Arsenal, Man City eye trophy haul, Macclesfield more FA Cup 'miracles'
Arsenal, Man City eye trophy haul, Macclesfield more FA Cup 'miracles'Macclesfield stunned FA Cup holders Crystal Palace in round three. But no side has ever won all three of those titles plus the League Cup. The Gunners host Wigan, winners of the FA Cup in 2013, who currently sit in the League One relegation zone. Villa's last FA Cup success was back in 1957, two years after Newcastle last lifted the trophy. Sitting 10th in the Premier League, Eddie Howe's side may need FA Cup glory to salvage an otherwise disappointing campaign.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 13, 2026 06:50 UTC
Bangladesh's BNP heading for 'sweeping' election win
Bangladesh's BNP heading for 'sweeping' election winBangladesh Nationalist Party chairman and election candidate Tarique Rahman (centre) casts his ballot at a polling station during Bangladesh's general election in Dhaka on Thursday. (Photo: AFP)DHAKA - The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman is heading for a thumping win in the first elections held since a deadly 2024 uprising, Bangladeshi TV stations projected Friday. "There will be no victory rally despite the BNP's sweeping victory," the statement said. Peaceful pollsBNP election committee spokesman Mahdi Amin told reporters the party was on track to win at least two-thirds of seats. "We will join the nation-building effort led by Tarique Rahman," Md Fazlur Rahman, 45, told AFP.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 13, 2026 06:50 UTC
'Punk wellness': China's stressed youth mix traditional medicine and cocktails
"TCM bars" have popped up in several cities across China, epitomising what the country's stressed-out, time-poor youth refer to as "punk wellness", or "wrecking yourself while saving yourself". "Niang Qing" was founded by students from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine only last year, but has already expanded to five locations across the country. The idea of the bar was born "to let people experience TCM culture through entertainment". 'Wellness for a new era'Analysts have noted a growing interest among young Chinese people in products that repackage traditional Chinese culture for modern times. "Today's TCM bars provide precisely this -- a new form of socialising and wellness for a new era."
Source:Bangkok Post
February 13, 2026 06:48 UTC
Japan seizes Chinese fishing boat, arrests skipper
Japan seizes Chinese fishing boat, arrests skipperThis handout photo taken on Thursday from Japan's Fisheries Agency shows Fisheries Enforcement Headquarters' fisheries patrol vessel "Hakuo Maru", left, and a Chinese fishing vessel sailing within Japan's exclusive economic zone off Nagasaki Prefecture. (Photo: Handout)TOKYO — Japanese authorities have seized a Chinese fishing boat and arrested its captain for allegedly fleeing inspection in its exclusive economic zone, an incident that could further inflame tensions between Asia's top two economies. While Japan has seized fishing vessels from South Korea and Taiwan in recent years, the incident is the first involving a vessel from China since 2022 and comes against the backdrop of a major diplomatic dispute between the countries. "We will continue to take resolute action in our enforcement activities to prevent and deter illegal fishing operations by foreign vessels," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a regular press conference on Friday. In 2024, the agency conducted seven on-board inspections, seized a Taiwanese fishing boat and had 18 cases in which illegal fishing gear was confiscated, according to its annual report.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 13, 2026 06:41 UTC
Vietnam, mainland China among top Lunar New Year destinations for Hong Kongers
Vietnam, mainland China among top Lunar New Year destinations for Hong KongersTravellers at Hong Kong International Airport. (Photo: Jelly Tse/South China Morning Post)South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and mainland China are emerging as popular Lunar New Year destinations for Hong Kongers this year, as residents take advantage of a calendar arrangement allowing them to enjoy nine consecutive days off by taking just two days of leave. Yau said Yunnan, the three northeastern provinces and Shandong were among the most popular mainland Chinese destinations for organised groups. Yeung said mainland tours were relatively more expensive over the festive period because of the tightened supply during the spring rush. Industry representatives also expressed optimism about inbound travel during the Lunar New Year holiday period, with the mainland enjoying its own nine-day holiday and major festive events taking place in Hong Kong.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 13, 2026 06:31 UTC
Thailand scores poorly in corruption ranking
Thailand scores poorly in corruption rankingPrime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul speaks to reporters before chairing a meeting of his Bhumjaithai Party's MPs-elected on Thursday. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reacted by calling the ranking "a failing grade". He said on Thursday that the score was relatively low, indicating high levels of corruption and weak transparency in the country. He added that he had asked the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) to clarify the factors behind the low score. Mr Anutin said corruption extends beyond bribery and includes inefficiencies in approval and licensing systems that undermine investor confidence.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 13, 2026 06:25 UTC
16 Chinese arrested after illegally crossing into Thailand
16 Chinese arrested after illegally crossing into ThailandSoldiers search the belongings of 16 Chinese nationals, who were caught illegally crossing into Thailand from Cambodia. (Photo: Sa Kaeo public relations office)SA KAEO – Sixteen Chinese nationals allegedly linked to an online scam operation were arrested along the border in Aranyaprathet district and 266 mobile phones and a laptop computer were seized from them after they illegally crossed into Thailand from Cambodia. Sixteen Chinese nationals, 15 men and one woman, were arrested for not having passports or valid entry documents. They claimed their Chinese employer had attempted to send them to work in a third country against their will. Authorities are expanding the investigation to determine whether the seized electronic devices are linked to transnational criminal networks.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 13, 2026 06:11 UTC
