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The World Exposition in Osaka came to a close on Monday after a six-month run that drew more than 25 million visitors through exhibitions showcasing advanced technologies and diverse cultures, with organisers calling the event a success despite some operational challenges.

At the closing ceremony for the event held under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” a declaration for the Expo stated that it had “reaffirmed the pertinence of the Expo as a global public good that brings about mutual understanding and dialogue and serve as a catalyst for change.”

The Expo, held on the artificial island of Yumeshima, was participated by 158 countries and regions. The flag of the Bureau International des Expositions, a Paris-based body that oversees world Expos, was handed to Saudi Arabia, the 2030 host.

“By uniting our hearts, we were able to create a wonderful Exposition that brought satisfaction to many people,” Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said at the closing ceremony, emphasising the importance of “solidarity rather than division” and “tolerance rather than confrontation.”

Crown Prince Fumihito, who also attended the ceremony, said, “It was meaningful to have had the opportunity to think about solutions to the common challenges facing humanity together.”

As of Sunday, the total number of general visitors reached a preliminary 25.29 million, surpassing the 22.05 million recorded at the previous Japan-hosted Expo in 2005 in Aichi prefecture but falling short of organisers’ projected 28.20 million.

A total of 22.07 million tickets were sold and licensed merchandise, including plush toys of the official mascot Myaku-Myaku, generated about 80 billion yen (17 billion baht) in sales as of late August. The organisers expect an operating surplus of up to 28 billion yen.

But the Expo was not without hiccups. Its preparation was overshadowed by concerns over rising construction costs, delays in pavilion completion and low public support.

Ticket sales gradually picked up after the Expo opened in mid-April thanks to positive word of mouth. But long lines formed throughout the venue on a daily basis, including under the sweltering summer heat, despite what was aimed to become a “no-queue Expo” via an advance reservation system for entry and pavilion visits.

Some visitors with tickets were also unable to secure reservations for entry, forcing organisers to issue several hundred same-day replacement tickets daily to accommodate them.

Dismantling and removal of pavilions is scheduled to begin after next week, with the land to be returned to Osaka city by the end of February 2028.

However, there are concerns that an unresolved issue regarding unpaid fees to subcontractors involved in constructing some international pavilions could deter contractors from taking part in demolition work after the Expo closes.

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) by Thai enterprises remains at the early to mid-stage, attributed to limited AI talent, fragmented data, narrow governance frameworks, and an unclear return on investment (ROI), says tech firm Lenovo.

“Thailand is a strategically important market for Lenovo in Asia-Pacific with a fast-growing digital infrastructure, strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, and government support for the Industry 4.0 approach and AI adoption,” Sumir Bhatia, president for Asia-Pacific in the Infrastructure Solutions Group of Lenovo, told the Bangkok Post.

He said enterprise AI adoption in Southeast Asia is accelerating and Thailand is advancing steadily, behind some other markets in the region.

Lenovo’s CIO Playbook 2025 revealed 68% of organisations in Southeast Asia use hybrid or on-premise AI infrastructure, focusing on performance, security and compliance to enhance productivity and competitiveness.

Many enterprises are still exploring due to AI talent gaps, fragmented data, weak governance, and unclear ROI, all slowing large-scale AI rollout, noted the firm.

Despite these gaps, momentum is building. With sustained investment, supportive policies and enterprise commitment, Thailand is well-positioned to accelerate its AI journey, said Mr Bhatia.

Lenovo is promoting its “Smarter AI for All” vision in Thailand through purpose-built, AI-ready infrastructure that extends from the edge to the cloud, he said.

“Our hybrid AI approach combines more than 80 AI-enabled products across servers, storage and devices, giving businesses the flexibility, speed and security to unlock value from their data anywhere,” said Mr Bhatia.

Data, hybrid infrastructure and partnerships are essential for delivering secure, scalable and responsible AI, according to Lenovo.

Challenges ahead

Thailand faces challenges such as high adoption costs, limited technical expertise, energy efficiency concerns, and the need for clear ethical frameworks.

