Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul wipes away tears as he visits injured soldiers wounded by landmines along the Thai-Cambodian border, at a hospital in Ubon Ratchathani on November 11, 2025.
BANGKOK — Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is facing mounting criticism over his handling of Thailand’s escalating border dispute with Cambodia, with the opposition warning that his nationalist tone risks isolating the country diplomatically.
Opposition leader Nattaphong Ruengpanyawut told reporters Friday that Anutin’s approach has left Thailand exposed as tensions rise along the frontier, where seven Thai soldiers have lost limbs to landmines since July.
“Thailand faces serious risks in resolving this conflict,” Nattaphong said at his party headquarters. “We need a prime minister who responds calmly and proportionately, and who puts national interests above personal popularity.”
Opposition leader Nattaphong Ruengpanyawut addresses the Thailand-Cambodia border crisis at the Future Forward building in Bangkok on Friday, November 14, 2025.
He offered condolences to Sgt. Maj. Terdsak Samaphong, who lost his right ankle after stepping on a landmine during a Nov. 10 patrol in Si Sa Ket province — the tenth landmine casualty since mid-July. He condemned the use of new anti-personnel mines as violations of international agreements and past peace accords between the two countries.
Criticism of Diplomatic Handling
Nattaphong accused Anutin of failing to brief key partners, including the United States and Malaysia, which currently chairs ASEAN. He said the lack of early communication allowed both governments to take the lead in urging respect for peace agreements, while Cambodia used Anutin’s rhetoric to cast itself as a victim of Thai aggression.
He also criticized Anutin for giving the military broad authority to act along the border, saying the move undermined civilian oversight. “It’s like signing a blank check,” he said. “This is not how civilian-led military policy should work.”
Border Crisis Background
Tensions flared in late May when soldiers from both countries exchanged gunfire at a border checkpoint in Ubon Ratchathani, killing a Cambodian soldier. The following month, Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen leaked an audio recording of a conversation with then–Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who had been trying to prevent further clashes. The leak sparked a political crisis in Bangkok that eventually led to Paetongtarn’s suspension and removal from office.
The Royal Thai Army releases photos showing bullets fired from the Cambodian side striking a Thai military bunker in Nong Ya Kaeo village, Khok Sung district, Sa Kaeo province, on Nov. 12, 2025.
Thai and Cambodian forces clashed repeatedly from July 24–28, leaving casualties on both sides. Hun Sen had predicted Thailand would change leaders within three months — a forecast fulfilled when Anutin took office in August.
Peace Efforts Falter
Anutin signed a peace declaration with Cambodia on Oct. 26 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. But he soon drew criticism at home after saying both countries had crossed into each other’s territory, prompting him to apologize and insist Thailand would not lose “territory, sovereignty or dignity.”
Following the latest landmine injury, Anutin announced he was suspending the joint declaration and canceling the planned release of 18 Cambodian detainees that had been expected on Nov. 12, declaring “peace is over” and echoing nationalist groups that pushed the hashtag #PeaceIsNotReal.
President Donald Trump and Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul exchange a document during a signing ceremony on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
After visiting wounded soldiers, Anutin said he saw no need to notify U.S. and Malaysian leaders of the suspension. Asked whether the move could affect U.S. tariff measures, he replied: “If we can’t sell to this country, we’ll sell to other countries.” He also said Thailand would no longer negotiate with Cambodia, accusing Phnom Penh of violating previous agreements.
Former Diplomat Warns of Fallout
Russ Chaleejandra, a former assistant foreign minister, warned that Anutin’s challenge to U.S. trade policies risks alienating a key ally and could push Cambodia closer to Washington. He said Thai livelihoods could be affected if the United States responds with new tariff measures.
“Thailand must protect its sovereignty,” Russ said. “But what is the point of provoking an ally like the United States? Will Thailand gain more than it loses?”
Police raid a condominium unit in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district, where officers say they uncovered a Chinese-run online gambling operation during a search originally prompted by a drug complaint on November 13, 2025.
BANGKOK — A drug raid in Bangkok led police to an unexpected discovery: a Chinese syndicate running a cross-border online gambling operation out of a condominium in the capital’s Din Daeng district.
