THAI.NEWS - Thailand Breaking News

Two dozen years ago, the lives of villagers in the seasonally flooded lower part of tambon Kho Nua, Muang district, Yasothon province, were forever altered. The year 2000 saw a pivotal visit from His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, then the Crown Prince. His royal initiatives to dredge Nong Ung, a formerly parched 430-rai swamp, breathed life back into the local soil and rejuvenated a devastated forest, ultimately enhancing the villagers’ livelihoods. “His Majesty the King spearheaded the dredging of Nong Ung to serve as a water reservoir for agriculture and fish farming, while also improving the surrounding area, encouraging sustainable living within the forest,” Yasothon governor Nikorn Sooksai remarked back in 2018. Notably, what used to be a flood-prone area during the rainy season has transformed. Fish are plentiful, and the royal project site has captivated the attention of educational trips and youth camps. Children immerse themselves in…

Amphawa Floating Market is far from a deserted tourist locale, contrary to recent rumors online. Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke has stepped forward to refute these claims, stating that both Cha-am Beach and Amphawa Floating Market remain bustling with visitors. Reports suggesting these locations are empty are simply fake news intended to harm Thailand’s tourism image, he explains. Last weekend, a viral video showed a seemingly quiet Cha-am Beach in Phetchaburi, and social media jumped to the conclusion that the area was suffering from a steep tourism decline. Paired with assertions that Amphawa Floating Market in Samut Songkhram now lacks visitors, these claims set off alarm bells, suggesting that the current economic climate was driving tourists away. But Mr. Chai took to X to denounce these misleading reports. He linked to a news story that featured the president of the Thai Hotels Association and local entrepreneurs asserting that Cha-am Beach still…

Exciting news, folks! The much-anticipated 10,000-baht digital wallet handout is set to begin on August 1st, as revealed by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. This announcement came via a tweet on X, coinciding with a crucial meeting of the Digital Wallet Policy Committee. The committee is feverishly preparing for the registration of both eligible recipients and vendors for this transformative scheme. Addressing potential concerns, Prime Minister Srettha assured that measures are being put in place to tackle irregularities and ensure that all eligibility criteria are meticulously reviewed. “This initiative involves significant spending aimed at stimulating the economy,” the prime minister emphasized, “so we must ensure all legal and technical aspects are thoroughly vetted.” Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat, heading a sub-committee on the handout’s finer details, revealed some intriguing updates. The major committee approved a proposal to not borrow from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC). Instead, the project…

Deep in the heart of Nakhon Ratchasima, controversy bubbles in the serene Wang Nam Khieo district. The tranquility of Thap Lan National Park stands juxtaposed with the clamor of its residents, who have voiced their discontent over an online survey’s striking verdict: an overwhelming 95% of participants opposed allocating part of the national park for farming. Conducted by the park, the survey’s staggering numbers — with 879,595 respondents disapproving and only 43,303 in favor — reflect the divided sentiments of the local and national populace. The pivotal question at hand was whether a portion of the 260,000-rai park that encroaches on local community zones should be gingerly handed over for farming and residential purposes. A striking 96% of the survey’s participants hailed from the general public, while only a scant 4% were local residents directly affected by the demarcation of the park. This raised eyebrows among the locals, as their…

Deep in the enchanting locales of Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, an unfolding drama has residents of Wang Nam Khieo district raising their voices over a contentious online survey. The overwhelming response to the survey, conducted last week, indicated a strong opposition to the proposal of allocating a section of Thap Lan National Park for farming activities. Of the 879,595 respondents, a staggering 95% were against the idea, with only 4.7% or 43,303 residents, favoring the boundary modification for agricultural purposes. The survey, which kicked off on June 28, sought public opinion on whether a slice of the 260,000-rai area of the national park that overlaps with local community zones should be made available for residents to farm and live on. In a revelation that hints at broader public interest, a remarkable 96% of those surveyed were members of the general public, rather than local residents directly affected by the park’s demarcation.…

