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Typhoon Matmo has intensified over the upper South China Sea and made landfall in China’s Guangdong province on Sunday, according to the Thai Meteorological Department.

While the storm will not enter Thailand, it is strengthening the southwest monsoon, bringing heavier rain and flash flood risks to northern, northeastern, eastern and southern regions through Oct 7. At 4am Thai time on Sunday, the typhoon had maximum winds near the centre of about 120 kilometres per hour and was moving west-northwest at a speed of around 25km/h.

After Matmo made landfall, it has weakened rapidly as a high-pressure system from China pushes southward between Oct 6 and 7, the department said.

However, Matmo will strengthen the southwest monsoon over Thailand’s Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, bringing more rain across the North and the Northeast, with heavy rainfall in some areas of the East and the western coast of the South until Oct 7.

Residents in at-risk areas are advised to be on alert for flash floods, runoff and overflowing rivers due to heavy and accumulated rainfall.

In the upper Andaman Sea, waves are expected to reach 1-2 metres in height and exceed 2 metres in areas with thunderstorms.

Parliament has approved a controversial amendment to the Fisheries Act, a move the Department of Fisheries insists will balance marine conservation with the livelihoods of fisherfolk.

The House of Representatives passed the bill on Sept 17, despite objections from senators in February over Article 69.

The Department of Fisheries has defended the change, stressing the article was not removed but revised with additional safeguards.

Under the current Article 69, the use of seine nets with mesh sizes smaller than 2.5 centimetres is banned for nighttime fishing beyond 12 nautical miles.

The amended version allows their use under certain conditions starting 12 nautical miles from the shore.

Environmental groups and fisherfolk have warned this change could damage marine ecosystems and undermine Thailand’s international commitments on sustainable fishing.

Bancha Sukkaew, director-general of the Department of Fisheries, on Sept 29 defended the amendment.

He said that while the law permits smaller-mesh nets, it also grants the agriculture minister authority to approve fishing gear under strict conditions, including designated zones and mandatory research reviews every two years.

Research findings and policy measures must be approved by the National Fisheries Policy Committee and undergo public hearings.

“Any approval for using such fishing gear will be based on scientific studies to ensure no harm is done to marine resources. Research is the key factor in decision-making,” Mr Bancha said.

The new Fisheries Act, which amends the 2015 Royal Ordinance, includes 71 revised sections.

It reduces penalties, expands rights for small-scale fishers, and aims to align Thailand’s laws with international sustainability standards.

The law also abolishes Article 34, which restricted offshore fishing, revises the structure of provincial fisheries committees, limits fishing licences to Thai nationals and removes overlapping labour regulations in seafood processing plants.

Mr Bancha argued these changes will ease burdens on fisherfolk and revive the industry, saying: “The new law will preserve marine resources as a sustainable food source while improving fisherfolk’s incomes.”

The Act is awaiting publication in the Royal Gazette before taking effect.

The Department of Fisheries is also drafting subordinate laws to ensure effective implementation.

Opposition, however, remains strong. Piya Tetyam, chairman of the Federation of Thai Fisherfolk Associations, denounced Article 69 as a “legal loophole” that reintroduces destructive fishing practices banned since 1983.

“Past studies by the Department of Fisheries clearly showed the severe impacts of this equipment on marine ecosystems, especially larvae.

“This law only benefits about 175 commercial trawlers, while small-scale fisherfolk who depend on mature fish will suffer the most,” he warned.

Mr Piya said his group plans to launch a campaign in Bangkok by year’s end to raise public awareness of the ecological risks, warning of a “catastrophe” if mature fish stocks continue to decline.

A man and a boy were wounded when they were attacked by a pet lion which escaped from its house in Kanchanaburi on Saturday night.

The injured were identified as Arthit Nueangnui, 11, who was bitten and clawed in his hip, and Sarawut Tokaeo, 43, who was clawed in his leg. They were treated at local hospitals and discharged on Saturday night.

The victims and the lion owner were residents of the same village. The lion owner was identified as Parinya Parkpoom, 32, a social media influencer who frequently shared posts about exotic pets, including the lion.

Officials were checking the ownership of the lion. The man owned one lion at his house.

Mr Parinya, the lion owner, said that he chained his female lion aged one year to a steel pole in his house but it got loose.

