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Increasing rain is forecast for most parts of Thailand, with a risk of flooding in 28 provinces, into next week.

Sugunyanee Yavinchan, director-general of the Meteorological Department, said on Tuesday that an active low-pressure cell over the coast of southern Vietnam would pass through the monsoon trough from the East to the lower Central Plains, the upper South and the Andaman Sea from Wednesday to Sunday.

‘Variable weather with more rain and isolated heavy rain is forecast in the Northeast, East, the Central region including Bangkok and vicinity, the North and upper South regions,’ she said.

The Office of National Water Resources listed 28 provinces as areas at risk of flooding from Tuesday through to Monday next week.

Among them were Bangkok and Samut Prakan, especially in flood-prone zones with drainage problems.

Elsewhere, residents should be on alert for possible flash floods, runoff and landslides in:

– The northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Nakhon Sawan, Phetchabun and Uthai Thani

– The northeastern provinces of Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram and Surin

– The eastern provinces of Chachoengsao, Prachin Buri, Sa Kaeo, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat

– The western provinces of Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan

– The southern provinces of Ranong, Chumphon, Phuket, Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat

The Office of National Water Resources warned that reservoirs in Surat Thani were full and they could overflow.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported on Tuesday morning that flooding persisted in 15 provinces, nine of them on the Central Plains. Floodwater levels were declining in 12 provinces and remained stable in Chai Nat, Nakhon Pathom and Udon Thani provinces.

Re: “Poll: Outdated curriculum tops public concerns on Thai education”, (BP, Oct 26).

No one can be surprised that Thai parents think Thai public education is appallingly bad on numerous fronts. That is as venerable a tradition in Thailand as any, the complaints by parents having been for decades as consistent as the low PISA scores.

For all of the problems listed in the poll, from outdated curricula (49.31%) and unequal quality of education (37.33%), to teachers being burdened with too much non-teaching work and school safety issues (38.78%), there exists a very effective solution.

That solution is not more money. Education has long already taken the single largest chunk of the budget every year: in 2025, 340 billion baht was allocated to education, which compares favourably with the 199.7 billion for the military. The problem is not budgetary but something deeper, something requiring a more radical solution than merely throwing more money at the customary failure.

Finland has one of the world’s best education systems, if not the best. There is no reason, at least no good reason, why Thailand cannot copy one of the most practical aspects of Finland’s education system. In Finland, it is illegal to charge tuition fees.

If it were illegal to charge tuition fees, the lucrative business of international schools and hi-so private schools would suffer. Would that be a bad thing?

The boons are obvious and massive. Rich and influential parents would suddenly want their local schools to be every bit as good as every other. They would demand it. Hoary venues like Triam Udom Suksa and Suan Kularb would lose their lustre; again, it is not obvious this would be in any way undesirable.

Best of all, perhaps, the children of the rich and influential would have to mix with the children of the poor, both in central Bangkok and in the village school in Buri Ram. This would be very healthy for Thai society and politics. These would be substantial bonuses flowing from adopting the Finnish education system.

Also worth noting is that Finland ranks globally at number one in happiness: perhaps not an accident.

Felix Qui

Truth in question

Re: “Silence no option”, (PostBag, Oct 26) and “Clear as day”, (PostBag, Oct 20).

In Eric Bahrt’s latest letter, he feels he has to speak out about the Israeli atrocities. To stay silent would make him no better than the people committing these atrocities. I want to give facts to give a better understanding of what is happening in the Palestine-Israeli conflict to remedy the lopsided views that, as another letter writer, Paul mentioned, the numerous videos on the Gaza famine.

However, on YouTube, many videos contest this famine. Did Paul ever look at these videos? Keep in mind that institutions like the UN — listen to the debates on Gaza in the UN — or HelpGaza organisations, they’re not neutral, as they benefit from the Hamas propaganda, and are immensely biased.

One prime example is UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who has faced criticism for remarks perceived as minimising or denying Hamas’s sexual violence during the Oct 7, 2023, attacks.

Israel is often accused of not offering olive branches to the Palestinians. A big olive tree was offered by Israel in 2005 by giving Gaza to the Palestinians.

The Jewish settlers were even forcefully removed! We all know how that has ended.

EL Wout

Two Chinese men were arrested early Tuesday morning for possession of crystal methamphetamine, smuggled vapes and cigarettes for alleged sale at parties.

Pattaya police said information from a Thai woman who went through a drug rehabilitation programme led to the arrest of the suspects, identified only as Lian and Qi, aged 33 and 46 years.

They were taken into custody at a condominium building carpark in Jomtien area about 1.30am.

The young woman said she had taken drugs at a party attended by the two foreigners, who had used and sold the drugs to revellers.

