Category: The Bangkok Post

Thai hotel operators have applauded the finance minister’s decision to accelerate use of the 10-billion-baht meeting and seminar budget for government agencies, although they would prefer the stimulus to begin in May next year to cushion the low-season impact.

Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said the government would encourage state agencies to spread their activities throughout the year instead of concentrating plans in the last quarter of the fiscal year, between July and September.

Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said the policy could benefit hotels in second-tier destinations, as they are highly dependent on meetings and seminars, which typically make up 50% of customers, the same proportion as leisure guests.

Hotels in these 55 less-visited provinces consistently draw fewer leisure guests compared with popular provinces, he said. For instance, hotels in the main tourism destinations secured an average occupancy of more than 60% this month, but hotels in the 55 provinces recorded occupancy of only 30-35%, said Mr Thienprasit.

He said the government should also consider adjusting its outdated coffee break rate of 80 baht per head. This rate is the budget for food and beverages during meetings.

The Comptroller-General’s Department, which mandates this cost for government agencies, has not revised it in 18 years despite product and service costs rising every year.

Mr Thienprasit also said the government should regulate accommodation owned by state agencies, some of which are large projects that lack hotel licences, though agencies are mandated to book their seminars with their own facilities if possible.

Given the projected four-month tenure of the current administration, Mr Thienprasit said hotel operators are more concerned that the low season will occur during a political vacuum after the anticipated general election in March or April next year.

Both public spending on meetings and seminars, as well as outlays from the new co-payment scheme for travellers to second-tier cities, should begin from May to August 2026, according to the THA.

‘During the final quarter of this year and the first quarter of next year, we can still rely on foreign tourist demand during the high season,’ he said.

Hoteliers are hoping bookings in November and December will at least match the 2024 level, said Mr Thienprasit. This year, only in January did foreign arrivals reach 3.7 million, exceeding the same period last year, which recorded 3.03 million.

He said the decline in foreign arrivals of 7.5% year-on-year over the first nine months is largely attributed to short-haul markets, as long-haul markets posted monthly figures outperforming 2024.

A 40-year-old man has confessed to killing his uncle during a drunken argument over a karaoke microphone.

Police called to a house in tambon Pong Talong, in Pak Chong district, on Monday found a 59-year-old man identified as Thian lying dead with severe head injuries in a pool of blood.

An air rifle with a broken stock lay beside the body.

Police arrested the victim’s nephew, Arthit, 40, who allegedly confessed to killing his uncle.

According to police, Arthit told investigators they had been drinking together. His uncle had spoken rudely to him and had snatched the karaoke microphone from his hand.

He had responded, hitting Thian on the head with the gun stock before stabbing him below the ear with a knife.

Police charged Arthit with murder and he was held in custody for legal proceedings.

The Bangkok Bar Show returns from Oct 10-12 at the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, marking its biggest edition yet.

The show will gather more than 50 international bar experts, 40 bar brands, 30 headline events and seven panel discussions and seminars featuring some of the industry’s most influential voices. This year, bartenders from North and South America, Europe, and across Asia Pacific will join Thailand’s vibrant community of bar leaders, brands and cocktail enthusiasts to present their innovations and flair

Highlights below:

? Opening Party: Oct 10 at Aqua Bar, where leading names in cocktail culture will set the tone for an unforgettable week.? Bangkok Bar Show Awards and Thailand’s 20 Best Bars 2025: Oct 13. This year’s ceremony introduces a brand-new category, Best Wine Bar, alongside established awards such as Best New Bar and Best Bartender.? Closing Party: Oct 13 at Bar Sathorn, with international stars behind the stick.

Discussions and seminars at Anantara Siam Bangkok:

Oct 10

“Are We Truly Sustainable?”: Speakers are Giacomo Giannotti of Paradiso Barcelona, Ronnaporn Kanivichaporn of Mahaniyom Bangkok, Agung Prabowo of Penicillin and Sorrel Moseley-Williams, South America academy chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars. The discussion will be moderated by Nick Coldicott, Japan academy chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars.

“The Anatomy Of A Well Built Bar”: Speakers are Taln of Bar Us and Messenger Service Bar, Frank Kurt Maldonado of Employees Only New York, Hayden Lambert of Above Board Melbourne and Patrick Pistolesi of Drink Kong Rome. The discussion will be moderated by Emma Janzen, USA Midwest academy chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars.

