PHUKET — Social media users have criticised a video showing a foreign man rolling on a busy road near the venue of EDC Thailand 2026 in Phuket.
On 18 January 2026, the Facebook page Phuket Times shared a clip of a foreign man lying and rolling on the Ban Don–Cherng Talay (Pa Sak) road in Cherng Talay subdistrict, Thalang district. The location is close to the site of the EDC Thailand 2026 music festival, where traffic was heavy at the time.
The video, about 12 seconds long, shows the man appearing disoriented and seemingly out of control as vehicles pass nearby. A friend is later seen intervening and helping remove him from the road. The incident occurred at night on 17 January 2026.
The page captioned the clip: “At EDC, you can see everything. Who knows what he took.”
After the footage circulated online, many users posted comments expressing concern and dissatisfaction, saying the behaviour endangered road users and caused disruption to traffic in the area.
CCTV footage shows the pickup stopped on the railway crossing moments before it was hit by a train in Songkhla.
SONGKHLA — A train collided with a pickup truck at a railway crossing in Sadao district, Songkhla province, on Saturday, killing one person and injuring another.
Police at Sadao station said the crash occurred at about 11:30 on 18 January at a railway crossing in Ban Bang Khwai village, Moo 7, Thung Mo subdistrict. Officers and rescue workers rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the collision.
At the site, a white four-door Isuzu pickup truck, was found severely damaged after being struck by the train. One man was found dead inside the vehicle. Another man was injured and taken to Padang Besar Hospital.
The deceased was identified as Theerasak, 30, from Uthai Thani province. The injured man was identified as Phanu, 26.
Witnesses told police the pickup truck had driven out of the village and stopped on the railway tracks at the crossing before being hit by an oncoming train travelling at high speed. The impact reportedly hurled the vehicle more than 100 metres, leaving debris scattered across the area.
CCTV footage from the crossing showed the pickup truck stationary on the tracks moments before the train struck it.
Local residents said the vehicle was familiar in the area, as the deceased regularly visited the village to collect daily loan repayments from residents. They added that warning signs at the railway crossing were clearly visible.
Police have coordinated with forensic officers to collect evidence and are continuing their investigation to determine legal responsibility.
Foreign tourists performs a yoga pose at Wat Pha Lat in Chiang Mai, prompting a warning from the temple about inappropriate behaviour.
CHIANG MAI — Wat Pha Lat, a Buddhist temple at the foot of Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai, has urged visitors to respect the site after inappropriate behaviour by some tourists, including yoga poses and acrobatic photography inside the temple grounds.
In a statement posted on its official Facebook page on 18 January 2026, the temple said it had recently observed visitors performing acro-yoga, climbing on ancient structures and rocks, and wearing revealing clothing at the temple.
“Wat Pha Lat is a Buddhist temple and a sacred sanctuary, not a recreational park or a gym,” the statement said.
The temple stressed that it remains an active place of worship for monks and a historical site that requires respect from visitors.
According to the announcement, the following activities are strictly prohibited within the temple grounds: yoga or gymnastic activities, climbing on statues, pagodas, waterfalls or rocks, wearing swimwear or inappropriate outfits, and making loud noises that disturb the peaceful environment.
The notice was posted in both Thai and English to ensure that all visitors clearly understand the rules.
The temple warned that if disrespectful behaviour continues, the administration may be forced to permanently close the site to tourists in order to preserve its spiritual sanctity.
“We welcome visitors who come with respect,” the statement said, calling on the public to help keep the temple open by following the rules.
A TikTok clip showing a woman with her twin partners has sparked widespread debate online.
BANGKOK — A Thai woman has confirmed that her relationship with twin brothers is real, not staged content, after a TikTok video showing the trio celebrating her birthday went viral online.
The clip, posted on 17 January 2026, shows two men who look identical carrying a cake to surprise the woman and taking turns kissing her on the cheek. The video quickly drew widespread attention, with many social media users questioning whether the relationship was genuine or created for views.
The woman, identified only as Fah, later spoke out to clarify that the relationship is real. She said she had been single for nearly a year and was not actively seeking a partner when she met the twin brothers. Both men approached her at the same time, and their relationship gradually developed.
Fah said the three eventually agreed to be in a consensual three-person relationship and have been together for more than a year.
She added that both her family and the men’s families are aware of and accept the relationship. In their daily life, the trio live together and support one another. The twin brothers work and earn income, which Fah manages to cover household expenses and plan for their shared future.
