Category: The Bangkok Post

Pol Gen Permpoon Chidchob, a former education minister and younger brother of Newin Chidchob – widely regarded as the real power behind the governing Bhumjaithai Party – has been appointed as an adviser to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

The cabinet on Tuesday approved the appointment along with those of several other political officials. Pol Gen Permpoon served as education minister in the administration of former prime minister Srettha Thavisin.

His appointment as education minister at the time drew sharp criticism, particularly from the now-defunct Move Forward Party. The opposition party, the predecessor of the People’s Party, cited his role in the fatal hit-and-run case involving Vorayuth ‘Boss’ Yoovidhya.

The heir to the Red Bull fortune crashed his Ferrari into a motorcycle driven by a police officer in the Thong Lor area of Bangkok on Sept 3, 2012.

The National Anti Corruption Commission found that Pol Gen Permpoon, while serving as an assistant to the national police chief, failed to object to prosecutors’ decision to drop two charges against Vorayuth.

Pol Gen Permpoon faced unspecified disciplinary action at the time but was not among those indicted in 2024 for offences including manipulating speed estimates that resulted in the charges being dropped.

Two former senior prosecutors were sentenced to jail in April this year for misconduct in connection with the ‘Boss’ case.

The last remaining charge against Vorayuth, reckless driving causing death, carries a penalty of up to 10 years in jail, and expires in September 2027.

Porsche Design Tower Bangkok commenced construction October 7, 2025, marking a significant milestone in Asia’s ultra-luxury real estate sector. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by executives from Porsche Lifestyle Group and Ananda Development, among them the CEOs of both partners, Stefan Buescher and Chanond Ruangkritya. Scheduled for completion in December 2028, this is Porsche Design’s third real estate project globally and first in Asia. Located in Bangkok’s vibrant Thonglor area, the development introduces revolutionary features including exclusive “Passion Spaces.” A meticulously designed show unit also opened today.

Stefan Buescher, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche Lifestyle Group, stated: “This groundbreaking represents the perfect synthesis of Porsche Design’s engineering and design excellence. Innovations like the Kinetic Move façade system, the X-Frame, the Crown and the exclusive Passion Spaces demonstrate our commitment to creating living spaces that reflect technical sophistication and innovative functionality. This architectural masterpiece broadens the Porsche brand’s appeal by offering ultra-exclusive experiences.”

Chanond Ruangkritya, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ananda Development, said: “We are proud to bring this vision to life in Bangkok. Together, we are setting a new standard for luxury living in Asia, reinforcing Bangkok’s position as a leading destination for global luxury real estate investment and creating a sophisticated living experience that celebrates the passions of our future residents.”

Located on Sukhumvit 38, one of Bangkok’s most prestigious addresses, the Porsche Design Tower Bangkok will feature 22 exclusive duplex and quadplex ‘Sky Villas’ ranging from 525 to 1,135 square metres. The development showcases several revolutionary features that set new standards in luxury living:

“Passion Spaces” – Private garages for luxury car collections, fully customisable into sophisticated entertainment spaces

‘The Kinetic Move’ – An automated terrace system inspired by the iconic Porsche 911 Targa roof mechanism

“The Crown” – A distinctive lighting signature, inspired by Porsche’s iconic design, set to illuminate Bangkok’s skyline

“X-Frame” – An architectural feature inspired by Porsche’s Mission R concept car and its stunning exoskeleton structure creating a unique visual signature and column-free building entrance

“The Loop” – An innovative spiral access ramp enabling residents to drive vehicles to their Passion Space

Amenities include a 25-metre swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness centre, spa facilities, social lounges, and business facilities. Each residence features a private swimming pool and technically inspired luxurious kitchens.

OpenAI has introduced new parental controls for ChatGPT, responding to growing concerns over teen safety and the chatbot’s influence on young users in both Thailand and around the world.