Oct 11

“The Importance Of Good Bar Branding”: Speakers are Stefanie Wijono of Union Group Jakarta, Takuma Watanabe of Martiny’s New York, Juliane Reichart, Germany/Austria/Switzerland academy chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars and Lorenzo Querci of Moebius Milan. The discussion will be moderated by Andrew Ho, co-founder Hope and Sesame Group.

“True Hospitality”: Speakers are Supawit “Palm” Muttarattana of Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, Alonso Palomino of Lady Bee Lima, Keith Motsi of Virtù Tokyo and Chris Beaney, Africa West academy chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars. The discussion will be moderated by Vivian Pei.

Oct 12

“Rising Above: Women Redefining Hospitality Leadership”: Speakers are Margarita Sagar of Paradiso Barcelona, Amanda Wan of Three X Co Kuala Lumpur and Chanel Adams of Bamboo Bar Bangkok. The discussion will be moderated by Priyanka Blah, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives academy chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars.

“Approaching The Sober-Curious Generation”: Speakers are Sasha Jiliane of Fura Singapore, Demie Kim of Zest Seoul, Elon Soddu of Bar Amaro London and Harrison Ginsberg of Overstory New York. The discussion will be moderated by Esther Tseng, USA West academy chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars.

“The New Pour: Becoming The Next Generation Of Bartenders”: Speakers are Jean Trinh of Alquimico Cartagena, Ellen Su of Chimney Hangzhou, Demie Kim of Zest Seoul, and Atsuhi Suzuki of Bellwood Tokyo. The discussion will be moderated by Colin Chia, co-founder of Bangkok Bar Show and CEO of Nutmeg Collective Singapore.

Guest shifts:

Oct 10

Drink Kong featuring Riccardo Rossi and Freni Frizioni featuring Patrick Pistolesi at Zuma Bangkok.

Cat Bite Club featuring Jessie Vida and Gabriel Lowe at The St. Regis Bar.

Penicillin featuring Agung Prabowo, Moebius Milano featuring Lorenzo Querci and Giovanni Allario, Tokyo Confidential featuring Holly Graham, and Limantour featuring José Luis León at Aqua Bar.

Oct 11

Paradiso Barcelona featuring Giacomo Giannotti, Margarita Sader and Gabriele Armani at Mahaniyom.

Bar Libre featuring Yujiro Kiyosaki at F*nkytown.

Moonrock featuring Yi Che Liao at Messenger Service.

Liao Jien Ming and Punch Room Tokyo featuring Yasuhiro Kawakubo at Aqua Bar.

Obsidian Bar featuringP aul Hsu, Bar Mood featuring Nick Wu and MO Bar Shenzhen featuring Tiger Chang at Firefly Bar.

Bar Amaro featuring Elon Soddu, Martiny’s featuring Takuma Watanabe, Public House featuring William Wu, Overstory featuring Harrison Ginsber, Hope and Sesame featuring Andrew Ho and Alquimico featuring Jean Trinh at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok.

Infinity and Beyond featuring Mars Chang at Independence.

Lab Taipei featuring Takafumi Makita at Tax.

Under Lab featuring Pei Liu at Asia Today.

Simone Rossi, Giancarlo Mancino and Elena Urbani at Stella.

Three X Co featuring Amanda Wan, Workshop 14 featuring Linh Winnie and Bae’s Cocktail Club featuring Boo Jin Heng at #FindThePhotoBooth.

Oct 12

Hats featuring Demitria Dana Paramita, St. Regis Bar featuring Paulo Naranjo, Carrots featuring Alvin Sung Jaya at F*nkytown.

Maybe Sammy featuring Hunter Gregory and Bar Mauro featuring Ricardo Nava and Yayo Nava at The St. Regis Bar.

Above Board featuring Hayden Lambert at Sugar Ray You’ve Just Been Poisoned.

Lady Bee featuring Alonso Palomino at Bar Us.

Mamba Negra featuringJ uan David and Bijou featuring Daniel Ortega at Opium.

Red Frog featuring Paulo Gomes and Emanuel Minez at Firefly.

Fura featuring Sasha Wijidessa at Wasteland.

Modern Haus Jakarta featuring Mirwansyah Bule at Dry Wave Cocktail Studio.

Locale Firenze featuring Faramarz Poosty and Alessandro Mengoni at #FindTheLockerRoom.

Eximia featuring Márcio Silva at Rabbit Hole.

Sober Company featuring Winnie Wei, Papuwa featuringVivian Liu, Chimney featuring Ellen Xu and Tiger Liang at Black Cabin.

