PHUKET — 30 July 2026, The body of a 33-year-old woman who was believed to have jumped from Thao Thep Krasattri Bridge has been found on a beach following an overnight search.
The incident was reported at around 18:45 on 28 July, when fishermen and local residents alerted authorities that a woman was believed to be missing after reportedly being seen jumping from the bridge on the Tha Nun side in Takua Thung district, Phang Nga province.
Following the report, officers from Tha Chatchai Police Station in Phuket and Khok Kloi Police Station in Phang Nga, along with Phanuphan Chindaphon, village headman of Moo 5 in Mai Khao subdistrict, Thalang district, Phuket, Kusoldharm Phuket rescue workers and other agencies launched a search operation.
Search teams scoured the bridge and surrounding waters throughout the night.
At the scene, authorities found a black Mercedes-Benz parked on the bridge. Identification documents belonging to Kanthaphon Churasri, 33, from Pathum Thani province, were found inside the vehicle, while a pair of flip-flops was found near the suspected jumping point.
Authorities contacted the woman’s relatives to gather information and continued searching for her.
At around 07:35 on 30 July, Kusoldharm Phuket rescue workers from the Mai Khao unit, together with volunteers from the Sarasin Team, resumed the search and found the body of Kanthaphon near Dan Yit Beach in Mai Khao subdistrict, Thalang district, Phuket.
After the body was found, authorities contacted investigators and forensic officers to examine the scene. The body was then sent for a post-mortem examination in accordance with legal procedures before being handed over to the family for religious rites.
PHUKET — 27 July 2026, police have obtained an arrest warrant for a 47-year-old Russian man accused of breaking into a currency exchange shop at a major shopping mall and stealing around 600,000 baht in cash.
The burglary took place on 19 July at a foreign currency exchange shop inside a major shopping mall in Wichit subdistrict, Mueang Phuket district.
The suspect allegedly broke into the shop’s office and opened a safe before taking approximately 600,000 baht in cash and fleeing the scene.
Pol Col Somsak Thongkliang, chief of Wichit Police Station, said investigators had gathered evidence identifying the suspect. The Phuket Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant on 27 July.
The suspect was identified as Vitalii Kobin, 47, a Russian national. He faces a charge of nighttime theft involving the use of a vehicle to facilitate the offence, transport the stolen property or evade arrest.
According to investigators, the suspect allegedly planned the burglary carefully, including disguising himself to avoid detection and using a vehicle to flee after carrying out the theft.
Police also found that Kobin had overstayed his permitted stay in Thailand since 2025.
Investigators believe the suspect may still be hiding and moving around somewhere in Thailand. Police are searching for him and coordinating with relevant agencies to locate and arrest him and bring him to justice.
FILE - Korean group BTS appears at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in Las Vegas on 3 April 2022. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
BTS will not submit any of its music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, with the group saying it hopes music can be appreciated beyond regional and linguistic boundaries.
All seven members shared the same statement on their personal Instagram Stories on 29 July, days after the Recording Academy opened submissions for the 69th Grammy Awards.
Jimin, posting through his @j.m account, wrote in Korean: “We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year. We hope music can be heard and loved for itself, rather than being divided by region or language.
“We thank ARMY and everyone who is always with us.”
“We have decided not to submit our work for this year’s Grammys. We hope that music is heard and loved for what it is, rather than being categorized by region or language. We are grateful to ARMY and everyone who is always with us.”
The message did not name a specific Grammy policy. However, it was widely interpreted as a response to the Recording Academy’s recently announced Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, which will debut at the 2027 ceremony.
The category is intended for pop recordings originating from, or widely recognised in, Asian markets — including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop — and requires meaningful use of at least one Asian language. The Academy says the musical style, rather than an artist’s ethnicity or nationality, determines eligibility.
Its introduction has prompted debate among K-pop fans and commentators online. Critics argue that separating Asian pop into a regional category risks pigeonholing artists rather than giving them equal access to the Grammys’ most prominent awards. Others have welcomed a dedicated category as overdue recognition for a major global music market.
