https://aseannow.com/rss/44-thailand-news.xml/National and regional news from all around Thailandenhttps://aseannow.com/thailand-news/tourists-apologise-after-using-pattaya-offering-as-prop-r2597/Two foreign tourists have apologised after unknowingly using a coconut left as a spiritual offering as a photo prop on Pattaya Beach. A video of the incident, filmed by a local resident, has since gone viral on social media after highlighting a cultural misunderstanding rather than an act of deliberate disrespect. Get today's headlines by email The incident emerged after a Facebook user shared a 45-second video showing the pair picking up a coconut that had been placed beneath a small tree along Pattaya South Beach before posing for photographs with it. The footage attracted widespread attention online, prompting discussion about local customs and respect for cultural traditions. Reporters visited the location on July 2, and found that local residents regularly leave coconuts, sweets and red soft drinks beneath the tree as offerings to local guardian spirits. The spot is also well known as a popular location for both Thai and foreign tourists to take photographs. According to Khaosod, the tourists were unaware that the coconut had been left as an offering and had no intention of causing offence. They simply used it as a photography prop while visiting the beach. Wannachai, the 35-year-old man who recorded the video, said he had earlier noticed a group of four to five foreign tourists resting beneath the tree. After seeing one of them pick up the coconut and carry it onto the beach for photographs, he decided to record what was happening on his mobile phone. Pictures courtesy of Khaosod When the tourists returned, Wannachai used a translation application to explain that the coconut had been left as a spiritual offering. He said the visitors appeared surprised after learning the significance of the object. The tourists apologised and said they had been unaware of the local custom. They also asked for forgiveness in Russian before returning the coconut to its original place beneath the tree. Khaosod reported that the incident has drawn attention to the importance of understanding local traditions at popular tourist destinations. While the video attracted significant interest online, the exchange ended amicably after the misunderstanding was explained. AQObPiNqfOhVTC9I1llqJ0-UTZhyiRlUy1fXaee4FfEUx-s23xoKlI6KhOvlJc3n0SydZ2TtnH53lJ_wHggBfR5BkR748uEgucnHwj-4sA.mp4 Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now Thaigov 4 July 2026Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:21:01 +0000Two foreign tourists have apologised after unknowingly using a coconut left as a spiritual offering as a photo prop on Pattaya Beach. A video of the incident, filmed by a local resident, has since gone viral on social media after highlighting a cultural misunderstanding rather than an act of deliberate disrespect. Get today's headlines by email The incident emerged after a Facebook user shared a 45-second video showing the pair picking up a coconut that had been placed beneath a small tree along Pattaya South Beach before posing for photographs with it. The footage attracted widespread attention online, prompting discussion about local customs and respect for cultural traditions. Reporters visited the location on July 2, and found that local residents regularly leave coconuts, sweets and red soft drinks beneath the tree as offerings to local guardian spirits. The spot is also well known as a popular location for both Thai and foreign tourists to take photographs. According to Khaosod, the tourists were unaware that the coconut had been left as an offering and had no intention of causing offence. They simply used it as a photography prop while visiting the beach. Wannachai, the 35-year-old man who recorded the video, said he had earlier noticed a group of four to five foreign tourists resting beneath the tree. After seeing one of them pick up the coconut and carry it onto the beach for photographs, he decided to record what was happening on his mobile phone. Pictures courtesy of Khaosod When the tourists returned, Wannachai used a translation application to explain that the coconut had been left as a spiritual offering. He said the visitors appeared surprised after learning the significance of the object. The tourists apologised and said they had been unaware of the local custom. They also asked for forgiveness in Russian before returning the coconut to its original place beneath the tree. Khaosod reported that the incident has drawn attention to the importance of understanding local traditions at popular tourist destinations. While the video attracted significant interest online, the exchange ended amicably after the misunderstanding was explained. AQObPiNqfOhVTC9I1llqJ0-UTZhyiRlUy1fXaee4FfEUx-s23xoKlI6KhOvlJc3n0SydZ2TtnH53lJ_wHggBfR5BkR748uEgucnHwj-4sA.mp4 Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now Thaigov 4 July 2026 View full articleFri, 03 Jul 2026 21:21:01 +0000you are an exterminationist jew hater lol. truly an existential enemy of the jewish people and the usaFri, 03 Jul 2026 21:20:52 +0000It’s not stopping my road trip.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:18:08 +0000Maybe they were all just training to be dentists....Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:18:06 +0000... or else just find a reputable agent to cover it.