Category: The Bangkok Post

Revised labour agreements with Myanmar are aimed at strengthening protections for migrant workers and ensuring cross-border recruitment is conducted through legal channels, a deputy government spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Capt Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn said the cabinet had approved the updated agreements on labour cooperation and employment, which are among several pacts that officials are expected to sign when Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing visits Thailand on Thursday and Friday.

Thailand and Myanmar have cooperated on labour recruitment since 2016 under a memorandum of understanding allowing Myanmar nationals to work legally in Thailand. The documents were revised to reflect changes following the Covid-19 pandemic and developments in Myanmar.

Under the updated MoU, the labour ministries of both countries will serve as the main coordinating agencies, while expanding cooperation on labour market information sharing, skills development, exchanges of expertise and efforts to combat illegal employment and human trafficking.

The two sides will also establish joint action plans and hold regular meetings to monitor progress.

The revised employment agreement sets clearer rules on worker recruitment, contracts, work permits, labour rights, dispute resolution and repatriation, while strengthening measures against illegal immigration, human trafficking and unlawful employment.

Illegal migration to Thailand from Myanmar has increased in recent years as economic conditions have worsened since the 2021 military coup. People desperate to find work are ready prey for brokers in both countries who charge tens of thousands of baht per head.

Capt Patdarasm said the updated framework would streamline the recruitment of Myanmar workers, enhance labour protections and help employers meet labour demand through legal channels, while curbing illegal migration and trafficking.

Three government agency user accounts with access to the Ministry of Transport database have been suspended after authorities detected suspicious activities, Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said on Wednesday.

The action follows reports that vehicle registration details and personal information – including data on a Rolls-Royce owned by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul – had surfaced online, prompting investigations into how the data was accessed.

Mr Siripong said unusual search activities were found involving accounts related to the Bangkok Noi district office, the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) and the Singhanat Task Force of the Royal Thai Army.

The case has been referred to the police Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) for investigation. As a precaution, the ministry has instructed agencies with authorised access to the transport ministry and Department of Land Transport (DLT) databases to reset their passwords.

Mr Siripong said officials have yet to determine whether the suspicious activities were carried out by the legitimate account holders or by unauthorised users who had gained access to the accounts. Investigative sources later said that the latter appeared to have been the case.

The leaked information consisted only of basic personal data and could not be used to carry out transactions or transfer vehicle ownership without identity verification. Asked how many people may have been affected, Mr Siripong said officials had identified suspicious searches involving the records of about 6,000 to 7,000 people.

The records believed to have been accessed included personal information relating to Mr Anutin, as well as other cabinet ministers and senior Interior Ministry officials. Asked about a photograph of his national identification card circulating online, Mr Anutin acknowledged it was genuine, but said it was taken ‘a long time ago’.

The prime minister said that authorities would investigate how the information had become public and whether existing safeguards were adequate.

Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob said the data appeared to have been accessed from a single location using the same login account on two occasions.

Labour Minister Julapun Amornvivat has met with representatives of the Thai Contractors Association under His Majesty the King’s Patronage (TCA) to address the growing shortage of foreign workers.

The situation has been exacerbated by tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border and the ongoing instability in Myanmar.

The association’s president, Liza Ngamtrakulpanit, said the labour shortages are affecting construction projects nationwide.

During the meeting, both sides discussed the stay and work permits of Myanmar workers recruited under a government-to-government memorandum of understanding (MoU) who have completed their four-year employment period.

The Department of Employment and Myanmar authorities reached an agreement in principle on July 23 to waive the mandatory 30-day departure requirement for workers whose contracts expire this year. The proposal will be submitted to the Committee on Foreign Workers Policy on Management and the cabinet for approval.

The issue of temporary legalisation for undocumented workers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam whose permits have expired was raised. Authorities are considering allowing eligible workers to remain and work legally in Thailand for renewable periods of up to two years.

Meanwhile, Mr Julapun said the ministry plans to facilitate the recruitment of additional workers from Myanmar.

