Category: The Bangkok Post

Denis Puric has warned Johan Ghazali he would ‘whup his ass in Malaysia’ – but only if ONE Championship makes it worth his while.

The 40-year-old ‘Bosnian Menace’ made the comments in an interview with the Bangkok Post after being asked about Ghazali’s recent social media post in which the teenage Malaysian fighter called himself the ‘pioneer’ of his country’s combat sports scene.

‘To the entire combat sports community in Malaysia, I just want to say you’re welcome,’ Ghazali had written, adding that without his ‘genius marketing’ and ‘crazy fighting style’, Muay Thai in Malaysia ‘would be nowhere near’ where it is today.

Puric couldn’t resist laughing when told about the post.

‘This guy is delusional,’ he said from Canada, where he is preparing to face Takeru Segawa at ONE 173 in Tokyo on November 16. ‘That fight does nothing for me.

‘If I win, they’ll say, ‘You beat a kid.’ If I lose, they’ll say, ‘You got beat by a kid.’ It just doesn’t make sense for me.

‘But if they pay me a lot of money, sure – I’ll give this boy a good beating. Pay me a good amount in Malaysia and I’ll whup his ass in his hometown and shut all his people up. They’re crazy, these people.’

The back-and-forth between the pair has simmered for months, with Ghazali – also of American heritage and still in his teens – repeatedly calling for a fight with Puric.

While the young knockout artist has quickly become one of Malaysia’s biggest sports stars, Puric said he believes the attention has gone to his head.

‘He’s not a bad fighter, but he’s also not a great fighter,’ Puric said. ‘One day he might be – if he just gets out of his own head. Get your head out of your ass and be humble. You don’t have to do all this.’

Despite the sharp words, Puric insisted there was no bad blood, only business.

‘I don’t hate anybody. I love everybody,’ he said. ‘But for the money I’m getting right now, that fight doesn’t make sense in any way. If it makes dollars, it makes ‘cents’.’

Puric, who went the distance with Rodtang Jitmuangnon last year, met Ghazali last month at the 2025 IFMA Youth World Championships in Abu Dhabi, where both were coaching. They were cordial to each other and posed for pictures, and Puric even offered to spar him.

‘I told him, ‘Let’s put some shin guards on and go,” he said. ‘If he got the best of me, I might give him that opportunity to fight.’

For now, Puric’s focus remains on Takeru and a potential run at the flyweight kickboxing title. But if ONE sees enough value in a Malaysia homecoming, he’s ready to turn the heat up.

‘Hey, whatever floats his boat,’ Puric said. ‘He’s famous there, they do parades for him. I’m happy for him – but if they pay me right, I’ll shut him up.’

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra remains eligible to seek a royal pardon as no prior petition has been submitted on his behalf, Deputy Prime Minister Borwornsak Uwanno said on Thursday.

His comment countered earlier views by legal experts who had ruled out Thaksin’s eligibility.

Mr Borwornsak, who oversees legal affairs, said that under Section 259 of the Criminal Code, all convicted prisoners have the legal right to seek a royal pardon. The right is limited only if a previous petition has been rejected, in which case Section 264 stipulates that a new request cannot be submitted until two years have passed.

He added that the justice minister (Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon Naowarat) is responsible for forwarding such a petition through the Secretariat of the Cabinet to the Royal Household Bureau.

The Privy Council then offers its opinion before the matter is presented to His Majesty the King, whose royal discretion is final under Section 179 of the constitution.

Mr Borwornsak said there are two types of pardons – individual royal pardons and general pardons issued on special occasions. Both fall entirely under the royal prerogative and cannot be interfered with by any branch of government.

When asked whether the process in Thaksin’s case might be interrupted or blocked, Mr Borwornsak reiterated that ‘it is the legal right of every prisoner’ to seek clemency. The only limitation, he said, applies to those sentenced to death, who may submit only one petition.

At Klong Prem Central Prison in Bangkok, Thaksin’s ex-wife Khunying Potjaman Damapong, accompanied by Thaksin’s lawyer Winyat Chartmontree, visited him at 9am on Thursday. She briefly told reporters that Thaksin ‘looked fine, just a little unwell’ before leaving the prison compound.

