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Thai Airways International (THAI) will move baggage collection to a new place on Saturday as the Ministry of Transport has pledged financial compensation for flyers affected by flight and baggage chaos after flooding paralysed the airline.

The airline said on Friday the self-collection point of the delayed baggage will be moved from the Suvarnabhumi International Airport terminal to the THAI Ground Service Maintenance building on Saturday. The collection site operates around the clock, it added.

All Thai flights will resume normal operations on Saturday and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has said the airline would try to deliver delayed baggage to all passengers by Saturday night.

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat told Parliament on Thursday that compensation for delayed flights and bags by Thai would be carried out within the law. He was referring the International Carriage By Air Act B.E. 2558 and the amendment made two years later.

The law protects passengers from flight and baggage delays in tandem with international standards. Passengers with flight delays from at least two hours will be eligible for food and other benefits, including financial compensation for flights postponed for more than five hours.

The law stipulates the guidelines for airlines to pay passengers for their bag lost, damaged or delayed bags during the flights.

Thai sets out conditions for delayed baggage, which includes payments for essential items passengers need to buy or rent while waiting for the bags for more than 24 hours.

The airline also has a reimbursement policy up to US$100 per passenger per case for international routes and $25 for domestic flights. ‘The reimbursements of extra costs are always based on acceptable documentation, so remember to save all receipts,’ it said. ‘You need to prove the extent of your loss’.

More than 10,000 pieces of baggage were delayed and almost 40 flights cancelled or rescheduled as the airline claimed staff shortages due to severe flooding in greater Bangkok.

Thailand’s women made a splash on the water and a statement on the sand and in the boxing ring at the Asian Games, as a three-gold haul on Friday took the Kingdom to 15 golds in Aichi-Nagoya, one better than its target of 14.

After Sophia Gale Montgomery had secured the women’s dinghy (ILCA6) sailing gold, Taravadee Naraphornrapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee saw off China in three sets to win beach volleyball gold, Thailand’s first in the discipline for 28 years.

Boxer Natnicha Chongprongklang then added gold in the women’s 54kg event to complete the treble.

Sophia was at her best as she finished with the lowest net score in the fleet.

The 23-year-old arrived at the final day as leader after nine qualifying races, having dropped her worst result to leave a net tally of 21 points, the lowest in the field.

She added just five points across on Friday’s two concluding races to finish on 26, enough to secure the gold medal. Singapore’s representative took silver and India’s bronze.

Thailand’s Taravadee, known as Bright, and Worapeerachayakorn, nicknamed Bass, beat the second-seeded Chinese pair in three sets to win women’s beach volleyball gold, the country’s first in the discipline for 28 years.

The fourth-seeded Thais, who defeated Xia Xinyi and Yan Xu, this year’s Asian championship runners-up, 21-17, 13-21, 15-8 in the final, took the opening set with varied attacking play and strong blocking.

The Chinese pair responded with resilient defence and sharp counter-attacks to level the match at one set apiece.

The decider turned in Thailand’s favour as the Chinese pair were forced to take a lengthy injury break. On their return, they could not halt theThais, who closed out the set and the match.

It is only the second Asian Games gold in the history of Thai women’s beach volleyball. The first came at the 1998 Games in Bangkok, won by Manatsanan Pangka and Rattanaporn Arlaisuk.

Finally a boxing medal

Natnicha beat North Korea’s Pang Chol Mi 4-1 in the final of the women’s 54kg event to claim Thailand’s only boxing victory at Nishio Gymnasium on Friday.

The 22-year-old Thai-New Zealander, a gold medallist at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, the 2026 Eindhoven Cup and the 2025 U22 Asian Boxing Championships, found herself in an enthralling, back-and-forth contest with the formidable Pang, a decade her senior.

The pair traded blows through the opening three rounds before Natnicha secured the verdict, earning the Thai contingent’s 15th gold of the Games.

In taekwondo, Patcharakan Poolkerd took bronze in the women’s 49kg, having lost her semi-final to China’s Ma Jingyue 2-0 (9-1, 9-4).

Two other Thai fighters, Sasikarn Tongchan (women’s 67kg) and Sirawit Mahamad (men’s 58kg), failed to reach the medal rounds.

Sasikarn also represented Thailand in the mixed individual virtual taekwondo, which made its debut as a medal sport at the Asian Games. She lost 2-0 to Vietnam’s Ngoc Tuyet Sang Chau in the quarter-finals.

