People’s Party spokesman Parit Wacharasindhu takes part in a press briefing at the Future Forward Building, the party’s headquarters, on Saturday. The incident is a wake‑up call for the People’s Party to strengthen its candidate selection, he said. “As the party’s representative, I apologise to the victim, now that it has been proven that the offender stood as (a People’s Party) MP candidate,” Mr Parit said. The incident was the third of its kind involving the People's Party. The rape case involved Thirawat Phanna, who ran in Maha Sarakham Constituency 1 and finished in second place, 9,000 votes behind a Bhumjaithai candidate.

UN says Israeli actions raise 'ethnic cleansing' fears in West Bank, GazaThe UN human rights office pointed to what it said was the 'systematic use of unlawful force'. (Photo: AFP)GENEVA — Israel's increased attacks and forcible transfers of Palestinians "raise concerns over ethnic cleansing" in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, the United Nations (UN) reported on Thursday. "This, together with forcible transfers, which appear to aim at a permanent displacement, raise concerns over ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank." It highlighted the Israeli security forces' "systematic use of unlawful force" in the occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem. These actions are altering "the character, status and demographic composition of the occupied West Bank, raising serious concerns of ethnic cleansing", it added.

Facing US warnings, Iran defends right to nuclear enrichmentA photo released by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps official website Sepanews shows a rocket being fired during a military exercise by the Guards and the navy in the Strait of Hormuz. (Photo: AFP)PARIS - Iran’s atomic energy chief on Thursday said “no country can deprive Iran of the right” to nuclear enrichment, following fresh US warning that there were “many reasons” to strike the Islamic republic. “Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump.”A previous attempt at negotiations collapsed when Israel launched surprise strikes on Iran last June, beginning a 12-day war that Washington briefly joined to bomb Iranian nuclear sites. Speaking on Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted “We do not want war” but suggested Tehran could not give in to US demands. Amid the escalating warnings, Poland on Thursday ordered all its citizens in Iran to “leave immediately”.

King accepts severely burned husky ‘Molly’ for careMolly receives treatment at the animal hospital of Prince of Songkhla University. (Photo: Facebook user TN Boonya)His Majesty the King has accepted as a patient under royal patronage the Siberian Husky “Molly”, that was found severely burned after going missing from her home in Songkhla last week. The Royal Secretary is due to take the two-year-old female husky to receive treatment in Bangkok on Friday, according to the Watchdog Thailand Foundation. Molly was later transferred to the animal hospital of Prince of Songkhla University. Long live His Majesty the King,” the dog’s owner wrote on his Facebook page.

Rapid Support Forces responsible for ‘three days of absolute horror’ after seizing El-FasherThe war in Sudan has killed tens of thousands of people. (Photo: AFP)GENEVA - The United Nations’ independent fact-finding mission on Sudan said Thursday the paramilitary siege and capture of El-Fasher bore “the hallmarks of genocide”. The UN Human Rights Council established the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan in October 2023, to begin gathering evidence of violations. After the RSF captured El-Fasher — following an 18-month siege — the council tasked the mission with probing alleged atrocities surrounding the takeover. Widespread rapeThe mission interviewed 320 witnesses and victims from El-Fasher and the surrounding areas, including on investigative visits to Chad and South Sudan.

Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of the DIP, said there were 55,668 trademark registration applications in 2025, up 8.5% year-on-year, and 40,063 were approved. This system allows applicants to upload their trademarks and check for potential identicality and similarity with existing registered trademarks in the database. The results from this system will help applicants conduct a preliminary evaluation and determine whether their intended trademark has a reasonable chance for registration. The department also introduced the "Trademark Checker" feature, which connects to its trademark database. The system provides basic guidance to applicants on preparing their trademark registration applications, including details on the relevant goods and services.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul remains tight-lipped on Thursday as reporters press him on whether the Klatham Party, with the fourth highest number of MPs-elect, would join his coalition. Representatives of the Thai Sang Thai Party and the New Alternative Party visited the Bhumjaithai head office in Bangkok on Thursday to promise their support for Mr Anutin. Thai Sang Thai is likely to have two MPs and New Alternative will have one. The big question, though, remains whether Bhumjaithai and the 58-MP Klatham Party can work out an agreement or whether the latter will move into opposition. Mr Anutin on Thursday declined to answer when reporters asked if his next coalition government would include Klatham.

Foreign investment applications rise 46% in JanuaryForeign investment applications under the Foreign Business Act were robust in January, with a total investment value of 33.8 billion baht, up 46% year-on-year, driven mainly by investors from China, Japan and Singapore. The top five countries/regions investing in Thailand for the period were:China (26 applications, 5.39 billion baht)Japan (25 applications, 15.3 billion baht)The United States (16 applications, 420 million baht)Singapore (12 applications, 5.51 billion baht)Hong Kong (10 applications, 587 million baht). Ms Airin said most of the foreign investment came from projects promoted under the Investment Promotion Act through the Board of Investment (BoI), totalling 55 projects, representing 49% of the 113 approved projects, with a combined investment value of 17.2 billion baht. She said these outlays align with the government's policy to attract foreign investment in future industries, such as advanced technology, digital and artificial intelligence, electric vehicles (EVs), clean energy and agri-business. The top three types of businesses approved through the BoI channel were contract manufacturing services, high-value services and computer-related services.