Bangkok metropolitan anti-narcotics officers and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) executed a court-approved search warrant on November 13 after receiving a hotline tip that Chinese nationals were using drugs and refusing to open their door in nearby Huai Khwang district. No drugs were found, but four foreign nationals — three Chinese and one Myanmar citizen — were arrested.
Police identified them as Youngzhao, 28; Li, 29; Jianquan, 27; and Maw Htay, 27. All tested negative for drugs. Instead, officers found four laptops with Chinese-language browser tabs open and backend access to a major online gambling platform offering slots, sports betting and baccarat.
Investigators said the group had previously worked as backend administrators for gambling sites in Cambodia before shifting operations to Thailand. Police also seized 10 mobile phones containing operational data, an OTP authentication token, seven packs of untaxed cigarettes, and “cheat sheets” that outlined how to misuse student visas and avoid immigration checks.
Police detain three Chinese nationals and one Myanmar citizen during a raid in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district, where officers say the group was operating an illegal online gambling platform on November 13, 2025.
The notes included scripted answers for visa interviews, warnings about immigration inspections, and instructions to hide SIM cards and devices. Officers also found a list of condominiums where gambling work was prohibited to avoid police detection.
The four were charged with operating an online gambling service without permission, possessing illegally imported excise goods and residing in Thailand unlawfully. All denied wrongdoing, telling police they were in Thailand to study the Thai language and travel — a claim authorities say contradicts evidence collected during the raid.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing and may widen to other young Chinese nationals believed to be involved in similar illicit activities.
Thai tourist police apprehend a 30-year-old Chinese man in Pattaya who overstayed his visa by 1,043 days while allegedly working illegally as a tour guide, on November 13, 2025.
PATTAYA — Thai tourist police arrested a Chinese man who overstayed his visa by nearly three years and was allegedly working illegally as a tour guide in the popular resort city of Pattaya on Thursday.
Authorities launched an investigation after a Facebook page, Tourism News Circle, reported that a man was using what appeared to be a fake tour guide license to lead Chinese tourists. Officers traced the suspect to a hotel on Phra Tamnak Hill before arresting him on November 13 in Najomtien, Sattahip district, while he was accompanying a tour group.
Thai tourist police apprehend a 30-year-old Chinese man in Pattaya who overstayed his visa by 1,043 days while allegedly working illegally as a tour guide, on November 13, 2025.
Police identified the suspect as Jinlei, 30, a Chinese national who entered Thailand on July 17, 2022, and was permitted to stay until January 5, 2023. He had overstayed for 1,043 days and was found to be illegally assisting tour groups and coordinating with licensed guides.
Jinlei was charged with working without a permit, working outside the scope of his visa, and overstaying his temporary stay in Thailand. He was handed over to Najomtien police for further legal proceedings.
Tourist police urged the public to report illegal foreign workers or suspicious activities that could threaten Thailand’s tourism or economy via the 1155 hotline or the Thailand Tourist Police Facebook page.
His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport on November 13, 2025. The royal couple are making a historic state visit to the People’s Republic of China from November 13 to 17, 2025.
BEIJING — Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand arrived in Beijing on November 13, where they were warmly welcomed by senior Chinese officials at the start of a historic state visit to the People’s Republic of China.
The royal couple were greeted at Beijing Capital International Airport by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his spouse, along with Assistant Foreign Minister and Chief of Protocol Hong Lei. A young Chinese boy and girl presented floral bouquets to Their Majesties before they reviewed an honor guard.
Following the welcome ceremony, the King and Queen traveled to the China World Hotel in Beijing, which has been arranged by the Chinese government as their official residence during the visit.
His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport on November 13, 2025. The royal couple are making a historic state visit to the People’s Republic of China from November 13 to 17, 2025.Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand arrive at the China World Hotel in Beijing on November 13, 2025, at the start of their state visit to the People’s Republic of China.
Their Majesties departed Bangkok earlier in the day aboard a special Thai Airways flight, TG 8886, from Don Mueang Royal Thai Air Force Base. The visit, taking place from November 13 to 17, was made at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China.
