Denmark's King Frederik in Greenland for symbolic show of supportDenmark's King Frederik X and Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen (C) visit Arctic Basic Training and Arctic Command in Nuuk, Greenland, on February 18, 2026NUUK - Denmark's King Frederik X arrived in Greenland on Wednesday for a three-day visit in a show of support for the autonomous Danish territory coveted by US President Donald Trump. The 57-year-old monarch waved to well-wishers brandishing Greenlandic flags at Nuuk airport as he was greeted by the territory's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Despite Denmark's past as colonial power over the autonomous territory, the monarchy, including Frederik, has long enjoyed huge popularity in Greenland. "There should be no doubt about my love for Greenland," Frederik said in March 2025. The Danish prime minister said Saturday she believed Trump still wants to own Greenland despite dialling back his threats to seize it by force.

Why communities pay for miningMining-affected communities react while wearing face masks during a protest outside Anglo American's headquarters in Johannesburg. AFPLast week, policymakers and industry executives of mining companies gathered in Cape Town for the annual African Mining Indaba. When mining companies exit a country, the costs do not disappear; they are transferred to local communities. Across South Africa, mining companies have generated tens of billions of dollars in profits while delivering only negligible benefits to host communities. Governments, many of them under fiscal pressure, compete to attract foreign investment, while mining companies retain the ultimate leverage: the option to leave.

The situation is projected to be far less rosy in 2026, as foreign financing may be halved to 450 billion baht. That amount is inadequate to finance an 860-billion-baht budget deficit, 186 billion baht in loan recalls, and 135 billion baht in maturing debentures. For fiscal year 2025/26, the government is set to run a budget deficit of 860 billion baht, equivalent to 4.3% of GDP. My question is this: how can an economy projected to expand by 1.6% -- or about 320 billion baht -- finance a much larger fiscal deficit? According to my simple calculation, the unfilled gap will amount to 410 billion baht -- more than sufficient to trigger a financial crisis.

Japan's Takaichi wins strong new mandateA political Tsunami swept across Japan as recent national elections delivered a resounding victory for the incumbent party and its maverick leader, Sanae Takaichi. Ms Takaichi, 64, hails from the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a staid political institution that has essentially ruled Japan since 1955. China's crude but predictable pressure on Ms Takaichi after her unprecedented remarks that Japan could intervene militarily in a hypothetical Taiwan Straits crisis rattled East Asian perceptions. Ms Takaichi will also visit South Korea in March to meet with its leader, Lee Jae Myung. President Donald Trump expects to meet Ms Takaichi for a Summit slated for March 19 in Washington.

Safety measures to ramp up for CNG vehiclesThe cabinet has endorsed a raft of measures to strengthen safety and reduce corruption risks in the licensing of public transport vehicles powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The initiative, proposed by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), intends to close loopholes in inspection processes and achieve nationwide safety standards. The cabinet also backed the creation of a safety rating list for public buses, allowing passengers to check vehicle status online. The Transport Ministry is leading implementation, coordinating with agencies including the Energy Ministry, the Industry Ministry, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), and the Royal Thai Police. Officials said the reforms are designed to restore public confidence in the transport system by putting in place verifiable safety standards for all CNG-powered buses.

Suchart acts to stop illegal forest activityA section of the controversial roads. Mr Suchart instructed ministry officials on Wednesday to verify social media reports claiming that new roads were illegally cut through forest areas within the sanctuary. However, authorities later determined the road construction was used as a cover for illegal logging allegedly carried out by Mr Kritsada. He said forest resources are national assets and vowed to prevent investors or influential figures from exploiting them unlawfully, while urging the public to report suspected encroachment. The ministry's inspector-general, Nat Kongkesorn, will conduct on-site inspections covering the alleged road construction, tree cutting, land use and individuals linked to the activities.

3-year term upheld by top courtThe 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. The Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said on Wednesday the Supreme Court affirmed the ruling of the Region 1 Court of Appeal in the case of "Wuttipat" (a pseudonym). 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.

Chiang Mai International Airport has recorded a new post-Covid high in passenger traffic, with daily numbers surpassing 36,000, as airlines added 69 extra and charter flights to accommodate Lunar New Year demand. Currently, the airport operates 33 routes -- 11 domestic and 22 international -- underscoring its role as northern Thailand's aviation hub and a key international gateway. Many Indonesian visitors travel from Medan to Penang before continuing to Hat Yai, with average spending of 5,000–6,000 baht per day. The event is expected to attract many international tourists, particularly from Malaysia. Songkhla deputy governor Jirawat Maneechot highlighted Hat Yai's strategic importance, citing its international airport, quality hotels and rich blend of Thai, Chinese and Muslim cultural influences.

