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Police are investigating online reports of a foreign couple seen having sex at night in the sea at Jomtien beach, in the Pattaya area.

On Saturday a post was shared on social media showing a still image taken from a video depicting a foreign couple engaged in sexual activity in the sea just off the beach.

The post included a caption describing their activity in explicit terms and noting that it happened in front of onlookers and tourists on Jomtien beach.

The post drew numerous comments from netizens.

On Sunday, police said they had not yet confirmed the activity happened at the reported location.

The video provided only a single camera angle, and they were still attempting to verify the date, time and precise location.

Despite the post-pandemic recovery, the global petrochemical sector has failed to stabilise. Overcapacity, slowing demand growth, and intensifying competition have pushed margins to their lowest levels in more than a decade. Persistent oversupply will remain the dominant challenge through the end of this decade.

Global utilisation rates for core commodities have dropped well below their historical averages. At the same time, capacity continues to expand in China and the Middle East, further flattening margins. As this trend continues, the future petrochemical market will likely take one of three different forms. In the first scenario, feedstock-rich regions and growth markets lead global trade. The second likely outcome is national oil companies (NOCs) dominate through scale and integration. In the third scenario, protectionism drives the emergence of regional champions.

Southeast Asian players must now consider the road ahead. It remains one of the few regions with solid demand growth, yet must react to a world where global oversupply has dragged down returns. Globally, annualised total shareholder return (TSR) fell to -1% between 2019 and 2024, compared with 15.3% for the S and P 500 – a gap that has weighed on SEA players despite strong local demand.

In response to these industry headwinds, companies across Southeast Asia have made difficult but strategic choices. In the Philippines, JG Summit shuttered its naphtha cracker in January-which produced 480,000 tonnes of ethylene and 240,000 tonnes of propylene annually-citing high costs and weak margins. Meanwhile in Malaysia, Lotte Chemical Titan paused operations at its Pasir Gudang Complex in December to mitigate losses.

In this challenging landscape, the next steps for the region’s industry players will have major implications for future growth.

Rationalisation as the first step

This is not the first time petrochemicals has faced margin compression, but the persistence of today’s imbalance has created urgency.

European players have already moved to rationalise capacity. Sabic closed its Olefins 3 cracker in the Netherlands, removing 550,000 tonnes of ethylene capacity. In France, ExxonMobil shut its Gravenchon steam cracker, losing 425,000 tonnes of ethylene and 290,000 tonnes of propylene capacity.

In our latest report, Preparing for the Next Wave of Petrochemical Consolidation,Boston Consulting Group (BCG) analysis reveals that at least 10 million tonnes per annum of global cracker capacity must be rationalised to restore balance. Without such action, utilisation rates will remain depressed, undermining investment capacity for the transition to low-carbon and downstream products.

Counting on consolidation

Rationalisation alone will not be enough. Consolidation has become the sector’s strongest lever to cut costs, capture synergies, and reposition for resilience.

We already see early signs of industry adapting to this need. More than 300 deals were announced in 2024-among them INEOS’s acquisition of TotalEnergies’ 50% stake in Naphtachimie, Appryl, and Gexaro, which previously operated as joint ventures. These deals seek to leverage crucial sources of advantage, whether that’s feedstock, access to new markets, technology, portfolio diversification, or greater control over key value chains.

In Southeast Asia, consolidation is already reshaping the landscape. Chandra Asri, in partnership with Glencore, acquired Shell’s Singapore refinery and petrochemical assets, before purchasing Chevron Phillips’ polyethylene plant-in doing so adding 400,000 tonnes annual capacity. These moves demonstrate how regional players are seeking scale and integration to compete in an unforgiving market.

Three futures that could reshape petrochemicals

The next decade will be pivotal for the petrochemical industry, with value creation shifting dramatically depending on how global dynamics play out. Our analysis points to three possible futures, each with very different implications for Southeast Asian producers.

