Power rivalry heats up Mekong region
Power rivalry heats up Mekong regionAn aerial view dated July 14, 2024, shows a section of the Mekong River where the Pak Beng hydropower dam is planned, in Oudomxai province, Laos. The Thai saying, maenam maimee promdan (rivers have no boundaries), fittingly applies to the mighty Mekong River, known in China as the Lancang. In 2016, the six countries gathered in Sanya, Hainan Island, to establish the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC), as it is now widely known across the region. It has also encouraged closer cooperation between the LMC and the Mekong River Commission (MRC), while promoting linkages with ACMECS (Ayeyarwaddy-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy). Established in 1995, the MRC has long served as the main treaty-based body for studying and monitoring the Mekong River, accumulating extensive scientific research, hydrological data and technical expertise.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 22:15 UTC
Shortages spur fuel reserve cut
Songkhla Public Relations OfficeThe government has decided to lower the proportion of oil reserves to 1% in a bid to ease fuel shortages while expressing confidence that the fuel situation will stabilise within a week. The Fuel Control Act lets the government order oil retailers to set aside certain amounts of oil as reserves. Mr Phiphat said the meeting was to discuss with refineries and major traders about public panic after many petrol stations ran out of fuel. "The major traders have acknowledged it, and they will try to comply with it. But the country's refining capacity stands at about 175 million litres per day, with diesel production at around 77 million litres, which is unable to meet the demand of 82-84 million litres.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 22:10 UTC
Public warned about heat
Public warned about heatThewet Recreation Centre in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, has a cooling centre to provide relief from the heat. Apichart JinakulThe Department of Health has warned the public to be aware of the increased risk of heatstroke, as temperatures climbed to 40 degrees Celsius in parts of the North, while Bangkok recorded a high of 38C on Monday. However, the TMD said the increased humidity may actually increase the heat index -- which measures the combined effect of temperature and humidity -- in some areas. Last year, Thailand logged 21 heat-related deaths last year, when the heat index reached "dangerous" levels at the peak of summer. This year, the department said that average summer temperatures look set to exceed last year's -- especially in the North, Northeast and Central regions -- prompting authorities to warn the public to exercise extra caution.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 22:10 UTC
Iran war: One miscalculation after another
Mr Trump swallowed the plan hook, line and sinker, and they cobbled together a story about a new nuclear threat from Iran. Nobody really believed it, maybe not even Mr Trump. His Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, wrote last week that "Iran's nuclear enrichment programme has been obliterated. Khamenei knew from past experience that Mr Trump favoured surprise attacks during negotiations and had taken the appropriate precautions. So Mr Trump runs back and forth in fury and confusion, changing his story twice a day.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 22:09 UTC
War seen unlikely to disrupt internet services in Thailand
War seen unlikely to disrupt internet services in ThailandA group of people using smartphones in Bangkok. “As a leading provider of international internet gateway services, NT has implemented a range of measures to ensure seamless and reliable connectivity,” he said. Less than 5% of True’s internet traffic is currently routed to Europe and the Middle East, further limiting the overall impact of any potential disruption. In September 2025, multiple undersea cable systems in the Persian Gulf region — including SMW4, IMEWE, FALCON and EIG — experienced significant disruptions. Despite the scale of the incident, True’s services remained unaffected, demonstrating the effectiveness of its network design and redundancy strategy, the company said.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 17:40 UTC
EVs become label-controlled
EVs become label-controlledElectric vehicles (EVs) have officially been designated label-controlled products to ensure consumers can accurately compare the features of different brands before making a purchase. Deputy government spokeswoman, Lalida Persvivatana, explained that the government has classified EVs as a label-controlled product under the Labelling Committee’s announcement, which has been in effect since March 21, to strengthen consumer protection. In the case of imported EVs, the country of origin and full importer details must also be specified so that consumers can verify the source of the model in which they are interested. The designation comes as EVs have shown notable growth in popularity. Fully electric vehicles (BEVs) must use locally sourced parts for no less than 40% of their total raw material value; PHEVs, at least 45%; and electric buses and trucks, at least 40%.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 17:40 UTC
Far-right French president no certainty despite rise of extremes
Far-right French president no certainty despite rise of extremesLeftists held onto France's biggest cities, including Paris and Marseille. The right notched wins in several other big cities, while the far right and hard left established a stronger local footprint. After a far-right ally won Nice, he claimed France's fifth largest city as a win for his own party. While a number of left-wing candidates allied with the hard left to strengthen their chances in the runoffs, the tactic did not pay off. The challenge, he said, is finding an arrangement that attracts LFI supporters without letting the hard left dominate such an alliance.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 17:27 UTC
Mideast conflict dents chip manufacturing