Oct 13

Virtù featuring Keith Motsi, Pony Up featuring Dre Yang, Employees Only featuring Frank Kurt and Maldonado at Bar Sathorn.

Uzbek flyweight says referee made ‘mistake’ in third-round ruling as he targets elite after victory over Kongthoranee at ONE Fight Night 36

ONE Championship’s rising Muay Thai star Aslamjon Ortikov believes his victory over Kongthoranee Sor Sommai should have been even more dominant – claiming he was not legitimately knocked down in the third round.

The Uzbek scored an impressive unanimous decision win in their flyweight contest on Saturday morning at ONE Fight Night 36 inside Lumpinee Stadium, a result that is expected to propel him into the top five rankings.

‘I promise you guys – every single one of you – just watch the fight,’ Ortikov told the Bangkok Post backstage. ‘He didn’t even hit me. He stepped three, four times and pushed my leg – it wasn’t a punch or knee or anything. You can just watch the video, I promise.’

Referee Olivier Coste ruled a knockdown midway through the final round when Kongthoranee appeared to trip Ortikov to the canvas, though the 26-year-old quickly rose to continue the fight unfazed.

‘Nothing happened. I just continued to fight,’ Ortikov said. ‘I felt great.’

It capped a measured performance from Ortikov, who controlled much of the bout with his long guard and counter timing. The victory marks his third straight under the ONE banner, and his first on the main roster after winning a US$100,000 contract in June – a streak that could lift him into contention among the division’s elite.

‘I think I’ll be number four now,’ he said. ‘This flyweight division is the best in ONE Championship. All the great fighters are here – and I’m one of them.’

Aslamjon Ortikov believes Kongthoranee did not knock him down – and insists he was tripped

Aslamjon Ortikov believes Kongthoranee did not knock him down – and insists he was tripped

Asked what comes next, Ortikov laughed. ‘Right now, next is just a burger with cheese and something to drink,’ he joked. ‘That’s it for now.’

But he was quick to add that he’s ready for any challenge when the time comes.

‘I don’t care who’s next,’ he said. ‘Whoever is in the rankings, I’m ready. I’m here for my dream. Nothing personal.’

That dream, he admitted, could one day include a showdown with the former two-sport champion Superlek Kiatmuu9, if the Thai star decides to drop back down to flyweight – where he still holds the kickboxing belt, but last competed over 15 months ago.

‘I don’t know if Superlek can make weight,’ Ortikov said. ‘If he can, why not? He’s a great fighter. We can fight – and after the fight, we can go eat together.’

The 22-year-old also praised Kongthoranee for a ‘great fight’ and said he hoped to share a meal with him, too, before leaving Bangkok.

‘I just want to say thank you to Chatri [Sityodtong, CEO] and to ONE Championship for this opportunity,’ he said. ‘I’m so happy – and I used it.’

Their Majesties the King and Queen have received as a patient under royal patronage the British caver who played an important role in the rescue of young footballers from the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand in 2018.

Vernon Unsworth, 70, has been admitted for treatment of lung inflammation at Maechan Hospital in Mae Chan district of the northernmost province of Chiang Rai.

Authorities from Chiang Rai visited Mr Unsworth at the hospital on Monday and reported his condition was stable. He could talk normally and communicate with the visitors, they said.

A cave expert and longtime resident of Chiang Rai where he worked as a financial adviser, the British-born Mr Unsworth had surveyed the Tham Luang cave complex in Chiang Rai.

He played an important role in helping to plan the rescue of 12 young members of the ‘Wild Boars’ football team and their coach after they became trapped in the flooded cave in June and July 2018.

The rescue effort attracted worldwide attention and saturation coverage by international media, as experts from many countries travelled to Thailand and volunteered their expertise to bring the boys and their coach out safely.

Tham Luang has since become a well-known tourist attraction.

Mr Unsworth was at the centre of a related drama after he brought a defamation case against Elon Musk, who insulted him in an angry tweet for criticising a rescue plan proposed by the tech billionaire as a ‘PR stunt’.

A Los Angeles jury found that Mr Musk did not defame Mr Unsworth by calling him a ‘pedo guy’ on Twitter. The billionaire’s lawyers had argued that their client had used the expression as an insult but did not mean it literally.

Re: “MPs fail Clean Air Bill,” (Editorial, Oct 1).

Pheu Thai dismally failed its northern core base by boycotting voting on the Clean Air Bill, causing this very important bill to fail due to a lack of a quorum. Northerners suffer most from seasonal haze and PM2.5 pollution, and Pheu Thai chaired the bill’s drafting committee, yet only 27% of Pheu Thai MPs showed up to vote. This was in stark contrast to the People’s Party (90% of its MPs present) and the Bhumjaithai Party (80%).

