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China’s Golden Week starts tomorrow, when over a billion mainland Chinese people return to their homes to celebrate with their families or go travelling abroad. In the lead-up to this, the Thai government, especially the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), have been working hard to urge Chinese travellers to visit the Land of Smiles.

This comes as many Chinese no longer see Thailand as a desired destination. The number of Chinese visitors has fallen by 35% year-on-year. The TAT predicts the number of Chinese tourist arrivals during Golden Week will drop 24% year-on-year.

Safety fears driven by reports about accidents and those covering scams, fraud and abduction have tarnished Thailand’s image. Chinese tourists are now flocking to Japan and South Korea, or other alternative destinations in our region, such as Vietnam and Malaysia.

There’s little wonder that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul yesterday told parliament that his government would prioritise tourist safety and convenience, while cracking down on scammers targeting visitors.

But the biggest challenge among these is how the government can improve public safety for tourists.

This is a systematic problem that cannot be addressed by deploying more police to patrol tourist destinations or installing more CCTVs.

Thai officials do not lack resources or laws to ensure public safety, which now includes the use of biometric technologies to trace foreign visitors.

Over the years, Thai police have successfully solved all criminal cases related to foreign visitors except the case of Tomoko Kawashita, a 25-year-old Japanese tourist, who was raped and killed in Wat Saphan Hin National Park in Sukhothai, central Thailand, over 17 years ago.

Meanwhile, most of our problems affecting tourism, such as accidental fires in hotels and entertainment venues, broken infrastructure, illicit drugs or even scammers, can be linked to corruption.

Unsafe hotels, such as those without a fire escape, get built when local officials turn a blind eye and developers ignore building construction codes.

Unsafe public infrastructure, such as broken escalators or roofs that cave in during heavy rain, as seen at Don Mueang airport several years ago, often results from poor or inadequate oversight.

Then there is the rampant use of illicit drugs, either in communities or tourist destinations, made possible due to the help of tea money paying officials to look the other way.

The proliferation of proxy businesses run by some foreign criminal groups is also made possible with the help of local officials and local people.

Without tackling corruption and enforcing the law, Thailand will not be safe either for locals or tourists.

Apart from improving public safety, it is about time the government and TAT renew their tourism strategy. TAT currently has a strategy to reposition Thailand as an upmarket and sustainable destination, not just a budget-friendly one. But in reality, the TAT and the government have targeted high tourist numbers.

Policy makers have not made sincere efforts to transform Thailand’s tourism industry into one that offers upmarket, safe and sustainable destinations that tourists want to revisit and stay longer.

The government needs to make drastic reforms. After all, tourists are alike. They love to visit countries where they are well taken care of.

The Court of Appeal has rejected People’s Party MP Chonthicha Jangrewan’s petition against a two-year jail term for lese majeste.

The ruling was read out in the Thanyaburi Provincial Court, in Pathum Thani province, on Tuesday morning.

The court upheld the provincial court’s judgement and two-year prison sentence handed down in May last year.

Ms Chonthicha, nicknamed Lookkate, was convicted of violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law, and the Computer Crime Act. Prosecutors told the court she posted messages on her Facebook page criticising the monarchy on Nov 8, 2020, and presented evidence.

She was on Tuesday allowed bail to take her case to the Supreme Court and in the meantime continue to serve as a member of parliament, according to internet law reform group iLaw.

According to the prosecution, Ms Chonthicha’s posts insulted the monarchy, incited social conflict and threatened national security. Ms Chonthicha denied the charges, arguing that her actions were protected under the constitutional right to free expression.

This sentence would be served consecutively with a two-year sentence previously imposed for a 2021 protest speech criticising former premier Prayut Chan-o-cha, bringing the total prison term to four years and eight months.

The opposition Pheu Thai Party criticised the current administration as a “transitional government” designed to help Bhumjaithai secure power on the first day of the policy statement debate on Monday.

Pheu Thai MP for Nan, Cholnan Srikaew, expressed doubts that the Bhumjaithai-led government could deliver its policies before the upcoming election, because many cabinet ministers lacked capabilities.

The former Pheu Thai leader claimed that they are more likely to spend the next four months in office trying to secure their grip on power.

Dr Cholnan blasted the appointment of these ministers as “window dressing” saying they were mainly tasked with boosting the party’s popularity, in an effort to influence the outcome of the election that is scheduled to take place sometime in March next year.

He also warned of possible attempts to sabotage the Election Commission’s (EC) investigation into the alleged vote fixing in the Senate election, which targets many individuals with connections with the Bhumjaithai Party.

The Pheu Thai MP also predicted that the next polls would be driven by the “power of money”, undermining the nation’s parliamentary democracy system.

He also called the People’s Party (PP) decision to trade its mandate to form a government for charter amendments and an early House dissolution “a waste” as he claimed Bhumjaithai would not honour the agreement.

