Category: The Bangkok Post

Dry Wave Cocktail Studio leads the pack as the Bangkok Bar Show Awards and Thailand 20 Best Bars 2025 were announced on Monday.

The event brought the country’s bartenders, bar teams and drinks industry leaders for a night that celebrates Thailand’s thriving cocktail culture.

Dry Wave Cocktail Studio leads the charge with wins for Best Bar in Bangkok, Best Bar in Thailand and Bar Team Of The Year. Supawit “Palm” Muttarattana once again claims Bartender of the Year, affirming his position as one of Asia’s most respected bar figures.

The competition was fierce this year, with Bar Us, G.O.D. and Opium emerging as strong contenders and redefining Bangkok’s cocktail landscape with distinct creative identities.Wasteland won Best New Bar, while F*nkytown got Best Restaurant Bar. Regional talent shone bright, with Bar.San named Best Bar in Chiang Mai and The Fool Speakeasy Phuket taking Best Bar in Phuket/Samui.

The Art of Hospitality Award went to BKK Social Club, and James Kosil Kamja of Lennon’s was named Emerging Bartender of the Year. The Best Wine Bar, a new award category, went to Mod Kaew Wine Bar.

Thailand’s 20 Best Bars 2025 are: 1. Dry Wave Cocktail Studio2. Bar Us3. G.O.D. (Genius On Drugs)4. Opium5. BKK Social Club (Best Hotel Bar)6. Last Call BKK7. Vesper Cocktail Bar8. Bar Sathorn9. Firefly Bar10. Bar.San (Best Bar in Chiang Mai)11. Messengerservice Bar12. Bar Not Found13. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar14. Wasteland (Best New Bar)15. Tep Bar16. Black Cabin17. F*nkytown (Best Restaurant Bar)18. 1970 Dusit Thani19. Aqua Bar20. The Fool Speakeasy Phuket (Best Bar in Phuket/ Samui)

The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) views the Finance Ministry’s stimulus package as crucial to reviving tourism in second-tier cities, which has worsened from last year.

Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, vice-president of the TCT, said the outlook in second-tier cities is worse than for major cities, as arrivals declined because of perceptions of an unsafe travel image, border skirmishes, a sluggish economy and the strong baht.

For provinces bordering Cambodia, tourism operators are struggling to restore the flow of visitors as the border dispute remains tense, said Mr Ratchaporn.

He said the corporate tax exemption for meetings and seminars in second-tier destinations as well as the domestic tourism subsidy campaign should help draw local tourists, particularly those with high spending power, to the provinces.

However, the council urged authorities to assure participants that systems have been prepared for these campaigns so they are seamless and user-friendly, attracting as many tourists as possible.

The systems should not cause inconvenience, as happened with the previous domestic co-payment scheme handled by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said Mr Ratchaporn.

He said the tax incentive programme for hotels to renovate as green properties aligns with the sustainable tourism trend. Very few hotels and accommodations can earn green certifications, making the country lose competitiveness, said Mr Ratchaporn.

Many operators, particularly small and medium-sized tourism businesses, would like to transform their operations to become more sustainable, though this requires considerable expenses, he said.

Meanwhile, more corporate and leisure travellers are demanding environmentally friendly tour packages and accommodations.

Thai gold traders are warning investors to shop wisely after bullion surged for the eighth consecutive week, buoyed by renewed fears of a US-China trade war, the ongoing US government shutdown and increased prospects of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut.

Gold prices moved past $4,100 an ounce to a fresh record high on Tuesday, bolstered by geopolitical and economic uncertainties, rate-cut expectations, strong central bank buying and robust exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows.

The local price soared by 1,150 baht per baht-weight (15.2 grammes) in early morning trade on Tuesday. After nearly 30 price adjustments, gold bar was quoted at a record high of 64,200 baht, according to the Gold Traders Association, which described the rally as ‘a new all-time high almost every day’.

The online gold trader Intergold cautioned the rapid ascent could spark short-term profit-taking.

However, investor enthusiasm remains strong, underscoring gold’s role as a popular asset in times of political and market turbulence.

The company forecasts a short-term target of $4,200 per ounce and a long-term goal of $5,000, which could lift Thai gold to 70,000 baht by 2026.

