Century Properties’ Phirst adds two new communities in Laguna and Batangas, brings more communities closer to the region’s industrial zones

Century Properties Group Inc. (CPGI), through its first-home brand PHirst, has secured the licenses to sell for two new house-and-lot communities in the industry-heavy region of Luzon that is Calabarzon: PHirst Sights Calauan West in Calauan, Laguna, and PHirst Sights Batangas in Lipa.

The two projects follow the launch of PHirst Sights Tayabas in Quezon earlier this year, bringing PHirst’s new launches in the region to three in 2026. They are part of CPGI’s progressive shift toward horizontal developments outside Metro Manila, where the company is building closer to the jobs and infrastructure that drive housing demand.

Located in Brgy. Masit, Calauan, Laguna, PHirst Sights Calauan West covers six hectares and will have 682 homes, with estimated sales of P981.1 million. The community lies in Laguna’s southern suburban belt, around 30 to 40 minutes from the Calamba-Sto. Tomas manufacturing cluster, which includes Carmelray Industrial Parks I and II in Canlubang, Calamba Premiere International Park, and Light Industry and Science Park II.

PHirst Sights Batangas, meanwhile, with 2,583 homes, sits on an expansive 30 hectares spanning Barangays Tangob, Padre Garcia and San Francisco, Lipa. The project has an estimated sales value of P 5.37 billion. The site is 30 to 45 minutes from Light Industry and Science Park III and First Philippine Industrial Park in Sto. Tomas. Batangas is part of the Luzon Economic Corridor, where industry and port activity have grown steadily.

Calabarzon is the only region in the country whose economy is mainly industrial. Its economy grew 5.6 percent in 2024 to P3.27 trillion, accounting for 14.7 percent of national output, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Laguna, Cavite and Batangas also posted the three largest shares of the country’s industry output.

‘We are opening our doors to the Laguna and Batangas workforce who want to own a home closer to their jobs,’ said Marco Antonio, President and Chief Executive Officer of CPGI. ‘Having three communities in one region lets us serve them better and build more efficiently. That is how we intend to grow the horizontal business.’

The launches are PHirst’s first since the Securities and Exchange Commission approved its merger into CPGI in September, which placed the first-home business directly under the listed parent.

PHirst plans two more launches before the end of the year, in Central Luzon and the Davao Region, subject to regulatory approvals.

How retirees slipped into poverty waiting 12-years for pension guarantee

For 35 years, Josephine Obah’s daily routine rarely changed. Except at weekends, she woke up each morning and headed to work, spending the best part of her working life at an educational institution.

After retirement, she expected the pension contributions accumulated over decades of service to provide financial security.

Five years later, that expectation has increasingly given way to anxiety as inflation and rising living costs erode the purchasing power of her monthly pension.

Obah is among a growing number of Nigerian retirees confronting the consequences of inadequate retirement savings under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), where years of contributions have not necessarily translated into a sustainable income after retirement.

The situation became more difficult following the increase in Nigeria’s national minimum wage to N70,000, which raised the minimum pension threshold under the CPS.

With her monthly pension below one-third of the minimum wage, equivalent to N23,333.33, Obah faced a difficult choice: continue receiving a meagre monthly pension or withdraw the entire balance in her Retirement Savings Account (RSA).

Unable to cope with the small payments from her Pension Fund Administrator (PFA), she opted for the latter.

‘I could no longer cope with the small amount I receive from my Pension Fund Administrator (PFA), so I have decided that they give me my balance,’ a frustrated Obah said.

Her experience exposes a longstanding weakness in Nigeria’s pension system, where workers can reach retirement after decades of contributions only to discover that their accumulated savings cannot provide even a modest regular income.

For Uche Moghalu, the decision to withdraw his retirement savings in bulk has brought even greater uncertainty.

After leaving paid employment about six years ago, Moghalu received a monthly pension that offered little protection against the rising cost of living. When the minimum wage adjustment increased the minimum pension threshold, he was left with the option of continuing to receive his small monthly payment or collecting his entire RSA balance.

