Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Mr Manatase Annawat, President of the Thailand Privilege Card (TPC), provided an update on the company’s performance and future direction.

‘We currently have over 40,000 members – an increase of 28 per cent from 2023, with record annual revenue reaching 60 billion baht. We see significant potential to attract foreign high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), which will drive business growth and contribute to the expansion of the Thai economy.

‘Our goal is not simply to generate revenue from membership fees, but to play an integral role in stimulating Thailand’s economy through tourism by encouraging spending across related hospitality sectors – from hotels and restaurants to leisure activities and property investment. The Thailand Privilege Card also reinforces Thailand’s position as one of the world’s leading long-stay destinations.’

Bold New Marketing Direction

Mr Manatase outlined TPC’s 2025 marketing strategy:

‘This year we are taking bold steps to position Thailand as the ‘World’s Premier Residency Programme and Privileged Services Provider for Exclusive Individuals’. Alongside the introduction of our first Global Brand Ambassador, ‘Apo’ Nattawin Wattanagitiphat, we have launched a new commercial featuring Apo, who personifies the sophisticated lifestyle enjoyed by card members.

‘The campaign highlights a wide range of exclusive privileges offered by TPC and its business partners, including airport priority lanes and lounge facilities, discounts at five-star hotels and over 1,000 golf courses in Thailand and around the world, and access to leading hospitals and wellness clinics.’

He added, ‘Apo’s international profile as an actor and model, as well as his large fan base in several countries, makes him the perfect choice for this campaign. He will help to build brand awareness by fusing a sense of Thainess with a global standard of luxury.

‘This campaign, themed ‘The Ultimate Luxury’, emphasises how Thailand Privilege Card members can streamline their lifestyle and spend more meaningful moments with family, friends, and loved ones.

‘Our integrated marketing plan targets potential members worldwide through both online and offline channels – including airport advertising, in-flight media on Thai Airways International, mass transport systems, out-of-home media, and LED screens in Thailand and overseas at prime locations such as Times Square in New York, Nanjing Lu Road in Shanghai, and Singapore. This approach will strengthen our visibility in target markets while expanding into emerging markets such as India and the Middle East.’

Membership Privileges

The Thailand Privilege Card offers long-stay visas ranging from five to over twenty years, along with a suite of premium services such as:

Signature Airport Services – including Elite Personal Assistant (EPA), VIP lounge access, and electric cart transfers

Elite Personal Liaison (EPL) – personalised assistance throughout the member’s stay in Thailand

Lifestyle Privileges – special access to health and beauty services, luxury hotels, over 1,000 golf courses in Thailand and overseas, and fine-dining establishments across the country

Membership Tiers

The Thailand Privilege Card offers five membership levels:

BRONZE – 650,000 baht for 5 years

GOLD – 900,000 baht for 5 years + 20 points per year

PLATINUM – 1.5 million baht for 10 years + 35 points per year

DIAMOND – 2.5 million baht for 15 years + 55 points per year

RESERVE – 5 million baht for 20+ years (with optional 5-year extensions) + 120 points per year

This ultra-exclusive membership is reserved for ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) and offers the most comprehensive range of benefits.

Businesses interested in partnership opportunities may contact Vendor Relations at (+66) 2-353-4145 or email vendor_relations@thailandprivilege.co.th. For enquiries regarding General Sales and Service Agent opportunities, please call (+66) 2-353-4120 or email salesgroup@thailandprivilege.co.th.

An entire hotel employee residence in Pattaya was awakened early on Friday by the cries of an infant found to have been abandoned on the premises.

Pattaya police and rescue workers were called to the three-storey building in tambon Nong Prue in Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri province around 7.50am on Friday following reports of an infant being left alone. Residents of the building reported hearing disturbing cries in the early hours.

A search party formed by tenants said they were shocked to find a baby boy in a second-floor hallway.

Rescuers have since revealed the child had likely only been born three to four hours prior to being discovered. The infant was found still covered in afterbirth with its umbilical cord not yet severed, lying upon a fertiliser bag and wrapped in a green shirt.