The first scenario sees feedstock- and market-advantaged players pulling ahead. Producers in the United States and the Middle East are positioned to dominate global exports thanks to their low-cost feedstock base, while India and China capitalise on domestic demand growth to strengthen self-sufficiency. In such a world, companies in Southeast Asia would be at a structural disadvantage. Regional producers would need to accelerate their move downstream into higher-value or speciality products where differentiation can offset cost disadvantages. Those unable to make this pivot risk being priced out of the global market.

In the second scenario, NOCs rise to dominance. As global transport-fuel demand slows, many NOCs are reintegrating petrochemicals into their portfolios to capture growth and diversify earnings. Armed with government backing, large-scale mergers and acquisitions, and heavy investments in technologies such as crude-to-chemicals, these players could secure an outsized role in the global industry. Southeast Asian producers would face tougher competition from nationally supported companies, unless they form strategic partnerships or focus on specialised products.

The third scenario is defined by the rise of regional champions in a protectionist world. Trade barriers and tightening environmental regulations could slow global flows and push countries to develop self-sufficient value chains. In this context, petrochemical industries would consolidate around two to three dominant players within each region. For Southeast Asia, strong local demand growth could provide a platform for such champions to emerge. But success would hinge on consolidation and integration. Without sufficient scale, even promising domestic players would struggle to compete against better-integrated rivals in neighbouring regions.

The case for bold action

It’s clear that consolidation is no longer optional, regardless of which scenario plays out.

The region does face key structural disadvantages in charting the route forward. Unlike rivals in the US and Middle East, Southeast Asian producers lack low-cost feedstock, while China’s mega-plants benefit from greater scale and lower capital intensity. Southeast Asian players sit in the third quartile of the global cost curve for several key petrochemical commodities, leaving them vulnerable in an increasingly competitive environment.

Some regional players are already testing new approaches. One company is pioneering feedstock flexibility by importing ethane from the US to supply its regional petrochemicals complex, lowering costs by more than 30%. Others are exploring mergers to integrate assets and build resilience.

The challenge now is urgency. As consolidation reshapes the global industry, Southeast Asian producers must act decisively to scale, integrate, and reposition. Those that move boldly can become regional champions. Those that delay, risk being sidelined in the next era of petrochemicals.

Rak see lacquer colour painting is a distinct art form found in Asia. It involves mixing pigment powder with clear lacquer sap to create colours resembling oil paint. Artists often add details to their art using black lacquer outlines, gold or silver leaves, and build up multiple overlapping layers. Once dry, the surface is polished to reveal the depth and texture of the layers.

Despite its cultural significance, access to these traditional materials and techniques is limited because certain materials need to be imported from abroad. Due to transportation fees, artists spend a lot of money on materials.

Sanan Rattana, a fellow of the Royal Society of Thailand’s Academy of Arts, has been interested in rak see because he once had an art teacher who had lived during the reign of King Rama V and knew about the technique. Sanan has visited Vietnam many times to further learn about rak see techniques.

According to Sanan, Thailand has no clear lacquer available. Thus, he had to import clear lacquer from Vietnam which costs an equivalent of about 700 to 800 baht for 10kg. However, with transportation fees the total cost rises to 18,000 baht.

“Rak see had been missing from Thailand for over 100 years. It disappeared during the reign of King Rama V when Thailand was trying to escape colonialism and had to adopt Western culture and art techniques. This caused the loss of traditional Thai art. The last person who knew original rak see techniques has already passed away,” explained Sanan.

“Rak see techniques were used in China 4,000 years ago. The techniques were also found in Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. Since Vietnam is close to Thailand, I visited Hue many times to purchase materials and I caught a glimpse of their techniques, remembered them and developed them by myself because the art community in Vietnam does not share rak see knowledge with foreigners.

“I also learned rak see techniques from looking at second-hand Japanese bento sets in Thailand. My rak see techniques combine traditional Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese techniques.”

After Sanan developed his rak see techniques, he organised workshops to educate young people, however, materials such as clear lacquer sap, pigment powder and drawing boards imported from Vietnam cost a lot of money. Though young people know about rak see, many of them cannot work with this technique because of the expenses. Therefore, the National Research Council of Thailand asked Sanan to search for rak see substitute materials available in Thailand.

