Category: The Bangkok Post

Senior military officials have dismissed speculation of heightened border tensions, following reports linking Cambodian politician Tea Srey Ha to land disputes and rumours of Chinese tanks near the border.

Defence Minister Lt Gen Adul Boonthamcharoen said on Tuesday that Thai security forces remain vigilant along the Thai-Cambodian border and stressed all operations are being conducted in accordance with the proper rules of engagement.

He also addressed reports that Cambodia has recently received a new batch of tanks from China, saying the acquisition was part of a previously known procurement programme.

At present, there is no indication that the tanks have been deployed along the border, he said.

Thai units operating in border areas, particularly those under the Suranaree Task Force, remain under close supervision by the 2nd Army Area commander.

Referring to reports of explosions heard near the frontier, he said the incidents did not occur on Thai territory.

He suggested the sounds could have been caused by newly deployed Cambodian troops unfamiliar with the area.

Asked about reports that Cambodian soldiers have dug trenches near the border, he said it is normal for military units to establish defensive positions.

He dismissed reports that Cambodian Defence Minister Gen Tea Srey Ha was planning to seek the return of the Ban Nong Chan area in Sa Kaeo province, and reaffirmed Thailand’s position under the joint statement.

The Royal Thai Air Force clarified reports on social media about late-night F-16 flights near the border, calling them routine monthly night-training exercises within Thai airspace.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered an investigation into claims that the cost of public street lighting may have been incorporated into household electricity bills, amid growing public scrutiny over whether consumers have been unfairly bearing the expense.

Mr Anutin said he had instructed the Energy Ministry, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) to establish how the charges arose, when the practice began and whether the burden had in fact been passed on to electricity users.

“The public must not bear this burden,” he said, adding that officials were gathering facts before reporting back to him.

Asked whether the government would intervene if the charges proved to have been transferred to consumers, Mr Anutin said action would be taken.

He described the issue as a long-standing question that had troubled him since his time at the Interior Ministry.

“There has always been something that made me wonder,” he said. “At the time, the electricity authorities said they were absorbing the cost of public lighting. My question was: if they were still making a profit, were they really absorbing the cost, and how?”

The prime minister said he has ordered a formal review. If costs had historically been accepted as part of the electricity authorities’ expenses, that would be one matter.

However, if they had been added to electricity bills and passed on to consumers, “that is not acceptable, and I will certainly fix it”, he said.

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn acknowledged reports that public lighting costs had been embedded in the fuel adjustment charge (FT) paid by households.

PEA governor Mongkol Treekijjanon on Tuesday confirmed the cost had been built into bills for more than a decade.

The government has moved to extend commercial land lease terms at 28 regional airports to as long as 30 years in a move aimed at attracting private investment and generating more revenue from airport operations.

Deputy government spokeswoman Lalida Persvivatana said the initiative forms part of efforts to expand the role of airports operated by the Department of Airports (DoA) beyond aviation services and develop them into regional transport, tourism and business hubs.

She said the Transport Ministry and the DoA have been working to increase revenue from both aeronautical and non-aeronautical activities at regional airports. The agencies have also worked with domestic and international airlines to promote new domestic, cross-regional and international routes to improve connectivity and support economic activity in surrounding areas.

To support investment, the Transport Ministry has pushed for reforms to ease administrative restrictions that have limited business development on airport land.

This led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the DoA and the Treasury Department, giving the agency greater authority to manage state-owned land within and around airport premises.

Under the agreement, the DoA can directly sign lease agreements and public-private compensation contracts with private investors for projects worth up to 500 million baht.

The agreement also significantly extends allowable lease periods.

Previously limited to a maximum of three years, leases can now be granted for terms better suited to long-term investment. Land within airport premises may be leased for up to 10 years, while land outside airport boundaries may be leased for up to 20 or 30 years, depending on the size of the area and the nature of the business.

The Interior Ministry has abruptly transferred Department of Local Administration (DLA) Director-General Teeruth Supawiboonpol amid a sweeping corruption scandal tied to local recruitment examinations valued at more than 4.5 billion baht.

Interior permanent secretary, Unsit Samphantharat, on Tuesday signed a ministerial order issued by the Interior Ministry to assign Mr Teeruth to a temporary post at the ministry. The transfer order takes effect on Wednesday and will remain effective until further notice.

The transfer came after officials from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the Department of Special Investigation’s (DSI) Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) launched a major crackdown operation targeting a corruption network linked to a recruitment examination held by the DLA. The scheme involved bribery and the manipulation of exam scores in exchange for official positions.

