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Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun is heading to Malaysia and South Korea for the Asean-Apec meetings from today till Nov 1.

Ms Supajee is scheduled to attend two major regional forums to promote Thailand’s economic, trade and investment cooperation amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.

From today to Tuesday, she will join the 26th Asean Economic Community Council and the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

The meetings, hosted by Malaysia, aim to strengthen Asean’s resilience against global uncertainties and advance the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement, which is a key step towards building a technology-driven regional economy.

The commerce minister will also hold bilateral talks with trade ministers from Asean members, including those from Malaysia and Indonesia, to boost trade and agricultural exports.

While in Kuala Lumpur, she will present Thai SELECT — a government certification recognising authentic and high-quality Thai restaurants — and launch a caravan to enhance global recognition of Thai cuisine.

At the 47th Asean Summit, Ms Supajee will sign two key trade agreements, including the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA 3.0).

Afterwards, she will travel to Gyeongju in South Korea for the Apec Ministerial Meeting and the Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting alongside Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul from Oct 29 to Nov 1.

Ms Supajee will deliver Thailand’s statement under the theme “Connect”, emphasising stronger regional integration including economy, trade and investment to tackle various challenges, as the nation steps up regional diplomacy.

The explosive revelations and allegations of regional cybercrimes and scam networks have hit Thailand head-on and placed the government of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in an awkward and defensive position. As more facts surrounding what looks like a labyrinthine cross-border multibillion-dollar transnational criminal ring come to light, more questions have surfaced with no clear answers. The Anutin government needs to come clean and avoid a “scam-gate” of cover-ups and lies at the expense of countless scammed victims across many countries.

Among the many questions and issues that have been raised, first and foremost is the role and possible involvement of senior government officials. That Deputy Finance Minister Vorapak Tanyawong has resigned in the wake of allegations linking him to BIC Bank in Cambodia, founded by controversial Cambodian businessman Yim Leak, only leads people to ask valid questions. What was the nature of Mr Vorapak’s relationship with Yim Leak?

And then there is the question of governance standards and equality under the law. Srettha Thavisin, the prime minister in 2023-24, was ousted by the Constitutional Court for ethical misconduct for a minor cabinet reshuffle involving a junior minister who had been convicted and jailed for six months on bribery charges. Pichit Cheunban, the junior minister in question, resigned as soon as the controversy came to light, but prosecution still proceeded and led to Mr Srettha’s removal on “morality and ethics” in Section 258 of the 2017 Constitution enacted during the military government.

Although Mr Vorapak has quit the government, should he still face misconduct investigations? If the same morality and ethics standards are applied to Mr Vorapak’s case with equally vigorous prosecution of constitutional requirements, should Mr Anutin not come under similar scrutiny?

These are uneasy questions that will likely be left unattended. When under a critical spotlight and faced with alleged wrongdoings, the powerful and privileged everywhere tend to feign innocence and ignorance in equal measure and issue repeated denials. In Thailand, they go further by threatening and actually launching lawsuits, often known as SLAPP, or Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.

Because the justice system and judicial odds have become stacked against truthtellers, muckrakers, and whistleblowers, silence and self-censorship tend to prevail to the benefit of wrongdoers. People become tame and timid out of fear for good reason because truth-tellers have demonstrably suffered in the recent past. One glaring case was a senior police officer who went after human trafficking in the deep South only to be hounded by underworld bosses and chased into asylum in Australia.

In view of scam centres, associated fraud, trafficking, drugs, and money-laundering among cyber-criminal networks, it should be open season for investigative journalism. Muckraking can be a great challenge for professional achievements and good business for daring journalists. In this case, Thailand’s media professionals have been disappointing and shameful for not asking hard and probing questions for the public interest. Instead, intrepid journalism came from outside, a former reporter with the Wall Street Journal. In addition, stalwart MPs of the opposition People’s Party have had to conduct investigative journalism in exposing shady dealings among cybercriminals.

It is a worrying trend that Thailand’s oversight and checks-and-balance agencies and institutions are not doing their jobs. Where are Thailand’s Anti-Money Laundering Office, Anti-Corruption Commission, and Auditor General’s Office? When it was their cue to go after political parties and politicians, they seemed keen and eager. But now we are likely to see a glacial pace and perfunctory pursuits of criminal wrongdoing.

