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Thai Airways cuts May flights across Asia, Europe
Thai Airways has reduced flight frequencies across domestic, Asian and European routes for May in response to weaker tourism demand and high fuel costs. The schedule, reported as of yesterday, April 16, affects key routes from May 1 onwards, with some reductions lasting until the end of the month. On domestic routes, flights to Khon Kaen will be reduced from…
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British man apologises after drifting car near Songkran event
Police are seeking to revoke the driving licence of a British man who was caught drifting a car during Songkran celebrations in Hat Yai district of Songkhla province on April 12. Viral footage shared on Thai social media showed a red vehicle drifting on a concrete area near the Songkran event site close to Black Bridge in Hat Yai district.…
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Bystander student hospitalised after Udon Thani Songkran brawl
A university student was seriously injured after a beer bottle struck her face during a Songkran brawl in Mueang district, Udon Thani province, on April 14. The student, who was not involved in the fight, is being treated at a hospital for multiple injuries. The student’s mother, 51 year old Kie, filed a complaint with Mueang Udon Thani Police Station…
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Bangkok tuk tuk driver tries to overcharge influencer during Songkran, faces legal action
A Bangkok tuk tuk driver is facing possible legal action after he allegedly tried to overcharge a beauty blogger 2,000 baht for a journey of about 700 metres, in a trip that took around three minutes in total. The influencer, Chatsak Mahata, better known as Eclair Juepak, posted a video on social media on Tuesday, April 14, describing the incident.…
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Japan pledges US$10 billion to tackle energy crisis in Asia
Japan pledged US$10 billion, or around 300 billion baht, to support Asian countries in addressing the energy crisis, citing the close links and interdependence created by supply chains. After a meeting with leaders from Asian countries, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae announced that the funding would be directed to countries in Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia, to help secure crude…
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ONE Championship launches lawsuit against Thai boxer over contract dispute
ONE Championship launched legal action against Thai boxer Rodtang Jitmueangnon over alleged breaches of contract. In a post published on its Facebook page, ONE Championship Thailand, the promotion said it had started legal proceedings in Thailand, Japan and Singapore against Rodtang, whose real name is 28 year old Tinnakorn Srisawat. ONE said the action followed multiple alleged contract breaches, including…
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4 Pattaya taxi riders and bar guards arrested for attacking 2 foreigners
Four Thai men, including motorcycle taxi riders and bar security guards, were arrested after a viral video showed them attacking two foreigners during Songkran celebrations in Pattaya. The video was shared by the SiamChon News Facebook page on April 13 with a caption claiming that Pattaya motorcycle taxi riders attacked a foreign tourist in Soi Pattaya 6 after he sprayed…
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2 Frenchmen arrested for assault on Thai motorcyclist in Phuket Songkran celebrations
A Thai man suffered serious injuries after he was attacked by Frenchmen in Phuket on April 13 after refusing to join a Songkran water fight. The victim’s girlfriend, 27 year old Maytinee Sila, went to Patong Police Station on the day of the incident to report the assault on her 29 year old boyfriend, Kunanya Phokham. The incident took place at…
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Phichit man reports sexual assault by women and transwomen during Songkran
A man filed a police complaint after a group of women and transwomen sexually assaulted him during Songkran celebrations in Phichit province, leaving a hickey on his neck. The victim, identified only as Chitsanupong, shared photos of marks on his neck on Facebook yesterday, April 15. Based on the tagged location in the post, the sexual assault took place at…
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Cat bites owner, stops Thai train, gets blamed for seven-hour delay
A cat that attacked its owner and scratched fellow passengers on a southbound train has been blamed online for a seven-hour delay, though passengers say two successive engine failures were the real cause. Rapid Train No.169, travelling from Bangkok Aphiwat to Yala, arrived at Yala station at 6.15pm on Monday, 430 minutes behind schedule. A Facebook post by Kijja Pongpisan,…
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Phuket tourists arrested after soaking police at Songkran command post