The two Chinese were arrested in the process of selling drugs to a Chinese buyer. They were in possession of packets containing a total of 49 grammes of crystal meth, aka ‘ice”, according to police.

Police searched the suspects’ rooms and found another 0.49gm of ‘ice’, about 2,000 vaping devices and 200 cartons of smuggled cigarettes.

They allegedly told police they obtained the goods from a Chinese friend in Bangkok, with the intent to sell the stuff to foreign tourists in Pattaya, especially at parties.

Thai Oil Public Company Limited (TOP) announced that Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed the company’s senior unsecured debt ratings at Baa3 and its Baseline Credit Assessment (BCA) at ba2, with the overall outlook remaining negative.

Moody’s decision reflects Thai Oil’s strengthened balance sheet following its proactive debt reduction efforts throughout 2025. Over the past nine months, the company has repaid approximately US$933 million in debt, supported by an additional THB 18.23 billion (approximately US$550 million) in funding from a collaborative asset monetisation transaction with PTT Group, announced on 25 September 2025. This collaboration has further reinforced Thai Oil’s financial stability and liquidity position.

The company’s Clean Fuel Project (CFP) continues to progress steadily, with completion expected in the third quarter of 2028 at a total investment cost of US$7.151 billion. To maximise efficiency and ensure transparency at every stage, Thai Oil has appointed Foster Wheeler Thailand Company Limited to manage the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management (EPCM) process. This initiative aims to accelerate project execution, strengthen cost control, and support Moody’s positive assessment of the company’s credit profile.

Moody’s also forecasts that Thai Oil’s financial performance will continue to improve over the next two years, driven by stable cash flows, disciplined financial management, and effective cost control measures.

Thai Oil remains committed to advancing the CFP in alignment with its strategic financial framework. With the continued strong financial support of its flagship shareholder, PTT Public Company Limited, Thai Oil is well-positioned to maintain investor confidence and strengthen its role as a strategic and essential oil refinery for Thailand.

Currently, Thai Oil operates the country’s largest oil refinery, with a production capacity of 275,000 barrels per day, representing approximately 22% of Thailand’s total refining capacity. The company continues to align its operations with renewable and sustainable development strategies, reinforcing long-term competitiveness and investor confidence.

This transformative project underscores Thai Oil’s commitment to enhancing refinery standards, operational flexibility, and environmental responsibility – marking a vital step towards a more sustainable energy future for Thailand.

Several universal healthcare (“gold card”) patients have been transferred from Mongkutwattana Hospital to alternative facilities after reports surfaced of the hospital charging 4,000 baht for CT scans following its suspension of outpatient services under the national healthcare scheme.

Dr Thanasak Thambanthu, director of National Health Security Office (NHSO) Region 13 (Bangkok), said Mongkutwattana Hospital officially stopped providing outpatient care under the 30-baht universal coverage scheme on Oct 16.

To minimise the impact on registered patients, the NHSO had established a service point at the Jumbotel Hotel in front of the hospital to provide guidance, facilitate transfers to other hospitals, issue temporary entitlement certificates, and handle complaints.

Between Oct 16 and 25, a total of 776 affected patients received assistance at the service point.

Dr Thanasak said that the NHSO has been unable to access necessary patient data, such as appointment schedules and contact details, to coordinate transfers due to the hospital’s lack of integration with the national Health Link database.

All medical records remain stored within the hospital’s internal HIS system, and patients requesting their medical history must wait up to seven days — a delay that could seriously affect those requiring ongoing treatment or prescription refills.

“These operational barriers have complicated patient transfers, even though the hospital management has expressed willingness to cooperate,” Dr Thanasak said. “We urge the hospital to expedite the release of patient records to facilitate timely treatment.”

At the Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, the Thai government signed an MoU with the US government to collaborate on the development of rare-earth materials.

The Thai government and the mining industry welcome this MoU as a catalyst for a mining renaissance and for positioning Thailand in the rare-earth supply chain.

Thailand might not have a large reserve of rare-earth minerals, but it is already listed as a major producer that imports them to produce electric components.

The Department of Primary Industries and Mines (DPIM), however, estimates that there are massive deposits of rare-earth materials in the southern region’s seas and mountains.

These untapped materials are believed to be in tin mine deposits in the region, starting from Prachuap Khiri Khan to Phatthalung provinces. Needless to say, the MoU will rekindle the need for the DPIM and industry to explore these reserves.

But not everyone has welcomed this MoU. Civic groups, environmentalists, and some politicians view it with concern. Their apprehension is rooted in past problems with mining.

