Category: The Bangkok Post

The industry minister has pledged to implement “quick-win” projects to support Thailand’s industrial sector and economy, prioritising industrial restructuring.

Many industries face declining productivity and shrinking market share, which indicates a potential loss of international competitiveness, said Industry Minister Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

“Thai industry is impacted by the trade war, which has altered the global trade landscape. Entrepreneurs in the supply chain must adapt or restructure industry models to align with the global changes,” he said.

Mr Thanakorn said the government will continue to promote industries such as electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, green energy and semiconductors, which are expected to contribute to the economy and attract investment.

“We will encourage industries and companies that have applied for investment promotion from the Board of Investment, but have not yet proceeded with their investments,” he said.

In addition, the ministry plans to implement more measures to combat the dumping of cheap imports and to safeguard Thai industrial products, along with strategies to mitigate the effects of US tariffs.

Mr Thanakorn said imports of cheaper Chinese products are expected to rise, affecting Thai businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

“The ministry has discussed with the Federation of Thai Industries about measures to help SMEs and protect Thai industries and manufacturers,” he said.

Moreover, the ministry expects to work on improving SMEs’ access to financial support, said Mr Thanakorn.

Regarding the continuation of the “Sudsoi” initiative established by former industry minister Akanat Promphan, Mr Thanakorn said it supports the industry in the long term and helps reduce illegal factories.

The ministry is committed to sustainable industrial development by promoting high-quality investments, upgrading the manufacturing base and enforcing stricter regulations to tackle environmental issues, he said.

Nattapol Rangsitpol, industry permanent secretary, said the industrial sector has slowed over the past decade, though the government has promoted new-generation sectors as part of its S-curve scheme.

“Civil servants are ready to collaborate with the minister,” he said.

Mr Nattapol said the major sectors driving the economy and industrial GDP comprise the automotive, electronics and electrical industries, as well as food and food processing, which combined account for roughly 50% of Thailand’s industrial output.

The Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF) have begun preparing to build the country’s first temporary border fence along the Thai-Cambodian border to curb illegal cross-border activities.

This follows the National Security Council’s approval on Thursday for the construction of the fence.

Maj Gen Vithai Laithomya, an armed forces spokesman, said on Friday that the Development Command, through its Mobile Development Unit 12, is working with the 12th Ranger Regiment to erect the fence near Boundary Marker 50-51 at Ban Khok Sabang in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo.

“The initial stretch will cover 5.1 kilometres and cost 6.5 million baht, funded from the 2025 fiscal year budget,” Maj Gen Vithai said.

“Work on improving access roads has already shortened travel time from an hour to about 30 minutes, making construction easier,” he said.

The fence, expected to be completed in one to two months, will be a reinforced structure of concrete poles strung with two layers of nine-strand barbed wire, standing over two metres tall, he said.

The design of the fence is intended as a “see-through” barrier rather than a traditional territorial demarcation.

Closed-circuit cameras will also be installed along the Prom Hod canal, a known hotspot for cross-border gambling and scam syndicates.

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, meanwhile, addressed the pending Oct 10 deadline for Cambodian residents to leave Ban Nong Chan in Khok Sung district of Sa Kaeo.

Cambodian media have reported that some villagers refuse to vacate, claiming the land as theirs.

“Thai law will be enforced,” Mr Anutin said while stressing that non-Thai nationals cannot remain illegally in the country.

He also stated that, although multiple laws may apply, enforcement would be carried out with caution and through dialogue.

“This is not about forced expulsions,” he said. “We will use lawful measures while seeking to avoid unnecessary hardship.”

In a further development, Mr Anutin, accompanied by key ministers from the defence, commerce, and digital economy portfolios, visited Surin province on Friday to assess the border security situation and oversee support for local residents. He instructed officials to ensure adequate food, shelter, and assistance for evacuees while tasking the military with maintaining security.

The Bank of Thailand plans to introduce new business licences for white-label automated teller machines (ATMs) next year.