Jiu-jitsu fighter Nuchanat Singchalad picked up another bronze for the Thai team as she defeated Mongoljin Ganbaatar of Mongolia in the women’s 52kg bronze medal contest at Nishio Gymnasium.

Nuchanat lost to another Mongolian fighter, Tsagaanbileg Altangerel, in the quarter-finals before winning the repechage round against Tajikistan’s Fariza Qosimboeva to earn a spot in the bronze medal match.

It was the team’s second medal in Nagoya following Miyu Suzuki’s bronze on Thursday.

Takraw quadrant in final

Thailand’s women will play for sepak takraw gold after sweeping aside Indonesia in the semi-finals of the quadrant event at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

The Thai quartet of Manlika Boonthod, Wiphada Chitphuan, Ratchaneekorn Saeheng and Somruedee Pruepruk were in commanding form. They took the opening set 15-9 and then raced through the second 15-4 to secure their place in the final.

Awaiting the Thais in the final are old rivals Vietnam, who ended the challenge of hosts Japan with a pair of comfortable set wins, 15-8 and 15-10, in the other semi-final.

The long-standing rivalry between the two nations adds extra edge to the showdown, which is scheduled for 7am Thai time.

Golfer Sadom Kaewkanjana moved to within four strokes of the lead after the third round of the men’s individual competition on Friday.

The Thai ace shot a seven-under 63 to finish the round on eight-under 202, four behind the Korean leader Kim Joo-Hyung, who carded a 65.

Thailand also climbed to fifth place in the men’s team event, eight shots behind the leading Koreans.

In the women’s individual event, defending champion Arpichaya Yubol is tied for sixth on three-under 207, 12 shots behind the frontrunner, Pranavi Urs Sharath of India. Thailand are sixth in the women’s team event on four under, 11 shots off the lead.

Meanwhile, the men’s volleyball team beat Qatar 3-1 (25-20, 25-19, 21-25, 25-21) in the fifth-to-eighth classification match. They will face India on Saturday in the battle for fifth place.

The Bhumjaithai Party has proposed overhauling the way Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) is funded by scrapping its earmarked share of alcohol and tobacco taxes, worth up to 2 billion baht a year, and making annual government budget allocations its main source of funding.

The proposed amendment to the Thai Public Broadcasting Organisation Act has entered the parliamentary process and been classified as a finance bill.

The House Secretariat has also opened the draft for public comment, according to Supachai Jaisamut, an MP and chairman of the Bhumjaithai legal affairs committee who proposed the bill.

Under the current system, Thai PBS receives 1.5% of revenue collected from alcohol and tobacco taxes. The Excise and Customs departments transfer the money directly to Thai PBS without first remitting it to the state treasury.

The bill would repeal Sections 12 to 16 of the Thai PBS Act to end the earmarked funding arrangement and amend Section 11(1) to require Thai PBS to seek annual funding through the government’s budget process and parliamentary approval, as other state agencies do.

Mr Supachai said in the bill’s explanatory memorandum that the changes would bring Thai PBS funding into line with constitutional fiscal-discipline requirements.

He cited Section 26 of the State Fiscal and Financial Discipline Act of 2018, which prohibits the imposition of taxes or fees for a state agency’s own use without first remitting the revenue to the state, except for local administrative organisations.

The bill’s proponents acknowledge that Section 82 allows existing arrangements of this kind to remain in force, but argue that it was intended as a transitional exemption rather than a permanent exception.

The proposed changes would return the funding of Thai PBS to the state’s normal revenue system. Mr Supachai said this would establish a uniform fiscal-discipline standard for government agencies.

The House consultation will remain open until mid-October.

The inauguration of a 48-billion-baht power semiconductor factory for German firm Infineon Technologies AG will be a crucial part of Thailand’s “All in AI” scheme, says Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas.

“Thailand must advance on two fronts simultaneously: ‘AI in All’ and ‘All in AI’, ” said Mr Ekniti at the plant’s opening ceremony in Samut Prakan on Thursday.

AI (artificial intelligence) in All means using the technology to raise productivity across every sector of the economy, while All in AI aims to develop the infrastructure that an AI economy requires, he noted.

Infineon’s investment is a major contribution to All in AI, anchoring the semiconductor capabilities needed for AI, electric vehicles, clean energy, data centres and industrial automation.

The company’s first facility, Module A, is located in the Araya Industrial Estate and becomes Infineon’s third power module production hub, alongside sites in Germany and China.

Upon completion of all five planned modules, the complex is expected to become the company’s largest back-end assembly and testing centre worldwide.

“We chose Thailand for its mature industrial ecosystem, strong automotive and electronics base, and established semiconductor cluster,” said Alexander Gorski, chief operating officer of Infineon Technologies AG.

“This manufacturing hub will help Infineon balance its regional production network, strengthen supply chain resilience and capture growing demand across Asia.”

Demand for power semiconductors — specialised chips that regulate and convert electrical power while limiting energy loss and heat — is growing alongside investment in data centres, robotics, electric and autonomous vehicles, and industrial systems.

The global power semiconductor market is projected to grow from US$60 billion in 2025 to more than $107 billion by 2035.

Infineon’s new facility begins operations with Phase 1, or Module A, which includes 30,000 square metres of cleanroom space and a dedicated prototype R and D centre.

Across five planned phases, Modules A through E, the site is expected to expand to 150,000 sq m of cleanroom space.

Under an investment package approved by the Board of Investment (BoI), Infineon is expected to create more than 5,000 skilled local jobs, or about 1,000 positions in each planned phase.

“The semiconductor ecosystem is deeply interconnected and Thailand is stepping up to play an important role in the global supply chain,” said Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who also presided over the opening ceremony.

“Our national semiconductor strategy sets a clear direction for building a competitive and resilient chip industry.”

Narit Therdsteerasukdi, secretary-general of the BoI, said the strategy goes far beyond attracting capital or adding production capacity.

“This strategy is about building technological capability in Thailand,” he said.

The Service Workers in Group (Swing) Foundation has called for an investigation into the treatment of 25 sex workers arrested in Pattaya and urged the decriminalisation of consensual sex work to protect their rights.

Swing raised the issue during a recent consultation on revising the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act 1996, organised by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security at Chulalongkorn University.

The group focused on the Aug 29 arrests in Pattaya, shortly before the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in the city. The operation involved Pattaya police, patrol officers, Tourist Police, Chon Buri immigration officers and provincial social development officers.

Twenty-five people — 18 Thais, five Laotians and two Ugandans — were arrested for allegedly soliciting or loitering to sell sex.

Swing director Surang Janyam said the arrests reflected a recurring practice during major events, when sex workers were removed from public spaces to project a “clean” image of Thailand.

“They do not respect sex workers as human beings, yet they eagerly welcome the revenue generated when US military personnel arrive. They expect the money but fail to protect or respect the people who earn it,” she said.

The foundation also raised concerns over the collection of fines. Anna, a Swing human rights counsellor, said the fines were 500 baht for Thai workers and 1,000 baht for foreigners and were collected in cash.

After payment, officers used a whiteboard marker to write a Thai letter on the workers’ hands to indicate that they had paid their fines.

“Such marking is a human rights violation,” Anna said.

Swing reported the incident to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which requested reports from the ministry and police. Ms Surang said neither agency had responded to the NHRC’s request at the time of the consultation.

Prof Chalidaporn Songsamphan, Swing president and a Thammasat University political science lecturer, said the incident illustrated wider concerns about the treatment of sex workers under the law.

She said the 1996 Act does not explicitly prohibit sex work in its entirety.

Section 5 prohibits soliciting or openly approaching people for prostitution in public places in a manner that causes a nuisance, while Section 7 prohibits advertising or soliciting prostitution through documents, printed materials or other means.

She said enforcement could nevertheless expose sex workers to discrimination and alleged abuses of legal powers.

She cited reports of transgender sex workers being fined for carrying condoms, which officers treated as evidence of an intention to engage in prostitution.

Such practices, she said, could undermine public health campaigns promoting condom use and preventing sexually transmitted infections.

She also cited a reported case in which a transgender sex worker was sexually assaulted by customers but was refused a police complaint because officers questioned whether a sex worker could be raped.

“State authorities remain passive even when sex workers suffer violence or are killed by customers,” she said. “When workers attempt to file reports at police stations, officers dismiss them by citing their involvement in illegal work.”

Swing is calling for the repeal of the 1996 Act and the decriminalisation of consensual sex work, while retaining separate laws dealing with human trafficking and child abuse.

Anekchai Rueangrattanakorn, adviser to the social development and human security minister, said the legislation had governed prostitution-related activities for nearly three decades but was now being reviewed in light of social and economic changes and developments in labour and human rights.

He said civil society and sex-worker groups had called for consensual sex work to be decriminalised, arguing that criminalisation could contribute to stigma and discrimination and restrict access to labour rights and legal protection.

