Corrections confirms Thaksin eligible for parole review in May
Corrections confirms Thaksin eligible for parole review in MayListen to this articleFormer prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra speaks at "SPLASH–Soft Power Forum 2025” at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre on July 9 last year. (Bangkok Post file photo)Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be eligible for consideration for parole in May after serving two-thirds of his one-year prison sentence, the Department of Corrections confirmed on Tuesday. According to the department, Thaksin will meet the basic eligibility criteria for standard parole in May 2026 provided he passes the formal review process. In his case, Klong Prem Central Prison will submit the names of eligible inmates to a prison parole committee. Justice Minister Pol Lt Gen Rutthaphon Naowarat later reaffirmed that Thaksin's parole review was "normal" under the law.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 09:35 UTC
Bombings suspects trapped in Yala house, one shot dead
Bombings suspects trapped in Yala house, one shot deadListen to this articleThe house in Ban Po Yani in tambon Sateng Nok, Muang district, Yala, where three suspects in the PTT petrol station attacks were holed up, surrounded by police, on Tuesday. (Photo: Internal Security Operations Command Region 4)One suspect in the PTT petrol station attacks was shot dead and others were trapped inside a house surrounded by police in Yala's Muang district on Tuesday. Yala Radio reported that one of them had been shot dead and the others were refusing to surrender, citing the government public relations office. On Jan 15, police identified five suspects in the coordinated bombings and arson at 11 petrol stations in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat on Jan 11. The Isoc Region 4 statement said a special task force and Yala police had surrounded the house and provided every possible opportunity over many hours for the suspects to surrender.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 08:35 UTC
Australian lawmakers back stricter gun, hate crime laws
Australian lawmakers back stricter gun, hate crime lawsListen to this articleAustralia is debating stiffer laws on gun control and hate crime after the Bondi Beach shooting. (Photo: AFP)SYDNEY — Australian politicians voted in favour of tougher hate crime and gun laws Tuesday, weeks after gunmen targeting Jewish people on Bondi Beach killed 15 people. The hate crime and gun control legislation must still be approved by the upper house Senate, which was expected to vote later in the day. The hate speech legislation would toughen laws and penalties for people seeking to spread hate and radicalisation, or to promote violence. On firearms, Australia would set up a national gun buyback scheme, tighten rules on imports of firearms and expand background checking for gun permits to allow input from intelligence services.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 08:20 UTC
Japan 2025 foreign visitors at record 42.7m, spending at all-time high
(Photo: Reuters)Foreign visitors to Japan reached a record estimated 42.7 million in 2025, the government said on Tuesday, with their spending also at a new all-time high of 9.5 trillion yen (1.8 trillion baht), thanks to a weaker yen and increased flights to Japan. The fall came as an ongoing row between Japan and China appears likely to weigh on inbound travel trends in 2026. The decline in Chinese visitors was the first fall since January 2022 during the Covid-19 pandemic, the minister, adding the government is monitoring the situation around Chinese visitors. Kaneko said Japan will "engage in strategic Japan tourism promotion" amid a diversifying inbound market, highlighted by rising arrivals from Australia, Europe and the United States. To address challenges posed by the surge in inbound tourism, Japan will triple the international tourist tax, collected from all travellers leaving Japan, to 3,000 yen from July.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 08:10 UTC
Beware fake tax refund emails stealing personal data
(Photos: 123RF)Thailand’s Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau has issued a stark warning about a surge in fraudulent emails claiming to offer tax refunds, a scam aimed at stealing personal and financial information. Officials say scammers are impersonating trusted agencies, including the Revenue Department and eForm Thai, to lure victims into clicking malicious links. Victims are told they have pending tax refunds and are urged to confirm details or claim money by following links. The Revenue Department emphasised that it never sends links via email or SMS for personal data collection, nor does it request passwords, OTP codes or bank details through such channels. For those seeking legitimate tax refund information, officials recommend visiting the official Revenue Department website or using authorised platforms only.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 08:05 UTC
Manhunt: Hotel receptionist beaten to death
Manhunt: Hotel receptionist beaten to deathListen to this articleSecurity camera footage shows Rattikorn Yingyod, 36, at the hotel in Hua Hin at the time the on-duty receptionist was beaten to death and robbed early Tuesday morning. Wirin "Nui" Thaolipo, 35, a front-desk receptionist at a hotel in Soi Hua Hin 88/1 in Hua Hin municipality, was attacked about 3am. Hua Hin Provincial Court approved a warrant for the arrest of Rattikorn Yingyod, 36, about 10pm on Monday. More than 100 police drawn from Hua Hin, provincial and regional units were deployed in a coordinated search operation. Police said anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts, or other relevant information, should immediately advise Hua Hin police station.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 07:35 UTC
Lam vows faster growth as he seeks to extend his hold on Vietnam
