Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

England and Portugal are in pole position to win their respective 2026 World Cup qualifying groups with two games to spare, with several other European nations also hoping to secure berths at the finals in the upcoming matches.

Norway may also be only one victory away from reaching the tournament for the first time since 1998, which would leave Italy staring at a third successive World Cup watching from the sidelines.

Thomas Tuchel’s England laid down a marker last month with an impressive 5-0 thrashing of Serbia in Belgrade and are yet to concede a goal in five qualifiers.

They are not in Group K action until Tuesday when a victory over Latvia in Riga would secure a place at next year’s finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada, if Serbia do not beat Albania on Saturday.

England boast a seven-point lead over Albania with three matches to play, with Serbia a point further back but with a game in hand.

Several players who were not previously considered first-choice starred in Serbia, leading Tuchel to leave out big names Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish from his latest squad.

“Keep on pushing,” Tuchel, whose side play Wales in a friendly on Thursday, said as his message to those missing out.

“It is a decision for this camp, it was the best camp (in September) in terms of team spirit and team work, this was the best camp so far.

“We decided to invite the same group of players to make more stable what we built on.”

Serbia’s clash with Albania could prove crucial in deciding which team finishes second and goes into the play-offs.

In-form Portugal eye early qualification

Portugal racked up eight goals in their first two qualifiers in September and will likely need just two more wins over this international break to wrap up top spot in Group F.

Roberto Martinez’s side will qualify with victories against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday and Hungary on Tuesday, unless Armenia beat both those same opponents.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored three goals in September, including one in a tense 3-2 success against Hungary in Budapest, sealed by a late Joao Cancelo penalty.

Portugal are targeting a seventh successive World Cup appearance.

Norway have enjoyed a dream start to qualifying, scoring 24 goals in five successive wins to move to the brink of the finals.

Erling Haaland, who is yet to play at a major tournament, already has a remarkable nine goals in their group, after netting five in the 11-1 thumping of Moldova last time out.

Norway host Israel on Saturday, knowing that victory would end their 28-year absence from the World Cup if Italy fail to beat either Estonia or Israel in Group I.

But the Scandinavians will be without skipper Martin Odegaard after he suffered a knee injury playing for Arsenal last weekend.

“We lost our captain, and we have to live with that,” said coach Stale Solbakken.

“Of course you get angry and upset and those kinds of feelings, but then you quickly get into a mode where you have to think constructively.”

Four-time world champions Italy will be desperate to avoid the play-offs, after losing at that stage in qualifying for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Sweden and North Macedonia respectively.

France, the 2018 World Cup winners and runners-up three years ago, could also qualify with victories against Azerbaijan and Iceland, if Iceland draw with Ukraine.

European champions Spain too have an opportunity to book a ticket to North and Central America if they defeat both Georgia and Bulgaria, but only if multiple other results go their way in Group E.

Croatia and Switzerland could also qualify in the coming week.

Germany, though, have little margin for error in Group A after a shock defeat by Slovakia in their opening qualifier.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side face Luxembourg on Friday before heading to Windsor Park to take on Northern Ireland three days later.

Shrewsbury International School Bangkok Riverside, has once again excelled on the global academic stage, announcing its exceptional 2025 examination results and underscoring its position as one of the Thailand’s leading international schools. The Class of 2025 achieved outstanding academic outcomes whilst also securing places at many of the world’s most prestigious universities.

Graduates from the Class of 2025 are set to continue their studies at more than 65 top universities worldwide, including four Ivy League institutions, 38 Russell Group universities, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Exeter. Over 40% will attend leading UK universities such as UCL, Imperial College London, University of Bath, University of Exeter, and University of Warwick, while 25% will study in the United States at institutions including Cornell University, New York University, Babson College, Boston University, and Columbia University. The others will join top universities in Thailand, across Europe, Asia, and Australia, affirming Shrewsbury Bangkok Riverside’s role as a gateway for global academic excellence. In addition, graduates are pursuing diverse fields of study, spanning Business, Science, Medicine, Law, Humanities, and Creative Arts, reflecting the diversity of interests across the cohort.