He chose the latter, hoping to invest the money in a business that would provide an alternative source of income during retirement.

But the business has struggled amid Nigeria’s difficult economic conditions, with mounting losses gradually eroding the capital he accumulated during his working years.

What initially appeared to be an opportunity to regain financial independence has become a source of anxiety as he worries that his retirement savings could disappear entirely.

His concern goes beyond the failure of an investment. It is the prospect of reaching old age without a regular source of income after spending decades working and contributing towards retirement.

Unable to cope with the small payments from her Pension Fund Administrator (PFA), she opted for the latter.

‘I could no longer cope with the small amount I receive from my Pension Fund Administrator (PFA), so I have decided that they give me my balance,’ a frustrated Obah said.

Her experience exposes a longstanding weakness in Nigeria’s pension system, where workers can reach retirement after decades of contributions only to discover that their accumulated savings cannot provide even a modest regular income.

For Uche Moghalu, the decision to withdraw his retirement savings in bulk has brought even greater uncertainty.

After leaving paid employment about six years ago, Moghalu received a monthly pension that offered little protection against the rising cost of living. When the minimum wage adjustment increased the minimum pension threshold, he was left with the option of continuing to receive his small monthly payment or collecting his entire RSA balance.

He chose the latter, hoping to invest the money in a business that would provide an alternative source of income during retirement.

But the business has struggled amid Nigeria’s difficult economic conditions, with mounting losses gradually eroding the capital he accumulated during his working years.

What initially appeared to be an opportunity to regain financial independence has become a source of anxiety as he worries that his retirement savings could disappear entirely.

His concern goes beyond the failure of an investment. It is the prospect of reaching old age without a regular source of income after spending decades working and contributing towards retirement.

Moghalu now fears that he may eventually have to depend on his children and other family members for survival, an outcome his pension savings were supposed to prevent.

‘I can no longer hope on pensions; the money is gone,’ he lamented.

Billions withdrawn as lump-sum benefits

The experiences of Obah and Moghalu illustrate the vulnerability of retirees whose salaries were low, contribution periods interrupted or accumulated pension balances insufficient to finance sustainable retirement benefits.

Figures from the National Pension Commission (PenCom) show that approximately N177 billion has been paid out as en-bloc retirement benefits from the inception of the CPS to the first quarter of 2026.

These payments represent retirement savings withdrawn in bulk by retirees whose accumulated balances were insufficient to support regular monthly pension payments.

For many, collecting their savings in one lump sum appeared to be the only practical option. Some invested the money in small businesses in an attempt to generate income during retirement. However, Nigeria’s difficult economic conditions have eroded the capital of some of these businesses, leaving retirees exposed to financial hardship and the possibility of depending on family members for survival.

PenCom’s published figures also show that en-bloc payments have accounted for a substantial number of retirement benefit approvals since the introduction of the CPS, with private-sector workers representing the overwhelming majority of affected retirees.

The figures point to particularly difficult retirement conditions among private-sector workers, many of whom spent their working lives in relatively low-paying jobs, experienced irregular employment or worked for employers who did not consistently remit pension contributions.

12-year wait for minimum pension guarantee

The prolonged delay in implementing the Minimum Pension Guarantee (MPG) under Nigeria’s CPS has further exposed vulnerable retirees to financial hardship.

Designed to guarantee a minimum retirement income for eligible pensioners whose RSA balances are insufficient to secure regular pension payments, the policy’s non-implementation over the past 12 years left many retirees without the safety net envisaged under the pension system.

In the absence of the guarantee, retirees with inadequate balances had little option but to withdraw their savings in bulk, effectively ending their participation in the regular pension payment system.

The Federal Government’s launch of the MPG on Tuesday, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is expected to address this longstanding gap by providing a minimum income floor for eligible retirees whose accumulated pension savings cannot sustain adequate retirement benefits.

