Category: The Bangkok Post

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) plans to refer a bribery case involving Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Chaichanok Chidchob and call-centre scam networks to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) next week, CIB commissioner Pol Lt Gen Natthasak Chaowanasai said on Thursday.

The case stems from Mr Chaichanok’s police complaint on Oct 6, where he alleged that a group had offered him 40 million baht to halt crackdowns on call-centre gangs and illegal online gambling networks. Pol Lt Gen Natthasak said investigators had now taken the minister’s statement and were determining whether the case fell under police or NACC jurisdiction.

Preliminary findings indicated the matter likely qualified under the anti-corruption law, he added.

The CIB chief confirmed the Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the evidence before forwarding the case to the NACC, stressing that the inquiry will proceed transparently and in accordance with the law.

Meanwhile, in parliament, Pheu Thai MP Siam Hathasongkorh, who chairs the House committee on telecommunications and digital affairs, said the panel believed Mr Chaichanok’s claims were credible.

The committee had invited the minister on Thursday to clarify who had made the bribe offer, but he was unable to attend due to urgent commitments and sent a representative in his place.

Mr Siam said the committee would summon Mr Chaichanok again, adding that coordination among relevant agencies was crucial to curb the resurgence of call-centre scams following the recent change of government. He stressed the need for accountability and vowed to pursue the case if progress stalled, calling it a matter of public trust and national security.

Isi Fitikefu will return to the ONE Championship ring against Dzhabir Dzhabrailov at ONE Fight Night 38 on December 6, a source told the Bangkok Post.

The three-round welterweight MMA bout will air from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, live in US primetime on Prime Video on December 5.

Fitikefu, a training partner of former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, is riding a two-fight win streak in the promotion. He had been set to face ex-ONE welterweight titleholder Zebaztian Kadestam earlier this year in what appeared to be a title eliminator, before the fight was cancelled at the last moment after Kadestam failed hydration.

The Swede was later taken to hospital for issues related to his weight cut, with ONE Championship’s head doctor, Warren Wang, determining during the three-hour testing window that Kadestam was too dehydrated to attempt another pass.

Fitikefu told the Bangkok Post at the time he was ‘disappointed and just wanted to fight’. Whittaker had even flown to Bangkok to corner him.

Kadestam moved up to middleweight last weekend at ONE Fight Night 36, losing by second-round TKO to former two-division champion Aung La N Sang.

His latest opponent, Dzhabrailov, is one of the promotion’s most explosive young talents.

The 20-year-old Turkish fighter has won all three of his ONE bouts by first-round knockout – the first two inside 20 and 47 seconds respectively, and the longest lasting just 1 minute 43 seconds.

After earning his contract through the ONE Friday Fights series, Dzhabrailov made his Prime Video debut in June with another first-round finish of Nicolas Vigna. He missed weight for that lightweight bout, though, and has since elected to move up to welterweight.

ONE Fight Night 38 will be headlined by bantamweight MMA champion Fabricio Andrade defending his title against Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu. A second world title will also be on the line as Brazil’s Diogo ‘Baby Shark’ Reis faces Japan’s Daiki Yonekura for the inaugural flyweight submission grappling belt.

Legendary British Muay Thai fighter Liam Harrison will also make his long-awaited return in a bantamweight kickboxing contest against Shinji Suzuki, ending a brief retirement after a loss to Seksan in Denver at ONE 168 in September 2024.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt raised the flag as an electric vehicle caravan from Bangkok to Beijing got under way on Friday, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Thailand-China diplomatic relations.

The 5,000-kilometre journey symbolises the enduring friendship and strengthened cooperation between the two nations, the governor said at the ceremony in Lan Khon Muang Square, in front of Bangkok City Hall.

The caravan consisting of 15 BYD Sealion electric vehicles will travel through major tourist destinations in various provinces of China before arriving in Beijing at the National Stadium on the evening of Oct 23.

A gala dinner will be held on Oct 24 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China. Participants in the caravan will then return to Thailand by air on Oct 25.

The caravan will pass through destinations such as Xishuangbanna, Kunming, Guiyang, Zhangjiajie, Xi’an and Pingyao, said Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The event was organised by the Thai-Chinese Friendship Association, which was established in 1975 to promote ties between the two nations and their people.

