Listen to this articleInvestors in NocNoc were reluctant to absorb losses for long stretches, according to Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, a local e-commerce expert. This convergence of online and offline channels should bolster their competitive edge against dominant foreign e‑marketplaces, said Mr Thanawat. “This model is similar to Taobao in China, where delivery can take less than one hour,” said Mr Thanawat. Kulthirath Pakawachkrilers, president of the Thai eCommerce Association, said NocNoc had not broken even once in the six years it had been operating. The company’s accumulated revenue from 2015 to 2024 was 3.26 billion baht, posting an accumulated loss of 4.52 billion baht.

Thai central bank to expand authority to scrutinise online gold tradingListen to this articleBank of Thailand Governor Vitai Ratanakorn. (Photo: Bank of Thailand)Thailand will expand the authority of its ‌central bank ​in order to better supervise online gold trading, Bank of Thailand (BoT) Governor Vitai Ratanakorn said on Friday. The BoT has blamed gold traders for driving up the baht, which soared more than ‌10% against the dollar in 2025. Mr Vitai told reporters that gold trading apps in ⁠Thailand have been linked increasingly to grey capital and abnormal baht fluctuations. Limits will also be ​set on individual baht trading in order to reduce the volatility of the currency, he ​said.

Russian fugitive arrested in Koh SamuiListen to this articleA Russian man was arrested at a luxury resort in Bo Phut, Koh Samui on Thursday. (Photo: Surat Thani Immigration Office)SURAT THANI - Immigration officials have arrested a Russian man wanted for extorting more than 1 million roubles from an automotive company CEO in Russia, using biometric tracking to locate him at a luxury hotel in Koh Samui. Pol Col Naruwat Phuttawiro, commander of Surat Thani Immigration Office, said on Friday that authorities received a request from the Russian Embassy to apprehend Sibgatullin Airat, 40, who had fled to Thailand to evade prosecution. Russian federal police issued arrest warrants for the gang and coordinated with the Thai authorities after discovering Airat had fled to Thailand. The public can report information about foreign nationals committing crimes by calling the 1178 hotline or the Surat Thani Immigration Office at 077-423440.

US to provide $45 million to help implement Cambodian-Thai accordsListen to this articleA woman looks out from inside her tent at a temporary shelter amid deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia along a disputed border area, in Surin province, on Dec 11, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)The United States ‍will ‍provide $45 million (1.4 billion baht) in assistance to Cambodia and Thailand, the senior US diplomat for East Asia said on Friday ‌during a visit to the region, ​to help solidify President Donald Trump's peace-making efforts between the two. DeSombre said the US, which has slashed its global foreign assistance programmes under Trump, would provide $15 million for border stabilisation to help communities recover and to support people displaced by the recent conflict, and $10 million for demining and clearing of unexploded ordnance. The US would also provide $20 million for initiatives that will help Cambodia and Thailand combat scam operations and drug trafficking, and ‌other ‍programs, DeSombre said. Thailand is a long-time US ally, while the US has sought to improve relations with Cambodia to try ‍to woo it away from strategic rival China.

Listen to this articleA man in a sweater waits for a bus in Chatuchak district, Bangkok. (Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya)Suvarnabhumi International Airport led other places in Greater Bangkok as the coldest location on Friday and Muang district in Nakhon Phanom saw temperatures drop the most. The Meteorological Department reported 16.1°C at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Friday morning, the lowest recorded temperature in Greater Bangkok, which includes Bang Phli district in Samut Prakan where the airport is located. Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Klong Toey district was the hottest place in Bangkok on Thursday as mercury soared to 30.5°C, while the highest temperature in the country was 32.5°C at Phuket International Airport. The department expects temperatures in Bangkok and its vicinity to be as low as 16°C this weekend before slightly increasing on Monday.

Denmark reaffirms Greenland is ‍not for sale, as Rubio to meet Danish ‍leaders next weekListen to this articleA man passes a building with social housing with an Inuit mural in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 27, 2025. But even ​as a thought experiment that assumes the presence of a willing seller, discussion of the hypothetical sale of an autonomous territory such as Greenland rapidly encounters imponderables such as how a meaningful price tag could even be established. Even if that was a starting point for a valuation, what multiple would you use to determine a price based on that? Mining and energy companies have ‌a ​long history of putting price tags on assets around the world. (Photo: Reuters)US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's scheduled meeting with Danish leaders next week may yield further insights into the US game plan on Greenland.

Rare gorilla twins born in conflict-hit DR Congo nature parkListen to this articleMafuko, an endangered mountain gorilla, holds the twins she gave birth to in the Virunga National Park, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. (Photo: AFP)KINSHASA - An endangered mountain gorilla has given birth to twins in the Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, whose remarkable biodiversity has long been threatened by the region's litany of conflicts. The Virunga park, which was inaugurated in 1925, holds the distinction of being Africa's oldest nature reserve. According to the reserve's authorities, the Virunga park was home to 350 of the great apes in 2021. Eight other mountain gorilla births were registered in Virunga in 2025, according to park spokesman Bienvenu Bwende.

