Thailand expects its 609-km (378 miles) portion of a high-speed railway that will connect it with China through Laos to begin operations in 2030, its government said on Wednesday, nearly a decade later than originally planned.

International pressure is mounting on Thailand – including from the new US administration – over the fate of dozens of Uyghur men held in detention for more than a decade, following reports the Thai government planned to deport the group to China.

The project is part of Thailand's broader strategy to bolster links with China, its largest trading partner, as it strives to keep pace with regional peers.

Thailand's high-speed rail project connecting Bangkok to China through Laos has achieved significant progress, with the first phase now over one-third complete

China and Thailand have pledged to jointly crack down on dozens of cyber scam gangs in Myanmar and related human trafficking, including setting up at least one coordination centre, according to Thai media reports.

Bangkok and its vicinity will also face cool mornings with strong winds and a 1 to 3°C temperature drop. Temperatures will range from 18 to 21°C at their lowest to 33 to 36°C at their highest, with east winds at 10 to 25 km/h.

Lunar New Year tourists are flocking to Thailand. The holidaymakers, many from China, are expected to boost tourism, which has been struggling to recover from the pandemic.

Thailand and China will work together to combat fast-growing networks of illegal call centres along the Thai border with Myanmar and Cambodia, often staffed by trafficked workers, that aim to defraud people in phone and online scams.

BANGKOK: Chinese tourists visiting Thailand for Chinese New Year are worried about being kidnapped by gangsters to work in hellish scam centres, despite efforts to reassure them. Chinese nationals topped the list of visitors to Thailand last year,

Bangkok Bank (BBL) is focusing on four high-growth economies in Southeast Asia to drive its international banking business this year.

Train stations and airports across the country have been jam-packed for weeks as millions returned home to spend the holidays with their loved ones in an annual migration that is expected to be a record.