It reads like the sort of story that belongs in a supernatural thriller — a woman who stirred inside her coffin during funeral preparations, briefly breathing life into a stunned crowd — yet the real-life outcome was quieter and, sadly, more solemn. On December 14, 65-year-old Chonthirat Sakulku from Phitsanulok passed away peacefully at Bang Yai Hospital in Nonthaburi, officials confirmed. Wat Rat Prakhong Tham posted the news on Facebook on December 17, closing the extraordinary chapter that had captured national attention. The sequence of events is as unusual as it is heartbreaking. Chonthirat, who had been stricken by a serious illness and presumed dead by her family, was brought to Wat Rat Prakhong Tham under the temple’s free funeral programme to await cremation. During last-minute preparations, temple staff heard and then saw unexpected movement from inside the coffin. A frantic check found Chonthirat still alive. She was rushed to…
Posts published in “Thailand”
Thailand’s long-haul comeback: 10 million reasons to celebrate (and two lucky winners) Thailand has quietly — and then spectacularly — crossed a tourism milestone this year: long-haul arrivals have topped 10 million for the first time. The moment was marked in proper airport-glam fashion on December 17, when a Thai Airways flight touched down in Bangkok from London and was greeted by Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool alongside representatives from partner agencies at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Cue the confetti, smiling officials and the selfie-ready tourists who helped make the number real. Why does this matter? Long-haul travellers — defined here as visitors from Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa — now make up roughly one-third of all international tourists to Thailand. They are high-value guests: they tend to stay longer and spend more per trip, which perfectly aligns with TAT’s strategy of courting “high-quality tourism.” Thailand…
A foreign student’s fight for justice after a deadly crash at Mae Fah Luang University When a routine ride turned into a life-changing crash outside Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai, second-year cosmetic science student La Min Khaing found herself recovering from serious injuries while also shouldering the burden of seeking accountability. Unable to rely on the driver she says caused the collision, she turned to TikTok — and to the kindness of strangers — to make her voice heard. The December 1 accident began, according to La Min Khaing’s TikTok account @laminkhaing05, when a Thai driver ran a red light and struck a male motorcyclist who was attempting a U-turn. The initial impact sent the motorcycle skidding across the road; it subsequently collided with La Min Khaing’s bike. The other rider was pronounced dead at the scene. La Min Khaing survived but suffered a broken wrist and a…
Customs and drama met on the tarmac at Suvarnabhumi Airport on December 16, when Thai immigration officers intercepted a 44-year-old Chinese national trying to slip out of the country under a fake identity. Carrying a counterfeit Mexican passport under the name “Gol,” the man — identified by authorities as Huang — was stopped for routine checks that quickly snowballed into something far more serious. What began as a passport check turned into a full-blown reveal: officers discovered Huang’s genuine Chinese passport hidden among his belongings, and a deeper identity check showed he is the subject of an Interpol red notice. For the uninitiated, a red notice is an international alert asking law enforcement around the world to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or similar legal actions. In this case, the notice is tied to allegations that Huang was a central figure in an enormous cross-border investment scam…
Chiang Mai is gearing up to trade its centuries-old incense smoke and teakwood whispers for a very modern badge: UNESCO World Heritage status. In a decisive move on December 16, Thailand’s national committee on world heritage — led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin alongside Minister of Culture Sabina Thaised — approved the nomination dossier titled “Chiang Mai: Capital of Lanna” for submission to UNESCO as a cultural World Heritage Site. Why the rush? Chiang Mai has sat on Thailand’s tentative list since 2015, biding its time like a patient monk. But a looming deadline has officials sprinting: sites already on the tentative list can still lodge a direct nomination only until January 30, 2026. After that, a new two-year preliminary assessment process comes into play. To avoid the bureaucratic detour, the government is fast-tracking the application so Chiang Mai can try to…