The licences are available to both banks and non-bank operators, with the goal of expanding financial inclusion nationwide.

According to the central bank’s Payment Directional Paper under the Financial Landscape 2025, the regulator is seeking approval from the Finance Ministry to issue these licences.

The central bank expects to submit the proposal to the ministry in early 2026, with implementation anticipated by late next year, said Daranee Saeju, assistant governor for the payment systems policy and financial consumer protection group.

Applications for the new licences are open to a broad range of operators, including banks, non-banks, fintech companies and ATM vendors.

The initiative is intended to enhance financial inclusion, particularly in remote areas, by providing broader access to affordable financial services.

“For basic financial services, fees charged for transactions on white-label ATMs must not exceed current rates. However, higher fees may be permitted for innovative financial services where appropriate, based on cost structures,” said Ms Daranee.

She said while bank branches and ATMs have been steadily declining in line with growing digital banking adoption, certain consumer segments still rely on traditional services. However, the central bank expects cash usage to continue to recede, said Ms Daranee.

Central bank data indicates cash transactions are projected to drop to 10-20% of total banking transactions in 3-5 years, down from 31% at present.

PromptPay, the national digital payment platform, has propelled Thailand’s shift towards a cashless economy. Average digital payment transactions per user rose to 651 in 2024, up from 538 in 2023 and 425 in 2022.

Ms Daranee said the central bank also wants to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt digital payments through the PromptBiz platform.

However, she said the regulator is cautious about aggressively pushing digital payment adoption in certain groups, such as seniors, to protect them from financial fraud.

Chaiyarit Anuchitworawong, senior executive vice-president at Bangkok Bank (BBL), said the bank is considering the new ATM licensing scheme and may participate in installations where it does not have a presence.

BBL, the country’s largest lender by total assets, has continued to scale down its brick-and-mortar branches and ATMs in the post-pandemic period.

Over the past three years, the bank has closed around 300 branches nationwide, averaging about 100 closures per year, as digital transactions continue to increase.

The reopening of Samsen Road has been postponed indefinitely after authorities concluded that the police station next to the sinkhole that formed on Sept 24 must be demolished and rebuilt, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Saturday.

He made the comment following a meeting with a technical task force at the site to reassess the situation. Members included representatives from the police, Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA), Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the construction contractor.

Over the past week, about 3,000 cubic metres of sand have been poured, and additional foundation piles installed. However, more cracks and soil slippage were detected, particularly around the third structural pillar of the Samsen police station, which has sustained further damage, said Mr Chadchart.

Technical experts warned that failure to proceed with demolition could pose risks of collapse during restoration work.

The MRTA and the contractor will bear the full cost of the demolition, estimated at over 40 million baht, the governor said.

He outlined six immediate directives:

Remove about 30 vehicles from the station and begin dismantling the rear wall.

Start demolition with the most at-risk right wing to reduce structural load.

Reinforce the Samsen side adjacent to the Vajira intersection to prevent further soil slippage.

Strengthen the underground rail tunnel below the site.

Monitor the structural integrity of the nearby police flats.

Monitor the stability of Vajira Hospital’s buildings.

The governor said work could begin immediately. While no completion date has been set, authorities stressed that safety would remain the top priority.

The planned reopening of Samsen Road has been delayed indefinitely, though traffic impact is currently limited due to school closures. (Story continues below)

Further weakening

The decision to demolish came after subsidence from the initial sinkhole damaged the fifth foundation column of the police station – a key load-bearing support – with soil displacement further weakening the third column.

Attempts to reinforce the foundation failed, as piles could only be driven 7-8 metres instead of the planned 23 metres. The building continues to sink and tilt, with more cracks and soil slides appearing.

Officials stressed that the damage was not caused by machinery filling sand beneath the station but by ground instability.

The demolition will proceed in stages, with debris transported off-site. No materials will be stored on the premises to ensure safety.

