North Korea vow no more protests in Women's Asian CupNorth Korea have vowd no more sidelines protests in their Women's Asian Cup clash with Australia. (Photo: AFP)PERTH — North Korea pledged Thursday there will be no more sideline protests during their Women's Asian Cup quarter-final with Australia after causing a stir against China. An incensed North Korea refused to play for several minutes in their 2-1 loss to the Chinese during a group game on Monday. Australia's Sam Kerr is the only player left from the match, with North Korea now boasting a young and physical side. They are looking to build on defending their Women's U17 World Cup title in Morocco last year, which came on the heels of winning the U20 World Cup in Colombia in 2024.

(Photo: DBD)Authorities have named six firms suspected of running foreign-controlled coconut businesses through Thai nominees, while preparing legal amendments to close regulatory loopholes. The firms identified were Easy Coconut Co, Longman Coconut Co, Fly Coconut Co, You Xian Yuan (Thailand) Co, Thai Choengta Trading Co and He Taisheng International Co.Investigators also found evidence implicating 17 individuals, including 10 Thai nationals and seven foreigners believed to be involved in the operations. Instead, foreign investors were found to control core business operations, including purchasing decisions, price-setting and logistics management. He said the investors set coconut purchase prices below normal market rates while transferring profits to overseas investors. Meanwhile, the Office of the Ombudsman signalled plans to push for legal amendments to better address nominee arrangements and prevent foreign investors from dominating agricultural businesses.

Iran targets fuel facilities, sending oil soaring againUS and Israeli strikes have caused heavy damage in Iran, including the capital Tehran. (Photo: AFP)TEHRAN - Iran launched a new wave of attacks against Gulf energy targets on Thursday, hours after two oil tankers were hit, sending crude prices soaring again despite record reserve releases. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, insisted Iran was facing imminent defeat, though he cautioned that did not mean the war would end “immediately”. Iran has vowed that not one litre of oil will be exported from the Gulf while the US-Israeli attack continues. The energy body said Wednesday that its members had agreed to unlock 400 million barrels of oil, including 172 million from the United States.

Contractor faces blacklist in PhraeThe 539-million-baht government complex as seen in January last year. (Photo courtesy of Public Relations Department)Authorities in Phrae province are preparing to blacklist a contractor, including China Railway No 10 (Thailand), after work on a 539-million-baht government complex was abandoned. A clarification released by the provincial administration on Tuesday addressed reports that the contractor had removed vehicles, workers and equipment from the construction site of the Phrae Provincial Government Centre project. Governor Somchai Lertprasittiphan shared the statement on social media on Wednesday following public concerns that the contractor had left the site unfinished. Authorities are now consulting the provincial public prosecutor to terminate the contract under the Public Procurement and Supplies Administration Act.

Checkpoints, air strikes and hope: a Tehran resident’s storyPeople shop for produce at a bazaar in Tehran on March 10, 2026. (Photo: AFP)Torn between hope and fear, a Tehran resident in her 30s agrees to share her thoughts with AFP about the ongoing war and daily life. But I heard from a friend that at one petrol station, they capped it at five litres. “No to a ceasefire!”, “War, war, until victory!”: we keep repeating these phrases among ourselves. But I have a friend in Tehran-Pars (a suburb northeast of Tehran), she takes sleeping pills because of the noise.

(Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)The Office of the Ombudsman is reviewing 40 complaints related to the Feb 8 general election and will determine whether any cases should be forwarded to the Constitutional Court, Chief Ombudsman Songsak Saicheua said on Wednesday. The complaints are under consideration, along with the responses submitted by the Election Commission (EC). Mr Songsak said it remains unclear whether the complaints will be submitted to the Constitutional Court individually or grouped together. Of the 40 complaints received, around 20 involve alleged violations of civil rights and freedoms, while more than 10 concern grievances suffered by voters. Meanwhile, Ombudsman Pol Gen Sarayut Sa-nganphokhai said the EC secretary-general has submitted an explanation regarding complaints about barcodes and QR codes printed on ballot papers.

BEIJING - China was set to approve Thursday what it called an "ethnic unity" law, which rights advocates warn could further marginalise minority groups like the Uyghurs. Social cohesion is a key focus of the new "ethnic unity" law, which criminalises engaging in "violent terrorist activities, ethnic separatist activities, or religious extremist activities". The proposed law says it aims to "strengthen cohesion" within China, which the legislation argues is undergoing unprecedented social change. China officially recognises 55 official ethnic minorities within its borders that speak hundreds of languages and dialects. While it calls for "strengthening ties" with overseas Chinese communities, it also warns that people outside China who "engage in activities that undermine ethnic unity" or inciting "ethnic separatism" will be held legally liable.