Lam vows faster growth as he seeks to extend his hold on VietnamListen to this articleVietnam's Communist Party General Secretary To Lam speaks during the 14th National Party Congress in Hanoi on Tuesday. Lam, a former head of state security, is seeking to retain his role as party chief and possibly take on the state presidency. Lam, 68, said Vietnam needs to cut red tape and expand global trade to protect its independence and national interests. He has presided over a splurge in infrastructure projects, which have supported economic growth, though that has also raised concerns about favouritism and waste. As minister of public security, Lam - a lover of classical music - oversaw approval of a large new opera house, Hanoi's second, which opened in 2023.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 07:30 UTC
Amazing Thailand releases new Lisa poster
Amazing Thailand, the official account for the Tourism Authority of Thailand, has released a new poster featuring global K-pop star Lalisa "Lisa" Manobal, this time promoting the ethereal beauty of the Red Lotus Lake in Udon Thani. The poster, unveiled on Tuesday, is the second instalment in the "Feel All The Feelings" campaign, which features Lisa as Amazing Thailand Ambassador for a year-long promotional push. The Udon Thani poster follows the campaign's first release on Jan 13, which showcased Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai. (Photo: Amazing Thailand)The Udon Thani poster follows the campaign's first release on Jan 13, which showcased Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai. The full campaign video is scheduled for release on Jan 28 at an official launch event and across all Amazing Thailand online platforms.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 07:01 UTC
EU, NATO must push back on US pressure together, Danish FM says
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Monday (January 19) that it was essential for members of the NATO alliance and the European Union to stand together as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes the acquisition of Greenland, which Rasmussen described as a "red line."
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 04:34 UTC
Investigators find broken joint on track at Spanish rail crash site: source
Experts on Monday (January 19) studying the cause of the derailment of a high-speed train in Spain - which killed dozens of people - found a broken joint on the rails, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. Earlier, the Spanish transport minister said the crash on Sunday night was "extremely strange" as a train derailed on a straight stretch of the track, ahead of colliding with another train.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 04:34 UTC
Neighborhoods burn as wildfires tear through southern Chile
Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in two regions in the south of the country on Sunday (January 18) as raging wildfires forced at least 20,000 people to evacuate and left more than a dozen people dead.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 04:34 UTC
China cheers rise in weddings even as birth rate hits new low
A rise in the number of marriages is proving to be a bright spot in China's population data landscape, as official data released on Monday (January 19) showed the country's birth rate hit a record low in 2025 and its total population fell for the fourth straight year.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 03:50 UTC
Young workers most worried about AI affecting jobs: survey
Young workers most worried about AI affecting jobs: surveyListen to this articleMany people visit Job Expo Thailand 2025 to meet employers and apply for jobs in person. Job vacancies requiring "AI agent" skills have surged by 1,587%, Randstad said in its yearly "Workmonitor" report, with survey data suggesting that AI and automation are increasingly replacing low-complexity, transactional roles. By the numbersNearly half of the workers interviewed fear the nascent technology stands to benefit corporations more than the workforce, the data showed. There is also a discrepancy with how employers and workers view business performance. Around 95% of surveyed employers forecast growth for this year, while only 51% of employees shared this optimism, according to the report.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 03:30 UTC
Police capture wanted Swede
Police capture wanted SwedeListen to this articlePRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: Immigration police have arrested a Swedish national, wanted on an Interpol Red Notice in connection with drug trafficking charges, in the resort town of Hua Hin. Immigration Division 3 officers detained the suspect, identified as "Noah", at a condominium on Saturday morning after intelligence indicated he was hiding in the area. The arrest followed complaints about suspicious behaviour and drug use inside the apartment. Police said the man was wanted by Swedish authorities for narcotics offences involving cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis, as well as weapons possession and driving while under the influence of drugs. The suspect is now in custody pending legal proceedings.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 02:50 UTC
Acclaimed pianist to open Sala Concert Series
The Sala Concert Series 2026 opens with a recital by internationally acclaimed pianist Daniel Ciobanu at Sala Sudasiri Sobha, Lat Phrao 41 yaek 7‑2 (MRT Phawana Exit 1), on Feb 1 at 4pm. This marks Ciobanu's first solo recital programme in Thailand, offering audiences a chance to hear a world‑class pianist perform major repertoire live. A medalist of the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition and winner of other international contests, Ciobanu has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and Gewandhaus Leipzig. Tickets cost 1,000, 1,800, 2,000 and 2,500 baht (500 and 1,000 baht for students). Prior to the show, Ciobanu will give a masterclass with four time slots at 1pm, 1.40pm, 2.20pm and 3.10pm on Jan 31.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 20, 2026 02:46 UTC