror Bar.

Moebius Milano in Milan moved up 31 places to No.7 and claimed the Highest Climber Award.

Baba au Rum in Athens is named Legend Of The List.

New York’s Sip and Guzzle won this year’s Best New Opening Award.

Backdoor Bodega in Penang won the Best Cocktail Menu Award.

The Best Bar Design Award was presented to Tigra + Disco Pantera in Sydney.

Mimi Kakushi is The Best Bar in the Middle East.

Hero Bar is The Best Bar in Africa.

Book lovers are invited to the world of literature and music during the 30th Book Expo Thailand, which kicks off today and runs daily from 10am to 9pm until Oct 19, at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center’s Hall 5-7, LG floor, Ratchadaphisek Road.

Held under the theme “Melody Of Books – Have You Read? Have You Heard It?” by the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (Pubat), this year’s event features special prices on more than 2 million books, including 2,000 newly-released titles, across over 900 exhibition booths representing 400 publishing houses.

They are divided into six zones — Fiction and Literature; General Books; Old Books; Children’s and Educational Books; Comics and Teen Books; and Non-Book Items and Board Games.

The event is elevated from a traditional book fair into a dynamic space where reading meets rhythm, offering a multi-sensory cultural experience through a line-up of over 100 curated programmes including exhibitions, seminars and engaging activities.

Among the highlights is the “View ’til Touch” exhibition that takes visitors to explore the connection between books that have become songs and songs that have inspired books. They are invited to listen to musical interpretations of written texts and compose music from books using the AI-based program Suno.

The highly popular Author’s Salon is back with a stage for meaningful and informal dialogue between writers and readers, while the “Read For The Blind” exhibition introduces mobile applications designed for the blind. Interested visitors can record their own voice as part of an audio-book production experience.

Presented for the first time at the book expo is Chao Khun Thong And Friends, a special performance that combines live music with puppet theatre. It will be staged on Saturdays and Sundays, and on Oct 13. There are also puppet-making workshops and voice acting lessons for aspiring young performers.

A reading zone called Hiroba: The Picture Book Playground, is also open to everyone to sit, read and enjoy picture books in a relaxed atmosphere. Children and families can enjoy storytelling sessions and simple crafts, free of charge.

Also, the event features the debut of three major national competitions designed to elevate the culture of reading. The National Debate Competition is open to secondary school students to show off their critical thinking and public speaking on Oct 13 at noon.

The National Storytelling Competition will see finalists from seven regional book fairs compete to be crowned as the country’s most outstanding storyteller on Oct 14 and 16 at 10am, while the Songwriting Contest will highlight the winning song used to promote this year’s expo.

The Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 5-2 on Wednesday to send the Yankees packing in the Major League Baseball playoffs, as the Cubs and Tigers stayed alive.

Toronto won the-best-of-five American League division series 3-1 to advance to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2016.

They’ll face either the Seattle Mariners or Detroit Tigers for a place in the World Series.

Detroit downed the Seattle Mariners 9-3 to level their American League series at two games apiece.

The Chicago Cubs edged the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 to pull within 2-1 in their National League division series.

The reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers were vying for a series sweep when they hosted the Phillies later Wednesday after taking the first two games of their National League series in Philadelphia.

The Yankees, winners of 27 World Series titles, had rallied from five runs down to fend off elimination on Tuesday, but they couldn’t find another win against the Blue Jays – who had pipped them to the American League East division title.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr singled in a run to put Toronto on the board in the first inning.

Ryan McMahon pulled New York level with a home run in the third, but the Blue Jays inched back in front with a run in the fifth on George Springer’s sacrifice fly after Ernie Clement and Andres Gimenez led off the inning with singles.

Nathan Lukes gave the Blue Jays a bit of breathing room with a two-run single up the middle off Yankees reliever Devin Williams with two outs in the seventh that pushed Toronto’s lead to 4-1.

The Blue Jays added one run in the eighth and survived a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the inning, the Yankees plating one run in the ninth before Toronto closed it out.

The Yankees, who fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series last year, haven’t lifted the crown since 2009.

‘We believe’

In Detroit, Riley Greene and Javier Baez both homered in a four-run sixth inning as the Tigers rallied to beat the Mariners.

Gleyber Torres added a home run in the seventh inning for the Tigers, who fended off elimination in a series that now heads to Seattle for a decisive game five on Friday.

‘We believe,’ Greene said. ‘We’re never out of the game no matter what and we always believe in ourselves.’

National League top seeds Milwaukee made a promising start in Chicago with a run in the top of the first.

But Michael Busch’s leadoff homer ignited a four-run Cubs first inning and Chicago held on.

‘I thought we were just locked in from the beginning,’ Busch said. ‘They happened to give us four runs to win it, but I thought right off the bat, all nine of us kind of gave really good at-bats.’

Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers drove in a run with a single in the fourth inning and homered in the seventh to make it a one-run game.

But the Brewers left the bases loaded in the eighth as Cubs pitcher Brad Keller struck out Bauers to end the inning.

Keller retired three straight in the ninth for the four-out save and the Cubs will host game four at Wrigley Field on Thursday aiming to level the series.

The Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) has condemned the recent spate of violence in the southern border provinces, vowing justice for the perpetrators and any collaborators.

Isoc spokesman Maj Gen Thammanoon Maisonti said yesterday that coordinated attacks had taken place in several areas of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces.

The incidents involved bombings, arson targeting CCTV cameras, and the torching of a passenger van, acts that appeared aimed at spreading fear among local residents and undermining public confidence in regional stability. No casualties were reported.

Lt Gen Narathip Phoaynok, commander of the Fourth Army Region and director of Isoc Region 4 Forward Command, responded by ordering security forces — including police, military and civilian agencies — to tighten control, collect forensic evidence and track down the perpetrators. Security has been stepped up to protect communities and prevent further attacks.

The attacks were likely carried out by a small group of ill-intentioned individuals seeking to sow division and disrupt the area’s multi-ethnic harmony, said Maj Gen Thammanoon, adding the timing coincided with preparations for the traditional Chak Phra festival, an important Buddhist celebration that brings together diverse communities and stimulates the local economy.

Yadea Technology (Thailand), a subsidiary of Chinese electric two-wheeler producer Yadea Global, is expanding its investment in Thailand as it aims to become a hub of electric motorcycle production in Southeast Asia.

The move came after the company was granted investment incentives from the Board of Investment.

The board declined to unveil the investment budget of Yadea Technology (Thailand).

“We want Thailand to be an electric motorcycle hub in Southeast Asia, with annual production capacity of 500,000 units,” said chief executive Jack Yang.

The company aims to increase capacity to 600,000 units between 2025 and 2027.

“We produce electric motorcycles from a smart assembly plant, which is like our ‘super factory’ in China,” said Mr Yang, adding the facilities are equipped with technology to enhance production efficiency.

Yadea’s factory, which is located in Samut Prakan’s Bang Sao Thong district, employs more than 500 workers, mostly Thais.

The company believes its electric motorcycle business has good prospects in Thailand thanks to an adequate production facility and a network of motorcycle dealers in 70 areas countrywide, he said.

Last year, Yadea opened three flagship stores here, marking the company’s entry into the Thai electric two-wheeler market since its establishment in 2001 in China.

The three stores, two located in Pathum Thani’s commercial area and the other located in a shopping area in Chon Buri, play an important role in introducing the brand to prospective customers.