Well-known wild elephant “Plai Kor Kaew” shot dead in Chanthaburi

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26 May 2026, 10:06

CHANTHABURI — 25 May 2026, A well-known wild elephant named Plai Kor Kaew was found shot dead in an orchard near Khao Khitchakut National Park, prompting renewed concerns over the long-standing conflict between humans and wild elephants in eastern Thailand.

Officials said the male elephant, also known locally as “Ai Mua”, was about 30 years old and had tusks measuring more than 80 centimetres. At the scene, initial examinations found at least six severe wounds believed to have been caused by gunfire, including injuries near the ears, chest, abdomen and upper front legs.

Chawinth Pinkaew, chief of Khao Khitchakut National Park, and Pol. Capt. Yodtha Cherdchuechon, an investigator at Khao Khitchakut Police Station, joined forensic officers and veterinarians from the Department of National Parks on Monday to inspect the carcass after local residents reported the death near a pond at the edge of a fruit orchard in Khlong Phlu subdistrict of Chanthaburi province.

Officials said evidence was being collected from the scene to help identify those responsible.

The carcass was later transported to a national park protection unit in Thung Phlo for a detailed post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.

Authorities said the case reflected the worsening conflict between villagers and wild elephants around the Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary and nearby forest areas in eastern Thailand.

Plai Kor Kaew was known among local residents as a solitary elephant that could sometimes behave aggressively, making him well known among nearby communities.

Wildlife officials said the increasing elephant population and declining food sources inside forests had pushed more elephants into farmland and residential areas in search of food, often resulting in property damage and clashes with villagers.

Despite ongoing monitoring and mitigation measures, officials warned that the death of Plai Kor Kaew highlighted growing tensions between people and wildlife in the region.

Officials said more sustainable long-term measures were needed to prevent further losses of wild elephants, which remain important symbols of Thailand’s natural heritage.

Gunmen in hijabs kill teacher holding infant in Pattani

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Khaosod English

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25 May 2026, 18:57

Gunmen disguised as women wearing hijabs opened fire on a police officer and his family outside a school in Pattani province on Monday afternoon, killing the officer’s wife while she was holding their infant child inside the vehicle.

The attack took place at around 15:30 near Prasan Wittaya Foundation School in Pong Sta subdistrict of Yarang district.

Police said four attackers dressed in women’s clothing and wearing hijabs arrived on two motorcycles before pulling alongside the victims’ car and opening fire.

The injured officer was identified as Pol. Snr. Sgt. Maj. Adul Hayeesulong of Yaring Police Station. His wife, Fatimoh Ya-ngoh, a teacher at the school, was killed at the scene while holding their baby in the car.

Authorities said the couple had travelled to the school to pick up their child when the attack occurred.

Security forces rushed the wounded officer to hospital and sealed off the area while launching a manhunt for the suspects. Checkpoints were also set up across nearby areas to prevent further attacks and track down those responsible.

The Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command strongly condemned the attack, describing the gunmen’s actions as “inhumane” and contrary to religious principles.

Officials said the incident had deeply shocked local residents, particularly because a woman and infant child were present during the shooting.

Over 20 taken to hospital after unknown substance allegedly sprayed in Tokyo shopping area

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Associated Press

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25 May 2026, 18:27

Japan Ginza Incident — First responders gather near the scene after a person allegedly sprayed a substance that caused an odor, in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

TOKYO (AP) — More than 20 people developed sore throats near a luxury department store in Tokyo’s posh Ginza shopping area on Monday after a person allegedly sprayed an unknown substance, Japanese fire department officials said.

The Tokyo Fire Department said 26 people complained of suddenly developing throat pain and felt unwell near the Ginza Six shopping complex, and all but one of them were taken to a hospital. Their symptoms were believed to be mild, officials said.

AP26145258063420 — Tokyo police examine the scene after a person allegedly sprayed a substance that caused an odor, in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Fire department and police officials said an investigation was underway. The largest-circulation Yomiuri newspaper said police have detected traces of pepper spray on the wall.

Dozens of fire engines and ambulances were parked outside the complex, and the surrounding roads were temporarily closed. Television footage showed firefighters and officials in hazmat suits assisting people, with some being brought out of the building.