Given the ongoing Thai-Cambodian border dispute, Mr Anutin appears to have been currying nationalist sentiments for political advantages, possibly for electoral gains ahead of the planned poll next year. Here is an opportunity to paint Cambodia as the culprit country and vortex of a global underworld beset with criminal scammers, money-launderers, human and drug traffickers, online betting agents, and transnational criminals of all stripes. But Mr Anutin seems less than enthusiastic. Even though he has lately pledged to crack down on these transnational crimes, it bears scrutiny whether any big fish will be caught or whether he will buy and bide time in the hope of letting the scandal quieten and blow over.

To be sure, what we are seeing with Mr Vorapak’s resignation and denial involving Yim Leak and BIC Bank may be just the tip of the iceberg. The backdrop of scam networks has other controversial figures, such as Chen Zhi, who is chairman of the Prince Group and Hun To of Huione Group, along with Benjamin Mauerberger, allegedly the key conduit among these criminal gangs. The Thai connections to these obscure figures and business outfits likely extend wide and deep.

The United States Treasury Department has already frozen nearly 500 billion baht of the Prince Group’s and Mr Chen’s crypto and other financial assets on cyberfraud, human trafficking and money laundering charges. The United Kingdom has similarly taken over the real estate assets of Mr Chen. The key country in this mix is South Korea, and its sanctions on Cambodia-based online scam networks. The South Korean government has explicitly stated that it will deploy all means necessary to rescue and safeguard its citizens who have been duped and harmed by scammers based in Cambodia.

Without South Korea, the US and UK could be dismissed for being part of some Western conspiracy against Cambodia. But South Korea is a country that Southeast Asians deeply respect and want to be like. Seoul’s intervention is what’s needed to maintain pressure and ensure further exposure and prosecution.

But the current Thai government seems to want this kind of pressure to go away. That the Prince Group has reportedly rented space from the prime minister’s Sino-Thai office building does not bode well. If Mr Anutin does not own up to all that Thai officials and businesspeople have to do with the expanding trail of corruption, fraud, and transnational criminal networks, his government’s longevity could be at risk and even end up shorter than the short four-month timeframe.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, PhD, is professor at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Political Science and a senior fellow at its Institute of Security and International Studies in Bangkok.

Beauty And The Beast is a much-loved classic that continues to fill the hearts of both new and returning audiences. Most remember this timeless romantic story with music when it was produced as an animation in 1991. The original Beauty And The Beast played for more than 13 years on Broadway, remaining to this day one of the top 10 longest-running shows and touring around 37 countries worldwide.

The remake Beauty And The Beast The Musical achieved phenomenal success between 2023 to 2025 in Australia across Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, with ticket sales surpassing a million.

Produced by Disney Theatrical Group and presented in Singapore by Base Entertainment Asia, audiences in Asia will have a chance to experience Beauty And The Beast The Musical when the show makes its only stop in Singapore at Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, starting from Dec 11 for a limited period of time.

The lead roles are played by Australian actors — Shubshri Kandiah (Belle) and Brendan Xavier (The Beast). Kandiah is known for her captivating portrayal of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin The Musical during its 2019 season, while Xavier won over audiences as Kristoff in Disney’s Frozen The Musical.

Audiences will be mesmerised by nostalgic songs like Belle, Gaston, Be Our Guest and the cherished title song Beauty And The Beast. The numbers were composed by Alan Menken and the lyrics were written by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice.

In this brand-new production, the enchanting tale has been reimagined with breathtaking new sets, costume designs and state-of-the-art technology to bring the timeless romance to life on stage with all the spectacle and grandeur audiences know and love.

The performance is 2 hours 30 minutes including a 20-minute intermission.

Ticket prices range between S$70 and S$1,200 (about 1,800 to 30,500 baht).

Calls are mounting for a thorough probe following the abrupt resignation of Vorapak Tanyawong as deputy finance minister on Wednesday amid allegations linking him to a transnational scam network in Cambodia, which he has strongly denied.

The controversy stems from an investigative report by journalist Tom Wright on the Whale Hunting blog, linking Mr Vorapak, his wife and other entities to online scam operations. The allegations connecting Mr Vorapak to BIC Bank in Cambodia, founded by controversial Cambodian businessman Yim Leak, only lead to more questions.

On Wednesday, Mr Vorapak decided to resign, saying the move is to prevent personal matters from affecting the cabinet’s work. He insisted that he has “no involvement whatsoever” with any criminal group or fraudulent activity.

Soon after his resignation, Whale Hunting released an 84-page document claiming that it is from Singapore and showing that Mr Vorapak’s wife had been transferred more than 2.9 million in USDT cryptocurrency.

