YALA — 8 February 2026, A roadside bomb attack injured a Thai soldier on Sunday afternoon when an improvised explosive device detonated beneath an armoured patrol vehicle in Bannang Sata District, prompting a security lockdown and a manhunt for those responsible.

A roadside explosion wounded a Thai Ranger soldier this afternoon in Ban Na Subdistrict, Bannang Sata District, Yala Province, as insurgents launched an ambush on security forces.

At 16:35, authorities received reports of an improvised explosive device detonating beneath a REVA armoured personnel vehicle carrying a Rapid Deployment Company attached to the 1st Infantry Company during a patrol. The vehicle was on a routine security operation along a rural route when the blast occurred.

The soldier, identified as Private Worawut Sukchuai, sustained injuries in the blast. Fellow Rangers immediately provided first aid and transported him to Bannang Sata Hospital for further treatment. Officials later confirmed his condition is stable and not life-threatening.

Local security units and police quickly sealed off the scene to allow Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams and forensic investigators to survey the area and collect evidence, including the type and trigger mechanism of the device.

No civilian casualties have been reported, and a broader search for the perpetrators is underway as authorities continue counter-insurgency operations in the Deep South.

BANGKOK — 8 February 2026, A fundraising campaign for Tiger Duggan, a 23-year-old British backpacker critically injured in a motorcycle crash in Thailand, has surpassed its £150,000 (6.44 million baht) target in less than one week as his family continues to seek long-term medical care and possible repatriation.

The GoFundMe campaign for Tiger Duggan, 23, surpassed its goal in just six days after attracting thousands of donations from supporters in the UK and abroad, following coverage by international media including Sky News.

Mr. Duggan was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident on Koh Samui, where he was travelling, and was initially treated at a local hospital before being transferred to Bangkok for specialist care. He remains in critical condition, according to updates shared by his family.

The fundraiser was launched to cover mounting medical costs, emergency transfers and related expenses, amid concerns that insurance coverage may be limited due to exclusions commonly applied to motorcycle-related injuries in Thailand.

The case has drawn renewed attention to the risks faced by tourists riding motorcycles in Thailand, where traffic accidents remain a leading cause of serious injury among foreign visitors, particularly on resort islands.

As of Sunday, the fundraiser remained open after reaching its initial target, with organisers saying donations would continue to support Mr. Duggan’s ongoing medical care and recovery needs.

PHAYAO — 8 February 2026, The Phayao Provincial Election Commission Office has reported an alleged attempt by a polling station official to cast seven ballot papers at a polling station in Mueang Phayao district. A police complaint has been filed at Mueang Phayao Police Station.

Officials stressed that no ballots were ultimately placed into the ballot box, as the incident was detected in time by the presiding polling officer. According to preliminary information, the polling station official involved told authorities they had been hired by a political party to carry out the act, while the presiding officer had not been approached, prompting suspicion. Authorities believe similar incidents may have occurred at other polling stations, and an investigation is under way.

According to investigators, the incident took place in Constituency 1, Polling Station No. 6, Village No. 4, Tha Wang Thong subdistrict, Mueang Phayao district. The polling station official allegedly impersonated eligible voters, tore up seven ballot papers, entered the voting booth and marked the ballots.

As the official was about to insert the ballots into the ballot box, the presiding polling officer intervened and detained the individual. The suspect was taken to the local police station for legal proceedings, with evidence including an envelope containing cash. The polling station official reportedly admitted to the act and stated that it had been carried out in exchange for payment from a political party.

This article is an update to our earlier report found here

Update to this story available here
PHAYAO — 8 February 2026, At a polling station in Phayao, election officials are investigating an alleged case of ballot tampering after seven ballots were secretly deposited during a lunch break, officials said today.

At about 12:00 on 8 February 2026, election workers at Polling Station No. 6 in Village 4, Tha Wang Thong Sub-district, Mueang Phayao District reported an unusual incident. One of the polling officials is accused of placing seven ballots into the ballot box without authorisation during a lunch break.

The irregularity was detected by the station’s committee, which immediately informed the Election Commission and contacted police to begin an official inquiry. Investigators are now gathering evidence as part of legal procedures.

