Category: The Bangkok Post

What began as a means to make a living has become a lifeline for a 90-year-old Thai woman who continues to decorate cakes every day, keeping her physically and mentally alive.

Sansanee Thawatthanapong is the owner of Parichat Bakery, which has served cakes with old-style decoration for more than five decades at Bang Bua Thong Market in Nonthaburi province.

‘It was the first cake shop in the neighbourhood and it has aged, along with our customers, who are of all generations,’ Ms Sansanee said.

She originally ran a salon but had to stop because standing and serving customers all day caused health problems.

‘I could not stay idle, so I thought about what to do next. I liked to eat cake and wondered how to make it delicious,’ she said.

In her forties, she began learning bakery skills and joined an advanced cake-making class in which all lessons were taught in English. ‘I only finished Prathom 4 (grade 4). It was difficult, but I made a determined effort.’

The hardest part was writing characters with the piping bag and tip, Ms Sansanee said. ‘I tried hard, thinking that if I could not do it then I must make myself able to do it.’

Her determination led to her success. At 90 years and six months of age Ms Sansanee’s skills remain intact. She mixes colours, pipes fillings into flowers and other decorative shapes and writes messages to order on the cakes, all with a steady hand and without a single mistake.

‘I stopped for two months and felt something was missing’

Ms Sansanee kept Parichat Bakery going with her husband for 50 years, until he died early this year. With no employees, the store is now run by four family members – grandma Sansanee, her 87-year-old younger sister, and her 51-year-old son Sriphoom and his wife.

The store opens every morning around six, with customers buying until the cakes are gone.

‘We have daily orders for birthday cakes and other celebrations. The most recommended is our vanilla-butter pound cake,’ said Mr Sriphoom, her only child. ‘The work begins early, around 3am. I now take care of the physically demanding jobs, while my mum mainly decorates the cakes and talks to customers.’

‘We have many customers, both new and old, and we make as many cakes as we can every day,’ he added, recalling: ‘There was a man who came here three days running, yet he had no opportunity to buy. Whenever he showed up, our cakes had already sold out.’

Ms Sansanee said that as she got older her son once suggested she stop working. ‘I stopped for about two months, but I couldn’t stand it,’ she said. ‘It felt like something was missing. My body and mind slowed down.’ So she kept going, doing whatever she could. ‘Selling goods keeps my brain working.’ (Story continues below)

Grandma Sansanee walks the short distance from her house to the shop every day, with the aid of a cane. ‘I have not stayed at the house where the store is since my husband died in January. Climbing the same stairs makes me miss him,’ she added, laughing. ‘The distance may be short, but at least I get some exercise.’

‘I still live well, though with some health issues. I take pills every day. I eat whatever I want, only being careful not to eat overly seasoned food,’ she said. ‘Once in a while I go on long trips with my family, visiting temples to make merit.’

One issue for a woman her age is that people must speak loudly to get an answer from her – but apart from that her age does not show that much.

Now a nonagenarian, Ms Sansanee says working keeps her feeling truly alive and valuable. ‘I will continue to work until I no longer can,’ she said.

Bangkok is emerging as Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing hub for ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals, reinforcing Thailand’s appeal as a destination for global wealth despite persistent economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

According to wealth intelligence firm Altrata’s World Ultra Wealth Report 2026, Thailand was home to 2,090 UHNW individuals in 2025, including 1,210 primary residents in Bangkok.

UHNW individuals are defined as those with net assets exceeding US$30 million.

Bangkok’s UHNW population is projected to increase to around 1,840 by 2030 from 1,210 in 2025, growing by more than 50%, or at an average annual increase of 8.7%, said Maya Imberg, senior director and head of thought leadership and analytics at Altrata.

The forecast ranks Bangkok as the world’s 12th fastest-growing major UHNW city among the world’s 100 largest urban economies by nominal GDP, making it Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing wealth hub, ahead of Jakarta.

“Bangkok stands out not only because of the pace of its wealth creation, but also because it combines strong domestic entrepreneurship with growing international appeal,” Ms Imberg said.

Among the world’s major cities, Bangkok is expected to record one of the fastest expansions in its ultra-wealthy population over the next five years, strengthening its position as an emerging global wealth centre, she said.

BROAD WEALTH DRIVERS

Ms Imberg said Bangkok’s wealth expansion was supported by a broad economic base rather than reliance on a single industry.

“Real estate, hospitality and entertainment, banking and finance, together with business and consumer services, remain among the most important sectors generating wealth for Bangkok’s ultra-high-net-worth population,” she said.

