Crime News
Thailand crime news, breaking reports, investigations, and law enforcement updates—stay informed on drug trafficking, cybercrime, corruption, and public safety developments. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for crime news in Thailand.
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Captain arrested in Samut Sakhon for allegedly not paying workers
A boat captain suspected of mistreating 6 Cambodian workers and depriving them of their wages has been arrested in Samut Sakhon, a central Thai province, following his nearly 5 years on the lam. The 59 year old captain identified only as Somwang was arrested at a shopping centre. Somwang faces charges of colluding in human trafficking by forcing labour, as…
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48 arrested at Covid-19 violating luxury Koh Samui birthday party
Yet another illegal gathering, a party on Koh Samui, was busted by police for breaking the Covid-19 emergency restrictions. Early this morning, police raided Maithy Pool Lounge & Restaurant at a luxury resort in the hills behind Bangrak on the northeast corner of the island and arrested 48 people having a birthday party in defiance of Covid-19 rules. 27 foreigners…
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Kidnapped baby Nong Gina was not sexually assaulted
After the bizarre excuse given for Nong Gina’s kidnapping, that the 2 year old was left at a cave as a sacrifice to the nature spirits, police and missing persons groups suspected more sinister motivations. Police are looking into the possibility that a human trafficking network had targeted Nong Gina, and questioned 3 additional suspects. Now after a physical examination,…
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3 arrested in Nong Gina abduction, trafficking suspected
New developments bring a twist in the strange case of Nong Gina, the 2 year old girl abducted by a Burmese man who claimed he left her in a cave as a sacrifice to nature spirits. As reported yesterday, the Mirror Foundation suspected more sinister trafficking reasons for the abduction, and police have now taken three people into custody for…
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Rescued Chiang Mai child doing better, still needs time to heal, says doctor
The toddler that was recently rescued in northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai province is recuperating well and has allowed her parents to hug her, but still needs time to heal both physically and mentally, says a doctor. Gina’s father says his daughter has a healthy appetite and looks fresher and healthier than she did the day before. A doctor cautions that…
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Foundation suspects darker motive in missing girl’s kidnapping
After a bizarre case where a baby known as Nong Gina disappeared on Monday and was thankfully recovered unharmed yesterday, the suspect later admitted to leaving her at a cave in the forest as a sacrifice to spirits that had spoken to him. Now an organisation that helps find missing people is casting doubt on the story, saying they suspect…
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Phuket police raid gambling den in Wichit, arrest 15 people
In Cape Panwa, Wichit late last night, Phuket police raided and shut down an illegal gambling den and arrested 15 people there. The raid came just after midnight early this morning or late last night as Region 8 Police captured 14 people, all aged between 44 and 58 years old. The police also confiscated hundreds of green cards and orange…
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Auto repair shop allegedly pawns cars instead of fixing them in Saraburi
An auto repair shop owner stationed out the central Thai province Saraburi, allegedly pawned cars that he was supposed to be fixing. Police say they have recovered 11 cars so far. The police were alerted to the alleged thefts after multiple victims filed police reports. Saraburi City Police say the owner, identified only as Bunnam, has pawned cars in 3…
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Couple shot to death in Nakhon Si Thammarat
A couple has been shot to death in their house in the southern province Nakhon Si Thammarat. The police found the couple’s bodies last night. The duty officer from the Chulabhorn police station says they received a call about the shooting at around 9:30pm. When police and a doctor rushed to the house, they discovered 48 year old Boontham Panarat…
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Former Deputy Attorney General faces mild disciplinary violation for role in Red Bull heir case
A former deputy attorney general is facing disciplinary action for his decision not to indict the Red Bull hier, Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, over the fatal hit-and-run incident in 2012 where the Boss sped his Ferrari through Bangkok’s Thong Lor district and struck a police officer, killing him. Boss managed to evade justice and fled the country. The deputy attorney general’s…
