Category: The Bangkok Post

An independent review has unanimously ruled Jonathan Haggerty’s disputed knee against Hiroki Akimoto legal, the Bangkok Post understands, leaving his ONE Championship bantamweight kickboxing title victory intact.

A 12-member commission voted 12-0 in favour of the strike’s legality, and Akimoto’s team has been informed of the outcome, a source close to the situation said.

The commission is understood to have based its unanimous verdict primarily on a finding that Haggerty did not have both hands on Akimoto during the disputed sequence.

Central to that assessment was the interpretation of a clinch as involving both hands around an opponent’s head and neck.

The finding follows a protest from the Japanese challenger’s camp over the finishing sequence at ONE Samurai 4 on Oct 17, when Haggerty retained his title with a third-round stoppage at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.

Had the finish been ruled illegal and Haggerty’s victory changed to a disqualification loss, he could have lost the belt to Akimoto. ONE titles have changed hands by disqualification, including Joshua Pacio’s strawweight MMA win over Jarred Brooks after an illegal slam in Qatar in March 2024, although that ruling was made on the night.

An adverse finding would also have raised questions over whether Haggerty would have to return his US$100,000 performance bonus. ONE had not publicly clarified what an illegal-strike ruling would mean for the result, title or bonus.

Akimoto’s camp alleged that Haggerty held and pulled Akimoto into knee strikes, breaching restrictions it said were explained during the pre-fight rules briefing.

‘Under ONE Championship’s kickboxing rules, holding an opponent, pulling them in and delivering knee strikes is prohibited,’ Akimoto’s manager wrote in the English version of the team’s initial Instagram statement.

The camp subsequently questioned referee Olivier Coste’s handling of two incidents, saying no warning was given after the knee that caused the first knockdown, or after a similar action shortly afterwards.

In an Oct 21 update, Akimoto’s management said ONE had agreed to a formal video review involving a third party, with an answer expected within a week.

The commission’s membership and detailed reasoning were not available to the Bangkok Post.

ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong had publicly defended the finish during a Facebook Live broadcast last week on the promotion’s Thailand page, without announcing the review’s findings.

‘There was no foul,’ he said in Thai.

Chatri argued that Haggerty had used one hand and had not pulled Akimoto into the strike.

‘If you watch the slow motion, when the knee hits Akimoto’s face, Haggerty’s hand has already slipped free,’ he said.

‘It is near his head, but it isn’t in contact.’

Those remarks offered a more detailed defence than his initial assessment at the post-event press conference, when he acknowledged he had not yet reviewed the footage.

The finishing sequence began with a right hand from Haggerty before a knee dropped Akimoto. The challenger beat the count, but further punches and another knee prompted his corner to throw in the towel after 42 seconds of the third round.

The 29-year-old British champion received a US$100,000 performance bonus for the victory, his third successful kickboxing title defence after wins over Wei Rui and Yuki Yoza.

Akimoto’s manager reported that the 34-year-old had suffered a nasal fracture and a cut to the bridge of his nose. The Oct 21 update said he was undergoing detailed examinations and preparing for surgery.

The defeat ended his three-fight winning streak against John Lineker, Wei and Taimu Hisai, which had earned him another opportunity to reclaim the title he lost to Petchtanong Petchfergus in November 2022.

Haggerty has described the use of his knees as a tactical adjustment, explaining in an interview published by ONE how he discussed bringing them into the fight with coach Christian Knowles.

‘My knees are my new elbows,’ he said.

A return to Muay Thai remains among his ambitions. Haggerty has not competed under that ruleset since losing his bantamweight title to Superlek Kiatmoo9 in September 2024.

During last week’s Facebook Live, Chatri indicated Haggerty was expected to return in 2027 and expressed interest in a fight with current Muay Thai champion Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri.

Yod-IQ’s foot injury has been affecting his training, however, and the match-up has not been confirmed.

Climate change is emerging as a growing health and financial risk, with rising temperatures, air pollution and extreme weather threatening not only public health but also household incomes and long-term financial security, says insurance and asset management company Prudential.

Bundit Jiamanukoonkit, chief executive and managing director of Prudential Thailand, said climate change was no longer simply an environmental challenge, as its effects extend to healthcare expenses, income stability and the financial resilience of vulnerable households.

Higher temperatures and air pollution can increase health risks, while climate-related disruptions can affect people’s ability to earn a living.

“When medical expenses rise simultaneously as income becomes less secure, families may struggle to maintain adequate savings and insurance coverage, widening the protection gap,” said Mr Bundit.