Intergold suggests short-term traders gradually lock in profits, while long-term investors may accumulate on dips of $50-100 in the world price.

Safe-haven demand

The latest rally was triggered by renewed tension between Washington and Beijing after US President Donald Trump announced a 100% import tariff on Chinese goods, effective Nov 1, with a possible expansion to include ‘all critical software’.

The move was in retaliation for China’s export controls on rare earth minerals, which are vital for industries such as electric vehicles, defence and semiconductors, markets where China dominates roughly 70% of global supply.

Within hours of Trump’s announcement, US equities lost more than $2 trillion in market value, amplifying global risk aversion. China condemned the move as ‘deceptive and hypocritical’, arguing its measures were for national security, not economic leverage.

Analysts believe Beijing’s restrained reaction could suggest room for renewed dialogue, though investors remain cautious ahead of an expected Trump-Xi Jinping summit later this month.

Meanwhile, the US government shutdown has entered its third week, with no signs of progress in Congress.

Trump is using the impasse to push for deep budget cuts to Democrat-backed social programmes, further rattling market confidence.

The Office of Management and Budget said it has begun formal ‘Reduction in Force’ procedures, with potential layoffs across key federal agencies.

Investors are monitoring the debate over the Republican budget proposal to seek clarity on fiscal policy.

The market now expects a 99% chance of a 25-basis-point cut to the policy interest rate by the Fed in October, and a 94% likelihood of another 25bps cut in December. Non-yielding gold tends to do well during period of low interest rates.

The World Gold Council reported that gold ETFs attracted 619 tonnes of inflows during the first nine months of 2025, lifting total holdings to 3,838 tonnes, 2% below the record high set in 2020.

The rebound, following four years of outflows, signals a strong return of investor confidence.

Analysts expect ETF holdings to surpass 4,000 tonnes by year-end for the first time in history, reinforcing bullish momentum.

Momentum persists

The Bangkok-based gold trader Hua Seng Heng anticipates prices will continue rising, testing $4,160 an ounce before easing in later stages.

Support is estimated at $4,115 before returning to a new round of price increases, its researchers wrote.

‘If the price falls below $4,100, a short-term price consolidation could be expected,’ they said.

Michael Hartnett, chief investment strategist at BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research, foresees prices hitting $6,000 next year, according to Hua Seng Heng.

The outlook for gold remains decisively bullish, supported by macroeconomic uncertainty, geopolitical tension and persistent ETF inflows.

Yet investors should maintain discipline, manage risk carefully, and resist greed as even the brightest bull runs can invite sharp corrections, say analysts.

Expanding its footprint across Southeast Asia, Chememan Public Company Limited (CMAN) has entered into agreements to acquire a 60% equity stake in PT Bukit Bunea (BB), a subsidiary of Indonesia’s PT Citatah Tbk (CTTH). The acquisition, valued at USD 10.5 million (approximately THB 336 million), will be executed through the purchase of newly issued shares under a Conditional Shares Subscription Agreement (CSSA) and a Shareholders’ Agreement (SHA) with CTTH and its founder, Mr Taufik Johannes. The strategic investment remains subject to customary conditions precedent and is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2026.

The agreements were signed on 6 October 2025 at CMAN’s offices by Mr Taufik Johannes (second right), President Director of CTTH; Ms Tiffany Johanes (right), President Director of BB; M.L. Chandchutha Chandratat (second left), Chairman; and Mr Adisak Lowjun (left), Chief Executive Officer of CMAN.

BB has secured a long-term, high-quality limestone mining concession in Sulawesi, Indonesia, covering 141 acres, or 353 rai. CTTH’s core business is the quarrying and manufacturing of marble, with more than 33 years of experience operating in Sulawesi. Under this strategic partnership, CMAN and CTTH have agreed a medium-term plan to develop a large-scale mine and a major facility with up to 500,000 tonnes of annual lime production capacity, beginning with a first phase of 200,000 tonnes. The total estimated investment for the first phase is USD 25-30 million, while the full-scale 500,000-tonne capacity is expected to exceed USD 60 million.

This strategic partnership marks the first in a series of major expansion moves by CMAN to strengthen its regional market presence. Indonesia represents a significant and growing market for lime products, with annual demand exceeding 3 million tonnes, nearly 1 million tonnes of which is imported. The combination of a high-quality limestone concession, competitive coal costs, Sulawesi’s strategic location, and world-class production technologies provides CMAN with a long-term competitive advantage to serve both domestic and international markets. Furthermore, this investment aligns with the Indonesian government’s policy to promote downstream mining industries and reduce the nation’s reliance on imports.

