Category: The Bangkok Post

Immigration police in Pattaya have arrested a South Korean national accused of distributing explicit videos online and possessing a large cache of illicit drugs, marking a major bust in a nationwide crackdown on transnational crime.

The operation was part of a broader campaign ordered by national police chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch targeting foreign criminal networks in major tourist destinations. Acting on intelligence, officers from Immigration Division 3 obtained a search warrant from the Pattaya Municipal Court and raided a local condominium unit on Sunday.

During the raid, authorities arrested a 30-year-old South Korean man identified only as “Dong-geun,” who investigators allege operated an X account to post sexually explicit videos featuring himself and Thai women.

Officers also discovered a substantial supply of narcotics inside the condominium, including 21.3g of crystal meth, 304.3g of ketamine, 296 ecstasy tablets, and nine etomidate vape pods.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has denied allegations that the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is being used to discredit the main opposition People’s Party (PP) following an investigation into list-MP Pawoot Pongvitayapanu over alleged links to a forex scam.

Speaking at Government House on Monday, Mr Anutin dismissed claims that the probe was politically motivated, insisting he has no intention of weaponising the agency.

“If I were trying to politically harass people, many others would have already been targeted. I have never thought of doing such things,” he said.

When asked whether the case was retaliation for Mr Pawoot’s recent criticism of the government’s TH-AI Passport project, Mr Anutin said legal procedures must simply run their course.

Meanwhile, Mr Pawoot stated on Facebook that he is gathering documents to clarify the allegations with the DSI and pledged full cooperation.

He noted that because the incident occurred several years ago, collecting records from financial institutions to brief both the DSI and his party will take some time.

The controversy erupted after the DSI named Mr Pawoot during a progress report on its investigation into illegal forex investment networks.

PP leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said on Monday that Mr Pawoot has already addressed the matter publicly and is ready to cooperate with authorities.

However, he noted that the party is waiting for clearer details from the DSI regarding the exact nature of the allegations, emphasising that Mr Pawoot remains only a suspect at this stage.

PP secretary-general Picharn Chaowapattanawong stated that while the party has strict internal disciplinary procedures and will not protect anyone found guilty of wrongdoing, the timing of the leak raises concerns.

He said that the PP had recently intensified its scrutiny of the TH-AI Passport project, raising fears that the DSI’s allegations are a targeted attempt to undermine Mr Pawoot’s credibility.

Authorities are benefiting from a drop in global crude oil prices by collecting levies from diesel and gasohol users through the Oil Fuel Fund to repay massive debts incurred by the fuel price subsidy programme, following the outbreak of the Israel-US war on Iran in late February.

West Texas Intermediate and Brent benchmarks have fallen by 9% on average, from US$84.8 and $87.3 per barrel respectively on June 12 to $76.6 and $79.23 per barrel on June 18, said Thai Oil Plc, the country’s largest refinery by production capacity.

Before the war, Brent crude prices averaged between $63-70 per barrel, according to media reports.

The drop caused motorists to expect they would be able to buy cheaper fuel, but they will not see a significant decrease in retail fuel prices for some time, said an energy official who requested anonymity.

“This is because it is time for the government to pay back money to oil traders,” he said.

Weeks after the war, the government subsidised diesel and gasohol prices through the Oil Fuel Fund by asking oil companies to cap retail fuel prices. It would later compensate the firms for the financial burdens they shouldered.

The drop in crude prices allows officials to resume levy collections from motorists.

As of June 22, users of diesel contributed 0.65 baht a litre, while gasohol 95 users paid 3.1 baht a litre, according to the Energy Policy and Planning Office.

The levies are among the key factors that make diesel and gasohol 95, which is blended with 10% ethanol, remain expensive.

On June 22, gasohol 95 was sold at 38.85 baht a litre while diesel prices stood at 37.5 baht a litre.

Gasohol 95 and diesel prices had been 30.85 and 29.94 baht a litre, respectively, on Jan 20.

