When a live YouTube call-out turned into a courtroom showdown, Bangkok’s famously outspoken ex-MP Chuwit Kamolvisit found himself on the losing end of more than just online heat. On August 27, the Bangkok South Criminal Court handed Chuwit a prison sentence for defamation and insult against former Special Branch deputy superintendent Santhana Prayoonrat — a dramatic fall from the livestream spotlight to the dock. The case stems from a press event on November 23 last year that was streamed live to the public. In front of reporters and an online audience, Chuwit launched into a blistering tirade, accusing Santhana of being entangled in illegal gambling operations, alleging he obstructed law enforcement and painting him as untruthful. Prosecutors argued those remarks crossed the line from political grit into unlawful defamation, intended to damage Santhana’s reputation and stir public contempt. Judges agreed. Citing sections 328 and 393 of the Criminal Code, the…
Posts published in “Thailand”
Yesterday, August 27, Pattaya City rolled up its sleeves and dove back into history — literally. The city launched the second phase of its ambitious canal conservation project, focusing on the Nok Yang and Naklua canals and their surrounding neighborhoods. What started as a cleanup has quickly become a full-blown love letter to the waterways that once defined this part of Bang Lamung’s Naklua subdistrict. At Naklua Canal Bridge, Deputy Mayor Manot Nongyai led volunteers and officials in an energetic morning of debris removal, water-flow clearing and community talk that felt part town meeting, part block party. Joining him were Chukeat Nongyai, Assistant Secretary to the Mayor; Panrada Attohi, Deputy City Clerk; Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) staff; local leaders and scores of residents — all united by a simple idea: these canals matter. “The canals are an essential part of Pattaya’s history and ecosystem. We need the…
The scent of incense hangs in the humid air like a promise as hopefuls stream through the gates of Wat Klang Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom. Here, amid the painted murals and the low murmur of prayer, lottery dreams are being made—and sometimes broken—beneath the watchful gaze of Thao Wessuwan, the temple’s iconic guardian figure. On August 27, the temple’s courtyard thrummed with activity. Locals and visitors alike came to perform merit-making rituals, seek blessings, and try their luck with the quirky, colourful customs that have made Wat Klang Bang Phra a magnet for those chasing a little extra fortune. While Luang Phor Somwang remains one of the most venerated presences in the temple, it is the historic Thao Wessuwan statue—recently restored and freshly painted—that draws a steady stream of devotees, especially when a lottery draw is near. Originally fashioned from cement during the era of the late monk Luang…
Worshippers arriving at the beloved Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town this morning were met not with incense and prayer, but with a somber scene: a 56-year-old man, later identified as Montree Jongthirawong, had been found dead, apparently by hanging. Phuket City Police said they were notified at 7:55 a.m. on August 28, and rescue teams and forensic doctors were quickly dispatched to the shrine to investigate. According to investigators who reviewed CCTV footage from the area, the incident appears to have occurred around 4:00 a.m., several hours before anyone discovered the body. Officers at the scene reported no visible signs of assault or foul play, and preliminary findings list asphyxiation as the cause of death. Nonetheless, police emphasized that an active investigation is ongoing to ensure every angle is properly examined and documented. Montree was a resident of Srisoonthon in Thalang district, and relatives who spoke with authorities said…
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra — currently suspended as the Constitutional Court reviews allegations surrounding a leaked phone call with Cambodian Senate leader Hun Sen — has made a clear decision: she will not be physically present at the court when tomorrow’s ruling is handed down. Instead, the 39-year-old Pheu Thai leader plans to watch events unfold from the safer vantage of Government House, flanked by close allies and party officials. Deputy Prime Minister’s Secretary-General Somkid Chueakong told reporters on August 27 that Paetongtarn will arrive at Government House around midday on August 29 and remain there while the court issues its verdict. Pheu Thai Cabinet ministers will be on hand, and party MPs are expected to drift in during the mid-afternoon — roughly between 3pm and 4pm — to demonstrate solidarity. Meanwhile, Paetongtarn’s legal team will be present at the Constitutional Court to field the formal ruling. The court’s review…