Rukchanok Srinork, a Bangkok MP for the opposition People’s Party, on Facebook, said that resignation alone was “not the end of the matter” and called on Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to instruct the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to verify the facts quickly. “If [Mr Vorapak] is guilty, action must be taken. If he is innocent, he should be cleared without delay,” she wrote.

Mr Vorapak has denied any formal or financial links with BIC Bank Cambodia or its affiliates, saying he has only met its chairman, Leak Yim, but never served as a director, adviser or shareholder. As for his 29% stake in Finansia Syrus Securities, held via Pilgrim Finansa, he said that it was part of a lawful management buyout in 2021 conducted in accordance with the rules of the Stock Exchange of Thailand and the SEC.

The allegations against Mr Vorapak gained further traction after financial analyst Sarinee Achavanuntakul reposted on social media details from Whale Hunting, claiming Singaporean documents showed Tether (USDT) transfers to the wives of both Mr Vorapak and another businessman. Ms Sarinee urged the SEC to coordinate with Singapore’s Monetary Authority (MAS) to obtain the evidence.

Commenting under the post, Mr Vorapak invited Ms Sarinee to publicly present any documents supporting her claims and offered to meet in person. “If you have evidence, please show it. My wife and I have never received any Tether payments,” he wrote, stressing that spreading unverified claims had damaged his reputation. He added that his life was “open for scrutiny”, noting that he had “nothing to hide”.

Ms Sarinee replied, saying that meeting privately would not serve the public interest, saying that Mr Vorapak should instead clarify the matter through official channels and cooperate with investigations by the SEC and MAS.

Manila: Sarit Suwannarut carried his recent run of good form into the US$2 million International Series Philippines, claiming a one-shot lead after the opening round on Thursday.

The Thai star made one bogey in his round, but nine birdies gave him a card of eight-under-par 64, one better than another in-form player, Japan’s Kazuki Higa, a two-time champion already this season at the Shinhan Donghae Open and the Yeangder TPC.

Conditions were ripe for scoring at the par-72 Sta Elena Golf Club, and players made the most of it.

England’s LIV Golf star Richard Bland made a bogey on the ninth hole — his last — and was tied for third at 66 alongside Americans Charles Porter and George Kneiser and Thai veteran Chapchai Nirat.

India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar shared seventh place with six other players, including former world No.1 and two-time major champion Dustin Johnson of the United States, at 67.

Johnson, the 2016 US Open winner and 2020 Masters champion, was in a marquee group along with 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and local hero Miguel Tabuena.

Thai duo Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Jazz Janewattananond, who both shot 68, were in a group of nine players tied for 14th.

Sarit — fourth in Macao Open, tied 11th in the Jakarta International Championship and tied ninth in Taiwan Masters in his previous three starts on the Asian Tour — started on the back nine and made four birdies on his way out, adding five more on his back nine.

“It was perfect. I’ve been playing pretty good. I mean, before a round, I know I can share the yardage with my caddie and hit the shots. I tell myself, you can hit it, you can do it,” said Sarit.

“I’d say a couple of things have happened. I changed the putter in Korea and it started working pretty good, and then I also changed my coach. I have been working on my swing, and the changes are becoming pretty good.”

A two-time winner of International Series titles, Sarit knows a thing or two about winning on the big stage.

“I just want to play good golf. I am excited to play with a lot of good players like Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, and a lot of the guys from LIV Golf. So, just excited to play well,” said Sarit, who is currently ranked 25th in the Asian Tour Order of Merit and 52nd in The International Series Ranking.

Higa was bogey-free for his round and said the key was to hit fairways with his tee shots, so that he could take advantage of the preferred lies in play.

“A round of seven-under was a little better than what we planned to achieve when I set out in the morning. If I look back at the round, I think we could have made two or three more putts,” said the unassuming Japanese star.

“Today, I played with Kevin Na and Sam Horsfield and it was a good pairing. However, I know that to step up to the challenge of players like Dustin and Patrick Reed, I need to continue making good scores. I just need to keep going.”

The International Series Philippines is the sixth leg of the elevated International series events on the Asian Tour.

Bringing together innovation, technology, and design excellence, Ricoh (Thailand) Co., Ltd. officially unveiled its latest digital production printer, the ‘Ricoh Pro C5400S Series,’ under the concept ‘Where Colour Meets Perfection,’ at the Grand Ballroom, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River on 9 October 2025.

The event attracted more than 200 attendees, including print business owners, executives, industry experts, distinguished guests, and business partners. The atmosphere was filled with energy and inspiration, reflecting the bright future of digital printing innovation.

