The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Advanced Info Service (AIS), a digital service provider and the largest mobile operator in Thailand, today announced a multiyear collaboration that will see AIS PLAY – AIS’s video streaming service – deliver select NBA games, marquee events and original programming to fans in Thailand beginning with the 2025-26 season that tips off on Tuesday, Oct. 21 in the U.S.
Through a collaboration with MIMO Tech Co. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of AIS, AIS PLAY will launch a dedicated sports channel that will provide its paid subscribers with access to select regular-season, playoff and Conference Finals games, NBA All-Star and the NBA Draft. Beginning with the 2026-27 season, AIS PLAY will also deliver the NBA Finals every other year.
Basketball fans in Thailand can enjoy NBA games and programming on AIS PLAY by subscribing to the service and downloading the AIS PLAY App through the App Store and Google Play on smartphones, tablets and smart TVs. For more information on the subscription offerings, fans can follow AIS PLAY’s official communication channels.
“We are truly delighted to work with the NBA, the world’s most renowned and popular professional basketball league,” said AIS Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Pratthana Leelapanang. “This marks a significant milestone that reinforces AIS’s leadership in sports and entertainment platforms in Thailand. This collaboration not only enriches the global content offering on AIS PLAY but also allows Thai basketball fans to enjoy the NBA experience more closely and consistently. Backed by our high-quality mobile and fixed broadband networks, we aim to grow the NBA fanbase in Thailand and help drive the sport’s development in the country.”
“AIS shares our commitment to growing basketball and the NBA in Thailand,” said NBA Asia Managing Director Wayne Chang. “We look forward to leveraging AIS’ expansive network to broaden the reach of our games and deepen Thai fans’ connections with their favorite NBA teams and players.”
For more information on the NBA, fans can visit NBA.com, download the NBA App, and follow the NBA on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
Uniting with Partners to Drive Thai Soft Power onto the Global Stage
Siam Center, widely recognized as “The Ideaopolis”—the city of forward-thinking ideas and the hub of boundless imagination across art, fashion, technology, and lifestyle—today announced its reaffirmed positioning as “The THAIdeaopolis – The Thai Cultural Capital.” The initiative brings together partners from all sectors, both domestic and international, to drive Thai creativity across multiple dimensions onto the global stage. Siam Center continues to serve as a platform of opportunity, inspiring and sparking creativity among Thai youth and entrepreneurs, enabling them to expand onto the international stage.
As part of this movement, the shopping center invites everyone to express their support through the hashtag #LoveYouThailand, celebrating Thai creativity in diverse forms that reflect love, pride, and the enduring value of Thainess in a contemporary way.
In 2025, Siam Center is collaborating with leading organizations to highlight Thai creativity across multiple soft power dimensions, setting new trends and reinforcing creative Thainess: Design Creativity, Fashion Creativity and Food & Lifestyle Creativity. Together, let us drive Thailand toward becoming a Global Creative Hub, sharing the heart and creative energy of the Thai people proudly with the world.
Young musicians wearing Thai-flag T-shirts while recently performing at Siam Square, Bangkok. It's normally a fashionable place for youth to hang out. (Photo: Pravit Rojanaphruk)
Afew days ago, a foreign friend asked me why there are so few Thais, especially those from civil society and NGOs, who oppose the Thai-Cambodian war.
I told him it’s similar to the not-insignificant number of Thais who choose their own interests and political leanings over upholding democratic system. (Yes, I’m talking about you—the ones who cheer on coups and hate the Shinawatra family so much you would gladly take anything else as long as it isn’t “Shinawatra.”)
And it’s also similar to those well-educated, seemingly modern “good Thai people” who can accept many universal rights, including LGBT rights and others, but when it comes to the royal defamation law (the lèse-majesté law), their parochial, uncritical devotion to the monarchy causes them to support the indefinite imprisonment of those who criticize or insult the royal institution.
So, when you filter out people who did not stand for democracy and freedom of expression, who for whatever reason failed to uphold two key princioles, the remaining number of Thais who adhere to higher principles is pitifully small, even among civil society and NGOs.
And when you add ultranationalism, it leaves only a few dozen pacifists, if not less, courageous enough to swim against the tide of ultranationalism to publicly speak out and say that we don’t want war, we don’t see the entire Cambodian nation as our enemy, we also feel empathy for the deaths, injuries, and suffering on the Cambodian side, and that we recognise that the border conflicts can be resolved peacefully if both sides try harder.