Mr Winyat declined to comment on reports that the justice minister had forwarded a second petition on Thaksin’s behalf, saying the matter rests entirely under royal discretion.

Mr Borwornsak said no such petition has to date been rejected. On Aug 31, 2023, a royal command granted Thaksin a pardon, reducing his total prison term to one year.

The Supreme Court ordered the 76-year-old billionaire to serve the one-year imprisonment term handed down two years ago, after finding that his six-month stay in a luxury hospital ward did not meet the conditions of his sentence.

The court rejected Thaksin’s claims of illness that had allowed him to stay at Police General Hospital from the night of his return to Thailand in August 2023 until his parole in early 2024.

Unknown factions are trying to sabotage public hearings on a new pension formula that could benefit many insured workers nationwide, according to the The Progressive Social Security Group, attached to the opposition People’s Party.

Irregularities had been detected during the online consultation process on law.go.th, a government platform used to receive public feedback on policy proposals, said the group, led by social security board member Sustarum Thammaboosadee, along with People’s Party MPs Rukchanok Srinork and Sahassawat Kumkong.

Mr Sustarum said the proposed formula developed since 2020 and approved in principle by the Social Security Board in March 2025, would raise pensions by an average of 10% for about 570,000 current recipients out of 800,000 nationwide.

Another three million people set to retire within the next decade would see an average increase of around 7%, he added.

However, Mr Sustarum said an unusual surge in online traffic suggested possible interference designed to derail the process.

‘Throughout the consultation, the ratio of support had consistently been around 62% in favour versus 38% opposed, with roughly 10 submissions per hour,’ Mr Sustarum said.

‘But between Oct 11 and 12, we saw traffic spike to over 900 participants per hour – about 900 times higher than normal – raising concerns that bot activity or information operations (IOs) were deployed to manipulate the outcome.’

He accused unnamed political groups of trying to block the reform because they saw it as a product of the Progressive Social Security Group.

‘Regardless of which side they belong to, sabotaging a pension reform through dishonest means is an act of cruelty against 570,000 working-class Thais who depend on this system,’ he said.

Ms Rukchanok said the new pension scheme would benefit all insured workers, particularly those under Section 39 of the Social Security Act, denying claims that it would reduce benefits for Section 33 contributors.

Ms Rukchanok urged the public to participate in the online hearing before it closes on Oct 17.

‘You may dislike us, but please don’t hurt millions of insured workers just because of politics,’ she said.

‘Some retirees who should be receiving 4,000 to 5,000 baht a month are currently getting less than 2,000. This reform won’t make them rich, but it will help them breathe easier.’

Thai star Rattanon Wannasrichan will begin his title defence as the US$1 million (approx 32 million baht) Macao Open tees off today at the scenic Macau Golf and Country Club.

The defending champion is in great form after winning his third Asian Tour title just last month in Taiwan. Rattanon aims to become just the second player to defend his title in the tournament’s 22-year history, a feat only achieved by Chinese golf legend Zhang Lianwei, a fan favourite who will also play this week.

Rattanon will face a world-class field as some of the biggest names in world golf have arrived in Macao for the 22nd edition of the prestigious tournament.

“I’m very happy to return to the tournament. It was an incredible experience here last year and I have some momentum coming in, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on my performance. I’m just going to try to enjoy this tournament as much as I can,” said Rattanon.

Among the favourites competing for the coveted Macao Open 2025 title is former world No.1 Lee Westwood, whose Macao journey will come full circle this week. After winning the tournament’s second edition in 1999, Westwood has returned in 2025.

“It’s nice to be back in Asia and Macao. It’s been a long time since I’ve been here. I played and won in 1999, and a lot has changed in Macao since then — and a lot has changed with me as well,” said Westwood, who is returning alongside his son Samuel Westwood, an emerging professional making his Macao Open debut this week.