When your party won’t even vote on a bill that it authored and that’s vital to your family’s health — it’s past time to switch.

Burin Kantabutra

False equations

Re: “In an Irish memorial, I see echoes of Palestine”, (Opinion, Oct 3).

Andy Young’s commentary, in which she equates the situation in Gaza with the Irish Famine, the famine in Sudan and Hurricane Katrina, is a litany of nonsensical equations.

For one, we have seen pictures of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing Gaza City. Do they look like emaciated famine victims? No, they do not.

And the harrowing pictures of children are manipulated Hamas photo ops. None of their parents looks in the least hungry.

We are led to believe that Jews are colonisers, completely ignoring the fact that half of Israeli Jews fled or were expelled from Muslim countries. Israel has two million Arab citizens, while most Muslim countries now have no Jews.

I could make a more poignant historical comparison: More than 80 years ago, following years of anti-Semitic propaganda, some six million Jews were murdered while nearly every country in the world, including Ireland, refused to accept Jewish refugees.

Today’s massive anti-Israel propaganda, again, justifies the murder of Jews.

Frank Scimone

Revealing remarks

Re: “Military heads summoned for empty spectacle”, (Opinion, Oct 10).

In President Donald Trump’s lacklustre speech to the 700 US generals whom he summoned to a meeting in Quantico, Virginia, from their posts all around the world, he said that there are two N words that he would never use. One stands for nuke, and the other one is n***er.

Mr Trump is explicit in boasting that the US has more nukes and they are better than and outnumber those of the Russians and the Chinese.

Mr Trump may not be aware of the consequence that, like the tariff he advocates, the use of nukes is reciprocal too. His Trump Tower in New York will vanish seconds later if he drops a nuke in St Petersburg.

Perhaps he got carried away and thought he was addressing a crowd in a town hall that cheered and believed everything he said.

Even though Mr Trump did not elaborate on the other n-word, it is difficult to convince people that he is not a racist.

There is an old Chinese saying: There are 300 taels of silver buried here, which means one is trying to prove what nobody doubts.

Yingwai Suchaovanich

Proactive health management is taking centre stage as Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Public Company Limited (BDMS), a leading international private hospital network, introduces the ‘BDMS SPOT-MAS’ cancer screening package. This innovative test detects early-stage cancer cells through a single blood sample, under the concept ‘Early Detection, Better Outcomes – Comprehensive Screening for 10 Cancers.’ The initiative aims to improve treatment opportunities and disease control from the earliest stages.

Cancer often develops silently, showing no symptoms until it has advanced. Early detection, therefore, plays a vital role in improving survival rates and treatment effectiveness. The BDMS SPOT-MAS package is designed to screen and assess the risk of ten major cancer types – breast, lung, liver, oesophageal, colorectal, endometrial, pancreatic, ovarian, gastric, and head and neck cancers.

Cancer remains one of the world’s most pressing public-health challenges. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 19.9 million people were diagnosed with cancer globally in 2022, a number expected to climb to 35 million by 2050 due to an ageing population and lifestyle-related risk factors.

In Thailand, data from the National Cancer Institute show around 140,000 new cancer cases annually, with approximately 83,000 deaths – averaging more than 227 fatalities per day. The leading causes of cancer-related deaths among Thais include liver and bile duct cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, and leukaemia, highlighting the urgent need for preventive measures.

The BDMS SPOT-MAS package targets the most prevalent and high-risk cancers using advanced genetic biomarker testing technology, enabling early identification of cancer risk and cellular abnormalities under the supervision of specialised physicians. Screening items may vary by hospital. The package is recommended for individuals aged 40 and above, or those at high risk, serving as a crucial first step in prevention, ongoing monitoring, and personalised treatment planning based on medical advice.

BDMS continues to advance medical innovation for modern healthcare, ensuring greater access to effective screening and early intervention. The BDMS SPOT-MAS package is available from 1 October to 15 November 2025 at BDMS-affiliated hospitals, including Bangkok Hospital, Samitivej Hospital, BNH Hospital, Phyathai Hospital, Paolo Hospital, and BDMS Wellness Clinic.

Economists expect the Bank of Thailand to keep its policy rate unchanged at Wednesday’s meeting, as the central bank awaits clearer economic data and allows time for its new governor to settle in.