Residents of the building said they did not know of any of their neighbours being pregnant. Police quickly sent the child for care at Pattaya Hospital, noting he was only wrapped in a shirt. An unnamed 56-year-old tenant, who was the first to find the baby, said she began hearing loud cries around 7am and was startled by the sound, as no one in the building was known to have children.

Authorities initially believed the child’s parents did not live in the complex but will review surveillance footage to identify whoever abandoned him and take legal action.

Mister Donut, Thailand’s favourite donut brand for over 40 years and the nation’s No.1 donut leader under Central Restaurants Group (CRG), is setting a new benchmark in Thailand’s donut industry with the launch of its first Mister Donut New Concept Store on the 3rd floor of Central Pinklao.

Under the theme ‘The New Chapter of Mister Donut,’ the brand makes a bold transformation to present a fresher, more modern image that resonates with today’s lifestyle-driven consumers.

The new concept embodies Mister Donut’s vision to go beyond being just a donut store, evolving into a true lifestyle destination through three key pillars:

Freshly Made Every Day – premium donuts crafted daily for the finest taste and quality.

Japanese Crafted Quality – meticulous attention to detail, from ingredient selection to product design.

Experience-First Store – an immersive space where customers can enjoy the brand’s philosophy, ‘Every Bite, A Japanese Story.’

Exclusively available at this flagship store, customers can indulge in premium-crafted menus that showcase the essence of quality and creativity:

Bomboloni – Mister Donut’s first-ever Italian-style donut, soft and fluffy with a buttery aroma and indulgent fillings.

Premium Pon De Ring – a reinvention of the brand’s iconic favourite, elevated with refined ingredients and artisanal decoration.

White Pon De Ring Matcha – a Japanese-inspired creation combining chewy white pon de ring dough with matcha for a refined flavour balance.

Premium Cake Donut – rich and moist chocolate cake donuts generously topped for a truly satisfying bite.

Premium Yeast Donut – a new recipe offering enhanced softness, fluffy texture, and indulgent toppings while preserving Mister Donut’s signature taste.

Enhancing the experience further is the Pairing Experience, where customers can complement their donuts with exclusive beverages from Arigato, available only at this location. Highlights include the Coconut Slushy with 100% Japanese Matcha and the signature Matcha Latte, both crafted to enhance every indulgent bite.

The launch of the Mister Donut New Concept Store marks not only a refreshed brand image but also the beginning of a new chapter. It reaffirms the brand’s commitment to delivering ‘Little happiness in every bite’ through a modern, premium space and exclusive offerings that elevate the donut experience.

Visit the new Mister Donut Concept Store today at Central Pinklao, 3rd Floor, and follow Mister Donut Thailand on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for updates and promotions.

Delta Electronics (Thailand) Plc shares slide the most in four months after the stock exchange imposed market surveillance measures on the securities following their record-breaking rally.

The stock declined as much as 11%, the most since June 4, before trimming losses to trade down 10% at 10.25am.

Shares in Delta, Thailand’s most valuable publicly traded company, can no longer be used as collateral in the calculation of credit lines, and investors must pay the full amount of cash prior to trading the securities, according to the first-level measures imposed by the Stock Exchange of Thailand. The restrictions take effect from Friday through Oct 30, the bourse said in a statement Thursday.

‘We expect share selloffs’ as that was the result when similar measures were imposed in the past, Citigroup Inc analyst Sureeporn Sirisansaneeyawong in Bangkok wrote in a research note.

Delta Thailand shares had surged 25% this month through Thursday, while the nation’s benchmark SET Index gained just 3.1%. The stock has more than tripled in price from its April low, boosted by optimism over its role as maker of components for artificial-intelligence data centres.

Delta shares slid last November when the exchange also triggered market surveillance measures following a surge in the stock price. The securities fell to a three-year low before rallying.

The company was not aware of any reason for the latest surge in its share price, it said in a statement published Thursday.

Delta shares have been ‘consistently ranking as the most active for several consecutive days,’ the exchange said. The company’s market capitalisation represents almost 15% of Thailand’s equity benchmark index, it said.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is scheduled to visit the southern border provinces tomorrow to assess security measures after a series of violent incidents in Yala and Narathiwat sparked renewed concerns about unrest in the region.

