Category: The Bangkok Post

Alona Fisher-Kamm, the Israeli ambassador to Thailand, on Thursday reaffirmed cooperation with local authorities on tourism, business and public safety issues involving the southern province’s growing Israeli community.

Her visit comes amid increased scrutiny of alleged nominee businesses and other activities involving foreign nationals in popular tourist destinations, particularly Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, which are home to large numbers of Israeli visitors and long-term residents.

In talks with governor Chumpot Wannachatsiri and provincial officials, Ms Fisher-Kamm said the vast majority of Israelis in Thailand were law-abiding, although some individuals may have committed offences.

She said social media had contributed to misunderstandings and a sense of insecurity among some members of the public, and urged authorities to contact the Israeli embassy directly if any problems arose so both sides could work together to address them.

The ambassador said Israeli nationals travelling to Thailand are given preliminary information about local customs, cultural practices and legal restrictions.

She also highlighted several Israeli cooperation projects in Thailand, including an agricultural development initiative on Koh Samui. Ms Fisher-Kamm said she would invite the Surat Thani governor to attend a meeting in Israel in November.

Mr Chumpot said Surat Thani treated visitors from all countries equally and enforced the law without discrimination.

The province was committed to ensuring all tourists, regardless of nationality, could enjoy a safe and positive experience while visiting the area, he said.

The governor added that Israel’s agricultural development programmes could serve as useful case studies for Surat Thani. Provincial agencies were ready to support cooperation in areas including business, tourism and public safety through the relevant government offices, he said.

Ms Fisher-Kamm’s visit marked her fourth trip to Surat Thani. She was scheduled to preside over the opening of a primary school in Tha Chang district before holding discussions later in the day with Pol Maj Gen Suwat Suksri, the provincial police chief.

Communities under scrutiny

The ambassador’s visit comes amid heightened scrutiny of Israeli communities in several Thai tourist destinations, particularly Koh Phangan, where authorities have intensified investigations into alleged nominee businesses, unlicensed operations and other violations involving foreign nationals.

Earlier this year, local tourism operators on Koh Phangan called for continued action against illegal foreign-run businesses, while some politicians and residents voiced concerns over the rapid growth of the island’s Israeli community and its possible social, economic and security impacts.

Israeli officials and the Israeli embassy, meanwhile, have repeatedly emphasised the importance of complying with Thai laws and respecting local customs. The embassy has previously issued advisories urging Israeli nationals in Thailand to observe local regulations and cultural norms.

Koh Phangan is also home to one of Thailand’s six Chabad houses, which serve as religious and community centres for Israeli travellers and residents. The island attracted international attention in July when a secular Israeli group opened a community centre opposite the local Chabad House, describing it as an alternative gathering place for non-religious Israelis.

About 425,000 Israeli tourists visited Thailand in 2025, according to Immigration Bureau data, with a large majority favouring the islands of Surat Thani.

Local estimates place the number of long-stay Israeli nationals in Surat Thani at between 4,000 and 7,000 during peak periods.

A Malaysian passenger collapsed and later died of a heart attack during a transit at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bernama reported on Wednesday.

The man was declared dead at a hospital in the early hours of Monday after being transported there from the airport, the Malaysian news agency said.

He was travelling with his family from Kuala Lumpur to Hokkaido and all were waiting for a flight to Japan from Suvarnabhumi.

The name of the person, the hospital and the airline were not disclosed. He was a native of Kedah state, aged 53.

Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah, the Malaysian ambassador to Thailand, told Bernama his family members had claimed the body and returned to Kedah by land via Sadao in Songkhla on Wednesday.

His family did not request an autopsy, the ambassador added.

Thailand goalkeeper Kampon Phathomakkakul has warned his team not to underestimate Singapore as the two sides prepare to meet in the first leg of the Asean Hyundai Cup semi-final this weekend.

The Thai squad held a routine training session on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s clash at Jalan Besar Stadium.

Speaking before practice, Kampon stressed the importance of maintaining focus against opponents he believes have made significant progress in recent years.

“We achieved our first target by finishing top of the group, collecting points and keeping clean sheets,” he said. “That was thanks to the tactics and methods of the coach, and the way everyone supported each other. Now we must concentrate on Singapore. The first leg result will be crucial because it could decide the tie over both matches. We will aim to secure a positive outcome.”

Kampon acknowledged the physical demands of the tournament but underlined his role in guiding younger teammates.

