Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

The demolition of the new Samsen police station began at the sinkhole site on Samsen Road on Saturday night, according to Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt.

The governor said at the site Sunday morning that robots were used to first remove windows and facades of the newly built police station, which was subsiding. Vehicles were moved out of the station.

Officials at the site told him that the four-storey police station had shifted and cracks were heard on Saturday night. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration reported on its Facebook page that soil under the station slid as it rained and the station then subsided.

However, adjacent police flat buildings and commercial buildings remained stable, Mr Chadchart said.

In the meantime, the Bangkok governor said, sand was being dumped to fill the sinkhole.

Workers had already dumped 3,800 cubic metres of sand into the sinkhole as of Saturday night and 1,200 cubic metres more of sand would be added on Sunday morning, he said. He did not see a new crack in the sinkhole on Sunday morning.

The governor also said that adjacent Vajira Hospital was operating as usual on Sunday.

The sinkhole formed with original dimensions of 30 metres wide, 30m long and 20m deep on the morning of Sept 24 above an underground station under construction for the Purple Line extension route of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority. The state enterprise blamed the subsidence on soft soil in the surrounding area.

Officials decided to demolish the police station and thus the reopening of Samsen Road in Dusit district of Bangkok was postponed indefinitely.

Flooding struck 16 provinces on Sunday, mostly in the Central Plain hit by deluges of water from the Chao Phraya River, and the highest number of affected households was in Ayutthaya province.

However, the present flow in the Chao Phraya River was not affecting Bangkok, according to its governor.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported that flood levels were either stable or lower in six northern provinces – Nakhon Sawan, Phetchabun, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai and Uttaradit.

Meanwhile, the Chao Phraya River basin in the Central Plain was receiving deluges of water from the upper section of the Chao Phraya River. The river basin is low-lying and the local section of the Chao Phraya River is a bottleneck, the DDPM said.

Floods struck parts of eight provinces in the Central Plain, namely Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani and Nakhon Pathom.

Floodwater receded in Uthai Thani and Sing Buri and remained unchanged in Chai Nat and Suphan Buri.

Flood levels were rising in Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani and Nakhon Pathom. The highest number of affected households nationwide was 43,458 in 11 districts of Ayutthaya.

The DDPM warned people in Muang and Sam Khok districts of Pathum Thani that the levels of the Chao Phraya River were increasing there.

In the Northeast, only Ban Khawao district of Chaiyaphum province suffered flooding and its level was rising.

In the East, people in Bang Nam Prieo district of Chachoengsao province saw declining flood levels.

The DDPM said 102,051 households were affected in the 16 flooded provinces and the dealth tolls in the provinces reached 12 as of Sunday.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Sunday that the Chao Phraya barrage across the Chao Phraya River in Chai Nat province was discharging water at the rate of 2,500 cubic metres per second.

The rate remained safe for the capital as the safety threshold was at 3,500 cubic metres per second.

Ammar Siamwalla, one of Thailand’s most respected economists and a leading rice expert, has died at the age of 86.

His death was announced on Sunday by Somchai Jitsuchon, research director at Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), who praised Ammar as one of Thailand’s foremost economists.

Admired for his intellectual integrity, courage and independence, Ammar was known for his deep fascination with data and numbers, he said.

Mr Somchai said Ammar once asked to work closely with the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council to better understand how GDP data were compiled. Ammar conducted key research studies on rice and farmers’ debts and took a leading role in addressing issues faced by the economy following the 1997 Asian financial crisis, he said.

Ammar also committed to studying the struggles of ordinary people, including poverty and household debt, Mr Somchai said, noting his work largely focused on agricultural economics and rural development.

‘I often told foreign academics that Ammar Siamwalla was the most brilliant Thai economist of his generation. Even today, I have yet to meet another economist who has impressed me as deeply as he did,’ said Mr Somchai. Mr Somchai said Ammar suffered from diabetes and various other ailments before his death.

Ammar’s funeral ceremony was held on Sunday at 11am at the Sulaimaniyah Foundation Cemetery in Thung Kru district. Born on May 29, 1939, Ammar served as the president of the TDRI between 1990 and 1995 and as a member of the National Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2008.

A descendant of Indian immigrants, he was the youngest child of Tahir and Khadijah Siamwalla, who owned a stationery import business in Thailand.