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:17:00 +0000If the cabin crew is a nail that needs a hammer....Then every other person who flies must also be a nail that needs a good hammering....Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:13:43 +0000Three years together and the final plot twist was a trip to Immigration instead of a breakup text. 😅Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:08:59 +0000This sounds like an excellent service. Do you have a sample report (redacted of course) of a prior property you all have inspected that you could post here with some pics of good and bad things found?Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:06:37 +0000Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:02:18 +0000But presumably Thailand reaps multiple benefits from the presence of immigrants with similar views to yourself? (Oh that's right. You're not an immigrant🤦) Wrt Thailand I'm sure that some Thais agree with that sentiment. Yes I was lucky to be born at the right time. I don't envy youngsters today. Better my 'liberal idiocy' which hopefully in some small way made immigrants feel welcome, rather than your narrow-minded, aggressive, bigoted hostility which brings nothing but division and aliernates people. Listen to the altruist who does nothing but criticise and moan about the state of the UK (and the rest of Europe) from his position as an immigrant based 6,000 miles away.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:00:47 +0000There are people on the left that want to fundementaly change what the USA is. They are called Democratic Socialists.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:00:44 +0000Ok got it now. Ya the TO market isnt great. Good time if you were moving to the city though.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:59:33 +0000https://aseannow.com/thailand-news/thai-woman-reports-indian-boyfriend-over-visa-overstay-r2596/A 28-year-old Indian man has been arrested in Nonthaburi after a 34-year-old Thai civil servant accused him of deceiving her into supporting him financially for almost three years following their meeting on a dating app. Immigration officers also found that he had overstayed his permission to stay by 1,201 days. Get today's headlines by email The arrest took place on 3 July at a condominium in Wat Chalo, Bang Kruai district, Nonthaburi. Police identified the suspect as Mr Gurvinder Singh, who was charged with remaining in Thailand after his permission to stay had expired. Immigration records showed that his permission expired on 19 March 2023. The investigation began after the woman, identified only as Ms Dao, 34, reported the matter to Nonthaburi Immigration. She told officers she met Mr Singh around three years ago through a dating application while he was living in Singapore. According to Ms Dao, Mr Singh claimed to come from a wealthy, high-caste Indian family and said he had studied in several countries, including Canada, Russia and Cyprus. He also told her he was studying tourism in Singapore while working part-time, leading her to believe he was financially secure. Picture courtesy of Daily News After several months of online conversations, Mr Singh travelled from Singapore to Thailand and moved into Ms Dao’s condominium in Nonthaburi. She alleged that once he arrived, he refused to find work, gradually stopped helping with household chores, became short-tempered and relied entirely on her income to cover all living expenses throughout the nearly three years they lived together. Feeling she was being taken advantage of, Ms Dao asked immigration officers to check Mr Singh’s legal status in Thailand. She also warned others using dating applications to carefully verify people they meet online and avoid trusting strangers too quickly, adding that she has since deleted the app. Mr Singh told officers he came to Thailand after completing his studies in Singapore because he did not want to return to India. He said Ms Dao had invited him to Thailand and later warned him not to seek employment because he might be arrested by police, which he claimed was why he stayed at home. He said he initially lived on savings brought from Singapore until the money ran out. Mr Singh also said his mother owns a trucking business and several rental properties in India but had cut ties with him and refused to provide financial support. He maintained that he still loved Ms Dao and insisted he had never assaulted her. Daily News reported that after questioning, officers from Nonthaburi Immigration transferred Mr Singh to Bang Kruai Police Station for legal proceedings. Authorities said he will be deported from Thailand after the legal process is completed. Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailynews 4 July 2026Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:56:13 +0000A 28-year-old Indian man has been arrested in Nonthaburi after a 34-year-old Thai civil servant accused him of deceiving her into supporting him financially for almost three years following their meeting on a dating app. Immigration officers also found that he had overstayed his permission to stay by 1,201 days. Get today's headlines by email The arrest took place on 3 July at a condominium in Wat Chalo, Bang Kruai district, Nonthaburi. Police identified the suspect as Mr Gurvinder Singh, who was charged with remaining in Thailand after his permission to stay had expired. Immigration records showed that his permission expired on 19 March 2023. The investigation began after the woman, identified only as Ms