Posts published in “Thailand”

Late on the evening of January 4, a quiet street in Samut Sakhon turned into a scene of frantic rescue and thick smoke as an 80-year-old woman raced against flames to save her beloved pets. The house fire, which erupted around 9:30 p.m. in Soi Pattana 4, Bang Ya Phraek subdistrict of Mueang district, left a family home gutted and the neighborhood shaken — but miraculously, no human injuries were reported. One woman, nine dogs, and a desperate dash through smoke Neighbors and rescue crews watched in disbelief as the elderly homeowner, who lives alone, ran repeatedly into the burning house trying to coax nine dogs to safety. Some animals clung to her side; others panicked or tried to bolt back into the blaze, complicating rescue efforts. Firefighters from Bang Ya Phraek Municipality, supported by nearby water trucks, battled the inferno for more than an hour before bringing it under…

On Saturday, January 3, 2026, a quiet, early-morning operation at the Chanthaburi border checkpoint turned into a small but consequential moment in the simmering saga along the Thai–Cambodian frontier. Cambodian officials escorted four buses of Thai nationals to the crossing opposite Thailand’s Ban Laem Permanent Border Checkpoint in Pong Nam Ron district, Chanthaburi — and 162 people were allowed to cross home. What might have been a routine repatriation quickly took a sharper turn when Thai authorities found six of the returnees were wanted on criminal warrants. From Battambang to Chanthaburi: the route home The buses had arrived in Battambang province in the predawn hours, ferrying people who had been stranded in Cambodia. Many were part of the larger flow of Thai workers who had been pushed back after a recent ceasefire between the two countries — a move that saw hundreds sent home amid heightened tensions. Cambodian officials escorted…

Before dawn on January 5, 2026, an otherwise quiet neighbourhood in Chonburi province was jolted awake by the roar of flames and the crack-pop of exploding batteries. A secondhand goods shop and its attached warehouse in Moo 2, Bo Win subdistrict — tucked down Soi Allay near Wat Bo Win in Si Racha district — was gutted by a fast-moving blaze that left the structure a smouldering shell and a haul of automotive parts reduced to charred ruin. Fast response, fierce flames The Pure Yeang Tai Sriracha Rescue Unit radio centre received an emergency call at about 4:30 a.m., and rescue coordinators quickly alerted local authorities. Si Racha District Administration, Bo Win Police Station and the Chao Phraya Surasak Municipal Fire Department were notified, and fire engines from several nearby jurisdictions — including the Bo Win Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, Laem Chabang Municipality, and Sriracha Municipality — raced to the scene.…

What was supposed to be a sparkling New Year escape to South Korea turned into an abrupt one-way trip home for a 37-year-old Thai woman — not because her documents were wrong or her itinerary suspicious, but because an immigration officer at Incheon International Airport simply said “no.” The woman, a government employee from Loei province, shared her disappointment anonymously on the Facebook page “เที่ยวเกาหลีด้วยตัวเอง” (Travel Korea Independently), and the post has since opened a lively online debate about how Thai visitors are being treated at Korean borders. In her post she wrote with palpable frustration: “I feel extremely upset and disappointed about this trip. Korean immigration had no clear reason for investigating me at all, especially the female officer at the central desk. I don’t know what she was in a bad mood about, but she snapped at me for no reason. I had a clear travel plan and…

When a Thai holiday turned into a fight for survival — and for a hospital bed. Twenty-seven-year-old Belgian Jeremy Bartholomeus is at the center of a wrenching story of a severe motorcycle crash, a staggering hospital bill and an insurance dispute that left his family scrambling to keep him alive and cared for thousands of miles from home. According to a fundraising page launched by Jeremy’s 16-year-old sister, Julie Hecquet, the ordeal began during what should have been a routine holiday in Thailand. Jeremy says he had parked his motorcycle at the side of the road when another rider, allegedly travelling at more than 100 km/h, ploughed into him. CCTV footage posted by the family, they say, backs up their version of events — but Thai authorities reportedly reached a different conclusion. Details about any official investigation or legal action have not been disclosed by the family. The physical price…

Good news for Bangkok’s dog-and-cat parents: the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has launched a citywide push to make pet ownership safer and more traceable — and it’s free. From now through 30 June 2026, you can register and microchip your furry family members at the Din Daeng District Office (Old Site) — no cash required, just a little planning and your pet’s best behavior. What’s on offer? The program provides complimentary microchipping and registration for dogs and cats to strengthen pet traceability and support rabies-control efforts across the capital. There are 500 daily slots total: 200 digital booking slots via the QueQ mobile app and 300 walk-in slots for those who prefer to show up in person. When and where The fixed service is based at the Din Daeng District Office (Old Site). Opening hours are generous to accommodate busy schedules: Monday–Friday: 08:00–20:00 Weekends: 08:00–16:00 Note: walk-in queues close one…

Thailand’s fight against human trafficking has turned up a notch. The Royal Thai Police have launched an intensified, nationwide crackdown aimed squarely at some of the country’s most insidious crimes: child sexual abuse, exploitation in the fishing industry, and trafficking carried out over online platforms. Police General Thatchai Pitanilabutr, Deputy Commissioner General and director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Center, says the move is a direct response to a worrying rise in cases and increasingly sophisticated criminal tactics — especially those that exploit children and digital networks. The numbers paint a stark picture. In 2025 authorities investigated 279 human trafficking cases across Thailand. Those probes generated arrest warrants and legal action against 366 suspects, while 317 victims were rescued and placed under protective care. Sexual exploitation made up the lion’s share of incidents — 246 cases — with 33 cases identified as forced labor. Disturbingly, 15 of those forced-labor cases were…