Pipat Luangnaruemitchai, chief economist at Kiatnakin Phatra Financial Group (KKP), said the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is likely to vote on Oct 8 to hold its policy rate steady, though the decision may not be unanimous.

“The meeting on Wednesday will be the first chaired by the new governor, and there are still several factors that require close monitoring,” he noted.

The central bank’s new governor, Vitai Ratanakorn, who assumed office on Oct 1, has reaffirmed the bank’s primary mission of safeguarding macroeconomic stability amid both domestic and global challenges.

Two newly appointed members will also join the MPC meeting for the first time: Charl Kenchon, former managing director at K-Research, and Suwannee Jatsadasak, the Bank of Thailand’s assistant governor for corporate development.

According to Mr Pipat, the MPC is expected to maintain policy space in light of weaker signs in the economy. He added that the regulator will also continue monitoring supply-side issues, particularly competitiveness in the manufacturing and export sectors.

While the central bank has already anticipated these challenges and continues to maintain an accommodative monetary policy stance, Mr Pipat said the MPC is unlikely to cut rates at this meeting, preferring instead to assess the impact of its most recent cuts.

Kasikorn Research Center (K-Research) also forecasts a non-unanimous vote to keep the policy rate unchanged at 1.5%, following the 0.25 percentage point reduction in August.

“The majority of MPC members are expected to favour holding the rate in order to assess the impact of the earlier cut and preserve policy space for future use when conditions are more appropriate,” the centre said.

The MPC’s monetary policy stance is expected to remain accommodative, with greater focus on economic risks while ensuring financial stability.

SCB Economic Intelligence Center (EIC), the research unit of Siam Commercial Bank, also predicts the MPC will keep rates steady this week. However, it expects a 0.25 percentage point cut in December, lowering the policy rate from 1.5% to 1.25%.

EIC noted that the MPC is expected to continue cutting the rate by 0.25 percentage points in early 2026, bringing the policy rate down to 1% in the first half of next year.

It added that the accommodative policy stance would help ease financial conditions amid slowing economic growth, inflation below target and deteriorating credit quality.

Further rate cuts would help support the economy, ease debt burdens and facilitate the deleveraging process for businesses and households. However, they may not significantly boost new lending, as both financial institutions and borrowers remain cautious, according to EIC.

Armed men blew up an ATM at Fatoni University and stole the security guards’ guns in Yarang district of this southern border province early Tuesday morning.

According to the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), up to five armed men were involved.

About 12.53am they arrived by walking down a hill behind the university in tambon Khao Toom. They held up and tied the two security guards in their booth in front of the campus and robbed them of their shotguns.

The assailants then detonated an explosive against an ATM of the Islamic Bank beside the university gate. It failed the open up the machine and they could not get to the cash in its strongbox.

They finally gave up and retreated back up the hill with only the guards’ stolen weapons.

Isoc said the failed attack showed that the militants were desperate for money to support their activities, regardless of the public interest. The investigation and hunt for the gang were ongoing, Isoc’s southern branch said.

The failed ATM attack came two days after the huge gold heist in adjacent Narathiwat province, which officials believe was for use funding rebel activities. That followed coordinated ATM robberies in August and a major gold shop raid in Songkhla in 2019.

Chavana, a renowned Thai jewellery brand, is celebrating the journey towards its 111th anniversary with a special exhibition ‘The Ray Of Light – Prelude To 111 Years Of Chavana’, which is running on the 4th floor of Central Embassy, Phloenchit Road, until Oct 26.

The exhibition highlights the inspiration drawn from the beauty and relationship between light and time, interpreted through fine art and the brand’s signature high jewellery craftsmanship.

It introduces the signature collection Ray Of Light alongside live craftsmanship demonstrations, in-depth showcases of design concepts, and a ‘Touch and Try Experience’ where guests can closely explore and try on jewellery.

The rich history of Chavana dates back to 1914, beginning in the heart of Ban Mor where a husband and wife opened a small jewellery shop and named it Mian Teck – meaning ‘continuous virtues’. What began as a personal offering has quietly grown, generation by generation, into what is known as Chavana.

The brand has upheld the belief that jewellery is more than adornment – it is art, imbued with the spirit of family. Each piece is a continuation of the master craftsmanship passed down through generations with patient craft, inherited knowledge and the belief that beauty carries meaning when it is made with care.

This exhibition is a tribute to both a moment of remembrance and renewal. The Ray Of Light collection embodies the brand’s enduring commitment to capturing the subtle beauty of nature, telling stories rich in meaning, value and exquisite craftsmanship, allowing the wearer’s identity to shine with grace.