Patong police have arrested a group of foreign tourists after video footage showed them directing high-pressure water guns at officers on duty during the Songkran festival in Patong, Phuket, on April 13. The incident occurred at a police command tent set up in Patong Municipality for the Patong Songkran Beach Festival 2026. Footage of the incident, which circulated on social…
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Police confirm accidental death of man found near Sukhumvit building
Police have confirmed the death of Hotesh (Nikhil) Sham Dodani, a 37 year old Thai resident, was accidental, with police and post-mortem reports now providing verified findings after initial reports could not confirm the full circumstances surrounding his death on April 4. Police Lieutenant Panurut Limsangkad from Thonglor Police Station responded to the scene on Soi Sukhumvit 24, Khlong Tan…
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Chiang Mai records highest drink driving cases during Songkran
Drunk driving accounted for 3,726 cases recorded during the 2026 Songkran Festival, with Chiang Mai reporting the highest number, according to Thailand’s Department of Probation. Director-General Piya Raksakun said the department instructed probation offices nationwide to enforce strict measures under campaigns promoting road safety, including “safe driving, reduce speed, reduce accidents,” and efforts to reduce road incidents during the holiday…
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Air quality in Thailand worsens as pollution levels rise in 42 provinces
Air quality across Thailand has deteriorated significantly, with PM2.5 levels breaching safety thresholds in 42 provinces spanning the north, northeast, and central regions, as forecasters warn of worsening pollution over the coming week. The Air Pollution Resolution Communication Centre reported on Tuesday, April 15, that readings taken at 7am showed unsafe PM2.5 concentrations across a broad swath of the country.…
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Patong tourists arrested for water-throwing chaos during Songkran
Seven foreign tourists were arrested in Patong after forcing open a vehicle door to spray water inside during Songkran celebrations, despite the driver’s clear objections. The group now faces charges of causing a public disturbance and obstructing traffic. Patong police addressed the situation on April 14, following a viral social media clip captioned “Patong chaos: foreign tourists force door open…
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102-year-old ‘Khun Yai Whin’ walks unaided at Songkran festival
A 102 year old woman known as “Khun Yai Whin” became the highlight of this year’s Songkran celebrations in Mueang district, Pathum Thani, walking unaided and drawing admiration from the more than 500 people in attendance. The festival, held today, April 15, at the multipurpose area of Baan Klang subdistrict, centred on honouring the elderly in keeping with Thai new…
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Thailand braces for summer storms with potential hail and lightning
Thailand’s Meteorological Department has issued its second storm warning of the season, alerting residents across upper Thailand to prepare for a spell of severe weather running from Thursday through Monday. The warning follows the arrival of a high-pressure system carrying cold air from China across the South China Sea, which is intensifying southerly and southeasterly winds across the lower Northeast…
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Chiang Rai Songkran festival boosts tourism despite heat
Chiang Rai’s Songkran festival draws crowds to the Mekong River, with tourists cooling off in water activities and celebrating the Thai New Year along the banks in Chiang Saen district. The “Maha Songkran Three Nations” festival officially kicked off on April 13, with visitors braving the northern Thailand heat to join in the festivities. The Chiang Rai Provincial Administrative Organisation,…
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Man high on meth arrested after attempted assault in Samut Prakan
A man allegedly high on methamphetamine broke into a young woman’s apartment in Samut Prakan during the Songkran holiday and attempted to assault her before being chased down and detained by locals. Police from Bang Phli station received a report of the attempted assault and coordinated with local patrol officers and volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation to investigate the incident…
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Man arrested for groping journalist during Songkran festival
Police arrested a man accused of groping a female journalist on Rama 4 Road during Songkran celebrations on Sunday afternoon. Officers from Pathumwan station apprehended Methasit (surname withheld) at 4.30pm on April 13 after he allegedly touched a journalist on her left buttock while she was reporting on the water festival. The journalist said she was walking along the road…
