Immigration police discover a 26-year-old Welsh tourist who had been reported missing by his family since March, in a hotel in Paknam sub-district, Muang district, Krabi Province on April 15, 2025.
KRABI — Thai authorities have successfully located a 26-year-old Welsh tourist who had been reported missing by his family since March. Daniel, a British citizen from Wales, was found safe on Phi Phi Island in Krabi province after an extensive search that began in Bangkok.
The case gained attention when Daniel’s family reported him missing to the Dyfed-Powys Police in Wales after losing contact with him since March 16. Lieutenant General Phanumas Boonyalak, commander of the Immigration Bureau, directed Krabi provincial police to launch a search operation for the young man.
Immigration officers initially traced Daniel’s last known location to a hostel named “Hangover” in Bangkok. Further investigation of database records revealed that before his disappearance, he had traveled to Phi Phi Island, prompting authorities to focus their search efforts in Krabi province.
Utilizing the Immigration Bureau’s Biometrics Information System, Krabi immigration officers eventually located Daniel at The Great P Hotel, Maharaj Soi 2 in Paknam sub-district, Muang district, Krabi on April 15. Officials confirmed he was safe and immediately notified his worried family.
Daniel refused to provide information to the authorities, and when inquiring from other tourists in the same hotel who had previously spoken with the Welsh man, they learned that he likely had some personal issues with his family back home. He reportedly told fellow travelers that he “didn’t want to go back home.”
A 26-year-old Welsh tourist who had been reported missing by his family since March, is found safe on Phi Phi Island, Krabi Province on April 15, 2025.
Prior to this, a similar case occurred when the family of a young man from Johannesburg was searching for James, a 27-year-old who arrived in Thailand at Suvarnabhumi Airport on January 20, 2025. His relatives were unable to contact him afterward. Eventually, police investigated and found him safe and well in the downtown area of Bangkok.
Following these incidents, Immigration police have issued a public reminder to hotel operators about the importance of reporting foreign guests’ stays in accordance with Section 38 of the Immigration Act of 1979. This compliance helps authorities track missing tourists in Thailand more efficiently.
Singapore's new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong makes a speech after being sworn in at the Istana in Singapore, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Ministry of Communications and Information via AP)
Singapore’s parliament was dissolved Tuesday, paving the way for general elections in which the city-state’s long-ruling People’s Action Party will seek to strengthen its dominance under Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
The election will be held on May 3, the Elections Department said later in the afternoon. Victory is virtually assured for the PAP, which has led Singapore since its independence in 1965.
“We are witnessing profound changes in the world. It is becoming more uncertain, unsettled and even unstable,” Wong wrote on Facebook. “The global conditions that enabled Singapore’s success over the past decades may no longer hold. That is why I have called this General Election,” adding that Singaporeans should choose ”the team to lead our nation.”
FILE – Tourists walk in front of the Central Business District during sunset in Singapore, on May 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)
Wong, who was sworn in as Singapore’s fourth leader in May last year, wants to clinch a stronger win after the PAP suffered a setback in 2020 polls over voters’ rising discontent with the government.
He succeeded Lee Hsien Loong, who stepped down after two decades at the helm. Lee’s departure marked the end of a family dynasty started by his father, Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first leader who built the former colonial trading outpost into one of the world’s richest nations during 31 years in office.
In the 2020 polls held during the COVID-19 pandemic, the PAP maintained its supermajority with 83 out of 93 seats. But it ceded more seats to the opposition, which increased its parliamentary representation from six to 10, the highest ever. The PAP’s share of popular support also slipped to a near-record low of 61%.
As Wong heads into his first general election as PAP chief, he has sought to reach out to disgruntled younger voters. He launched a “Forward Singapore” plan that aims to give Singaporeans a say in how to develop a more balanced, vibrant and inclusive agenda for the next generation.
The PAP will field more than 30 new candidates to refresh the party. Wong has warned that “who you have in the cockpit matters” amid economic uncertainties as U.S. tariffs hit the global trading system.
“The biggest contest we face isn’t between political parties, it’s Singapore vs the world,” Wong said in a Facebook post earlier this week. “Our mission … is clear: to keep our nation a shining beacon of stability, progress and hope.”
