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TAIPEI – Taiwan “will not agree” to making 50% of its semiconductors in the United States, the island’s lead tariff negotiator said Wednesday, as Washington pressures Taipei to produce more chips on US soil.

Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun’s remarks came after US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said he had proposed to Taiwan a 50-50 split in chip production.

“I want to clarify that this is the US’s idea. Our negotiation team has never made a 50-50 commitment to a chip split,” Cheng told reporters in Taipei.

“Please be rest assured that we did not discuss this issue this time, and we will not agree to such a condition,” she said.

Cheng spoke after returning from Washington where she said negotiations over US tariffs on Taiwanese shipments “made some progress”.

Taiwan is struggling to finalise a tariff deal with Washington, after President Donald Trump’s administration imposed a temporary 20% levy that has alarmed the island’s manufacturers.

Trump has also threatened to put a “fairly substantial tariff” on semiconductors coming into the country.

Soaring demand for AI-related technology has fuelled Taiwan’s trade surplus with the United States — and put it in Trump’s crosshairs.

More than 70% of the island’s exports to the United States are information and communications technology, which includes chips, the cabinet said in a statement Wednesday.

In a bid to avoid the tariffs, Taipei has pledged to increase investment in the United States, buy more of its energy and increase its own defence spending to more than three percent of gross domestic product.

Taiwan produces more than half of the world’s semiconductors and nearly all of the high-end ones.

The concentration of chip manufacturing in Taiwan has long been seen as a “silicon shield” protecting it from an invasion or blockade by China, which claims it as part of its territory — and an incentive for the United States to defend it.

In an interview with NewsNation broadcast over the weekend, Lutnick said having 50% of Taiwan’s chip production in the United States would ensure “we have the capacity to do what we need to do if we need to do it”.

“That has been the conversation we’ve had with Taiwan, that you have to understand that it’s vital for you to have us produce 50%,” he said.

“Our goal is to get to 40% market share, and maybe 50% market share, of producing the chips and the wafers, you know the semiconductors we need for American consumption, that’s our objective.”

Two prominent legal figures have voiced concern over former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s latest request for a royal pardon, warning that it not only falls outside the scope of the law but could also expose the justice minister to criminal liability.

Chao Meekhuad, a lawyer and former Democrat Party deputy spokesman, wrote on Facebook on Tuesday that Thaksin’s move to petition for a second individual pardon raises serious legal questions.

He noted that Thaksin had already been granted royal clemency, which reduced his eight-year prison sentence to one year. That reduction, he said, was the result of a royal command rather than the original court ruling.

Under Section 259 of the Criminal Procedure Code, only those “sentenced by final judgement” may apply for a pardon, Mr Chao said, adding that since Thaksin’s penalty has already been transformed by royal grace, it no longer constitutes a court-imposed sentence.

Filing again, therefore, risks falling outside the law, he said.

Mr Chao also cited Section 261 of the same law, which requires the justice minister to give an advisory opinion on any pardon submission.

If the minister forwards Thaksin’s request despite knowing it contradicts legal criteria, he warned, the act could be deemed an abuse of authority in violation of Section 157 of the Criminal Code.

“Pardons exist for those who show genuine remorse, not as a passport for repeat offenders who refuse to respect the court’s verdict,” Mr Chao said.

Senior prosecutor Poramet Intarachumnum echoed the concern. He said Section 264 of the Criminal Procedure Code clearly prohibits filing a new pardon petition within two years if a previous request has already been rejected or granted, except in death penalty cases.

Spotify has deleted more than 75 million songs generated by artificial intelligence (AI) in the past 12 months, as the music streaming giant moves to tighten control over synthetic content that it says is flooding the platform and threatening artists’ income.

The company confirmed it will introduce new measures to regulate AI-generated music, following reports that automated uploads have reached unprecedented levels. Rival platform Deezer recently disclosed that around 28% of daily uploads, equivalent to about 30,000 songs per day, were created with AI tools.

Spotify said the surge in synthetic music had forced the firm to act, with concerns that the overwhelming volume of AI tracks could siphon off revenue from human musicians. The company unveiled three key steps aimed at restoring balance.

First, Spotify will strengthen checks to prevent AI-generated vocals from impersonating real artists or producing misleading content.

Second, it will improve filtering systems to ensure revenue shares do not go to AI-made tracks, directing income instead to genuine performers.

Third, the platform will introduce AI labels on songs, giving listeners transparency over which tracks were created or partially composed with AI.

Despite the crackdown, Spotify stressed that it remains supportive of AI as a creative tool when used responsibly. The company said content will continue to be treated equally across the platform, provided it is not misused to deceive audiences or undermine artists’ livelihoods.

The Asean Cafe Show will return with comprehensive solutions for cafe businesses at Bitec Hall 100, Bang Na-Trat Road, daily from 10am to 7pm starting tomorrow until Sunday.

Held under the “Taste The Trends” concept by Kavin Intertrade, the 19th edition of the premier event will gather the latest innovations and solutions for cafes, coffee shops, bakeries, tea houses and ice cream parlours.