Two-time PGA Tour winner Im Sung-Jae from South Korea is also excited to make his Macao Open debut: “It’s my first time in Macao and I drove over from Hong Kong. It was an incredible sight coming in to see the lights of the city. It’s so vibrant here. I feel very comfortable and hopefully that feeling will continue. I hope to play well this week,” said the Korean.

An impressive contingent of Chinese players has also gathered for the tournament. Notable among them are China’s top-ranked golfer Li Haotong and Hong Kong’s leading player and the defending 2023 Asian Games gold medallist (individual) Taichi Kho. They highlight an impressive list of established and emerging Chinese stars appearing in the event.

“I’m super excited to be here this week. It’s a stellar field, the course looks in fantastic shape, and the weather is holding up. The Macao Open is a staple event on the Asian Tour with a lot of tradition, and I’m looking forward to adding to that,” said Kho, who finished tied for sixth on his Macao Open debut in 2023.

Chinese golf legend Liang Wenchong, up-and-coming 20-year-old ace Ding Wenyi, and another Hong Kong professional and Asian Games bronze medallist (men’s team golf event) Matthew Cheung are also in the field, while emerging local talent Kelvin Si Ngai will fly the flag for Macao this week.

The tournament will also feature reigning Asian Tour 2024 Order of Merit winner John Catlin and Pavit Tangkamolprasert, the Macao Open 2016 champion.

Central Group led over 30 executives on an immersive learning trip under the Executive Development Program (EDP) Batch 6 to Shenzhen and Hong Kong, the world’s foremost centres of innovation and technology.

The executives were from Central Retail Corporation Plc, Central Pattana Plc and Central Plaza Hotel Plc.

The study programme covered multiple dimensions, ranging from retail technology and real estate innovation to robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), through visits to more than 10 leading global organisations including Huawei Technologies, DJI, Ubtech and Pudu.

The delegation also explored world-class mixed-use and retail developments including those developed by MixC, K11 Ecoast, Hongkong Land and Galaxy Group, all of which exemplify excellence in global real estate development.

Alisa Thasanon, head of executive development and compensation at Central Group, said the trip to Shenzhen and Hong Kong was not merely a study visit, but an opportunity for the executives to experience cutting-edge innovations and world-renowned business models firsthand.

The group believes the insights and inspiration gained from the experience will empower the leaders to leverage the strengths of each company within the group.

“This will help develop forward-looking strategies, deliver unique and memorable experiences for customers, reinforce the competitive edge and drive sustainable business growth,” she said.

The executives also joined a strategic workshop titled “Capturing Opportunities in the World of Twists and Turns”, designed and facilitated by Santitarn Sathirathai, a specialist in finance and economic development.

The session encouraged executives to reflect on key learnings, exchange perspectives and identify opportunities to apply new insights to the group’s businesses.

Topics included leveraging AI for personalised offerings through The 1’s robust database of over 22 million members, creating seamless online-to-offline (O2O) experiences and integrating robotics to enhance operational excellence.

All of these are aimed at elevating the customer journey and setting new standards for global retail and service experiences, Ms Alisa added.

She said Central Group is committed to investing in people development, fostering leaders who are agile, innovative and forward-thinking. This is a strategy to establish the group as an innovation-driven organisation equipped to compete on the global stage.

The government’s self-congratulation over Thailand retaining its Tier 2 ranking in the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is misplaced. Remaining at Tier 2 — for the fourth consecutive year — is not an achievement. It’s an alarm bell signalling that the country is standing still while crime spreads beneath its feet.

Yes, Thailand has stayed off the Tier 3 blacklist, unlike some of its neighbours. But the TIP Report makes clear that these are only partial gains. Forced labour and online scams — fuelled by deep-rooted corruption in Thai officialdom — remain a growing blind spot. Those words should sting.

Thailand continues to serve as a key transit hub for human traffickers and scam syndicates operating out of Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. These transnational crimes thrive because corruption runs deep from top to bottom.