The programme opened with a Talk Session on ‘The Power of AI in Printing and Packaging,’ featuring Mr. Pongthira Pathanapiradej, President of the Thai Printing Association, and Mr. Wiwat Utsahajit, President of the Thai Packaging Association. Both shared insights on how AI is transforming the industry, highlighting how ‘AI enhances efficiency, accuracy, and design diversity to meet every customer need without limits.’

The highlight of the event was the grand unveiling of the Ricoh Pro C5400S Series by Mr. Korapat Wongananchai, Commercial and Industrial Printing Division Manager, Ricoh (Thailand) Limited, who presented the product’s advanced capabilities and reaffirmed Ricoh’s vision of ‘Where Colour Meets Perfection.’ Designed to elevate precision, performance, and print quality, the series empowers businesses to achieve superior outcomes across every dimension.

The five key features of the Ricoh Pro C5400S Series include:

Versatile media support – compatible with light paper (52.3 gsm) to heavy paper (360 gsm) and sizes from 90 x 139.7 mm up to 330.2 x 1,300 mm.

Exceptional print quality – powered by high-resolution VCSEL laser technology at 2,400 x 4,800 dpi for ultra-sharp detail.

Advanced inline finishing options – enabling automated saddle-stitching, folding, punching, and stacking.

Compact and space-saving design – ideal for limited production areas.

Environmentally friendly engineering – incorporating 25% recycled plastic, 21% electric furnace steel, and a staple-free binding system, underscoring Ricoh’s dedication to sustainable innovation.

Guests also enjoyed a special Talk Show hosted by renowned emcee and influencer Nanake – Kathsepsawad Palakawong Na Ayuthaya under the theme ‘Understanding Every Generation, Leading Across All Ages.’ The lively session offered humour and insight into cross-generational communication and leadership.

The event also featured an interactive Booth Tour, where participants explored Ricoh’s latest technologies and solutions in collaboration with leading business partners, including Cyber SM, ThaiKK, K Laser, E.P.C. Corporation, Paperland, and KPP-Antalis.

For more information about the Ricoh Pro C5400S Series, visit Ricoh Thailand Facebook.

The new L.U.C Full Strike Revelation in radiant yellow gold is as ear-pleasing as the rose gold original from 2016.

It was actually Chopard’s first minute repeater with a novel system of generating and propagating a crystal-clear sound, which along with other innovations made the L.U.C Full Strike worthy of the Aiguille d’Or that Chopard took home at the GPHG 2017.

The coveted award underlines the maison’s prowess in haute horlogerie. The heritage dates back to 1860, when Louis-Ulysse Chopard set up a workshop in the village of Sonvilier.

Named after the founder, the L.U.C collection epitomises the highest standard of Swiss watchmaking.

Co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele is commited to raising the bar, and establishing the Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier in 1996 was instrumental in developing mechanical movements and complications.

Devising chiming mechanisms resulted in the L.U.C Strike One and the L.U.C Full Strike that respectively marked the 10th and 20th anniversaries of the Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier.

The 25-year milestone was commemorated by a limited-edition L.U.C Full Strike in a sapphire crystal case. A blue version followed as Chopard explored the palette of the sapphire crystal technology.

Over the years, the 42.5mm case has been crafted in various materials including platinum and ceramicised titanium for reinterpretations of the groundbreaking minute repeater.

The latest L.U.C Full Strike Revelation further demonstrates that changing the case material to ethical 18-carat yellow gold does not affect the purity of the signature crystal-clear sound.

Chopard harnessed the acoustic properties of sapphire crystal, traditionally used for scratch-resistant watch glasses, for its ingenious audio system.

The protective sapphire crystal also serves as a resonator for the sound generated by hammers hitting sapphire crystal gongs, instead of those typically made from steel or gold.

The transparent gongs are in fact an integral part of the top glass, with both elements machined from a block of sapphire crystal. The monobloc construction amplifies the chime when the L.U.C Full Strike indicates the hours, quarter hours and minutes.

The technical feat is one of the five patented systems within the hand-wound L.U.C 08.01-L movement.

The engineering also considered the mishandling of a minute repeater and resulting damage.

To secure its operations and a smooth musical expression, the other patents include a strikework-activation device, a ratchet-driving mechanism to avoid pauses during chiming, and a clutch-lever device that blocks the strikework to manage the power reserve.