Shrewsbury Bangkok Riverside also reported record success across examination results. At A-Level, 65% of grades were awarded at A*/A. At AS-Level, 90% of students achieved grades A/B, while at IGCSE, 74% of grades were awarded at A*/A. These results further highlight the school’s commitment to academic excellence and consistent delivery of world-class outcomes across all stages of senior school examinations.

The Revenue Department has been instructed to expedite the refund of outstanding value-added tax (VAT) amounting to 160 billion baht to enhance liquidity in the business sector.

According to Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, he ordered the department to speed up the refunds of VAT owed to the business sector, amounting to a total of 160 billion baht, as a way to inject liquidity into the economy.

“The economic engine is running low on fuel and we need to inject liquidity into it, using financial and tax measures. For small and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs] and firms in the supply chain, we will provide loans of up to 1 million baht each. For large businesses, we will use tax measures to encourage them to assist SMEs,” he said.

“For example, under the ‘Big Brother Helps Little Brother’ programme, we will speed up tax refunds for large firms that help SMEs. There is about 160 billion baht in tax refunds pending review.”

As for the refund process, normally the department must complete full verification of information before issuing refunds. However, this time the department will review only 60-70% of the data first, and then conduct post-audit inspections, said Mr Ekniti.

This approach was previously implemented during the pandemic to help inject liquidity into the system.

In addition, he said the ministry will introduce stimulus measures to promote tourism in secondary cities, allowing hotel operators in those areas to deduct renovation expenses from their taxes at an increased rate — possibly 1.5 to 2 times the actual cost.

The ministry is also preparing to propose to the cabinet that government agencies accelerate disbursement of budgets for training and seminars, known as “front-loading”, with a requirement that such training and seminars be held in secondary cities by January 2026.

This budget is expected to total 10 billion baht, consisting of 3.6 billion from government agencies, 3 billion from state enterprises, and the remainder from local administrative organisations.

Football Association of Thailand president Nualphan Lamsam, known as Madam Pang, has been appointed chair of the International Federation of Football Associations (Fifa) Development Committee, the first woman to hold the position.

The announcement was made by Fifa on Oct 7, the Football Association of Thailand said in a post on its FA Thailand Facebook page on Wednesday.

Ms Nualphan confirmed her appointment via her Facebook account on Wednesday. Her term runs from 2025 to 2029.

The Development Committee is one of Fifa’s key standing committees, reporting directly to Fifa president Gianni Infantino and the Fifa Council. The committee plays a pivotal role in overseeing the global development initiatives of the organisation across all 211 member associations.

The committee is tasked with formulating and proposing strategic development plans, conducting regular reviews of these strategies and analysing the support provided to member associations, confederations, and regional bodies worldwide.

In another notable appointment, Lertsak Pattanachaikul, executive committee member of the Football Association of Thailand, was made a membr of Fifa’s Member Associations Committee.

When the opening scene of Tempest hits, viewers are immediately drawn into a world of political deceit, shadowy operatives and fragile trust — the kind of high-stakes storytelling that South Korean dramas have become renowned for.

But Tempest, premiering exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar, raises the bar even higher. Helmed by Queen Of Tears (2024) director Kim Hee-won and Little Women (2022) screenwriter Jung Seok-kyung, the nine-episode series pairs two of South Korea’s biggest stars — Jun Ji-hyun and Gang Dong-won — in a story that fuses global espionage with an aching undercurrent of romance.

The result is a show that’s as emotionally charged as it is politically explosive.

When a presidential candidate becomes the target of an assassination attempt, former diplomat Seo Mun-ju (Jun Ji-hyun) finds herself caught in the eye of an international storm. As she unravels a conspiracy that spans rogue nations and intelligence agencies, her only protection comes from Paik San-ho (Gang Dong-won), a mysterious mercenary with a shadowy past. But trust, in this world of lies and shifting alliances, may be the most dangerous gamble of all.

