Deal volume in real estate capital market best since 2020Listen to this articleA tourism recovery, portfolio diversification and renewed investor confidence drove the real estate capital market in 2025. Bangkok's real estate capital market remained active in 2025, recording its highest deal volume since the pandemic, driven by a recovery in tourism, portfolio diversification and renewed investor confidence, according to property consultancy CBRE Thailand. Roongrat Veeraparkkaroon, managing director of the consultancy, said capital market activity gained momentum last year. Barnaby Swainson, head of capital markets, said 2025 was the strongest year since 2020, with most transactions involving hotels, followed by offices. "We are at the start of a new cycle," Mr Swainson said.

E-commerce sector backs low-value goods tax hikeListen to this articleE-commerce entrepreneurs support the Customs Department's suggestion to raise the import duty rate on low-value goods to promote fairer competition between domestically produced goods and imported products. Mr Paul said many foreign sellers ship low-value goods into Thailand without paying either a fair import duty or a corporate income tax, while Thai businesses fully comply with all regulatory costs. "Revisiting the low-value goods duty threshold is a smart policy direction," he said. A new tax rate must be implemented at the platform and seller levels so fairness improves without disproportionately hurting consumers, he said. Thanawat Malabuppha, chief executive of Priceza, a marketing and e-commerce platform, said he consistently supported the cancellation of the tax exemption for low-value imported goods.

Port go berserk as Angels and Rabbits drop pointsListen to this articlePort's Kaka Mendes, left, celebrates his goal with teammates. Port produced a ruthless display as they thrashed Sukhothai 5-0 in a Thai League 1 encounter at PAT Stadium on Saturday night. Kaka Mendes opened the scoring after 10 minutes before Noboru Shimura doubled the lead six minutes later. Bangkok United were held 1-1 at home by Kanchanaburi Power at True BG Stadium. Chayapipat Supunpasuch stunned the hosts with a first-half strike, but Philipe Maia levelled early in the second period to ensure a share of the points.

Customs mulls higher import duty rateListen to this articleUp to 200 million parcels of low-value goods are imported in Thailand annually, with more than 95% of orders placed through online platforms. The Customs Department is considering raising the import duty rate on goods with a low value and applying a single, uniform rate to promote fairer competition between domestically produced goods and imported products. According to Phantong Loykulnanta, director-general of the department, the current import duty rates on low-value goods, which vary across multiple bands but average around 10%, are considered too low. Collecting import duties on low-value goods at an average rate of 10% may be insufficient. All imported goods, regardless of origin, valued from 1 baht or more are subject to import duties according to their respective tariff classifications.

"Security and geopolitical reasons could be used to design trade policies, which could heighten uncertainty in global trade. Heightened geopolitical risks tend to raise the costs of trade, logistics and insurance premiums, with many investors and businesses likely to delay their decisions, which in turn affects global trade sentiment. Global trade may experience greater economic decoupling as countries choose sides or attempt to maintain a balanced approach, he said. Uncertainty will become the new normal for global trade," said Mr Dhanakorn. If global oil prices remain low, Russia cannot earn as much money from its oil exports, affecting its financial support of military operations," he said.

Listen to this articleDiners enjoy Hainanese chicken rice at a Hat Yai restaurant. "Tourists visiting the area are experiencing a quieter environment than usual, and local hotels are still in the recovery phase," Mr Sorrajak said. Moreover, the non-registered workforce, which is crucial to the province's economy, has yet to return to normal levels, said Mr Sorrajak. "Some operators who have leases about to expire are considering whether to reopen or close for good," said Mr Sorrajak. The authorities can help restaurateurs in the area by organising events to increase consumption, said Mr Sorrajak.

Listen to this articleThailand is heading towards another national referendum on constitutional change, to coincide with the next general election on Feb 8. In the 2007 referendum, 14,727,306 voters approved the draft constitution, while 10,747,441 rejected it. In the 2016 referendum, voters were asked two questions. In each referendum, voters had a completed draft to study before being asked simply to approve or reject it. Importantly, the constitution and the Referendum Act allow citizens, political parties, civil society organisations and other groups to campaign freely for or against the referendum.

He is followed closely by Mr Anutin, the Bhumjaithai Party leader, on 20.84%. Undecided voters account for 14.12%, while Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and Pheu Thai candidate Yodchanan Wongsawat received 12.12% and 9.64% respectively. Pheu Thai candidates were in the third with 15.72% for constituency MP candidates and 15.44% for party-list positions. Both Mr Natthaphong and Mr Anutin continue to play central roles in shaping Thailand's electoral landscape. Meanwhile, Pheu Thai Party prime ministerial candidate Yodchanan Wongsawat campaigned in Lat Krabang, Bangkok, alongside the party's Constituency 20 candidate, Teerarat Samretwanit.