The energy comes from a separate, dedicated barrel wound directly by the crown. In addition, the minute repeater mechanism can be simply activated via an integrated pusher in the crown, instead of a lever at the side of the case.

The openworked sapphire crystal dial of the L.U.C Full Strike Revelation showcases the chiming mechanism, with the two steel hammers visible at 10 o’clock. The power reserves for the movement and strikework are indicated at 2 o’clock while the small seconds counter is positioned at 6 o’clock.

Moreover, the sapphire crystal reveals the decorated components of the Calibre, L.U.C 08.01-L, chronometer-certified by the COSC.

The craftsmanship executed on the case and movement is guaranteed by the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark, making the L.U.C Full Strike Revelation an exceptional melodious model, limited to 20 pieces.

Social activist Guntouch Pongpaiboonwet on Friday defended the work of his foundation as questions mounted about its finances, while Deputy Prime Minister Thamanat Prompow denied any involvement in the controversy.

The two men, at separate press conferences, dealt with a number of questions about their relationship and how the Gun Jompalang Chuai Su Foundation had come to name Thamanat’s foundation as the recipient of its assets in the event of dissolution.

Speaking to reporters at Government House on Friday, Thamanat, who is chief adviser to the Klatham Party and its de facto leader, dismissed speculation linking him to the foundation’s internal affairs.

‘He never consulted me. I had no idea,’ he said, referring to Mr Guntouch, also known as ‘Gun Jompalang’.

The controversy erupted after it was revealed that Clause 39 of the foundation’s regulations stated that, should the foundation be dissolved, all remaining assets would be transferred to the Thamanat Prompow Foundation.

Thamanat, who is also the minister of agriculture, insisted he had no prior knowledge of this clause and said Mr Guntouch’s foundation had since altered it.

‘That’s his business. It has nothing to do with me,’ he said. ‘Every foundation must designate a successor in case of dissolution. For example, my foundation names Wat That Thong as the beneficiary.’

When asked whether the clause had been changed, Thamanat confirmed it had, but said he did not know who the new beneficiary was. He also rejected any suggestion that the issue was linked to the Klatham Party.

Mr Guntouch has more than 9 million followers on Facebook and has emerged as a social media star for his ultranationalist activities on the Thai-Cambodian border in recent weeks.

The high profile has brought increased scrutiny about where the money to fund his campaigns comes from, and complaints about a lack of transparency at his foundation.

Mr Guntouch held a press conference at the Asawin Grand Convention Hotel in Bangkok on Friday to address allegations of financial irregularities.

Accompanied by the foundation’s chairwoman, Kanchana Sataworn, and the accounting team, he said the foundation had total incoming funds of 207 million baht, expenditures of 117 million, and remaining assets of 90.17 million baht. (Story continues below)

Ms Kanchana explained that the foundation was initially established with 500,000 baht pooled from the activist’s friends. She acknowledged that the controversial Clause 39 – naming the Thamanat Prompow Foundation as the successor – was included hastily during the registration process due to a lack of legal expertise. She added that the clause had already been changed.

The accounting team clarified that under Thai civil and commercial law, foundations must designate a successor to manage remaining assets upon dissolution. Donations are not considered taxable income, and unallocated funds must be transferred to another legal entity to prevent misuse.

The foundation chairwoman insisted that no funds had ever been transferred to the Thamanat foundation. She said the foundation was chosen at the time because of past collaboration during flood relief efforts, including setting up community kitchens.

‘They didn’t take assets – they helped with logistics and support. We weren’t close to any other foundation,’ Ms Kanchana explained.

Mr Guntouch admitted the inclusion of the Thamanat Foundation was made in haste.

‘Many people were upset and the information was distorted, We never intended to give our assets to anyone. The money never went to the foundation,’ he said.

He confirmed that Clause 39 had now been revised to name a new, more stable foundation – though he declined to disclose which one. ‘If I name it now, people will say I’m trying to use them,’ he said.

The activist announced that he would assume the role of chairman himself to ensure greater transparency.

‘At first, I didn’t want to take the position because I thought not having authority would make things more transparent. But since people want me to take responsibility, I’ll do it myself,’ he said.

Rukchanok Srinork, an opposition People’s Party MP for Bangkok, also attended the press conference. She has been pressing Mr Guntouch to clarify a number of issues, such as his access to government-owned helicopters to carry out his work.

At the press conference, she questioned Mr Guntouch about his remarks that he was not close to Thamanat, asking why he had to lie about their relationship.

In response, Mr Guntouch said he was confident that he was not being used as a political tool by anyone.