This move further solidified its commitment to women's football, and with it, AXA became the club's official global training partner for both teams. Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance leverages its partnership with Liverpool FC, which has roughly 5 million fans in Thailand, through high-engagement, fan-centric marketing campaigns to boost brand visibility. AXA's partnership with Liverpool FC provides exclusive, money-can't-buy experiences for AXA's insurance customers and partners, said Bubphawadee Owararinth, chief marketing officer at Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance. "AXA's partnership with Liverpool FC provides exclusive experiences for AXA's insurance customers and partners, including VIP trips to Anfield. WINE CONNECTIONIn addition to sport, AXA Group has also placed importance on supporting culture and the arts.

The persistent threat of PM2.5 air pollution has led to the creation of homegrown solutions to mitigate this environmental challenge. The initiative aims to trace the sources of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), particularly from agricultural burning and industrial activities, while building a highly accurate big data platform to support national policy decisions. The e-nose technology has been commercially used in sectors such as food quality control and fragrance testing. The centre recently upgraded the e-nose system for full-scale application to enhance precision and sustainability in air pollution management. Sakda Trifecta, director of air quality and noise innovation at the Pollution Control Department, said the cornerstone of effective pollution control is "precision monitoring".

White House tells Iran to do deal as Trump hints at US strikesUS President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against IranWASHINGTON (UNITED STATES) - The White House warned on Wednesday that Iran would be "wise" to do a deal with the United States as President Donald Trump once again hinted at military action. The two sides recently resumed indirect talks, mediated by Oman, after Trump repeatedly threatened military action against Iran over a deadly crackdown on protesters last month. "Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump and with his administration," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. On Wednesday, Trump again suggested the United States might strike Iran in a post on his Truth Social site, with a US military buildup underway in the Middle East. Earlier on Wednesday, Tehran's top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, said Iran was "drafting" a framework for future talks with the US.

Tourism operators in seven provinces along the Thailand-Cambodia border want state stimulus measures for their area. Executives from seven provinces along the Thailand-Cambodia border met with the House of Representatives' Committee on Tourism to address declining tourism confidence, as their markets remain weak despite relative peace along the dividing line. For instance, subsidies could be offered for individual, corporate and government meetings in the seven provinces. Bangkok recorded the highest domestic revenue at 28 billion baht from 3.36 million trips, followed by the North with 20.5 billion baht from 4.16 million trips, the central region with 20 billion baht from 8.1 million trips, the East with 17.5 billion baht from 3.7 million trips, and the South with 16.9 billion baht from 2.65 million trips. Ms Witsuta said in the final two months of 2025, some provinces recorded a surge of visitors of more than 10%, but the seven border provinces remained in a slump.

Foreign applications tally B33.8bn 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. According to deputy government spokeswoman Airin Phanrit, in January 113 foreign investors were granted permission to operate businesses in Thailand under the Foreign Business Act, an increase of 10%. These permitted foreign businesses employ a total of 262 Thai workers, an increase of 15%. 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.

World No.1 Jeeno Thitikul will tee off alongside defending champion Angel Yin and Akie Iwai, runner-up last year. After some quality time away from the glaring, relentless spotlight that routinely accompanies the world No.1, the Thai superstar returns to centre stage for the 19th edition of the Honda LPGA Thailand. On her LPGA Tour debut she's been drawn with Moriya Jutanugarn. In comparison to Prim, Moriya is, at the age of 31, a grizzled veteran who's participating in the Honda LPGA Thailand for the 16th time, having first competed as a 13-year-old amateur. This may be her first time at the Honda LPGA Thailand, but I'm sure it won't be the last," said Moriya.

The Election Commission (EC) has reaffirmed the confidentiality of ballots, with provincial election officials adamant that voting secrecy remains fully protected under legal safeguards and administrative procedures, amid growing public debate over the use of QR codes and barcodes on ballot papers. Kongyos Boonrak, director of the EC office in Kamphaeng Phet, defended the integrity of the system, declaring in a Facebook post that he would resign if anyone could prove they could identify how an individual voted. "I challenge anyone to break the secrecy of Kamphaeng Phet ballots and show which ballot belongs to whom and who they voted for. He said ballot secrecy is ensured by strict legal and procedural safeguards after voting, including secure storage, sealing, and controlled handling, rather than relying solely on physical anonymity. In addition, new voting for both constituency and party-list ballots will be held at one polling station in Phayao province.