Bhumjaithai in landslide victory with counting nearly complete
(Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut)The Bhumjaithai Party of caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has won 174 House constituency seats, followed by the People's Party with 87 and 58 for the Pheu Thai Party, according to the Election Commission. There are 400 House seats for constituency MPs. Bhumjaithai won the eighth seat in Samut Prakan. Pheu Thai lost in all 10 constituencies of Chiang Mai province, which had long been its political stronghold. In the 2023 general election, the People's Party in its previous incarnation as the Move Forward Party won 151 House seats, followed by Pheu Thai with 141 and Bhumjaithai with 71 seats.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 03:36 UTC
Unqualified candidates face legal action: EC
The Election Commission (EC) has warned that candidates who lack legal qualifications may not only affect the candidates themselves but also party leaders. The EC said the law allows for legal action against party leaders who improperly certify nominations. The warning follows a Supreme Court ruling that struck down 59 MP candidates. EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said that after the Supreme Court ordered the removal of the names of MP candidates, both the candidates and the party leaders who signed to certify their nominations could face legal consequences. Meanwhile, Suriyan Hongvilai, spokesman for the Courts of Justice, provided details of the cases heard by the Supreme Court's Election Cases Division.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 03:32 UTC
Time for tea in Singapore
The Asian Civilisations Museum in collaboration with international tea brand Chagee and the Singapore Tourism Board presents "Garden Of Senses: A Tea Reverie", a multi-sensory showcase exploring the rich social significance of tea across Asia through art installations and interactive experiences. The showcase runs from now until June 7 at the Asian Civilisations Museum. Meanwhile, Chagee's Asian Civilisations Museum pop-up store by the Singapore River also offers curated selections from their beverage menu, along with a carefully selected range of merchandise including items previously only available in Chagee stores in China. Designed to reflect the calm, nature-inspired language of the showcase, the pop-up blends modern tea aesthetics with subtle references to landscape and ritual; creating a relaxed space for visitors to continue their tea experience after their museum visit. A tea aroma display at the Asian Civilisations Museum.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 02:47 UTC
Clear Thai election victory to give investors policy continuity
Clear Thai election victory to give investors policy continuityAnutin Charnvirakul during a news conference at the Bhumjaithai Party headquarters on election night in Bangkok on Sunday. (Photo: Bloomberg)A convincing win by Thailand’s ruling Bhumjaithai Party in Sunday’s election should boost the country’s stock market and currency, according to some strategists and economists, with the potential for policy continuity a relief for investors who’d feared further political dysfunction. The baht edged higher to 31.456 per dollar in early Asian trading as Bhumjaithai, led by incumbent Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, was on track to capture the most seats in the 500-seat lower house and is in pole position to form a coalition. Its main challenger, the People’s Party, underperformed, in a blow to its progressive agenda that had aimed for deeper reforms. Here’s what strategists and economists had to say:Brendan McKenna, strategist at Wells Fargo“Overall policy continuity is a scenario that may ultimately result in stability.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 02:39 UTC
BJT, Klatham could form coalition
BJT, Klatham could form coalitionBhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul, left, and Klatham's Thamanat Prompow at Government House in September last year. They were commenting after the release of unofficial results, with Bhumjaithai Party poised to secure the top position in parliament. Bhumjaithai would then be expected to open coalition talks with Pheu Thai as its first partner, he said. “The outcome would largely depend on how high Pheu Thai sets its conditions,’’ Mr Stithorn said. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People’s Party, admitted defeat, saying the outcome reflects the will of the people.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 02:06 UTC
Chiang Mai tourism in flux
An artist's rendition of the renovated San Kamphaeng Hot Springs Chiang Mai, offering a prototype for public hot springs nationwide. Aiming to become a Unesco World Heritage site, Chiang Mai is accelerating landscape enhancements at its historic sites ahead of an assessment in June, according to the Chiang Mai provincial government. To maintain momentum in long‑haul markets, next month the Chiang Mai municipality plans to participate for the first time in the ITB Berlin trade show. HOT SPRINGS PROTOTYPEBanking on the booming foreign market and rising demand for health tourism products, the royally initiated "San Kamphaeng Hot Springs Chiang Mai" project was designated as a prototype for hot spring attractions in the province and nationwide. Tourists visit Wat Pan Tao in Chiang Mai during the city's night market.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 02:05 UTC
Stability first: Business urges swift economic action
"The problems not only affect our economic growth, but also seriously tarnish our image in the international community," he said. Nutthawat WichieanbutSHORT-TERM STIMULUSPayong Srivanich, chairman of the Thai Bankers' Association, said stimulus measures remain necessary based on economic conditions. Foreign data centre companies have repeatedly demanded better access to clean energy, requiring renewable power to operate their businesses. The direct PPA scheme passed a public hearing on Oct 3-10, and enables data centre operators to buy clean power directly from power companies. Clean energy infrastructure is crucial to make Thailand an attractive investment destination for the fast-growing data centre sector.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 02:01 UTC
GGC launches partnership for credits from palm oil
