Chiang Mai International Airport modifies flight schedules to accommodate Yi Peng Festival celebrations and sky lantern releases.
CHIANG MAI — As Chiang Mai gears up for its signature annual Yi Peng Lantern Festival — celebrated alongside the Loy Krathong Festival across Thailand — Chiang Mai International Airport has adjusted flight schedules and implemented extra safety and crowd management measures to handle the surge in travelers and prevent floating lanterns from affecting air traffic.
Garun Thanakuljirapat, general manager of Chiang Mai International Airport under Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT), said Friday that the airport has revised operating hours so that the last flight departs by 7 p.m., avoiding the period when lantern releases are permitted.
Passenger volume during the festival, November 4-6, is expected to exceed 32,000 people per day, a 17% increase from normal traffic, Garun said. To ease congestion, the airport has deployed more staff and encouraged travelers to use self-service systems such as automated check-in kiosks, self-bag-drop counters, and facial recognition systems.
The aftermath: Sky lantern debris accumulated following Chiang Mai’s Yi Peng Festival
As of October 31, the Yi Peng Festival has impacted 161 flights at Chiang Mai International Airport: 65 have been canceled (41 domestic, 24 international) and 96 rescheduled (64 domestic, 32 international). To accommodate returning tourists, authorities have added 44 special flights after the festival.
Strict No-Lantern Zones Enforced
Chiang Mai authorities have designated strict no-lantern and no-fireworks zones across the province to protect public and aviation safety. The ban covers air safety zones (Toffy Zones) and Level 1 special surveillance areas (Red Zones), spanning six districts and 39 subdistricts:
Mueang Chiang Mai District (all subdistricts)
Hang Dong District (all subdistricts)
Saraphi District (Khua Mung, Don Kaew, San Sai, Tha Wang Tan, Nong Phueng)
San Sai District (Nong Han)
Mae Rim District (Don Kaew, Mueang Kaew, Rim Tai, Mae Sa, Rim Nuea)
San Pa Tong District (Thung Tom)
The Chiang Mai CAD Lantern Festival 2025, to be held on November 5–6, 2025.
Penalties and Enhanced Safety Protocols
Violators releasing lanterns or fireworks without permission face up to five years in prison, fines up to 200,000 baht, or both. If the act causes a fire, penalties increase to seven years imprisonment and 140,000 baht in fines.
The airport has intensified safety measures, increasing runway inspections from six to eight daily rounds to clear lantern debris. Surveillance teams monitor sky lantern releases in real-time, coordinating with the control tower and pilots. Random alcohol testing of aviation personnel has also been implemented to maintain safety standards.
Garun added that all airlines have completed schedule adjustments before 7 p.m., resulting in denser daytime flight operations. He warned that festival activities in downtown Chiang Mai could cause traffic congestion near the airport and advised passengers to allow extra travel time and follow airport staff instructions to ensure flight safety.
Tourists stand under the statue of Pharaoh Ramses II, at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, Friday, May 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
CAIRO (AP) — Egypt on Saturday was inaugurating the long-delayed Grand Egyptian Museum, the world’s largest museum dedicated to an ancient civilization — a megaproject also aimed at boosting the country’s tourism industry and troubled economy.
Two decades in the making, the museum located near the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx showcases over 50,000 artifacts detailing life in ancient Egypt. It will display the entire collection of treasures from the tomb of the famed King Tutankhamun for the first time since its discovery in 1922.
World leaders, including monarchs, heads of states and governments, were to attend the grand opening ceremony in the Egyptian capital, according to the president’s office, which touted the museum as “an exceptional event in the history of human culture and civilization.”
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi wrote on social media that the museum will bring “together the genius of ancient Egyptians and the creativity of modern Egyptians, enhancing the world culture and art with a new landmark that will attract all those who cherish civilization and knowledge.”
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy, talk to journalists ahead of the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
A ‘symphony of humanity’
The museum, known as GEM, is one of several megaprojects championed by el-Sissi since he took office in 2014, embarking on massive investments in infrastructure with the aim of reviving an economy weakened by decades of stagnation and battered by the unrest that followed the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.
