Category: The Bangkok Post

There has not been any evidence to support a conclusion that a Thai Airways flight attendant arrested in Australia was a drug trafficker, according to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB).

ONCB deputy director-general Areepak Ngernbamroong said on Wednesday that information is still being collected in connection with the arrest by Australian Federal Police.

The flight attendant is being held without bail in Melbourne and is scheduled to make her first court appearance on Sept 14, Australian police said.

The ONCB has sought to find out what the Thai attendant told to Australian police, details of her travels before the arrest and the intended recipient in Australia of the embroidered tote bags the air hostess carried.

Due to the target’s name being provided in English, officials have yet to determine if the recipient was a Thai national, Ms Areepak said.

The 26-year-old attendant, identified only as Mina, was on duty when she arrived in Melbourne on June 25. She had frequently flown to the city and existing evidence did not indicate that she was a member of any drug-trafficking gang.

However, officials have not ruled out such suspicions. It has not yet been determined why the woman took the risk of carrying the tote bags from a stranger. Most Thai flight crew would refuse to carry items from an anonymous party, Ms Areepak said.

The board noted the woman had been hired for only 8,800 baht to carry 12 tote bags from Thailand to Melbourne, and her family indicated she did not lead a luxurious lifestyle.

The apparent employer used a Facebook account named Rose Rose to contact the flight attendant, who was advertising merchandise-carrying services online. The Rose Rose account was terminated after the arrest on June 25.

‘It is impossible to conclude right away if she was used by a transnational drug gang,’ Ms Areepak said.

Police are still looking to question the delivery man who handled a box containing the tote bags in which the heroin was concealed.

The box was transported in a car, not a motorcycle as reported earlier, to the woman’s condominium in Bang Na district of Bangkok on June 22, ONCB director-general Suriya Singhakamol said.

A delivery man who reported to police in Samut Prakan on Wednesday turned out not to have been the one who handled the package, investigators said.

It was reported that two of the 12 tote bags contained about two kilogrammes of heroin in packages sewn into their linings. Drug smuggling carries a jail term of up to 25 years in Australia.

New residential supply in Greater Bangkok is expected to continue slowing this year as developers scale back launches in response to persistently weak housing demand and subdued consumer purchasing power.

According to the Real Estate Information Center (REIC), land allocation permits, a leading indicator of future low-rise residential launches, declined sharply in both project numbers and housing units during the first quarter of 2026.

Only 13 projects covering 2,645 units received land allocation permits during the quarter, down from 31 projects comprising 4,745 units a year earlier, declines of 58% in project numbers and 44% in units.

By province, Pathum Thani was the only market to record growth, with land allocation permits rising 17%. Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon posted declines, while no permits were issued in Nonthaburi and Nakhon Pathom.

Residential construction permits, covering self-built houses, housing estates and condos, edged up 0.6% year-on-year to 11,174 units, comprising 8,541 low-rise houses, rising 28.4%, and 2,633 condo units, down 41%.

New residential launches in Greater Bangkok fell 31% year-on-year to 8,370 units in the first quarter, while total project value declined by 10.4% to 59.8 billion baht.

The sharpest contraction was recorded in the low-rise segment, with only 1,859 units worth 21.4 billion baht launched, down 55% in units and 51% in value.

Condo launches fell by 19% to 6,511 units, although project value rose by 63% to 38.4 billion baht.

Surachet Kongcheep, head of research at property consultancy Cushman and Wakefield Thailand, said developers are becoming increasingly selective when launching new condo projects this year, focusing on segments where they have strong confidence in demand.

“New condo launches recorded healthy sales during the first two months of the year, but market sentiment weakened sharply after the outbreak of war in March,” he said.

“Buyer activity has slowed significantly and, even when purchases are made, many transactions fail to proceed because mortgage applications are rejected.”

Kessara Thanyalakpark, managing director of SET-listed Sena Development, said the company will suspend new project launches in 2026 and 2027, citing weak market demand and inventory sufficient to support sales for five years.

