Category: The Bangkok Post

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is forcing organisations to rethink workforce skills, accountability and cybersecurity to prevent job displacement and operational risk, say tech pundits.

M.L. Luesak Chakrabandhu, president of the Association of Thailand Open Source Federation and director of the Digital Council of Thailand, warned of massive job displacement for those who fail to adapt to survive the severe societal and workforce impacts of advancing AI technologies.

Cybersecurity success requires a dedicated, accountable person in charge rather than just a focus on making profits, he said, speaking at a digital workforce forum held yesterday by the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (Nectec).

He sees challenges in a post-artificial general intelligence (AGI) era, predicting that individuals who lack technology and integration skills face a 95-100% chance of job loss.

“Organisations failing to design secure systems and integrate AI will face operational conflicts and jobless productivity, while nations could suffer from stagnant GDPs and inefficient supply chains.”

M.L. Luesak said AI can never replace human accountability because it cannot bear legal responsibility or be held liable. “Humans will always remain the accountable decision-makers, as well as the creators and consumers who define AI’s purpose.”

He outlined a three-tier upskilling strategy: executives and boards should become “Humans Beyond the Loop” — intent architects responsible for strategy, governance and guardrails; middle managers should serve as “Humans Over the Loop” — orchestrating workflows and validating AI outputs; while all employees should operate as “Humans In and On the Loop” — filtering AI-generated information and ensuring tasks align with organisational goals and safety.

Future skills

Tatchapol Poshyyanonda, country director of Palo Alto Networks for Thailand and Vietnam, said security should be viewed as an enabler of potential rather than merely a business expense.

“Because hackers are using AI, defenders must use AI to fight back and reduce incident response times from hours down to mere minutes.”

Top executives must take the lead by defining clear business priorities for AI and establishing “Trust AI” — ensuring data accuracy, appropriate models and verifiable results — rather than just blindly following tech trends.

Organisations are encouraged to adopt a five-stage AI governance framework covering assessment and inventory, governance and design, protection and operations, monitoring and assurance, and continuous reporting and improvement.

Future cybersecurity professionals will need to have AI and data literacy, AI security knowledge, AI agent management, threat analysis, critical thinking, ethics and governance, alongside communication and collaboration skills.

Data classification

Panita Pongpaibool, deputy executive director of Nectec, said humans are the most critical vulnerability in any cybersecurity system.

Organisations should implement mandatory security awareness training, such as phishing email simulations, for all employees.

Top executives — not just IT departments — must take responsibility for classifying corporate data because IT does not know the business value of the data.

Nectec also provided an open-source cybersecurity monitoring system developed for SMEs to help them achieve high-quality security affordably.

Natural Intelligence

AVM Amorn Chomchoey, secretary general of the National Cyber Security Agency, said AI users must develop their “natural intelligence”, specifically critical thinking and cognitive skills, to avoid being manipulated or becoming willing victims of AI.

Scammers are using advanced AI to conduct highly realistic fraud. In Thailand, while scams remain a severe issue, daily financial losses from these scams have recently decreased to around 15-35 million baht.

Cybersecurity is the fundamental framework of any digital system. Organisations must integrate security into AI systems from the very beginning of their development.

Users should not blindly trust digital interactions; “digital trust” must be granted only after careful verification.

Furthermore, every organisation must urgently establish clear guidelines and acceptable use policies for AI to ensure that employees use the technology safely, responsibly and without exposing sensitive data.

“A lack of budget is not a valid excuse, as free open-source tools and learning resources are widely available, though they require more hands-on effort from the team.”

Santi Siritheerajesd, child protection specialist of Unicef Thailand, said the core risks of the internet include inappropriate content (violence/18+), dangerous contact (grooming), poor conduct by youths themselves, and contact/data privacy issues.

He warned that malicious actors are weaponising AI, such as using deepfakes for extortion or manipulating AI prompts to bypass safety guardrails and generate abusive images.

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a bottle of Le Labo and wondering what the number after the name actually means, you’re not alone.

While the fragrance brand’s minimalist labels have become iconic in their own right, the numbers aren’t random – they’re one of Le Labo’s most deliberate design choices.

Every fragrance name follows a simple formula: the fragrance’s dominant note, followed by the total number of ingredients used to create it.