Yuzo Tsuda, a 78-year-old Tokyo resident, told The Associated Press that he walked toward the shopping complex after having lunch with friends, drawn by the commotion, when he suddenly felt pain in his throat and started coughing. He said the ache in his throat subsided about an hour later and he did not plan to go to the hospital.

Sri Trat at Sri’s Room brings new chapter to Eastern Thai flavours

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Boonraksa Boonaprn

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25 May 2026, 18:14

Sri Trat at Sri’s Room brings new chapter to Eastern Thai flavours

Sri is the mascot of Sri Trat’s restaurants, whose story is told through lovingly crafted dishes at each venue. At Sri Trat, she is portrayed at the age of 42; at Burapa, as a 19-year-old girl; and at Sri Trat at Sri’s Room, as a 27-year-old woman — a seamstress and an accomplished cook. While the character is fictional, she is rooted in reality, inspired by the Sri Trat owner’s mother.

Located at Siam Paragon, Sri Trat at Sri’s Room occupies a standalone dining space beautifully designed to evoke Sri Trat’s tailoring shop, featuring Sino-Portuguese interiors and floral touches.

The menu offers a broad spectrum of Eastern Thai flavours, where “the forest meets the sea”. It includes beloved classics from the original Sri Trat alongside exclusive creations available only at Sri Trat at Sri’s Room, complemented by signature cocktails inspired by the music of the 1970s and 1980s.

Her story, of course, cannot be told without the food. Highlights include Nam Prik Goong Siab, a spicy Thai salad with crispy shrimp and an abundance of herbs; Lhon Pu Kai (Crab Roe Coconut Dip), a coconut milk-based herbal dip with lump crab meat, crab roe, and minced pork, served with a basket of fresh vegetables; and Baked Crab with Glass Noodles, a claypot dish of glass noodles and crab marinated in fish sauce. Those seeking something different may enjoy Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken with Cardamom, a dish exclusive to this branch.

For seafood lovers, the menu features “Jungle Soup”, a fiery herbal soup with minced Asian sea bass seasoned with cumin leaves; Choo Chee Sea Bass Curry, deep-fried sea bass fillets topped with rich chu-chee curry sauce; and Betel Leaf Seabass Bite.

A clear crowd favourite is the slow-cooked pork belly, glazed in a rich blend of palm sugar and premium fish sauce, achieving a satisfying balance of sweetness, saltiness, and richness.

S 90972271 0 — Pork Belly in Chamuang Curry

No exploration of Eastern Thai cuisine would be complete without chamuang. Sri Trat serves Pork Belly in Chamuang Curry, a signature sweet-and-sour stew from Eastern Thailand, prepared with pork belly and pork collar, slow-cooked with chamuang leaves and the restaurant’s house curry base. For many, it is one of the defining dishes of the region.

S 90972279 0 — Malva Nut Jelly with Fresh Coconut Milk

S 90972289 0 — Sticky Rice Cake with Sea Salt Ice Cream

To finish, diners can cleanse their palate with desserts such as Malva Nut Jelly with Fresh Coconut Milk, Sticky Rice Cake with Sea Salt Ice Cream, and Durian in Coconut Syrup — inventive takes on traditional Thai desserts and fruits that offer a fresh perspective on familiar flavours.

The drinks menu also enhances the experience. Cocktails such as PB to My Jelly and Sri’s Lemonade, alongside mocktails including Hide the Scent and Cha-Yen, pair well with the restaurant’s atmosphere.

Sri Trat at Sri’s Room is located on the G Floor of Siam Paragon. For reservations and enquiries, call 02-125-7346.

Vietnamese leader to trace Ho Chi Minh’s footsteps in Thailand

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Khaosod English

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25 May 2026, 17:44

As Vietnam’s top leader prepares for his first official visit to Thailand, one stop on the itinerary carries a deeply personal and historical meaning far beyond diplomacy.

To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of Vietnam, is scheduled to travel to Udon Thani during his 27-29 May visit to Thailand to pay tribute at the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Site and meet the Vietnamese-Thai community living in northeastern Thailand.

The memorial site, located in Chiang Phin subdistrict, preserves memories of a little-known chapter in the life of Vietnamese revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, who once lived quietly in Udon Thani nearly a century ago.

AP26097120111351 1 — To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh arrived in Thailand in 1928 while Vietnam was still under French colonial rule. During his time in Udon Thani, he reportedly lived among the local Vietnamese community while organising political activities and seeking support for Vietnam’s independence movement.

