Category: The Bangkok Post

With Halloween just around the corner, here are some highlights of this year’s spooky sweet and savoury delights.

COCOA XO at Centara Grand at CentralWorld

COCOA XO transforms into Bangkok’s most thrilling Halloween hideaway from Oct 31 until Nov 1. Besides spine-tingling entertainment such as a DJ, tarot card reading and more, there is also a special 90-minute chocolate buffet package.

Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme is offering Trick or Treat! Doughnuts with four special flavours. They are The Candy Bag, a chocolate whip-glazed doughnut topped with a colourful trick-or-treat candy blend and caramel custard sauce; Jack-O-Lantern, an orange whipped cream-glazed doughnut inspired by the classic Halloween pumpkin, filled with Nutella and decorated with spooky eyes; Cookies and Skreme House, a cookies-and-cream filled doughnut coated in dark chocolate glaze, topped with silver chocolate cookie blend and purple whipped cream and finished with a haunted house-shaped chocolate piece; and finally Spooky Sprinkle, an Original Glazed doughnut dipped in green chocolate and finished with festive Halloween sprinkles.

Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok

Stock.Room at Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok joins Halloween celebrations with Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Brunch on Nov 1 from noon until 3pm. The one-day-only event serves a feast of flavours from Latin America and beyond.

Holiday Inn Bangkok

From tomorrow until Oct 31, Beer Republic at Holiday Inn Bangkok serves Halloween specialities including dishes such as Bat Wings, or black-glazed chicken wings, and Sai Phi Krasue, which is fried pork intestines with garlic, coriander and a homemade spicy Thai sauce. For those with a Frankenstein-like appetite, the Zombie Burger, a frighteningly good option that stars a devilishly delicious black charcoal bun loaded with a tender Wagyu beef patty, Cheddar cheese and a secret bloody sauce is recommended.

Shares of Taokaenoi Food and Marketing Plc (TKN) plunged by nearly 10% on Tuesday as Itthipat “Tob” Peeradechapan announced his resignation as the company’s chief executive and director following civil sanction measures imposed by Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for insider trading violations.

In its filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), TKN acknowledged the SEC’s announcement on Monday, which disclosed civil penalties against five individuals for insider trading of TKN shares.

The seaweed snack company reported that it was reviewing the facts and gathering information from all relevant parties to ensure compliance with corporate governance principles. TKN said the allegation does not affect the company’s ongoing business operations.

By midday Tuesday, TKN’s share price had fallen by 9.9% to 4.64 baht, with a total trading value of 145 million baht following the news.

Trading violations

The SEC said that information provided by the SET in March 2023 prompted the regulator to conduct a further investigation, which found sufficient evidence against five individuals. According to the SEC, Mr Itthipat, Nutchatpong Peeradechapan (former managing director for business support), Phanida Wiriyakitnukul, Thitirat Panuwatvanich and Jakkaphan Sardpreechar engaged in insider trading of TKN shares between Aug 5 and Nov 9, 2022.

The SEC found that the individuals had access to material non-public information concerning TKN’s third-quarter 2022 earnings, which recorded a net profit of 179.97 million baht – a significant increase – along with a special interim dividend of 0.08 baht per share. These undisclosed developments were likely to influence the company’s share price.

Evidence showed Mr Itthipat purchased TKN shares through Mrs Phanida’s trading account, while Mr Nutchatpong executed share purchases via accounts belonging to Ms. Thitirat and Mr. Jakkaphan, prior to the public disclosure of the information on November 10, 2022, according to the SEC.

Penalties

Consequently, the regulator’s civil sanctions committee imposed a fine of 11,601,063 baht on Mr Itthipat, as well as a 20-month ban from serving as a director or executive of any listed or securities company.

Mr Nutchatpong was fined 2,916,030 baht and given a 14-month ban from executive positions. Mrs Phanida was fined 625,197 baht and given a 13-month ban from executive roles, while Ms Thitirat and Mr Jakkaphan were fined 625,197 baht each and ordered to serve nine-month bans from holding director or executive roles.

The SEC said all fines and reimbursements are to be remitted to the Ministry of Finance as state revenue.

Ban periods begin once offenders sign consent agreements. Refusal will result in the SEC requesting prosecutors to file civil lawsuits seeking maximum penalties.

Fines and compensation will be remitted to the Ministry of Finance as state revenue.

TKN reported that it is reviewing facts from all parties to proceed according to law and good corporate governance and will report further developments.

At the Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, the Thai government signed an MoU with the US government to collaborate on the development of rare-earth materials.