According to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visit aims to strengthen the close and enduring friendship between the two nations and promote deeper understanding between their peoples.
In celebration of this milestone, Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jianwei published an article titled “Carrying Forward the China-Thailand Friendship and Writing a New Chapter in History.” He wrote that the Thai monarchs’ visit represents a new milestone in bilateral relations, underscoring mutual trust and shared aspirations for prosperity under the “China–Thailand Community with a Shared Future.”
……….
Carrying Forward the China-Thailand Friendship and Writing a New Chapter in History
By Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jienwei
A t the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Their Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana will pay a state visit to China from November 13 to 17. This is the first visit of the King of Thailand to China since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jianwei welcomes Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand at Beijing Capital International Airport on November 13, 2025.
China is the first major country which His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn officially visits. This fully demonstrates the great importance that the highest leader of Thailand attaches to growing bilateral relations.
The close exchanges between the leaders of the two countries have guided the healthy and stable development of China-Thailand relations. The Thai Royal Family has long cared for and supported the friendship between the two nations. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand in 1975, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej met with visiting Chinese leaders, including Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Li Peng, Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao.
In 1978, during his visit to Thailand, Vice Premier of China’s State Council Deng Xiaoping attended the tonsure ceremony of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn upon invitation, fully reflecting the high importance the leaders of both countries placed on China-Thailand relations.
In 2000, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit visited China on behalf of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand. From 1987 to 1998, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn visited China four times, meeting with multiple Chinese leaders and traveling to more than 10 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, including Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Xinjiang, and Xizang.
Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn has visited China over 50 times, making her a close friend of the Chinese people and a distinguished envoy of China-Thailand friendship. President Xi Jinping personally conferred upon her China’s Friendship Medal.
Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn has traveled to China on multiple occasions to host the “China and Thailand Are as Close as One Family” music and dance galas, where she performed the Guzheng herself, and has actively promoted cooperation in science, technology and other fields between the two countries. With sincere affection and proactive efforts, the Thai Royal Family has continuously strengthened strategic mutual trust and fostered deeper people-to-people ties between the two nations.
The strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries has steered and set the direction for China-Thailand relations in the new era. In 2011, then Vice President of China Xi Jinping made an official visit to Thailand.
In 2012, China and Thailand established a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership. On the occasions of King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s accession to the throne in 2016 and his coronation in 2019, President Xi Jinping sent messages of congratulations, expressing willingness to work together with the King to advance bilateral relations to new heights.
In 2022, President Xi Jinping paid a historic visit to Thailand, and was warmly received by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana. The leaders of the two countries jointly elevated bilateral relations into a new phase of building a community with a shared future that is more stable, more prosperous and more sustainable.
Since 2024, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of China-Thailand diplomatic relations and the “Golden Jubilee of China-Thailand Friendship,” King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana have graciously accepted invitations to attend important celebratory events such as the China-Thailand Ice Hockey Friendship Match and the ceremony to host the sacred Buddha’s tooth relic from Beijing’s Lingguang Temple in Thailand.
It is under the steadfast support for China-Thailand friendship from the Thai Royal Family that bilateral relations have consistently maintained a high level of performance and the sentiment of “China and Thailand are as close as one family” has become increasingly deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
The personal commitment of the leaders of both countries has set the course for the steady and sustained growth of China-Thailand relations in the years to come. In October this year, King Maha Vajiralongkorn sent a message to President Xi Jinping, congratulating him on the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and expressing that at this new historical starting point of Thailand-China relations, he looks forward to continuing close cooperation with China to deepen and substantiate bilateral collaboration across various fields.
During the recent meeting with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, President Xi Jinping remarked that China and Thailand are good neighbors, good friends, good relatives, and good partners, whose frequent interactions reflect the closeness of one family. Standing at this new beginning in bilateral relations, both sides should build on past achievements and forge ahead into the future, working together to advance the building of a China-Thailand community with a shared future with greater depth and substance. This will contribute to the modernization processes of both countries and make greater contributions to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.