Long before Thailand became a hub for industries such as automotive manufacturing, tourism, and healthcare, it was a global source of tin. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, tin mining along the Andaman Sea coast generated wealth for the country. Phuket was indeed a tin-mining town before the industry withered in the late 1980s, when the price of tin hit rock bottom.

A significant change also occurred in 1986 due to a protest against a project to build a factory in Phuket to process tantalum, a precious, rare-earth metal.

Since then, the former poor tin-mining island has become a global tourist destination, with tourism also replacing the extractive mining industry in Krabi and Phangnga provinces.

Local communities in the northeastern and Central regions have raised concerns about environmental issues arising from mining, including the Karen community in Kanchanaburi province. Despite lead mining facilities having been closed for over two decades, mining operators and the government left toxic sediments in the Klity River, exposing local villagers to lead poisoning.

At a gold mine in the Central region, local villagers a decade ago accused it of toxic heavy-metal contamination, prompting the previous Prayut Chan-o-cha government to issue an executive decree temporarily closing the mine.

Meanwhile, this year, residents in Chiang Rai province have suffered from water pollution caused by toxic releases from rare-earth mines in Myanmar that pollute a transboundary river.

Make no mistake: Thailand should explore new business opportunities, but the government must win the trust of villagers and society that it will do better at protecting people and nature, rather than promoting industry at any cost, as it has done.

Before joining the bandwagon of rare earths, the government needs to conduct a strategic analysis to weigh between the benefits of mining exploration and tourism in the southern region. The government needs to ensure that mineral exploration complies with environmental protection rules.

Perhaps the first thing the government can do to win public trust is address the water pollution from rare-earth mines in Myanmar that flows into Thailand.

The Royal Thai Police (RTP) has issued a public alert identifying four suspicious behaviours commonly associated with foreign-operated call centre scam rings that covertly establish operational bases in residential areas.

The warning comes amid growing concerns over the rise in tech-related crimes, particularly financial losses caused by phone-call fraudsters impersonating government officials.

Pol Maj Gen Siriwat Deepor, deputy spokesman for the RTP office, said national police chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch is deeply concerned about the growing threat posed by call centre scams.

These criminal groups often rent condominiums or private homes to avoid detection while using phones and social media to target victims both in Thailand and abroad.

To assist the public in identifying potential scam operations, the police outlined four red-flag behaviours: groups of foreign nationals with no clear occupation, frequent foreign-language phone conversations, curtains always drawn, lights off by day and on at night, and a lot of communications equipment.

With the first trait, typically 3-6 individuals rent short-term accommodation, avoid interaction with neighbours, and exhibit irregular hours of activity.

For the second one, there are continuous, repetitive conversations in foreign languages, often resembling scripted calls aimed at deceiving victims.

With the third, the behaviour is indicative of nighttime operations aligned with the time zones of targeted victims abroad, with efforts to conceal interior activities.

With the fourth, rooms are filled with extension cords, multiple computers, phones, and routers, and there are frequent visits from individuals delivering or repairing equipment.

The police urge the public to report any such suspicious activity to help dismantle these illegal operations.

Meanwhile, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has tightened regulations on SIM box and gateway device ownership.

NBTC acting secretary-general Trairat Viriyasirikul announced that as of Oct 23, individuals possessing SIM boxes or gateway devices with four or more SIM cards must obtain a licence within 90 days. Failure to comply may result in up to five years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 100,000 baht or both. This follows the NBTC’s earlier directive, effective Aug 30, which introduced eight preventive measures for telecom operators to combat tech-related crimes.

Six drug smugglers were killed in a brief clash with soldiers patrolling in Fang district on Monday, and 1.2 million methamphetamine pills with Labubu stamps were seized.

Soldiers from the Pha Muang Task Force, acting on information, encountered a group of eight or nine people walking through a border forest near Ban Muang Chum in tambon Mon Pin at 6.49am, Col Meechai Nilasart, deputy commander of the force, said.

The soldiers called on them to stop for a search. They responded with gunfire directed at the soldiers. The ensuing gunfight lasted about five minutes.

After clearing the area, the troops found six dead men. The others escaped. Eight backpacks were found at the scene containing 1.2 million meth pills in packages, together with a long-barrelled firearm, a pistol and three mobile phones.

Col Meechai said the seized drug packages were stamped with the popular cartoon figure Labubu, a growing trend in the illegal market.

Since Oct 1, the task force has been involved in 37 cases of drug trafficking, arresting 44 suspects. There had been five armed clashes, resulting in the deaths of seven smugglers, Pha Muang commander Maj Gen Sathit Waiyanon said.

The Restaurant Association has raised concerns about the new Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (2025), which bans the consumption of alcoholic beverages in establishments during prohibited hours, as this will potentially impact the tourism industry.

