Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s 77th birthday was marked by birthday tributes from his daughter, former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and political figures and supporters on 26 July 2026.
Paetongtarn posted an Instagram Story wishing her father a happy birthday, sharing a video featuring moments from Thaksin’s life and the times he had been by her side.
On the same day, former Lampang MP Thanatorn Lorthsunthorn and his wife, Raphassorn Niyamosot, also shared photos on Facebook showing them dining with Thaksin.
Raphassorn, a former Lampang MP who resigned from the People’s Party before joining Pheu Thai for the latest election, wrote a birthday message wishing Thaksin good health and describing him as an inspirational figure for younger generations.
Thanatorn also shared his wife’s post, writing: “Happy 77th birthday, Mr Thaksin, the prime minister in our hearts.”
The posts drew numerous birthday wishes from members of the public and Thaksin supporters in Lampang. Many shared stickers and messages wishing the former prime minister well, with some describing him as their favourite prime minister.
Some supporters also said they believed Thaksin was well suited to help address Thailand’s economic difficulties and people’s cost-of-living concerns amid the current economic climate.
NONTHABURI — 26 July 2026, More than 100 police officers raided a hotel, uncovering what authorities described as a base allegedly operated by Chinese grey capital offering gambling, drug parties and prostitution services exclusively to Chinese customers.
The raid was carried out under a search warrant issued by the Criminal Court at a hotel on Ngam Wong Wan Road in Bang Khen subdistrict, Mueang district, Nonthaburi.
Police found more than 40 people staying at the hotel, most of them Chinese, Shan and Myanmar nationals. Officers seized more than 200 items, including ketamine and Happy Water, drug packaging equipment, gambling materials such as chips, cards, dice and baccarat and hi-lo tables, as well as cash, bank account records, ATM cards, mobile phones and CCTV data.
A 33-year-old Chinese man was arrested on suspicion of possessing and selling a Category 2 psychotropic substance, ketamine, for commercial purposes and in a manner that could lead to its distribution among the public.
Three Myanmar nationals, aged between 24 and 31, were also arrested for allegedly entering and staying in Thailand without permission.
The operation followed complaints to the Crime Suppression Division that Chinese nationals were entering and leaving the hotel around the clock, while the premises were not open to the general public. Residents also reported alleged illegal gambling, drug parties and regular gatherings.
Investigators found that the hotel had unusually tight security. Guards at the car park reportedly alerted staff by radio whenever customers arrived before escorting them to a key-card-controlled lift. Customers then had to walk up stairs to the seventh and eighth floors, where someone with a key would open the doors. Even cleaning staff were reportedly prohibited from entering the areas.
Investigators said a Chinese grey-capital group had allegedly rented the entire hotel to serve Chinese customers exclusively. The second to sixth floors were reportedly used as accommodation, while the seventh and eighth floors had been converted into gambling venues and drug party spaces.
The operation allegedly included airport van transfers and a range of services covering accommodation, gambling, drugs and prostitution. Most staff were reportedly Chinese, allowing the group to tightly control access and prevent outsiders from entering.
Police also found that immigration officers had raided the hotel in 2023, arresting 26 Chinese gamblers and 23 Thai nationals and seizing gambling tables, slot machines and other equipment. The hotel was subsequently closed for renovations before reopening with tighter security.
During questioning, the Chinese suspect claimed he was merely a hotel foreman whose job was to deliver drugs to customers on instructions. He allegedly said drugs were stored in hotel rooms and delivered to designated locations or collected by customers after orders were placed.
He denied ownership of the drugs and 110,000 baht in cash found inside a safe.
The three Myanmar suspects reportedly confessed to illegally entering Thailand to work in construction.
Following the raid, police handed the suspects and seized evidence over to investigators at Rattanathibet Police Station for legal proceedings. Authorities will also expand the investigation to identify others allegedly involved in the Chinese grey-capital network.
KALASIN — 26 July 2026, Two people were killed and a baby survived after a pickup truck carrying fresh vegetables crashed into the back of a trailer truck.
At 02:00, police received a report of the crash near the entrance to Phon Thong Municipality on the Kalasin–Somdet Road in Mueang district.
Emergency responders from Kalasin Hospital and local rescue units were dispatched to the scene.
