Phatthalung to tackle waste 'crisis'Listen to this articlePhatthalung has launched an urgent review of the province's worsening waste management crisis after an inspection revealed severe environmental damage from the overloaded municipal landfill. During a recent site visit, provincial governor Suchin Wajakit, Muang Phatthalung district chief Sorada Inprapun and deputy mayor Sasada Ouitayakul examined the 95-rai dumpsite, which receives over 100 tonnes of waste each day. Mr Suchin said the volume is rising, intensifying the impact on local communities. Polluted water from the waste mound has long flowed into Klong Wang Pib before reaching Songkhla Lake, accelerating water degradation and killing aquatic plants and fish stocks. A key option is a waste-to-energy power plant, which would require a study.

Mishaps result in woeful year for migrants: activistListen to this articleThe migrant labour situation in 2025 was described as "a year of management failure", with constant ministerial changes, weak policy direction and persistent structural flaws leaving millions of migrants vulnerable to crises, says the Migrant Working Group (MWG). Documentation inconsistencies between workers, real employers and brokers block access to compensation, she said, adding the Labour Ministry has shown little effort to reform the system. She urged the government to modernise migrant employment procedures, improve data transparency, ensure flexibility -- particularly scrapping the rigid "one employer–one worker" model that fails seasonal industries -- and counter social media misinformation that fuels public hostility. With the election expected on Feb 8, she also urged the Election Commission to monitor parties exploiting migrant issues for populist attacks. Meanwhile, Worachai Snansuk of the Raks Thai Foundation highlighted the human cost exposed by the SAO building collapse, which killed 95 people, many of them migrant workers, and left a lot of families facing debt, trauma, insecure legal status and gaps in compensation.

These proposals include passing the Clean Air Bill; improving satellite and digital systems to enhance PM2.5 forecasting accuracy; strengthening air-quality warning mechanisms; and offering incentives to farmers to curb open burning. Bangkok alone suffers annual economic losses estimated at more than 400 billion baht due to air pollution. Meanwhile, the long-awaited Clean Air Bill faces the risk of being watered down. Politicians and some senators have sided with business interests by opposing the establishment of a Clean Air Fund and rejecting tougher penalties -- including jail terms -- for polluters. It is hoped that the next government will fast-track the Clean Air Bill without further delay.

Somaliland: Mixed motivationsListen to this articleA woman carries the Somali national flag on Tuesday after Israel became the first country to recognise the self-declared Republic of Somaliland. (Photo: Reuters)Last week Israel was the first country in the world to establish diplomatic relations with Somaliland. They think Somaliland's president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, may have promised to let Israel offload Gaza's two million Palestinians onto his country in return for recognising Somaliland as an independent state. But he knows how volatile Mr Trump is: just one Hamas strike could turn him around and let Mr Netanyahu restart the war. If those things are okay, then surely Somaliland can legally secede from Somalia without getting the latter's permission.

Public awareness and increasing international cooperation will remain central to efforts to suppress scam operations along the borders, he said. Advanced scam techniquesPol Lt Gen Jirabhop said scam groups are increasingly focusing on AI-driven fraud, particularly the use of deepfake technology -- fabricated video and audio designed to impersonate known individuals or senior government officials. He said China is likely to intensify efforts to arrest Chinese nationals operating scam centres in Cambodia, following earlier crackdowns in Myanmar. "Thailand still records nearly 1,000 scam cases per day, but this figure has dropped by around 10% since operations against scam centres in Cambodia began." US involvement has also strengthened economic measures, including sanctions against individuals and companies linked to scam operations in Myanmar.

Top court ruling shields cardholders from fraudListen to this articleOfficers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau display credit cards seized from three members of a forgery gang during a media briefing in 2015. (Bangkok Post file photo)The Supreme Court has established a new legal precedent strengthening consumer protection by ruling that credit card holders are not liable for fraudulent transactions carried out using their card details by criminals. The court said that, in the event of a dispute, the burden of proof rests with the issuing bank, which must demonstrate who actually used the credit card. Mr Surakit said the TCC would use the court ruling as a guideline in providing legal advice to consumers affected by unauthorised credit card use. It will also serve as a basis for policy advocacy with regulators and financial institutions to improve consumer protection measures.

The aim of Thailand's operations, the centre said, are to protect civilians, defend sovereignty and prevent escalation along a tense border. According to the army, after Thai troops secured the border area of Ban Nong Chan, barbed wire and shipping containers were installed as a temporary barrier. He welcomed the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers as a confidence‑building step but urged both sides to pursue legal mechanisms under the December 2025 Joint Boundary Committee commitments. Additional footage showed Thai soldiers discovering an underground tunnel network, while video from Samed Pass revealed seized firearms and grenades. In Surin's Prasat Khana area, Thai soldiers reported finding women's clothing, sex toys, gambling paraphernalia and alcohol inside another abandoned Cambodian post.

