FDA officers along with the Consumer Protection Police Division inspect a warehouse in Bang Bon district in Bangkok that was distributing illegally imported Chinese cosmetics on October 30, 2025.
BANGKOK — Thai authorities seized more than 13 million baht ($401,090) worth of illegal Chinese cosmetics and contraband cigarettes in separate raids across Bangkok, dismantling two foreign-backed operations accused of distributing unlicensed beauty products and smuggled tobacco online.
Illegal Cosmetics Operation Dismantled
In Bang Bon district, officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Consumer Protection Police Division uncovered nearly 70,000 pieces of unauthorized cosmetics valued at over 7 million baht ($216,000). The products—hair dyes, sanitary pads, sunscreen, and skin creams—lacked FDA approval and Thai-language labeling.
Jitta Meetongthanakon, secretary to the public health minister, said it was the second time the warehouse had been raided. The same facility was searched in January 2024, when illegal hair dye products linked to severe hair loss were seized. Legal action from that case remains ongoing.
FDA Secretary-General Supattra Boonserm said the operation followed consumer complaints about unregistered cosmetics sold online, particularly through Shopee. The warehouse, backed by foreign investors, served as a storage and distribution hub.
Supattra warned that selling unapproved cosmetics carries penalties of up to three months in jail or fines up to 30,000 baht ($930). Importing products without FDA clearance can lead to fines up to 20,000 baht ($620), and failing to provide Thai labels can result in a month’s imprisonment or a fine up to 10,000 baht ($310).
Chinese Man Arrested in Cigarette Smuggling Ring
On the same day, the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD), Excise Department, and Tobacco Authority of Thailand dismantled a Chinese-operated cigarette smuggling network, seizing 65,000 packs of untaxed Chinese cigarettes worth about 6 million baht ($185,090).
A 34-year-old Chinese national, Fang Weixin, was arrested after police found the cigarettes hidden in a basement on Ratchadaphisek Soi 10 and in an abandoned building on Lat Phrao Soi 23.
Thai authorities arrest a 34-year-old Chinese national after discovering cigarettes hidden in a basement on Ratchadaphisek Soi 10 and in an abandoned building on Lat Phrao Soi 23 in Bangkok on October 29, 2025.Thai authorities display 65,000 packs of untaxed Chinese cigarettes at a news conference at the CIB office in Bangkok on October 30, 2025.
ECD Lt. Col. Tatpoom Jaruprat said investigators infiltrated a Telegram group with more than 4,000 members, where the smuggling network promoted door-to-door delivery using Chinese-language advertisements. Fang, identified as both administrator and seller, told police he worked for a Cambodian-based employer known only as “Boss.”
Fang faces multiple charges, including possession and sale of untaxed goods, customs evasion, and working in Thailand without permission.
The case resulted in 4 million baht ($123,500) in lost excise tax revenue, with the Excise Department pursuing penalties of up to 60 million baht ($1.85 million) against the suspect.
President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shake hands after their U.S.-Chin summit meeting at Gimhae International Airport Jinping in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — President Donald Trump described his face-to-face with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday as a roaring success, saying he would cut tariffs on China, while Beijing had agreed to allow the export of rare earth elements and start buying American soybeans.
The president told reporters aboard Air Force One that the U.S. would lower tariffs implemented earlier this year as punishment on China for its selling of chemicals used to make fentanyl from 20% to 10%. That brings the total combined tariff rate on China down from 57% to 47%
“I guess on the scale from 0 to 10, with ten being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12,” Trump said. “I think it was a 12.”
Trump said that he would go to China in April and Xi would come to the U.S. “some time after that.” The president said they also discussed the export of more advanced computer chips to China, saying that Nvidia would be in talks with Chinese officials.
Trump said he could sign a trade deal with China “pretty soon.”
“We have not too many major stumbling blocks,” Trump said.
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)
Before the meeting, Trump was optimistic. “We’re going to have a very successful meeting, I have no doubt,” Trump said, adding that Xi is a “very tough negotiator.” Trump said they “could” possibly sign a deal coming out of the meeting and that they have a “great understanding” of each other.