They found fresh cucumbers, eggplants and tomatoes scattered across the road. A white Toyota Revo pickup truck, registered in Yasothon province, had slammed into the rear of a trailer truck registered in Khon Kaen province.
The pickup’s front end was severely damaged, with the driver’s cabin crushed. Rescue workers used hydraulic cutting equipment for more than 20 minutes to free those trapped inside.
Two people were found dead in the wreckage: the 39-year-old male driver, identified as Somjai, and a 26-year-old woman, identified as Ariya, from Roi Et province.
Two others survived. A 32-year-old woman, identified as Wayuda, suffered minor injuries, while Ariya’s baby, aged under one, survived unharmed.
At the time of the crash, Wayuda was reportedly holding the baby in her arms. Both were taken to Kalasin Hospital for further medical checks.
Wayuda said the group had travelled from Roi Et to deliver fresh vegetables to customers in Somdet district. Her husband, Somjai, was driving, while the vehicle carried four people — herself, her husband, her niece and the niece’s baby.
She said the pickup suddenly crashed into the rear of the trailer, killing her husband and niece while she and the baby miraculously survived.
The trailer truck driver, identified as 32-year-old Danai, said he was transporting cassava and had moved his vehicle towards the right side of the road while preparing to make a U-turn and stop to wait for a factory to open.
He said he suddenly heard a loud crash from behind and discovered that the pickup had slammed into the rear of his truck.
Police have inspected the scene, collected evidence and questioned those involved, including the trailer truck driver. Investigators will also review nearby CCTV footage to determine the exact cause of the crash before taking further legal action.
PHUKET — 25 July 2026, A 27-year-old South African tourist was arrested at Phuket International Airport after six bullets and a magazine were allegedly found in his luggage.
At 22:00 on 25 July 2026, Sakhu police were notified by Phuket International Airport officials that ammunition had been detected in the luggage of a foreign tourist at the X-ray screening area for departing passengers in the international terminal.
Police officers were dispatched to the airport after informing Sakhu Police Station chief Pol Col Salan Santisasakul.
Officers found airport staff had detained a man identified as Morne Dannhauser, 27, a South African national.
A search allegedly found six rounds of ammunition of an unspecified calibre and one magazine in his luggage.
Police took the suspect and the seized items to Sakhu Police Station, where he was informed of his rights and the charges against him. The South African Embassy was also notified.
Authorities will proceed with legal action in accordance with Thai law.
BANGKOK — 25 July 2026, A 54-year-old Chinese tourist has sought media attention for justice after allegedly being stopped from leaving Thailand over an additional complaint filed by a Thai woman who had previously accused him of rape and allegedly demanded a total of B220,000.
At 18:00, the man, identified by the pseudonym Ma, arrived at Thong Lor Police Station with a Chinese interpreter and his lawyer, Sitthichok Pao-in Arunritthawin, to speak to the media.
Ma said he travelled to Thailand alone on 5 July. On the night of 18 July, he visited an entertainment venue in the RCA area, where he met a 36-year-old Thai woman. They drank together before moving to another venue in the same area.
Ma alleged that the woman encouraged him to drink alcohol, eat and try laughing gas, which he said he had never used before. He claimed that throughout the evening, both at the venues and later at the hotel, the woman repeatedly used her phone to take photos, record videos and make audio recordings. At the time, he said, he did not suspect anything and thought she was simply recording for fun.
After inhaling the laughing gas, Ma said he became severely dizzy, which felt different from ordinary alcohol intoxication. He felt weak and could barely walk, so he went to the bathroom and sat there for a while. The woman later came to find him and took him out of the bathroom.
He said she then called a taxi and took him back to his hotel. After arriving at his room, Ma said he took a shower before the woman initiated sexual intercourse. He claimed she continued taking photos, recording videos and making audio recordings during their time in the room before he eventually fell asleep due to exhaustion from drinking alcohol and inhaling laughing gas.
The following morning, Ma said he woke to find police officers at his hotel room and later learned that the woman had filed a rape complaint against him.
According to Ma, the two sides subsequently entered negotiations. He claimed the woman showed him the videos, photos and audio recordings she had made and allegedly threatened to pursue legal action unless he paid compensation.
Fearing the consequences, Ma said he agreed to pay 70,000 baht and that the matter was recorded in a daily police report at Thong Lor Police Station. He said he understood that the dispute had been settled.
