https://www.scmp.com/rss/519573/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Josiah Ng Josiah Ng This weekend, guest shifts abound as Taipei’s unDer Lab and Bangkok’s Messengerservice both take over Qura at the Regent for two nights, while Craftroom from Osaka appears at The Aubrey. For a cheeky pre-dinner cocktail, Le Bar at Black Sheep’s Jean-Pierre has expanded its offerings. Thursday, April 23 UnDer Lab + Messengerservice x Qura Qura at the Regent is hosting a dual takeover on Thursday and Friday, as unDer Lab from Taipei and Messengerservice from Bangkok run successive shifts on both... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3350849/your-hong-kong-weekend-drinks-guide-april-23-25?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3350849/your-hong-kong-weekend-drinks-guide-april-23-25?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung In the hours leading up to this year’s International Women’s Day, on March 8, The New York Times published explosive revelations of workplace abuse at legendary Copenhagen restaurant Noma under the watch of chef-founder René Redzepi. There is a certain poetic justice to be had that, at the same time, a group of 11 female hospitality professionals from around the world concluded a weeklong residency at Rosewood Hong Kong centred specifically on writing a new, women-led chapter in the toxic,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3350865/rosewood-throws-its-weight-behind-female-empowerment-hospitality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3350865/rosewood-throws-its-weight-behind-female-empowerment-hospitality?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui There was never any doubt that Nawapooh Sae-tang, the grandson of the late Bangkok-born artist Tang Chang, would inherit the family business of protecting and promoting his legacy. “My father had told me from a young age that as his eldest son, I would have to be involved in the running of the estate,” he says ahead of the May 1 opening of the Tang Chang Private Museum in Nakhon Pathom, an hour outside the Thai capital. It might not have been his choice, but Nawapooh has blossomed into a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3350850/new-tang-chang-art-museum-thailand-preserves-thai-chinese-art-rebels-remarkable-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3350850/new-tang-chang-art-museum-thailand-preserves-thai-chinese-art-rebels-remarkable-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Edith Lin Matthew Cheng,Edith Lin A former director of Hong Kong’s Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs) in Jakarta and Bangkok is standing in the United Kingdom local elections for the right-wing Reform UK party. Lee Sheung-yuen, who left government in 2023 after serving as the first director of the Bangkok ETO and concurrently served as director general of its Jakarta office, is now contesting a seat on Ealing Council in London. He also previously served as the government’s assistant commissioner for tourism and as administrative... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350924/former-hong-kong-trade-office-chief-contesting-uk-local-elections-reform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350924/former-hong-kong-trade-office-chief-contesting-uk-local-elections-reform?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:05:40 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof On Monday afternoon, amid the heat and chaos of Thailand’s Songkran festival, Gavin Chow was crowned Mr Bear International 2026 – the first Malaysian to win the title at a pageant that has quickly become part of Thailand’s growing queer festival circuit. Back in Chow’s home country, the climate is very different. Malaysia criminalises same-sex intimacy under federal law, LGBTQ gatherings have faced police raids and the 34-year-old activist’s own national qualifier earlier this year struggled to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3350517/bangkok-malaysias-first-mr-bear-winner-finds-spotlight-queer-life-rarely-gets-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3350517/bangkok-malaysias-first-mr-bear-winner-finds-spotlight-queer-life-rarely-gets-home?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Greater Bay Airlines has suspended most of its flights between Hong Kong and Bangkok for more than four months amid surging fuel prices driven by the conflict in the Middle East. The airline’s website showed that as of 8pm on Thursday no flights were available between Hong Kong and Bangkok for most of the dates between May 12 and September 22. The carrier said it had adjusted its services due to rising fuel prices and apologised to affected travellers. “Due to the continued rise in fuel prices... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3350268/greater-bay-airlines-suspends-bangkok-flights-over-4-months-amid-fuel-price-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3350268/greater-bay-airlines-suspends-bangkok-flights-over-4-months-amid-fuel-price-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:08:11 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones The world’s largest water fight erupted across Bangkok on Monday as the three-day annual Songkran festival drew a surge in tourists to a country whose bruised economy badly needed a reason to celebrate. Thailand has refused to let a fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran dampen its traditional New Year’s celebrations, even as prices spike for everything from petrol to ice during the hottest month of the year. The water festival – also known as Thingyan in neighbouring Myanmar and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3349881/splash-and-crash-thailand-celebrates-songkran-energy-crisis-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3349881/splash-and-crash-thailand-celebrates-songkran-energy-crisis-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:50:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Soaring fuel prices are driving up costs for Thais travelling home for the holidays, but the chance to spend the new year with loved ones is a price worth paying, they say. “There aren’t many opportunities to go home during festivals like this,” said 24-year-old army cadet Korawich Changpat at Bangkok’s Mo Chit Two bus station, despite his inflated fare back to central Chaiyaphum province. “First of all, I’ll go see my mother. Looking this handsome in my uniform, I must go pay my respects to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349751/thais-celebrate-new-year-despite-fuel-price-shocks-delaying-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349751/thais-celebrate-new-year-despite-fuel-price-shocks-delaying-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:46:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A pet ostrich went for a speedy jaunt down a busy Thai highway on Tuesday, before being returned safe and sound to its enclosure at an animal-themed cafe. The six-month-old male ostrich raced along a three-lane highway in Thailand’s coastal Chonburi province as cars and trucks sped by the flightless bird, according to a video posted by a man who was driving directly behind it. “Who lost an ostrich on the road? Come get him. He runs so fast,” the motorist, Chairat Sompong, is heard saying in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349303/ostrich-escapes-animal-cafe-sprints-down-thai-highway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349303/ostrich-escapes-animal-cafe-sprints-down-thai-highway?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:43:20 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Le Le To celebrate its 10th anniversary, ZS Hospitality Group introduces Le Le, a progressive Vietnamese concept rooted in the heritage of the group’s chairwoman, Elizabeth Chu Yuet-han. Named after Vietnam’s famed whistling duck, the restaurant explores the intersection of Indochinese vibrancy and Cantonese technique. Led by chefs Elvin Lam and Le Minh Duc, the kitchen elevates childhood staples such as pho and xoi man through a fine-dining lens. The moody, indigo-accented space functions as a... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3348823/hong-kongs-hottest-new-openings-le-les-launch-thong-smiths-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3348823/hong-kongs-hottest-new-openings-le-les-launch-thong-smiths-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 07:00:12 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong customs officers seized 6.5kg of suspected drugs worth about HK$3.4 million (US$433,800) and arrested two men in separate cases earlier this week. The Customs and Excise Department said on Friday the first arrest occurred two days earlier at Hong Kong International Airport when officers found 3.1kg (6.8lbs) of suspected ketamine in the baggage of a man, 43, who arrived from Bangkok. The department said the suspected drugs were concealed inside food packaging in the baggage. In the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348994/hong-kong-customs-seizes-hk34-million-worth-suspected-drugs-arrests-2-men?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348994/hong-kong-customs-seizes-hk34-million-worth-suspected-drugs-arrests-2-men?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:45:31 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu A Hongkonger has been rescued from Myanmar and transferred to Thailand after being held captive and forced to do illegal work, in an ordeal he described as a “horror movie”. The Security Bureau on Saturday said its dedicated task force had earlier received a request for help from the 25-year-old man who was trapped in Myanmar. It then liaised with the Chinese embassies in Myanmar and Thailand, the city’s economic and trade office in Bangkok and Thai authorities to launch a joint operation. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348261/horror-movie-hongkonger-rescued-after-forced-labour-ordeal-myanmar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348261/horror-movie-hongkonger-rescued-after-forced-labour-ordeal-myanmar?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 12:55:41 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak If you ask Hongkongers if they like Thai food, many will say they do; ask them if they know ThongSmith, and chances are most of them will say yes. The Bangkok-based noodle chain opened in 2018 and has since expanded to more than 25 locations in the Thai capital. It made a name for itself by honing in on humble boat noodles, with a slow-simmered broth and adding premium toppings such as Australian Wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork. Now, in its eighth year, it has picked Hong Kong as its first overseas... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347786/hong-kong-now-you-dont-have-go-bangkok-boat-noodle-fix-thongsmith-here?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347786/hong-kong-now-you-dont-have-go-bangkok-boat-noodle-fix-thongsmith-here?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:45:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Boosting Hong Kong into a global study and talent hub is not just a mission for the government and the tertiary education sector. The latest move by local secondary schools to lure overseas students in Southeast Asia is a proactive step in this regard. While the city is still learning how to emulate British or US education systems to attract overseas students, it stands out in the region thanks to its unique East-meets-West background, international outlook, political stability and proximity to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347809/local-schools-outreach-overseas-students-boost-education-hub-goal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347809/local-schools-outreach-overseas-students-boost-education-hub-goal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 23:15:11 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Non-local students could pay up to HK$350,000 (US$44,680) per year to study in Hong Kong’s semi-private schools after the institutions were allowed to admit them by offering additional places, with scholarships to cover some expenses. But an education consultant specialising in expatriate placements for Hong Kong schools said the charges were uncompetitive, noting the cost exceeded those of a premium British boarding school in Malaysia and Thailand. The Hong Kong Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS)... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3347630/non-local-pupils-could-face-hk350000-fees-hong-kong-semi-private-schools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3347630/non-local-pupils-could-face-hk350000-fees-hong-kong-semi-private-schools?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:37:02 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Daniel Gech looks at prices on a board at a Sokimex petrol station in Phnom Penh and winces. Four weeks into the war in the Middle East, the ripple effects of a faraway conflict are beginning to threaten the Cambodian teenager’s ability to earn and learn. The 16-year-old uses his moped to travel between his home and school, and for his work in the evening. It now costs him an extra US$2 a day to fill up his tank – or US$14 a week – and the price is rising, a significant surge in a country where... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347608/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-vulnerable-fuel-crisis-iran-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347608/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-vulnerable-fuel-crisis-iran-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:14:21 +0000 Aidan Jones,Kolette Lim Aidan Jones,Kolette Lim Death is the family business for Viroj Suriyasenee, a second-generation Thai funeral director. His bespoke coffins range from plain wooden boxes to ornate creations trimmed in gold with plush red velvet interiors, priced anywhere from US$30 to US$30,000 – each one representing a story of loss, grief and a life concluded. They also speak to the sheer scale of Asia’s ever-growing, multibillion-dollar death economy. All the coffins Viroj makes are destined for the cremation furnace, yet the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347355/ageing-southeast-asia-fights-fears-death-brave-inevitable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347355/ageing-southeast-asia-fights-fears-death-brave-inevitable?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Bangkok, Thailand’s vibrant capital city, is now also home to a world-class museum of contemporary art. Late last year, Dib Bangkok opened in a three-storey converted warehouse in Khlong Toei, in an area between Bangkok’s main throughway Rama IV Road and Soi Sukhumvit 40. Dating back to the 1980s, the original building was redesigned by Kulapat Yantrasast of Why Architecture in collaboration with Thailand-based international architectural design firm Architects 49 (A49). The exhibition space... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3346293/why-modern-art-museum-dib-bangkok-must-visit-destination-thailand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3346293/why-modern-art-museum-dib-bangkok-must-visit-destination-thailand?