Category: The Bangkok Post

India is encouraging Thailand to deepen its engagement in key Indian export sectors, particularly pharmaceuticals and medical technology, says the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

During a recent familiarisation visit to India organised by India’s Ministry of External Affairs and attended by a delegation of Southeast Asian journalists, the CII outlined its economic priorities and highlighted opportunities for bilateral cooperation.

Shobha Ahuja, a consultant with the CII, said that while the Thailand-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has boosted trade, the balance remains in Thailand’s favour. She urged Thai investors to consider investing in India to help rebalance trade flows.

“Although we have an FTA, the trade balance has consistently favoured Thailand,” Ms Ahuja said, adding India would also like to know what products Thailand is interested in in terms of Indian exports.

“What would Thailand want to buy from us?” she asked.

She added that during a recent virtual meeting with Thailand’s Board of Investment in September, both sides identified pharmaceuticals and medical technology as promising sectors for mutual investment.

“We see strong potential for Thai businesses to invest in Indian pharmaceutical and medical technology industries,” she said.

“At the same time, Indian companies are also exploring opportunities in Thailand’s healthcare sector, leveraging its strategic location as a gateway to the Asean market.”

Ms Ahuja cited successful examples of Indian firms using Thailand as a regional base to expand across Southeast Asia, underscoring the country’s role as a springboard into broader Asean markets.

Rohin Agarwal, CII’s Head of Asean and Oceania, added India is also collaborating with Thailand through mechanisms such as the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation and the Thailand-India Chamber of Commerce.

He highlighted additional sectors with strong export potential, including the automotive, renewable energy, infrastructure, and food processing industries.

For Chartchai Luangcharoen, failure was never the end but the beginning. Once a struggling farmer in Ban Jamrung of Rayong province, he faced poor harvests, market rejections and scepticism from neighbours.

Yet 25 years later, he has transformed his small village into a model of sufficiency economy, proving that persistence, learning and community spirit can turn hardship into collective achievement.

Ban Jamrung, in Klaeng district, has a history spanning nearly 150 years. Early settlers migrated inland from the coast in search of fertile land, eventually settling near the Jamru Canal. The name “Jamru”, derived from the Chong ethnic language, means a small waterway. Over time, the pronunciation gradually shifted, giving the village its current name.

From struggle to stability

Before Mr Chartchai, a retired village headman and a leader of the community’s sufficiency learning centre, started developing his community in 2000, Ban Jamrung was like many rural communities: farmers trapped by debt, chemical farming and dependence on outside markets.

“I was a farmer myself, with rice fields, durian orchards and rubber plantations,” he recalls. “We worked hard, but it never brought us real security.”

Change began with just 10 neighbours willing to experiment with the sufficiency economy philosophy of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great. Their aim was not wealth but stability, he told participants of the 4th Executive Programme in Strategic Mass Communication organised by Isra Institute during a recent visit.

Samrueng Deenan, 68, chairman of the Natural Agriculture Learning Centre of the village, recalled that about 30 years ago, he was taught natural farming without using any chemicals by his grandmother. He learnt to make compost rather than buying fertiliser to avoid harm to the soil or contamination of water sources.

He brought the idea into discussions over drinks with friends, including Mr Chartchai. The idea was gradually expanded into what would become the learning centre they have today.

“Most importantly, we adopted the principle of self-reliance, following the sufficiency economy philosophy of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great,” Mr Samrueng said. “We grow to eat first, and sell the surplus, prioritising happiness over monetary gain.”

Change did not happen overnight. It took 10 years for the principles of sufficiency economy and self-reliance to take root in the minds and daily practices of the villagers. They gradually returned to organic farming, abandoning herbicides and chemicals.

“We feel safe and healthy to eat our own produce,” he said.

Learning through failure

Failure became part of the learning process. “Problem owners must solve problems themselves — that’s a key principle,” Mr Chartchai explains.

The villagers turned to group discussions, brainstorming ways forward. They came up with resolutions. For example, when they found that their durians were too small for the market or oversupply, they sliced and crisped them.

They also processed other food, such as coastal fish, into fish sauce. They upgrade their local herbs to daily used products, such as producing inhalers from cardamom, now sought after even by Swedish residents nearby, he said.

Rice with low market value was distilled into 40-degree spirits and infused with herbs for added health benefits, he said. These innovations reduced waste, enhanced value and lessened debt.

