Category: The Bangkok Post

As Thailand moves closer to a likely general election in March 2026, political currents are shifting fast.

The Pheu Thai Party — once the undisputed electoral powerhouse — now faces existential questions: Can it win without the Shinawatra family? What if its prime ministerial candidates include Chartthaipattana leader Varawut Silpa-archa? And is the party looking at a relatively disappointing third spot in the next polls?

Amid waning popularity, party defections, and the aftermath of last year’s political turbulence, Pheu Thai is struggling to redefine itself. The debate over whether to field a prime ministerial candidate from outside the Shinawatra family has resurfaced, underscoring a deeper identity crisis within the party.

Fading brand

Pheu Thai’s dominance, inherited from the Thai Rak Thai and People Power parties founded by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has long rested on the Shinawatra name.

But since Thaksin’s daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra was removed from the premiership following a Constitutional Court ruling over her audio conversation with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen, the party’s popularity has tumbled.

Several MPs have defected to rival parties, including Bhumjaithai and Klatham, raising fears of an erosion of its grassroots network. In response, reports have emerged that Pheu Thai is exploring ways to rejuvenate its image — possibly by nominating a non-Shinawatra as its next prime ministerial candidate.

One name gaining traction is Mr Varawut, an heir to the Silpa-archa political dynasty long dominant in Suphan Buri.

Talk emerged of a merger or an even tighter alliance between Pheu Thai and Chartthaipattana, though both sides deny that any deal had been reached.

A Chartthaipattana source admitted “informal and exploratory” discussions were underway between the parties, saying smaller parties like Chartthaipattana may struggle to survive under the next electoral system, which favours larger blocs.

“If we move as a package under Pheu Thai, it could protect our MPs from being poached and help us survive better,” the source said.

However, the source said such a move would not be easy: “We’ve been together for decades. It would be a loss, but politics today is unpredictable — we must know when to bend.”

Balancing act

Stithorn Thananithichot, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, believes Pheu Thai’s next prime ministerial candidate lineup will be a balancing act between insiders and outsiders.

“They will likely float both a Shinawatra and an outsider first,” he said. “Whichever name gains stronger momentum closer to the election will be pushed forward.”

He predicts Pheu Thai will not win the election outright but could still play a pivotal role in coalition-building. “If the party chooses Mr Varawut, that will make cooperation with Bhumjaithai (BJT) Party easier, as he’s viewed as a centrist,” Mr Stithorn said.

“But if by some chance Pheu Thai finishes first, they may revert to a Shinawatra family member.”

Mr Stithorn also mentioned other possible names such as Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Pheu Thai’s election director who is also known as the party’s financier, or Natthapong Khunakornwong, husband of Pintongta Shinawatra, Thaksin’s eldest daughter, representing a “new generation” face for the party.

But in his view, “at least one Shinawatra name must appear” among the three candidates Pheu Thai traditionally registers — as a symbolic anchor to reassure its loyal base.

“Without a Shinawatra on the list, people might think the dynasty has lost its influence or legitimacy,” he said.

Middle-ground candidate

Supporters of Mr Varawut argue that his image as a pragmatic and moderate politician could help Pheu Thai regain credibility among centrist voters disillusioned by partisan polarisation. His long-standing ties with Suphan Buri province and the legacy of his late father, Banharn Silpa-archa, give him name recognition and political gravitas.

If Pheu Thai were to nominate Mr Varawut as prime minister, Mr Stithorn said it could yield strategic benefits: “He could attract moderate voters and open the door for a coalition with both sides of the aisle. Even if Pheu Thai finishes third, it would still be well-positioned to join any government.”

Still, the risks are substantial. Aligning too closely with Pheu Thai could alienate Mr Varawut’s traditional base, while the move may not fully convince sceptical voters that the party has truly changed.

Control lies with Thaksin

For some academics, however, the debate over insiders versus outsiders is little more than political theatre.

Olarn Thinbangtieo, a political scientist at Burapha University, argues the Shinawatra family will continue to dominate Pheu Thai’s inner workings regardless of who fronts the campaign.