Sanan’s successful results are on display at the art exhibition “Rak See” at Chulalongkorn University Museum.

It took him six months to find materials that could be substituted for clear lacquer sap and pigment powder. Urethane and varnish are replacements for clear lacquer, while synthetic colours are substitutes for pigment powder.

“On the day I submitted my research grant application, I had no idea what kind of materials could be substitutes. However, I learned that clear lacquer sap has the properties of being able to adhere, coat and act as a sticky resin. Due to these properties, I looked into construction materials such as furniture coating like urethane and varnish. There was a lot of trial and error as I experimented with materials. It was quite wasteful as if something did not work, I had to buy new materials,” Sanan explained.

“I also bought and tested many synthetic colours purchased from various places including the stationary store Nanaphan, the paint shop Sen Hong Eagle and the construction material shop Thai Watsadu. After six months of research, the committee asked about my progress. I told them that I found paints for rak see that could be purchased at stores in districts nationwide. The committee was pleased with my answer because it met their expectations.”

In addition to urethane or varnish mixed with synthetic colours, Sanan’s daughter and his students created pigment from natural materials such as rose petals, jackfruit and rosewood. The results are effective, but the colours are earth tones.

“Rak See” displays several works by Sanan along with more than 90 others created by students, aspiring artists and professionals. Sanan and his research team collaborated with many universities and schools and passed on rak see techniques using new materials to teachers, lecturers and artists. They will now continue to pass on the knowledge to more students and colleagues.

As a research team member, Asst Prof Soamshine Boonyananta, of Chulalongkorn University, said that regardless of art background, anyone can enjoy rak see techniques.

“Unlike other Thai traditional art techniques which require specific processes, artists and students can enjoy experimenting with rak see even though they have different backgrounds,” she said.

“Artists and students can use urethane or varnish mixed with synthetic colours to paint on a board, like oil painting or create art by building up multiple layers and polishing it. They are forced to work on specific techniques. After the first trial, if someone enjoys rak see, they can continually develop their own styles.”

Sanan had a positive reaction when asked how he felt about over 90 lacquer paintings created by younger artists and students. He also revealed his future project which will preserve another traditional Thai art technique.

“I am happy that I am bringing back our traditional art techniques which have almost disappeared. In the past, I was the only one practicing rak see,” he said.

“Then, 30 to 40 people learned about it and became interested. Currently, the group who know rak see techniques has expanded to 100 to 200 people. In the future, Thailand will have more diverse lacquer techniques and younger generations will have more options apart from using only paints imported from abroad.

“My future project is to study and restore lacquer techniques mixed with pearl, which is found at Wat Sra Bua in Phetchaburi. It is the only place in Thailand where this technique is found.”

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has defended his exit as interior minister under the previous Pheu Thai Party-led government, stating that Pheu Thai sought to regain the ministry to increase its advantage ahead of an anticipated early election.

In the second day of the debate on the government’s policy statement on Tuesday, Mr Anutin responded to accusations from opposition MPs that his government was formed under questionable circumstances.

The coalition led by Mr Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party has already violated the so-called memorandum of agreement signed with the main opposition People’s Party, said Jiraporn Sindhuprai, a Pheu Thai MP from Roi Et.

The agreement was signed in exchange for the People’s Party supporting Mr Anutin in the vote for prime minister. Bhumjaithai, in turn, would agree to stay in power for only four months before calling for a dissolution of the House. The People’s Party also set a condition that Bhumjaithai must not try to expand the coalition to secure a House majority.

Ms Jiraporn called the Anutin administration a ‘special government’ born out of irregular conditions – including Bhumjaithai’s withdrawal from the previous coalition and the Constitutional Court’s ruling on Aug 29 that removed Paetongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister over her infamous phone call with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen.

