The Thai banking system remains resilient with robust levels of capital, loan loss provisions, and liquidity. In the second quarter of 2026, overall loan growth in the banking system (licensed banks and their subsidiaries) grew by 2.0% year-on-year, driven primarily by lending to large corporate in line with increased demand for working capital to absorb the impact of higher energy and raw material costs.

Meanwhile, SMEs and consumer loans continued to contract, reflecting persistently high credit risks. On loan quality, NPL (Stage 3¹) declined to 534.8 billion baht in the second quarter of 2026, mainly reflecting banks’ intensified efforts to manage problem loans. As a result, The NPL ratio remained stable at 2.82%, close to the level observed at the onset of the conflict in the Middle East. Stage 2 loans² declined to 6.78%, partly due to the migration of vulnerable borrowers into NPL status, while some borrowers previously classified as significant increase in credit risk (SICR) showed improved credit quality. At the same time, commercial banks have continued to provide support through pre-emptive debt restructuring, which has helped contain NPL formation. 

In terms of financial performance, net profits of the commercial banking system increased from the same period last year, driven mainly by higher fair value gains on financial instruments and increased securities brokerage fee income. This was complemented by lower provisioning expenses, following relatively substantial provisioning in previous periods, as well as improved operating cost management. These factors helped offset the decline in net interest income following lending rate reductions in line with the policy rate direction and continued borrower assistance.

Going forward, ongoing uncertainty related to the conflict in the Middle East and the uneven recovery of the Thai economy could continue to weigh on borrowers’ debt-servicing capacity, particularly among vulnerable SMEs and households facing income volatility and higher living costs. In this regard, close monitoring of commercial banks’ asset quality remains warranted. Nevertheless, government measures to alleviate debt burdens and continued liquidity support from financial institutions are expected to help cushion the impact on businesses and households.

Source : https://www.bot.or.th/en/news-and-media/news/news-20260818.html

When Johnston Law Firm, LLC opened its doors in Pueblo, Colorado, on January 1, 2022, it was not simply the start of a new business. It was the result of one clear idea. People deserved a better experience when they needed legal help the most.

That idea became the foundation of the firm. Instead of trying to be the biggest, Johnston Law Firm set out to be a law firm that clients could trust through quality representation and clear communication.

“We started this firm because our community deserved a better alternative,” the founder says. “People should expect to be treated with respect and to receive the representation they deserve.”

In just a few years, that vision has shaped the firm’s identity and established a different way of serving workers compensation clients.

Why Johnston Law Firm Was Founded

Many businesses begin by spotting a gap in the market. Johnston Law Firm began by recognising a gap in the client experience.

The founder saw that too many people were leaving legal offices feeling unheard or unsure about what was happening with their case. Rather than accepting that as normal, the decision was made to create something different.

The firm officially launched on January 1, 2022, with a simple mission: provide quality legal services while treating every client with care.

“Our goal has always been straightforward,” the founder says. “We want to provide the representation our clients deserve.”

That purpose continues to guide every decision the firm makes.

What Makes a Strong Workers Compensation Law Firm?

For Johnston Law Firm, success is not measured only by legal knowledge. It is also measured by how clients are treated throughout the process.

Workers compensation cases often come after someone has experienced a life-changing workplace injury. During those moments, clear communication becomes just as important as legal experience.

“I believe communication changes everything,” the founder explains. “Clients deserve to know what is happening, and they deserve answers when they have questions.”

That commitment has become one of the firm’s defining characteristics.

Instead of allowing clients to feel disconnected, Johnston Law Firm focuses on keeping them informed from beginning to end.

How Communication Became a Competitive Advantage

Many businesses talk about customer service. Johnston Law Firm has built its reputation around communication.

The firm believes that every phone call, meeting, and update matters because every client is dealing with a real challenge.

“We never forget there is a person behind every case,” the founder says. “Our responsibility is to guide them through the process as clearly as we can.”

That idea may seem simple, but consistently delivering on it requires discipline.

By making communication part of the firm’s culture, Johnston Law Firm has turned a basic principle into one of its greatest strengths.

Why Happy Clients Matter More Than Headlines

Every business hopes to grow. Johnston Law Firm believes growth begins with trust.

The firm measures success by the relationships it builds with clients and the experience they have throughout their legal journey.