“We have 98 projects, including completed inventory worth 10 billion baht and another 40 billion baht currently under development,” she said. “We are prioritising financial strength by avoiding additional debt.”

Supachoke Panchasarp, chief executive of SET-listed Asset Five Group, said the company will also refrain from launching new projects this year, turning its focus to selling existing inventory while gradually introducing new phases at current developments.

He said developers need to respond quickly to changing market conditions because residential development requires long investment cycles.

“For low-rise housing development, smaller projects typically take at least two years to complete, while large-scale ones can take up to a decade, making timely adjustments critical to managing market risks,” Mr Supachoke said.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday scheduled the first witness hearing for Aug 25 in a case against 44 former MPs of the now-dissolved Move Forward Party (MFP).

They are accused of serious ethical misconduct for jointly submitting a bill seeking to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code.

The court also dismissed a separate petition seeking to suspend People’s Party (PP) leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut from performing his duties.

The now-dissolved MFP has since been reconstituted as the PP.

The Supreme Court held its first hearing on Tuesday after the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) petitioned it to determine whether the former MPs had committed a serious breach of ethical standards.

Of the 44 respondents, 10 are now members of the opposition PP, including its leader, Mr Natthaphong.

The court accepted written objections from all 44 respondents and scheduled an examination of evidence for Aug 4. Both sides were instructed to submit proposed examination procedures and any requests to summon witnesses by July 25.

The first witness hearing is set for Aug 25, with further hearings on Sept 22 and Oct 27. The court plans to hear 17 witnesses and has set a one-year timeframe for the proceedings.

One respondent will act as his own lawyer, while another will conduct his own defence without appointing legal counsel.

After the hearing, former Move Forward deputy leader Pol Maj Gen Supisarn Bhakdinarinath said he had exercised his legal rights in accordance with judicial procedures and had challenged the admissibility of certain evidence in his written submission.

He said the outcome would depend on the court’s fairness and added that the former MPs had encouraged one another throughout the process, with some appointing lawyers and others choosing to represent themselves.

NACC assistant secretary-general Phattanaphong Chanphetphoon said the commission’s submission detailed the conduct of each respondent individually.

Whether the cases would be heard separately or together would be decided by the court. The commission has proposed 17 witnesses, including case officers and former Move Forward MPs who previously gave statements, although the final decision rests with the court.

The court also rejected a petition by Nopparut Worachitwuttikun, a former leader of the White Dove 2006 group, seeking an order suspending Mr Natthaphong over remarks concerning the participation of some privy councillors in a meeting held by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

A raid was conducted on a major illegal anabolic steroid manufacturing operation in Suan Luang district of Bangkok, seizing more than 1.8 million items of illicit products valued at 50 million baht, authorities announced on Tuesday.

The operation was jointly led by Prime Minister’s Office Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi and Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat, along with the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Consumer Protection Police Division.

Products confiscated included finished steroid powders and liquids, over 1.3 million unlabelled tablets, 405,094 counterfeit labels and packaging, and 79 pieces of production equipment.

The illegal facilities were located in condominiums and targeted foreign markets and online sales, misleading athletes, bodybuilders, and consumers with exaggerated claims.

Authorities confirmed the products were manufactured in non-standard facilities, posing risks of contamination, the presence of banned substances, and unsafe ingredients.

Ms Supamas said the government is committed to tackling unsafe health products, noting the dangers of unregulated steroids to long-term health.

She said the OCPB has been instructed to intensify enforcement in two key areas: online commerce regulation, including strict checks on direct sales and e-commerce businesses, and consumer protection, with a focus on complaint handling, mediation, and pursuing legal action on behalf of affected consumers.

Phuket experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall early Wednesday until around 9.35am, leaving roads inundated in multiple locations.

In Muang district, affected areas included the Surin Circle Clock Tower, in front of Kota Khao Mun Kai restaurant, an alley near Dara Hotel, Dibuk Road intersection, Thra Kraeng three-way junction, Lotus Samkong intersection, the route to Boat Avenue Mall and in front of Wat Chalong.