‘CMAN has always focused on developing a robust, high-quality, and diversified network of lime supply to serve our growing base of customers across the Asia-Pacific region. We are very excited to produce and sell lime products in Indonesia, which will become our fifth country of operations after Thailand, Australia, Vietnam, and India,’ said Mr Adisak Lowjun, Chief Executive Officer of CMAN. ‘We sincerely thank CTTH and the Johannes family for their professionalism and commitment during our discussions and look forward to a successful and profitable future together. This is just the first chapter of what should be a great story for all of us.’

The ruling Bhumjaithai (BJT) Party has insisted the coalition draft is likely to be the main frame of reference for amending the charter, while reiterating that changes to the pillar Chapters 1 and 2 will be off-limits.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Monday chaired a meeting of coalition partners to prepare for the two-day parliamentary debate on Tuesday and on Wednesday over proposed constitutional amendments.

Emerging from the meeting, Mr Anutin said the session was routine coordination ahead of parliament’s debate on three amendment drafts — proposed by the government coalition, the opposition Pheu Thai Party, and the People’s Party (PP).

“Our stance is clear. We will not touch Chapters 1 and 2,” he said, referring to sections on the form of the state and the monarchy.

He expressed hope that the constitutional amendment process would pass all three readings.

“We want to see the amendments advance constructively through parliamentary mechanisms,” he said. Asked about the government’s short tenure and whether it could complete the process, Mr Anutin said, “Even if it isn’t completed, at least we’ve started it and laid the foundation for reform.”

The prime minister also dismissed speculation that the government had lobbied senators for support. “No one has been sounded out. Everything will proceed transparently through parliamentary channels,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senator Wutthipong Pongsuwan predicted all three amendment drafts — from BJT, Pheu Thai, and the PP — would likely pass the first reading. “From what I’ve seen, most senators want to avoid political complications and will support all drafts moving forward,” he said.

Many streets in Bangkok were flooded after heavy rain on Tuesday, with the rain expected to persist into the evening in northern Bangkok.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration reported at 1.45pm there was flooding on sections of Onnut 59 Road in Prawet district, Sukhonthasawat Road in Lat Phrao district, Sukhumvit 39 Road in Watthana district, Chaeng Watthana 10 Road in Laksi district and Charoen Krung and Rama III roads in Bang Kho Laem district.

The inundation occurred from 12.30pm-1.45pm and flood levels ranged from five to 25 centimetres.

Floodwater receded from Onnut 59, Sukhumvit 39 and Chaeng Watthana 10 roads between 1.15pm and 3pm.

The Meteorological Department forecast rain for 70% of the capital on Tuesday.

About 3pm the department said there was light and moderate rain in Bangkok’s Sai Mai, Don Muang, Laksi, Bang Khen, Lat Phrao, Chatuchak and Bang Sue districts.

The rain was moving northwestwards and would stay in Laksi, Don Muang, Sai Mai and Bang Khen districts for 30-60 minutes from 3.30pm-4pm, the department said.

Re: “Thais still keen on Japan outbound jump of 8.2% this year”, (Business, Sept 19).

For over 30 years, Thai Airways provided very popular and well-supported non-stop flights linking New Zealand with Thailand. The daily flights ended with Covid. The pandemic is well over, but there is still no sign of a return to this non-stop connection.

As well as providing Thailand with an increased and diversified tourist flow, it would also directly reconnect New Zealand to the Land of Smiles. We encourage Thai Airways to bring us back together.

Kiwi Rob

A deadly folly

Re: “Narcotic nightmare”, (PostBag, Oct 10).

Regarding Thaksin Shinawatra’s apparently, and disturbingly, popular war on drugs, he should be imprisoned for the killings his drug policy resulted in. It is not obvious how any person of remotely good ethics could possibly applaud the killings that came with that effort to suppress the use of some drugs. The killing spree was unmitigated evil, for which those egging it on should also be called to account. To date, they have not received their just desserts.