Provided for under Sections 82 and 84 of the Pension Reform Act 2014, the initiative represents an important shift in the philosophy of the CPS: from concentrating primarily on accumulating retirement savings to ensuring that eligible contributors are not left without a minimum level of income in retirement.

The guarantee is backed by the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), which is designed to provide the financial resources required to support minimum guaranteed pensions.

Its statutory funding sources include an annual Federal Government subvention equivalent to one per cent of the total monthly wage bill of public service employees, levies on PenCom and licensed pension operators, as well as investment income.

However, beyond the formal launch, for retirees to largely benefit from the MPG the government would need to provide accurate and sustainable funding, improve the eligibility criteria for beneficiaries, and the speed with which deserving retirees can access the guarantee.

While the new policy offers a ray of hope for retirees like Obah and Moghalu, the central concern is whether the new arrangement can provide the financial security that years of pension contributions were supposed to guarantee.

World’s largest cassava producer fails to tap $127bn derivatives market

Nigeria is the world’s largest cassava producer, accounting for about a fifth of global production worth 62 million metric tonnes annually. Yet the country has failed to capture significant value from the crop’s $127.56 billion derivatives market, leaving much of the industrial opportunity to Asian processors.

While most Nigerian cassava ends up as garri, fufu and other household staples, companies in Thailand and Vietnam process the crop into starch, flour, chips and ethanol for domestic industries and export markets.

The result is a widening gap between production and value creation: Nigeria has the farms, but Asia has the factories.

Demand for cassava derivatives is growing as food manufacturers seek gluten-free ingredients and fuel producers increase their use of bioethanol.

Industry research values the global cassava market size at $127.56 billion in 2025, projected to grow from $133.93 billion in 2026 to USD 202.90 billion by 2034.

Despite its large agricultural base, Nigeria continues to import processed cassava products while Asian exporters capture a growing share of the industrial market.

Data from United Nations Comtrade show that Nigeria exported about 10,505 metric tonnes of cassava-based products in 2025, less than two percent of its production that year. It earned just $1.4 million from exports of starch and flour.

Thailand, which produces about half as much cassava as Nigeria, exported 12 million metric tonnes of cassava-based derivatives in the same year, equivalent to about 40 percent of its production.

The figures illustrate why high agricultural output alone does not guarantee export competitiveness. Without efficient processing, reliable infrastructure and competitive production costs, Nigeria risks remaining a supplier of raw materials while other countries capture the higher-value markets.

From subsistence crop to industrial driver

The problem begins at the farm, according to Segun Adewunmi, former president of the Cassava Growers Association of Nigeria, who spoke from his farm in Oyo State.

‘Last year, the cost of transporting the cassava out of the farms was more expensive than the value of the tubers,’ he said.

‘If farmers are not cultivating optimally and profitably, processors will also not be competitive. This is the reason the Asians are pocketing the derivatives industry.’

The challenge extends beyond transportation to what cassava becomes after it leaves the farm.

Processed cassava can supply industrial starch for food and paper manufacturing, high-quality cassava flour for baking, chips and pellets for animal feed, glucose syrup and sweeteners for pharmaceuticals, and bioethanol for fuel blending.

These products serve established industrial markets, but Nigeria lacks sufficient processing capacity to convert its large harvest into competitive volumes.

Processors need a steady supply of fresh, high-starch roots delivered quickly and at predictable prices. Cassava begins to deteriorate within 48 hours of harvest, according to experts. Without processing facilities close to farms and reliable transport infrastructure, much of its industrial value can be lost before the crop reaches a factory.

‘ Cassava industrialisation is critical to driving inclusive economic growth in Nigeria,’ said Olayinka David-West, professor and dean of Lagos Business School.

‘But it cannot happen in isolation. It requires deliberate collaboration, de-risked and patient capital, and policies that connect smallholder productivity to large-scale processing and market offtake,’ she said.