Lenovo delivers cost-effective consumption models, easy deployment and sustainable infrastructure that cuts costs while powering advanced AI workloads, he said.

“We see demand for AI-driven infrastructure remains robust in manufacturing, banking, retail and beyond,” said Mr Bhatia.

He said economic shifts and geopolitical tensions impact the tech sector, but Lenovo’s global footprint and more than 30 manufacturing sites across 11 markets give it agility to adapt and lead. The company continues to invest in R and D and drive growth in infrastructure solutions.

Coming of agentic AI

Agentic AI will transform enterprise IT from being a support system to a co-pilot, where AI reasons, plans and acts alongside humans, according to the firm.

Lenovo’s Future of Work surveys show while 79% of IT leaders believe AI will free employees for more impactful work, nearly 90% say today’s digital workplaces need an overhaul to realise this potential.

To bridge this gap, infrastructure must become AI-native, secure, scalable, and optimised for both real-time and proactive workloads across edge and cloud.

The company said Lenovo Hybrid AI Advantage solution enables enterprises to deploy agentic AI that delivers faster insights, automates tasks, and drives measurable outcomes in productivity and customer service.

“This helps businesses shift from AI experiments to delivering real enterprise value,” Mr Bhatia said.

According to Lenovo, governance is key to building ethical, secure and reliable AI.

Governance should not be an afterthought — enterprises need clear governance, risk and compliance (GRC) from the start to embed ethics and accountability into AI adoption, he said.

“Our CIO Playbook 2025 shows in Asean+, regulatory compliance jumped from the No.12 to the No.2 priority for AI strategies, highlighting its rising importance in Thailand and the region,” said Mr Bhatia.

Chief information officers (CIOs) now view strong governance as building trust and long-term resilience.

To scale AI responsibly, businesses need solid frameworks, transparency and a culture of accountability, he said.

“GRC isn’t just a checklist — it’s the foundation for trusted AI,” said Mr Bhatia.

Keys for CIOs

He said CIOs must invest in modern data platforms, ensuring accuracy, consistency, accessibility and embedded governance.

Equally vital is training teams in advanced analytics to turn data into actionable insights, said Mr Bhatia.

Moreover, CIOs must ensure data storage and processing can support rapid growth while addressing compliance and latency needs.

Re: “Thais still keen on Japan outbound jump of 8.2% this year”, (Business, Sept 19).

For over 30 years, Thai Airways provided very popular and well-supported non-stop flights linking New Zealand with Thailand. The daily flights ended with Covid. The pandemic is well over, but there is still no sign of a return to this non-stop connection.

As well as providing Thailand with an increased and diversified tourist flow, it would also directly reconnect New Zealand to the Land of Smiles. We encourage Thai Airways to bring us back together.

Kiwi Rob

A deadly folly

Re: “Narcotic nightmare”, (PostBag, Oct 10).

Regarding Thaksin Shinawatra’s apparently, and disturbingly, popular war on drugs, he should be imprisoned for the killings his drug policy resulted in. It is not obvious how any person of remotely good ethics could possibly applaud the killings that came with that effort to suppress the use of some drugs. The killing spree was unmitigated evil, for which those egging it on should also be called to account. To date, they have not received their just desserts.

As the regularly repeated statistics attest, the billions of baht, along with vast law enforcement resources devoted to suppressing particular drugs over the past five or more decades, rather than creating law that actually reduces drug harms to society, have been a consistent failure.

That useless squandering of scarce resources and manpower could more usefully have been focused on actually reducing harms, such as road deaths from drunk drivers and a father being forced to the appalling act of shooting his own son in self-defence.

As Einstein probably did not say, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” Perhaps it is time for drug policy to try a touch of sanity?

Felix Qui

Beyond CO2 fears

Re: “No CO2 miracle”, (PostBag, Oct 8).