The move comes amid rising use of the artificial intelligence tool by Thai teenagers seeking help with homework, personal issues and even mental health struggles.

The update follows a tragic case in the United States, where the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against OpenAI. They claim ChatGPT provided Adam with information about suicide methods in the months leading up to his death in April.

In early September, OpenAI announced the new safety features, developed in partnership with Common Sense Media, a nonprofit known for its age-based tech ratings. The controls aim to give parents more oversight while encouraging responsible AI use among teens, which Thai schools rarely provide.

Parents can now link their child’s ChatGPT account to their own, unlocking tools to limit sensitive content, restrict usage times, and toggle features like voice mode, memory saving and image generation. There’s also an option to prevent ChatGPT from using teens’ conversations to train its models.

One of the most critical additions is a notification system. If ChatGPT detects signs of potential self-harm, parents will receive alerts via email, text or push notification – unless they opt out. These alerts won’t include specific conversation details but will flag a possible safety risk.

OpenAI says a small, specially trained team will review flagged cases. If a parent cannot be reached and a threat is detected, the company is working on protocols to contact emergency services. ‘No system is perfect,’ OpenAI said, ‘but we believe it’s better to act than to stay silent.’

Despite the safeguards, teens can still bypass the controls. OpenAI admits that its age prediction system is still in development. If a teen disconnects their account from a parent’s, the parent will be notified – but the teen can continue using ChatGPT without an account.

Adam Raine reportedly circumvented ChatGPT’s filters by claiming he needed the information for a fictional story. OpenAI acknowledged that ‘guardrails help, but they’re not foolproof’.

Good parenting by being there for your children and giving them guidance on how to use AI responsibly is still the best way to give them immunity to AI misinformation and bad advice.

ICONSIAM, the global landmark on the Chao Phraya River, has once again demonstrated its leadership in creative collaboration with Thai creators and influencers, earning two prestigious accolades at the Thailand Influencer Awards 2025 – Best Retail Space Influencer Campaign for the Amazing Thailand Countdown 2025, and Best Soft Power and Tourist Destination Influencer Campaign for the *Thaiconic Songkran Celebration 2025.

These achievements highlight ICONSIAM’s ongoing commitment to creating marketing initiatives deeply rooted in customer insights, delivering experiences that exceed expectations while seamlessly connecting online audiences to world-class attractions at ICONSIAM. The awards reaffirm its role as one of Thailand’s foremost Soft Power hubs.

Mrs Suma Wongphan, Executive Vice President of ICONSIAM Co., Ltd., said, ‘Winning two awards at the Thailand Influencer Awards 2025 underscores ICONSIAM’s dedication to elevating experiences and creating impactful phenomena across all platforms. We prioritise working hand in hand with creators and influencers to co-create high-quality content that connects people, cultures, and the creative economy, while amplifying Thai culture on the global stage.’

She added that the recognition reflects ‘visionary collaboration with creators and influencers, generating powerful and memorable content that fulfils objectives in communication, marketing, and online engagement. It reinforces ICONSIAM’s position as more than just a global landmark – serving as a hub of world-class experiences and a platform for co-creating new value with partners from every sector.’

The Thailand Influencer Awards 2025 was co-hosted by Tellscore Co., Ltd., Thailand’s leading full-service influencer marketing platform, Thai Life Insurance, and ICONSIAM, under the theme ‘Creators of Change: Influencers Who Change the World and Lead the Way.’ The event honours outstanding influencers and groundbreaking campaigns by brands and agencies, with the goal of advancing Thailand’s influencer marketing industry to international standards.

ICONSIAM’s Amazing Thailand Countdown 2025 earned the Best Retail Space Influencer Campaign award for its seamless integration of offline and online experiences, allowing audiences to enjoy excitement, entertainment, and contemporary Thainess both in person and virtually. The Thaiconic Songkran Celebration 2025, winner of Best Soft Power and Tourist Destination Influencer Campaign, creatively showcased Thai culture and identity, reinforcing Thailand’s reputation as a hub of creative tourism.