For Nigeria, therefore, industrialising cassava does not necessarily mean expanding cultivation. It means processing more of what farmers already produce into products that domestic and international buyers need.

Starch, flour and ethanol: where the money is

Starch and high-quality cassava flour offer some of the most immediate opportunities for Nigeria’s downstream cassava industry because they serve established markets in food, beverages, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing.

Food and beverage companies use cassava derivatives in products such as biscuits, bread, confectionery and other processed foods. Pharmaceutical manufacturers use starch as a binder and filler, while non-food industries rely on it for paper, textiles, adhesives and other industrial applications.

Yet Nigerian manufacturers continue to depend on imported processed products despite the country’s large domestic cassava supply.

‘Nigeria mostly operates in the upstream cassava sector rather than the downstream, which limits the advantages the country can get,’ said AfricaFarmer Mogaji, an agricultural expert.

Upstream production involves cultivating and selling raw cassava tubers, while downstream processing captures additional value through products such as starch, flour, ethanol and chips.

For Nigerian processors, the challenge is identifying which derivatives can be produced competitively, which markets offer the strongest demand and what operating conditions are needed to make production profitable.

Ethanol offers another significant opportunity. Nigeria still imports about 90 percent of the ethanol it consumes, Adewunmi said, despite the availability of cassava as a feedstock.

Ethanol demand in Africa’s most populous country reached 400 million litres in 2024, according to research by the Nigeria Cassava Investment Accelerator, an initiative of Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University.

The product has applications in fuel blending, pharmaceuticals, sanitisers and industrial solvents, making it an important potential market for locally processed cassava.

However, unlike smaller starch and flour operations, ethanol production requires continuous feedstock supply, reliable and affordable energy, and large-scale distillation facilities.

Developing competitive starch and flour production could therefore help establish the supply chains and processing capabilities needed to expand into more capital-intensive derivatives such as ethanol.

Why Nigerian processors cannot compete

The economics of production remain a major obstacle to industrial cassava processing in Nigeria.

Fresh cassava tubers produced locally can cost more than imported processed cassava chips, Mogaji said, reflecting low farm yields, labour-intensive cultivation and limited mechanisation.

‘The price of fresh cassava tuber from the farm is higher than the price of imported processed cassava chips,’ he said.

‘Our cassava yield is still low even if we are the largest producers. There is no equipment for planting and harvesting,’ Mogaji added.

Without mechanised planting and harvesting, farmers struggle to reduce production costs and increase yields. This makes locally sourced cassava more expensive for processors, undermining their ability to compete with Thai and Vietnamese products, even in the domestic market.

Dokun Thompson, a processor and founder of Eti-Oni Development Group, said the country’s challenge was not a shortage of raw materials but the high cost of operating processing facilities.

‘Nigeria does not lack cassava. It lacks cheap power, working logistics, affordable finance and consistent quality,’ he said.

‘Fix those four, and processors can compete,’ he added.

Starch and high-quality cassava flour could provide an entry point into industrial processing because they have established local buyers in the food, bakery and pharmaceutical industries. They also offer opportunities for processing facilities located close to farming communities.

However, the economics of these businesses depend on access to affordable raw materials, reliable electricity, efficient drying facilities and sufficient working capital.

Without these conditions, local processors will continue to struggle against imported products, even when the raw material is readily available within the country.

What Asian producers are doing differently

Asia’s advantage is not simply the volume of cassava it produces, but how effectively it converts the crop into industrial products.

Thai and Vietnamese processors have developed supply chains that move fresh cassava from farms to processing plants, where it is converted into starch, chips, flour and other derivatives for domestic consumption and export.

Their competitiveness rests on three major advantages: mechanisation, processing clusters and export discipline.

First, mechanisation has helped reduce production costs and improve the reliability of feedstock supply. Mechanised planting and harvesting allow farmers to cultivate larger areas and deliver more predictable volumes to processors.

