(Photo: Pheu Thai Party)Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa on Wednesday downplayed reports that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s role as a “campaign assistant” for the Pheu Thai Party may be illegal as he holds dual citizenship. Political activist Sonthiya Sawasdee has petitioned the Election Commission (EC), seeking an investigation into Thaksin’s involvement, following the ex-premier’s high-profile visit to Udon Thani recently. Montenegro prohibits dual citizenship but from 2019-22 it offered “citizenship by investment” to those who invested at least 250,000 euros in the country. Suriya Jungrungreangkit, the transport minister and a key Pheu Thai figure, said the party’s legal team had discussed the reports. Thaksin and Pheu Thai have been the targets of multiple legal complaints that centre on his barely concealed influence over the government.

Washington's shift on missile strikes came about after North Korean troops arrived to support Russian forces on the battlefield. Ukraine took advantage of the ATACMS approval to strike a military base on Russian territory. The Biden administration has vowed to expedite weapons deliveries and other support for Ukraine ahead of Trump's inauguration on Jan 20. Russia had been warning the West for months that if Washington allowed Ukraine to fire US, British and French missiles deep into Russia, Moscow would consider North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) members to be directly involved in the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in October that Moscow will respond to Ukraine's strikes with US-made weapons deep into Russia.

Hostels demand new regulations for sector amid slumpListen to this articleMs Naree, centre, said many hostels have been shuttered since the pandemic due to a lack of funds. There are only 800 hostels offering 40,000 beds in Thailand, down significantly from 2019, when there were 1,200 hostels offering 60,000 beds, generating over 400 million baht revenue. She added that the hotel regulations are also too stringent in terms of the safety certification, and this usually requires a huge budget to develop the safety mechanism required. She said the government should draft the new regulation before the latest ministerial regulations allowing hostels to enter the system expire in August 2025. The Hostel Thailand Association was established last year.

Suriya insists SRT owns landListen to this articleTransport Minister Suriya JungrungreangkitTransport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said a disputed 5,083-rai plot of land in Buri Ram's Khao Kradong belongs to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), adding the ministry will resolve issues related to the 900 people currently living on the land within 30 days. Mr Suriya, also a deputy prime minister, said on Tuesday the SRT is complying with the Supreme Court's ruling in its favour. As such, when the Department of Lands' director-general gave a different opinion from the DoL's land committee, the SRT sent a letter of objection, he said, adding the body has yet to receive any response. He said the SRT has called for a meeting of legal experts to thoroughly examine the matter regarding the 900 people now living on the land. Possible solutions for these residents, as suggested by the Council of State, include renting land from the SRT.

Wat Arun, or the Temple of Dawn, is a landmark in Bangkok, renowned for its architectural beauty and cultural significance in Thai history. This Buddhist temple is located on the Thon Buri side of the Chao Phraya River.

The Thai government is working on a raft of fresh fiscal measures to sustain an economic recovery, foster new foreign investment and lower the near-record household debt, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's top aide has said. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's top aide Prommin Lertsuridej. (Photo: bangkokpost.com)Bangkok (VNA) – The Thai government is working on a raft of fresh fiscal measures to sustain an economic recovery, foster new foreign investment and lower the near-record household debt, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's top aide has said. Easier rules for long-term land leasing and credit restructuring led by government banks are also on the anvil, he said. The new wave of investment is not only from the US firms, but Chinese companies like Huawei Technologies Company are also investing, Prommin said.

Thaksin expects fugitive sister Yingluck to return by AprilListen to this articleFormer prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra receives roses from supporters after her closing statement on her rice-pledging case at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for People in Political Positions in Bangkok on Aug 1, 2017. (Photo: Bangkok Post)Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra expects his younger sister, fugitive former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, to return to Thailand around April next year. Thaksin is quoted as saying that Yingluck should be able to return for the Songkran festival in April next year. In April Thaksin had said while in his native province of Chiang Mai that Yingluck might return before the end of this year. In December last year the Supreme Court acquitted Yingluck of malfeasance in her 2011 transfer of a National Security Council secretary-general.

Listen to this articleRattapoom “Film” Tokongsup waves to photographers as the Palang Pracharath Party introduces him and its other election candidates ahead of the 2023 general election, in Bangkok in early 2023. (Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut)Singer Rattapoom “Film” Tokongsup has resigned from the opposition Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) amid a probe into alleged extortion related to The iCon Group case. The potential clients were the chief executive officer and a major dealer of The iCon Group direct marketing company. Mr Rattapoom last week insisted on his innocence and said the potential clients consulted with him about their communications plan and had a 20-million-baht budget for it. She was arrested in Pathum Thani province on Saturday on charges of extortion and bribe solicitation concerning complaints against the business of The iCon Group, which sold dietary supplements through networks of dealers.