For example, Thé Matcha 26 spotlights the soft, creamy aroma of matcha tea and is composed of 26 ingredients. Rose 31, meanwhile, reimagines the classic floral with a spicy, woody twist, while ’31’ denotes the number of ingredients in the blend.

The only fragrance that breaks the rule is Another 13.

Despite what its name suggests, ‘Another’ isn’t an olfactive note. The fragrance was created in 2010 as an exclusive collaboration with AnOther Magazine under editor-in-chief Jefferson Hack, borrowing its name directly from the publication.

The ’13’ still stays true to Le Labo’s naming convention, referring to the number of ingredients, but the fragrance itself revolves around the radiant, skin-like molecule Ambroxan rather than a note called ‘another’.

It’s a detail that’s easy to miss, but once you know how to read Le Labo’s labels, every bottle becomes a little less mysterious.

A Bangkok gelato shop is facing backlash online after a customer said she bit into a shard of glass hidden in her ice cream, cutting her tongue and cheek.

The customer posted on Facebook July 19 that on June 14 she bought two PARAMETER gelatos, including a nut flavour, at 259 baht each.

While eating, she encountered something unusually hard and at first assumed it was another peanut. Her friend then noticed blood in her mouth. When she spat it out, she found a piece of glass roughly the size of a peanut and realised she had already swallowed part of it.

The shop, located at Siam Paragon in Bangkok’s Pathum Wan district, reportedly inspected the ice cream immediately and advised her to seek medical attention. Doctors found minor cuts to her tongue and inner cheek and administered a tetanus shot as a precaution, noting that the glass had been chewed finely enough to avoid deeper injury.

The customer said she was less upset by the incident itself than by the shop’s response, which she felt was limited to a refund and reimbursement of medical expenses.

The woman said she had expected a personal apology from management, an explanation of what went wrong, and details of preventive measures, not just messages relayed through staff.

She added that she hoped the case would prompt the shop to strengthen its quality control.

In a LINE screenshot captured by the customer, the shop said that one of the employees accidentally dropped a glass during service.

In a statement, PARAMETER’s management apologised “sincerely” for the incident, saying it recognised the impact on customer trust. The company said staff had assisted the customer as soon as they learned of the incident, covered medical costs, followed up on her condition, and had since reached out to solicit her feedback and offer further support.

The shop said it was reviewing and upgrading safety measures across its service process, including glassware handling, pre-serving checks, standard operating procedures and staff training, to prevent similar incidents. It thanked customers for their trust and feedback, calling the episode “an important lesson.”

Separately, PARAMETER has faced criticism on social media over a response by Krit Sripoomseth, who describes himself as a chef and is a former actor, about the dessert’s prices (159 to 299 baht for 90 to 100 grammes of gelato), in which he said Thai consumers need to change their mindset or they will continue settling for poor-quality products.

The shop has also become the target of online jokes about the fragility of its ‘ultra-smooth’ gelato, including quips that customers should not chew or photograph the ice cream because it melts and loses texture within moments of serving.

The House subcommittee on prison reform invited four former inmates to share their experiences and propose improvements in welfare, healthcare and rehabilitation.

Their suggestions included better medical treatment along with vocational training consistent with the needs of the modern-day job market.

The hearing was organised by the House Subcommittee on Justice, Quality of Life, Access to Healthcare for Prisoners and Social Reintegration chaired by Democrat party-list MP Radklao Inthawong Suwannakiri.

Those invited to testify were rock musician Seksan Sookpimay, better known as Sek Loso, and three former inmates known by pennames – L Oras (Sarayut Srikamnoed), Earn Wat Yai (Naphanan Thongkluea) and Lang Phra Nakhon (Akarin Puri).

Ms Radklao said the subcommittee wanted sustainable reforms in four key areas: improved justice and legal access for inmates, better living conditions and education in prisons, expanded access to quality healthcare, and better rehabilitation through vocational training and cooperation with the private sector to reduce repeat offending.

Earn Wat Yai, who spent 21 years and eight months in prison, said rehabilitation should focus not only on vocational skills but also on moral development and personal growth.

“Inmates are part of society,” he said. “If they are treated as worthless, they will remain worthless. But if society recognises their value, they can become valuable members of the community.”

He argued that long-term prisoners should receive education and practical job training instead of remaining idle.

“Current prison training often focuses on folding paper bags or repairing shoes. Those skills are difficult to use to build a livelihood on after release,” he said.

