Companies are currently treading cautiously when it comes to embracing new credit lines, as they eagerly anticipate further updates on US tariff policies. This collective patient waiting follows a recent announcement of a 90-day suspension period, a move that has resonated across the corporate landscape, as highlighted by an executive from Bank of Ayudhya, commonly known as Krungsri. Prakob Phiencharoen, the chieftain of Krungsri’s corporate and investment banking division, has been keeping a vigilant eye on the evolving demand for corporate loans. Despite reaching the loan growth targets set for the initial quarter, the bank is diligently monitoring the terrain as they steer through the remainder of the year. With a meticulous corporate loan growth target set between 5-7% for this year, the bank had impressively grown its loan portfolio by approximately 5% by the close of March. However, uncertainty looms large. If clients continue to delay investment decisions due…
Posts published in “Thailand”
In the vibrant city of Pattaya, where bustling streets meet sunny shores, an unusual yet commendable crackdown is causing heads to turn and cheers to erupt. The municipal officers and traffic police have joined forces to tackle a long-standing issue that has made life difficult for many: illegal parking on wheelchair-accessible pathways. This bold initiative kicked off on Soi Paniadchang, tucked just behind Big C Central Pattaya, where enforcement squads began dishing out tickets and imposing fines on drivers who dared to obstruct these vital routes. “This has been happening for years in our neighborhood,” lamented one exasperated resident in an online forum. “It’s about time something was done.” The ongoing campaign comes in response to a deluge of complaints from locals, who describe how footpaths and wheelchair lanes are often carelessly blocked by motorists, leaving people with disabilities to navigate treacherously through bustling traffic. The mission? To hand back…
In a tale echoing the tension and drama of a gripping drama series, a distressing incident has unfolded in the tranquil central province of Nakhon Sawan, where a Thai woman is desperately seeking justice for her family. This whirlwind of emotions was sparked by a monk and his family members, ensnaring her mother into a maelstrom of manipulation and physical assault, as the woman detailed in a powerful video shared on social media. The saga began when her mother moved into a monastery nestled in the idyllic Nong Ping sub-district, under circumstances that seemed innocent at first glance. However, the tranquil façade quickly unraveled as her mother’s demeanor shifted dramatically. What was supposed to be a peaceful retreat seemed to turn into a battlefield of control, as her mother suddenly sought to remove her stepfather from their family home. More shocking was her attempt to liquidate the family’s cherished lands…
Picture a globe-trotting teenager on a journey of a lifetime, only for it to take an unexpected detour into a drama straight out of a thriller. Bella Culley, a spirited 18-year-old from Billingham, County Durham, embarked on what her family believed was a solo backpacking adventure through Thailand. They had last seen her waving enthusiastically from pictures taken in the sun-drenched beaches of the Philippines before she landed in bustling Thailand on May 3. The enchantment of Southeast Asia offered Bella limitless adventures—until she mysteriously vanished from the radar, leaving her family in a whirl of confusion and worry. Alerted on May 13, her family feared the worst, desperately searching for her in the tropical lands of Thailand. Imagine their shock when Bella was finally found not in the paradise of Southeast Asia but 4,000 miles away at Tbilisi International Airport, Georgia, where her vibrant story took a dark twist.…
It was just another Monday morning at Surathampitak School in the bustling city of Nakhon Ratchasima when the unthinkable happened—a ninth-grade student suddenly collapsed in the classroom. Panic was quick to spread among students, but three brave twelfth-graders stepped up to the plate, saving a life and becoming local heroes overnight. The incident, which took place around 9am, has since gone viral, lighting up social media and filling the community with pride. Meet Jirapat Srisawang, fondly known as Tonkla, Kittiphop Khaisai, aka Prite, and Rattaphum Khajornsathit, nicknamed Pun. These three incredible students vividly remember how it all unfolded. One minute, the class was focused on their morning lessons—a typical start to the school day—and the next, it was a scene of chaos. Fortunately, their instincts and training kicked in as they saw their ninth-grade peer lying unresponsive on the floor. With invaluable quick thinking, they sprang into action. Realizing their…