Because land border crossings remain closed due to security concerns, Myanmar workers recruited under the MoU must enter Thailand by air. Although Thailand proposed reopening land crossings to reduce travel costs for employers and workers, Myanmar has insisted that air travel remains necessary for safety reasons.

The issue of the digital e-work permit system, allowing employers to apply for work permits, submit employment notifications and update permit information entirely online, was also discussed.

Capt Thamanat Prompow, leader of the Klatham Party, has firmly denied speculation that he was involved in any secret political negotiations abroad.

He insisted there was no so-called “Monaco deal”, no meeting with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and no discussions over an alleged “red-green-orange” political alignment.

He described the reports as fabricated rumours and urged the public to rely only on his own statements.

The rumours were interpreted by some commentators as a possible “red-green-orange pact”, with “red” referring to Pheu Thai, “green” representing Klatham, and “orange” referring to the People’s Party (PP).

Speaking after a period away from the political spotlight, Capt Thamanat said he had spent most of his time with his family and children, with little involvement in politics beyond overseeing his party.

He also dismissed reports surrounding overseas travel, stressing that his trips were solely with his family and that he had met no political figures abroad.

Responding to claims that discussions had taken place over a possible alliance involving Klatham, Pheu Thai, and the PP, Capt Thamanat said that no talks or political deals had ever occurred.

He suggested that such scenarios were merely political speculation by commentators and academics, amplified through social media.

Asked whether the forthcoming no-confidence debate could trigger political change, he said the opposition would first examine which ministers would be targeted and carefully review the available evidence.

On scrutiny of the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, where he previously served as minister, Capt Thamanat said fairness should be shown to Agriculture Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, who had only recently taken office and was continuing projects initiated under the previous administration.

He also said he had put aside disagreements with the PP dating from before the election.

Two suspects linked to the fatal shooting of two Tak Bai police officers were killed in a gunfight with security forces in this southern province on Wednesday, while authorities later apprehended another suspect believed to have helped the duo evade arrest earlier.

The operation was launched at about 2am after security agencies tracked the movements of the suspects to a hut in Ban Nam Tok village in Sukhirin district.

The two men killed in the raid were identified only as Abdulmuklis, 23, and Sahman, 34.

Abdulmuklis was wanted on separate theft and drug trafficking charges. Forensic examinations linked his DNA to parts of a firearm recovered from the hut.

Sahman was wanted on two arrest warrants for murder and theft, according to Pol Lt Gen Piyawat Chalermsri, the commissioner of Provincial Police Region 9.

Investigators said the two suspects fled Tak Bai after the attack on Sunday and sought medical treatment in Cho Airong district before moving between hiding places in Ra-ngae district. Their most recent location was then traced to the hut in Sukhirin district.

Pol Lt Gen Piyawat said the suspects opened fire on officers, triggering a gun battle. No officers were injured during the operation.

Police recovered two firearms stolen during Sunday’s incident, including a Glock pistol belonging to Pol Cpl Traitos Kunsanthawasiri, who was wounded in the shooting.

Pol Lt Gen Piyawat said the operation was conducted in accordance with evidence gathered by investigators and standard tactical procedures.

So far, authorities have identified 14 people believed to have been connected to the Tak Bai attack, including the two who were killed.

The other 12 suspects have been detained for questioning, including the fugitive arrested on Wednesday afternoon on suspicion of having helped the shooters escape earlier.

The cabinet has approved a national policy committee to oversee the country’s fast-growing data centre industry, aiming to balance investment promotion with concerns over energy security, water resources and environmental protection.

The Data Centre Policy Committee will formulate national policies and coordinate with state agencies responsible for approving and regulating data centre projects, government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said on Wednesday.

The committee will be chaired by a deputy prime minister appointed by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, with the ministers of digital economy and society, interior and energy serving as deputies, alongside senior officials and up to three experts appointed by the prime minister.

Its mandate includes setting regulatory standards, monitoring the industry’s impact on electricity, water use, cybersecurity and environmental protection, while supporting the country’s goal of becoming a regional digital economy hub.