More than 150 leading companies from Thailand and five countries across Asia will present product and service demonstrations designed to boost sales and reduce operational costs.

The exhibition is divided into six major zones — Coffee and Tea; Bakery and Sweets; Equipment and Technology; Ingredients and Materials; Packaging and Design; and Cafe and Bakery Franchises.

With collaboration from various associations and government agencies, over 40 activities will be arranged to enhance the knowledge and skills of entrepreneurs and their teams.

They include the PCRIC Bangkok 2025 coffee roasting competition which runs daily from 10am to 7pm; the 2nd Thailand Ultimate Barista 2025 on Friday at 11am; and the DaVinci Barista Craft Championship 25/26 on Saturday at 11am.

There will also be an exclusive workshop on Design Thinking For Cafes In 2025 on Thursday, at 3pm, a demonstration on special bread and bakery recipes by chef Det Saengsrichan on Thursday and Friday, at noon, a workshop on making matcha red bean ice cream for both commercial and home use on Friday at 2.30pm, as well as classes on brewing tea beverages.

There is no admission fee. Those who register in advance will receive a complimentary 3-hour parking coupon and a chance to win prizes worth over 150,000 baht.

A new waste collection fee for unsorted trash goes into effect on Wednesday, with discounts offered for households that properly separate their garbage.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will, from Wednesday, enforce a revised waste collection fee, increasing the monthly rate from 20 baht to 60 baht. However, households that participate in the city’s waste separation initiative, “This House Doesn’t Mix”, will continue to pay the original 20-baht flat fee.

Deputy Bangkok governor Chakkaphan Phewngam announced the change, citing the need to align fees with current operational costs. The initiative is part of the 2025 Bangkok Ordinance on waste management services under the Public Health Act.

To qualify for the discounted rate, residents must register and submit evidence of sorting waste into four categories via the BKK WASTE PAY platform. The system will issue reminders for documentation at scheduled intervals.

Failure to submit correct or complete evidence after three warnings will result in the suspension of the discount, and households will be required to pay the full fee for six months before reapplying.

For those who register through district officials and receive approval, the BMA will conduct on-site inspections. If waste sorting does not meet the required standards, the same warning and suspension process will apply.

On Sept 29, Mr Chakkaphan visited Pomprap Sattruphai district, inspecting the Mahanak Mosque Community, a model for waste separation. The community, spanning 23 rai, with 933 residents and 353 households, has been actively sorting waste since early this year, resulting in reduced waste volume and qualifying for the discounted fee.

As of Sept 26, over 710,000 households had registered to take part. They live in 278,178 single-family homes and 432,608 units across 3,049 group registrations (condominiums, housing estates, communities, flats).

The Pheu Thai Party are urging Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob to take swift action against those he claims offered him 40 million baht a month to look the other way on online crime.

In parliament on the second day of the joint sitting, as Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s government delivered its policy statement, Mr Chaichanok acknowledged his lack of political experience but vowed to take decisive action in tackling cybercrime.

During the debate, Pheu Thai MP Korkaew Pikulthong raised questions over the appointment of ministers linked to the Bhumjaithai Party’s (BJT) Buri Ram power base.

He argued that some lacked expertise, while others had tainted records, citing a corruption scandal in the Transport Ministry in 2011. Mr Korkaew further criticised the resurgence of call centre scams, which he claimed had been curbed under the previous Pheu Thai-led government.

In response, Mr Chaichanok recounted that shortly before taking office, he was contacted through a member of parliament by individuals who offered him 40 million baht per month in exchange for not pursuing action against call centre syndicates, online scammers and illegal websites.

The remarks quickly drew political fire. Danuporn Punnakanta, a Pheu Thai Party-list MP and party spokesman warned that if Mr Chaichanok failed to act, he could be accused of dereliction of duty.

“You started with bold claims, but if you let this go, people will see you as a minister who talks tough but delivers nothing,” he said.

Carrying on with some basic ‘easy to understand’ golf rules that we all need to know well. To correctly drop a golf ball, you must release the ball from your hand at knee height, allowing it to fall straight down without touching your body or equipment before hitting the ground. The ball must then land and come to rest within the defined relief area for that required situation. Should it bounce away from the dropping area you can try two more times. If still unsuccessful — you can then place the ball. If you drop the ball incorrectly, you simply must re-drop it without penalty, but you incur a penalty if you play the ball from a wrong place after dropping it.

In golf, a ball is declared “lost” if it’s not found within three minutes of starting a search for it, or if it’s hit out of bounds. The consequence for a lost ball is stroke-and-distance relief: you must add a one-stroke penalty and replay your previous shot from where you hit it last by dropping another ball, as near as possible to the original spot. You can avoid this by playing a provisional ball if you suspect your ball may be lost or out of bounds. But remember you must tell your playing partners before playing it.

When starting a hole, generally the player with the lowest score on the previous hole plays first. After starting a hole, the ball farthest from the hole is usually played first. However, to avoid slow play the Rules of Golf allows you to hit out of turn if the situation makes sense and is safe to do so.