Ms Jiraporn claimed the agreement with the People’s Party was not honoured, pointing to the government winning more votes than expected in the prime ministerial selection and to MPs defecting to Bhumjaithai, thereby breaching the pledge not to try to create a majority bloc.

She said the government had little sincerity about restoring democracy and pledged that Pheu Thai would use the next four months to scrutinise the administration intensively.

Pheu Thai is not officially part of the opposition led by the People’s Party, saying it prefers to be independent for now.

Rising to defend himself, Mr Anutin recounted that while accompanying Ms Paetongtarn when she was premier on an official trip to Cambodia in April, he was told afterwards that Cambodian officials had assumed he would soon be removed as interior minister.

He later received official confirmation on June 17 that Pheu Thai wanted the Interior Ministry back and suggested he take the health portfolio instead.

‘I told them it was better to be direct – if you want me out of government, just say so,’ Mr Anutin said. ‘I stood by Ms Paetongtarn every step, good days and bad, and never betrayed her.

‘Yet I was told Pheu Thai needed the Interior Ministry because elections were near,’ he said, adding that he saw no evidence that control of the ministry guaranteed electoral victory.

The Interior Ministry supervises provincial and local administrations nationwide, which critics argue could provide an electoral advantage to the party controlling the ministry.

Mr Anutin is now servong as Interior Minister again, in addition to his prime ministerial role.

He added that, after repeated discussions, including with the prime minister’s secretary-general, Bhumjaithai chose to withdraw from the coalition, citing both unfair treatment and the controversy surrounding the Paetongtarn-Hun Sen phone call, which undermined the government’s legitimacy.

Mr Anutin said the current coalition agreement with the People’s Party includes a commitment to dissolve parliament by Jan 31 or earlier if necessary.

He also dismissed claims of ‘poaching’ MPs to boost government numbers, stating Bhumjaithai’s recent gain came from a by-election victory in Si Sa Ket province, in a seat formerly held by Pheu Thai.

Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop have all raised their sales transaction fees and introduced additional service charges, leading to higher costs for merchants.

This trend signals the platforms’ drive to increase profitability, while also reflecting their dominant market power by placing a greater financial burden on sellers.

Moreover, TikTok Shop has for the first time expanded its “Pay later” financial service to encompass a broader range of users after piloting a trial among a small number of users late last year.

TikTok Shop’s rivals, Shopee and Lazada, have long been operating this kind of service.

Industry analysts warn that these platforms are no longer just marketplaces — they now control payment systems, logistics, advertising, financial services, and insurance, all powered by behavioural data from over 30 million users.

On Sept 15 this year, Shopee increased its sales transaction fee by another 0.6-1 percentage point, depending on the category, along with a new “Platform Infrastructure Fee” of 1 baht per order.

On Sept 28, Lazada raised its seller fees by 2 percentage points for both regular sellers and LazMall merchants.

Effective as of Oct 1 this year, TikTok Shop said it would be adjusting its platform fees as part of a broader investment strategy “to maintain a safe, sustainable, and inclusive ecosystem”. The new fees are a Commerce Growth Fee of 5.35% for electronics and 6.42% for other categories, capped at a maximum of 199 baht per unit (including VAT), and an Infrastructure Fee of 1.07 baht, which will be waived for sellers with fewer than 100 monthly orders.

In a statement, TikTok Shop said: “We continue to be committed to enabling businesses of all sizes. In 2025 alone, in Thailand, TikTok Shop is investing over US$2 million [64.7 million baht] to promote Thai companies. We recently launched a TikTok Shop E-commerce Curriculum for entrepreneurs in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society.”

Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, honorary president of the Thai e-Commerce Association, said Thailand’s digital economy faces growing concerns over the dominance of e-commerce platforms, which are rapidly evolving into commercial infrastructure giants.

By leveraging customer data — such as purchase habits, payment patterns, and delivery preferences — platforms are building powerful engines for personalised promotions, upselling, and cross-industry expansion.

This poses significant risks to five key sectors.

Regarding banking and finance, the platforms compete by offering lending and instalments such as “buy now, pay later” services during the payment process, using real-time payment data to assess creditworthiness, which is often more accurate than traditional credit bureaus.