The Thai army has begun clearing landmines in a village near the Cambodian border amid rising tensions between the two countries over plans to evict Cambodian settlers.

The Burapha Task Force deployed a mine-clearing vehicle to Ban Nong Ya Kaeo in Khok Sung district of Sa Kaeo province, the army said.

The operation began as authorities were expected to push back Cambodians living illegally in the area or take legal action against those refusing to comply with eviction orders.

However, the National Security Council (NSC) did not discuss the army’s proposal to seek approval for the removal of Cambodian nationals from Ban Nong Ya Kaeo and nearby Ban Nong Chan at its meeting on Friday.

‘The meeting only discussed the development of the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border,’ NSC Secretary-General Chatchai Bangchuad told reporters at Government House. He said the timing of any eviction would be left to the army’s discretion.

Authorities earlier reported that 135 Cambodian households were occupying parts of Ban Nong Chan and another 35 in Ban Nong Ya Kaeo, with all expected to move back across the border. Another group of illegal occupants has also been identified in Ban Ta Phraya in Ta Phraya district, within the same province.

The ‘One Network’ strategy sets a new industry benchmark for Thailand’s telecommunications sector, delivering a unified, high-performance network that enhances the digital experience for customers. By integrating the strengths of both True and dtac, True Corporation has created a nationwide network that offers superior speed, coverage, and reliability.

Mr Sigve Brekke, Group Chief Executive Officer of True Corporation Plc., said, ‘Today we mark a major milestone in ASEAN’s largest network modernisation, signifying a pivotal step towards delivering exceptional network experiences for our customers and unlocking greater synergy value for our shareholders. Behind this achievement, we have witnessed an extraordinary collective effort from our network experts teaming up with global technology partners to ensure the best possible digital experiences for all customers.’

Over the past two and a half years, more than 3,650 engineers and technicians at True Corporation have dedicated themselves to building the ‘One Network’ – working every day and contributing over 17 million man-hours. Their efforts spanned the entire country, climbing towers and base stations to a combined vertical distance exceeding 2,000 kilometres.

A powerful network integration setting a new standard for transformation

At the core of the ‘One Network’ initiative is a network modernisation strategy that redefines Thailand’s telecom landscape by integrating the infrastructure of True and dtac into a single, unified, stronger network. The project consolidates tower assets and employs spectrum pooling nationwide to maximise efficiency, enhance 5G and 4G coverage, and lay the foundation for future technologies. It focuses on selecting and optimising the best-performing sites to ensure top-quality connectivity today while paving the way for tomorrow.

In addition, True Corporation has significantly boosted network performance through spectrum pooling, which merges the spectrum assets of both True and dtac into a single, integrated network. This enables customers of both brands to seamlessly share network resources, resulting in stronger signal quality, faster speeds, and more consistent performance across the country.

True Corporation’s network transformation goes beyond speed and coverage but also prioritises customer safety. Through its True CyberSafe initiative, the company leverages advanced AI technology to detect, block, and alert users to cyber threats in real time.

5G Network: Steps to Leadership

The success of the One Network project has significantly improved 5G coverage and performance for both True and dtac customers. With combined spectrum, network capacity, and an expanded coverage footprint, customers now enjoy a seamless experience across the new True network. This marks a substantial step forward in Thailand’s connectivity.

5G Speeds Show Clear Improvement

dtac customers have benefited the most from this project, with 5G speeds increasing by 4.39 times, while True customers have experienced a 1.09-times improvement. These results highlight a major enhancement in network performance, with both brands continuing to advance for their customers.

The One Network project enhances both coverage and signal quality for True and dtac customers. dtac users now experience faster 5G speeds on the 2600 MHz spectrum, while True users enjoy improved 4G efficiency on the 2300 MHz band.

This network upgrade also enables full 90 MHz bandwidth utilisation of the 2600 MHz spectrum for 5G, supported by Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) technology, which allows flexible use between 5G and 4G on the same band. Furthermore, the 2300 MHz spectrum is being enhanced to increase data capacity and will be combined with 2600 MHz for expanded 5G deployment. The 1500 MHz band, a new spectrum, will also deliver faster, stronger, and more stable 5G and 4G experiences nationwide.