At about 8pm Saturday he heard people shouting that his lion was mauling people. He found it walking on a road in front of his house, so he chained it again.

The attack happened on a public road.

The Natural Resources and Environment Minister ordered the seizure of the lion from its owner and said it would be kept at a wildlife centre.

Letting a wild animal out of its cage without a proper reason is liable to a jail term of up to six months and/or a fine of up to 50,000 baht.

Essential soil safety tests at the Samsen Road sinkhole site in Dusit district are delaying its filling-in, as the demolition of adjacent Samsen police station continues, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the site on Monday morning.

As of Monday morning, about 4,000 cubic metres of sand had been dumped into the giant hole on Samsen Road. Its depth had decreased from about 20 metres to about 15 metres. (continues below)

Officials were boring six holes in the dumped sand and taking core samples to ensure safety before proceeding with the filling-in and beginning the repair of Samsen Road.

Mr Chadchart said that safety procedures were necessary and would lead to effective repairs that would prevent further excavation at the site after Samsen Road reopens and construction of the underground Purple Line electric railway extension resumes there.

The demolition of the relatively new four-storey Samsen police station continues. The damaged structure teeters on the edge of the 30-metre-long hole, which sucked soil and some support pillars from beneath the police building. The building had many large cracks, some collapsed outer walls and tilted floors on Monday morning.

The steel roofing was removed on Sunday night. Engineers reported that the soil under the police station remained stable on Monday.

The Bangkok governor said the adjacent Samsen police flats and Vajira Hospital remained secure.

He also said that building repairs were the responsibility of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority and its contractors handling the extension of the Purple Line under Samsen Road.

It was still not clear when Samsen Road could be reopened to traffic, Mr Chadchart said.

The subsidence occurred suddenly in the morning of Sept 24 above an underground station under construction for the Purple Line extension route. The state-run MRTA blamed it on the soft soil in the area.

A tragic shooting unfolded in Ayutthaya province when a man armed with a gun broke into his ex-wife’s home, hoping to reconcile. The confrontation escalated into a gunfight with his former father-in-law, ending in the older man’s death.

Security camera footage captured the violent clash. The former son-in-law fired a single shot before his gun jammed, prompting the father-in-law to return fire. The assailant then rushed forward, grabbed a pair of scissors, and stabbed the older man in the neck, killing him instantly.

The suspect staggered out of the house before collapsing on the street, where bystanders helped restrain him until police arrived. He was taken to hospital under police custody.

Police found the injured suspect, around 30 years old, with gunshot wounds to the chin and body. Inside the house, officers discovered the body of the ex-wife’s father lying face-down in a pool of blood, with gunshot and stab wounds to his chest and neck. A pair of scissors and a 9mm pistol were found near the body, while another gun – believed to belong to the suspect – was recovered from his bag, showing signs of a jam after one shot.

According to the victim’s daughter, she was at home with her father and child when her ex-husband arrived, shouting from outside. She refused to open the gate, fearing him due to a history of domestic violence. The man then climbed over the fence, forced his way inside, and the deadly confrontation ensued.

She added that she had previously fled to Roi Et province to escape the abuse, but her ex-husband tracked her down, forcing her to return to her father’s home. Despite filing police reports in the past, she said he continued to threaten her.

He now faces three serious charges: premeditated murder, breaking and entering, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Police said the suspect is the son of a deputy mayor of a local municipality in Ayutthaya, but stressed that this will not affect the investigation.

The military during a recent visit by the Interim Observer Team (IOT) Thailand reported the discovery of over 200 landmines that had been planted along the border with Cambodia in Ubon Ratchathani province between June and September.

IOT Thailand, which comprises Asean military attaches, visited the Second Army Region on Saturday and Sunday.

Led by a Malaysian military attache, the group visited the Chong Bok area of Ubon Ratchathani’s Nam Yuen district, where illegal landmine activities were previously reported.

According to Thai military officials, more than 200 PMN-2 anti-personnel mines were planted in 36 incidents between June and September.

Three Thai soldiers were injured in the incidents, one of whom suffered the amputation of his leg, officials said.

Following the visit, the delegation commended Thailand’s transparency and cooperation in addressing the issue.

The delegation also emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and restoring stable relations between Thailand and Cambodia, both of which are Asean member states.