The Thai government and the mining industry welcome this MoU as a catalyst for a mining renaissance and for positioning Thailand in the rare-earth supply chain.

Thailand might not have a large reserve of rare-earth minerals, but it is already listed as a major producer that imports them to produce electric components.

The Department of Primary Industries and Mines (DPIM), however, estimates that there are massive deposits of rare-earth materials in the southern region’s seas and mountains.

These untapped materials are believed to be in tin mine deposits in the region, starting from Prachuap Khiri Khan to Phatthalung provinces. Needless to say, the MoU will rekindle the need for the DPIM and industry to explore these reserves.

But not everyone has welcomed this MoU. Civic groups, environmentalists, and some politicians view it with concern. Their apprehension is rooted in past problems with mining.

Long before Thailand became a hub for industries such as automotive manufacturing, tourism, and healthcare, it was a global source of tin. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, tin mining along the Andaman Sea coast generated wealth for the country. Phuket was indeed a tin-mining town before the industry withered in the late 1980s, when the price of tin hit rock bottom.

A significant change also occurred in 1986 due to a protest against a project to build a factory in Phuket to process tantalum, a precious, rare-earth metal.

Since then, the former poor tin-mining island has become a global tourist destination, with tourism also replacing the extractive mining industry in Krabi and Phangnga provinces.

Local communities in the northeastern and Central regions have raised concerns about environmental issues arising from mining, including the Karen community in Kanchanaburi province. Despite lead mining facilities having been closed for over two decades, mining operators and the government left toxic sediments in the Klity River, exposing local villagers to lead poisoning.

At a gold mine in the Central region, local villagers a decade ago accused it of toxic heavy-metal contamination, prompting the previous Prayut Chan-o-cha government to issue an executive decree temporarily closing the mine.

Meanwhile, this year, residents in Chiang Rai province have suffered from water pollution caused by toxic releases from rare-earth mines in Myanmar that pollute a transboundary river.

Make no mistake: Thailand should explore new business opportunities, but the government must win the trust of villagers and society that it will do better at protecting people and nature, rather than promoting industry at any cost, as it has done.

Before joining the bandwagon of rare earths, the government needs to conduct a strategic analysis to weigh between the benefits of mining exploration and tourism in the southern region. The government needs to ensure that mineral exploration complies with environmental protection rules.

Perhaps the first thing the government can do to win public trust is address the water pollution from rare-earth mines in Myanmar that flows into Thailand.

The US-Thailand framework for an agreement on reciprocal trade is expected to establish a robust foundation for digital reciprocity, empowering American investments in Thailand — including strategic data centre deployments.

It could facilitate Thai enterprises’ expansion into the US market’s high-growth areas such as digital health.

However, it also raises concerns over the country’s competitiveness, data sovereignty and loss of future tax collection, according to legal and tech experts.

The United States and Thailand announced a joint statement on Sunday on the framework that would see the US maintain a 19% tariff on Thai products while identifying products where tariffs could potentially be adjusted or cut to zero.

The framework covers several trade issues, including that both countries will finalise commitments by Thailand to address barriers impacting digital trade, services and investment.

“It not only enables greater American investment in Thailand’s dynamic digital sector but also opens pathways for Thai digital enterprises to access the vast US market, promoting balanced growth in a rapidly evolving global digital landscape,” Dhiraphol Suwanprateep, an adjunct law lecturer at Bangkok University, told the Bangkok Post.

According to the framework, Thailand commits to avoiding digital services taxes or discriminatory measures against US digital services and products, ensuring free cross-border data transfers for business and supporting a permanent World Trade Orgnisation (WTO) moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions.

It will also ease foreign ownership restrictions in telecommunications and remove in-country processing requirements for domestic retail electronic payment transactions involving Thai-issued debit cards.

In the coming weeks, the US and Thailand will negotiate and finalise this agreement on reciprocal trade.

Mr Dhiraphol said these measures, alongside efforts to address state-owned enterprise distortions and enhance supply chain security, foster a level playing field for digital activities in both directions.

Relaxed telecommunications ownership limits allow American firms to invest in 5G networks, broadband infrastructure and joint ventures with local operators.

Fintech providers can eliminate processing barriers to deploy payment gateways, digital wallets and blockchain solutions, partnering with Thai banks to advance financial inclusion, Mr Dhiraphol added.

The commitment to free cross-border data transfers particularly benefits American businesses by enabling the establishment or utilisation of data centres in Thailand.

