Phuket’s paradise image — palm-fringed beaches, turquoise bays and glossy luxury villas — met a decidedly less glamorous reality this month as anti-corruption investigators took to the island’s dirt and dust. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) Phuket office, under the direction of Chief Suwat Saowarat, rolled out a new initiative, “Pinning Areas at Risk of Corruption,” and spent several days combing construction sites and excavation works that locals say have raised more than a few eyebrows. From Karon to Thalang: a targeted sweep The inspections ran from August 18 to 20 and were officially reported on August 28. The NACC team didn’t go it alone — representatives from the Provincial Public Works and Town & Country Planning Office joined the fieldwork to assess whether projects complied with the Excavation and Filling Act of 2000. That law exists for a clear reason: excavation and filling can affect public safety, the environment…
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What started as an ordinary motorbike commute turned into a race against time for 36-year-old Sakol Saowapakkul when a single bee sting sent him spiraling into a life-threatening allergic reaction on the road to Sattahip. The incident, which unfolded just after 11:30am on August 28 along Highway 331 near a construction materials shop, serves as a startling reminder that sometimes the smallest things—quite literally—can cause the biggest problems. According to rescue teams from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation who arrived at the scene, Sakol was found slumped at the roadside, visibly distressed and struggling to breathe. A dramatic swelling had developed between his thumb and index finger where the sting landed, and his breathing had become labored—textbook signs of anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can quickly become fatal without prompt treatment. “I felt a sharp pain in my left hand while I was riding to work in Bo Win,…
Thailand is stepping into a week that reads like a political thriller with side plots that range from courtroom showdowns to seaside thefts and eco-friendly ambitions. From the hush of Government House to the clamor of Pattaya’s Walking Street, the country is juggling legal drama, social flashpoints and bold infrastructure plans — all at once. Here’s a clearer, livelier look at what’s driving the headlines. Paused Premier Watches from Afar Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has chosen not to appear in person for a highly anticipated Constitutional Court ruling tied to a leaked phone call with Cambodian leader Hun Sen. Instead, she’ll watch the decision from the relative safety of Government House. The move has added fuel to political speculation: is it a tactical retreat or a show of confidence that she’ll manage fallout from inside the corridors of power? Either way, the absence leaves a vacuum for pundits and…
Traffic on Phra Barami Road took a heart-stopping turn for the dramatic yesterday when a six-wheeled truck registered in Bangkok careered off the roadway and plunged into a roadside ditch just metres from Wat Suwannakhiriwong (better known locally as Wat Patong). The scene — at the notorious Pla Ra curve on the steep Patong Hill — looked like something from an action movie: dust clouds, a mangled front end, broken railings and two downed light poles. Thankfully, this story ends with a deep breath rather than a tragedy. The descent that went wrong The incident unfolded at about 11:10am on August 28. According to Patong Police, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Rapiphan Chumtham, the 38-year-old driver, identified only as Thanongsak from Kanchanaburi province, says his brakes failed while descending the steep stretch. Facing the terrifying prospect of smashing into other vehicles on the busy slope, he made a split-second decision:…
In the kind of late-night drama Pattaya’s neon-soaked streets sometimes attract, a 35-year-old Thai woman named Angkana and her foreign boyfriend found themselves at the center of an ugly scene that has since sparked outrage online and a formal police complaint. The couple say they were physically assaulted inside Laila Bar, a venue tucked near the Marine Plaza Hotel in South Pattaya, after a night out on Wednesday, August 27. Angkana reported the incident to Mueang Pattaya Police Station at roughly 5 a.m. on August 28, alleging that what began as an ordinary bar visit quickly escalated into a violent confrontation. According to her statement, she and her partner bought drinks for some of the bar’s hostesses that night but did not hire anyone to join them. The trouble, she says, ignited when an Arab man approached the couple and asked to sit with them. They politely declined, wanting some…
Lights, Laughter and Local Flavours: Pattaya’s Film Frenzy Takes Centre Stage Pattaya rolled out the cinematic red carpet this week as the third Pattaya Film Festival exploded into life, turning the seaside city into a buzzing movie-lovers’ playground. From August 28–30, SF Cinema Central Pattaya and several outdoor stages around the city hosted filmmakers, actors and fans — local and international — all united by popcorn, passion and a shared love of cinema. Far from being a one-note beach town, Pattaya is pushing hard to be known for more than nightlife. Organised by Pattaya City, the festival is a deliberate stride toward cementing the city’s growing reputation as a UNESCO Creative City for Film and positioning it as a regional creative hub. If the first two editions were a rehearsed scene, this third festival was full-blown premiere night energy — lights, cameras and plenty of conversation afterwards. Mayor’s Message &…
Thailand is gearing up for a dramatic weather performance as the Meteorological Department (TMD) warns of widespread thunderstorms and torrential downpours sweeping across 37 provinces today. From 6:00 AM on August 29 until 6:00 AM on August 30, a moody monsoon trough draped over the North and a steady southwesterly monsoon pushing across the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf will make sure umbrellas and rain boots are back in the spotlight. Who’s in the line of fire? The TMD’s alert is particularly stern for northern provinces famous for stunning mountains and narrow roads—Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Nan. Residents there should brace for flash floods and forest runoff that can turn familiar paths into fast-moving waterways in no time. In the North broadly, about 60% of the region is expected to see thunderstorms, with heavy rain targeted at Phayao, Nan and the four high-risk provinces listed…
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…
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…