Seoul-based Bithumb says it has recovered 99% of assets after promotion that went awryCryptocurrency prices and charts are displayed at a Bithumb exchange office in Seoul on Feb 6, 2025. (Photo: Bloomberg)SEOUL - The South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb said on Saturday that it had accidentally ‌given away more than $40 ​billion worth of bitcoins to customers as promotional rewards, triggering a sharp selloff on the exchange. Bithumb apologised for the mistake, which ‌took place on Friday, and said it had recovered 99.7% of the 620,000 bitcoins, worth about $44 ‌billion at current prices. Bitcoin prices briefly slumped 17% to 81.1 ⁠million won on Friday evening on Bithumb, ​charts from the exchange show. Bithumb trails Upbit, a ​dominant player in the South Korean crypto space.

In a Cambodian compound with rooms designed to look like Singapore and Australia police offices, papers were strewn across desks and floors: the detritus of a fraud factory abandoned in haste. Reuters visited the bombed-out compound near the Thai-Cambodian border, which offers one of the clearest windows yet into the industrial-scale fraud that has fleeced billions of dollars from victims globally.

Health workers monitor images of passengers at a temperature-screening station set up at Suvarnabhumi Airport in late January in response to reports of Nipah virus cases in India. (Photo: Department of Disease Control)The World Health Organization said ‌on Friday that a woman ​had died in northern Bangladesh in January after contracting the deadly Nipah virus infection. The case in Bangladesh, where Nipah cases are reported almost every year, follows two Nipah virus cases identified ‌in neighbouring India, which has already prompted stepped-up airport screenings across Asia. The patient in Bangladesh, aged between 40 and 50 years, developed symptoms consistent ‌with Nipah virus on Jan 21, including fever and headache followed by hypersalivation, disorientation and convulsion, the WHO added. In 2025, four laboratory-confirmed fatal cases were reported in Bangladesh.

Korn questions Bhumjaithai's policy transparencyKorn Chatikavanij, a Democrat Party prime ministerial candidate, centre, listens to a woman as he helped campaign for party constituency MP Apimuk Chantavanich, right, at Rungcharoen market in Yannawa district, Bangkok on Jan 9. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)Korn Chatikavanij, a Democrat Party prime ministerial candidate, has questioned the transparency of the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) after it submitted just eight policies to the Election Commission (EC) for review. Mr Korn took to Facebook on Friday to question why the documents submitted to the EC by BJT consisted of only eight policies, which he said contradicted the pledges made by the party during the campaign. The Democrat deputy leader also said the matter was not only a legal issue but an ethical one, arguing that important policies should be disclosed to the public for scrutiny. Mr Korn said national mega-projects that were heavily promoted during the campaign -- such as the Land Bridge project, the Andaman Airport, the Hat Yai ring road and the expansion of the Rama I canal -- were missing from the documents submitted to the EC.

Army denies election interference claimsThe army has denied claims of election interference, confirming there will be no polling stations within military compounds. Royal Thai Army (RTA) spokesman Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree said yesterday that measures are being taken by military units nationwide to support the upcoming election. He said army chief Gen Phana Klaewplodthuk has encouraged all personnel to exercise their voting and referendum rights under the democratic system, based on personal discretion and without any guidance or interference. Maj Gen Winthai added that while fewer political parties are discrediting the military compared with the 2023 election, such tactics still persist and are viewed as outdated and unconstructive. The RTA spokesman urged public figures to present information based on facts and avoid communication that could distort public understanding or damage the credibility of any institution.

For conservative voters whose overriding priority is to stop the People’s Party at all costs rather than defend a particular legacy, Bhumjaithai offers a fresher and, crucially, more electable option. Many conservative voters now openly discuss the risk of vote-splitting — a scenario in which Palang Pracharath and UTN candidates divide the conservative vote, allowing PP to win seats with a plurality rather than a majority. Instead of consolidating behind a single ultra-right party, conservative voters are recalibrating around perceived winnability at the constituency level — a calculation that favours Bhumjaithai. In that contest, Bhumjaithai has emerged not just as another conservative party, but as the conservative party most capable of holding back an orange wave — a distinction that may prove decisive in several constituencies. The remaining seats are likely to be shared among smaller parties, including Palang Pracharath, Thai Ruam Palang Isan, Prachachart, United Thai Nation and Thai Sang Thai.

The restaurant industry continues to face several challenges this year, as tourism has not fully recovered, labour shortages persist and costs remain high. The Economic Intelligence Center (EIC) of Siam Commercial Bank forecasts restaurant industry growth of 3.2% this year, following an estimated uptick of 3.3% in 2025. The report also highlighted industry challenges, particularly rising costs, including increases in the daily minimum wage and higher expenses related to integrating technology into business operations. According to the EIC, limited-service restaurants such as fast food and shabu-shabu chains are expected to continue expanding, with projected growth of 2.7% in 2026. However, full-service restaurants are expected to face more challenges than other types of restaurants because customers remain cautious about spending, said the EIC.