The new law is due to be enforced starting on Nov 8 this year.

Under the existing law, the sale of alcoholic beverages is restricted to specific times: from 11am to 2pm and from 5pm to midnight.

The rule does not apply to international airports, registered entertainment venues and registered hotels.

Some customers order and pay for their drinks prior to the sales ban period, continuing to drink at a venue.

However, Section 32 of the new law states consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited during the banned period in any venue where alcohol is sold, or any place or area where commercial services for alcoholic beverage consumption is allowed, even if the drinks were purchased prior to the banned period.

The Alcohol Control Committee may issue notifications prescribing conditions or exemptions to this provision.

This means customers will not be allowed to consume alcoholic drinks within venues during the restricted hours, regardless of when they purchase them.

The new law is expected to have a significant impact on the tourism sector, Chanon Koetcharoen, president of the Restaurant Association, said on Tuesday.

Before the new law is implemented, some customers have already complained that they do not understand the purpose of Thailand’s restricted drinking hours, he said.

Under the new law, tourists may be even more confused about rules for drinking alcohol in restaurants and bars, said Mr Chanon.

‘When the prohibited hours begin, foreign customers and even some Thai customers do not understand why they’re being asked to finish their drinks outside,’ he added.

No organic law has been proposed to provide exemptions for restaurants.

Media reports indicate the government plans to reinstate a study on eliminating zoning rules for entertainment venues and easing the afternoon alcohol sales ban. If approved, the changes would take effect in January 2026.

Mr Chanon said even if these moves to soften restrictions are approved, they will not be enforced until after the year-end festive season.

Regarding the government’s plan to review the alcohol sales restrictions and zoning, Rawat Khongchat, a member of the Night Restaurant Business Trade Association, suggested the government scrap all zoning rules because it would stimulate the economy in both first and second-tier cities.

Some advocates for alcohol control have opposed the government’s initiative to ease restrictions.

Mr Rawat said the government should prioritise strict enforcement of existing laws such as traffic and driving regulations, while ensuring any additional tax revenue generated from the proposed changes is used wisely to promote road safety and reduce traffic accidents.

Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, the ultra-luxurious seafront sanctuary in Southern Thailand’s Krabi province, has reaffirmed its status as one of the world’s most extraordinary places to stay, dine and unwind, as it was awarded 3 MICHELIN Keys for the second consecutive year.

The second annual MICHELIN Key awards were revealed in October 2025, following countless hours of evaluation by the expert team of MICHELIN Inspectors. Only six properties in Thailand earned the prestigious 3 Key distinction – the highest honour in The MICHELIN Guide. Of these six, only three are beach resorts, and just one – Phulay Bay – is located in the breathtaking Thai province of Krabi.

The MICHELIN Guide 2025 praised Phulay Bay for the sheer quality of its services and facilities, all underpinned by authentic Southern Thai hospitality and panoramic views of the Andaman Sea, to create truly unparalleled guest experiences.

‘One of the most straightforward ways to stand out in the crowded field of Thai luxury hospitality is to simply create one of the most luxurious resorts anywhere, and that’s the path chosen by Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. What sets it even further apart from the norm is its exquisite tastefulness, from the traditional-style welcome pavilion to the thoughtfully localised interiors of the hotel’s villas and pavilions. An extravagant spa is present as a matter of course, as are a handful of restaurants serving everything from fresh seafood and Thai favourites to elevated Mediterranean classics,’ The MICHELIN Guide 2025 states.

This impressive accolade coincides with Phulay Bay starring at the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, another of the industry’s most important honours. Shining a spotlight on the planet’s finest hotels, resorts, airlines, destinations and more, these awards are voted for by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler, who include many of the world’s most discerning explorers.

Demonstrating how Phulay Bay resonates with this clientele of experienced, sophisticated and knowledgeable global travellers, the resort was voted as the #1 ‘Best Resort in Thailand’ by the readership of Condé Nast Traveller UK, and the #10 ‘Best Resort in the World’ by the audience of Condé Nast Traveler USA.

‘I am delighted and deeply honoured to have retained our 3 MICHELIN Key status for the second year, and to have been voted as the best resort in Thailand – and one of the ten best in the world – by the esteemed readers of Condé Nast Traveler. This is a testament to the passion and commitment of our Ladies and Gentlemen, who create highly personalised guest journeys every day. I look forward to welcoming even more experience-seeking guests to our resort in the coming months, when they can look forward to dining at Sri Trang, our newly-transformed Thai dining destination, and socialising at the all-new Pirom Bar, which is set to be unveiled at the end of October,’ says Vidya Sagar, General Manager, Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.