Vajira Hospital has shown no movement since the incident took place. Nevertheless, the BMA said monitoring of adjacent structures and underground tunnels would continue.

Despite heavy rain, officials said the operation has not been hindered, as sufficient water pumps have been installed to handle flooding.

MRTA deputy governor Kittikon Tanpao said the exact cause of the subsidence has yet to be determined, as the focus has been on restoring road conditions and securing nearby buildings to prevent further damage.

PM visits site

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site on Friday night, said the severe structural damage to the police station posed a safety risk.

‘The piles are broken. Just by looking at it, I saw that it’s dangerous. Samsen police will need a new workplace,’ he said on Saturday morning. ‘The structure has begun to detach from its core. We cannot allow anyone to continue working inside.’

National police chief Kittharath Punpetch said there is currently no indication that the police flats need to be torn down or rebuilt. ‘At this stage, the urgent priority is the Samsen police station building,’ he said.

The BMA had earlier set Oct 9 as the reopening date for Samsen Road but that plan has now been abandoned.

The sinkhole was 30 metres wide, 30 metres long and 20 metres deep when it formed suddenly on the morning of Sept 24. The MRTA initially blamed it on soil sliding into a tunnel and underground station of its Purple Line extension route.

The contractor for the section in question is the CKST joint venture, made up of SET-listed Ch. Karnchang Plc and Stecon Group Plc. The family of Prime Minister Anutin is the largest shareholder in the latter.

People’s Party MP for Bangkok, Rakchanok Srinok, has accused the Social Security Office (SSO) of allowing unauthorised individuals to attend sensitive investment meetings concerning the Social Security Fund (SSF).

In a Facebook post yesterday, Ms Rakchanok said two individuals joined SSO investment sessions as supposed representatives of Mercer, an international consultancy firm hired under a 15-million-baht contract. One, a Thai national, attended in person, while the other joined by video conference from overseas.

She said it later emerged that the overseas participant was Mercer’s sole official representative, but he remained silent during discussions as he could not understand Thai. The in-person attendee, meanwhile, was found to be a subcontractor, despite Mercer’s contract banning subcontracting.

Ms Rakchanok called the matter troubling, noting that both individuals continued to sit in on investment and risk management meetings, including one on Aug 26 where decisions worth more than 400 billion baht were discussed. This came despite Mercer’s contract with the SSO expiring in August 2024.

She questioned whether Mercer’s representatives had the required licences from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), stressing the impact of the SSF.

“The Social Security Fund is worth 2.7 trillion baht. Every decision affects market prices. If someone knew which stocks the SSF planned to buy or sell, they could profit enormously. This is why participation must be tightly regulated. How could the SSO allow unauthorised individuals to sit in on such critical discussions?” she asked.

At 11 years old, Warin* a 5th-grader from Bangkok, weighs 74kg and stands 153cm tall. Like many children struggling with obesity, her daily life is marked by fatigue, joint pain and the constant sense of being different from her peers.

“I don’t like being bigger than other kids,” Warin said. “Friends tease me often, saying I’m too big. It makes me feel uncomfortable. and I get tired easily when I have to run or play with them.”

Warin’s struggle with weight began early. By age six, she had developed a strong craving for snacks like chips and fried chicken, while rarely touching vegetables. At school, even though the cafeteria serves balanced lunches, she often feels hungry after and drifts towards shops selling sweets, pancakes, cakes and fried snacks.

“Every day, after lunch, I go and buy snacks. There are so many shops inside the school selling all kinds of food like pancakes, cakes, fried chicken, French fries and fish balls,” she said.

At home, the pattern continues. She eats dinner with her family, but snacks soon follow. Her mother described her as having a “screen-snacking habit”, often eating more than three packs of crisps while playing games for hours at night. Lately, the family has stopped buying crisps and stocked the fridge with fruit, hoping to help Warin break the habit.

“The hardest thing is the environment,” her mother said. “We can try to control what’s in the house but once she’s at school or outside, it’s impossible to watch her all the time. Asking a child to resist that temptation alone is very difficult.”