The attacks, including a gold shop robbery in Narathiwat’s Sungai Kolok district on Sunday and a wave of explosions in Yala’s Muang district on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, have raised fears of a resurgence in violence just weeks after Mr Anutin’s government assumed office.

Mr Anutin, who also serves as the interior minister, said his visit follows that of Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit, who inspected the situation yesterday.

The prime minister dismissed speculation that the attacks were a symbolic “welcome” gesture for the new administration, stressing that the government’s response must focus on proactive and coordinated measures.

“Security agencies, the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre and provincial governors must work together closely,” Mr Anutin said.

“We already have a solid security framework for the deep South, but its success depends on how effectively local officials and security units carry out their responsibilities. If I find any lack of commitment, changes will be made.”

The prime minister reiterated his administration’s zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct by state officials and said details of the Narathiwat gold shop robbery, in which a group of armed men escaped with over 35.6 million baht worth of gold jewellery, would be released by the agencies overseeing the investigation.

Meanwhile, authorities in Yala have temporarily closed two public parks for safety inspections after eight explosions on Wednesday night. No injuries were reported.

Seven of the bombs were planted near an artificial waterfall at Khwan Mueang Park, while another detonated on an islet at Sanam Chang Phueak Park between 8.03pm and 10.51pm, authorities said. Both parks are venues for traditional ceremonies marking the end of the Buddhist Lent.

Yala deputy governor Kongsakul Chantharat said the closures were necessary to ensure public safety.

The incidents followed three explosions at a youth centre in Muang district on Tuesday night.

Bomb disposal experts said the devices were timed pipe bombs, each weighing about 1 kilogramme, similar to those used in the earlier attacks.

Deputy national police chief, Pol Gen Samran Nuanma, and Lt Gen Norathip Pounok, commander of the Fourth Army Region and acting director of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, also visited the affected sites on Thursday to oversee the investigations.

Lt Gen Norathip expressed deep concern for the well-being of the public, assuring that all security agencies will work together to safeguard the community with full force.

If anyone notices suspicious individuals, objects or has information that could assist in tracking down the perpetrators, they are encouraged to contact the 1341 hotline or reach out to the nearest special task force unit, available 24 hours a day.

Those who support violent offenders, whether by providing shelter, hiding them, or supplying provisions, are in violation of Section 189 of the Criminal Code.

Such actions are punishable by up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both.

Phuket International Airport expects to welcome more than 16 million passengers this year, driven by rising international arrivals and new direct flight routes from Europe and Asia, said airport director Monchai Tanode.

He said during China’s Golden Week from Oct 1-8, passenger traffic rose by 60% compared with last year. The airport handled 228 flights, averaging 29 a day, with 34,375 passengers or 4,297 per day — about 65% of pre-Covid figures.

The top ten visitor nationalities were Russian, Chinese, Indian, South Korean, Australian, German, British, Israeli, Saudi Arabian and Malaysian.

Mr Monchai said Phuket is still in a low season and the airport, on average, handles between 280-300 flights a day.

Russian and Chinese travellers remain the largest groups, averaging 10,000-12,000 passengers per day. The number of daily flights is expected to rise to 380-400 in the high season, with maximum capacity set at 600.

He said two new airlines will launch routes during the high season. One is Centrum Air, which will fly directly from Uzbekistan to Phuket starting from Oct 31 with four weekly flights.

Air France will connect Paris to Phuket, starting from Nov 28, with six weekly flights using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Saudi Arabian, Israeli and Iranian airlines continue regular operations to Phuket, Mr Monchai said.

To prepare for the high season in late October, Phuket Airport has upgraded its runways, taxiways, and parking bays to handle 25 aircraft per hour. Coordination with the Immigration Bureau has also been strengthened to speed up international passenger processing, he said.

Mr Monchai said the airport also provides a new bus terminal to connect passengers to major destinations on three routes, and additional routes are being developed. Several ride-hailing services and metered taxis are available to meet peak demand.

Looking ahead, Mr Monchai said plans are underway for a new international terminal covering 100,000m², compared with the current 70,000m².