“The ministry is currently reviewing and revising the legislation, with an emphasis on promoting and protecting the rights of sex workers,” Mr Anekchai said.

He added the ministry would examine the allegations raised during the consultation, including photographs submitted by civil society groups.

The owner of an accommodation near Phuket airport successfully returned a bundle of euro banknotes left in a wardrobe, estimated to be worth about 100,000 baht, to a French tourist on Friday, receiving thanks and a 100-baht tip.

Guy Petcharat uploaded a picture of himself returning the cash to his hotel’s guest in a Facebook post at 10.35am.

In the post, he explained the money had been returned to its owner, and thanked his team at OASIS Phuket Airport. He later added that he believed every hotel regularly carries out similar deeds, saying that if a guest leaves a personal belonging behind in their room, it must be returned.

Mr Petcharat elaborated that a housekeeper found an envelope stuffed with euro notes in a wardrobe after the guest had checked out and left for Koh Samui in Surat Thani province.

He personally contacted the tourist to tell him the envelope had been found.

The man had not realised the money was missing, Mr Petcharat said. When told, he flew back to Phuket to collect it.

“If the money had really been lost, he would have been shocked, because there was a lot in that envelope,” the owner said to Phuket Times. “He looked very happy and gave me a 100-baht tip.”

People’s Party MP Rangsiman Rome will invite Bhumjaithai MP Suchada Zhang Thaensap and her husband to clarify cryptocurrency and financial transactions on Oct 7.

Mr Rangsiman, chairman of the House committee on legal affairs, justice and human rights, said on Friday that representatives from the Anti-Money Laundering Office, the Securities and Exchange Commission and National Anti-Corruption Commission would also be invited to the meeting.

The committee wants to look at the flow of funds, investment activities and sources of income after Mr Rangsiman raised allegations in Parliament concerning Ms Suchada’s husband, Zhang Taiyang, an Australian citizen of Chinese descent.

The issue emerged during Thursday’s House session, when Mr Rangsiman questioned Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob about an alleged 40-million-baht bribe offer.

He referred to a female Bhumjaithai MP from Chaiyaphum whose husband was allegedly linked to an international scam network.

Ms Suchada, the only female Bhumjaithai MP for Chaiyaphum, objected, demanding evidence and saying the remarks had damaged her reputation. Mr Rangsiman stood by his remarks and said evidence would be provided later.

Mr Rangsiman said on Friday that the committee had not reached any conclusion and maintained the presumption of innocence. The investigation would first establish financial links before determining whether there were grounds for legal or political action.

Scrutiny first arose over Ms Suchada’s asset disclosures to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), showing roughly 1.85 billion baht in her husband’s name.

The largest asset declared was a 1.4-billion-baht loan made in 2021 to the now-bankrupt crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC).

Legal pushback

Opposition politicians and analysts have questioned the origins of these large sums and possible links to distressed or fraudulent crypto networks, prompting legal pushback and defamation lawsuits from Ms Suchada.

Mr Rangsiman said people linked to the Three Arrows case had been arrested or prosecuted in Singapore and the United States, and that some statements had linked them to Mr Zhang.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the Bhumjaithai party leader, on Friday declined to comment when asked about the allegations.

Mr Zhang was a co-founder of Ren Protocol (originally Republic Protocol), a decentralised platform that lets users move digital assets across different blockchains.

He sold the corporate entities behind Ren Protocol in 2021 to Alameda Research, a company led by crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, who linked the cross-chain project directly to his FTX ecosystem.

FTX collapsed in late 2022, which led to Bankman-Fried being jailed for fraud.

Trat: Operators and local officials on Koh Kut expect tourism to recover towards the end of this year and into next year, but remain wary of traveller confidence, the border situation and the island’s limited infrastructure.

They said promotion in both domestic and foreign markets would be needed to sustain revenue on Trat island.

Attapol Klinthap, manager of Boon Siri Speed Boat Co Ltd, said Thai visitors had underpinned the market, especially on long weekends and public holidays.

Overall arrivals were little changed from the same period last year, though some foreign markets had fallen. Operators believe geopolitical tensions may have contributed to the drop.

Mr Attapol said the trade was optimistic about the closing months of the year after Thailand-Cambodia border tensions dented confidence in the previous high season. Advance bookings were still relatively low, however, as tourists remained alert to further disruption.

He urged the government to roll out its “Thai Tiew Thai Plus” domestic stimulus programme on schedule, particularly over the year-end period.