Her parents are concerned about her health. Warin snores at night, which can affect the flow of oxygen to her brain and she often tires easily. Last year, she attended a short camp for overweight children where she learned to read food labels and follow a 2:1:1 eating model of vegetables, rice and protein. Unfortunately, the lessons quickly faded after she returned home. The family has consulted a doctor about her weight and plans to follow up again.

Warin’s story is far from unique. Childhood obesity is one of the fastest-growing health crises in Thailand and around the world. According to Unicef’s new report Feeding Profit: How Environment Is Failing Children, there are now more obese children than underweight children worldwide for the first time. Some 188 million school-age children and adolescents can be classed as obese.

In Thailand, the number of overweight and obese children has doubled in the past 25 years, placing the country among the top four in Asean. According to the National Statistical Office in 2021, 43% of Thai adolescents consumed fast food at least four times a week. The World Obesity Federation warns that if this trend continues, more than 60% of Thai children could be obese by 2035.

The consequences can be devastating. Overweight children are more likely to develop diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Many struggle with joint and bone problems, poor sleep and psychological challenges such as stress, bullying and low self-esteem. The economic impact is also alarming: obesity is estimated to cost Thailand around US$8 billion (259.4 billion baht) annually, a figure projected to rise to $21 billion by 2030.

Experts say the issue goes beyond individual choices. Over the past 15 years, convenience stores and hypermarkets have grown rapidly, processed food sales have risen 70% per person and online fast-food delivery has surged more than 650% since 2013. These shifts in the food environment make it increasingly difficult for children to make healthy choices.

“Children often don’t choose what they eat, food environments choose for them,” said Sirirath Chunnasart, Unicef Thailand’s Adolescent Development Specialist. “If we want healthier generations, we need to change the environment around them, not just tell them to eat better.”

Some schools, however, are taking the issue seriously. Bangkok Christian College, one of Thailand’s oldest private schools, has introduced a range of policies to promote healthier eating over the past several years. Sodas are banned and all beverages sold at the school must contain no more than 10% sugar. Sugar has also been removed from condiments in the cafeteria. Nutritionists help design balanced menus and parents are involved in the food selection process.

Colourful posters in the cafeteria remind students to “eat less sweet, oily and salty foods and add more fruits and vegetables”, while staircases are marked with calorie counts to encourage physical activity.

“What we have observed is that overweight children often struggle with concentration in class and experience physical fatigue,” said Waraporn Subsomboon, the school’s principal. “But after making changes, we’ve seen improvements. Students are more focused in their studies, their weight has gone down, they’ve learned to make healthier food choices and understand what is good for them and what they should avoid. Socially, they have also become more confident.”

The Ministry of Public Health recently recognised Bangkok Christian College as a Model School For Good Nutrition Practice 2025, highlighting its efforts to promote healthier eating habits among students and setting an example for other schools nationwide.

At the national level, Thailand has introduced a sugar tax on sweetened beverages, which has already reduced sugar levels in drinks by around 10%. The Ministry of Public Health is also advancing legislation to regulate the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks to children, in line with the World Health Organization’s recommendations.

Currently, Unicef Thailand is supporting the Bureau of Nutrition and other stakeholders such as the NCD Alliance in advocating for the enactment of the Draft Act On The Marketing Of Food And Beverages Affecting Children’s Health, while also engaging young people and parents through the Kin Rai Dee (What’s Good To Eat) campaign. The campaign promotes simple daily habits like reading nutrition labels, choosing balanced meals and reducing junk food consumption, targeting Gen Z and parents of young children to make healthier food choices.

For Warin, she hopes to run alongside her friends without feeling out of breath and has recently shown an interest in boxing as a way to get active again. It may be a small step, but with the right support, it could be the start of a journey towards a healthier life.

“I want to learn boxing, give it a try, and see how it goes,” Warin added. “It feels like a good way to use my energy.”

