Anutin apologises for fuel mismanagement
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul offers a wai in apology during a press conference at Government House in Bangkok on Saturday, addressing public concerns over the fuel crisis. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has apologised for fuel mismanagement in Thailand, saying the disruptions caused by the Middle East war have lasted longer than expected. While the Oil Fuel Fund Office later defended the sharp rise as the result of several factors, Mr Anutin had remained silent on the decision until Saturday. “People can be assured of having enough fuel for travel back to their hometowns,” Mr Anutin said. With fuel at an average price of 40 baht per litre, households would collectively save about 400 million baht daily.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 09:49 UTC
Anutin: New government to be in place next week
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday morning, Mr Anutin said the vetting process for all proposed ministers had been completed without any outstanding concerns. There were some issues with certain individuals earlier, but these have now been resolved,” said Mr Anutin, the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party. The process had been delayed due to issues concerning Pheu Thai Party deputy leader Sudawan Wangsuphakitkosol, the only nominee to face problems. In response, Pheu Thai submitted three alternative names for scrutiny: Nikorn Soemklang, Wisut Chaiyarun and Kattiya Sawatdiphol. Ms Kattiya and Mr Wisut were listed as reserves.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 09:00 UTC
Phiphat denies hike role
Phiphat denies hike roleTransport Minister Phiphat RatchakitprakarnThe transport minister has rejected claims he profited from the fuel crisis through his 2 million shares in an energy firm. Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has denied allegations of a conflict of interest following the sharp six-baht increase in fuel prices, insisting he has no influence over energy policy or national oil procurement. Asset disclosures show Mr Phiphat holds 2 million PTG Energy Plc shares worth 17.6 million baht. Mr Phiphat said he has no executive or board role at PTG, adding the firm is governed independently. Addressing criticism that PTG profited from the disruption, he urged observers to wait for quarterly and annual results to determine whether earnings rose unusually.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 07:42 UTC
Nepal’s ex-PM arrested over Gen Z protest deaths
Former home minister also detained a day after new PM sworn inFormer prime minister KP Sharma Oli gestures while being taken to a hospital from a police station in Kathmandu on Saturday. Authorities are investigating whether he was negligent in preventing dozens of deaths during protests in the Nepalese capital last year. (Photo: AFP)KATHMANDU - Nepal’s former prime minister, KP Sharma Oli, was arrested on Saturday as police investigate whether he was negligent in failing to prevent dozens of deaths during Gen Z anti-corruption protests last September, officials said. The panel held Oli responsible for not taking any action to stop hours of firing that killed at least 19 Gen Z protesters on the first day of the demonstrations. Anger over the deaths helped sweep Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party to a landslide election victory earlier this month.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 07:40 UTC
Tourism under cost pressure
Surging energy prices are disrupting tourism in Phuket, Pattaya and Ayutthaya, raising costs and weakening bookings ahead of the peak travel period of Songkran. Phuket tourism operators report steep cost increases as fuel prices climb, affecting hotels, public transport, including taxis, buses and tour coaches, as well as marine services such as tour boats and speedboats, which are central to the province's tourism system. Industry groups are urging government action, including temporary diesel price controls, targeted fuel rates for tourism operators and tax relief measures. The downturn has affected the entire tourism chain, including hotels, attractions, restaurants, and local tuk-tuk tours. "If fuel prices keep rising, tourists will stay in Bangkok, and local businesses in Ayutthaya will suffer further," he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 07:39 UTC
Why should anyone believe Anutin on fuel?
Why should anyone believe Anutin on fuel? (Photo: Tak Public Relations Office)After weeks of assurances that the nation’s fuel situation was “under control”, the Thai public was hit by a staggering 6-baht hike to fuel prices this week. Here in 2026, now-Prime Minister Anutin has maintained dismissal of concerns over fuel hoarding, asserting instead that any shortages felt by consumers are due to their own anxiety and, again, panic-buying, rather than active stockpiling. Everyone has more than doubled their fuel intake, yet no one has fuel? Mafias, soaring prices and the stern gaze of Anutin Charnvirakul, what is the likelihood fuel will become to 2026 what surgical masks were to 2020?