Chaos and quick thinking took center stage on Soi 16, just off Pattaya’s famous Walking Street, when a foreign national was arrested today after allegedly making off with a motorbike. The man’s identity and nationality remain unconfirmed, but witnesses say he appeared to be under the influence of drugs at the time — a detail that may complicate his legal woes. The scene played out like a short, gritty movie. The motorcycle owner arrived to find his ride gone and immediately sounded the alarm. Motorcycle taxi drivers — those ever-present fixtures of Pattaya’s transport scene — heard the commotion and sprang into action. Familiar with the narrow, bustling lanes that feed into Walking Street, they pursued the suspect through crowds of tourists, bar-goers, and late-afternoon shoppers. The chase ended near the old pier at the entrance to Walking Street, where the suspect was reportedly apprehended by locals and held until…
Thai police pulled back the virtual curtain on a pair of online black markets this week — one trafficking in protected wildlife, the other dealing in illegal firearms — and took suspects into custody after undercover operations exposed both rings. Facebook sale leads to real-life arrest What began as a seemingly ordinary scroll through Facebook turned into a sting operation after officers discovered posts advertising protected animals for sale under the account name “Chatree Kodkan.” Investigators found listings that included a bearcat and a slow loris — species protected under Thailand’s Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act of 1992. Police set up an undercover purchase for the bearcat, agreeing to a meeting at an apartment on Soi Nawamin 155 in Nuan Chan, Bueng Kum district. The price tag: 15,000 baht (roughly US$460). At about 11:30 a.m. on August 27, officers moved in. When 22-year-old Kanthika handed the animal over to undercover…
In the early, still hours of August 27, a roaring wall of mud and water tore down from the hills above Mae Chaem district, Chiang Mai, and changed lives in an instant. What began as one landslide in Pang Ung village quickly became a double tragedy: first, a predawn slide that destroyed homes and sent people to hospital; then, as night fell, another catastrophic mudslide that killed four people, injured 15, and left five others missing. At 2:50 a.m., the first slide struck Pang Ung, smashing five houses and sweeping away belongings in a filthy torrent of earth. Emergency responders found one person dead and more than ten injured; victims were rushed to Khun Yuam and Mae Chaem hospitals for treatment. Rescuers worked through the mud and the dark, and one resident remained unaccounted for after initial searches. But the calamity didn’t stop there. In the evening, torrential rains unleashed…
Bangkok sparkled a little brighter on the night of August 23, 2025, when Naruemol “Adele” Phimphakdee — the 23-year-old beauty representing Phuket — stepped onto the Miss Universe Thailand stage and claimed a hard-earned spot among the top three. Tall, elegant and impossibly poised at 183 cm, Adele lit up the arena with a confident wai and a smile that felt like sunshine on the Andaman coast. The Miss Universe Thailand 2025 gala was a pageant spectacle: glittering gowns, dramatic spotlights, and the hush-before-the-reveal that every fan lives for. When the announcer called “Phuket,” Adele instinctively raised her hands to wai — a tender, perfectly Thai moment that captured the crowd and social feeds alike. “I expected to make it into the top three, and I did. It was like a dream,” she told reporters, still visibly stunned and elated. “When I heard the word ‘Phuket’, I raised my hands…
When a venerable hotel brand finds itself at the centre of a boardroom drama, the headlines write themselves — and Dusit Thani’s latest episode reads like a high-stakes family saga set against the backdrop of Bangkok boardrooms and luxury residences. On August 27, Chanin Donavanik, acting chairperson of Dusit Thani Plc and scion of the chain’s founding family, broke his silence to paint a vivid picture of what he called an “outsider takeover” attempt and a fracture within the family that founded one of Thailand’s most respected hospitality names. Chanin, grandson of founder Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, did not mince words. He said he had been targeted by a proposed resolution from Chanut and Children Co. Ltd. — the holding company that controls the majority stake in Dusit Thani — to remove him as a director. “Many of you may have seen reports that Chanut and Children have proposed a resolution…