To experts like Sirirath, childhood obesity is not just a health issue, it is about children’s right to grow, learn and thrive.

“The scale of the problem requires serious commitment and collaboration between government bodies, schools, businesses, families and children themselves. That’s the only way we will create healthier food environments and ensure that nutritious choices are affordable and accessible,” Sirirath said. “If the law passes, children like Warin will have a real chance to succeed, not only in managing their health, but in reaching their full potential.”

*not her real name.

Legal experts correctly question whether the justice minister should recommend that His Majesty the King approve Thaksin’s request for a second royal pardon. As lawyer Chao Meekhuad noted, “Pardons exist for those who show genuine remorse, not as a passport for repeat offenders who refuse to respect the court’s verdict.”

In his previous 14th-floor saga, Thaksin had confessed to corruption, professing remorse. On that basis, His Majesty graciously pardoned him and reduced his sentence to a year.

But instead of turning over a new leaf, the convict immediately engaged in a year-long fraud to deceive the entire nation, including the King, of his “life-threatening illnesses” — as painstakingly proven by the Medical Council of Thailand. Additionally, genuine remorse requires making the injured party whole by returning all ill-gotten gains and repaying profits made.

Despite his 67.97 billion baht in net assets, Thaksin has not voluntarily returned any of the purloined money, let alone profits therefrom.

This is not remorse in any shape or form. Thumbs down to the unrepentant fraudster.

Burin Kantabutra

CO2 tax madness

Re: “No to carbon tax”, (PostBag, Oct 3).

I really like the relative newcomer to this column, Anna Aarts. She suggests Pigouvian CO2 taxes should be considered only with broad international cooperation.

Social engineering based upon taxation, subsidies, regulation, or cap-and-trade schemes is always a slippery slope, but taxing CO2 is never going to achieve universal international acceptance, and even if it did, it would be wrong in implementation and insane in conceptualisation — as Anna described well.

We now have voluntary carbon trading, which should be enough to satisfy those zealots who truly believe CO2 is somehow bad for the planet.

Michael Setter

Ganja grievances

Re: “Weed ruins lives”, (PostBag, Oct 2).

I’m sure I’m not the only reader who wonders what it is about Jason Jellison’s letters that endears him to the PostBag editor. I would have thought that Tarquin’s remark that we have well and truly registered that Khun Jason is anti-ganja-so-move-on said it all. Apparently not!

Today, Mr Jellison is again given the right of reply by proposing that he has just listened to a recent performance of a favourite song, performed seven years ago, with a virtuoso solo on the organ by a talented violinist! What made this performance so remarkable, apparently, was that none of the 100 musicians was stoned.

I leave it to readers to make what they will of the 7th-grade event Mr Jellison subsequently recounts. Along with the recent story of a female British tourist collapsing at his feet, joint in hand, on a local trip to the shops, he seems cursed to encounter the evils of marijuana way beyond my experience in London and Sydney in the 70s and 80s.

Ray Ban

Let facts speak

Re: “Thamanat defends role in cabinet”, (BP, Oct 1).

Yesterday and again today on TV, I watched Capt Thamanat Prompow vigorously defend his reputation and threaten to sue for defamation if anyone called it into question. Having no wish to run the risk of being found guilty under Thailand’s draconian defamation and libel laws, I will adhere to known facts and offer no opinion or comment on them.

Fact 1: In Australia in 1993, New South Wales police charged Thamanat for his involvement in importing 3.2kg of heroin to Australia.

Fact 2: He pleaded guilty in the NSW District Court to conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of heroin with a street value of A$4.1 million, according to media reports, including The Sydney Morning Herald.

Fact 3: He was found guilty as charged and spent four years in jail. He was deported on his release from Parklea Prison.

Fact 4: Australia’s customs officers and police have the ability and the technology to determine the difference between flour and heroin.

Let the facts speak for themselves.