Meanwhile, Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen has expressed outrage over a viral video showing his image being used as a target for shooting practice, describing such behaviour as shameful.

In an online post on Monday, Hun Sen urged Cambodians not to retaliate in kind, stressing that maintaining moral dignity was essential.

Instead, he called for a boycott of Thai products and the Thai baht, saying the move would reduce economic dependence and strengthen Cambodia’s financial sovereignty.

He also appealed to Cambodians not to do harm to Thai companies or citizens living in Cambodia, noting that most Thais are not the enemies of the Cambodian people.

The Cambodian strongman also dismissed claims that Cambodia’s economy was suffering from the closure of the Thai land border, saying Cambodia spends over $5 billion annually on Thai imports.

He noted that redirecting said spending to local products would ultimately strengthen domestic industries.

However, while addressing border communities, Hun Sen urged residents to exchange Thai baht for Cambodian riel or US dollars and warned that the baht could become a tool of pressure similar to electricity, internet or fuel.

Meanwhile, goods vendors in Trat province’s Klong Yai district, located near the Cambodian border, have been forced to adjust their livelihoods following the prolonged closure of the border.

One Thai vendor said that she also sells drinks in front of her grocery store to supplement her family’s income, noting that the number of visitors dropped sharply after the border closure.

Her customers are mainly locals and troops deployed in the area, she said.

Army troops have joined the hunt for robbers who shot a soldier while stealing gold jewellery worth about 24 million baht from a shop in a Big C mall in Sungai Kolok district, Narathiwat, on Sunday night.

Army spokesman Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree said on Monday that 27-year-old Sgt Burit Radachai was shot and wounded. He was shopping at the mall at the same time the gang was robbing the gold shop.

The injured soldier was hit by several bullets, one of which grazed his neck and others hit him in the chest and leg. He was alive and was being treated in hospital.

Maj Gen Winthai said the robbery was well planned. The robbers had earlier stolen the two pickup trucks they used in committing the crime and making their escape.

They had scattered tyre spikes and explosives on the road along their escape route to prevent pursuit.

The robbery happened at the Big C store about 6.29pm on Sunday. About 10 armed men in black, their faces covered, had briefly taken a security guard at the mall hostage, held gold shop staff at gun point and made off with about 400-baht weight of gold worth about 24 million baht.

The 30-year-old security guard was later treated for extreme shock.

Investigators looking into the heist found two pick-up trucks which they believe were used by the suspects on Monday. The vehicles were abandoned at a palm plantation in Waeng district of Narathiwat, about a kilometre from the Thai-Malaysian border.

Officials believe the heist was not only intended to create panic but also to generate funds for rebel activities. Similar cases in the past include coordinated ATM robberies in August and a major gold shop raid in Songkhla in 2019.

Blackpink’s upcoming ‘Deadline’ concerts in Bangkok are expected to drive full occupancy at hotels near Rajamangala National Stadium, in line with Thailand’s growing ‘gig tripping’ trend, where up to 40% of the crowds attending music events can consist of foreign attendees.

Piti Kuakiatngam, general manager of Alexander Hotel Bangkok, said his 300-room hotel had already gained a 90% occupancy rate during Blackpink World Tour concerts on Oct 24-26, reflecting strong demand among concertgoers.

During periods when large events are held at Rajamangala, hotels located near the venue are able to maintain high room rates without discounting, he said.

Alexander Hotel has also been able to sell its rooms during periods when such events are held at a higher rate than during regular weekdays and weekends. It also reserves a number of rooms for walk-in guests on concert days.

Most of its bookings during the Blackpink concerts derived from foreign markets, such as China, Japan and South Korea.

Mr Piti said concerts and festivals typically benefit hotels located near the location of such events, just as Alexander Hotel had attracted additional bookings from those attending events at Rajamanagala and the Mall Bangkapi.

As a complimentary service for guests, the hotel also provides free shuttle bus services to the stadium before and after the concerts.

Mr Piti said hotels that still have to discount their room rates during Blackpink’s three concerts in Bangkok are those located in the city and downtown, as they are having to offset the sluggish Chinese inbound market.

However, Alexander Hotel still has to maintain diversified segments, including business meetings, weddings and leisure tourists, as the large events that lure an influx of guests do not occur every week.