The report found that most Bangkok-based UHNW individuals are self-made entrepreneurs, although many benefited from inherited capital during the early stages of building their businesses.

“Fully inherited wealth accounts for less than one-tenth of Bangkok’s ultra-wealthy population,” Ms Imberg said.

“The majority are entrepreneurs who have built their fortunes themselves, often with some degree of family support rather than inheritance alone.”

She said the continued expansion of Thailand’s wealthy population reflected structural strengths rather than short-term market cycles.

“The size and growth of a country’s ultra-high-net-worth population are shaped by multiple long-term factors, including institutional quality, tax and trade policies, entrepreneurship, capital markets and currency strength,” she said.

Altrata also highlighted the growing mobility of wealthy individuals, with affluent entrepreneurs increasingly investing, working and living across multiple jurisdictions while maintaining global business networks.

GLOBAL WEALTH SURGE

According to the report, the global UHNW population reached a record 556,850 individuals in 2025, rising by 14.4% from a year earlier. It marked the second consecutive year of double-digit growth and the strongest expansion since 2017.

Combined wealth climbed to $63.8 trillion, more than double the annual GDP of the United States. Altrata expects the global UHNW population to reach 746,570 by 2030, with combined wealth rising to $85 trillion.

The report said future wealth creation will be driven primarily by technological transformation, private capital expansion and the restructuring of the global economy around artificial intelligence, the energy transition and digital infrastructure.

Growth opportunities are also expected in private credit, network infrastructure, defence technology, renewable energy, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing.

CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS

The global ultra-wealthy population has expanded rapidly over the past two decades. Since 2004, the number of UHNW individuals has increased by 255%, surpassing growth in the global adult population by sevenfold.

There were just under 51 million millionaires worldwide in 2025. Although UHNW individuals represented only 1.1% of this population, they controlled 32% of total millionaire wealth.

One of the fastest-growing segments has been centi-millionaires, individuals with net assets exceeding $100 million. Their ranks almost doubled to more than 117,000 in 2025 from about 60,000 a decade earlier, driven largely by the technology boom.

Asia has a younger UHNW demographic than other regions, while North America has the oldest. Women accounted for 13% of Asia’s UHNW population, the highest regional share despite remaining relatively low.

Female representation is projected to rise from 12% globally today to 19% by 2040, supported by broader wealth diversification, expanding opportunities for female entrepreneurs and rising intergenerational wealth transfers.

Financial services remains the dominant industry among UHNW individuals across all major regions, followed by business and consumer services.

Delhi is projected to be the world’s fastest-growing UHNW city by 2030, alongside several emerging wealth hubs across Asia, the Pacific and the Nordic region.

Collectively, the global ultra-wealthy control $26 trillion in investable assets, spend $282 billion annually on luxury goods and services, and contribute $220 billion a year to philanthropy.

Thousands of university freshmen have tested positive for liver fluke infection in Maha Sarakham, prompting wide-ranging inspections targeting the use of undercooked fermented fish at somtam shops in the northeastern province.

The initial results were obtained using urinary antigen test kits (UATs), a faster testing method developed in recent years, Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat said on Tuesday. Stool examinations were still required to confirm the presence of the infection (opisthorchiasis).

At Mahasarakham University, 4,233 of the 12,733 first-year students tested positive, about 33%. At Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University, 380 of 1,922 students tested positive, about 19%.

Local healh officials described the test results as “alarming”. The average infection rate among the general population in the province was about 11%.

They stressed the urgent need to promote safer eating habits.

Health inspections have been ordered for all somtam shops near the two universities, and also restaurants that use pla ra, or Isan fermented fish, in their dishes, Maha Sarakham governor Chumpit Decharat said.

Restaurants that meet safety standards will receive a sign they can display for customers, affirming that, ‘This restaurant serves cooked and safe pla ra.’

Dr Jade Boonyawongvirot, deputy director of Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, warned of the likely long-term consequence if people’s eating habits do change. It may not become apparent immediately but could emerge in 15 or 20 years time in the form of bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma), a disease that was difficult to treat and with a high mortality rate.

He said the liver fluke is a parasite commonly found in Thailand, particularly in the Northeast and Northern regions, and in neighbouring countries such as Laos and Cambodia.

The scientifically confirmed source of infection was raw or undercooked freshwater fish. While these fish were used to make pla ra, he said, that did not mean pla ra was solely to blame for the high infection rate.

‘If pla ra is produced to proper hygienic standards, fermented correctly and boiled before consumption, the risk is very low,’ Dr Jade said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has promised durian growers in Johor state that he will raise their falling prices with his “good friend” Chinese Premier Li Qiang during a visit to Beijing next month, as a nationwide glut leaves farmers struggling to sell the famously pungent fruit at sustainable prices.