“The proposal to amend Section 256 of the charter [which would pave the way for the establishment of the charter drafting assembly (CDA)] won’t pass the first reading or the final reading.

“Even if a new charter gets written, the process will be entirely steered by the ‘blue-affiliated’ constitutional drafters. All mechanisms are in place for this,” he said, referring to the colour of the Bhumjaithai Party.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul defended the government, saying the government’s policies are achievable because he knows how to execute them.

He insisted that all cabinet members have both the expertise and experience in national administration before promising to ensure transparency and accountability.

“This government will lay the foundation for good governance and bright democracy. At least no one can pull strings behind this prime minister, and decisions will be made in consultation with cabinet members and members of parliament to protect public interests,” Mr Anutin said.

Responding to claims that the government’s policies do not correspond to people’s demands, he said his administration had different opinions about the casino-entertainment complex and digital wallet schemes.

The Bhumjathai Party’s exit from the Pheu Thai-led government was in part due to differences in opinions on these issues, he added.

Nescafé has launched Nescafé Concentrate Ready-to-Mix, its first ready-to-mix coffee product, to expand its portfolio as part of a major global initiative to capitalise on cold coffee culture.

The innovation is designed to meet rising demand among young millennials and Gen Z consumers for quality, convenience, and personalised cold coffee experiences.

Made with an Arabica and Robusta blend and developed under the “Hack It How You Like It” concept, the products are available in three variants tailored to different tastes.

Black No Sugar is bold and intense for pure coffee lovers; Sweetened Black is smooth with a touch of sweetness; and Latte is creamy and milky for a café-style experience.

Cold coffee already dominates the Thai market, accounting for 65% of out-of-home consumption. This means that out of 3.8 billion cups sold annually in coffee shops, about 2.47 billion are cold coffee.

According to Euromonitor’s 2024 research data, this market segment is valued at over 62.6 billion baht. Young Thais aged 20 to 35 often begin their coffee journey by enjoying cold drinks, with iced espresso being the most popular menu choice.

“This ready-to-mix innovation opens up a new in-home cold coffee category catering to the needs of Gen Z. As one of Nestlé’s global initiatives, the company is building on successful launches in Australia, China, the US, and the UK, and we are confident it will empower Gen Z to shape their own cold coffee culture here,” said Othman Chraibi, business executive officer at Nestlé (Thai) Ltd’s Coffee and Creamer Business Unit.

Former deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn has filed a lawsuit against two senior Supreme Administrative Court figures, accusing them of misconduct and unlawful interference in a court ruling that ordered his dismissal.

The complaint, submitted to the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases, names Prasitsak Meelarp, president of the Supreme Administrative Court and Anuwat Taraswang, president of the court’s Wrongful Acts and Other Liabilities Division.

The case centres on an alleged audio clip in which an instruction was given for the court to overturn a ruling in Pol Gen Surachate’s favour.

He insisted he was wrongfully removed from the police force following accusations of gross misconduct, including involvement with an online gambling platform and collusion in money laundering activities.

According to Pol Gen Surachate, a judicial panel voted 3 to 2 to revoke the dismissal order against him, effectively ruling in his favour. However, the division president allegedly intervened — calling for a new meeting to have the full Supreme Administrative Court bench review the case — claiming to be acting under the court president’s orders.

“This is a serious breach of judicial independence,” Pol Gen Surachate said. “Their role is to oversee and expedite cases fairly — not interfere with confidential rulings.”

Global Korean food brand Bibigo recently unveiled special edition ramyun Korean-style instant noodles featuring K-pop band Seventeen on the packaging. This launch is part of the brand’s global campaign with the world-renowned K-pop icons, accompanied by a series of fun and engaging events.

The Bibigo x Seventeen special edition products include Bibigo smoky K-chicken stir-fried ramyun and cheese tteokbokki stir-fried ramyun. An additional flavour with Seventeen packaging will come out in November. These products are currently available at major retail channels 7-Eleven, Lotus’s, Tops, Big C and Shopee.

Bibigo is also hosting a social media event until Oct 23 where consumers who purchase Bibigo ramyun can join by posting proof-of-purchase content on Instagram and TikTok. Three lucky winners of the campaign’s grand prize will receive an exclusive reward, offering them an unforgettable experience with their favourite artists. Additional details about the prize will be shared on Bibigo Thailand’s official Instagram account.

CJ Foods is also holding Bibigo x Seventeen campaign pop-ups at multiple Makro locations in Bangkok. These pop-ups will showcase special edition ramyun products, limited-edition campaign merchandise, Seventeen photocards, mini-games and a variety of exciting content.