Unlike in the past, these scamming empires are no longer run solely by criminal gangs relying on local mafiosi and warlords to traffic victims. Their masterminds have emerged from the underworld to rub shoulders with the rich and well-connected, with tentacles stretching into politics, the police, and business. They don’t just exploit people underground — they seek to expand their dark empires above ground.

In parliament last month, People’s Party MPs Rangsiman Rome and Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn warned that scam syndicates linked to networks in Cambodia have made inroads into the Thai economy — buying sizeable shares in strategic sectors and hobnobbing with local politicians and business elites. Such accusations might sound like a movie script. Sadly, the reality is far more sinister.

Last year, the US and UK imposed sanctions on Ly Yong Phat — one of Cambodia’s richest men and a leading member of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party — for his alleged involvement in forced labour, human trafficking, and online scams.

On Wednesday, the US government seized more than US$14 billion (around 454 billion baht) in bitcoin and charged the founder of a Cambodian business empire, Prince Group, with masterminding a forced-labour scam and money laundering.

Needless to say, if left unchecked, these syndicates will shape public policy and the economies of the countries in which they operate. To restore order, Thailand must strike at the roots, not the leaves. It must dismantle the networks — not just rescue the victims. A central anti-scam and anti-trafficking command centre should bring together all key agencies to share intelligence and act swiftly.

Following the money trail is essential — as is freezing assets, tracing cryptocurrency transactions, and prosecuting shell companies and front investors. Dirty money hidden behind suspicious luxury condos and so-called “foreign investments” must be exposed.

Most crucially, politicians and officials involved in these networks must be investigated. Without accountability at the top, every anti-trafficking measure is mere theatre. Internationally, to combat cybercrime and scam operations, Thailand should ratify the UN Cybercrime Convention and work closely with Interpol and other global agencies to target money laundering and financial crimes. Opening the country to dirty money and political collusion is national suicide. Thailand’s Tier 2 ranking masks a deeper systemic decay. The real test is not avoiding the blacklist — it’s proving that crime and corruption no longer run the country.

Live commerce in Thailand has ushered in a new era, marked by a high value of sales transactions within a short period, similar to the landscape in China.

This is driven by the integration of entertainment with online shopping or ‘shoppertainment’ through live-streaming platforms.

However, pundits caution that to ensure sustainability, businesses must focus on product quality and build their own sales channels to gain customer insights, rather than relying solely on individual influencers or third-party platforms.

Singer and influencer Ratchanok ‘Janey’ Suwannaket became the talk of the town after her live-streaming marathon on TikTok shattered records with combined sales of 400 million baht from Oct 9 to 14.

Daily sales peaked at around 557 million baht during the six-day event.

Her model combined performance-based charging, a fun and authentic presentation style, and collaboration with celebrities.

Massive discounts were offered to stimulate engagement among large audiences, encouraging spending and creating sales opportunities for smaller brands.

Similar to China

Kulthirath Pakawachkrilers, president of the Thai e-Commerce Association, told the Bangkok Post the ‘Janey live commerce phenomenon’ was destined to happen, but it arrived later than in China.

Since 2021, live commerce has gradually evolved in Thailand. In China, this trend has been mainstreaming for four to five years.

Top-tier streamers such as Xinba and Li Jiaqi have long generated between 100 million and 200 million yuan in a single session, reaching audiences of up to 99 million followers across platforms like Douyin, Kuaishou and Taobao Live.

‘For Thailand, the adoption curve has been slower. Many brands were uncertain about the true power of live selling, until Ms Ratchanok demonstrated what’s possible,’ said Ms Kulthirath.

‘Her record-breaking live-stream proved Thailand has officially entered the live commerce era.’

Her success is changing how people view live-streamers, showing it is a respected and rewarding career, she said.

On Oct 14 alone, Ms Ratchanok’s live-stream earned more than 100 million baht from 310,000 orders, with an average spend of 322 baht per order.

This matches insights from top TikTok networks, which note that products priced between 300 and 400 baht sell especially well.

What is even more powerful is that Thailand’s new live-stream icons are not only achieving commercial success but also giving back to their communities, said Ms Kulthirath.