“Pheu Thai functions more like a political corporation than a conventional party,” he said. “Its financiers and patrons act as major shareholders, while politicians operate like employees accountable to them.”

Mr Olarn contends the party’s real problem is structural: “Even if they bring in an outsider as prime ministerial candidate, it would only serve to deceive the public into thinking that Thaksin has stepped back. In reality, control remains with the same people.”

He adds the Shinawatra name remains both an asset and a burden. “The family is still a powerful brand. Many Thais still love and admire Thaksin. But that makes it difficult to reform — if they stay too close to the brand, they can’t modernise; if they move away, they lose identity.”

Mr Olarn also questions whether any credible outsider would want the job under such conditions.

“To survive in that structure, a candidate must be loyal, obedient, and ready to take orders,” he said. “The perfect candidate would be well-educated, articulate, and politically presentable — but not independent-minded. Intelligent people won’t last in such an environment.”

That dilemma underscores the paradox at the heart of Pheu Thai’s renewal project: any outsider capable of projecting reform would likely demand autonomy — something the party’s internal hierarchy may not allow.

Third place, first choice

Mr Stithorn, meanwhile, projects Pheu Thai to finish third or fourth in the upcoming poll, behind the opposition People’s Party and BJT. A newer centrist group, Klatham, could rival it for third place. Still, a tally of 60-70 seats would make Pheu Thai a decisive player in coalition negotiations.

“The advantage of being third,” Mr Stithorn said, “is flexibility — they can form a government with either side.”

In that sense, the leadership question becomes less about ideology and more about optics: which candidate helps Pheu Thai appear palatable across the spectrum? A “neutral” face like Mr Varawut, analysts suggest, might serve that function better than another Shinawatra.

At its core, Pheu Thai’s predicament is one of identity and control. The party owes its existence to the Shinawatra legacy, yet that same legacy limits its ability to reinvent itself.

While Thaksin’s populist economic policies — from universal healthcare to microcredit schemes — built its loyal base, younger voters increasingly view the brand as dated and dynastic.

Efforts to turn a new leaf under Ms Paetongtarn’s leadership were cut short by her removal as premier, leaving a vacuum of credibility and coherence. Attempts to repackage the party with new faces may help cosmetically, but without genuine decentralisation of power, analysts warn, the transformation will remain superficial.

Mr Olarn puts it bluntly: “Pheu Thai’s biggest contradiction is that it wants to look democratic but functions autocratically. It’s trapped between being a political movement and a business enterprise.”

Political DNA

Despite these challenges, few believe the Shinawatra influence will vanish soon. The family remains embedded in Thailand’s political DNA. Even after years of exile and controversy, Thaksin continues to command loyalty across several constituencies in the North and Northeast.

His return to Thailand from exile two years ago, followed by a dramatic pardon and parole of his jail sentence, reignited old emotions — both admiration and resentment.

For many voters, Pheu Thai without the Shinawatras is unthinkable. For others, it’s the only way forward, according to analysts.

Kunlavut Vitidsarn bowed out of the US$950,000 Denmark Open on Friday after losing to Viktor Axelsen in the quarter-finals.

Third seed Kunlavut went down 21-13, 12-21, 18-21 in an hour and 11 minutes as Odense native Axelsen won the first meeting since their Olympic final at Paris 2024.

Axelsen, who had back surgery in April, only made his comeback at a tournament in Hong Kong a month ago.

Kunlavut made a strong start and took a 4-0 lead but Axelsen gradually clawed his way back into the game.

However, when the Dane seemed to have things under control, Kunlavut stepped up and won 10 straight points to take the first game.

Axelsen was fast off the block in the second game. The two-time Olympic champion was ahead 11-4 and never looked back as the match went to a deciding third.

Kunlavut played some superb badminton in the third and pushed Axelsen relentlessly but the Dane often ended up winning points when he otherwise looked to be outplayed.

Both players looked exhausted towards the end, but with enormous backing from the passionate Odense crowd, Axelsen found the strength to pull through and earn his ticket to the semi-final of the Super 750 event. agencies

A Chinese man was injured after accidentally falling from the third floor of a hotel early Sunday morning.

