New plan to secure gold shopsThe police have pledged to step up security measures in a bid to prevent robberies at gold shops across the capital, as surging prices in recent weeks resulted in increased interest from criminals. The pledge was made following a meeting between senior officials from the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) and representatives from the Gold Traders Association, as well as individual gold shop operators. Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, deputy national police chief overseeing cybercrime suppression, said out of the 1,129 gold shops in Bangkok, 435 are classified as highly secure or "green" outlets. Meanwhile, 547 are rated medium-security or "yellow" and 147 are considered low-security ("red"), with limited safeguards and unsafe locations. The measures include improved physical security protocols to reduce opportunities for theft, such as additional CCTV surveillance and ordering shop staff to be more vigilant while on duty.

Election Commission (EC) officials hold a press briefing to clarify the recount of advance and overseas ballots in Pathum Thani's Constituency 7, which was prompted by complaints from students observing the vote count process. The clarification followed widespread confusion on social media, where claims circulated that Bhumjaithai had initially led but was overtaken by the PP after the recount. After negotiations lasting more than six hours, officials agreed to conduct a new count, allowing students to participate under supervision. Pian Marasri, head of the political investigation at Pathum Thani's EC office, said his office had received complaints that election staff prevented public observation. Provincial officials forwarded the case to the central EC, which approved the recount.

Bhumjaithai PartyThai foreign policy was elevated to a high priority on the policy platforms of many political parties during Sunday's general election. During the campaign, numerous debates focused on foreign policy -- something that was rare in previous electoral contests. For the time being, only the Bhumjaithai Party and the People's Party (PP) are seriously pushing their foreign policy agendas. To understand the present dynamics of Thai foreign policy, it is important to briefly recap developments under the short-lived Anutin administration. Whatever form Thai foreign policy takes, a sense of national survival runs deep among diplomats and policymakers.

The case of the disappearing senior generalsArmies can be used against both against foreigners abroad and against citizens at home, but the two roles require quite different equipment and tactics. Slowly at first, but now in a rush, the senior command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been purged of its highest-ranking generals. It's not like Stalin's great purge of Soviet generals in 1937-38, just before the Second World War, when at least 780 generals were shot. The Chinese generals are not being executed, although many are ending up in jail. Speaking of which, have you noticed how many American generals have been removed from office in the past year?

From conflict to shared prosperityA file photo dated June 1, 2015, shows brisk cross-border trade between Thailand and Cambodia, before fighting erupted in 2025. BloombergThe news from the front line, the border between Cambodia and Thailand, has a depressing familiarity. In both cases, I did not go where there was a significant risk of being caught up in conflict or violence. The Cambodia-Thai border conflict illustrates how tourism requires peace. There are many factors affecting tourism in both countries, but the border conflict was undoubtedly one of them.

Pet food maker i-Tail targets innovation for revenue growthMr Pahk said the company's innovation direction is anchored in "science-based nutrition designed to help pets live longer and healthier lives". The global pet nutraceutical market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.1% from 2026, reaching US$8.84 billion by 2031. In response, i-Tail plans to expand its innovation scope into supplements, nutraceutical products and personalised diets by 2030, moving beyond traditional pet food into targeted health solutions. ITC works closely with leading global pet food brands as a co-creator, participating from the early concept stage of product development. This is supported by Thai Union's broader innovation system, including the i-Cattery research facility, the Global PetCare Innovation Center and the Global Innovation Center.

Caught in purgatory, the car remains physically intact yet fated to be dismantled. In this context, the car functions as an analogue for the human body; a form that retains traces of use and memory. Running until Feb 28, Act I began with "Forever Love" last Friday, a funeral for a car, where sound and performance served as guides for its passage. During this period, the car remains intact for one last fleeting moment. In this second phase, the car will be reduced to its constituent parts -- a decomposed mechanical body laid out like an excavated burial.

An exhibition by Diana Sanchez explores female bodies as sites of contestation. Spanning paintings, sculptural objects and other media, "Anatomy Of Inheritance" delves into struggle upon female bodies. In this exhibition, female bodies are not only individual -- they are historical. Personal experience intertwines with the broader history. Like human bodies, fragile pieces of furniture are repositories of secrets.