This combination of entrepreneurship and social contribution mirrors China’s own ‘live commerce success formula’, where influence and gratitude go hand in hand. ‘Fans don’t just buy products, they buy into purpose, pride and the personalities they love,’ she said.

Hidden costs

Thanawat Malabuppha, chief executive of Priceza and an e-commerce pioneer, said the Ratchanok case is like what happens in China where influencers generate sales worth hundreds of million baht in a short time.

He attributed her success to her large base of 19 million followers and attractive product prices, similar to the cases of other influencers.

The difference is that she brought a number of celebrities to join her live-streaming and this drew their fans to view her streaming, said Mr Thanawat.

Mr Thanawat said using influencers is still important and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to support the live-streaming is just a complement as the influencers cannot be replaced.

Even nano influencers and micro influencers who have 10,000 to 100,000 followers can achieve sales of millions of baht, depending on the creativity of content, product prices and timing.

‘If the content is interesting and generates engagement, the platform’s algorithm will push it to potential audiences who are likely to be interested in the products,’ said Mr Thanawat.

He warns brands should also pay attention to the hidden costs.

On average, around 20% of buyers drop off after changing their minds, and platform fees and commission charges can amount to 20%.

‘The actual profit margin for brands may end up being only around 5-10%,’ he said.

Suvita Charanwong, CEO of influencer platform Tellscore, said Ms Ratchanok’s success has inspired other creators to adopt similar charging strategies – though at more affordable rates.

She added that the new pricing model of influencers is performance based or 1,000 orders per 50,000 baht within five minutes, changing from the previous model of an hour-based charge.

However, Ms Ratchanok’s success is not a phenomenon that can happen overnight but is a result of her fan base building over the past eight years and her sharing of ‘dramatic’ personal stories with fans that deeply connected with them.

This emotional engagement creates a unique shopping experience for viewers, said Ms Suvita.

‘Brands also need to take a long-term view – working with multiple influencers over time and demonstrating consistent success, rather than relying solely on a single individual, while brands can use AI to offload their live session,’ she added.

Thailand has around 9 million influencers, with 3 million earning income from their content. However, few rely on it as their sole source of income.

New opportunity

According to TikTok, the case of Ms Ratchanok, which holds a record-breaking 1.2 million concurrent live views, highlights how platforms can effectively promote local homegrown brands and seamlessly guide consumers from product discovery to final purchase, which in turn drives genuine economic growth.

The success of TikTok’s “Live with a Pinned Basket” model goes far beyond entertainment, highlighting TikTok Shop’s crucial role in elevating local brands and sellers by acting as a powerful economic catalyst.

Ms Ratchanok’s Live session helped promote almost 270 Thai brands and homegrown sellers, demonstrating how a robust ecosystem of creators and celebrities can actively promote local small businesses.

According to TikTok, Ms Ratchanok said she decided to do these Live sessions and saw the possibility of supporting Thai products and making local micro, small and medium sized enterprises more visible to a wider audience.

‘My goal is to use my platform to connect my community with great Thai brands. For any aspiring affiliate creators, my advice is to be authentic, know your product inside and out, and most importantly, be consistent. That is where the community trust comes from.’

The trap

Pathom Indarodom, director of the Digital Council of Thailand, noted that for newcomers to live commerce, live-streaming starts sometimes in silence. Without fame or a loyal fanbase, low viewership often means low sales.

Live-streaming demands stamina, emotional control and constant engagement. Only those with strong skills and solid support can succeed, Mr Pathom said.

While Ms Ratchanok’s success has sparked a wave of imitators, without a distinctive edge, the market quickly becomes saturated. Trends shift fast – what works today may not work tomorrow, he noted.

Platform rules, fees and algorithm changes also affect visibility and sales. Technical issues and order cancellations add more risk.

He added that behind the scenes, there are hidden business costs. If sales fall short, losses and debt can pile up. Not every order means real income, while many young Thais dream of overnight success.

‘But behind the big numbers lies a tough reality – more cautionary tale than guaranteed formula,’ said Mr Pathom.