Life insurance should not be limited to paying benefits when an incident occurs. It must also help people build awareness, prepare for risks and mitigate their impact before losses happen, he noted.

According to Prudential, Asia accounted for about 30% of global economic losses from natural disasters in 2025, but only around 5% of those losses were insured.

To strengthen resilience, the company established its “Financing the Transition” framework, targeting US$6 billion in investment by 2030.

The group has committed $1.5 billion since 2024 to areas including renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, water management, and health and ecosystem adaptation.

Prudential also identified public-private partnerships, better risk assessment data and risk-sharing mechanisms as important tools for mobilising long-term investment and helping communities prepare for climate-related threats.

In Thailand, Prudential is focusing on research to understand how climate risks translate into health and financial consequences.

The firm’s ongoing collaboration with Mahidol University examines the effects of climate change on the health of the Thai population, with the aim of developing evidence to assess risks, identify protection gaps, and inform future policies and insurance solutions.

The Climate Care project studies how climate-related risks affect the health, incomes and coping behaviour of vulnerable groups. A separate collaboration with Urban Studies Lab seeks to use community-level data to develop practical approaches to risk prevention and preparedness.

Financial education is another part of the strategy, helping people build resilience before unexpected expenses or income disruptions occur.

Prudential is also seeking to extend direct protection to groups that may face barriers to accessing insurance. The firm’s “Give the Future” initiative, now in the fourth year of implementation, has provided more than 200,000 insurance policies to vulnerable groups.

Mr Bundit said sustainability requires coordinated efforts to help people understand risks, prepare financially and access appropriate protection before a crisis occurs.

By combining research, prevention and insurance, Prudential aims to strengthen the ability of Thai households to withstand interconnected climate, health and financial shocks.

Thailand aims to become a high-income economy by 2037, with a new five-year science and innovation strategy targeting annual GDP growth of 5%.

Deputy Prime Minister and Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Minister Yodchanan Wongsawat announced the goal after chairing a meeting of the National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy Council on Oct 26.

The council reviewed three draft plans for 2028-2032 covering higher education, workforce development, and science, research and innovation. They aim to align education and research with industrial needs, develop skilled workers and create new sources of growth to help Thailand escape the middle-income trap.

It also approved the “Thailand²: Nation of Master” initiative, which will develop three high-value sectors: semiconductors, medical and wellness products, and future foods and bio-based products.

The Siam Silica programme aims to bring Thailand into the semiconductor supply chain, focusing on chip design, photonics and advanced packaging. It targets eight Thai and international chip-design start-ups and multinational design centres by 2030.

Siam Medica will promote health and wellness industries, including herbal products, biotechnology, medical devices and precision medicine, while Siam Terra aims to upgrade agriculture through smart farming, high-value food production and biomanufacturing.

Cryptocurrency investment scams caused the highest financial losses among online fraud cases reported most recently.

The Anti-Cyber Scam Centre (ACSC) said 6,220 complaints were filed through the Thai Police Online platform between Oct 18 and 24, involving losses of 333 million baht. The figures were up by 187 cases and more than 60 million baht from the previous week.

Scams involving goods and services accounted for the largest number of complaints, with 4,693 cases, or 75.5% of the total. However, financial and investment fraud caused the greatest losses among the reported scam categories, accounting for 27% of cases and more than 90 million baht in damage.

Crypto investment scams alone accounted for 58.9 million baht in losses, followed by fraudsters impersonating police, the Department of Special Investigation or the Anti-Money Laundering Office, which caused 49.13 million baht in damage. Fake online shops generated losses of 47.07 million baht.

Other major scams included fake government assistance schemes, costing victims 26.47 million baht; online side jobs involving likes and order-taking, at 24.89 million baht; and recruitment fee scams, at 15.96 million baht.

Facebook was the most frequently used platform, linked to 3,071 cases, or 54.74% of the total. Line was associated with 516 cases but recorded the highest losses among the reported channels, at 76.69 million baht, averaging 148,628 baht per case.

Bank transfers accounted for 97.97% of 5,496 reported payment cases, with losses exceeding 216.37 million baht.

Cryptocurrency investment scams caused the highest financial losses among online fraud cases reported most recently.

The Anti-Cyber Scam Centre (ACSC) said 6,220 complaints were filed through the Thai Police Online platform between Oct 18 and 24, involving losses of 333 million baht. The figures were up by 187 cases and more than 60 million baht from the previous week.

Scams involving goods and services accounted for the largest number of complaints, with 4,693 cases, or 75.5% of the total. However, financial and investment fraud caused the greatest losses among the reported scam categories, accounting for 27% of cases and more than 90 million baht in damage.