Chainoi “Rockman” Worawut dropped a unanimous decision to Japan’s Yukinori Oguni in an eight-round super bantamweight contest on Wednesday at Korakuen Hall on the Treasure Boxing 10 card.

All three judges scored it 78-74 for the 37-year-old former IBF champion, who relied on composure and timing to pull away in the later rounds.

The fight delivered early drama when a fierce exchange in round two sent both men to the canvas in a rare double knockdown that stunned the Tokyo crowd.

Worawut, 28, began the fight on the front foot, pressing forward with heavy shots and making the early exchanges competitive. But as the rounds wore on, his pace slowed. Oguni, showing the ring craft that once carried him to a world title, found the cleaner punches and steadily banked the middle and late rounds.

The victory breathes new life into Oguni’s career and keeps alive the prospect of another world title challenge.

For Worawut, it wasn’t the result he wanted, but at 28 he still has time on his side. The next step may be to rebuild on home soil, pick up a regional belt and earn a second shot at the world stage. One tough night in Tokyo won’t define him, how he responds to it will.

The long-awaited “contractor report card” system is still pending final approval from the new finance minister, according to Department of Highways (DoH) Director-General Piyapong Jiwatanakulpaisan.

Mr Piyapong, who assumed office on Oct 1, pledged to make safety a top priority in all projects, with particular attention being paid to Rama II Road, which has been the subject of much public concern due to recurring accidents.

He noted that contractors working on the project have already adjusted practices to reduce risks while ensuring construction continues on schedule without compromising safety.

“In the past, the Ministry of Transport set up a task force of engineers to identify and correct unsafe practices. These interventions have significantly improved operations. I want the public to be assured that the Department of Highways is doing everything possible to prevent accidents,” he said.

On the much-discussed contractor accountability system, Mr Piyapong explained that implementation rests with the Comptroller General’s Department.

Two legal steps are required: a ministerial regulation on contractor qualifications, allowing contractors to be upgraded or downgraded based on performance, and revisions to regulations on construction and contractor evaluations.

The cabinet has already approved the ministerial regulation, but it now awaits the finance minister’s signature before coming into effect, he said.

Ratchaburi and BG Pathum United suffered their second successive defeats in the AFC Champions League Two on Thursday.

Ratchaburi went down 2-0 at home to Japan’s Gamba Osaka in Group F, while Pathum were defeated by Singapore’s Tampines Rovers 2-1 in Group H.

At Ratchaburi Stadium, a 64th-minute strike by Shuto Abe and a second by Ryotaro Meshino in stoppage time secured the victory for Gamba as the Japanese side joined Vietnam’s Nam Dinh FC on maximum six points.

The visitors broke the deadlock with their first shot on target in the 64th minute when Abe launched a 20-yard rocket past Ratchaburi keeper Kampon Phatomakkakul into the top right corner after a poor clearance by Scott Allardice.

Meshino squeezed his shot between two defenders and past Kampon in the fourth minute of stoppage time to ensure the visitors picked up three precious away points and hand the home side their second successive defeat in the group.

Pathum United also remain winless after two games in Group H with a 2-1 defeat to Tampines Rovers at Bishan Stadium.

Trent Buhagiar headed home in the 42nd minute, while Hide Higashikawa added a second in the 57th minute to consign the Rabbits, who scored a late consolation through captain Chanathip Songkrasin, to their second defeat.

Pathum coach Supachai Komsilp announced his resignation during the post-match press conference, saying he’s “taking responsibility for the team’s poor performance”. His assistant Vladimir Vujovic has been appointed as interim coach.

Port keen to recoil

Port will face promoted Kanchanaburi Power at their PAT Stadium in Thai League 1 today.

The home team will be looking to bounce back from a loss against BG Pathum United in the previous game, while Kanchanaburi beat Lamphun for their first win of the season last weekend.

Also today, Chonburi will visit Uthai Thani in a battle between two bottom clubs, while Chiang Rai will host Rayong and Ayutthaya will face Sukhothai.