Sethaput named as councillor
Sethaput named as councillorSethaput: Former BoT chiefSethaput Suthiwartnarueput, a former governor of the Bank of Thailand (BoT), has been appointed a Privy Councillor following a royal command announced in the Royal Gazette on Thursday. "By virtue of Sections 10 and 11 of the 2017 Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, His Majesty appoints Mr Sethaput as a Privy Councillor with immediate effect," the announcement read. The former BoT governor is widely recognised, both in Thailand and internationally, for his work in economics and finance. Since 2005, he has held senior roles in major Thai institutions and was appointed the 24th BoT governor in 2020. Mr Sethaput began his career as a business analyst at McKinsey & Company in New York before joining the World Bank as a senior economist.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 23:10 UTC
Oil checks in seven provinces find ‘no irregularities’
(Bangkok Post file photo)Inspections of oil depots and petrol stations in seven provinces have found no irregularities in fuel supply or distribution, the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) said on Friday. The checks on Thursday showed normal trading activity among oil traders under Section 7 of the Fuel Trade Act, as well as among oil middlemen, known as “jobbers”, said Danucha Pichayanan, secretary‑general of the state planning agency. Inspectors found remaining stocks of about 10 million litres, below half of the depots’ capacity of 25–28 million litres. Thailand exported an average of 4.6 million litres of fuel per day to Laos and 227,000 litres per day to Myanmar between March 1 and 25. The shift could strengthen Thailand’s fuel security by at least 5 million litres a day, according to the NESDC secretary‑general.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 23:06 UTC
Bangladesh seeks to build on existing ties, eyes trade deal
Bangladesh seeks to build on existing ties, eyes trade dealFaiyaz Murshid Kazi, ambassador of the People's Republic of Bangladesh to Thailand, speaks during an event marking the 55th anniversary of Independence and National Day of Bangladesh at the Shangri-La Bangkok. The new administration under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman places a high priority on strengthening relations with Thailand and deepening engagement with Asean, he said. On the economic front, Bangladesh is working to establish direct shipping connectivity with Thailand's western seaboard. Bangladesh officials cited "an enabling business environment and a young workforce available to meet sector-specific labour needs in Thailand". Both countries are also enhancing cooperation to combat shared challenges, including human trafficking and online scams, they said.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 23:05 UTC
SAO collapse remains unresolved
A merit-making ceremony is held on May 13, 2025 for those who lost their lives in the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building in Chatuchak district of Bangkok. The 2.1-billion-baht complex, intended to embody the integrity of the country's top watchdog, instead became a symbol of public outrage and institutional failure. For many observers, the physical destruction has come to mirror a collapse of public confidence in the SAO and in the broader system of state construction oversight. While a foreign firm has been implicated, Mr Mana stressed the issue is not about nationality but about systemic weaknesses. He called for urgent reforms, including full disclosure of the investigation, stronger safety standards, greater procurement transparency and stricter enforcement of professional ethics.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 23:05 UTC
Tiger Woods arrested, charged with DUI after Florida crash: police
Tiger Woods arrested, charged with DUI after Florida crash: policeUS golfer Tiger Woods reacts after driving from the 4th tee during his second round, on day two of the 152nd British Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon on the south west coast of Scotland on July 19, 2024. (Photo: AFP)MIAMI - Golf superstar Tiger Woods was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after being involved in a rollover car crash in Florida on Friday, law enforcement officials said. However, he was formally charged with driving under the influence after refusing to take a urine analysis test, Budensiek said. "We will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash," Budensiek told reporters. Asked to estimate how fast Woods had been driving in the moments before the crash, Budensiek replied: "The answer is I can't.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 23:05 UTC
'Strait of Trump': US president says Iran must open key waterway
'Strait of Trump': US president says Iran must open key waterwayUS President Donald Trump spoke about the Iran war at a Saudi-backed investment conference in Miami. (Photo: AFP)WASHINGTON (UNITED STATES) - US President Donald Trump on Friday insisted Iran must open up the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic to make a peace deal -- and dubbed the crucial waterway the "Strait of Trump." Trump added that Iran was "on the run" and reiterated assertions that Tehran's leadership, navy, air force and nuclear program had all suffered significant damage. "They have to open up the Strait of Trump -- I mean Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz was open to international shipping before the conflict, but the narrow waterway has since ground to a standstill, leading to a surge in global energy prices.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 23:05 UTC
Diesel tax to drop by 1 baht per litre
Diesel tax to drop by 1 baht per litreAn attendant fills a customer's tank at a petrol station in Samut Prakan on March 7. The government is preparing to reduce the excise tax on diesel by one baht per litre, aiming to ease the rising cost burden on consumers. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)The government is preparing to reduce the excise tax on diesel by one baht per litre, aiming to ease the rising cost burden on consumers, even though the move is expected to cost the state up to 2 billion baht per month. Finance Ministry permanent secretary Lavaron Sangsnit added that the cut applies solely to diesel, which is currently taxed at five to six baht per litre depending on the type. The reduction will reduce government revenue by approximately 2 billion baht per month.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 22:51 UTC
Govt prepares co-payment scheme to ease living costs