‘The objective is to provide clear direction for Thailand’s digital economy. We will see to it that data centre businesses do not adversely affect the country’s energy security or water resources,’ Ms Rachada said.

In 2025, the digital sector was the largest destination for the Board of Investment (BoI) applications, at 746 billion baht, with most of that linked to data centres. The value of dedicated data centre applications rose more than sevenfold, from 99 billion baht in 2024 to 728 billion in 2025.

In the first quarter of 2026, data centres accounted for the overwhelming majority of a record level of applications exceeding 1 trillion baht. So far, the BoI has approved 16 data centres to serve artificial intelligence developers. None of them has been built yet, and the country still lacks a specific legal framework for these digital installations.

The Ministry of Commerce has issued 1,145 permits for AI data centre businesses, 669 of them in Bangkok and most of those on Rama IX Road. The rest are scattered across Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phuket, Chon Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, Rayong and Khon Kaen provinces.

At present, approvals for data centre projects rely on building control and land-use regulations, as the facilities are not classified as factories under existing law. A new law is currently being drafted.

The cabinet’s decision to establish the committee coincided with a petition filed at Government House by Srisuwan Janya, president of the Anti-Global Warming Association, urging the prime minister to tighten environmental controls on data centres, cloud service facilities and advanced electronics projects.

Mr Srisuwan warned that large data centres consume huge amounts of electricity and water, potentially competing with households and farmers for resources.

A tiger that killed and dragged away a park ranger in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary was behind only the second known attack of its kind in 28 years, and the behaviour was not typical of the species, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) said on Wednesday.

The comments followed the discovery of the mauled body of ranger Sakarin Wichacharn, 48, near a stream in the sanctuary on Wednesday morning. Officials believe he was attacked while sleeping and dragged about 200 metres from his living quarters. Fresh tiger tracks were found near the body.

Atthapol Charoenchansa, the department’s director-general, told Matichon Online that such incidents were extremely rare, noting that tigers generally avoid humans.

‘As far as I can recall, this is only the second time in 28 years that a tiger has attacked a person in this manner,’ he said.

Mr Atthapol cited a previous case in Khao Yai National Park on Jan 13, 1998, when a female tiger attacked a park worker in the right arm while they were washing clothes behind staff housing. The worker survived after a colleague fired a warning shot, causing the animal to flee.

Unusual tiger behaviour

Mr Atthapol said the incident did not reflect normal tiger behaviour, noting that tigers are generally wary of people and rarely approach them.

One possibility is that the ranger appeared vulnerable because he was motionless and unable to react.

‘It is possible the tiger had been watching for some time before launching the attack,’ he said.

Mr Atthapol rejected suggestions that the animal may have been driven by hunger, saying prey remain abundant in the Huai Kha Khaeng forest complex.

Officials are reviewing surveillance footage and images from wildlife camera traps to determine the tiger’s movements before and during the attack. (Story continues below)

Search under way

The DNP has temporarily closed Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary while authorities search for the tiger responsible.

Mr Atthapol said finding the animal was essential to prevent it from becoming habituated to such behaviour.

‘If the animal is not located, there is concern it could repeat the behaviour and pose a danger to officials and the public,’ he said.

Sanctuary officials and tiger researchers from the Khao Nang Rum Wildlife Research Station are examining camera-trap footage across the area in an effort to identify the animal.

Mr Atthapol’s assessment was echoed by the Thailand Tiger Project DNP, a Facebook page run by DNP researchers and field staff.

It said the attack was not normal tiger behaviour and there was no indication that the tiger had deliberately targeted a human as prey.

Based on long-term observations, it said tigers typically avoid people and will retreat when a person stands up or moves after being spotted.

A park ranger was found mauled in the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Uthai Thani province on Wednesday morning and officials assumed he was attacked by a tiger near his living quarters.

The body of Sakarin Wichacharn, 48, was found near the Thap Salao stream in Lan Sak district.

According to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, officials had tried to locate Sakarin because he had been scheduled to help organise a youth camp.

At his living quarters, officials found his phone and personal belongings, as well as traces of him being attacked by an animal and dragged from the place to the stream.