In Kathu district, flooding was reported in the Patong area in front of Paradise Complex, near the Patong fire station intersection and in front of Wat Kathu. No flooding was reported in Thalang district.

Phuket City Municipality has issued a warning urging residents within the municipal area to move belongings to higher ground. Heavy rain is expected to continue across the island and accumulated precipitation has pushed water levels in Bang Yai canal up by more than three metres.

Officials are working to increase drainage to ease impact on residents.

Those in the Phuket City Municipality area can report flooding emergencies via the municipal hotline at 1132, or the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation office at 076-211111 or 199.

‘The future is fully electric,’ the president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand), Christian Schell, declared, expressing his confidence in the automobile’s future path. This was emphasized in the first half of 2026 by the oil crisis, when people turned to buying electric vehicles (EVs) in fear of fuel shortages. Even so, there will be some who prefer cars that run on fossil fuel, and that is the current gap that car manufacturers need to bridge.

From the current landscape of the automotive industry, to technologies that will shape how we drive and the importance of 140 years of heritage for a car brand, in this episode of ‘Bangkok Post’s Mind The Gap: The Road Ahead – What Will We Be Driving Next?’, two car enthusiasts discuss the past and the future of the vehicles we drive.

Shift in the automotive industry

‘Let’s say that the change is real and the change is there. But the change is not only there since today, it’s already here, since yesterday,’ Christian told co-host Thitipong Phawadee, a Network Operations Centre engineer, when asked about the trend shift toward EVs.

While the war in the Middle East and the oil crisis certainly boosted the move to EVs, Christian said the shift had been gradual, apparent for many years now. Mercedes-Benz had been locally producing battery electric vehicles since 2022. However, not everyone was willing to jump to the new technology.

Plug-in Hybrids ‘the best of both worlds’

Dubbed ‘the best of both worlds’, plug-in hybrid vehicles offer a transitional approach for those who prefer peace of mind when travelling long distances and worry about charging, while also wanting a taste of the future.

‘Well, I don’t have a phone or Google with me. But I think, let me guess, around 60 kilometres,’ Thitipong said of the range of Mercedes-Benz plug-in hybrid vehicles, and then corrected himself.

‘Even more,” he said. “We’re getting a 100 kilometres fully-electric range in our plug-in hybrids.’

What you can do with 100 kilometres, as Christian pointed out, is that you can stay fully electric for a daily commute that is less than 100 kilometres. For longer distances, to other provinces for example, you also have the combustion engine, so you don’t have to worry about charging stations.

Thitipong agreed, ‘I think plug-in hybrid because I still prefer to have that sense of security where if I’m running low on electric power I can go to a petrol station and just get some to go home.’

The power of Formula One made safe on everyday roads

Speaking of technology, Christian asked Thitipong what automotive technologies he was most passionate about, as an engineer.

‘The ones that improve the vehicle’s performance, efficiency and safety,’ Thitipong replied.

He said he enjoys seeing how fully electric modern engines deliver strong performance while being efficient in their energy consumption, all the while implementing safety technologies like Advanced Driver Assistance Systems that help improve safety.

Christian added that what Mercedes currently has in terms of technology comes from Formula One racing. The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door Coupé, for example, is ‘kind of a Formula One car which you’re allowed to drive on the road’.

‘Even when the acceleration is below three seconds, from zero to 100, or even below two seconds, I always feel safe,’ he said. ‘Safety is one of our core values at Mercedes-Benz. And safety is always at the top of our mind, besides the topic of performance that you just mentioned. Both are, I would say, equally important. If you buy a Mercedes-Benz, even a non-AMG, you get both.’

A self-driving car, the future that is already here

Thitipong then turned the question back on Chirstian: ‘What is the next innovation you are most excited about? Like one that changes the way, not just how we drive, but the way we interact with the machine.’