An image from a security camera shows Yan Ruimin checking her phone as she walks along a street in Bangkok on July 1. (Photo supplied) The suspense surrounding the disappearance of the female Chinese TikToker, Yan Ruimin, could soon be drawing to a close. The Police General Hospital’s Institute of Forensic Medicine (IFM) announced that results from DNA testing on human remains—believed to be hers—are expected to be revealed on Friday. Pol Maj Gen Supichai Limsiwawong, the IFM commander, explained the challenges involved in identifying the body due to its significant decomposition and the complexities in retrieving viable DNA samples. “Because the remains were badly decomposed, DNA samples had to be extracted from the bones,” stated Pol Maj Gen Supichai. The remains, suspected to be Yan’s, were discovered discarded in a remote area of Chachoengsao’s Muang district on Saturday. Further complicating the identification process, the authorities have had to rely…

Imagine a shocking courtroom scene where justice unfolded for a heinous criminal. On Monday, the Criminal Court handed down a dramatically reduced sentence of 25 years and six months to a Thai-German man, known only as Tony, after he confessed to appalling crimes against his own daughter. Charged with rape and the production of explicit online content, Tony’s confession shaved nearly half off his initial 51-year sentence. The chilling details of Tony’s crimes are surreal. Public prosecutors charged him with multiple heinous offenses: incest, child sexual abuse, possessing and distributing child pornography, coercing a minor into obscene acts, and uploading these vile materials to the computer system. Each crime is grotesquely cataloged under Section 26 of the Child Protection Act 2003 and Section 14 of the Computer Crime Act 2007. The investigation began with a startling tip-off from German police, leading the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to uncover evidence…

The Criminal Court on Monday delivered a heavy verdict against a Thai-German man who committed the heinous crime of raping his daughter and creating explicit content online. Due to his confession, his sentence was reduced to 25 years and six months in prison. Public prosecutors had filed a lawsuit against the individual, only known as Tony, bringing to light a range of sex-related offenses. The charges included incest, child sexual abuse, possessing and distributing child pornography, coercion of a minor into obscene acts, and uploading obscene content to a computer system. These reprehensible actions were in direct violation of Section 26 of the Child Protection Act 2003, as well as Section 14 of the Computer Crime Act 2007. Initially, Tony faced a 51-year sentence before his penalty was halved following his admission of guilt. The case unfolded from a tip-off by German police to Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI),…

The picturesque Pai River in Mae Hong Son province, Thailand, is often a haven for overseas visitors, many of whom are seen floating leisurely on inflatable tubes. This idyllic scene, frequently captured on social media, has recently drawn the concern of local authorities. According to a recent post on the TeawMaehongson Facebook Page, the governor of Mae Hong Son province has called for the institution of new rules to control visitor activities. This move comes after complaints emerged from a resort owner in Pai district about tourists engaging in disruptive behavior. The allegations include tourists consuming alcohol while tubing and overstaying their welcome in the river, sometimes for almost ten hours a day, which has raised environmental concerns. The owner also lamented that some tourists were wandering around the resort town clad only in swimsuits, causing discomfort among residents and fellow visitors. The situation escalated when a couple of tourists…

The peaceful city of Khon Kaen was dramatically transformed on Monday morning, courtesy of an overnight torrential downpour that left several parts of Muang district swimming in unwanted water. As the sun rose, residents and commuters faced the daunting task of navigating through water-clogged streets, making the morning rush hour a much more complicated affair. Khon Kaen City’s official Facebook page promptly issued a caution, urging drivers to steer clear of the submerged roads if at all possible. The warning was an attempt to ensure safety and mitigate the chaos caused by the sudden deluge. But the storm clouds are not done yet. According to the weather office, Khon Kaen, alongside ten other northeastern provinces, will continue to experience heavy rain until Thursday. Yes, that’s right—three more days of relentless showers are on the horizon. In addition to Khon Kaen, the weather forecast has put several other provinces on high…