Their proprietary e-wallets also divert transaction fees away from banks, while those financial institutions lose access to stock-keeping unit-level data, weakening their ability to offer competitive pre-approved loans.

Retailers and brands are increasingly dependent on platforms for visibility, often paying for promotion in a “pay-to-play” model.

Platforms have also launched their own private-label products based on top-selling items, undercutting suppliers. Loyalty tools such as coupons and points keep customers within the platform ecosystem.

For logistics and warehousing, the e-commerce platforms are building their own delivery networks and fulfilment centres, setting service levels and pricing.

With access to end-to-end route and cost data, they can optimise operations beyond the reach of traditional logistics providers.

When it comes to the media and advertising sector, their budgets are shifting towards platform ecosystems, where closed-loop attribution links ads directly to sales.

The platforms’ first-party data enables precise retargeting and personalised promotions, reducing reliance on traditional media.

The platforms offer insurance services, covering parcels and accidents.

Their future expansion could reach travel, health, education, telecom, and utilities — any service that can be embedded at the checkout and supported by user data.

Mr Pawoot explained how platforms tighten their grip by use of a data flywheel, as more sales generate more data, enabling better recommendations and higher conversion rates.

They can have a cross-sell engine by using points and coupons that link products with financial, insurance, and logistics services.

Mr Pawoot suggests businesses collect first-party data via customer relationship management and owned channels (such as the web, apps, and Line) while using marketplaces to acquire new customers, then convert them into brand members.

The businesses should partner with banks and insurtechs to embed financial and insurance services.

They should collaborate on logistics to negotiate better service levels and pricing. Mr Pawoot urged the government to step in and ensure fair competition. Without intervention, monopolistic platforms could expand unchecked, threatening the survival of traditional businesses across multiple sectors.

“Marketplace platforms are no longer just selling products — they’re becoming the backbone of Thailand’s commercial infrastructure,” Mr Pawoot said. “If businesses don’t act now to reclaim data and embed their own services, they risk losing margins, bargaining power, and loyal customers.”

Re: “Authoritarians’ brave new cities”, (Opinion, Sept 23).

I am reading the latest novel by David Baldacci (Strangers in Time), set in London during the Blitz.

He writes: “But., as even a casual observer of history could say with complete confidence, such one-man governing structures never ended well for anyone, not even the strongman. Humans make poor gods. We’re just not up to it.”

It seems to confirm the saying that power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely. USA, be warned?

Keith McCulloch

Sum of woes

Re: “Irrational rationale” and “Revise the numbers”, (PostBag, Sept 22).

I appreciate the feedback from S de Jong and Ian Dann. Yet, as a university teacher by trade, I teach my students that a good paper needs to pass the “so what?” test, and I don’t see their criticisms of my inexact arithmetic as passing the “so what?” test; especially in view of the fact that I have been upfront that I am dyslexic with numbers, but not letters.

Yet, to S de Jong’s point, let’s revise the numbers using his numbers.

Let’s take his upper figure of 44,000 baht spent per tourist and multiply 44,000 times 1.75 million on a calculator. I came up with a figure on Google (and I checked this five times due to my dyslexia) of 77 billion baht or $2.4 billion that is and/or shall be absent from the Thai economy in 2025. Please note I am using S de Jong’s numbers, and I openly ask non-dyslexic readers to rerun this math.

To close, while I’m dealing with numbers that even a CPA may struggle with, this is a whole lot of greenbacks going into someone else’s — cannabis stench free — tourism industry and, by the way, if I happen to take my young nephews and nieces on a tourist trip, we’re going to somewhere weed free; where good people are high on proper moral values and not funny mushrooms.

Jason A Jellison

Tailored tourism

Re: “Reviving the China market”, (BP, Sept 28).

Instead of focusing on increasing the sheer number of tourists, we should tailor different services for different target markets, offering superior value for money to each niche. Just counting heads is a sure way to over-tourism, zero baht tours and low profits.

