'Ohkajhu' logo used in online scamA 75-year-old former civil servant has lost almost 24 million baht to an online investment scam that hijacked the name of a popular restaurant brand, the Anti Cyber Scam Centre (ACSC) yesterday. The man, according to ACSC deputy chief, Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, responded to an advertisement on the Line app that falsely used the "Ohkajhu" brand to solicit investments. Ohkajhu is a Thai restaurant chain specialising in organic, farm-to-table food. The scammers promised quick, above-market returns, assigned a personal "coach" to guide him step-by-step and insisted he follow instructions strictly. The ACSC urges the public to exercise caution, noting that criminals often use known brands and logos to lure their victims.

Bomb blast targets local military unitNarathiwat: Insurgents in this southern border province detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) along a rural road in tambon Dusongyo in Chanae district on Saturday, local officials said yesterday. Officials said the IED -- which was strapped to a 25-kilogramme gas cylinder -- was hidden by the side of the road. Insurgents planted the bomb on the road after learning a military unit would be passing by to deliver a Thai national flag to a private Islamic school in the area. However, the unit decided to take a different route on Saturday, which meant no one was harmed by the explosion. Chanae district chief Apinan Chajitta, Chanae police superintendent Pol Col Weerasak Posalae, and military officers led a bomb disposal unit and a forensic team to the site of the blast, where they found a one-metre-deep crater left by the blast.

Songkhla man admits to setting pet husky on fireSONGKHLA: A 56-year-old man who set fire to a pet Siberian husky named Molly, leading to her death, told police on Saturday that "the dog bit my fighting cock". Charoen: 'Dog bit my fighting cock'Charoen Khamwun was arrested on charges of animal cruelty and damaging property, Pol Lt Gen Piyawat Chalermsei, chief of Provincial Police Region 9, said yesterday. Mr Charoen admitted he splashed lubricant oil on the dog and set her on fire after she broke into a cage holding his fighting cock and bit it, Pol Lt Gen Piyawat said. The suspect said he saw a dog in the cage and his injured fighting cock, and assumed the dog had attacked the bird, Pol Lt Gen Piyawat said. Five items were seized as evidence from the suspect, including a rooster, clothing and a plastic container, he said.

Please publish a detailed list of Thai people's and businesses' financial losses due to the skirmishes on the Cambodian border. Until people feel there is a realistic chance of them being caught and punished for disregarding traffic laws, Thailand's astonishingly poor traffic safety record will never improve. Do your best, train hard, play fairly, accept the umpire's decisions and accept your losses when they happen. As a coach of many school sporting teams, I have tried to encourage these attributes in my players. I doubt that Donald Trump ever coached one of his children's sporting teams, for which many other children could be thankful.

Top Mexican drug cartel leader killedHandout photo published by the US State Department on December 4, 2024, showing a reward poster for the powerful Mexican drug cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera. (Photo: AFP)MEXICO CITY - Mexico confirmed on Sunday that soldiers killed a powerful drug cartel leader who was one of the most wanted men here and in the United States. Gunmen retaliating for the raid blocked more than 20 roads in western Jalisco state, which includes Tapalpa, with burning cars and trucks. Oseguera, whose nickname was "El Mencho," is one of the biggest Mexican drug lords to be taken down since the capture of the founders of the Sinaloa cartel, Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman and Ismael Zambada. The United States has classified the Jalisco cartel as a terrorist organization and accuses it of sending cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States.

'One Battle' triumphs at BAFTAs that honour British talentIrish actor Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for 'Hamnet' to add to her Golden Globe. (Photo: AFP)LONDON - Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" continued its awards season streak by winning the top prize at the BAFTAs on Sunday, with the British awards also recognising homegrown talent across categories. Following in the footsteps of Hollywood ceremonies last month, the BAFTAs gave the best film award to the offbeat thriller "One Battle After Another". "I'm just really happy that 'I Swear' has shown a spotlight on something that is really, really misunderstood," he added. "Hamnet" won outstanding British film, and Nigerian-British actress Wunmi Mosaku won best supporting actress for her role in "Sinners".

Milan-Cortina hailed as 'new kind' of Winter Olympics at closing ceremonyInternational Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry said Milan-Cortina 2026 had created a blueprint for the Winter Olympics. "You delivered a new kind Winter Games and set a new standard for the future," Coventry told her Italian hosts at the closing ceremony in the Verona Arena, an ancient Roman amphitheatre. Fittingly, Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Klaebo was awarded one of the six gold medals he won at the Games during the closing ceremony. Klaebo made history by winning all six races in which he was entered -- and his 11 career golds are a Winter Olympics record. In doing so, Gu became the most decorated freestyle skier in the history of the Winter Games.

(Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)A Saraburi forest monastery is accused of illegally occupying more than 2,000 rai of state land to build meditation huts and host concerts. Representatives of the temple and the Pa Chana Jai Foundation for Peace said they are willing to clarify the situation, and are collecting documents related to original land ownership and funding sources to explain the facts. Sor Por Kor land is a government "right to farm" certificate that cannot be sold, bought or mortgaged, and must be used solely for agriculture. Mr Surasak claimed the temple was originally established on 13 rai of land donated by villagers. If checks confirm the area remains Sor Por Kor land, the foundation is ready to restore the forest to its rightful owners, he said.

Credit score spotlightThe Credit Information Business Act defines a credit score as an indicator of the probability of debt repayment, calculated using statistical methods that analyse credit information. Financial institutions can leverage credit scores from the NCB database to support an RBP model. The bureau recently conducted a survey assessing the credit scores of Thai borrowers based on its credit records. The Cash2go product charges interest rates linked to credit scores. "This should improve my credit score over time, even though I have no immediate plans to apply for new loans."

(Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut)The US tariff game is escalating as President Donald Trump has now raised tariffs to 15%, prompting the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) to urge exporters to brace for heightened volatility and call on the government to speed up negotiations. Poj Aramwattananont, chairman of the TCC, said the move signals the US tariff game is far from over, adding the US administration is likely to explore other tariffs to advance its economic and trade agenda. "The introduction of a 15% tariff clearly signals that tariffs will continue to be used as a strategic instrument, affecting exporters and global supply chains, including Thailand," he said. "If the baht strengthens while tariff costs are rising, it will certainly put additional pressure on the competitiveness of Thai exporters, especially in low-margin sectors," he said. Mr Poj said higher tariff rates may increase the costs of Thai goods in the US and affect competitiveness across multiple industries.

KuCoin Thailand remains suspended until it meets net capital requirements. If efforts to raise capital fail, management said the fallback option is to wind down operations. The company sought to broaden its business by applying for a broker licence, which is on hold due to NC deficiencies. Should the capital increase succeed, KuCoin Thailand could leverage KuCoin's global branding and advanced trading technology to strengthen its competitive position, said Mr Att. "I believe we can ultimately resolve it, possibly with Thai investors stepping in and securing the broker licence.

Minilateralism's necessary riseForeign ministers from India, Egypt, South Africa, China, Russia, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Iran during a Brics meeting in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, in this file photo dated June 10, 2024. Within the "rules-based order", at the heart of which lies the United Nations, cooperation was operationalised through regular engagement, leading to incremental gains. But this institutional approach to cooperation has broken down in recent years, as institutions have proven incapable of responding effectively to states' evolving needs. Under a "minilateral" approach, like-minded countries form issue-based coalitions, often outside the UN system. At a time when the institutional approach to international order is breaking down, the minilateral approach holds much promise, despite its imperfections.

AoT must justify chargeThe decision by Airports of Thailand (AoT) to raise the international Passenger Service Charge (PSC) from 730 baht to 1,120 baht marks the steepest increase in nearly two decades. In public policy, legitimacy rests on value for money and clarity of purpose. When service standards do not yet match the pricing tier, the burden of proof lies squarely with AoT. Nevertheless, when concessions with private companies are revised, AoT still needs to raise passenger charges. The public needs to know whether the concession terms AoT signed with the private sector are fair or were softened for a dominant private partner.

Deliberation and bureaucracy can live togetherDeliberative democracy is now officially entangled in state bureaucracy. By jumping into questions of bureaucracy and efficiency, Engaged California constitutes an important advance for a promising but underperforming democratic movement. But viewed up close, citizens assemblies are underwhelming -- feel-good exercises that are removed from the realities of governance. Political scientist David Farrell, who advised successful citizens assemblies in Ireland, has warned that the bodies risk losing effectiveness and political momentum. They offer a solution: Embed deliberative processes in the darkest, dirtiest corners of government.

(Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)Being labelled the "sick man of Asia" has forced Thailand to reassess the long‑standing problems causing its "chronic economic illness". DEAD MANThailand actually risks becoming a "dead man" if the new government bases its selection of cabinet members on political quotas, said Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). Changing doctors could render the nation a dead man," he said. "The country's competitiveness relies not only on capital inflows, but also on the strength of the Thai economy," noted Mr Dhanakorn. "Despite the finance minister's remark that the Thai economy has emerged from the ICU, it has not been discharged from the hospital.