Design work will finish early next year, with construction expected to be completed by 2029. The airport plans to upgrade restrooms in 2026 to improve passenger comfort.

Bangkok is stepping up the enforcement of its public smoking ban to better protect residents and tourists from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Prof Dr Prakit Vathesatogkit, a health expert and member of the National Tobacco Products Control Committee, on Thursday revealed that he and Dr Chayanan Sithibusaya, Director of the Tobacco Products Control Office at the Department of Disease Control, raised the issue during a meeting with Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt.

Prof Dr Prakit stressed that cigarette smoke is among the most harmful indoor air pollutants. And while Thailand has had anti-smoking laws since 1992, enforcement in Bangkok remains inconsistent, he added.

The city has over 1.2 million smokers and hosted more than 32.4 million visitors in 2024, about 20% of whom are smokers, he noted.

In response, Mr Chadchart reaffirmed the city’s commitment to a health-friendly environment, highlighting its designation as a “Healthy City” by the World Health Organization (WHO) in October 2024.

The recognition was based on Bangkok’s progress in health promotion and disease prevention.

The Bangkok governor said that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will step up the enforcement of the Tobacco Products Control Act BE 2560 (2017) and the 2018 smoke-free zone regulation.

Violators face fines of up to 5,000 baht.

To strengthen enforcement, Bangkok will invite experts from Iloilo City in the Philippines, known for its successful tobacco control measures, to provide guidance on local ordinances and the creation of a dedicated enforcement unit.

About 20 officers will be tasked with ensuring compliance.

Citing Article 8 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Prof Dr Prakit reminded the public that secondhand smoke is a carcinogen with no safe exposure level.

He urged the authorities to view smoke-free air as a basic human right.

Chulalongkorn University (CU) is the only higher education institution in Thailand to have risen in the latest global rankings, though it still lags well behind its regional counterparts.

CU was in the 501-600 group of the World University Rankings this year, moving up from the lower tier of the 601-800 cluster, according to the results from Times Higher Education released on Thursday.

Thailand’s top university, Chulalongkorn University (CU), performed better in the latest global rankings in the areas of teaching, research quality, industry engagement and international outlook. However, it saw a decline in the research environment category, which includes factors such as research budgets and the number of publications.

Mahidol University maintained its position as Thailand’s sole representative in the 601-800 group, while King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi retained its place in the 801-1,000 tier.

The rankings highlighted that Thai universities continue to trail behind their counterparts in Singapore and Malaysia, facing growing competition from Vietnam.

The National University of Singapore remained Southeast Asia’s top institution and 17th globally. In Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Petronas in Perak and the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur led the way, both ranked in the 201-250 band.

Vietnam’s University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City was placed in the same 501-600 tier as CU, with three other Vietnamese universities also listed among the world’s top 1,000 -one more than Thailand.

Globally, the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom retained the top spot for the tenth consecutive year, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. ‘Oxford retains the number one spot for the tenth consecutive year, driven by strong research environment scores,’ Times Higher Education said.

Tsinghua University in China was Asia’s highest-ranked institution at 12th place, though the report noted that its position has stagnated for three years.

‘The performance of Asia’s top universities has stalled for the first time in 14 years in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, while the US continues to decline even before the effects of the Trump administration’s attacks on higher education show up in the data,’ the publication said.

This year’s rankings assessed 2,191 universities across 115 countries and territories.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt raised the flag as an electric vehicle caravan from Bangkok to Beijing got under way on Friday, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Thailand-China diplomatic relations.

The 5,000-kilometre journey symbolises the enduring friendship and strengthened cooperation between the two nations, the governor said at the ceremony in Lan Khon Muang Square, in front of Bangkok City Hall.

The caravan consisting of 15 BYD Sealion electric vehicles will travel through major tourist destinations in various provinces of China before arriving in Beijing at the National Stadium on the evening of Oct 23.

A gala dinner will be held on Oct 24 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China. Participants in the caravan will then return to Thailand by air on Oct 25.

The caravan will pass through destinations such as Xishuangbanna, Kunming, Guiyang, Zhangjiajie, Xi’an and Pingyao, said Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The event was organised by the Thai-Chinese Friendship Association, which was established in 1975 to promote ties between the two nations and their people.

