Category: The Bangkok Post

Capt Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn, deputy government spokeswoman, said the scheme is being run by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and the Office of Government Pawnshop to improve farmers’ liquidity and inject more money into local economies.

New customers can receive the benefit by presenting their national ID card along with a farmer identification card or agricultural registration booklet. Existing customers who have already registered as farmers with the Office of Government Pawnshop need only present their national ID card.

Capt Patdarasm said the scheme is intended to help farmers cover production costs, including seeds, fertiliser and pesticides.

A large quantity of recycling waste from a sorting plant flooded a housing estate in the Bo Win area of Si Racha district in Chon Buri on Saturday after a wall collapsed under continuous heavy rain.

The incident occurred at Boonraksa Ville 2 in the late morning during a torrential downpour.

Arthit Inprasit, the president of the homeowners’ association, said the land behind the estate was privately owned and leased long-term to foreign operators running a recycling business for old refrigerators and freezers.

Valuable parts were removed, leaving massive piles of foam waste.

When heavy rain hit, the foam was swept into a large mass that pressed against the rear wall of the estate, causing it to collapse and allowing floodwater and debris to surge into the residential area.

Officials from Bo Win municipality and Si Racha district were rushing to clear the foam waste after opening up drainage channels to ease flooding. They were also preparing to survey and assess the damage.

Local media reported that residents are calling on authorities to investigate the recycling operation, determine whether proper waste management measures are in place and ensure compliance with the law.

SET-listed Central Pattana (CPN) launched Central Northville on Friday in Nonthaburi, a 4.5-billion-baht project expected to increase foot traffic by 30% compared with the former Central Rattanathibet at the same location.

Nattakit Tangpoonsinthana, chief marketing officer of CPN, said the company anticipates the new mall will attract an average of 30,000 visitors per day, up from 20,000 daily visitors at Central Rattanathibet.

CPN began demolishing Central Rattanathibet in 2024 for the new project that spans 59 rai of land with a total gross building area of 210,000 square metres.

The company estimates average spending of 2,000 baht per customer per visit, said Mr Nattakit.

The next phase of expansion is called “The Orchard”, renovating a building in the area to offer two floors of commercial space, with the remaining floors used for parking.

The expansion includes a fresh produce market, home and living retailers, a morning community destination and an education zone.

The retail component is allocated around 80,000 sq m of commercial space, with the expansion scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2027.

This phase is included in the 4.5-billion-baht investment budget, said Mr Nattakit.

At a press briefing last month, CPN announced its plan for a residential condo development in 2027 that is not included in the investment budget.

Central Northville targets several age groups, from retirees to Gen Z, serving a catchment area of around 1.3 million people, he said.

Roughly 80% of shops in the mall are new to this location. The project incorporates biophilic design principles, aiming to connect nature with urban living and enhance the quality of life, according to the company.

Juthatham Chirathivat, head of business and design development at CPN, said the new mall is Thailand’s first outdoor-inspired indoor shopping centre.

The project promotes well-being and active lifestyles by featuring a jogging track, multi-sport activities and health-focused brands.

In addition, the mall offers an urban oasis façade, blending elements of nature, water, light and contemporary design to create a relaxing environment and a sense of calm for visitors, she said.

Central Northville also features distinctive landmarks and sculptures that serve as social spaces, including The Clouds waterfall sculpture, Tree Grove green space, Playville active lifestyle zone and PetVille for pet lovers.

Buriram United’s Sasalak Haiprakhon, Lamphun’s Anan Yodsangwal and Port’s Suphanan Bureerat will vie for the Thai League Most Valuable Player award, which will be announced during the FA Thailand Awards 2025-26 next Tuesday.

Buriram left wing-back Sasalak played 43 games for the Thunder Castle last season, scoring three goals and creating 11 assists. He was instrumental in the club’s successful campaign, which saw the team win three titles, including the Thai League 1, FA Cup and Shopee Cup titles.

Lamphun winger Anan played a total of 34 matches for the Warriors last season, scoring seven goals and providing nine assists, helping the Warriors finish 12th in Thai League 1.

Port right wing-back Suphanan scored eight goals and produced eight assists from 37 games as the club finished runners-up in the Thai League 1 and won the League Cup title last season.

Stenio Junior, Robert Zulj and Kaka Mendes are on the shortlist for the Foreign Player of the Year 2025-26 award.

Rayong’s Brazilian star Stenio Junior scored 15 goals and had six assists from 29 games to help Rayong finish in ninth place in T1 last season.

Austrian midfielder Zulj scored 19 goals and had 13 assists in 48 games for Buriram, while Port’s Brazilian striker Mendes scored eight goals and had 18 assists from 33 games last season.

Meanwhile, Prachuap’s Sasom Pobprasert, Bangkok United’s Totchtawan Sripan and Ratchaburi’s Worawoot Srimakha will vie for the Coach of the Year award.

The Royal Thai Police (RTP) has launched an international information-sharing platform to combat cross-border online scams and human trafficking.

