Category: The Bangkok Post

The Justice Ministry has set up a panel to review convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s petition for a royal pardon, according to Justice Minister Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon Naowarat.

Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon said on Thursday that he has established a committee to review the petition, and it is anticipated to complete the examination within three days.

Thaksin’s lawyer, Winyat Chatmontree, confirmed early this week that his client had submitted the petition and maintained that it was a right granted to all inmates serving final sentences.

Thaksin, 76, was sent back to prison on Sept 9, 2025, on the order of the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, which ruled that the time he spent in the Police General Hospital did not count as part of his incarceration.

The court then ordered the billionaire to serve one year in prison, in line with the commuted term of his original sentence.

On Thursday, former prime minister and Pheu Thai Party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, along with her sister, Pintongta Kunakornwong, visited Thaksin at Klong Prem Central Prison. According to Ms Paetongtarn, her father had some neck issues, but he appeared fine overall.

Meanwhile, property giant SC Asset on Thursday informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) that Ms Paetongtarn reclaimed her 28.43% stake after stepping down from office, making her the largest major shareholder in the company.

Sweden and Thailand share a deep commitment to sustainability, blending tradition with innovation to achieve shared environmental goals, according to Anna Hammargren, the Swedish ambassador to Thailand.

.Speaking on Thursday at the Swedish-Thai Sustainable Talk Stage and Networking Reception during the the SX Sustainability Expo 2025, Ms Hammargren said ‘tradition and innovation, together, are the key to achieving our common sustainability goals’.

According to her, a new collaboration between the two countries under Thailand’s Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, which is aligned with Swedish values and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, has transformed ambitious visions into tangible actions.

She said partnerships with government, academia and the private sector are driving new solutions, with Swedish companies in Thailand showcasing how cutting-edge technologies, research and circular practices are accelerating the green transition.

Viktor Friberg, Cluster President for South East Asia and Oceania at Alfa Laval, during the talk highlighted his company’s role in redefining industrial efficiency.

Specialising in heat transfer, separation and fluid handling, Alfa Laval’s technologies address critical challenges in energy transition, clean water, sustainable food and marine transportation, he said.

With 40% of global emission reductions expected to come from efficiency improvements, Mr Friberg said, Alfa Laval’s solutions can cut energy consumption by up to 70%.

Last year, the company set a new emissions reduction target for 2027, reinforcing its commitment to operational sustainability, he said.

Strategic partnerships, including MoUs with other Swedish firms, are accelerating innovation, reducing costs and delivering transformative solutions, he said.

Alexis Richard, General Manager of Electrolux Thailand, shared how the Stockholm-based home appliance giant has been leading the shift towards greener living since 1992.

Electrolux designs products that offer sustainable choices without compromising quality of life, he said. In 2023, the company achieved a 31% reduction in product-related greenhouse gas emissions – three years ahead of its climate targets, he added.

He said key initiatives include a zero-landfill programme, responsible sourcing and supplier environmental footprint monitoring.

Collaborating with brands like AEG and Frigidaire, he said, Electrolux continues to innovate in taste, care and well-being, with upcoming launches of highly energy-efficient laundry and vacuum products.

Ratanasiri Tilokskulchai, Managing Director of Tetra Pak Thailand, meanwhile, emphasised that the company’s mission to ‘protect what’s good – food, people and the planet’ goes beyond packaging.

Tetra Pak’s innovations tackle climate, nature, circularity and social sustainability, she said.

By reducing aluminium in its packaging, the company has cut carbon emissions by 33%, and in 2024, achieved a 25% reduction in greenhouse gases, she said.

With more fibre-based and recyclable designs, Tetra Pak is reshaping the food system with circularity at its core, she said.

Less than one-third of data centres in Thailand possess the advanced capabilities necessary to support artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, creating a critical urgency for Thai organisations to upgrade their IT infrastructure.