To understand how a story this intricate and emotionally layered came together, one must look at Disney’s growing investment in Korean storytelling. “Tempest is our tentpole original of the year,” said Carol Choi, executive vice-president of Original Content Strategy at The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific.

“It represents our creative ambition to produce a high-quality collection of premium, talent-driven originals from APAC for global audiences and solidify Disney+ Hotstar as the home to new worlds of entertainment for fans to discover and celebrate.”

That ambition is visible in every detail of Tempest. With its cinematic scope, globe-spanning espionage plot and richly textured performances, the series brings the polish of an international spy thriller to the deeply emotional terrain that South Korean dramas excel in. But at its heart lies a story about human connection — about what it means to trust, to sacrifice and to love in a world built on secrets.

Jun Ji-hyun’s casting as Seo Mun-ju is a coup for Disney+. Known for portraying strong, complex women, the actress brings gravitas and vulnerability to her role as a diplomat forced to question the very ideals she once defended.

Opposite her, Gang Dong-won’s portrayal of Paik San-ho adds magnetic ambiguity — a man who protects but also conceals, a mercenary whose motives blur the line between duty and affection. Their chemistry is electric, threading emotional depth through the series’ high-octane action.

“Tempest is centred on a gripping narrative as a high-stakes, cross-genre spy romance that masterfully blends action, political intrigue and romantic drama,” Choi explained. “Like our most successful global hits, it achieves rich cultural specificity while exploring universal tensions between power and ambition, truth and trust.”

It’s that balance — the Korean sensibility rooted in global relevance — that continues to propel the country’s content to the forefront of the international streaming scene. Disney’s role in this ecosystem has been steadily expanding, building a portfolio that includes Moving (2023), A Shop For Killers (2024) and this year’s Nine Puzzles, all of which topped charts across Asia-Pacific.

For Choi, Tempest is not just another addition, but a statement of intent.

“Korea plays a critical role in Disney’s streaming strategy as a key content development hub and a source for great stories that resonate with international audiences,” she said. “We know Tempest will continue this momentum and captivate audiences worldwide.”

Indeed, Tempest seems to embody that which makes Korean storytelling globally magnetic — its ability to weave deeply emotional character arcs into genre frameworks that feel both intimate and grand. From the sterile corridors of government power to the quiet, tender moments shared between two people who might be enemies or lovers, the show captures the full spectrum of human contradictions.

“The stories and projects we are seeing from Korea are world-class,” said Choi. “They have rich specificity in the storyline but are woven with universal values that speak to global audiences.

“Directors Kim Hee-won and Heo Myeong-haeng, and writer Jung Seok-kyung possess a keen sense of the cultural zeitgeist and craft characters and storylines that move the hearts and minds of audiences.”

That craftsmanship is unmistakable in Tempest. Kim Hee-won, whose previous work Queen Of Tears became a cultural phenomenon, brings her signature blend of emotional realism and visual sophistication.

Jung Seok-kyung, who co-wrote Little Women, once again crafts a narrative driven by moral ambiguity and female agency. Together, they create a series that feels both meticulously grounded and operatically intense — a hallmark of Korea’s best modern television.

Disney’s involvement, Choi emphasises, goes beyond simply acquiring titles. It’s about fostering collaboration and creative growth.

“We believe in the long-term potential of Korea’s storytelling and have been an integral part of the local creative community for the past three decades,” she said.

“Beyond our content investments, we have adopted a long-term collaborative approach with our creators. We connect APAC creators with top Hollywood filmmakers and executives and are always looking at ways to bridge and inspire creators from around the world.”

That cross-cultural dialogue is visible in Tempest’s casting as well. Alongside Korean leads, the series features Korean-American actor John Cho, whose inclusion further amplifies the show’s international appeal. Cho’s presence reflects Disney’s commitment to telling stories that transcend borders, bringing together diverse perspectives within a cohesive, emotionally resonant narrative.