The museum is expected to attract 5 million visitors annually, said Egyptian businessman Sir Mohamed Mansour, who is a member of GEM’s board of trustees. That would put it in the ranks of the most popular museums in the world. In 2024, by comparison, Paris’s Louvre brought in 8.7 million, the British Museum 6.5 million and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York 5.7 million.
“It’s going to have a huge impact” on the economy, Mansour told The Associated Press.
The government has heralded the grand opening with a burst of pharaoh-mania. On Friday night, hundreds of drones created a light show in the sky of King Tut’s mask and chariot and other of the museum’s most famous pieces. Media have been playing Egyptian pop songs with videos featuring dancing pharaonic statues.
Visitors pose for a group photo under Hatshepsut statue, at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, Friday, May 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
A public holiday was declared Saturday, and security around Cairo was tightened. A stage was built in the museum courtyard where an orchestra and musicians would later perform what the Egyptian media described as a “global symphony of humanity.”
The museum, which has been partially open since last year, was closed for the past two weeks for final preparations.
Ramses the Great and King Tut
Construction on the $1 billion project was begun in 2005 under then-President Hosni Mubarak. It aimed to replace the Egyptian Museum, a more than century-old building in downtown Cairo that had become packed and disorganized, unable to deal with the sheer amount of ancient antiquities in Egypt.
But work on the museum was interrupted by turmoil surrounding the 2011 uprising that brought down Mubarak. Further delays ensued, and a planned grand opening over the summer had to be put off after the 12-day-long war between Israel and Iran erupted in June.
The museum boasts a towering, triangular glass façade imitating the nearby pyramids, with 24,000 square meters (258,000 square feet) of permanent exhibition space.
It opens to a granite colossus of Ramses the Great, one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful pharaohs who reigned for around 60 years, from 1279 B.C. to 1213 B.C., and is credited with expanding ancient Egypt’s reach as far as modern Syria to the east and modern Sudan to the south. The statue greets visitors once they step inside the museum’s angular atrium.
From the atrium, a grand six-story staircase lined with ancient statues leads up to the main galleries and a view of the pyramids. A bridge links the museum to the pyramids, allowing tourists to move between them either on foot or via electric vehicles, according to museum officials.
FILE – A tourist takes a selfie in front of Akhenaten statue during his visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, Friday, May 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)
The museum’s 12 main galleries, which opened last year, exhibit antiquities spanning from prehistoric times to the Roman era, organized by era and by themes.
Two halls that will be opened for the first time with the grand opening are dedicated to the 5,000 artifacts from the collection of King Tutankhamun — a boy pharaoh who ruled from 1361-1352 B.C. The tomb was discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered King Tut’s tomb in 1922 in the southern city of Luxor. But the old Egyptian Museum didn’t have enough room to display the whole collection, parts of which were often on tour to museums abroad.
Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s most renowned archaeologist and former minister of antiquities, said the Tutankhamun collection is the museum’s masterpiece.
“Why this museum is so important, and everyone is waiting for the opening?” he told The Associated Press. “Because of Tutankhamun.”
Plain clothes policemen stand alert as they guard before the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Boost to tourism and economy
Officials hope the museum will draw more tourists who will stay for longer periods and provide the foreign currency needed to shore up Egypt’s battered economy.
The government has also revamped the area around the museum and the nearby pyramids and the Sphinx. New highways were built, and a metro station is being constructed nearby. An airport, Sphinx International Airport, has also opened west of Cairo — 40 minutes from the museum.
The tourism sector has suffered during years of political turmoil and violence following the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. In recent years, the sector has started to recover after the coronavirus pandemic and amid Russia’s war on Ukraine — both countries are major sources of tourists visiting Egypt.
A record number of about 15.7 million tourists visited Egypt in 2024, contributing about 8% of the country’s GDP, according to official figures. Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy has said that overall, Egypt expects about 18 million tourists this year, with authorities hoping for 30 million visitors annually by 2032.
This will translate into more jobs and pump foreign currency into the economy, said Walid el-Batouty, a tour guide.