While Singapore has flourished as one of the world’s wealthiest nations, it has also become one of the most expensive cities to live in. The PAP has been criticized for tight government control and a government-knows-best stance, media censorship and the use of oppressive laws against dissidents.
Issues like widening income disparity, increasingly unaffordable housing, overcrowding caused by immigration and restrictions on free speech have also loosened the PAP’s grip on power.
BANGKOK — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who also holds the current ASEAN chairmanship, will visit Thailand on April 17. He is expected to convene a meeting with the ASEAN chair’s advisers, including Thaksin Shinawatra, to present a united front to the US government following the recent announcement of tariffs. ASEAN plans to hold friendly talks rather than exert pressure.
Thaksin Shinawatra, in his role as advisor to the ASEAN chair, said in an interview on April 14 that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will travel to Thailand for a working visit to meet with the government and the Thai prime minister.
In addition, several advisers to the ASEAN chairmanship from various member states have been invited to discuss internal regional challenges, ASEAN’s production base and how the bloc can strengthen its role in talks with the US, including issues related to peace in Myanmar.
In the face of growing expectations that ASEAN unity can strengthen its negotiating power, Thaksin emphasized: “We are not going there to negotiate on a give-and-take basis. We will speak from the perspective that most ASEAN countries are still developing and need substantial capital from developed countries to strengthen themselves.”
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, center in red, joins hands with ASEAN finance ministers and bank governors for a group photograph after the two days’ ASEAN Finance Ministers and Bank Governors meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
“We want the US government to understand the role of ASEAN, especially its strategic importance to the region, which is of great importance to the US. We will engage as a partner and not negotiate under pressure,” Thaksin said.
Asked if he could predict how Trump’s team would approach ASEAN, Thaksin said he knew most of them, adding that “many people in Trump’s circles are known to me”
Commerce Minister Phichai Naripthaphan also announced that he had participated in a virtual meeting with the economic ministers of all 10 ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste to discuss strategic responses to the new US trade policy. The ASEAN countries agreed to issue a joint statement reaffirming their position as a “comprehensive strategic partner” of the United States.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira will join the delegation traveling to the United States on Thursday, April 17. In preparation for the trip, Pichai has already convened a special meeting with the US tax negotiation working group and Thailand’s economic policy advisory team at Phitsanulok House. The meeting included key advisors Pansak Vinyaratn and Dr. Supawut Saichua, who will accompany the delegation to strengthen Thailand’s position in the upcoming discussions with US officials.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira (right) announces the results of the Trump tariff policy response committee meeting, stating that he and Commerce Minister Pichai Naripattapun (left) will travel together to negotiate with U.S. trade representatives, April 11, 2025.
ASEAN proposed constructive negotiations to ease trade tensions and find balanced solutions under the ASEAN-US Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP). The bloc is committed to maintaining long-term ties in trade, investment and supply chain security in the region.
They will also advance cooperation with the US in high-potential sectors such as digital technology, AI, food, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, electric vehicles, semiconductors, health, logistics and agriculture— with the aim of creating new opportunities for the region. ASEAN also reaffirmed its commitment to multilateral trading systems and stated that it would not retaliate against the US.
The meeting also agreed to establish a special task force, the ASEAN Geoeconomics Task Force, to monitor, assess and propose policy responses to maximize the benefits of US economic strategies for ASEAN. The task force will promote cooperation at both government and private sector levels.
Minister Phichai added that he has been in contact with Jamieson Greer, the US Trade Representative (USTR) since December 2024. The USTR has agreed to hold talks with Thailand and both sides are currently coordinating the date for the meeting. This initiative is in line with the mandate of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
FILE - Malaysian outgoing Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, also Defense Minister, waves during a farewell ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, April 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin, File)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, a moderate who extended the country’s political freedoms but was criticized for lackluster leadership, has died of heart disease. He was 85.
Abdullah entered the critical care unit at the National Heart Institute on April 25, 2024 after being diagnosed with spontaneous pneumothorax, a collapsed lung that occurs without any apparent cause.
Affectionately known as “Pak Lah,” Abdullah was admitted to Kuala Lumpur’s State Institute of Heart on Sunday after experiencing breathing difficulties where he was closely monitored by a cardiac specialists team, but he passed away on Monday at 7:10 p.m. despite all medical efforts, said the hospital in a statement.