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Thitisan refutes murder, argues for assault charges instead
Thitisan “Jo Ferrari” Utthanaphon, along with the other 6 police in custody now for the fatal torture of a 25 year old drug suspect, denies the charges against him and is now claiming he merely assaulted the man which led to his death. Thitisan’s lawyer met with him at Phitsanulok prison last week and dispelled rumours that his client suffered…
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Police investigation boss gives update on death-in-custody case
The deputy head of the national police, Suchart Teerasawat, has briefed a House Committee on the legal case against Thitisan Utthanaphon. The former Nakhon Sawan police chief is the main suspect in an investigation into the alleged murder of a man while in custody. Thitisan and 6 of his colleagues have been detained after video footage of drugs suspect Chiraphong…
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Police search 2 rooms Thitisan and subordinated used; unknown powder and drugs allegedly found
Police investigating the now-infamous case of the man who died in police custody in Nakhon Sawan, a northern Thai province, have searched a condominium room used by former police station chief, Thitisan Utthanaphon, and a subordinate’s apartment, today. The search was conducted by local police and investigators from the Crime Suppression Division. The investigators say they found a suspicious powdered…
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Former Nakhon Sawan officer will face perjury charges over suspect’s cause of death
The now-ousted Nakhon Sawan police station chief will face perjury charges for his statement on the cause of death of the suspect. The former superintendent of the Mueang station, Thitisan Utthanaphol, is accused demanding a 2 million baht bribe from the suspect and placing plastic bags over the suspect’s head, killing him. Thitisan, known as “Joe Ferrari” for his collection…
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Hat Yai immigration officer investigated for alleged extortion
Immigration police are investigating an officer in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district for alleged extortion after an audio clip of an officer asking an immigrant for a monthly fee was shared on a watchdog Facebook page. A committee has been set up by Immigration Division 6 to investigate the case and to determine whether an immigration officer was involved. The division says the…
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Russian man on Koh Samui arrested for possession of illicit drugs for sale
Police in Koh Samui arrested a Russian man on drug trafficking charges and seized various kinds of illicit drugs including methamphetamine, cocaine, ketamine, and ecstasy. The man, 47 year old Konstantin Savosin, was apprehended yesterday at a house in Tropical Villa Eagle Nest housing estate on Koh Samui, an island in the Gulf of Thailand off the Surat Thani coast.…
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PM Prayut accused of embezzlement in Sinovac vaccine purchases
Complex, tricky accounting, embezzlement or a government going about its work in the middle of a pandemic? Accusations by the Pheu Thai opposition party are demanding Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha explain a 2 billion baht gap between what was allocated for Sinovac vaccine purchases and what was actually spent. The charges, made under parliamentary privilege in this week’s no-confidence debate,…
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500 kilograms of marijuana discovered on Mekong riverbank in Nakhon Phanom
500 kilograms of dried and compressed marijuana were found along the Mekong River in the Isaan province Nakhon Phanom. A drug suppression team from the Mekong Riverine Unit seized 10 sacks containing 1-kilogram packages of compressed marijuana. Altogether, there were 500 slabs weighing a total of 500 kilograms, according to commander of the unit, Jaraskiat Chaiyaphan. Police believe the slabs of…
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2 international schools in Bangkok busted for allegedly breaking various laws
2 international schools in Bangkok have been busted for breaking various laws. The Secretary of the Office of the National Primary Education Commission, Attaphol Treuktrong, said that his office is pursuing legal actions against the 2 international schools after it was determined the schools broke laws. The schools are the Foster International School in Thon Buri and the St. Mark’s…
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Poacher arrested in Pathum Thani for allegedly catching and selling macaques
An alleged poacher was arrested by the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department officials today. The suspect and another man would allegedly shoot wild macaque monkeys with tranquilising darts and later sell the monkeys for 1,000 to 1,500 baht each. Officers say 40 year old Pitak Thongsu was found with 6 macaques in his possession. Head of special operations for…