Meeting these rising demands is essential for Thailand to secure its position as a leading AI hub in the region, according to Cisco Systems (Thailand).

“AI workloads are placing unprecedented demands on Thailand’s data centres, with most facilities not yet fully optimised for AI,” said Weera Areeratanasak, managing director of Cisco Thailand and Myanmar.

According to Cisco’s 2025 Networking Report, IT leaders in Thailand found that about 28% of data centres in Thailand say they are ready to fully utilise AI.

By 2027, the country aims to triple its data centre capacity from 350 megawatts (MW) in 2024 to 1 gigawatt (GW), backed by a US$6.5-billion infrastructure push.

Organisations in Thailand need to reimagine how they architect, scale, and secure their infrastructure to meet AI demands, the report says.

There is also growing expectation to leverage AI’s potential, with all companies surveyed in Cisco’s 2024 AI Readiness Index reporting an urgency to adopt and deploy AI over the past year.

However, AI introduces new challenges — driving greater complexity, putting pressure on existing infrastructure and creating a trust deficit.

“Technology is evolving faster than before and organisations in Thailand have a short runway to put the secure, critical infrastructure needed for AI in place,” said Mr Weera.

To address these challenges, Cisco is moving from a “best-of-breed” approach to an integrated “platform” approach.

The platform approach combines networking, security, and observability into a single, unified platform to provide comprehensive visibility and control.

Cisco’s strategy focusses on three key areas.

First, it supports data centres to be AI-ready. Readiness would not only support AI workloads but also leverage AI to automate and simplify data centre operations.

Its standout initiative in this area is the Secure AI Factory solution, created in collaboration with Nvidia, which delivers a certified, secure, and ready-to-deploy AI data centre design.

Second, Cisco is enabling a future-proof workplace by supporting secure hybrid and remote work environments.

Finally, it enhances organisations’ digital resilience in recognising that IT is now a core part of business operations to help organisations mitigate risk and maintain continuity during disruptions.

By integrating data from across the network, security, and applications, organisations will have end-to-end visibility, enhanced resilience, and the agility needed to embrace new technologies such as AI, helping clients maximise value, streamline management, and accelerate innovation.

In the past year, Cisco demonstrated strong AI momentum, recording more than $2 billion in AI infrastructure orders in the 2025 fiscal year, more than double the original $1-billion target.

“AI is emerging as a significant growth driver for Thailand’s digital economy,” said Mr Weera.

However, a gap remains between businesses’ ambitions and their readiness for AI.

To truly capitalise on this technology, governments need to establish the right governance and policy frameworks, investing in skills and infrastructure, addressing regulatory and privacy concerns, and ensuring that businesses have the appropriate tools and expertise to leverage AI effectively.

Mr Weera said considering the total cost of ownership when investing in AI over the long term, rather than just upfront costs, is critical to sustainable AI adoption and maximising return on investment.

To address cost concerns, Cisco developed tailored solutions covering everything from silicon to full AI systems, including networking, compute, optics, data centre interconnect, security, and observability.

Organisations can choose validated full-stack solutions with integrated management or select individual components to build a custom stack.

An Asian man fell from a condominium tower in Pattaya, landing on a wall below that tore his body apart, early on Wednesday morning.

The gruesome discovery was reported to Pattaya City police about 12.30am, Pol Lt Col Sutheeraphan Thapsri, a chief investigator, said.

The condominium complex consists of three buildings: Tower A with 44 floors, Tower B with 32 floors, and Tower C with 7 floors. The body was discovered between Towers A and B. The dead man was believed to be an Asian male aged 30 to 40 years and was found wearing a black T-shirt and shorts.

His falling body landed on top of the condo wall, which split it into upper and lower halves and scattered his internal organs across the road.

Police investigators had yet to confirm which floor of which building he fell from. (continues below)

A witness reported hearing a loud thud, as though an object had landed violently on the ground. On investigating, he found the man’s body in its gruesome condition.