Dao, 34, reported the matter to Nonthaburi Immigration. She told officers she met Mr Singh around three years ago through a dating application while he was living in Singapore. According to Ms Dao, Mr Singh claimed to come from a wealthy, high-caste Indian family and said he had studied in several countries, including Canada, Russia and Cyprus. He also told her he was studying tourism in Singapore while working part-time, leading her to believe he was financially secure. Picture courtesy of Daily News After several months of online conversations, Mr Singh travelled from Singapore to Thailand and moved into Ms Dao’s condominium in Nonthaburi. She alleged that once he arrived, he refused to find work, gradually stopped helping with household chores, became short-tempered and relied entirely on her income to cover all living expenses throughout the nearly three years they lived together. Feeling she was being taken advantage of, Ms Dao asked immigration officers to check Mr Singh’s legal status in Thailand. She also warned others using dating applications to carefully verify people they meet online and avoid trusting strangers too quickly, adding that she has since deleted the app. Mr Singh told officers he came to Thailand after completing his studies in Singapore because he did not want to return to India. He said Ms Dao had invited him to Thailand and later warned him not to seek employment because he might be arrested by police, which he claimed was why he stayed at home. He said he initially lived on savings brought from Singapore until the money ran out. Mr Singh also said his mother owns a trucking business and several rental properties in India but had cut ties with him and refused to provide financial support. He maintained that he still loved Ms Dao and insisted he had never assaulted her. Daily News reported that after questioning, officers from Nonthaburi Immigration transferred Mr Singh to Bang Kruai Police Station for legal proceedings. Authorities said he will be deported from Thailand after the legal process is completed. Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailynews 4 July 2026 View full articleFri, 03 Jul 2026 20:56:13 +0000You'd have to be a total loser to put that amount in a tiny interest Thai bank account.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:55:45 +0000I don't know who's more evil..... the Aussie Brit, or the parents who sent her to "work"Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:53:03 +0000I'm in my early 50s. Have you seen the condo prices lately? 50% discount.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:49:11 +0000https://aseannow.com/thailand-news/aussie-murder-suspect-faces-thai-compensation-talks-r2595/Australian truck driver Simon Carman, 45, could receive a substantially reduced prison sentence if he is convicted of murdering Thai teenager Tunchanok Donhomla, 17, in Pattaya and reaches a compensation agreement with her family under Thai law. Carman is being held at Pattaya Remand Prison after being charged with murder following the discovery of the teenager’s body, concealed in a suitcase left in long grass near railway tracks. Get today's headlines by email Carman, from Perth’s southern suburbs, was arrested at Bangkok’s main international airport, while police alleged he was preparing to leave Thailand on a flight to Australia. He denies murdering Tunchanok, known as Cake, and claims he acted in self-defence. Police have said their investigation remains ongoing. According to police sources cited by the Daily Mail, discussions over financial compensation for the victim’s parents, Thongchai Donhomla and Oradee Bussarakum, are expected to form part of the legal process. The sources stressed that compensation does not prevent prosecution, but may be considered by the court alongside a guilty plea and expressions of remorse when deciding any sentence. One police source said the family could be asked what level of compensation they would accept, with negotiations continuing until an agreement is reached. The source gave one million baht, about AU$43,000, as an example figure, noting it represents around eight years’ wages for someone earning the provincial minimum wage per day. The same source claimed that a guilty plea could reduce a sentence by 50 per cent, while a compensation agreement accepted by the victim’s family could carry significant weight during sentencing. They suggested that, in such circumstances, a convicted offender could potentially be released after as little as seven years. Under Thai law, however, compensation alone does not guarantee a reduced sentence, with the final decision resting with the court. Prison officials told the Daily Mail that Carman has shown no visible emotion since his arrest and has not received visits from family, friends or members of the local expatriate community. He has been transferred to the hospital wing of Pattaya Remand Prison and is being housed separately from the main prison population for safety reasons. The Daily Mall reported that authorities said Carman can be held at Pattaya Remand Prison for up to 84 days while detectives continue gathering evidence. Police have stated that he is cooperating with the investigation. Picture courtesy of Daily Mail Related story Australian-arrested-at-Bangkok-airport-over-Pattaya-murder Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailymail 4 July 2026Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:45:13 +0000Australian truck driver Simon