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Napon Jatusripitak,Duncan McCargo Napon Jatusripitak,Duncan McCargo An iconic “Gang of Four” poster defined the Bhumjaithai Party’s 2026 rebrand. Tailored to project an image of professionalism, signal managerial competence and court the votes of Thailand’s urban middle class, the poster featured party leader and current Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul fronted by three recently recruited technocrats: Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas – all of whom Anutin pledged to reinstate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3345740/how-win-election-thailand-stage-rebrand-rely-rural-votes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3345740/how-win-election-thailand-stage-rebrand-rely-rural-votes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Jess Ma,Leopold Chen Jess Ma,Leopold Chen Travellers are paying double the usual airfare on Cathay Pacific Airways flights from more than 50 cities to Hong Kong as the Iran war drives up demand for routes that avoid the conflict zone, with London, Madrid and Chennai seeing the steepest surges, the South China Morning Post has found. The US-Israeli attacks on Iran and subsequent retaliatory strikes that spilled over into neighbouring Gulf states over the course of a week have forced much of the Middle East’s airspace to remain closed,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345793/iran-war-closes-middle-east-skies-how-high-can-cathay-pacific-fares-fly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345793/iran-war-closes-middle-east-skies-how-high-can-cathay-pacific-fares-fly?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:03:22 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong travellers rejoiced on Wednesday evening after arriving home safely on the first flight from Dubai to the city since US-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupted global air links. Emirates flight EK380 was the first to arrive after Dubai’s two airports resumed “limited” operations two days ago, landing at around 9.50pm. Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport were both closed on Saturday after the conflict broke out, with Iran retaliating by targeting US military bases... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345478/relief-joy-first-flight-back-dubai-brings-stranded-hongkongers-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345478/relief-joy-first-flight-back-dubai-brings-stranded-hongkongers-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:53:30 +0000 dpa dpa Bangkok, nine o’clock in the morning. The tropical heat is slowly settling over Thailand’s capital like a damp towel. The last sweaty joggers and tai chi practitioners are just leaving Lumphini Park – the green lungs of the metropolis. Suddenly, a tourist’s scream slices through the calm atmosphere. With eyes widened in fear, he stares at a creature that looks as if it has stepped straight out of prehistoric times. A two-metre-long (6½ foot) lizard known as an Asian water monitor is slowly... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3345213/how-see-bangkoks-famous-monitor-lizards-close-and-why-you-shouldnt-be-scared?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3345213/how-see-bangkoks-famous-monitor-lizards-close-and-why-you-shouldnt-be-scared?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:15:07 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim For her New Year’s resolution, Cheryl Tan decided that she would drink less alcohol on nights out. The 26-year-old Singaporean finance professional said she was starting to find it increasingly difficult to shed the effects of hangovers, rendering her immobile long into the next day. “It seemed like recovery after a night out was taking too long, and I started to scale back so I would be more productive,” she said. Cutting back has also saved her money. A cocktail at a bar in Singapore could... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344930/asias-gen-z-go-sober-alcohol-producers-and-bars-revamp-business-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344930/asias-gen-z-go-sober-alcohol-producers-and-bars-revamp-business-model?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:12 +0000 David Lam David Lam In late December, Grok – the AI model developed by Elon Musk’s company xAI – released a feature that allowed users to generate non-consensual sexualised images of women and children. Within a few weeks, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines took the unusual step of banning Grok after they deemed xAI’s initial mitigations insufficient. The ban was lifted only after xAI placed new restrictions on Grok’s image-generation capabilities. While this episode was resolved, it underscores the risk that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3344912/southeast-asia-needs-ai-sovereignty-grok-scandal-proved-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3344912/southeast-asia-needs-ai-sovereignty-grok-scandal-proved-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 04:00:16 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Chinese railway giants look set to scout Eurasia in the years ahead to build high-speed train lines as the domestic market matures and some countries are more prepared than others for capital-intensive yet transformative ventures, analysts said. Inspired by China-invested projects such as the 142km (88-mile) Jakarta-Bandung high-speed line in Indonesia and the partly finished 350km (217-mile) Budapest-Belgrade railway, Chinese construction and engineering firms are expected to expand their... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3344149/rail-ahead-high-speed-lines-saturate-china-how-far-can-their-global-reach-extend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3344149/rail-ahead-high-speed-lines-saturate-china-how-far-can-their-global-reach-extend?