In a raid that read more like a grim wildlife thriller than a routine military sweep, Royal Thai Marine forces uncovered a heartbreaking scene on December 22 in Ban Tha Sen, Trat province. Inside a compound linked to the Thamoda casino near the Thai–Cambodian border, troops found two lions and three bears locked in metal cages — gaunt, aggressive and reportedly without food or water for several days. The raid: what troops found The operation began after reports of foreign operations and unusual activity in the area. As marines cleared the Thamoda casino grounds and surrounding properties, they entered a building where the animals were being kept. According to military sources, the compound had reportedly been used by Cambodian military personnel as a command post and was also tied to a casino network operating near the border. Because the big cats and bears were agitated and potentially dangerous, troops could…
Posts published in “Thailand”
When a Drone Buzzed Suvarnabhumi: How Bangkok’s Main Airport Briefly Turned Into a High-Tech Standoff On December 22, Suvarnabhumi Airport’s control room switched from routine hum to full-alert mode after a drone was detected skirting the airport’s outer perimeter. What followed was a rapid, tightly coordinated security response that read like a scene from a modern techno-thriller—minus the explosions and with significantly more paperwork. The who’s who of the emergency meeting Airport General Manager Kittipong Kittikachorn convened an urgent meeting at the Suvarnabhumi headquarters in Samut Prakan, drawing senior security officials from across Thailand’s protective services. Among those present were Police Lieutenant General Watthana Yichin (Region 1 Police Commissioner) and Police Major General Phumin Singhasut, alongside representatives from the Royal Thai Air Force, the army, national police and local authorities. The message was clear: the drone hadn’t penetrated the inner security zone, but its proximity was serious enough to warrant…
Thailand’s beloved Muay Thai titan Sombat “Buakaw” Banchamek found himself in the middle of a bizarre online identity drama on December 20, when the Army Military Force Facebook page accused a Cambodian-led information campaign of using AI to fabricate a passport that supposedly listed the fighter as a Cambodian citizen. According to the post — cited by The Nation — the image was presented as part of a Cambodian Information Operation (IO) aimed at confusing Thai viewers about Buakaw’s nationality. If you’re picturing shadowy figures huddled over keyboards and conjuring fake documents like movie villains, you’re not far off. The army’s post claimed the AI-generated passport was used to push two main narratives: that Buakaw was actually Cambodian by birth, and that he avoided fighting Cambodian Muay Thai or kickboxing opponents out of some misplaced national loyalty. The post went further, suggesting the fighter was “ungrateful” to the country that…
A simple printed notice at a national ID card service point has become an unexpectedly viral public service announcement — equal parts practical tip and gentle reminder that modern ID systems sometimes struggle to keep up with modern life. The sign, which began circulating on social media on December 22, 2025, warns that people whose appearance has changed because of cosmetic surgery or gender transition must bring a witness when applying for or updating an identity card. The notice — photographed and shared online (photo via The Thaiger) — reads: “Making an ID Card: Individuals whose appearance differs from the database due to cosmetic surgery or gender transition must be accompanied by one guarantor.” It’s short, matter-of-fact and instantly relatable for anyone who’s ever looked at an old passport photo and wondered if that person was actually them. A lot of the online reaction has been amused. Some users joked…
In a scene equal parts tense and triumphant, a 34-year-old woman named Mayuree gave birth in the back of a silver pickup truck at the Wat Sam Pluem roundabout — locally known as Chedi Nakleng — on Rojana Road in Phai Ling, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province. What started as a midnight dash to the hospital turned into an impromptu roadside delivery that ended with cheers, quick-thinking rescuers and a healthy baby boy. According to rescue officers from the Ayutthaya Ruamjai Association, the dramatic moment unfolded when a pickup truck carrying Mayuree stopped at the Wat Sam Pluem roundabout asking for immediate medical help. Rescue personnel arrived to find the new mother cradling her newborn in the vehicle. First aid was administered on the spot before both mother and baby were transported by ambulance to Rajthanee Hospital, where staff later confirmed that the infant is a healthy boy and both…
