A quiet Phuket night turned tragic on August 21 when 35-year-old Russian tourist Denis Nonenkov sacrificed his life to save his girlfriend during a late-night swim between Banana and Nai Thon beaches. The incident unfolded near the Andaman White Beach Resort in Thalang district, leaving holidaymakers and locals shaken and renewing warnings about the dangers of swimming at night. The desperate call for help At about 12:30 a.m., 24-year-old Kamila Sharipova rushed to the resort staff, distraught and breathless. She told rescuers that she and Nonenkov had been swimming together when a powerful wave struck them. According to Sharipova, her boyfriend managed to push her back toward the shore, but he could not follow. He vanished into the dark sea, prompting her panicked call for help. Initial rescue attempts were hampered by strong winds and dangerous waves. The conditions made it too risky for teams to search immediately, and rescuers…
Posts published in “Thailand”
Thailand’s kratom scene has gone from traditional remedy to national headache, and the government is starting to push back. Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong signaled tougher controls this week after reports surfaced of kratom being mixed into dangerous cocktails — a trend that has alarmed health officials and lawmakers alike. From leaf to lethal mix: why alarm bells are ringing Kratom, long used in parts of Southeast Asia as a mild stimulant or pain reliever, was removed from Thailand’s narcotics list in 2022. The move opened the door to legal sales and a wave of kratom-based products—from drinks to edibles—suddenly available on streets and online. Trouble is, where ease of access meets inventive youth culture, trouble often follows. Authorities have singled out a risky concoction known colloquially as “4×100,” a syrupy blend of kratom juice, cough syrup, soda and ice that’s sometimes laced with illicit narcotics. Reports of young people consuming…
A quiet night by the Ping River in Kamphaeng Phet turned tragic when a routine meal at a riverside restaurant ended in violence. Authorities say 62‑year‑old restaurant owner Meena was fatally stabbed at her establishment in Khlong Khlung district, prompting a police response that has left the community stunned and searching for answers. What happened Officers from Khlong Khlung Police Station and rescuers from the Sawang Kamphaeng Phet Foundation were summoned after an attack at the restaurant near the Ping River. Rescuers found Meena with multiple stab wounds and rushed her to Khlong Khlung Hospital, where she later died from her injuries. How authorities identified the suspect Investigators reviewed security camera footage from the restaurant and identified the assailant as a 32‑year‑old customer named Jaruwan. Footage and eyewitness accounts indicate Jaruwan had dined alone, ordering two bottles of beer and food, before the violent confrontation. After the attack she fled…
Office workers spilled onto sidewalks, ceiling lamps swayed like lazy pendulums, and a hush of nervous laughter mixed with the click of phones as Bangkok high-rises registered an unexpected jolt this morning. At 9:58 a.m. on August 21, a 5.4-magnitude earthquake rattled the region — centred about 10 kilometres beneath the Andaman Sea and roughly 211 kilometres southwest of Mae Sot in Tak province, the Earthquake Observation Division reported. The tremor, brief but emphatic, was felt across a broad swath of Bangkok. From Din Daeng to Khlong San, in buildings where windows frame the city and office coffee tastes suspiciously like survival fuel, people described a few tense seconds of swaying and dizziness. In Din Daeng, staff from the Ministry of Labour evacuated to the street after feeling the ground shift. A worker on the 11th floor of the Prime Building in Klong Toei Nuea said the floor vibrated for…
On the morning of August 20, Pattaya’s leadership traded boardroom suits for walking shoes and went straight into Naklua’s neighborhoods, knocking on doors where help is most needed. Deputy Mayor Thitipan Petchtrakul and Pattaya City Council President Banlue Kullavanij led a compact team of council members and Social Welfare Office officers on a targeted welfare outreach that felt less like a press event and more like neighbors looking after neighbors. The team visited three households, each with stories that tug at the heart: a bedridden woman, an elderly man struggling to make ends meet while caring for a daughter battling cancer, and an older woman in need of mobility assistance. The items delivered were practical and thoughtful—air mattresses, commode chairs, care packages—and the officials’ hands-on approach left residents pleasantly surprised and visibly relieved. From Red Cross aid to everyday comforts The first stop was at the home of Jit Daengkaew,…
