Srisuwan petitions for ethics probe of Thaksin's doctorsFormer prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra greets supporters when he arrived at Don Mueang airport on Aug 22. Mr Srisuwan said that he will submit the petition at 10am on Tuesday at the TMC's office in Nonthaburi, according to his announcement. Mr Srisuwan said the director-general of the Department of Corrections' (DoC) decision to approve Thaksin’s stay extension was suspicious, suggesting the department is giving Thaksin special privileges. The public can demand the TMC conduct an ethics investigation against them, said Mr Srisuwan. Pichit Chaimongkol, a group member, said that the group wants factual information about Thaksin’s illness, as well as his expected date of discharge.

Asean, GCC meet amid Mideast crisisThe summit between the leaders of Asean and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Saudi Arabia last Friday was the first time the two regional organisations collaborated in what is developing into a divided and fast-changing global environment. For years, Asean has taken an unwavering position on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, but this time, the leaders from Asean and GCC could meet face-to-face and jointly firm up their commitment. Indeed, their bilateral ties could have been better had there not been a lack of preparedness by Asean and GCC members. Meanwhile, GCC members were also caught in a dilemma because of the internecine squabbling among their members. After a heated debate, Asean senior officials agreed that despite individual Asean members' divergent views, they would stress their common positions.

Committee probes new frigate dealThe opposition-controlled House committee on national security has vowed to carefully scrutinise the navy's decision to accept a frigate in lieu of a submarine it had ordered from a Chinese shipbuilder, saying the deal puts the government at a disadvantage. Rangsiman Rome, committee chairman and Move Forward Party (MFP) MP, said yesterday a probe will be launched into the decision. He said any contractual changes must be agreed by both parties, in this case, the Royal Thai Navy and the Chinese shipbuilder. Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang chose the frigate option, saying a new frigate would bring the navy closer to its target of having at least eight frigates capable of defending Thailand's maritime territory. Also, if the navy is looking for a frigate, it should shop around with manufacturers in other countries, Mr Rome added.

Nutthawat WichieanbutA national agency dedicated to addressing poverty should be established, according to the Program Management Unit on Area-Based Development (PMUA) under the Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Ministry. Such an agency would make poverty alleviation efforts more effective because various government agencies, especially under the Interior Ministry, have their own projects and self-defined indicators, resulting in fragmented and uncoordinated efforts, said Kitti Satjawattana, director of PMUA. "The vital mechanism to address poverty is to increase collaboration with universities and local administrative organisations," he said. "PMUA believes this should be led by local administrative organisations, employing poverty mapping, while universities should work to analyse household situations. "This is necessary because poverty in Thailand takes various forms, such as 'absolutely poor', chronic poverty, debt-driven poverty and vulnerable poverty.

Thai injury toll in Israel rises to 18Thai vocational students (wearing black) arrive from Israel at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province on Sunday. (Photo supplied)The Foreign Affairs Ministry reported two more injured Thais in Israel while the death toll and the number of abducted Thais remained unchanged there. Meanwhile, the death toll and the number of abducted Thais remained the same at 30 and 19 respectively. On Sunday seven Thai vocational students were among the returnees as they and their guardians decided to end their internships early in Israel for safety's sake. Seventy-one other vocational students remained in Israel to complete their internship courses, according to the Education Ministry.

Travel demand steady as costs riseTourists at Wua Lai Walking Street night market in Chiang Mai. With the holiday season approaching, travel packages for both domestic and outbound trips remain steady amid high living costs and economic pressure. Chaiyapruk Thongkam, president of the Association of Domestic Travel, said people are still keen to travel domestically, mainly the budget and middle-class segments. These groups might opt for domestic travel instead or other destinations in Southeast Asia, he said. For this weekend, Mr Chotechuang said most outbound trips are to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and Singapore.

Workers can return to Israel after warThai workers return from Israel on a military aircraft at the military airport in Don Meang, Bangkok, on Friday. Israel is willing to welcome back Thai workers if and when the Israel-Hamas war de-escalates, according to the Labour Ministry's permanent secretary, Pairote Chotikasathien. This group also includes Thai workers in Israel who are due to complete their contracts soon, but no later than April next year. He said that Israel has attached importance to the return of foreign workers, particularly Thai workers who play an important role in the agricultural sector and driving the economy in Israel. "The Labour Ministry is working closely with Israeli authorities to ensure Thai workers can return to work in Israel when the situation there eases," he said.