According to historical records preserved at the site, Ho Chi Minh farmed, trained followers and helped mobilise Vietnamese migrants in Thailand during the anti-colonial struggle. He also joined local residents in community activities, including helping construct temples in Udon Thani before later travelling through Sakon Nakhon and Nakhon Phanom and eventually returning to Vietnam.

Vietnam declared independence from France in 1945, and Ho Chi Minh later became the founding president of modern Vietnam.

Today, the memorial site has been transformed into a historical learning centre and museum managed with support from the local Vietnamese-Thai community. The compound features a recreated traditional wooden house where Ho Chi Minh once stayed, complete with simple furnishings, vegetable plots, rice storage huts and livestock pens designed to reflect rural life during that period.

AP570813063 — President Ho Chi Minh of Communist ruled North Vietnam delivers an address to a gathering of thousands of Bulgarians at Ninth of September Square, Sophia, Aug. 13, 1957. The Vietnamese president is here on a five-day visit to the Balkan state during his tour of Communist countries. (AP Photo)

The museum also displays old photographs, documents and exhibitions detailing the history of Vietnamese migrants in Thailand and Ho Chi Minh’s years in the kingdom.

Officially opened in 2006, the memorial site has become both a tourist attraction and a symbol of long-standing ties between Thailand and Vietnam.

To Lam’s visit comes as the two countries mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026 and deepen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

MGI All Stars spark tourism boom at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

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Khaosod English

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25 May 2026, 17:28

MGI All Stars spark tourism boom at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

RATCHABURI — 25 May 2026, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in Ratchaburi buzzed with renewed energy as 56 global beauty queens from the Miss Grand International (MGI) All Stars pageant arrived to participate in a local culture and tourism promotion campaign. The contestants, representing nations from across the globe, received a warm welcome from public and private sectors, alongside local residents, who united to open their doors to showcase Thailand’s community lifestyle and charm on the global stage.

This visit not only adds excitement to Ratchaburi, but also reflects the potential of Damnoen Saduak as a cultural tourism destination that beautifully preserves its authentic identity, including canal-side lifestyle, floating markets, local gastronomy, and reserved natural landscapes.

The delegates and production crew from Miss Grand International Public Company Limited (MGI PCL) stayed at the “Khum Damnoen Resort” before embarking on a tour to immerse themselves in the charms of Ratchaburi through a wide range of activities. Their itinerary included visits to the Damnoen Sky Cafe, Kwan Damnoen 1 restaurant, Yuwanda Pier, Khrua Jae Naow, Ying Golf Pier, Chaloem Sukkho River Prawn Damnoen Saduak, and Supachai Art Gallery.

One of the activities that left the deepest impression of the trip participants was a boat ride along the canals, allowing the delegates to connect themselves with the traditional community of Damnoen Saduak. They also visited the world-famous Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, a global landmark where charm remains timeless. Moreover, the beauty queens interacted with a relaxing stop amidst nature at “Your Garden Damnoen Saduak,” a prominent local café, and indulged in shopping for native crafts, local delicacies, and the province’s signature souvenirs.

Throughout their journey, the MGI All Stars beauties captured attention of large crowds of visitors and residents, who turned out to greet them and snap memorable photographs close-up.

In addition to elevating Thailand’s global tourism profile, this visit provided economic boost to the local area, including hotels, restaurants, community shops, and neighborhood entrepreneurs. All reaped the benefits of the vibrant wave of attention generated by the event.

Concurrently, Ratchaburi underscores its readiness as an all-encompassing travel destination. Boasting scenic natural wonders, a vibrant food scene, local culture, and warm hospitality, the province holds a unique allure that keeps bringing visitors back for more.

Thai rescue teams race against rising water in Laos cave mission

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Khaosod English

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25 May 2026, 17:04

Thai rescue teams are continuing efforts to reach seven workers trapped inside a flooded gold mining cave in Laos, with rescuers saying they are now believed to be just 30 metres away from the point where the survivors may be sheltering.

The men have been trapped inside the cave in Long Chaeng district, Xaisomboun province, since 19 May after heavy rain caused water to rush into the tunnel and block the entrance.

Thai rescue personnel joined the operation after Lao authorities formally requested assistance. Around 26 rescuers and volunteers travelled from Nong Khai to Laos before being transported closer to the remote site by helicopter provided by Lao authorities.

