Key facts
- Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated the country is resigned to managing its South China Sea dispute with Beijing.
- A nursing home in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, was found with beds fitted with metal bars that could be closed over residents.
- The Thai nursing home had 129 beds, exceeding its approved capacity of 50.
- Thai authorities revoked the license of the Kanchanaburi nursing home on October 7.
- Thailand has ordered checks on approximately 1,200 registered care centers.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on October 12, 2026, that the Philippines is "resigned" to managing its long-standing dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea and avoiding dangerous escalations. His remarks come as the Philippines continues to navigate territorial claims in the region.
In Thailand, a scandal has emerged involving a nursing home in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, where residents were allegedly confined under metal bars fitted over their beds. The Department of Health Service Support (DHSS) inspected Sothornchai Nursing Home on October 6, 2026, after a woman reported being held there against her will for over two years. Officials found a room with iron bars and a lock on the outside, razor wire, and beds with extra metal bars that could be closed over residents. The home was found to have 129 beds, exceeding its approved capacity of 50, and its service area had significantly expanded beyond its licensed size. Inspectors also noted issues such as a lack of a wastewater treatment system, cracked bathroom floors, and insecticides stored near food ingredients. The DHSS revoked the home's license on October 7, 2026.
The owner defended the bed cages as a safety measure to prevent confused residents from falling, with her son claiming he designed them as an innovation. However, the Thai Department of Mental Health rejected this, stating the cages were not standard psychiatric care. The scandal has prompted Thailand to order checks on approximately 1,200 registered care centers within two months. This situation highlights concerns about elder care in South-east Asia, a region experiencing rapid population aging, with Thailand being the second-fastest ageing country after Singapore.