These facilities can serve as efficient regional hubs for data storage, processing and analytics, offering lower operational costs, reduced latency for Asean markets and compliance with trusted data flow standards.

US cloud providers and enterprises can thus optimise their global operations without mandatory localisation requirements.

Mr Dhiraphol said digital content creators, cloud service providers and e-commerce platforms benefit from non-discriminatory policies and data flow assurances, enabling investments in localised content, data centres and online marketplaces.

Emerging sectors such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI) offer collaboration prospects under national security frameworks.

Mr Dhiraphol said American entities should perform regulatory assessments, engage in trade dialogue and establish regional hubs to capitalise on these incentives.

OPPORTUNITIES KNOCK

He added that Thailand’s digital firms have new opportunities to expand into the US market, thanks to commitments on free data flows and non-discriminatory digital policies.

Thai fintech and e-commerce companies can now offer mobile payments, software-as-a-service and cross-border platforms directly to US users.

“Telecom operators from Thailand can explore US partnerships or launch subsidiaries, using their strength in affordable connectivity to serve niche or underserved markets,” said Mr Dhiraphol.

He said Thailand’s strengths in telemedicine, wearables, AI diagnostics and remote patient management — built on its universal healthcare and strong mobile infrastructure — can help address US gaps in rural access, chronic disease care and cost control.

Through secure data flow provisions, Thai platforms can integrate with US health record systems, enabling cross-border teleconsultations and remote monitoring.

Startups specialising in AI analytics and personalised wellness can co-develop Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-compliant tools with US partners.

Thailand’s expertise in medical tourism and health data analytics also supports backend and efficiency solutions for American providers.

To succeed, Thai firms should ensure regulatory compliance, pursue FDA clearance, join US accelerators and leverage intellectual property protections to attract venture capital and build credibility in the US market, Mr Dhiraphol said.

Suthikorn Kingkaew, advisor at Kasem Bundit University Research Institute, said the US and its technology companies favour a global solution under the OECD’s Two-Pillar Approach, which reallocates taxing rights to countries where customers are located and sets a global minimum corporate tax.

They argue that such a framework should replace unilateral measures. This perspective helps explain why digital taxation was addressed in the joint statement on the framework for a US-Thailand agreement on reciprocal trade, in which Thailand pledged not to introduce digital services taxes (DSTs) that would specifically affect US companies.

Several countries have introduced DSTs on foreign tech giants — France (3% in 2019), Italy (3% in 2020) and the UK (2%) — targeting revenues from digital ads, user data and online platforms.

These unilateral measures have created trade tensions with the US, underscoring the need for a global solution under the OECD framework, Mr Suthikorn said.

“In Asean, no country has imposed a direct DST,” said Mr Suthikorn.

Instead, members tax cross-border digital services through existing value-added tax or goods and services tax systems, ensuring equal treatment for domestic and foreign providers while avoiding friction with the US, Mr Suthikorn added.

Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand already apply VAT on digital services.

For Thailand, a regional, coordinated approach, such as a common framework or unified rate, would be more sustainable and diplomatically prudent, Mr Suthikorn said.

“Acting alone to impose a DST could draw scrutiny or even provoke trade retaliation from the US, which illustrates the need for careful diplomacy and alignment with both regional and multilateral partners.”

CONCERN ON COMPETITIVENESS

Eakachai Ruangrat, first vice-chairperson of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Industry, told the Bangkok Post Thailand has made a series of pledges under international digital trade frameworks that could reshape its digital economy.

“While these moves aim to attract foreign investment and promote open markets, they also raise concerns about competitiveness, data sovereignty and local industry resilience,” he said.

No discriminatory DST means Thailand has committed not to impose a discriminatory tax on US digital service providers such as Facebook, Google and Netflix, he said.

“The absence of such taxes may disadvantage Thai companies, which must compete with global giants operating under more favourable tax conditions,” Mr Eakachai said.

Moreover, Thailand has agreed not to restrict the transfer of data across borders, including customer information sent to overseas data centres. This benefits cloud computing, fintech and e-commerce firms reliant on international servers.

However, it may conflict with national data sovereignty goals and raise concerns over the security and control of Thai citizens’ data, Mr Eakachai said.

Meanwhile, Thailand supports the ongoing WTO moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions such as e-books, software downloads, music and videos.

This promotes free digital trade and benefits consumers through lower prices. On the flip side, it may reduce government revenue and put Thai content creators at a pricing disadvantage.