The park ranger’s body lay about 200 metres from the living quarters. There were also fresh tiger footprints near the body.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin expressed his condolences on the death and ordered officials concerned to investigate the incident and revise safety measures.

The incident prompted the temporary closure of the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Trade Competition Commission of Thailand (TCCT) is reviewing its competition guidelines covering three key sectors — digital platforms, modern trade, and on-demand delivery services — to ensure they remain relevant to rapidly evolving business models.

A public consultation is open from July 31 to Aug 31, 2026.

Sudharma Yoonaidharma, vice-chairman and acting chairman of the TCCT, said the commission is accelerating efforts to strengthen competition oversight in three priority industries: digital platforms, modern wholesale and retail (modern trade), and on-demand delivery services.

Although the TCCT has already issued regulatory guidelines for some sectors, recent studies of market structures and business practices, together with feedback gathered from businesses in several provinces, indicate that the existing guidelines may no longer adequately reflect today’s fast-changing commercial landscape, he added.

The commission is therefore seeking public input to update the guidelines so they better address evolving business models and market conduct while improving the effectiveness of competition law enforcement.

The commission will also hold discussions on digital platform regulations on Tuesday with related parties, followed by consultations with academics and industry experts on key issues affecting platform-based ride-hailing services on Wednesday.

The findings and recommendations from these engagements will be incorporated into the broader public consultation process.

Recently, the commission approved the formation of two subcommittees: one to regulate digital platform businesses and prevent unfair trade practices, and the other to set guidelines and action plans for competition conditions in the wholesale and modern trade sectors.

The TCCT multi-sided e-commerce platforms guideline, which took effect on March 24, 2026, defines the specific roles of various market participants, including platform operators, online sellers, logistics providers and digital advertisers.

The guideline establishes a legal framework to prevent unfair trade practices and market manipulation, such as predatory pricing, self-preferencing in search rankings and exclusive dealing mandates.

Furthermore, it addresses the technical nuances of algorithmic management and data usage to ensure a competitive environment for all stakeholders.

These mandates aim to protect consumer interests and promote transparency across digital marketplaces by prohibiting activities that lead to market monopolisation.

Regarding food delivery, the TCCT introduced guidelines governing food delivery platforms in 2020.

The rules require platform operators to conduct business fairly, transparently and without discrimination.

The TCCT established formal guidelines in 2019 to ensure fair trade practices between wholesale or retail businesses and their suppliers.

The People’s Network for the Protection of the Kok, Sai, Ruak and Mekong rivers on Monday protested outside the Myanmar Consulate-General in Chiang Mai, calling for action over mining-related pollution in Myanmar that has affected several rivers in northern Thailand.

In a statement addressed to Myanmar president Min Aung Hlaing, the network said millions of Thai residents living along the four rivers have been affected by pollution linked to upstream mining operations.

The group claimed toxic substances released from mines have entered the region’s food chain, forcing farmers in the Mekong basin to irrigate more than 110,000 rai of rice fields with contaminated water. Rice grown in those areas is subsequently distributed to consumers across Thailand.

The network added that the pollution has devastated local livelihoods. Fishermen in approximately 60 riverside villages have struggled to sell their catches because of public concerns over contamination by heavy metals, including lead, cadmium and mercury.

The Ministry of Public Health has advised people to avoid consuming fish and fish organs from the affected waterways, while tourism operators have suffered declining business as environmental concerns discourage visitors.

About 40,000 households, or 120,000 residents, in Chiang Rai, continue to rely on municipal water supplies containing heavy metals, the network said.

UN envoys and working groups previously issued a letter on April 21, raising concerns over environmental degradation and cross-border human rights impacts linked to mining activities. Myanmar responded on June 17, denying the allegations and asserting that no mining operations exist along the Kok River. The network rejected the claim, arguing that satellite imagery clearly shows mining sites in the area.

The protesters called on Myanmar’s authorities to acknowledge the pollution and immediately suspend all mining activities along riverbanks until the issue is resolved.