Second, processing facilities are located close to farming communities, supported by roads and logistics networks that enable the movement of a perishable crop before its quality deteriorates.

Third, processors produce to established export specifications, including starch content, moisture levels and product purity. This consistency allows them to meet the requirements of industrial buyers and secure longer-term supply relationships, particularly in markets such as China.

Adewunmi said Asian farmers were also using micronutrients and improved cultivation practices to increase yields and starch content.

‘The Asians are using micronutrients to upscale cassava yields to about 100 metric tonnes per hectare, with starch content of cassava up-scaled to 40 percent to get much value from the crop,’ he said.

‘Nigeria is still producing an average of 20 metric tonnes per hectare, with starch content of about 22 percent,’ he added.

The difference in productivity and starch concentration has direct implications for processors. Higher yields provide more raw material per hectare, while greater starch content improves the industrial value of each tonne processed.

Nigeria’s larger production base therefore offers little competitive advantage if farmers cannot supply processors with cassava at the right price, volume and quality.

The country has the farms, the crop and an established domestic market. What it lacks is the industrial capacity to convert its production advantage into export earnings, manufacturing inputs and jobs.

Until these constraints are addressed, the world’s largest cassava producer risks continuing to supply the raw material while Asian processors capture the higher-value products and export earnings.

Ratchanok begins bid for back-to-back Kumamoto titles

Defending women’s singles champion Ratchanok Intanon will begin her title defence at the US$500,000 BWF Kumamoto Masters Japan 2026 on Wednesday.

The Thai fourth seed will meet Nodoka Sunakawa of Japan in the first round of the Super 500 event at Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium.

Ratchanok defeated Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung to win the title last year.

Fellow Thais Pornpawee Chochuwong and Supanida Katethong will also play their first-round matches on Wednesday.

Sixth seed Pornpawee will play Wong Ling Chiang of Malaysia, while Supanida will take on Huang Yu-hsun of Taiwan.

In the men’s singles event, second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn will take on Magnus Johannesen of Denmark, while Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul will meet defending champion and fifth seed Kodai Naraoka of Japan.

Kunlavut withdrew before the competition began last year.

Meanwhile, mixed doubles defending champions Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran will play Yu Zhirui Jerry and Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong in their opening match.

In Tuesday’s action, the second-seeded men’s doubles pair Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul won their opening match against He Zhi-wei and Huang Jui-hsuan of Taiwan 21-11, 25-23.

The women’s doubles pair of Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn and Sabrina Sophita Wedler also progressed, defeating Japanese home favourites Arisa Igarashi and Yumi Tanabe 21-11, 21-16.

Trump: Hegseth gets A+++ for his defense against Massie

United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth “gets an A plus, plus, plus” for his defense against Thomas Massie, a Republican and the House Representative from Kentucky’s 45th district, who has called for Hegseth’s impeachment.

In a Truth Social post, Trump dismissed Massie as “disgruntled, angry, defeated,” and a “total loser.”

Trump’s comments came just after Hegseth completed his press conference, during which he labeled the impeachment attempt “a political spectacle” and a “farce.” He also insisted that the department’s actions enjoy “ton of support” in Congress.

From Karabakh to Antalya: How Azerbaijan and Trkiye turn political unity into regional influence

Last week, Azerbaijan attracted considerable attention with two major events: Victory Day and, on this symbolic occasion, the arrival of Trkiye’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Karabakh at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Together, these events sent powerful messages extending well beyond the borders of the South Caucasus. Above all, the shared position of the two leaders was unmistakable: the brotherhood between Azerbaijan and Trkiye is indivisible, enduring and beyond the reach of external interference.

It was hardly surprising that relations between the two countries had attracted some tension in the media of both Trkiye and Azerbaijan in the preceding weeks. However, the most sensitive aspect was that those seeking to exploit the situation appeared to be positioning themselves at the centre of the controversy. At times, it seemed that those attempting to drive the two countries apart were more actively intervening in the debate than the countries themselves.