On a warm April evening in Hua Hin, a heart-wrenching tale of courage and treachery unfolded, casting a sobering spotlight on the darkest corners of human desperation. A brave 13-year-old girl reached out, unraveling a harrowing story of betrayal at the hands of those who should have cherished her the most — her own mother and aunt. Their sinister plot began when she was a mere 11 years old, thrust into a world of exploitation to feed a vicious cycle of drug dependency and crippling debts. The painful revelations came to light on April 26, when the young girl confided in her father and stepmother. Her plight initiated immediate action, as her father, with a determination borne of love and heartbreak, reached out to the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women. This call for help set in motion a series of events aimed at both justice and healing. The girl’s…
Amidst the vibrant nightlife and bustling streets of Bangkok, there’s a concerted effort underway that touches the heart of the city—an endeavor ensuring that every child finds a place within the educational fold. On July 6, last year, through the dusty lanes of Klong Toey, one of Bangkok’s most densely populated slum communities, parents eagerly guided their children towards a bright intervention—the Equitable Education Fund’s ‘Mobile School’ Open House. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul) The Ministry of Interior, embracing the tide of educational reform, has embarked on a compassionate crusade to eradicate educational inequality across the nation. With Anutin Charnvirakul at the helm, the ministry has galvanized efforts along with the Ministry of Education and other pivotal agencies to echo an unwavering commitment to the mantra, “no one is left behind.” Central to this mission is the inspiring “Thailand Zero Dropout” policy, sanctified by the cabinet in May 2024. This initiative ambitiously…
In an unsettling turn of events, Northern Thailand finds its waterways teetering on the brink of a toxic crisis. Recent revelations from the Office of Environmental and Pollution Control Region 1 in Chiang Mai have unearthed alarming levels of arsenic and lead in the Sai River and sections of the Kok River in Chiang Rai. This discovery has thrust the spotlight onto critical public health, environmental safety, and the well-being of local food sources. According to a revealing report, surface water samples collected from multiple locations feeding into the Kok, Mekong, and Sai rivers brought this vexing contamination issue to the forefront. As highlighted in the findings, the usually serene Mekong and Sai rivers have become hazardous, violating safe water standards by a wide margin. While rivers such as the Korn, Lao, and Sruay have been given a clean bill of health, the Mekong and Sai rivers are showing signs…
Ah, Phuket! The island’s pristine beaches are a siren call to tourists, luring them into its picturesque embrace. Yet beyond the sunlit shores, there’s a storm quietly brewing. Despite its allure, Phuket is wrestling with a COVID-19 surge, catapulting it into the spotlight as one of Thailand’s top three provinces in terms of infection rates this year. A surprising twist in this tale? Not a single fatality has been reported. Intrigued? Let’s dive into the details. According to the Department of Disease Control, Phuket has documented 1,287 cumulative COVID-19 cases from January 1 to May 10, 2025. This equates to an infection rate of 317.82 per 100,000 people. It’s a statistic that places Phuket right behind bustling Bangkok and vibrant Chon Buri, says Dr. Kusuma Sawangphan, the czar of disease control at the Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO). “Phuket finds itself in the third spot, yet remarkably without any fatalities,…
The gentle calm of the early morning was shattered on Kanchanaphisek Expressway towards Bang Khun Thian in a most unexpected way. Imagine driving along a well-trodden road, the wheels humming beneath you, the world still dark, when unforeseen danger strikes—an oddity that can only be described as a peculiar prelude to chaos. At 3:50 AM on May 20, a black Mazda sedan met its tragic end after skidding on an unusual hazard—pineapple peels. Yes, you read that right, pineapple peels! This bizarre circumstance set the scene for a most unfortunate accident involving a ten-wheel truck, leading to the untimely demise of a 34-year-old driver, whose name was Chatchai. The dramatic sequence of events unfolded with Lieutenant Iserat Tansoo from the Phra Pradaeng Police Station in Samut Prakan receiving an urgent call. Upon his arrival, the scene portrayed a picture of tragic devastation—Chatchai’s car was unrecognizable, its roof crushed and windows…