THAILAND LIVE Thailand Live Friday 16 May 2025

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Israeli Tourist Busted for Selling Magic Mushrooms on Koh Samui

 

Picture courtesy of KhaoSod

 

In a developing saga that highlights Thailand's growing frustration with disorderly foreign visitors, an Israeli tourist was arrested on the idyllic island of Koh Samui for allegedly selling hallucinogenic mushrooms out of a cannabis shop. This incident unfolds as authorities continue to crackdown on illegal narcotics distribution disguised under the banner of legal cannabis sales.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360744-israeli-tourist-busted-for-selling-magic-mushrooms-on-koh-samui/

[webfact]

Pad Thai Ranked Fifth in TasteAtlas's Best Stir-Fry Dishes

 

File photo for reference only

 

Pad Thai, a beloved Thai delicacy worldwide, has clinched the fifth spot in TasteAtlas's ranking of the best stir-fry dishes. TasteAtlas, an online global atlas of traditional cuisine, praised Pad Thai for its "intricate combination of sweet, sour, and salty flavours," coupled with a "well-balanced contrast of textures."

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360753-pad-thai-ranked-fifth-in-tasteatlass-best-stir-fry-dishes/

[webfact]

Pattaya Cracks Down on Illegal Parking Space Hoarders

 

Picture courtesy of Pattaya Mail

 

Pattaya has launched a campaign to reclaim its streets, targeting individuals and businesses illegally reserving public road space with cones, chains, and bins. 

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360750-pattaya-cracks-down-on-illegal-parking-space-hoarders/

[webfact]

Chinese Tenants Flee Without Paying Rent, Trash Property in Prachinburi

 

Photo via Facebook/ Suratin Yingyong

 

In Prachin Buri, a landlord is left in disbelief as a group of Chinese tenants skipped town without paying rent and left his property in a shocking state.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360783-chinese-tenants-flee-without-paying-rent-trash-property-in-parchinburi/

 

[webfact]

Quake Risk Lurking Under Bangkok: Fault Lines Spell Trouble

 

File photo for reference only

 

Bangkok's unique geography makes it susceptible to earthquakes, despite Thailand's low overall risk of tremors, warns Prof Pennung Warnitchai from the Asian Institute of Technology.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360784-quake-risk-lurking-under-bangkok-fault-lines-spell-trouble/

 

[webfact]

Tycoon Premchai and 16 Others Face Arrest Over Deadly Bangkok Building Collapse

 

File photo courtesy of MGR online

 

BANGKOK - Premchai Karnasuta, the famed construction magnate, finds himself engulfed in legal turmoil once more, as the Criminal Court green-lights arrest warrants for him and 16 others.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360785-tycoon-premchai-and-16-others-face-arrest-over-deadly-bangkok-building-collapse/

 

[webfact]

Thailand Cracks Down on Foreign Students Working Illegally

 

Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi. File photo courtesy of NXPO

 

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) is clamping down on foreigners exploiting short courses as a way to work illegally in Thailand.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360786-thailand-cracks-down-on-foreign-students-working-illegally/

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
Arintharat Commandos Storm House to Arrest ‘Tae Wat Yang’ After 17-Hour Stand-Off

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

Police have successfully apprehended Natthawat, widely known as “Tae Wat Yang”, in the early hours of the morning of 16 May, following a tense 17-hour stand-off at his residence in Bangkok’s Bang Khun Si district.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360731-gunman-fires-shots-into-the-air-and-takes-hostage-in-bangkok/#findComment-19803393

 

[webfact]

Thaksin Treatment Saga: Health Minister Faces Crucial Decision

 

File photo courtesy of Naewna

 

In a pivotal move, the Medical Council of Thailand has recommended punishing three doctors involved in ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra's medical treatment.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360787-thaksin-treatment-saga-health-minister-faces-crucial-decision/

 

[Georgealbert]

High-Speed Police Chase Ends in Crash: Karen Driver Using Fake Licence Plates
 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A dramatic police pursuit through Ayutthaya ended in a crash that left three people injured after a black saloon car with fake licence plates attempted to flee highway police. The vehicle, driven by a ethnic Karen man using forged documents, collided with a local resident’s car and overturned on the roadside.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360788-high-speed-police-chase-ends-in-crash-karen-driver-using-fake-licence-plates/

 

[Georgealbert]