When the two were seated, Xi read prepared remarks that stressed a willingness to work together despite differences.
“Given our different national conditions, we do not always see eye to eye with each other,” he said through a translator. “It is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then.”
There was a slight difference in translation as China’s Xinhua News Agency reported Xi as telling Trump that having some differences is inevitable.
Neither side provided an immediate readout on how the meeting went.
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One shortly after taking off from Busan, South Korea, en route to Joint Base Andrews, Md., Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Sources of tension remain
Despite Trump’s optimism after a 100-minute meeting with Xi in South Korea, there continues to be the potential for major tensions between the world’s two largest economies. Both nations are seeking dominant places in manufacturing, developing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and shaping world affairs like Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs since returning to the White House for a second term, combined with China’s retaliatory limits on exports of rare earth elements, gave the meeting newfound urgency. There is a mutual recognition that neither side wants to risk blowing up the world economy in ways that could jeopardize their own country’s fortunes.
When the two were seated at the start of the meeting, Xi read prepared remarks that stressed a willingness to work together despite differences.
“Given our different national conditions, we do not always see eye to eye with each other,” he said through a translator. “It is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then.”
There was a slight difference in translation as China’s Xinhua News Agency reported Xi as telling Trump that having some differences is inevitable.
China did not provide immediate comment on the meeting or any outcomes.
Finding ways to lower the temperature
The leaders met in Busan, South Korea, a port city about 76 kilometers (47 miles) south from Gyeongju, the main venue for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
In the days leading up to the meeting, U.S. officials signaled that Trump did not intend to make good on a recent threat to impose an additional 100% import tax on Chinese goods, and China showed signs it was willing to relax its export controls on rare earths and also buy soybeans from America.
President Donald Trump, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, third left, hold their summit talk at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Officials from both countries met earlier this week in Kuala Lumpur to lay the groundwork for their leaders. Afterward, China’s top trade negotiator Li Chenggang said they had reached a “preliminary consensus,” a statement affirmed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent who said there was “ a very successful framework.”
Shortly before the meeting on Thursday, Trump posted on Truth Social that the meeting would be the “G2,” a recognition of America and China’s status as the world’s biggest economies. The Group of Seven and Group of 20 are other forums of industrialized nations.
But while those summits often happen at luxury spaces, this meeting took place in humbler surroundings: Trump and Xi met in a small gray building with a blue roof on a military base adjacent to Busan’s international airport.
The anticipated detente has given investors and businesses caught between the two nations a sense of relief. The U.S. stock market has climbed on the hopes of a trade framework coming out of the meeting.
Pressure points remain for both US and China
Trump has outward confidence that the grounds for a deal are in place, but previous negotiations with China this year in Geneva, Switzerland and London had a start-stop quality to them. The initial promise of progress has repeatedly given way to both countries seeking a better position against the other.
“The proposed deal on the table fits the pattern we’ve seen all year: short-term stabilization dressed up as strategic progress,” said Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “Both sides are managing volatility, calibrating just enough cooperation to avert crisis while the deeper rivalry endures.”
The U.S. and China have each shown they believe they have levers to pressure the other, and the past year has demonstrated that tentative steps forward can be short-lived.
China had faced new tariffs this year totaling 30%, of which 20% were tied to its role in fentanyl production. But the tariff rates have been volatile. In April, he announced plans to jack the rate on Chinese goods to 145%, only to abandon those plans as markets recoiled.
Then, on Oct. 10, Trump threatened a 100% import tax because of China’s rare earth restrictions. That figure, including past tariffs, would now be 47% “effective immediately,” Trump told reporters on Thursday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, waves, with President Donald Trump, ahead of their summit talk at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Xi has his own chokehold on the world economy because China is the top producer and processor of the rare earth minerals needed to make fighter jets, robots, electric vehicles and other high-tech products.
China had tightened export restrictions on Oct. 9, repeating a cycle in which each nation jockeys for an edge only to back down after more trade talks.
What might also matter is what happens directly after their talks. Trump plans to return to Washington, while Xi plans to stay on in South Korea to meet with regional leaders during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which officially begins on Friday.