“It will be boost the economy of Egypt tremendously not just the hotels and the museum itself,” he said. Whenever a tourist rides a cab or even just buys a bottle of water, “that is pumping money” into Egypt’s coffers, he added.
The museum will open to the public starting Nov. 4 — the anniversary of Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, authorities said.
Rescuers assist a Ukrainian man who was stabbed during an altercation at a condominium in South Pattaya, Chonburi province, on Nov. 1, 2025.
PATTAYA — Police in Pattaya are investigating two violent incidents involving foreign nationals that occurred within hours of each other — one in which a Ukrainian man was stabbed by a Filipino transgender woman, and another in which a Pakistani man was beaten by a group of motorbike riders.
Mosquito Spray Dispute
Police said the first incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. on November 1 at a condominium on Soi South Pattaya 3 in Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province. Officers and rescue workers found Maksym, 37, a Ukrainian national, suffering from two stab wounds to his left ribcage. He was given first aid and rushed to a nearby hospital.
Police later detained Stephen, 38, a Filipino transgender woman, in a nearby room in the same condominium. Stephen appeared distraught and was crying when taken into custody, police said.
Police question a Filipino transgender woman accused of stabbing a Ukrainian man following an argument at a condominium in South Pattaya, Chonburi province, on Nov. 1, 2025.
A Thai transgender witness told police that the victim and suspect had argued after the Ukrainian sprayed mosquito repellent toward Stephen, angering her. The argument escalated into a scuffle, during which Stephen allegedly grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed Maksym before he ran downstairs to seek help.
A local vendor, Natthapong Kaenakart, 28, said the victim ran up to his stall bleeding and asking for help but could not communicate clearly. “I saw he was injured and bleeding, so I immediately called the police,” he said.
Police said the suspect remains in custody for questioning while the victim recovers. Investigators plan to file charges once statements are completed.
Group of Riders Assault Pakistani DJ
In a separate case, Mughal, 28, a Pakistani national working as a DJ at a local nightclub, reported being attacked by about 10 men on motorcycles around 9:30 p.m. on October 31 near Wat Chaimongkol in South Pattaya, opposite Pattaya City School No. 8.
Mughal, a Pakistani DJ, shows injuries he said were caused by a group of motorbike riders who assaulted him near Wat Chaimongkol in South Pattaya on Oct. 31, 2025.
Mughal told police he was driving away from a traffic light when the group surrounded him and ordered him to stop. One of the men allegedly shouted, “Are you looking for trouble?” before punching him. He said the group then kicked and beat him, using a helmet to strike his head. He suffered swelling, bruises, and scrapes.
The Pakistani man said the assault might have stemmed from a minor road incident two days earlier, when a motorbike rider honked at him and he shouted back, asking why — but no argument followed. He said he was unsure if the same riders were involved in the later attack.
“I’m scared because I have to use that road every day to go to work,” he said, urging police to arrest the attackers quickly.
Police said CCTV footage shows about 10 men on motorbikes surrounding Mughal, forcing him to stop, then punching, kicking, and hitting him with a helmet despite nearby residents shouting for them to stop. The attackers then fled on their motorcycles.
Authorities are reviewing the footage to identify the suspects and said both cases remain under investigation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, center left, and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, center right, shake hands after a group photo at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (Yonhap via AP)
GYEONGJU, South Korea (AP) — Leaders of 21 Asia-Pacific Rim nations wrapped up their annual summit Saturday with a statement underscoring regional economic cooperation, just days after the presidents of the United States and China agreed to dial down their trade war.
After two days of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the South Korean city of Gyeongju, APEC leaders issued a joint statement pledging greater cooperation to overcome shared challenges in a global economy hit hard by trade tensions between the U.S. and China, the world’s two largest economies.
On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping — who met on the sidelines of the APEC summit — dialed back earlier steps and agreed to de-escalate trade tensions. Trump, known for his dismissal of multilateralism, quickly left South Korea after the agreement with Xi, allowing the Chinese president to steal the limelight at the summit.
