Australia’s federal government announced last month that it plans to ban younger teenagers from using social media — a move that would be a world-first if successfully rolled out.

The conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah is breaking up families, as people flee Lebanon for safety and a better future. Some 270,000 residents of Lebanon had fled across the border into Syria, the United Nations refugee agency chief said, as he warned on Monday the world needed better solutions for the unprecedented displacement crisis it's now facing.

Revised contract now readyProposed contract revisions for the high-speed rail project connecting three airports are expected to be submitted to the cabinet within two weeks, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said. The original contract was signed in 2019 by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and Asia Era One, a Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group subsidiary. Last Friday, the EEC Policy Committee approved proposed revisions to five key points in the contract. Under the original contract, when the private sector operates the high-speed train, the government would pay a total of 149.65 billion baht in instalments. The private sector must also provide additional guarantees beyond the original contract, totalling 160 billion baht, to ensure that the high-speed train is constructed and operational within five years.

Kunlavut moves coolly into last 16Listen to this articleKunlavut Vitidsarn will play Koki Watanabe in the last 16. (Photo supplied)Kunlavut Vitidsarn stormed into the men's singles last 16 of the US$850,000 BWF Denmark Open in Odense on Tuesday. Kunlavut, the Paris Olympics silver medallist, cruised past Mads Christophersen of Denmark 21-18, 21-6 in just 36 minutes to book his berth in the last 16 round of the World Tour Super 750 event. Pornpawee Chochuwong and Busanan Ongbamrungphan are also in the women's singles draw and will play their first round matches on Wednesday. Thuy Linh will play seventh seed Supanida Katethong of Thailand or Aakarshi Kashyap of India in the last 16.

Listen to this articlePeople who say they suffered financial damage because of the practices of The iCon Group file complaints with the Consumer Protection Police Division in Bangkok. The assets seized consisted of money in stock trading accounts, current accounts, savings accounts and digital asset trading accounts, the statement said. Apart from the company and CEO Warathaphon “Boss Paul” Waratyaworrakul, others whose assets were impounded were the actor and TV programme host Kan Kantathavorn, Thitaya Hong-upathumchai and Nichaphon Thongmee. iCon clinic under investigationIn a related development, a clinic under the iCon Group, which specialised in selling health and dietary supplements, could be in trouble for hiring a fake doctor, according to the Department of Health Service Support (DHSS). Legal action will be taken against the clinic owner.”According to his explanation, The Icon Wellness clinic is legally registered with the department, and iCon CEO Warathaphon is listed as a member of the clinic’s board.

Analysts expect Bank of Thailand to maintain policy rate at meetingListen to this articleA recovering domestic economy and the likelihood the United States Federal Reserve (Fed) might slow its interest rate cuts if inflation revives should prompt the Bank of Thailand (BoT) to maintain its policy rate at its meeting on Wednesday, say analysts. Kasikorn Securities and Kasikorn Research Center (K-Research) also expect the MPC meeting this week to vote unanimously to maintain the policy rate at 2.50%. However, the MPC is expected to be more accommodative in its monetary policy direction, signalling an opportunity to cut interest rates in the future. The MPC meeting this month is scheduled to publish economic and inflation forecasts, with K-Research projecting the central bank may maintain its projections for the economy and inflation this year. The central bank forecasts the economy to expand 2.6% in 2024, with a headline inflation rate of 0.6%.

Young culinary talents showcased their skills and creativity in the “Young Chef Young Waiter Young Mixologist Thailand” competition, held at a Bangkok hotel on Oct 9 this year. The winners will have the chance to represent Thailand at the World Finals in Singapore, competing against teams from other countries for a grand prize of US$15,000.

House to finally debate amnesty for lese majeste casesListen to this articleA controversial report on whether offences under the lese majeste law should be eligible for amnesty is finally set for a debate in parliament this week after two previous delays, according to the House panel in charge of the study. The report, which contains a proposal for the amnesty of political offenders, is up for debate on Thursday, said Sasinan Thammanithinan, a Bangkok MP for the People's Party and committee spokeswoman. The Chusak committee has discussed three options: offering amnesty to Section 112 offenders, not offering amnesty to lese majeste offenders, and offering conditional amnesty. He said the panel had looked particularly closely at denying amnesty to lese majeste offences of a deliberate nature but possibly granting amnesty to those who broke Section 112 without intending to insult the monarchy. "If parliament allows the committee's findings to stand, a hot potato will land in the government's lap," he said.

