Category: The Bangkok Post

Experts on Thai-Japan relations say Japan and Thailand should deepen cooperation in advanced manufacturing, clean energy and digital infrastructure to strengthen regional competitiveness and economic resilience.

Japan’s long-standing investment in Thailand is increasingly shifting towards industrial upgrading, automation, electric vehicles (EVs) and digital transformation, creating opportunities to expand cooperation beyond traditional manufacturing into research and development (R and D) and advanced production.

Prof Arata Kuno of Asia University highlighted the importance of international cooperation among trusted partners, particularly through existing trade agreements, shared expertise and common infrastructure standards as economic and cybersecurity risks cross national borders.

Kyoko Hokugo, deputy director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau and the Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Asean was emerging as a global growth centre, with its gross domestic product expected to surpass Japan’s in 2027.

Thailand remains a major destination for Japanese investment, hosting more than 6,000 Japanese companies with cumulative investment of approximately 3.1 trillion baht. Between 2021 and mid-2026, Japanese businesses increasingly pursued industrial upgrading, automation, EV production and digital transformation through Thailand’s Board of Investment.

Professor Seiya Sukegawa of Kokushikan University’s Faculty of Political Science and Economics highlighted opportunities to expand industrial cooperation and digital transformation, moving beyond basic assembly towards integrated R and D and advanced manufacturing.

Energy security and decarbonisation are also key areas for cooperation through Japan’s Asia Zero Emission Community initiative. Potential projects include low-carbon concrete using carbon capture and utilisation technology, alongside cooperation in liquefied natural gas infrastructure, power systems, energy efficiency, renewable energy, hydrogen, ammonia and carbon capture, utilisation and storage.

Junya Ujiie, director of the GX Business Department, Plants and Infrastructure Systems at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, said Japanese companies had contributed to Thailand’s industrial development since the 1980s. Recent initiatives include organic Rankine cycle technology and feasibility studies involving Thailand’s PTT and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on hydrogen and ammonia.

Digital infrastructure is another emerging area. Thailand is seeking to establish itself as a regional data-centre hub, attracting investment in infrastructure and supporting industries ranging from telecommunications and energy to engineering, cybersecurity and software.

Thailand is developing direct power purchase agreements for eligible electricity buyers alongside its Utility Green Tariff to support data-centre expansion while improving access to lower-carbon electricity, according to the Energy Regulatory Commission.

Japan and Thailand are also working within a broader regional framework on cybersecurity, environmental management and energy connectivity, according to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

Ms Hokugo said closer cooperation could help Japan and Thailand strengthen their competitiveness.

The Meteorological Department expects the cold season in Thailand to start later than usual this year due to the strong El Nino weather phenomenon.

According to the department, El Nino this year is at least as severe as the one the region experienced in 2023.

The intensified El Nino phenomenon three years ago caused rain to continue in the Central Plains and the East in the first half of November. Afterwards temperatures fell and the department announced the cold season began on Nov 14, 2023.

The department has forecast that the arrival of the cold season this year may also come in mid-November.

Somkuan Tonjan, director of the Aeronautical Meteorology Division at the department, said weather fluctuations would continue until Thursday.

During the period, the wind direction will be changing, cold air over the South China Sea will remain either weak or moderate, and thunderous rain will be likely in parts of the lower Northeast and the lower Central Plains including Greater Bangkok.

From the end of the first week of November, the direction of the cool winds will become more stable but air humidity will remain high. There will be thunderous rain in the evening and at night in the lower Northeast, the Central Plains including Greater Bangkok, and in the upper South, Mr Somkuan said.

Khon Kaen Geopark has successfully passed a Unesco review process is on track to become Thailand’s third Unesco global geopark, pending final approval in April next year, according to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin.

The Unesco Global Geoparks Council, meeting this week in Paris, gave preliminary approval to 12 applicants from around the world, including Khon Kaen Geopark, Mr Suchart said on Tuesday.

If approved by the Unesco executive board in April, Khon Kaen will become the third Unesco-listed Geopark in Thailand, alongside Satun and Korat.

The Department of Mineral Resources first conceived the idea of ??establishing the Khon Kaen Geopark in 2011, as part of a programme to educate the public about the value of the northeastern province’s geological and fossil resources.