Instead, prisons should offer training in occupations such as barbering, video editing, computer technology, artificial intelligence and the arts. He noted that many inmates who spend decades behind bars struggle to adapt to today’s rapidly changing society upon their release, increasing the risk of recidivism.

L Oras urged authorities to lift standards of healthcare services for prisoners, saying medical treatment often failed to match patients’ actual conditions.

Inmates suffering from varioius illnesses frequently received only paracetamol, he said. Those with stomach ailments were commonly given oral rehydration salts and sugar solutions, and prisoners with knee problems were sometimes prescribed muscle relaxants instead of appropriate treatment.

He called on authorities to review prison healthcare policies and provide inmates with proper medical attention, including referrals to outside hospitals when necessary.

A US Customs and Border Protection sniffer dog has again made headlines after uncovering prohibited items, including a dead monitor lizard, in luggage arriving from Thailand at Los Angeles International Airport.

The CBP Office of Field Operations on Monday shared a photograph of CBP K9 Maisy, a beagle trained to detect agricultural products, posing with the seized items. The caption reads: “If you discovered all this in a suitcase, wouldn’t you be this happy?”

According to the agency, Maisy alerted officers to a suitcase containing 50 pounds (22 kilogrammes) of meat products, including raw meat, as well as 33 pounds (14kg) of mangoes, garlic, bamboo shoots and banana shoots.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service also seized a 16-pound (7kg) monitor lizard carcass found in the luggage, the agency said.

The discovery of the dead lizard created a buzz online, with many expressing surprise at the attempt to smuggle it into the United States, as well as the large amount of food discovered.

“Omg, the smell should have alerted anyone, but Maisie did her job perfectly. Give Maisie extra treats,” said Facebook user Lorraine Anthony.

Others also jokingly said the smuggler, whose details were not released, should share their packing tips.

In April, another detector beagle named Merla gained international attention after intercepting more than 100 pork and chicken sandwiches concealed in the bag of a traveller arriving from Thailand.

More Bangkok residents are searching for rental homes rather than properties for sale, with demand increasingly concentrated around employment hubs, while homebuyers continue shifting towards more affordable suburban locations.

According to data from property platform DDproperty, rental enquiries continued to outpace homebuying searches during the first half of 2026, despite an overall decline in website traffic.

“Overall demand in the first half of 2026 softened following the sluggish economy and high mortgage rejection rate,” said Wittaya Apirakviriya, country manager for Thailand at DDproperty.

“But users who remained active demonstrated stronger purchase or rental intentions, resulting in higher lead-to-view conversion rates.”

The rental lead-to-view ratio rose to 15.6% in the first half of 2026, from 12.5% in the second half of 2025 and 8.73% in the first half of last year.

The ratio for homes for sale also improved to 5.05%, up from 4.51% and 2.79% during the same periods, although it remained significantly below that of the rental market.

Rental leads increased 3.84% quarter-on-quarter in the second quarter, while sales enquiries rose 2.73%, suggesting that leasing demand remained more resilient amid economic uncertainty.

Search patterns also reveal a widening gap between where people prefer to rent and where they are looking to buy.

Among renters seeking units priced between 10,000 and 20,000 baht per month, Chom Phon in Chatuchak district ranked as the most searched location.

The area also ranked second among buyers searching for condominiums priced between 3 million and 5 million baht, and third among those seeking units worth 5 million to 10 million baht.

However, Chom Phon did not appear among the five most searched locations for buyers with budgets below 3 million baht.

The pattern suggests Chatuchak remains one of Bangkok’s few residential markets attracting both renters and owner-occupiers across multiple price segments.

In contrast, Bang Kapi sub-district in Huai Khwang district emerged as the most searched rental location for budgets between 20,001 and 30,000 baht per month.

Yet the neighbourhood failed to appear among the top five destinations for buyers across all purchase price ranges.

The same trend appeared in Thung Maha Mek in Sathon district, which ranked first among renters searching for units priced between 40,000 and 60,000 baht per month.

“The findings indicate that tenants increasingly prioritise locations close to employment centres, even when purchasing homes in those districts that may be beyond their budgets,” Mr Wittaya added.

DDproperty analysed the five most-searched residential locations across three rental and purchase price segments based on website searches during the first half of 2026.

