Luxury goods may be subject to an import duty hike in the near future. File photoThe Customs Department is considering raising import duties on luxury goods to increase government revenue. According to Phantong Loykulnanta, the department's director-general, Thailand previously tried to position itself as a "shopping paradise" by reducing import duties on luxury goods. "We do not want to encourage Thais to purchase luxury goods," said Mr Phantong. Determining whether import duties on luxury goods will increase requires a policy discussion with the new government, he said.

Safety measures ramped up before CNYThe government has instructed local authorities across the country to ramp up safety measures ahead of the Lunar New Year festival, with a focus on preventing fires, reducing traffic accidents and curbing air pollution. Some communities have also organised firework displays, which increases both the risk of fires and air pollution, she said, adding seasonal conditions further raise the risk of fires. Community areas, businesses, buildings, transport routes and festival venues, including riverside locations, piers and passenger boats, must be checked for safety, and any threat to safety must be addressed immediately, she said. Ms Aiyarin urged event organisers to set clear safety standards and exercise caution when arranging activities involving fireworks, firecrackers and other special effects, especially indoors. Meanwhile, Pol Lt Gen Chaipot Suwanrak, deputy spokesman of the Royal Thai Police, said deputy national police chief Thatchai Pitaneelaboot has instructed police nationwide to ramp up security measures and crime prevention measures throughout the period.

At the centre of the concern is a sharp decline in working capital among hospitals under the Ministry of Public Health. "This is only the beginning of the fiscal year," Dr Pawinee said on Feb 11, following a meeting with Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat. One of the proposed changes is restructuring the board of the National Health Security Office (NHSO), which administers the UCS. Currently, service providers are represented primarily by the Permanent Secretary of Public Health. Transparency issuesBeyond reimbursement rates, the 31 organisations are also calling for a National Health Policy Board, described as a "superboard", to oversee all three national health insurance funds and align benefit packages and policy direction.

Central banks often employ the method, sometimes called jawboning, to guide commercial banks or financial institutions towards policies that stabilise the economy, such as curbing excessive lending, without formal regulations. He said stronger engagement by the central bank on lending issues could encourage banks to relax some criteria and allow viable SMEs to access funding. APPROPRIATE MOVESCommercial banks and multilateral institu- tions have expressed support for the central bank's broader role in strengthening oversight of illicit financial flows and the underground economy. The central bank's move aligns with its findings of a high correlation between gold prices and the baht, making stricter oversight by the regulator reasonable, he said. "The central bank's role is fundamentally to safeguard the country's financial system," said Nonarit Bisonyabut, research fellow at TDRI.

More compromiseFormer Democrat MP Thepthai Senapong said the PP will need to avoid taking overly hardline positions and show greater flexibility if it hopes to regain political momentum. Asked about the party's disappointing election performance, Mr Thepthai said political conditions changed public sentiment and some PP MPs elected in the last contest failed to meet constituents' expectations. "Many voters expect MPs to provide close support and assistance, which the PP didn't deliver. PP candidates tend to win when strong political momentum is on their side. Mr Thepthai said the PP still has a future but may not expand beyond its current size if the political environment holds.

Time to turn promises into action, she saysKhunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, second right, speaks at the United Nations Road Safety Leadership Roundtable in Milan, Italy, to promote road safety worldwide. International Olympic CommitteePhilanthropist Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul has joined forces with the United Nations and global sports leaders to promote road safety worldwide, urging stronger cross-sector and cross-border collaboration to turn pledges into action. The high-level forum was organised by the Office of the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, led by French motor racing executive Jean Todt, and supported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The roundtable reviewed global progress under the UN's Second Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–2030), which aims to cut road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030. Khunying Patama said road safety is a shared global responsibility requiring sustained leadership and multi-stakeholder cooperation.

NHSO advances PCV rollout for kidsAtthaporn LimpanyalertA legal affairs subcommittee has approved a draft regulation on the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), paving the way for its rollout as a new health benefit for children, says the National Health Security Office (NHSO). The next stage involves submitting the document to Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat, who chairs the National Health Security Board, for formal signing so it can take effect. "Once the pricing process is completed, the NHSO will work with the Department of Disease Control to determine target areas for the rollout," he said. The NHSO came under criticism after it resolved to introduce PCV only in selected high-risk areas under a one-year pilot project. Even at a per-dose price in the hundreds of baht, total costs exceed 1,000 baht per child, including service delivery.

PM Anutin’s party to handle security and economic affairsThe picture of caretaker Prime Minister and Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charvirakul posing for photos with supporters was posted together with his message on Facebook Sunday night. (Photo from his Facebook page)Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that in his next government, his Bhumjaithai Party will take responsibility for security and economic affairs. In his post on Facebook Sunday night, Mr Anutin who is also the leader of the Feb 8 election-winning Bhumjaithai Party wrote that Bhumjaithai would handle security affairs through diplomatic and military measures. “This is to meet the demand of fellow people who have confidence in the Bhumjaithai Party,” Mr Anutin wrote. He referred to himself, caretaker Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, caretaker Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumphun and caretaker Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak.