However, on 8 November, President Erdogan’s decision to celebrate Victory Day in Karabakh alongside his Azerbaijani counterpart and their families effectively silenced much of the speculation. It was as though a clear instruction had been issued to the wider political community: look at the centre of events. On that day, attention was firmly focused on Azerbaijan. The visit also attracted considerable attention in the Armenian media, where the symbolism of the two Turkish-speaking brother nations celebrating their shared victory was difficult to overlook.

On the same day, President Ilham Aliyev informed the Turkish media that he would attend the United Nations climate conference COP31 in Antalya. This announcement, made ahead of his visit, also carried a message for those in Trkiye who had allowed uncertainty to cloud their understanding of the relationship between the two countries.

The 8 November meeting conveyed three principal messages to the international community. First, Ankara’s regional strategy takes into account Baku’s interests. Second, third parties cannot undermine the relationship between Azerbaijan and Trkiye. Finally, Armenia cannot expect to secure the opening of its border with Trkiye by exploiting temporary disagreements or perceived differences between Baku and Ankara. In this political context, the continued closure of the Turkish-Armenian border remains closely linked to progress towards a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Furthermore, President Aliyev’s official visit to Antalya to attend COP31 subsequently provided another opportunity to demonstrate the depth of bilateral cooperation. One particularly significant development was the early launch of the Azerbaijani pavilion and, more broadly, the application of Azerbaijan’s experience in hosting COP29 to support Trkiye’s organisation of COP31. Azerbaijan has consistently stood alongside its brother country during major international events, and the close cooperation between the two sides in Antalya is another illustration of that commitment.

Meanwhile, the significance of the relationship cannot be measured solely through political declarations, symbolic visits or diplomatic gestures. Its real strength lies in the ability to translate strategic solidarity into tangible economic opportunities. This is where the next stage of Azerbaijan-Trkiye relations becomes particularly important.

Economic cooperation has already developed into one of the principal foundations of the bilateral partnership. According to Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Trkiye, bilateral trade turnover reached $5.72 billion in 2025, while the two presidents have set an ambitious target of $15 billion. Achieving that objective will require more than an increase in the exchange of existing goods. It will depend on expanding industrial cooperation, diversifying production, strengthening private-sector partnerships and creating new opportunities for businesses on both sides.

Investment provides an even clearer illustration of the scale of mutual confidence. Azerbaijani direct investment in Trkiye reached $21.1 billion between 1995 and 2025, while Turkish investment in Azerbaijan amounted to $18.4 billion over the same period. SOCAR’s $6.3 billion STAR refinery in Izmir remains one of the most prominent examples of Azerbaijan’s long-term economic commitment to the Turkish market. These figures demonstrate that the partnership is not simply based on political affinity; it is supported by substantial capital, commercial interests and long-term economic calculations.

The energy sector will remain central to this relationship, but its future should not be confined to oil and natural gas. Azerbaijan’s position as an energy supplier and Trkiye’s importance as a regional transit and distribution hub create opportunities for deeper cooperation in electricity, renewable energy and emerging green technologies. Joint investment in solar and wind power, electricity transmission infrastructure and the export of renewable energy could gradually expand the partnership beyond its traditional hydrocarbon foundations.

Transport and connectivity represent another strategic dimension. Azerbaijan and Trkiye are essential links in the development of the Middle Corridor, connecting Central Asia and China with European markets through the Caspian Sea and the South Caucasus. The expansion of railway capacity, improvements to logistics infrastructure and more efficient customs procedures could increase the corridor’s competitiveness and strengthen both countries’ positions in international supply chains.

The reconstruction of Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur also offers opportunities for Turkish businesses, particularly in construction, engineering, agriculture, renewable energy and infrastructure development. Such projects can create employment, stimulate regional economic activity and establish new commercial connections between the two countries.