Khon Kaen Geopark, also referred to as the ‘Dinosaur Kingdom of Phu Wiang Valley’, is a major geological and paleontological conservation area straddling Wiang Kao and Phu Wiang districts on the western margin of the Korat Plateau.

Mr Suchart attributed the Unesco recognition to the cooperation of all stakeholders, particularly the Khon Kaen Provincial Administration Organisation, which has played a leading role in supporting the geopark’s development.

The Department of Mineral Resources has also provided academic support, including geological heritage conservation in line with international standards.

Mr Suchart said the Unesco council commended Khon Kaen Geopark’s independent management structure and the support it receives from the Khon Kaen PAO.

‘This marks another important step for Thailand in elevating its geological heritage to global recognition, particularly significant dinosaur fossil sites and valuable geological resources in Khon Kaen province,’ he said.

Police forced their way into a university student’s room to warn her she was online to a scammer who had already cheated her out of 400,000 baht.

Investigators from Bangkok’s Din Daeng and Huai Kwang police stations b saved the second-year student from even heavier losses on Monday.

The young woman, identified as 19-year-old “Han” from Buri Ram province, studies at a university in the Din Daeng area and was initially deceived by a caller claiming that her name was linked to an online gambling case.

Other scammers impersonated police officers during a video call and persuaded her to transfer money for investigation purposes, and she handed over about 400,000 baht in all.

The criminals were on-line, persuading her to transfer additional funds when police intervened, Metropolitan Police division 1 deputy commander Pol Col Sakkaya Saengwandeputy commander Pol Col Sakkaya Saengwan said on Tuesday.

The case came to light after investigators received an alert from the Royal Thai Police Office Technology Crime Suppression Centre about 11am on Monday, reporting that Ms Han had contacted her father and requested 500,000 baht.

The young woman subsequently transferred money to the scammers via three transactions of 49,900 baht each, totaling 149,700 baht. In addition, she withdrew 250,000 baht in cash and handed it over to one of the scammers she was told to meet near a dormitory on Soi Pracha Songkhroh 27 in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district.

About 6pm on Monday, Pol Col Sakkaya and Din Daeng investigators went to the victim’s dormitory room.

He said when they arrived she was engaged in a video call with the scammers and refused to open the door to police.

Frustrated, and aware there was a scam going down, police eventually forced open the door to her room and explained that she was being deceived and ending the call. She was later advised to file a complaint at Din Daeng police station.

According to the victim, the scam began when she received a phone call from a person claiming to represent a mobile phone service provider.

The caller alleged that her phone number had been used by a third party to distribute promotional clips encouraging people to gamble on illegal online betting websites.

The caller advised her to report the matter to police at Muang police station in Phichit province to prove her innocence.

The scam gang also instructed the student to deceive her parents by claiming that she had received a scholarship to study in South Korea and needed 500,000 baht as a financial guarantee. She followed their instructions and gave them money as and when they directed.

The victim’s parents were alerted by their bank that their daughter had withdrawn a large sum of money and transferred funds to another person’s account, raising concerns that she had fallen prey to a call-centre scam.

When her parents attempted to contact her, she did not answer because she was still communicating with the scam gang. The parents then sought help from police.

Investigators were now tracking down those involved, including the person who collected the cash from the victim, Pol Col Sakkaya said.

According to a police source, CCTV footage showed the suspect who collected the 250,000 baht cash payment was a tall man wearing a polo shirt. After receiving the money, he left in a car.

The investigation is continuing.

People’s Party (PP) leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut has condemned an attack on a migrant workers’ protest leader, calling for reforms to ease registration burdens and curb corruption.

Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said on Monday that violence against protesters was unacceptable, regardless of their political views.

“As long as we believe in the rule of law and a democratic system, physical violence, regardless of differences in opinion, is unacceptable,” he said.

His remarks followed Sunday’s assault on Veera Saengthong, a leader of the Bright Future migrant workers’ group, outside the United Nations office on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue.

Mr Natthaphong said migrant workers were essential to Thailand’s economy, but registration loopholes and corruption involving officials were placing unnecessary burdens on workers and employers.

He called for a comprehensive migrant worker database, a review of occupations reserved for Thai nationals and better integration measures, including Thai-language training.

Nilubon Pongpayom, representing the White Employers Group, said passport-related fees for Myanmar workers had risen from 310 baht to 2,670 baht, partly because Myanmar authorities imposed additional taxes.