One technology Christian pointed to is the integration of Artificial Intelligence into cars. He said he very often does not focus 100% on driving anymore, with the car doing stuff on its own. ‘You know, there we are already on the next level. The car is driving on its own. The car is super, super safe… So the future is now already there, and it will evolve further, believe me,’ he added.

A European brand against the rise of Chinese EVs

Closing the episode with the elephant in the room, how a European marque like Mercedes-Benz deals with the popularity of Chinese EVs.

‘It’s heritage,’ Christian said. ‘We bring 140 years of heritage. We bring a lot of skills, a lot of things that we learned from the past, and are now translating that into the future. We have great minds, great engineers who are developing the technology of the future. And that’s somehow what we’re believing in, what our customers are believing in.’

With that ‘Bangkok Post’s Mind The Gap: The Road Ahead – What Will We Be Driving Next?’ comes to an end. This episode not only bridges the gap between two car lovers who are from different fields of expertise, but also between electric vehicles and combustion engines, as well as the 140 years of motoring history that is helping build the future of the automotive sector.

‘Wow, sounds like a bright future,’ Thitipong exclaimed.

The oil crisis. The rise of electric vehicles. The integration of Artificial Intelligence.

The automotive industry has experienced influential forces in recent years that will define the future of how we drive for years to come. In this episode of the Bangkok Post’s ‘Mind The Gap: The Road Ahead – What Will We Be Driving Next?’, a CEO and an engineer, both automobile enthusiasts, team up to discuss where we are on the automotive journey and what we will be driving next.

Special guests:

Christian Schell, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Ltd.

Thitipong Phawadee, network operations center engineer at 2C2P and graduate of the Master of Science Programme in International Digital Business, Rangsit University

Opposition parties have lined up more than 40 MPs for the 2027 budget debate starting today, with AI-related spending among the key targets for scrutiny.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said his party had assigned about 10 to 12 MPs to participate in the debate. He said discussions would focus on the overall picture and structure of the national budget, which still relies heavily on borrowing and tax collection.

Mr Abhisit said current state revenues collected through taxation are largely consumed by recurring expenditures and debt repayment, underscoring the need to reform the budget structure.

He also criticised the 2027 budget proposal for failing to reflect rapidly changing economic and social conditions. He said Democrat Party MPs would also examine specific areas, including spending on anti-narcotics policies and education.

He questioned several tech-related projects, saying many agencies justify budget requests by citing artificial intelligence (AI), although the benefits to the country remain unclear.

People’s Party (PP) leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said his party had prepared about 30 MPs for the debate. He expressed confidence the debate would be substantive and urged the public to closely follow the three-day parliamentary session.

Regarding the controversial TH-AI Passport project, Mr Natthaphong said that although some adjustments had already been made to the draft budget, questions remained over a 1.6-billion-baht allocation from the Digital Economy and Society Development Fund. He questioned whether the government would cancel the contract and reopen the bidding process.

He added that parliamentary committees overseeing legal affairs and budget monitoring had already submitted inquiries to anti-corruption agencies to ensure transparency.

On the government side, spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had instructed officials to fully prepare for the debate.

The proposed 2027 budget sets spending at 3.78 trillion baht, an increase of 7.4 billion baht, or 0.2%, from the previous budget. Ms Rachada said it was drafted under fiscal constraints and amid global economic uncertainty, while balancing short-term public support with long-term competitiveness.

She also highlighted the government’s “investment plus” strategy, which combines investment by state enterprises, public-private partnerships, the Thailand Future Fund, the Board of Investment’s investment promotion efforts, the Thailand Fast Pass programme, and investment by the private sector and local administrative organisations to stimulate broader economic growth.

Mayor Poramet Ngampichet was re-elected and his council candidates won all seats in the Pattaya city elections on Sunday.

Pattaya City Hall said Mr Poramet received 20,184 votes, returning him for a second term in office, followed by 11,566 votes for People’s Party candidate Ittiwat Wattanasardsatron.