Climate believers (and I use that term because “there is a climate crisis” is more a belief than a proven fact — except for those profiting from the energy transition) often claim that saying CO2 is plant food is a misleading oversimplification. But this is basic biology, known for generations.

Yes, carbon dioxide is plant food. It is essential for photosynthesis, the process through which plants produce their own food using sunlight, water, and nutrients. Increased CO2 can boost plant growth in many cases. In commercial greenhouses, CO2 levels have been elevated for decades to improve vegetable yields.

A peer-reviewed article published in the scientific journal Global Ecology and Conservation confirms that the phenomenon known as “global greening” is an indisputable fact.

The rate of global greening has even increased slightly in recent years. While drought has slowed greening in some regions, it has not caused a global “browning”.

Another scientific fact: Earth’s temperature is never constant. It has always risen and fallen over time — whether over centuries or millions of years. Data from Greenland ice cores show 10,000 years of temperature changes since the last ice age, with swings far greater than those seen in the past 150 years.

To believe that recent changes are mainly human-caused, one must assume that natural forces suddenly stopped working in the 20th century (see world temperature graph).

Thai gold traders are warning investors to shop wisely after bullion surged for the eighth consecutive week, buoyed by renewed fears of a US-China trade war, the ongoing US government shutdown and increased prospects of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut.

Gold prices moved past $4,100 an ounce to a fresh record high on Tuesday, bolstered by geopolitical and economic uncertainties, rate-cut expectations, strong central bank buying and robust exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows.

The local price soared by 1,150 baht per baht-weight (15.2 grammes) in early morning trade on Tuesday. After nearly 30 price adjustments, gold bar was quoted at a record high of 64,200 baht, according to the Gold Traders Association, which described the rally as ‘a new all-time high almost every day’.

The online gold trader Intergold cautioned the rapid ascent could spark short-term profit-taking.

However, investor enthusiasm remains strong, underscoring gold’s role as a popular asset in times of political and market turbulence.

The company forecasts a short-term target of $4,200 per ounce and a long-term goal of $5,000, which could lift Thai gold to 70,000 baht by 2026.

Intergold suggests short-term traders gradually lock in profits, while long-term investors may accumulate on dips of $50-100 in the world price.

Safe-haven demand

The latest rally was triggered by renewed tension between Washington and Beijing after US President Donald Trump announced a 100% import tariff on Chinese goods, effective Nov 1, with a possible expansion to include ‘all critical software’.

The move was in retaliation for China’s export controls on rare earth minerals, which are vital for industries such as electric vehicles, defence and semiconductors, markets where China dominates roughly 70% of global supply.

Within hours of Trump’s announcement, US equities lost more than $2 trillion in market value, amplifying global risk aversion. China condemned the move as ‘deceptive and hypocritical’, arguing its measures were for national security, not economic leverage.

Analysts believe Beijing’s restrained reaction could suggest room for renewed dialogue, though investors remain cautious ahead of an expected Trump-Xi Jinping summit later this month.

Meanwhile, the US government shutdown has entered its third week, with no signs of progress in Congress.

Trump is using the impasse to push for deep budget cuts to Democrat-backed social programmes, further rattling market confidence.

The Office of Management and Budget said it has begun formal ‘Reduction in Force’ procedures, with potential layoffs across key federal agencies.

Investors are monitoring the debate over the Republican budget proposal to seek clarity on fiscal policy.

The market now expects a 99% chance of a 25-basis-point cut to the policy interest rate by the Fed in October, and a 94% likelihood of another 25bps cut in December. Non-yielding gold tends to do well during period of low interest rates.

The World Gold Council reported that gold ETFs attracted 619 tonnes of inflows during the first nine months of 2025, lifting total holdings to 3,838 tonnes, 2% below the record high set in 2020.

The rebound, following four years of outflows, signals a strong return of investor confidence.

Analysts expect ETF holdings to surpass 4,000 tonnes by year-end for the first time in history, reinforcing bullish momentum.