She alleged that brokers at Certificate of Identity (CI) centres demanded unofficial payments of 1,350-1,500 baht, while workers faced an additional 2% income levy, equivalent to about 6,000 baht per person, purportedly benefiting Myanmar’s military government. Around 700,000 workers needed to complete CI registration, while more than one million faced expiring passports, she said.

People’s Party MP Sahassawat Kumkong urged the Labour Ministry to bring CI centres under Thai supervision and consider abolishing them altogether. He also called for amendments to immigration and migrant labour laws.

Pisan Manawapat, the party’s shadow foreign minister, accused the government of being overly accommodating towards Myanmar’s military leadership.

The party’s shadow cabinet proposed five measures, including challenging Myanmar’s 2% income tax under international law and the 2002 bilateral double taxation agreement, temporarily easing identity-document requirements and reviewing Thailand’s diplomatic approach. It also urged stronger action on cross-border shelling, narcotics and river pollution linked to Myanmar’s prolonged conflict.

Sunday’s assault occurred during a protest demanding the abolition of CI centres. Video footage showed a group of people attacking Mr Veera and accusing him of causing unrest in Thailand, before police

Police are investigating allegations of public fraud, money laundering and computer crime involving former Miss Thailand Panadda “Boom” Wongphudee, following a scandal over millions of baht spent by her Goodness Foundation. She appeared to place the blame on her husband.

Pol Maj Gen Thatphum Jaruprat, commander of the Economic Crime Suppression Division, said on Tuesday that Ms Panadda could face all three charges, while her husband, Atip “Got” Anantawan, could be charged with money laundering.

Police are gathering evidence about donations and financial transactions involving the Goodness Foundation. They will question the foundation’s management before concluding the investigation, the commander said.

The investigation followed a complaint filed last week by Boonyanuch Saengsri, owner of the Facebook page ‘Oilsri and Phong Phueak.’ She accused the foundation of public fraud and violations of the Computer Crime Act BE 2007 and money laundering. Ms Boonyanuch said she was one of the foundation’s donors.

Police are examining whether donations were used for purposes other than those intended and whether the foundation complied with financial management regulations. There are allegations that the foundation transferred millions of baht to a contractor to build pool villas in Phuket.

Investigators have found that the Goodness Foundation, which Ms Panadda chaired, raised donations worth hundreds of millions of baht.

On Tuesday, Ms Panadda, who was Miss Thailand in 2000 and is now 50, filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division (CSD). Reports said she accused Mr Atip and construction contractor Apichart Saelu, who was reportedly hired to build eight pool villas in Thalang district, Phuket province.

Speaking to reporters, Ms Panadda, who is also a social activist and actress, gave few details about her complaint, saying only that she had been wrong to trust a man who had been close to her and whom she had trusted most. She appeared to be referring to her husband. Mr Atip is a real estate investor and former Mr Universe 2016.

She said she filed the complaint to recover as much of her foundation’s lost money as possible and was prepared to use her own money to compensate the foundation.

She apologised to all donors and promised to prove her innocence and not evade the investigation.

CSD commander Pol Maj Gen Patanasak Bupphasuwan said Ms Panadda accused Mr Atip and Mr Apichart of defrauding her foundation of about 50 million baht. He quoted her as saying that the money had been intended to pay for construction of the foundation’s buildings in Pathum Thani province.

The Goodness Foundation started its activities in 2019 and was registered in 2024. It attracted huge interest, raising nearly one billion baht in donations. The foundation mainly oversees disaster relief, legal aid and shelter for vulnerable groups and medical and educational assistance.

People’s Party MP Pawoot Pongvitayapanu has urged the government to support Thai-owned game development, saying Thailand must capture more value from its 37-billion-baht gaming market.

Mr Pawoot, chairman of a sub-committee on enhancing digital competitiveness, said Digital Economy Promotion Agency (Depa) data showed the market was worth more than 37 billion baht in 2025, but games with Thai-owned intellectual property (IP) accounted for just 591 million baht.

He said the industry could create jobs for programmers, designers, artists and writers, while successful games could be developed into films and other products for global markets.

He urged the Digital Economy and Society Ministry and Depa to expedite a bill to promote the gaming industry.

The bill would establish a national committee to oversee long-term industry development, create a fund to support Thai developers and improve the game-rating system to meet international standards.