Officials did not provide further details but stressed that the process must remain transparent and fair to maintain public confidence in the election. If the allegation is proven, the individual could face criminal penalties, including imprisonment and disenfranchisement under Thai election law.

NAKHON RATCHASIMA — 8 February 2026, Voters injured in a van crash on Mittraphap Road in Nakhon Ratchasima were travelling home to cast their ballots when the driver reportedly fell asleep and lost control of the vehicle.

Pol. Lt. Col. Saichon Dongruangsi, an investigator at Klang Dong Police Station, said the accident occurred on Mittraphap Road between km 39 and km 40 inbound to Nakhon Ratchasima, in Phaya Yen subdistrict. The van mounted the central median before slamming into a large steel highway signpost and a power pole.

After receiving the report, police alerted senior officers and rushed to the scene with Pol. Col. Apiwat Natong, superintendent of Klang Dong Police Station, Pol. Lt. Col. Eakmanas Wongkham, traffic inspector, traffic police and rescue teams from Klang Dong Municipality and Simamongkol Subdistrict Municipality.

At the scene, officers found a bronze Toyota van heavily damaged on the median. The front of the vehicle was crushed, trapping the driver inside. Rescue workers used hydraulic cutting equipment to free him and assist the passengers.

All seven occupants, three men and four women, were injured. Ms. Warin Phayaksa, 30, one of the passengers, said the group had been working on Koh Samui in Surat Thani and were travelling back to vote in the election in Phu Khiao district, Chaiyaphum. She said most passengers were asleep when the van began swerving before crashing into the signpost. All sustained minor injuries.

Pol. Lt. Col. Saichon said the driver, Mr. Sa-at Leepa, 54, told police he had been driving a long distance and became fatigued, briefly dozing off before losing control of the vehicle.

All seven injured passengers were taken to Pak Chong Nana Hospital for treatment. Police photographed the scene for evidence and towed the van to Klang Dong Police Station for inspection as part of legal proceedings.

TAIPEI — 7 February 2026, The family of a 102-year-old Taiwanese man has raised legal challenges after discovering that his 68-year-old long-time caregiver registered a marriage with him without their prior knowledge, in a dispute now linked to assets valued at nearly 200 million Taiwanese dollars (roughly 196 million baht).

According to local reports, the family first became aware of the marriage when they saw a new spouse entry on the elderly man’s identification card. The caregiver, surnamed Lai, had reportedly cared for him for at least 17 years and possibly up to 27–30 years before the dispute emerged.

The marriage was registered on 5 January, and relatives said they were planning to visit the man on 8 January when they were shocked to learn of the union three days earlier. The family alleges Lai sought to gain access to the man’s substantial property holdings and restricted his contact with relatives, at times amounting to what they described as de facto confinement.

Tensions escalated on 3 February at a hospital in Taipei when several of the man’s sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren sought to take him home during a medical visit; a physical struggle involving police intervention reportedly occurred before the family later succeeded in returning him to their residence.

The dispute has also played out publicly, with video footage shared by Taiwanese media showing a confrontation at a Taipei hospital, where the man’s sons and other relatives sought to remove him from the care of his wife. Police officers were present during the incident, which later became part of competing legal claims filed by both sides.

The man, surnamed Wang, is reported to have accumulated significant land and real estate during his lifetime, with total holdings estimated at 780 million Taiwanese dollars (around 760 million baht). The family contends that after the marriage Lai came to control seven properties and life insurance policies valued at about 80 million Taiwanese dollars (roughly 78 million baht), bringing the total disputed assets to more than 200 million Taiwanese dollars.

Wang’s sons have cited a medical certificate asserting that their father’s cognitive ability had significantly declined, and they plan to gather further evidence to petition the court to annul the marriage. In contrast, Taipei’s Zhongshan household registration office stated that Wang was able to answer questions during the registration process and met legal requirements.

Lai has filed a countersuit against the family alleging public defamation and has sought a protective order. The validity of the marriage and associated asset claims will ultimately be decided by the courts.

Source: Mothership.sg

Photo credit: ETtoday