When it comes to greenlighting such projects, Choi insists that storytelling remains at the core.

“Ultimately, a key consideration is how compelling and unique the story is, as well as the calibre of the creative team,” she pointed out. “Our role is to support the creators’ artistic vision and create an environment for them to do their best work.”

That trust in creators seems to mirror the central theme of Tempest itself — trust between allies, between lovers, and between storyteller and audience. As the Korean entertainment industry continues to mature, Choi acknowledges that competition is fierce, but the appetite for innovation remains strong.

“The creative industry in Korea has evolved and matured with changes in the supply and demand of local content,” she explained. “There is a large volume of Korean content available, which means international success is never an easy path — but we are committed to uncovering the most unique and compelling stories that will resonate with audiences in Korea and beyond.”

For Disney+, Tempest represents more than just another global release. It’s a benchmark — a testament to how the company envisions the future of storytelling in Asia-Pacific.

“APAC is at the forefront of new, innovative trends that are inspiring global storytellers,” the Disney executive vice president concluded. “It’s exciting to see how audiences are embracing complex, serialised storytelling with intricate plots and emotionally rich characters. Tempest embodies all of that.”

When a bad man does a good thing, we should honour him for it, even if his motives are selfish.

Donald Trump is only trying to “bring peace to the Middle East” because he wants the Nobel Prize, they say. He blusters and threatens and lies. He boasts about the seven wars he claims to have settled/ended/avoided, but he cannot even tell the difference between Armenia (which did recently have a war) and Albania (which didn’t).

All true, but so what? Mr Trump’s motives don’t matter, and neither does his geopolitical ignorance. As US president, he is the only person with the power to force the Hamas group in Gaza and the current Israeli government to discuss making peace, and after long hesitation, he has finally deployed that power.

That certainly does not guarantee success. Neither the Hamas extremists who rule the Gaza Strip nor Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu actually want peace on the terms implicit in Mr Trump’s draft 20-point peace plan.

Hamas would definitely welcome a lengthy ceasefire. Most of its leaders and at least half its fighters have been killed in the past two years of fighting. The dead leaders have been replaced by less experienced men and the rank-and-file by new recruits, but there has been a steep drop in their combat efficiency.

However, the draft peace plan does not offer them that. It requires the prompt return of all the Israeli hostages, Hamas’s last bargaining chip, in return for nothing except the freedom of 1,950 Palestinians held in Israeli jails and a ceasefire of unspecified length. Israel could arrest them all again if the shooting restarts, and it broke the last ceasefire only six months ago.

It gets worse for Hamas if the peace talks make further progress: it would have to hand over all its weapons and disband its organisation. This is an Islamist organisation whose members truly believe that they will go instantly to paradise if they die in battle with the infidel. They might play for time, but they will always choose glorious death over unconditional surrender.

The resistance to a peace deal is also strong right inside the leadership on the Israeli side. Many Israelis believe that the prime minister needs the war to continue to placate extreme nationalist members of his cabinet who would bring the government down if he made any concessions to the Palestinians.

That doubtless plays a major role in “Bibi” Netanyahu’s calculations, but there is also a real ideologue hiding inside the wily and apparently cynical tactician. That fanatical Bibi was on show last month when he launched what he hoped would be the final offensive in Gaza and urged Israelis to become a “super-Sparta”. If the expulsion of the Palestinians would lead to an isolated, militarised and widely hated Israel, he implied, that would still be a price worth paying.

Bibi’s entire political career has been devoted to preventing the creation of a Palestinian state. Why? Because the emergence of a genuine Palestinian state would foreclose the option of building a ‘Greater Israel’ by annexing the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and replacing the existing Arab population with Jews.

That project has been doing well recently — one-quarter of the West Bank’s population is now Jewish settlers — but the Gaza war has created the opportunity for a rapid expulsion of all two million Palestinians in the Strip.