“Travel and matches may look easy from the outside, but they are far more difficult. My job is to help the younger players stay confident and maintain our standards. We want to win for Thailand.”

The veteran added that experience within the squad would be vital.

“We have played in many Asean Championships and are trying to improve each time. The senior players and staff are working hard to make the team better.

“Singapore have developed a lot and qualified for the Asian Cup finals. We cannot underestimate them.”

Striker Teerasak Poeiphimai echoed Kampon’s sentiments, highlighting the need for discipline against well-organised opponents.

“We are reviewing tactics carefully before facing Singapore. I scored against them in the last Asean Cup, so I have confidence, but they are strong and have a good system. Many of their players are regulars at club level and have played together for a long time. We must be cautious.”

Teerasak welcomed the return of forward Patrik Gustavsson, which he said would give Thailand more attacking options. “It depends on the coach, but our duty is to give everything in every game. We hope Thai fans will come to the stadium and support us.”

The first leg kicks off at 8pm Thai time on Saturday with live coverage on True Visions Now.

The first Thailand Content Market 2026 generated about 9.8 billion baht in trade negotiations. The categories that captured the most interest included films, animation, Boys’ Love and Girls’ Love series, production services, games and content services.

Co-hosted by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), the Creative Economy Agency and the private sector, the event took place from July 20-22 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), aiming to promote Thailand’s creative economy, connecting entrepreneurs, producers, content creators, investors, buyers and platforms.

Pornvit Sila-on, deputy director-general of the DITP, said the event facilitated 1,706 business meetings over three days, resulting in trade negotiation values of 9.8 billion baht. Of this amount, 266 million baht is expected to be realised immediately, 2.67 billion baht within one year, and 6.86 billion baht within 2-5 years.

He said the event provided a platform for business matching, knowledge exchange and international collaboration, helping create new business opportunities, expand overseas markets for Thai intellectual property, and enhance the long-term global competitiveness of Thailand’s content industry.

In terms of trade negotiation value by activity, the Bangkok International Digital Content Festival generated 2.11 billion baht, the Bangkok International Content Market 2.3 billion baht, the Business Matching Area 1.95 billion, and the Thailand Content Market exhibition booths 3.53 billion.

A total of 338 exhibitors participated, including 300 Thai companies and 38 foreign companies from China, South Korea, Japan and Southeast Asian nations.

The event attracted 6,731 visitors, including 5,694 Thais and 1,037 foreign visitors.

The department plans to host the Thailand Content Market 2027 from July 1-3, 2027 at the QSNCC, expecting to integrate the “Bangkok Rights Fair”, which adds book and publishing rights negotiations.

Thailand will seek Malaysia’s cooperation in addressing long-standing problems involving dual nationals along the border amid concerns over its potential security implications in the southern border provinces, National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general Chatchai Bangchuad said on Tuesday.

Mr Chatchai said he was scheduled to meet the government’s special envoys on Tuesday afternoon to coordinate operations and review border-related issues ahead of his visit to Malaysia on Aug 17-18. The discussions will include requests for Malaysian cooperation on border control and efforts to track people crossing the border.

Mr Chatchai said dual nationality had remained a challenge for years, particularly in verifying identities and maintaining accurate personal records.

He said some individuals change their names after crossing the border, making it difficult for Thai authorities to verify their identities. Addressing the problem would require close cooperation from Malaysia, he said.

Asked whether dual nationals could be linked to security incidents in the Deep South, Mr Chatchai said this was possible because some people change their names and lack identity records, making it difficult for authorities to verify their identities and monitor cross-border movements.

Thailand will seek Malaysia’s assistance in developing personal databases to help authorities verify identities, monitor border crossings and establish people’s nationality status, he said.

Asked whether a long-term solution would require people to choose a single nationality, Mr Chatchai said the law generally requires an individual to hold only one nationality and authorities would work to ensure compliance.

On nationality revocation, he said citizenship generally cannot be revoked from Thai-born nationals, but different rules may apply to naturalised citizens.

The poorly received 2025 film ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ made a meta-commentary on how people no longer care about dinosaurs. The claim is reasonable, considering the dinosaur thriller genre has been on the silver screen for over 30 years, since the original Jurassic Park in 1993. Surprisingly, ‘The End of Oak Street’ (2026) manages a fun and fresh take on the genre, balancing intimate family drama with the big idea of a suburban street thrust into a prehistoric world.

