BoT flags suspicious cash withdrawals, largest case hits B250m
BoT flags suspicious cash withdrawals, largest case hits B250mListen to this articleBank of Thailand's governor Vitai Ratanakorn (Bangkok Post file photo)The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has detected unusually large cash withdrawals amounting to more than 250 million baht, with some customers requesting only 500‑baht banknotes, prompting the agency to prepare reports for concerned agencies, including the Election Commission. Commercial banks had been instructed to step up scrutiny of irregular cash withdrawals. Over the past 10 to 14 days, banks reported several suspicious cases, including one involving 250 million baht and another totalling 200 million baht, split equally across two banks. However, when individuals with no clear business need request unusually large sums of cash, banks must document and question the purpose in detail. There is hardly any reason to use such large amounts of cash, except in cases of genuine necessity,” Mr Vitai said.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 10:52 UTC
Djokovic gets lucky to advance to Melbourne semi-final
Listen to this articleNovak Djokovic consoles Lorenzo Musetti after the latter retired hurt while leading their Australian Open quarter-final on Wednesday. (Photo: AFP)MELBOURNE - Novak Djokovic admitted he got lucky after opponent Lorenzo Musetti retired hurt on Wednesday to send the Serbian great into a semi-final against either two-time reigning champion Jannik Sinner or Ben Shelton. Earlier on day 11 in Melbourne, Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina both won in straight sets and will meet for a place in the final. Sixth seed Pegula and Rybakina have shared three wins each in their six matches so far. “It’s awesome,” Pegula said of reaching her first Australian semi-final, having beaten defending champion Madison Keys in the previous round.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 10:50 UTC
Indonesian stocks plunge on downgrade warning
Listen to this articleThe influential index provider MSCI has warned of “investability risk” on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. (Photo: Reuters)JAKARTA - Indonesian stocks slumped 7% on Wednesday after the index provider MSCI flagged investability risk, citing a lack of transparency in ownership structure and free-float data, and raising the possibility of a downgrade to “frontier market” status. MSCI said it would reassess the accessibility for global investors of the Indonesian market should there be no meaningful improvement in transparency by May. Reassessment could lead to a lower weighting for Indonesian stocks in MSCI’s influential emerging-market indices or even a downgrade to frontier-market status. Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), the Securities Depository and Settlement Institution (KSEI) and the financial regulator OJK were discussing the matter with MSCI, bourse officials told reporters.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 10:47 UTC
Gold's blistering rally continues past $5,200 as dollar plunges to 4-year low
Spot gold jumped 1.1% to $5,243.58 per ounce, as of 0314 GMT, after scaling a record high of $5,247.21 earlier, up more than 20% since the start of the year. The buying and selling prices were 76,850 and 76,950 baht for bullion, and 75,314.88 and 77,750 baht for gold ornaments. A shop employee carefully examines a necklace with a magnifying glass at a gold shop in Bangkok's Chinatown, Yaowarat, on Monday. United States dollar banknotes are seen at the Museum of American Finance in New York on Oct 15, 2010. Spot silver was up 1.9% at $115.11 an ounce, after hitting a record high of $117.69 on Monday.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 10:45 UTC
One-note critic
One-note criticListen to this articleRe: "Chilling forecast" & "Greenland, blue states and international red lines", (Editorial cartoon, Jan 26 & 25). Obsessed with Trump, 100% negativity around Mr Trump, allows Mr Trump to live rent-free and ever-present in his head, and clearly is unwilling and/or unable to offer any cartoon about anything else. In a previously related article, Mr Burin even thanked Pol Gen Surachate when the latter alleged that he would expose the wrongdoing of other corrupt officers. And with a long list of misconduct allegations against the general lining up like a toilet roll, Mr Burin should be patient and let justice run its course. One should reflect upon the words of Danish leader Mette Fredericksson: "If the US decides to militarily attack another Nato country, then everything would stop ... That includes Nato and post World War II security."