Mr Eakachai said if Thailand eases restrictions on foreign ownership in telecom businesses, this will open the door for US firms to invest in mobile operators and internet service providers.

“However, Thai companies may face heightened competition and increased risk of foreign takeovers,” Mr Eakachai said.

The Asean chair, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, said it all. Acknowledging US President Donald Trump’s presence during the signing ceremony on Thailand-Cambodia relations on Sunday, he stated: “We, of course, admire your tenacity and courage because the world needs leaders who promote peace strongly.”

With his signature on the joint declaration, Mr Trump can now tell the world he has halted eight wars. In Southeast Asia, those words confirm that Mr Trump is both the world’s renowned dealmaker and peacemaker. Asean does applaud his personal dedication to peace — at least for now.

It remains to be seen how the US engages with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) during the rest of Mr Trump’s administration. During his first presidency, he did not have a good record when it came to Asean. In November 2017, he left the Asean summit in the Philippines halfway through. During this time, Asean-US ties were on autopilot. However, this time around, Mr Trump did score high points with Asean and managed to assert his role in easing tensions between two Asean member states.

However, the 11-member Asean is still very concerned about economic security relations with the US, which is considered one of the bloc’s most important trading partners. Any decision on the US tariff rates will immediately impact economic growth and societal development in the region. It will also influence the geopolitical shift in the era of multipolarity. With Mr Trump’s satisfaction over his peace success, the bloc hopes he will soften his approach to the weaponisation of trade barriers.

For the time being, not all Asean members have concluded trade agreements with the US. It is still an ongoing process. For the time being, Asean is aware that the Trump administration is doing everything it can to counter China’s growing influence across all dimensions in this part of the world. Regional experts agree it is a futile endeavour, as China is too deeply embedded in the region through trade, investment, and supply chains.

At the Kuala Lumpur summit, more than officials would like to admit, China is the real winner and all without a shouting match with the US. In support of free trade, China and Asean have signed their upgraded Asean-China Free Trade Area 3.0, which covers new trade areas including the digital economy, green economy, supply-chain connectivity, competition and consumer protection, among others.

For decades, China has been the No.1 trading partner of Asean. China is also a member of the Asean-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The RCEP leaders’ meeting was strongly committed to multilateralism and trade openness. The world’s largest free trade pact will become a new engine of growth in the broader Asia-Pacific. Hong Kong, Chile, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have applied, and they will be able to join once they fulfil the criteria agreed at Sunday’s summit.

From a regional perspective, the Asean chair has also maximised the participation of the world’s most powerful leaders. It provided Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva with the opportunity to hold bilateral talks with Mr Trump to work on a trade deal. The Malaysian-US ties have been elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The summit also attracted the largest number of 20-plus leaders attending. Malaysia has also raised its international profile and respect as a regional convenor.

When Mr Trump pledged to attend the Asean summit back in July, Mr Anwar probably did not have in mind Mr Trump’s presence at the signing ceremony, let alone watching him dancing at the tarmac and getting a ride from Kuala Lumpur International Airport with him in the “Beast” (Mr Trump’s bulletproof limousine) and “breaking the rules and protocols”. Most importantly, the chair has further promoted the relevance of Asean for peace and stability.

Kudos must go to all officials who have been working so hard behind the scenes. Malaysia, as the facilitator, has been an essential key player. The US must be considered an accelerator given its influence over the two conflicting parties, Thailand and Cambodia. They are currently negotiating a trading agreement with the US. Mr Trump was very succinct in saying that the US will have robust commerce and cooperation with both nations, “as long as they live in peace”.

Asean as an organisation must also be given credit. Without the Asean spirit enshrined in all its members — especially Bangkok and Phnom Penh — the peace efforts would not have been achieved. Deep down, the Asean charter remains the main toolkit that the conflict parties utilise.

At the signing ceremony, judging from the speeches of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, there were common convictions after taking their “monumental step”.

Mr Anutin described the signing as reflecting “our will to resolve differences peacefully in full respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity”. The country views the accord as a concrete step toward peace and a new chapter for Thailand and Cambodia. However, Mr Anutin reiterated the need for full implementation of the declaration to provide a foundation for lasting peace.

Hun Manet emphasised that conflicts must be settled peacefully, no matter how difficult or complex disputes may be. To his credit, he said that as he spoke, senior commanders from both countries were already in discussions on a phased withdrawal of heavy weapons. He wanted to show that Cambodia was taking implementation seriously.

It is important to remember that the details of the declaration were taken from the agreed minutes worked out since Aug 7, when the first special General Border Committee held its meeting. For nearly three months, both sides blamed each other for failing to carry out the agreed measures.