Chaos and a dash of cowardice unfolded at a busy Phuket junction early this morning when four foreign motorcyclists allegedly blew through a red light and slammed into a Thai woman’s bike — only for three of them to vanish into the traffic moments later, leaving behind an injured companion and a shaken local rider. The collision occurred at the intersection where Patiphat Road meets Vichitsongkram Road, right by the popular local eatery Go Benz Rice Porridge Phuket, according to Phuket Times. Witnesses say the group of four entered the junction against a red light; the result was a violent impact that injured a Thai woman and at least one of the foreign riders. Rather than stay, help their friend or exchange details, three of the foreign riders reportedly fled the scene, leaving the injured man behind — apparently abandoning him to avoid legal consequences. As of the latest update,…
In a diplomatic twist that reads more like a political thriller than a dry press release, Thailand’s Defence Ministry confirmed on December 16 that Cambodia has engaged a US lobbying firm to influence international opinion amid the ongoing border dispute. Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, the ministry’s spokesperson, said this revelation came after the STRONG Anti-Corruption Club Thailand published a confidential document showing Cambodia had hired National Consulting Services, Inc., a Washington-based lobbying and public-relations outfit, to manage its narrative in the United States. According to RAdm Surasant, this move is not merely routine outreach — it’s part of a deliberate information campaign intended to sway global sympathy toward Cambodia. He pointed to photos and videos circulating online of foreign nationals in Cambodia appealing for international intervention as signs that an “information war” is underway. The implication: media optics are being carefully curated to depict Cambodia as the aggrieved party. “These…
Imagine strolling down Songwat Road in Bangkok’s Chinatown — lanterns swaying, the aroma of grilled seafood teasing your senses — when a neatly choreographed pickpocket performance unravels behind an umbrella. That’s exactly what happened on December 15, and thanks to a vigilant local’s viral post, the moment was caught on camera and served as a cautionary tale for anyone wandering the neighborhood with a tote bag and a smile. Chanatib Bunpasoet-chn shared the CCTV video on his Facebook page with a blunt caption: “Scam warning.” The footage, filmed outside Song Viet restaurant, shows three women moving in concert around a foreign tourist. Hats and face masks obscure their features, while umbrellas—seemingly innocuous in Bangkok’s weather—become improvised privacy screens. It’s petty-theft choreography with a bold prop. The clip is eerily calm. One suspect in a brown T-shirt trails the victim, slipping her hand into the tote and extracting valuables. She doesn’t…
The quiet scrubland of Lam Luk Ka turned grim on December 15 when a construction worker, recently released from prison, was found dead beneath a dilapidated shack in a dark, electricity-free patch of Pathum Thani. What began as an ordinary return-from-work check by a colleague ended with police tape, forensic lights and questions that have yet to be answered. The deceased has been identified as 42-year-old Somphong Kaewkunok, a construction worker who, according to those who knew him, had been living alone at the remote site. It was a friend — 45-year-old construction worker Peerapong Changrom — who first noticed something amiss. Returning at about 11:00 a.m., Peerapong saw Somphong’s leg protruding from under the small shelter. It was only later that evening, after a friend had been alerted and then called authorities, that police and rescue teams arrived at Chanprasong Soi in Lam Luk Ka district. The scene was…
A One-Day Romance: How Two Korean Sisters Fell Head-Over-Heels for Bangkok Two South Korean YouTubers have confessed a travel crush that bloomed in record time. The sibling duo behind the 누룽지자매 (nurungji sisters) channel dropped a Bangkok vlog on December 13 and, by the end of the first day, announced they had “fallen in love with Bangkok very quickly within one day.” No, it wasn’t a rom-com montage — just genuine, wide-eyed delight at a city that surprised them at every turn. The sisters—who keep their private lives private—shared a candid, upbeat travel diary that turned unexpected snags into heartwarming discoveries. Their title teased a twist: their first-day experience was completely the opposite of what they’d expected. Spoiler: opposite here meant better. Much better. Small moments, big impressions Right after landing, the sisters hustled to find an ATM because cash is king in Bangkok’s bustling streets. While walking, they noticed…