Category: The Bangkok Post

Public Health Minister Pattana Prompat said yesterday that the ministry’s “Quick Win” policies are advancing as planned, with several initiatives already showing tangible results.

Preparations are also underway for the “1st Thailand Health Economic Forum”, the country’s inaugural event aimed at leveraging health as a key driver of economic growth, to be held in December.

One notable success, Mr Pattana said, is the “Free Dialysis Everywhere” initiative under the 30-baht Universal Healthcare Scheme, which has enhanced service quality nationwide and resolved long-standing complaints about extra charges for patients.

The ministry is also strengthening organ negotiation and collection teams to support transplant operations.

Under the policy “Doctors Not Overworked, Citizens Not Waiting: Seamless Services via Technology”, a pilot online appointment system was launched earlier this month. Currently, 54% of the 902 hospitals under the ministry have adopted the system.

Development of the “Mor Prom” Super App and a digital Health ID for newborns is also progressing, with full implementation expected by next January. The initiative, Mr Pattana said, is intended as a New Year’s gift to the public.

In line with the government’s “High-Value Medical Services as a New Economic Engine” policy, the ministry is collaborating with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) to host the December health economic forum, the first of its kind in the nation.

Deputy Public Health Minister Worachot Sukhonkhajorn also reported progress in upgrading Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) into roles such as elderly caregivers, traditional medicine assistants, and public health aides.

Training curricula and operational guidelines are set to begin in November.

The ministry continues to crack down on illegal health-related activities. Starting next month, it will partner with major online marketplaces to curb the sale of illegal health products.

New Thailand coach Anthony Hudson said he is relishing the pressure after being thrown into the hot seat, tasked with leading the War Elephants to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking during his unveiling at the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) headquarters on Thursday, the Englishman, who replaced the dismissed Masatada Ishii, said his top priority is to take Thailand to the Asian Cup.

Thailand are scheduled to play Sri Lanka in their fifth qualifier in Colombo on Nov 18, with the final group match against Turkmenistan set for March next year.

Both teams have nine points from four games, but Turkmenistan hold the edge with a superior head-to-head record against the War Elephants.

“My dream is to help Thailand qualify for the Asian Cup, to do everything I can to improve the team, help the players and fans be proud of the Thai team. And I will do everything I can to achieve that,” said Hudson, who added that his contract with the FAT will be finalised in the coming days.

“I have due respect for Sri Lanka and Turkmenistan, and I expect both games to be difficult. However, I have full confidence that Thailand will qualify. The team are in a good spot right now. With proper preparation, Thailand can make it to the Asian Cup.”

Hudson added: “I’ve been in this situation a few times. When I took over Bahrain 10 years ago as a very young coach, the remit was to qualify for the Asian Cup. And we did that in difficult circumstances. When I took over the US national team, the remit was to qualify for the Nations League finals. We did that too. So I’ve been in a few situations like this, where you come in and you’ve got to win and qualify.”

Hudson, who previously served as technical director for Thailand’s U23s, also praised Ishii for his work with the national team and insisted he will build on the Japanese coach’s foundation while adding his own personality.

“Firstly, I need to send my respect to Ishii. He did a very good job. It would be foolish of me to come in and change everything. I also have my own strong personal ideas. The team right now are doing some really good things. It’s about identifying those that are effective and, over time, implementing the things I feel strongly about to put my personality on the team. But it is more evolution than revolution,” he said.

Hudson admitted the angry reaction to Ishii’s dismissal was “difficult to read” but preferred to see it as passion from the fans.

“One thing I love about Thailand is that they care and love their team so much. The reaction was difficult to read. I felt bad because I can see how much Madam President [FAT chief Nualphan Lamsam] loves Thai football. I also respect the fans’ response. I love the passion. I just hope over time I can deliver big results that the fans can be proud of. There’s nothing I want more than to get the team to the Asian Cup and make the fans proud.”

‘Thank you very much’

Meanwhile, Ishii thanked fans for their support and said he wants to continue coaching in his latest Instagram post.

“To everyone who sent me a message, thank you very much. I still want to work as a coach and plan to coach in Thailand or other countries. I can no longer work as coach of the Thai national team, but I would like to continue to support the team just like everyone else,” the Japanese coach wrote.

Ishii’s dismissal on Tuesday followed a meeting at FAT headquarters with the association’s technical committee.

According to Ishii, he was abruptly dismissed during what was supposed to be a routine performance review after the national team’s Asian Cup qualifiers.