The result of the operation was announced on Tuesday during a press conference held by the NACC and the ACD. Officials said it followed a search warrant issued by the Nonthaburi Provincial Court on Monday, targeting Sammueang Jarernrungrueangkit Co Ltd in Bang Yai district.

Investigators searched the company for answer sheets, computers, electronic devices and online data connected to the alleged fraud.

Authorities said 10 individuals, mostly state officials, were found at the site while they were allegedly modifying digital copies of exam answer sheets using computer software in order to match scores already announced by the DLA on its official website. Officials believe the altered scores were intended to help candidates who paid bribes pass the examination process.

During the search, officers seized 18 computers and CPU units, external hard drives containing digital examination data from candidates nationwide and lists of applicants whose scores were allegedly targeted for manipulation. Investigators also discovered around 3,000 answer sheet copies from the Feb 15, 2025, examination, with around 2,000 already altered.

The examination in question was part of the 2025 recruitment process organised by the DLA. The recruitment drive covered 87 positions with a total of 6,669 vacancies.

The investigation stemmed from complaints submitted alongside evidence and audio clips alleging that certain tutors and individuals claimed to have “internal connections” capable of guaranteeing success in the exam. Bribes requested by the network reportedly ranged from 350,000 baht per candidate for general positions to 700,000-800,000 baht for highly competitive positions.

Mr Unsit said the case could undermine public confidence in government administration, personnel management within the Ministry of Interior, the DLA and local administrative organisations nationwide.

The order cited several legal provisions, including the State Administration Act BE 2534 and the Civil Service Act BE 2551, as justification for Mr Teeruth’s temporary reassignment in order to ensure smooth government operations and protect public interests. Mr Teeruth will perform duties assigned by Mr Unsit.

Authorities estimated the financial damage caused by the scheme at 4.5 billion baht. Investigators are now expanding the probe to identify additional accomplices, including public officials and examination candidates.

The NACC described the operation as a milestone in adopting proactive search-and-seizure tactics aimed at combating corruption more rapidly. Officials stressed that all suspects remain presumed innocent until proven guilty by the courts.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul briefly addressed the issue, saying the matter was “up to the interior permanent secretary”.

Polymarket and Kalshi, prediction markets on which users can bet on outcomes as varied as the Super Bowl and the length of the State of the Union address, have been some of the fastest growing destinations on the internet.

Mark Zuckerberg has noticed – and he wants in on the action.

Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, recently dispatched a small team at his company to create a smartphone application similar to Polymarket and Kalshi, two employees with knowledge of the matter said. Users would not wager money, and the app would probably rely on a video game-like points system instead, one person said, though the company had not ruled out the eventual use of real-money betting.

The app is internally referred to as ‘Arena’ and would function independently from Meta’s social networking apps, which include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, said the employees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential plans. Meta aims to grow the app by leveraging its large social networking audiences and directing them toward using it, they said.

The effort, which insiders characterised as experimental but a top priority, is part of a broader push by Zuckerberg to create new types of apps based on emerging social behaviour online. More than 3.56 billion people visit one or more of Meta’s apps every day, an amount that has raised questions about whether those platforms have reached a saturation point.

Arena is one of a handful of apps that Meta is trying out. Others include one called Meta Photos, another stand-alone app that would create new types of media using artificial intelligence, the employees said.

Meta declined to comment.

For years, Zuckerberg has chased growth by looking for how user behaviour on the internet is changing and then quickly following fast-growing competitors such as Snap and others by cloning their apps and features.

Those efforts have had mixed success. Meta has struggled with new stand-alone apps before, largely because it has been difficult to get people to find and download them. In 2019, under a team called ‘New Product Experimentation,’ employees tried creating various social apps, including those focused on podcasts and travel, as well as music and matchmaking. Few gained traction, three people familiar with the projects said.

But as Facebook and Instagram increasingly serve video-focused content, Meta executives believe there are fewer areas inside the apps to test new product ideas, the people said. That has pushed the company to set its sights on separate apps.

This is not the first time Meta has experimented with prediction markets. In 2020, it released Forecast, a crowdsourced prediction market app that prompted people to make guesses about the world in the early days of the coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. The app was positioned as a way to share crowdsourced knowledge. It used a points system to make predictions about the future. Meta shuttered the app in 2022. Since then, prediction markets have exploded into a cultural phenomenon, featured during major sports events and in the Golden Globes telecast. In 2025, Kalshi and Polymarket drew a combined $50 billion in online trades. This year, the total has surpassed US$130 billion.