Speaking during a political campaign stop in Johor, where a state election will be held on Saturday, Anwar said growers had complained to him during his two-day swing through the southern state that they were being forced to sell durians too cheaply after a bumper harvest across Peninsular Malaysia flooded the market.

“I promise one thing. Li Qiang, the Chinese prime minister, is a good friend,” Anwar told the crowd on Sunday. “I will be going to China next month and I want to bring up durian because I see prices are falling. China’s standards are very high, but I will try to negotiate.”

The prime minister said he had asked Johor farmers to pack their durians properly so he could present them to Li and tell him they came from the state.

“I will ask him to buy a bit more, then the price will go up,” Anwar said. He challenged his political rivals to show whether they had the same access to Beijing. “Can they negotiate with China and ask the country to import a bit more durian?”

Malaysia’s trade office, Matrade, in Beijing said on Saturday that fresh durian exports to China grew more than fivefold from about US$5 million (166 million baht) to US$37 million in 2025, while frozen durian exports reached nearly US$202 million.

Exports of the fruit to China reached US$77 million in the first quarter of this year, with Malaysia targeting US$229 million by 2030, state news agency Bernama reported, quoting Matrade’s trade commissioner Niqman Rafaee M Sahar.

The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) said last month that kampung durians in some areas were selling at 1 ringgit (8 baht) to 4 ringgit per kilogramme, depending on location and quality, according to Bernama. Kampung durians were priced as high as 15 ringgit per kg before the glut, Malay-language daily Sinar Harian reported in January.

Prices for premium varieties such as Musang King have also fallen below 30 ringgit per kg, down from 60 ringgit to 80 ringgit during the previous May-August season, according to a report by The Star newspaper in January.

Fama said it was targeting direct purchases of 1,000 tonnes of durians worth 7 million ringgit through 42 operational centres, while companies and entrepreneurs supported by the agency had bought another 1,199 tonnes worth 3.28 million ringgit to absorb the excess supply.

In the northern state of Terengganu, the agency has begun processing durians into pulp at its Besut centre after farm-gate prices fell below 3.50 ringgit per kg. The pulp is sold to downstream industries making cakes, ice cream and other products.

China is already Malaysia’s most important durian market, accounting for about 60% of exports worth 1.5 billion ringgit annually, according to Fama.

In August 2024, Li’s visit to Kuala Lumpur produced a protocol allowing whole fresh Malaysian durians to be shipped to China, adding to earlier trade in frozen whole fruit, pulp and paste.

The opening has given Malaysia a foothold in the world’s largest durian market, though it remains a smaller player compared with Thailand and Vietnam.

China imported about 1.87 million tonnes of fresh durians in 2025, making it the world’s most important consumer market for the fruit, according to customs data cited by Xinhua in April.

That followed a record 1.56 billion kg of durian imports worth US$6.99 billion in 2024. Thailand is still the largest supplier although Vietnam has sharply expanded its share.

Malaysia is trying to position itself at the premium end of that market through varieties such as Musang King and Black Thorn, which are typically allowed to ripen and fall naturally before collection, unlike fruit in some other producing countries that is harvested earlier for longer transport windows.

A woman accused of setting up nominee companies used by a call centre scam gang to launder more than 100 million baht has been arrested in Chiang Mai province.

Officers from the Crime Suppression Division announced on Tuesday the arrest of 46-year-old Thanyarat (surname not released) at an apartment in Saraphi district of Chiang Mai.

According to the CSD, Ms Thanyarat was named in an arrest warrant issued by Phra Khanong Criminal Court on June 9 on charges of colluding in public fraud, putting false information into a computer system, conspiracy to commit money laundering, membership of a criminal association and participation in a criminal gang.

Her apprehension arose from an investigation into an investment scam conducted through online platforms. The perpetrators impersonated legitimate businesses to gain victims’ trust and operated through a highly organised structure.

Members were assigned specific roles, including recruiters who lured victims to operators responsible for opening mule accounts and fronting corporate entities and nominee companies.

Investigators said at least 50 companies had been established as fronts to receive money transfers from victims. Many people were taken in by the scammers, suffering combined losses exceeding 100 million baht.

Complaints were filed with police in several provinces, enabling investigators to gather evidence and secure arrest warrants for more than 50 suspects connected to the network.

Ms Thanyarat allegedly served as a director of one of the nominee companies, among the more than 50 firms used as fronts by the syndicate. Victims transferred more than 3 million baht into accounts held by that company alone.

The woman fled into hiding in Chiang Mai, where police tracked her down and made the arrest.