Among those participating in the mission is Thai rescue worker and influencer Jakkrid Tangtang, also known as “Pon Jakkrid”, who shared video footage from inside the cave showing extremely difficult conditions.

The footage revealed narrow muddy passages where rescuers were forced to crawl one by one through darkness using only rescue lights.

Rescue leader Kengkaj Bongkaowong said teams believe the trapped workers may have moved to a higher area inside the cave to escape rising floodwaters. He added that rescuers are now only about 30 metres from the elevated point where survivors are believed to be waiting for help.

Authorities said the route from the cave entrance to the suspected location stretches around 340 metres, with some sections only about 60 centimetres high.

Rescuers are also facing major obstacles from continuous rainfall, rising water levels and low oxygen inside the tunnel, forcing operations to pause at times.

According to local reports, about 10 villagers had entered the tunnel to search for gold when flash flooding struck during heavy rain. Three workers managed to escape, while seven others became trapped inside.

Two Workers Killed, One Severely Injured in Police Flats Balcony Collapse

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Khaosod English

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25 May 2026, 16:12

Two Workers Killed, One Severely Injured in Police Flats Balcony Collapse

SISAKET — 25 May 2026, two construction workers died and another was critically injured on Monday after a concrete beam and scaffolding collapsed at police residential flat currently under construction from fifth floor. A fourth worker miraculously cheated death by hanging onto a beam, watching in horror as his colleagues fell to the ground.

The accident occurred on Monday at approximately 10:00 at the construction site on Sri Wiset Road, located directly behind the Muang Sisaket Police Station. An investigating officer from Muang Si Sa Ket Police Station, coordinated with emergency medical teams and rescue volunteers to rush to the scene.

At the scene, the deputy commander of the Sisaket Provincial Police, the deputy superintendent for prevention and suppression at Muang Sisaket Police Station, alongside related officials, inspected the five-story complex under construction. The ground floor of the building is designed as an open stilt area, while the second through fifth floors are slated for police residential quarters.

Debris from wooden formworks, bent steel rods, and shattered scaffolding sections were found scattered across the fifth floor and onto the concrete ground below, where evidence of the brutal impact was clearly visible. First responders rushed three injured workers to Sisaket Hospital: Sangwan Chaibamrung, 58; Nuay Rayabsri, around 55; and Phitak Phenjaem, 50. All three remain in critical condition due to the force of the fall.

Sangwan and Phitak succumbed to severe impact injuries while Nuay remains in critical condition due to the severe trauma in the emergency intensive care unit, where doctors are conducting urgent brain scans, though he remains conscious and responsive.

Upon questioning Siriwat Namwiset, 44, the worker who was at the scene and narrowly escape the plunge, revealed that at the time of the incident, he was working on the fifth floor alongside his three colleagues to repair a concrete beam formwork. Concrete had been poured into the frame earlier, but the crew discovered structural instability and temporarily halted the pour to reinforce the outer frame before moving forward with the project.

He continued that while they were working on the structural adjustment, they suddenly heard a loud cracking sound. They were startled and asked each other where the noise came from. He even told his friends that it wasn’t from his footsteps. Before he could even finish his sentence, the entire beam structure and the scaffolding they were standing on collapsed instantly. His three co-workers, who were positioned near the edge, plunge to the ground below in front of him.

He also said that he thought he was surely dead because the floor beneath his feet completely vanished. In a split-second reflex, he grabbed onto a piece of the beam structure that hadn’t detached yet with all his might. He shut his eyes, expecting to fall after his friends, but miraculously, he managed to hang on.

Police have cordoned off the scene. Forensic experts, structural engineers, and safety inspectors have been brought in to thoroughly examine the building’s structural integrity and scaffolding to pinpoint the root cause if it stemmed from a structural failure, faulty materials and equipment, or substandard working procedures.

Initially, officers will question additional witnesses, site supervisors, and the construction contractor, including review structural safety documentation to proceed with legal steps. If criminal negligence that led to the deaths and injuries is discovered, formal charges will be filed against those responsible.