……
Note: when the post was first made by Pravit Rojanaphruk earlier this morning on Facebook, exiled historian and social media influencer Somsak Jeamteerasakul posted a comment to express his views.
Below the the translated text from Somsak:
Why do only a handful of Thai people oppose the war?
This is a question posed by Pravit Rojanaphruk.
My answer is: The core issue lies with the opposition party.
The People’s Party made a mistake by not opposing the military’s consolidation of power from the beginning. They made Cambodia the enemy instead of the military.
This was compounded by seeing their competitor make a blunder (“Paetongtarn” having a “slip” on the phone).
(Piyabutr Saengkanokkul [co-leader of Progresive Movement], seeing the problem, quickly proposed dissolving Parliament, but when Paetongtarn didn’t, he went silent.)
If the opposition had seen the problem from the start and chosen to lead with what was right, opposing the border closure (doing what Paetongtarn couldn’t), they could have created a movement to stop the war. The war could definitely have been stopped.
Mae La Refugee Camp in Tak Province (Photo: UNHCR)
BANGKOK — The Cabinet meeting on August 26 approved guidelines for managing the employment of foreigners residing in temporary shelter areas for refugees fleeing conflict from Myanmar, aimed at addressing labor shortages and driving the country’s economy.
Labor Minister Phongkwin Chungruangkit said this approach provides relief for foreigners living in all 9 temporary shelter areas for conflict refugees from Myanmar across 4 provinces: Mae Hong Son, Tak, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi.
These individuals have already been registered by the Department of Provincial Administration and are granted special permission to remain in the Kingdom for employment purposes for up to 1 year from the date of the authorization order.
These target foreign nationals must apply for permission to leave the controlled area and submit work permit applications.
File photo: Myanmar workers at a fish pier in Samut Sakhon province. They are the main workforce in Thailand’s fishing industry.
Authorized foreigners can work with employers in all sectors not prohibited for foreign workers, and are eligible for labor and retail sales positions with employers according to the Department of Employment (DOE) announcement regarding conditions for hiring foreign workers.
Two Applications Needed
Somchai Morakotsriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, stated that approximately 42,000 foreign refugees are residing in Thailand’s 9 displacement centers.
Those wishing to work must submit two applications: permission to leave the controlled area and a work permit application. Applicants must provide required documents including proof of foreign worker health insurance with the Ministry of Public Health. Workers must also pay standard application and work permit fees as required by law
However, for their first work permit application, they will be exempted from work permit fees to help reduce the financial burden on workers.
Phongkwin said foreign workers currently play a major role in driving Thailand’s manufacturing and service sectors. However, the Labor Ministry cannot allow unchecked use of foreign workers, which would lead to various problems.
He requested public cooperation in reporting illegal foreign worker activities. Citizens can report locations to the Labor Ministry via the hotline at 1506 for officials to investigate.
Legal Penalties
Under Thai law, foreigners working without permits or beyond their authorized scope face fines of 5,000-50,000 baht and deportation.
Employers who illegally hire foreign workers face fines of 10,000-100,000 baht per worker. Repeat offenders face up to 1 year imprisonment or fines of 50,000-200,000 baht per worker, plus a 3-year ban on hiring foreign workers.
Labor Minister Phongkwin Chungruangkit
Current Foreign Worker Statistics
The Department of Employment reports 4,071,617 authorized foreign workers remain in Thailand as of July 2025:
September 2024 and February 4, 2025 resolution workers: 1,016,040 (Cambodia 108,064, Myanmar 872,615, Laos 28,561, Vietnam 6,800)
Pending Applications
Under recent Cabinet resolutions, 2,029,000 workers applied for authorization. Of these, 180,288 have been approved (Cambodia 176,216, Laos 3,967, Vietnam 105) while 1,848,712 remain pending (Cambodia 19,333, Myanmar 1,829,379).
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It’s a love story and, baby, she said yes: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged, they announced Tuesday.
In a five-photo joint post on Instagram, the superstar singer and football player revealed their engagement, the fairytale culmination of a courtship that for two years has thrilled and fascinated millions around the world, but especially Swifties, the pop star’s enormous and ardent fan base.
“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the caption read, accompanied by an emoji of a dynamite stick.
Photo: Instagram @taylorswift
Kelce was a famous football player when they met — a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and a Super Bowl champion — but Swift’s unique level of fame catapulted him into a different orbit entirely. Their relationship was documented in countless shots of Swift celebrating at Chiefs games and fan videos of Kelce dancing along at Swift’s Eras concert tour as it traveled the globe.