Addressing online questions about having children, Fah said that if she becomes pregnant, a DNA test would be carried out to identify the biological father so the correct name can be listed on the birth certificate. She added that the child would call both men “father”.
The story has continued to spark debate online, with reactions ranging from curiosity to support.
A woman appeals for help on Facebook after her boyfriend’s proposal ring was stolen by a pickpocket at EDC Phuket.
PHUKET — A man who planned to propose to his girlfriend at the EDC Thailand 2026 music festival in Phuket has appealed for help after a diamond ring and wallet were stolen during the event.
On 18 January 2026, a Facebook user identified as Acare Alice posted an appeal on social media, sharing three photos of a diamond ring and a wallet. She said her boyfriend was pickpocketed at EDC Phuket, losing a wallet and a diamond ring engraved with the names “Acare & Golf”.
She asked members of the public, including jewellery shops and pawn shops in Phuket and nearby areas, to contact her if anyone attempts to sell a ring matching the description. A contact number was provided in the post, along with the hashtags #edcthailand2026 and #edcthailand.
The post quickly gained traction, with many users sharing it and offering words of encouragement, hoping the couple would recover their belongings.
The victim, identified as Golf, told reporters that he and his girlfriend travelled from Chiang Mai to attend EDC Thailand 2026 in Phuket. They arrived at the venue at about 9pm. While standing in the crowd, he began receiving repeated notifications from his banking application.
After checking, he discovered that his credit card had been used for transactions totalling about 300,000 baht. He then examined his chest bag and found the zip open and his Louis Vuitton wallet missing.
The stolen items included his and his girlfriend’s identification cards, a driving licence, a diamond ring valued at about 300,000 baht, 2,500 baht in cash and several credit cards.
Golf said he has filed a police report at Cherng Talay police station. Officers told him such cases are difficult to solve unless the stolen ring is brought in for sale, which could help lead investigators to the suspect.
He said he had brought the diamond ring to the festival because he knew there was a designated proposal zone at the event and intended to surprise his girlfriend. The theft occurred before he had the chance.
Golf appealed to the public to help share information so the ring and important documents, especially the identification cards, can be returned, saying they are of great importance to him.
UDON THANI — 17 January 2026, Police are searching for a serial petty thief who posed as a recycling collector and allegedly stole women’s clothing, including underwear, from a self-service laundromat before taking snacks from a nearby wholesale shop.
The Kud Jab Online Isaan Indie Facebook page posted CCTV footage as a public warning after a man, believed to be about 40 years old, was seen pushing a two-wheeled cart and roaming the area to steal property. The clips show two separate incidents.
In the first, CCTV footage timestamped 01:15 on 16 January shows the suspect pushing a cart past the Baby Wash & Dry laundromat on the Kud Jab–Suwannakhuha Road, at 111 Moo 13, Muang Phia, Kud Jab, Udon Thani. The man parked the cart across the road, walked into the shop, selected customers’ laundry that had been left for washing and drying, and carried out a green basket containing women’s clothing, including several items of underwear.
The suspect, seen taking womens’ items before exiting the laundromat with a green basket
The suspect is described as a slim man in his 40s, wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt, blue jeans, black sneakers and a light-blue cap.
After leaving the laundromat, he was seen pushing his cart to a fresh snack shop in the Kud Jab municipal market area, about 200m away, at 335 Kud Jab–Nong Wua So Road. CCTV footage recorded at 03:00 the same day shows the man stealing four packs of fried soybeans and 10 packs of sweets worth a total of 760 baht, which had been displayed at the front of the shop under a tarp.
At 12:30 on 17 January, reporters visited the Baby Wash & Dry laundromat and spoke with Ms. Kittiya Mahaphet, also known as May, who attends the shop. She showed reporters the CCTV cameras and the spot where the stolen laundry basket had been placed. She said the shop has been operating for eight to nine months and had never experienced theft of this kind.
Ms. Kittiya said she recognised the suspect as someone who regularly collects recyclable waste in Kud Jab district and had previously asked for recyclables from the shop and nearby premises. “I never thought he would turn into a petty thief,” she said.
The stolen basket contained jeans, T-shirts and several items of women’s underwear, with a total value of several thousand baht. The clothes belonged to customers who had completed their washing and drying and were due to collect them. CCTV footage showed the suspect ignoring men’s clothing placed nearby and taking only women’s items.
Ms. Kittiya said she had filed a police complaint and urged the suspect to surrender. “If you turn yourself in, the punishment may be lighter,” she said, adding that the shop intends to pursue the case fully. She also asked police to arrest the suspect quickly, fearing he could target other locations.
