Police detain a Danish male tourist and a Thai woman after they were accused of committing indecent acts in public at Jomtien Beach in Pattaya, Chonburi province on Dec. 20, 2025.
PATTAYA — Police in Pattaya detained a Danish male tourist and a Thai woman after they were accused of committing indecent acts in public at Jomtien Beach in Chonburi province, authorities said.
The incident occurred on Saturday night in the Nong Prue subdistrict of Bang Lamung district, where witnesses reported seeing the couple engage in sexual activity on a floating raft offshore.
The Thai woman told police she had recently moved from Thailand’s northeastern border area near Cambodia, where clashes have occurred, and said she had met the foreign man for the first time shortly before going to the beach. What began as swimming later escalated into what she described as an uncharacteristic moment of passion.
The scene at Jomtien Beach in Pattaya, Chonburi province, where police said a Danish tourist and a Thai woman were accused of committing indecent acts in public.
A witness, identified by police as Win, 27, said he and a friend were collecting shells along the beach when they noticed the couple resting on a raft. He said they later appeared to engage in sexual activity, with sounds carrying to shore. Win recorded the incident and contacted Pattaya City Police.
Police summoned and questioned both individuals, warning them that such conduct harms Pattaya’s tourism image. They were charged with committing indecent acts in public.
A s border war between Thailand and Cambodia enters its second week today, and crackdown specifically targeting unregistered migrant workers from Cambodia is on the rise, Khaosod English’s Pravit Rojanaphruk spoke to Thai-based Cambodian labour right activist Ms Saing Ry from Cambodian Migration Workers Network = (CMWN) about how she and the more than 400,000 migrant workers are coping and their future.
QUESTION: What is the overall current situation of Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand like? Do they feel afraid or unsafe?
Saing Ry:I feel confused, anxious, scared, and unable to think clearly about which path to take, because the [Thai] Prime Minister has announced an indefinite postponement of the registration and renewal process for Cambodian migrant workers. Many workers’ permits will expire on 31/3/69, and there is still no clear solution.
Photo: Saing Ry
QUESTION:Out of 407,013 Cambodian workers who hold permits, you mentioned that nearly 25%—or 103,711 people—will have their permits expire on March 31 next year. What would you like to propose to the Thai government?
Saing Ry:I respectfully ask the Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour to please consider allowing Cambodian workers who are still working in Thailand to register and renew their permits so that we can continue working legally.
If you do not agree with my proposal, I kindly ask that you issue a clear official announcement as soon as possible stating that Thailand will no longer accept Cambodian workers. This would allow us to make the right decisions for our lives.
I also ask that you allow us to exit through normal border checkpoints, because we are disadvantaged workers with limited education and cannot travel by airplane. The cost is very high for us.
Lastly, during this postponement period, please do not allow immigration officers to arrest us. We do not want to stay illegally, but many factors have left us with no good choices.
Photo: Saing Ry
QUESTION:What would you like to say to Thai people who view Cambodia as an enemy and may hate Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand as a result?
Saing Ry: Please do not hate us. We are human beings too. Please do not hate us because we are Cambodian.
Being a good or bad person does not depend on nationality. No matter where someone is born or what nationality they have, anyone can be good or bad—it depends on their thoughts and actions.
QUESTION:Personally, do you feel unsafe when Thai people know that you are Cambodian?
Saing Ry: Sometimes I feel safe, and sometimes I do not. I meet people who understand and people who do not. In this situation, I never imagined the border issues would escalate this far. I feel deeply saddened to see the losses on both sides every day. 🙏
Thai police arrest a Chinese man inside a rented house during a raid on an illegal e-cigarette operation in Pattaya, Chonburi province, Thailand, on Dec. 20, 2025.
PATTAYA — Thai police arrested a Chinese national during a raid on a rented house in the seaside city of Pattaya, uncovering what authorities described as a large-scale illegal e-cigarette operation with products valued at more than 10 million baht ($318,000) and a suspicious white powder believed to be a possible anesthetic.
Officers from the Economic Crime Division conducted the raid Saturday after receiving intelligence that e-cigarettes and vape pods were being sold in bulk from the house to middlemen, with distribution reaching both Thai and foreign tourists, including through online channels. Surveillance showed frequent visits by pickup trucks, prompting police to obtain a search warrant from the Pattaya Provincial Court.
The suspect, identified as Zhang, 36, was arrested at the property in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province.
Inside the house, police seized nearly 5,000 ready-to-use vape pods, about 15,000 empty cartridges, 18,000 vape coils, 300 e-cigarette devices and roughly 85 gallons of vaping liquid. Authorities also found 11 bags of white cloudy and clear powder weighing more than 3.8 kilograms.
Evidence seized by Thai police are displayed following a raid on a rented house in Pattaya, Chonburi province, Thailand, on Dec. 20, 2025.
