BANGKOK — Luxury Italian toothpaste brand Marvis is marking a significant milestone this month as it celebrates a decade of presence in the Thai market with an exclusive fashion campaign featuring ten prominent Thai celebrities.
The campaign, titled “Marvis Thailand 10th Anniversary,” showcases personalities from diverse fields including entertainment, arts, and business, all united by their bright smiles and loyalty to the premium oral care brand that has built a global following over its 60-year history.
Isriya Kuhapremkit, Founder and Business Development Director of Prestige Selection Co., Ltd., the official Thai distributor for Marvis, reflected on the brand’s journey in Thailand since its 2015 launch.
“When we introduced Marvis to Thailand, the market was saturated with toothpaste brands offering similar benefits,” Kuhapremkit explained. “We wanted to deliver something beyond basic oral hygiene—a complete sensory experience with distinctive packaging that made Marvis one of the few toothpaste brands customers actually want to photograph and share.”
Isriya Kuhapremkit, Founder and Business Development Director of Prestige Selection Co., Ltd., the official Thai distributor for Marvis
The strategy appears to have paid off. According to company representatives, Marvis Thailand experienced steady growth during its first five years before accelerating rapidly in the second half of the decade, garnering multiple industry awards along the way.
The anniversary campaign features a diverse group of Thai celebrities who have become brand loyalists, including artist and singer Popetorn Soonthornyanakij, actress Nittha Kuhapremkit, and VJ-actress Viritipa Pakdeeprasong. Other notable faces include Jinny Emsika, heiress and former Kamikaze artist; fashion model Mali Coates;
After You dessert café owner Gulapat Kanokwatanawan; acclaimed portrait artist Somneuk Klangnok; travel photographer Benjaphorn Sukmuang; Thai-British model Liam John Ward; and fitness coach John Lizcano.
Entrepreneur, Model/Actress/Content Creator Mali Coates visits Khaosod office to promote the Marvis Thailand 10th Anniversary campaign.
Each personality will share their personal “Marvis Moments” as part of the campaign, reinforcing the brand’s longstanding philosophy that “even the two minutes spent brushing your teeth should be joyful,” encapsulated in their slogan “Fulfill A Moment Of Pure Pleasure.”
The luxury toothpaste, particularly known for its signature Piperita (mint) variety, has cultivated a premium image through sophisticated packaging and a distinctive refreshing quality that promises long-lasting fresh breath.
Mali Coates, who has been promoting this campaign with the media, said that Marvis is not only a quality toothpaste with loyal customers in Thailand—people who start using Marvis tend to continue using it consistently. Additionally, with its beautiful tube design, it serves as a decorative item in the bathroom. The 10-year anniversary campaign makes Marvis fans even more eager to collect the entire collection.
The “Marvis Thailand 10th Anniversary” fashion set is currently being featured on the brand’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Consumers can purchase Marvis products through the brand’s Line Official account (@MarvisThailand), e-commerce platforms including Shopee and Lazada, or at upscale retailers such as Tops, Gourmet Market, Villa Market, EVEANDBOY, and KIS Beauty.
On May 2nd, 2025, at Nantrungjai Boutique Hotel in Nan Province, Mr. Chainarong Wongyai, the Governor of Nan Province, presided over the opening ceremony of the policy and strategy workshop aimed at facilitating Nan’s achievement of UNESCO Creative City status. The workshop was jointly organized by the Nan Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO), the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) Area 6 (Nan Old City), Nan Community College, and the Provincial Cultural Office of Nan.
Governor Chainarong Wongyai stated that Nan province is strongly committed to its application to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. He emphasized the significant opportunities that this designation would bring in promoting and elevating Nan’s handicrafts and folk art on the global stage, which can lead to local economic growth, tourism enhancement, and collaborative knowledge exchange among cities worldwide. The aim of this collaboration is to foster sustainable development and preserve the unique cultural heritage of the region.
Furthermore, Nan province has received valuable support from the Rakpanan Foundation and was honored to host two distinguished international experts in the field of crafts and folk art, who shared their knowledge of international policies, key focus areas, and experiences involving UNESCO Creative Cities such as Jinju, South Korea, and other cities in the Asia-Pacific region. These esteemed speakers included:
Prof. Dr. Byung Hoon Jeong from Jeonbuk National University, a renowned expert in Crafts and Folk Art, who delivered a presentation on “The MONDIACULT 2022 Declaration and Creative Activities of Jinju.” He highlighted the international policies related to the Creative Cities Network and shared the experiences of success and the creative activities of Jinju, a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Art in South Korea.