Protect your human rights at city hallDo you feel like you don't have any rights anymore? Around the world, nations are ignoring, trampling, and cancelling the human rights enshrined in their constitutions. In the 21st century, cities have increasingly asserted residents' local rights and added bills of rights to their governing documents. This surge in urban constitutionalism began with a 2000 conference near Paris that produced the European Charter for Safeguarding Human Rights in the City. In 2012, the Human Rights Charter of Gwangju, South Korea, became Asia's first such city constitution, establishing rights to freedom of thought, happiness, and labour.

The Feb 8 poll is the 28th general election since the country adopted a constitutional monarchy in 1932, marking 94 years of parliamentary democracy. Of the 500 MPs, 400 are elected directly from constituencies on a winner-takes-all basis, while 100 party-list seats are allocated proportionally based on nationwide votes. Pheu Thai followed with 141 seats (112 constituency MPs and 28 party-list MPs) and 10.9 million party-list votes. Bhumjaithai (BJT) secured 71 seats but saw relatively weak party-list support, or only three party-list MPs. The Central region has 90 seats, previously led by the PP, with the BJT and Pheu Thai challenging this time.

EC chairman Narong Klanwarin on Friday addressed public concerns over alleged irregularities during advance voting on Feb 1. Mr Narong said the EC was monitoring allegations of vote-buying nationwide but had refrained from public comment to avoid affecting parties with vested interests. He insisted the EC was not ignoring complaints and would act on all credible information. Pasakorn Siripakhayaporn, the EC's deputy secretary-general, explained that votes will be counted simultaneously for constituency MPs, party-list MPs and the referendum. Separately, social media has circulated a video allegedly showing vote-buying in Constituency 9 of Khon Kaen's Phon district.

Overseas votes arrive for countAll overseas ballots for the 2026 general election have arrived in Thailand and were distributed to electoral districts on Thursday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Mungkorn Pratoomkaew, Consular Affairs Department director-general, said all ballots cast abroad had reached Thailand Post headquarters in Lak Si. The MFA reported that 122,674 of the 139,810 registered overseas voters cast ballots, representing a turnout of 87.74 per cent. Australia, the US, Japan, the UK and Germany had the highest number of overseas voters. Meanwhile, 95,975 Thai nationals covering 135 countries registered to vote in the referendum: 63 conducting on-site voting, 63 using mail-in ballots and 62 operating mobile units.

Chinese tech firm chooses Thailand for overseas plantMr Ekniti, centre, and Narit Therdsteerasukdi of the Board of Investment, right, meet with Mr Li at Davos. Hesai Technology, a global leader in light detection and ranging (LiDAR) solutions and intelligent vehicle navigation systems, says Thailand will host its first manufacturing base outside China. Mr Ekniti said Hesai confirmed Thailand will be its first LiDAR manufacturing base outside China, as Thailand seeks to become a trusted hub for advanced technology industries. Hesai Technology is the world's largest LiDAR technology provider, holding around one-third of the global market. Hesai Technology's investment project was selected under the Thailand FastPass investment facilitation programme to accelerate procedures, facilitate operations, and remove implementation bottlenecks to ensure investments can be realised promptly.

Asian shares steady after earlier tech-led sell-offRECAP: Asian equities regained some stability yesterday after early losses, indicating that selling pressure may be easing following a tech rout that battered Wall Street for three days amid unease about an AI bubble. Foreign investors were net buyers of 7.57 billion baht, followed by brokerage firms at 856.04 million. Retail investors were net sellers of 5.64 billion baht, followed by institutional investors at 2.79 billion. TikTok has confirmed a long-term investment plan in Thailand worth 270 billion baht, according to caretaker finance minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas. Electronics investment applications rose 121% to 24.3 billion baht, with automotive and parts rising 57% to 28.3 billion.

Bureau seeks 10% growth for exhibitions marketMrs Supawan says TCEB wants to grow revenue from meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions by 10% this year. Amid economic uncertainty, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) targets 10% growth for the Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) segment this year, with 163 billion baht in revenue and 29.4 million participants. Supawan Teerarat, president of TCEB, said 10% growth would be a major achievement, considering the stagnant economy and geopolitical challenges. In terms of spending, the domestic market is expected to generate 92 billion baht in revenue and the international market 71 billion. Thailand ranked first among Mice destinations in Asia, according to the Asia Mice Destination Index 2025.

Starting from Jan 1 this year, all goods ordered online and imported into Thailand are subject to both import duty and value-added tax (VAT). The Customs Department eliminated the minimum tax-exempt value (de minimis value), which was 1,500 baht. Industry observers and online shoppers are looking to see if prices for products ordered on online platforms will increase. However, online platforms that import goods for sale in Thailand are expected to adapt to retain their customer base amid intense competition. For example, the US previously set the de minimis threshold at $800, but abolished the de minimis tax exemption from Aug 29, 2025.