Mr Pawoot stressed that the law should support businesses rather than impose restrictions that prevent small operators and Thai studios from growing and competing internationally.

The People’s Party has also drafted its own version of the bill, which Mr Pawoot hopes parliament will consider alongside the government’s draft.

He added that the government should not wait for the legislative process to conclude before supporting the industry, saying investment promotion measures could be introduced immediately.

The growing Thai healthcare and wellness segment is drawing more investments, with Fujifilm (Thailand), a subsidiary of Fujifilm Asia-Pacific, a global medical and healthcare equipment provider, launching a clinic serving both Thai and foreign patients.

“The industry has the potential to grow by 12% annually,” said Masaharu Morita, board member of Fujifilm DKH (Thailand), which operates the new NURA Bangkok clinic.

“NURA Bangkok aims to make preventive screening more accessible and convenient, helping more people understand potential health risks before symptoms appear,” said Mr Morita, co-founder of NURA.

Thailand has growing healthcare needs. According to the World Health Organization, non-communicable diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes account for 74% of all deaths in Thailand.

Many serious conditions develop without noticeable symptoms in their early stages, yet only 4.9% of Thais undergo regular annual health screening, according to the National Statistical Office.

Fujifilm has a network of NURA clinics in seven countries, including India, Mongolia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia, as well as two regional hubs in the Middle East and Africa.

The company is scaling its NURA network across emerging markets in Asia and other territories, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnostic imaging and Japanese-style health checkups.

Dr Mohamed Kasim, co-founder of NURA and board member of Fujifilm DKH (Thailand), said Thailand is ready for integrated wellness tourism as wellness retail shops, spas and anti-ageing clinics to cater to foreign tourists seeking healthcare alongside their travels.

The clinic in Chong Nonsi, Bangkok, has a capacity of 100 patients per day.

In Thailand, NURA plans to expand the clinic into major provinces, including Chiang Mai.

According to Dr Kasim, NURA partnered with 12 leading private hospital groups in Thailand, including BDMS, Phyathai-Paolo, Thonburi and Bumrungrad, to ensure patients with detected abnormalities are promptly referred for appropriate medical treatment.

Fujifilm operates across a broad range of business segments in Thailand.

Its consumer portfolio includes digital cameras, Instax instant cameras and minilab equipment, while its healthcare division offers medical imaging systems, including X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, MRI and CT technologies, as well as healthcare IT solutions and AI-powered diagnostic tools.

The United Nations human rights body has welcomed a Thai Court of Appeal decision upholding the acquittal of three human rights activists in a long-running criminal defamation case brought by the Thammakaset poultry company.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said the ruling was ‘an important milestone in the implementation of international human rights standards on business and human rights in relation to the work of human rights defenders who raise legitimate concerns about alleged corporate abuse’.

Fortify Rights also welcomed the judgement upholding the acquittal of Angkhana Neelapaijit, Thanaporn Saleephol and Puttanee Kangkun, which came seven years after the case began and more than three years after the trial court acquitted all three defendants on Aug 29, 2023.

The case had its origins in reports that migrant workers at the Thammakaset farm in Lop Buri province were forced to work up to 20 hours per day, paid less than the minimum wage and had their identity documents confiscated by employers.

Fourteen Myanmar workers told the media and human rights groups that the allegations were true, resulting in the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare in August 2016 ordering Thammakaset to pay workers 1.7 million baht in compensation, which the company finally handed over in 2019.

Thammakaset in November 2019 filed a criminal defamation suit against the three defendants, focusing on 30 posts or reposts on social media. They contained messages of solidarity for human rights defenders and migrant workers facing lawsuits brought by the company, with links to news releases that included a video produced by Fortify Rights.

Each count of criminal defamation under sections 326 and 328 of the Criminal Code carries a penalty of up to two years in prison and a fine of 200,000 baht.

Monday’s appeal ruling stated that the public comments, interviews and online postings by the three defendants were not responsible for damages caused to Thammakaset. Betagro, one of the country’s largest poultry processors, was among the companies that cancelled contracts with Thammakaset after the allegations became public.

The judges said their ruling is final and cannot be appealed to the Supreme Court since the acquittals have now been upheld in the court of first instance and the appeal court.