Associate Prof. Dr. Witiya Pitungnapoo, an expert from Naresuan University, who discussed the dynamics of promoting Creative Cities in Crafts and Folk Art within the Asia and Pacific region, thereby providing valuable perspectives and development strategies.
Governor Chainarong Wongyai expressed his strong belief that this workshop will mark a significant milestone for Nan province and contribute toward it being recognized as a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Art. Furthermore, this recognition is expected to bring about sustainable development across all dimensions for the province in the years to come.
Local residents stand outside a mosque of an Islamic seminary partially damaged by a suspected Indian missile attack, outskirts of Bahawalpur, Pakistan, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Asim Tanveer)
ISLAMABAD (AP) — India fired missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory in several locations early Wednesday, killing at least 26 people including a child, in what Pakistan’s leader called an act of war.
Pakistan said it had shot down several Indian fighter jets in retaliation as three planes fell onto villages in India-controlled Kashmir. At least seven civilians were also killed in the region by Pakistani shelling, Indian police and medics said.
Tensions have soared between the nuclear-armed neighbors since an attack in which gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, at a popular meadow in the disputed territory of Kashmir, in some cases killing men before their wives’ eyes.
India has blamed Pakistan for backing the attack, something Islamabad has denied.
Kashmiri workers paint the red and white medical emblem on the roof of a hospital on the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)
Kashmir, which is divided between the two countries but claimed in its entirety by each, has been at the center of tensions for decades and they have fought two wars over it.
“Pakistan has every right to give a robust response to this act of war imposed by India, and a strong response is indeed being given,” Sharif said.
The country’s National Security Committee met Wednesday morning, and Pakistan summoned India’s charge d’affaires to lodge a protest.
In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a special meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security.
Exchanges raise threat of war
South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman said it was one the highest-intensity strikes from India on its rival in years and that Pakistan’s response would “surely pack a punch as well.”
“These are two strong militaries that, even with nuclear weapons as a deterrent, are not afraid to deploy sizeable levels of conventional military force against each other,” Kugelman said. “The escalation risks are real. And they could well increase, and quickly.”
Stephane Dujarric, the United Nations spokesperson, said in a statement late Tuesday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for maximum restraint because the world could not “afford a military confrontation” between India and Pakistan.
Several Indian states planned civil defense drills later Wednesday, according to India’s home ministry, to train civilians and security personnel to respond in case of any “hostile attacks,” the ministry said in a statement. Such drills in India are rare in non-crisis times.
Indian politicians from different political parties lauded the strikes. “Victory to Mother India,” India’s defense minister, Rajnath Singh, wrote on X.
Fire fighters douse smoke coming out from the debris of an aircraft near Akhnoor on the outskirts of Jammu, India, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)
India’s main opposition Congress party called for national unity and said it was “extremely proud” of the country’s army. “We applaud their resolute resolve and courage,” Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge said.
India’s army said the operation was named “Sindoor,” a Hindi word for the bright red vermillion powder worn by married Hindu women on their forehead and hair, referring to the women whose husbands were killed in front of them.
Scenes of panic and destruction
The missiles hit six locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in the country’s eastern Punjab province, killing at least 26 people including women and children, said Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif.
Officials said another 38 people were injured by the strikes, and another five people were killed in Pakistan during exchanges of fire across the border later in the day.
Sharif said the Indian jets also damaged infrastructure at a dam in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, calling it a violation of international norms.
India’s Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted at least nine sites “where terrorist attacks against India have been planned.”
“Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistan military facilities have been targeted,” the statement said, adding that “India has demonstrated considerable restraint.”
Pakistan said the strikes hit at least two sites previously tied to banned militant groups.
One hit Subhan Mosque in Punjab’s Bahawalpur city, killing 13 people including a child, according to Zohaib Ahmed, a doctor at a nearby hospital.
People prepare to offer funeral prayer for the victims of a suspected Indian missile strike incident, in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Roshan Mughal)
The mosque is near a seminary that was once the central office of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a militant group outlawed in 2002. Officials say the group has had no operational presence at the site since the ban.