The Louvre Museum is a prime example of market segmentation. To help ensure quality experiences for all, the Louvre requires advance booking of timed tickets to manage visitor flow. On-site ticket availability is limited and subject to the museum’s attendance levels. Admission is free for those under 18, the disabled and their caregivers, and certain other categories like art teachers.

Importantly, there is no highly irritating discrimination by nationality; EU residents under 26 enter for free, regardless of nationality. The Louvre offers standard adult timed-entry tickets, tickets with an audio guide, a combo ticket (including Louvre entry and a Seine River cruise), and a priority access guided tour with an expert host — each at a price point suitable for its market niche.

Our Chiang Mai Historical and City Arts and Cultural Centres have expert guides available on demand, dressed in period costumes, and they really know their stuff, eg, my guide majored in Thai History from CMU. Why can’t other tourist attractions be like them?

For instance, Ancient City might offer audio guides or hosts who majored in religion/history, or Khao Keo Open Zoo’s hosts might be zoology majors, with foreign language skills as an add-on.

Think profit per head, not just heads.

Burin Kantabutra

China’s new visa programme aimed at attracting foreign tech talent kicks off this week, a move seen boosting Beijing’s fortunes in its geopolitical rivalry with Washington as a new US visa policy prompts would-be applicants to scramble for alternatives.

While China has no shortage of skilled local engineers, the programme is part of an effort by Beijing to portray itself as a country welcoming foreign investment and talent, as rising trade tensions due to US tariffs cloud the country’s economic outlook.

China has taken a series of measures to boost foreign investment and travel, opening more sectors to overseas investors and offering visa waivers for citizens from most European countries, Japan and South Korea among others.

“The symbolism is powerful: while the US raises barriers, China is lowering them,” said Iowa-based immigration attorney Matt Mauntel-Medici, referring to China’s new visa category, called the K visa, which launches tomorrow, Oct 1.

‘Exquisite’ timing

The K visa, announced in August, targets young foreign science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) graduates and promises to allow entry, residence and employment without a job offer, which could appeal to foreign workers looking for alternatives to US job opportunities.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration said it would ask companies to pay $100,000 (3.22 million baht) per year for H-1B worker visas, widely used by tech companies to hire skilled foreign workers.

“The US has definitely shot itself in the foot on H-1Bs, and the timing is exquisite for China’s K visa,” said Michael Feller, chief strategist at Geopolitical Strategy.

Other countries, including South Korea, Germany and New Zealand, are also loosening visa rules to attract skilled migrants.

Immigration experts say the main attraction of the K visa is no requirement of a sponsoring employer, which has been regarded as one of the biggest hurdles for those seeking H-1B visas.

The H-1B visa requires employer sponsorship and is subject to a lottery system, with only 85,000 slots available annually. The new $100,000 fee could further deter first-time applicants.

“It’s an appealing alternative for Indian Stem professionals seeking flexible, streamlined visa options,” said Bikash Kali Das, an Indian student at Sichuan University.

India was by far the largest beneficiary of H-1B visas last year, accounting for 71% of approved beneficiaries.

Unanswered questions

Despite its promise, the K visa faces hurdles. Chinese government guidelines mention vague “age, educational background and work experience” requirements.

There are also no details on financial incentives, employment facilitation, permanent residency, or family sponsorship. Unlike the US, China does not offer citizenship to foreigners except in rare cases.

China’s State Council did not respond to a request for comment asking for more details on the logistics and underlying strategy of the K visa.

Language is another barrier: most Chinese tech firms operate in Mandarin, limiting opportunities for non-Chinese speakers.

Political tensions between Delhi and Beijing could also become a factor that could limit the number of Indian K visa applicants China is willing to accept, experts said.

“China will need to ensure Indian citizens feel welcome and can do meaningful work without Mandarin,” said Mr Feller.

Alternative for whom?

China’s talent recruitment has traditionally focused on China-born scientists abroad and overseas Chinese.