Today, the Chinese government and people are eagerly anticipating the visit of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana to China. This is not only an important diplomatic event but also another markable milestone in China-Thailand relationship.
China looks forward to yielding more fruitful outcomes in building a China-Thailand community with a shared future, composing a new chapter in bilateral friendship, and steering the relationship toward a more glorious 50-years to come.”
In this photo released by Agence Kampuchea Press (AKP), local residents carry a coffin with the body of Dy Nay body caused by Thai soldiers opened fire on civilians in Prey Chan village, Banteay Meanchey province, on the border with Thailand, at Prey Chan village, Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025 (AKP via AP)
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia on Thursday evacuated hundreds of people from a village along its disputed border with Thailand, a day after one of its residents was reported killed when shooting between the two nations broke out there.
Wednesday’s shooting occurred two days after a Thai soldier lost a foot to a land mine while patrolling another area of the border. Thailand blamed Cambodia for the blast and announced it was suspending honoring the terms of a ceasefire partly brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Territorial disputes over exactly where the border lies between the Southeast Asian neighbors led to five days of armed conflict in late July that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians. But tensions remained high. Many terms of a more detailed truce agreement signed last month have not yet been implemented.
A Cambodian man identified as Dy Nai was reportedly killed in shooting Wednesday, while three other people were wounded.
In this photo released by Agence Kampuchea Press (AKP), Cambodian Buddhist monks surround a coffin with the body of Dy Nay, killed during a clash with Thai soldiers in Prey Chan village, Banteay Meanchey province, on the border with Thailand, at Prey Chan village, Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025 (AKP via AP)
About 250 families from Prey Chan village in Cambodia’s northwestern province of Banteay Meanchey, where the shooting took place, were evacuated to a Buddhist temple about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the border, said Ly Sovannarith, the provincial vice governor.
The same village was the site of a violent but not lethal confrontation in September between Thai security personnel and Cambodian villagers.
The Cambodian Defense Ministry on Thursday led members of a team assigned to monitor the ceasefire at the border. The observer team included officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Wednesday called for an independent investigation into the incident to bring justice to those affected by the shooting.
The ceasefire appeared to be breaking down after the land mine explosion earlier this week. Thailand accused Cambodia of laying new mines in violation of the truce, which Cambodia denied. Thailand said it would pause implementation of the agreement indefinitely. It also demanded that Cambodia apologize, conduct a thorough investigation and implement prevent such incidents in the future.
In this photo released by Agence Kampuchea Press (AKP), an injured man, rear center, is visited by members of the ASEAN’s observer team (AOT) in a hospital in Prey Chan, a border village to Thailand, in Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (AKP via AP)
Hun Manet said the shooting occurred after Thai forces engaged in “numerous provocative actions for many days with the objective of instigating confrontations.” He added that Cambodia would still honor the ceasefire terms.
The Thai army alleged that Cambodian soldiers fired into a district in Thailand’s eastern province of Sa Kaeo, and that the Thai side “fired warning shots in response.”
“Cambodia’s accusations that Thailand initiated fire, provoked conflict, and violated the ceasefire are entirely false. Cambodia’s firing from a civilian area as cover constitutes using human shields, violating humanitarian principles and demonstrating complete disregard for Cambodian civilian lives.” army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree said in a statement Wednesday.
Thailand and Cambodia have a history of enmity going back centuries, when they were warring empires. Their competing territorial claims stem largely from a 1907 map drawn when Cambodia was under French colonial rule, which Thailand has argued is inaccurate.
The International Court of Justice in 1962 awarded sovereignty to Cambodia over an area that included the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear temple, which still rankles many Thais.
The October truce agreement does not spell out a path to resolve the underlying basis of the dispute.
Thai police raid a rented room in Ban Phra Chedi Sam Ong, Sangkhla Buri District, Kanchanaburi Province, arresting two Indonesian suspects for drug possession on November 12, 2025.
KANCHANABURI – Thai Authorities arrested two Indonesian nationals and seized 8 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 8,000 methamphetamine pills during a raid on a rented room near the Thai border on November 12.