4 dead, 17 mostly workers still missing, in collapse of unfinished hotel in the Philippines

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Associated Press

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25 May 2026, 15:52

Philippines Building Collapse — K9 units join rescuers as they continue search operations at a collapsed building in Angeles city in Pampanga province, north of Manila, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

ANGELES, Philippines (AP) — Rescuers pulled out three people Monday from an immense pile of rubble that was all that remained of a nine-story hotel which collapsed while under construction in a northern Philippine city, bringing the death toll to four with 17 others still missing, officials said.

Two of the men were dead, while emergency personnel struggled in the early morning hours to revive one in an ambulance near the pile of concrete slabs, twisted iron bars and aluminum scaffoldings that was all that remained of the building in Angeles City of Pampanga Province. They eventually gave up and drove away.

The poignant scene was witnessed by a small group of journalists, including from The Associated Press, who watched hundreds of rescuers led by firefighters and police scrambling for hours to extricate the men, who were at the time alive but trapped under concrete slabs and iron bars.

AP26145219449030 — Rescuers carry a dog as they scale down toppled scaffoldings of a collapsed building where multiple people are believed to be trapped in Angeles city in Pampanga province, north of Manila Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Rescuers tried to provide water and medicine intravenously to one of the trapped men in a desperate effort to keep him alive in the scorching summer heat, regional police chief Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez told the AP.

“He never made it despite all the efforts,” he said.

One of the three people pulled out from the rubble on Monday was unidentified and was not on the list of the 17 missing, who were mostly construction workers, according to Angeles city information chief Jay Pelayo.

The fourth dead victim was a Malaysian tourist trapped in a budget inn that was partly hit by the avalanche of debris from the collapsed building. Another guest at the inn was injured but managed to dash out, officials said.

A day after the unfinished building collapsed with a loud crashing sound after a fierce thunderstorm, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin said rescue efforts would still not be shifted to a body retrieval operation.

“My best hope is that we can rescue more people alive,” Lazatin told the AP. “We don’t want to give the families of the trapped workers any bad news.”

Anxiety and fear among relatives of the trapped workers, who are waiting in sheds near the rubble, have deepened.

“I’m losing hope because of what I see — slow rescue work,” said Lea Mendoza Casilao, a 47-year-old sardine factory worker whose boyfriend, a mason, was among those still trapped in the rubble.

She brought a week’s supply of rice and sardines for him at the construction site, but she said they would never meet as scheduled over the weekend after the building where he was sleeping crumbled before dawn on Sunday.

AP26145002193650 — Rescuers continue search operations at a collapsed building where multiple people are believed to be trapped in Angeles city in Pampanga province, north of Manila Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Lazatin said rescuers were moving carefully because huge slabs of concrete were being held up precariously by a tangle of aluminum scaffolding and could crash down on rescuers.

Twenty-six workers were either rescued or managed to run out of the collapsing building, where they slept on pieces of plywood on the ground floor.

National police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said his force will support an “ongoing investigation to determine the cause of the incident and possible violations of safety and building regulations.”

Angeles City hosted one of the largest U.S. Air Force bases outside of the American mainland, helping turn Angeles and outlying cities and towns into entertainment and commercial hubs in the main northern Philippine region of Luzon.

Clark Air Base, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Manila, closed in the early 1990s. The former base has become a bustling industrial and tourism enclave called the Clark Freeport Zone, and is still surrounded by remnants of U.S. base-era red-light strips, bars, nightclubs, tattoo shops and budget hotels.

South Korean tourist’s body found floating off Pattaya

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Khaosod English

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25 May 2026, 15:34

Police in Pattaya are investigating the death of a South Korean tourist whose body was found floating in the sea near Koh Sak on Monday morning.

At around 10:00 on 25 May, officers from Pattaya City Police Station, marine rescue teams and disaster prevention officials travelled by rescue boat to waters north of Koh Sak near Koh Larn, about six nautical miles off Pattaya, after receiving reports of a body floating face down in the sea.

Rescuers found the body of a foreign man believed to be a South Korean national, aged around 50, wearing a white polo shirt with black stripes and green shorts.

Officials said the man had likely been dead for at least six hours. No signs of physical assault were found on the body.

Police recovered a wallet containing a South Korean driving licence identifying the man as Jeong Jun Hwan, three South Korean bank ATM cards and a room key marked with the number 10.

The body was transported to the Police General Hospital’s Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bangkok for a detailed autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Police said authorities are continuing to coordinate with relevant agencies to confirm the victim’s identity and investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

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