Ultimately, the partnership between Baku and Ankara is entering a phase in which political solidarity must increasingly be matched by economic integration. COP31 offers a visible example of how experience, institutional cooperation and mutual support can produce practical results. The same approach could shape future projects in energy, transport, technology and industry.

The message from Karabakh and Antalya is therefore broader than a declaration of brotherhood. Azerbaijan and Trkiye are demonstrating that their relationship has the political resilience and economic potential to remain a defining factor in the region’s future. In a South Caucasus undergoing profound geopolitical change, the strength of this partnership will be measured not only by the challenges it withstands, but also by the opportunities it creates.

MP’s husband named in online gambling complaint

Lawyer Noraseth Nanongtoom has filed a complaint with the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau against Zhang Taiyang, husband of Bhumjaithai MP Suchada Zhang Thaensap, over his alleged shareholding in Shuffle, an online gambling platform.

Mr Noraseth, of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, said cybercrime police have previously arrested several people for gambling on the website, and authorities should investigate not only the gamblers but also those allegedly organising and facilitating the operations.

He said any member of the public can file a criminal complaint in such cases because organising illegal gambling is a public criminal offence. A complainant does not need to be a direct victim for police to initiate legal proceedings.

Along with the complaint, he urged the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) to freeze assets linked to the alleged illegal gambling operation and investigate the financial transactions of everyone involved.

The evidence submitted included documents related to the company’s overseas registration, as well as papers concerning Mr Zhang’s acquisition of shares.

Mr Noraseth expressed hope that cybercrime police would conduct the investigation promptly and transparently, describing online gambling as a serious social problem.

Regarding speculation that Mr Zhang might have protection from influential or well-connected figures that could obstruct the investigation, the lawyer said everyone is subject to the same laws, and no one should receive special treatment.

Mpox cases under control, infections ‘only sporadic’

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) says mpox remains under control in Thailand, with infections occurring sporadically and no evidence of widespread community transmission to date, despite a rise in cases since mid-2026.

DDC director-general Dr Montien Kanasawat said on Monday that Clade Ib had replaced Clade IIb as the dominant strain detected in the country.

Most patients are men aged 18-49, with sexual contact, exposure to infected household members and attending parties with infected people identified as risk factors.

Deputy DDC director-general Niti Hetanurak said the virus spreads mainly through close physical or sexual contact, contaminated clothing and towels, and prolonged exposure to respiratory droplets.

People with suspected infections should isolate, avoid sexual contact and seek medical attention, according to health authorities.

Confirmed patients may isolate at home if approved by doctors, but must remain isolated until all lesions have healed.

Lunique targets Pattaya projects amid oversupply in Bangkok

Property developer Lunique Real Estate Co will maintain its focus on mid-priced residential projects in Pattaya, avoiding Bangkok’s oversupplied market and Phuket’s increasingly expensive property segment.

Uradee Kunkiratiyut, the company’s chief executive, said demand in Bangkok’s residential market had been slowing for some time, while developing sea-view or beachfront condominiums in Phuket required prices per square metre to reach luxury-market levels.

“We remain focused on residential projects in the mid-priced segment, with prices of no more than 250,000 baht per square metre, as this segment has a broader customer base,” she said.

“We will continue to focus on Pattaya, supported by its infrastructure development and growth in the industrial sector.”

In Pattaya, buyers include foreign retirees seeking second homes as well as people with genuine housing needs who work in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

According to the Real Estate Information Center (REIC), the condominium market in Chon Buri, particularly in Pattaya, Bang Saen and Sri Racha, performed strongly in the first half of 2026, with sales rising by 18% year-on-year to 3,580 units, driven by a recovery in tourism.

The monthly absorption rate reached 3% in the second quarter, the highest since the fourth quarter of 2024, when it stood at 3.7%, before declining to 2.7% in the first quarter of 2025.

Residential transfers were driven by both domestic buyers purchasing holiday homes and foreign buyers, mainly from Russia, China and Europe, the REIC reported.