During questioning, Ms Thanyarat allegedly confessed she had previously worked for a call centre scam gang and for an online gambling operation in a neighbouring country, where she learned how the criminal networks operate.

She later joined former colleagues in setting up nominee companies and opening four corporate bank accounts, which were then handed over to call-centre gangs for use in illegal financial transactions.

She allegedly told investors she received dividend-style payments, or a percentage share of the proceeds.

The suspect also admitted procuring and registering mobile phone SIM cards, known as “mule SIMs”, for use by call centre scammers in defrauding members of the public, according to the CSD.

She has been handed over to investigators at Klong Tan police station in Bangkok for further legal proceedings. The investigation continues.

Police are investigating whether an adult taught an 11-year-old autistic boy to drive before he crashed a pickup truck into a group of monks on July 2, killing 10 people and injuring several others.

The crash occurred while monks and lay followers were walking down a road in Muang district of Mukdahan province. Authorities initially reported nine deaths, but the toll rose to 10 after an injured monk later died.

Investigators at Mukdahan police station are questioning witnesses and people close to the boy’s family to establish whether he had driven before and whether anyone taught him or allowed him to practise. The findings will determine whether anyone else could face charges.

The boy’s grandparents and class teacher have already been questioned. Police said they will review all available evidence before deciding whether to press charges.

The boy remains in the care of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.

Watcharaporn Piewkham, director of the Mukdahan Provincial Special Education Centre, said staff only realised the boy was one of their students after police contacted the centre’s Don Tan district service unit.

He had been absent from school on the day of the crash after his mother told teachers he was ill.

Ms Watcharaporn said the boy enrolled at the centre in 2021 with significant developmental difficulties that affected his communication and ability to adapt. Over time, however, he learned to follow basic rules and interacted well with classmates.

She said his mother or grandmother always took him to school by pickup truck or motorcycle and that she had never seen him drive.

Ms Watcharaporn said he had a good memory for things that interested him, adding he may have memorised what he saw while watching his mother drive.

Former deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, known as “Big Joke”, on Monday appeared at the Supreme Court alongside his lawyer to face corruption allegations related to the gold-bribe scandal.

Pol Gen Surachate left the court smiling, saying details would be addressed by his lawyer.

Earlier on Monday, a nine-member independent inquiry panel summoned National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) commissioner Ekawit Watchawalku, Pol Gen Surachate, former NACC subcommittee member Sombat Tharatham, and Surasit (surname withheld), Mr Ekawit’s driver, to acknowledge allegations.

The allegations stem from claims that Mr Ekawit accepted a bribe of 246 baht-weight of gold, worth millions of baht, from Pol Gen Surachate while the NACC was investigating an online gambling-related case against the former deputy national police chief.

The inquiry was conducted in private at the Supreme Court.

Police allege the gold was intended to influence the NACC’s consideration of the online gambling case.

Pol Gen Surachate has denied the allegations, maintained his innocence and challenged the police investigation through his legal team.

Because the allegations involve a serving NACC commissioner, the NACC is unable to conduct the investigation itself.

Under the constitution, the Supreme Court’s president is therefore authorised to appoint the independent inquiry panel.

Sanyaphatchara Samart, Pol Gen Surachate’s lawyer, said the independent inquiry panel formally notified his client of alleged misconduct for the first time, beyond what had previously been reported in the media.

A written explanation will be submitted on Aug 5, followed by oral testimony. The panel has scheduled its first official hearing for Aug 27, he said.

The Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) has warned that heavy to very heavy rain will continue across parts of upper Thailand through July 8, raising risks of flash floods, forest runoff and landslides as a monsoon trough and a relatively strong southwest monsoon affect the country.

The ONWR said the monsoon trough extends across the upper North and upper Laos and is linked to severe tropical storm Maysak, while a strong southwest monsoon prevails over the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand.

Heavy to very heavy rain is forecast in parts of the upper North and upper Northeast through July 9, though rainfall is expected to ease in the Central, Eastern and Southern regions.

Sixteen provinces remain under heavy-rain monitoring through July 8: Tak, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Nan, Phayao, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Chanthaburi, Trat, Kanchanaburi, Chumphon, Ranong, Phangnga, Phuket, Trang and Satun.

Residents in vulnerable areas were urged to watch for flash floods, forest runoff, landslides, and urban flooding, as drainage systems may be overwhelmed.

The ONWR also said three northern reservoirs — Mae Ngat, Kiu Lom and Mae Chang — are above maximum storage levels, while 33 medium-sized reservoirs nationwide are above 80% capacity or exceeding thresholds.