Earlier, prominent lawyer Decha Kittivittayanan urged the Interior Ministry to investigate the legitimacy of the Gun Jompalang Chuai Su Foundation, questioning whether it is a bona fide charitable organisation or merely a proxy entity.

He called on authorities to assess whether its operations comply with legal standards.

Mr Decha also criticised Mr Guntouch’s recent claim that he could simply change the name of the organisation designated to inherit the foundation’s assets in the event of its dissolution.

Mr Decha argued that such a change cannot be made unilaterally and called on the Interior Ministry, which oversees charitable foundations, to clarify the legality of such actions.

Nearly 1,700 people from 21 countries have fled KK Park, a notorious scam centre in Myawaddy township in Myanmar, and crossed the border into Tak province over the past two days, Thai authorities said on Friday.

The exodus across the Moei River into Thailand follows a raid by the Myanmar military on KK Park. A further 2,000 foreigners were expected to cross into Thailand on Friday.

The operation, labelled by some observers as an attempt by the Myanmar military to appease China ahead of the upcoming Asean Summit, led to reports of explosions and fires in parts of KK Park.

The Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), which controls the area, reportedly destroyed several buildings at KK Park at the request of the Myanmar military, with observers saying this was most likely done in an attempt to produce ‘cleanup’ footage for state media.

Images from Mae Sot district in Tak showed groups of people swimming across the Moei River to flee Myanmar.

One Chinese man was reportedly swept away by strong currents and remains missing. Some escapees also said their friends drowned while crossing the river.

The official count as of Friday morning showed that 1,667 people had crossed into Thailand. They included Thai, Chinese, Indian, Nepalese, Kenyan, Vietnamese, Sri Lankan, Ethiopian, Bangladeshi, Filipino and Pakistani nationals.

Thai security forces have detained 197 individuals, including Thais and others, for screening.

A Thai woman who escaped KK Park described being lured by false job promises.

‘They said it was a high-paying job with days off,’ she recalled. ‘But once inside, I was forced to scam foreigners or face punishment – no food, no sunlight, even beatings.’

Other victims said they were coerced into online romance and investment scams targeting victims in Africa, Dubai and Canada, using AI-generated fake profiles.

Those who failed to meet quotas were punished or transferred elsewhere.

In Thailand, the border command centre in Tak has set up a special task force to manage the influx, coordinate aid and identify victims of human trafficking.

Leading e-commerce platform Shopee has teamed up with Meta on a new suite of tools that make it easier for people to discover products on Facebook and purchase them directly through Shopee.

The new tools include a simplified approach to affiliate marketing and offer the ability to enhance Facebook Live by adding Collaborative Ads.

Shopee earlier joined forces with Google’s YouTube on the Shopee Affiliate Program in what seemed to be an effort to counter competition coming from TikTok and Lazada.

“Shopee is committed to strengthening our ecosystem and improving the e-commerce experience. This includes helping brands and sellers expand their reach while creating new opportunities for affiliates to thrive and be creative,” said Peggy Zhu, head of brand and growth marketing at Shopee.

Through the partnership, creators with affiliate accounts can visit Facebook Affiliate Partnerships, a one-stop dashboard for them to link their Facebook and affiliate accounts.

This allows creators to curate relevant products, and tag affiliate listings directly in posts and Reels.

Shoppers can click on these tags and complete their purchases directly on the affiliate partner’s site.

Creators can also benefit from a range of incentives through the Shopee Affiliate Program, including higher commissions, free product samples, subscriber vouchers, and product sponsorships.

This builds on Shopee’s momentum in strengthening its content ecosystem, with affiliates generating over 100 million pieces of Shopee Live and Shopee Video content in 2024 — a threefold increase from the previous year.

Facebook’s partnership with Shopee is now available in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brazil.

Brands and sellers who primarily sell online can now maximise the impact of their Facebook Live by adding Collaborative Ads, introducing a more seamless way to feature products from their Shopee product catalogue in their live-stream.

Shoppers can click on the featured catalogue products while watching the live-stream and are guided to complete their checkout on Shopee.

Brands and sellers can also pin products from their catalogue directly within the live-stream and guide viewers to Shopee for more product information, reviews, and a simplified checkout process.

Shopee is the first marketplace to integrate with this beta product. It is currently being piloted in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and will be launching in other markets soon.

With these product updates, Meta is demonstrating how it is evolving to meet changing consumer behaviours in the region, said Damian Kim, APAC director of monetisation at Meta.