“Xi sees an opportunity to position China as a reliable partner and bolster bilateral and multilateral relations with countries frustrated by the U.S. administration’s tariff policy,” said Jay Truesdale, a former State Department official who is CEO of TD International, a risk and intelligence advisory firm.
Mr. Paradorn Prissananantakul, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, presided over the opening ceremony of the Digital Government Summit 2025, organized by the Digital Government Development Agency (Public Organization), or DGA, under the theme “Leading Thailand to the Top in GovTech.” The event aims to position Thailand as a global leader in digital government.
The Minister stated that digital government is about designing the nation’s future with a citizen-centric approach, ensuring convenient, fast, and secure access to public services. The government is driving three key initiatives: – Tang Rat Super App: Integrating all government services into one platform. – One Data, Once Only: Connecting all agencies through the Government Data Exchange. – Safe and Secure: Strengthening cybersecurity via the Government Cloud.
Thailand’s ranking in the UN E-Government Development Index improved from 55th in 2022 to 52nd in 2024, now second in ASEAN. The government aims to reach global leadership by 2026. Mrs. Airada Luangvilai, Acting Executive Director of DGA, highlighted five core missions: comprehensive citizen services via Tang Rat App, business facilitation, open data transparency, secure digital infrastructure, and capacity building through TDGA. DGA also plans to launch a Digital ID system for foreign nationals.
DG Summit 2025 reflects collaboration between public and private sectors in driving Thailand’s digital transformation—making public services more accessible, secure, and trustworthy for all.
Palestinians inspect the rubble of a building, destroyed by an Israeli army strike at Al-Shati camp in Gaza City Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Yousef Al Zanoun)
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s intense bombardment of the Gaza Strip this week marked the most serious challenge yet for a fragile, U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Over 100 Palestinians were killed, including dozens of civilians, according to Gaza health officials. One Israeli soldier was killed in an attack that helped prompt the fierce Israeli strikes.
But by early Wednesday, the ceasefire had been restored almost as quickly as it had unraveled. President Donald Trump defended Israel’s actions but also made it clear that the U.S. expects the broader ceasefire, which began Oct. 10, to hold.
The chain of events underscored the fragility of the truce between Israel and Hamas after two years of war, but also showed how intent the U.S. is on keeping it going.
Here are some takeaways from the tense two-day standoff.
Trump will allow Israel to bomb, but won’t let deal collapse
Trump has staked his personal reputation on the success of this deal and poured diplomatic and military resources into making sure it succeeds.
Trump himself flew to the region to usher in the agreement, visiting Israel and then meeting with key Arab and other international leaders in Egypt.
Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and two senior advisers — White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kusher — have all visited Israel in recent days in a sign of the high priority the U.S. places on the deal. The U.S. is also leading a new international effort meant to coordinate aid shipments into Gaza and to strengthen the agreement.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump defended Israel’s actions, saying it “should hit back” when its troops come under attack.
Yahya Eid mourns over the body of his 10-year-old nephew, Shabaan Eid, who was killed in an Israeli army strike on the Bureij camp, during his funeral at Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Yet he also signaled that he will keep Israel in check, saying he is confident the ceasefire will stick.
Vance also tried to play down the violence, saying Tuesday that “the ceasefire is holding.“
“That’s doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be little skirmishes here and there,” he said.
Perceived truce violations will yield heavy Israeli response
The Israeli military has a long history of tough responses to enemy attacks, and Tuesday night’s airstrikes were no exception.
Israel said it struck dozens of Hamas militants and military sites. Palestinian health officials said that scores of women and children, including a 1-year-old, were killed in the attacks.
Israel’s five wars against Hamas, along with recent conflicts with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group and Hamas, have all been characterized by lopsided death tolls with large numbers of civilian deaths.
During the 12-day war between Israel and Iran earlier this year, for instance, Iran said over 1,000 Iranians were killed. Israel’s government said around 30 Israelis lost their lives in Iranian missile attacks.
Israel says it complies with international law and only strikes only military targets, while accusing its enemies of using civilians as human shields. But human rights groups have repeatedly accused Israel of using disproportionate force.