Another missile hit a mosque in Muridke, damaging its structure. A sprawling building located nearby served as the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba until 2013, when Pakistan banned the group and arrested its founder.
Last month’s attack on tourists was claimed by a group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance, which India says is also known as The Resistance Front and is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba.
In Muzaffarabad, the main city of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, resident Abdul Sammad said he heard several explosions as the blast ripped through houses. He saw people running in panic and authorities immediately cut power to the area.
People took refuge on the streets and in open areas, fearful of what might happen. “We were afraid the next missile might hit our house,” said Mohammad Ashraf.
India hit by shelling as planes fall on villages
Along the Line of Control, which divides the disputed region of Kashmir between India and Pakistan, there were heavy exchanges of fire.
Debris of an aircraft lie in the compound of a mosque at Pampore in Pulwama district of Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
The Indian police and medics said seven civilians were killed and 30 wounded by Pakistani shelling in Poonch district near the highly militarized Line of Control, the de facto border that divides disputed Kashmir between the two countries. Officials said several homes also were damaged in the shelling.
The Indian army said Pakistani troops “resorted to arbitrary firing,” including gunfire and artillery shelling, across the frontier.
Shortly after India’s strikes, aircraft fell onto three villages in India-controlled Kashmir.
Sharif, the Pakistani military spokesperson, said the country’s air force shot down five Indian jets in retaliation for the strikes. There was no immediate comment from India about Pakistan’s claim.
Debris from a plane was scattered across Wuyan village in the outskirts of the region’s main city, including in a school and a mosque compound, according to Srinagar police and residents. Firefighters struggled for hours to douse the resulting fires.
“There was a huge fire in the sky. Then we heard several blasts also,” said Mohammed Yousuf Dar, a Wuyan resident.
Another aircraft fell in an open field in Bhardha Kalan village, near the Line of Control in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Village resident Sachin Kumar told The Associated Press he heard massive blasts followed by a huge ball of fire.
Kumar said he and and several other villagers rushed to the scene and found two pilots with injuries. Both were later taken away by the Indian army.
A third aircraft crashed in a farm field in India’s northern Punjab state, a police office told the AP, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media. The officer did not provide further details.
China calls for calm
China called for restraint from both sides following India’s strikes.
“China expresses regret over India’s military actions this morning and is concerned about the current developments. China opposes all forms of terrorism,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said in a statement. “We call on both India and Pakistan to prioritize peace and stability, remain calm and restrained, and avoid taking actions that further complicate the situation.”
Beijing is the largest investor in Pakistan by far, with a $65 billion China–Pakistan Economic Corridor project that spans across the country. China meanwhile also has multiple border claims disputed with India, with one of those claims in the northeastern part of the Kashmir region.
The Chinese suspect for operating a tour business without a license is seen with Chinese tourists near the Grand Palace in Bangkok on May 7, 2025.
BANGKOK — Tourist Police have arrested a Chinese national for illegally operating an unauthorized tour business near Bangkok’s Grand Palace, authorities announced today.
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Mr. Liu, was apprehended near Tha Chang Pier on Maharaj Road after officers observed him escorting tourists to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew in a luxury vehicle.
According to police, Liu was attempting to evade detection by personally driving tourists and managing all aspects of the tour under the guise of a premium VIP travel experience that was being marketed through online platforms.
The arrest came following orders from Pol. Lt. Gen. Saksira Pheuakum, Commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Phongsiam Meekhanthong, Deputy Commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau (Investigation), who had initiated a crackdown on criminal activities focusing on the “Ten Prohibited Groups,” with particular emphasis on illegal tour guides and unauthorized tour operators.
Tourist Police arrest the Chinese suspect for operating a tour business without a license near the Grand Palace in Bangkok on May 7, 2025.
Liu faces charges of operating a tour business without a license and working as a foreigner without proper authorization.
Crackdown on Nominee Tour Businesses
This arrest coincides with a recent initiative announced by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports in collaboration with five government agencies: the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Department of Business Development, the Department of Special Investigation, the Tourist Police Bureau, and the Immigration Bureau.
This joint task force, known as the “Joint Operations Center for Solving Problems of Tourism Businesses Using Thai Nominees” or JOCST, aims to combat the issues of nominee tour businesses and illegal guides.