APEC leaders call for greater cooperation
The joint statement declared that the APEC leaders “acknowledge the global trading system continues to face significant challenge.”
“We reaffirm our shared recognition that robust trade and investment are vital to the growth and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region,” it says.
Jeonghun Min, a professor at South Korea’s National Diplomatic Academy, said the statement avoided direct language supporting “free and open trade,” but still managed to endorse economic cooperation and multilateralism, which embody “the very purpose of free trade
“It wasn’t possible to leave that out entirely,” said Min.
The joint declaration also said that APEC members remain committed to the Putrajaya Vision 2040, a new 20-year growth vision adopted in 2020 that calls for a trade environment that’s “free, open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable.”
Front row from left to right, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and back row from left to right, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, Papua New Guinea Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Vietnam’s President Luong Cuong, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism Teresa Mera, Mexico’s Economy Yonhap Marcelo Ebrard, Taiwan’s envoy to the 2025 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting Lin Hsin-i pose for a group photo at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (Yonhap via AP)
Xi takes center stage
On Friday, Xi told the summit that China would support global free trade and supply chain stability — an apparent effort to position his country as an alternative to Trump’s protectionist policies. In written remarks sent to a CEO summit held in conjunction with APEC, Xi said that “investing in China is investing in the future.”
Xi also met with his Japanese, Canadian and Thai counterparts bilaterally on Friday. He met South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday for one-on-one talks that Seoul officials said would touch on efforts to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
That agenda has apparently angered North Korea, a non-APEC member. North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Pak Myong Ho on Saturday slammed South Korea for talking about “its daydream” of realizing North Korea’s denuclearization.
President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
He said North Korea will show how such a push is “a pipedream” that can never be realized. Park’s statement was seen as applying pressure ahead of the Xi-Lee meeting.
Lee, an advocate of reconciliation with North Korea, said Saturday he would take “more active preemptive steps” to lower military tensions with the North, stressing that peace on the Korean Peninsula is essential to prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.
North Korea has since vowed not to place its advancing nuclear program on a negotiating table, but experts say the North would aim for winning extensive sanctions relief in return for a partial surrender of its advancing nuclear program.
A caricature of President Donald Trump as protesters march against the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Trump in Gyeongju, South Korea, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
APEC meeting also talks AI and demographic issues
While the summit’s opening session on Friday focused on ways to boost trade and investment, Saturday’s meeting had cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence, demographic challenges and cultural industries on its agenda.
APEC leaders also issued two separate statements on Saturday. One called for a coordinated approach to the changes brought by AI, which they described as a potential economic catalyst that also poses challenges in rapidly evolving digital environments. The other urged cooperation to address declining birth rates, aging populations and accelerated urbanization.
Established in 1989, APEC champions free and open trade and investment to promote regional economic integration. But the region now faces challenges such as the U.S.-China rivalry, supply chain disruptions, aging populations and the impact of AI on jobs.
The U.S. strategy recently shifted to economic competition with China rather than cooperation, with Trump’s tariff hikes and “America first” agenda shaking markets and threatening decades of globalization and multinationalism.
Consumer protection police and FDA officials raid one of four factories linked to the Hong Thai herbal inhaler brand in Bangkok and Samut Sakhon provinces on October 30, 2025.
BANGKOK — The founder of Hong Thai Herbal Co., Ltd., the maker of Thailand’s best-known inhaler brand, said he feels “discouraged but determined to fight on” after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered a major product recall and police raided several of the company’s factories this week.
The crisis began when the FDA announced on October 29 that microbial contamination was found in batch No. 332 of the company’s “Herbal Inhaler Formula 2,” prompting a recall of 200,000 items nationwide.
A day later, police and FDA officials raided several production sites, declaring three of them illegal factories. The company’s founder, Theerapong Rabueathum, said the events destroyed a business he had spent two decades building in just two days.
Theerapong said, he personally brought the affected batch to the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT) for radiation sterilization. Test results showed zero microbial counts, indicating the products posed no health risk to consumers, he said.