Abdullah, Malaysia’s fifth leader, served from 2003 to 2009, when he was pressured to resign to take responsibility for the governing coalition’s dismal results in national elections. He kept a low profile after leaving politics.
FILE – President George W. Bush, right, greets Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, July 19, 2004, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
In 2022, his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, disclosed that Abdullah had dementia that was progressively worsening. He said Abdullah had trouble speaking and could not recognize his family.
Abdullah took office in October 2003, riding a wave of popularity as he replaced Mahathir Mohamad, a domineering, sharp-tongued leader known for his semi-authoritarian rule during 22 years in office.
A seasoned politician who held many Cabinet positions, Abdullah was handpicked by Mahathir, who believed a soft-spoken, unambitious leader would maintain his policies.
Initially, Abdullah won support with promises of institutional reforms and his brand of moderate Islam. He was known fondly as “Pak Lah” or Uncle Lah. He pledged greater political freedoms with more space for critics, and vowed to end corruption after a government minister was hauled to court on graft allegations.
FILE – Malaysian outgoing Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, also Defence Minister, center, looks on during a farewell ceremony organised by the Defence Ministry in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, April 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin, File)
“During his rule, the country transitioned from a very authoritarian rule under Mahathir to a more multifaceted regime. It provided some breathing space for many Malaysians after more than two decades of very suffocating rule,” said Oh Ei Sun from Singapore’s Institute of International Affairs.
Months after taking office, Abdullah led his National Front governing coalition to a landslide victory in a 2004 general election seen as a stamp of approval of his leadership. That helped him partially step out of Mahathir’s shadow, but the euphoria didn’t last.
In the following years, Abdullah faced criticism inside and outside his party for generally lackluster and ineffectual leadership. He didn’t follow through on promises to eradicate corruption, reform the judiciary and strengthen institutions such as the police and the civil service.
Critics slammed Abdullah for concurrently taking on the finance minister and internal security minister posts. He was often criticized for dozing off during meetings or at public events, which he blamed on a sleep disorder. Khairy, his son-in-law, led a team of advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office whom critics said influenced Abdullah’s decisions and controlled access to him.
Abdullah also fell out with Mahathir after he axed some of the former leader’s projects, including a proposed bridge to Singapore. Mahathir turned into one of his fiercest critics and accused Abdullah of nepotism and inefficiency..
While Abdullah was viewed as a weak leader, he ushered in limited freedom of speech and allowing a more critical media. Conservatives in his party said that was his undoing as it bolstered a newly resurgent opposition led by reformist Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar, Malaysia’s current leader, became prime minister after 2022 elections.
In late 2007, Abdullah faced a series of massive street protests on issues including fuel hikes, demands for electoral reforms and fairer treatment for ethnic minorities. The protests shook his administration. Police cracked down on the rallies and Abdullah warned he would sacrifice public freedoms for stability.
In the March 2008 general election, his National Front suffered one of its worst results in a huge blow to Abdullah. It failed to secure a two-thirds legislative majority for the first time in 40 years, yielding 82 seats to the opposition in the 222-member Parliament. It also lost an unprecedented five states.
Abdullah initially refused to step down, but pressure grew. Mahathir quit the United Malays National Organization, the linchpin of the governing coalition, to protest Abdullah’s leadership. Dissidents within UMNO openly called on him to resign to take responsibility for the dismal election performance.
Abdullah caved in and handed over power to his deputy, Najib Razak, in April 2009.
Born in the northern state of Penang on Nov. 26, 1939, Abdullah came from a religious family. His grandfather was the first mufti, or Islamic jurist, of Penang. Abdullah received a bachelor’s degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Malaya.
FILE – Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, left, gestures as his wife Endon Mahmood looks on after casting their votes during the general election at a polling center in Kepala Batas, northern Malaysia, March 21, 2004. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)
After graduating, he entered the civil service for 14 years before resigning in 1978 to become a member of parliament. During a bitter dispute within UMNO in the 1980s, Abdullah sided with a group that opposed Mahathir. After Mahathir prevailed, Abdullah was sacked as defense minister but was later brought back into the Cabinet as foreign minister in 1991.
In January 1999, Abdullah was appointed deputy prime minister and home affairs minister before succeeding Mahathir as prime minister in 2003.