Crypto investment scams alone accounted for 58.9 million baht in losses, followed by fraudsters impersonating police, the Department of Special Investigation or the Anti-Money Laundering Office, which caused 49.13 million baht in damage. Fake online shops generated losses of 47.07 million baht.

Other major scams included fake government assistance schemes, costing victims 26.47 million baht; online side jobs involving likes and order-taking, at 24.89 million baht; and recruitment fee scams, at 15.96 million baht.

Facebook was the most frequently used platform, linked to 3,071 cases, or 54.74% of the total. Line was associated with 516 cases but recorded the highest losses among the reported channels, at 76.69 million baht, averaging 148,628 baht per case.

Bank transfers accounted for 97.97% of 5,496 reported payment cases, with losses exceeding 216.37 million baht.

Arsenic levels in the Sai River exceeded safety standards at all monitoring points in the latest survey, prompting Thai authorities to step up water quality checks and seek cooperation with Myanmar and Laos.

The Pollution Control Department (PCD) on Sunday released findings from its 23rd round of water quality testing, conducted in late September at 23 stations along the Kok, Ruak, Mekong and Sai rivers in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

Arsenic levels in the other three rivers remained within safety standards, although the department reported rising concentrations in the Mekong, which it linked to flooding from neighbouring countries.

The PCD has instructed provincial authorities and relevant agencies, particularly the Provincial Waterworks Authority, to intensify checks on raw water and tap water.

Investigations are also under way into possible arsenic contamination in agricultural products, including rice, although more data is needed.

The department said inspections had found no domestic pollution source responsible for the contamination in northern Thailand, prompting efforts to investigate the problem with neighbouring countries.

A joint Thailand-Myanmar working group will meet later this month. The PCD will also coordinate with Laos through the Mekong River Commission to monitor water quality in border areas this month.

The department is working with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, Japan, SCG and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States to study contaminated sediment management and improve heavy-metal detection equipment.

That said, the PCD said excessive arsenic levels in surface water did not necessarily mean tap water exceeded safety limits.

Pheu Thai Party leader Julapun Amornvivat has firmly denied rumours of a secret political deal exchanging an amnesty for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra for votes of confidence in the upcoming censure debate.

“There is no deal, no secret deal, and no arrangement of any kind, whether behind closed doors or in the open,” he said.

The no-confidence debate against Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s government is scheduled for Dec 7-11 in parliament.

Mr Julapun, who doubles as labour minister, said that Pheu Thai and Mr Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party had agreed to govern together and were fully committed to working as coalition partners. With both parties in government, there was neither concern nor any factual basis for further negotiations, he said.

Asked about Thaksin’s application for amnesty under the Social Peace Promotion Act, Mr Julapun said anyone affected by political unrest and military coups had the legal right to submit an application.

Whether Thaksin qualified for amnesty under the law was for the relevant committee to determine, he said, adding the government had no involvement in that decision.

On government stability, he said relations between coalition partners remained close, with no discussions held about restructuring the administration.

He was confident the cabinet could address all issues during the no-confidence debate expected in early December.

Regarding reports the Klatham Party is possibly joining the coalition and possible changes at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mr Julapun said decisions on coalition membership rested solely with the prime minister and should not be interfered with by other partners.

Ministers, meanwhile, had a responsibility to review their own performance, he said, noting the agriculture ministry was functioning well. Any changes to the coalition structure would require discussions and a signal from the PM, but no such talks had taken place.

Microsoft has announced major updates to its Bluetooth system in Windows 11, to solve long-standing wireless headphone connectivity issues such as sluggish pairing, connection failures, frequent dropouts, and audio stuttering that have plagued Apple AirPods users in particular.

The fix will also speed up computer pairing times, by up to 15 seconds, according to Microsoft.

Connecting AirPods to Windows devices has long been a source of frustration due to setup difficulties and limited feature availability compared to the seamless integration offered on iOS and macOS platforms.

Despite these hurdles, many users continue to pair AirPods with Windows PCs due to brand familiarity, audio quality and overall comfort, or simply because they prefer using a single headset across all their devices rather than purchasing additional hardware.

Microsoft said it has overhauled several components within its Bluetooth stack, targeting the discovery and pairing process that previously caused long delays or timed out with connection failure errors. The company clarified that while AirPods benefit significantly, the fixes also extend to wireless headphones from other manufacturers.

The update introduces stability enhancements designed to prevent dropped connections and resolve status display bugs. Previously, Windows 11 Quick Settings would occasionally display a “Connected” status even after headphones had disconnected, causing manual disconnection attempts to inadvertently trigger a reconnection loop instead.