“Happy clients tell us we’re doing something right,” the founder says. “That has always been one of the most meaningful measures of success.”

Rather than chasing recognition, the firm has focused on delivering quality legal services one client at a time.

That steady approach reflects a bigger idea. Businesses often earn lasting reputations through consistency, not shortcuts.

Bringing a Simple Idea to Life

Many successful businesses are built around complex strategies. Johnston Law Firm took a different approach.

Its guiding idea was remarkably simple. Create a better alternative for the Pueblo community.

That meant listening more carefully. Communicating more clearly. Providing higher-quality representation. Most importantly, it meant treating every client with respect.

“We wanted to build a firm where people felt supported,” the founder says. “That has been our focus from the first day.”

While those goals sound straightforward, putting them into practice every day has shaped the firm’s growth.

Lessons From Building Johnston Law Firm

Every entrepreneur learns that opening a business is only the beginning.

Creating a lasting reputation takes consistency, patience, and a willingness to stay true to the original vision.

For Johnston Law Firm, that vision has never changed.

Quality legal representation remains the priority. Communication remains essential. Clients remain at the centre of every decision.

The firm’s story shows that meaningful business ideas do not always have to be revolutionary. Sometimes the biggest impact comes from improving the everyday experience people have when they need help the most.

“We simply want to provide the level of representation our clients deserve,” the founder says. “If we continue doing that every day, everything else follows.”

That mindset continues to guide Johnston Law Firm as it serves workers compensation clients throughout Pueblo and the surrounding community.

The firm’s journey is still being written, but its foundation remains the same as it was on day one: build trust, communicate well, and deliver quality representation that makes a lasting difference in people’s lives.

Nasdaq-listed Freedom Holding Corp., led by billionaire Timur Turlov, paid $33.4 million for a 99.32% stake in Turkish Bank A.Ş.

The deal marks another step in Freedom’s international expansion and comes as the group reports a strong start to fiscal 2027: the group’s quarterly revenue rose 40% to $732.5 million. Growth in its banking and brokerage businesses is strengthening Freedom’s capacity to bring the digital ecosystem it built in Kazakhstan to new markets. Timur Turlov himself is setting the bar even higher: in his view, digital banks will eventually have to compete not so much with local players as with global technology platforms.

$33.4 Million for a Banking Platform in Türkiye

The purchase price for Turkish Bank was disclosed in Freedom Holding’s financial statements. The group paid $33.4 million for a stake of approximately 99.32%, Forbes reported, citing the holding company’s financial statements. The transaction closed on July 31, 2026, after which shareholders approved renaming Turkish Bank A.Ş. as Freedom Bank A.Ş., according to a Freedom Holding announcement.

For Freedom Holding Corp., the acquisition is not simply a purchase of an operating banking asset; it also provides a foundation for launching its ecosystem model in Türkiye. The company intends to build an ecosystem of financial and everyday services around the bank.

“In Kazakhstan, we built an ecosystem in which financial and everyday services operate within a single SuperApp, which has become the fastest-growing digital service in the country. Now we are bringing this model to Türkiye,” Turlov said after the transaction closed.

Even before the acquisition was completed, Timur Turlov noted that the potential customer base in Türkiye could be four to five times larger than in Kazakhstan. At the time, Freedom SuperApp had attracted 5.67 million users less than two years after its launch,the company reported.

Revenue Rose 40%

Freedom Holding’s financial results support its expansion plans. In the first quarter of fiscal 2027, which ended June 30, 2026, Freedom Holding’s net revenue increased 40% year over year, from $524 million to $732.5 million. Assets reached $14.05 billion, up from $13.16 billion at the end of March.

Its two core financial businesses were the main drivers of growth. Revenue in the brokerage segment increased 60% to $282.6 million, while banking revenue rose 54% to $225.2 million. The Other segment, which includes telecommunications, payments, travel and other digital services, doubled its revenue to $73.9 million.

The customer base also expanded. The banking business served 5.45 million customers, the brokerage business 874,000, the insurance business 924,000, and the remaining businesses 1.5 million.

From France and Georgia to Pakistan and Mongolia

The next stage of Freedom’s international expansion is already taking shape. Freedom Holding has applied for a banking license in France and has said it is prepared to invest about €500 million in the country’s digital ecosystem. In Georgia, the company is awaiting completion of the licensing process for Freedom Bank Georgia.