Out of Bounds: Following on from last week where I mentioned that you could throw into a water hazard a caddie and receive no penalty for doing so. Many of you have asked me if this rule would also apply to a playing partner? — the answer is ‘Yes’ so have no fear of incurring a penalty shot if you have someone in mind.

A 21-year-old man set himself on fire at a bus stop and ran out into the traffic on Phahon Yothin Road in Bangkok on Tuesday, horrifying pedestrians and motorists.

It happened around 10am at a bus stop in front of the Land Development Department office in Chatuchak district.

A CCTV recording showed the man, whose name has not been released, standing behind the bus stop and holding a large jar containing a liquid believed to be petrol.

He poured the liquid over his body before setting himself on fire with a lighter.

According to 3 Plus News, he walked around while on fire, terrifying two university students waiting for a bus, before running out onto the road and falling to the ground, underneath Senanikom BTS Station.

The sight of his burning body shocked motorists. One motorcyclist fell off his bike and was injured. He was taken to nearby Paolo Hospital along with the burned man.

A witness told police the man had a heated phone conversation with someone before setting himself ablaze. His mother said she learned her son had been having a problem with his girlfriend over the past few days.

His condition was not known.

A Pheu Thai MP has questioned the government’s decision to appoint Vorapak Tanyawong as deputy finance minister, citing corruption charges filed against him by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in relation to the Energy Earth loan scandal.

The issue arose during Monday night’s parliamentary debate on the government’s policy statement under Section 162 of the Constitution, chaired by Deputy House Speaker Mongkol Surasajja.

Loei MP Lertsak Pattanachaikul of Pheu Thai reminded the chamber that in February, the NACC charged Mr Vorapak, then chief executive of Krungthai Bank, and 32 others with allegedly approving loans based on falsified information to benefit Energy Earth Plc. He warned that placing an individual under investigation in charge of financial institutions could erode public trust, particularly in light of the scandal’s scale, which involved tens of billions of baht.

Drawing comparisons with the Stark Corporation fraud, he argued that the Energy Earth case also inflicted widespread economic harm on investors.

Mr Lertsak detailed two key allegations: loans backed by non-existent Indonesian mines used as collateral, and a loan to Earth Holding that was allegedly employed to manipulate Energy Earth’s stock price.

These approvals, he claimed, paved the way for the company to issue debentures worth billions, later sold to thousands of retail investors, thereby deepening financial losses.

“This is not about discrediting the minister’s honour,” Mr Lertsak said. “It is about safeguarding the nation’s interests. Holding a ministerial post is a matter of national dignity.”

He pressed Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to explain how he could justify the appointment, and what assurances he could offer should the NACC later secure a conviction.

In his response, Mr Vorapak maintained that the allegations were not new and had already been examined when he was appointed advisor to then-Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira.

Mr Vorapak further noted that the company only defaulted in 2016, after his departure, due to a sudden withdrawal of creditor support.

“The real damage came after my term ended,” he said. “The facts show this was not fabricated business, but a liquidity crisis beyond management’s control.”

A debate about street art has emerged in Bangkok, with some people calling for strict prosecution of vandals who defaced commissioned murals, while others argue that the acts were part of the normal ‘bombing’ culture in graffiti art.

The issue was sparked by a recent incident on Charoen Krung Soi 30, where an work painted by a Spanish artist under the ‘Krungthep Creative Streets’ project was damaged by three street vandals. One of them was arrested and faced charges on Monday while two remained at large.

Many people called the actions disrespectful to the original artist and unpleasant for the city’s image. Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt visited the site and condemned it as unacceptable.

The Embassy of France in Thailand, which co-hosted the project with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), said on Facebook that the perpetrators had ‘damaged the beauty of the art’.

After the news emerged, more complaints about such behaviour from other parts of Bangkok and other cities were reported, with people asking authorities to step up efforts to find and prosecute the vandals.

The defaced, original murals were created under legal projects to revive selected neighbourhoods, but many graffiti artists also target empty spaces and do not obtain permission to paint. (Story continues below)

Some people maintain that the actions were ‘normal in graffiti bombing culture’, the idea being that painting over another artist’s work is a way to bluff and show power by applying quick throw-ups or tags.

Street art culture has evolved over the decades as a way to make a statement, usually against the prevailing social structure, in cities all over the world. Some practitioners, Banksy being the most notable, have raised it to a high art form.

Graffiti has been around forever but the style of expression most people are familiar with today originated in the 1960s in cities in the United States. Young people, most of them black, used graffiti to express themselves and advocate for their rights.

In Thailand, people generally regard graffiti as bad manners and vandalism. When the damage is done to a work that was created with permission from the property owners, it violates the Maintenance, Cleanliness and Orderliness Act.

‘People who witness unlawful painting or other damaging of government property can report via TraffyFondue,’ the BMA advises on Facebook, referring to the popular app for citizen complaints.

On Wednesday, a 17-year-old man was also arrested in Nakhon Ratchasima for damaging a portrait mural of Luang Phor Khun Parissudho, a famous monk who died in 2015. Police said the teenager admitted his wrongdoing.