Govt prepares co-payment scheme to ease living costsA woman uses a mobile application to pay a food vendor under the Khon La Khrueng Plus co-payment scheme at Pak Nam Market in Samut Prakan province on Oct 29, 2025. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)The government plans to launch the "Khon La Khrueng" co-payment scheme to help ease the rising cost of living, with rollout expected after it delivers its policy statement to parliament. Those seven measures focus on vulnerable groups, transport operators and public service providers to help contain costs, the source said. The source said the next phase of the co-payment scheme will also be considered after the fiscal 2027 spending plan is completed. The "Thai Help Thai" campaign is set to begin on Wednesday and offers discounts on essential goods.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 22:48 UTC
Oil climbs, stocks fall as markets see no end to war
Oil climbs, stocks fall as markets see no end to warUS President Donald Trump's decision to again delay his deadline for strikes on Iran's energy assets failed to reassure markets. (Photo: AFP)LONDON - Oil prices rose and stocks fell Friday as initial optimism over US President Donald Trump's decision to again delay his deadline for strikes on Iran's energy assets faded. But with Iran maintaining a hold on the strait, Trump's announcement largely failed to lift the mood for markets. Oil prices climbed, with international benchmark Brent crude rising 2.6 percent to $104.49. Friday's market reaction contrasted with the sharp plunge in oil prices and gains for stocks after Trump first delayed the deadline earlier this week.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 21:43 UTC
Thailand mulls windfall tax on oil refineries
The government is studying the feasibility of introducing a windfall tax on refineries. The Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) has acknowledged it is studying the feasibility of introducing a windfall tax on refinery businesses in Thailand. A windfall tax imposed on refineries is generally applied in two groups of countries: those that drill oil and those that import crude oil for refining. The calculation of a windfall tax for refineries generally follows two approaches. The infrastructure land windfall tax aimed to promote tax fairness and encourage contributions from those who benefit from public infrastructure investments that result in higher land prices.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 21:41 UTC
Free electric coaches ease travel costs in Chiang Rai
Municipality rolls out three green buses on route covering key destinationsOne of the three electric coaches operated by Chiang Rai municipality, now offering free rides on routes around the northern city. (Photo: ท้องถิ่นนิวส์)CHIANG RAI - Chiang Rai municipality has launched a free electric coach service to help residents cope with rising fuel prices and limited supply, with the vehicles running throughout the day on routes that cover key areas of the northern city. The service operates daily from 8am to 5pm, with departures every hour from Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1. The coaches travel in a loop around the city, stopping at 15 key locations including King Mengrai Monument, Chiang Rai Vocational College, Suan Tung and Khom Park, the old provincial hall, Overbrook Hospital, Chiang Rai Municipality Office, the municipal fresh market and Clock Tower. The move also aligns with the municipality’s ambition to transform Chiang Rai into both a “green city” and a “wellness city”.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 19:32 UTC
The energy map in 2026: OPEC+ and the Custodial crude paradox
The energy map in 2026: OPEC+ and the Custodial crude paradoxOil markets are no longer defined by simple shifts in supply and demand. The result is an oil market suspended between engineered stability and sudden volatility. A new element has emerged in this power play: Custodial crude. The role of custodial crude in the uncertainty equationCustodial crude refers to physical oil and refined products held in third-party inventories where ownership or transfer rights are subject to friction. Inventory management is crucial for cost stability; while custodial crude provides a physical buffer, the efficiency of holding it is instrumental in the "theory of storage" that underpins futures markets.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 17:58 UTC
Fares for Pattaya-Koh Larn ferries going up
Operators say fuel costs have forced first increase in 16 years, from B30 to B40Tourists ride a ferry from Pattaya to Koh Larn, a popular island about 7km off the coast of the resort town in Chon Buri. Ferry operators will raise their fares from 40 baht to 30 baht from April 10, citing rising fuel costs. (Photo: Amporn Sangkaew)Operators of ferries between Pattaya and Koh Larn, a nearby island popular with day-trippers, say they will raise their fares from 30 baht to 40 baht next month, citing rising fuel costs that have made it difficult to sustain operations. In a post on the Ferry Boat Pattaya-Koh Larn Facebook page, members of the Pattaya-Koh Larn Ferry Club said the new flat rate would take effect from April 10. The ferry services operate several times a day from Bali Hai pier in South Pattaya to Koh Larn, about 7 kilometres off the coast of Pattaya.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 17:54 UTC
Ride-hailing driver’s midnight dash saves grandmother in crisis
Ride-hailing driver’s midnight dash saves grandmother in crisisTwo men tend to their ailing elderly mother on a stretcher after arriving at the hospital. (Photo: Joe Thanudcha)A ride-hailing driver became an unlikely hero for speeding an elderly woman to hospital in the early hours of Tuesday morning, after accepting what he thought would be a routine fare. On arrival at the pickup point, he found two men standing in the street, one of them cradling an elderly woman wrapped in a blanket. “Other drivers on the road have no idea you’re in an emergency,” the commenter wrote. A third offered some reassurance from personal experience, recounting a road accident in which an ambulance she had called arrived in under 10 minutes and reached the hospital quickly.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 17:40 UTC
Hungarians' growing anger at living in EU's 'most corrupt state'
Hungarians' growing anger at living in EU's 'most corrupt state'Nationalist Orban is close to Russia's Vladimir Putin, as well as US President Donald Trump, who has endorsed him. But voters in what Transparency International deems the EU's most corrupt country believe otherwise. - 'The frontman' -"These are not isolated cases -- this is simply the way the system is functioning," Hadhazy told AFP. Orban's son-in-law Istvan Tiborcz has become one of Hungary's most influential entrepreneurs through public lighting contracts won by his former company Elios. The anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International has labelled Hungary as the EU's most corrupt country alongside Bulgaria in its Corruption Perceptions Index.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 27, 2026 17:26 UTC