Carman, 45, could receive a substantially reduced prison sentence if he is convicted of murdering Thai teenager Tunchanok Donhomla, 17, in Pattaya and reaches a compensation agreement with her family under Thai law. Carman is being held at Pattaya Remand Prison after being charged with murder following the discovery of the teenager’s body, concealed in a suitcase left in long grass near railway tracks. Get today's headlines by email Carman, from Perth’s southern suburbs, was arrested at Bangkok’s main international airport, while police alleged he was preparing to leave Thailand on a flight to Australia. He denies murdering Tunchanok, known as Cake, and claims he acted in self-defence. Police have said their investigation remains ongoing. According to police sources cited by the Daily Mail, discussions over financial compensation for the victim’s parents, Thongchai Donhomla and Oradee Bussarakum, are expected to form part of the legal process. The sources stressed that compensation does not prevent prosecution, but may be considered by the court alongside a guilty plea and expressions of remorse when deciding any sentence. One police source said the family could be asked what level of compensation they would accept, with negotiations continuing until an agreement is reached. The source gave one million baht, about AU$43,000, as an example figure, noting it represents around eight years’ wages for someone earning the provincial minimum wage per day. The same source claimed that a guilty plea could reduce a sentence by 50 per cent, while a compensation agreement accepted by the victim’s family could carry significant weight during sentencing. They suggested that, in such circumstances, a convicted offender could potentially be released after as little as seven years. Under Thai law, however, compensation alone does not guarantee a reduced sentence, with the final decision resting with the court. Prison officials told the Daily Mail that Carman has shown no visible emotion since his arrest and has not received visits from family, friends or members of the local expatriate community. He has been transferred to the hospital wing of Pattaya Remand Prison and is being housed separately from the main prison population for safety reasons. The Daily Mall reported that authorities said Carman can be held at Pattaya Remand Prison for up to 84 days while detectives continue gathering evidence. Police have stated that he is cooperating with the investigation. Picture courtesy of Daily Mail Related story Australian-arrested-at-Bangkok-airport-over-Pattaya-murder Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailymail 4 July 2026 View full articleFri, 03 Jul 2026 20:45:13 +0000Let's raise the bank deposit to 30,000,000 THB for retirees, that should filter out the pond scum. If you're 55+ and couldn't save that on a western salary you are a total loser anyway.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:44:18 +0000I don't drink... however, I do think - you should try it sometime.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:43:57 +0000Thank you. Just to clarify, I am not currently using the monthly deposit method. My annual extensions have so far been based on the income verification letter issued by the French Embassy, without any monthly transfers, and Immigration has accepted that. Since this option is no longer accepted, I am considering switching to the 800,000 THB method for my next extension. DrJack54 mentioned that the funds only need to be in the account for 2 months before applying for the extension. If that is correct, my original concern about having to use my current account first may no longer be relevant, as I should have enough time to open a second savings account after arriving in Thailand and transfer the funds there directly from France. Thank you also for confirming that, in your experience, Immigration does not require the 800,000 THB to be shown as having come directly from overseas.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:43:57 +0000Yes, I currently have a retirement extension of stay. Until now, my extensions have been based on the income verification letter issued by the French Embassy. I have never used the monthly transfer method, and Immigration accepted the embassy letter without requiring monthly transfers. Since Immigration no longer accepts this arrangement, I am considering switching to the 800,000 THB method for my next extension. When you say "2 months", does that also apply in my situation, i.e. when switching from the embassy income letter to the 800,000 THB method for the first time?Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:41:38 +0000I'm sure that when it comes to this abomination of a human being remaining incarcerated, your taxpayer see it as money well spent. I doubt that his early release due to being an excessive drain on the state coffers will gain much support. The law dictates he cannot be executed or deported. Right now, the British can't even deport a similarly vile, but foreign-born perpetrator of sexual predation due to some ill-conceived legislation that foisted citizenship rights on people after only a few years. British parliamentarians should pay attention to Obama's warning that "votes have consequences" when debating legislation. And for that victim, this face to face may be more cathartic and liberating than any additional punishment that may be handed down.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 20:39:15 +0000