‘He promised me a high salary and a bonus from the captain every time the ship docks.’

In 2013, Rizky Oktaviana was recruited to work on a Taiwanese fishing vessel in Cape Town with promises of high pay that would improve his quality of life. Instead, he endured 22-hour working shifts, verbal abuse, and unsafe conditions. He and his crewmates were forced to work, even if they were ill, or the weather was dangerous. When the ship was detained for suspected illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Rizky and 73 other Indonesians were abandoned in Cape Town, detained without any legal representation, and left uncompensated after repatriation.

With the support from the Union of Indonesian Migrant Workers (SBMI), IOM, and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Cape Town, Rizky was released and later joined SBMI as a paralegal, eventually becoming the Coordinator of the Maritime Department. His journey embodies the resilience of fisher-led advocacy: despite systemic exploitation, fishers like Rizky have transformed personal hardship into collective leadership. In 2017, Rizky succeeded in advocating the inclusion of migrant fishers as migrant workers in Indonesian law.

In September, Rizky shared his experience at two panels during the regional UN Responsible Business and Human Rights (UN RBHR) Forum in Bangkok. The panels were co-organised by Greenpeace Southeast Asia, SBMI, Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), Better Engagement Between East and Southeast Asia (BEBESEA), Human Rights Working Group, Human Rights Now (HRN), Indonesian Ocean Justice Initiatives (IOJI), and others.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN EXPLOITATION AT SEA

Rizky’s ordeal is not an isolated tragedy but a mirror of the systemic link between forced labour and IUU fishing. Both thrive under secrecy, weak enforcement, and the global seafood industry’s race to the bottom. Vessels that flout conservation rules are often the same ones that cut corners on labour rights. Overfishing drives boats further offshore for longer periods, making isolation at sea a tool to silence migrant fishers. Illegal transshipments not only enable unreported catches but also extend forced labour conditions, trapping workers for months or even years without reprieve.

The symbiotic relationship of overfishing and labour exploitation within the seafood industrial complex feeds on abuse and sustains environmental destruction. The concentrated power of US and EU brands also benefit from obscure traceability and cheap supply. The result is a system that extracts maximum value from the sea while treating fishers as disposable. As oceans get warmer and fish populations migrate or decline, vessels push further into remote waters. At the same time, climate-driven migration increases the pool of people seeking work and a better life. Environmental degradation and labour exploitation are locked in a feedback loop, with climate stress accelerating both.

This raises two urgent questions: what role and commitment can the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) bring to enhance the regional protection of migrant fishers, and what concrete commitments can businesses make to respect their human rights? When Asean leaders adopted the Asean Community Vision 2045, they pledged to combat IUU fishing. Yet, two years later, Southeast Asia remains a site of both ecological plunder and human suffering.

THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD IS SLAVERY FREE

Back to the recent UN event, Greenpeace Southeast Asia and allies asked Asean to move from promises to enforceable action. Asean has been called on to deliver on three urgent fronts: a stronger regional enforcement against IUU fishing, an integration of migrant fishers’ rights to environmental governance, and a recognition that sustainable oceans demand rights-based protection from businesses.

We believe that the way forward is to confront IUU fishing as both an environmental and a human rights issue. That means mandatory tracking of vessels, banning transshipments at sea, and ensuring transparency of fisheries data. Retailers and global seafood buyers have a critical role to play: they must refuse to profit from IUU fishing practices sustained by slavery at sea. Slavery-free and sustainable seafood should not be a niche demand but the baseline expectation.

Together with an alliance of civil society organisations, labour unions, and business stakeholders, Greenpeace Southeast Asia co-drafted and signed a Joint CSOs and Multistakeholders Statement. It highlights the Asia-Pacific fishing industry’s systemic challenges: gender-blind policies, persistent gaps between obligations and protections, and the urgent need to embed human and environmental rights in development goals. Asean’s upcoming declarations on the Right to Development and on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment will ring hollow if enforceable standards (like ratifying the ILO Work in Fishing Convention [C-188] to strengthen regional fisheries management) remain unchecked.