Recent efforts include home-purchase subsidies and signing bonuses of up to 5 million yuan ($702,200). These have drawn back US-based Chinese Stem talent, especially amid Washington’s growing scrutiny on ties to China.

“The recruitment effort targeting Indian tech talent in China is growing but remains moderate compared to the more intensive, well-established, and well-funded initiatives aimed at repatriating Chinese Stem talent,” said Sichuan University’s Das.

A Chinese Stem graduate who recently got a job offer from a Silicon Valley-based tech company was also sceptical about the K visa’s prospects.

“Asian countries like China don’t rely on immigration and local Chinese governments have many ways to attract domestic talent,” he said, declining to be named for privacy reasons.

The US has over 51 million immigrants — 15% of its population — compared to just 1 million foreigners in China, less than 1% of its population.

While China is unlikely to significantly alter its immigration policy to allow in millions of foreign workers, analysts say the K visa could still boost Beijing’s fortunes in its geopolitical rivalry with Washington.

“If China can attract even a sliver of global tech talent, it will be more competitive in cutting-edge technology,” Mr Feller said.?

Last February, Donald Trump and his heir apparent JD Vance launched a televised frontal attack on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House, telling him that Ukraine had “no cards”. Mr Zelensky should let Russia keep the conquered territories (about 20% of Ukraine) in return for peace.

Yet last Tuesday, shortly after his hour-long rant at the UN General Assembly, Mr Trump went on his Truth Social platform to say that Russia is a “paper tiger”. He claimed that Mr Zelensky is now “in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form”. He even added: “And maybe more than that.” (Moscow, perhaps?)

Those are very ambitious goals, and the harsh truth is that the Ukrainian army has been retreating all year. Retreating very slowly, to be sure, and inflicting far more casualties on the Russians than it suffers itself, but retreating nevertheless. So is this just Mr Trump’s usual hyperbole?

Mr Trump is well-known for echoing the views of the last person he talked to (except on the few subjects he actually knows something about). The last person he talked to before issuing those predictions was Mr Zelensky himself (they were both in New York), and it would have been Mr Zelensky’s duty to talk up the prospects for an eventual Ukrainian military victory.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Ukrainians will win, or even that Mr Zelensky truly believes they will, but the Russian offensive could well be called Operation Snail. The Russians hold about 114,000 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory, but they only added 4,000 sq km in 2024 and probably the same again by the end of this year.

Russian casualties don’t matter much because Russia has four times the population of Ukraine, but this is taking a very long time, and that could be a problem for Mr Putin.

If the Ukrainians lose, they lose their entire country. If the Russian army loses, it just goes home again. In a war of attrition, therefore, Ukrainians are likely to be more patient in adversity. Whether that will be enough to outweigh Russia’s material advantages is hard to guess, but there is one new factor that might tip the scales: the Flamingos.

You have to hand it to a country that names a new and hopefully decisive weapon after an awkward-looking bird. (The Ukrainians even painted the first prototype pink.) It’s a big and cheap cruise missile — 3,000km range and a thousand-kilo warhead, but not supersonic, not stealthy, not guided (apart from GPS). Not even very accurate: probably a 15-metre CEP.

What makes it special is that it is entirely Ukrainian-built in converted underground garages. And nobody else can tell Kyiv that certain categories of Russian targets are off limits.

The Flamingos are not hard to shoot down, but Ukraine says it can build around 200 a month, and with a one-tonne warhead, they don’t have to be very accurate.

The Ukrainians are concentrating on hitting oil refineries, pipelines and pumping stations all over European Russia, with the goal of starving both the domestic and foreign markets for Russian oil. Almost all those targets can be repaired in time, but there are many hundreds of them, and it becomes a race between Ukrainian missiles and Russian repair crews.

Kyiv hopes it can win that race, in which case the Russian government’s income starts to fall. (About 30% of the federal budget comes from oil sales, mostly foreign.) The Russian economy won’t collapse, but living standards might fall steeply enough to make the war against Ukraine seriously unpopular.

