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In the face of climate change, the world must shift its mindset from viewing resilience as merely a defensive strategy to embracing it as a proactive approach to designing a sustainable future, argued Dr Youssef Nassef, Director of the Adaptation Division at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Speaking on ‘Shaping the Future of Resilience’ at the Sustainability Expo 2025 (SX2025), Dr Nassef explained that the terms ‘resilience’ and ‘adaptation’ are often used interchangeably. He noted that the global response to climate change comprises two main components: addressing the root causes of the problem and adapting to its impacts.

However, he observed that adaptation has historically been viewed with scepticism, amid concerns it might divert attention from mitigation. Another challenge, he said, lies in measurement-while emission reductions can be quantified, resilience is far more complex and difficult to express numerically.

‘We have to move away from a problem-solution mentality to a mentality of creating a design for the future-one that takes into account economic realities and technological change, rather than trying to solve tomorrow’s problems with today’s outdated mindset,’ he said.

The concept of adaptation, he added, is now seen as a more integrated, forward-looking approach aimed at building systems that are flexible and future-oriented. This shift is embodied in the ‘global goal on adaptation,’ which spans all sectors and redefines how the international community understands and applies resilience.

Designing for the future means responding not just to immediate challenges, but also anticipating future needs by leveraging emerging technologies and long-term thinking. While tools such as technology and finance are vital for building resilience, Dr Nassef emphasised the importance of combining them with indigenous wisdom to achieve large-scale adaptation and sustainable development.

When it comes to sustainable urban development, Dr Nassef highlighted the critical role of neighbourhood design and the integration of sustainability principles into architecture. Citing studies showing that 75% of health issues are linked to environmental factors, he underscored that incorporating nature into the built environment-through approaches such as biophilic design-can create healthier and more resilient communities.

‘This is the mega driving force for everyone to see a transition or transformation in mindset, because it starts from that built environment,’ he said.

The US government shutdown is likely to have a minimal impact on the Thai stock market, which bounced back to surpass 1,300 points on Tuesday, unless the standoff in Washington is prolonged, according to the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET).

Soraphol Tulayasathien, senior executive vice-president of SET, said US legislators have shut down the government multiple times in the past and typically the event was short-lived. On average, shutdowns last 1-2 weeks, with the longest one taking 35 days to be resolved.

Mr Soraphol said investors remain largely unfazed by the situation, as the US stock market has not declined significantly since the shutdown began on Oct 1.

“The shutdown is expected to have a limited impact on the SET index, unless the situation is prolonged, as investors largely perceive it as a temporary external factor that may create short-term volatility in capital flow,” he told a briefing on Tuesday.

Mr Soraphol’s comments were made as the shutdown, the 15th since 1981, is on track to become the fourth-longest in US history, eclipsing the six-day shutdown in 1995. The longest shutdown lasted 35 days during President Donald Trump’s first term, from 2018-2019.

He said more significant factors are the new Thai government’s policy execution focused on “short-term stimulus, long-term gains, broad distribution” through its initiatives, alongside multi-stakeholder cooperation in economic and capital market reforms.

“Meanwhile, concerns over the US economy and its monetary and fiscal policies led global investors to increase their holdings in safe-haven assets, particularly gold, the price of which surged to record highs in global markets,” said Mr Soraphol.

“The SET index is expected to continue its recovery through the remainder of 2025, supported by a resurgence in fundraising activities among listed companies in both debt and equity markets over the past two months, while strong first-day performance of newly listed securities reflects improving investor sentiment, and selling pressure from long-term equity funds has begun to subside.”

At the end of September, when the Anutin Charnvirakul government took office, the Thai benchmark index rose 3% from the previous month to finish at 1,274.17 points, narrowing the year-to-date decline to 9%, driven by investor expectations for government stimulus measures that bolster the Thai bourse.

Foreign investors were net sellers of 96.2 billion baht worth of Thai stocks during the first nine months of this year, including net sales of 11.9 billion baht last month.

Average daily trading value of the SET and Market for Alternative Investment dropped 31% year-on-year for the period to 43.2 billion baht (roughly US$1.34 billion).

The SET’s forward price-earnings (P/E) ratio was 13.9 times at the end of last month, below Asian stock markets’ average of 14.1 times. The historical P/E ratio was 14.7 times, lower than Asian markets’ average of 16.0 times. The dividend yield ratio was 3.86%, higher than Asian stock markets’ average of 3.02%.

