BANGKOK — Cambodian authorities have raised concerns with Thailand over a doctored image depicting Hun Sen, the former prime minister of Cambodia, embedded in tree roots, as both sides agreed to step up cooperation to curb misinformation and reduce tensions, a Thai military spokesperson said.
Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sornjaidee, assistant air force commander and director of the Thailand–Cambodia Joint Information Center (JIC), said on 17 March that Cambodia had directly coordinated with Thai counterparts over the viral image, which was widely shared on social media and criticised as inappropriate.
The image digitally altered Hun Sen’s face into tree roots shaped to resemble female genitalia, prompting strong dissatisfaction from Cambodian authorities, who viewed it as offensive and disrespectful.
Prapas said the coordination follows mechanisms established under a joint statement signed after the 3rd Special General Border Committee (GBC) meeting between Thailand and Cambodia on 27 December 2025, aimed at easing bilateral tensions.
Under Article 16 of the agreement, both sides maintain direct and regular communication between official media teams to manage disinformation, ensure transparency and accuracy, and build mutual trust.
Thailand has appointed Group Captain Patha Kantubtim, Thai air attaché in Phnom Penh, as its focal point under the JIC mechanism, while Cambodia designated Brig Gen Phan Yinyoura, deputy chief of the International Relations Department at its Defence Ministry, under its Command Post Information (CPI) unit.
Both sides expressed concern over provocative, mocking or defamatory content circulating online, warning such material could affect public sentiment and undermine bilateral cooperation.
They reaffirmed commitment to Article 8 of the joint statement, which calls for refraining from disseminating false or misleading information to reduce tensions and foster a more constructive environment for dialogue.
Authorities from both countries will coordinate fact-checking of online content, exchange information through direct channels, and promote accurate reporting to prevent public misunderstanding.
The JIC also urged media and the public in both countries to exercise caution when sharing potentially misleading or provocative content, and to rely on official sources.
The latest incident follows online controversy involving images linked to a Cambodian temple, which sparked criticism among Thai social media users and led to further manipulated content targeting Hun Sen.
PHUKET — 17 March 2026, A hotel in Phuket has issued a safety warning after a foreign man was caught on CCTV entering a reception area in the early hours and taking items from a drawer.
Footage shared online shows the incident occurred at 03:07. The man walked into the hotel lobby and went behind the reception counter before opening a drawer and removing documents and some property.
A female staff member later approached the desk and confronted the man, prompting him to leave the area immediately.
The page said the suspect appeared to take money from the counter, but the situation was interrupted when an employee, reportedly a Myanmar national, arrived at the scene.
The clip has since drawn widespread attention online, with many users voicing concerns over hotel security. Comments highlighted the risks of leaving reception areas unattended at night, insufficient security measures, and the safety of staff, particularly women working alone on night shifts.
Some called on hotel operators to strengthen security protocols and urged the victim to file a police report to pursue legal action.
Police confront the 36-year-old man in Udon Thani before detaining him after his mother and grandmother were brought to safety
UDON THANI — 16 March 2026 A 36-year-old man in Udon Thani who appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis held his mother and grandmother inside their home for several hours early Sunday before authorities intervened and took him for medical evaluation.
Police from Muang Udon Thani Police Station and local administrative officials were called to a house in Ban Lao Na Di, Na Di subdistrict, after the man reportedly prevented his mother, 59, and grandmother, 80, from leaving the home from about 05:00 until noon.
Authorities said the man repeatedly claimed that someone was coming to harm his relatives. Officers spent a prolonged period speaking with him before he eventually allowed the two women to leave the house unharmed.
When officials attempted to escort him for questioning and medical assessment, he initially resisted and insisted that officers identify themselves before approaching him. Authorities then physically escorted him to a vehicle to take him for a medical examination.
Police said the man struggled while being taken to the vehicle, and at one point a bystander attempted to strike him before officers intervened and quickly removed him from the scene.