Abdullah’s first wife, Endon Mahmood, died in 2005 after a battle with breast cancer. They have two children and seven grandchildren. He remarried two years later to Jeanne Abdullah, who was earlier married to the brother of Abdullah’s first wife. She has two children from her previous marriage.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, speaks with Vietnam's President Luong Cuong on his arrival at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam Monday, April 14, 2025. (Athit Perawongmetha/Pool Photo via AP)
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — China’s leader Xi Jinping started a week of diplomacy in Southeast Asia with a visit to Vietnam on Monday, signaling China’s commitment to global trade, just after U.S. President Donald Trump upended the global economy with his latest tariffs moves.
Although Trump has paused some tariffs, China was the outlier, as he has kept in place 145% tariffs on the world’s second-largest economy.
China’s exports jumped 12.4% in March from a year earlier as companies rushed to beat increases in U.S. tariffs imposed by Trump, the government said Monday.
Imports fell 4.3% to $211.3 billion in March, the customs administration reported, far exceeded by exports worth $313.9 billion, leaving a trade surplus of $102.6 billion.
China’s trade surplus surged to a record $992.2 billion in 2024 and its exports climbed 5.4%, helping to make up for sluggish growth at home as the country slowly recovers from a crisis in its property market and lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chinese President Xi Jinping waves as he arrives for a two-day state visit, at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam, Monday, April 14, 2025. (Athit Perawongmetha/Pool Photo via AP)
After taking office, Trump first ordered a 10% increase in tariffs on imports from China. He later raised that to 20%. Now, China is facing 145% tariffs on most of its exports to the United States, based on the most recent revisions in Trump’s trade policies.
China’s trade surplus with the United States was $27.6 billion in March as its exports rose 4.5%. It logged a surplus of $76.6 billion with the U.S. in January-March even though exports were up only 2.3% the first two months of the year.
Xi’s visit this week lets China show Southeast Asia it is a “responsible superpower in the way that contrasts with the way the U.S. under President Donald Trump presents to the whole world,” said Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute.
China also can work to shore up its alliances and find solutions for the high trade barrier that the U.S. has on Chinese exports.
“There are no winners in a trade war, or a tariff war,” Xi wrote in an editorial jointly published in Vietnamese and Chinese official media. “Our two countries should resolutely safeguard the multilateral trading system, stable global industrial and supply chains, and open and cooperative international environment.”
He arrived in Hanoi on Monday and will be in Vietnam for two days as part of the state visit.
The plane carrying Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam Monday, April 14, 2025. (Athit Perawongmetha/Pool Photo via AP)
While Xi’s trip likely was planned earlier, it has become significant because of the tariff fight between China and the U.S., the world’s two largest economies. In Vietnam, Xi will meet with Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary To Lam, as well as the Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
“The trip to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia is all about how China can really insulate itself against the from Trump,” said Nguyen, pointing out that since Xi became the president of China in 2013, he has only visited Vietnam twice. This is his third visit and comes just a year after he last visited in December 2023.
The timing of the visit sends a “strong political message that Southeast Asia is important to China,” said Huong Le-Thu at the International Crisis Group. She said that given the severity of Trump’s tariffs and despite the 90-day pause, Southeast Asian nations were anxious that the tariffs, if implemented, could complicate their development.
“Xi’s trip is to showcase how China is the opposite to the coercive and self-interested U.S. There will be a lot of expectations about what type of leadership and initiatives China is going to come up with at this time of crisis,” she said.
People wave Chinese flags as the plane carrying Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam Monday, April 14, 2025. (Athit Perawongmetha/Pool Photo via AP)
Vietnam is experienced at balancing its relations with the U.S and China. It is run under a Communist, one-party system like China but has had a strong relationship with the U.S.
In 2023, it was the only country that received both U.S. President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping. That year it also upgraded the U.S. to its highest diplomatic level, the same as China and Russia.
Vietnam was one of the biggest beneficiaries of countries trying to decouple their supply chains from China, as businesses moved here. China is its biggest trading partner, and China-Vietnam trade surged 14.6% year-on-year in 2024, according to Chinese state media.
But the intensification of the trade war has put Vietnam in a “very precarious situation” given the impression in the U.S. that Vietnam is serving as a backdoor for Chinese goods, said Giang, the analyst at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute. Vietnam had been hit with 46% tariffs under Trump’s order before the 90-day pause.