There were those who speculated, with no evidence, that the relationship was not genuine but a cynical ploy for more fame, while some even theorized it was a plot to influence the U.S. elections. In the end, those voices were quieted by a happy couple who simply looked in love — now with an engagement ring rivaling the size of Kelce’s three Super Bowl rings.
It’s unclear when and where the two, both 35, got engaged. Representatives for Swift and Kelce did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment on that detail, though Swift publicist Tree Paine confirmed the engagement ring was an old mine brilliant-cut diamond from Kindred Lubeck. Scarcely over an hour later, Kelce was stretching for practice in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Chiefs do not anticipate making Kelce available until next week in Brazil, where they open the season against the Chargers in Sao Paulo.
Taylor Swift kisses Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Throwing fans into frenzies since 2023
It’s been just two weeks since Swift — and Kelce — last ignited a media frenzy, with the announcement of her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” (It comes out Oct. 3.) Kelce and his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, assisted Swift with the rollout, hosting her on their typically football-oriented podcast, “New Heights.” During the episode, she likened her career to her now-fiance’s, saying their jobs were “to entertain people for three hours in NFL stadiums.”
When Jason Kelce asked his brother and Swift, sitting side-by-side, how they handled the discourse around their relationship, Swift said they just didn’t.
“We don’t, really. I don’t see a lot of things,” she said. “My name can be in the actual headline, and it’s none of my business.”
The pair started dating during Swift’s landmark Eras tour — though Kelce, despite bearing a friendship bracelet, was thwarted in his first attempt to meet Swift at her concert at Arrowhead Stadium. But by September, Swift was back at the Kansas City stadium, cheering on Kelce next to his mother. Less than two months later, she was changing lyrics onstage: “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me,” she sang in Argentina as Kelce beamed from the audience. And come the 2024 Super Bowl, she raced across time zones and was there on the field when he won his third championship.
It’s the first engagement for both Kelce — who once had his own reality dating show, “Catching Kelce” — and Swift, whose past relationships with high-profile celebrities including Joe Alwyn, Jake Gyllenhaal and Harry Styles, have been inspiration for her music.
Taylor Swift kisses Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22 against the 49ers. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Congratulations pour in
The news broke in the middle of the Kansas City Chiefs’ media availability, though after head coach Andy Reid had departed. That left Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna to field questions about his teammate’s engagement.
“Man, it’s incredible. I was caught off guard but you know, great for them,” Danna said, a few minutes after the news raced across social media. “That’s a blessing. Any time you find that type of joy, blessing, love — that’s a beautiful thing.”
Like many of the Chiefs, Danna has spent time with Swift and Kelce at a New Year’s party and after most of their home games.
“I’ll think of a good little engagement gift,” Danna said. “Maybe some Pop-Tarts back to her. It won’t be homemade.”
The NFL, which has gained untold numbers of fans since the relationship became public, posted the news on X with their congratulations — then quickly deleted it and reposted it when they realized they tagged the wrong Swift account.
“Two of the most genuine people meet & fall in love. Just so happy for these two,” Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, said on Instagram. Brittany Mahomes and Swift have frequently shared a suite for games at Arrowhead Stadium. Meanwhile the Cleveland Guardians, the baseball team Kelce grew up rooting for, joked online: “Thanks a lot, Taylor Swift. Now no one cares that next year’s schedule is out.”
Kelce and Swift’s relationship featured prominently in the just-released six-part ESPN documentary “The Kingdom,” which chronicles the franchise’s ultimately foiled pursuit of an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title last season. Kelce was joined by his parents, Donna and Ed Kelce, on the red carpet last Sunday for the premiere at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City.
“She’s very good for him. I don’t hesitate in saying that,” Ed Kelce said of his future daughter-in-law. “They are two people that truly deserve each other.”
Ms. Onfa Vejjajiva, currently Secretary-General of the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission, is appointed as the new Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council on August 26, 2025.
BANGKOK — The Thai government has appointed Onfa Vejjajiva as the new Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), making her the first woman to head the 75-year-old agency responsible for drawing up the country’s five-year development plans.
At its meeting on August 26, the Cabinet approved the appointment of Ms. Vejjajiva, currently Secretary-General of the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC). She will assume her new position at NESDC on October 1, 2025, succeeding Danucha Pichayanan, who will be transferred to head the National Water Resources Department on the same date.