Authorities have arrested five people and seized nearly 70,000 contraband cigarettes during raids on four shophouses in Muang district of this island province.

A team of officials from the Phuket special operations team of the Department of Provincial Administration and defence volunteers raided the four locations following complaints that they were selling illegal cigarettes.

The operation was carried out from 11.30am on Wednesday to 5.30am on Thursday.

The team arrested two women and seized 170 packs, 4,000 loose cigarettes and 920 baht in cash during a raid on the first shop on Ratsadanusorn Road in tambon Rassada.

They then raided another house in the same tambon and arrested another woman with 3,345 packs containing 65,628 cigarettes, plus 8,020 baht in cash.

At the third location, officials apprehended a woman at a rented house on Prachasamakkhi Road and seized 977 packs of cigarettes as well as 5,700 baht in cash.

At the fourth location, the team arrested a man at a house on Karn Kheha Road with 16 packs of cigarettes and 1,600 baht in cash.

In total, the team seized 69,628 untaxed cigarettes from the four shophouses.

Officials said the total number of cigarettes seized did not match the number of packs because many packs were open and did not contain 20 cigarettes. The suspects were believed to be selling mainly small amounts of loose cigarettes to customers.

The five suspects were handed over to officers at the Muang police station for legal action under sections 203 and 204 of the Excise Act.

The Cross Cultural Foundation has petitioned the House committee on Legal Affairs, Justice and Human Rights to investigate whether Thai officials were involved in the abduction and forced return of Vietnamese refugee Duong Van Thai.

Prakaidao Phurksakasemsuk, the foundation’s deputy director, said Thai, an independent Vietnamese journalist and human rights activist, fled to Thailand in 2018 and was granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2020.

Although recognised as a refugee by the UNHCR in Bangkok, Thailand has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention, and the country does not have a formal legal framework to protect refugees.

In 2023, Thai was abducted by four men near his rented home in Pathum Thani. Friends tried to contact him to no avail before discovering that he had been forcibly returned to Vietnam, where he was sentenced to 12 years in prison for spreading anti-government propaganda.

Ms Prakaidao described the abduction as an act of enforced disappearance and a violation of the non-refoulement principle, the international rule prohibiting the return of refugees to danger. She said the case might involve cross-border coordination between Thai and Vietnamese authorities.

Vietnamese-American human rights activist Grace Thu Trang Thi Bui also travelled to Thailand to seek information on the disappearance, noting that this was not the first such incident.

Chonthicha Jaengraew, People’s Party MP for Pathum Thani and a committee member, said failure to expose the truth of the case could harm Thailand’s image.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement confirming Thailand’s readiness to cooperate with the United States in efforts to dismantle transnational online scam networks operating across Southeast Asia.

The ministry said in its official statement on Thursday that it welcomed the US announcement on Oct 14 regarding new measures to combat online scam networks in the region.

These efforts align with Thailand’s ongoing commitment to work with international partners to suppress transnational crime and bring perpetrators to justice, according to the ministry.

The statement highlighted the serious threat posed by online scams and scam call centres, which have harmed citizens across the region and are often linked to other grave transnational crimes such as human trafficking, forced labour and money laundering.

The ministry reaffirmed Thailand’s strong determination to eliminate online scams and pledged to strengthen cooperation with the US as part of a longstanding security partnership.

The country also expressed its intent to work closely with other partner nations and relevant international organisations to effectively address this growing threat.

Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow on Thursday said that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s official visit to Laos included discussions on regional security cooperation, particularly targeting call centre syndicates and scammers. Mr Sihasak spoke during his visit to Laos with Mr Anutin to mark the 75th anniversary of Thailand-Laos relations.

The minister emphasised the urgency of tackling these criminal operations, which have far-reaching impacts both within and beyond the region and underscored the importance of close collaboration with neighbouring countries.

Mr Sihasak said that addressing this issue requires cooperation not only with regional partners such as China, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia but also with countries outside the region, including the US and South Korea, which have also been affected.

This matter will be further discussed at upcoming international forums, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit later this month, he added.