Together, these accolades highlight ICONSIAM’s strength in producing innovative, inspiring, and authentic content that connects audiences worldwide with Thailand’s most extraordinary experiences.

Message from Dr. Ernst Reichel, Ambassador of Germany to Thailand, on the Occasion of the National Day of Germany

Every year on October 3rd, Germany commemorates one of the most significant moments in its modern history: the peaceful reunification of East and West Germany in 1990. German Unity Day is more than a remembrance of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War in Europe – it is a living testament to the power of transformation, resilience and hope. This year, the city of Saarbrcken in the Saar region, bordering France, will host the national festivities under the theme of ‘Future through Change’. Saarbrcken – located at the military frontier in the Second World War and at the cultural intersection between France and Germany – has become an important symbol of reconciliation and peace. As we commemorate 80 years since the conclusion of the Second World War, this year, the choice of Saarbrcken as the host for this year’s Unity Day festivities is especially appropriate. The city is an important reminder of how challenges of the past can be overcome and pave the way for the future: today, it is a bridge city between France and Germany and has a growing reputation as a tech hub, renowned for its research on artificial intelligence.

Building bridges – between different ideologies, political systems and life experiences – is also at the heart of the process of German reunification. The fall of the wall on November 9, 1989, was just the dramatic climax of a development that had led to people in East Germany demanding freedom and believing in a shared future in a reunited country. The peaceful protests of that time remain a lesson to the world – that even in the face of division, change is possible when pursued with courage and conviction. The historical demise of the so-called German Democratic Republic in East Germany, by its own population, also serves to show that if inevitable change is not put in motion in time and gradually, by constitutional means, it tends to arrive abruptly, in the form of crisis and upheaval.

There is never an ‘end of history’: history is far from complete or set in stone. As the world is changing at an unprecedented pace, a successful future demands political, social, economic, environmental and technological transformation. Thailand is taking important steps that will lay the groundwork for this transformation; the elections next year will be a critical element in this regard. I believe that this drive for transformation, adaptation and innovation is what will be critical for the future of our two countries, Germany and Thailand, and what can unite us.

Our ties are strengthened by our shared belief in international law and the shared values that underpin it. Standing together as like-minded partners and choosing not to remain silent when facing violations of our shared principles and norms is particularly crucial in times of turbulent international developments – such as these. It is exactly middle-sized countries like Thailand or Germany, which do not have the means to push through their own arbitrary decisions in a globalised world, who must work together to accrue negotiating power. Together, they must insist on rules that apply to all states, large or small alike. In this vein, Thailand has recently put a lot of stress on the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel mines. Of course, there are also other, longer-standing and particularly severe, violations of fundamental international norms that require us to take a stand as well.

As a case in point, I was particularly impressed by legalisation of same-sex marriage in January 2025. Thailand thereby took a leadership role in Asia that has reverberated throughout the entire world.

I am also pleased to see that the Thai-German bond has strengthened further through our economic ties. As the third-largest economy in the world, Germany has more than 600 companies operating in Thailand, ranging from the automotive sector to semiconductors or to food processing. Addressing the effects of climate change and supporting a transition towards green and sustainable energy in Thailand remains an important area of partnership, and I am particularly proud of our Thai-German Cooperation on Energy, Mobility and Climate. In this partnership, we are working together to progressively electrify urban transport and decarbonise industry.

In a similar vein, this year, our respective Energy Ministries established the ‘Thai-German Energy Dialogue’ with the signing of a Joint Declaration of Intent. Through this dialogue, both countries aim to work closely to reduce carbon emissions and achieve shared climate and energy goals – an important step in the direction of a green and sustainable energy transition.

Another area in which our relationship has continuously flourished is language and intercultural exchange: we are deeply connected through education, as 20,000 students are currently learning German in Thailand, and student exchanges continue to enjoy great popularity.