The Vejjajiva surname is well-known in Thai politics—Ms. Onfa is a cousin of former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and relative of Parit Wacharasindhu, the People’s Party spokesperson. However, she has built her career exclusively in public service, starting as a government fellow before joining the Cabinet Secretariat.
Onfa Vejjajiva, Secretary-General of the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (front row, 6th from right), leads government and private sector executives in a meeting with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to discuss solutions to PM2.5 problems at Government House on June 27, 2025.
Ms. Onfa, 55, holds a bachelor’s degree in International Economics from Chulalongkorn University, a Master of Science in Policy Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Master of Public Policy from Japan’s National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS).
Although her scholarship required only four years of civil service, she remained for 24 years, primarily in the Cabinet Secretariat, where she began as an IT systems specialist in 2010 and rose to Deputy Secretary-General in 2017. In 2019, she moved to OPDC as Deputy Secretary-General, became Secretary-General in 2020, and also served as an ex-officio member of the NESDC Board.
On January 28, the Cabinet extended her OPDC Board tenure for another year, from February 6, 2025, to February 5, 2026.
Onfa Vejjajiva (right), Secretary-General of the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission leads government and private sector executives in a meeting with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to discuss solutions to PM2.5 problems at Government House on June 27, 2025.
In media interviews, Ms. Onfa has described herself as “conscientious and straightforward.” She values factual accuracy and speaks directly, though her candor can sometimes surprise others. These qualities have been cited as key reasons for her appointment to head NESDC, an agency requiring objective and accurate information for national economic planning.
Her perspective on female leadership is that women have an advantage in helping to defuse tensions, particularly in stressful situations or confrontational meetings. This makes it easier to reach compromises and find solutions, something Thai society still respects about women.
However, she acknowledges that limitations can arise in cultures dominated by traditional male authority. Yet she believes this is less prevalent in Thai society, noting that Thailand provides considerable opportunities for women and people of other genders compared to other societies she has experienced.
The 2024 Report on the Status of Thai Women, published by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, found that women held 25% of leadership positions in the public sector and comprised 27.7% of employers in the corporate sector.
In this photo, released by Central Investigation Bureau Police, Luang Phor Alongkot known as Phra Ratcha Wisutthiprachanat, second right white shirt, talks to police at Central Investigation Bureau in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025. (Central Investigation Bureau Police via AP)
BANGKOK (AP) — A Buddhist monk famed for establishing a hospice in Thailand for people with HIV/AIDS was arrested on Tuesday over allegations of misusing donations for the project.
Luang Phor Alongkot, also known as Phra Ratcha Wisutthiprachanat, was arrested on suspicion of embezzlement, dereliction of duty and money laundering. A second person, Seksan Sapsubbsakul, who served as a fundraiser for the project, was also detained.
Alongkot, 65, was forced to disrobe when he was taken on Tuesday to the Bangkok headquarters of the police Crime Suppression Bureau, as required before monks can formally be charged.
He has denied any wrongdoing.
Jaroonkiat Pankaew, a deputy commissioner at the Central Investigation Bureau, said the investigation was continuing.
File – Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova of Canada, right, and Luang Phor Alongkot, left, known as Phra Ratcha Wisutthiprachanat, founder of Phra Bat Nampu hospice for HIV/AIDS, pose in front of sacks, containing ashes of Aids victims who died at the hospice since 1992, in Lopburi province, central Thailand Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2005. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong, File)
“Initially, the monk cooperated well with the police and was willing to be disrobed without force. He understood the difference between Buddhist discipline and the legal process,” Jaroonkiat told reporters. “I told him that he did things that benefit people and other things that were illegal and he had to bear the consequences.”
Alongkot resigned last week as abbot of the Wat Phra Bat Namphu temple, in the the central province of Lopburi, following weeks of speculation about the possible mismanagement of donations for the care of people living with HIV/AIDS.
While the hospice was considered a pioneering humanitarian project when it was established in 1992, it became less relevant after the development and distribution of retroviral drugs to treat HIV, and with greater public awareness of AIDS.
Alongkot, who had gradually expanded the facilities at the temple, responded by extending treatment to people suffering from other serious ailments. The temple also runs various charities providing funding for the education of underprivileged children.