Israel has no trust in Hamas
Since Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, Israel has said the Islamic militant group is responsible for all violence emanating from the territory.
That still appears to be the case, even when Hamas denies involvement, as it did in Tuesday’s shooting of the Israeli soldier in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Members of Israeli defense forces carry the coffin of the reservist Master Sergeant Yona Efraim Feldbaum, who was killed in the Gaza Strip, during his funeral at Mount Herzl military cemetery, in Jersualem, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Increasing the likelihood of further fighting, Netanyahu also faces intense pressure from hard-liners to issue a punishing response to any perceived violation of the truce.
With Israeli critics and media accusing Netanyahu of caving to American pressure, the Israeli leader also has been eager to assert his independence. Vance and other Israeli officials have rejected suggestions that they are controlling Israeli actions.
After it announced the restoration of the ceasefire, the Israeli military said Wednesday it carried out another airstrike in northern Gaza, targeting what it called a site where weapons were being stored for an imminent attack. Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City said it received two bodies from the strike.
The ceasefire is stuck in its initial phases
Trump has presented a 20-point plan for the ceasefire, beginning with the exchange of hostages, both dead and alive, for living and deceased Palestinian prisoners.
The details of the next phase of the deal — disarming Hamas, installing a new government in Gaza and deploying an international security force — are yet to be hammered out.
For now, the sides remain stuck in phase one. One of the triggers of Tuesday’s violence was Hamas’ failure to return the remains of a dead hostage, as it had promised.
Instead, it returned some body parts belonging to a hostage whose remains had been recovered by Israel in late 2023. Israeli officials also accused Hamas of staging the discovery of hostage remains on Monday, sharing a 14-minute, edited video from a military drone in Gaza.
With mistrust running deep, and the remains of 13 dead hostages still in Gaza, the potential for additional bursts of violence appears to remain high.
Police discovered eight bags of methamphetamine hidden inside a cigarette pack in the presence of the first Nigerian suspect at his condominium room in Jomtien on October 29, 2025.
PATTAYA — Immigration police in Chonburi have arrested two Nigerian nationals in a drug bust where officers physically prevented one suspect from swallowing cocaine evidence during his arrest.
The operation, led by Pol. Col. Naphaspong Khositsurimon under the command of Pol. Maj. Gen. Songprod Sirisukha, Commissioner of Immigration Bureau 3, resulted in the arrests of Mr. Amarachi, 38, and Mr. Ikenna, 22, on October 29.
Chonburi Immigration Police initially received intelligence that Amarachi was involved in methamphetamine trafficking. Officers set up an undercover buy of one bag of crystal meth, arranging delivery near a condominium fence in Jomtien.
Police unwrap packages of methamphetamine in the presence of the first Nigerian suspect at his condominium room in Jomtien on October 29, 2025.
During Amarachi’s arrest, police discovered eight bags of methamphetamine hidden inside a cigarette pack. A subsequent search of his room uncovered his Thai girlfriend and additional quantities of the drug.
Under questioning, Amarachi admitted receiving the drugs from Ikenna, a fellow Nigerian who served as a major supplier distributing cocaine to foreigners in Pattaya.
Dramatic Second Arrest
Police arranged another undercover purchase, setting up a meeting at the same condominium. When Ikenna arrived and officers moved to arrest him, he attempted to swallow cocaine to destroy evidence. Officers managed to stop him and retrieved the drugs from his mouth.
Police pose for an official photograph with the two Nigerian drug trafficking suspects at the Immigration Bureau office on October 29, 2025.
A search of Ikenna’s condominium room revealed eight blocks of cocaine wrapped in black tape, placed inside latex gloves, and hidden in a toothpaste box.
Both Nigerian nationals were taken into custody with a combined haul of 33 grams of methamphetamine and 9 grams of cocaine. They were transferred to Pattaya Police Station and charged with possession of Category 1 narcotics with intent to sell and overstaying their permitted time in Thailand.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Songprod emphasized that Chonburi Immigration Police will continue cracking down on transnational criminal organizations, particularly foreign nationals operating illegal businesses, to restore safety and confidence for tourists.