A New Standard for Sustainability and Network Reliability

Beyond the direct benefits of speed and coverage, the modernisation of the One Network contributes to environmental sustainability. By reducing redundant towers and improving power efficiency through AI and machine learning, True Corporation expects to reduce carbon emissions by 15-20 per cent as part of its goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.

The success of the network integration is further reinforced by nPerf, which has ranked True 5G as Thailand’s Best Network for nine consecutive years, particularly for upload speeds and low latency. Combined with dtac’s strong quality of experience in browsing and streaming, this integration ensures all customers enjoy the best possible digital experience.

The One Network project is more than an integration; it represents the creation of a new future for Thailand’s telecommunications industry, delivering superior, sustainable connectivity for every True and dtac customer.

A Myanmar air force plane dropped six bombs on a border village in Myanmar near the Phu Nam Ron permanent border checkpoint in Muang district on Friday in a second round of airstrikes. No casualties were reported.

The fresh attack occurred at about 8.15am. A K-8 fighter jet dropped three sets of bombs, totalling six, targeting suspected positions of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Brigade 4, opposite the Phu Nam Ron border checkpoint in tambon Ban Kao of Kanchanaburi province.

The fighter jet also opened fire with machine guns. No casualties or damages were reported.

The latest attack follows an incident on Wednesday when three Myanmar air force planes -two twin turbo-prop Y-12s and one K-8 fighter jet – dropped bombs on the Ban Ticki community in Metta district of Dawei, opposite the border checkpoint in tambon Ban Kao or about 1-2 kilometres from the Thai border.

The airstrike forced some 300-400 residents – mostly Myanmar nationals of Karen and Mon ethnicity – to flee towards the frontier to seek temporary shelter on Wednesday. On the following day, the situation appeared to calm with no further air operations reported

The second round of airstrikes has sparked concerns among border communities and Thai authorities.

Thai troops from Lat Ya special task force, paramilitary rangers from the 14th Ranger Regiment, local officials and police from Muang district station were placed on full alert along the border.

Foreign data centre operators eager to expand their businesses to Thailand can start buying clean power under the state’s direct power purchase agreement (PPA) scheme in December of this year, says the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

Authorities are keen to launch a pilot direct PPA scheme because it facilitates trade between power companies and their clients, which is a key factor for investors considering development of data centres in Thailand.

Peer-to-peer power trade in the renewables category remains banned in the country, but under a direct PPA, power producers can directly sell electricity to buyers.

Later this month, data centre operators will be given details of the direct PPA, including electricity prices and trade regulations, before the scheme is approved by the Energy Policy Administration Committee next month for a launch in December, said Poonpat Leesombatpiboon, secretary-general of the ERC.

‘A public hearing is being held from Oct 3-10, with adjustments expected later for investment issues,’ he said.

Participants in the direct PPA must be data centre operators granted investment incentives from the Board of Investment (BoI).

Many investors have applied for the investment privileges. Between 2022 and 2024, up to 27 data centre and cloud services projects were submitted to the board for approval, according to the BoI.

Implementation of the direct PPA scheme, with power generation capacity of 2 gigawatts, will extend beyond the Eastern Economic Corridor, as officials seek locations with adequate renewable energy generation and transmission infrastructure to support the initiative, said Mr Poonpat.

Solar energy will be prioritised for the scheme due to its lower generation costs compared to other renewable sources, said ERC deputy secretary-general Kan Saengruang.

Clean electricity prices under the scheme should not be different from those under direct PPA schemes in Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, he said.

The Thai government plans to pilot the direct PPA scheme for a few years before expanding it to other industries, including printed circuit boards, electronics, and electric vehicles, all of which need clean energy to run their businesses.

Authorities temporarily closed two public parks in Muang district of this southern border province after eight bomb explosions on Wednesday night. No casualties were reported.

Seven bombs were apparently placed at an artificial waterfall in Khwan Mueang park and another went off on an islet at Sanam Chang Phueak park between 8.03pm and 10.51pm on Wednesday.

Yala deputy governor Kongsakul Chantharat told the Public Relations Department that the parks must be closed for safety checks after the incidents. They has been designated as venues for traditional ceremonies to mark the end of the Buddhist Lent.

The explosions followed three blasts at a youth centre in Muang district of the province on Tuesday night.