Recording Academy chief executive Harvey Mason Jr. said the new category was intended to expand recognition, not divide artists. He also stressed that an artist entered in an Asian pop category can still be considered for general-field honours, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year.
BTS’ decision comes during the Grammy submission window, which runs until 21 August 2026. It means the group’s work will not be considered for nominations at the ceremony scheduled for 7 February 2027 in Los Angeles.
The group returned in March with ARIRANG, its first full-group album following the members’ military-service hiatus. BTS has received five Grammy nominations to date but has not won a Grammy.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Huai Yai Police Station at +66 38 110 333 (Thailand)
CHONBURI — 29 July 2026, More than 200 police officers, local officials and rescue workers searched a forest in Chonburi on Wednesday after the motorcycle belonging to two missing Russian siblings was found dismantled and buried in the ground.
Diana Nazimova, 22, and her 17-year-old brother Roman Nazimova have been missing since about 04:00 on 26 July, according Huai Yai Police.
The siblings, both Russian nationals, were travelling together on a black-and-grey Honda ADV 150 motorcycle bearing Chonburi registration 4 Kor Sor 6379 when they disappeared.
Their mother later reported them missing and appealed for their safe return, telling authorities she feared they could be in danger.
Khaosod Thai reported that the siblings had apparently left home to visit a convenience store. CCTV footage reportedly showed another motorcycle following them.
Before contact was lost, Diana reportedly sent a message saying she believed they were being followed. Her phone also issued an alert that an unidentified Bluetooth tracking device had been detected nearby, according to the report. Both siblings’ phones were switched off shortly afterwards.
The family has lived in Thailand for several years, while Diana and Roman moved to the country in 2021 and attended school in Pattaya.
The search took a disturbing turn on Wednesday when local officials discovered the siblings’ motorcycle buried in a forested area of Moo 9 in Huai Yai subdistrict, Bang Lamung district.
A local official, identified as Jakkrit, said authorities initially received information that several men had been digging in the area since about 22:00 the previous night.
Officials who went to inspect the site reportedly encountered four men with digging equipment. The men fled before police arrived, leaving behind an area of recently disturbed soil.
Authorities initially feared that a body had been buried at the site. However, when they dug into the ground, they found the missing motorcycle, which had reportedly been taken apart before being concealed. The four men had not been identified, and police had not publicly established their connection to the disappearance.
Police, Bang Lamung district officials and rescuers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation then deployed more than 200 personnel to search the surrounding forest.
Teams divided the area into several zones and searched for more than three hours, but had found no further trace of the siblings or additional evidence as of Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities continued combing the area and had not withdrawn their personnel.
Police also brought in a local resident identified as Thong, who lives near the site where the motorcycle was found, for questioning. No details from the interview were immediately released.
Anyone with information about Diana or Roman’s whereabouts is urged to contact Huai Yai Police Station at 038 110 333.
AYUTTHAYA — Police arrested two men accused of posing as Buddhist monks and soliciting donations after they were found living at a makeshift camp beside a rice field in Bang Pa-in district.
Pol. Col. Chanan Prempluemjit, chief of Phra In Racha Police Station, said officers were alerted by residents to a group of men dressed in monk-like robes near a rice-field embankment in Moo 8, Chiang Rak Noi subdistrict.
Investigators found a wooden shelter covered with yellow cloth at the site, which resembled a temporary camp. Police said it was the same location where officers had previously made arrests on 7 May.
Two men, 63 and 67 years old, both from Kaeng Khro district in Chaiyaphum province, were found at the camp.
Police seized two sets of monk’s robes, two alms bowls with shoulder straps and two monk’s bags.
The men were unable to produce monk identification documents. Checks of the Royal Thai Police database showed that both men’s national identification cards listed them as civilians and used the title “Mr”, rather than identifying them as ordained monks.
Officers also recognised the pair as suspects previously arrested at the same location. The men reportedly admitted they had returned about three days earlier and claimed they had dressed as monks to collect money because they were in debt and needed income to survive.