Two adjacent districts — Khlong Toey and Phra Khanong — consistently ranked among the top five rental locations across all three price ranges, underscoring sustained tenant demand in Bangkok’s prime employment corridor.

Khlong Toey ranked second for monthly rents of 10,000 to 20,000 baht and 40,000 to 60,000 baht, while placing fourth in the 20,001 to 30,000-baht segment.

Phra Khanong ranked third in the 20,001-30,000-baht segment and fourth in both the 10,000 to 20,000-baht and 40,000 to 60,000-baht ranges.

Meanwhile, buyers searching within budgets of 1 million to 3 million baht concentrated on areas such as Phra Khanong, Suan Luang, Bang Na, Hua Mak and Samrong, reflecting stronger demand for more affordable locations outside the capital’s major office districts.

The contrast suggests many Bangkok residents are choosing to rent near their workplaces while purchasing homes farther away, where prices remain more accessible.

For developers, the trend may reinforce demand for rental-oriented projects in established employment hubs, while affordable ownership demand continues to expand along mass transit corridors in outer Bangkok.

“Rental demand has continued to grow and could become the new norm,” Mr Wittaya said.

“The homebuying market is recovering gradually, supported by intense competition among developers and government stimulus measures that encourage purchasing decisions.”

The opposition has been urged to investigate nine senior Bhumjaithai Party figures including Prime Minister Anutin Charnviurakul for alleged involvement in manipulating the 2024 Senate election.

The election-monitoring group iLaw on Tuesday presented new information to opposition chief whip Parit Wacharasindhu, who said the opposition would review the petition and use parliamentary mechanisms to scrutinise the claims.

Mr Parit, a People’s Party list MP, also said the opposition would hold another public forum on July 26 featuring new witnesses from several provinces.

The latest information from iLaw is based in part on accounts heard at a seminar the opposition held at parliament on July 12. Participants including candidates described in great detail the backroom manoeuvrings and exchanges of money, sometimes in six figures, in exchange for supporting pre-approved lists of Senate candidates.

All of this activity, iLaw has alleged, took place with the explicit or implicit approval of the most senior Bhumjaithai Party officials.

In addition to the prime minister, other politicians named include Deputy Prime Minister Songsak Thongsri, PM’s Office ministers Paradorn Prissananantakul, Napintorn Srisunpang and Suksomruay Wantaneeyakul, government chief whip Korrawee Prissananantakul and Deputy PM Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.

iLaw director Yingcheep Atchanont said witness accounts suggested the politicians may have been involved in activities that undermined the integrity of the Senate election.

The petition alleged Mr Anutin discussed the Senate race and assigned aides to coordinate with candidates, while another witness claimed he attended a meeting with newly elected senators after the election to discuss Senate leadership.

‘Not credible,’ says PM

Mr Anutin on Tuesday dismissed the claims, saying he had nothing to do with the case. When told he was the first person named, he said the information was ‘not credible’.

Mr Parit urged the Election Commission not to limit the case to individual provinces or low-level participants and called for all those allegedly involved to be referred to court if evidence supported the allegations

Reserve senator Akkharawat Phongthanachalitkuun said 12 additional witnesses were expected to provide evidence next week.

The 2024 Senate election gave rise to allegations of systemic fraud and vote-buying by at least 120 senators.

The vote produced some highly unusual results, notably a preponderance of winners from provinces where the Bhumjaithai Party, which now leads the government, is strong electorally.

The Election Commission since March 2025 has been investigating reports of collusion to rig the vote in 2024. It is expected to decide by next month whether to forward cases involving 229 individuals identified by an investigative panel.

The Department of Special Investigation, meanwhile, has interviewed hundreds of people about reports of money-laundering related to the election and is now reviewing the findings. (Story continues below)

EC chief in spotlight

In a related development, reserve Mr Akkharawat on Tuesday submitted a petition to Mr Parit, seeking an investigation into the payment of salaries, position allowances and other benefits to Election Commission secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee after the EC reportedly ruled in 2025 that he had failed a performance evaluation.

The case sparked controversy following reports questioning whether four former commissioners who took part in the evaluation still had the legal authority to do so after leaving office.