As the regularly repeated statistics attest, the billions of baht, along with vast law enforcement resources devoted to suppressing particular drugs over the past five or more decades, rather than creating law that actually reduces drug harms to society, have been a consistent failure.

That useless squandering of scarce resources and manpower could more usefully have been focused on actually reducing harms, such as road deaths from drunk drivers and a father being forced to the appalling act of shooting his own son in self-defence.

As Einstein probably did not say, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” Perhaps it is time for drug policy to try a touch of sanity?

Felix Qui

Beyond CO2 fears

Re: “No CO2 miracle”, (PostBag, Oct 8).

Climate believers (and I use that term because “there is a climate crisis” is more a belief than a proven fact — except for those profiting from the energy transition) often claim that saying CO2 is plant food is a misleading oversimplification. But this is basic biology, known for generations.

Yes, carbon dioxide is plant food. It is essential for photosynthesis, the process through which plants produce their own food using sunlight, water, and nutrients. Increased CO2 can boost plant growth in many cases. In commercial greenhouses, CO2 levels have been elevated for decades to improve vegetable yields.

A peer-reviewed article published in the scientific journal Global Ecology and Conservation confirms that the phenomenon known as “global greening” is an indisputable fact.

The rate of global greening has even increased slightly in recent years. While drought has slowed greening in some regions, it has not caused a global “browning”.

Another scientific fact: Earth’s temperature is never constant. It has always risen and fallen over time — whether over centuries or millions of years. Data from Greenland ice cores show 10,000 years of temperature changes since the last ice age, with swings far greater than those seen in the past 150 years.

To believe that recent changes are mainly human-caused, one must assume that natural forces suddenly stopped working in the 20th century (see world temperature graph).

The Korean Cultural Center in Thailand is hosting a K-book exhibition to celebrate Hangeul (Korean alphabet) Proclamation Day, which falls on Oct 9 each year. The Center has prepared various events such as a Book Talk with authors, translation contest and music concerts, which will run until early next year.

This exhibition is a part of the “2025 K-Book Overseas Promotion And Exchange Event”, co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea. It mainly focuses on Korean literature and children picture books which have gained attention worldwide. Korean children’s books are also well-known in Thailand.

The books featured in the exhibition were selected in collaboration with seven book publishers in Thailand — Amarinbooks, Lumi, Piccolo, Prism, Page, Nanmeebooks and SandClock Books. These books are those that were particularly loved by Thai readers this year and are also expected to attract interest in the near future.

On Oct 28, the Center will invite author Park Sang-young to talk about Korean literature. His short story collection Love In The Big City has been nominated for various international literary awards, including the International Booker Prize, the Dublin Literary Award, the Prix Médicis Award for foreign literature, and the Émile Guimet Prize for Asian Literature. It has also been translated and published in 25 countries in 18 languages, including English, French, German and Thai. Based on this work, a movie and series with the same title was released through Netflix in 2024. Following a meeting with fourth-year students from Chulalongkorn University’s Korean Language Department on Oct 28, Park will engage with readers in a book talk at 6pm. Through the author’s creative activities and experiences, the event is expected to be a meaningful opportunity to examine the current state of Korean literature and contemplate the role and future of literature in this “age of no-reading”.

In November, the Center will host a Korean literature translation contest for Korean language majors in Thailand. Students will compete in translating Kim Young-jin’s children’s book Seollal (Lunar New Year’s Day). Kim has published numerous picture books in Thailand, including Heart-Pounding Convenience Store and Dad’s Strange Journey Home From Work. Seollal has not yet been published in Thailand, but with the permission of the copyright holder and publisher (Gilbut Kid), the Center has been granted the opportunity to present it for the first time.

In addition, in December, there will be an event themed “Literature Meets Classical Music” where Korean artists will be invited to an exhibition space to perform Korean songs based on classical music and poetry from Korean literary works.

Lee Sun-ju, the director of the Center, said: “Hangeul Proclamation Day on Oct 9 commemorates King Sejong’s promulgation of Hangeul in 1446. It’s especially meaningful that the Center launched this exhibition ahead of the occasion, providing a space where Thai people can read, watch and discuss Korean books created in Hangeul. The Center has prepared a variety of events each month throughout the exhibition period, including a book talk, a translation contest, and literature-themed concerts. I hope you’ll visit the Korean Cultural Center for a special experience.”