EC reaffirms vote secrecy amid barcode worriesA polling unit staff member holds up a party-list ballot during counting in Bangkok on Feb 8. (Photo: Reuters)The Election Commission on Sunday reaffirmed that the Feb 8 general election was run in strict compliance with the principle of “direct and secret voting”. Every stage of the process, including voters’ choices, was protected by law, the EC said, as it moved to address concerns that barcodes on ballot papers could have compromised voter confidentiality. The EC last week dismissed a petition for a recount in Chon Buri’s constituency 1, saying no evidence of irregularities was found. Members of the public who still had questions were encouraged to seek further information from the EC’s website, provincial EC offices, or the commission’s 1444 hotline.

Hat Yai tourism reels as Chinese New Year bookings plungeLocal tourism and hotel operators say slow implementation of flood relief measures has led to stagnant tourism recovery in Hat Yai following the flooding in November last year. Visitor numbers were expected to reach only 25,000, far below the usual 50,000–60,000 during peak years, according to a Matichon Online report. Sompol Cheewawattanapong, former president of the Tourist Business Federation of Songkhla, said Hat Yai still “looks like a ghost town”, with numerous businesses unable or unwilling to reopen. Operators lack confidence because earlier government promises of flood prevention and recovery support have yet to materialise,” he said. Push for revivalThe Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will host Amazing Thailand Chinese New Year 2026 from Feb 17–20, featuring cultural shows and performers from Fujian, China.

Director Sukhee Boonsang said the two false gharials were of different sizes and were spotted in the wild in the southern border province of Narathiwat in January. “The evidence shows that there are at least two false gharials in the ecosystem of the Tak Bai swamp forest. False gharials, or thin-snouted freshwater crocodiles, were indigenous in Southeast Asia and were found in southern Thailand, Malaysia and on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia, he said. In Thailand, researchers had only stories and the tracks made by false gharials to work with. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the reptile as an endangered species, on its Red List, with fewer than 2,500 fully grown false gharials recorded worldwide.

Cuba cancels cigar festival as fuel crisis escalatesCuba cancels this year's cigar festival. afpHAVANA - Cuba on Saturday announced the cancellation of its iconic cigar festival, amid a major energy crisis sparked by US pressure on the cash-strapped island. The "Festival del Habano" draws cigar enthusiasts, traders and specialized journalists from around the world and features an auction of luxury cigars and humidors. The United States cut off oil deliveries to Cuba from Havana's key ally Venezuela following the ouster of longtime president Nicolas Maduro in early January. US President Donald Trump also signed an executive order allowing his country to impose tariffs on countries selling oil to Havana.

Reports of 6 newly laid mines near CambodiaPhotos: Royal Thai NavyTRAT: Thailand’s Humanitarian Mine Action Unit has discovered six newly planted PMN-2 anti-personnel landmines in Ban Chamrak, Muang district, confirming they were recently laid by Cambodian forces. The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) spokesman Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaipan said on Sunday the mines were found on Saturday during an operation to secure the area under the “Trat Phikhat Phairi” plan. In the surrounding area, forces also uncovered three PMN-1 anti-personnel mines and one POMZ fragmentation mine. RAdm Parach said the placement of the mines constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law and anti‑landmine obligations. He added that security has been tightened in the area while clearance operations continue to ensure the safety of residents.

Athletes outrace condom supply at Winter OlympicsPhoto: Freepik and the OlympicsCompetitors at the Winter Olympics in Italy became the subject of off-colour jokes after reports emerged that the 10,000 condoms supplied to the athletes’ village ran out in just three days. According to the Italian newspaper La Stampa, organisers distributed approximately 10,000 free condoms to competitors at the 25th Winter Games in Milan and Cortina. However, the supply proved insufficient to meet demand, prompting complaints from several athletes after the supply rapidly ran out. Notably, this year's Winter Olympics has the highest proportion of women athletes in its history, at 47% - a factor observers suggest may have contributed to increased demand for protective products. Although the Winter Games host fewer than 3,000 athletes, compared with more than 14,000 athletes and officials present in Paris, the smaller scale has not prevented supply pressures, making the issue one of the most talked-about stories beyond competition at this year’s Olympics.

Seven bombs rock two Narathiwat districtsSecurity officers at the scene of one of the seven small bomb explosions on Saturday night in Yi-ngo and Rangae districts of Narathiwat. (Photos supplied)NARATHIWAT - Seven small bomb explosions were reported in Yi-ngo and Rangae districts on Saturday night and into Sunday morning, in what authorities believe was an insurgent group's attempt to stir up unrest ahead of the Muslim Ramadan fast. Several parked motorcycles were damaged, according to Pol Lt Borarn Phiteenattananon, deputy investigation chief at Yi-Ngo. Abouy 1am, another device detonated in a waste bin opposite Primary Education Service Area Office 3, also in Tanyongmat. They believe the coordinated attacks were carried out by southern separatists to incite unrest in the region ahead of this year’s Ramadan.