Momentum persists

The Bangkok-based gold trader Hua Seng Heng anticipates prices will continue rising, testing $4,160 an ounce before easing in later stages.

Support is estimated at $4,115 before returning to a new round of price increases, its researchers wrote.

‘If the price falls below $4,100, a short-term price consolidation could be expected,’ they said.

Michael Hartnett, chief investment strategist at BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research, foresees prices hitting $6,000 next year, according to Hua Seng Heng.

The outlook for gold remains decisively bullish, supported by macroeconomic uncertainty, geopolitical tension and persistent ETF inflows.

Yet investors should maintain discipline, manage risk carefully, and resist greed as even the brightest bull runs can invite sharp corrections, say analysts.

Authorities have started drafting a new version of the power development plan (PDP), focusing on the nation’s long-term power supply management amid a surge in solar power, says the Energy Policy and Planning Office (Eppo).

The issue is being discussed by energy officials who plan to introduce the PDP in 2026, said Wattanapong Kurovat, director-general of Eppo.

Thai power producers in the independent electricity supply category have increased, especially businesses developing solar power generation facilities for their own usage.

Solar power gained popularity as electricity bills soared and the prices of solar panels decline.

The proportion of solar power in the country’s total electricity supply sharply increased to more than 2 gigawatts last year, up from a few kilowatts from 2015-2018.

This makes it difficult for energy officials to calculate a steady supply of electricity via the grid when solar power generation capacity drops as sunlight vanishes on cloudy days, said Mr Wattanapong.

Thailand needs back-up power systems to support more uses of solar power, which is an intermittent source of energy, he said.

Another issue is solar power generation facilities coming to the end of their service in the future, which requires back-up electricity systems to be well-managed or else Thailand could face economic damage, said Mr Wattanapong.

Thailand wants to avoid the widespread blackouts that occurred in parts of Spain and Portugal earlier this year, believed to result from a failure to ensure a steady supply of electricity as Spain depends greatly on renewable energy sources.

Another issue for the draft is Thailand’s economic growth outlook, he said.

The National Economic and Social Development Board asked energy authorities to revise electricity demand forecasts due to modest economic growth projections. Electricity consumption has stagnated despite electric vehicle usage and investment in data centres.

In another development, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) expects the power tariff, which is used to calculate electricity bills, to remain unchanged at 3.94 baht per kilowatt-hour during the first four months of next year. The prices of imported liquified natural gas, a key fuel for power generation in Thailand, should not significantly fluctuate despite greater gas demand in the winter, noted the ERC.

With developing countries facing intense financial pressure and developed countries slashing foreign aid, it can be tempting to dream of stumbling across a pot of gold. Dream no longer: The International Monetary Fund is currently sitting on 90.5 million ounces of the metal.

A relic of the gold standard, these holdings could be quickly turned into tangible funds. After hovering around US$2,000 (65,200 baht) per ounce for most of the last half-decade, the price of gold has now topped $4,000 per ounce. Even in real terms, this is a record high. But you wouldn’t know it from looking at the IMF’s balance sheet, which values its gold at just $50 per ounce, a price last seen in the 1970s.

In reality, the IMF’s gold reserves are worth over $350 billion — more than Chile’s GDP. Selling just 10% of these holdings would generate enough funds to offset this year’s foreign-aid cuts.

Such a move is not without precedent. The IMF has sold gold several times, most recently in 2009-10. The Fund used the proceeds from that sale to create an endowment account that complements IMF revenue and subsidises the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust, its concessional lending arm for low-income countries.

The case for selling a small share of the IMF’s gold is even stronger today. The funds could help support cash-strapped developing countries, without requiring any donor contributions. And by placing them in an endowment account, the IMF could create a long-term, sustainable source of concessional financing for these countries. Perhaps most importantly, the Fund might never get a greater bang for the bullion.