David Robert Mitchell’s ‘The End of Oak Street’ is Jurassic Park in an American neighbourhood. It follows the Platt family whose neighbourhood somehow gets teleported back to the the time of giant reptiles.

Anne Hathaway, jumping from a weary mother role in ‘The Odyssey’ (2026) to another version of maternal, portrays a convincingly younger Denise, feeling lighter than Penelope both in look and feel. The same can be said of Ewan McGregor: known for playing a not-so-young Obi-Wan Kenobi, his turn as optimistic father Greg feels like a de-aged version of him. Both actors bring to life lovable characters with believable human flaws.

Naturally, ‘The End of Oak Street’s’ biggest selling point is its setting, which feels genuinely fresh, blending the familiarity of a US suburb with the excitement of the prehistoric world. I could feel the whimsy and excitement in every corner.

The film also captures the retro 80s popcorn summer-blockbuster feel quite well, whether in the John Williams-esque score, the period-appropriate suburban costumes and technology, the trope of ordinary people caught in an extraordinary event as in ‘E.T.’ (1982), or the sci-fi elements woven into the story, echoing the science fiction craze of the era.

The strongest part of ‘Oak Street,’ however, is not the big idea or the dinosaurs (some of which are strange, weird and even scary), but the family drama. The film blends grandeur with a more intimate, emotional family-centric narrative that feels sincere and complex. To the degree the runtime allows, the film leads the audience to care about its characters enough for an emotional payoff.

Nonetheless, given that this is a work by David Robert Mitchell, renowned for the horror film ‘It Follows’ (2014), I think people looking for a horror dinosaur movie will likely be disappointed. There are tense and thrilling moments, but not to the point of actually being frightful. This could be good or bad, depending on a viewer’s expectations.

On the other hand, there are some scenes that may be quite shocking for family viewing, although it finds a way to stick a safe, family-friendly ending.

Overall, I think ‘The End of Oak Street’ is a surprisingly fun popcorn blockbuster. Given the downfall of the recent Jurassic World Rebirth, many might overlook it as just another dinosaur movie. Nonetheless, the outing offers a fun and fresh adventure that proves a good dinosaur thriller doesn’t need to take us somewhere far, like a research-facility island searching for a world-defining cure. A familiar neighbourhood with intimate family drama can be enough.

A chairperson for the compulsory conciliation process under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) will be selected on Friday, with the first meeting of the conciliation commission expected next month, Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said.

Mr Sihasak, also a deputy prime minister, said a list of about 10 qualified candidates had previously been submitted for consideration by Thailand and Cambodia.

Thailand had shortlisted six names and returned them, with the chairperson to be chosen from the lists submitted by both sides.

The commission’s first meeting is expected to be held in September. Possible venues include maritime-law centres in Europe, such as The Hague and Paris, and in Asia, including Singapore and Vietnam. The United Nations’ list of candidates includes experts from Europe, Asia and Latin America, selected according to their qualifications.

On a report by UN human rights expert Tom Andrews concerning the Thai-Cambodian border, Mr Sihasak said Thailand had submitted its objections to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). If the report is subsequently considered by the UNHRC, Thailand will use the forum to explain its position and raise its concerns.

He said the report would not put Thailand at a disadvantage internationally, noting that such reports reflected individual views and many countries would recognise Thailand’s actions were within appropriate bounds.

Earlier, deputy foreign ministry spokeswoman Maratee Nalita Andamo said the ministry had been conducting field visits and gathering information to ensure the international community was aware of the facts.

“The Foreign Ministry will collect every detail and use it to brief foreign media, international forums and bilateral meetings with partner countries,” she said.

Ms Maratee said Mr Andrews was a special rapporteur and one of more than 40 experts operating under the UNHRC, and that his report was not a UN report.

She criticised his reference to a third country, saying his mandate was to monitor human rights in Cambodia. Thailand submitted 40 pages of documentation to the UNHRC, but Mr Andrews chose not to consult it.

The cabinet on Tuesday approved a civil service reform programme aimed at reducing the public-sector workforce by 15% by 2032.

Rachada Dhnadirek, deputy government spokeswoman, said the measures include freezing the creation of new posts and gradually eliminating positions upon retirement to contain rising personnel costs. She said recurrent expenditure accounts for 70% of the national budget, with personnel spending making up a large share. The government also faces competing priorities requiring budget allocations, making workforce reform necessary.

The cabinet approved proposals from the Public Sector Workforce Targets and Policy Committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapunt.