The Ban Hat Lek checkpoint in Hat Lek Subdistrict, Khlong Yai District, Trat Province, sits empty and deserted on September 24, 2025. (Photo: Jakkrit Waewklaihong)
BANGKOK — Thailand’s border trade with Cambodia plunged by 99.9% in September as the closure of checkpoints along the conflict-hit frontier entered its fifth month, officials said Wednesday.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dismissed rumors that crossings would reopen on November 1, insisting that Thailand will not resume trade until Cambodia withdraws heavy weapons, clears landmines, cooperates on tackling scammer networks, and restores diplomatic relations.
Anutin and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet signed an expanded ceasefire agreement on October 26 in Malaysia, with U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim present at the signing. However, the border remains closed.
“People keep saying we will reopen soon, but Thailand will not yield,” Anutin said. “Cambodia must first take concrete steps before reopening is even considered.”
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, from left, Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet and U.S. President Donald Trump take part in the ceremonial signing of a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (Mohd Rasfan/Pool Photo via AP)
According to Arada Fueangthong, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, total border and transit trade in September stood at 141.7 billion baht ($3.8 billion), down 4.7% from a year earlier. Exports fell 12.4% to 74.9 billion baht, while imports rose 5.9% to 66.8 billion baht, leaving a surplus of 8.2 billion baht.
Trade with Cambodia virtually collapsed to just 11 million baht, while trade with Myanmar dropped 40% amid fuel export restrictions and tighter import controls by Naypyitaw. Trade with Malaysia and Laos rose 4.7% and 8.8%, respectively.
Border trade overall fell 22.2% year-on-year in September, its fifth straight month of decline. Diesel, concentrated latex, and refined oils were Thailand’s top export items.
Chong Chom Market, Surin Province, remains quiet and desolate since border conflicts erupted in late July 2025.
From January to September, total border and transit trade reached 1.48 trillion baht, up 7.7% year-on-year, with exports rising 5.4% and imports 10.8%, resulting in a surplus of 196.9 billion baht.
Transit trade, which includes goods transported through neighboring countries to third markets, climbed 14.2% in September to 81.6 billion baht. Exports via Singapore soared 60.7%, while shipments to Vietnam rose 31.3% and to China 9.9%.
The fastest-growing export categories included telephones and accessories (+231,928%), computers (+57.6%), and hard disk drives (+105.5%).
Despite strong regional transit trade, the collapse in Cambodian border commerce underscored the deep impact of the ongoing political and security tensions between the two neighbors.
Getulio Vargas Hospital workers remove an injured person from a police truck after he was injured in a police operation against alleged drug traffickers in the Complexo do Alemao favela where the criminal organization "Comando Vermelho" operates in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — About 2,500 Brazilian police and soldiers launched a massive raid on a drug-trafficking gang in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, arresting 113 suspects and sparking shootouts that left at least 115 suspects and four police officers dead, officials said.
The operation included officers in helicopters and armored vehicles and targeted the notorious Red Command in the sprawling low-income favelas of Complexo de Alemao and Penha, police said.
The police operation was one of the most violent in Brazil’s recent history, with human rights organizations calling for investigations into the deaths.
Rio’s state Gov. Claudio Castro originally said in a video posted on X that 60 criminal suspects were “neutralized” during the massive raid that he called the biggest such operation in the city’s history. Some 113 suspects were arrested, while some 90 rifles and more than a ton of drugs were seized were seized, the state government said, adding that those killed “resisted police action.”
EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT – A police officer stands over bloodied people lying in the back of a police truck brought to the Getulio Vargas Hospital during a police operation against alleged drug traffickers in the Complexo do Alemao favela where the criminal organization “Comando Vermelho” operates in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Rio’s civil police said on X that four officers died in Tuesday’s operation. “The cowardly attacks by criminals against our agents will not go unpunished,” it said.
An unknown number of people were wounded.
The United Nations’ human rights body said it was “horrified” by the deadly police operation, called for effective investigations and reminded authorities of their obligations under international human rights law.