All of Mr Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza this year, like breaking the last ceasefire, driving Gaza’s whole population to the southwest corner of the Strip and starving them, have been directed at making that outcome more likely. However, they were only possible thanks to Mr Trump’s unquestioning support.

Sometimes Mr Trump seemed aware of the implications of his actions and unashamed by them. At other times, he seemed to be just blindly following Mr Netanyahu’s lead. But for the moment, at least, Mr Trump seems fully awake.

This may not last — but he was able to bully Mr Netanyahu into at least the opening stages of a ceasefire. However, Bibi will sabotage the process every chance he gets, and the plan is full of holes he can exploit.

Hamas will also turn against the plan as soon as negotiations get into critical issues like surrendering its weapons and going into exile. The plan may not be dead on arrival, but it is extremely vulnerable.

There will be some performative peace mongering for a while, but the plan to cleanse Gaza of its Palestinians could be back on track well before the end of the year.

Under a people-centred approach to justice, Asst Prof Dr Rittirong Chutapruttikorn, a lecturer in Research and Educational Innovation Development Division at Bangkok University, has initiated and developed the ‘Where the Silence Speaks’ project – a groundbreaking initiative aimed at improving the quality of life for vulnerable female inmates, particularly pregnant women and mothers with young children.

The project integrates research, teaching, exhibitions, art, and policy collaboration to bring together diverse perspectives and create meaningful change within Thailand’s correctional system. One of its central principles is empowering inmates to express their opinions safely and fully, despite the constraints of incarceration. It focuses on developing accessible, user-friendly tools for data collection and creating psychologically safe environments that allow women to share their experiences and needs openly.

‘The critical challenge isn’t just gaining access to prisons, but breaking down the ‘architecture of silence’ deeply embedded in these women’s minds – women who feel they have no right to speak or imagine a better life,’ said Dr Rittirong. ‘The research team works with corrections officers, students, designers, formerly incarcerated women, and human rights experts. Initial tools were tested with former inmates before being implemented with pregnant women and mothers of infants in prison. All research is conducted under strict human ethics standards, with special emphasis on mental well-being, voluntary participation, and privacy.’

Co-Designing Change in Restricted Environments

The project led to the creation of a prototype Mother and Child Centre at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution, Khlong Prem. The design was based on the innovative concept of ‘Creative Pragmatic Co-Design,’ a methodology developed by Dr Rittirong specifically for use in highly restrictive environments such as prisons.

The success of the project has influenced real policy change. The Director of the Central Women’s Correctional Institution invited the research team to present their designs for budget planning and future construction – a rare example of participatory design directly shaping infrastructure in controlled spaces.

Beyond the physical transformation, the project challenges the traditional notion of prison space. It redefines prisons as environments not only of control, but of understanding, healing, and the restoration of human dignity for some of the most vulnerable individuals in the justice system.

Expanding Impact Through Education and Design

The project’s data collection tools have since been adapted for use in post-release detention facilities and public exhibitions such as ‘Walls to Welcome’ and ‘Luen-Jum (Fading Memories).’ They have also been integrated into real-world problem-based university curricula and adapted for work with other vulnerable populations, including ex-offenders, children, and the elderly.

These innovations have earned national recognition, receiving the ASAIHL Thailand Outstanding Achievement Award 2024 (Social Engagement category) and the Distinguished Academic Award in the Social Sciences 2024 (Merit level). Both accolades highlight the project’s continuity, academic merit, and social impact in using design as a tangible instrument of justice.

By combining education, empathy, and participatory design, ‘Where the Silence Speaks’ stands as a powerful example of how academic innovation can transform public policy – turning silence into a voice for human dignity.

A scholar at Thammasat University has backed the idea of extending the age of retirement to 65, given the challenges posed by an ageing society, saying that retaining the current threshold could lead many retirees to struggle financially in the years to come.

As Thailand faces the realities of a rapidly ageing population, Nattapat Sarobol, a leading academic in elderly welfare at Thammasat University, has voiced strong support for Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s proposal to raise the official retirement age from 60 to 65.