The pop-up locations and schedules are as follows

Makro Ladprao: Until tomorrow

Makro Srinakarin: From Friday until Oct 8

Makro Chaeng Wattana: Oct 10-15

Thirty years ago, 186 countries met in Copenhagen for the first Social Summit for Social Development. The gathering was the largest meeting of world leaders ever at the time. By the end of the summit, their agenda was clear: the challenges faced by our societies are global, and so are the solutions.

In response, governments vowed to put people at the centre of global development. They recognised that social justice must be the foundation for economic progress if progress is to be sustainable. This means ensuring that people, regardless of gender, nationality, background or place of birth, have the right to live in dignity, with equal opportunities to work, thrive and succeed. Societies built on fairness work better, trust more and grow stronger.

The consensus of the summit became the cornerstone for the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since 2015, the SDGs have been the blueprint for achieving a socially just, peaceful and sustainable world. The deadline for their realisation was set for 2030.

Since that first summit, our world has changed, in many ways for the better. A new ILO report, The State of Social Justice, shows that extreme poverty is down from 39% to 10% of the global population. Child labour for under-14-year-olds has been cut in half, and for the first time in history, more than half the world has some form of social protection, such as a pension or unemployment insurance.

But despite decades of efforts, the report makes clear that major disparities remain. A person’s place of birth still determines more than half of their lifetime earnings. Globally, over 800 million people survive on less than three dollars (97 baht) a day. That is why achieving the 2030 SDG targets is in jeopardy. For example, for SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, we lag well behind, having met only two-thirds — or 66% — of the indicators.

If we wish to improve living conditions for everyone and achieve social justice, accelerating the SDGs is crucial. Decent work is a key thread that helps to tie the SDGs together, because decent work is more than making a living: it is a barometer of how well we are doing in society as a whole, including health, education, equality, and responsible consumption and production. When work is productive, paid fairly, safe, equitable and inclusive, freely chosen and with rights, we have social justice.

But decent work does not just “happen”. History shows that, without strong institutions, productivity gains do not translate into better lives. Institutions strengthen basic human rights, such as the rights to education and to a healthy environment, and ensure equal opportunities, fair distribution, and a voice for both workers and employers. Social dialogue is the most effective way to balance the interests of workers and employers and help make growth equitable.

Right now, our institutions are being tested. Three massive transitions are reshaping the world of work everywhere: the impact of a hotter planet and the move to a greener economy, the digital revolution and demographic change. These transformations are creating new jobs and destroying old ones. They have the potential to bring fresh opportunities, but they also risk deepening existing divides. How these changes will play out depends largely on the choices that societies make today.

In November 2025, the second World Social Summit will be held in Doha. This global gathering will once again bring together government representatives, workers, employers and civil society, three and a half decades after the first summit. It represents a critical moment to turn past pledges into real change.

We must reaffirm the promise made in Copenhagen: that social justice and inclusive economic development are everyone’s business and in everyone’s interest. But above all, we must take decisive action.

The ILO-led Global Coalition for Social Justice offers a platform to help move us in the right direction. Already, it brings together governments, employers’ and workers’ organisations, and other partners to accelerate action and cooperation towards achieving social justice and decent work for all.

If we succeed, we can help ensure that economic productivity and social progress are linked. Because in the end, social justice is not an impossible ideal. It is the only route forward to a sustainable future for all of us.

Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow on Monday reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to peace and diplomacy following his return from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) where he harshly responded to Cambodia’s claims about the Thai-Cambodia conflict.

He emphasised that Thailand remains open to dialogue to ease border tensions, and its position has been made clear. But he said that peace could not be achieved if it was one-sided and lacking in sincerity from Cambodia.

“We aren’t closing the door. But as I say, there are two choices — either sliding further into the conflict and losses or committing to dialogue that leads to peace and safety,” he said.

Mr Sihasak said that Thailand and Cambodia are neighbours, so they should use bilateral mechanisms to resolve the border issues without the need to bring the matter to international attention.

However, if the issue is brought up on the international stage, distorting facts is not conducive to efforts to resolve the conflict, he added.

Speaking at the UNGA’s 80th session in New York on Saturday local time, Mr Sihasak said that Cambodia continued to lie, act provocatively, violate the ceasefire agreement with Thailand and play the victim.

His remarks were in response to Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn, who alleged Cambodian civilians had been evicted from land they had lived on for decades and that an unprovoked attack had occurred near a sensitive site.

The Cambodian minister appeared to be referring to Thailand’s attempts to reclaim part of Ban Nong Chan village in Khok Sung district of Sa Kaeo province from Cambodian refugees who remained after fleeing the civil war in the 1970s.

Mr Sihasak said he believed his remarks in New York would help the international community better understand the Thai-Cambodian situation after Cambodia presented one-sided information. He added that he had to clarify Thailand’s stance because Cambodia’s statements contradicted what had been agreed in the talks.

Asked about Thailand’s next steps following his speech, Mr Sihasak said on Monday he will discuss the matter with Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and security agencies.