“They weren’t sincere,” he wrote on an Instagram story immediately after his sacking.

The surprise decision drew heavy criticism from furious football fans, who flooded social media platforms including the FAT president’s Facebook page.

FAT vice-president Dr Charnwit Polcheewin and board member Piyapong Pue-on also faced backlash, accused of orchestrating Ishii’s ouster.

Despite the challenging economic environment and rapidly shifting consumer behaviour, Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a leading beverage company, has reaffirmed its vision to becoming ‘The Most Beloved Beverage Company in Thailand with True Gemba Centricity.’ The company’s strength lies in its ability to blend Japanese approaches with a deep understanding of Thai market, guided by two core philosophies Gemba and Seikatsusha which turn real-world insights into meaningful action.

Gemba is a Japanese term meaning ‘the actual place,’ encapsulates Suntory PepsiCo Thailand’s belief that genuine understanding begins in the field, not in the boardroom.

‘We visit our sites to observe real situations where our products are made, sold, and consumed to truly understand business, listen directly to all our stakeholders, gain insights, and turn them into meaningful actions,’ said Tanuj Chadha, Chief Executive Officer of Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand).

Yosayut Sahawatcharin, Senior Vice President of People and Culture and Corporate Affairs at Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand), emphasized that the Gemba mindset is not only limited to sales or operations, but also deeply connected to how the company cares for and develops its people.

‘This principle is embedded across our entire organization from manufacturing to consumer engagement because every insight from the field ultimately starts and ends with our people,’ said Yosayut. ‘At Suntory PepsiCo Thailand, we see Gemba as an extension of our People-First approach. By going to the real place, meeting customers, and understanding their challenges firsthand, our teams build empathy, agility, and a stronger sense of purpose.’

In October, the leadership team visited a neighborhood store in the Port Authority of Thailand Welfare Residential Building and local restaurants along Kluaynamthai Road in Bangkok. These visits help executives experience market realities firsthand.

At the store, the company supported retail partner with practical solutions from providing branded racks, coolers, and sunshades to enhancing store visibility. These efforts help strengthen brand awareness among end consumers, Anand Mohan Sharma, Senior Vice President of Commercial at Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) said.

‘We believe in mutual growth with Win with Customers strategy. When our customers’ stores thrive, our brands thrive,’ Mr. Anand added.

Mr. Anand also noted that Thailand is facing a challenging economy and a slowdown in consumer purchasing power. Amid these economic conditions, cost management has emerged as a critical concern for retailers. Feedback from stores has highlighted rising energy costs, particularly related to the beverage coolers.

To tackle this issue, the company has consistently gathered feedback and developed solutions. One initiative has been the introduction of an energy-saving beverage cooler, which has already been installed in stores.

‘Gemba has become part of our company culture where everyone, from employees to executives, goes to the real place, observe, discuss, understand customer needs, and continuously seeks better business solutions. The Gemba approach not only enhances the company’s ability to observe real situations at the actual sites across the supply chain but also strengthens its understanding of customers through the Seikatsusha approach,’ Mr. Tanuj added.

According to the Suntory Group in Japan, the Seikatsusha philosophy reflects Suntory’s belief in viewing people not merely as consumers, but as individuals with their own unique perspectives, emotions and aspirations. The company aims to connect with people on a deeper level beyond consumption by truly understanding their lifestyles, needs and the factors that influence them, such as economic and social conditions. Once this understanding is achieved, the company strives to offer products that are better suited to their way of life.

One example is the company’s observation with Seikatsusha approach that many Thais enjoy mixing coffee with fruit juice. From this insight, the company learned that consumers are looking for caffeine with a more refreshing taste, which inspired the creation of Boss Coffee Yuzu Black, Mr. Tanuj noted.

Mr. Yutana Jitcharoongphorn, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand), added that the Gemba and Seikatsusha approaches help us gain a deeper understanding of what consumers and customers are experiencing.

‘In response to the softened economy, we have introduced affordable packs to support both consumers and customers. Even one baht can make a difference,’ he explained.

Consumers across different outlets can purchase products at varying price points, reflecting the diverse demands and behaviours in each retail channel. We offer a diverse range of product sizes to deliver the right choice, value, and experience whether for individual enjoyment or for families who prefer larger packs to share.

‘To cater to diverse consumer needs, we offer a broad product portfolio that includes Pepsi, Sting, TEA+, Boss, Mirinda, 7Up, Gatorade, Lipton, and Aquafina,’ Mr. Yutana added.