Following the Siamese Revolution, the country held its first general election and only indirect vote on Nov 15, 1933. Running throughout last week ahead of Sunday's general election, it charted the course of election posters and other media at key moments in politics. Photos: Thana BoonlertElection campaigns are the means by which political parties and candidates canvass for votes ahead of the poll. "Due to multiple constraints, election posters will wane," said Asst Prof Pitch Pongsawat, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University. Asst Prof Pitch said limited access to voters in fenced homes and condominiums necessitated political parties to run online campaigns.

He said the state agencies' goal is to move from a nation that builds buildings to a nation that builds systems. However, 70–80% of state agencies still need to shift from manual, paper-based work processes to digitalised ones. Network infrastructure remains the backbone of the digital state, facilitating seamless data transmission and inter-agency connectivity, while supporting critical database upgrades. This should boost state agencies' tech spending to enhance their e-services and apps. The state agencies continue to purchase physical servers, instead of using public cloud services, Mr Woraphop said.

Pheu Thai loses all Chiang Mai seats in shock defeatPheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate Yodchanan Wongsawat campaigns for votes in Chiang Mai on Jan 30. Pheu Thai PartyThe Shinawatra family's stronghold crumbled in Sunday's election as the Pheu Thai Party lost all seats in its Chiang Mai heartland. Pheu Thai failed to retain a single seat in the province, losing all 10 constituencies. These results underscored the diminishing electoral influence of Pheu Thai in northern constituency races. Pheu Thai lost multiple seats in key provinces such as Khon Kaen and Roi Et.

Thailand's major banks target modest loan growth in 2026Major domestic banks have set modest loan growth targets for 2026 in line with the slower pace of the Thai economy, while maintaining a selective approach to new lending. Kasikornbank (KBank) targets total loan growth of 0-2% in 2026, while SCB X expects low- to mid-single-digit growth. KBank's loan growth target for 2026 is set at 0-2% year-on-year, in line with the outlook for economic growth and ongoing uncertainties. Ms Duangdao said corporate lending would be another key driver of the bank's loan growth this year, with a target growth rate of 3-4%. Regarding the net profit of the six D-SIBs in 2025, Bangkok Bank posted 46 billion baht, Krungthai Bank 48.2 billion baht, KBank 49.5 billion baht, SCB X 47.4 billion baht, Krungsri 31.7 billion baht and ttb 20.6 billion baht.

Urgent priorities of the new government are to ease the cost-of-living burden on the public, find markets for SME products and push ahead with policies promised during the election campaign, economists say. According to Mr Kiatanantha, the most urgent task of the new administration is to support people affected by the economic slowdown. He added that another urgent policy priority is to assist small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are facing liquidity problems. For example, one party could oversee a cluster of five key economic ministries, while another could take charge of three ministries related to quality-of-life issues. This would also make it easier for each coalition party to communicate its achievements to the public, such as being responsible for improving people's quality of life.

Thai firms chase LNG deals as worldwide prices declineAn LNG receiving terminal in Map Ta Phut, Rayong. Thailand's leading energy companies are moving to lock in long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) contracts as global prices are forecast to decline, in a bid to shield consumers from volatile electricity bills. Officials say the next few years will be critical as a surge in global LNG supply is expected to drive prices down. Gas remains a key fuel for Thailand's power generation, but domestic supply is shrinking. Long-term contracts, by contrast, offer predictable pricing and reduce exposure to sudden market swings.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has rolled out an aggressive strategy to restore the appeal of Thai equities, as the market faces shrinking liquidity, intensifying regional competition and persistent concerns among both domestic and foreign investors. EASING LIQUIDITY STRAINSLiquidity in the Thai stock market has declined considerably from the historical average daily turnover of 50–60 billion baht. According to Mr Asadej, the Thai market is currently trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of around 14 times, down from 15–16 times in previous years. In a notable positive development, large Chinese companies, particularly Changan Automobile Group, have expressed interest in listing on the Thai stock exchange. Together, these elements are seen as critical to repositioning Thailand's stock market as a compelling investment destination in the region once again, he noted.