Police, military personnel from the Lad Ya Special Task Force under the Surasee Border Patrol Police, and local administrative officers surrounded and raided a rented room in Ban Phra Chedi Sam Ong, Moo 9, Nong Lu Subdistrict, Sangkhla Buri District, following intelligence reports of a drug smuggling operation along the border.
Intelligence indicated that a large quantity of narcotics had been hidden in the rented room, awaiting transport into Thailand’s interior, with gang members possibly armed to protect the drugs.
During the operation, Eagle 7 tactical unit officers used bulletproof shields while requesting entry. Despite the suspects’ attempts to close the door, officers successfully entered and found two foreign men inside: Rahul, 30, and Sapriadi, 31, both Indonesian nationals.
The search uncovered 8 plastic bags containing 1 kilogram each of crystal methamphetamine (ice) wrapped in green Chinese tea bags, totaling 8 kilograms, along with 8,000 methamphetamine pills in resealable blue plastic bags. Officers also seized three mobile phones as evidence.
Thai authorities inspect seized narcotics—8 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 8,000 methamphetamine pills—at Sangkhla Buri Police Station in Kanchanaburi Province on November 12, 2025.
The suspects were taken to Sangkhla Buri Police Station for questioning and drug testing. Results came back negative for drugs in their systems. Both men refused to cooperate with investigators and denied all charges, claiming they had no knowledge of how the drugs ended up in their room.
Despite their denials, authorities charged both men with possession of Category 1 narcotics (methamphetamine/ice/meth pills) with intent to distribute for commercial purposes and causing distribution among the public without authorization. The investigation continues to identify other members of the smuggling network.
In this image provided by the Myanmar military on Oct. 19, 2025, soldiers raid the KK Park online scam center in Myawaddy township, Karen State, Myanmar. (The Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP)
BANGKOK — The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on a Thai company and a Myanmar armed group accused of operating cyber-scam centers that defrauded Americans and relied on human trafficking victims.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that it had blacklisted the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), a militia in Myanmar’s Karen State, along with four of its senior leaders, for supporting criminal operations that run online scam compounds targeting U.S. citizens.
OFAC also sanctioned Trans Asia International Holding Group Thailand Co., Ltd., Troth Star Co., Ltd., and Chamu Sawang, a Thai national also known as Chamnarn Sawang, for working with the DKBA and Chinese transnational criminal networks to establish and expand the scam centers.
According to OFAC, these operations use trafficked labor to support large-scale fraud schemes. Profits from the centers help finance the DKBA’s armed activities in Myanmar.
“Criminal networks operating out of Myanmar are stealing billions of dollars from hardworking Americans through fraud,” said John C. Hurley, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. “These same networks are also involved in human trafficking and help fuel Myanmar’s brutal civil war. The administration will continue to use every tool we have to track down these cybercriminals and protect American families from exploitation.”
Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley speaks to journalists at the U.S. Embassy in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. Credit: AP PHOTO/Bilal Hussein
The action was carried out in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Department of Justice, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
In a related move, U.S. authorities launched the Scam Center Strike Force, a multi-agency task force aimed at investigating and dismantling scam compounds across Southeast Asia — particularly in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos — and prosecuting their operators.
OFAC identified one such operation, the Taishang Center, located near Myawaddy in Karen State, as a key scam compound run in DKBA-controlled territory. It was allegedly established by DKBA Brig. Gen. Saw Kyaw La in partnership with Trans Asia, which served as a front for Chinese criminal investors.
Trans Asia is also linked to land deals with other sanctioned groups and companies, including KNA and Troth Star, to develop additional scam hubs such as the Huan Ya Center and the notorious KK Park, both in Myawaddy.
OFAC said those sanctioned include Saw Steel, DKBA commander-in-chief; Saw Sein Win, assistant general; Saw San Aung, chief of staff; and Chamu Sawang, the Thai director of Trans Asia. Their assets under U.S. jurisdiction have been frozen, and American citizens are barred from conducting business with them.
Thai immigration officers arrest the Chinese fugitive outside a luxury housing estate on Ratchaphruek Road in Bangkok during the early hours of Nov. 13, 2025.