The proceeds from a gold sale could be channelled into multiple existing trusts within the IMF. Perhaps the most promising candidate is the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT), which covers repayments by vulnerable low-income countries of debt owed to the IMF in the aftermath of public health or natural disasters. Right now, just as these countries face large IMF repayments, the CCRT funds are nearly depleted, totalling around $115 million — barely enough to support one country in the wake of a crisis, let alone the dozens that could use it. With slight amendments to the CCRT’s eligibility criteria, the negative effects of aid cuts and trade adjustments on public-health financing could qualify as shocks meriting relief. This, coupled with a replenishment, would enable the CCRT to fulfil its potential.

Alternatively, these funds could be used to increase the concessionality of the IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust, scaling up support for low-income countries.

But regardless of which trust is selected, placing the proceeds from a gold sale in an endowment account would maximise their impact by continuously generating returns to be distributed to the trust. As an added benefit to the United States, the endowment fund could include investments in US Treasury bills, boosting demand for them.

This use of gold is entirely consistent with the IMF’s mandate. The aid cuts to some developing countries amount to several percentage points of GDP. The consequent need to increase domestic spending on public health, education, and related sectors will further strain governments that were already grappling with high debt-servicing costs. Moreover, reductions in aid and shifts in global trade have balance-of-payments implications, particularly in sectors that rely on imported goods, such as HIV/Aids medications.

Selling some of the IMF’s gold also aligns with the stated desires of the US and other developed countries. Now confronted with high debt levels, challenging economic conditions, and the need to increase defence spending, these countries have stressed that the responsibility for funding global public goods must be more widely distributed, and that international institutions — including the IMF — should use their resources more efficiently. What is more inefficient than sitting on an idle pile of gold?

The unintended consequences that many fear, such as a slide in the price of gold, are unlikely to emerge. To avert this outcome in 2009-10, the IMF sold gold gradually, initially making off-market deals with central banks and coordinating with gold producers on market sales.

Nor would selling gold jeopardise the IMF’s financial stability. The Fund does not borrow on the market, so it does not need gold reserves to demonstrate its creditworthiness. Moreover, it has exceeded its precautionary balances target of around $35 billion, a figure that does not count its gold reserves. Lastly, the vast majority of the IMF’s gold would remain untouched. If anything, these sales would strengthen the Fund’s financial stability by improving developing countries’ ability to repay their debts.

It is hard to imagine a more cost-effective solution to widespread foreign-aid cuts than the IMF selling a small share of its gold at no risk to its financial health and at no cost to its donors. That would be true even if the price of gold had not reached new heights. The fact that it has means that finance ministers and central bankers should act with a sense of urgency when they gather at the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank this month. There might never be a better time to dip into the Fund’s pot of gold. ©2025 Project Syndicate

The war of words between controversial activist Guntouch “Gun Jompalang” Pongpaiboonwet and Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit reflects the flaws in the army’s handling of the simmering border conflict with Cambodia.

Mr Guntouch launched into a tirade against Ms Angkhana after the senator reprimanded the activist for playing “ghostly sounds” along the border with the intention of scaring Cambodian civilians in the area. The activist has been playing eerie sounds, as well as recordings of helicopter and jet engine noises, through speakers he took to Ban Nong Chan and Nong Ya Kaeo in Sa Kaeo since Friday.

The senator’s protest followed Phnom Penh’s decision to lodge a complaint with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) over the use of loudspeakers along the border, which it claims have affected many Cambodians living nearby, especially the sick, the elderly, children and people with disabilities. The complaint went as far as accusing Thailand of violating human rights principles by engaging in psychological torture.

To back up the complaint, the Cambodian government took Asean’s Interim Observer Team to several border communities in Banteay Meanchey province — right across the border from Sa Kaeo.

Mr Guntouch hit back at the senator, asking her why she, as well as other human rights activists, chose to remain silent when Cambodia sent pregnant women and children to the frontlines at the peak of the conflict.

“When we send a letter, they ignore it. But when we play sounds for two days, they panic. Sometimes, you have to shake things up,” he said.