Under the measures, requests for new civil service posts will be suspended. Agencies must maintain existing staffing levels and fill vacancies only when necessary through recruitment processes already announced or underway. Agencies must also consider abolishing unfilled professional and general-category posts for which no budget has been disbursed since Oct 1, 2024, unless recruitment has already been announced.

From fiscal 2028 to 2032, civil service positions vacated through retirement that had previously been replaced by government employees under existing workforce-management measures will no longer be replaced. Exceptions include medical and dental positions under the Public Health Ministry and prison personnel.

From fiscal 2027, 11 support-service categories will be eliminated upon retirement, including administrative, public relations, communications, audiovisual, library, and printing.

Breakout America’s Got Talent star Nene Royal said her mother remains the most important person in her life as she was bestowed a royal recognition for her devotion and gratitude towards her mother on National Mother’s Day.

The certificate was presented by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn during the opening ceremony of a National Mother’s Day celebration at IMPACT Exhibition Hall 6 in Nonthaburi on Wednesday.

The 16-year-old guitarist and singer from Phuket, whose real name is Rattikarn “Praew” Amloy, was acknowledged as an “Outstandingly Filial Child”.

The young musician described receiving the honour as one of the proudest moments of her life, saying she felt both delighted and excited, particularly as the awarding came on National Mother’s Day.

She said the occasion gave her another opportunity to express her gratitude to her mother, whom she credits with supporting her throughout her journey.

According to Nene, her mother has always been a trusted source of advice and emotional support, repeatedly reassuring her that she could turn to her whenever she faced problems or difficulties.

“She’s someone I love very much,” Nene said. “I’ve hardly ever been away from my mum. Even when I travel overseas with my father, I always call her. She is incredibly passionate and has always stayed by my side, supporting me wherever I go.”

The award comes as the rock prodigy has attracted international attention following her success on America’s Got Talent 2026. (Story continues below)

From busking at Phuket’s Naka Weekend Market at the age of nine, the teenage musician has rapidly emerged as one of the most talked-about contestants on the NBC talent show.

Known for combining heavy metal and hard rock guitar playing with captivating vocals, natural charisma and a commanding stage presence, Nene advanced to the AGT Live Shows on Wednesday after standout performances of The Cranberries’ Zombie and Muse’s Hysteria.

Nene’s performances have attracted strong international support. Her audition became the show’s most-watched performance of the season online, while reaction videos, analyses and media coverage across social media platforms have further amplified her growing global fan base.

Many longtime rock and metal fans have commented that Nene’s performances evoke the energy and spirit of classic rock and the heavy metal from past decades, reigniting their enthusiasm for the genre.

Nene’s rise from local busker to international television contender has especially drawn attention in her home country of Thailand. Her latest recognition for National Mother’s Day highlights another side of her story: the family support behind her success, in particular, the encouragement she says she received from her mother throughout her musical journey.

A chairperson for the compulsory conciliation process under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) will be selected on Friday, with the first meeting of the conciliation commission expected next month, Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said.

Mr Sihasak, also a deputy prime minister, said a list of about 10 qualified candidates had previously been submitted for consideration by Thailand and Cambodia.

Thailand had shortlisted six names and returned them, with the chairperson to be chosen from the lists submitted by both sides.

The commission’s first meeting is expected to be held in September. Possible venues include maritime-law centres in Europe, such as The Hague and Paris, and in Asia, including Singapore and Vietnam. The United Nations’ list of candidates includes experts from Europe, Asia and Latin America, selected according to their qualifications.

On a report by UN human rights expert Tom Andrews concerning the Thai-Cambodian border, Mr Sihasak said Thailand had submitted its objections to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). If the report is subsequently considered by the UNHRC, Thailand will use the forum to explain its position and raise its concerns.

He said the report would not put Thailand at a disadvantage internationally, noting that such reports reflected individual views and many countries would recognise Thailand’s actions were within appropriate bounds.

Earlier, deputy foreign ministry spokeswoman Maratee Nalita Andamo said the ministry had been conducting field visits and gathering information to ensure the international community was aware of the facts.

“The Foreign Ministry will collect every detail and use it to brief foreign media, international forums and bilateral meetings with partner countries,” she said.

Ms Maratee said Mr Andrews was a special rapporteur and one of more than 40 experts operating under the UNHRC, and that his report was not a UN report.

She criticised his reference to a third country, saying his mandate was to monitor human rights in Cambodia. Thailand submitted 40 pages of documentation to the UNHRC, but Mr Andrews chose not to consult it.