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 06:24 UTC
‘Cicada’ Covid variant to reach Thailand, but not scary
‘Cicada’ Covid variant to reach Thailand, but not scaryCommuters wearing face masks wait at a bus stop in front of the Pata shopping mall in Bangkok in October 2022 as the Covid pandemic was winding down. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)The Covid variant known as Cicada, which has recently been detected in the United States and other countries, will eventually reach Thailand, but it is not considered serious and requires no additional vaccination, the Ministry of Public Health said on Friday. No cases have yet been detected in Thailand, said Dr Sopon Iamsirithaworn, deputy permanent secretary for Public Health. While the variant will inevitably arrive in Thailand, it is not a serious threat and is subject to normal monitoring, he said. Its symptoms are not severe and similar to those of common flu, with preventive measures likewise the same.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 06:24 UTC
Indonesian social media curbs for under-16s take effect
“I don’t watch anything strange … just normal things,” he said of his social media use. Indonesia’s social media curbs, which the government says are intended to reduce the risk of cyberbullying and addiction, follow a ban in Australia last year over concerns about social media’s potential harms to young people’s mental health. “The policy is all concepts, but the technical guidance is still lacking,” said Ika Idris, a social media expert at Monash University who has children, aged 11 and 16, who use Roblox. X said Indonesia’s minimum age requirement “prevents age-restricted social media platforms, including X, from letting people under 16 create or keep an account. Removing accounts of under-16s on YouTube would create a “knowledge divide” in a country of 280 million people, Google said.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 06:06 UTC
People’s Party has an apology problem
That is precisely why each apology lands harder on the People’s Party than it would on more conventional parties. The apology over backing Mr Anutin may be even more corrosive. When Mr Borwornsak, a leading public law expert, was approached by Mr Anutin, the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, to take up the post, he reportedly set clear conditions. Mr Borwornsak is known for his independent approach, while Mr Pakorn is viewed as more flexible. Mr Pakorn was among those who argued that the policy could not proceed unless it met strict conditions under fiscal discipline laws.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 03:58 UTC
Thailand hopes for win over Vietnam in crucial U23 tie
Thailand hopes for win over Vietnam in crucial U23 tieThailand U23 players take part in a training session. (Photo supplied)Thailand's U23 team will be looking to secure their first victory of the CFA Team China International Youth Tournament when they face Vietnam in Xi'an on Saturday. Preparations continued yesterday with a routine training session, though the coach admitted his staff was facing selection problems. With the national team we have just come together, but I will try my best against Vietnam and want to win." A victory keep the Thai hopes of a strong finish in Xi'an alive.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 03:51 UTC
Employee at Tokyo Pokemon shop killed in knife attack
A female employee at a Pokemon merchandise shop was stabbed to death in Tokyo on Thursday (March 26), and the suspected assailant also died after stabbing himself, shocking shoppers during children's spring break season in Japan.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 03:02 UTC
Communities are the new brand currency
It's not just Sunday-morning run-club meetups at Bo Bangkok over iced coffees; it's about how Bangkokians are seeking closer social connections than ever. It's the shared experiences and inside Strava jokes, the post-run lattes and catch-ups and the grounding routine that bookmarks your weekends. If we take a deeper look into why this is, it highlights how people these days crave real, authentic connections. These natural interactions can create recurring rituals and shared experiences that ultimately hold meaningful friendships together. This is real sociology stuff: how groups come together amid shared social experiences and how brands can replicate that feeling beyond a 20-second Instagram clip.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 02:41 UTC
Diesel support policy fails to calm farmers
Diesel support policy fails to calm farmersA provincial diesel relief scheme in Phitsanulok has offered temporary support to farmers, while a farmer protest in Uttaradit underscores escalating pressure from rising fuel prices and persistent shortages during the harvest season. Authorities launched a programme distributing more than 3.2 million litres of diesel to registered farmers, covering about 659,446 rai and 43,952 farmers, said governor Kiattisak Trongsiri. Officials introduced the scheme after farmers and operators reported difficulty securing diesel for combine harvesters and water pumps. In Uttaradit, farmers gathered to submit demands for government intervention. They warned that falling rice prices, combined with higher costs, were pushing many into loss.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 02:30 UTC
Delayed Iran deadline gives investors a breather
Delayed Iran deadline gives investors a breatherRECAP: Asian shares pared losses yesterday as another delayed deadline in the Middle East war nudged oil prices lower, though there was still no end in sight to the unfolding energy crunch on the global economy. Brokerage firms were net buyers of 942.31 million baht, followed by retail investors at 457.38 million. Foreign investors were net sellers of 1.29 billion baht, followed by institutional investors at 110.25 million. Oil prices could hit a record $200 a barrel if the Iran war drags on until June, with the Strait of Hormuz staying shut, Macquarie Group analysts said on Friday. Central Pattana (CPN) has announced a five-year investment plan worth 110 billion baht covering 2026 to 2030.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 02:28 UTC
Strategy calls for hub luring wealth capital
Strategy calls for hub luring wealth capitalThe Association of Investment Management Companies (AIMC) is advancing a proposal to establish a private trust framework and related asset management legislation, aiming to position Thailand as a regional hub for wealth capital, particularly from the Middle East amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties. The initiative targets affluent investors seeking safe havens for capital preservation during periods of global instability, he said. A pillar of the strategy is to introduce tax incentives comparable to those offered by Singapore, encouraging foreign investors to register assets and allocate capital to Thailand's capital markets. The plan also aims to mobilise investment from expatriates residing in Thailand, a segment seen as holding substantial untapped capital. If 25,000 of them invest an average of 1 million baht each, the initiative could generate significant capital inflows, noted the AIMC.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 28, 2026 02:28 UTC