Health volunteers deny Chuan's vote-buying claimsChuan LeekpaiThe Village Health Volunteer Club of Thailand has defended the integrity of more than one million village health volunteers, rejecting claims that the network has been used by candidates as a vote-buying tool in elections. Amarin Nimnuan, president of the club, said references suggesting that health volunteers were widely used in election misconduct could lead to misunderstandings about their role. More than one million volunteers nationwide carry out their duties with honesty and ethical standards and are not involved in political activities or actions that violate election laws, he said. Mr Chuan earlier claimed that vote-buying operations in the 2026 election had used health volunteers to collect money from households under their care, allegedly distributing around 1,000 baht per household in exchange for votes -- an act he described as illegal and unethical. He said he had written to the permanent secretary of the Health Ministry, urging authorities to protect village health volunteers from being exploited for political purposes.

Klatham ready for oppositionThamanat PrompowThe Klatham Party is ready to take on an opposition role and could cooperate with the People's Party despite past conflicts, says its chief adviser Thamanat Prompow. The former deputy prime minister said on Wednesday that politicians must be prepared to serve in any role -- whether in government or opposition -- while prioritising the public interest. "People who once worked together may go separate ways, but that does not mean they must become enemies." His remarks came amid reports the Bhumjaithai Party has secured enough support to form the next government, leaving Klatham outside the coalition. Asked whether Klatham could work with the opposition People's Party, which had previously criticised him, Capt Thamanat said political cooperation should be based on public benefit rather than personal disputes.

Amata City Chon Buri, an industrial estate operated by Amata Corporation. SET-listed Amata Corporation, an industrial estate developer, is preparing a major expansion across Southeast Asia, announcing plans to invest 10 billion baht to develop and upgrade industrial estates in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. The company set an ambitious target to sell 2,800 rai of industrial land in 2026. Amata VN Plc, a subsidiary of Amata Corporation, earlier announced it received Vietnamese government approval to develop its fifth industrial estate in Phu Tho province. The company also announced an organisational restructuring to reinforce its financial position and sustain growth across the three Southeast Asian countries.

The Trump administration is launching separate investigations centred on overproduction and importing goods made with forced labour, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters. Many of the countries targeted have already concluded tariff agreements with Washington, which Greer said are “independent” of the investigations. “If we need to impose tariffs to help solve this, we will.”Others subject to the excess capacity probe initiated Wednesday include Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan and Mexico. The investigation “will focus on economies that we have evidence appear to exhibit structural excess capacity and production in various manufacturing sectors,” Greer said. The second probe linked to forced labour was expected to be announced on Thursday and would impact roughly 60 partners, Greer said.

North Korea releases image of leader’s daughter firing pistolNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter Kim Ju Ae test-fires a new pistol at a shooting gallery at a munitions factory in an undisclosed location on March 11, 2026. (Photo: KCNA via AFP)SEOUL - North Korea released an image on Thursday of leader Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter firing a pistol, weeks after photos showed her shooting a rifle — once again stoking speculation she is being groomed as heir. Pyongyang’s state media released an image of Ju Ae firing what looked like a pistol with one eye closed, flames shooting from the muzzle of the gun. State media images showed the duo, donning matching leather jackets — often seen as a symbol of power in North Korea — being briefed by officials as they inspected the facility. The Kim family has ruled North Korea with an iron grip for decades, and a cult of personality surrounding their “Paektu bloodline” dominates daily life in the isolated country.

Evolving market calls for agile approach to investment and development, according to CBRE ThailandProperty developers and investors in Thailand must strategically balance risk and reward amid persistent market uncertainties this year, according to property consultancy CBRE Thailand. This new supply growth is projected to outpace tenant absorption, causing average occupancy rates to soften to less than 90%. Condo MarketThe residential condo sector's consistent balance of risk and reward is expected to persist in 2026. Prime office assetsThe office market will remain active in 2026 and tenants will continue to benefit from favourable market conditions, noted CBRE. As a result of limited new supply, occupancy rates in prime buildings are expected to improve.

“While many countries are adopting the Travel Rule, the exact design varies widely across jurisdictions. The initiative aims to ensure that digital asset operators maintain sufficient data to support transaction monitoring and risk management, particularly in relation to money laundering. Digital asset businesses would also be required to establish risk management measures related to both sending and receiving digital asset transfers in accordance with regulatory requirements. Preventive measuresPornanong Budsaratragoon, secretary-general of the SEC, said the proposed framework will enable digital asset operators to access data that is crucial for identifying suspicious transactions and preventing digital assets from being used in cybercrimes. “The approach focuses on preventive supervision, aiming to reduce risks before damage occurs by raising regulatory standards for digital asset businesses,” said Mrs Pornanong.

"Despite the Supreme Court ruling, some existing duties still affect the industry," said Victor Cheng, chief executive of the manufacturer and exporter of power supply, electronic components and equipment. For Delta Thailand, we remain in close communication with our customers and suppliers while monitoring developments to ensure we can respond quickly to market changes, maintaining dependable execution." "There is no immediate impact on Delta as tariff treatments are addressed in our customer agreements. AI AND DATA CENTRESPhatipak Navawatana, an analyst with Krungsri Securities, said the main revenue driver for Delta is power electronics directly linked with AI and cloud data centres. The products include advanced power management (power supply for data centre buildings and their servers) and liquid cooling solutions designed for GPU/AI workloads.