Theerapong Rabueathum, founder of Hong Thai Herbal Co., Ltd., speaks at a press conference on Oct. 31, 2025, seeking a chance to fix issues after the FDA reported tainted products.
“From now on, every single Hong Thai product will be sterilized at TINT to ensure 100% safety and to meet international standards,” he added.
However, he said the labeling and packaging site in the Phutthamonthon Sai 3 area was classified as an illegal factory because the company had not yet completed its licensing process.
According to Theerapong, the company had rented additional space and purchased new labeling machines to handle a sudden surge in orders. Meanwhile, it was building a new factory in Phutthamonthon Sai 4, constructed according to FDA-approved blueprints. But before it could obtain the license, the company had to wait for approval from the Samut Sakhon Provincial Public Health Office, which reportedly advised them to finish installing machinery first, causing delays.
Police and FDA officials raid one of four Hong Thai herbal inhaler factories in Bangkok and Samut Sakhon on October 30, 2025.
“This situation has spiraled out of control and caused immeasurable damage,” Theerapong said. “We’ve been trying to solve the problems step by step. The business we built over 20 years has been ruined in just two days. It’s not just our reputation that’s been damaged, but also Thailand’s.”
He said that running a business involves more than having a license — it’s about maintaining quality that benefits consumers.
“Thai people have supported Hong Thai for years. Now it’s our duty to give back,” he said.
Theerapong insisted the allegations were premature, claiming officials had not yet verified whether the seized items were truly illegal.
“The products are not counterfeit,” he said. “The formula and quality are ours. The only issue is that labeling and bulk packaging were done at another clean, but not yet licensed, facility.”
He said the company would wait to see whether authorities would “give us a second chance or crush us completely,” adding that only 10% of their customers still trust the brand.
Theerapong Rabuetham (right) is proud of his inhaler brand “Hong Thai.” It is used by global superstars such as Lisa, Chris Hemsworth, Central Cee, and the latest Thai weightlifting athlete “Fang” Theeraphong Silachai who won a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“I never intended to do anything wrong, but circumstances forced us,” he said. “We’re not being defiant. We’re trying to fix the problem and take responsibility.”
Theerapong said the experience has left him exhausted and heartbroken.
“I feel truly discouraged,” he said. “Why not just warn us and let us correct our mistakes instead of destroying us completely?”
Still, he vowed to keep going.
“Do I want to quit? I admit I feel tired and stressed,” he said. “But every morning, I wake up and feel a bit lighter. My mind tells me to keep working. I’ve never taken a day off. It’s hard, but I’m happy — so I don’t feel like stopping.”
Police arrest four suspects and seize drugs and chemical manufacturing equipment from two luxury town homes in a residential compound on Huay Yai Road, Chonburi Province, on Oct. 31, 2025.
CHONBURI — Thai police raided two adjacent luxury town homes in a residential compound on Huay Yai Road on Friday afternoon, arresting five foreign nationals and seizing large quantities of drugs and chemical manufacturing equipment.
More than 40 officers from Pattaya, Nong Prue, and Huay Yai police stations, along with tourist and immigration police and Bang Lamung district officials, joined the 1:30 p.m. operation. The raid followed intelligence from the arrest of Chinese suspects two days earlier for producing ketamine vape products.
Authorities said they had received information that a major drug operation was being run in the upscale neighborhood and that its alleged ringleader was preparing to flee Thailand.
Drugs Found in Rice Bowls
In the first town home, officers found two Chinese men and a Vietnamese woman sitting at the dining table. Ketamine was discovered in their rice dishes, plastic bags, and containers, with additional drug paraphernalia scattered across the living room.
Police raid two adjacent luxury town homes in a residential development on Huay Yai Road on October 31, 2025.Police seize drugs and chemical manufacturing equipment from two luxury town homes in a residential compound on Huay Yai Road, Chonburi Province, on Oct. 31, 2025.
Police also seized about 500 grams of crystal methamphetamine, two ketamine vape devices, and various tools for drug use.
