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.
Residents raise their hands to oppose the controversial project during the community meeting
CHONBURI — 8 March 2026, More than 1,000 residents of Nong Kham subdistrict gathered to oppose the construction of a radioactive material storage facility for cobalt-60 built in the middle of their community, less than 50 m from Nong Kho Reservoir.
Villagers said they feared potential environmental and health impacts if radioactive material were stored near residential areas and a key water source.
Officials from the Nong Kham Subdistrict Administrative Organisation (SAO) said the structure had been built without permission. Construction had already been ordered halted on 20 January 2026, before Sunday’s public consultation.
A photo of a building allegedly constructed without permission
Following the meeting, authorities concluded that the building must be demolished within 30 days.
The public forum was held at 10:00 on Sunday at the dome hall of Wat Nong Leng School in Nong Kham subdistrict, Si Racha district.
The issue came to light after residents of Village No. 11 alerted the SAO to the construction of a small building near the edge of Nong Kho Reservoir. The structure was marked with a hazardous material warning sign and surrounded by a fence with restricted access.
The building itself measures about 4-by-4 metres, with a fenced compound of roughly 6-by-6 metres. Solar panels had also been installed to power surveillance cameras monitoring the site.
Residents said they initially did not know what the building was for or who owned it, prompting them to request an inspection by local authorities.
The SAO later found that the construction had not received building permission. A notice ordering the suspension of construction was posted at the site on 20 January.
The developer, Costero (Thailand) Co., Ltd., represented by managing director Paiboon Jansangprateep, said the company had obtained approval from Thailand’s Office of Atoms for Peace.
Local authorities therefore organised Sunday’s public meeting to allow residents to receive information and express their views on the project.
A visit to the site showed the structure sits in the centre of a residential community, adjacent to a large housing estate and near Nong Kho Reservoir, which supplies water used to produce tap water for local consumption.
One neighbouring homeowner, Sirirat Jittaree, said she only recently learned the building was intended for radioactive materials.
“I live right next to it and didn’t know what they were building. Construction started around the middle of last year,” she said.
“When I heard it would store radioactive substances, I was shocked. Our area is a residential community and the reservoir nearby supplies water for public use.”
She urged authorities to reconsider approving such facilities near residential areas and water sources.
“If officials are going to approve something like this, they should inspect the area first and consider zoning regulations,” she said. “There are villages and water sources all around here. Authorities should think about the people living nearby.”
A resident speaks into a microphone to voice concerns about the project during the community meeting
During the meeting, more than 1,000 residents, local officials and community leaders attended, including Nong Kham SAO chief Pichai Sotharawong, Si Racha district deputy chief Surachai Kamsri, and village leaders.
A representative of Costero (Thailand) acknowledged that the company had not sought construction permission from the SAO and had not organised a public consultation before building the facility.
The admission drew loud boos from residents attending the meeting.
After discussions, officials asked attendees to vote by a show of hands on whether they supported the construction of the cobalt-60 storage facility.
Residents raise their hands to oppose the controversial project during the community meeting
Residents unanimously rejected the project.
Following the vote, the Nong Kham SAO announced it would issue an order requiring the structure to be demolished within 30 days.
Winai Doemsalung, 48, a local resident who attended the meeting, said villagers opposed the project because it had been built without proper permits and oversight.
“People are worried about the impact. If something went wrong, how could we live here?” he said.
“What would happen to our homes or land values? Who would buy property in this area?”
He also raised concerns about possible contamination affecting the reservoir used to produce water for public consumption.
SAO chief Pichai said the unanimous vote reflected the community’s clear opposition to the facility.
“We will issue an official demolition order because the construction was carried out without permission,” he said. “The company will have 30 days to remove the building so residents can feel reassured.”
He added that if the structure is demolished voluntarily and the site cleared, authorities may not pursue further legal action.
MAHA SARAKHAM — The reputation of Thailand’s Buddhist clergy has been tarnished again after provincial officials raided a monk’s hut at a temple in northeastern Thailand and found drugs and several firearms.
Officials from Maha Sarakham’s provincial administration surrounded and searched the hut at a temple in Borabue district following complaints submitted through the Damrongtham public grievance centre. Residents reported that a monk from another province had come to stay at the temple and was allegedly gathering with others to take drugs and drink alcohol, and might also be hiding firearms in the hut.