That success has drawn attention from other companies. A prediction market operator can make money by collecting fees on every bet, a potentially enormous source of revenue. Traditional gambling firms such as FanDuel and DraftKings have started offering them, as has Gemini, a cryptocurrency exchange. Trump Media and Technology Group, the president’s social media business, has also rolled out prediction market plans.

Kalshi declined to comment. Polymarket did not respond to a request for comment.

But the surge of betting on prediction markets has brought intense legal scrutiny. Because these markets offer odds on virtually everything, they create new opportunities for people to use inside information to make money.

A pattern of suspicious trading on Polymarket in particular has generated concerns in Washington. In April, federal prosecutors in New York City charged a member of US Special Forces with using confidential information to place bets about the top-secret plan to capture Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela. The soldier made more than $400,000 betting on the operation, according to prosecutors.

Concerns about insider trading and other possible abuses have put a spotlight on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the obscure federal agency that oversees prediction markets. The agency, never particularly large, has shrunk under the Trump administration, leaving it with its smallest staff in years, just as its responsibilities have rapidly expanded.

Sen Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn criticised Meta’s plans on Tuesday in a social media post: ‘Meta copied slot machines to addict kids to Instagram. Now Zuckerberg is turning his company into a prediction market.’

He added that Meta’s business model was ‘profiting from addiction’ and directed people to support two bills he was cosponsoring in Congress, the Kids Online Safety Act and the Prediction Markets Security and Integrity Act.

Meta insiders have cautioned that Arena remains in development and may not be released.

But as executives search for ways to keep the world’s largest social media sites thriving, Zuckerberg appears to be relying on his well-worn product development strategy: Follow the users.

The intensified crackdown on illegal nominee structures is unlikely to derail foreign demand for resort and luxury residential properties, although buyers are becoming more cautious and paying closer attention to legal ownership arrangements, according to property technology group Juwai IQI.

The enforcement measures are not expected to significantly affect overall foreign demand for these properties in Thailand, it said in its analysis report.

The government’s enforcement campaign has raised concerns among some market observers that foreign demand for villas in destinations such as Phuket and Samui could weaken amid heightened regulatory scrutiny.

However, the impact has so far been limited, with enforcement measures yet to significantly alter market behaviour or dampen foreign demand in these resort property segments.

“The crackdown seems to focus on people working illegally in Thailand rather than expats living in villas,” said Kashif Ansari, co-founder and group chief executive of Juwai IQI.

“The rules haven’t changed. They’re just stepping up enforcement. Anyone who has followed the law will have no problem.”

Mr Ansari said foreign buyers generally welcome greater transparency and legal certainty, as this helps to protect long-term investments.

“Ultimately, buyers like to operate in well-regulated, transparent markets where their investment is protected. We find Thailand’s focus on compliance reassuring,” he said.

BUYERS SEEK CLARITY

While the crackdown has not triggered a withdrawal of foreign demand, it has prompted more enquiries about ownership structures.

“Our agents are getting more questions about legal arrangements than they did in the past,” Mr Ansari said. “Some buyers want to clearly understand in advance how it will work, just to make sure they’re not getting into trouble. We think that’s a good thing.”

He added that the company has not seen foreign buyers walk away from pending purchases or abandon deposits because of the enforcement measures.

“Buyers work with good lawyers and agents and make sure they’re doing things legally,” he said. The company has also not observed existing foreign villa owners rushing to sell assets ahead of possible audits.

STRONG RESORT DEMAND

According to Juwai IQI’s estimates, foreign participation remains dominant in Thailand’s luxury villa market.

“There isn’t an official figure for foreign villa ownership because foreigners can’t hold land in their own name and long-term leases aren’t tracked by nationality,” Mr Ansari said.

“Our best estimates are that, in Phuket, around three in five property transactions involve a foreign buyer or lessee,” he said.

In Samui and Phangan, foreign demand is even more pronounced. It estimates that of every 10 villa buyers, more than nine are foreign.

It also believes that between 2,400 and 3,000 villas in Phuket, and a similar number across Samui and Phangan, are ultimately foreign-owned or leased.

Mr Ansari stressed that the figures refer primarily to the luxury resort villa segment rather than conventional housing, which remains overwhelmingly Thai-owned.

