New airline hubs poised to gain from travel rerouting
Whatever the outcome, it will take a while for travel to recover from the shock. There will be retaliation -- sponsored and freelance -- against US interests elsewhere, further muddying the travel waters. In the short term, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways International and Singapore Airlines will benefit from this windfall. Travel can be at its most rewarding when disruption is afoot, not when the machine is greased and humming. And this is where a genuine travel revolution may happen to correct the post-Covid price spikes.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 04, 2026 02:51 UTC
CRC reports core profit declined by 6% in 2025
CRC reports core profit declined by 6% in 2025Central Retail Corporation Plc (CRC) reported consistent profitability last year, despite the wholesale and retail sector facing significant challenges and several pressures from global economic factors and weakened domestic purchasing power. The company recorded performance from continuing operations (excluding Italy) of total revenue of 253 billion baht in 2025, up 4% year-on-year, and 71.2 billion baht in the fourth quarter, a 12% year-on-year increase. The company reported a core profit of 7.43 billion baht in 2025, a 6% year-on-year decline, and 2.73 billion baht in the fourth quarter, up 17%. The board of directors agreed to propose to the 2026 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders approval of a total dividend payment for the operating results of 2025 of 1.11 baht per share. Including the first special dividend payment from the Rinascente divestment of 0.70 baht per share paid in 2025, the total dividend distribution amounts to 1.81 baht per share.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 04, 2026 02:51 UTC
Navigating new currents: Thailand-US trade after the tariff ruling
Thailand now ranks seventh among countries with which the US runs the largest trade deficits. Automotive exports remained strong, and notably many Thai-built vehicles and parts were exempted from the most recent US tariff round. The Real MeaningThe Supreme Court's ruling reduces the scope for emergency-based tariff measures. Leverage the digital economy: Services and digital trade face far fewer tariff barriers. The future of Thailand-US trade will not be defined by tariffs alone, but rather by how intelligently we respond.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 04, 2026 02:50 UTC
Piyabutr explains his split with PP
Piyabutr explains his split with PPPiyabutr: Criticises party organisationPiyabutr Saengkanokkul, secretary-general of the Progressive Movement, has explained his decision to part ways with the People's Party (PP), saying it has strayed from core organisational principles and become increasingly centralised to the point of resembling an internal dictatorship. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Mr Piyabutr said that in his study of mass party theory, he has never encountered any school of thought suggesting that a mass party should function without leadership, without a decision-making centre, or without internal discipline. He rejected the notion that party members should freely criticise the party in public at will, without first debating issues internally. Nor, he said, should a political party become a vehicle for individuals seeking to elevate their own social or political status, or gain personal prominence. A political party founded to unite the people and drive broad social change must reconcile two potentially conflicting elements, centralisation and democracy, Mr Piyabutr said.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 04, 2026 02:29 UTC
Rights body condemns Iran strikes
A satellite image shows an overview of the Presidential Complex and the compound of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Iran, March 3, 2026, after airstrikes amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. (Photo: Reuters)The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned military strikes on Iran and urged an immediate halt to the violence. The NHRC on Tuesday issued a statement titled "Call to end violence and respect human rights principles in the case of military operations attacking the Islamic Republic of Iran". The commission expressed deep sorrow over the escalating conflict in the Middle East following joint United States and Israeli military operations against Iran. It urged a return to diplomatic negotiations and peaceful mechanisms, stressing that any resolution must prioritise "human rights principles and the well-being of global citizens".
Source:Bangkok Post
March 04, 2026 02:16 UTC
Financial planning challenges in Asia
As a result, their primary financial goals are focused on a two- to three-year time frame. Almost half (44%) of the respondents aim to build a basic safety net for their families, while one-third (37%) hope to achieve financial independence. "It's clear that there is a shared sense of financial vulnerability across generations of middle classes in Asia," said Lee Yen Ho, group chief distribution and proposition officer at FWD Group. Generation Y (born 1981–95) juggle multiple financial responsibilities, with 49% worrying about saving for their own retirement. Although almost half (47%) are looking for a single, efficient solution to cover multiple family members, most (61%) have never heard of family insurance plans.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 04, 2026 02:08 UTC
Cambodia absence highlights fragile trust
(Photo: Reuters)Cambodia's absence from the Cobra Gold military drill this year signals a persistent lack of trust between Thailand and Cambodia, analysts say. Cobra Gold, the largest and the longest-running multinational military exercise in mainland Asia, has been hosted in Thailand annually since 1982. Amid ongoing border tensions, analysts say trust between Thailand and Cambodia remains fragile. Chaiwat Khamchoo, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Political Science, said Cambodia would likely feel discomfort and distrust if it were to join Cobra Gold this year. On the other hand, he also does not see Thailand joining if Cambodia were to host a military exercise.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 04, 2026 02:01 UTC
Trump threatens Spain ties over Iran war refusal