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thai police donned a lion dance costume during this week’s Lunar New Year festivities to arrest a suspect accused of stealing about US$64,000 worth of Buddhist artefacts, police said Thursday. Officers dressed as a red-and-yellow lion made the arrest on Wednesday evening after receiving a report from a police superintendent earlier this month that his home in the suburbs of the capital, Bangkok, had been broken into. Bangkok police said the reported break-in involved “numerous Buddhist objects... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344026/thai-police-don-lion-dance-costume-pounce-unsuspecting-burglar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344026/thai-police-don-lion-dance-costume-pounce-unsuspecting-burglar?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 11:52:03 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak When you enter the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, the lobby’s frescoed ceiling, art and opulent decor are immediately reminiscent of the resort in the third season of The White Lotus, set in Koh Samui, Thailand. The Bangkok property was built in 1978, and it was a Peninsula hotel before it was sold to Regent Hotels & Resorts in 1982. Following its 2001 acquisition by Minor Hotels, it was renamed as a Four Seasons in 2003, before its most recent name change, on March 1, 2015. While just as elegant... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343813/anantara-siam-bangkok-hotels-aqua-bar-marks-20-years-cocktails-inspired-ducks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343813/anantara-siam-bangkok-hotels-aqua-bar-marks-20-years-cocktails-inspired-ducks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:15:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A defamation case by Malaysia’s telecoms regulator against an Australian resident in Thailand was formally withdrawn from a Thai court on Monday after mediation, the sued man and his lawyer said. The case has caused concern among free speech advocates because it was seen as a form of cross-border repression. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, or MCMC, had already acknowledged in a statement earlier this month that it had reached a settlement agreement on January 12, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343768/thai-court-clears-australian-writer-after-malaysian-defamation-case-withdrawn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343768/thai-court-clears-australian-writer-after-malaysian-defamation-case-withdrawn?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:34:45 +0000 Reuters Reuters A ⁠gunman who used a ⁠firearm stolen from a police officer to wound a teacher and a girl at a school in southern Thailand’s Hat Yai district on Wednesday has been detained, authorities said. The 17-year-old ‌suspect entered Patongprathankiriwat School in Songkhla Province’s Hat Yai earlier in the day, appearing agitated, the provincial government said in a statement. The suspect has a sister at the school, police commander Teerasak Chaiyotha said, but a motive has yet to be determined. A female... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343208/gunman-holds-students-and-teachers-hostage-thai-school-local-administration-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343208/gunman-holds-students-and-teachers-hostage-thai-school-local-administration-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:35:47 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Allegations of irregularities in Thailand’s election – including vote-buying, uncounted ballots and tallies greater than the names on electoral lists – have gathered momentum, increasing the pressure on polling authorities to hold recounts. Protests across the country have been aimed squarely at the Election Commission (EC). While any potential recounts are unlikely to change the overall result of Sunday’s election, they threaten to slow the formation of a new government. Sunday’s vote saw... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343185/vote-recount-calls-grow-thailand-amid-claims-election-irregularities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343185/vote-recount-calls-grow-thailand-amid-claims-election-irregularities?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Nationalism, a deep network of local patronage and a promise to safeguard Thailand’s faltering economy catapulted Anutin Charnvirakul back into the prime minister’s office. By his own admission, the win exceeded expectations. His Bhumjaithai Party secured 193 of the 500 parliamentary seats, according to early unofficial tallies late on Monday – “even more than I asked for”, Anutin told reporters – albeit from what looks likely to be one of Thailand’s lowest voter turnouts in decades. Analysts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343006/thailand-rejects-radical-change-anutins-right-wing-turn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343006/thailand-rejects-radical-change-anutins-right-wing-turn?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 04:08:15 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso Established in 2018, Thai fashion brand Gentlewoman has rapidly ascended to become one of Asia’s hottest names thanks to its signature tote bag, now ubiquitous on the streets of Hong Kong and across the region. Along with co-founders Raya Wannapinyo and Siripa Rueangwutthisakulchai, Jitpon Siriwattanamathangkur helped steer the ship through economic uncertainties during the pandemic, emerging with a stronger and more successful business model based on timely, trendy fashion drops and hit... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3342628/how-thailands-gentlewoman-became-asias-hottest-fashion-brand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3342628/how-thailands-gentlewoman-became-asias-hottest-fashion-brand?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 04:00:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A sign hanging from a rusty shipping container installed by Thai forces on what they say is the border with Cambodia proclaims: “Cambodian citizens are strictly prohibited from entering this area.” On opposite sides of the makeshift barricade, fronted by coils of barbed wire, Cambodians lamented their lost homes and livelihoods as Thailand’s military showed off its gains. Thai forces took control of several patches of disputed land along the border during fighting last year, which could amount... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342765/cambodians-lose-homes-thailand-makes-gains-following-clashes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342765/cambodians-lose-homes-thailand-makes-gains-following-clashes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 09:28:53 +0000 Reuters Reuters Bangkok restaurateur Sorathep Steve said he was told off last Saturday by customers who had just flown in from the United States and ordered a bottle of wine, only to be told of Thailand’s election-linked ban on alcohol. “They were frustrated and I had to explain the law,” Sorathep said, recalling how the four guests at his Thai cuisine restaurant complained that they had not come to the country to vote, before finally ordering lemon sodas. Under Thai law, it is illegal to sell, pay for or give... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342584/thai-election-alcohol-ban-hits-tourism-revenue-during-peak-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342584/thai-election-alcohol-ban-hits-tourism-revenue-during-peak-season?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 02:30:20 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok A 62-year-old man who fled Hong Kong after a brutal murder on a Sai Kung beach nearly 37 years ago has been arrested in Thailand and will be extradited back to the city on Thursday, the South China Morning Post has learned. Mui Yiu-keung was reportedly detained on Monday at a house in Bangkok’s Nong Chok district. Thai police said the arrest was made at the request of Hong Kong authorities, who had been pursuing the last of four suspects linked to the killing of a man at Lung Ha Wan beach in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342391/hong-kong-murder-suspect-arrested-after-37-years-run-be-extradited?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342391/hong-kong-murder-suspect-arrested-after-37-years-run-be-extradited?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 10:56:34 +0000 Reuters Reuters Passersby stopped Thailand’s former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva every now and again to ask for selfies ‌as the salt-and-pepper-haired leader walked through a bustling market in Bangkok, campaigning for general elections on Sunday. “Good to see you again, still handsome just like before,” said ‍one noodle vendor, reflecting voters’ persisting warm feelings for the Oxford-trained economist, who is making an unexpected comeback to frontline politics. Abhisit’s return has fuelled a revival of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342303/former-thai-prime-minster-abhisit-vejjajiva-returns-lead-democrat-revival-ahead-poll?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342303/former-thai-prime-minster-abhisit-vejjajiva-returns-lead-democrat-revival-ahead-poll?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 02:13:58 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Thailand’s police have identified three children aged nine to 15 who are suspected of setting a homeless man on fire in Bangkok and filming their victim’s ordeal. The man, identified only as 51-year-old Karn, lives under the Ban Ma Bridge in Prawet, earning a living by selling recyclable waste, according to news outlet Thaiger. Local media reported that Karn escaped fatal injuries, and told the press he was sleeping under the bridge when he felt cold liquid being poured on him before flames... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3341014/3-children-accused-setting-man-fire-thailand-video?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3341014/3-children-accused-setting-man-fire-thailand-video?