CHINESE DEMAND STRONG

The company said Thailand continues to rank among the most attractive overseas property destinations for Chinese buyers.

According to Juwai IQI enquiry data for the first quarter of 2026, Thailand was the second-most popular destination globally among Chinese property seekers.

“Chinese buyers rank Thailand as their second-most popular destination globally,” Mr Ansari said.

More than half of enquiries were for homes valued at US$750,000 or below, while 27.5% targeted properties priced above $2 million.

“Nine in 10 Chinese buyers say their purchases are both for their own use and for investment,” he said.

Within Thailand, Bangkok remains the most popular destination, followed by Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Hua Hin.

The company said it has not observed any meaningful shift of Chinese capital from Thailand to competing destinations such as Malaysia.

“Malaysia is certainly an attractive market, but we haven’t noted any shift in buyers from Thailand to Malaysia, or the other way around,” Mr Ansari added.

LEGAL ROUTES IN FOCUS

Mr Ansari said foreign buyers currently have three main options: purchasing condominium units under freehold ownership, buying villas structured under condominium ownership, or entering long-term leasehold agreements.

“No buyer should believe that their lease can be automatically extended for 90 years,” he said.

“Also, never enter into a nominee arrangement where Thai shareholders hold the land but you actually control it. That is exactly what the authorities are enforcing against now.”

He added that the government’s ongoing consideration of reforms to increase the foreign ownership quota in condominiums from 49% to 75% and extend leasehold terms from 30 years to 99 years could further strengthen Thailand’s competitiveness.

“My own view is that some version of these changes could arrive in the next 12 to 24 months,” he said.

PHUKET MARKET RESILIENT

Market sentiment in Phuket remains positive, despite the heightened scrutiny.

Nasupha Suwansri, vice-president of IQI Phuket, said demand for luxury villas remains strong across the island.

“Foreign buyers don’t come to Phuket expecting to break the law when they buy a home. They want to follow the rules, and therefore the crackdown isn’t worrying them,” she said.

Ms Nasupha said Phuket’s appeal extends well beyond tourism, attracting long-term residents seeking an international lifestyle.

“Phuket is no longer just a holiday destination. It has become a truly international place to live, with a strong mix of Thai culture and global communities,” she said.

Many foreign families are drawn by international schools, quality healthcare, wellness facilities, marinas, golf courses, and direct international air connections.

She noted that demand remains particularly strong for pool villas priced between 15-30 million baht near international schools, while investors and second-home buyers typically seek properties worth 30-70 million baht in areas such as Bang Tao, Layan, Laguna, Kamala and Rawai.

“The crackdown is not stopping serious buyers,” Ms Nasupha said. “It is making them ask better questions and work more carefully with agents and lawyers. Foreign buyers want to follow the rules, and Phuket remains one of the strongest lifestyle and investment destinations in Asia.”

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has dismissed Cambodian allegations that Thai fighter jets left unexploded bombs during recent hostilities, insisting that all missions were carried out successfully and no ordnance remains.

ACM Prapas Sornchaidee, the assistant commander-in-chief of the air force, was responding on Wednesday to claims made by Phnom Penh after it released images of an object resembling an Mk-84 bomb, saying it was evidence of an attack carried out by Thai forces.

Photographs alone cannot be used to confirm the origin of a weapon or identify the party responsible without technical and forensic verification conducted according to international standards, said ACM Prapas, who is also the director of the Joint Information Centre on the Thailand-Cambodia Situation.

Based on the object’s external appearance, it could possibly belong to the Mk 84 family of 2,000-pound bombs, or it may be an older M118 3,000-pound bomb, which was widely used by the United States military during past wars.

However, ACM Prapas said that determining the weapon’s origin cannot be done solely through visual inspection.

‘Displaying an object publicly and claiming it belongs to one side without verifiable technical evidence is merely an allegation, not proof,’ he said.

He added that the RTAF operates a battle damage assessment system that uses imaging and tracking technology to closely monitor the deployment of weapons from its F-16 and Gripen fighter aircraft.

According to assessment results, every weapon used during RTAF operations functioned properly, detonated on target and caused verifiable damage within military areas, and no evidence was found to support claims that a bomb was left unexploded, he said.

ACM Prapas also pointed out that the body and tail fins of the object shown in the images appeared largely intact despite the fact that air-dropped bombs are normally subjected to massive impact forces.