One of the suspects, identified as Kai Yu-Lin, 38, a Chinese national, reportedly admitted ownership of the drugs, claiming they were for personal use purchased from a Pattaya escort service. His companions, Chan Hsun-Shing, 40, of China, and Nguyen Thi Truc Ly, 32, of Vietnam, told police they had used the drugs but were not involved in sales.
Suspect Tries to Destroy Evidence
At the second town home, officers encountered Jian Shuangxi, 46, a Chinese-Malaysian national, who reportedly ran to an upstairs bathroom and poured chemical substances from two brown glass bottles down the toilet as police entered. He was apprehended moments later.
Investigators found chemical manufacturing equipment labeled in Chinese, including sodium, methanol, and other unidentified compounds, as well as large quantities of unused zip-lock bags.
Police discover ketamine in the suspects’ rice dish and containers, along with additional drug paraphernalia on the dining table at a townhouse on Huay Yai Road in Chonburi province on Oct. 31, 2025.
Jian told police he had been taking care of the property for about a year for a Taiwanese employer who claimed to be setting up a chemical production company. He said his employer frequently traveled and instructed him to dispose of any chemicals if authorities arrived.
Crackdown on Foreign Criminal Networks
The raid was ordered by Pol. Lt. Gen. Chatchai Surachetphong, commander of Provincial Police Region 2, as part of an ongoing crackdown on foreign nationals, particularly Chinese suspects, involved in drug and criminal networks in the Bang Lamung area.
Police said the detainees have provided limited information so far, and investigators are working to identify and arrest the alleged ringleaders behind the operation.
Pattaya International Fireworks Festival 2025 will take place as scheduled on November 28–29, 2025 along Pattaya Beach Road in Chonburi Province.
PATTAYA — Pattaya City will go ahead with its annual International Fireworks Festival next month, but the celebration will take on a more solemn tone to honor the late Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, officials said Monday.
Mayor Poramet Ngampichet said the festival will take place as planned on November 28–29 along Pattaya Beach Road in Chonburi Province. However, the program has been modified to reflect national mourning.
The event will open with a special performance titled “The Light of Eternal Royalty,” symbolizing light, love, loyalty and gratitude for Her Majesty’s lifelong devotion. It will also feature Khon, Thailand’s traditional masked dance drama that Queen Sirikit helped preserve as a cherished cultural heritage.
Pattaya International Fireworks Festival 2025 will feature Khon, Thailand’s traditional masked dance drama that Queen Sirikit helped preserve as a cherished cultural heritage.
Poramet urged visitors to dress respectfully, wearing either one of the eight styles of royal Thai dress adorned with a black ribbon or simple, modest attire.
“Pattaya is a tourism city. This festival must balance the economy and people’s emotions,” Poramet said. “Thais are loyal and deeply love Her Majesty. We will make this year’s festival dignified and beautiful, worthy of her memory.”
The announcement followed controversy over the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) decision to postpone “Vijit Chao Phraya 2025,” a 15-location fireworks event along Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River originally scheduled for November 1 to December 15. TAT later rescheduled the event to begin on December 1 after public criticism.
One widely shared post came from celebrity and Chao Phraya Cruises owner Aun Phuwanat Kunpalin, who wrote:
“If I were the government, I would not cancel national events. I would make them even grander — as celebrations of the Queen’s glorious reign, so Thais can remember and the world can better know Thailand.”
Tourism and Sports Minister Attakorn Sirilattayakorn said upcoming events like Loy Krathong, New Year’s countdowns and Songkran 2026 may proceed but should tone down overly festive elements.
“Fireworks can still be used, just with softer tones and moderation,” he said. “If they are used to honor the Queen, that would be most welcome.”
Thai authorities raid a luxury pool villa in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok, uncovering 22 suspected scammers — 21 Filipinos and one Singaporean — who had escaped from Myanmar.
SAMUT PRAKAN — Thai police arrested 24 suspected members of an international scam network who were hiding in a luxury villa near Bangkok, officials said Thursday. Most of the suspects were Filipino nationals who had fled Myanmar following a major crackdown on scam centers there earlier this month.