Starting a construction business – or any business – is a dream for many and a powerful engine that drives a nation’s economy. Yet those dreams often collide with complex and time-consuming government licensing procedures. What should ensure fairness and compliance instead becomes a major barrier that causes delays, frustration, and, more critically, opens the door to a deeply rooted problem: bribery. This silent force undermines trust and erodes national credibility.

This form of corruption typically involves offering or receiving benefits in exchange for the issuance of licences or permits for activities regulated by the state. The problem stems from lengthy, complicated processes that grant certain officials excessive discretion. Such gaps in the system provide opportunities for demanding or offering bribes in return for faster approvals. It may seem like a shortcut, but in reality, it is the first step into a damaging and self-perpetuating cycle.

What appears to be a temporary fix – paying a bribe to speed things up – eventually corrodes the entire system. As bribery becomes normalised, it weakens fair competition and discourages honest entrepreneurs. More importantly, society bears the cost: unsafe buildings due to substandard construction, and depleted marine resources from unregulated fishing. These are not isolated incidents – they are direct outcomes of corruption within the licensing process.

Common examples include construction permits in urban areas, where bribes are solicited to expedite approvals or bypass environmental checks. In coastal zones, bribes may be exchanged for fishing licences to evade monitoring requirements. Such acts not only compromise public safety and environmental sustainability but also damage the country’s reputation in the eyes of investors and international partners.

The Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (ONACC) is tackling these challenges head-on through its comprehensive initiative, ‘Together Against Bribery’ (TaB), which aims to address the problem systematically and sustainably. However, no effort can succeed without the participation of everyone.

Rejecting both the giving and taking of bribes is a powerful step towards breaking the cycle of corruption. When citizens, businesses, and officials unite in integrity, transparency becomes the norm rather than the exception.

Be the eyes and ears of your community. Report any suspicious acts or information to ONACC. Together, we can stop this silent threat and make a transparent, bribe-free society a reality.

Thailand’s motorcycle market should record more sales in the final quarter of this year thanks to government stimulus measures that are expected to increase consumer purchasing power and lift business confidence, says Thai Honda, a manufacturer and distributor of motorcycles and multi-purpose engines.

The recovery is expected to be fuelled by an uptick in the granting of auto loans by banks and car financing companies as they are likely to consider relaxing the lending criteria, said Samphan Kwanjai, general manager of Thai Honda.

The projection of more loans being granted is based on a decline in non-performing loans among car buyers, following banks’ months-long strict criteria in lending money amid the high level of household debt and the state’s 10,000-baht cash handout scheme that helped motorcycle owners partly repay their loans.

“We have a new government that wants to stimulate the economy in the short term,” said Mr Samphan.

“We are positive about the government’s efforts that should increase people’s spending.”

However, Thailand is continuing to face economic uncertainties, caused by internal and external factors, during the second half of this year, which could affect the automotive industry, said Yuichi Shimizu, president of Thai Honda.

Low prices of agricultural products can weaken people’s purchasing power while the global economic slowdown will affect the Thai economy, he said.

Thai Honda expects its motorcycle sales to increase by 2% year-on-year to between 1.36 and 1.4 million units in 2025 while total sales of motorcycles in the domestic market are expected to increase by 1% to 1.7-1.75 million units.

From January to August this year, total motorcycle sales increased by just 1.4% to 1.18 million units, according to the Federation of Thai Industries. In August, the sales volume fell by 1.1% to 130,283 units.

Last year, Thai Honda produced 1.57 million motorcycles at its plant in Bangkok’s Lad Krabang Industrial Estate, with 1.35 million units sold domestically and the remainder exported.

Mr Shimizu said the company is not concerned about the regional value content rule that requires manufacturers to use a certain amount of locally sourced materials for production to benefit from US reduced tariffs.

“Locally made materials currently account for 82-90% of our total motorcycle parts, meaning we support local products and employment,” he said.

The firm employs 8,620 workers, most of whom are Thai.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn stressed the need for collaboration across borders, sectors, and communities to achieve food security, sustainability, and resilience, at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the 2025 regional observance of World Food Day on Oct 16.

The princess — who also serves as the FAO Goodwill Ambassador for Asia and the Pacific — highlighted how more than half of the world’s undernourished population lives in Asia, where many still face hunger and lack access to nutritious food.

Smallholder farmers continue to struggle with limited resources, while communities remain vulnerable to climate-related disasters.

She noted that climate change has worsened natural disasters, destroyed harvests, and displaced countless people, while water scarcity and unsustainable practices have further degraded agricultural lands.

These burdens, she said, fall hardest on smallholder farmers who lack the support they need.