However, on 25 July, the day he was due to return to China, Ma said he was stopped at Suvarnabhumi Airport by immigration officials after they found that an additional complaint had been filed at Thong Lor Police Station. He was reportedly placed on a watchlist preventing him from leaving Thailand.
Ma claimed the same woman had filed another complaint, alleging that she contracted an infection through sexual intercourse with him and demanding an additional 150,000 baht in compensation. This brought the total amount allegedly demanded to 220,000 baht, including the 70,000 baht he had already paid.
Unable to return to China, Ma decided to approach the media to seek justice. He maintained that he was the victim and called for authorities to investigate all facts fairly.
His lawyer, Sitthichok Pao-in Arunritthawin, said his client believed he had not received fair treatment because the two sides had already negotiated and made a record at the police station, yet an additional complaint was later filed, preventing him from leaving the country.
The lawyer called on investigators to thoroughly examine all evidence, including photographs, video footage, audio recordings and witness accounts, to ensure fairness for all parties.
The case remains under investigation by Thong Lor Police Station. The allegations and statements presented by both sides are claims that have yet to be verified. Authorities must examine the evidence, complete the investigation and allow the justice process to determine the facts and any further legal action.
A 20-year-old construction worker in Udon Thani has filed a police complaint after allegedly being lured to meet a woman he met online before being chased and beaten by a group of about 10 men, including her alleged ex-boyfriend.
At 18:00 on 25 July 2026, the man’s mother, identified by the pseudonym Nuch, 45, took her son, identified as Breeze, to file a complaint with police at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station.
Breeze told police that he works in his family’s construction business and installs solar panels. He said he is single and has no family of his own.
He said he met a 20-year-old woman, identified by the pseudonym Nong, on social media in late June. They had been talking for about a month, and she told him she had broken up with her boyfriend and was single.
Breeze said a man claiming to be Nong’s ex-boyfriend later sent him threatening messages, warning him to stay away from her and saying he would face a gun if he did not. Breeze said he responded by challenging the man to meet him one-on-one.
He said he later asked Nong about the man and she continued to insist that they had already broken up.
Before the attack, Nong allegedly messaged Breeze and asked him to pick her up at a resort near the Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University Udon Thani Campus stadium. She reportedly asked him to drop her off behind the Bo Bae Market.
At around 00:30 on 25 July, Breeze rode his motorcycle to meet her. Before reaching the meeting point, he stopped and watched from a distance. He said he saw Nong with about 10 young men gathered in front of the stadium, one of whom was allegedly her ex-boyfriend.
When Nong saw him, she walked towards him, while the group followed on motorcycles. Fearing for his safety, Breeze said he rode away. About 300 metres later, he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed.
He alleged that the group then surrounded him and attacked him, hitting him with motorcycle helmets, kicking and punching him. The assault stopped after he pleaded with them to stop, and the group then fled.
Breeze suffered bruising around his eyes, a split lip requiring two stitches, swelling on his head and abrasions on his knee from the crash. He said he later vomited blood after returning home, prompting his mother to take him to hospital. After being discharged that afternoon, he went to police to pursue legal action.
“I believe Nong lured me out so her ex-boyfriend’s group could attack me. Ten against one is not fair. It’s not manly. If they’re brave enough, they should face me one-on-one,” Breeze said.
His mother said her son had been out of the house for only about 20 minutes before returning covered in blood. He soon vomited blood, so she took him to hospital.
She urged people to be careful when starting relationships and to make sure the person they are seeing is not already in a relationship.
“Luckily, the weapon used was only a motorcycle helmet, not a knife, stick or other sharp object. Being attacked 10 against one and surviving is already lucky. From now on, I will tell my son to be much more careful,” she said.
Before filing the complaint, Breeze’s mother and sister reportedly contacted Nong by phone while at the hospital and recorded a video about the incident. Nong allegedly denied knowing anything about the attack.
Later that afternoon, the alleged attackers were reportedly called to a meeting at an outdoor exercise area in Nong Prajak Public Park. However, the discussion turned into an argument and no agreement was reached. Breeze reportedly became angry, prompting parents to separate those involved.
Another meeting is expected to take place on 27 July.
Police will issue summonses to the group allegedly involved in the assault for questioning and proceed with legal action.