Ms. Patcharaporn Meepuak, 35, known as Kae, the owner of the snack shop, said she has been in business for 10 years and had never encountered such an incident. She said the suspect is often seen pushing a cart to collect recyclables and appeared pitiful. “I never thought he would be a thief,” she said.
She said the man stole snacks from her shop after targeting the laundromat, parking his cart in front of the store, lifting the tarp and repeatedly carrying sweets and snacks to the cart.
CCTV footage of the suspect is seen taking snacks from beneath a tarp from a local seller
“I want him to change his ways and surrender to police before it’s too late,” Ms. Patcharaporn said. She added that other market vendors had also been targeted by the same suspect but had not reported the incidents because the losses were small. “After this, I will keep all snacks inside the shop. I won’t leave them outside anymore.”
While the incident involved theft, the apparent targeting of women’s belongings raises wider concerns about crimes that disproportionately affect women. Such cases can leave lasting unease, even without direct confrontation, and serve as a reminder of the everyday safety concerns many women face, underscoring the importance of awareness and prevention within the community.
ฺBANGKOK — 17 January 2026, A six-wheel truck carrying a crane overturned on a bridge in Bangkok, narrowly avoiding plunging into a canal and injuring two people, authorities said.
The accident occurred at 13:52 on Nararatthanatharn Bridge on Chakraphong Road, in Talat Yot subdistrict of Phra Nakhon district. Fire and rescue officers from Phukhao Thong station were dispatched to the scene.
Officials found a Hino Mega six-wheel articulated truck lying on its side on the bridge’s footpath. A small crane loaded on the rear of the truck was left hanging over the edge, almost falling into the canal below. Oil was reported to have leaked onto the road surface, prompting district officials to spread sand to prevent further hazards.
Two people were injured in the crash. One man, about 28 years old, suffered chest pain and was taken by rescue volunteers to Klang Hospital. Another man, about 20, sustained minor injuries, received first aid at the scene and declined hospital treatment.
Authorities later coordinated the use of a crane to lift and remove the overturned truck and its load to reopen traffic. The cause of the accident was under investigation.
BANGKOK — 17 January 2026, The Thai Red Cross Society has released a summary report on its humanitarian assistance mission following unrest along the Thai-Cambodian border, presenting the operation to the international Red Cross community.
According to a report by local media, the Thai Red Cross compiled the findings from relief efforts carried out in July and December 2025. The report, produced in both Thai and English, was submitted on 15 January to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and Red Cross partners worldwide.
The report details the integration of humanitarian assistance across seven border provinces to support more than 400,000 people affected by the unrest, many of whom were displaced to temporary shelters.
Assistance included the deployment of medical and nursing teams to provide treatment and psychological support, as well as the distribution of food, drinking water, blankets and other basic necessities. Funding was also allocated for repairing damaged homes and constructing new housing for those who lost their residences.
The Thai Red Cross said it also extended aid to Cambodian nationals stranded in the affected areas, in accordance with humanitarian principles and without discrimination.
The mission was described as demonstrating the Thai Red Cross Society’s capacity and readiness to operate within the global humanitarian arena.
The report stated as follow. Two major waves of armed hostilities occurred along the Thailand–Cambodia border in 2025, the first of which took place from July 24–28, and the second from December 7–27. Both incidents involved artillery exchanges and multiple rockets attacks, leading to significant repercussion on civilian population in Thailand. The conflict primarily impacted border provinces including Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Buri Ram, Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi, and Trat. Compiled from official Thai authority information, during the July clashes, at least 15 civilians were killed, with 38 injured, and 195 hospitals adversely affected with one hospital heavily damaged. Approximately 140,000 civilians were evacuated from high-risk zones to temporary shelters.
In December, renewed violence resulted in over 40 civilian fatalities with dozens injured, 199 hospitals and 892 schools were affected. Displacement surged dramatically. About 400,000 people had to leave their homes to take shelters in more than 1,000 facilities set up by the local authorities. Thai Red Cross Society (TRCS) immediately mobilized humanitarian assistance to aid the affected people, through its main operating units including the Relief and Community Health Bureau, the Provincial Chapters Administration Bureau, the Youth and Volunteer Bureau, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital, and the National Blood Centre—in collaboration with the seven Provincial Red Cross Chapters, three Red Cross Health Stations, regional blood centers, government agencies, private sector, civil society organizations and local volunteers. This concerted effort helped over 300,000 civilians living in temporary shelters in seven affected provinces.