He noted that even in cases involving dud bombs, detailed examinations are still required to confirm the type, origin and chain of possession, reaffirming that conclusions cannot be reached solely through images.

Adm Phairoj Fueangchan, the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy Adm Phairoj Fueangchan, on Wednesday visited naval personnel undergoing training as royal barge rowers and reviewed preparations for the upcoming royal barge procession in November.

The ceremony is being organised to celebrate the auspicious occasion of the fourth-cycle (48th) birthday of Her Majesty the Queen on June 3. The royal ceremony to present kathin robes to monks will take place at Wat Arun on Nov 6.

The inspection took place at the Royal Barge Division under the Small Craft Squadron, Naval Transportation Department, in Bangkok Noi district.

The training of royal barge rowers is a vital component of the navy’s preparations for the historic procession along the Chao Phraya River in the capital.

Specialised training courses have already been held for 58 royal barge captains and 104 helmsmen, equipping them with knowledge of traditional rowing techniques and ceremonial procedures. Upon completion, they will serve as instructors for the rowers assigned to their respective units.

The training phase focuses on land-based rowing drills, known as ‘bench training’, designed to familiarise rowers with the weight of the oars, correct posture and synchronised movements.

This will be followed by on-water training to develop navigation and boat-handling skills before progressing to full-unit exercises aboard the barges. Formation training on the river will then be conducted ahead of rehearsal runs and the full dress rehearsal.

For this year’s procession, a total of 52 ceremonial vessels will participate. The formation will stretch 1,200 metres in length and 90 metres in width, organised into five columns and manned by around 2,200 personnel.

At the centre of the procession will be the royal barge Suphannahong, which will carry the monarch. Supporting vessels include the royal barges Narai Song Suban King Rama IX, Anekkachatphuchong and Anantanakkharat, as well as drum barges, police escort boats and royal guard vessels.

The ?Constitutional ?Court said Wednesday that it ?will ?issue its ruling on the ?legality of the government’s 400-billion-baht emergency borrowing decree on July ?9.

The ?cabinet on May 5 approved the emergency decree to borrow 400 billion baht, with 200 billion going to alleviate cost of living ?pressures arising from the Middle East war, and another 200 billion to be used to support the transition to renewable energy.

The opposition People’s Party had sought a court ruling on the decree under Section 172 of the Constitution. It argued that the prevailing situation did not meet the strict test of an ‘urgent and unavoidable necessity’ required to justify using an emergency decree instead of a standard parliamentary bill.

The party also said details about the energy transition spending were vague, and merited proper scrutiny by lawmakers.

Finance ?Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas has maintained that the borrowing is necessary because higher energy prices impact everyone.

Public debt is currently around 66.4% of Thailand’s gross domestic product (GDP), below the 70% statutory ceiling, and the new borrowing would not breach the limit, Mr Ekniti added.

Bank of Thailand officials and independent economists have cautioned that the borrowing would significantly reduces the government’s capability to handle unexpected future economic shocks.

There is also scepticism over whether direct, short-term cash subsidies for low-income people and welfare recipients will adequately address deep-seated structural flaws in the economy.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has called the borrowing ‘a tool to move the country forward and prevent economic weakening’.

The cabinet has approved the expansion of the list of price-controlled goods and services to 66, with fish sauce, soy sauce and white sea bass among the additions.

The list now includes 61 essential goods and five services, for which providers must seek prior approval for price changes.

The central committee on prices of goods and services reviews the list at least once a year, along with prevailing market conditions, as part of efforts to curb unfair pricing practices and help manage the cost of living.

Deputy government spokeswoman Lalida Persvivatana said the new list consolidates previously approved controlled goods and services, while adding five new categories: soybean meal, white sea bass, young coconuts and coconut products, soy sauce and fish sauce.

Soy sauce and fish sauce were separated from the broader category of ‘seasoning sauces’ to provide clearer regulatory oversight and better reflect market conditions, she said.

Maintaining the list of controlled items will allow the authorities to monitor market developments, supervise pricing, prevent consumer exploitation and ensure adequate supplies.

Separately, the cabinet on Tuesday approved an extension of measures aimed at mitigating the impact of the Middle East war, as proposed by the Ministry of Commerce.

The Green Flag Low-Cost Plus programme and the Cost-of-Living Relief programme have been extended until September, while retaining the same budget of 180 million baht.

Ploythalay Laksameesaengjan, a deputy government spokeswoman, said the extension would ensure the programmes support farmers’ access to affordable agricultural inputs.