Recently, the company also launched ‘Pepsi Mitrchuankin,’ a digital platform that curates restaurant recommendations, menus, and user reviews, elevating dining experiences and inspiring consumers to enjoy meal pairings with Pepsi.

Mr. Yosayut added that the People and Culture function plays an active role in these market visits joining leaders and frontline teams to observe how business realities translate into people experiences.

‘Visiting Gemba allows us to see beyond the data. It helps us understand the human side of business what motivates our people, what challenges they face, and how we can better support them,’ Yosayut concluded.

With a corporate culture rooted in the Gemba approach, which emphasizes observing, listening, and learning from real on-site feedback across the supply chain to drive fast, practical solutions, combined with the Seikatsusha philosophy, which focuses on understanding consumers’ lifestyles and needs, Suntory PepsiCo Thailand strongly believes these will help us to become the most beloved beverage company in Thailand, Mr. Chadha concluded.

The Perfect Neighbor, a new Netflix true crime documentary that premiered at Sundance earlier this year, examines a devastating incident that exposes the fractures of contemporary American life. It portrays a small community coming apart under the pressures of paranoia, racism and gun culture — issues that remain deeply embedded across the country.

Using body-cam footage from dozens of police visits, The Perfect Neighbor bears witness to a tight-knit Florida neighbourhood terrorised by one woman’s relentless harassment. That hostility ultimately takes a fatal turn and the film captures, with horrifying intimacy, how a slow-burning grievance becomes a tragedy.

At the centre of the story is Susan Lorincz, a middle-aged white woman who lives alone in one of the duplexes on a modest suburban street filled with rental homes. Lorincz believes she has full ownership of the grassy area beside her home. She doesn’t. Yet she repeatedly harasses her neighbours and calls the police, insisting that people are trespassing, threatening her safety or endangering her peace of mind.

Lorincz embodies a distinctly American pathology: the collision of anger, entitlement and firearms. The Perfect Neighbor traces the fatal culmination of her persecutory delusions — a mind consumed by suspicion and grievance until fantasy hardens into bullets.

Lorincz’s world feels small and airless. Every sound from next door becomes an assault; every child’s laugh a provocation. Her psyche folds in on itself, clutching righteousness like a gun. She exhibits a persecutory personality — the mind’s desperate attempt to maintain control by projecting its own hostility outward.

The “threat” she perceives is internal, displaced into the bodies of others. Ajike “AJ” Owens, the black mother who becomes her victim, and Owens’ children were simply caught in the crosshairs of Lorincz’s mental disarray.

The film’s uniqueness lies in how it’s constructed. Rather than rely on interviews or stylised re-creations, the documentary uses an enormous archive of police body-cam footage spanning two years. It strings together the story of repeated interactions between Lorincz, the Owens family and other neighbours.

The effect is chillingly direct. We’re not told what happened — we see it unfold in real time, from the clipped professionalism of responding officers to the suffocating familiarity of repeated 911 calls.

Watching it was absolutely devastating. The sheer persistence of this one woman’s insistence that she was always right — and always the victim — felt unbearable. Over time, it becomes clear that even the police no longer believe her.

Unaffiliated neighbours up and down the street corroborate a version of events completely at odds with Lorincz’s claims. The gap between her self-image and reality widens until the inevitable rupture.

The asinine presumptive privilege this woman operates under is astonishing. The arrogance is incandescent. From the tone of her voice to the growing frequency of her calls, you sense that something catastrophic is bound to happen.

But since I hadn’t known this case before, it was still a shock to hear the escalating calls and then watch the footage unfold. A 911 dispatch, an officer recognising the address, the same caller again — and then, finally, the moment she reports having fired her gun through a closed door.

The film draws its quiet horror from exactly that: the way paranoia metastasises in the most banal spaces of suburbia. A front door becomes a fortress; a neighbour becomes a sworn enemy. Lorincz’s delusions don’t arise in isolation — they’re reinforced by a broader cultural permission structure, the American mythology of self-defence and the “stand your ground” rhetoric that launders fear through the language of legality.

One of the documentary’s strengths lies in the quality of its footage. The body-cams capture everything in high resolution — no grainy ambiguity, no convenient distance. We can see facial expressions, nervous tics and gestures. Lorincz’s detached disdain, her smugness, the faint smirk that crosses her face during interrogations — they’re all revoltingly visible.