BANGKOK — A Chinese man who allegedly fled his home country after embezzling more than $7 million and later obtained Vanuatu citizenship was arrested in Bangkok after seven years in hiding, Thai immigration police said Tuesday.
Pol Col Pholsit Sutthiaat, chief investigator of Immigration Division 1, said officers began tracking the suspect, identified as Wu, 40, following a tip from residents that a foreign man was living a reclusive life in a luxury home worth tens of millions of baht on Ratchaphruek Road in Thon Buri’s Taling Chan district.
Undercover officers posing as security guards monitored the area for about a week. On November 12, they spotted a white Volvo entering the neighborhood to pick up Wu — the first time he had left his home since surveillance began. Police set up checkpoints nearby and intercepted the car as it returned in the early hours of November 13.
The Chinese suspect presents his Vanuatu passport to immigration officers during his arrest outside a luxury housing estate in Bangkok on Nov. 13.
Wu presented a Vanuatu passport showing that his permission to stay in Thailand had expired earlier this year. Officers charged him with overstaying his visa and took him into custody for questioning at the Immigration Bureau.
During questioning, Wu repeatedly insisted he was a Vanuatu citizen, not Chinese. Authorities later confirmed through international law enforcement channels that he was wanted by prosecutors in Chaozhou, Guangdong province, China, on charges of corporate embezzlement.
According to Chinese investigators, Wu served as head of sales for a luxury real estate project in 2018. He allegedly lured 48 homebuyers with “special prices,” directing them to transfer payments to his personal bank account. The losses amounted to more than 50 million yuan (about $7 million).
Wu fled China soon after, reportedly purchasing Vanuatu citizenship to evade capture. Interpol issued a Red Notice for his arrest in 2025, leading Thai authorities to locate and detain him.
Immigration police said they will continue investigating Wu’s assets in Thailand, including the house, a luxury car, and possible associates who may have helped him remain in hiding.
The German tourist reports to Pattaya City Police after being deceived into paying in euros instead of Thai baht when purchasing products on November 12, 2025.
PATTAYA – A German tourist filed a complaint with Pattaya City Police Station late Wednesday night after being tricked into paying €4,000 – not 4,000 baht – for herbal coconut oil by a foreign national of unknown origin.
Mr. Nadir Altaf, 52, a German national, told police he was walking around Pattaya when he was approached by a foreign man, appearing to be of Middle Eastern descent, who offered to sell him herbal-infused coconut oil with supposed miraculous hair growth properties. Interested in the product, Nadir followed the seller to a nearby shop and agreed to purchase five bottles.
Mr. Nadir reports to Pattaya City Police after being deceived into paying in euros instead of Thai baht when purchasing products on November 12, 2025.
The seller quoted a price of “4,000” without clearly specifying the currency. Nadir assumed it was 4,000 baht (approximately €107) and proceeded with the purchase. However, when he swiped his credit card, he was charged €4,000 – equivalent to approximately 140,000 baht. Upon discovering the scam, he immediately reported the incident to police.
Police Sub-Lieutenant Phupha Hongyakul, Deputy Investigation Inspector at Pattaya City Police Station, recorded the complaint and coordinated with investigators to examine the case. He noted that such incidents occur regularly in the area, with some victims not filing reports. When complaints are filed, authorities typically follow up with the shops to secure refunds.
“We have conducted multiple raids and made several arrests, but these scammers continue to operate, damaging Pattaya’s reputation,” Lt. Phupha said.
President Donald Trump speaks before signing the funding bill to reopen the government, in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill Wednesday night, ending a record 43-day shutdown that caused financial stress for federal workers who went without paychecks, stranded scores of travelers at airports and generated long lines at some food banks.
Trump’s signature draws to a close the second government shutdown he’s overseen in the White House, one that magnified the partisan divisions in Washington as his administration took unprecedented unilateral actions — including canceling projects and trying to fire federal workers — to pressure Democrats into relenting on their demands.
The signing ceremony came just hours after the House passed the measure on a mostly party-line vote of 222-209. The Senate had already passed the measure Monday.