Rice exports are on track to achieve the target of 7.5 million tonnes this year, although the value is anticipated to drop by 40% from last year, says the Thai Rice Exporters Association.

Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the association, said for the first nine months of this year, Thailand exported more than 5.9 million tonnes of rice, based on export permission data.

He said achieving the annual export goal would require average monthly exports of more than 500,000 tonnes during the final quarter.

If Thailand manages to ship 600,000 tonnes per month during that period, total exports could reach 8 million tonnes.

However, this year’s global rice market is much worse than last year’s, with heightened competition amid abundant supply and decreasing demand, said Mr Chookiat.

Major rice importers in the region such as Indonesia and the Philippines have paused their imports because of sufficient domestic supplies and the need to stabilise local rice markets.

He said the Philippines plans to import 300,000 tonnes of rice in January 2026, then suspend imports for three months from February to April.

These factors have contributed to a decline in rice prices on the global market. Thailand’s 5% white rice is priced at US$340 per tonne, while Myanmar’s rice is $310, Pakistan’s rice $330, India’s grains about $350 and Vietnam’s rice $360.

In the first nine months of this year, Vietnam exported 6.8 million tonnes of rice and India 18 million tonnes.

“Thailand is the world’s third-largest rice exporter. India is expected to export 22-23 million tonnes and Vietnam about 8.5 million tonnes this year,” said Mr Chookiat.

He anticipated Thai rice prices would settle around $340 per tonne this year, falling from an average of $500 per tonne in 2024.

Thailand’s export volume is projected to decrease from 9.9 million tonnes last year, with the export value dropping by about 40% year-on-year.

Mr Chookiat said exports of Thai hom mali rice and parboiled rice continue to perform well this year.

Demand for Thai hom mali rice in the US market has been particularly strong, as buyers rushed to stock up amid concerns over potential impacts from the Trump tariffs, he said.

The US imports around 830,000 tonnes of rice from Thailand annually, with 650,000 tonnes of that hom mali.

In 2024, Thailand exported 9.95 million tonnes of rice, up 13% year-on-year, generating 226 billion baht (roughly $6.43 billion), an increase of 27%.

Mr Chookiat said government efforts to stabilise rice prices are struggling due to a global market downturn.

During price declines, he said importing countries tend to purchase only what is necessary.

“Global rice prices have fallen sharply. The Philippines even banned rice imports to prevent domestic prices from collapsing,” said Mr Chookiat.

“Next year, there seems to be no positive factors for Thailand’s rice market, as favourable rainfall conditions in major producing countries such as Thailand, Myanmar and even Cambodia have resulted in good water supplies.”

Microsoft has tightened access to Internet Explorer (IE) mode in its Microsoft Edge browser after discovering that hackers were exploiting a critical zero-day vulnerability to take control of users’ computers.

Gareth Evans, head of security for Microsoft Edge, said the company’s threat intelligence team received reports that cybercriminals were using IE mode to compromise devices through a previously unknown flaw.

Although Internet Explorer was officially retired on June 15 2022, Microsoft retained IE mode within Edge to allow legacy websites and enterprise systems relying on outdated technologies such as ActiveX or Flash to continue functioning.

Investigations revealed that the attackers were not targeting Edge directly but instead using a social engineering strategy combined with a zero-day vulnerability in Chakra, the old JavaScript engine once used by Internet Explorer. This flaw allowed malicious code to be executed remotely without the user’s knowledge.

The attack typically began with hackers creating fake but convincing websites designed to trick users into visiting them. Once on the page, users would be prompted to ‘reload this page in Internet Explorer mode’. When the option was activated, the Chakra zero-day vulnerability was triggered, enabling the attackers to escalate privileges and gain full control over the victim’s computer.

What makes the situation more concerning is that Microsoft has yet to release a patch for the Chakra engine vulnerability. As a precaution, the company has now removed all shortcuts for enabling IE mode – including toolbar buttons, right-click menus and options in the main browser menu.

For those who still need to use IE mode, users must now manually enable it via Settings ? Default Browser ? Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer (IE) mode, switching from Default to Allow. They must then add the URLs of specific sites that require IE mode.

Microsoft said the change is aimed at increasing security and ensuring that IE mode is used only for trusted sites specified by the user, making it more difficult for hackers to exploit fake or malicious websites.