When officers inspected the single-storey hut, they found it in a filthy state, with belongings scattered chaotically. Large piles of rubbish inside the room emitted a strong foul smell throughout the area.
Inside, officials found Phra Suwan, 40, originally from Kanchanaburi province, living in the hut. A search also uncovered two .22-calibre firearms, three BB guns and 41 rounds of ammunition, all of which were seized as evidence.
During initial questioning, Phra Suwan admitted he had taken two methamphetamine tablets about five days earlier and had not used the drug since. A urine test conducted by officials later confirmed the presence of narcotics in his system.
After the inspection, authorities took the monk to the temple abbot to formally defrock him before handing him over to investigators at Borabue Police Station in Maha Sarakham province for legal proceedings.
Local residents criticised the former monk’s behaviour, saying they had noticed suspicious conduct for some time before filing a complaint with authorities. Villagers also called for stricter inspections of monks in the area to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.
PATTAYA — 8 March 2026, A British tourist allegedly attacked and slashed a fellow Briton inside a beer bar office in Pattaya early on Saturday, leaving the victim seriously injured, authorities said.
At 00:36, the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Centre in Pattaya received a report of an assault with injuries at The King Table beer bar in Soi Pattaya Beach 13, Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. Rescue volunteers coordinated with Pattaya City Police before rushing to the scene.
Responders found a British tourist, believed to be aged between 50 and 60 and the bar’s manager, suffering from a deep facial wound caused by a sharp object. The cut stretched more than 10 centimetres and required about 30 stitches.
Rescue workers provided first aid before transferring the injured man to hospital.
Good Samaritans at the scene managed to detain one of the suspects before handing him over to police for questioning, while another suspect fled.
A staff member at the bar told reporters that the British manager was regularly visited by a group of friends, so the presence of the suspects did not initially raise suspicion.
However, staff later noticed the door to the manager’s office shaking and saw shadows indicating a struggle inside. One suspect ran from the room and escaped, while another was restrained by bystanders.
The motive for the attack remains unclear.
The injured man remains under close medical supervision. Police have taken the detained suspect to Pattaya City Police Station for further questioning and are searching for the second suspect to face legal proceedings.
BURIRAM — 7 March 2026, A 71-year-old man allegedly beat his 63-year-old neighbour to death with a hoe after years of verbal harassment in Prakhon Chai district, a village headman said.
The victim, Prayoon Khrutram, 63, of Ban Saraphi village, Si Liam subdistrict, was found dead by the roadside in the village after being struck several times on the head. The attack allegedly occurred at about 18:00 on Saturday.
Police identified the suspect, 71, who lives across the road from the victim.
According to Wichian Phutthachat, 57, the village headman of Moo 6 in Si Liam subdistrict, the two men had been in conflict for more than two years.
He said the suspect had previously complained that the victim frequently insulted him while intoxicated, often shouting derogatory remarks such as calling him “poor” or from a “poor family.”
Wichian said he had attempted several times to mediate and asked the victim to stop using abusive language, but the insults allegedly continued whenever the victim drank alcohol.
Reporters found alcohol bottles around the premises, consistent with reports that the victim had been drinking
On the evening of the incident, the victim was again intoxicated and shouting insults, the village headman said. The suspect reportedly approached him to confront the issue, but the victim allegedly grabbed a hoe and tried to attack him.
A struggle followed, during which the suspect gained control of the tool and struck the victim repeatedly, causing fatal injuries.
The victim’s niece, acknowledged that her uncle often shouted insults at the suspect while drunk, sometimes extending the abuse to his family.
However, she said the violence was excessive.
“Even if he was insulted, it should not have ended with someone losing their life,” she said.
The victim’s niece, said her uncle often shouted insults at the suspect while intoxicated but said the fatal attack was excessive
The incident has drawn attention on social media, where users questioned how similar neighbourhood disputes—often fuelled by alcohol—can escalate into deadly violence in Thai communities.
NAKHON SAWAN — 8 March 2026, A 12-year-old boy with special needs has been living alone in a dilapidated house in central Thailand following the death of the grandfather who had raised him, prompting concern and offers of help after his story spread online.
Reporters who visited the house in Ban Khao Tham Phra village, Moo 8, Noen Sala subdistrict of Krok Phra district, found the boy, identified as Akkaraphol Chamnankasikon, known as “Nice”, living by himself in the ageing wooden home.