Ban Nong Chan has been under martial law since Aug 28, as it was one of the flash points in the border dispute with Cambodia. The decision to impose martial law in the area was taken in response to reports which claimed Cambodia was mobilising its citizens to cause disturbances along the border in Sa Kaeo. As such, the government has full authority to restrict access to the area and ensure that all activities taking place in the village align with national security and peacekeeping goals.

Make no mistake, Mr Guntouch has a reason to get angry and question the sincerity of our neighbour. When the conflict erupted in July, Thais witnessed schools and hospitals along the border being hit by Cambodian artillery. Thai soldiers have been maimed by landmines, which are believed to have been planted by Cambodian soldiers.

That said, the army must ensure any campaigns in the area align with the country’s national security policies. Mr Guntouch’s campaign — no matter how patriotic it is — could cause a diplomatic backlash and spur hatred among civilians living along the border.

We must remember the ongoing conflict is between the two governments — not the people of the two countries.

The question now is, why did the army allow the activist to launch such a campaign in a conflict zone?

The army’s response was deeply worrying.

Army spokesman Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree said Thai civilians are simply voicing their discontent — non-violently — against the encroachment by Cambodia.

One must now ask, does this eye-for-an-eye approach align with Thailand’s pro-peace, diplomatic strategy?

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul must urgently look into this complaint and ensure our armed forces use the martial law declaration to foster peace, not raise tensions, in conflict areas.

As parliament prepares to debate three constitutional amendment bills today and tomorrow, senators remain divided over the timing, necessity and potential impact on political stability.

Pol Gen Sawat Tasana questioned whether constitutional amendments would genuinely benefit the public.

“Before deciding whether the timing is right, we should ask: which parts of the constitution harm the people or cause hardship? If amendments directly improve citizens’ lives, then perhaps people would support them,” he told the Bangkok Post.

He argued the government should prioritise urgent national concerns over constitutional revision.

“We face border issues with neighbouring countries, including Cambodia and the southern provinces, as well as challenges in the West. These demand immediate attention more than constitutional debates,” he added.

Pol Gen Sawat said while many politicians claim amendments would serve the public, in practice, changes often protect political interests.

“Let’s be honest — most amendments in the past have been about easing ethics regulations, simplifying referenda or introducing amnesty provisions. Do these help the public or politicians?” he asked.

Another senator, Alongkot Worakee, said he was unable to take a position on the proposals until he saw their full content.

“The House of Representatives is proposing party, while the Senate can only vote for or against — not amend the text,” he said.

“It’s like being presented with a meal; senators can’t change the ingredients, only decide whether to eat it.”

However, Mr Alongkot likewise raised doubt about the necessity of constitutional change.

“This is not a public demand but a political promise. If we make it too easy to amend the constitution, it will lose stability. Look abroad — do other countries revise their constitutions so often?” he asked.

The real problem lies not in the 2017 constitution itself, but in the excessive concentration of financial power within government.

“Soft Power funds and special agency budgets total more than three trillion baht. Reforming budget management would be more beneficial than rewriting the constitution,” he said.

Mr Alongkot also dismissed claims of “blue faction” influence within the Senate. The so-called “blue faction” refers to a group of senators perceived to be closely aligned with the Bhumjaithai Party, which uses blue as its identifying colour.

“When over 170 senators vote for a bill, are they all blue? It’s more about individual judgement than colour,” he said, predicting that the joint session today might devolve into political point-scoring rather than substantive discussion.

Pol Col Kob Atjanakitti echoed concerns over the timing, saying political and security issues should take precedence.

“The problem isn’t the constitution — it’s people who don’t follow it. Some just want to bend the rules for personal convenience,” the senator said.

He argued constitutional change would only deepen political divisions.

“There are many urgent problems that deserve the government’s full attention. Amending the constitution now will only heighten conflict,” he warned.

He also dismissed allegations of Senate factionalism. “There are no colours in the Senate — the only colour that matters is the colour of the nation,” he said.

However, not all senators shared the same reservations.