It is hoped that last week’s newly signed declaration, with all the fanfare, will allow the so-called Asean Observer Team (AOT) to better verify the implementation of the withdrawal of heavy weapons, cooperation in demining, anti-cybercrime, and human trafficking operations.

The next three months will be crucial for the reconciliation process, as they are the timeframe for the AOT mandate, which can be renewed if needed. The two countries agreed that each country will have its AOT, selected and approved by the Asean chair. All AOT representatives will be granted diplomatic immunity to enable them to perform their work efficiently. Each Asean member will dispatch two representatives to each AOT. Both countries agreed that Malaysia should continue to serve as the AOT chair after its rotational chairmanship expires on Dec 31.

Although Thailand is currently in the mourning period following the death of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, the Thai armed forces will remain vigilant and follow the accord. The AOT will closely monitor the action plan for the removal of heavy weapons, covering three phases. Weapon removal began on Sunday.

On the Thai side, heavy weapons in Surin, Lop Buri, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani provinces will be removed in tandem with Cambodia’s actions across the border in Siem Reap, Kandal, Kampong Speu, Banteay Srey, Kampong Thom, and Preah Vihear provinces.

Finally, the future of their ties will also depend heavily on how they rebuild mutual trust and work toward normalisation. Most importantly, the current media propaganda and inflammatory rhetoric from both sides must stop immediately. The current peace accord is the litmus test for whether Thai and Cambodian media, across all platforms, are actually professional or just a megaphone.

During the past three months, media reports from both sides have done significant damage to people-to-people relations. It may take years or perhaps generations to restore good faith between Thais and Cambodians.

The signing of the peace accord on Sunday is a good start. Real peace depends on follow-through actions and will hinge on trust and restraint from both sides of the border.

Several universal healthcare (“gold card”) patients have been transferred from Mongkutwattana Hospital to alternative facilities after reports surfaced of the hospital charging 4,000 baht for CT scans following its suspension of outpatient services under the national healthcare scheme.

Dr Thanasak Thambanthu, director of National Health Security Office (NHSO) Region 13 (Bangkok), said Mongkutwattana Hospital officially stopped providing outpatient care under the 30-baht universal coverage scheme on Oct 16.

To minimise the impact on registered patients, the NHSO had established a service point at the Jumbotel Hotel in front of the hospital to provide guidance, facilitate transfers to other hospitals, issue temporary entitlement certificates, and handle complaints.

Between Oct 16 and 25, a total of 776 affected patients received assistance at the service point.

Dr Thanasak said that the NHSO has been unable to access necessary patient data, such as appointment schedules and contact details, to coordinate transfers due to the hospital’s lack of integration with the national Health Link database.

All medical records remain stored within the hospital’s internal HIS system, and patients requesting their medical history must wait up to seven days — a delay that could seriously affect those requiring ongoing treatment or prescription refills.

“These operational barriers have complicated patient transfers, even though the hospital management has expressed willingness to cooperate,” Dr Thanasak said. “We urge the hospital to expedite the release of patient records to facilitate timely treatment.”

The Centre for Alcohol Studies (CAS) has voiced concerns that the government’s proposals to lift zoning restrictions on alcohol sales and extend the opening hours of nightlife venues nationwide to 4am could strain the country’s public health system.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has recently assigned the Interior and Public Health Ministries the task of completing a study on the proposals by January.

The policies, aimed at boosting tax and tourist revenue, were proposed by nightclub operators and business groups.

Dr Polathep Vichitkunakorn, CAS director, said according to a study, the 2023 ministerial regulation on extended operating hours in five zoning areas of Bangkok, Phuket, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui, had resulted in negative impacts on public health and safety.

The zoning announcement increased road accidents and injuries by 12% and led to a 13% rise in road fatalities.

Moreover, the fatality rate in major tourism provinces such as Bangkok, Phuket and Chon Buri during the zoning announcement was reported to spike to 22%, while the number of intoxicated driving cases doubled by 115% compared to the previous year.

The zoning had also not resulted in economic growth, he said. Some provinces outside of the zoning area reported double the revenue and number of tourists.

Dr Polathep also added that both proposals allowed continuous drinking behaviours. While the nightclub licencing extension allowed clubbers to drink extensively, the lifting of the afternoon sales ban allowed labourers and youths, for example, to access alcohol during a period that was supposed to help reduce alcohol consumption.