His grandmother said she was shocked by the incident, describing her grandson as hardworking. She said he had worked in Taiwan and returned to Thailand about two years ago while preparing to take up employment in Israel.
“I don’t know what happened today,” she said. “Suddenly he became agitated and grabbed both me and his mother, saying someone was coming to harm and kill us, telling us to crouch down and be careful.”
She said villagers and the village headman tried to persuade him to release them, but he refused. The two women were held inside the house from early morning until noon.
A neighbour said they heard Mr. Wuttichai shouting, “Don’t come near my house,” while appearing agitated from about 05:00 until noon.
According to neighbours, Mr. Wuttichai had previously worked in Taiwan and had been preparing to travel to Israel for work, but his plans were delayed by the war there. In the meantime, he had been working as a food delivery rider while waiting for the opportunity to go abroad.
Officials said a preliminary drug test conducted at the district office found no narcotics in his system. However, authorities plan to send him to Udon Thani Hospital for a more detailed examination to determine the cause of the episode.
Police speak with the man’s grandmother after he was taken for medical evaluation
BANGKOK — Thailand’s Public Health Ministry says the country has sufficient reserves of psychiatric medicines despite concerns about possible shortages linked to global transport disruptions amid fighting in the Middle East.
Dr. Somruk Chuengsaman, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, said on Monday that preliminary information from the Food and Drug Administration showed that nearly all key medicines currently have reserves of more than three months.
Authorities have convened a meeting to closely monitor the situation and review medicine inventories in detail, he said.
Somruk added that officials are expected to provide a formal update within one to two days to give the public clearer information on the situation.
President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn upon his arrival to the White House, Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
U.S. President Donald Trump said he has demanded about seven countries send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open as Iranian strikes continued to rain down on Gulf countries Monday.
Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest, gradually restarted operations after a drone struck a fuel tank and started a fire. Authorities said it was quickly contained and no injuries were reported.
Tehran has accused the United States without evidence of using “ports, docks and hideouts” in the United Arab Emirates to launch strikes on Kharg Island, home to the main terminal handling Iran’s oil exports evidence, as oil prices soared. Brent crude oil was trading near $105 per barrel on Monday.
Trump said the U.S. is negotiating with countries heavily reliant on Middle East crude to join a coalition to police the waterway where about one-fifth the world’s traded oil normally flows, but declined to name them.
Israeli strikes have deepened Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis, with more than 850 people killed and over 850,000 displaced.
Here is the latest:
Starmer says UK seeks ‘viable’ plan to open Strait of Hormuz
Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Britain is working with allies on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but “will not be drawn into the wider war.”
He spoke after U.S. President Donald Trump said he’d demanded U.S. allies send warships to open the key oil shipment route.
Starmer said Britain is discussing with the U.S. and allies in Europe and the Gulf the possibility of using mine-hunting drones that the U.K. has in the region. But he signalled the U.K. is unlikely to dispatch a warship.
Trump has berated Starmer for a perceived lack of support for the war, after the prime minister initially refused to allow the U.S. to use British bases to strike Iran.
Starmer said at a news conference Monday that Britain is seeking “a viable collective plan” to reopen the strait, adding that it is, “to say the least, not easy.”
Iran says Strait of Hormuz is closed only to US, Israel and their allies
Iran’s top diplomat says the key Strait of Hormuz is only cut off for vessels of the United States, Israel and their allies.
“From our perspective it is open,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said of the strait. “It is only closed to our enemies, to those who carried out unjust aggression against our country and to their allies.”
Araghchi spoke at a press conference in Tehran on Monday.
Israeli airstrike kills 4, including 2 children, in Lebanon
Lebanon’s Health Ministry says an Israeli airstrike on the southern village of Qantara killed four people, including two children.
A wall collapse in Gaza kills 3 Palestinians
Two Palestinian women and a child were killed Monday when a wall collapsed in the Gaza Strip, hospital authorities said.
The three-meter-high wall collapsed over tents sheltering displaced people in the southern city of Khan Younis, the city’s Nasser Hospital said.