According to the Energy Ministry, the Oil Fuel Fund gained 2.45 billion baht on March 1 and plunged sharply to a loss of 58.5 billion baht as of June 22.

The PGA Tour has announced sweeping changes to its competitive structure, approving a two-tiered system with promotion and relegation to take effect in 2028.

The PGA Tour Championship Series and the PGA Tour Challenger Series will establish a ?true meritocracy with a formal ?structure for promotion and relegation, officials of the top US men’s golf tour said on Tuesday.

The Championship Series will feature the top players competing head-to-head, driving a season narrative that identifies the best golfer in the world.

The Challenger Series will be the primary pathway to Championship Series offering players the chance to advance to the top of the sport.

“From day one, the focus of the Future Competition Committee has been to build the best version of the PGA Tour, and to do so in ?a way that reflects the voice of our players and the expectations of our fans,’ PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said in a press release.

“The result is a new competitive model grounded in meritocracy, with clearer pathways, higher stakes and more consistency when the best players compete together.”

The Championship Series will run from approximately February through August and ?feature 23 or 24 events with minimum purses of $20 million, including the four majors, Players Championship, season-ending events and team events like the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. The fields will be 120 ?players, average.

According to the press release, the PGA Tour said new markets under consideration for the remaining events yet to be filled on the Championship Series include Boston, Denver, ?New ?York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC.

Full eligibility criteria will be finalised later this year, including select additional exemptions for categories ?like tournament winners, medical extensions and career milestones. There will be no sponsor exemptions.

The Challenger Series, which will run concurrently to the Championship Series, will have a minimum of 20 events with $4-million purses and feature emerging talent along with players fighting their way ?back to the top. Fields will be filled to 144 players.

The new competitive structure ?introduces true promotion and relegation, with a minimum of 90 players retained on the Championship Series and 20 players promoted from the Challenger Series each season.

In addition, two-time winners on the Challenger Series will earn immediate promotion to the Series. There will also ?be a ‘last chance’ series of four to six events where ?a limited number of spots on the Championship Series for will be available.

The baht is likely to continue its depreciation trend in the near term after falling below 33 to the dollar, unless the Bank of Thailand sends a hawkish signal on Wednesday about a potential interest rate increase, says Kasikorn Research Center.

The Thai currency weakened to a 13-month low of 33.18 baht to the greenback on Tuesday from Monday’s close of 32.93 amid growing expectations that the US Federal Reserve may raise interest rates later this year to curb inflation risks, said Kanjana Chockpisansin, head of banking and financial sector research at the K-Research.

Fed funds futures are now pricing in a 54% probability that the Fed will deliver two 25-basis-point rate hikes before the end of this year.

Meanwhile, uncertainty in the Middle East remains elevated despite progress in peace negotiations between the US and Iran. Although Washington has temporarily allowed Iran to resume oil exports for 60 days, several key issues remain unresolved and are still subject to ongoing talks, Ms Kanjana said.

For the year to date, the baht has depreciated by 4.9%, compared with 6.6% for the Indonesian rupiah, 6.4% for the Korean won and 5.1% for the Indian rupee.

The dollar index extended its gains on Tuesday, rising above 101.00, while gold prices fell 1.6% from the previous session to $4,118 an ounce.

‘Instead of gold, which is a safe-haven asset and normally used to hedge against inflation, massive capital flows have recently been drawn to the dollar given unease surrounding the US-Iran peace agreement,’ Ms Kanjana told the Bangkok Post.

With the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) widely expected to keep its policy rate unchanged at Wednesday’s meeting, in line with the Fed decision last week amid lingering inflation concerns, K-Research believes the the baht’s depreciation is unlikely to abate.

‘Unless the Thai central bank clearly indicates a potential interest rate hike, citing inflation concerns, we don’t expect the baht to reverse course,’ she said.

K-Research expects the Thai currency to weaken to 33.30 or 33.50 to the dollar until the US-Iran peace negotiations show clear signs of development.