The platform, named SHIELD, was unveiled during the closing ceremony of the 2nd International Operational Dialogue — Countering Cyber-Scam and Forced Criminality, jointly organised by the RTP and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.

Developed by the RTP in collaboration with the ministry, SHIELD — short for Scam and Human Trafficking Information Exchange and Linked Database — is a centralised web-based system designed to enable participating countries to securely share intelligence on scam compounds, criminal networks, victims, financial transactions and cross-border movements.

Pol Col Sanya Niempradit, deputy commander of the RTP’s Foreign Affairs Division, said the platform was created because existing mechanisms for exchanging information between law enforcement agencies were often too slow to respond effectively to transnational crimes.

“Each country is holding a piece of a jigsaw puzzle,” Pol Col Sanya said. “This system allows member countries to securely share and analyse key information.”

He noted that online scam syndicates increasingly operate across borders and are frequently linked to human trafficking and other criminal activities, making international cooperation essential.

Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, deputy national police chief, said 11 countries had joined the platform: Thailand, China, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, the United States, India, Australia, South Korea and Nepal.

International partners include the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the International Organisation for Migration and Interpol.

The platform officially entered operation on Thursday following a year of development, testing and training.

Asked about the absence of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, which have frequently been linked to regional scam-centre operations, Pol Gen Thatchai said future participation would depend on mutual trust and consent.

“We expect that after this launch, we will see more efficient arrests and suppression because multiple countries are now working together,” he said.

The man who delivered a parcel containing heroin to the home of a Thai Airways flight attendant who was later arrested in Australia has apologised for the trouble he caused her.

Uthai Khanapiwat, 47, made the remark on Saturday after police searched his apartment in Ayutthaya, where they found traces of heroin among piles of elephant-print fabric similar to that used in the tote bags the flight attendant was given.

As officers escorted Mr Uthai out of his apartment, reporters asked him if he had anything to say and he replied: ‘I’m sorry to the flight attendant. I’m sorry for what I did. I truly apologise.’

Mr Uthai was apprehended in Muang district of Phitsanulok province at 10.30pm on Friday after police questioned a 59-year-old driver from Ayutthaya, who also appeared in CCTV footage at the flight attendant’s condominium building on June 22.

The driver, identified as Atirach Supian, told investigators he had been hired by Mr Uthai to drive him to the residence in Bang Na district, but he denied involvement in the drug network. (Story continues below)

Blue hoodie

Mr Uthai admitted he was the man in a blue hoodie seen delivering the package, according to deputy national police chief Pol Gen Samran Nualma.

The delivery contained 12 elephant-print tote bags, two of which had packets of heroin sewn inside.

Mr Uthai said the parcel originated in Phayao. He said he knew what the parcel contained, and had made similar deliveries three times before for 60,000 baht per job, according to police.

Mr Atirach was also his driver on the three previous occasions, the suspect told police.

As well, he told investigators that he communicated via Line with the employer, a Thai who used the name ‘Rin Rin’.

Forensic technicians who used infrared spectroscopic analysis to test the white powder they found at Mr Uthai’s apartment confirmed it was heroin, according to police.

The fabric has been sent for laboratory analysis and examination of any latent fingerprints.

As well, investigators reportedly found a large amount of cash in thousand-baht bills in the apartment.

The 26-year-old flight attendant, identified only as Meena, was arrested on June 25 at Melbourne Airport after more than one kilogramme of heroin, with an estimated street value of A$500,000 (11.5 million baht), was found in the tote bags.

Ms Meena has been remanded in custody and could face up to 25 years in jail for smuggling. Her first court hearing has been set for Sept 14.

Police said she had agreed to a fee of 3,400 baht (earlier reported to be 8,800 baht) from the person who had contacted her online about carrying the bags to Australia.

The government’s “Thais Help Thais Plus” co-payment scheme has helped to revive the economy and stimulate spending in the food and beverage sector, according to two online food delivery operators.

GrabFood said orders from participating merchants exceeded 500 million baht within two weeks of the scheme being extended to food delivery services on June 15.

Bangkok recorded the highest number of food delivery orders under the scheme, followed by Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Khon Kaen and Nakhon Ratchasima.

Chantsuda Thananitayaudom, country head of Grab Thailand, said the response since mid-June has been overwhelmingly positive from consumers, food merchants and delivery drivers.

Merchant participation in the scheme via GrabFood increased by 40% compared with the co-payment scheme last year.

Of the company’s total food delivery orders placed under the scheme from June 15-30, 55% were valued at 100-250 baht, while 25% were worth less than 100 baht.

Line Man Wongnai reported more than 1.2 million people used the co-payment scheme via its delivery platform between June 15-28. The average order value in late June increased by more than 15% compared with the first day the scheme was launched.

Yod Chinsupakul, chief executive of Line Man Wongnai, said the response during the first two weeks demonstrates that the scheme effectively stimulated daily spending.

“Users spent an average of 450 baht per person, ensuring a continuous flow of capital to restaurants nationwide,” Mr Yod said.