Bangkok’s shopping malls serve as a cultural litmus test. Bangkok malls are entirely different from a European high street, an upscale Hong Kong shopping complex, and retail in the West. Here, shopping malls are very much an extension of our consumer culture and a well-established third place. Ultimately, shopping malls have to consider the customer journey they’re mapping out for discovery. In Bangkok, shopping malls are not just static showcases of goods, but a window into what consumers are leaning toward right now.

Bodo/Glimt stun Inter, Gordon hits four in Newcastle Champions League rompBodo/Glimt players celebrate after scoring in their stunning 3-1 win over Inter Milan in NorwayPARIS (FRANCE) - Norway's Bodo/Glimt stunned Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday, beating last season's runners-up 3-1 in the first leg of their knockout phase play-off tie after Anthony Gordon scored four as Newcastle United hammered Qarabag 6-1 in Azerbaijan. Francesco Pio Esposito equalised on the half-hour mark for three-time European champions Inter, the goal standing after a VAR check despite an apparent handball in the build-up. The result leaves Inter, who lost 5-0 to PSG in last season's Champions League final, facing a big challenge to overturn their two-goal deficit in next Tuesday's return leg at San Siro. The winners of the tie will play either Manchester City or Sporting of Portugal in the last 16 next month. That's as good as we have played in a long time," Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said.

Generali launches Health Plan with Extra 50% Coverage for Critical IllnessGenerali Insurance (Thailand) is making a full-scale move into the premium health insurance market with the launch of its new product, “GEN HEALTH PREMIER”, under the concept of Beyond Lump Sum. The product is offered exclusively through Generali Insurance brokers only. Receive 50% additional coverage upon diagnosis of a critical illness, providing maximum reassurance during critical times to accommodate potentially escalating medical expenses. Interested persons can contact Generali Insurance (Thailand) brokers or the CUSTOMER FIRST Contact Centre at 1394. More details on GEN HEALTH PREMIER are available at https://generalith.com/gen-health-premierRemarks*Maximum limit per confinement, subject to the coverage and benefits specified in the policy schedule.

The Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling sentencing a man to three years and four months in prison for violating the lese majeste law over a social media post about the death of King Rama VIII. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said on Wednesday that the Supreme Court affirmed the ruling of the Region 1 Court of Appeal in the case of a defendant identified only as Wuttipat. The case stems from a Facebook post made in 2020 expressing opinions about the 1946 death of King Rama VIII, which negatively referred to King Rama IX. The court found Section 112 protects only four positions — the King, Queen, heir-apparent and Regent — who are currently in office. Prosecutors appealed, arguing that defamation of a former monarch also affects the current king, King Rama X, and national security, particularly given Thailand’s constitutional monarchy and the hereditary succession of the Chakri dynasty.

An Afghan barber trims a customer's beard at a salon in Kabul. (Photo: AFP)KABUL - Barbers in Afghanistan risk detention for trimming men’s beards too short, they told AFP, as the Taliban authorities enforce their strict interpretation of Islamic law with increasing zeal. The religious affairs ministry’s arguments against trimming state that by shaving their beards, men were “trying to look like women”. In areas where Taliban fighters were battling US-backed forces, men would grow beards either out of fear or by choice. As fewer and fewer men opt for a close shave, the 25-year-old Kabul barber said he was already losing business.

General strike protests labour reforms in ArgentinaA pensioner walks outside the Argentine Congress in Buenos Aires on Feb 18, 2026, on the eve of a general strike called by unions to protest against the labour reform bill promoted by President Javier Milei. (Photo: AFP)BUENOS AIRES - Argentine President Javier Milei faces the fourth general strike of his term Thursday, this time by workers protesting a labour reform bill pushed by the budget-slashing president and set to be debated in parliament. The country’s main trade union called the strike, which began at midnight local time and is set to last 24 hours. Most recently, Fate — Argentina’s main tire factory — on Wednesday announced the closure of its plant in Buenos Aires, prompting some 900 job cuts. The CGT’s last general strike was on April 10, 2025, but adherence was uneven as workers in the public transportation system did not join.

For buses, safety firstThe government's attempt to raise the standards of public buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) by means of a "safety rating list" is welcome news, despite being long overdue. The government on Wednesday announced its plan to improve the safety standards of this form of public transport and other vehicles. There are three main policies with safety as the overarching goal: making public bus safety a national priority, making the registration of public buses and other CNG vehicles trustworthy and graft-free, and using digital innovation and an online database so users can check the records of public bus inspections. But as public attention subsided, the issue of safety inspections for public vehicles was soon forgotten. The safety of modified public buses hints at a bigger problem.