Dechathorn Chan-orp, chairman of the Koh Kut tambon administrative organisation and owner of Suanya Resort, said bookings from October through the New Year holiday were expected to reach 70-80%. Tourism on the island could keep growing into next year if no new shock hits the market, he said.

Koh Kut has only about 1,600 hotel rooms, which may not be enough at peak times, especially from November to February when foreign arrivals rise. Some visitors may have to use homestays or camping sites.

Mr Dechathorn also pointed to shortcomings in roads, electricity, water and toilets. He said limits on the use of state land administered by the Royal Thai Navy have constrained expansion and upgrades.

Although floodwaters from a recent deluge in Bangkok have largely receded, economists warn the impact on the Thai economy could be greater than initially expected because of forecasts of more rainfall and rising financial burdens on affected households.

Amonthep Chawla, head of research at CIMB Thai Bank, said flooding in most parts of Bangkok was relatively short-lived, but could still pose risks to the economy for the remainder of the year.

“It is probably too soon to say how much of an impact the floods will have on the economy. The extent of the damage and whether the economy can recover more quickly in the fourth quarter needs to be monitored,” he said.

“We also need to see what measures the government introduces to provide relief, compensation and economic stimulus. I believe the economic risks have increased.”

Affected households will need to spend money to replace damaged belongings, potentially pushing household debt higher, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) squeezed by liquidity constraints could feel the financial impact for some time.

“The government and concerned agencies need to assist those affected, helping them get back on their feet,” said Mr Amonthep.

“Otherwise, what initially appears to be a flood lasting just two or three weeks could leave a long-term scar on the economy.”

Such effects could turn a short-term disruption into a medium-term economic problem, making support for affected households and businesses essential, he said.

Effective communication with the international community about the scope of the flood impact is also vital to maintain confidence in investment and exports.

“There has been no significant impact on industrial estates like there was during the 2011 floods. As a result, we have not seen the same kind of supply chain disruption,” said Mr Amonthep.

Koraphat Vorachet, assistant managing director and head of research at Krungsri Securities, said its economists estimate the latest floods could reduce gross domestic product (GDP) by around 0.2 percentage points, compared with a 3-percentage-point dip during the devastating floods in 2011.

However, recent heavy fund outflows from the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) partly reflect foreign investors’ concerns that the floods could have a greater economic impact than previously estimated, said Mr Koraphat.

“Although Bangkok’s rainfall eased from Sept 30 to Oct 1, flood risks in the lower Chao Phraya basin have not passed their peak,” he said.

Forecasts indicate increased rainfall across Thailand from Oct 5-8, with heavy rain expected in some areas.

Increased water releases from the Chao Phraya and Pasak river systems, combined with high tides in early October, mean communities along the Chao Phraya River and major northern drainage routes remain at risk.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met Airbus executives on Friday to discuss the expansion of investment and technology transfer in Thailand and the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using Thai agricultural products.

Mr Anutin met with Wouter van Wersch, Airbus executive vice-president for international affairs, and Bert Porteman, a representative of Airbus Thailand, at Government House.

The talks focused on expanding cooperation in aviation, space technology, human resources development and clean energy.

The two sides also discussed the development of the aviation industry’s related services, including cooperation with Thai Airways International, as well as workforce development to support industry expansion and the government’s goal of making Thailand a regional aviation hub.

The prime minister said the government was committed to promoting the aviation industry and other future industries.

He praised Airbus for its long-standing cooperation with Thailand in job creation, skills development and support for the country’s aviation sector.

He asked Airbus to consider expanding its existing cooperation and adapting successful models it uses in other countries for Thailand.

This would allow the country to benefit more from Airbus’s global knowledge, technology and networks including its plans to set up a Centre of Excellence in Thailand as a hub for developing knowledge, technology and skilled personnel.

The centre is expected to connect Thailand with Airbus’s global network and provide Thai workers with opportunities to develop advanced technology skills.

On clean energy, the PM proposed that Airbus support the use of SAF produced in Thailand using agricultural materials and production as part of the supply chain.

The use of SAF would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aviation while creating new markets, increasing the value of agricultural products and generating additional income for Thai farmers.

Mr Anutin also said Thailand’s cooperation with Airbus could extend beyond aviation. The cooperation would focus on technology and knowledge transfers and human resources development to strengthen Thailand’s capabilities in space and related technologies.

The premier proposed expanding cooperation in space technology and security, building on existing links between Airbus and Thai agencies, including the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda) and Thaicom Plc.