Rescue workers were alerted to the incident at a hotel near Balihai headland around 4.40am. Upon arrival, they found a Chinese man with injuries to his leg, arm and body. He was given first aid at the scene before being taken to a local hospital.

Natthapol Khampard, 38, a hotel employee, said the Chinese man was not a guest. He appeared terrified, ran into the hotel, rushed to the third floor, climbed onto a balcony, tried to evade capture and then fell to the ground.

Hotel security guard Wichai Phuddee, 59, said the man had arrived in a white car with a Thai woman. According to her, the man had earlier been drinking with friends and there had been no argument between them.

The woman later left the hotel in the same car without checking on the injured man, the guard said. Pattaya police are investigating the incident.

More than 120,000 shops across Thailand have registered to join the government’s ‘Khon La Khrueng Plus’ co-payment scheme ahead of public registration next week, officials said on Sunday.

Deputy government spokeswoman Airin Phanrit said 123,960 retailers had signed up between Oct 15-17, including 72,000 previously registered stores and 51,000 new ones. Another 98,000 are in the process of completing registration.

The scheme allows small shops to share payment costs with the government, aiming to boost local spending. Consumer registration runs from Oct 20-26 via the Paotang mobile app, with spending permitted from Oct 29 to Dec 31.

Ms Airin warned people to beware of scam messages and fake registration links sent by fraudsters posing as government representatives.

‘The government never sends registration links via SMS or social media,’ she said, adding that citizens should only use official applications – Paotang for consumers and Thung Ngern for merchants.

Cyber police urged the public not to share personal information such as ID numbers, bank details, PINs or OTP codes, and to verify official pages. Government agencies and banks will never request such data or ask for money transfers, officials stressed.

Wittayakorn Maneenet, director-general of the Department of Internal Trade (DIT), said on Sunday more than 80,000 ‘Blue Flag’ government-affiliated shops – about 60% of the total network – had already applied to participate. The number is expected to exceed 100,000 before the scheme starts.

‘The department will inspect participating shops next week to ensure readiness. Detailed figures by province are expected on Oct 20, once Krungthai Bank completes data compilation,’ Mr Wittayakorn said.

Corrupt officials and Thai nominees are under scrutiny amid probes into foreign investors exploiting legal loopholes related to business operations and land ownership on Koh Phangan and Koh Samui, the governor says.

Residents and entrepreneurs have complained about certain Israeli tourists and business operators engaging in inappropriate behaviour and running illegal enterprises. The backlash prompted Surat Thani governor Theerut Supawiboonphol to convene an urgent meeting. He said two special task forces have made progress in their investigations.

The first unit focuses on verifying the legality of foreigners’ entry into the country, with offenders facing immediate prosecution. The second is investigating land ownership, construction, and business activities involving foreign nationals.

Mr Theerut said some foreigners enter Thailand as tourists but secretly conduct business by exploiting legal loopholes or using Thai nominees.

Such practices, he said, damage the country’s tourism image, displace local livelihoods, and cause financial leakage from the local economy.

The governor said he has instructed officials to take decisive action against both Thai nationals and state officers found to be aiding illegal foreign enterprises.

While stressing that most foreign visitors comply with the law and are welcome, Mr Theerut urged agencies to swiftly identify and take action against offenders, adding Surat Thani’s economy depends heavily on tourism.

Meanwhile, concerns have escalated after residents reported the construction of a luxury villa project comprising at least 20 buildings near a resort in Moo 3 on Koh Phangan.

Earlier inspections by the Fourth Army Region and the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4 in 2016 found no violations.

However, a follow-up inspection last month revealed that at least five structures had been built within a national forest reserve. Officials are now preparing to verify the project’s boundaries.

Additionally, opposite the villa site, authorities discovered extensive land clearing and stone embankments which had been built to prevent landslides — possibly in preparation for further development.

Villagers claim that Israeli businessmen have been buying traditional farmland to develop what they describe as a potential Jewish settlement.