According to the Fiscal Policy Office, total spending under the scheme tallied 43.2 billion baht as of June 30.

Of the total, 18.4 billion baht was spent by individuals, of which 18 billion was spent at shops and 448 million baht on orders via online food delivery platforms.

The government contributed 24.8 billion baht, of which 24.3 billion was spent at shops and roughly 550 million baht on orders via online food delivery platforms.

Shopee has pledged more than 500 million baht in support for Thai micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) under a new programme aligned with the government’s “Thai Chuay Thai” co-payment scheme, as the e-commerce operator seeks to deepen its role in the country’s digital economy.

The initiative intends to help small merchants reduce operating costs, reach more consumers and strengthen their long-term competitiveness on digital platforms.

Shopee and executives from Sea Ltd, its parent company, recently met Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss cooperation in advancing Thailand’s digital economy through online commerce.

The company also briefed the government on the progress of the MSME support scheme, which it said would cover roughly 1.2 million eligible sellers nationwide.

The programme supports Thai entrepreneurs selling via Shopee by offering fee reductions, promotional tools and digital training.

Registration is scheduled for July 6-10, with approved sellers receiving support for six months.

Under the scheme, sellers receive a sales fee waiver for the first 10 orders each month, capped at 60 orders throughout the programme.

Vendors with monthly sales of no more than 10,000 baht are eligible for a reduced sales fee rate of 0.5-1.5%, excluding value-added tax, for orders beyond the initial monthly quota. The actual rate depends on product category.

The company also offers discount codes and free-shipping vouchers to help sellers attract new customers and stimulate transactions.

Through Shopee University, in collaboration with government agencies, participating sellers are offered online courses covering sales techniques, store management and the use of digital marketing tools.

Mr Anutin said MSMEs remain a foundation of the Thai economy and digital platforms can play an important role in expanding market access for local entrepreneurs.

Shopee said many Thai vendors have already tapped overseas demand through Shopee International Platform and Shopee Global Sales, reaching markets such as Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia.

Chris Feng, president of Sea, said Thailand is one of the group’s key markets and the company remains committed to using technology to help small businesses participate in the digital economy.

“After a decade in Thailand, we remain committed to leveraging technology and our systems to help entrepreneurs, especially MSMEs, to grow, compete and expand their opportunities sustainably in the digital era,” he said.

Thailand’s first locally developed passenger rail coach has been handed over to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), marking a step towards putting home-grown rail technology into practical use and reducing reliance on imported coaches.

The prototype, developed under the Thai-Made Train project led by King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), was officially delivered to the SRT for further testing before entering passenger service.

Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Minister Yodchanan Wongsawat, who witnessed the handover ceremony, said the project showed how research could be translated into practical innovation.

He said valuable research should address national needs, adding that the SRT’s demand for new passenger coaches presented an opportunity to strengthen Thailand’s rail industry.

If Thailand can manufacture passenger coaches domestically, it will reduce imports, create added value for local manufacturers and strengthen the country’s industrial supply chain, he said.

Mr Yodchanan said the prototype brought together expertise in engineering, materials science, air-conditioning systems and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to improve maintenance efficiency and passenger services.

“The project could serve as a model not only for Thailand’s rail industry but also for other manufacturing sectors. It shows how innovation can be put to use in the real world, driving development and long-term competitiveness,” he said.

Prof Kittipong Kittayarak, chancellor of KMITL, said the handover marked the beginning, not the end, of cooperation between the university and the SRT.

He said the partnership would continue to develop skilled personnel, research and innovation.

SRT governor Anan Phonimdaeng said the agency would work with KMITL and partners to conduct safety and performance tests before introducing the coach on tourist routes of 200-500km.

An alms-giving ceremony will be held in Nakhon Ratchasima next week to honour the virtues of the 10 monks who lost their lives in a tragic crash involving a pickup truck driven by an 11-year-old boy with autism in Mukdahan on Thursday.

Among those killed was Phra Sakorn Tapakhuno, a 63-year-old monk from Korat, whose body arrived in the northeastern province on Friday night. Many monks, relatives and lay Buddhists gathered to receive him and pay their respects.

The incident, which claimed the lives of 10 monks, has deeply saddened Thailand, as a Buddhist nation, along with the monastic community and the public at large.

To express condolences and honour their virtues, The Mall Korat will host an alms-giving ceremony dedicated to the departed monks on Tuesday, July 7, at 7.07am at the plaza in front of the department store.

The day coincides with a Buddhist holy day, and the public is invited to join.

Phra Thep Simaphorn, the province’s chief monk and abbot of Wat Bueng, will preside over the ceremony. Monks from Wat Bueng and Wat Phayap will be invited to receive alms, according to Preecha Lim-ua, general manager of the store.

The ceremony also aims to send encouragement to monks still recovering and to families affected by the sorrowful event.

The fatal accident occurred late Thursday morning as a group of 35 monks and laymen walked in single file towards Don Tan district in Mukdahan. Five were killed instantly, while five others succumbed to their injuries at Mukdahan Hospital.

More than a dozen people were injured, three critically.