The Pattaya-Na Jomtien area, where condominium prices ranged from 1.69 million to 7.41 million baht per unit, recorded the highest sales rate at 21%, compared with an average of 20% across Chon Buri’s condominium market.

Ms Uradee said the company’s first condominium project, Skypark Lucean Jomtien Pattaya, had achieved a sales rate of 60% since its launch in 2023, with only 4% of the foreign ownership quota remaining.

Russian and Japanese buyers accounted for the largest groups of foreign purchasers, alongside buyers from Europe, the US, and other Asian countries.

Russian buyers included both those purchasing second homes for personal use and investors seeking rental income, while Japanese buyers were mainly expatriates working in the EEC, Ms Uradee added.

Next month, the company plans to launch its second project, Lucean Bay Jomtien Pattaya, a 60-storey condominium development worth 4.8 billion baht. The project will comprise 588 sea-view units, ranging from 29 square metres in size and priced from 160,000 baht per sq m.

“Pattaya is shifting from a short-stay tourist city to a home for quality living,” she said. “Amid rising demand for wellness real estate, the project will combine wellness-focused design and facilities with a health partnership with Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.”

Trade regulator defends new platform rules

The Trade Competition Commission of Thailand (TCCT) has reaffirmed its legal authority to regulate fee structures imposed by ride-hailing, food delivery and e-commerce platforms, vowing to press ahead with its planned new guidelines despite reports that two major food delivery operators are considering legal action against them.

The Bangkok Post asked Grab and Line Man Wongnai about the reported legal action, but both declined to comment.

The TCCT is holding a public hearing on draft regulations governing the trade practices of digital ride-hailing and on-demand delivery platforms from Nov 4 to Dec 3.

Pol Lt Gen Pittaya Siriraksa, a TCCT commissioner, told the Bangkok Post that Section 17(2) and (3) of the Trade Competition Act empowers the commission to issue new guidelines to ensure free and fair competition.

He said the commission had not received formal notification of legal proceedings from any platforms but was prepared to defend its authority.

He added that implementation of the new guidelines would proceed unless the Administrative Court issued an injunction to suspend the regulations.

If the court ruled against the commission, the notification would be revoked, he added.

Pol Lt Gen Pittaya stressed that the watchdog’s mandate was not to impose price controls but to prevent unfair practices, particularly unjustified fee increases by platforms wielding significant market power.

He cited commission rates of up to 30% imposed on merchants as an example of platform practices warranting scrutiny.

The draft guidelines for ride-hailing and on-demand delivery platforms require platforms to provide transparent fee calculations and give at least 90 days’ written notice before making fee changes.

Platforms will be prohibited from making unjustified fee increases, imposing discriminatory charges or forced exclusivity, and adopting algorithmic practices that favour affiliated businesses.

They will also be required to disclose key principles governing search rankings and order allocation, protect commercial data, and establish fair dispute resolution mechanisms.

The rules will apply regardless of whether operators hold a dominant market position.

Last week, the Thai Digital Platform Trade Association (TDPA) urged the commission to clarify whether the regulations target fee structures or actual commission rates.

Jirawat Poomsrikaew, secretary-general and adviser to the TDPA, warned that requiring platforms to inform the TCCT of fee changes in advance could restrict their operational flexibility and innovation.

He said the association had encountered difficulties securing meetings with regulators to explain platform business models.

Pol Lt Gen Pittaya said the commission had already conducted a focus group with relevant parties during the drafting process.

Separately, the TCCT is advancing proposed regulations governing service fees and product delivery arrangements on multi-sided e-commerce platforms.

Following the public consultation, which ends on Dec 3, the draft will undergo further review by the commission, with an announcement targeted before the New Year.

Commission records show that Shopee has raised its fees 10 times since 2022, representing a cumulative increase of 433%, while Lazada has increased fees seven times, totalling 367%.

Previous complaints prompted the TCCT to order the e-commerce operators to temporarily halt fee increases under Section 60 of the Trade Competition Act.