Police said the pair argued and attempted to negotiate with officers during the arrest.
Both men were taken to Phra In Racha Police Station and charged with unlawfully wearing clothing or using symbols intended to make others believe they were Buddhist monks.
They were handed over to investigators for further legal proceedings.
A British social media personality who has previously attracted news coverage over his behaviour abroad has been filmed delivering a prolonged racist and threatening tirade against Thai people before claiming that parts of the footage were created using artificial intelligence.
Daniel Harper, known online as DannyBoy83, repeatedly insults Thais in the video, uses racist slurs comparing them to animals and makes degrading comments about poverty and sex work in Thailand.
“I hate ’em,”
Harper says, before directing further abuse at Thai people and saying he no longer wants to remain in the country.
He also appears to threaten indiscriminate violence, saying that an encounter with Thai people is “going to go off” because he is going to “smack ’em up”.
The recording ends with Harper insulting Thai eating habits and saying he cannot wait to travel to Brazil.
Khaosod English reviewed several copies of the recording preserved and republished by social media users. They show a continuous rant involving the same speaker, voice and setting, with no visible indications that the footage itself was artificially generated or that the remarks were assembled from separate clips.
The original posts are no longer live on the YouTube and TikTok accounts associated with DannyBoy83, although copies were saved and widely redistributed before they became unavailable.
Crime Asia, which drew widespread attention to the footage, reported that Harper recorded the tirade after an alleged altercation with people he described as the “Thai mafia” at a bar in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit area early Tuesday.
In a subsequent video posted at approximately 21:00 on Tuesday, 28 July, Harper claimed that online trolls had altered some of the footage.
“I never said some of that stuff,” he said.
“The trolls have tweaked it. That’s like AI. That ain’t me.”
His wording appeared to dispute only some of the statements rather than reject the video altogether. He also said he had a flight scheduled for the following week.
An apology video was reportedly posted and later removed, although Khaosod English has not obtained a complete independently verified copy.
The racist rant has prompted calls for Thai authorities to investigate. No official police or immigration statement concerning Harper had been issued at the time of publication.
Not his first offence
Harper has previously made headlines in Britain. The Sun reported in late 2025 that the then-42-year-old social media personality was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport after returning from Brazil.
Kent Police reportedly said he had been arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage and later released on bail while inquiries continued. An arrest does not establish guilt, and Khaosod English has found no subsequent public confirmation of the outcome of that investigation.
The Sun described Harper as being from Cranbrook, Kent, and reported that he had built an audience of more than 100,000 followers by documenting partying, drug use and encounters with sex workers during overseas trips.
The latest controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny of foreign visitors behaving abusively in Thailand.
Last week, members of an Italian student tour group apologised after a confrontation with a Thai passenger on a Bangkok BTS train went viral. Police later said anyone who believed they had been insulted could file a complaint, while urging the public to avoid direct confrontation and preserve recordings as evidence.
Harper’s statements could potentially draw scrutiny under provisions of Thailand’s Criminal Code concerning threats or insults, although any decision to investigate or bring charges would rest with Thai authorities and depend on the circumstances in which the video was recorded and published.
In this photo released by Myanmar President Office, Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing, center, arrives at the 79th anniversary of Martyrs' Day to mark the assassination of the country's independence heroes at Martyrs Mausoleum in Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (Myanmar President Office via AP)
NAYPYIDAW — Myanmar’s military-backed parliament has approved a law allowing the death penalty for people who detain or violently force victims to work in online scam centres.
Union Parliament Speaker Aung Lin Dwe announced during a live television broadcast on Tuesday that lawmakers had passed the Anti-Online Scam Bill following a joint session of the upper and lower houses in Naypyidaw.
MP Aye Chan said the final version retained provisions allowing capital punishment for those who detain victims or use violence to force them to carry out online fraud. Lawmakers made few changes to the draft during discussions between the two chambers.
The draft published in May prescribed prison sentences ranging from 10 years to life, as well as the death penalty, for anyone who uses violence, torture, unlawful detention or cruel treatment to compel another person to commit online scams.