Audio performance during voice calls and online meetings has also been addressed. The patch rectifies stuttering and instability issues when using built-in microphones on certain models, while improving Bluetooth LE Audio integration for more reliable overall sound delivery.

A minor interface quirk has also been resolved: adjusting the volume via physical buttons on a headset during calls now triggers the standard volume slider overlay on screen, fixing a bug where volume levels changed without visual feedback.

In addition, Microsoft fixed an issue where the Bluetooth toggle switch in the Settings menu failed to reflect the actual state of the radio hardware, alongside general stability tweaks to the Bluetooth and devices control panel for smoother device management.

The overhaul represents an ongoing effort rather than a sudden release, following incremental patches deployed earlier in the year. The KB5095093 update released in June previously enabled AirPods to appear faster in pairing lists, whereas the October release rolls out the full suite of stability and performance upgrades to the wider public.

However, Microsoft noted that the advertised 15-second pairing speed boost will vary depending on specific AirPods models, PC Bluetooth hardware adapters and system configurations. Independent tests conducted by tech outlet Windows Latest showed pairing speed improvements of approximately 20 per cent for both AirPods and Samsung Galaxy Buds.

Thailand’s rice exports are expected to miss the target of 7 million tonnes this year, even as shipments to Asian markets surge.

From January to September 2026, rice exports totalled 4.99 million tonnes, with a value of US$2.96 billion or 94.9 billion baht, according to the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT).

Arada Fuangtong, director-general of the DFT, said shipments to Asian markets have expanded significantly. Malaysia imported its highest volume of Thai rice in 20 years, while the Philippines increased imports by 263% year-on-year due to concerns over El Niño and efforts to strengthen food security.

In the first nine months, Thailand exported 1.71 million tonnes of rice to Asian countries, up 13.3% year-on-year. This figure was nearly equal to the 1.73 million tonnes shipped to Africa, reflecting a more balanced distribution of export markets, she said.

Key export markets that grew notably during the period included the Philippines, Malaysia, which gained 155% year-on-year, Hong Kong up 63%, and Mozambique, which rose 2%.

Despite this growth, total rice shipments may reach only 6.5 million tonnes this year, below the target of 7 million tonnes, said Ms Arada.

Exports to Iraq were affected by the war in the Middle East, which resulted in the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz. In 2025, Thailand exported over 1 million tonnes of rice to Iraq.

Meanwhile, Indonesia stopped importing Thai rice this year as the country aims to increase domestic consumption.

Exports of Thai hom mali rice to the US were affected by tariffs, while demand has weakened due to high inflation in that country.

Perhaps as a result of trade talks, Japan has increased rice imports from the US.

Thai white rice 5% is more expensive than competing varieties, at around $480 per tonne, compared with $420 for Vietnamese rice and $388 for Indian rice.

The DFT plans to accelerate rice exports by organising trade missions and meetings with importers in key markets, including Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines and Africa.

The agency is also organising international rice conferences and participating in trade exhibitions to strengthen business ties, promote Thai rice quality and secure new orders.

For tapioca exports, Thailand shipped 3.24 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2026, down from 7.22 million tonnes year-on-year, attributed to weak demand, supply shortages caused by low production yields, and border closures with Cambodia.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Monday he was not worried about a planned thousand-vehicle protest over Thai economic hardship that will culminate near Government House later this week.

Mr Anutin, also interior minister, said in Nong Khai province on Monday that his government was open to hearing the demonstrators’ voice, provided they did not abuse other people’s constitutional rights.

Mr Anutin was responding to a plan announced by Mano Khrueakaeo, chief of tambon Krabi Noi in the southern province of Krabi – to lead demonstrators in a 1,000-vehicle convoy from Khuan Nong Hong intersection in Cha Uat district of Nakhon Si Thammarat to Government House in Bangkok on Thursday.

Mr Mano said it was a way for people to give voice to economic hardships resulting from many factors, including rising fuel prices and limited wages. His group planned to campaign along the way, with stopovers en route to Bangkok.

As of Sunday, he said, donations towards the procession totalled about 570,000 baht. Firebrand political activist Sondhi Limthongkul had said he would give 100,000 baht towards buying fuel.

On Monday Prime Minister Anutin said police and administrative officials were duty-bound to create understanding with demonstrators. He also said he was not worried about any rally that might be politically motivated, because his government was working hard and in the public interest.

Mr Mano has previously taken part in rallies against government policies, including the mega land bridge planned for the Kra Isthmus in the South.