He attended Assumption College in Bangkok and St Paul’s School in Darjeeling, India, before earning his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of London and his PhD from Harvard University.

He later taught economics at Yale University and served as a special professor at Thammasat University before resigning following the Oct 6, 1976, massacre.

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

The incident happened near a house number 140/2 in Moo 8 village of tambon Nong Kum at about 8pm on Saturday.

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.

According to Athapol Charoenshunsa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, officials ordered the owner on Oct 3 to improve the security of the lion’s cage but the incident occurred before the improvement was completed.

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.

Mr Parinya, the lion owner, said that pending the improvement of the cage, 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 man bought the lion from its previous owner in Chachoengsao, and the animal was registered and had a microchip. The attack happened on a public road.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin ordered the seizure of the lion from its owner and said it would be kept at the Bungchawak Wildlife Extension Centre in Suphan Buri province.

The First Army Region has sent a letter to the commander of Cambodia’s Military Region 5, requesting an evacuation plan for Cambodian civilians living in three border communities in Sa Kaeo province by Tuesday.

The areas listed are Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaeo in Khok Sung district and Ban Ta Phraya in Ta Phraya district. The letter was signed by Lt Gen Worayot Luengsuwan, commander of the First Army Region.

The First Army Region demands the evacuation plan be submitted by Oct 7 and be presented to a Regional Border Committee meeting on for Oct 10-12 in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province.

The meeting is being prepared by Cambodia’s Military Region 5.

Lt Gen Worayot, in the letter, said the First Army Region will attend the meeting only if Cambodia’s Military Region 5 accepts these conditions.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin said the land near Ban Nong Chan, once the site of a camp for Cambodian refugees fleeing a civil war, belongs to the Royal Forest Department.

So, the department has been instructed to file criminal complaints against Cambodian encroachers to protect the state’s claim under the Forest Act, he said.

He said the forest land cannot be unlawfully occupied by anyone, regardless of nationality, and warned martial law is in effect, and the security forces are responsible for enforcing it. “We must absolutely take back our territory. We will not give in on this,” he said.

Influential political figure and Bhumjaithai’s de facto leader Newin Chidchob has voiced hope that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will continue leading the country for another four-year term following the next general election.

A vibrant and ceremonious atmosphere filled Chang Arena in Buri Ram’s Muang district on Saturday as Mr Newin, also executive chairman of Buriram United Football Club, hosted a lavish celebration for his 67th birthday.

The event drew a wide range of attendees, including senior figures from the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) and members of the governing coalition.

Mr Newin made a dramatic entrance at 9.29am, riding a motorcycle into the venue before paying respects to a statue of Lord Shiva at the entrance.

He was accompanied by his children — Chaichanok Chidchob, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, along with Chidchanok, Chonchanok, and Chotchanok.

Adding to the significance of the occasion was the appearance of Saksayam Chidchob, former transport minister, and Pol Gen Permpoon Chidchob, former education minister — both younger brothers of Mr Newin — who had kept a low public profile in recent months.

At 10.50am, Mr Anutin arrived from Bangkok. Upon greeting him, Mr Newin embraced the prime minister warmly before leading him into the traditional Pa Kam Chang elephant blessing ceremony, a long-standing ritual in the Chidchob family lineage.

Attendees symbolically offered bananas to the elephants in a gesture believed to bring prosperity and good fortune. The ceremony also included a wrist-tying blessing (bai sri su kwan) led by a senior ritual master.

After receiving his own blessing, Mr Newin invited Mr Anutin forward. As the ritual master tied the thread around the prime minister’s wrist, Mr Newin offered a personal blessing for him to serve a full four-year term — prompting both men to laugh and embrace.

As the ceremony unfolded, Mr Newin was seen holding Mr Anutin’s hand steady throughout the ritual, ensuring the thread was tied properly.

While the blessing was being performed, Mr Newin was heard saying: “Tie it so he becomes prime minister for four years, wins the election, and brings peace and stability to the country.”

In response, Mr Anutin, who also serves as interior minister, downplayed speculation about his political future.

“Let’s just focus on getting through these four months first,” he said.

When asked about the likelihood of securing a second full term, Mr Anutin replied: “I am doing my very best in the role I’ve been entrusted with during these four months. What happens after that will depend entirely on the outcome of the next election.”

Responding to Mr Newin’s blessing and his suggestion Bhumjaithai should aim to win the next poll, Mr Anutin said: “Every party should aim for the best possible result. You can’t expect to win an election by doing nothing. You have to work hard, deliver tangible results, and earn the people’s trust.”

On Mr Newin’s remark that “whatever you do, ensure the country remains peaceful”, the prime minister responded: “Those who truly wish each other well will naturally offer kind and gracious words.”

He also extended birthday wishes to Mr Newin, saying: “I wish him longevity and continued strength. He’s 67 now — may he have many more healthy and prosperous years ahead.”

Prominent members of the Bhumjaithai Party, including Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Deputy Prime Minister Sophon Sarum, and Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul, also attended the event.

Typhoon Matmo has intensified over the upper South China Sea and is expected to make landfall in China’s Guangdong province on Sunday, according to the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). 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 sustained winds near the centre of about 120 kilometres per hour and was moving west-northwest at a speed of roughly 25km/h.

Once Matmo makes landfall, it is expected to weaken rapidly as a high-pressure system from China pushes southward between Oct 6 and 7, the department said. The storm will not move into Thailand.

However, Matmo’s influence will strengthen the prevailing southwest monsoon over Thailand’s Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, bringing more widespread rain across the North and the Northeast, with heavy rainfall in some areas of the East and the western coast of the South from Oct 5 to 7.

Residents in at-risk areas – particularly near foothills, waterways, and low-lying zones – 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. The TMD urged small boats to navigate with caution and avoid sailing in stormy conditions.

The department advised the public to closely follow weather updates on its website (www.tmd.go.th) or through its 24-hour hotlines at 0-2399-4012-13 and 1182.

Scott Vincent has finished first and joint second in his last two events on the Asian Tour and is in the hunt once again after taking a share of the third-round lead in the Jakarta International Championship yesterday.

The Zimbabwean, whose impressive season has seen him move into second place on both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings, shot a brilliant bogey-free eight-under-par 62.

He leads on 11-under with India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and Australian Wade Ormsby at Damai Indah Golf — PIK Course.

Bhullar returned a 69 while Ormsby at 67. Ormsby looked set to finish the day with a one-shot lead but after finishing his round officials informed him he would receive a one-shot penalty because his ball moved when he addressed it on the fourth.

Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana (64) and Poom Saksansin (66) are next best placed one shot back.

This week’s US$2million event is part of The International Series — a set of upper-tier events on the Asian Tour that offer a pathway to the LIV Golf League.

Winning The International Rankings brings with it a place on the LIV Golf League. Vincent did just that in 2022, during the inaugural season on The International Series, and after another fine round yesterday is edging closer to a return to the multi-million dollar franchise.

“It was amazing, what a blessing,” said Vincent, who registered eight birdies yesterday, including three in a row from the first, and another hat-trick from the 12th.

Bhullar will attempt to win his sixth Asian Tour event in Indonesia today, and his 12th title in total.

A double-bogey six on the ninth knocked him off top spot but he got back into contention with back-to-back birdies on 12 and 13 and a bogey-free back nine.

Sadom, winner of the Kolon Korea Open in May, is one of those who will fancy his chances today. “I feel I played pretty solid,” he said. “I played in the morning, the second group, so it was lucky to play without wind. On the last four or five holes it was very windy, so I think it was going to be tough.

“My game is getting better than the first half of the year. I’m trying to practise harder and do everything harder, and it’s getting better.”

With millions of Thais suffering from or at risk of serious mental disorders, it is undeniable that mental health problems have become a crisis demanding urgent action.

Health promotion agencies and academic institutes have sounded the alarm for years about the rise in mental health problems among Thai people of all ages.

Despite these warnings, the issue has not gained the necessary traction among policymakers and the general public. The result is more people, particularly the young, are struggling with psychological distress and disorders.

Dr Thananan Numsang, from Phraram 9 Hospital, recently underscored the gravity of the issue. Citing the Department of Mental Health (DMH), the psychologist said mental health problems are increasing at an alarming rate.

DHM data shows that over 1.5 million Thais are suffering from depression, with significantly more having high-risk symptoms but remaining undiagnosed.

When accounting for high stress and suicide risk, the total number of people affected would comprise a substantial portion of the population. As mental health professionals indicate, the actual number is likely much higher, as it excludes those who are suffering in silence — who remain unaware of their condition or avoid seeking help due to social stigma.