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:44:12 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Thailand’s ruling party, which is seeking to retain power in next month’s election, has vowed to resolve the country’s conflict with Cambodia and clean up its image as a transit hub for trafficked scam victims. The conservative Bhumjaithai Party, which took power in September, has cast itself as the most suitable defender of Thai sovereignty during the border dispute between the two Southeast Asian countries. Clashes erupted for five days last July and reignited in December before a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3340252/thai-ruling-party-courts-voters-vowing-end-cambodia-conflict-close-scam-hubs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3340252/thai-ruling-party-courts-voters-vowing-end-cambodia-conflict-close-scam-hubs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 07:30:10 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Washington’s recent offer of US$45 million in funding to reinforce the Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire is a sign that the US is scrambling to regain the upper hand over China in mediating the rift between the Southeast Asian neighbours, according to analysts. Announcing the funding on Friday, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael DeSombre said Bangkok and Phnom Penh would strive to implement the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords, signed last year when US President... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339985/why-us-splurging-us45-million-thai-cambodian-border-war-amid-cuts-aid-funding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339985/why-us-splurging-us45-million-thai-cambodian-border-war-amid-cuts-aid-funding?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:00:11 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Thailand’s prime minister moved on Thursday to strip contracts from a major construction firm following a crane collapse that killed two people on a highway near Bangkok. The disaster occurred just a day after another crane toppled from an elevated rail line being built by the same company and claimed 32 lives. Facing pressure to respond to public anger over the repeated fatal incidents linked to Italian-Thai Development, a firm awarded state mega-projects across the country, caretaker Prime... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3339966/2-killed-thai-crane-collapse-just-day-after-another-kills-32-train-passengers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3339966/2-killed-thai-crane-collapse-just-day-after-another-kills-32-train-passengers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:17:20 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk,Agence France-Presse SCMP’s Asia desk,Agence France-Presse A crane at a China-backed high-speed railway project in Thailand collapsed onto a passenger train on Wednesday and caused it to derail, killing at least 32 people and injuring dozens more, authorities said. The accident occurred in the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, 230km (143 miles) northeast of Bangkok, on a train from the capital bound for ⁠Ubon Ratchathani province. Footage from the scene showed the broken crane resting on concrete pillars above the smoking wreckage of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3339821/crane-collapses-train-thailand-killing-least-22?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3339821/crane-collapses-train-thailand-killing-least-22?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:38:27 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Thailand’s government is planning to further rein in thousands of cannabis dispensaries that have sprung up in the wake of decriminalisation by limiting sales of the plant mostly to licensed medical facilities. Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalise cannabis in 2022, but has since tightened its regulation in a series of policy changes. According to a draft of an amended Health Ministry regulation on “controlled herbs”, sales of cannabis will only be allowed at medical... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3338951/thailand-tightens-cannabis-sales-dispensaries-face-closure-ahead-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3338951/thailand-tightens-cannabis-sales-dispensaries-face-closure-ahead-election?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 12:09:20 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Hesai Group, the world’s largest maker of vehicle lidar sensors, has struck a partnership with US chip giant Nvidia to help develop an autonomous driving platform, as the Shanghai-based firm pushes its global expansion to serve more international marques. Hesai said on Tuesday that its light detection and ranging sensors – which use laser beams to measure distances to objects – would be supplied to support Nvidia’s Drive Hyperion platform, which is designed to meet the level 4 (L4) self-driving... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338909/nvidia-chooses-chinas-hesai-lidar-sensors-hyperion-autonomous-driving-platform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338909/nvidia-chooses-chinas-hesai-lidar-sensors-hyperion-autonomous-driving-platform?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:27:36 +0000 Gayatri Bhaumik Gayatri Bhaumik A reflection of the city itself, Bangkok’s gastronomic scene is vibrant and multifaceted, spanning beloved street food, like Jay Fai’s crab omelette and Thipsamai’s pad thai, to Michelin-starred tasting menus at fine dining destinations like Sühring and Haoma. This is just one reason why Bangkok ranks among the best food cities in the world. Yet the city’s real culinary charm lies between these extremes, in thoughtful concepts blending Thai traditions with contemporary creativity. From eclectic... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3338903/unsung-eats-5-best-places-eat-and-drink-bangkok?