In response to the conflict along the Thailand–Cambodia border, TRCS has performed its auxiliary role in supporting the state’s humanitarian operations. Guided by the principles of neutrality and impartiality, TRCS provided assistance covering basic needs, medical care, mental health support, blood supply, and livelihood restoration. These efforts were driven by close cooperation among Provincial Red Cross Chapters, government and private sectors, volunteers, and the public. All operations were conducted in strict adherence to the seven Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, ensuring accountability, transparency, and public trust in Thai Red Cross Society.
FILE - Monthanus Ratanapakdee holds a photo of her father, 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, and stands in front of the San Francisco apartment building where he was attacked last year and later died of his injuries, on Jan. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Terry Chea, File)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A man has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of an older Thai man whose 2021 killing in San Francisco helped spark a national movement against anti-Asian American violence.
A jury did not find Antoine Watson, 24, guilty of murder when it returned a verdict Thursday for the January 2021 attack on Vicha Ratanapakdee, 84. Jurors found Watson guilty on the lesser charges of involuntary manslaughter and assault.
The office of San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins declined to comment, saying that the jury was still empaneled. Jurors will return Jan. 26 to hear arguments on aggravating factors, and sentencing will be scheduled once that is completed, the office said in an email.
Vicha Ratanapakdee was out for his usual morning walk in the quiet neighborhood he lived in with his wife, daughter and her family when Watson charged at him and knocked him to the ground. The encounter was captured on a neighbor’s security camera. Ratanapakdee never regained consciousness and died two days later.
His family says he was attacked because of his race, but hate crime charges were not filed and the argument was not raised in trial. Prosecutors have said hate crimes are difficult to prove absent statements by the suspect.
Watson testified on the stand that he was in a haze of confusion and anger at the time of the unprovoked attack, according to KRON-TV. He said he lashed out and didn’t know that Ratanapakdee was Asian or older.
San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju, whose office defended Watson, extended his sympathies to the victim’s family and said the defendant is “fully remorseful for his mistake.”
“While this death was a terrible tragedy and has garnered a lot of press attention, the importance of our legal system is that it gives us a chance to look at the facts in a balanced way,” he said in a statement.
Hundreds of people in five other U.S. cities joined in commemorating the anniversary of Ratanapakdee’s death in 2022, seeking justice for Asian Americans who have been harassed, assaulted, and even killed in alarming numbers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asians in America have long been subject to prejudice and discrimination, but the attacks escalated sharply after COVID-19 first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. More than 10,000 hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were reported to the Stop AAPI Hate coalition from March 2020 through September 2021.
The attacks involved shunning, racist taunting and physical assaults.
FILE – Flowers are left with pictures of 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee during a rally attended by hundreds of people on Jan. 30, 2022, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Janie Har, File)
BANGKOK — 17 January 2026, Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has warned the public about a false claim circulating online that new rules limit visa-free entry for foreign nationals to twice a year.
Wetang Puangsup, spokesman for the ministry, said the warning followed monitoring and reports handled by the Anti-Fake News Centre of Thailand, in line with government policy to prevent and address security and social threats. The ministry has prioritised raising public awareness of technology-related crime, fake news and disinformation.
On 15 January 2026, the centre reviewed 157,300 online messages, of which 4,815 required verification. Most of the flagged content came from social media monitoring, accounting for 4,810 messages, followed by five messages from the Line Official channel. A total of 34 issues required investigation, with two already verified by relevant agencies.
Among the seven items drawing the greatest public attention, four were found to be fake news and three misleading.
The most prominent fake story claimed that a new regulation allows foreigners to enter Thailand visa-free only twice a year. The ministry said it had coordinated with the Immigration Bureau, which confirmed the claim was false. No announcement has been made to amend the law to impose such a limit, nor has any clear legal framework been set.
The Immigration Bureau continues to apply existing measures, including stricter screening of foreigners who frequently enter and leave the country in a pattern resembling so-called “visa runs”.
Other widely shared items included misleading health claims, unverified allegations involving large cash withdrawals ahead of an election, and false reports about online lottery sales, overseas job recruitment and loan offers promoted through social media platforms.
The ministry urged the public to remain vigilant about information shared online, warning that believing or forwarding false news can lead to misunderstanding, financial loss or damage to personal data, with wider social consequences. It advised people to trust and share information only from official sources and to verify facts and website links carefully before sharing.