“Hand-in-hand means governments working together to craft policies that protect the vulnerable and promote sustainable farming; businesses partnering with farmers to strengthen supply chains, reduce food loss and waste, and ensure fair prices; and researchers sharing innovations so that even remote farmers can benefit from climate-smart agriculture,” she said.

“We must develop agri-food systems that are resilient to climate change, inclusive of all people, and able to provide every individual with safe, affordable, and diverse nutrition. At the same time, we must safeguard biodiversity and natural resources to ensure that future generations inherit a healthier, more sustainable planet,” she said.

“As FAO Special Goodwill Ambassador, I am committed to this cause,” she continued. “But true progress depends on all of us — governments, international organisations, farmers, businesses, and communities — joining hands to strengthen and transform our agri-food systems into engines of health, prosperity, and sustainability.”

Dr Alue Dohong, FAO assistant director-general and regional representative for Asia and the Pacific, added that 2.6 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet, facing the triple burden of hunger, malnutrition, and obesity.

Yet, he said, innovation and partnership offer hope for “better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all”.

He also expressed deep gratitude for the princess’s enduring support.

Chartthaipattana Party (CTP) director Nikorn Chamnong yesterday suggested an extraordinary parliamentary session be held in mid-November to accelerate the deliberation of charter amendment bills to guarantee that a charter rewrite referendum can take place alongside the next general election.

Mr Nikorn, a former secretary to the House committee on the referendum bill, said the three charter amendments are set for the first reading on Oct 14-15, but time constraints could make it impossible to hold a charter referendum along with the general election as planned by the government.

If parliament passes the charter amendment bills in its first reading on Oct 15, a House committee would likely spend until Dec 12 reviewing the bills, with the second reading possible on Dec 17. A 15-day gap is required before the third reading, likely placing final approval toward the end of December.

The election of MPs law requires that a general election be held within 45 to 60 days after a House dissolution. If the House is dissolved on Jan 31 next year, the snap poll would fall around March 29.

Under the existing referendum law, a referendum must be announced at least 90 days before it is held, making it impossible to hold a charter referendum and a general election on the same day.

Although the amended version reduces that window to 60 days and allows concurrent voting, the bill has yet to come into force.

Mr Nikorn suggested that an extraordinary parliamentary session be held in mid-November to accelerate the second reading, while the third could take place once the next session begins. This would allow sufficient time for a referendum to coincide with the general election in March 2026, he said.

He also warned that the charter amendment bill proposed by the People’s Party (PP) could face legal obstacles as it calls for a 100-member constitution drafting assembly (CDA) elected directly by the public.

According to Mr Nikorn, the direct election of charter drafters is deemed to contradict the Constitutional Court’s latest ruling that charter drafters cannot be directly elected.

Asked whether the timeline might require delaying the planned House dissolution, Mr Nikorn said if those factors are not addressed, the House dissolution timeline may be affected.

Former deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn on Tuesday petitioned the House committee on national strategy and reforms to investigate national police chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch for alleged misconduct and abuse of power.

The petition, accepted by committee chairman Rangsiman Rome, claimed that Pol Gen Kittharath acted unlawfully and in bad faith when he ordered a disciplinary probe in April this year to look into a Chulalongkorn University law exam scandal.

Pol Gen Surachate said that the investigation falsely named him as a suspect in a criminal case despite the police chief being fully aware that he was never charged in connection with the alleged theft of exam papers.

Even though this was later corrected, the damage was done to his reputation and he had already filed a defamation lawsuit with the Criminal Court, he said.

He claimed that the probe against him was an attempt to block his possible return to the police force. He added that he has now filed two criminal defamation lawsuits against Pol Gen Kittharath and plans to take the case to the corruption and misconduct court.

The controversy dates back to March this year, when cyber police arrested figures connected to the Betflik online gambling network, ultimately uncovering communications among officers about removing exam papers from Chulalongkorn’s evening law programme.

Kanittha Lertbanjerdwong, also known as Dr Nid, was identified as a key intermediary who claimed to be Pol Gen Surachate’s personal secretary.

According to the investigation team, evidence indicated she delivered stolen exam papers to Pol Gen Surachate’s legal team for completion before returning them to examination authorities.

Ms Kanittha was arrested in April while Pol Gen Surachate maintained he was never involved in any way.

Mr Rangsiman said the panel will examine the complaint and review all evidence to ensure transparency and fairness, adding that Pol Gen Kittharath might be summonsed to answer questions.

Authorities are preparing for the repatriation a 24-year-old Thai chef who died after falling ill on a roadside in Cambodia, amid reports he had been denied medical treatment at a local hospital there.

The deceased was identified as Methacharn ‘Mean’ Yorsang, 24, a native of Phra Phrom district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province.

According to the Thai Overseas Assistance Coordination Centre, Methacharn was found lying sick and helpless on a roadside in Cambodia with no money or identification documents. He was reportedly turned away by a Cambodian hospital near the border, denied meical treatment, shortly before he died.

About 8am on Wednesdsay, the Thai-Cambodian Border Coordination Centre confirmed it had arranged with Cambodian authorities to repatriate his remains through the Khlong Luek border checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province.

His relatives were travelling to the border and would decide on funeral and legal arrangements after receiving the body on Wednesday afternoon.

A representative of the Thai Overseas Assistance Centre said that when the case was first reported on Tuesday, Methacharn had still been conscious and responsive and complained of severe abdominal and chest pain.

He had reportedly attempted to walk to the Poipet border checkpoint in hope of returning to Thailand but was denied entry. He later died after seeking treatment at a Cambodian hospital and being rejected.

Further investigation by local reporters revealed that Methacharn was the subject of an active arrest warrant issued by Phaya Thai police in 2025 on charges of fraud and violating the Computer Crime Act.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has defended a major reshuffle within the Finance Ministry and denied there being any political motive behind the transferral of key officials.

The reshuffle followed cabinet approval of seven high-level civil service transfers. Ranking high was the reassignment of Pinsai Suraswadi, son of senior Pheu Thai Party figure Plodprasop Suraswadi, from director-general of the Revenue Department to deputy permanent secretary.

Mr Anutin clarified that the reshuffle was proposed by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, adding that his role as prime minister was simply to acknowledge the decision.

“I didn’t look at the names. The prime minister’s authority is to give acknowledgement,” he stated.

Mr Ekniti said the reshuffle was to fill vacancies. When prodded, he denied Mr Pinsai’s transfer was influenced by his family ties.

Other cabinet-approved transfers include: Akkarut Sonthayanon from deputy permanent secretary to director-general of the Treasury Department; and Kulaya Tantitemit from director-general of the Customs Department to director-general of the Revenue Department. Phanthong Loykulnunt is also being transferred from inspector-general to director-general of the Customs Department.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has confirmed the city is fully prepared for rising water levels, insisting there will be no repeat of the 2011 catastrophic floods.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt has assured the public that the city is geared up to handle the combined threats of northern runoff, high tides, and heavy rainfall, saying that current water levels are significantly lower than those during the 2011 floods.

During a river inspection with media crews, Mr Chadchart reviewed flood prevention measures along the Chao Phraya River, including sandbag barriers, leak repairs near Rajini School, and embankment reinforcements near Wat Rakhang.

He confirmed that Bangkok is coordinating closely with the Royal Irrigation Department, National Water Command Centre, and Office of National Water Resources.

As of Oct 6, major dams in the Chao Phraya Basin — Bhumibol (89% full), Sirikit (96%), Kwae Noi (100%), and Pa Sak (73%) — still have capacity to hold a combined 2.04 billion cubic metres of water.

Flow rates at key stations remain below critical thresholds, with C.298 in Pathum Thani recording 2,421 m³/sec, far below the 3,930 m³/sec seen in 2011.

High tides between Oct 9-12 may raise river levels, especially in low-lying areas, but are not expected to breach permanent flood defences.

Rainfall from Oct 6-14 will be influenced by weakening low pressure from Tropical Storm Matmo and a shifting monsoon trough, bringing scattered heavy rain to Bangkok and surrounding regions.

Bangkok has implemented vital strategies. For northern runoff and tidal surges, there will be a regular inspection of flood barriers, and emergency response teams will be deployed to monitor the flood situation.

Other measures involve lowering canal levels, preparing drainage systems, and mobilising equipment and personnel.

The city has reinforced 80km of permanent flood barriers and addressed 22 of 32 vulnerable “gap zones”, with sandbagging completed at 75 locations using 198,700 bags and 1,656 m³ of sand. Mobile pumps and 24-hour monitoring teams are also in place.

For 320 households in 11 communities outside flood barriers, district offices have provided sandbags, temporary walkways, and emergency support.

“We’re confident in our flood management systems. This year’s situation is under control and nothing like 2011,” Mr Chadchart stated.

Meanwhile, the Thai Meteorological Department forecasts continued rain across northern, northeastern, eastern, and southern provinces, with warnings for flash floods and waterlogging due to accumulated rainfall and rising river levels.

Cooler air from China is expected to signal the transition to the early winter season.