17 hurt as tour bus hits truckA Malaysian tour bus collided with a trailer truck in Sadao district in Songkhla on Monday, injuring 17 Malaysian tourists and a Thai tour guide. Police said the driver and the tour guide were trapped inside the bus. Seventeen Malaysian tourists sitting at the front of the bus were also injured, but the remaining passengers were able to exit the bus safely. The Thai tour guide suffered the most serious injuries, the police said. Police were questioning the truck driver and the Malaysian bus driver.

A subsequent surge in global oil prices is expected, and Thailand, a major oil importer, is unlikely to avoid the impact. On Oct 3, Brent crude oil prices rose by 4.8%, closing at US$77.4 per barrel for November delivery, while West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices increased by 5.1% to $73.6 per barrel. Mr Veerapat said the ministry will continue to regulate domestic oil prices through subsidy programmes using the Oil Fuel Fund, which is in the red. In 2022, the Russian invasion of Ukraine caused global oil prices to spike at more than $100 per barrel, plunging the Oil Fuel Fund into a huge loss of 135 billion baht that year. Oil prices could rise substantially higher if Israel's allies, led by the US, decide to attack Iran's oil facilities, said Mr Nattapol.

The commitment designed to help avert decisions by many private-run hospitals considering leaving the healthcare scheme by year-end, said Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. This reimbursement rate has not been adjusted to match inflation for the past five years, while the Private Hospital Association has previously asked the rate be adjusted to 15,000 baht. The association says several of the 97 private hospitals under the social security system were mulling whether they should remain in the system. Sometimes, the promised 12,000 reimbursement rate was reduced later in the year to 8,000 baht, creating a level of uncertainty with which Mr Phiphat said he couldn't agree. Even though the rates offered under the social security system may be lower than those offered under the NHSO's health scheme, the social security system does not impose a reimbursement ceiling.

Geopolitics has the potential to significantly influence global trade dynamics, particularly as tensions rise and alliances shift among nations. KEY FACTORBenjarong Suwankiri, senior executive vice-president of the Export-Import Bank of Thailand, said geopolitics has become a crucial factor in strategic planning. According to Mr Benjarong, geopolitics is a critical factor in determining how external environments impact Thai businesses and the economy. For example, Thailand exports rubber products and electrical appliances to the US as substitutes for Chinese goods. However, this substitution is limited, as the products the US imports from China are not the same as those Thailand exports.

Vietnam, China sign QR code payment, agriculture deals as leaders meetListen to this articleHANOI - Vietnam and China signed 10 agreements ranging from agriculture cooperation to cross-border QR code payments on Sunday, during Chinese Premier Li Qiang's three-day visit to Hanoi, as the two neighbours seek to boost ties. The signing ceremony followed Li's meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. The Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked China to boost agricultural trade with Vietnam, open doors to Vietnamese farm produce and enhance customs clearance at borders, state broadcaster Vietnam Television (VTV) reported. Vietnam and China also signed a document on updating progress on cross-border railway links related to site survey. "The Vietnamese prime minister also suggested the two countries cooperate to implement signed documents on railway links, modern railway development effectively," VTV reported.

Thai worker's body stuck in Israel as scared co-workers also stay putListen to this articleLabour officials visit and console Phrueksa Meeram, centre, at her house in Krasang district of Thailand's Buri Ram province on Saturday. The family of Nisant Meeram, 42, said they were saddened and worried as they had not been informed of the return of his body from northern Israel. Another Thai workmate who identified himself only as M said via a video call on Sunday that they were among 24 Thai workers in the apple orchard and just before the explosion, four rows of Thai workers were picking up apples. When workers heard an explosion, they ducked and later a worker shouted that Nisant was hit and killed, M said. Soldiers took Nisant’s body from the orchard and no other Thai workers saw the body again, M said.

Super full moon expected over Thailand all Thursday nightListen to this articleFILE PHOTO: The full moon over the Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park in Phetchaburi province in May. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)People will be able to see an extra-large appearance of the moon throughout Thursday night in Thailand as it reaches its closest point to the Earth this year. Inviting the public to admire the “super full moon”, the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (Narit) said that on Thursday night the moon would be about 357,358 kilometres from the Earth. People can see the super full moon in the east at nightfall and admire it throughout the night until the next morning, Narit said.