- Thailand News
Chiang Mai karaoke bar raided, 12 illegal workers detained
Chiang Mai police raided a covert karaoke bar in the city centre on May 23 after residents complained about noise, detaining 12 Myanmar nationals found working without properly registered employers. The operation was led by Police Major General Olan Iampraphat of Tourist Police Division 2 and Police Colonel Phisanu Triamdee, with Police Lieutenant Colonel Avirut Sookyaem conducting the inspection alongside…
- Thailand News
Udon Thani monk defrocked after drunk bar run
A monk caused a public disturbance in Udon Thani on May 23 after being found heavily intoxicated and trying to enter a sukiyaki restaurant, then a bar, before being stripped of his robes that evening. Police Lieutenant Colonel Sata Porn Sawatdee of the Mueang Udon Thani Police Station received a report of a monk behaving disruptively near a buffet restaurant…
- Thailand News
Chiang Mai police arrest 19 year old illegal loan tout for fourth time
Chiang Mai police have arrested a 19 year old man linked to the ‘Instant Cash’ illegal loan network for the fourth time in a year, after residents complained about loan flyers flooding their neighbourhood. The suspect, Pakin, was apprehended on May 23 on a road in the Chomphu village area of Saraphi district, Chiang Mai. The operation was led by…
- Thailand News
School van driver fined 2000 baht for railway crossing violation
A school van driver handed himself over to Lop Buri police after footage emerged showing his vehicle crossing railway tracks as a train approached. The driver, 55 year old Sangwan, said it was his first day on the route and he was unfamiliar with the area. The incident occurred on May 23, when the school van, coming from Phrachai Junction…
- Thailand News
Phuket and Pattaya back 30-day visa-free stays to boost tourism
Tourism businesses in Phuket and Pattaya have backed the government’s decision to reinstate 30-day visa-free stays, saying the move will deter illegal operations and budget long-stay tourists. The Department of Consular Affairs, under the Foreign Affairs Ministry, said the policy shift is part of a broader restructuring of Thailand’s visa system to cut confusion, tighten immigration controls, and align stays…
- Business News
Thai economy threatened by migrant worker shortage amid rising costs
Thailand’s government faces growing pressure to tackle a migrant worker shortage that is compounding economic difficulties driven by high energy costs and threatening key industries, a business group warned on Friday. The Thai Chamber of Commerce called on the government to speed up work permit renewals, particularly for Cambodian workers, to prevent them losing their legal status. The move is…
- Thailand News
‘Oreo Gang’ member denies drunk driving after crash injures Bangkok cop
A 20 year old student has admitted to being a member of the ‘Oreo Gang’ after a white Mitsubishi Xpander struck a police officer at an alcohol checkpoint in Bangkok. He denies consuming alcohol before the crash on May 22. The incident took place at around 1.30am on Bang Na-Trat Road, where 59 year old Police Lieutenant Colonel Taran Piromjitjaroen…
- Thailand News
Makkasan crash lays bare decades of rail neglect
A train slammed into an air-conditioned bus at the Makkasan railway crossing on Asok-Din Daeng Road, killing eight people and injuring 32 others. The crash has raised serious questions about Thailand’s rail safety standards and the many level crossings that continue to pose risks nationwide. Police investigations point to several contributing factors. The train driver was found to be impaired…
- Thailand News
13 Cambodian migrants arrested at Chanthaburi border
Thai marines and local police in Chanthaburi province arrested 13 Cambodian migrants on May 16, after intensifying surveillance along the border. The first group of nine Cambodians, five men and four women, were detained at 5.30pm while crossing forested terrain near boundary marker 53 in Thep Nimit subdistrict, Pong Nam Ron district. Investigations found the group had travelled from Banteay…
- Thailand News
EC files complaints over ballot barcode photos
The Election Commission (EC) has defended filing complaints against six individuals who photographed barcodes and QR codes on ballots from the February 8 general election, saying the move was necessary to protect the integrity of the vote. EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said the step was essential to ensure the election’s credibility and fairness. The six individuals captured images of the…