Nice, a fifth-grade student at Khao Tham Phra School, had been raised by his grandfather, who served as the family’s sole caregiver. The grandfather fell ill and died in early January, leaving the boy alone.
According to relatives, Nice’s father had previously died, while his mother separated from the family and started a new household when he was just one year old. As a result, he grew up solely under the care of his grandfather.
The house where he now lives alone is in severely deteriorated condition. One of the rear support pillars is visibly leaning forward, while the corrugated metal roof has multiple leaks. Local residents fear the structure could collapse during strong winds or storms.
Nice said he wakes up at 06:00 each day to wash clothes, clean dishes and do household chores before cycling to school in time for the morning flag ceremony.
After classes, he sometimes visits friends or eats at a relative’s home before returning to the house at dusk, where he spends the night alone. He said the area around the house becomes very dark and quiet at night, leaving him feeling uneasy. Recently, an uncle concerned about his safety has occasionally come to stay with him.
The boy said his biggest worry is the condition of the house, which is old and unstable. During heavy rain, water leaks through the roof in several places, sometimes making it difficult for him to sleep.
Despite feeling hurt by the situation, Nice said he hopes his mother will eventually return so they can live together again as a family in the house.
To support himself, the boy said he earns a small income at weekends when an uncle takes him to dig up plants, earning about 150 baht a day. If the money is not enough, relatives sometimes stop by to help, though the support is limited.
Wacharin Chamruai, 34, a cousin of Nice, said the boy had not seen his mother for more than a decade after she left when he was a toddler. They briefly reunited when the grandfather died, but she did not stay to care for him.
She said the situation gained attention after a local provincial councillor shared the boy’s story online, prompting members of the public to offer assistance.
A member of parliament has since visited Nice and coordinated with the local subdistrict administrative organisation to prepare plans for building him a new home.
People wishing to provide assistance can contact relatives at 091-726-4526.
NAKHON RATCHASIMA — 8 March 2026, Thousands of Buddhists gathered early Sunday in Nakhon Ratchasima to receive alms from devotees on Sunday morning for the 10,000-monk almsgiving ceremony marking the city’s 558th anniversary.
The almsgiving ceremony began at 06:00 along the roads surrounding the Thao Suranaree Monument, commonly known as Ya Mo Plaza, in Mueang district.
The ceremony was led by Phra Phrommasit, a member of the Supreme Sangha Council and abbot of Wat Saket Ratchaworamahawihan in Bangkok, as the senior monastic presiding over the event. The civilian ceremony was chaired by Wichit Kijwirat, deputy governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, representing the provincial governor.
Senior government officials, military officers, police, and tens of thousands of Buddhists took part in the ceremony. Participants dedicated their respects to the kings who founded Nakhon Ratchasima, as well as to King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother, and Thao Suranaree (Ya Mo).
Monks from six northeastern provinces later chanted Buddhist prayers for good luck before lining up along the roads surrounding the monument to receive alms from the public.
The large-scale almsgiving event was first organised in 2008 through cooperation between Buddhist organisations and civil society groups in Nakhon Ratchasima. In 2024, it was elevated to an official annual city merit-making tradition.
Thousands in Korat line the streets to give alms to long lines of monks
The event is held each March to commemorate the historic victory of Thao Suranaree, the revered heroine of Korat.
The programme is part of the Bor-Wor-Ror initiative (Home-Temple-School/Government) led by the Nakhon Ratchasima Sangha and the provincial administration.
This year’s event was organised with support from more than 60 agencies, including the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Office of Buddhism, the Provincial Administrative Organisation, Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality, the Second Army Region, and the provincial police.
Phra Thep Simaphon, the ecclesiastical governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, said Korat residents are fortunate to unite in large-scale almsgiving each year.
“Opportunities to organise such a large almsgiving ceremony are rare elsewhere, but Korat can do it every year,” he said. “It is truly commendable.”
He added that the almsgiving ceremony not only strengthens Buddhism but also fosters unity in the community.
Food and supplies donated during the event will be distributed to 323 temples, as well as to teachers and soldiers serving in security-risk areas in Thailand’s four southern border provinces. Some donations will also be used to assist disaster victims in Nakhon Ratchasima province.