Police Lt. Gen. Natsak Chaowana, commander of the Central Investigation Bureau, said the operation stemmed from data analysis showing scam networks relocating from Myanmar into Thailand. The suspects were detained during an October 29 raid on a villa in Samut Prakan province, just south of Bangkok.
Authorities found 22 foreigners — mostly Filipinos aged 23 to 38 — living at the property. Immigration checks revealed that two were in Thailand illegally and 17 had overstayed their visas. Three others — a Singaporean man and two Filipinos — had valid visas but face revocation due to their alleged involvement in the group.
Thai police officers raid a luxury pool villa in Samut Prakan province where 22 international scammers were hiding after fleeing Myanmar operations.
All suspects admitted during questioning that they had worked as scammers in Myawaddy, a border town in Myanmar notorious for criminal syndicates. They told police they fled the area after fighting broke out around October 21. Their manager arranged for their escape to Thailand and rented the villa for about 200,000 baht ($5,400) from October 27–31 while they prepared to move on to Cambodia to resume their operations.
A follow-up raid in Bangkok led to two more arrests — a 37-year-old Malaysian man and a 33-year-old Chinese woman — at a hotel. Police said five others, all Malaysian men aged 29 to 55, escaped and remain at large.
Thai authorities question a Singaporean man during a raid at a luxury pool villa in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok on Oct. 29, where 21 Filipino scammers who had escaped from Myanmar were uncovered.
Investigators identified the network’s alleged leader as a Chinese national known as “Mr. Lin,” who runs three scam companies — DBL1, DBL2, and DRS — in Myawaddy. The groups are believed to target victims using Singapore phone numbers in investment scams.
Thai authorities said they are coordinating with Singaporean officials to expand the investigation.
FILE - Nang Noppamas and “Plaka,” the mascot of the Loy Krathong Festival 2025 in Sukhothai, are unveiled during a press conference held in front of Wat Mahathat at Sukhothai Historical Park on October 10, 2025.
BANGKOK — The Thai government confirmed that the Loy Krathong Festival 2025 will proceed nationwide as planned, emphasizing the preservation of Thai traditions while honoring the memory of Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, who passed away on October 24.
The Ministry of Interior announced that the annual Loy Krathong Festival will not be canceled, urging the public to “preserve this invaluable tradition while paying tribute to the royal grace of the late Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother.”
After the Queen’s passing, the government declared a one-year mourning period for civil servants and initially suspended public festivities. Officials later clarified that events could continue if held in an appropriately respectful manner — a decision that sparked debate nationwide.
A Thai couple in traditional dress poses for a picture at the 2025 Loy Krathong and Candle Lighting Festival in Sukhothai Historical Park on October 27, 2025.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who also serves as interior minister, confirmed that celebrations may proceed under clear guidelines.
“We ask everyone to observe proper decorum during this mourning period,” Anutin said. “The cooperation has been excellent, as seen during last week’s BLACKPINK concert, which proceeded beautifully and respectfully.”
The Interior Ministry said the festival will also pay tribute to Queen Sirikit’s role as “the Supreme Patron of the Arts, who safeguarded and preserved Thai arts and culture.”
Economic Impact Concerns
The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce’s Center for Economic and Business Forecasting released survey results showing significant economic implications of the mourning period on festival activities.
According to its survey, 66.2% of respondents plan to participate in Loy Krathong celebrations, while 33.2% will not. Among those opting out, nearly half cited mourning and sadness as the main reasons.
Thai and foreign tourists join the 2025 Loy Krathong and Candle Lighting Festival in Sukhothai, held from October 27 to November 5 for ten days and nights at Sukhothai Historical Park in Mueang Kao subdistrict, Sukhothai province.
CEBF President Thanavath Phonvichai said this year’s celebrations are expected to be more subdued, with average spending per person projected at 2,212 baht, down from 2,449 baht last year.
“We estimate total spending at about 9.68 billion baht, a 6.5% contraction from last year — the first negative growth in four years and the lowest level in a decade,” Thanavath said.
Provincial Preparations and Adjustments
Sukhothai province, the birthplace of the Loy Krathong tradition, confirmed it would host its 10-day festival from October 27 to November 5, with a nightly candle-lighting ceremony at 9:21 p.m. to honor the late Queen.