César Muñoz, director of Human Rights Watch in Brazil, called Tuesday’s events “a huge tragedy” and a “disaster.”
“The public prosecutor’s office must open its own investigations and clarify the circumstances of each death,” Muñoz said in a statement.
Footage on social media showed fire and smoke rising from the two favelas as gunfire rang out. The city’s Education Department said 46 schools across the two neighborhoods were closed, and the nearby Federal University of Rio de Janeiro canceled night classes and told people on campus to seek shelter.
Suspected gang members blocked roads in northern and southeastern Rio in response to the raid, local media reported. At least 70 buses were commandeered to be used in the blockades, causing significant damage, the city’s bus organization Rio Onibus said.
The operation Tuesday followed a year of investigation into the criminal group, police said.
Gov. Castro, from the conservative opposition Liberal Party, said the federal government should be providing more support to combat crime — a swipe at the administration of leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Police gather outside the Getulio Vargas Hospital where a colleague was brought after getting injured in an operation against alleged drug traffickers in the Complexo do Alemao favela where the criminal organization “Comando Vermelho” operates in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Gleisi Hoffmann, the Lula administration’s liaison with the parliament, agreed that coordinated action was needed but pointed to a recent crackdown on money laundering as an example of the federal government’s action on organized crime.
Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and a number of ministers met in response to the operation on Tuesday afternoon. Chief of Staff Rui Costa requested an emergency meeting in Rio on Wednesday, with him in attendance as well as Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski.
Emerging from Rio’s prisons, the Red Command criminal gang has expanded its control in favelas in recent years.
Rio has been the scene of lethal police raids for decades. In March 2005, some 29 people were killed in Rio’s Baixada Fluminense region, while in May 2021, 28 were killed in the Jacarezinho favela.
Residents look at the bodies of people killed the day before during a police raid targeting the Comando Vermelho gang in the Complexo da Penha favela of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
While the Tuesday’s police operation was similar to previous ones, its scale was unprecedented, said Luis Flavio Sapori, a sociologist and public safety expert at Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais.
“What’s different about today’s operation is the magnitude of the victims. These are war numbers,” he said.
He argued that these kinds of operations are inefficient because they do not tend to catch the masterminds, but rather target underlings who can later be replaced.
“It’s not enough to go in, exchange gunfire, and leave. There’s a lack of strategy in Rio de Janeiro’s public security policy,” Sapori said. “Some lower-ranking members of these factions are killed, but those individuals are quickly replaced by others.”
The Marielle Franco Institute, a nonprofit founded by the slain councilwoman ’s family to continue her legacy of fighting for the rights of people living in favelas, also criticized the operation.
“This is not a public safety policy. It’s a policy of extermination, that makes the everyday life of Black and poor people a Russian roulette,” it said in a statement.
A woman mourns over the bodies of people killed the day before during a police raid targeting the Comando Vermelho gang in the Complexo da Penha favela of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
A massive police raid later drew protests for excessive force Wednesday and calls for the Rio’s governor to resign.
Dozens of favelas residents gathered in front of the state’s government headquarters shouting “assassins!” and waving Brazilian flags stained with red paint, a day after Rio’s deadliest raid and hours after families and residents laid dozens of dead bodies on a street in one of the targeted communities to show the magnitude of the operation.
Questions quickly arose about the death count and the state of the bodies, with reports of disfigurement and knife wounds. Brazil’s Supreme Court, prosecutors and lawmakers asked Rio state Gov. Claudio Castro to provide detailed information about the operation.
“This was a massacre,” said Barbara Barbosa, a domestic worker from the Penha complex of favelas, one of the two huge communities targeted in the police operation. She said her son was killed in a prior operation in Penha.
“Do we have a death sentence? Stop killing us,” said activist Rute Sales, 56. Many residents came Penha in Rio’s poor, northern zone to the imposing Guanabara Palace on motorbikes.
Felipe Curi, Rio state police secretary, told a news conference that bodies of additional suspects were found in a wooded area where he said they had worn camouflage while battling with security forces. He said local residents had removed clothing and equipment from the bodies, in what would be investigated as evidence tampering.