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 10:36 UTC
Culprits sought in burning of paddy fields in Nakhon Nayok
Listen to this articleFlames rise from a paddy field in Pak Phli district of Nakhon Nayok on Tuesday. (Screenshot from a video by Nakhon Nayok public relations office)Authorities in Nakhon Nayok are hunting for the culprits who burned about 10,000 rai (16 square kilometres) of paddy fields, worsening the already serious air pollution in the province north of Bangkok. Nakhon Nayok authorities had banned field burning from Dec 15 to March 31 to reduce smog during the cold season when air circulation is poor. Nakhon Nayok deputy governor Santhiti Thammajai said thick smoke was causing respiratory problems for many residents including young children, senior citizens and patients. Nakhon Nayok was among many provinces blanketed with red levels of ultrafine dust, or PM2.5, on Wednesday morning.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 10:36 UTC
Contraceptive shots a first for Thai wild elephants
Listen to this articleA herd of wild elephants moves through a forest in Trat province in eastern Thailand. (Photo: Thailand Wildlife Conservation Office via AFP)Thailand has given a contraceptive vaccine to wild elephants for the first time in an effort to control their ballooning population, a conservation official said on Wednesday. Veterinarians and officials administered the vaccines using a dart gun without anaesthesia, the conservation office said in a statement. Wild elephant numbers in Thailand rose from 334 in 2015 to almost 800 last year, with thousands more in captivity. The shots, which do not alter the elephants’ behaviour or physical features, only regulate their hormone levels to keep them from conceiving.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 10:36 UTC
American siblings thank Thai man for Vietnam War kindness
American siblings thank Thai man for Vietnam War kindnessListen to this articleThe three siblings reunited with Uncle Poon. "He invited me to have meals with his family," Uncle Poon said. An Unexpected ReturnFor 53 years, the Butland siblings never forgot the man who protected them. Mark considers Uncle Poon like his father's older brother, the driving force behind their search despite the odds that Uncle Poon might have already passed. They did not even know Uncle Poon now goes by "Kwang" instead of "Poon" but praised the unchanged Thai hospitality.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 10:27 UTC
Trump irks gun rights groups with stance on Pretti killing
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (January 27) said Alex Pretti, the man fatally shot by a federal agent during a confrontation in Minneapolis, should not have been carrying a gun or fully loaded magazines, comments that put him at odds with gun rights groups and some Republicans.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 05:50 UTC
Atomic scientists set 'Doomsday Clock' closer to midnight than ever
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set the clock to 85 seconds before midnight, the theoretical point of annihilation. The Chicago-based nonprofit created the clock in 1947 during the Cold War tensions that followed World War Two to warn the public about how close humankind was to destroying the world. "No matter the government, a shift towards neo-imperialism and an Orwellian approach to governance will only serve to push the clock toward midnight." It was the third time in the past four years that the scientists moved the clock closer to midnight. "In terms of nuclear risks, nothing in 2025 trended in the right direction," Bell said.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 05:50 UTC
French ex-senator found guilty of drugging lawmaker
French ex-senator found guilty of drugging lawmakerListen to this articleThe accused ex-senator Joel Guerriau arrives in court for his trial. (Photo: AFP)PARIS — A French court Tuesday found a former senator guilty of drugging a woman lawmaker with ecstasy with intent to sexually assault her, and sentenced him to four years in prison, of which 18 months must be behind bars. French prosecutors had sought a four-year prison sentence for the former senator, who described the drugging of his friend of 10 years as an accident and called himself an "idiot". Josso described soon feeling unwell with a racing heart rate, and she left hurriedly before going to hospital. But he also said that Guerriau had no criminal record and had "devoted part of his life to the functioning of French democracy".
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 05:50 UTC
Japan asks fishermen to avoid disputed islands, fearing China clash
Some Japanese officials have been discreetly urging fisherman and local politician Hitoshi Nakama, and his peers, to steer clear of the remote island outcrops known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China to avoid escalating a diplomatic clash with Beijing, according to Nakama and three other people with knowledge of the requests.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 05:36 UTC
Japan's Olympic ice icons inspire new skating generation
Japan's Olympic ice icons inspire new skating generationListen to this articleYuzuru Hanyu won Olympic men's singles gold twice and attracted a devoted following of fans. Japan's first Olympic figure skating medal came when Midori Ito won silver at the Albertville Games. Her coach, Machiko Yamada, said Ito proved to Japanese skaters that international success was possible. Ice PrinceIto was the first in what became a long line of Japanese skating stars, but two in particular transcended the sport. Sakamoto, a three-time world champion who will retire after this season, says such fierce competition keeps Japanese skaters on their toes.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 05:02 UTC
2 tourists killed in separate traffic accidents
2 tourists killed in separate traffic accidentsListen to this articlePolice are at the scene of the Pattaya accident. (Photo: Amporn Sangkaew)PATTAYA/PHUKET — Chinese and Turkish nationals were killed in separate traffic accidents in the tourist destinations early Wednesday morning. In Pattaya, Li Borui, 40, was crushed to death by a Mitsubishi Pajero driven by his friend, Tian Hangyu, 36, at about 5am. In Phuket, 23-year-old Turkish national Yunus Acar was killed when his motorcycle collided with a van on Patak Road in Muang district at 12.35am. Wit, the 58-year-old van driver, said the victim rode straight onto the road from his hotel and turned right before the collision.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 05:02 UTC
Where have all the doctors gone?
Yet paradoxically, the health system is experiencing a growing shortage of doctors -- particularly in public and community hospitals. The core issue is not how many doctors Thailand trains, but how the system treats them once they enter practice. This strain is most visible in public hospitals, particularly at the community level. The result is a vicious cycle: fewer doctors lead to heavier workloads, which in turn drive more doctors to withdraw or leave. Public and teaching hospitals shoulder the cost of training doctors, exposing them to complex cases, long hours, and steep learning curves.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2026 04:50 UTC