Uncertainty lingered in other provinces until October 29, when the Interior Ministry sent letters authorizing local celebrations held in remembrance of Queen Sirikit.
Sukhothai Province hosts its 10-day Loy Krathong Festival from October 27 to November 5, featuring a nightly candle-lighting ceremony at 9:21 p.m. to honor Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother.
Chiang Mai Decoration Controversy
In Chiang Mai, preparations for the Yi Peng Festival (northern version of Loy Krathong) drew controversy after organizers painted over colorful floral decorations on Nawarat Bridge with black and gray following the Queen’s passing.
The move sparked online criticism, prompting the city to remove the decorations entirely on October 28. Mayor Asnee Booranupakorn said new, suitably designed decorations will be reinstalled closer to the festival dates of November 4–6.
“We want the decorations to reflect beauty and respect,” Asnee said. “The design will be appropriate and serene for this period of mourning.”
Workers remove black-painted floral decorations from Nawarat Bridge in downtown Chiang Mai on the evening of October 28, following heavy criticism on social media.
Education Sector Reversal
The Ministry of Education faced backlash after initially ordering all schools to suspend festive activities for one year. Parents and students argued the measure was too restrictive, especially for annual cultural and academic events.
In response, the ministry issued a revised directive on October 28, revoking the earlier ban for private schools and advising all institutions to exercise discretion.
“Schools may continue activities such as sports days, scouting, and skill-building events, provided they are conducted with restraint and respect,” said Permanent Secretary Suthep Kaengsanthia.
As the November 5 Loy Krathong date nears, the government continues to balance national mourning with cultural continuity and economic concerns — seeking to honor Queen Sirikit’s legacy while allowing traditions to carry on.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Friday, Oct. 31, 2025.
GYEONGJU — Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday that his government has no policy to use casinos as a key economic driver, aiming to provide assurance that the current Thai administration will not pursue casino-related policies.
Speaking after a bilateral meeting during the APEC Economic Leaders’ gathering in South Korea on October 31, Government Spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat quoted Anutin as stating that Thailand is confident it can boost its economy through its people’s talents, products, and existing technology. The Prime Minister added that the majority of the Thai public opposes the legalization of gambling.
Therefore, the presentation of all types of gambling laws has been halted, and Chinese tourists are invited to return to visit again, with the government assuring their safety and security.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Friday, Oct. 31, 2025.
President Xi reportedly praised Thailand’s stance. While stressing that China does not interfere in the domestic policies of any country, he affirmed that Beijing will use its own internal measures to discourage Chinese tourists from traveling solely for casino gambling, citing the significant negative impact the industry has on people’s way of life.
Context: The Casino Conflict
The Prime Minister’s assurance comes after a heated domestic political conflict. In July, when Anutin and his Bhumjaithai Party withdrew from the coalition led by then-Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, he publicly attacked her for stubbornly pushing the casino complex policy.
Anutin had claimed the Chinese leadership raised objections three times during a bilateral meeting in February. The former Interior Minister alleged that Thailand’s persistence with the legislation, despite Chinese concerns, had led to a sharp deterioration in relations, causing a reported 90% plunge in Chinese tourist arrivals and “unprecedented damage” to the entire tourism sector.
In this photo released by the Thailand’s Government Spokesman Office, Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Beijing, China, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Thailand’s Government Spokesman Office via AP)
Paetongtarn’s Rebuttal
Paetongtarn responded to these allegations by accusing Anutin of misrepresenting the situation, arguing that the drop in Chinese tourist numbers was primarily due to safety concerns—an issue she suggested Mr. Anutin should have managed while he was Interior Minister.
“Actually, Mr. Xi Jinping would have various recommendations, and we listen to him. He spoke about casinos out of concern and gave advice,” Ms. Paetongtarn said at the time. “We explained that Thailand’s policy is to create entertainment complexes like Singapore and Macau. It helps generate income for the country and increases employment. Importantly, casinos make up only 10 percent [of the overall complex].”