Or they may not. Hoping that some single new weapon can win a war is rarely a good bet. What can be said with confidence is that the Flamingos do even things up a bit in this David-and-Goliath war, and that they are a weapon that is not given or withheld according to Donald Trump’s mood swings.

And don’t imagine that the worst is past. The most dangerous part of this war will arrive when the Putin regime collapses or Ukraine starts to go under.

Deputy Prime Minister Bowornsak Uwanno on Monday explained the constitutional amendment process, confirming that the next general election will involve four separate ballots: two for polls and another two for referendums.

The four ballots are: one for electing constituency MPs, another for party-list MPs, a third for a referendum on constitutional amendments, and a fourth for a referendum on whether to revoke the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Cambodia.

Speaking to a House session, Mr Bowornsak said the government’s policy clearly supports holding a referendum to amend the constitution, emphasising the importance of listening to the public and encouraging participation from all sectors.

This approach aligns with the Constitutional Court’s ruling and aims to uphold the democratic system with the King as head of state.

Mr Bowornsak explained that drafting the new constitution is the first step in the process. The second step involves a referendum to approve or reject the draft constitution, which will be the first question posed to voters.

The new draft constitution will introduce an additional Chapter 15/1 of necessary legislative details.

Among these updated and new provisions are a new stipulation regarding the formation of a 99-member constitution drafting assembly (CDA), whose members would be selected exclusively by parliament, to produce the document.

In the initial stage, parliament will determine how to involve the public in drafting the new constitution, in a manner that does not contradict the Constitutional Court’s ruling that prohibits a direct election of the CDA by the public.

Should parliament approve this, the second step will be to draft the new constitution by the CDA or other authorised persons as stipulated in Chapter 15/1, following the referendum, Mr Bowornsak said.

Mr Bowornsak said that two major political parties have already confirmed that they will not amend Chapters 1 and 2 of the constitution.

He explained that any changes to these chapters in the new constitution would immediately raise issues that could potentially contradict the current constitution.

Chapter 1 contains sections that define Thailand as a single, indivisible kingdom with a democratic regime and establish the King as the head of state.

Chapter 2, meanwhile, outlines royal prerogatives.

The health and wellness trend and product innovation in protein beverages in Thailand should increase demand for high-protein imported products in the final quarter of this year, according to the US Dairy Export Council (Usdec).

Dali Ghazalay, regional director for Southeast Asia at Usdec, said the council observed growing demand for dairy whey and other dairy proteins in Thailand, which is a leader in food and beverage innovation development in this region.

Stephen Cain, vice-president of economic policy and market analysis at Usdec, said from January to July 2025, Thailand imported 1,240 tonnes of high-protein whey products, up 177% year-on-year. This surge was largely fuelled by rising demand from sports nutrition, functional beverages and medical/clinical nutrition segments.

“Imports are expected to remain elevated into the final quarter of this year, supported by ongoing demand,” he said.

Mr Cain said the US supplied 1,073 tonnes of whey products to Thailand, accounting for 86.5% of the total market, followed by New Zealand at 3.8%.

He said the Thai cheese market also posted promising growth, with the country importing 15,555 tonnes of cheese products over the first seven months, up 7.7% year-on-year.

The primary sources were Australia, accounting for 35.6% of the total market, followed by New Zealand at 32.9% and the US at 9.2%.

Mr Cain said the demand driver for cheese is the rebound in food services in Thailand, including pizza, quick-service restaurants, casual dining and convenience food.

Growth in bakery items requiring cheese toppings or fillings is also contributing to this expansion, he said.

“The tourism recovery and adoption of a more Western diet have also increased cheese consumption in Thailand,” said Mr Cain.

He said he anticipates cheese imports will remain strong in the fourth quarter, driven by growth in food service and preparations for festivals and holiday menus.

In addition, Mr Cain said the strong demand for high protein is evident worldwide and there is no sign that this trend will reverse soon.

“The supply of whey protein cannot keep up with the growing demand, so don’t expect the prices to ease too much in the near term,” he said.