Pisit Apiwattanapong, spokesman for the Senate Whip Committee, took a more open stance, saying all three drafts had both strengths and weaknesses.

“None of the drafts is perfect, but each has merits worth considering. I personally support accepting all three in principle for the first reading.

“Once in the second reading, we can deliberate on which sections to merge or revise. That’s how legislation should proceed.”

He said that only one-third of Senate votes — about 67 members — are needed for the bills to pass the first reading.

“Given that threshold, I believe the first reading is likely to pass,” he added.

The government plans to attract 12 million foreign arrivals during its four-month tenure, driven by four events: the Amazing Marathon, Maha Loy Krathong 2025, Vijit Chao Phraya Light Festival and Amazing Thailand Countdown.

Nat Kruthasoot, deputy governor for tourism products and business at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said the agency is preparing major events for the high season to welcome both short- and long-haul tourists.

He said following the success of the branded Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025, the agency is launching the 30-million-baht Maha Loy Krathong 2025 in November, aiming to reach a global level of recognition.

The celebrations are planned for Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, and are expected to generate 800 million baht in revenue from at least 450,000 visitors.

Meanwhile, the Amazing Thailand Marathon 2025 is expected to be a spearhead for sports tourism.

The event, slated for the end of November, features Olympic runner Eliud Kipchoge as ambassador for the second year.

The marathon is expected to draw at least 36,000 local and foreign participants, generating 894 million baht in revenue.

Mr Nat said although tourism spending power might be constrained due to the sluggish economy, the TAT still wants to expand every event to a larger scale.

Another highlight later this year is Vijit Chao Phraya, a light festival along the river in Bangkok, scheduled from Nov 1 to Dec 15 with a budget of 50 million baht. The duration was extended to 45 days from 30 days last year.

He said tourist bookings for boat cruises during this period are nearly full. The event is expected to attract at least 1.5 million visitors, generating 500 million baht in revenue.

For the New Year countdown, Mr Nat said the agency is focusing on regional celebrations, as Bangkok already hosts numerous events organised by strong private networks. Chiang Mai and Phayao are hosts of the TAT’s countdown events with a budget of 25 million baht, expected to attract more than 150,000 visitors.

“Thailand’s natural attractions have become familiar to tourists, so we are creating new events and celebrations to draw demand,” he said.

“We remain focused on high-value tourism, with less dependence on volume and price discounts.”

Timor-Leste will be made a full member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on Oct 26. President José Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste often joked that joining Asean was more difficult than going to heaven. Not anymore.

After more than two decades of aspiration, the world’s youngest Asian nation has finally realised its dream of joining the regional bloc. When Dili gained independence in 2002, its leaders repeatedly declared that Timor-Leste would one day become an Asean member. For the record, the 11th membership holds the longest accession process for any new member in Asean’s history. It was granted observer status in 2023.

Lest we forget, Brunei joined Asean on Jan 7, 1984, barely a week after its independence. Vietnam was the first of the former Indochinese countries to join the bloc. Laos and Myanmar joined in 1997, while it took two additional years for Cambodia to join in 1999 due to its domestic situation.

At the time, Asean had no formal rules or criteria for admission. Economic and institutional readiness was not the issue. After all, it was the post-Cold War era, and young Asean simply wanted to promote regional peace and cooperation. After the signing of the Paris Peace Accord, Southeast Asia was able to consolidate further, enhancing stability and economic growth.

For various reasons, it has taken Asean a long time to decide to bring Timor-Leste into the fold. With the Asean charter in place in 2008, the bloc has become a rule-based organisation with political-security, economic, and socio-cultural frameworks. Some members preferred to delay Dilli’s membership for as long as possible, arguing that this small half-island nation lacked the necessary preparedness to comply with all these rules.

Furthermore, the country was simply too different from the rest of Southeast Asia. After all, Timor-Leste is the only Asean country where Portuguese is an official language, alongside the local tongue, Tetum. The Indonesian language is a working language.