Investigators did find cigarette butts on the 32nd floor rooftop balcony of Tower C and traces indicating someone may have been sitting on the ledge.

The investigation was ongoing.

Central Restaurants Group Co Ltd (CRG) is strengthening its Japanese portfolio with the launch of Ootoya Oki, a premium shabu and sukiyaki restaurant that delivers authentic flavours at Central Pinklao mall in Bangkok.

The new brand offers Thailand’s first “Oozuwai Kani Shabu”, a signature crab fat soup prepared with a whole Zuwai crab, catering to the growing demand for premium Japanese dining experiences and driving sustainable growth for CRG’s Asian cuisine business.

Thirawat Loetthiraphan, head of Asian cuisine at CRG, said the launch represents a milestone for its Japanese portfolio as it taps Thailand’s shabu market, valued at more than 20 billion baht and continuing to expand.

CRG aims to position Ootoya Oki as a flagship brand that appeals to health-conscious diners, shabu lovers and customers who value authenticity and quality, and to elevate the standard of Japanese dining in Thailand.

The company plans to open at least five locations of Ootoya Oki within three years, strategically focusing on leading shopping centres and community malls.

He said CRG is confident this new concept will delight customers and set a new benchmark for Japanese dining experiences in the country.

In the trial over the fatal shooting of former Cambodian MP Lim Kimya, the victim’s wife on Tuesday demanded the maximum penalty against the defendant.

Ana Lim Ani, the French wife of the 73-year-old politician, appeared in court as the plaintiff in the case. She detailed her loss to the court.

Lim Kimya was allegedly shot by Ekkalak Phaenoi, the defendant, in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district on Jan 7 of this year.

A section of Charoen Krung Road near the Electricity Authority in Bangkok suddenly subsided on Wednesday morning and the road has been partially closed to traffic.

The road surface collapsed around 10am on Wednesday.

A video posted by the Ruamkatanyu Foundation’s Bang Phongphang unit shows a significant depression in the road surface, raising concerns about safety and disruption of traffic flow in the busy area. The collapsed section is several metres long.

Rescue teams from the Charoen Krung emergency centre and other agencies were rushed to the scene to evaluate the damage, implement traffic control measures and prevent further accidents.

The cause of the collapse was still being investigated.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible and use alternative routes until repairs are completed and the road fully reopened.

The incident follows the recent major subsidence on Samsen Road outside Vajira Hospital.

Carrying on with some basic ‘easy to understand’ golf rules that we all need to know well. To correctly drop a golf ball, you must release the ball from your hand at knee height, allowing it to fall straight down without touching your body or equipment before hitting the ground. The ball must then land and come to rest within the defined relief area for that required situation. Should it bounce away from the dropping area you can try two more times. If still unsuccessful — you can then place the ball. If you drop the ball incorrectly, you simply must re-drop it without penalty, but you incur a penalty if you play the ball from a wrong place after dropping it.

In golf, a ball is declared “lost” if it’s not found within three minutes of starting a search for it, or if it’s hit out of bounds. The consequence for a lost ball is stroke-and-distance relief: you must add a one-stroke penalty and replay your previous shot from where you hit it last by dropping another ball, as near as possible to the original spot. You can avoid this by playing a provisional ball if you suspect your ball may be lost or out of bounds. But remember you must tell your playing partners before playing it.

When starting a hole, generally the player with the lowest score on the previous hole plays first. After starting a hole, the ball farthest from the hole is usually played first. However, to avoid slow play the Rules of Golf allows you to hit out of turn if the situation makes sense and is safe to do so.

Out of Bounds: Following on from last week where I mentioned that you could throw into a water hazard a caddie and receive no penalty for doing so. Many of you have asked me if this rule would also apply to a playing partner? — the answer is ‘Yes’ so have no fear of incurring a penalty shot if you have someone in mind.