Chinese men arrested in Pattaya for alleged involvement in scam networkListen to this articleA Chinese suspect, right, is arrested during a police raid on a residence in Pattaya, Chon Buri province on Thursday. (Police photo/Wassayos Ngamkham)Two Chinese nationals were arrested in Pattaya on Thursday for their alleged involvement in a transnational call centre scam network linked to the death of a South Korean student. A combined team of officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division, consular police from the South Korea Embassy and Immigration Bureau investigators apprehended two men in a Pattaya residence in Chon Buri province. He is believed to have played a key role in a transnational fraud network that advertised jobs to lure victims into scam centres. Police escort a Chinese suspect following the raid in Pattaya.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has postponed the enforcement of a new animal-control ordinance by one year to improve services, expand access and address implementation obstacles. The BMA announced on Friday that the new enforcement date will be Jan 10, 2027, having originally been scheduled for Saturday. The new date was published in the Royal Gazette on Thursday, one day after Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt approved the postponement. The governor on Wednesday signalled the need to delay the enforcement of the Bangkok Ordinance on the Control of Raising or Releasing Animals, as City Hall needed to improve work processes, enhance service efficiency and ensure access across all districts. Last year, Bangkok authorities announced a new law to manage the city’s soaring pet population and curb the spread of strays.

Listen to this articleDeputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has voiced opposition to the proposed Phuket mass transit project, commonly known as the Phuket tram or light rail system, arguing it would deliver limited benefits while worsening congestion and imposing high costs. Speaking about transport development in Phuket, Mr Phiphat said he disagrees with the project proposed by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), which plans to use the median of main roads for construction. He added that ridership is likely to be low, as most visitors from other provinces tend to drive when travelling around Phuket. Designating dedicated bus lanes, he said, would be more beneficial and effective in easing Phuket's chronic congestion. The Phuket tram project, Phase 1, has an estimated investment value of about 35–35.2 billion baht.

Syrian government announces ceasefire in Aleppo after deadly clashesListen to this articleThousands of people have been fled Aleppoa since violence erupted between Syria's army and Kurdish-led forcesDAMASCUS - Syria's defence ministry announced a ceasefire in Aleppo on Friday after days of deadly clashes between the army and Kurdish fighters forced thousands of civilians to flee. The Syrian government forces have been fighting the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the country's second city since Tuesday. There was no immediate comment from Kurdish forces in response to the government statements. Turkey, which shares a 900-kilometre (550-mile) border with Syria, has launched successive offensives to push Kurdish forces from the frontier. Aron Lund, a fellow at the Century International research centre, told AFP that "Aleppo is the SDF's most vulnerable area".

Hosts launch countdown to next month's MotoGPListen to this articleThe PT Grand Prix of Thailand 2026 will take place between Feb 27-March 1. The countdown for the PT Grand Prix of Thailand 2026 has begun as the Kingdom is set to host the opening race of the 2026 MotoGP season next month. It is the seventh time Thailand will host the MotoGP race. "Thailand will host the opening race of the 2026 MotoGP season for a second consecutive year and this is the seventh time the country is hosting a MotoGP event. Tanaisiri Chanwitthayarom, managing director of the Chang International Circuit, said: "This year the circuit will work together with the government and private sectors to upgrade the experience.

NACC official linked to bribery 'must go'Listen to this articleA statement by National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) staff urging a commissioner to resign over bribery allegations involving gold bars has gained traction. The issue was amplified after Prof Emeritus Thongthong Chandransu, a former justice permanent secretary, shared on Facebook a statement issued by civil servants and officials from the NACC Office. In the statement, NACC officials said that a serving commissioner had allegedly been linked to a bribery case involving gold bars weighing a total of 246 baht (3.75 kilogrammes) worth 10 million baht. "The position of NACC commissioner is not a political post and one cannot rely on the argument 'not yet convicted' to cling to office," the statement said. Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit, a former National Human Rights Commission member, shared the statement, noting that while the Senate appoints commissioners of independent agencies like the NACC, it lacks direct removal powers.

Phuket nightspot operators want crackdown on illegal operationsListen to this articlePatong beach, Phuket province, in November 2025 (Photo: Molpasorn Shoowong)With the recent bribery case regarding entertainment operators in Phuket resurfacing, the private sector urged a crackdown on illegal operations such as staying open late for nightlife venues as well as unlicensed accommodations, which tarnish the tourist island’s reputation and deprive the government of tax revenue. At a press conference chaired by the Phuket deputy governor, operators were told there was insufficient evidence to confirm such crimes. The government should address these issues and encourage operators to follow the law, particularly unlicensed entertainment venues and illegal accommodations, said Mr Rangsiman. An entertainment industry source in Phuket who requested anonymity told the Bangkok Post entertainment venue bribes have persisted for a long time. This high season entertainment venues have not fared well as foreign tourists reduced their spending, said the industry veteran.

Khunying Patama ranks high as best Thai sports administratorListen to this articleKhunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has topped a sports poll of Thailand’s most outstanding sports executives in 2025. The survey, titled “The Best of Thai Sports in 2025,” was conducted online between Jan 5 and 7, 2026, with 1,461 respondents aged 18 and above. The findings point to a year of collaboration among athletes, sports associations and administrators to enhance Thai sports, with Khunying Patama’s lead reflecting public confidence in her leadership at a critical time for the sector. Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In the organisational category, the Athletics Association of Thailand was named the most outstanding sports association of the year, followed by the Taekwondo Association of Thailand and the Thailand Volleyball Association.