Flooding remained in 16 provinces on Sunday morning, mostly with unchanged levels and affecting mainly the Central Plain.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported flooding in nine central provinces:

Uthai Thani in Muang district with lower floodwater

Chai Nat in Sapphaya district with stable flood levels

Sing Buri in In Buri, Phrom Buri and Muang districts with stable flood levels

Ang Thong in Pa Mok, Wiset Chai Chan, Chai Yo and Muang districts with stable flood levels

Suphan Buri in Muang, Bang Pla Ma, Song Phi Nong, Don Chedi, Doembang Nangbuat, U Thong, Nong Yasai, Sam Chuk, Dan Chang and Sri Prachan districts with rising flood levels

Ayutthaya in the districts of Sena, Phak Hai, Bang Ban, Bang Sai, Bang Pa-in, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Maha Rat, Bang Pahan, Ban Phraek, Tha Rua, Nakhon Luang and Ban Sa-ai with stable flood levels

Pathum Thani in Sam Khok and Muang districts with stable flood levels

Nonthaburi in Muang and Pak Kret districts with stable flood levels

Nakhon Pathom in Bang Len, Sam Phran and Nakhon Chai Si districts with stable flood levels.

Ayutthaya still had the most affected households, 51,975, of any of the 16 inundated provinces nationwide.

In the North, flooding was in four provinces:

Phitsanulok in Wang Thong and Bang Rakam districts with lower floodwater

Sukhothai in Muang, Sri Samrong and Sawankhalok districts with higher flood levels

Phichit in Sam Ngam, Pho Thale, Pho Prathap Chang, Bung Narang, Bang Mun Nak, Thap Khlo, Muang, Dong Charoen, Sak Lek, Wang Sai Phun, Taphan Hin and Wachira Barami districts with stable flood levels

Nakhon Sawan in Chumsaeng, Muang, Phaisali, Phayuha Khiri, Krok Phra and Tha Tako districts with stable flood levels.

In the Northeast, flooding was reported in:

Ubon Ratchathani in Muang, Warin Chamrap, Phibun Mangsahan, Sawang Wirawong, Trakan Phuetphon and Don Mot Daeng with stable flood levels

Udon Thani in Phibun Rak, Sang Khom, Nong Han, Ban Dung, Phen, Kut Chap, Muang, Nong Wua So, Na Yoong and Kumphawapi districts with stable flood levels.

In the East, flooding affected only Chachoengsao, in Bang Nam Priao district, and the water level was lower.

Authorities have seized 4.4 million methamphetamine pills and arrested two suspected smugglers near the Chiang Rai-Myanmar border.

Police said on Saturday that the two suspects were natives of Mae Fah Luang district in the northern province. They were identified only as 41-year-old Sira and 34-year-old Seri.

Officers located the smugglers on Friday after receiving intelligence that traffickers were moving their products through the border district of Chiang Saen.

When police manning a checkpoint signalled the suspects’ Isuzu pickup truck to stop, they tried to speed away but were soon stopped on the roadside.

Twenty-four straw sacks were found in their vehicle, all containing speed pills.

The drugs have been taken as evidence, and investigations are ongoing to track others involved in the smuggling operation.

A man hurled a ping-pong bomb inside a shopping mall before robbing a gold shop in the Bang Phli area of Samut Prakan on Saturday afternoon, making off with gold ornaments worth about 1.3 million baht.

The dramatic robbery occurred at about 2.30pm when the lone robber created chaos inside the Lotus City Park mall to gain access to the Yaowarat Krungthep gold shop branch. He jumped over the counter and swiftly seized gold ornaments before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.

The stolen gold ornaments totalled about 20 baht-weight (300 grammes), worth 1.3 million baht at current prices. Local gold prices have risen by about 55% since the start of 2025.

Police arrived at the scene shortly after the incident and examined surveillance footage from the mall, which captured clear images of the suspect’s face.

Investigators are now working to identify and apprehend the robber as quickly as possible.

A security video posted by Yaowarat Krungthep gold shop shows the robbery at its branch inside Lotus City Park in Bang Phli district on Saturday afternoon.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has made the correct, but long overdue, move in forming the National Committee for the Prevention and Suppression of Technology-Related Crimes.