Gig tripping

Pattaraanong Na Chiangmai, deputy governor of international marketing for Asia and South Pacific at the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the agency has been supporting various events across the year to boost tourism.

This strategy is meant to respond with the emerging ‘Gig Tripping’ trend, which refers to those travelling to other cities or countries to attend music events and artist meetings.

Mega festivals and concerts are able to attract foreign tourists, which typically account for 30-40% of total attendees, Ms Pattaraanong.

While large events were likely held a few times a year due to the requirement to plan in advance, artist fan meetings can be held several times across the year and generate an economic benefit, despite being at a smaller scale, she said.

She said those joining fan meetings have strong loyalty and high spending power. A total of 10-20% of fan meeting audiences in Thailand consisted of foreigners, she noted.

Apart from purchasing tickets, which are priced relatively high, they also spend on other services during their trips, including hotels, transport, food, souvenirs, and sightseeing at nearby destinations.

The ‘Choo Young Woo Asia Fanmeeting Tour in Bangkok’ last month lured fans from South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and China, accounting for 15% of the total audience.

‘Artists and their fans visiting Thailand help reinforce the nation’s image as a preferred destination for regional and global events,’ said Ms Pattaraanong.

Adith Chairattananon, honorary secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said concert and festival tourism is now a global trend with the potential to attract young and niche markets to the host country.

He said that Thai travel agents rarely operate tour groups dedicated for concerts.

Over 90% of travellers in this segment were independent tourists who opt for online travel agents that offer all-inclusive services, such as transportation and hotel rooms.

Former prime minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh is gravely ill, bedridden and unable to speak, according to a close aide.

Chawalit Wichayasut, deputy leader of the Thai Sang Thai Party and former MP for Nakhon Phanom, disclosed on his Facebook page that the 93-year-old retired general is currently being treated at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

Mr Chawalit said the former premier’s family expressed deep gratitude to His Majesty the King for placing Gen Chavalit under royal patronage.

‘I visited Gen Chavalit last week. He is bedridden, has undergone a tracheotomy, is on dialysis and is being fed through a feeding tube. He remains under the close care of doctors,’ Mr Chawalit wrote.

Gen Chavalit served as the country’s 22nd prime minister from November 1996 to November 1997.

The former MP also addressed reports in the media about internal disputes within Gen Chavalit’s family, describing them as a ‘sensitive matter.’ He did not elaborate.

Mr Chawalit urged all sides to cease legal confrontations.

‘I would like to appeal to everyone to stop the conflict and show compassion,” Mr Chawalit said.

Mr Chawalit further responded to commentary on social and broadcast media portraying Gen Chavalit as the prime minister responsible for the 1997 Asian financial meltdown, widely known as the ‘Tom Yum Kung crisis’.

He argued the crisis did not originate during Gen Chavalit’s administration but had been building over several years under preceding governments due to financial liberalisation policies, particularly the Bangkok International Banking Facility (BIBF), which lacked sufficient regulatory oversight.

The previous government’s soft power initiatives are facing calls to be cancelled on grounds of a lack of clear, measurable outcomes and misinterpretation of the concept entirely.

Senator Alongkot Worakee, chair of the Senate Committee on Budget Oversight, called on the government to drop all soft power initiatives. The committee will summon agencies from nearly 12 ministries every Monday until Oct 30 to clarify their budget allocations under the soft power framework.

“Soft power isn’t just Lisa (Blackpink) eating grilled meatballs and posting about it — that’s marketing. What we’re seeing now is just event planning,” Sen Alongkot said, criticising the current approach as superficial and ineffective.

While procurement processes may be legally sound, the underlying concept is flawed.

“We’re spending hundreds of millions on events without any real evaluation. If you organise an OTOP (One Tambon One Product) fair, how do you measure its success? Why isn’t there a central system to assess impact, like a cashier in a department store?” he asked.

The government, Sen Alongkot said, should redirect the budget to more tangible infrastructure, such as building border fences along the Cambodian frontier.

Last year, the soft power scheme received a five-billion-baht budget and included plans to develop festivals and events, such as the Maha Songkran Water Festival.

Sen Alongkot said the failure lies with the previous administration’s misguided incentives. “The entire soft power budget allocation should be scrapped. It’s a waste of public funds,” he said.