Beyond the big building blocks of our close and fruitful partnership are smaller, but equally important, pieces: this year, the Bundesliga Dream Programme enabled 17 young Thai footballers to experience training with top-league German football clubs, such as FC Augsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt, and VfB Stuttgart. Borussia Dortmund also established a Youth Academy at the German-language school in Bangkok, fostering young talent at an early age.

As I enter my third year here in Thailand, I am convinced that our partnership will continue to grow and flourish. My hope is that we will continue to build towards a future that is democratic, inclusive and open – where international law and human rights are respected and where we stand, side by side, to defend these values.

More than 350 private hospitals in Thailand have signed on to a government initiative to offer patients the option of buying medicines from external sources, according to the Department of Internal Trade.

The initiative aims to benefit Thais and expatriates, and is anticipated to reduce living costs by 32.4 billion baht, said Wittayakorn Maneenetr, director-general of the department, part of the Ministry of Commerce.

The ‘Happy Body, Happy Wallet’ programme is meant to enhance consumer choice by allowing patients to compare prices for medicines and supplies outside private hospitals, he said on Tuesday after meeting with hospital and Ministry of Public Health executives.

According to the guidelines, patients wishing to purchase medicines externally must inform their doctors during the consultation. The doctor then provides a prescription before payment is made at the hospital counter.

A total of 354 hospitals from nine private hospital groups nationwide plan to participate in the programme.

They include Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS), the country’s largest operator with more than 50 branches under the Bangkok Hospital, Samitivej, BNH, Phyathai and Paolo groups. Other participants are Thonburi Hospital, BPK Hospital Group, Bangkok Chain Hospital (Kasemrad Hospital), Ramkhamhaeng-Vibharam Hospital, Principal Healthcare Company, Navaminthra Hospital, Synphaet Hospital and Chularat Hospital Group.

The Department of Internal Trade plans to meet on Friday with the Pharmacy Association to work out details of the registration process. There are 20,099 pharmacies in Thailand, with 19,206 of them (93%) employing full-time licensed pharmacists.

Mr Wittayakorn said the project would cover about 90% of all medicines, including treatments for chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol, along with essential medical supplies. The scheme does not cover medicines for more severe or critical illnesses that require continued treatment, such as heart disease and cancer therapies.

For the next phase, he said the department intends to assess the pricing structures of medicines to ensure fairness and transparency in their cost management practices.

‘This initiative is anticipated to reduce consumers’ expenses by 32.4 billion baht and ease overcrowding in public hospitals,’ said Mr Wittayakorn.

Paiboon Eksaengsri, president of the Private Hospital Association, said the collaboration would empower patients to buy medicines with a doctor’s prescription from a pharmacy of their choice.

Outpatients at private hospitals frequently complain about excessive markups, often ranging from 50% to 100% over what outside pharmacies charge. Many hospitals do not carry generic drug alternatives, though doctors will offer advice if asked.

Mr Paiboon said the high prices of medicines are influenced by various factors. For private hospitals, this includes their investments in land, medical equipment, management and marketing expenses, as they lack government subsidies.

Private hospitals typically operate with an average profit margin of 10%, he said.

He expressed concern about quality control for people buying medicines outside of hospitals, pushing for stringent oversight of pharmacies to prevent the distribution of substandard or counterfeit medications.

New Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Chaichanok Chidchob is to address the alleged monopolisation of the online delivery business by some foreign e-commerce platforms, with the aim of benefiting consumers.

The ministry also plans to push for a lower growth profit margin (GP) rate among the platforms involved in this sector.

Some e-commerce platforms have already expressed their intention to participate in talks on the GP issue, according to Mr Chaichanok.

He added that the target is part of the ministry’s quick-win policy to solve problems and drive economic growth through closer collaboration among public and private sectors.