‘That would ease the dollar’s strength, causing the baht to appreciate,’ said Ms Kanjana.

Poon Panitchpibun, money market strategist at Krungthai Global Markets, shared a similar view, noting that for the near term the baht is likely to remain under downward pressure from dollar strength until market participants scale back their expectations for further Fed rate hikes.

‘While developments in the Middle East have improved in line with our expectations, supporting a more benign inflation outlook, these factors have largely been priced in by the market,’ he said.

Investors should remain cautious about tensions in the Middle East flaring up again, which could result in higher energy prices and reinforce expectations of additional Fed tightening, easily exerting downward pressure on the baht, Mr Poon said.

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.

A growing narrative hinting at a faster-than-expected US interest rate hike could push gold prices down to US$3,600 an ounce or as low as 55,000 baht per baht weight for domestic gold bars in the near term amid persistent concerns over elevated inflation, says YLG Bullion and Futures.

YLG chief executive Tipa Nawawattanasub said the key near-term pressure for gold is US monetary policy, as markets are wrestling with the possibility of “higher-for-longer” Federal Reserve (Fed) rates and an earlier-than-expected tightening cycle.

“While the June meeting and recent polls suggest the Fed will hold rates steady, there are growing narrative hints of a faster-than-expected tightening cycle,” said Ms Tipa.

If the Fed hikes in October, driven by sticky inflation from energy shocks and prolonged conflicts, that would be a major headwind for gold, pushing real yields, currently sitting around 2%, and the dollar higher.

YLG sees immediate psychological support for gold at $4,000 for the time being, or 61,000 baht per baht weight for domestic gold bars.

Bullion has decreased 9.41%, or $430 an ounce, over the last 30 days due to lingering conflicts in the Middle East pushing global oil prices to skyrocket.

“If $4,000 is breached, gold will likely find its ultimate bottom at $3,600. Given the exchange rate of 32.5 baht to the dollar, domestic gold bars would be quoted at 55,000 per baht weight,” she told the Bangkok Post.

Goldman Sachs last Friday slashed its gold price forecast by $500 an ounce to reflect the increased likelihood that the Fed will raise rather than cut interest rates this year.

In the event of a rate hike, the bank sees the year-end gold price falling to $4,400 as “demand for gold as a macro policy hedge could unwind more persistently”.

Ms Tipa, however, reiterated that the gold price is currently undergoing a consolidation, not a structural trend reversal.

The long-term upside remains firmly intact because core structural drivers, primarily aggressive central bank demand, dedollarisation trends and high sovereign debt levels, continue to underpin longer-term support.

Central banks worldwide made net purchases of gold totalling 244 tonnes in the first quarter, a 3% increase year-on-year.

Central bank purchases in the first three months were also higher than the previous quarter and the five-year average, she noted.

Beijing has expanded its reserves for the 19th consecutive month as of May, adding 10 tonnes that month and 25 tonnes year-to-date. The People’s Bank of China now holds roughly 2,332 tonnes, accounting for about 8.9% of its foreign-exchange reserves.

A World Gold Council survey of 76 central banks found that about 89% expect global official reserves to rise further, while 45% plan to increase their own holdings, underscoring sustained institutional demand, Ms Tipa pointed out.

A 56-year-old motorcyclist was decapitated when he crashed into a steel guardrail on an elevated expressway in Bangkok.

Police said the horrific accident occurred on Saturday on the Chalerm Maha Nakhon Expressway, near the Dao Khanong toll plaza in Chom Thong district.

Emergency responders and forensic specialists attended the scene.

Investigators reported finding a heavily damaged Honda Wave motorcycle lying on its side on the road. The rider was found nearby with catastrophic injuries. The impact with the guardrail cut off his head. Debris from the motorcycle was scattered across the carriageway.

The steel, roadside barrier showed evidence of a collision, with impact marks and bloodstains on the structure.