“The chip shortage will affect car production, leading to manufacturing slowdowns and higher operating costs amid oil price volatility. Attacks on Qatar’s Ras Laffan facility — one of the world’s largest helium hubs — have knocked out about one-third of global supply, according to media reports. Rising oil prices are compounding the problem, fuelling inflation and raising concerns over fuel availability at service stations. Higher oil prices may encourage some buyers to consider battery electric vehicles (BEVs). While the company has seen signals of increased interest in BEVs, he believes it is a short-term trend, expecting oil prices to ease once the conflict subsides.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 17:24 UTC
LaGuardia crash kills two after Air Canada jet hits vehicle
LaGuardia crash kills two after Air Canada jet hits vehicleEmergency crews respond to an Air Canada Express plane on the tarmac after the plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in the Queens borough of New York, US, on Monday, March 23, 2026. An Air Canada Express plane with 76 people aboard collided with a fire truck shortly after landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, killing the two pilots. The aircraft hit a Port Authority fire truck shortly after touching down and came to a standstill about halfway down the runway. A subsequent unidentified voice, likely an air traffic controller, told Truck 1 to “cross 4 at delta.” Subsequently, the unidentified voice said “stop, stop, stop, stop Truck 1, stop, stop stop. That was one of the deadliest US air disasters in decades and put more scrutiny on the long-running shortage of air traffic controllers.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 17:05 UTC
Pope Leo says aerial military strikes should be banned
Pope Leo says aerial military strikes should be bannedPope Leo XIV reacts as he leads the Angelus prayer from a window of the Apostolic Palace, at the Vatican, on Sunday. (Photo: Reuters)VATICAN CITY - Pope Leo sharply criticised aerial bombardments on Monday, saying they are indiscriminate and should be banned, in his latest anti-war comments as the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its fourth week. "No one should have to fear that threats of death and destruction might come from the sky," said the pope. "After the tragic experiences of the 20th century, aerial bombings should have been banned forever," he said. The pope has called repeatedly for a ceasefire in the Iran war.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 16:21 UTC
Samsung enables Android-to-iPhone file sharing via Quick Share
Samsung has enabled file transfers to iPhone devices through Quick Share, starting with the Galaxy S26 series as the first to support the feature. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra can now connect with AirDrop, allowing users to send files to iPhone, MacBook and iPad devices via Android’s Quick Share system. The development comes after Google and Apple announced a collaboration in November 2025 to integrate Quick Share with AirDrop. The system works through a Quick Share extension, which can be used across all Android smartphones. Samsung has now begun testing and rolling out the feature, with the Galaxy S26 series leading the deployment.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 14:47 UTC
Senators urge action to tackle rising energy costs
Senators urge action to tackle rising energy costsSenators attend a meeting at parliament, Bangkok. (Bangkok Post file photo)Senators have urged the government to introduce concrete measures to avert energy shortages and shield households from soaring costs as turmoil in the Middle East drives up global oil prices. Debating an urgent motion on Monday, senators considered the impact of the fighting in the Middle East on Thailand. She warned a prolonged conflict would make global energy markets more volatile, push up domestic prices and increase the risk of shortages. Senator Patima Jeerapaet said rising energy costs were already feeding into everyday prices, citing eggs, which he said had risen by 20 satang (0.20 baht) each.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 12:10 UTC
THAI to increase ticket prices
THAI to increase ticket pricesChai Eamsiri, chief executive officer of Thai Airways, says there are plans in case the Middle East crisis escalates further. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)The war in the Middle East has driven up operating costs for Thai Airways International (THAI), forcing the national carrier to increase average ticket prices by 10-15%. Chai Eamsiri, THAI chief executive, said jet fuel prices had surged from around US$80 per barrel before the conflict to US$220, and could climb further to US$240 if the war drags on for another two months. The airline has implemented dynamic pricing by limiting low-fare ticket availability, lifting average fares in line with market conditions, to help manage the impact. If approved, the airline may reduce base fares to balance the overall increase within the 10-15% range, he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 12:10 UTC
Pakorn tipped amid Borwornsak uncertainty
Pakorn tipped amid Borwornsak uncertaintyVeteran legal scholar Borwornsak Uwanno arrives at Government House on Feb 3. Notably absent from the party’s quota is Mr Borwornsak, who had previously been expected to retain the legal affairs deputy premiership. Mr Anutin was said to have thanked him for his service in the previous government and offered him another senior position, which Mr Borwornsak reportedly declined, citing his age. Attention has now shifted to Mr Pakorn, a senior legal technocrat widely respected in government circles. Mr Pakorn has held several high-profile administrative posts, including secretary-general of the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 12:09 UTC
Trump postpones military strikes on Iranian power plants
Trump postpones military strikes on Iranian power plantsA newspaper featuring a picture of US President Donald Trump is seen in Tehran, Iran, on Oct 14, 2017. (File photo: Reuters)WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States has had good and productive conversations with Iran and he will order the military to postpone any military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days. Trump's move followed a threat by Iran to attack Israel's power plants and those supplying US bases across the Gulf region if the US targets Iran's power network. Conversations with Iran will continue throughout the week, Trump said in a social media post. "I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS," he wrote in all caps.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 23, 2026 12:09 UTC