Trump threatens Spain ties over Iran war refusalPresident Donald Trump criticized Britain and Spain during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich MerzWASHINGTON (UNITED STATES) - US President Donald Trump threatened Tuesday to sever all trade with Spain after it refused to let US planes use its bases to attack Iran, while also lashing out at Britain for not cooperating more. We don't want anything to do with Spain," Trump said, adding that he had asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to "cut off all dealings with Spain." The Spanish government quickly responded that it had a "mutually beneficial" trading relationship with the United States and other countries. During the 2003 Iraq invasion, Spain, then under conservative prime minister Jose Maria Aznar, staunchly backed the United States. - 'Not happy' with Britain -Britain, a steadfast ally of the United States throughout the two World Wars and in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, also decided not to join the assault on Iran.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 04, 2026 01:48 UTC
Myanmar residents rush to refuel in Thai border town
A street in the border town of Mae Sot is clogged with vehicles, mostly from Myanmar, waiting to enter service stations on Tuesday. (Photo: Assawin Pinitwong)The influx sparked concern among Mae Sot residents, who feared a potential fuel shortage and rushed to top up their tanks as well. Caltex raised diesel prices by 1.80 baht and most gasohol prices by 0.90 baht per litre. In Mae Sot, petrol stations reported long queues as drivers waited their turn. However, Myanmar nationals are still permitted to drive private vehicles across the border to refuel.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 03, 2026 22:26 UTC
Three teens ‘confess’ to slaying of rival
Three teens ‘confess’ to slaying of rivalPolice cordon off the area in a eucalyptus forest where the body of a 19-year-old victim was found buried after he was killed, in Phrai Bung district of Si Sa Ket province. The suspects reportedly confessed, citing past conflicts during their time in juvenile detention. His friend, Kittisak, also 19, survived with severe injuries and remains in critical condition in a hospital in nearby Ubon Ratchathani. The trio told officers that the attack stemmed from past conflicts during their time in the Si Sa Ket Juvenile Observation and Protection Centre, he said. Police noted that the group had previously been detained in juvenile cases involving attempted murder.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 03, 2026 19:57 UTC
Geopolitical storm leaves isolated Greenlanders hanging by a telecoms thread
Geopolitical storm leaves isolated Greenlanders hanging by a telecoms threadThe northern lights, aurora borealis, in the winter sky above the harbour and small settlement of Kapisillit, in Greenland, on Feb 15, 2026. Located about 75 kilometres (47 miles) from the capital Nuuk, Kapisillit is remote and isolated. Like hundreds of other villages in Greenland, now caught up in a geopolitical storm, the settlement depends on a fragile and costly telecommunications network. "They prefer to speak to their aunt or uncle elsewhere in Greenland than learn Danish," Mathiassen said sourly. "In case of an emergency, we would have had no help from Nuuk," Nolso said.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 03, 2026 18:24 UTC
War adds urgency to Thai aviation hub push
“Since the conflict erupted over the weekend, many foreign tourists have shifted to booking long‑haul flights to Thailand via Thai Airways. However, developing an aviation hub takes time, he said. Thailand’s best opportunity lies in becoming an aviation hub for the 680 million people in Southeast Asia, although this largely depends on how quickly the country can develop supporting infrastructure beyond its main airports, he said. Mr Tassapon said Thailand will not achieve aviation hub status unless major ongoing projects, such as the high‑speed railway linking three airports — six years behind schedule because of endless contract snags — are successfully completed. Becoming an aviation hub requires a long-term commitment, particularly in developing the broader transport network to better accommodate travellers, he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 03, 2026 18:02 UTC
PM unfazed by push to arrest ‘fixer’ Mauerberger
Anutin says he won’t interfere, brushes aside concerns about political falloutPrime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul arrives at Government House on Feb 24. Mr Mauerberger for many years was based in Bangkok, where he cultivated connections with many prominent business and political figures. However, reported links between Klatham chief adviser Thamanat Prompow and Mr Mauerberger are among the factors making Bhumjaithai wary of a deal. Thamanat has denied he had any knowledge about the alleged offences of Mr Mauerberger or his wife, saying they occurred before he knew the former. Mr Rangsiman is fighting a defamation lawsuit filed by Mr Mauerberger, who is seeking 100 million baht in damages.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 03, 2026 16:34 UTC
Bank of Thailand: Middle East war will dent Thai GDP
Bank of Thailand: Middle East war will dent Thai GDPBank of Thailand governor Vitai Ratanakorn. The new war in the Middle East could dent gross domestic product (GDP) by 0.1-0.15 percentage points due to the heightened risk to oil supply, according to Bank of Thailand governor Vitai Ratanakorn. The risk is that the war in the Middle East could affect the Thai economy more severely than previously estimated,” said Mr Vitai. The oil price had already increased by US$5-7 per barrel due to the Middle East war, he said. An average annual increase of $10 per barrel is expected to shave 0.1-0.15% off Thai GDP,” said Mr Vitai.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 03, 2026 16:23 UTC
Govt: Enough oil for local consumption but prices will rise
(Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)The Thai government has confirmed there are adequate supplies of oil for local consumption but warns local prices will still rise at some point in line with global prices, even with the use of subsidies to offset the increase. The caretaker prime minister admitted that the Mideast conflict would affect oil prices, but promised that his government would try its best to maintain the retail prices of oil, gas and other necessary products. Caltex raised diesel prices by 1.80 baht and most gasohol prices by 0.90 baht per litre. Veerapat Kiatfuengfoo, deputy permanent secretary for energy, said the Ministry of Energy would use the Oil Fuel Fund to subsidise any rise in oil prices. However, local pump prices would still increase at some point, in line with global oil prices, he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 03, 2026 16:14 UTC