Democrats wanted to extend an enhanced tax credit expiring at the end of the year that lowers the cost of health coverage obtained through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. They refused to go along with a short-term spending bill that did not include that priority. But Republicans said that was a separate policy fight to be held at another time.
“We told you 43 days ago from bitter experience that government shutdowns don’t work,” said Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “They never achieve the objective that you announce. And guess what? You haven’t achieved that objective yet, and you’re not going to.”
In this image provided by House Television, the vote total showing passage of the bill in the House to end the government shutdown is displayed Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Capitol in Washington. (House Television via AP)
The frustration and pressures generated by the shutdown was reflected when lawmakers debated the spending measure on the House floor.
Republicans said Democrats sought to use the pain generated by the shutdown to prevail in a policy dispute.
“They knew it would cause pain and they did it anyway,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
Democrats said Republicans raced to pass tax breaks earlier this year that they say mostly will benefit the wealthy. But the bill before the House Wednesday “leaves families twisting in the wind with zero guarantee there will ever, ever be a vote to extend tax credits to help everyday people pay for their health care,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would not give up on the subsidy extension even if the vote did not go their way.
“This fight is not over,” Jeffries said. “We’re just getting started.”
The House had not been in legislative session since Sept. 19, when it passed a short-term measure to keep the government open when the new budget year began in October. Johnson sent lawmakers home after that vote and put the onus on the Senate to act, saying House Republicans had done their job.
What’s in the bill to end the shut
down
The legislation is the result of a deal reached by eight senators who broke ranks with the Democrats after reaching the conclusion that Republicans would not bend on using a government funding to bill to extend the health care tax credits.
The compromise funds three annual spending bills and extends the rest of government funding through Jan. 30. Republicans promised to hold a vote by mid-December to extend the health care subsidies, but there is no guarantee of success.
The bill includes a reversal of the firing of federal workers by the Trump administration since the shutdown began. It also protects federal workers against further layoffs through January and guarantees they are paid once the shutdown is over. The bill for the Agriculture Department means people who rely on key food assistance programs will see those benefits funded without threat of interruption through the rest of the budget year.
The package includes $203.5 million to boost security for lawmakers and an additional $28 million for the security of Supreme Court justices.
Democrats also decried language in the bill that would give senators the opportunity to sue when a federal agency or employee searches their electronic records without notifying them, allowing for up to $500,000 in potential damages for each violation.
The language seems aimed at helping Republican senators pursue damages if their phone records were analyzed by the FBI as part of an investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. The provisions drew criticism from Republicans as well. Johnson said he was “very angry about it.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., heads from his office to the chamber for the final vote to bring the longest government shutdown in history to an end, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
“That was dropped in at the last minute, and I did not appreciate that, nor did most of the House members,” Johnson said, promising a vote on the matter as early as next week.
The biggest point of contention, though, was the fate of the expiring enhanced tax credit that makes health insurance more affordable through Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
“It’s a subsidy on top of a subsidy. Our friends added it during COVID,” Cole said. “COVID is over. They set a date certain that the subsidies would run out. They chose the date.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the enhanced tax credit was designed to give more people access to health care and no Republican voted for it.
“All they have done is try to eliminate access to health care in our country. The country is catching on to them,” Pelosi said.
Without the enhanced tax credit, premiums on average will more than double for millions of Americans. More than 2 million people would lose health insurance coverage altogether next year, the Congressional Budget Office projected.
Health care debate ahead
It’s unclear whether the parties will find any common ground on health care before the December vote in the Senate. Johnson has said he will not commit to bringing it up in his chamber.
Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the COVID-19 pandemic-era tax credits as premiums will soar for millions of people, but they also want new limits on who can receive the subsidies. Some argue that the tax dollars for the plans should be routed through individuals rather than go directly to insurance companies.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Monday that she was supportive of extending the tax credits with changes, such as new income caps. Some Democrats have signaled they could be open to that idea.
House Democrats expressed great skepticism that the Senate effort would lead to a breakthrough.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Republicans have wanted to repeal the health overhaul for the past 15 years. “That’s where they’re trying to go,” she said.