Ms. Natreeya Taweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, stated that this collaboration will help monitor tour companies and guides while strictly enforcing laws to elevate standards and safety in Thailand’s tourism industry.
The task force will inspect tour companies and guide operations in major tourist destinations nationwide.
Chinese tourists pose for a group photo at Ancient Siam in Samut Prakan, Thailand, March 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)
Ongoing Enforcement Efforts
Mr. Jaturon Phakdeewanich, Director-General of the Department of Tourism, reported that between October 2024 and March 2025, authorities inspected 940 tour companies and 338 tour guides across the country. The top three violations found among tour companies were operating without proper licensing, failure to display business permits, and lack of insurance coverage for tourists.
For tour guides, the primary infractions were operating without a license and failure to show work orders. The Department urges tour companies to renew their licenses properly, which can be done 30 days before expiration, and to always provide accident insurance for tourists.
Interested parties can contact any of the eight nationwide branches of the Tourism Business and Guide Registration Office for information on proper licensing procedures.
Officials expressed gratitude to citizens who have provided information about illegal tour operators and guides through the Department of Tourism’s Facebook page or via email at [email protected] and [email protected], noting that public assistance has greatly enhanced the effectiveness of law enforcement efforts in the tourism sector.
Police announce the arrest of a 36-year-old Russian man with swallowing multiple condom-wrapped packages at the Tourist Police Office on Koh Phangan on May 6, 2025.
KOH PHANGAN — A 36-year-old Russian man has been arrested on Koh Phangan after smuggling cannabis resin into Thailand by swallowing it to evade customs inspection, according to local authorities.
Tourist police on Koh Phangan received a tip-off about a foreigner selling drugs to tourists near a convenience store in the Maduawan area of Koh Phangan, Surat Thani province, on the evening of May 6th. Officers from the Tourist Police and local authorities conducted surveillance and approached Mr. Denis, a 36-year-old Russian citizen.
During questioning, Denis appeared nervous, sweating profusely and behaving erratically, consistent with drug use. Officers noticed him repeatedly attempting to conceal his bag, which prompted a search. Inside, they discovered dark sticky substances wrapped in condoms and dried magic mushrooms in glass containers.
Multiple Drugs Seized
When officers attempted to search Denis’s person, he initially refused but eventually consented. The search revealed four bags of white powder hidden around his waistband, later identified as cocaine weighing 9.42 grams. Authorities also seized 13.56 grams of magic mushrooms and 415.72 grams of hashish (cannabis resin).
Tourist police search for drugs that the Russian man was selling in front of a convenience store on Koh Phangan, before discovering multiple pieces of cannabis resin on May 6, 2025.
Confession and Charges
During interrogation, Denis confessed that he had smuggled the hashish from Bhutan by swallowing multiple condom-wrapped packages to avoid detection at customs checkpoints. After arriving on Koh Phangan, he expelled the packages from his body and planned to sell them to tourists at high prices for substantial profit.
Denis stated he had purchased the cocaine from an unidentified foreigner on a beach on Koh Phangan for 4,000 baht ($122) per gram.
He faces multiple charges including: possession of Category 2 narcotics (cocaine), possession of Category 5 narcotics (magic mushrooms), consumption of Category 2 narcotics, and possession of controlled herbs exceeding legally permitted amounts.
Part of Larger Network
Tourist police investigations revealed this case connects to previously identified international drug networks operating on Koh Phangan. Authorities report they’ve been monitoring target groups involved in drug trafficking on the island and have intelligence on their body-concealment smuggling methods.
Moscow students dressed in the fashion of the middle of the last century and Soviet style uniform perform "Victory Waltz" as a part of Victory Day celebration in front of the a model of the main Soviet order, the Order of Victory at the historical gate of VDNKh, The Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
By Mr. Evgeny Tomikhin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Thailand
This year on May 9, millions of people in the countries of former Soviet Union commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic war.
The Great Patriotic war started on June 22, 1941 with Nazi Germany sudden undeclared attack on the Soviet Union. This day remains one the most tragic in the history of humankind. Yet as time goes by fewer participants and survivors of the war remain alive and the recollections of the world’s darkest hours inevitably fade away. Collective memory among people across different nations – once unanimously reinforced by shared hardships of the war – gradually wanes.