Separately, marine and environmental expert Thon Thamrongnawasawat said Super Typhoon Bavi, the strongest storm of the year, reflects a trend towards more powerful cyclones amid global warming and El Niño.

He said unusually warm seas are allowing cyclones to intensify more easily, noting that the strongest typhoons on record occurred within the past 12 years, reflecting rising global temperatures.

Parliament is set to debate the Amnesty Bill on July 8, just days before the current session ends on July 11, after the Senate returned the legislation with amendments.

The bill, formally titled the Social Peace Promotion Bill, would grant amnesty for political offences committed over the past 20 years. It was sent back to the House after the Senate approved amendments on June 30.

MPs will decide whether to accept the Senate’s changes. If they do, the bill will be submitted for royal endorsement. If they reject them, a joint House-Senate committee will be formed to resolve the differences, delaying the legislation until the next parliamentary session.

One of the Senate’s key amendments excludes offences under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse-majesté law, from the amnesty provisions, including cases involving offenders under the age of 18. The original version passed by the House contained no such exclusion.

Pheu Thai list MP Sutin Klungsang said the coalition whips would first gather the views of each coalition party before deciding the government’s position.

He said he was confident lawmakers would reach a conclusion that served the national interest while allowing the bill to move forward.

Mr Sutin said the legislation would give people who had made mistakes or been misled a chance to return to normal life, promote national reconciliation and enable them to contribute to the country’s development.

Chief government whip Korrawee Prissananantakul said coalition parties would discuss the Senate’s amendments at their meeting on Monday.

Mr Korrawee said the Bhumjaithai Party supported an amnesty for political offences but opposed extending it to Section 112 cases. Discussions with Pheu Thai would determine whether the coalition could proceed without further amendments, he said.

The opposition has indicated it will oppose the Senate’s amendments and instead push for the formation of a joint committee.

Mr Korrawee said he believed the bill would eventually become law.

The artificial intelligence (AI) trend is expected to create selective buying opportunities for Thai stocks in the second half of 2026 as market volatility escalates, analysts say, advising investors to increase cash holdings to 20-25% of their portfolio.

Thailand’s stock market is projected to face increased volatility in July, with Bualuang Securities (BLS) forecasting a correction of around 100 points or 5-8% before conditions become more favourable for long-term investors.

The expected pullback will likely be driven by a correction in global technology stocks, slowing corporate earnings, tighter global liquidity and domestic political uncertainty, said Chaiyaporn Nompitakcharoen, managing director of sales and trading business at BLS.

The brokerage highlighted Delta Electronics (Thailand) (DELTA) as the key risk for the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index. With DELTA accounting for about a quarter of the SET’s capitalisation, every one-baht move in its share price shifts the benchmark index by about one point.

As the Nasdaq is expected to correct by 8-10% after a strong rally, DELTA could face similar selling pressure, weighing heavily on Thai equities. The brokerage also believes technology stocks have become stretched relative to fundamentals, while rising volatility indicates institutional investors have started taking profits.

BLS expects the SET’s corporate earnings growth to slow in the second half as companies face higher energy costs, the impact of El Niño and weak domestic purchasing power squeeze profit margins.

Global monetary policy remains another major concern, as markets continue to monitor the Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance and the possibility of additional interest rate hikes, which could reduce liquidity and pressure global equity markets, said Mr Chaiyaporn. The continuity of major investment policies, particularly the Eastern Economic Corridor, may also weigh on investor confidence.

Given these risks, BLS recommends investors temporarily hold 20-25% of portfolios in cash before gradually re-entering the market later in July. For defensive positioning, the brokerage favours banking stocks because of their stable earnings outlook and attractive dividend yields.

Despite near-term volatility, both BLS and Krungthai XSpring Securities (KTX) remain positive on the long-term outlook for AI-related investments. BLS believes Thailand could become a regional hub for AI infrastructure and data centres as global technology manufacturers continue relocating production to Southeast Asia.

KTX described the third quarter as a “bumpy road ahead”, citing persistent inflation, Fed policy uncertainty and elevated market speculation. As a consequence, investors should focus more on stocks with earnings growth than valuation expansion.

Rather than concentrating on large-cap technology companies, KTX recommends investing across the broader AI infrastructure, including semiconductors, memory, networking, cooling and energy management companies supporting AI data centres.

The brokerage is bullish on the Taiwanese, South Korean and Japanese markets because of their strong positions in the global AI supply chain, while a more selective approach should apply for Chinese stocks. Thais seeking overseas exposure can invest in depositary receipts in those nations, which should benefit from expansion in global AI infrastructure, noted KTX.