Cyber Police Raid Three Major Gambling Sites

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) has dismantled a major online gambling operation with an estimated Bt274 million in circulation, following coordinated raids on three locations across Chiang Rai and Phayao provinces.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360789-cyber-police-raid-three-major-gambling-sites/

 

[Georgealbert]

Swarm of Giant Bees Terrorises Man in Nonthaburi

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A 54-year-old man in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi Province, suffered multiple stings from a swarm of giant bees in what he believes was a karma attack prompted by his removal of wood from a local spirit shrine.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360790-swarm-of-giant-bees-terrorises-man-in-nonthaburi/

 

[Georgealbert]

23-Year-Old Woman Arrested Smuggling Ketamine Across Thai-Cambodian Border
 

Picture courtesy of Kaoded.

 

Authorities at a joint border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province have arrested a 23-year-old Thai woman for attempting to smuggle ketamine across the Khlong Luek border crossing in Aranyaprathet district.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360792-23-year-old-woman-arrested-smuggling-ketamine-across-thai-cambodian-border/

 

[Georgealbert]

Former District Chief Arrested for Falsifying Flood Relief Project Inspections

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), in collaboration with the Provincial Police of Nonthaburi, has arrested a former district official on charges of falsifying inspection documents for government flood relief projects, resulting in substantial financial misconduct.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360793-former-district-chief-arrested-for-falsifying-flood-relief-project-inspections/

 

[Georgealbert]

Former Scrap Dealer Turns to Robbery After Gambling Losses, Gold Snatched from Market Vendor

 

 

Picture courtesy of Siam News.

 

A man who had fallen on hard times due to online gambling has been arrested after a brazen daylight robbery in which he stole a gold necklace and amulet from a market vendor in Chaiyaphum province.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360794-former-scrap-dealer-turns-to-robbery-after-gambling-losses-gold-snatched-from-market-vendor/

 

[Georgealbert]

U-Tapao Airport and Eastern Aviation City: Ambitious Step Towards Becoming a Aviation Hub
 

Pictures courtesy of MGR.

 

The U-Tapao International Airport and Eastern Aviation City Development Project is poised to become a cornerstone of Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), with the strategic goal of establishing U-Tapao as the country’s third major international airport and a key aviation hub in Southeast Asia.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360795-u-tapao-airport-and-eastern-aviation-city-ambitious-step-towards-becoming-a-aviation-hub/

 

[Georgealbert]

Soldiers in Kanchanaburi Intercept Vehicle Smuggling 26 Illegal Migrant Workers
 

Picture courtesy of Kaoded.

 

Soldiers from the Lardya Task Force under the Surasee Military Command, in coordination with local police and administrative officers, intercepted a truck smuggling 26 undocumented migrant workers, believed to be from Myanmar, in a tightly packed sealed container at a checkpoint in Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360796-soldiers-in-kanchanaburi-intercept-vehicle-smuggling-26-illegal-migrant-workers/

 

[Georgealbert]

Abandoned for Seven Years: Nursery in Trang Built But Never Used
 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A government-funded nursery school building in Trang Province has stood unused for over seven years, despite nearly three million baht being spent on its construction. The building remains locked and deserted due to safety concerns and the discovery that it was mistakenly built on state agricultural land (Sor Por Kor), rather than on approved school property.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360797-abandoned-for-seven-years-nursery-in-trang-built-but-never-used/

 

[webfact]

Nakhon Pathom Temple Abbot in Hot Water: 300 Million Baht Embezzlement Shock

 

File photo courtesy of THai PBS World

 

The revered abbot of Rai Khing Temple in Nakhon Pathom, Phra Dhamvachiranuwat, faces serious accusations as a warrant is issued for his arrest.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360791-nakhon-pathom-temple-abbot-in-hot-water-300-million-baht-embezzlement-shock/

 

[Georgealbert]

Body of Man Found Bound and Stabbed Floating in the Mekong River

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A gruesome discovery was made on the 15 May, as the body of a man was found wrapped in plastic and weighted with a concrete post, floating in the Mekong River near Phon Phisai District in Nong Khai Province.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360798-body-of-man-found-bound-and-stabbed-floating-in-the-mekong-river/

 

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
Songkhla Governor Returns ‘Golf’ Disciplinary Case to Provincial Council Amid Assault Allegations

 

Picture courtesy of Workpoint.