Equipment used for manufacturing and packaging was also confiscated, including tens of thousands of vape caps, packaging materials, vacuum sealers, heating machines, digital scales, beakers, tubing and chemical solvents.
Zhang told investigators he was hired by a Chinese acquaintance to watch over the house and deliver e-cigarettes as instructed, earning 40,000 baht ($1,270) per month. He said he was unaware the products were illegal and claimed no knowledge of their production. He added that the person who hired him had returned to China about a week earlier.
Police charged Zhang with assisting in the concealment, sale or transport of goods that should have been known to have bypassed customs procedures, and with operating a business without complying with safety regulations.
Thai police arrest a Chinese man at a rented house during a raid on an illegal e-cigarette operation in Pattaya, Chonburi province, Thailand, on Dec. 20, 2025.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatsapoomi Jaruprat, commander of the Economic Crime Division, said the seized powder has been sent for forensic testing to determine whether it contains etomidate, a medical anesthetic used to induce temporary unconsciousness.
He warned that if such substances are mixed into e-cigarettes, they pose serious health risks, including respiratory depression, heart rhythm disorders and severe psychological effects.
Authorities said the investigation is continuing as they work to identify and locate the suspected ringleader of the operation, who is believed to have fled abroad.
KOH SAMUI — A 21-year-old Thai man has denied any involvement in the death of a British tourist at a hotel on Koh Samui, saying he did not provide drugs to the victim, as police continue to investigate whether the case involved a drug overdose or a robbery.
Police said a 28-year-old British man was pronounced dead early Friday after he and a friend were found unconscious in a room at a luxury hotel on the island. Another British tourist was found unresponsive but survived.
According to a preliminary investigation, one of the tourists, identified by police as Kris, 28, returned to the shared hotel room at about 2:35 a.m. with a 21-year-old transgender woman he had met at an entertainment venue. About 30 minutes later, the second tourist, Luke, 28, arrived with a Thai man. Police said the transgender woman later left the room.
About 15 minutes later, Kris went to the hotel reception and reported that about 1,500 pounds ($1,900) in cash was missing, alleging it had been taken by the transgender woman. He then collapsed and lost consciousness, prompting hotel staff to alert police.
Koh Samui
Officers responding to the scene found Luke unconscious in the room. He was not breathing and received cardiopulmonary resuscitation before being taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:53 a.m., police said.
On December 20, forensic officers from Regional Forensic Science Center 8 examined the hotel room, collecting DNA samples, fingerprints and chemical evidence as part of the investigation.
Authorities said they are trying to determine whether the case involved a drug overdose or a crime in which the tourists were drugged in order to steal their belongings.
Pol. Col. Kantchawit Phothiprasit, superintendent of Bophut Police Station, said the exact cause of death has not yet been determined. The body has been sent to the Police General Hospital in Bangkok for an autopsy, with results expected within about one month. He said investigators have not yet been able to question Kris due to his condition.
The Thai man who accompanied Luke, a 21-year-old former boxer, told investigators he was unaware of what happened and denied providing drugs to the tourists, police said.
Investigators also questioned the transgender woman and released her after taking her statement.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a news conference at the State Department, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
BANGKOK — The United States is stepping up diplomatic efforts to revive a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia as renewed fighting along their shared border threatens to derail a fragile peace agreement reached just two months ago.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was “cautiously optimistic” that a new ceasefire could be reached as early as Tuesday, despite escalating military tensions along the Sa Kaeo–Banteay Meanchey border.
Speaking at a year-end news conference in Washington, Rubio said he had discussed the situation with Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and would use an upcoming ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur to press both sides to return to the terms of the October ceasefire agreement.
“Both sides made commitments in writing that they signed,” Rubio said. “Those commitments are not being kept today, with each side citing grievances against the other. Our task now is to bring them back to the table.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a news conference at the State Department, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The ceasefire, known as the Kuala Lumpur Accord, was brokered in October following deadly clashes earlier this year. It temporarily eased tensions but has since stalled amid new skirmishes and landmine incidents reported in December.
In Bangkok, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul rejected suggestions that Thailand was responsible for the latest escalation, insisting his government remained committed to the agreement while prioritizing national security.
“The word ‘pressure’ should apply to the aggressor and to those who violate agreements,” Anutin told reporters. He said Thailand had complied with most elements of the accord, including demining efforts, action against online scam operations, border management measures and troop withdrawals.
Thailand paused the withdrawal of heavy weaponry, Anutin said, after what he described as harassment and threats along the frontier.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul responds to media questions on December 19 regarding Thailand’s latest stance on the armed conflict with Cambodia, as major powers including the United States and China push for a return to a ceasefire agreement.