I’m grateful that the filmmakers also include extended interrogation footage. So often in true crime documentaries, we watch police resort to manipulation or intimidation to extract confessions. Here, the officers are calm, patient, almost eerily composed. They don’t press; they simply wait and let her dig her own hole. Watching her attempt to rationalise the irrational is one of the film’s most disturbing elements.

Yet beneath all the pathology and politics lies a profound tragedy. Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four, is portrayed with grace and restraint. Her story anchors the film’s fury. She’s not mythologised as a saint or flattened into a statistic — she’s a real woman who wanted peace, justice and safety for her children. Her absence fills the screen more than Lorincz’s presence ever could. She becomes the film’s moral centre, exposing the psychic collapse surrounding her.

When the documentary reaches its final quarter, we see the consequences of Lorincz’s actions. The moment she’s informed of her charges, her expression barely flickers. There’s a smirk — a dismissive, chilling smirk — as if none of it matters, as if she’s merely removed someone she considered lesser. That single gesture made my blood boil. It’s the kind of scene that stays under your skin long after the credits roll.

What makes The Perfect Neighbor effective is its refusal to editorialise. The footage speaks for itself. There’s no narrator, no omniscient voice guiding our interpretation. We’re left to witness, to sit with the horror of what ordinary fear can become when fed by entitlement and protected by law.

The Perfect Neighbor

Starring Susan Lorincz, Ajike Owens, Franklin Baez-Colon

Directed by Geeta Gandbhir

Now streaming on Netflix

Leading e-commerce platform Shopee has teamed up with Meta on a new suite of tools that make it easier for people to discover products on Facebook and purchase them directly through Shopee.

The new tools include a simplified approach to affiliate marketing and offer the ability to enhance Facebook Live by adding Collaborative Ads.

Shopee earlier joined forces with Google’s YouTube on the Shopee Affiliate Program in what seemed to be an effort to counter competition coming from TikTok and Lazada.

“Shopee is committed to strengthening our ecosystem and improving the e-commerce experience. This includes helping brands and sellers expand their reach while creating new opportunities for affiliates to thrive and be creative,” said Peggy Zhu, head of brand and growth marketing at Shopee.

Through the partnership, creators with affiliate accounts can visit Facebook Affiliate Partnerships, a one-stop dashboard for them to link their Facebook and affiliate accounts.

This allows creators to curate relevant products, and tag affiliate listings directly in posts and Reels.

Shoppers can click on these tags and complete their purchases directly on the affiliate partner’s site.

Creators can also benefit from a range of incentives through the Shopee Affiliate Program, including higher commissions, free product samples, subscriber vouchers, and product sponsorships.

This builds on Shopee’s momentum in strengthening its content ecosystem, with affiliates generating over 100 million pieces of Shopee Live and Shopee Video content in 2024 — a threefold increase from the previous year.

Facebook’s partnership with Shopee is now available in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brazil.

Brands and sellers who primarily sell online can now maximise the impact of their Facebook Live by adding Collaborative Ads, introducing a more seamless way to feature products from their Shopee product catalogue in their live-stream.

Shoppers can click on the featured catalogue products while watching the live-stream and are guided to complete their checkout on Shopee.

Brands and sellers can also pin products from their catalogue directly within the live-stream and guide viewers to Shopee for more product information, reviews, and a simplified checkout process.

Shopee is the first marketplace to integrate with this beta product. It is currently being piloted in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and will be launching in other markets soon.

With these product updates, Meta is demonstrating how it is evolving to meet changing consumer behaviours in the region, said Damian Kim, APAC director of monetisation at Meta.

The Labour Ministry has warned that tour guiding is a profession strictly reserved for Thai nationals, and that foreigners working as guides will face legal action or deportation.

Those who employ foreigners as tour guides will also face action, it said.

Labour Minister Trinuch Thienthong said that with the high season approaching some tour group operators, in order to fulfil demand, will hire foreign tour guides, which violates labour laws.

A tour guide is one of 27 protected occupations. This means a foreigner cannot obtain a work permit for the job of tour guide, nor can those with valid permits for other occupations legally act as guides.

Ms Trinuch said the government is focused on boosting the economy and promoting tourism to bring revenue into the country, so hiring foreign guides not only breaks the law but also takes jobs away from Thai citizens.

According to the minister, if foreigners are found working without a permit or doing a job beyond what their permit allows, they could be subject to a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 baht, deportation and a ban from applying for another work permit for two years. Employers who hire unlicensed foreign workers face fines ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 baht per worker.