The death penalty must be imposed when such abuse results in a victim’s death, according to the legislation.
People convicted of operating online scam centres or carrying out cryptocurrency-related fraud may also face life imprisonment.
The legislation is the first passed by Myanmar’s new military-backed government, led by President Min Aung Hlaing, as the country faces the rapid expansion of scam compounds during its continuing civil war.
Myanmar has become a major base for Southeast Asia’s online fraud industry, including romance and cryptocurrency investment scams targeting victims around the world.
Although some workers enter the compounds voluntarily, many foreign nationals who have been repatriated say they were lured by fraudulent job offers or trafficked before being detained and forced to carry out scams.
The International Organization for Migration said trafficking into Asian scam centres is rising sharply, with victims from more than 80 countries subjected to threats, violence, sexual abuse and other forms of coercion.
Min Aung Hlaing has pledged to crack down on the industry amid mounting pressure from countries including China and the United States. However, rights groups and analysts have questioned the effectiveness of previous operations, with thousands of people reportedly still trapped in scam compounds near Myanmar’s border with Thailand.
China has also imposed severe punishments on criminal groups connected to Myanmar’s scam industry. In January, Chinese authorities executed 11 members of a crime syndicate linked to compounds in northern Myanmar after they were convicted of offences including fraud, unlawful detention and murder.
This aerial image shows AEON Mall, which was destroyed by an explosion following an earthquake, in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Naoki Hiraoka/Kyodo News via AP)
KUMAMOTO, Japan — 29 July 2026, The death toll from a powerful earthquake in southern Japan has risen to 13 as rescuers continue searching for people trapped beneath collapsed buildings, including a badly damaged Aeon shopping centre.
The magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on the southwestern island of Kyushu on Tuesday afternoon, damaging buildings, roads and bridges and disrupting electricity and transport services across the region.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed the death toll on Wednesday morning.
“Even now, there are people waiting to be rescued, and it is a race against time,”
Takaichi said. “We will mobilise all available resources to save and assist as many people as possible.”
Firefighters, police and Japan Self-Defense Forces personnel worked throughout the night, focusing on locations where people were believed to be trapped or had been heard calling for help.
Eight people were pulled from the rubble of the partially collapsed AEON Mall Kumamoto in Kashima town early Wednesday.
This aerial image shows rescue workers continue searching at the damaged AEON Mall after an earthquake in Kashima, Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
Two women in their 20s were confirmed dead, while another person was found in cardiopulmonary arrest. Five others were injured, although their conditions were not considered life-threatening.
About 20 to 30 mall employees were reported missing on Tuesday, according to public broadcaster NHK.
Part of the mall was destroyed by an explosion about an hour after shoppers and employees were evacuated following the initial earthquake. Images showed an exterior wall torn away, exposing the steel structure and scattering debris across the car park.
AEON said the cause of the explosion remained unknown. Authorities are investigating whether it may have been caused by a gas leak.
Seven people were also reported missing after a chimney collapsed at a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro. Four others at the facility were seriously injured.
Hospitals across the region were treating dozens of patients. One hospital stopped accepting new patients after receiving 86 injured people, while another was unable to operate because of a power outage.
The earthquake left more than 36,000 homes without electricity and caused severe damage to major roads. Rail services, including Kyushu Shinkansen bullet trains, were suspended, while the runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport was closed, forcing airlines to cancel or divert flights.
About 260,000 people were advised to evacuate as aftershocks continued across Kyushu.
The Japan Meteorological Agency warned residents in the worst-affected areas to remain alert for another strong earthquake over the coming week, as well as possible landslides.
This aerial image shows a crack on the ground, a day after an earthquake, in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Naoki Hiraoka/Kyodo News via AP)
Authorities also warned evacuees about the risk of heatstroke, with temperatures in Kumamoto expected to reach about 34 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities had been detected at nuclear power plants in the region.