Danish PM says Greenland showdown at 'decisive moment' after new Trump threatsListen to this articleDenmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has issued a new warning over GreenlandCOPENHAGEN - Denmark's Prime Minister said Sunday that her country faces a "decisive moment" in its diplomatic battle over Greenland after US President Donald Trump again suggested using force to seize the Arctic territory. Ahead of meetings in Washington from Monday on the global scramble for key raw materials, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that "there is a conflict over Greenland". "This is a decisive moment" with stakes that go beyond the immediate issue of Greenland's future, she added in a debate with other Danish political leaders. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson condemned US "threatening rhetoric" after Trump repeated that Washington was "going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not". A Danish colony until 1953, Greenland gained home rule 26 years later and is contemplating eventually loosening its ties with Denmark.

Erich von Daniken, author who popularised ancient‑alien theories, dies at 90Listen to this articleErich von Daniken on his 90th birthday. ZURICH - Best-selling Swiss author ‍Erich von Daniken, ‍who built a lucrative career on his argument, rubbished by scientists and archaeologists, that humanity owes much of its development to the intervention of extraterrestrials, has died aged 90. Academics wrote books refuting his theories, criticising him as a purveyor of some of the more fantastical notions of pseudoscience. Such ‌criticism ‍never knocked von Daniken off his stride. - Alien return -In a treatise on his website, von Daniken said he was not an esoteric, and that his work served to debunk "a world of religious and unfortunately often scientific humbugs".

Syria govt forces take control of Aleppo's Kurdish neighbourhoodsListen to this articleSome residents were able to return on Sunday to their neighbourhoods in Aleppo, where Kurdish fighters had clashed with government forces for daysALEPPO (SYRIA) - Syria's government was in full control of Aleppo on Sunday after taking over the city's Kurdish neighbourhoods and evacuating fighters there to Kurdish autonomous areas following days of deadly clashes. The Syrian official said that 300 other Kurds, including fighters and members of the domestic security forces, had been arrested. Yahya al-Sufi, a 49-year-old clothing seller, told AFP he had fled during the violence. Sheikh Maqsud, however, remained off limits, with no one allowed to enter, an interior ministry source told AFP. Turkey has launched successive offensives to push Kurdish forces from the frontier.

UTN vows cost relief, rejects graftListen to this articleUTN leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga in Bung Kum district, Bangkok, on Sunday. (Photo: United Thai Nation Party)The United Thai Nation (UTN) Party has highlighted cost-of-living relief as core policy and rejected grey capital. Mr Pirapan led the party’s campaign team to Boonniyom Santi Asoke Market in Bangkok on Sunday. He also underscored plans to promote the domestic defence industry to create jobs and develop Thai technology. Separately, Mr Pirapan met ACM Manat Wongwat, president of the Defence Industry Association, to discuss the development of the security and defence industries and held talks with defence industry representatives to advance policies aimed at building a domestic security industry alongside pursuing economic development.

(Bangkok Post)Unsafe levels of ultrafine dust blanketed 27 of the 50 districts of Bangkok on Sunday, with Pathum Wan the worst affected, the Bangkok Air Quality Information Centre said. Dust levels in all areas were expected to rise further. In the coming week into Jan 16, air flow in Bangkok is expected to further weaken, trapping more dust in the city. The air quality centre expected haze levels to ease around Jan 17-18. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration advised government and private sector employees to work from home if possible on Monday and Tuesday, which would also reduce congestion and the level of dust caused by vehicle emissions.

Bombs, arson at 11 PTT petrol stations in deep SouthListen to this articleFire destroys a bombed PTT petrol station in Cho Airong district, Narathiwat, early Sunday morning. (Photo: Public Relations Department)Eleven PTT petrol stations were attacked with fire and bombs in three southern border provinces early Sunday morning. The Internal Security Operations Command said that "people with ill intention" attacked 11 petrol stations. The Cho Airong outlet had been open only a few months. People in the region were advised avoid petrol stations for the time being.

Night curfew in Narathiwat, border controls tightenedListen to this articleFire destroys one of the 11 PTT petrol stations that were attacked across three southern border provinces early Sunday morning. (Photo supplied)NARATHIWAT - A night curfew has been imposed in Narathiwat and security tightened at border crossings with Malaysia following the bombings at 11 petrol stations across three southern border provinces early Sunday morning. The restriction on movement was announced on Sunday by Maj Gen Yod-arwut Puengpakdee, commander of the Narathiwat Task Force, who invoked powers under the Martial Law Act. The arson and bombings in Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala has led to security agencies stepping up preventive measures. Stricter controls have been ordered at all Thai-Malaysian border checkpoints in Narathiwat, mainly heightened screening of vehicles, travellers and goods.