Truth be told, the biggest barrier in the last lapse for joining Asean was Myanmar’s staunch opposition. Nay Pyi Taw has experienced both the best and worst of times with Timor-Leste.

During Myanmar’s democratic period between 2011 and 2021, especially after 2015, its ties with Timor-Leste blossomed. The two countries shared democratic ideals and even boasted the Nobel Peace Prize-winning leaders Ramos-Horta and Aung San Suu Kyi. The two nations supported each other in various international fora.

However, after the military coup in February 2021, their relations turned upside down. Dili became the region’s harshest critic of the Tatmadaw — Myanmar’s junta. It openly condemned the Tatmadaw’s power seizure and strongly supported the National Unity Government (NUG), Myanmar’s opposition group in exile. It even allowed the NUG to establish a liaison office in Dili early last year, much to Nay Pyi Taw’s fury.

Apparently, the two countries have already reached out to each other during Timor Leste’s Foreign Minister Bandito dos Santos Freitas’s visit to Nay Pyi Taw on Sept 17-19. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the bloc’s fundamental principles and its charter, particularly non-interference in the internal affairs of member states. They also agreed to reopen their diplomatic missions and restore visa exemption.

Looking back at the 46th Asean Summit in late May, except for Malaysia, other members were uncertain whether Timor-Leste would be accepted this month. Indeed, just one day before their summit retreat, their foreign ministers were still insisting that Timor-Leste must stick to the roadmap prepared by the Asean Secretariat. If that were indeed the case, then it would take additional months or even years.

However, the next morning, when the heads of government held their retreat, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim managed to get a consensus with strong support from Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong that Timor-Leste should be admitted as its 11th member in October.

Myanmar, isolated and silenced, could not object. However, on June 14, Nay Pyi Taw sent a letter to the Asean chair threatening to block the membership, accusing Dili of “interfering in internal affairs”. The letter warned that if “Timor Leste persists [with] its blatant violation of the principles of non-interference”, Asean should reject its membership “and suspend all procedural steps until Dili rectifies its approach”.

As part of the accession process, at the recent Asean Economic Ministerial meeting, the ministers reviewed the progress made and gave Dilli a collective thumbs-up. As of Sept 26, it has already fulfilled most of the technical and institutional requirements for full membership that are enshrined in 66 key Asean Economic Agreements. For the other two pillars — political/security, as well as social and cultural, it has aligned with nearly all of them.

As a vibrant democracy, Timor-Leste’s entry will enhance Asean’s international image. The West must now have second thoughts about the bloc being a club of one-party rule or dictatorial despots. This Christian nation has one of the world’s freest presses and the region’s strongest democratic credentials — alongside some of the world’s highest-income economies.

“Democracy is our identity. We fought for it, and we will not change,” said a senior aide to President Ramos-Horta during a recent conversation in Jakarta. That statement captures the spirit of the youngest member of the Asean family.

Dili can also serve as a bridge between Asean and the Portuguese-speaking world. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will attend the upcoming Asean Summit as a special guest of the Asean chair — a symbolic sign of Timor-Leste’s expanding diplomatic reach. The new member is also part of the South Pacific Forum, linking Asean more closely with the Pacific community.

One frequently asked question is whether Timor-Leste will align itself with Western positions on key geopolitical issues. Asean members have long maintained diverse but moderate foreign policy outlooks, avoiding extremist approaches. The bloc’s collective decisions are based on resilience, pragmatism and consensus.

For Thailand, Timor-Leste carries very special meanings. The Chuan government (1997-2000) played a crucial role in the nation-building there.

Thailand led the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor during the 1999-2002 period. The late Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan and former commander of UN East Timor forces, Gen Boonserng Niemprasert, are still household names there.

At a recent conference in Jakarta, Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow posited that in a world of confrontation and division, Asean stands as a modest yet vital example of regional coexistence. No matter how uncertain the global environment becomes, he reiterated, Asean is here to stay — and to keep the region’s dream of unity alive.

With a new, young, bold member, the future of Asean looks more exciting.