Marketing proved another hurdle. The first “Green Market”, opened two decades ago, collapsed within months. Yet this failure prompted the community to embrace tourism.

Orchards opened their gates to attract seaside holidaymakers, inviting visitors to sample fresh fruits from their farms.

Today, 200 orchards welcome tourists daily, turning a survival tactic into a thriving agro-tourism destination, he said.

A model for others

Ban Jamrung’s success also rests on the principle of networking. The community’s grassroots economy covers five connecting modules: organic production, processing, marketing, tourism and communication, said Mr Chartchai.

Over decades, this integrated system has been nurtured through collaboration with postgraduate students, visiting researchers and state agencies.

The village has developed more than 40 groups reflecting diverse skills and interests: a waste bank, a crab bank, a youth music club and homestay operations.

“We have a monthly meeting to foster problem-solving within each group. We encourage the young generation to participate because we want to ensure that our kids have work they like in the village after graduation, without leaving their families to find jobs in the city,” he said.

After more than two decades of revolution, Mr Chartchai said his community is now stable.

“Stability is measured in four dimensions: strong individuals, effective thinking, functional groups and quality of life. These values form the heart of Ban Jamrung’s success,” he reflects.

“If individuals are strong, the system is strong. If groups are strong, the community is strong.”

Mr Chartchai’s guiding philosophy is simple yet profound: “Sufficiency economy is about generosity and sharing. Once our community is strong, it serves as a model for others to learn from and implement for sustainable development.”

Looking back, Mr Chartchai smiles at the journey from 10 sceptical neighbours to a thousand determined villagers. “We did not aim to be rich. We only want to be stable. And stability, once achieved, is wealth enough,” he said.

The government is ready to engage in dialogue with all insurgent groups in the deep South to achieve lasting peace along the border, says the chief of the Southern peace negotiation team, Gen Somsak Rungsita.

Speaking at Sirindhorn Camp in Pattani’s Yarang district on Sunday, Gen Somsak said the formal order to establish a new negotiating body is imminent.

Once the order is signed by the prime minister, the panel, which will mirror the structure of past panels, can start drawing in experts and representatives from security, justice and civilian sectors.

“We must synchronise the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4, the armed forces, police, the justice system and the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) and several other parties, so the negotiation process has real substance and leverage,” Gen Somsak said.

He said his team would mainly concentrate on international and regional aspects of the negotiations, while Isoc Region 4 would manage domestic affairs and the military would cover overlapping border zones.

On Malaysia’s role as facilitator, he urged continued cooperation but signalled a desire for a stronger Thai presence in managing the negotiations, noting past tendencies to defer excessively to external partners.

Asked whether the talks will involve Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), Gen Somsak said the government will engage all insurgent groups, including the BRN, but cautioned that talks must be held with authentic representatives who hold real authority.

“If we talk to the wrong people, nothing will change,” he said.

Sen Chaiyong Maneerungsakul, spokesman for the Senate’s military committee, on Sunday said BRN operatives are sticking to their strategy of attacking state infrastructure, undermining the local economy and striking symbols of the Thai state.

He blamed persistent intelligence failures for past security lapses, citing planned cross-border strikes and coordinated robberies that were not detected in time. He urged better local integration and use of provincial leaders for intelligence gathering.

The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRC) has urged state agencies to establish clear guidelines for the treatment of refugee cardholders residing in Thailand.

This is to ensure compliance with the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act and international human rights standards.

Commissioner Wasan Paileeklee raised the issue on Sunday, focusing particularly on Vietnamese holders of UNHCR-issued refugee cards living in Thailand while awaiting third-country resettlement.

The NHRC has observed that although these individuals entered Thailand without permission, the absence of clear procedures and limited awareness among officials about the rights of cardholders can lead to inappropriate or inconsistent practices, he said.

The commission recommended that government agencies, in cooperation with the UNHCR, provide training and develop measures to prevent potential human rights violations.

Mr Wasan also referred to a recent complaint concerning the arrest of 65 Vietnamese Montagnards, including 15 children, by Nonthaburi provincial officials on Feb 23.

The complainant alleged that seven of those arrested were already on bail from the Immigration Bureau and claimed the arrests and detentions might have been unlawful and a violation of their rights.

After reviewing the evidence and testimonies, the NHRC found no indication of torture, coercion or unlawful detention, Mr Wasan said.

He said the officers had informed the detainees of their rights, provided interpreters and legal counsel and properly recorded the arrests under the law.