A video of a Thai passenger confronting a group of Italian students on the BTS Skytrain has prompted backlash far beyond the carriage where it was filmed, attracting more than 15.4 million views on X alone as of Saturday. The group has since been identified as students travelling with an Italian tour operator. The company, the Embassy of Italy in Bangkok, and several student representatives have apologised.
The BTS dispute was not extraordinary because a group of teenagers made noise on a train. Bangkok commuters see worse all the time. What made the video travel so far was the feeling behind it: that a Thai passenger had finally said aloud what most people usually swallow.
But the intensity of the response cannot be explained by a loud group of teenagers alone.
For many Thai viewers, the video felt familiar: a local commuter enduring behaviour they find disruptive, hesitating to say anything, but this time someone spoke up. The passenger’s approach, including her decision to film the confrontation, has also drawn criticism. Yet many people saw her as voicing a frustration they had experienced but rarely expressed directly.
“The reason many Thais are upset about this video is because it feels very relatable,” said a Bangkok woman we interviewed who asked to remain anonymous. We’ll call her Ann.
“Every Thai has experienced foreigners being loud on public transport or acting disrespectfully.”
Ann said she did not believe the woman should necessarily have recorded the group since they were underage, but understood why viewers responded with such anger.
“She was someone who spoke up for us, and said what a lot of Thais are feeling,”
And that feeling is why this incident has become so important to Thais.
Public transport is not expected to be silent in Bangkok. BTS guidance does not ban conversation, but it asks passengers not to make loud noises or disturb others. The dispute, therefore was not simply about whether the students were talking. It was about the sense that other people’s comfort in a shared space had been dismissed.
One line in the video landed particularly badly:
“Sorry for bringing money to your country.”
The remark came after the passenger asked the group to quiet down. Whatever the speaker intended, many viewers heard it as a suggestion that the group’s spending power should buy tolerance for its behaviour.
For Ann, that was the moment that changed the argument from an everyday dispute into something deeply personal.
“For many Thais, it came across as implying that Thailand should be grateful simply because foreigners spend money here,” she said.
“There is an unequal power dynamic with Western tourists, where we’re expected to accommodate them or be thankful that they choose to visit Thailand. That Feels demeaning.”
Thailand’s tourist economy is central to the country, and visitors are welcomed in overwhelming numbers every year. But that welcome also carries an unspoken expectation: guests should behave as guests, not as customers who own the place because they have paid to be there.
The incident also touched on a broader cultural tension. Many Thais value kreng jai, a difficult-to-translate idea associated with consideration, restraint and not imposing on others. It does not mean Thai people never argue, or that they accept poor behaviour without objection. But it can make direct confrontation, particularly with strangers, feel uncomfortable or socially costly.
Kreng jai is a highly contextual Thai social value, rather than a simple rule of politeness. Thammasat University has published research on how differences in culture can clash when Thais and non-Thais interact. It helps explain why what may have been a normal subway ride for a group of students on vacation was the tipping point for one young person who was tired of foreign entitlement.
In Ann’s words, seeing a Thai woman push back “empowers Thais, and helps them feel seen”, even if confrontation was not the most diplomatic response.
Anger unbound and social justice
The online outrage has, at times, gone too far. Some users have tried to identify individual students and locate their personal social-media accounts, hotel and travel details. Videos have appeared online of individuals reporting on students current locations. There are even instances of look-alike Italians being blamed and threatened who had nothing to do with the ordeal.
Multiple unrelated Italians online have faced backlash from Thai users seeking social justice
That is not accountability, it is turning a dispute over disrespect into harassment of innocent young people abroad.
Still, the episode has produced a response that is more constructive than the original argument. The Italian tour operator said it did not support the students’ behaviour and apologised to Thai people. The Italian Embassy also released a formal statement:
The Italian Embassy later shared a video in which four self-proclaimed leaders of the tour group performed a wai, apologised to Thai people and Thai culture, and asked for forgiveness.
“We wanted to shoot this video yesterday but we were worried and scared.. but that was probably the wrong decision.” said the man on the left in the video.
Those apologies matter because they acknowledge the point at the centre of the backlash: this was never really about demanding silence from foreigners, or treating every tourist as a problem.
It was about the basic expectation that people who visit Thailand should respect the people and customs of those who live here, especially when they are forced to share public spaces together.