Mr Poramet’s candidates also made a clean sweep, winning all Pattaya council seats in the four constituencies.

There were 80,204 eligible voters in Pattaya and 43.24% of them cast their votes on Sunday.

On Monday Mr Poramet and his ‘We Love Pattaya’ team roamed Pattaya streets to thank voters. He promised to make Pattaya a world-class tourist destination and improve people’s lives.

Thailand’s securities brokerage industry is accelerating its transformation as declining commission fees and volatile trading volumes continue to pressure profitability, prompting firms to diversify revenue streams beyond traditional brokerage services.

According to Pichet Sithi-Amnuai, chairman of the Association of Thai Securities Companies (Asco), the sector’s ability to weather the downturn depends on trading activity, capital strength, and the success of new investment products that can attract a broader investor base.

Consolidation is a natural part of the brokerage industry, he said, particularly among smaller firms facing capital constraints and shrinking margins.

However, mergers and acquisitions (M and A) are often complex and take longer to materialise than expected, said Mr Pichet, who is also president of Bualuang Securities.

Daily market turnover remains the industry’s most important health indicator. With an average trading value of 40-45 billion baht per day, many brokers could continue to struggle financially. In contrast, turnover of around 60 billion baht per day would allow most firms to remain profitable and operate more sustainably.

Capital adequacy is another critical factor. Smaller brokers with tight net capital ratio positions may eventually need to raise capital or pursue consolidation to strengthen their balance sheets and remain competitive.

Bank-affiliated brokerages enjoy a significant advantage thanks to stronger capital bases and established customer networks, reducing the urgency for consolidation, he noted.

M and A EFFORTS

Despite efforts by regulators and the Stock Exchange of Thailand to facilitate consolidation, M and A activity has remained limited.

ML Thongmakut Thongyai, chief executive of Krungthai XSpring Securities, said the industry continues to attract new entrants seeking niche opportunities, even though securities brokerage has long been viewed as a mature or “sunset” sector.

Many operators prefer to remain on the sidelines rather than pursue acquisitions or sales, even under difficult business conditions, he said.

Structural challenges also persist. Thailand’s investor base has expanded modestly over the past decade, with the number of investment accounts rising from roughly 2 million to 3 million. While about 74% of Thais have savings, only around 14% actively invest, limiting opportunities for brokers to significantly expand their client base.

Meanwhile foreign brokerages continue to enter the Thai market, intensifying competition rather than reducing the number of industry players.

NEW PRODUCTS

As traditional commission income becomes less reliable, brokers are expanding into wealth management, investment banking and proprietary investment businesses.

Among the industry’s fastest-growing products are depositary receipts (DRs), which allow Thai investors to gain exposure to leading overseas stocks and markets through local trading accounts.

DRs are particularly popular among retail and younger investors because they provide convenient access to global investment opportunities while supporting portfolio diversification.

Brokers view DRs as an important gateway for attracting new investors into Thailand’s capital market, noted Mr Pichet.

In contrast, derivative warrants continue to appeal primarily to investors seeking short-term trading opportunities and higher-risk strategies.

ATTRACTIVE VALUATIONS

Industry leaders see a more constructive environment for Thailand’s equity market in the second half of the year.

Supportive factors include easing geopolitical and political uncertainties, attractive equity valuations, and signs of returning foreign investment flows.

The continued development of new investment products, as well as efforts by policymakers and market participants, are critical to strengthening long-term market competitiveness, he said.

If average daily trading value can recover to 50-60 billion baht, confidence among brokerages would improve significantly, allowing firms to move beyond survival mode and focus on sustainable growth, according to Asco.

While the association does not intervene in members’ business strategies, Mr Pichet said it serves as a bridge between brokers and regulators, while promoting industry development, knowledge sharing and the creation of new investment opportunities.

For Thailand’s brokerage industry, the path forward likely depends on diversifying from commission income to focus on scale, innovation and the ability to attract a new generation of investors.