Economic issues top public priorities for new government
Economic issues top public priorities for new governmentA voter checks the notice board before voting in the general election at a polling station in Bangkok on Sunday. People expect a new government to help them resolve economic problems first. Economic concerns were the top issue respondents expected the new administration to resolve, identified by 38% of respondents, ahead of social and political problems, which gained 32.3% and 29.7% endorsement, respectively. On social issues, 33.6% of people wanted illicit-drug problems to be clamped down on, while scamming and illegally run businesses came second at 29.4%. Corruption topped political problems, with 52.8% of respondents wanting the government to seriously eradicate it, while writing a new constitution was the second priority at only 17.8%.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 13, 2026 06:06 UTC
Fuel usage declined 0.2% in 2025
Fuel usage declined 0.2% in 2025Petrol dispensers at a Bangkok filling station. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)Thailand's total fuel consumption dipped slightly last year, falling by 0.2% year-on-year due to the economic slowdown, says the Department of Energy Business (DOEB). Sarawut Kaewtathip, director-general of DOEB, said the country consumed an average of 154.85 million litres per day last year. Conversely, the aviation sector rose, with commercial aviation fuel use up by 7.6% to 17.2 million litres a day, fuelled by a 5.2% increase in flights and government-backed tourism campaigns. Notably, the industry began integrating sustainable aviation fuel to meet international net-zero environmental targets.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 12, 2026 23:46 UTC
Easy Money raises borrowing for expansion
Easy Money raises borrowing for expansionA customer makes a transaction at an Easy Money branch. Amid sluggish loan demand as the economy sags, pawn shop operator Easy Money has increased borrowing to prepare for business expansion this year. Easy Money secured loan facilities worth 3 billion baht from Siam Commercial Bank, in addition to credit lines from other banks. "Easy Money serves as an alternative funding source for SMEs and small entrepreneurs who have limited access to bank loans," he said. "We modernised our traditional pawn shop business, Tangthanasin, into Easy Money and expanded our customer base to around 1 million."
Source:Bangkok Post
February 12, 2026 23:34 UTC
Ratchaburi smash Persib to seize control
Ratchaburi smash Persib to seize controlRatchaburi's Tana celebrates his goal against Persib. (Photo: Ratchaburi FB)Ratchaburi stormed to an easy 3-0 home victory over Indonesia's Persib Bandung in the AFC Champions League Two Round of 16 first leg match on Wednesday night. Ratchaburi took the lead after just five minutes through Tana, who after being set up by Denilson Junior outside the six-yard box, side-footed the ball home past Persib goalkeeper Teja Paku Alam. Three minutes before time, Tana picked up a through ball from Gleyson and ghosted past the Persib defence to coolly steer the ball past the keeper. On Friday, Chonburi and Uthai Thani face off at Chonburi Stadium, with the match kicking off at 7pm.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 12, 2026 23:31 UTC
Exim Bank offers B50bn lifeline to ailing exporters
Mr Charat says the working capital is to support the liquidity of exporters. The Export-Import (Exim) Bank of Thailand has prepared a 50-billion-baht working capital facility to support exporters amid global economic volatility. According to president Charat Rattanaboonniti, the bank plans to extend the working capital to exporters this year to support their liquidity. Exim Bank approved a total of 54.3 billion baht in new loans in 2025, with outstanding loans of 191 billion baht. According to Mr Charat, the bank is focusing on upgrading Thai industries to high-technology manufacturing and a green economy.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 12, 2026 23:31 UTC
One year of marriage equality
But this Valentine's Day in Thailand goes beyond sentiment, marking over one full year of legal marriage equality. On Jan 23, 2025, Thailand took a bold step by passing the Marriage Equality Law, becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to legally recognise marriage for all couples, regardless of gender. The Marriage Equality Law is the clearest affirmation yet of that trajectory. This statistic highlights both great progress and the reality that legal marriage equality is still the exception across nations, not yet the norm. One year on, Thailand's Marriage Equality Law stands as a regional reference point.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 12, 2026 23:17 UTC
How world's super-rich are rewriting the rules
But the two are not the same: the global minimum tax applies a country-by-country computation to determine the amount, whereas US rules apply to US-based multinationals' total foreign profits. It also grants US-headquartered multinationals a competitive advantage over other multinationals, all of which are still subject to the 15% global minimum tax. But no country should relinquish its sovereign right to tax multinationals and the super-rich. The text of the tax convention should reflect this. Failing that, the current, deeply flawed rules will become entrenched, and the pursuit of "compatibility" with existing frameworks developed at the OECD will compromise both the ambition and the objectives of the UN Tax Convention.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 12, 2026 23:17 UTC
Surviving the collapse of the population
The global average birth rate has halved since 1960 and is now just above the "replacement" rate of 2.1 children per woman. Only sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East still have the old, high birth rates. In the Americas, Europe, Oceania and above all in Asia birth rates have fallen at an astonishing rate. Such a migration has already been going on for decades at a smaller scale in the rich countries of the West. Rich East Asian countries could easily do it too if they could get past their historical obsession with racial and cultural purity.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 12, 2026 23:17 UTC