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Chinese man caught stealing on flight to Thailand
Thai tourist police arrested a Chinese national on Sunday, April 13, after he was caught stealing cash from a fellow passenger aboard a flight arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport from Laos. Officers from Tourist Police Division 3, under Tourist Police Bureau 1, detained the suspect, Zheng, upon landing. Police recovered 16,020 baht in cash linked to the theft, along with various…
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Four killed in tragic Songkran road accident in Pathum Thani
Four people were killed and several others injured on Sunday after a car returning from Songkran celebrations collided with a motorcycle on the Taling Chan-Suphan Buri Road in Pathum Thani province. A survivor said poor lighting at the scene contributed to the crash. The collision occurred at the entrance of the Na Mai Subdistrict Administration Office on the road heading…
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Thai woman surrenders after stabbing Polish man in dog-walking dispute
A 51 year old Thai woman surrendered to police in Bang Saray, Sattahip, Chon Buri, on the evening of April 10, after being accused of stabbing a 54 year old Polish man in the chest during an altercation over their dogs near Ban Khao Chi Chan School. The Polish national sustained serious chest injuries and received first aid from emergency…
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Swedish man crashes truck on Pattaya beach, injures tourist
An 83 year old Swedish man lost control of his pickup truck at a Pattaya viewpoint on Saturday, sending the vehicle crashing through metal railings and plunging three metres onto the beach below. One tourist was injured in the incident, which took place during the busy Songkran long weekend. The accident occurred at around 4pm at the Yinyom Beach Viewpoint…
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Thai man caught smuggling petrol in watermelon truck to Myanmar
A 56 year old Thai man was arrested on April 12 while transporting nearly 400 litres of petrol hidden beneath a load of watermelons in a pickup truck, with plans to sell the fuel across the border into Myanmar at a significant markup. The arrest took place at a joint checkpoint in Nong Lu subdistrict, Sangkhlaburi district, Kanchanaburi province. Soldiers…
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Trat officials seize five boats in Cambodia smuggling bust
Officials intercepted a smuggling operation transporting consumer goods and animal products from Thailand to Cambodia along the coastal border in Hat Lek, Trat, on April 12, seizing multiple boats and arresting six suspects. The operation was carried out by the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai MECC) in Trat, working with the Royal Thai Marine Corps task force and border…
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Rak Chart Party submits UNESCO letter urging tighter review
Representatives of the Rak Chart Party travelled to Paris, France, to submit a letter to UNESCO headquarters today, April 12, expressing appreciation for its recognition of Thai cultural heritage while also calling for careful evaluation of world heritage registrations. The delegation, led by party director Chanin Pinthong and spokesperson Chaiporn Jirawinijnan, said the visit aimed to thank UNESCO for acknowledging…
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Indian tourist reports 25k baht theft by transgender in Pattaya
An Indian tourist filed a police report after allegedly being robbed by a transgender woman in a hotel room in Pattaya, Chon Buri, early yesterday, April 11. The incident was reported at 1.06am to Mueang Pattaya Police Station. The victim, identified as 59 year old Chandra, said cash totalling about 25,000 baht was taken from his room. The amount included…
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Bedridden Swiss man dies in Pattaya room fire
A 79 year old Swiss man died in a room fire at a rental property in Pong subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, yesterday, April 11, with police suspecting a cigarette butt may have caused the blaze. Police were alerted to the fire at 6.06am in Soi Huai Yai Muk, Moo 6, and responded with firefighters from Pong Municipality and…
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Phuket landfill fire contained but smoke continues
A fire broke out at a waste site in Saphan Hin, Mueang district, Phuket, yesterday, April 11, with officials containing the blaze but warning of ongoing smoke from the landfill blaze. The incident was reported at about 3.17pm at the Phuket City Municipality landfill site. Flames were found in landfill pits four and five, with the fire believed to have…
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