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3338903/unsung-eats-5-best-places-eat-and-drink-bangkok?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:09:28 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Cambodia said on Friday that Thai forces had taken control of a disputed border village, accusing Thailand of “annexing” the area after a truce halted deadly fighting along their contested frontier a week ago. The decades-old border dispute between the Southeast Asian neighbours erupted into military clashes several times last year, with fighting in December killing dozens of people and displacing more than one million on both sides. The two countries agreed a truce on December 27, pledging to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3338613/cambodia-accuses-thailand-annexing-chouk-chey-border-village-despite-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3338613/cambodia-accuses-thailand-annexing-chouk-chey-border-village-despite-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 09:02:42 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A fire at a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana in the early hours of New Year’s Day has left dozens of people presumed dead and around 100 injured, according to authorities. Here is a look at some other nightclub, bar and music venue fires that have led to significant death tolls: December 2025: A fire ripped through a popular nightclub in Arpora village, in India’s Goa state, killing 25 people, including kitchen workers and tourists. March 2025: A fire and ensuing stampede at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338451/swiss-ski-resort-bar-inferno-joins-long-list-worlds-worst-club-fires?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338451/swiss-ski-resort-bar-inferno-joins-long-list-worlds-worst-club-fires?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 02:23:18 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial It’s the season of peace and goodwill, so what better way than for peacemakers to work together. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has met his two counterparts from Thailand and Cambodia in Yuxi, Yunnan province, to press both sides to consolidate a fragile ceasefire. All smiles, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, who is also the country’s foreign minister, and Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow shook hands as Wang stood between them and looked on. The trilateral talks held in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338113/china-provides-substance-cambodia-thailand-peace-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338113/china-provides-substance-cambodia-thailand-peace-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 22:45:08 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to consolidate their ceasefire and restore exchanges after trilateral talks held in China. The three sides had “in-depth exchanges on working step by step through mutual efforts to resume normal exchanges, rebuild political mutual trust, improve Cambodia-Thailand relations and safeguard regional stability”, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry. The ministry issued the statement following a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, his Thai counterpart... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338056/cambodia-and-thailand-agree-resume-exchanges-after-three-way-meeting-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338056/cambodia-and-thailand-agree-resume-exchanges-after-three-way-meeting-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:59:53 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Leading banks from Southeast Asia and the Middle East – including OCBC, Bangkok Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Qatar National Bank – have joined the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s (HKMA) expanded yuan liquidity facility, underscoring the city’s push as a global offshore renminbi (RMB) business hub. The HKMA said on Monday it had doubled the quota it allocated to banks under the Renminbi Business Facility to 100 billion yuan (US$14 billion) from December 1, the maximum allowed under the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3338044/ocbc-bangkok-bank-first-abu-dhabi-join-hong-kongs-us14-billion-offshore-yuan-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3338044/ocbc-bangkok-bank-first-abu-dhabi-join-hong-kongs-us14-billion-offshore-yuan-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:30:54 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Taya says her life was looking up as Myanmar crept out from decades of isolation. She had a job in marketing, enough money to shop in Yangon’s new retail plazas and fuel her quiet dreams of opening a small bakery, as her generation enjoyed unprecedented economic and personal freedoms. But that was before Myanmar’s short-lived experiment with greater democracy ended in a coup in 2021. With the military once more in charge, the economy is in free fall, and inflation has surged to well over 20 per... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337820/lost-my-future-myanmars-charade-election-dims-hopes-diaspora?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337820/lost-my-future-myanmars-charade-election-dims-hopes-diaspora?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 00:00:08 +0000