“Alcohol liberalisation policies may be presented as an economic shortcut, but academic evidence confirms that this is a dead end in terms of public health and safety,” said Dr Polathep.

“Evidence clearly indicates that the health and social costs outweigh the economic benefits.”

The CAS director said there must be tightening regulations in the zoning areas like strict ID card checks and breathalyser tests before patrons enter and exit such venues.

He also proposed there should be a focus on quality tourism within the culture, nature and health sectors, due to their potential for generating long-term income without increasing the burden on public health and safety.

A bomb exploded on the railway track near Maruebo station in Rangae district on Monday morning, injuring two rangers and halting two local train services.

The Maruebo station master reported the 6.30am explosion damaged the track and some sleepers at a switching point, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) reported.

Security authorities said two rangers were hurt and were taken to the district hospital in Rangae.

The station master’s name was not provided.

The bomb forced the rescheduling of two trains. Train No.448 from Sungai Kolok to Surat Thani was terminated at Tanyongmat in Rangae and train, No.453 from Yala to Sungai Kolok was halted at Reuso.

The SRT said it was discussing the situation with security agencies before deciding when to resume normal services. A repair gang was fixing the tracks.

It was the second attack on the same line in Rangae district in a week. Residents informed rangers patrolling the tracks last Tuesday that 13 bolts and eight sleepers were missing near another station.

Fourth Army Region commander Lt Gen Norathip Phoynok has instructed all army units to remain vigilant against further attacks.

His Majesty the King has granted permission for mourners to pay their respects before the body of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the Grand Palace starting on Nov 9, the Royal Household Bureau announced.

In its statement, the bureau said that starting on Monday, mourners are allowed to pay respects before a portrait of the Queen Mother at Sahathai Samakhom Pavilion from 8.30am to 4pm daily where condolence books are also available for signing.

The bureau said that after the completion of the royal merit-making rites marking the first 15 days of the passing, mourners will be allowed to pay their respects before the body of the late Queen Mother at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall from Nov 9, between 9am and 9pm daily.

Members of the royal family, the Privy Council, the cabinet and representatives of the government and private sectors, along with the general public, will be permitted to co-host merit-making rites following the 100-day royal funeral ceremony.

At the Sahathai Samakhom Pavilion on Sunday, the atmosphere was solemn as mourners, with many holding pictures of Her Majesty, gathered to pour bathing water before a portrait of the late Queen Mother.

Among them was Mayuree Bandasak, 77, who travelled alone from her home in Bang Khen district.

Fighting tears, she said she was deeply moved by the Queen Mother’s lifelong dedication to improving the livelihoods of Thais, especially through projects promoting women’s careers and education.

She said Her Majesty was a true companion of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great, always working by his side for the benefit of the people through several decades.

After attending the pouring of bathing water, several mourners lined the streets outside the Grand Palace to witness the royal motorcade transferring the Queen Mother’s body from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital to the Grand Palace. Screening points were set up at Sanam Luang with tents and seating areas to accommodate mourners.

The city of Pattaya will proceed with its International Fireworks Festival 2025 as scheduled next month, with adjustments made to reflect the period of national mourning for Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother.

This year’s festival, to be held on Nov 28 and 29, will take place under the theme ‘The Light of Eternal Loyalty’ in remembrance of Her Majesty, who passed away on Oct 24, Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet announced.

Following a meeting to consider whether to proceed with the event, Mr Poramet confirmed that it would go ahead, albeit with modifications to ensure the atmosphere is suitably respectful in light of the solemn occasion.

The two-day event will include performances of Khon – the traditional Thai masked dance drama that Her Majesty The Queen Mother worked tirelessly to preserve as part of Thailand’s rich cultural heritage.

An orchestral performance of royal compositions will also take place, accompanied by visual presentations depicting Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s royal duties and lifelong dedication to the nation. Before the fireworks display begins, attendees will observe a one-minute silence to pay tribute to the late Queen Mother.

The special fireworks segment, entitled ‘The Light of Eternal Loyalty’, will symbolise Her Majesty’s enduring grace and contribution to the Kingdom.

Pattaya City has invited both locals and visitors to wear traditional Thai attire in muted tones, complemented by a black ribbon, in honour of the occasion.

Food and beverage vendors will be able to register for booth space in early November. Mr Poramet also confirmed that the Loy Krathong Festival, taking place around the same time, will proceed as usual to uphold Thailand’s cultural traditions.

The annual Pattaya International Fireworks Festival was first held in 2009 to celebrate the reign of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great (Rama IX), who ruled from 1946 to 2016.