She explained the current framework is outdated and unsustainable, especially as the country transitions not just into a greying society, but one with greater longevity.

Asst Prof Nattapat cited recent research showing the nation now has over 40,000 centenarians, ranking it 5th globally by this metric. With life expectancy continuing to rise, she warned that retiring at 60 potentially leaves them with a 40-year gap to fill during which time many people struggle financially.

“Where will the money come from to sustain life for four decades without employment?” she asked.

While countries like Japan, Finland, and the United States have already redefined senior age thresholds to 65 or higher, Thailand remains at 60. Japan, in particular, stretched its retirement age to 70 in 2021.

Asst Prof Nattapat noted that academic institutions have long proposed retirement reform, but the advice has rarely gained traction due to budgetary constraints and legal complexities.

She emphasised that any retirement age extension must be accompanied by anti-age discrimination laws to protect older workers. This includes removing age limits for job applications, training programmes, and access to funding.

“People aged 55 are often excluded from training simply because they’re thought to be ‘too close to retirement’ — this mindset must change,” she said.

Asst Prof Nattapat warned that if the policy only applies to civil servants — who number 1.75 million — it would leave out the vast majority of Thailand’s 38 million workers, including those in the private sector, industry, and corporate employment.

The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) aims to expand mangrove forests by 500,000 rai over the next five years under a financial scheme to empower community conservation efforts.

DMCR director-general Pinsak Suraswadi said the agency has successfully safeguarded more than 1.3 million rai of fertile mangrove forests nationwide, with minimal encroachment. The next phase, he said, will see the total protected area extended to 3.4 million rai, based on satellite mapping.

Mr Pinsak made his comments during his speech at the department’s 23rd anniversary celebration on Monday.

Although some mangrove areas have been converted into private property, they can be restored under new land tax regulations that grant exemptions to landowners who allow mangrove replanting on idle plots. About 230,000 rai fall under this category, he said.

Approximately one million rai, currently occupied by communities and state agencies, will be jointly managed through local participation and partnerships with the department, Mr Pinsak said while emphasising that creating sustainable income for residents is the most effective way to ensure long-term mangrove protection.

“Carbon credit is one option, and biodiversity credit will follow to enhance forest value.”

He added that the department plans to increase mangrove carbon credit schemes from 80,000 to 500,000 rai within five years, having already planted over 175,509 rai of mangrove forests in 24 provinces and reclaimed more than 69,248 rai from encroachment.

A major step towards sustainable energy adoption was marked by the recent launch of the ‘Solar Energy for Government Officials and Cooperative Members’ project – an initiative developed by the Cooperative Association League for Thai Energy Development (TCTD).

Launched on October 3, 2025 and fully funded by TCTD, the project aims to support more than 200,000 government officials’ households, reflecting the strong commitment of local grass-roots organisations to drive transformative change in the energy sector – setting an example not only for Thailand but also for the wider Southeast Asian region.

Work on the initiative is being led by Energy Solutions Goal (ESG) as the primary contractor, in collaboration with leading renewable energy companies from Taiwan such as Abeta Energy Group and Turncloud. As Abeta Energy Group’s strategic partner in Southeast Asia, ESG has also established teams of construction and maintenance specialists based in Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore to ensure smooth and efficient project implementation.

The project’s official launch ceremony was attended by representatives from Taiwan’s Executive Yuan (Executive Council), underscoring the close cooperation between Taiwan and Thailand in advancing clean energy and sustainable development.

This collaboration not only highlights the strength and potential of Taiwan’s renewable energy industry but also aligns with the country’s New Southbound Policy, which promotes deeper regional partnerships. With full support from TCTD, the initiative is expected to significantly reduce Thai government officials’ energy costs while serving as a model for the transition towards green energy and sustainable growth across the region.

“This conference is a carbon-neutral event utilizing solutions provided by Mampani Malaysia.”