The dead were relatives and included a six-year-old boy, a 17-year-old pregnant woman and an elderly woman, according to a hospital casualty list.
The Israel-Hamas war has wrecked Gaza, leaving the majority of the strip’s more than 2 million people living in tents or damaged buildings.
The war left 61 million tons of rubble — about as much as 15 Great Pyramids of Giza or 25 Eiffel Towers by volume, according to the U.N.
German minister says US-Israeli aims need clarity
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Monday it will be important for the U.S. and Israel to define “when they consider the military aims of their deployment to have been reached.”
Before meeting EU colleagues in Brussels, Wadephul said he told his U.S. and Israeli counterparts “we need more clarity here.”
He also said the Iranian government poses a significant danger to the region, the freedom of shipping and the global economy and “this danger definitely must not continue.”
Wadephul said without elaborating that he would back sanctions against those responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
He said once there is clarity on the U.S.-Israeli aims it will be time for a phase when “a security architecture for this whole region” is defined, which will entail speaking to Iran.
UK sending funds to Lebanon humanitarian groups
Britain is sending 5 million pounds ($6.6 million) to humanitarian organizations in Lebanon.
The funds are intended to help provide food, water and shelter for some of the more than 800,000 people displaced by Israel’s offensive against the militant group Hezbollah.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she is “gravely concerned about the developing conflict in Lebanon and the scale of the humanitarian impact.”
She condemned Hezbollah’s strikes on Israel and said the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese people by Israeli operations “is completely unacceptable.”
Cooper said the U.K. is working with European allies and the U.S. to prevent the conflict from escalating.
Bahrain reports missile and drone attacks
Bahrain’s Defense Ministry says air defense systems have responded to attacks Monday morning.
The ministry says four missiles and three drones were fired.
Israel sends troops into Lebanon for ‘limited’ operation
The Israeli military says it sent additional ground troops into Lebanon for what it calls a “limited and targeted operation.”
Military spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani says the latest deployment is meant to defend Israeli border communities against attacks from the Hezbollah militant group.
Shoshani says Hezbollah has sent hundreds of fighters from its elite Radwan unit toward the border since the militant group entered the war two weeks ago.
He says Israel carried out artillery and airstrikes on multiple sites before sending in the troops.
Earlier in the war, Israel beefed up the presence of ground troops inside Lebanon in what it says is an attempt to prevent attacks on its northern border towns.
Protesters shout slogans against Donald Trump’s demands to multiple countries to send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, near the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Israeli strikes on south Lebanon kill 3 including 2 paramedics
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency says one person was killed by an Israeli airstrike early Monday on a home in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Sir.
The agency says another strike occurred after paramedics from the Islamic Health Society, Hezbollah’s health arm, arrived at the scene.
The agency says the second strike killed two paramedics and wounded another person.
Israeli military says 70% of Iranian launchers destroyed
The Israeli military says it has destroyed an estimated 70% of Iran’s missile launchers during the first two weeks of the war.
Military spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani told reporters Monday that while Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel, the number of launches has been greatly reduced.
He says Israel has carried out some 7,600 strikes in Iran, knocking out 85% of Iran’s air defenses and targeting a number of Iranian nuclear sites.
Shoshani says the war will go on “for as long as needed” and says Israel still has thousands of targets it is prepared to strike.
China has no comment on Trump’s Strait of Hormuz request
A Chinese government spokesperson did not respond directly to questions about Trump’s request for military support from several countries to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The Foreign Ministry’s Lin Jian, at a daily briefing in Beijing, instead repeated China’s calls for an end to the fighting, noting the impact on energy and goods trade.
Trump said in an interview with The Financial Times that the U.S. would like an answer from China before his planned trip to Beijing in about two weeks, and that “we may delay.”
Lin said China and the U.S. have maintained communication on Trump’s visit.
“Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China–U.S. relations,” he said.