“These individuals were in the woods, equipped with camouflage clothing, vests and weapons. Now many of them appeared wearing underwear or shorts, with no equipment, as if they had come through a portal and changed clothes,” Curi said.
Police 191 raided a luxury three-story home office in an upscale housing estate in Wang Thonglang district in Bangkok and arrested a Chinese fraud suspect on October 29, 2025.
BANGKOK — Thai police have arrested a Chinese national wanted for allegedly orchestrating a massive cryptocurrency fraud that scammed nearly 100 victims out of over 100 million yuan (approximately $14 million USD) in his home country.
Liang Ai-Bing was apprehended on October 29, 2025, at a luxury three-story home office in an upscale housing estate in Wang Thonglang district, where he had been living alone since December 2024, paying 150,000 baht ($4,645) per month in rent.
The arrest came after Police 191 officers executed a Criminal Court search warrant based on intelligence shared between Thai and Chinese authorities.
The Alleged Scheme
According to Chinese authorities, Liang and four accomplices — Al Qing-Hua, Wu Jiang-Yan, Tang Zhen-Que, and Zuo Lai-Jun — created a fraudulent digital currency investment platform called “FINTOCH” between December 2022 and May 2023.
The group allegedly promoted the fake platform through mobile applications to lure investors. Liang and Tang were responsible for platform development, Al and Wu handled public relations and promotion, while Zuo managed marketing operations.
When Chinese authorities launched their investigation, all five suspects fled the country except Zuo, who was arrested and released on bail pending trial.
Police 191 raided a luxury three-story home office in an upscale housing estate in Wang Thonglang district in Bangkok and arrested a Chinese fraud suspect on October 29, 2025.
Discovery and Charges
During the raid on Liang’s residence, officers discovered an unlicensed Beretta pistol and 20 rounds of ammunition.
Liang has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as illegal entry into Thailand as a foreign national. Thai authorities are now coordinating with their Chinese counterparts for extradition proceedings.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about transnational fraud schemes and the use of cryptocurrency platforms to deceive investors across borders.
Officials raid The 10 Club Hostel in Koh Phangan on October 28. The unlicensed property, operated by a Spanish man and Thai woman, employed Myanmar workers during expansion.
KOH PHANGAN — Tourist police raided two unlicensed hotels on the resort island of Koh Phangan on Tuesday, arresting 12 people including three Spanish nationals, two Thai citizens, an Argentine, a Polish woman, and five Myanmar workers for operating illegal accommodation businesses.
The operations were conducted by Koh Phangan Tourist Police under Pol. Lt. Col. Winich Boonchit, Inspector of Tourist Police Station 5, in coordination with district officials, local police, and Surat Thani Provincial Immigration officers.
First Raid Follows Noise Complaints
The initial raid at 2.30 p.m. at The 10 Club Hostel in Moo 1, Koh Phangan Subdistrict, came after authorities received complaints about illegal operations, unauthorized foreign workers, excessive noise disturbing residents, and suspected nominee arrangements. The establishment primarily catered to Spanish tourists and was in the process of expanding its accommodation facilities.
Police inspect The 10 Club Hostel in Koh Phangan during an October 28 raid that uncovered illegal operations, unauthorized Myanmar workers, and unlicensed management by Spanish and Thai operators.
A 34-year-old Thai woman, Kiitporn, and a 37-year-old Spanish man, Samuel, face charges of jointly operating a hotel without permission. The Spanish man faces additional charges including employing foreigners beyond their authorized work scope, hiring foreigners without work permits, and failing to notify authorities of employment within the required 15-day period.
A 31-year-old Spanish man, Adrian, was charged with working beyond his authorized scope as a clerk, while another Spanish national, Sergio, 30, was arrested for working without a permit.
Five Myanmar workers, aged between 24-42 were charged with working beyond their authorized scope and failing to notify authorities of their employment details within 15 days.