Mr Chaichanok said the amended Postal Act, which is in the draft stage at present, is in the process of being implemented with the goal of raising the standard of postal and parcel services to keep up with the digital era, as well as support rapidly changing market competition.

The enforcement of the amended version of the law is expected to boost healthy competition and create proper regulatory supervision.

Mr Chaichanok said he would closely monitor the bill’s development in order to help finalise the details.

He also on Monday outlined the ministry’s urgent missions and policies to address four ongoing problems and potential threats via public-private partnership and through the use of a transparent and accountable approach.

They are: natural and environmental disasters, security threats, economic problems, and social threats.

When it comes to natural disasters, state agencies are requested to integrate the use of meteorological data and related technologies with those of other state agencies and private agencies, both in Thailand and overseas, to design plans for natural disaster responses that are more accurate and precise.

This includes using meteorological and satellite data to plan accurate disaster warnings.

Furthermore, the ministry aims to promote communications to provide disaster warnings to the public at all levels.

In term of security threats, it is to expedite the promotion of digital literacy to the public.

“We should prioritise raising awareness of cybercrime, and integrate with other state agencies to fully utilise the technology and data available within the ministry,” Mr Chaichanok added.

He said that the ministry will urge agencies to develop guidelines for the use of technology to enhance security along the Thai-Cambodian border and reduce tension, and prevent loss of life and property among soldiers and civilians. It will also join with the private sector to support relevant technology to the areas, such as drones.

In terms of economic threats due to the global economic situation which may have unpredictable and quantifiable economic impacts on Thailand, he said that the ministry’s agencies must take the lead in promoting and supporting digital entrepreneurs.

The ministry is ready to support the solutions to address the monopolistic power of major digital platforms. This would be achieved by its collaboration with relevant agencies to consider the establishment of regulatory measures ensuring fair competition and creating a balance between platform operators and the public as well as prioritising safety standards.

With regard to the social threats, this would involve supporting equal access to basic technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), data, and AI literacy.

The ministry will also upgrade the measures concerning the suppression of call centres and online scams, aiming to reduce losses to individuals and the economic system.

Pattaya Night-Business Entrepreneurs Association has petitioned the Senate to review the new Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, citing the law’s harmful impact on tourism and local livelihoods.

The petition was submitted by the association’s chairwoman, Lisa Hamilton, to parliament on Monday. It was received by the spokesman of the Senate Affairs Committee, Pisit Apiwattanapong, and Senator Prathum Wongsawat.

The petition focuses on Section 32 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, which prohibits the sale of alcohol by unlicensed vendors. Under the new rule, tourists who drink alcohol on the beach risk being fined or arrested. Ms Lisa said the rule risks damaging Thailand’s image as a tourist destination, especially ahead of the high season.

According to Ms Lisa, the act opens opportunities for corrupt officials to demand bribes from businesses or tourists caught drinking in prohibited areas.

“We urge the government to reconsider before [the rule] ruins the country’s reputation,” she said.

The Chinese transport authorities are preparing for a major travel rush as millions take to the roads and railways at the end of the national “golden week” holiday.

The annual holiday, which ends on Wednesday, is one of the busiest times of the year for travel.

On Monday, the Ministry of Public Security noted that a significant increase in return traffic flow was expected on Tuesday, especially in four megacity clusters: Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Chengdu-Chongqing region.

There were no major traffic accidents or reports of large-scale traffic congestion as of Monday night, it added.

The Transport Ministry said it had been coordinating its efforts with local authorities to ensure smooth and safe travel, and ensure there were no major incidents.

It also urged areas that had been affected by extreme weather in recent days to monitor conditions and implement pre-emptive measures to avoid accidents.

The ministry said it had “called on all departments to ensure the safety and efficiency of transport during the holiday season, proactively address major risks and continue responding to the aftermath of [Typhoon Matmo]”.

Matmo made landfall in Guangdong province on Sunday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to large swathes of southern China, as well as shutting down rail and air services in the region.

Hundreds of millions of Chinese are currently travelling across the country during the eight-day national holiday, which combines both China’s National Day on Oct 1 and Monday’s Mid-Autumn Festival.

According to the ministry’s latest figures, more than 291 million domestic trips were made on Sunday – slightly down on the first four days of the holiday, which all saw more than 300 million journeys.

The ministry had previously said it expected to see about 2.36 billion passenger trips nationwide during the eight-day holiday, 80% of which would be made by private vehicles.

It also forecast the highest ever number of domestic and international flights over the period with 19.2 million passenger trips, a 3.6% year-on-year increase.

Local authorities across the country have announced a range of measures to cope with the travel rush.

In the northern city of Tianjin, the authorities are intensifying patrols and inspections on roads, railways and rivers, and have set up 22 temporary charging facilities and 1,100 emergency restrooms at highway service areas.

Meanwhile, the central provinces of Anhui and Hunan both said they were targeting congestion-prone areas.

Anhui said it would pay close attention to any changes in the weather and had plans in place to introduce road closures and diversions, suspend services or evacuate people if necessary.

Meanwhile, Hunan said it had laid on extra bus services, including links to transport hubs.

In coastal areas, operations are gradually resuming after the disruption caused by Typhoon Matmo, which made its second landfall in Guangxi region on Monday and also brought heavy rainfall to Yunnan and Guizhou.

Yunnan also stepped up safety checks for passenger and tourist boats in the wake of the typhoon and issued a series of weather risk alerts.

Meanwhile, in the eastern province of Shandong, the authorities stepped up nighttime patrols on busy waterways to avoid collisions between commercial and fishing vessels.

The most serious incidents recorded during the holiday so far have been the blizzard that stranded hundreds of hikers at high altitude over the weekend, killing at least one person in Qinghai province, and a fatal accident at a disused mine.

In Tibet 350 people have been guided to safety following the sudden snowstorm, while rescuers said they were in contact with a further 200 people, all of whom were expected to be safely returned, official media reported on Monday.

Meanwhile, five people who entered a disused mine in Youxi county in the southwestern province of Fujian were confirmed dead on Sunday.

The People’s Movement for a Just Society (P-Move) on Monday submitted a petition to the government, urging swift action to resolve long-standing land-use disputes and accelerate the communal land deed policy.

The demonstration, held to mark World Habitat Day, aimed to highlight the struggles of communities facing insecure land tenure and inadequate housing.

Led by Jamnong Nuphan, P-Move members marched through Bangkok, stopping at key government offices to submit petitions calling for urgent intervention.

At Government House, the group handed their petition to Deputy Prime Minister Sophon Zarum and Government Spokesman Siripong Angsakulkiat.

Mr Sophon later met the demonstrators, pledging to push for immediate measures even though the current administration has only four months left in its term.

“While a full legislative amendment may not be possible within four months, we will propose laws that provide immediate solutions,” Mr Sophon said.

“Addressing outdated regulations that fail to protect people’s welfare remains a key mission of this government.”

He added that the Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul administration is committed to addressing public concerns and that P-Move’s proposals would be considered in an upcoming cabinet meeting.

“The government recognises the hardships caused by land deed issues and will prioritise this matter,” he said.

Following their stop at Government House, P-Move representatives visited Bangkok City Hall to submit a similar petition to Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, urging city authorities to address land disputes affecting low-income urban residents.

Governor Chadchart, a supporter of community-based urban planning, was urged to create a more inclusive framework that ensures fair access to land and housing for the city’s vulnerable residents facing eviction threats and informal settlements.

The final stop was the United Nations Thailand Office, where the group held an exhibition on communal land deeds and a small marketplace featuring agricultural products.

P-Move also issued a statement, affirming the right to self-determination through community land titles,.

The network is pushing for community-led resource management and a Progressive Land Tax, a Land Bank, and Community Land Titles to protect communities from land loss and ensure equitable, identity-based land use.