Drone strike starts fire at UAE oil facility
A fire broke out Monday following a drone attack on an industrial oil facility in Fujairah, one of the United Arab Emirates’ seven emirates, authorities said.
The Media Office in Fujairah said a drone targeted the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, causing an “advanced” fire.
No casualties were reported.
UAE says Palestinian killed in Abu Dhabi missile attack
A Palestinian civilian was killed in a missile attack early Monday in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi, authorities said.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office said a missile fell on a civilian vehicle in Al Bahyah area
The death raised the toll to seven people in the UAE since the beginning of the war Feb. 18, authorities said.
EU weighs naval missions to reopen strait
The European Union is weighing two types of naval missions to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“It is in our interest to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, and that’s why we are also discussing what we can do in this regard from the European side,” said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief.
She made the announcement ahead of a gathering of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday.
Rising prices for energy and fertilizers has brought the war in Iran to the top of their agenda, she said.
Kallas said the EU could expand its Aspides naval mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea up into the Persian Gulf or form a “coalition of the willing” with member nations contributing military capacity on an ad hoc basis.
Saudi Arabia reports drone attacks
Saudi Arabia says it intercepted three drones Monday morning over the capital Riyadh and the nation’s oil-rich western region.
The Saudi Defense Ministry says no casualties or damage were reported.
The ministry reports more than 60 drones attacked the Gulf country within a few hours.
Some flights resume at Dubai airport
United Arab Emirates officials say Dubai International Airport has gradually resumed some flights at hours after a drone strike.
Dubai Civil Aviation Authority announced flights are operating to selected destinations, according to the Dubai Media Office.
Emirates airline says limited operations have resumed at the airport.
A drone struck a fuel tank at the airport early Monday, causing a fire and forcing the temporary suspension of flights.
A barrel of Brent, the international standard, was up 1.6% at $104.73, dipping slightly after opening above $106 per barrel. It’s up more than 40% since the war began.
Share prices in Asia were mixed and U.S. futures advanced.
Dubai flights to remain suspended
Hours after a drone strike sparked a fire at Dubai’s main airport, Emirates says in its latest update that all of its flights there “remain suspended until further notice.”
The airline says it is working with authorities to restart operations when possible. It urged passengers not to travel to the airport.
Dubai International Airport is the world’s busiest airport for international travel and a key hub for many routes linking the East and West.
UAE intercepts more drone and missile attacks
The United Arab Emirates’ Defense Ministry said forces were intercepting Iranian missiles and drones Monday morning.
Earlier, a drone hit a fuel tank at the Dubai International Airport.
Liberia-flagged tanker Shenlong Suezmax, carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia, that arrived clearing the Strait of Hormuz, is seen at the Mumbai Port in Mumbai, India, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Trump suggests he may delay his trip to China
Trump is suggesting he may delay his much-anticipated visit to China at the end of the month as he seeks to ramp up the pressure on Beijing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and calm oil prices.
In an interview Sunday with the Financial Times, Trump said China’s reliance on oil from the Middle East means it ought to help with a new coalition he is trying to put together to get oil tanker traffic moving through the strait after Iran’s threats have throttled global flows of oil.
Trump said “we’d like to know” before the trip whether Beijing will help.
“We may delay,” Trump said in the interview.
Trump’s new comments came as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Monday in Paris for a new round of trade talks that were meant to pave the way for Trump’s Beijing trip.
Saudi crown prince speaks with UAE president
Mohammed bin Salman and Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed the latest regional developments in a phone call, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement early Monday.
The two leaders said the continued “Iranian attacks against Gulf Cooperation Council countries represent a dangerous escalation that threatens regional security and stability,” adding that GCC states will continue efforts to defend their countries
Road and tunnel to Dubai International Airport closed
Emirati authorities have closed the main road and tunnel leading to Dubai International Airport.
Dubai Police urged drivers to use alternative roads.
Authorities said earlier a drone hit a fuel tank at the airport, causing fire with no casualties.