China and Vietnam have real long-term differences. They have disputes over territory in the South China Sea, and Vietnam has faced off with China’s coast guard but does not often publicize the confrontations.
After Vietnam, Xi is expected to go to Malaysia next and then Cambodia.
Corporate Incentive tour group participants attend 'Magic 2025' at IMPACT Arena, Muang Thong Thani, from April 11-15, 2025.
BANGKOK — The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in partnership with Zebra Events & Exhibition Pvt. Ltd., is hosting “Magic 2025,” a major corporate incentive program for 10,000 Indian direct marketing sales representatives from April 11-15, 2025, at the IMPACT Arena in Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi Province.
The event aims to train representatives in tourism and lifestyle products and services while promoting Thailand as a premium destination for high-spending corporate travelers. Police Major General Pongsayam Meekhanthong, Deputy Commissioner of the Tourist Police, officially welcomed participants at the Challenger Hall.
“Magic 2025” is part of TAT’s strategy to promote Thailand through the lens of showcase the country’s capabilities as a comprehensive MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination. The initiative seeks to expand the corporate tourism base and increase tourism industry spending while developing long-term tourism promotion strategies for Thailand.
Corporate Incentive tour group participants attend ‘Magic 2025’ at IMPACT Arena, Muang Thong Thani, from April 11-15, 2025.
Strong Growth in Indian Tourism Market
India has emerged as a key tourism market for Thailand, with visitor numbers reaching a record-breaking 2.1 million in 2024. From January 1 to April 9, 2025, Thailand has already welcomed 597,709 Indian tourists, with 75.20% traveling independently and 24.80% in tour groups. Notably, 66.59% were first-time visitors.
Indian travelers visit Thailand for various purposes, including leisure, business, and special celebrations such as weddings and anniversaries. The peak tourism seasons align with India’s travel periods, particularly during January-February and December, when visitors from northern and northeastern Indian states travel to Thailand in large numbers.
Bangkok, Chonburi, Phuket, Krabi, and Surat Thani remain the most popular destinations, catering to diverse tourist segments including families, millennials, health and wellness enthusiasts, wedding and honeymoon travelers, golf tourists, and emerging groups such as women travelers, senior citizens, self-drivers, and adventure seekers.
During the Songkran festival, participants will also join the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025, reinforcing the “Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025” policy through grand festivities held throughout the country.
Indian tourists participated in the colorful Festival of Colours (HOLI) Pattaya Thailand at Pattaya Klang Beach on March 11, 2023.
Factors Supporting Market Growth
The growth of the Indian tourism market is supported by several factors, including population growth and changing consumer behaviors, with more Indians prioritizing lifestyle spending and traveling abroad multiple times a year.
Additionally, the special 60-day visa exemption measure effective from July 15, 2024, has made it easier for Indian tourists to visit Thailand. These factors present Thailand with an opportunity to showcase its charm and attract quality tourists from India.
Given these favorable conditions, TAT has set an ambitious target of 2.3 million Indian visitors for 2025, with expected tourism revenue reaching 101.6 billion baht ($3 billion).
Children apply Thanakha, traditional make-up, on their face during the first day of annual water festival also known as "Thingyan," in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
BANGKOK (AP) — Several Southeast Asian countries kicked off their annual water festival holiday on Sunday, but in the wake of a devastating earthquake last month, Myanmar is missing out on the fun.
The holiday is an occasion for merrymaking during what is usually the hottest time of the year. In Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, millions normally take part in a mix of raucous play with uninhibited splashing of water on friends and strangers alike, and sober ceremonies to show respect to one’s elders.
Thai people with faces stained with paint take part in the Songkran water festival to celebrate the Thai New Year in Prachinburi Province, Thailand, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
Temperatures this time of year can creep above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). Many who have moved to cities for work return to their native villages and towns to reunite with their families. The celebration is normally spread over several days, culminating on the actual New Year’s Day.
In Myanmar, the holiday is called Thingyan. But this year, the country is struggling to recover from the 7.7 magnitude earthquake on March 28 that devastated its central heartland, killing more than 3,600 people and leveling structures from new condos to ancient pagodas.
Central Myanmar was shaken again on Sunday by a 5.5 magnitude earthquake in one of the biggest aftershocks since the March 28 temblor.