This is not just a health concern; it is critical societal and economic ailment that the country can no longer afford to overlook.

According to the DMH, an average of four people attempted suicide every hour in 2024. Overall, more than 5,000 people committed suicide last year, a tragic rate of 7.89 per 100,000 people.

The highest number of deaths occurred among two groups: working adults aged 20-59, followed by seniors aged over 60.

Even more alarming is the data on youth: the suicide attempt rate among teens aged 15-19 reached 136.4 per 100,000 people — the highest of any age group in the country.

But what is truly devastating is the profound lack of accessible care. The number of psychologists — about 800 in the entire country, or a ratio of about 1.2 per 100,000 people — is woefully inadequate to care for the rapidly increasing number of patients.

At present, patients who have to rely on public hospitals could have to wait four to six months for service. The high cost and long duration of treatment are also a major deterrent.

A patient often requires regular visits over the course of nine months to a year, even up to five years in some cases. The total financial burden, which can range from to 5,000 baht to 50,000 baht a month, is unaffordable for many working-class Thais.

This financial and logistic wall explains why the DMH reported that for every 100 patients seeking help, only about 28 gain access to treatment. This means more than 70% of mental health patients are left in the dark, their conditions untreated and their risks unaddressed.

The situation is not unique to Thailand. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported that over one billion people globally are living with mental health disorders, with conditions such as anxiety and depression inflicting immense human and economic tolls worldwide.

Suicide remains a leading cause of death among young people across all countries and socioeconomic backgrounds, and global progress in reducing this mortality has been too low, according to the WHO.

Psychologists attribute stress as the leading cause of mental problems. Over the past few years, the Covid-19 pandemic coupled with economic and social disruptions have intensified pressure on certain groups, including working adults, first-jobbers and entrepreneurs.

Dr Thananan said another worrying trend is burnout, which can grow silently and gradually develop into severe conditions similar to depression. Furthermore, heavy reliance on social media can cause feelings of inadequacy that manifest as afflictions like eating and relationship disorders, both increasingly prevalent among Gen Z.

Evidently, the crisis demands more than just awareness campaigns, or free online tests. It requires action to expand treatment access, increase the number of qualified mental health professionals, genuinely de-stigmatise mental problems — especially in the media — and implement preventive measures in every community.

It is true that mental health problems affect not just the patient, but everyone around them. Tackling them requires a collective and genuine effort, starting with a clear acceptance of the severity of the problems.

A comprehensive, well-funded and well-structured action plan is needed to stem the tide of suffering and safeguard people’s mental wellbeing.

The Pheu Thai Party will unveil its first set of candidates for next year’s election at an event next Tuesday, secretary-general Sorawong Thienthong said.

He said on Saturday the launch will demonstrate the party’s readiness for the next general election, which, according to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, may take place after the House dissolution some time before Jan 31.

The event will also outline the party’s election campaign strategy, which Mr Sorawong said has been planned with public participation at every stage.

Former prime minister and current party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra will deliver the keynote address. Her speech, Mr Sorawong added, will underscore the party’s readiness to “overhaul” both the organisation and the nation’s future.

He said the party’s campaign strategy was shaped by public input as well as feedback from insiders and outsiders.

“Those criticisms have prompted internal discussions and reforms aimed at improving the party. We aim to serve as the people’s true representatives — politically reliable and accountable — hence the importance of this event,” Mr Sorawong said.

The launch will be held at 1.30pm next Tuesday at the party’s headquarters and livestreamed on its Facebook and YouTube channels.

Meanwhile, party-list MP Anusorn Iamsa-ard addressed speculation over a decline in Pheu Thai’s popularity, insisting the party has the full potential to regain ground despite challenges.

He pointed to what he called the party’s “edible democracy” policies — including the 30-baht universal healthcare scheme and the community fund — along with its strong leadership structure, as evidence of resilience.

Rejecting claims the party is in crisis, Mr Anusorn said Pheu Thai remains committed to its role as the opposition, prioritising the public interest while holding the government to account.

“As the opposition, we will continue to find ways to communicate our policies and maintain voters’ trust. Working beyond the four-month deadline is a non-issue — the party can work for the people anywhere,” he said.

Mr Anusorn also voiced confidence in Ms Paetongtarn’s leadership.

“She has ample time to refine policies, which will help make the party a reliable choice for the public once again,” he added.