Nowadays we often see many politicians and public figures following their distorted logic or vicious desires either downplay or remain silent about the horrific crimes committed against the peoples of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War.
Some attribute the suffering of millions to just one country or a single nation. These actions are compounded by attempts to alter the historical truth about World War II and undermine the immense sacrifices made by the Soviet people to achieve Victory over fascism.
In these strange times of fake news and “post-truth” when doubt blurs the boundaries between verity and falsehood it is worth reminding ourselves key facts about the victory in the Great Patriotic war and World War II in general and deliberate on its meaning today.
The fascist coalition in Europe was defeated by joint efforts of the allied forces including of the Soviet Union, the United States, the UK, patriotic forces in France and other countries. However, the contribution of each of these countries to achieving the victory was by no means even. Only after the intense battles near Moscow, in Stalingrad, Kursk and other Soviet cities Nazi army and its collaborators suffered major defeats and had to eventually retreat.
Gradually and with severe casualties the accomplishments of the Soviet Red army dispelled the invincibility myth of the Hitler forces, broke their morale and laid the foundation for a complete turnaround in the war. Nearly 70% of Nazi losses throughout the entire course of the World War II occurred in fierce battles with the Soviet soldiers.
Amid 62 nations that participated in the World War II the USSR took the heaviest blow and lost more than 26 million human lives. Hundreds of cities, towns, villages, factories, mines, countless kilometers of railways and overall national wealth of inestimable value were lost in warfare. The astounding figures remind us all of the hefty price everyone had to pay for the sake of lasting peace.
There is no family in today’s Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia and other countries of the former USSR that is unaffected by the events of the war. Many had at least one grandfather that engaged the enemy in the trenches on the battlefield. Even more had family members that served “on the home front” – working long hours at the armories to secure uninterrupted flow of ammunition and supplies for the army.
Some had a relative that had to endure all the pain and suffering associated with a concentration or labor camp. 80 years since the end of the Great Patriotic war its echo unites people across nations and haunts many descendants of the victorious generation.
For people of former Soviet countries including diplomats and their families that work here in Bangkok May 9 is a sacred day to recall historic and heroic events of the past, to visit victory monuments and cemeteries and to lay flowers and wreaths.
In Russia millions of people congregate in downtowns of their respective cities holding portraits of their grandparents, parents and other relatives to march in a campaign known as the “Immortal Regiment”.
On this day national TV channels broadcast movies about the war as well as concerts featuring war songs performed by singers of different age and genre including today’s youth. The experience of war, its role in the history of the world and life-changing impact on an ordinary person are reflected in countless books, paintings, plays and many other forms of cultural expression. Many of such works gained immortal recognition like Vasily Grossman’s «Life and Fate», Boris Vasilyev’s «The Dawns Here Are Quiet» or Konstantin Simonov’s «Wait for Me».
The hard-won Victory in the Great Patriotic war serves as a reminder to extol virtues of all peoples of the former Soviet Union that gave everything they could: blood, courage, perseverance, strength, and often their own life for the sake of peace.
The anniversary of Victory is also a very sorrowful occasion to recall all the sacrifices every family had to make, all the lost lives on the battlefields, in concentration camps and occupied territories. Let us keep the memory and not forget the date – 9 May 1945 – when 80 years ago an ordinary Soviet Solder became victorious in the most violent war in human history.
Thai Customs officials inspect luggage of a Brazilian man and woman and discover cocaine at Suvarnabhumi Airport on May 6, 2025.
SUVARNABHUMI — Thai Customs officials have apprehended a Brazilian man and woman at Suvarnabhumi Airport attempting to smuggle cocaine internationally from South America through Europe to Thailand, with an estimated value exceeding $680,000.
Mr. Phantong Loikulnun, spokesperson for the Thai Customs Department, reported that the department collaborated with the Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF), comprising the Office of Narcotics Control Board and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau. They received intelligence about two passengers—a 26-year-old Brazilian woman and a 27-year-old Brazilian man—suspected of smuggling illegal narcotics into Thailand.
The suspects traveled from Salvador International Airport in Brazil, transferring at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, with Thailand as their final destination.
Thai Customs officials inspect luggage of a Brazilian man and woman and discover cocaine at Suvarnabhumi Airport on May 6, 2025.