 

The Governor of Songkhla has formally returned the case of embattled councillor Mr Siradon Phlaidoung, widely known as ‘Golf’, to the Songkhla Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) Council for disciplinary proceedings, urging it to act in accordance with the law.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360410-son-of-prominent-mp-sparks-violence-at-songkhla-polling-station/#findComment-19803441

 

[Georgealbert]

Myanmar Vessel Seized After Smuggling Over 5 Tonnes of Clams into Thai Waters

 

Picture courtesy of Amarin.

 

Authorities have intercepted a Myanmar fishing boat smuggling over five tonnes of clams into Thai waters off the coast of Ranong, in what officials described as a covert attempt to blend in with legitimate trade operations.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360800-myanmar-vessel-seized-after-smuggling-over-5-tonnes-of-clams-into-thai-waters/

 

[Georgealbert]

Thirteen Chinese Nationals Arrested for Working Illegally in Rayong

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

Immigration police officers, accompanied by officials from the Rayong Provincial Employment Office, carried out an inspection at a Chinese-operated company in Nikhom Pattana Sub-district, Nikhom Pattana District, Rayong Province, following reports of illegal employment activity.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360801-thirteen-chinese-nationals-arrested-for-working-illegally-in-rayong/

 

[Georgealbert]

AOT Reports 36 Billion Baht in Revenue, 68 Million Passengers in First Half of Fiscal Year

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) has announced strong financial and operational results for the first half of fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 – March 2025), reporting total revenue of 36.2 billion baht and a net profit of over 10.3 billion baht. Passenger numbers soared to 68.42 million across its six airports, marking an 11.76% increase compared to the same period last year.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360802-aot-reports-36-billion-baht-in-revenue-68-million-passengers-in-first-half-of-fiscal-year/

 

[Georgealbert]

Vietnamese Nationals Arrested for Illegal Gold Prospecting in Loei Forest
 

Picture courtesy of Workpoint.

 

Two Vietnamese men have been arrested after allegedly being caught illegally digging for gold ore in a protected forest area in Loei province. The incident took place in the public forestland near Ban Bong village in Na Pong subdistrict, Mueang Loei district.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360803-vietnamese-nationals-arrested-for-illegal-gold-prospecting-in-loei-forest/

 

[webfact]

Thai Authorities Seize Smuggled Orangutans

 

Picture courtesy of Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

 

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand, alongside the Royal Thai Police's Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division, has successfully intercepted an illegal wildlife trade operation, seizing two orangutans. The captured primates hold an estimated value exceeding 250,000 baht.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360805-thai-authorities-seize-smuggled-orangutans/

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Tourism Shock: Thailand's Visitor Numbers See Alarming Plunge

 

Picture courtesy of Xinhua

 

Thailand's tourism sector faces a pressing situation as foreign arrivals nosedive, with both leisure and corporate travellers dwindling.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360809-tourism-shock-thailands-visitor-numbers-see-alarming-plunge/

 

[webfact]

Dr Warong Unveils VIP Hospital Suite Allegedly Used by Thaksin

 

Picture courtesy of Thai PBS World

 

Dr Warong Dechgitvigrom, leader of the Thai Pakdee Party, released a viral video this week revealing the interior of a VIP room at the Police General Hospital in Bangkok.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1360816-dr-warong-unveils-vip-hospital-suite-allegedly-used-by-thaksin/

 

[Georgealbert]

High-Profile Temple Embezzlement Case: Online Gambling Broker Arrested in Pattaya
 

Picture courtesy of Thaich8

 

A key figure linked to the Wat Rai Khing embezzlement scandal has been arrested in Pattaya, intensifying scrutiny over the 300-million-baht corruption case that has rocked Thailand’s religious establishment.

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360815-high-profile-temple-embezzlement-case online-gambling-broker-arrested-in-pattaya/

 

[Georgealbert]

BKK EXPO 2025 Opens with Vision of a Smarter, More Sustainable Bangkok

 

 

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt officially opened BKK EXPO 2025 on the 15 May, at the Benjakitti Forest Park Museum in Khlong Toei, inviting citizens to explore the capital’s vision for a more efficient and forward-looking future. This year’s event runs from 15–18 May, under the ambitious theme: “We Work, BKK Work! – A City of Efficiency, A People of Progress.”

 

Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1360821-bkk-expo-2025-opens-with-vision-of-a-smarter-more-sustainable-bangkok/