He admitted he is concerned about the situation, saying Thailand and Cambodia had not held further talks.

Join us for keynote speech by Youssef Nassef, Director of the Adaptation Division at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). As he shares his vision on ‘Shaping the Future of Resilience: A Vision for a Thriving Planet’.

Youssef Nassef has led the adaptation workstreams under the UNFCCC since their inception. He possesses over 30 years of experience in diplomacy and international environmental policy.

He led UNFCCC support for several initiatives on adaptation. These include the inception and support for National Adaptation Programmes of Action and National Adaptation Plans; the Nairobi Work Programme – an international knowledge hub for impacts, vulnerability and adaptation; and the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage. He recently created the Resilience Frontiers initiative which applies foresight for attaining post-2030 resilience.

Date: Friday, 3 October 2025

Time: 10.00 – 12.00

Venue: SX Grand Plenary Hall, Level G, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok

When people hear the word oasis, they often picture a pool of water in the desert: a life-giving refuge. In today’s climate crisis, many farmers in Thailand are seeking their own oasis to survive worsening droughts and floods. Despite the rainy season, large areas still face delayed rainfall, insufficient water, or unexpected flooding-pressures that severely impact agriculture, the foundation of global food supply.

Recognising the urgency, Mitr Phol Group, a leader in the sugarcane and sugar industry, has launched the ‘Mitr Phol Oasis’ or ‘Agricultural Oasis’ initiative. This large-scale reservoir project supports sugarcane farmers by providing a sustainable water source, enhancing agricultural resilience and productivity.

Water as the Foundation of Life

Mr Buntoeng Vongkusolkit, Chairman of Mitr Phol Group, explains: ‘As an organisation that plays a key role in advancing Thailand’s agricultural sector, Mitr Phol does not see itself merely as a business operator. We are responsible citizens, committed to developing sustainable water solutions. Water is the foundation of life, economic stability, and environmental sustainability. By ensuring reliable access to alternative water sources, the ‘Mitr Phol Oasis’ provides practical relief to farmers, while also sharing knowledge on systematic water management through the Mitr Phol ModernFarm approach.’

The project converts flood-prone lowlands into reservoirs with a combined capacity of over one million cubic metres. These collect and store excess water during the rainy season to mitigate floods, then release it in the dry season to combat shortages. Currently, there are four sites in Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Suphan Buri, and Kalasin provinces, covering more than 22,000 rai of farmland.

The benefits are substantial: higher agricultural productivity, reduced costs by up to 3,500 baht per rai annually, and more consistent incomes for farmers. In addition, local jobs are created, strengthening community economies.

A Life Transformed

In Ban Thanon Klang, Chaiyaphum province, lush sugarcane fields now flourish thanks to the Oasis project. Farmers describe how their lives changed.

Mae Eiang (Butsakorn Khankang) recalls: ‘This area is far from natural water sources. Floods were frequent, and I relied solely on rainfall. I dug a small pond, sometimes paying up to 4,000 baht to refill it. I worried constantly whether the water would last.’

Mae Phap (Supap Chanthi) adds: ‘To water sugarcane, I had to hire labourers to haul over a hundred heavy pipes across kilometres. After watering, we carried them all back. It was exhausting.’

Now, with the Oasis project, both women enjoy reliable water supplies and expert guidance. Through Mitr Phol ModernFarm, they learnt to choose resilient sugarcane varieties, adopt drip irrigation, and fertilise more efficiently. Yields rose dramatically-from 7-8 tonnes per rai to over 20 tonnes.

Mae Eiang smiles: ‘When there’s water, there’s life. With this project, we no longer gamble on the weather. We even share water through a LINE group with over 100 members, booking usage fairly. Besides sugarcane, I grow vegetables and fruit around the reservoir-cucumbers, beans, bananas, papayas. We eat some, sell the rest. It’s like having our own supermarket.’

Strong Community Water Management

Water reserves alone are insufficient without good management. At Ban Thanon Klang, a dedicated water team ensures fair distribution.

Phor Therd (Therdsak Phamanee), the ‘Station Master,’ explains: ‘Mitr Phol helped design the system-planning rotations, dividing the area into zones, and installing high-pressure pumps for equitable delivery. Every day I check reservations in our LINE group, monitor pressure, and oversee the opening of valves. Ten valves at a time release water directly to farms or ponds, ensuring efficiency and fairness.’

More Than a Reservoir

The Mitr Phol Oasis is far more than infrastructure. It represents sustainable resource management, resilient farming, and stronger communities. By turning climate challenges into opportunities, the project empowers farmers to withstand uncertainty while supporting local economies and protecting the environment.

In the words of one farmer: ‘When there’s water, there’s life.’ For thousands of Thai sugarcane growers, the Oasis is not only a reservoir but also a lifeline-and a promise of a more resilient future.