Surveillance officers monitored baggage carousel #18 for Air France arrivals and identified the Brazilian suspects matching their intelligence profile. Officials followed them to the customs checkpoint, where both suspects chose the green channel (nothing to declare). Officers then identified themselves, requested passports, and directed their luggage through X-ray machines.
Initial X-ray analysis revealed suspicious anomalies in both soft-shell wheeled suitcases. Upon inspection, officers discovered objects wrapped in black carbon paper along the walls and bottom of the suitcases. Inside were clear plastic packages containing white powder. Testing with ONCB052 Cobalt Thiocyanate Reagent confirmed the substance as cocaine, weighing 7,400 grams with an approximate value of 22,200,000 baht ($681,580).
The case constitutes unauthorized importation and possession of Category 2 narcotics (cocaine), violating the Narcotics Code, Customs Act, and other related laws.
The Customs spokesperson noted that in fiscal year 2025 (October 1, 2024 – May 6, 2025), Thai Customs has recorded 140 drug seizure cases with a total value of 800.67 million baht ($24.6 million).
Two F-16 fighter jets from Wing 4 in Nakhon Sawan Province are launched to identify and intercept an unidentified aircraft flying near the Thai border opposite Mueang District, Kanchanaburi Province on May 6, 2025.
BANGKOK — Air Marshal Prapas Sornchaidee, Spokesperson of the Royal Thai Air Force, announced today that at 12:45 p.m., the Air Surveillance and Control Unit detected an unidentified aircraft resembling a K-8 light attack aircraft flying near the Thai border opposite Mueang District, Kanchanaburi Province.
In response, the Royal Thai Air Force ordered two F-16 fighter jets from Wing 4 in Nakhon Sawan Province to scramble for identification, interception, and to demonstrate a defensive posture. The aircraft subsequently conducted a combat air patrol over Mueang and Sai Yok Districts in Kanchanaburi Province.
The mission confirmed that there was no violation of Thai airspace or any hostile intent from the unidentified aircraft.
The Royal Thai Air Force reaffirmed its readiness to detect unidentified aircraft and execute professional interception procedures. These missions are critical to maintaining the security of Thai airspace and safeguarding national sovereignty in accordance with applicable laws and international obligations.
Meanwhile, regarding images of an aircraft flying over Kanchanaburi Province shared on social media that caused concern among local residents, sources from the Thai military confirmed that the aircraft was identified as a VTOL SUD 60 UAV belonging to the Military Mapping Department under the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters.
A VTOL SUD 60 UAV belonging to the Military Mapping Department conducting aerial photography in Kanchanaburi Province on May 6, 2025.
This UAV is used for aerial photography missions to create maps, conduct 2D/3D terrain surveillance, and survey remote areas without requiring a runway. Officials confirmed that the Military Mapping Department had scheduled missions in the Sangkhla Buri District of Kanchanaburi Province between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. They emphasized that the aircraft was definitely not from a neighboring country.
Maung Chit Thu, leader of the Border Guard Force (BGF/KNA), holds a press conference at BGF headquarters in Myawaddy, Myanmar, on February 17, 2025.
BANGKOK (AP) — An ethnic militia in southeastern Myanmar that has been sanctioned by the United States for alleged involvement in human trafficking and online scams on Tuesday denied the accusations.
The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday announced sanctions against the Karen National Army, or KNA, as well as its leader Col. Saw Chit Thu and his sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit. They are accused of “facilitating cyber scams that harm U.S. citizens, human trafficking, and cross-border smuggling,” according to a Treasury Department statement.
“Cyber scam operations, such as those run by the KNA, generate billions in revenue for criminal kingpins and their associates, while depriving victims of their hard-earned savings and sense of security,” said Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender. “Treasury is committed to using all available tools to disrupt these networks and hold accountable those who seek to profit from these criminal schemes.”
Those who are hired to carry out the scams have often been tricked into taking the jobs under false pretences and find themselves trapped in virtual slavery.
The sanctions block the targeted individuals and their companies from accessing money and assets under U.S. control, and prohibit U.S. citizens from providing financial services to them.
Saw Chit Thu has already been sanctioned by the European Union and the U.K. for profiting from scam compounds and human trafficking.
BGF forces inspect hundreds of foreigners at a Shwe Kokko building as leader Maung Chit Thu pledges to return illegal workers to Thailand, February 14, 2025.