Bomb experts said timed pipe bombs weighing about one kilogramme each were used on Wednesday, like those in the explosions at the youth centre.

The incidents on Wednesday drew senior authorities to the scene. They included deputy national police chief Pol Gen Samran Nuanma and Lt Gen Noratip Poynok, the Fourth Army Area commander.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he planned to visit the far South to follow up on security measures there this weekend.

Thailand’s Department of Disease Control has sounded the alarm over a sharp rise in influenza cases, which have now surpassed 700,000 nationwide, with 61 deaths reported.

As the country transitions into the cooler season, officials are urging vulnerable groups to get vaccinated immediately to curb further spread.

Dr Taweechai Visanuyothin, director of Disease Control Office 9 in Nakhon Ratchasima, said the situation is becoming increasingly worrisome. Between Jan 1 and Oct 8, a total of 702,238 flu cases were recorded across the country, with an incidence rate of 1,081.83 per 100,000 people. The death toll has reached 61, with most of the fatalities occurring among the elderly and young children.

Children aged 5 to 9 years old are the most affected group, followed by those aged under 4 and from 10 to 14. The highest mortality rates were found among people aged 60 and above, followed by those in the 50-59 and 40-49 age brackets, as well as children under four.

‘The changing weather during the end of the rainy season and the beginning of winter is a key factor,’ Dr Taweechai said. ‘It increases the risk of respiratory infections, especially influenza, which is spreading more easily this year.’

Influenza is transmitted through coughing, sneezing or contact with droplets from an infected person. Common symptoms include high fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, headache, fatigue and muscle aches. The virus can affect people of all ages and often spreads rapidly in crowded environments such as schools, prisons, military camps and workplaces.

To reduce transmission, health officials recommend avoiding crowded places, wearing masks, and washing hands frequently. Vaccination is strongly advised for seven high-risk groups: pregnant women (from four months’ gestation), children aged six months to two years, individuals with chronic conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and diabetes.

Also included in the high-risk category are people aged 65 and older, those with thalassaemia or weakened immune systems, individuals with obesity, and people with neurological disabilities who cannot care for themselves. These groups are urged to receive an annual flu shot to lower the risk of severe illness and death.

Health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and are working to ensure vaccine access across the country. The public is encouraged to remain vigilant and take preventive measures seriously as flu season intensifies.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has responded to US President Donald Trump’s offer to act as a mediator in peace talks between Thailand and Cambodia, saying that while the gesture reflects goodwill, any negotiations must adhere to previously agreed principles.

Thailand has been the victim of aggression, and any talks must be based on four key conditions, Mr Anutin said on Wednesday. These were the complete withdrawal of all military personnel and weapons from disputed zones, the removal of all intruders from Thai sovereign territory, the clearance of hazardous materials that could endanger civilians, and reaffirmation of respect for Thailand’s sovereignty, he said.

Mr Anutin was speaking after the US news site Politico reported Mr Trump had said he was willing to attend the Asean Summit in Malaysia later this month — on condition that he could preside over the signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia. According to Politico, the White House made Mr Trump’s attendance at the Oct 26-28 meeting in Kuala Lumpur contingent on a signing ceremony being held on the sidelines of the summit. The report cited three sources familiar with the matter, who declined to be identified.

The White House also asked that summit organisers exclude Chinese officials from the event, the report said. “Keeping China out would help ensure the spotlight stays on Trump, while downplaying Beijing’s efforts to mediate between Bangkok and Phnom Penh,” Politico said. The White House has since denied that Mr Trump linked his attendance to a desire to sign the peace deal. Reports suggest he is angling for the Nobel Peace Prize.

A source at Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the matter would ultimately be decided by Malaysia, which holds the Asean chair this year. Mr Anutin added: “Thailand is always ready for dialogue once these conditions are fully met. We are neighbours, after all, while the mediator is from another continent. If President Trump can help persuade Cambodia to comply with these terms, that would be welcome — it would ensure Thailand faces no further encroachments.”

When asked about reports that the Cambodian government had nominated Mr Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize to highlight their political ties, he replied: “I only care about what benefits Thailand. If anyone receives a prize, good for them.” Mr Trump has made no secret of his obsession with winning the prize. In recent months, he has claimed credit for ending as many as seven international conflicts. The winner will be announced on Friday.