The NHRC concluded the officials’ actions were carried out under lawful authority and did not constitute a violation of human rights.

Regarding the seven individuals who were already on bail, the NHRC said police later released them, as detaining them again would have amounted to double punishment for the same offence.

As for the 15 children detained with their parents, the NHRC found officials had coordinated with the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to ensure their protection and welfare.

Trat’s tourism industry is facing a 700-million-baht loss as a United Kingdom travel warning over martial law has prompted widespread cancellations from European visitors, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Acting Sub Lt Korakot Opas, director of the TAT’s Trat office, said a surge of cancellations followed the UK Foreign Office’s advisory against non-essential travel to the province, including Koh Chang.

The advisory, stricter than those from other European nations, has led insurers to refuse coverage, disrupting travel plans.

He said one British traveller, Thomas Robinson, contacted TAT London and the Thai embassy, explaining his insurer declined to cover his trip to Koh Chang despite existing bookings. He requested official confirmation that the island remains safe, hoping it would reverse the insurer’s decision.

Acting Sub Lt Korakot said that Trat is not a conflict zone and remains peaceful. Koh Chang, Koh Kut, and Koh Mak continue to welcome tourists daily.

However, the martial law designation across the entire province – active since 2012 – has raised concerns among European travellers and insurers, who associate it with elevated risk.

He said local tourism operators are urging security authorities to reconsider the blanket status, especially in non-border areas, to restore confidence during peak season. The financial impact is estimated at 700 million baht.

Taweesak Wongwilas, Vice President of Trat’s Tourism Association, noted that Koh Chang remains unaffected by border tensions and continues to attract visitors.

Thailand Post has partnered with the Fisheries Department to launch its first express delivery service for transporting ornamental fish to international markets, in a bid to strengthen Thailand’s position as a global ornamental fish hub.

The service starts this month, supporting more than 10,000 registered ornamental fish breeders under the department. The partnership expects to cash in on the global ornamental fish market, which is valued at more than 10 billion baht per year.

According to Thailand Post president Dhanant Subhadrabandhu, the first phase focuses on the export of Siamese fighting fish (betta fish) to five key markets — the US, China, Japan, Taiwan and Indonesia — before expanding to other high-potential markets.

The service commences at Nakhon Pathom Post Office, the province with the largest concentration of Siamese fighting fish breeders in Thailand.

Mr Dhanant said Thailand has the potential to increase its ornamental fish exports from the current level of more than 1 billion baht, of which Siamese fighting fish account for 40%.

The company wants to shift from solely parcel and mail delivery to driving the Thai economy in several dimensions, he said. The collaboration reflects Thailand Post’s strategy of parcel-defined logistics, which tailors logistics solutions to suit a variety of items, said Mr Dhanant.

“Working with the Fisheries Department is not simply about cross-border delivery. It opens the door for Thai farmers and the aquaculture sector to access global markets through Thailand Post’s extensive network of over 50,000 service points and more than 190 countries,” he said.

Both organisations are committed to creating a distinctive brand identity for Thailand as a global ornamental fish hub, said Mr Dhanant.

Thailand Post already provides domestic express delivery services for ornamental fish and aquatic plants to farmers and entrepreneurs. Twelve species are covered, including Siamese fighting fish, guppies, mollies, ornamental shrimp, aquatic plants and sea grapes. From February to August 2025, Thailand Post delivered 110,000 ornamental fish items to buyers in Thailand.

Even before they trade blows in Tokyo, Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Nong-O Gaiyanghadao found another way to face off – this time with a game of football, and not their fists.

The two Thai legends, who will battle for the vacant flyweight Muay Thai world title at ONE 173 on November 16 in Japan, squared off at the weekend during a friendly kickabout in Bangkok between their gyms – Looksaikongdin, and Superbon Training Camp.

Fans filming from the sidelines were treated to an unlikely pre-fight encounter, as Rodtang and Nong-O bumped into each other in the canteen before the game. Rodtang’s wife, Aida Looksaikongdin, also recorded the moment as Nong-O stopped to meet their newborn son Zlatan – named after Swedish football icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Aida playfully told her infant to show respect to the Muay Thai great and call him ‘P O’ – a Thai term for seniors or bosses. The veteran smiled and quipped the baby ‘looks so much like his mother’ while turning to look at Rodtang, drawing laughter from onlookers, given that many on social media have commented the child is the spitting image of ‘The Iron Man’.