Grand parade for arrival of Lord Buddha’s toothListen to this articleA procession takes relics of the Lord Buddha and his chief disciples — Sariputra and Moggallana — arriving from India to a ceremonial pavilion at Sanam Luang, Bangkok, in February this year. (Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut)The government will organise a grand parade for the arrival of Lord Buddha's tooth, on loan from China, in Bangkok on Dec 4. The parade will escort the sacred tooth from Wing 6 at Don Mueang to the Maha Jessada Bodin pavilion on Ratchadamnoen Avenue, and then to Sanam Luang ground near the Grand Palace. The sacred tooth will be enshrined at Sanam Luang, where devotees will be abe to pay homage until Feb 14 next year. During the period there will be special activities at Sanam Luang, including a New Year transition prayer, New Year alms giving and ceremonies for the Lunar New Year and Makha Bucha Day.

At least 8 killed as super typhoon hits Philippines (Photo: bangkokpost.com)Hanoi (VNA) – Philippine authorities reported on November 18 that Typhoon Man-yi killed at least eight people and injured three others after landing in the country over the weekend. The storm struck Catanduanes Island on the night of November 16 before hitting Luzon Island on the afternoon of November 17, triggering flooding and landslides along its path. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured ongoing rescue operations in isolated areas and pledged aid for displaced residents lacking food preparation tools and access to clean water. Typhoon Man-yi significantly weakened as it moved through the mountainous region of Luzon, transitioning into a tropical depression as it crossed the East Sea and headed toward Vietnam on November 18. Several provinces have declared states of calamity due to the extensive damage./.

Govt speeds up rights boostListen to this articleThe Labour Ministry is speeding up its changes to the Labour Relations Act and the State Enterprise Labor Relations Act to ensure basic labour rights in the country meet international standards, says spokesman Phumipat Mueanchan. These revisions aim to support workers' rights to collective bargaining on wages, as outlined in ILO Conventions No 87 (1948) and No 98 (1949). If approved, the changes would strengthen labour rights in Thailand and address workers' fundamental demands. SSO deputy secretary-general Surasit Srikaew said 52.3% of Thailand's workforce operates in the informal sector, often without pensions or social security benefits. In addition, an MoU was signed between labour groups to promote labour rights goals, marking a collaborative milestone.

India's successful test of hypersonic missile puts it among elite groupListen to this articleNEW DELHI - India has successfully tested a domestically developed long-range hypersonic missile, it said on Sunday, attaining a key milestone in military development that puts it in a small group of nations possessing the advanced technology. The global push for hypersonic weapons figures in the efforts of some countries, such as India, which is striving to develop advanced long-range missiles, along with China, Russia and the United States. "The flight data ... confirmed the successful terminal manoeuvres and impact with high degree of accuracy," it added. The test-firing took place from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam island off the eastern coast of Odisha state on Saturday, it said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called the test a "historic achievement" in a post on X, adding that it placed India among a select group of nations possessing such critical and advanced technologies

Residents in New Delhi are facing severe health consequences as air quality reaches extremely dangerous levels. India's government is implementing measures to try reduce the toxic smog over the city but allergy sufferers are being told they must leave the world's most polluted capital to save their health.

Police say seven suspects in Yasothon sold clips to members of private online groupsPolice question one of the seven suspects arrested in Yasothon for allegedly luring boys into filming obscene videos and selling the content to a private online group. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)YASOTHON - Seven transgender women have been arrested for allegedly luring boys into filming obscene videos and selling the content to a private group. An investigation found the group lured boys at concerts in the area before taking them to commit indecent acts and secretly recording videos to post for sale in their private groups on social media, he said. Police arrested the seven suspects and seized eight mobile phones used to distribute the videos, he said. They were charged with conspiring to traffic in people by creating and distributing obscene media featuring minors.

Xi Jinping, China's president, during a bilateral meeting Dina Boluarte, Peru's president, not pictured, at the Government Palace in Lima, Peru, on Thursday. (Photo: Bloomberg)LIMA — As United States President-elect Donald Trump threatens to impose tariffs on the entire world, Xi Jinping is once again wasting no time in positioning himself as the premier defender of the international trading system. China's leader warned on Friday that the global economy was fracturing as protectionism spreads, leading to "severe challenges." For Xi, it is a role he played when Trump first rose to power in 2017. "It wasn't easy," Trudeau said of the first round of trade discussions with Trump.