A quiet afternoon at a school in Udon Thani turned into a nightmare on August 18 when a 53-year-old man driving a pickup struck a 12-year-old boy who was sitting in the activity area after classes. The boy, identified as Tang, was left with a broken pelvis and immediately rushed to Udon Thani Hospital. Doctors have since stabilized him and confirmed he will not need surgery, but he must remain hospitalized for at least three weeks while the pelvic bone heals. What happened According to reports, the pickup was driven by 53-year-old Phan — the husband of one of the school’s teachers. He later told media he did not notice Tang was sitting in that spot and expressed remorse, apologising to the family and accepting responsibility. Still, the incident stirred strong reactions from the local community and the family, who were worried the case might be downplayed because of the…
Late-Night Visit or Shakedown? Ubon Restaurant Owner Files Complaint After Alleged Fake-Police Extortion It was the kind of 2 a.m. drama that makes for a bad thriller and a worse morning-after for a small business owner. In Mueang district, Ubon Ratchathani, restaurant owner Kritwit — 35 years old and reportedly alarmed by what happened at his eatery — has officially filed a complaint after a group claiming to be undercover police allegedly demanded cash to avoid shuttering the place. According to the report submitted to Police Lieutenant Phakaphong Sueksakul, Deputy Inspector of the Mueang Ubon Ratchathani Police Station, the incident unfolded in the early hours of August 18. A party of five men arrived at the restaurant after its official closing time. Although the kitchen had reportedly closed, a few familiar customers were lingering when the men confronted an employee named Siwakorn. “Pay up or close down” — the alleged…
A quiet travel day along the southern road turned grim on August 20, when 30-year-old Yamiya Lotaleang was found dead inside a car at PTT petrol station 418 on the inbound lane to Yala city. The vehicle, stopped in Tha Sap subdistrict of Mueang district, Yala province, became an unexpected scene of investigation after rescue workers alerted Mueang Yala Police Station. According to relatives, Yamiya was travelling from Pattani with plans to reach Betong — and seemed perfectly well until she suddenly lost consciousness. By 4:30 PM she had passed away. The discovery has left family members and fellow travellers bewildered. One moment she was on a routine journey; the next, a life cut off mid-route. Police arrived promptly, notified their supervisors and began the investigation that typically follows any unexplained death: securing the vehicle, documenting the scene and speaking with relatives and witnesses. Local outlets, including KhaoSod, reported that…
In a move that reads like a corporate whodunit, Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce has zeroed in on suspected nominee share-holding schemes in Samut Prakan—this time targeting several foreign-linked steel trading businesses accused of hiding behind Thai names. Leading the charge is Deputy Permanent Secretary Chakara Yodmanee, who heads the task force tackling illegal foreign operations, acting on directions from Deputy Commerce Minister Suchart Chomklin. What started as industry complaints has quickly ballooned into a coordinated, multi-agency probe that could reshape how the kingdom polices foreign investment. The tip-off and the raid The story began when the Thai Roofing Business Association flagged concerns about certain steel traders who may have been acting as nominees—Thai individuals listed as shareholders to mask foreign control. On August 19, 2025, officials from the Department of Business Development (DBD), Department of Internal Trade, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), and Samut Prakan provincial teams descended on…
When a political rumour spreads faster than a Bangkok monsoon, someone’s bound to grab an umbrella — or, in this case, a megaphone. The Pheu Thai Party has emphatically stomped on whispers that it plans to name former coup leader and ex-prime minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha as its next candidate for premier. The party’s secretary-general, Sorawong Thienthong, told reporters bluntly that the speculation is pure fiction: “We’ve never considered Prayut for any role. This didn’t come from us.” A denial, not a detour The buzz about a political U-turn — an unlikely reconciliation between Pheu Thai and the Bhumjaithai Party, which once sat in coalition but now sits in opposition — was enough to set off alarm bells. Pheu Thai’s message, however, was crystal clear: no deal, no nomination, no reunion. Sorawong labelled the story fake news and made sure there was no ambiguity about the party’s stance. Backing their…