Several major manufacturers temporarily halted operations after the earthquake. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Sony and Fujifilm evacuated workers from facilities in the area.
This aerial image shows a chimney collapsed at the Nippon Paper Industries Co.’s Yatsushiro factory, following an earthquake in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Naoki Hiraoka/Kyodo News via AP)
TSMC said its Kumamoto plant had not suffered damage and was gradually resuming production. Tokyo Electron suspended work at two local plants, while Honda temporarily stopped production at its motorcycle factory.
The earthquake’s epicentre was about 20 kilometres south of Kumamoto city, which has a population of approximately 700,000.
Kumamoto was also struck by a series of major earthquakes in April 2016 that killed hundreds of people, injured thousands and damaged buildings across the prefecture, including the historic Kumamoto Castle.
This aerial image shows a partially collapsed bridge after the earthquake in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
Thai travel YouTuber “Hlun Solo” has still not been found. His brother has urged the public not to spread rumours, warning that unverified information could confuse the search, disrupt the work of officials and cause further distress to the family.
The family of Thai travel YouTuber “Hlun Solo” said on Wednesday that he has still not been found after losing contact with relatives during a trip to Georgia.
Hlun travelled to Georgia to film travel content and last spoke with his brother on July 13. His family has been unable to reach him since and has appealed for help from relevant authorities.
In an update posted on the Facebook account Klose Mos on July 29, Hlun’s brother asked the public to share only information confirmed by the family or people directly involved in the search.
He urged people not to spread rumours, unverified claims or information without a clear source, warning that false reports could create confusion, disrupt the work of officials and cause further distress to the family.
Anyone with useful information was asked to contact the family or notify authorities directly.
“Thank you for every message of support and for helping us bring him home safely,” the post said.
Responding to a comment asking whether Hlun had been found, his brother said the family had not received any confirmation from authorities or other parties that he had been located.
Thai residents in Georgia have also joined efforts to help search for the YouTuber, who has now been missing for more than two weeks.
Anyone with useful information can contact his brother through his Facebook account Klose Mos or notify the relevant Thai consular authorities.
NAKHON SI THAMMARAT — Standing at the heart of Nakhon Si Thammarat for more than 1,500 years, Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan represents more than a place of worship. It is a living record of religious exchange, maritime connections and cultural traditions that shaped Southeast Asia.
The temple was recently recognized as Thailand’s ninth UNESCO World Heritage site and the first in the southern region, marking international recognition of its outstanding cultural significance.
Located on the Malay Peninsula, between the Indian and Pacific oceans, Wat Phra Mahathat developed in an area once connected by major maritime trade routes. These networks brought not only goods and merchants, but also religious beliefs, artistic styles and architectural influences from across Asia.
Over centuries, the temple absorbed influences from Brahmanism, Hinduism, Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism, with cultural connections stretching from northeastern India and Sri Lanka to central Java and Mon communities in southern Myanmar.
These diverse influences were transformed into a unique architectural and spiritual identity that later spread throughout Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia.
At the center of the temple stands the Phra Borom That Chedi, a towering stupa believed by devotees to enshrine relics of the Buddha. According to local tradition, the site was originally an ancient sand dune known as “Hat Sai Kaeo,” where Buddhist relics were discovered before a major religious monument was built there.
Beyond its architecture, UNESCO recognized the temple as a living cultural site where traditions continue to be practiced today.
Among them is the annual Hae Pha Khuen That festival, where devotees bring long pieces of cloth to wrap around the stupa as an act of devotion. The temple is also connected to Nora, a traditional performing art form from southern Thailand that reflects centuries of local beliefs and storytelling.
The recognition of Wat Phra Mahathat is not only about preserving an ancient monument, but also protecting the living heritage surrounding it — including rituals, local knowledge and cultural practices passed down through generations.
The journey toward World Heritage status began in 2009 and took 17 years of preparation, reflecting the temple’s importance not only to Nakhon Si Thammarat, but also to the wider history of Southeast Asia.
Today, Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan stands as a symbol of how cultures, religions and communities have connected across the region for centuries.