Usually, countering cybercrime duties are scattered among government agencies and ministries. Such a silo mentality and culture may help explain why those responsible for countering cybercrime and scammers are in such a state of disarray.

The 24-member committee raises hopes that state bodies will be able to work together while being on the same page.

Chaired by Mr Anutin, this committee will bring under one umbrella the foreign affairs, digital economy, interior and justice ministries, as well as the Royal Thai Police and independent bodies such as the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), the Bank of Thailand (BoT) and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC).

It is expected to lead to closer collaboration among agencies responsible for tackling cybercrime.

The government has already started to up its game in tackling scammers. So this national committee can carry on the good momentum.

The 1411 hotline initiated by the previous Pheu Thai government serves as an example of the close collaboration between the police and commercial banks in freezing the accounts of fraudsters and mule accounts, in order to return the money to victims.

A campaign this month by the new Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DES), Chaichanok Chidchob, to better scrutinise iris-scanning activities linked to crypto trading schemes is another good example that shows the government is working to prevent the abuse of personal biometric data.

But more needs to be done. The elephant in the room is Thailand’s notorious status as a transit point for human traffickers to ship forced labourers to work at scam centres in Myanmar’s Myawaddy and boiler rooms in Cambodia.

Without the use of bribes, it would be impossible for these workers to move across the border so easily. It is an open secret that just 20,000-30,000 baht of “tea money” can make unscrupulous officials turn a blind eye to a truck taking contraband goods across the border.

Without restructuring border immigration and removing all the bad apples, Thailand will remain a “safe” transit point for traffickers. What is lacking is the political will to go after the big fish.

Early this year, Chinese Assistant Minister Liu Zhongyi visited Mae Sot, which borders Myanmar, and Myawaddy to inspect operations aiding victims of call-centre scams. And last month, a Chinese court sentenced to death 11 members of a family that ran scam centres in Myanmar’s Laukkaing, close to the Chinese border.

This week, South Korea’s Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina went to Cambodia to rescue kidnapped citizens from boiler rooms. On Wednesday, the US government seized US$14 billion (458 billion baht) in bitcoin and charged Chen Zhi, the founder of a Cambodian business empire, Prince Group, with masterminding a forced-labour scam and money laundering.

So while this new committee is a good start, it will just be another paper tiger unless the government bares its teeth and flexes its muscles.

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has filed a new lawsuit with the Buri Ram Provincial Court, in a bid to seek the eviction of occupants from nine additional land plots in the Khao Kradong area that are currently used for commercial purposes.

If the court rules in favour of the SRT, the railway agency said the land will be reclaimed and utilised to generate revenue for the state enterprise.

The SRT also clarified developments in its earlier case filed on Tuesday, seeking to revoke title deeds for plots 3466 and 8564 near the Khao Kradong intersection.

It cited the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s (NACC) decision to revoke the deeds because they overlapped SRT-owned land.

The NACC ruled that these plots overlap with railway land and instructed the Department of Lands (DoA) to revoke the deeds under Section 61 of the Land Code.

The decision was made under the NACC’s authority granted by Section 99 of the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption.

The SRT also said this case sought an order for occupants to dismantle structures and vacate the premises.

According to SRT’s statement yesterday, the new lawsuit targets both individuals and legal entities occupying large plots of land for business activities.

The nine plots involved are numbered 3477, 24091, 3476, 3742, 3743, 115572, 9160, 3285, and 30222.

The agency emphasised that these cases do not affect the general public.

It stated that these cases are strictly aimed at protecting state assets and maximising the organisation’s income through the lawful use of its property.

On March 30, 2023, the Central Administrative Court ruled that the Khao Kradong land forms part of the railway corridor and is therefore public property.

It declared the issuance of overlapping title deeds illegal and ordered DoA to revoke them.

However, as the DoA’s investigation committee chose not to act, SRT thus had no choice but to file its own lawsuit to assert its ownership rights, stressing that this was a legitimate legal process rather than a delaying tactic.

The court proceedings for these cases are expected to take around two years, with potential appeals extending the process by another year.

The verdict will likely set an important precedent for resolving the remaining 995 land disputes, according to the statement.