In Pakistan, Timur Turlov has spoken about plans to begin the process of registering a Freedom Bank branch and, in the longer term, to build a global digital bank with an eventual presence in the United States (Kapital.kz). In Mongolia, the holding company is exploring investment opportunities in the banking and financial sectors, Interfax reported. Reuters previously described Freedom’s strategy as an expansion of financial infrastructure across a region stretching from Türkiye to Mongolia.

For Timur Turlov, however, the goal is to deploy a common technology platform across markets.

“I don’t want to build a holding company that has the same name in every country but different businesses. That would not create the synergy we are aiming for. That’s why I want the Freedom SuperApp we built in Kazakhstan to appear in other countries, so that we can fully export our technology to the markets of Türkiye, Pakistan, Europe and Georgia,” Turlov told.

According to Timur Turlov, the team is working to turn Freedom Holding’s banking system, card processing, accounting solutions and loyalty programs into a modular technology product that can be used in a new market and then adapted to local regulatory requirements. For Turlov, the ability to replicate the same technology across markets is ultimately what could allow Freedom to compete on a global rather than local scale.

The Real Competition Will Be Global Technology Platforms

By this logic, the main competition facing digital banks will come not from the bank next door but from global technology platforms.

“Google is used all over the world, and 70-80% of all AI inference is handled by one or two companies. I am sure the same thing will happen in digital banking. People will use the best technology on a global scale. Nobody will need the best bank in Kazakhstan; they will need the best bank in the world,” Timur Turlov commented.

Technology markets tend to follow a winner-takes-all dynamic, and a digital bank therefore needs to become global. Within this strategy, the $33.4 million acquisition of Turkish Bank looks modest relative to Freedom Holding’s $14.05 billion asset base but strategically significant. Freedom Holding Corp. has gained a regulated banking platform in Türkiye and an opportunity to test whether its SuperApp model, developed in Kazakhstan, can scale successfully beyond its home market. Meanwhile, the 40% increase in quarterly revenue and the expansion of its customer base provide the holding company with the financial and operational foundation for the next stage of its international expansion.

Part of the soundtrack to a day in southern California is the drone of petrol-powered gardening equipment.

Noise is one of the main reasons that cities around the US, external are banning petrol landscaping tools or encouraging electric alternatives.

These alternatives have the additional benefits of reducing carbon emissions, vibrations and the exposure of landscapers to pollution.

In addition they can mean longer working hours, as they can be used at times when residents demand quiet.

Today, I’m taking part in training run by the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), an organisation supporting the transition towards electric landscaping equipment.

To my surprise, the electric backpack leaf blower I strap on is not much heavier than my normal rucksack. Using the blower to herd balls around the park feels fairly intuitive, though naturally I’m much clumsier and slower than the pro landscapers.

As for noise, there’s still a buzz, but the sound is higher-pitched and not quite so loud as the familiar petrol-powered machines.

The move to electric power is attracting new companies to the market for gardening kit.

US aerospace start-up Whisper Aero is one of those firms. Its main business is electric propulsion systems for aircraft.

But in 2022, after the Covid-19 pandemic made many people more sensitive to noise, and following a couple of years of research and development, the company realised that its aerospace-grade fans would work well in leaf blowers.

“Our technology is cleaner, quieter and more efficient than other air-moving technologies that exist today,” according to Andrew Terajewicz, Whisper Aero’s director of air management. “And the leaf blower is the perfect mix of this.”

The battery on Whisper Aero’s blower lasts up to 50 minutes at full power.

The company has had to scale up its manufacturing volume in its expansion to consumer technology.

Online pre-orders of Whisper Aero’s handheld leaf blower started this year. It’s priced at the high-end of electric leaf blowers, which are often more expensive than traditional petrol versions.

But for that you get a machine which is less likely to disturb the peace.

“It is so ultra quiet yet powerful, that the brain has a hard time understanding what’s happening,” says Dan Mabe, the former landscaper who founded AGZA.

Whisper Aero aims to further develop its products, including a backpack leaf blower that would be better suited to professional landscapers.

PLYMOUTH, Mass. — The murder trial of Lindsay Clancy was abruptly cut short Wednesday afternoon after Judge William Sullivan told jurors they were being excused due to an “unforeseen circumstance,” offering no further explanation as proceedings resumed the following morning.