In a continued effort to enhance healthcare awareness and support for rare diseases, Chonburi Hospital, in collaboration with Novo Nordisk Pharma (Thailand) Ltd. (‘Novo Nordisk’), hosted the ‘Unlock and Rock Haemophilia’ event. The initiative aimed to raise awareness and strengthen understanding of haemophilia among children, patients, and their families, while engaging the haemophilia community in Eastern Thailand through the Thai Hemophilia Patient Club.

According to the World Federation of Haemophilia’s Global Survey 2023, approximately 200,000 people worldwide live with haemophilia, including more than 2,000 in Thailand. Many face ongoing challenges such as underdiagnosis and limited access to quality healthcare.

The event featured educational sessions led by healthcare professionals, offering guidance on home care and mental support for individuals and families affected by haemophilia. Interactive workshops provided hands-on experience in medication handling, preparing emergency kits, crafting bracelets, and learning suitable exercises – equipping participants with practical tools for effective disease management.

Dr Sureeporn Chinawan, Paediatric Haematology and Oncology Specialist at Chonburi Hospital, emphasised the event’s role in showcasing the strong partnership between the hospital and Novo Nordisk, driven by a shared mission to ‘unlock barriers and empower people with haemophilia to live life to the fullest.’

Dr Jiranuch Thammakumpee, Deputy Director of Chonburi Hospital, added, ‘Empowering individuals living with haemophilia and their families through interactive education is vital. We remain committed to providing the resources and support necessary to enhance patient care in Eastern Thailand. This event not only raises awareness but also builds a compassionate, informed community.’

Aligned with both organisations’ patient-centric approach, the event also featured heartfelt testimonies from people living with haemophilia, sharing their real-life experiences in overcoming daily challenges.

Ms Selina Christodoulakis, Director of the Rare Disease Business Unit at Novo Nordisk Pharma (Thailand), noted: ‘At Novo Nordisk, we believe that understanding and awareness are key to improving the lives of those affected by rare diseases. Events like ‘Unlock and Rock Haemophilia’ bridge the gap between education and empowerment, helping patients and families build confidence in managing their conditions.’

Ultimately, ‘Unlock and Rock Haemophilia’ was more than an awareness campaign – it created a supportive space for patients and families to connect, share, and strengthen their confidence in living well with haemophilia.

About Novo Nordisk:

Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat serious chronic diseases, built upon our heritage in diabetes. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 78,400 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.com, Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and YouTube

Is AI transforming the economy in any real sense, or is the promise of rapid growth mere hype?

US stock markets certainly favour the former view: shares of AI and tech companies have accounted for about three-quarters of the S and P 500’s gains this year. Venture capital investors appear equally convinced, having poured $200 billion (6.5 trillion baht) into the AI sector in 2025 alone.

It is no surprise, then, that analysts are increasingly asking whether we are witnessing another tech bubble, reminiscent of the dot-com boom of the 1990s, and whether, as before, it might eventually burst and drag equity markets down with it.

If AI follows that pattern, how powerful could its impact be? The dot-com boom offers some useful lessons. In the second half of the 1990s, emerging digital technologies nearly doubled US productivity growth to 2.5%. Although economists’ forecasts vary, some studies suggest that today’s wave of AI investment could produce a similarly significant boost in GDP growth.

The most fervent AI evangelists go further, arguing that the imminent arrival of artificial general intelligence (AGI) could be utterly transformative. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, for example, has contended that AI’s potential is being radically underestimated and that, if developed safely, such systems could drive breakthroughs in biology, neuroscience, and economic development, potentially eradicating disease, reducing poverty, and fostering global cooperation.

If such a world of abundance is indeed on the horizon — and even if it materialises only in the distant future — it is crucial to track how this transformation plays out. But traditional economic metrics still struggle to capture the effects of the “old” digital economy, let alone the emerging AI-driven one.

GDP growth is a prime example. At best, it is a lagging indicator of structural change. Economic historians have shown that transformative technologies such as steam power and electricity took decades to register in official statistics, and even when their effects became visible, the measured income gains were surprisingly modest. But it would be absurd to claim these technologies were not transformative.

When it comes to AI, some of the most basic facts are missing or incomplete. For example, how many companies are using generative AI, and in which sectors? What are they using it for? How are AI tools being applied in areas such as marketing, logistics, or customer service? Which firms are deploying AI agents, and who is actually using them?