Saudi air defenses down large drone attack
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said early Monday it downed an additional large barrage of 35 drones in the country’s eastern region, one of the kingdom’s least dense, close to Iran and home to major oil installations.
This brings the total number of drones intercepted to at least 60 in the last few hours.
The ministry did not immediately report casualties or damage.
Australia not sending warship to Strait of Hormuz, minister says
The Australian government says a warship won’t be sent to the Middle East to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to international shipping.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that he has demanded about seven countries send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, as Iranian strikes continued to rain down on Gulf countries.
Australia’s Transport Minister Catherine King told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Monday she was not aware of Australia receiving such a request.
“We won’t be sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz. We know how incredibly important that is, but that’s not something that we’ve been asked or that we’re contributing to,” King said.
Australia said last week it was providing the UAE with an air force surveillance jet and air-to-air missiles to defend against Iranian attacks.
But a government statement said Australia was “not taking offensive action against Iran.”
PHANG NGA — 16 March 2026, More than 120 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins have been spotted swimming near Koh Tachai in the Similan Islands National Park, in a rare display highlighting the area’s rich marine ecosystem.
Sirivat Suebsai, head of the Similan Islands National Park, said the sighting occurred at 10:00 on 15 March while a marine patrol unit was conducting routine operations. Officers encountered an unusually large aggregation of the dolphins, known as a “super pod”, near Koh Tachai, a phenomenon rarely seen in Thai waters.
Bottlenose dolphins are typically found in smaller groups of around 10 to 20 individuals. The presence of a pod exceeding 100 animals reflects a high level of ecological abundance in the waters around Koh Tachai and the wider Similan archipelago, Sirivat said.
Officials at the scene reported that the dolphins, measuring about 1 to 2.5 metres in length, spread across the sea surface and displayed playful and friendly behaviour. Some swam alongside the patrol boat, while others leapt above the water, appearing to “welcome” the officers, creating a memorable moment for the team.
Sirivat said the sighting aligns with the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry’s policy to promote conservation-focused tourism that does not harm natural resources. Measures such as limiting visitor numbers, regulating boat routes and closely monitoring rare marine species are beginning to show clear results.
The return of large numbers of rare marine animals demonstrates that responsible tourism can help restore natural ecosystems, he said.
Park authorities have urged tour operators and visitors to follow international guidelines when encountering marine wildlife: reduce speed, maintain a steady and slow course, keep a safe distance, avoid driving through or chasing animal groups, and refrain from feeding, making loud noises or entering the water to touch the animals.
BANGKOK — Sophon Saram on Monday formally received the royal command appointing him Speaker of the House of Representatives at a ceremony held at Parliament.
The ceremony, held at 14:30, also saw Mallika Jirapanvanich receive the royal command appointing her as First Deputy House Speaker, and Lertsak Phattanachaiyakul as Second Deputy House Speaker. The appointment ceremony was conducted before the royal portrait of His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn at the parliament complex.
Cabinet members, representatives from political parties including Bhumjaithai, Pheu Thai and Prachachart, as well as senior officials from the Secretariat of the Cabinet and the Secretariat of the House of Representatives attended the event. Participants later gathered for a commemorative group photograph in front of the royal portrait.
Following the ceremony, Sophon said he plans to schedule a parliamentary session to vote for a new prime minister on 19 March.
He said he hoped Thailand would have a fully empowered government before the Songkran festival, noting that the country is currently facing multiple challenges and requires a government able to operate with full authority.
When asked about the proposed constitutional amendments left unresolved by the previous parliament, Sophon said the matter would depend on the position of the incoming government and would have to wait until the new cabinet assumes office.
PATTANI — A border patrol policeman was killed and a suspected insurgent shot dead during a gun battle in Nong Chik district of southern Pattani on Sunday morning, security officials said.
Maj. Gen. Narong Tantisitthiporn, commander of the Pattani Task Force, said authorities received a report at about 05:30 that suspicious individuals believed to be insurgents were hiding in a forest behind a village in Moo 6, Ban Pakalue Song, Tuiyong subdistrict.
Security forces moved to surround the area and coordinated with local leaders to attempt negotiations.
At about 09:30, as officers closed in on a suspected house, the suspects opened fire with military-grade weapons, forcing the officers to take cover and return fire. The gunmen then fled into a rubber plantation behind the village, triggering a firefight that lasted about 10 minutes.
After the shooting subsided, police found that Pol. Sgt. Maj. Warathep Srisuwanchana of Border Patrol Police Company 43 had been critically wounded by a gunshot to the forehead. He was rushed to Pattani Hospital but later died from severe blood loss.
Authorities subsequently deployed a helicopter from the Anothai Task Force to conduct aerial surveillance while ground forces continued to surround the forest area. Suspects hiding in the plantation intermittently fired at officers, leading to further exchanges of gunfire and several explosions. Armoured vehicles were brought forward to support the operation.
By about 11:30, after the situation was brought under control, troops used a military excavator to clear parts of the area before advancing to inspect the site.
Officers discovered the body of a male suspect, believed to be around 30 years old, lying in tall grass inside the rubber plantation. He was dressed in black, and an M16 rifle fitted with a scope was found beside the body and seized as evidence.
Preliminary investigations indicate that at least two suspects were involved, with one escaping. Authorities are continuing to track the fugitive.
Security officials believe the group may be linked to the operational network of an insurgent known as “Wae Aree,” believed to be active in Yarang district. The same group was reportedly involved in a clash with security forces in Tha Kamcham subdistrict on 11 March, when one suspect was killed and two firearms — an M16 rifle and a .38 handgun — were seized.
Authorities suspect the group had been preparing attacks in retaliation against security forces and had been moving improvised explosive devices in the area. Security operations have since been intensified as investigators work to identify and apprehend the remaining suspects.
Thailand’s seafood industry is stepping up sustainability efforts as major retailers in the US and Europe increasingly scrutinise seafood supply chains.
Eight Thai industry groups have launched a long-running Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) under the Thai Sustainable Fisheries Roundtable to promote sustainable fishmeal production in line with the MarinTrust international standard.
The initiative focuses on traceability, factory standards and responsible sourcing of raw materials, aiming to ensure fish used in feed comes from sustainable fisheries.
More than 45 fishmeal factories have joined the programme, with three already achieving full MarinTrust certification — a move expected to strengthen Thailand’s seafood supply chain and competitiveness in global markets.
PATTAYA — 16 March 2026, Police detained nine migrant workers and seized weapons after more than 20 foreigners reportedly gathered for a fight on Pattaya’s Walking Street late Sunday night, causing panic among tourists.
At 23:46, Pol. Lt. Col. Chaowalit Suwanmanee, an inspector at Pattaya City Police Station, led officers from Pattaya police, tourist police and city enforcement officials to investigate reports of a planned brawl in front of the Siam Bayshore Hotel on Walking Street in South Pattaya, Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province.
Authorities found a large group of migrant workers gathering and preparing to confront a rival group. Officers quickly moved in to control the situation and detained nine suspects, including two Myanmar nationals and three Karen men. The nationalities of the remaining detainees were still being verified.
Police also seized two weapons, a pointed knife and a short folding knife. Some individuals involved in the incident fled the scene amid the confusion and the large number of tourists in the area, escaping on parked motorcycles.
One detained suspect from Myanmar, who could speak limited Thai, told police that more than 20 Myanmar migrant workers had arranged to meet to settle a dispute with a rival group following a previous conflict at the “Blue Square” area of Bali Hai Pier.
However, while the two groups were talking to resolve the issue, Pattaya officials arrived to inspect the area. Believing they were about to be arrested, both sides panicked and scattered, fleeing on motorcycles, the suspect said. He was unable to escape and was taken into custody.
Police have handed the suspects and the seized weapons to investigators at Pattaya City Police Station for legal proceedings and are continuing efforts to track down others who fled the scene.