University students now have a unique opportunity to take part in an exciting international youth camp in Thailand. PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR) is officially accepting applications for the ‘OR Seeding the Future ASEAN Camp 2025’, set to take place from 23 to 28 November 2025.

This initiative aims to empower young ASEAN leaders through immersive learning in business, marketing, and technology, guided by experts from OR and its affiliates. Beyond technical knowledge, the program emphasises critical thinking, emotional intelligence, personal growth, and cross-cultural collaboration. Participants will form lasting bonds with peers from across the region, promoting diversity, inclusion, and sustainable leadership.

A total of 50 outstanding students from Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and the Philippines will be selected. All expenses, including travel, accommodation, and meals, will be fully covered.

Eligibility Criteria:

Be a current undergraduate or graduate student between 18 and 24 years of age.

Be a citizen of Thailand, Laos, Myanmar or the Philippines, and currently enrolled in a university in one of these four countries or in an accredited university in Thailand.

Have a good academic record, good conduct and strong English communication skills.

How to Apply:

Application Period: 18 September – 15 October 2025

Submit a self-introduction video (max. 2 minutes) answering specific questions provided by the program

Post the video publicly on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok using the hashtag #ORSeedingTheFuture2025

Include the video link in the application form and submit via the Facebook Page: ORSeedingTheFuture

The list of selected participants will be announced on 27 October 2025 via the same Facebook page.

Don’t Miss This Transformative Experience!

Expand your horizons, exchange ideas, and connect with inspiring young leaders from ASEAN. For full details and application guidelines visit: Facebook Page: ORSeedingTheFuture

Thailand is expected to welcome 200,000 Chinese tourists during the Chinese eight-day Golden Week holiday, a 24% year-on-year decrease, with revenue projected to drop 17% to 9.1 billion baht despite growth in outbound travel from mainland China.

Outbound bookings for the holiday this year surged 28% year-on-year, while international seat capacity rose by 10% to both short- and long-haul destinations, according to ForwardKeys, an air traffic data company.

The growth in travel demand was attributed to visa-free entry to many countries and depreciation of the yen.

The most popular destinations remained in Japan, with Osaka and Tokyo reporting increases of 66% and 24%, respectively.

Many large cities in Southeast Asia reported upticks for the Golden Week holiday period, led by Ho Chi Minh City with a 71% increase, followed by Kuala Lumpur and Hanoi at 66%, Denpasar at 61%, and Singapore at 18%. No Thai city made the top 10.

Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said Chinese people began entering Thailand for the holiday on Sept 26 and will continue to take trips until Oct 8, taking advantage of the country’s visa exemption scheme for convenient family travel.

However, the number of Chinese arrivals is expected to decline by 24% from 262,001 in 2024, with revenue down 17% from 10.9 billion baht as confidence in safety remains a roadblock, she said.

Other countries offer better value, particularly Japan, where the average cost of travel has fallen by 15% due to the weak yen, while some routes in Singapore and Malaysia have prices that are 6% cheaper year-on-year.

South Korea recently launched visa-free privileges for groups of three people entering via tour companies registered with the South Korean government.

Due to the longer Golden Week holiday period this year, which runs from Oct 1-8, a number of Chinese had opted to venture to Europe, resulting in 110% growth in Chinese tour groups to France, Switzerland and Spain.

South Africa, which offers an e-visa for Chinese tourists, also recorded 30% growth during this period.

Ms Thapanee said Chinese tourists are expected to stay for 6-8 nights on average in Thailand and spend 6,600 baht a day.

Seat bookings during the holiday still rose by 5%, most of which came from Beijing (20%), Guangzhou (18%) and Chengdu (10%), while the second-tier cities that generated the most tourists for Thailand included Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Xiamen and Chongqing.

Ms Thapanee said there would be at least 30 chartered flights touching down in Thailand during the week, mostly from the second-tier cities where the Thai government has already launched its subsidy campaign.