Ministry issues PM2.5 warningPeople, particularly those with chronic diseases, are advised to check the air quality before leaving their homes or engaging in outdoor activities, according to the Public Health Ministry. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary for public health, said yesterday that PM2.5 dust levels usually go up between the end and early part of the year. They can also visit the website https://pm25gistda.or.th to assess air quality levels, where the blue colour code means the air quality is very good. Yellow means unhealthy, so people with respiratory tract disorders should avoid outdoor exercise, while children and the elderly should limit outdoor time. Orange means very unhealthy, and red means hazardous air quality.

Budget airlines set for struggle amid fierce competitionAircraft operated by local low-cost carriers Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air are parked at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok. Mr Patee said two Airbus A330-300 planes will be used in the first quarter, targeting a utilisation rate of 13 hours per day for each aircraft. He said Really Cool's products and services stand apart from low-cost carriers as competition in this segment is not feasible for a new airline. Existing players could pursue a price dumping strategy to cripple newcomers, relying on their more extensive networks, said Mr Patee. Mr Patee says the new airline plans to fly two Airbus A330-300 aircrafts in the first quarter.

Levels of ultra-fine dust, known as PM2.5, have been either moderate or unhealthy in recent days in some areas of Bangkok and several other provinces, according to the Ministry of Public Health. People, particularly those with chronic diseases, are advised to check the air quality before leaving their homes or engaging in outdoor activities, the ministry advises. According to the air quality website of the Pollution Control Department, PM2.5 levels in certain provinces — particularly in the Northeast such as Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Yasothon, Nong Khai and Ubon Ratchathani — are now at the moderate (yellow) level or unhealthy (orange) level. Dr Opas said that before leaving their homes or participating in outdoor activities, people should check PM2.5 levels using the Air4Thai mobile application or visit the Pollution Control Department’s Air4Thai website. They can also visit https://pm25gistda.or.th to assess air quality levels:

Thai travellers warned to be safety consciousFrench police stand outside the Palace of Versailles after it was evacuated for security reasons, in Versailles, near Paris, on Tuesday. (Photo: Reuters)The Foreign Affairs Ministry has warned Thais travelling abroad to avoid areas of conflict and demonstrations about the Israeli-Hamas war, for their own safety. The travel advisory followed recent warnings by the Thai embassies in Paris and Brussels that Thais should avoid crowded areas in both countries. However, Thai travelers should have the phone numbers of relevant Thai embassies handy, in case they should need help. But when there is a situation, (travellers) must consider where they should go, and avoid areas where there are crowds or conflict," the spokeswoman said.

The cabinet on Monday extended the period of stay for Russian nationals under the visa exemption scheme to 90 days, from 30 days, to drive the market during the high season. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said he plans to hold discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin about other areas of cooperation in the future. However, tourism operators in Koh Samui and Phuket believe they can reap benefits from Russians staying in the country for longer. "The post-Covid trend has shown that tourists are keen to stay for longer at destinations," said Mr Thaneth. As of Oct 15, Russian tourists tallied over 1.03 million, while the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is hoping for 1.47 million this year.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin arrives in Beijing, China on Monday. (Photo: Thai Khu Fah Facebook)Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said he would discuss a possible solution to the wrangle over a Chinese submarine Thailand has commissioned with the Chinese government during his trip there. But it must respond to the navy's needs and maritime capabilities," Mr Srettha said. At the BRF, Mr Srettha will take an opportunity to boost the confidence of investors from both China and other countries in Thailand's economic connectivity, digital infrastructure, and sustainable development. After the visit to China, the prime minister will attend the 1st Asean-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Summit in Saudi Arabia on Friday.

Thailand, India, Indonesia risk biggest fallout from geopolitical shocksPalestinians search for casualties under the rubble of a house destroyed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday. Compounding the problem, US Treasury yields have soared on concerns that higher oil prices will revive inflation pressures. “For Indonesia, we think the fiscal position is likely to deteriorate.”Economists see some positives for India despite the higher dollar and elevated oil prices. Natixis’ Garcia Herrero pointed to strong macroeconomic data that makes the country’s assets attractive despite the headwinds. “The fact that Indian data has been so strong — latest PMI was the best in Asia — does help India,” said Garcia Herrero.

The expected war in Gaza is likely to have a ripple effect on energy prices and affect other trade partners in the region. Wars often have unintended consequences and Thailand faces economic risks without a proper plan to mitigate the impact. However, there is a slim chance of this occurring as Iran does not want to interfere in this war, while Israel does not want to start a multi-front war, he said. Given fears the conflict could mushroom into a regional war, global oil prices, stock markets and gold prices may fluctuate, said Mr Somjai. SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUESThe Russia-Ukraine war and the pandemic already had a significant impact, causing disruptions to the global supply chain, he said.