- Thailand News
Satun man shoots ex-wife dead, then turns gun on himself
A 60 year old man shot his 58 year old ex-wife dead at her rental home in Thung Nui subdistrict, Khuan Kalong district, Satun, on May 16, before returning to his residence 1km away and turning the gun on himself. Police arrived to find the woman with three gunshot wounds to the chest. She had served as both village health…
- Thailand News
SRT warns of delays after freight train hits bus near Asok
Eight people were killed and 32 others injured after a freight train crashed into a public bus near Bangkok’s Asok-Din Daeng intersection yesterday afternoon, sparking a fire that engulfed the vehicle. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) confirmed that freight train No. 2126, running from Laem Chabang Port to Bang Sue, struck an air-conditioned route 23 bus at a level…
- Thailand News
Thailand introduces tourism fees amid global challenges
Thailand’s tourism sector is under pressure to adapt as global energy costs rise and competition in the industry intensifies. Following Surasak Phanchareonvorakul’s appointment under the Anutin 2 government, the tourism minister moved quickly to restructure the industry around a quality tourism model, introducing three measures to do so. The first trims the visa-free list from 93 countries and territories down…
- Thailand News
Thailand water reserves drop to 39% as floods loom
Thailand’s water reserves have dropped to critical levels, with only 39% of usable water remaining nationwide, as heavy rainfall and flash flood risks loom across multiple regions. The Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) reported that as of May 14, the total water volume across the country stands at 46,169 million cubic metres, of which only 22,061 million cubic metres…
- Thailand News
Missing Thai man safely returns after illegal Cambodia crossing
A Thai man who went missing while foraging near the Thai-Cambodian border has returned home safely after being detained in Cambodia for crossing the border illegally, officials confirmed on Friday. Yot Sainoi, a 58 year old resident of Surin province, was handed over to Thai authorities at the Chong Sa-ngam permanent checkpoint in Phu Sing district, Si Sa Ket province,…
- Thailand News
6.3 magnitude quake strikes off Miyagi coast
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Miyagi prefecture, Japan, on May 15 at 8.22pm local time. The tremor originated at a depth of 50 kilometres and was felt across multiple regions, including Aomori, Iwate, and Akita. No tsunami warning has been issued despite the quake’s wide reach. Residents have been advised to remain alert for potential aftershocks.…
- Thailand News
Police gun linked to Chinese suspect and C4 explosives traced
A police-issued firearm from Sai Mai Police Station passed through four officers’ hands before ending up with a Chinese suspect found in possession of C4 explosives and a weapons cache, police revealed yesterday. Following a meeting called by the police chief to discuss the case of 31 year old Ming Chen Sun, the suspect told officers he purchased the weapons…
- Thailand News
Singha heir rejects family name, alleges teenage sexual assault
A prominent conservation activist and member of one of Thailand’s most powerful business families has gone public with allegations of sexual assault and a bitter inheritance dispute, sparking widespread discussion on social media. Siranudh “Psi” Scott, a fourth-generation member of the Bhirombhakdi family, owners of the Singha beer brand, posted a video to his Facebook account, which has 625,000 followers,…
- Thailand News
Buriram frog hunter flees 10 armed Cambodian soldiers inside Thai territory
A 63 year old man from Ban Kruat district, Buriram province, got the fright of his life while frog hunting near a dam behind his village, after stumbling upon ten armed Cambodian soldiers on what he believes was Thai soil. Apirak Butphet was out with two companions when they spotted three flashlights in the dark. Assuming they were fellow villagers,…
- Thailand News
McLaren 570S wedged under pickup truck in Sai Mai crash
A McLaren 570S worth up to 24 million baht collided with a pickup truck at the end of Chatuchot Alley in Sai Mai district yesterday, injuring one person and drawing widespread attention online. At 4.36pm, the supercar and a pickup truck collided at the end of the alley. One man was left with right arm pain and was transported to…