The BTS dispute was messy, and neither side handled every moment well. But for many Thais, the video resonated because it gave shape to a small, familiar resentment: the feeling of being asked to smile through another obnoxious tourist who doesn’t understand Thai culture.
CHONBURI — Four people were rescued after a speedboat sank in rough seas near Koh Khram off Sattahip district on Friday evening.
The incident occurred at around 17:30 on 24 July, approximately 12 nautical miles from the coast. Initial reports said strong winds and waves caused the vessel to founder, leaving it unable to continue its journey.
The four people on board were two foreign men and two Thai women.
Pattaya Marine Rescue Unit 501 and water rescue personnel from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation responded to the incident and safely pulled all four from the water. No serious injuries were initially reported.
After the rescue, foundation personnel towed the damaged speedboat to shore in the Bang Saray area for inspection.
However, the Pattaya rescue boat involved in the operation was initially unable to return to shore because of continuing rough conditions. The crew took shelter behind an island while waiting for the weather to improve.
Initial reports placed sea conditions at level three to four. Authorities said they would continue monitoring the situation and provide further updates.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Friday (24 July) there was “nothing to celebrate” on the first anniversary of the Thai-Cambodian border conflict, while assuring the public that the security situation has returned to normal.
Speaking at Government House, Anutin said Thailand remains committed to protecting its sovereignty but stressed there was no reason for public concern over the current situation.
He said he had received assurances from Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun during their meeting earlier in the day that Chinese military equipment supplied to Cambodia was part of normal commercial sales and was not intended for use against Thailand.
Anutin said the message was consistent with assurances previously given by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his official visit to Beijing last week.
“There is nothing for the Thai people to worry about,” he said, adding that people should continue living and doing business as normal because Thailand was not facing any immediate security threat despite past tensions with its neighbour.
On the prospect of restoring ties with Cambodia, Anutin said future negotiations and the rebuilding of bilateral relations would proceed in accordance with existing agreements, adding that Thailand was not currently suffering any disadvantages from the situation.
“Good nutrition and quality protein from meat that everyone can truly access” this is the promise that Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CPF) upholds under its “Kitchen of the World” mission, which aims to deliver good nutrition and high-quality protein from meat to Thai consumers every day. As a result, CPF has earned the highest level of consumer trust nationwide, successfully winning the Marketeer No.1 Brand Thailand 2026 award, recognizing the country’s most popular brand, in both the Chilled Food and Frozen Food categories.
This achievement confirms CPF’s commitment to being customer-centric, driving its business through the “Feed-Farm-Food”, a fully integrated production system that precisely controls quality and nutrition throughout the entire production chain. The Marketeer No.1 Brand Thailand award, which has been held continuously for more than 14 years, is distinctive in that its results come from the “real voice of consumers”, more than 6,500 samples collected nationwide rather than from a judging panel, making it a genuine indicator of market popularity and trust.
Anarkawee Chooratn, Head of Marketing, CPF said “The key factor that has led us to become the No.1 brand is our determination to deliver ‘good protein and good nutrition’ to consumers. We don’t just offer products we offer food innovations made from real meat that meet world-class safety standards, while keeping convenience and true accessibility for all groups of Thai consumers in mind. The No.1 Brand Thailand award is therefore a measure of how well we have fulfilled our commitment to improving consumers’ quality of life, and it stands as our organization’s greatest source of pride.”
To keep pace with modern consumer behavior, CPF has continued to develop outstanding food innovations, such as Chicken Basil with Rice Sausage, which adheres to the same safety standards as food prepared for astronauts; Chicken Pocket, a high-protein sandwich that meets the health trend; and CP Chicken Nuggets, whose internationally acclaimed taste has been certified by the Crystal Taste Award from Belgium. These innovations have become key drivers of the brand’s sustained market leadership, offering more than just a meal to satisfy hunger, but everyday food that fosters a genuine sense of goodness and connection with consumers at every meal.
Winning the No.1 Brand Thailand award this time will serve as a major driving force for CPF to raising its standards, delivering the best possible food products and standing alongside Thai people at every meal, underpinned by world-class production standards and cutting-edge innovation, in recognition of the trust that consumers nationwide have consistently placed in the CP brand, true to its promise: “Make Better Foods for Better Lives – good nutrition, good protein, accessible to everyone.”