Second Hostel Raided Same Afternoon
At 4:30 p.m., the arrest team inspected Kiko Hostel at 99/78 Moo 1, Koh Phangan Subdistrict, and arrested three additional suspects. Phakorn, 31, a Thai national, was apprehended at a building on Soi Pibulwattana, Rama VI Road in Bangkok. He was charged with operating a hotel business without permission and employing foreigners without work permits.
Authorities inspect Kiko Hostel in Koh Phangan on October 28, where an Argentine woman and a Polish woman were found working without permits.
Two foreign workers at the hostel were also arrested: Natacha, 28, from Argentina, and Kornelia, 21, from Poland. Both were charged with working without work permits. All 12 suspects were handed over to investigators at Koh Phangan Police Station for legal proceedings.
The coordinated raids underscore ongoing efforts by Thai authorities to regulate the tourism industry and crack down on illegal business operations that circumvent licensing requirements and labor laws.
Following a major initiative by the Bank of Thailand to regulate AI use in the financial sector and enhance the country’s financial efficiency, operators must closely examine and understand the new structure to mitigate risks. Forvis Mazars emphasizes eight potential risks and advises financial institutions to monitor policy developments post-implementation. To navigate these changes, organizations must adapt their operations to ensure transparency, ethical standards, and readiness for emerging factors.
Tippawan Pumbansao, Financial Services Audit Partner of Forvis Mazars in Thailand, stated that in response to the Bank of Thailand’s draft on AI risk management in the financial sector—which covers all financial services and aims to create a more organized financial system—financial companies must adapt to the evolving environment and remain vigilant of the following eight key risks:
AI Governance: New regulations require serious attention. Financial institutions must invest in tools and personnel to meet regulatory expectations, and establishing dedicated operations are essential to prevent future errors.
OCEC Global Minimum Tax (Pillar Two): Designed to manage complex multinational taxation, especially for large corporations receiving Board of Investment (BoI) privileges. Companies must review tax frameworks, balance sheet liability methods, and financial disclosure readiness. Compliance will involve detailed reporting, active tax credit management, and maximizing existing privileges.
Reducing Policy Interest Rate: The Bank of Thailand has lowered the policy interest rate from 1.75% to 1.5%, the lowest in over two years, due to disinflation, high household debt, sluggish tourism, and elevated US import tariffs. Amid political uncertainty, organizations should reassess asset valuations and fundraising strategies. They are advised to review stress test assumptions and prepare precautionary plans to address the direct and indirect impacts of lower interest rates.
Virtual Banks: This flexible, fully digital business model challenges traditional institutions to encourage digital platform usage and retain clients. Risk management frameworks should be experimental to handle intensified competition, and digital transformation must be strategically planned.
Non-Performing Loans (NPLs): In Q1 2025, NPLs in the banking system rose to 548 billion baht, primarily from housing and SME loans. Forvis Mazars advises strict credit risk calculations, adherence to credit allowance requirements, and robust bad debt provisioning aligned with the expected credit loss approach.
Cybersecurity: As digital transactions increase, there are potential threats. Operators must scrutinize payment processes and develop cybersecurity threat models, supported by flexible contingency plans.
Digital Assets: A high-risk market with tightened regulations to combat money laundering (AML/KYC), including digital asset custody and crypto risk assessments. Risk management frameworks must be tested thoroughly, covering client onboarding, tracking, and compliance reporting. Internal audit teams must possess specialized expertise to manage these risks effectively.
Creditworthiness Report: Under Thai Financial Reporting Standard 17 (TFRS 17) for Insurance Contracts, the 2025 tax year introduces new performance reporting requirements. Insurance companies face challenges in data completeness, system readiness, and reconciliation processes. Rigorous checks are essential to ensure compliance, particularly regarding earnings volatility, capital adequacy, and peer performance comparisons. Forvis Mazars recommends expert consultation offering integrated finance, tax, and IT services, along with meticulous preparation of audit documentation.
Tippawan added that Thailand’s financial services sector may experience changes sooner than anticipated due to regulatory reform, economic sluggishness, and digital transformation. Forvis Mazars offers strategic, tax, and risk management solutions through a one-stop service, helping corporations navigate challenges and seize opportunities with confidence.