Although research on AI is expanding rapidly, what is required now is systematic data collection. Reliable statistics would not only help businesses gauge demand and opportunity but also enable governments to design policies that foster growth and protect consumers.

Tech companies like Anthropic and OpenAI have begun to recognise that the current information vacuum does them no favours, especially given their products’ reliance on data. Without a clearer understanding of AI’s economic impact, public debate will inevitably focus on risks and anxieties, from the prospect of a “jobpocalypse” to the potential psychological effects of human-like chatbots.

That said, other indicators can provide valuable insight into AI’s transformative effects. Any meaningful set of indicators should include key inputs for AI development, particularly energy consumption, labour-market shifts, and data use. Another important measure is the adoption of AI-driven services, so-called agentic AI.

Time-use data, both at home and in the workplace, could also prove useful, as would structural indicators such as shifts in industrial composition and organisational design. More broadly, a fuller picture of structural change would help us understand AI’s broader economic effects, from sectoral reallocation to shifting workflows.

Unfortunately, few such metrics currently exist. Compounding the problem, many statistical agencies — most notably in the US — are in disarray, and most policymakers remain overly cautious about drawing on new data sources and methodologies.

Academics, for their part, are eager to improve how we measure and understand AI’s economic impact. For now, however, we are in the same position as the Victorians, who learned more about how steam power, railways, and the telegraph were reshaping their world from the novels of Charles Dickens and George Eliot than from official statistics. ©2025 Project Syndicate

Nearly 1,700 people from 21 countries have fled KK Park, a notorious scam centre in Myawaddy township in Myanmar, and crossed the border into Tak province over the past two days, Thai authorities said on Friday.

The exodus across the Moei River into Thailand follows a raid by the Myanmar military on KK Park. A further 2,000 foreigners were expected to cross into Thailand on Friday.

The operation, labelled by some observers as an attempt by the Myanmar military to appease China ahead of the upcoming Asean Summit, led to reports of explosions and fires in parts of KK Park.

The Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), which controls the area, reportedly destroyed several buildings at KK Park at the request of the Myanmar military, with observers saying this was most likely done in an attempt to produce ‘cleanup’ footage for state media.

Images from Mae Sot district in Tak showed groups of people swimming across the Moei River to flee Myanmar.

One Chinese man was reportedly swept away by strong currents and remains missing. Some escapees also said their friends drowned while crossing the river.

The official count as of Friday morning showed that 1,667 people had crossed into Thailand. They included Thai, Chinese, Indian, Nepalese, Kenyan, Vietnamese, Sri Lankan, Ethiopian, Bangladeshi, Filipino and Pakistani nationals.

Thai security forces have detained 197 individuals, including Thais and others, for screening.

A Thai woman who escaped KK Park described being lured by false job promises.

‘They said it was a high-paying job with days off,’ she recalled. ‘But once inside, I was forced to scam foreigners or face punishment – no food, no sunlight, even beatings.’

Other victims said they were coerced into online romance and investment scams targeting victims in Africa, Dubai and Canada, using AI-generated fake profiles.

Those who failed to meet quotas were punished or transferred elsewhere.

In Thailand, the border command centre in Tak has set up a special task force to manage the influx, coordinate aid and identify victims of human trafficking.

The government has expanded its double tax deduction programme for corporate expenses on training, seminars and domestic travel, extending eligibility to selected districts in major tourist provinces to help stimulate local economies and promote regional tourism.

Deputy government spokeswoman Lalida Perdwiwattana said the Revenue Department issued the announcement outlining criteria and conditions for the corporate income tax exemptions, which run from Oct 28 to Dec 15 this year.

Under the measure, certain districts in major tourist provinces such as Krabi, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chon Buri and Surat Thani are included in the double tax deduction programme as well. They include Khao Phanom, Lam Thap and Plai Phraya in Krabi; San Sai, Saraphi, Mae Taeng and Mae Wang in Chiang Mai; Pak Thong Chai, Phimai, Sikhiu and Soeng Sang in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

Businesses that hold seminars or trainings in the designated areas will receive a double tax deduction, while those in other locations can claim a 1.5-times deduction in line with the Revenue Department’s regulations.

Ms Lalida said the scheme allows companies to benefit from tax deductions during year-end, when corporate events and meetings typically increase, while also boosting local tourism and distributing income more evenly among regional communities.

“It reflects the government’s focus on strengthening the grassroots economy and tourism incentives,” she added.