Lt. Col. Naing Maung Zaw, a spokesperson for the KNA — which operates as the Karen ethnic minority’s official Border Guard Force affiliated with Myanmar’s military government — said the group’s activities are aimed at regional development and not related to cyber scams.
He described the U.S. sanctions as a deliberate act of abasement by a powerful country over a weaker one.
“They are doing it because they can,” he told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Local militias in several border regions have de facto control in areas where their minority groups are dominant. The KNA controls Shwe Kokko and some areas in Myawaddy, on the border with Thailand in the state of Kayin, also known as Karen state.
Shwe Kokko and Myawaddy are known havens for criminal syndicates that have forced hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia and elsewhere into helping run online scams, including romantic ploys, bogus investment pitches and illegal gambling schemes. Critics have accused the KNA of being involved in the criminal activities, at least to the extent of providing protection to the scam centers.
Naing Maung Zaw said scam operations were carried out not only in areas controlled by the KNA but also in other places in Myawaddy.
File photo: Maung Chit Thu, leader of the Border Guard Force (BGF), delivers a speech at the 4th anniversary of the BGF formation in Shwe Kokko Myaine village, Myawaddy Township, Karen State, August 2014. (Karen News)
He acknowledged that his group rented land to some businesses holding the property where scam centers were located and said the KNA would continue with its mass repatriation of the foreigners working in scam centers, which it carries out in cooperation with the military government.
He said 7,454 of 8,575 foreign scam workers have been repatriated through Thailand following a crackdown on the scam centers by Thailand, Myanmar and China in February.
Naing Maung Zaw said more than 10,000 people remain to be identified in the KNA-controlled areas, and the group will continue to work toward the elimination of scam activities.
Kayin state, which is dominated by the Karen ethnic minority, has seen intense armed conflict since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.
The U.S. has previously imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s military leaders, their suppliers and state-owned banks in connection with alleged human rights abuses.
The fabric printed with faces at various points, including on the underwear worn by LISA at The Met Gala on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Image compiled from AP photos)
Lisa’s Met Gala Debut Sparks Controversy Over Civil Rights Icon Imagery, Though Thai Fans Remain Supportive
According to a New York Times report, Lisa, the Thai singer from Blackpink who recently appeared in “The White Lotus,” garnered attention at Monday’s Met Gala for her distinctive Louis Vuitton ensemble.
Her outfit – a black lace blazer over a bodysuit with monogrammed tights – featured an intricate pattern that eagle-eyed observers noticed contained tiny, detailed faces. Louis Vuitton explained that the lace design incorporated elements from American artist Henry Taylor’s portraits of people from his life.
Taylor, known for painting figures like the Obamas and artist David Hammons, recently painted Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton’s men’s wear creative director, for a Vogue cover. Williams had previously collaborated with Taylor, featuring the artist’s miniature portraits on various clothing items in his Paris debut show.
LISA attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
However, as reported by Daily Mail and other media outlets, it was specifically the elaborate embroidery on the panty area of the Blackpink singer’s lace bodysuit that caused quite a stir across social media platforms.
According to British Vogue, a face resembling that of famous civil rights icon Rosa Parks was etched into the fabric, among others.
Rosa Parks (1913-2005) was an American civil rights activist whose refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in 1955 led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. She became a symbol of the importance of equal treatment of all people. Parks received numerous honors and remains an enduring symbol of equality worldwide.
LISA attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
New York Post compiled opinions from social media expressing dissatisfaction with this issue.
“Rosa Parks on your underwear less than 3 months after a compilation of you saying the N word goes viral is kinda crazy but maybe that’s just me!” one X user alleged.
One user didn’t mince words, calling the outfit the “hands down worst look of the night.” Another added, “Who the hell decided it was a good idea to put the faces of influential black women on a pair of PANTIES.”
The graphic motif — a collage of faces printed throughout her look — was most visible below the waist, sparking immediate backlash across social media.
Rosa Parks (1913-2005) became a symbol of the importance of equal treatment of all people.
Lisa is a superstar who is admired by many Thai fans and considered a soft power asset for the country, after rising to fame as a member of K-pop group Blackpink. She regularly promotes Thai culture that she cherishes, including food, tourist attractions, Thai fabrics, etc. Her appearance in White Lotus Season 3, which was filmed in Thailand, delighted her fans even more, as did her first appearance at this Met Gala event.