The prime minister outlined four conditions he said were necessary for a lasting ceasefire: the full withdrawal of heavy weapons from contested areas, comprehensive demining, cooperation to dismantle scam centers near the border, and transparent management of disputed settlements, including areas near Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew.
Thai officials say Cambodian forces must take “concrete actions” to demonstrate they no longer pose a threat before Thai troops return to previous positions. Cambodia has not publicly responded to the latest remarks.
As ASEAN foreign ministers prepare to meet in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, diplomats say the October agreement remains the only viable framework for de-escalation. But continued troop buildups and artillery deployments along the border underscore the challenges facing efforts to restore calm.
Rescue workers provide first aid to a Canadian woman found with self-inflicted injuries inside a home on Sai Yuan 11 Road in Rawai, Phuket’s Mueang district, on Dec. 21, 2025.
PHUKET — Neighbors alerted police early Saturday after a reported domestic violence incident involving a Canadian family in Phuket, authorities said.
Pol. Lt. Nattaphon Phumlueamkhit, an investigator at Chalong Police Station, said officers were notified at about 12:30 a.m. on December 21 of an assault at a home on Sai Yuan 11 Road in Rawai, in Phuket’s Mueang district.
Police found a 6-year-old Canadian girl injured inside the house. A neighbor, identified only as a foreign national, told officers he had taken the girl’s 13-year-old brother to Dibuk Hospital after the boy sought help, saying their mother had attacked him and his younger sister.
Blood stains are visible in the living room of a Canadian family’s home following a domestic violence incident in Phuket on Dec. 21, 2025.
Around the same time, police said they received a separate report from a Good Samaritan about a foreign woman with self-inflicted abdominal injuries who was behaving incoherently. Patrol officers detained the woman, later identified as a 45-year-old Canadian and the mother of the two children.
Officers inspecting the residence found sharp knives believed to have been used in the incident, along with blood stains throughout the house, particularly in a downstairs bathroom where the injured girl had reportedly hidden.
Police coordinated with the Khaimuk Center to transport the girl and her mother to Chalong Hospital. Officers are monitoring their conditions and said further questioning will take place once they are medically stable. Authorities are also coordinating with relevant agencies to provide assistance, police said.
The U-Tapao MRO center is considered a key strategic project aimed at positioning Thailand as a regional aviation hub.
BANGKOK — Thailand’s planned aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul center at U-Tapao airport has reached its most advanced stage, with a contract signing scheduled for January 7, 2026, an official overseeing the project said.
Chula Sukmanop, secretary-general of the Eastern Economic Corridor Policy Committee, said the project will be submitted to the EEC board for approval in December 2025. The MRO facility will occupy about 210 rai (84 acres) within the Eastern Economic Corridor and is intended to position Thailand as a regional aviation hub. In Asia, only Singapore and China currently operate large-scale MRO facilities, he said.
Under the plan, Thai Airways International will be granted operating rights for the entire site and will establish a subsidiary to run the business. Thai Airways will act as the project developer and may operate the facilities directly, form joint ventures with specialized partners, or lease space to private operators for activities such as wide-body aircraft maintenance or other specialized services.
U-Tapao Airport and Eastern Aviation City Project
The center will be able to service aircraft from multiple manufacturers, including Airbus and Boeing, and will not be limited to a single brand. The land lease will run for 50 years, with rental rates structured to encourage early investment. Revenue sharing with the state will begin in the fifth year of operations, starting at 3% for years five to 10, rising to 5% for years 10 to 15, and 7% from year 15 onward.
Following the contract signing, the project will move into detailed design and an environmental impact assessment review, which will be expedited under EEC regulations. The EIA process is expected to be completed within 180 days after submission of the full design documents.
Construction is expected to begin in early 2027 and take about three years, aligning with the completion of U-Tapao Airport’s second runway. Chula said construction of the runway has already begun and is expected to be finished within four years.
Development of the passenger terminal will proceed as planned and will not be delayed by the high-speed rail project, allowing the airport to handle increased passenger traffic once the new runway becomes operational.
Taiwan police cordoned off the scene after a knife attack in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A man with a knife and a smoke grenade attacked crowds indiscriminately in Taiwan’s capital on Friday evening, killing at least three people and injuring nine others, according to the national news agency and the city government. The suspect later fell to his death from a department store building.
Police said that the suspect was declared dead at a hospital after jumping from the building’s sixth floor, the Central News Agency reported.
The suspect, identified as a 27-year-old man named Chang Wen, threw a smoke grenade near an underground exit of the Taipei Main subway station, close to the city’s main train station, sending pedestrians running, according to local media reports.
Taiwan police cordoned off the scene after a knife attack in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
He then headed north to a popular shopping district, where he stabbed multiple people on the first and fourth floors of the Eslite department store, primarily in the neck, the news agency said, citing police.