Export growth is likely to vary across different markets and product categories. Exporters who can quickly adapt, maintain credibility, and comply with environmental and labour standards are expected to gain a competitive advantage, said Mr Dhanakorn. Strong demand for food products and processed agricultural goods persists, bolstered further by existing free-trade agreements that facilitate market access. He also called for efforts to reduce logistics costs and expedite assistance to ensure compliance with environmental standards and new global trade regulations. Together, these factors are driving the market towards high-value, innovative food products that meet internationally accepted sanitary standards.

Russia scores highest Ukraine gains since first year of warListen to this articleMoscow has continued its aerial barrage of Ukraine. (Photo: AFP)KYIV (UKRAINE) - Russia's battlefield gains in Ukraine last year were the highest since 2022, an AFP analysis showed, as Kyiv was set to host security advisors from allied states on Saturday despite Moscow's unrelenting strikes. This includes areas that Kyiv and military analysts say are controlled by Russia, as well as those claimed by Moscow's army. Budanov has built up a legendary reputation in Ukraine, credited with a series of daring operations against Russia. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a "special military operation" to prevent the expansion of the NATO alliance -- a war aim that Kyiv has called a lie.

Iran's protests: What we knowListen to this articleA video posted on social media on December 31, 2025, showed protestors attacking a government building in Fasa in southern Iran. Official media has largely played down the protests but videos have flooded social media, many of which are difficult to authenticate, or have even been manipulated. -The protests began on Sunday in Tehran, where some shopkeepers went on strike over high prices and economic stagnation. By Tuesday, student protests erupted at universities in the capital Tehran and the central cities of Isfahan and Yazd. Trump said on Friday the United States was "locked and loaded" to respond if Iran killed protesters.

Children’s Day / Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa / Jan 10Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa will host the Children’s Day Buffet Dinner and experience Dining Half Board Package to celebrate Children’s Day on Jan 10. Epicurean journey / Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok / Jan 14-18The Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok celebrates its 150th year with the 'Masters Of The 150Th: An Epicurean Journey" that brings together guest chefs from around the world in a series of collaborations and intimate pop-up encounters. Wine wonders / Hua Hin Wine Expo 2026 / Jan 15-16Hua Hin Wine Expo returns for two days at Amari Hua Hin. A good start / Bangkok Bestival 2026 / Jan 9-11The fourth edition of Bangkok Bestival returns from Jan 9-11 at four public parks. The Lunar Fortune Afternoon Tea will be served from Jan 11 to Feb 28 and will offer Chinese and Thai flavours.

There are a total of 61 contenders registered to contest the Feb 8 general election. (Photo: Makkhawan Wannakun)The Election Commission (EC) announced that between Dec 20 and Jan 1, a total of 937,061 people registered to vote in advance or from overseas for the upcoming general election on Feb 8 this year. The registrations include advance voting within constituencies, outside constituencies and overseas. The EC reported on Friday that 4,617 voters registered for advance voting within their constituencies, 856,813 for outside constituencies and 75,631 for overseas voting. The commission noted that voters who registered for advance voting but later choose to vote on Feb 8 — when both the general election and a referendum will occur — may cancel their advance voting registration by Feb 1, as advance voting does not cover the referendum.

OCBC, Bangkok Bank, First Abu Dhabi join Hong Kong's US$14 billion offshore yuan schemeListen to this articleA man walks past an advertisement promoting China's renminbi (RMB) or yuan, US dollar and Euro exchange services at foreign exchange store in Hong Kong on Aug 13, 2015. Other new participants include ING Bank, Taiwan's Bank SinoPac, and Hong Kong-based Dah Sing Bank and CMB Wing Lung Bank. Yue said more banks could be included depending on demand, "with the aim of promoting yuan use in the real economy and fostering offshore yuan growth in Hong Kong". The authority said the expansion enhanced "Hong Kong's capacity in channelling offshore RMB funds to the global market". HSBC said it provided a 1.4 billion yuan working capital loan to a subsidiary of a mainland China-listed company with overseas operations, marking one of the client's first offshore yuan loans.

Major moments to watch in ThailandListen to this articleOfficials install a large portrait of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the late Queen Mother, at Government House after her passing on Oct 24, 2025, as the government begins a year-long mourning period for state personnel. In Thailand, domestic demand remains structurally robust, supported by household savings behaviour, jewellery consumption and rising investment demand amid currency volatility. Political observers say the election will likely be a fierce contest among three major parties: the People's Party (PP), Bhumjaithai (BJT), and Pheu Thai. A modern air defence system is expected to be a key priority, as Thailand has yet to acquire effective technologies such as a missile defence system. The Pheu Thai Party also began preparations, holding a seminar in April 2025 to gather policy ideas.

The number of arrivals fell to 33 million last year, marking a 7.2% year-on-year decline in what was also the first annual drop in international arrivals in a decade outside the pandemic period. Malaysians topped the list of foreign visitors with 4.5 million people, followed by 4.47 million Chinese tourists and 2.5 million holidaymakers from India, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports data released Thursday. Russian travellers ranked fourth at 1.9 million followed by South Koreans at 1.6 million, according to ministry data. Tourism revenue generated by foreign visitors totalled 1.5 trillion baht (US$47.6 billion) last year, down 4.7% year-on-year, the ministry data show. Chinese holidaymakers are projected to total 6.7 million, matching the 2024 arrivals number, she added.