The issue was rendered moot earlier this month when the EC board voted 5-2 to nullify the previous performance review. This cleared the way for Mr Sawaeng to remain in his role until his contract expires in 2027

Mr Akkharawat also called for scrutiny of the current EC’s authority to conduct such evaluations and for a review of Mr Sawaeng’s current employment contract.

The National Olympic Committee of Thailand (NOCT) has warned the national sports associations that they must not allow the Kingdom’s 2026 Asian Games gold medal tally to fall below 12 — the same as the last episode four years ago.

The figure, already a significant reduction from the 21 golds projected by the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), underscores the pressure facing the country’s sports officials and athletes.

Thailand will be sending a 983-member delegation, including 694 athletes, to the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from Sept 19-Oct 4 sports extravaganza.

Thai athletes will compete in 43 sports with the SAT estimating gold medals from 11 sports: sepak takraw (4), teqball (3), sailing (2), taekwondo (2), boxing (2), athletics (2), weightlifting (2), golf (1), badminton (1), jujitsu (1) and e-sports (1).

Meanwhile, the NOCT has set a more modest target with its vice-president Chaiyapak Siriwat saying that Thai athletes should at least match their performance in China four years ago, which produced 12 gold medals.

Chaiyapak said the 20th Asian Games is a crucial platform to showcase Thailand’s potential, capabilities, and reputation at the continental level.

“I urge all involved parties to fully integrate their efforts in all aspects, including training, health care, travel and coordination to ensure the Thai athletes can perform to their full potential, achieve excellent results, and bring honour to the country,” he said.

“Thai athletes should do better than we did four years ago in China.”

Thai customs officials have seized 1.6 tonnes of dried cannabis buds concealed among blankets and duvet covers in two export containers destined for the Netherlands at Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri province.

The seizure took place on Monday during an operation involving customs officials, with representatives from the shipping line and the port authority also present.

The exporter had declared the cargo as 626 packages of blankets and duvet covers with a combined weight of 32,390 kilogrammes, customs authorities said on Tuesday.

A thorough examination found the dried cannabis buds, estimated to be worth 16 million baht, had been concealed among the declared goods.

The Customs Department said the exporter could face charges of submitting a false customs declaration under the Customs Act. The case may also involve violations of the Protection and Promotion of Thai Traditional Medicine Wisdom Act, and the 2025 Ministry of Public Health announcement designating cannabis as a controlled herb.

The dried cannabis and all related goods have been seized as evidence. Investigators are expanding the probe to identify other members of the network and pursue legal action against all parties connected to the smuggling attempt.

The Thai Restaurant Association is asking the government to connect raw material wholesalers with restaurants to lower ingredient costs, rather than providing subsidies for each dish.

Thaniwan Kulmongkol, president of the association, met with the Commerce Ministry’s Department of Internal Trade on Monday to provide feedback on the “40-baht Khao Kaeng scheme”, a programme offering a dish of rice with one choice of kab khao (side dishes).

Last week, the scheme was put on hold pending further review, following a public debate.

She said the department is revising the measures and considering expanding the scheme to cover other single-dish menus such as noodles and Hainanese chicken rice.

Mrs Thaniwan said the subsidy model may help to temporarily reduce meal prices. However, once a restaurant reaches its quota or the scheme ends, prices are likely to return to previous levels.

She suggested that restaurants could consolidate their raw material orders into bulk purchases to negotiate lower prices with wholesalers, a strategy she sees as a long-term solution for reducing raw material costs.

She also said the government should subsidise the development of a centralised platform to connect all stakeholders for these bulk orders.

According to a Facebook post by Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun, the 40-baht Khao Kaeng scheme is intended to ease the burden of rising food prices during the economic crisis.

The initiative proposes subsidising registered food vendors to enable them to offer meals at reduced prices. The exact price is still under discussion, and the 40-baht figure is cited as an example rather than a final decision.

Although the scheme is currently on hold, officials remain open to feedback from all stakeholders.

Mrs Thaniwan added that the current “Thai Chuay Thai Plus” co-payment scheme has increased sales for small vendors by around 20%. However, sales are expected to drop once the scheme ends in September.

She noted that medium-sized restaurants ineligible to participate in the co-payment scheme have been impacted. She urged the government to provide low-interest loans to help these businesses maintain cash flow until the industry’s high season at year-end.

She added that if restaurants participate in the government’s upcoming initiative to lower food prices, they should receive incentives in return. For example, they should have easier access to government loans in the future.