Sullivan informed jurors midway through Wednesday’s session that they would be dismissed until Thursday morning, declining to specify the nature of the disruption. “This is not something we saw coming, but you’re not to speculate about what it is,” Sullivan told the panel. “You’re not to hold it against either side. It’s just something that we have to deal with.” The court went into recess at 2:15 p.m., and jurors were formally excused for the day at 2:33 p.m. Proceedings resumed Thursday at 9 a.m., though the judge had not publicly disclosed the underlying cause of Wednesday’s early dismissal.

The disruption came shortly after Sullivan ruled on a separate, contested defense request earlier in Wednesday’s session. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington had sought to call Emily Thorndike, a licensed clinical social worker and former employee of McLean Hospital, the psychiatric facility where Clancy was admitted less than a month before she killed her three children in January 2023. Sullivan denied the request to call Thorndike as a witness.

Reddington had identified Thorndike as a potential witness after she publicly criticized conditions at McLean Hospital on TikTok during the trial’s early stages. He sought to introduce her testimony to counter what he characterized as misleading impressions about the quality of care at the facility, impressions he argued had been created during prosecutors’ earlier questioning of Clancy’s ex-husband, Patrick Clancy.

In denying the request, Sullivan acknowledged that Thorndike appeared credible but concluded her testimony carried limited relevance to the case. According to the judge’s ruling, Thorndike had stopped working at McLean Hospital approximately a year before Clancy was admitted there, undercutting the direct evidentiary value of her firsthand knowledge of conditions at the facility during the specific period relevant to the case. Sullivan did, however, permit the defense to submit McLean Hospital records documenting staffing levels and treatment programs as an alternative means of addressing the same underlying issue Reddington had hoped to raise through Thorndike’s testimony.

Clancy, 36, has admitted to strangling her three children — Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and 8-month-old Callan — at the family’s Duxbury home in January 2023. She has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, with her defense arguing she was not criminally responsible for the killings because she was experiencing postpartum psychosis at the time. Prosecutors contend she planned the killings and bears legal responsibility for her actions.

Wednesday’s abrupt dismissal added another notable moment to what has already been an emotionally intense trial, now well into its second week of testimony. The proceedings have featured extensive witness accounts from Clancy’s family members, former nanny, treating psychiatric providers, first responders and expert witnesses, painting a detailed picture of her mental health decline in the months preceding the killings.

Supporters of Clancy have continued gathering outside Plymouth Superior Court throughout the trial. According to coverage of the proceedings, Clancy’s attorneys and her supporters maintain that she was in the throes of severe postpartum psychosis at the time of the killings, a position central to the defense’s argument that she should not be held criminally responsible under Massachusetts law.

Wednesday’s session was not the first time the trial has featured contentious exchanges over which witnesses would be permitted to testify or what evidence jurors would be allowed to consider. Throughout the proceedings, Sullivan has periodically ruled on a range of evidentiary disputes between prosecutors and the defense, reflecting the complexity of a case that has required extensive expert psychiatric testimony alongside more conventional witness accounts from family members and first responders.

The specific nature of Wednesday’s “unforeseen circumstance” remained undisclosed as of Thursday morning, with Sullivan’s instruction to jurors explicitly cautioning them against speculating about its cause or allowing it to influence their assessment of either the prosecution’s or the defense’s case. Such instructions are a standard judicial practice used to prevent unrelated courtroom or logistical disruptions from improperly affecting jury deliberations, though the lack of public explanation has left the specific cause of Wednesday’s early dismissal a matter of ongoing curiosity among those following the closely watched trial.

With proceedings having resumed Thursday morning, the trial continues to draw significant public and media attention, both for the graphic and emotionally difficult nature of the testimony presented and for the broader legal questions surrounding how postpartum psychosis is treated under the state’s criminal responsibility standards. The case has also drawn scrutiny toward the mental health care system more broadly, including the adequacy of psychiatric treatment Clancy received in the weeks before the killings, a theme underscored by Wednesday’s dispute over the proposed McLean Hospital testimony.

As of Thursday, no timeline had been publicly indicated for when the prosecution’s or defense’s respective presentation of evidence might conclude, though the trial has already extended well beyond its originally anticipated length, reflecting the scope of expert and lay witness testimony both sides have called to address the central and contested question of Clancy’s mental state at the time of the killings.