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Calls for former police chief’s wealth to be investigated
An activist from the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution has petitioned the Anti-Money Laundering Office to look into the wealth acquired by former police chief, Thitisan Utthanaphon. Thitisan has been fired as police chief in the northern province of Nakhon Sawan and is being investigated for his alleged role in the death of a suspect in custody.…
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7 monks receive suspended jail terms, 10,000 baht fines from Chiang Mai court
7 monks and 1 friend who were found enjoying food and alcoholic drinks Sunday night, 4 of whom were abbots, have been defrocked from the monkhood, fined, and given suspended jail sentences for breaking Covid containment measures. Police, who had received complaints from residents, raided a location for monks at Wat Pansao in Chiang Mai. Bangkok Post says the monks…
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Samut Prakan facility to burn about 28,000 kilograms of drugs today
A large quantity of illicit drugs, which have been stored in an Food and Drug Administration warehouse for evidentiary purposes, are being burned today. The thousands of kilograms of drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin and ecstasy, are said to have a street value of more than 29 million baht. A court order gave the go-ahead to destroy the drugs in Samut…
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Police issue warning over rumoured death of officer who leaked custody killing footage
Thai police have hit back at unsubstantiated rumours of the death of a police officer who leaked footage of a suspect allegedly being killed in custody. National police spokesperson Yingyong Thepjamnong has described the claims as, “fake news” and warned that those behind them could face prosecution under the Computer Crime Act. Claims that a junior officer named as Tossaporn…
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Man allegedly shoots and kills co-worker because he wouldn’t turn down the radio
A man at a golf cart repair shop allegedly shot and killed his co-worker who had told him to turn down his radio. 46 year old Pongthep Phloiprasong was listening to his radio at the shop run by the Thai police in Phitsanulok’s Phrom Phiram district Sunday night. Witnesses say 37 year old Te Aw, a Burmese national, told him to…
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Thitisan Utthanaphon denies all accusations against him
Thitisan Utthanaphon is denying all accusations against him concerning his role in the alleged torture/murder of a drug suspect in police custody in northern Thailand’s Nakhon Sawan’s main city police station, according to his lawyer. Thitisan’s lawyer, Chokechai Angkaew, says Thitisan denied the accusations while he was being questioned. Chokechai adds that Thitisan, aka. “Jo Ferrari” has vowed to fight…
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Fears police chief Thitisan won’t be held accountable for murder
Many, especially on social media, have expressed worries that Pol Col Thitisan “Jo Ferrari” Utthanaphon will escape harsh punishment or perhaps any punishment at all. With the hashtag #StopLyingJoe trending on Thai Twitter yesterday and the bizarre press conference allowing the now-fired police officer to speak to the public and defend his actions, many believe that after his surrender Thursday,…
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Court approves Thitisan custody extension, investigate further
As police in the Crime Suppression Division continue their investigation into Pol Col Thitisan “Jo Ferrari” Utthanaphon, the Nakhon Sawan court approved an extension to keep him in custody for 12 days. The Muang district police say they need time as they still have 10 witnesses to question. In Thai law, an indictment must be made as quickly as possible,…
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Runaway cop wanted for alleged murder turns himself in in Chon Buri
A police chief who allegedly killed a suspect while in custody has surrendered to police in Chon Buri, saying he was just trying to protect society from the dangers of drugs. A video of Thitisan Utthanaphon allegedly suffocating a suspect by placing plastic bags over his head has gone viral, leading to the dismissal of 7 officers, including Thitisan. He…
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‘Jo Ferrari’ – his arrest, press conference and investigation
Details have now emerged on the arrest of former policeman Thitisan Utthanaphon, aka “Chief Joe” or “Jo Ferrari”, the Nakhon Sawan police station superintendent accused with 6 other officers of torturing and suffocating a suspect in custody, allegedly in an attempt to extort 2 million baht. Despite previous reports originating in Thai media, the fleeing officer was not found just…
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