The mastermind behind a devious extortion plot in Bangkok that masqueraded as members of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) has finally been apprehended. Boonserm Khamsang, 53, was caught in Pathumwan district on Tuesday, facing charges of extortion, coercion, and threats. He is the last of the four suspects to be rounded up in this case. Investigators began their work when a group of four men, claiming to be soldiers attached to the Isoc and Crime Suppression Division police, searched a house in the Hua Mak area around noon on April 11. Alleging that the house owner had committed embezzlement, the men demanded an exorbitant sum of 3.1 million baht from him. Fearing for the safety of his wife and two young children, the man complied and handed over the money to the criminals, who then quickly fled in an Isuzu MU-7 SUV. The victim later filed a complaint with…
THAI.NEWS - Thailand Breaking News
On Wednesday morning, the first group of 82 Thai nationals fleeing the unrest in Sudan arrived at the airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Over the next few days, more than 130 others are anticipated to make their journey home from Sudan. The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) was dispatched to repatriate the Thai citizens who had sought refuge in Saudi Arabia from the escalating crisis in Sudan. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated the efforts and designated King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah as a gathering point for the Thai nationals in Sudan who wished to return to Thailand. The first group of citizens arrived at the airport after a ship provided by the Saudi Arabian government transported them from Port Sudan. The ship was carrying nearly 1,700 foreigners of various nationalities who were attempting to return to their home countries. Three aircraft – two C-130s and an Airbus…
The peaceful atmosphere of Chachoengsao was violently disrupted by the relentless power of summer storms that swept through upper Thailand on Monday. Residents of the eastern province were subjected to an intense onslaught of heavy rain, fierce winds, and hail for over an hour, as they helplessly watched the tempest wreak havoc on their community. Mother Nature spared nothing in her path, as huge trees were uprooted by the wind, obstructing roads and creating massive inconvenience. The torrential downpour and relentless gusts inflicted widespread damage to personal property, making it a day to remember for all the wrong reasons. The relentless rain managed to accumulate enough water to trigger landslides in two distinct districts, Muang and Bang Nam Preaw. Miraculously, there were no casualties or injuries reported in either case, perhaps providing the one silver lining in an otherwise distressing day for the residents. Chaos unfolded at Klong Chao Flea…
Top Thai prime minister candidates are set to present their visions at an English-language debate organized by the Nation Group and the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) on Saturday, April 29th. The event, entitled “PM Candidates Debate in English: Meet PM Candidates & Heads of Strategist Teams,” will be covered by various prominent international media outlets and live-streamed online. The purpose of this event is to inform the international community about the policies of parties vying for election and the potential impacts of these policies globally. As the exclusive English-language platform for significant parties to share their ideas for Thailand, the debate aims to highlight the leadership qualities of the prime minister candidates. Intended to appeal to an international English-speaking audience, both in Thailand and overseas, the event targets citizens, businesses, trade, investment, and government officials impacted by Thailand’s general election and its resulting changes. As a leading educational…
During a recent election debate in Songkhla’s Muang district, Deputy leader Nipon Boonyamanee declared that a Democrat government would prioritize establishing peace in the three southern border provinces, which have experienced over 7,000 deaths related to insurgency since 2004. Nipon emphasized that negotiations, rather than ongoing military expenditure, are vital to achieving this goal. “We must first bring about peace,” Nipon stated, asserting that the Democrats firmly believe in the necessity of holding peace talks with dissident groups. He criticized previous Thai governments, including the current Prayut Chan-o-cha administration, for maintaining strict martial law in the region while failing to address the needs and concerns of the majority Malay Muslim population. In addition to pursuing diplomatic solutions, Nipon explained that a Democrat government would focus on reducing poverty to facilitate peace in the deep South. He observed that although the area now has adequate educational facilities, many local graduates relocate…
Ratchada Dhnadirek, the Deputy Government Spokesperson, announced on Tuesday that 212 Thai citizens, who had been evacuated from Sudan, reached Port Sudan safely. They are scheduled to be transported by boat to the city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, where they will be waiting for a Royal Thai Airforce (RTA) plane to take them back to their homeland. The RTA has been granted permission from Saudi Arabia to land in Jeddah and pick up the evacuees on Tuesday evening. Ratchada confirmed that the RTA aircraft would return to Bangkok the same night it picks up the passengers. The Thai citizens in Sudan registered with the Foreign Ministry for evacuation after conflict broke out in the country. Additionally, three Thais will make their return journey with their legal foreign partners. These individuals left the Sudanese capital on Monday afternoon. The unrest in Sudan began on April 11, when two opposing factions…
As Thailand’s tourism industry continues its path to recovery, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is optimistic about reaching their target of welcoming at least 25 million visitors in 2023. An astounding 8 million international visitors are projected to explore the country in just the first four months of this year. In a show of resiliency, popular Thai tourist destinations saw an influx of foreign visitors during the Songkran Festival. In response to the quicker-than-anticipated rebound in tourism, TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn urged businesses to avoid price wars and instead capitalize on the considerable spending power of travelers eager to explore after the Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions. Wallapa Traisorat, CEO and President of Asset World Corp Plc (AWC), expressed similar optimism for the upmarket hotel segment in major tourist destinations like Bangkok and Phuket. The average room occupancy rate is an impressive 80%, even as room rates doubled when compared…
In the thick of the Huay Kum forest within the Kaeng Krachan district of Phetchaburi province, an intense encounter unfolded between two hunters and a team of forest rangers. The incident resulted in the wounding and subsequent arrest of the hunters as six grey langurs were found lifeless in their possession. Kaeng Krachan National Park chief, Somjate Janthana, recounted the gripping events on Tuesday. The forest rangers embarked on their patrol in the Huay Kum forest, near Phu Sai, situated in the Moo 3 village of tambon Huay Mae Phriang. As the evening approached, the night was interrupted by the startling sound of gunshots around 7:30 pm. The rangers, fueled by adrenaline, quickly moved towards the source of the noise. Upon reaching the scene, the rangers found themselves face-to-face with two armed men. Demanding that they surrender for an on-the-spot search, the rangers were met with a hail of bullets…
Authorities have been inspecting homes in That Phanom district of Nakhon Phanom, following the damaging effects of storms and gusting winds that impacted five districts of the upper northeastern province over the weekend. Over 700 houses were affected by the extreme weather conditions. Scattered summer storms, gusty winds, and even hail have been predicted for Bangkok and provinces in the North, Northeast, East, and Central Plains for the upcoming days. A moderate high-pressure system is expected to blanket northeastern Thailand and the South China Sea during these days, according to the weather office. Hot to extremely hot weather will affect the upper regions, and strong southerly and southeasterly winds will carry humidity from the Gulf and the South China Sea, the Meteorological Department has reported. Under these conditions, various provinces in the North, Northeast, East, and Central Plains are likely to experience scattered summer storms, strong winds, isolated hail, and…
The Prime Minister has given the green light for the use of RTA aircraft to carry out evacuations, and we are simply awaiting confirmation on the dates and designated airports for the planes to touch down. Once all issues have been ironed out, the evacuation process will commence, stated Kanchana Patarachoke on Monday. Kanchana holds the positions of Director-General of the Department of Information and spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry. Since April 15, heavy gunfire and explosions have echoed through the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and its surrounding areas as the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces engage in a brutal struggle for control of Africa’s third-largest nation. Monday’s news agencies reported that the clashes have resulted in the deaths of at least 400 civilians and injuries to over 3,500 people. According to Kanchana, the government’s top priority is the evacuation of Thai citizens. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha…