American metalcore band Memphis May Fire will return to Thailand for a live concert in Bangkok next year, organisers have announced.
The band is set to perform on April 20, 2026 at The Street Hall, located on the 5th floor of The Street Ratchada shopping complex.
Led by vocalist Matty Mullins, Memphis May Fire is known for its energetic metalcore sound and powerful live performances. Fans can expect a setlist featuring some of the band’s most popular tracks, including “The Sinner,” “Vices,” “Blood & Water,” and “Make Believe.”
The upcoming Bangkok show is scheduled shortly after the Songkran holiday and is expected to draw metal fans from across the country.
Early bird tickets are priced at 2,000 baht and limited to 200 tickets. Tickets are available via the Ticketmelon platform.
Organisers say the concert will offer Thai fans another chance to experience the band’s high-energy performance live in Bangkok.
BANGKOK — A Thai teenager has drawn attention after graduating with a bachelor’s degree with second-class honours at the age of 16 while also building an impressive career in figure skating.
Srisupha Kesavapitak, known as “Beijing”, enrolled at Ramkhamhaeng University in 2020 at the age of 13 after passing the IGCSE equivalency exam. She studied in two faculties simultaneously: English in the Faculty of Humanities and Optometry.
After three years of study, she completed her first bachelor’s degree in English with second-class honours from the Faculty of Humanities.
Beijing said the honours degree was part of her goal to pursue a master’s programme that accepts only students who graduate with honours. She later enrolled in an MSc in Strategic Accounting and Finance at University College London, which she is currently studying online and expects to complete this year.
Alongside her studies, Beijing has also worked as a figure skating coach at Thailand International Ice Hockey and Theatre of Dreams.
She previously won the Asian figure skating championship for two consecutive years in 2017–2018, organised by the Ice Skating Institute Asia.
Balancing academics and work, Beijing said she studied optometry courses during weekdays while completing humanities classes through the university’s course-on-demand system, sometimes taking up to 14 subjects in a single semester while working on weekends.
She has temporarily paused her optometry studies to focus on completing her master’s degree at UCL, with plans to resume the programme later.
In the long term, she hopes to open an optometry clinic, combining her knowledge of eye care, finance and English communication to serve both Thai and international clients.
PATHUM THANI — 9 March 2026, Consumer protection police raided a Chinese-run warehouse and seized more than 100,000 counterfeit toothpaste and cosmetics, authorities said on Monday, amid reports the fake goods were being sold cheaply on a popular online shopping app.
Maj. Gen. Kongkrit Lertsitthikul, commander of the Consumer Protection Police Division, ordered officers to search a warehouse in Khlong Luang district, Pathum Thani province, after complaints from the public about a surge of counterfeit toothpaste and cosmetics being sold online in the area.
Police found a Chinese national identified as Mr. Junxiao acting as the site’s caretaker. A search uncovered 10 types of illegal and counterfeit products totalling 122,872 items, with estimated damages exceeding 6 million baht.
The most frequently counterfeited product was D.dent toothpaste, with 95,600 tubes seized. Other fake items included Dentiste’ toothpaste, Garnier lotions and skin creams, Yerpall skincare products and cosmetics labelled in foreign languages without official registration numbers.
Authorities coordinated with the legitimate manufacturers and identified several ways to distinguish genuine products from fakes. Authentic packaging from batches produced since January 2026 contains a company watermark on the plastic seal, while counterfeit products lack the company’s anti-counterfeit sticker.
When scanned, QR codes on fake products display the word “YAOGAO”, while genuine codes show a mix of letters and numbers. Genuine products also have a shelf life of three years from the production date, whereas the fake items state only two years.
Police have handed the caretaker to investigators at the Consumer Protection Police Division for legal proceedings on charges of selling counterfeit cosmetics, distributing unregistered cosmetics and possessing goods bearing forged trademarks for sale. The offences carry a maximum penalty of four years in prison or a fine of up to 400,000 baht.
Authorities are also working to identify and arrest the warehouse owner.
Lt. Gen. Nattasak Chawanasai, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, warned the public that such products come into direct contact with the body and may contain unsafe chemicals that could cause severe allergic reactions or lead to toxic buildup.
“Do not let unrealistically low prices become the bait that traps you,” he said.
Thai global superstar Lisa delighted fans worldwide after meeting a viral baby snow monkey during a recent trip to Japan.
The Blackpink member travelled to Japan for work commitments as the latest global ambassador for Shiseido. During the trip, Lisa said she hoped to meet “Punch-kun”, a baby monkey that has gained widespread attention online.
Her wish soon came true when she visited Ichikawa City Zoo, home of the seven-month-old monkey, located in Chiba Prefecture.
Lisa later shared photos and videos of the visit on her Instagram Stories (@lalalalisa_m), where she has more than 107 million followers. In the posts, she was seen greeting the small monkey while holding an orange monkey plush toy, creating a heart-warming moment that quickly drew attention from fans.
Punch-kun is a baby Japanese macaque, commonly known as a snow monkey. The animal went viral on social media after being seen clinging affectionately to a large orangutan stuffed toy.
The monkey’s online popularity has reportedly led to a surge in visitors to the zoo since February 2026.
TRAT — Police in Trat have arrested a Cambodian woman accused of operating a small beauty salon from a rented house while staying in Thailand with a passport that expired more than 14 years ago.
The arrest took place at about 11:30 on 7 March after residents alerted the provincial police radio centre that a foreign woman was running a salon inside a rented house in Soi Ta Chae, Village 1, Wang Krachae subdistrict, Mueang district.
Officers from Mueang Trat Police Station inspected the two-storey house and found the ground floor set up like a beauty salon, with chairs, mirrors, hair dryers, a hair steamer, scissors and towels.
The tenant, identified as Run, 58, a Cambodian national, admitted the hairdressing equipment belonged to her. Police later found that her passport had expired in 2012, more than 14 years ago.
Run told officers she had lived in Thailand since 1995 and started a family here, with two children. She said she had not renewed her passport because the cost was too high.
She added that the salon equipment previously belonged to her child and she had used it to provide services from home, including haircuts, hair washing and nail care, to both Thai and Cambodian customers.
Neighbours said most customers were people living nearby and friends who came for simple hair services. The salon had reportedly been operating for nearly a year but did not open every day. Run lives alone at the house, while her son visits occasionally.
Police initially took her to Mueang Trat Police Station for questioning and legal proceedings. Authorities said she will face charges under immigration law and will later be deported.
NAKHON RATCHASIMA — 8 March 2026, A wild elephant from Khao Yai National Park wandered into a pool villa in the Khao Yai area and playfully dipped its trunk into a swimming pool, prompting amused reactions from social media users who dubbed the animal a “VVIP guest”.
The incident was shared in a video posted on Facebook by user “Kuk Navikayothin”, a volunteer who helps push wild elephants back into the forest around Khao Yai. The clip was posted at 07:30.
In the footage, the elephant known as “Plai Khra” enters a pool villa in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima province. The animal is seen reaching its trunk into the villa’s swimming pool and splashing the water as if playing.
After the video was posted, fans of the elephant flooded the comments section with jokes and playful remarks.
Some wrote that nothing compares to “a private pool villa spa for Khra”, while others said people had to step aside for a “VVIP guest”. Another commenter joked about whether the elephant would jump in for a swim and thanked the villa owner for being kind to it, adding that the pool cleaning bill might be hefty if it did.
Others quipped that the elephant looked like “the owner’s son” or nicknamed it “Khra the pool-villa tycoon”.
SURAT THANI — Tourist police on Koh Phangan have arrested a Russian national accused of selling drugs to tourists through an automated system on the Telegram messaging app that directed buyers to GPS locations where narcotics were buried.
The arrest was made on 9 March after officers, acting on intelligence, intercepted a red sedan near Hua Thian Pier in Ban Tai subdistrict. The driver, identified as Anton Petukhov, 41, reportedly appeared intoxicated and admitted to using cocaine.
Police later searched his residence and seized 115.69 grams of cocaine, 11.37 grams of ketamine, 4.42 grams of MDMA crystals and five MDMA tablets.
Investigators said Petukhov worked as a DJ at entertainment venues as a cover while operating the drug trade. Orders were allegedly handled via Telegram using automated AI responses. Buyers selected drugs, paid by credit card and received GPS coordinates to dig up the drugs hidden at various locations.
Police also found a new type of pill known as “2CB”, nicknamed “wolf head” or “skull” due to its colourful shapes designed to attract partygoers. Authorities warned the polydrug mixture — containing MDMA, ketamine, cocaine and caffeine — can cause respiratory failure or death.
Petukhov faces charges including possession and distribution of Category 1 narcotics (MDMA), distribution of Category 2 narcotics (cocaine), distribution of psychotropic substances (ketamine) and illegal drug use. He has been handed over to investigators at Koh Phangan Police Station while police expand the probe.
PHATTHALUNG — 8 March 2026 A police officer assigned to the 191 emergency call centre was found dead in a canal near a kindergarten in Phatthalung on Saturday afternoon, with authorities believing he may have drowned while fishing.
Rescue workers in Phatthalung were notified at 16:46 on Saturday of a missing person at Khlong Na Chod in the Nang Lat Nuea community, within the Phatthalung Municipality area, near Ban Dek Kindergarten.
Rescue officials coordinated with local authorities and a diving team to search the canal, while villagers assisted in the effort.
At the scene, residents found a Honda motorcycle parked near a car wash by the canal. Clothing believed to belong to the missing person was discovered nearby, soaked with water.
The missing man was identified as Pol. Sgt. Maj. Thachanat Choonu, 45, a police officer assigned to the 191 emergency response centre in Phatthalung.
Residents told officials that Pol. Sgt. Maj. Thachanat frequently came to fish in the canal. Authorities initially believe he may have entered the water to catch a fish before drowning.
Rescuers search the canal for the missing officer
Rescue divers searched the canal while villagers walked along the banks to help locate him. About one hour later, divers discovered his body submerged in the canal, about 200 m from where the motorcycle had been parked.
The body was pale, and a sack used to hold fish was found wrapped around his neck. However, officials reported no visible wounds or signs of assault.
Relatives who arrived at the scene broke down in tears upon discovering his body. One family member collapsed while embracing the deceased and said the family had often warned him about the dangers of fishing in the canal, but he loved fishing and rarely listened to their concerns.
The body was sent for a detailed autopsy to determine the exact cause of death before legal procedures continue.
Family members grieve at the scene after identifying the body of the missing officer
CHIANG MAI — 8 March 2026, A 31-year-old man has confessed to strangling his sister-in-law, 21-year-old, whose body was found partially naked inside a house in a longan orchard in Chiang Mai province, police said.
The body of Usa, also known as “Praew”, was discovered on the afternoon of 7 March at a residence in Nam Phrae subdistrict, Hang Dong district. Police said the lower half of the victim’s body was unclothed and there were marks on her neck consistent with strangulation using an object.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Kritthapol Yeesakorn, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 5, said that police initially pursued several possible motives, including jealousy involving a former or current partner, robbery and attempted rape. Investigators questioned multiple individuals, including the victim’s former and current partners, the property owner and the caretaker of the garden and rental house where the victim lived, before ruling out other possibilities and focusing on the suspect, and focused on Phanuwat, nicknamed “Pond”, a 31-year-old furniture craftsman from Khon Kaen who is the victim’s brother-in-law and lived in the same house.
Kritthapol said investigators have charged the suspect with intentional murder.
The suspect told police that when he became intoxicated he sometimes experienced intense sexual urges. He said he had previously gone drinking at the shop where Praew worked, describing her as attractive and saying his strong sexual desire led him to commit the crime.
The suspect confessed that he was tending to the orchard at the scene when he found the victim, known as Nong Praew, alone in her room. Overcome by impulse, he decided to enter and covered her with a blanket to conceal his identity.
The victim struggled and resisted, prompting him to strangle her with his hands. As she continued to fight and cry out, he grabbed an electrical cord and tightened it around her neck until she went limp. He then pulled down her trousers intending to sexually assault her, but discovered she was menstruating and abandoned the attempt.
At that moment, a delivery rider arrived with cosmetics the victim had ordered. The suspect took money from the victim’s bag to pay the rider. Afterwards, he ransacked the room, scattering belongings, and damaged the door knob to simulate a break-in robbery. He then fled to stay with his wife.
After the case made headlines, he posed as a concerned citizen and orchard caretaker, voluntarily giving a statement to police to appear innocent. However, officers examined timelines and nearby CCTV footage, confronting him with inconsistencies until he confessed.
CHIANG MAI — 7 March 2026, Police in Chiang Mai are investigating the suspicious death of a 21-year-old woman whose body was found inside a house in a longan orchard in Hang Dong district, with investigators questioning several people close to the victim.
The victim, Ms. Usa, also known as Praew, 21, was a waitress at a bar in Chiang Mai and originally from Wiang Haeng district. Police from Hang Dong Police Station began investigating after the woman’s body was discovered on the afternoon of 7 March inside a house in a longan orchard in Nam Phrae subdistrict, Hang Dong district, Chiang Mai.
Authorities said the victim was found with her lower body unclothed and marks around her neck suggesting strangulation. Investigators believe she had been dead for about two days.
Police said Praew had been out of contact with her family for about three days before the body was found. Relatives described her as well-behaved and said she usually returned home after work and had no known conflicts with anyone. Officers are reviewing nearby CCTV footage and awaiting autopsy results from the forensic department at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital to help identify the perpetrator.
Relatives and residents at Hang Dong Police Station to follow up on the case.
Family and villagers visit police station
At 11:00 on 8 March, more than 100 relatives and residents from Wiang Haeng district travelled to Hang Dong Police Station to follow up on the case and offer moral support to investigators. The group also brought gift baskets for officers working on the investigation.
Pol. Col. Chakrayut Chotiwachiraphong, superintendent of Hang Dong Police Station, received the group and assured the victim’s family that police were actively pursuing the case.
Praew’s parents said they had already viewed their daughter’s body at the hospital’s forensic department. They said her face appeared swollen, with bruising around the eyes and lips, and marks on her neck that looked like they may have been caused by strangulation or possibly jewellery. The family said they were waiting for the official autopsy results.
The victim’s parents said they did not know many details about their daughter’s life in Chiang Mai and urged police to arrest the perpetrator. “We want to know why someone would kill our daughter,” they said.
Community leaders from Wiang Haeng district said about 300 villagers travelled to Chiang Mai, with some going to the hospital and others to the police station. They said the group did not intend to pressure police but wanted to show support for officers working to solve the case.
Five people under investigation
Investigators from Provincial Police Region 5, Chiang Mai provincial police, and local officers are currently examining five potential suspects. These include the victim’s current boyfriend, her former boyfriend, the owner of the land where she rented a house, and two other people believed to be close to the suspects.
Police have already questioned the current boyfriend, identified as “Fai.” He told investigators he last met the victim on 3 March and that they had continued communicating through the Line messaging app afterward. He was released after questioning.
Another individual questioned was the landowner of the rental property, identified as “Ah Wang,” whose testimony was said to be useful to the investigation. Police are also searching for the victim’s former boyfriend, identified as “James,” who they say previously assaulted the victim when they were still together, and officers are trying to locate him for questioning.
Investigators are also questioning two additional people believed to have been near the scene.
Police believe the crime scene may have been staged to mislead investigators and that the suspect likely knew the victim. Authorities noted that two mobile phones belonging to the victim are missing, while other valuables at the scene were left untouched.
Pol. Col. Chakrayut said investigators are gathering evidence and awaiting forensic results before seeking arrest warrants. Maj. Gen. Yutthana Kaenchan, commander of Chiang Mai Provincial Police, said officers have identified potential suspects but will first ensure the evidence is clear before requesting arrest warrants.