- Thailand News
Gun malfunction saves former Thai village headman from attack
On May 8, a man attempted to shoot a former village headman and brother of a Bhumjaithai Party MP at a shop in Nakhon Si Thammarat. However, the suspect’s gun misfired, allowing him to flee before later surrendering to police. The suspect, 41 year old Sakorn, approached the former headman, 65 year old Phurachai Phimsen, at the shop and aimed…
- Thailand News
Caregiver sentenced to 5 years for child swap in Thailand
The Appeal Court has sentenced a 32 year old caregiver, Wichuda “Som”, to five years in prison for swapping a three year old child under her care with another baby. The ruling follows an appeal against a lower court’s verdict, with the child’s mother still waiting to be reunited with her biological daughter. In a case previously reported, Paveena Hongsakul…
- Thailand News
Prisoner escapes with 23 days left in Thai jail term
A prisoner serving time at Thanyaburi District Prison in Pathum Thani has escaped with just 23 days left on his sentence, reportedly to search for his missing girlfriend. His father has pleaded with him to surrender. The Department of Corrections announced the escape of 37 year old Seksan Ruapthong on May 7. He had been convicted of bodily harm and…
- Thailand News
Chinese man held with C4 and grenades ‘to attack Thailand’
A car crash in Chon Buri has led police to one of the largest private weapons caches uncovered in recent memory, after a 31 year old Chinese national was found with C4 explosives, anti-personnel mines, and two M16 rifles at his rented home. Mingchen Sun was arrested after his sedan overturned in the Na Jomtien area of Sattahip district, Chon…
- Thailand News
Two Japanese nationals caught with meth in Sukhumvit 33
Two Japanese nationals were arrested in Soi Sukhumvit 33 on suspicion of distributing crystal methamphetamine, with the Immigration Bureau commissioner ordering tighter visa renewal checks and deportation for foreigners involved in criminal activities. On May 2, officers from the Investigation Division of the Immigration Bureau, under the direction of Police Lieutenant General Panumart Boonyalak and Police Major General Panop Worathanatchakul,…
- Thailand News
Korat officials arrested over fake birth certificates for Chinese children
Three civil servants in Nakhon Ratchasima have been arrested for their alleged role in issuing fake Thai birth certificates and transferring household registrations for more than 10 Chinese children. The Department of Provincial Administration confirmed on Saturday that investigations had identified 13 fraudulent registrations so far, with Thai men listed as fathers denying any biological connection to the children. Arrest…
- Thailand News
Police uncover child trafficking at Pathum Thani cat spa
A 33 year old woman and two associates have been arrested for allegedly running a child trafficking operation behind a cat spa front in Pathum Thani. Police, led by Police Major General Witaya Sriprasertphap, apprehended 33 year old Waykanyapat, 32 year old Thawatchai, and 38 year old Yuwadee on May 2 under human trafficking charges. The cat spa had been…
- Thailand News
Mongolian man flees Thonglor cafe with iPhone 17
A Mongolian national is suspected of stealing an iPhone 17 from a barista in the Thonglor area, while also dining and dashing on a bill of 1,463 baht. The victim, 27 year old Parichat, reported the April 18 incident to a local help page on May 2, seeking public assistance. Parichat recounted that the suspect, a male Asian customer with…
- Thailand News
Thai airlines call for urgent aid as jet fuel costs soar
Airlines are calling for immediate government assistance as rising jet fuel costs squeeze their operations. The Transport Ministry has agreed to review the proposed measures. Transport minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn met on Thursday with executives from Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Thai VietJet Air, Nok Air, and Thai Lion Air, as well as aviation agencies, to discuss the impact of fuel prices…
- Thailand News
Couple die in crash; daughter, 5, survives in Nakhon Ratchasima
A couple died after their pickup truck skidded off a rain-soaked road and crashed into a tree in Sung Noen district, Nakhon Ratchasima, on April 30. Their five year old daughter survived with only minor injuries. At around 5pm, rescue workers from the Sawang Saeng Tham Foundation arrived near the Kut Chik junction in Na Klang subdistrict, responding to reports…