Just after midnight on December 22, a quiet residential lane in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district erupted into chaos as flames tore through a two‑storey townhouse in Soi Thetsaban Rang Rak Nuea 14. Neighbours awoke to the glow and the crackle of a fire that would leave one man dead and claim the lives of more than ten cats—an eerie, heartbreaking scene that drew emergency crews and forensic teams to Lat Yao subdistrict. Police at Prachachuen Police Station logged the emergency call around midnight and immediately dispatched help. Crews from Lat Yao Fire Station and volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation rushed to the narrow street off Thetsaban Rang Rak Nuea Road. When firefighters arrived, the ground floor was already engulfed and thick smoke was choking the upper parts of the connected townhouse, trapping heat and fear inside the compact structure. Firefighters moved quickly. After roughly five minutes of intense hose work they…
What started as a routine Phuket airport run turned into a viral flap last week when a video showed a local van driver striking a foreign passenger on the head with a plastic bottle outside Phuket International Airport. The driver, later identified as 31-year-old Ratchawit, faces a 1,000-baht fine and a 180-day suspension of his public transport driving licence after authorities reviewed CCTV footage and moved quickly to investigate. The short, sharp clip that swept across social media captured more than just a squabble — it captured a moment that split online opinion. According to police statements and Ratchawit’s own account, he had driven a group of 12 foreign tourists from Patong Beach to the airport for a fare of 1,200 baht. On arrival he discovered rubbish left in the vehicle. When he asked one passenger to pick it up, the exchange escalated and, in a sudden impulse he later…
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) convenes in Kuala Lumpur on Monday for what many hope will be a turning point in an increasingly dangerous standoff along the Thailand–Cambodia border. After weeks of renewed fighting that has killed at least 40 people and driven more than half a million civilians from their homes, regional foreign ministers are gathering in a bid to stop the violence from spiraling further. This session in Malaysia is notable for one simple, urgent fact: it marks the first direct, face-to-face engagement between Thai and Cambodian government representatives since clashes flared up again on December 8. With Kuala Lumpur currently chairing ASEAN, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has cast a cautiously optimistic shadow over the talks, saying both Bangkok and Phnom Penh have signaled willingness to pursue a peaceful way out. The conflict’s footprint The fighting has spread across multiple flashpoints along an 817-kilometre border that…
Bangkok is gearing up for its annual New Year exodus — and this year the city’s traffic controllers are bringing more than whistles and cones to the party. The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) has announced a beefed-up traffic operation to tame the usual surge of vehicles between December 30 and January 5, the notorious stretch when accidents and gridlock spike. Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Thawat Wongsanga says the goal is simple: fewer crashes, fewer fatalities, and smoother journeys for everyone trying to make it home (or to the countdowns) in one piece. What’s changing on Bangkok’s roads Think bigger patrols, a temporary emergency traffic centre, and yes — drones. The MPB plans to activate special traffic lanes during peak hours on key outbound corridors to speed the flow of cars leaving the city. Patrols will be visibly increased, checkpoints set up, and officers will focus hard on the riskiest behaviours…
If you’ve been watching the weather apps with one eye and your suitcase with the other, here’s the good news: Southern Thailand is bouncing back. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) reports that, as of December 8 at 10:00 a.m. local time, travel conditions across the flooded provinces have largely returned to normal. Roads, airports and most tourist services are up and running, and the region is steadily getting back to business — from Phuket’s bright beaches to the island-paced charm of Ko Samui. Where things are already back to normal Many of the big-name destinations in Southern Thailand are fully accessible and welcoming visitors again. That means: Phuket, Phang-nga, Krabi, Ranong, Surat Thani, Chumphon, Trang, Satun and Phatthalung have reopened airports, roads, attractions and accommodation. Island favorites — Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan and Ko Tao — are functioning normally; marine transport continues, though ferry timetables may shift depending on…