Police said it appeared the rider had been travelling at high speed, lost control and crashed directly into the guardrail. He was pronounced dead at the scene, his body then removed for a post-mortem examination.

Police were investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash.

Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn on Monday ordered an investigation into a scaffolding collapse during the construction of a northern line railway tunnel on Saturday, pledging to blacklist the contractor if operational negligence contributed to the accident.

The incident at the Doi Luang Tunnel site in Chiang Rai occurred while workers were installing waterproofing inside the structure. The collapse left two workers dead and two others injured. Construction has been suspended while authorities investigate.

Addressing the incident, Mr Phiphat noted that the contractors were supposed to maintain a strict safety inspection system under relevant ISO standards at the site. He emphasised that the Ministry of Transport would not shirk its responsibility and had already formed a committee to probe the case.

“A discussion will be held with the State Railway of Thailand, and the investigation is expected to wrap up as soon as possible,” he added.

Mr Phiphat pledged to blacklist the project’s contractor if they are found to have violated safety measures, stressing the ministry’s commitment to the highest operational standards and impartial treatment for all contractors.

He also refuted allegations regarding the contractor’s political connections in the area, insisting that the procurement process remains completely transparent.

The Comptroller General’s Department, not the Ministry of Transport, was in charge of the bidding process, he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Transport Minister Phattrapong Phattraprasit travelled to Chiang Rai to inspect the scene.

Mr Phattrapong said authorities are looking into whether technical errors, negligence, or both caused the collapse. He also visited the site to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured and swift compensation for the families of the victims.

Moving forward, officials will discuss the future of the project’s construction while strictly enforcing safety measures, particularly requiring a rock mass assessment before any drilling or concrete injection.

The Doi Luang Tunnel is one of four tunnels on the Den Chai-Chiang Rai railway project. The line is expected to open in January 2028.

The cabinet on Tuesday approved the proposed 2027 fiscal budget along with a budget transfer bill, with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul instructing all ministers to be ready to explain their spending plans during parliamentary debates next week.

Government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said Mr Anutin encouraged ministers to use the debates to answer lawmakers’ questions and explain the government’s efforts to address national problems and improve people’s quality of life.

The proposed budget for fiscal 2027, starting on Oct 1, is 3.788 trillion baht, almost unchanged from fiscal 2026.

The cabinet also approved a budget transfer bill worth 10.3 billion baht, with first reading in the House of Representatives to take place on Thursday.

The budget bill will be debated in the House from June 29 to July 1. Ministers also approved the establishment of a 72-member committee to examine the budget bill, and a 25-member panel to scrutinise the budget transfer bill.

Meanwhile, the opposition expressed concern over the government’s fiscal position, arguing that tens of billions of baht in spending obligations remain unfunded despite the budget transfer plan.

People’s Party deputy leader Sirikanya Tansakun said opposition lawmakers were preparing for the budget, with about 30 speakers prepared to scrutinise spending plans in multiple policy areas.

Transfers short of target

She criticised the budget transfer bill for falling well short of the government’s earlier target.

While officials had previously indicated that as much as 80 billion baht could be reallocated, the final transfer amounted to only 10.3 billion, she said.

According to Ms Sirikanya, Budget Bureau officials informed the opposition that the government still faces roughly 50 billion baht in expenditures without identified funding sources.

These include compensation related to clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border, payments linked to the Orange Line rail project, and outstanding energy-related obligations.

She said the limited budget transfer leaves a funding gap of about 40 billion baht and raised questions about how the government would secure additional resources before the end of fiscal 2026.

The opposition is also expected to scrutinise the second phase of the TH-AI Passport project, which reportedly carries a budget of 900 million baht, amid concerns over ownership rights and potential duplication of spending.

The first phase of the scheme, with a budget of 1.6 billion baht, has been heavily criticised for lack of transparency, hasty procurement and concerns about its efficacy. But the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has said it would go ahead next month despite the criticism.