THAI.NEWS - Thailand Breaking News

The Supreme Court’s final hammer fell on December 11 at Chiang Rai Provincial Court: Mongkol Thirakhot, better known to many as Busbas, was sentenced to 46 years in prison for a string of Facebook posts. Once a 32‑year‑old clothing seller, Mongkol transformed into a vocal political activist — and now faces one of the harshest penalties in recent memory under Thailand’s lèse‑majesté law and the Computer Crime Act. The posts and the penalties Prosecutors tied Mongkol to 27 Facebook posts made between March and April 2021. Authorities concluded the posts violated Section 112 of the Criminal Code — Thailand’s notorious lèse‑majesté provision — as well as provisions of the Computer Crime Act. The Supreme Court’s decision upholds a combined sentence of 46 years — and crucially, the sentence will not be suspended. This verdict follows an earlier ruling from Appeals Court Region 5, which imposed a 50‑year sentence — also…

What began as a routine border crossing turned into a tense waiting game at Ban Khlong Luek — and the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh didn’t waste time sounding the alarm. An urgent letter was dispatched to Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior after reports surfaced that Thai nationals in Cambodia were being prevented from re-entering Thailand through the Sa Kaeo checkpoint. The episode, unfolding in early December 2025, has become another fraught chapter in the already strained Thai–Cambodian border story. Checkpoint drama: Thai nationals stuck, unanswered questions On Wednesday, December 11, Thai-Cambodian Border Coordination officials told Thai PBS that Cambodian authorities at Ban Khlong Luek had stopped Thai citizens from crossing back into Thailand. At the time, no official reason was given for the restriction — just confusion, uncertainty and long lines of travelers stuck on one side of the line. Adding fuel to the fire, relatives waiting with the…

There are reunions that make you smile and reunions that make you reach for tissues — and then there’s the extraordinary scene that unfolded in Ubon Ratchathani this week, where three adults flew across continents to thank a tricycle driver who tended to them more than five decades ago. What began as a short Facebook appeal quickly turned into an emotional pilgrimage, a little bit of detective work, and a powerful reminder of how small acts of kindness can echo for a lifetime. On Monday, December 8, Facebook user Siw Pittaya Chaisongkhram posted a video appeal that tugged at thousands of online hearts. Siw explained that three siblings — two men and a woman — had grown up in Thailand as young children while their father worked in the country as a soldier. They were roughly five years old at the time and were cared for, at least for short…

Ayutthaya’s normally quiet Bang Pa-in district was jolted awake on the morning of December 11 when a domestic dispute escalated into a dramatic shooting that left a 47-year-old man fighting for his life and his 51-year-old ex-wife in police custody—but insisting she acted in self-defence. Officers from Bang Pa-in Police Station and rescuers from the Ayutthaya Ruamjai Foundation arrived at a house in the Sam Ruean sub-district at around 10:00am after neighbours reported gunfire. In front of the home they found Karn, 47, lying on the ground with a bullet wound to his back that passed through his chest. He was in critical condition and could be heard calling for help while emergency teams worked to stabilise him before rushing him to hospital. The woman who fired the shots, identified as Supranee, 51 and Karn’s ex-wife, remained at the scene. According to officials she unlocked the house and cooperated with…

In a late-night political twist that felt part courtroom drama, part reality TV cliffhanger, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced the dissolution of Parliament on the evening of December 11 — a move he framed bluntly and theatrically as an effort to “return power to the people.” The announcement, posted on his Facebook page around 10pm, confirmed that his government had sent a formal request for dissolution to the Palace. The royal sign-off arrived the next morning, December 12, turning a quiet digital post into a constitutional reset. What happens next? A timetable with teeth Under Thailand’s Constitution, once Parliament is dissolved a general election must be held within 45 to 60 days. That’s not a suggestion — it’s a countdown. The Election Commission (EC) is legally obliged to announce the election date and the candidate registration window within five days of the Royal Decree being issued, pushing the machinery…

Move over, front-row flashbulbs—Lalisa Manoban is stepping behind the scenes. Thailand’s own global superstar Lisa (of BLACKPINK fame) has been officially named to the Host Committee for the Met Gala 2026, a meteoric nod that cements her as a true cross-cultural tastemaker in music, fashion and now high society’s most glamorous fundraiser. The announcement landed as the year closed, and it promises to make next May’s carpet even more electric. Star-studded leadership: who’s steering the ship This isn’t a cameo—Lisa will be joining a powerhouse roster shaping one of the world’s most watched fashion nights. Heading the gala as co-chairs are Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, tennis legend Venus Williams and none other than Beyoncé, whose return to the Met Gala after a decade away has already set tongues wagging. The creative and celebrity co-chairs roster rounds out with Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello and actress-model Zoë Kravitz. The full…

Phuket police have once again cracked down on the island’s underground hookah trade. On December 9, officers from the Region 8 Special Operations Unit raided a rented room in Soi Hua Tiew, Cherng Talay, and arrested a 41‑year‑old Russian national identified as Maksim Shalygin after discovering a substantial cache of hookah products — locally known as baraku. The search uncovered a total of 361 items of evidence: 296 packets of hookah tobacco and 65 pieces of hookah equipment. The quantity and packaging suggested the goods were being stored for resale rather than personal use. Shalygin was found inside the residence during the raid and was taken to Cherng Talay Police Station for questioning and legal processing. Authorities have charged Shalygin under several provisions of Thai law. The alleged offences include: Section 24 of the Tobacco Act — sale or possession of smuggled tobacco products without excise tax stamps. Offenders face…

What started as a baffling viral clip has become a cautionary tale from the turquoise waters of Mu Ko Similan National Park: a tourist can be seen offering a yellow wristband to a curious sea turtle — and the turtle promptly swallows it. The footage, shared by Supawinee Tangphithak, set off a chain of events that ended with veterinary teams, X-rays, and a nationwide appeal for information about the person who fed the animal. The incident reportedly took place during a diving trip in Phang Nga. In the video, an unidentified diver dangles a bright yellow wristband in front of the turtle. The animal investigates, accepts it, and — in an instant that made viewers wince — swallows the band whole. Supawinee later realised what had happened only after watching the footage at home, which meant she could not identify the suspect from memory. Authorities acted quickly. Officials tracked down…

What was meant to be a glittering moment on the Miss Universe stage turned into a heart-stopping scene that has reverberated across social media and newsrooms worldwide. Gabrielle Henry — the Jamaican ophthalmologist and Miss Universe Jamaica 2025 — suffered a terrifying fall during the finals at the Impact Challenger Hall in Nonthaburi, Thailand, and the latest official update reveals her injuries are far more serious than early reports suggested. A walk that went wrong Video that quickly went viral shows Henry gliding in an orange evening gown when she trips near the edge of the stage and, alarmingly, plunges through an open section beneath the platform. Members of the Miss Universe Thailand team, led by director Nawat Itsaragrisil, rushed to her aid — an unsettling reminder of how quickly a poised pageant moment can become an emergency. Initial statements from the Thai organisers painted a relatively reassuring picture: Henry…