Bangkok, 22 August 2025 – Thai Smile Bus Co., Ltd. (TSB), Thailand’s leading operator of electric public transportation, has been honored with the Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards (APEA) 2025 in the Corporate Excellence Award category for the public transportation sector. This prestigious recognition underscores the company’s strong commitment to driving sustainable mobility in alignment with the global transition towards clean energy.
Ms. Kulpornpath Wongmajarapinya, Chief Executive Officer of Thai Smile Bus, remarked that this achievement represents a significant milestone for the company, reflecting its mission to develop world-class public transportation that is safe, environmentally friendly, and accessible to all.
“This award not only recognizes the dedication of our entire team, but also motivates us to keep advancing Thailand’s transport system through clean energy, digital innovation, and sustainable practices,” she stated.
The Corporate Excellence Award is presented to outstanding organizations that demonstrate strong performance while advancing ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles and aligning with global growth trends.
Looking ahead, Thai Smile Bus is committed to expanding its green transport network and developing integrated mobility solutions to support Thailand’s journey toward carbon neutrality. The company strives to foster a responsible, innovative, and environmentally conscious society through sustainable transportation.
The APEA 2025 Awards Ceremony was held on 22 August 2025 at The Athenee Hotel, Bangkok, and was organized by Enterprise Asia, a leading non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting responsible entrepreneurship and sustainable business practices across the Asia-Pacific region. The program celebrates top organizations from over 16 countries, highlighting exemplary practices that set benchmarks for excellence worldwide.
Immigration Police arrest five Chinese men and four Korean nationals at poker table in an East Pattaya residence on August 26, 2025.
PATTAYA — What started as a routine investigation into neighbor complaints about illegal parking and littering led to the arrest of nine foreign nationals running a high-stakes poker operation worth approximately one million baht ($30,775) in East Pattaya.
Chonburi Immigration officers and tourist police raided a single-story house with a swimming pool on a 50-square-wa plot in Soi Thung Klom-Tal Man 5/1, Moo 9, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District on August 26, following local residents’ complaints about foreigners blocking traffic with parked cars and dumping trash in the area.
Suspects Attempt to Flee
During the search, foreign nationals inside the house attempted to flee but were detained. The nine suspects included five Chinese men, three Korean men, and one Korean woman.
Police discovered the reason for their escape attempt when they found multiple poker tables, large amounts of Thai cash, gambling chips worth approximately one million baht ($30,775), several card decks, and money-counting machines inside the residence. All evidence was seized before the suspects were taken to Chonburi Immigration Office for questioning.
Immigration police officers inspect a Korean man’s car parked haphazardly in Soi Thung Klom-Tal Man 5/1, Moo 9, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District on August 26, 2025.
Confessions and Charges
During interrogation, three suspects confessed to organizing the illegal gambling operation: Chinese national Tang (35), Korean national Lee (35), and Korean national Kim (31). They admitted to jointly hosting and operating the poker gambling ring.
The trio faces charges of “jointly organizing illegal gambling for property.” Tang received an additional charge for “being a foreigner residing in the Kingdom after his permission expired.”
The remaining six suspects were charged with “jointly participating in illegal gambling for property” and transferred to Nong Prue Police Station investigators.
Poker Remains Illegal
Despite Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai’s July 30, 2025 announcement that he had signed an order repealing a 1958 Interior Ministry directive—potentially paving the way for legislative changes to decriminalize poker—gambling with poker remains illegal in Thailand. The government’s goal is to transform poker into a sport, but current laws still prohibit poker gambling.
Photo from major Thai social media influencer Kan Chomphalang's Facebook page (left) shows a septic truck spraying wastewater toward Cambodia.
Kan Chomphalang, a major Thai social media influencer with 8.2 million followers on Facebook is currently busying posting hate speech against not Hun Sen or Hun Manet but ordinary Cambodians.
It not only insults our Cambodian neighbours, but will spread further hatred between the people of our two countries. This will make it harder for people, particularly on both sides of the border, to coexist in peace, while people like Kan gain Facebook engagement traffic and satisfaction from irresponsibly exhibiting his base and shitty instinct to his 8.2 million Facebook followers.
Rest assured, he probably won’t even bother to think about the issue a year or two from now while locals contnue to have to struggle with the long-term repercussions left by these hateful and toxic expressions.
This is the translation of what he wrote on Facebook today, August 26, 2025:
“Last night I dreamed that Cambodians were playing Songkran at my home in Nong Chan, but the water was a bit yellowish. This picture is similar to my dream, but in the dream, there were about five septic trucks.”