Local hospitals reported three deaths from the attacks. The city government said nine others were hospitalized, including one with serious injuries.
Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai said that one of the wounded was a pedestrian who fell to the ground after being attacked, and that person was already in cardiac arrest before being sent to a hospital. The smoke caused respiratory injuries to another person.
Chang failed to report for reserve military training in November 2024, and he was wanted for violating the law on mandatory military service, the news agency reported. He apparently didn’t report a change in household registration, resulting in nondelivery of his reserve military service summons, the news agency reported, citing a district prosecutors’ office.
KOH SAMUI — A 28-year-old British tourist was pronounced dead early Friday after he and a friend were found unconscious at a luxury hotel on Koh Samui, police said, as authorities investigate possible drug involvement and the reported disappearance of cash.
Police said officers from Bo Phut Police Station were alerted around 4 a.m. to two British men found unresponsive — one at the hotel reception and the other inside a guest room — at a hotel in the Chaweng Beach area. Both were taken to hospital, where one was later declared dead.
According to a preliminary investigation, one of the men, Kris, 28, returned to the shared room around 2:35 a.m. with a 21-year-old transgender woman he had met at an entertainment venue. About 30 minutes later, the second man, Luke, 28, arrived with a Thai man. Police said the transgender woman later left the room.
About 15 minutes after that, Kris went to the hotel reception and reported that about 1,500 pounds ($1,900) in cash was missing, alleging it had been taken by the transgender woman. He then collapsed and lost consciousness, prompting hotel staff to call police.
Officers found Luke unconscious in the room. He had stopped breathing and was given CPR before being rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:53 a.m., police said.
Bo Phut Police Station
A preliminary examination found no external injuries on the body. Police said a plastic tube commonly used to store cannabis was found in the deceased man’s pants pocket. His friend was transferred to another hospital and is in stable condition but has not yet been able to give a statement. Preliminary medical tests detected morphine in his system, police said.
Investigators later questioned the transgender woman and released her after taking her statement. The Thai man who accompanied Luke was also questioned and tested positive for methamphetamine, police said.
Police Superintendent Col. Kanchawit Phoprasit said investigators are reviewing CCTV footage, tracing the missing money and awaiting detailed autopsy results from the Police Hospital’s forensic institute to determine how the morphine entered the body and whether it was linked to the death.
Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelabutra, center, poses with Dave Thomas, deputy ambassador at the British Embassy in Thailand, left, and Vanessa Jardine, chief constable of Northumbria Police, during a visit related to a police custody reform pilot in Bangkok, on Dec.19, 2025.
BANGKOK — The Royal Thai Police and the British government have launched a joint pilot program aimed at improving conditions for suspects in police custody and strengthening human rights protections, Thai authorities said Friday.
Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelabutra visited Pathumwan Police Station on December 19, one of eight stations selected for the “Pilot Police Station Project on Suspect Custody,” which seeks to bring Thai custody practices in line with international standards.
The visit was attended by Dave Thomas, deputy ambassador at the British Embassy in Thailand; Vanessa Jardine, chief constable of Northumbria Police; and David Lawes, a senior police adviser to the UK Home Office.
The initiative, launched in 2024 under the direction of National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet, focuses on improving safety, transparency and respect for human rights for suspects held in police custody.
Pol. Gen. Thatchai said the reform emphasizes a shift in police culture, stressing that custody should be treated as part of the justice process rather than a form of punishment. He said the program is built around three core principles: individual risk assessment, transparency and accountability, and ensuring suspects are physically and mentally fit for questioning.
Under the program, officers conduct health screenings that include checks for allergies, chronic illnesses, mental health conditions and injuries to reduce the risk of harm. All custody-related activities are documented in line with Thailand’s 2022 law on the prevention and suppression of torture and enforced disappearance, police said.
A monitor displays multiple detention cells for police oversight at Pathumwan Police Station in Bangkok on Dec. 19, where a policy of one detainee per cell is being implemented.
The pilot is being implemented at eight police stations under Metropolitan Police Bureau 6. Officers from Pathumwan Police Station and Mueang Chanthaburi Police Station received specialized training in the United Kingdom and have since passed on their knowledge to Thai colleagues with support from Northumbria Police experts.
Authorities said police detention facilities at participating stations have also been upgraded, including improved safety features, hygienic bedding and a “one detainee per cell” policy aimed at protecting human dignity and reducing risks inside holding cells.
Pol. Gen. Thatchai said the Royal Thai Police is also studying the feasibility of establishing centralized custody facilities at the divisional or provincial level. Such centers would allow patrol and investigative officers to focus on frontline duties while ensuring arrested suspects are processed and detained under consistent standards.
Officials said the reforms are intended to enhance public confidence in law enforcement and improve Thailand’s justice system in line with international expectations.