Fortify Rights said a narrow exception applies only if a judge who heard the case certifies that it raises an important question for the Supreme Court, or if the director-general of the Office of the Attorney General signs the appeal.

Between 2016 and 2020, Thammakaset filed a total of 39 criminal and civil complaints against 22 individuals, including migrant workers, journalists and human rights defenders, with Ms Angkhana and her colleagues among them.

According to the OHCHR, members of Thailand’s private sector continue to use strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP) to silence and harass human rights activists, causing them costly and lengthy legal processes as well as inflicting fear upon them.

‘SLAPP cases lead to self-censorship, significant stress and financial burden through protracted litigation and also can jeopardize the safety and security of those speaking out,’ said Katia Chirizzi, deputy Southeast Asia sepresentative of the UN Human Rights Office in Bangkok.

Ms Thanaporn, a former Fortify Rights communications associate, said the reasoning used by the Court of Appeal ‘could serve as an example for other defamation cases that are SLAPP suits’.

UN review coming up

Thailand is due for a periodic review of its rights policies by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Nov 9. In a report submitted for the review, the government highlights progress on SLAPP suits, ‘the specific type of bad-faith lawsuits this case represents’, said Fortify Rights, referring to the Thammakaset case.

The government says it is drafting an anti-SLAPP bill to prevent and address such suits and to strengthen protection for human rights defenders, the media, civil society and the public when they exercise their rights in good faith for the public interest.

‘We should never have faced criminal charges for speaking out about workers’ rights,’ said Ms Puttanee, a director at Fortify Rights.

‘Today’s ruling brings enormous relief, but it can’t return the seven years we spent defending ourselves. Thailand should decriminalise defamation so that others do not have to endure what we did.’

The government has stepped up security along the Thai-Myanmar border after fighting between Myanmar government forces and rebel troops caused damage to homes and injured people on the Thai side.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Monday that Thai authorities are fully prepared to defend territory and protect the people, with patrols increased to strengthen border security.

Military commanders have been instructed to do their best to avoid clashes and minimise tensions because the conflict in Myanmar is not related to Thailand and Thai people, he said.

However, chief of defence forces Gen Ukrit Boontanon and Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow have formally informed the Myanmar government of Thailand’s concerns following the spillover.

Myanmar has been urged to exercise caution to prevent attacks from harming civilians, homes and property on either side of the border, Mr Anutin said.

He stressed that Thailand would continue to provide humanitarian assistance to people fleeing the fighting in Myanmar. When conditions are considered safe, they would be asked to return home, and those who attempt to remain in Thailand would be pushed back, he added.

The prime minister also said there was no confirmation of reports that Thai traders were threatened with the destruction of their goods if they sold their products to Karen groups.

Fighting between Myanmar forces and ethnic armed groups and anti-government forces continued to threaten civilians along the Thai border. Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Tak were placed under heightened surveillance.

The latest confirmed damage was in Mae Hong Son, while cross-border ammunition and explosions affected residents in Tak in late October.

No damage from the latest incidents was reported in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, but the Ministry of Interior ordered stepped-up surveillance, evacuation plans, safety zones, and public care measures.

On Thursday, stray munitions damaged more than 10 homes in Tak’s Mae Sot district and injured a 55-year-old woman. At about 7pm on Saturday, the Myanmar air force carried out an air strike at a Karen National Union (KNU) position, opposite Ban Mae Sam Laep in Sop Moei district of Mae Hong Son. The explosions and shockwaves damaged buildings on the Thai side.

On Sunday, the Royal Thai Air Force deployed an F-16 from the 403rd Squadron at Wing 4 in Nakhon Sawan under a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) at about 5pm along the western border.

Air Vice Marshal Charoen Wattanasrimongkol, an air force spokesman, said the mission is intended to demonstrate Thailand’s air defence readiness and to call on all sides to respect its sovereignty.

The Naresuan Task Force has also suspended temporary permission for imports and exports through unauthorised border channels in Mae Sot and parts of Phop Phra district from Oct 30 to Nov 5.

Deputy government spokesperson Lalida Persvivatana said the measure aims to prevent goods from being transported to support armed groups in Myanmar and reduce risks to people living along the border.

Pisan Manawapa, a member of the opposition’s shadow cabinet, on Monday criticised the government’s diplomatic approach to Myanmar, saying its reluctance to take a firmer stance undermines Thailand’s dignity and causes hardship for Thai people.