GGC launches partnership for credits from palm oilGlobal Green Chemicals Plc (GGC), the biochemical arm of PTT Global Chemical Plc, has partnered with Thaicom Plc and the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO) to launch a pilot smart palm oil farming project aimed at supporting Thailand's 2050 net-zero target. The three parties signed a memorandum of understanding for the initiative dubbed "Developing Carbon Credits from Sustainable Palm Oil Cultivation", which will explore how science and technology can be used to monitor plantations and measure carbon sequestration. The data should allow registration of carbon credits under Thailand's voluntary greenhouse gas reduction programme. He described the collaboration as a milestone in transforming Thailand's palm oil industry into a sustainable, low-carbon sector, while adding value to palm oil products. The initiative also builds on GGC's work with GIZ, Germany's international development agency, which supports sustainable palm oil production and procurement.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 01:36 UTC
Cramped booths bar access at polling stations
Cramped booths bar access at polling stationsNONTHABURI: A social worker has raised concerns over persistent accessibility problems at polling stations, saying cramped voting booths continue to hinder wheelchair users and voters with disabilities despite improvements by the Election Commission (EC). Ban Nonthaphoom Home, under the Department of Empowerment of People with Disabilities, is in Bang Talad subdistrict of Pak Kret district. Ms Asama said the facility has 228 eligible voters, but only 95 were able to vote this year as many residents are bedridden. Voters included people with hearing, visual and mobility impairments, as well as those with multiple disabilities, who cast ballots at a nearby polling station. She said further adjustments were needed to ensure equal access to voting, particularly for people with physical disabilities, so they could vote and take part in the election day process like everyone else.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 00:30 UTC
Carbon rules reshape Thai business as CBAM looms
The mechanism is a non-tariff barrier that applies to products with high carbon emissions during production. From 2026, importers must disclose the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their products and purchase CBAM certificates to offset them, meaning they will have to pay levies if their production processes emit carbon dioxide. Campaigns promoting reforestation, garbage separation and recycling and rooftop solar panel installation are aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. LEGAL TOOLThailand is turning to a new legal tool -- the climate change bill -- to strengthen its efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and reshape the business landscape, he said. "The flooding in Hat Yai underscored the escalating impact of climate change," said Phirun Saiyasitpanich, director‑general of the Department of Climate Change and Environment.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 00:30 UTC
Voters' choice merits respect
Voters' choice merits respectThailand's general election concluded yesterday amidst a nationwide atmosphere of anticipation, civic engagement and hope for the country's direction. It reflects a fundamental respect for the clearest and most direct signal voters can deliver through an election. As such, post-election conversations inevitably revert to bargaining and pressure from powerful interest groups, often obscuring the public will. However, the party that emerges with the highest vote share is the one trusted by the largest group of citizens. Public faith will continue to erode if voters believe their choices can be rearranged after the fact to suit power calculations.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 00:20 UTC
Climate change discourse takes a new turn
Climate change discourse takes a new turnWhat a difference a single year makes. Now, he admits that the "architecture of collective problem-solving" long supported by World Economic Forum elites, and including United Nations-organised climate change summits, has been "diminished". Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist winner of the New York City mayoral election, campaigned on rising grocery bills and housing costs, and barely discussed climate change. Other issues have become much more important, and people are reading and watching climate change news less across all Global North. Take the claim that extreme events, because of climate change, have dramatically made us worse off.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 00:20 UTC
50-party race comes down to just this
50-party race comes down to just thisAn official holds up votes in the general election as they are counted at a polling station in Bangkok. In reality, however, it was essentially a two-horse race between Bhumjaithai and the People's Party. Critics argue that most members of the People's Party are young and inexperienced, from top to bottom, and lack the capacity to govern effectively. Other weaknesses of the People's Party include impatience, overconfidence and a reluctance to engage with divergent views. On constitutional reform, both the People's Party and the Democrats support drafting a new charter through a charter-drafting assembly.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 00:20 UTC
NT spotlights digital joint ventures to build up revenue
NT spotlights digital joint ventures to build up revenueCol Sanpachai says NT focuses on partners who can drive strategic goals. State enterprise National Telecom (NT) expects to sign two joint venture deals with private digital product developers this year. NT plans to hold a 25% share in each of the joint ventures during the initial phase. If it owned more than 25% in the joint ventures, NT would have to ask for cabinet approval for any business decisions. If we separate NT's own revenue from that contributed by the private telecom partners, NT would lose about 400 million baht a month," he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 00:19 UTC
Push for development of Thailand into global halal hub
Push for development of Thailand into global halal hubThe Thai halal industry, which includes food and tourism, has strong growth potential, according to the Thai Muslim Trade Association (TMTA). Marut Mekloy, president of the TMTA, said Thailand has a wide range of halal-certified products across various sectors, positioning the country as a prospective global halal trade hub. He said halal tourism can potentially drive growth. The halal industry is linked to multiple sectors, and he called for a greater focus on establishing a Thai halal industry centre with a clear direction and leadership. A centre was included in Thailand's draft Halal Industry Development Action Plan (2024-2027) under the Industry Ministry.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 09, 2026 00:06 UTC