The lighthearted meeting soon turned into a mock staredown as onlookers whipped out their phones. Both men cracked smiles, with Rodtang eventually even planting a friendly kiss on Nong-O’s cheek.

That wasn’t the end of the fun. Once the match began, Rodtang – known for his explosive aggression in the ring – charged in for a tackle and took Nong-O down in a move that looked more MMA than football. The referee reached into his pocket and produced a yellow card, to the amusement of players and spectators alike.

Later that evening, a clip from a post-match barbecue showed one of Rodtang’s friends joking the pair should ‘knock each other out’ when they meet for real in November. Rodtang laughed it off. ‘Even in the coin toss he lost to me,’ he replied with a grin. ‘How can he beat me in a fight?’

The playful meeting comes just weeks before their highly anticipated showdown at Ariake Arena, which headlines ONE Championship’s blockbuster return to Japan.

Their friendship and mutual respect go back years. Both men are also devoted football fans. Rodtang famously brought a PlayStation 5 to Tokyo in March so he could play FIFA in his hotel room during fight week – and shared a few games with his nutritionist Peter Miller and the Bangkok Post after his first-round knockout of Takeru Segawa at Saitama Super Arena.

Next month’s matchup is being billed as one of the most compelling Muay Thai title fights in recent memory – and judging by their antics on the pitch, neither man has lost his competitive edge.

With the build-up to ONE 173 heating up, this unlikely football encounter was also a reminder that respect runs deep in Muay Thai – even when the tackles fly.

Flooding persisted in 15 provinces on Monday, mostly on the Central Plain, with rising water levels in Ayutthaya and Udon Thani.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported flooding in eight provinces on the Central Plain – Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani and Nakhon Pathom.

Ayutthaya was the only province in the central region which saw rising flood levels and had the most affected households, 49,873 in 12 districts, of any of the 15 inundated provinces nationwide.

Flood levels were either stable or had declined in seven other central provinces.

In the North, flooding was reported in four provinces – Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Phichit and Nakhon Sawan. Flood levels were stable in Nakhon Sawan and receding in the three other provinces.

In the Northeast, flooding was reported in Ubon Ratchathani, where levels were stable, and Udon Thani, where the water was rising.

In the East, only Chachoengsao was flooded, and the water level was falling.

The 123-year-old Buddhist stupa known as Phra Tat Non Tan collapsed on Sunday.

The Fine Arts Department said on Monday it would cost at least 20 million baht to reconstruct, or build a new one, in the same likeness. The structure itself was beyond repair.

The stupa is at Ban That in tambon Non Tan of Tha Uthen district. It was built in traditional brick-and-mortar style and believed to date back to 1902, according to the department.

Phra Tat Non Tan is considered a significant historical landmark, tied to the migration and settlement of the Tai Yor ethnic group in the district. It had been restored in 1993 and was registered as a historical site in 2017.

Cracks had been detected in the stupa since 2019 and a budget of 2.6 million baht previously approved for repairs. It collapsed on Sunday before the work could be completed. (continues below)

On Monday, a team led by Tha Uthen chief Chinawat Thongpricha inspected the site. They said waterlogged soil and a weakened foundation caused the collapse, which also damaged the adjacent, old ordination hall.

Officials said Fine Arts Office Region 9 was drafting plans for a new stupa that will replicate the original design. The reconstruction budget would top 20 million baht.

Among the artifacts rcoveredfrom the rubble were a five-tiered brass finial from the top of the spire measuring two metres in length, two gold necklaces weighing a total of three baht believed to have been donated during the 1993 restoration, and three antique bronze Buddha images in the Chiang Rung style.

The World Exposition in Osaka has attracted more than 25 million visitors, according to an estimate released by organisers on Sunday, ahead of its closing the following day after a six-month run.

At the closing ceremony for the event on Monday, in which 158 countries and regions participated, the flag of the Bureau International des Expositions, the Paris-based body that oversees world expos, will be handed to Saudi Arabia, the 2030 host.

While daily visitors to the Osaka expo fell below 100,000 in the early months after its opening in April, the number surged in recent weeks to over 200,000 per day, fuelled by growing attention on social media and word of mouth.

A total of 22.07 million tickets were sold and licensed merchandise, including plush toys of the official mascot Myaku-Myaku, generated about 80 billion yen (17 billion baht) in sales as of late August. The organisers are expecting an operating surplus of up to 28 billion yen.

The total number of visitors also surpassed the 22.05 million recorded at the expo in Aichi Prefecture in 2005.