Women are sprayed water during the first day of annual water festival also known as “Thingyan,” in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
Even before last month’s quake, Myanmar was reeling from a repressive military that seized power in 2021 and is carrying out a brutal war on the pro-democracy forces trying to unseat it. In 2020, the pandemic also quashed celebrations.
Still, the holiday offered a brief respite from the grim struggles of daily life in one of the region’s poorer countries, and this is the first year Myanmar could celebrate Thingyan’s inclusion on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, an honor attained last December.
A few days after the quake, the military government announced that this year’s festival would be observed peacefully in pursuit of traditional culture and would not include joyous singing and dancing, due to a nationwide grieving period.
Myanmar’s Rakhine ethnic women make sandalwood liquid to make fragrant water as they prepare to doze the fragrant water on Buddha images during the first day of annual traditional water festival also known as “Thingyan”, in Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)
People are free to celebrate privately and quietly, and items related to the festival, including water guns, are being sold in malls and stores. However, there is no government-organized entertainment. In Yangon, the country’s largest city, major festival pavilions and decorations that were already being built in front of the City Hall were dismantled.
People’s Square, a major celebration spot in Yangon, will not host the festival this year, but a traditional charity feast will be held without music and dance, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported on Thursday.
In Yangon, the downtown area near City Hall was quiet, in sharp contrast to many past occasions.
The only visible signs of the holiday were the sights of children playing with water in the streets of residential neighborhoods, and mostly elderly people going to Buddhist monasteries and pagodas for traditional prayers.
A boy throws water to revelers on a tri-cycle during the first day of annual traditional water festival also known as “Thingyan”, in Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)
In the capital, Naypyitaw, state-media reported Saturday that a quiet celebration of the holiday’s recognition by UNESCO would include events such as applying Thanaka, a yellowish-white paste made from ground tree bark as a traditional natural cosmetic, gently washing the heads and cutting the nails of elderly people as a gesture of respect, and donating food.
Neighboring Thailand, where the holiday is called Songkran, was expected to celebrate with revelry as usual. It sees a mass exodus of the workforce in the capital, Bangkok, return to their upcountry home towns, often extending what is officially a three-day holiday into an entire working week.
Foreign tourists join locals in almost orgiastic water fights, especially in Bangkok’s Khao San Road backpackers district. Water pistols are merely small arms. It is not unusual to see huge buckets of water dumped on any convenient target. Moving vehicles serve as both platforms and targets for attacks.
A man reacts as water is splashed on him during the Songkran water festival to celebrate the Thai New Year in Prachinburi Province, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
The holiday is historically pegged to a seasonal movement of the sun, critical to largely agrarian societies. The water hijinks originated in olden days as a ceremony to welcome rainy season. A traditional ritual still practiced by many involves cleansing images of the Buddha and washing the hands and feet of elders.
There is a darker side to the goings-on, as well. Thailand already has one of the world’s highest rates of traffic fatalities, which spikes during Songkran with so many on the move and often inebriated.
Cambodia, where the holiday is called Choul Chnam Thmey, and Laos, where it is Pi Mai Lao, have similar celebrations, generally smaller in scale and less raucous than those in Thailand.
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Associated Press writer Grant Peck reported from Bangkok. Sopheng Cheang in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, contributed to this report.
BANGKOK — Nestlé (Thai) Ltd. has announced the immediate resumption of its Nescafé operations following a favorable court decision that affirms the company’s exclusive rights to the iconic coffee brand’s trademarks.
The Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court ruled in Black Case TorPhor 58/2568 that Nestlé has the exclusive right to use the “Nescafé” and “เนสกาแฟ” trademarks, effective April 11, 2025.
“We will resume the full operation of Nescafé products for the Thailand market with immediate effect,” a company spokesperson said. “We are informing our customers and trade partners that we can now take orders for Nescafé products.”
The ruling overturns a previous injunction issued by the Minburi Civil Court on April 3, which had temporarily halted Nescafé sales and distribution in Thailand.
Nestlé expressed relief that the new court order “will stop severe impacts on small business operators, retailers, suppliers and their employees in the Nescafé value chain” that had resulted from the earlier injunction.
The dispute involves Quality Coffee Products and its shareholders, including Prayudh Mahagitsiri and family members. Nestlé maintains it “has always respected the rule of law and strictly complied with the terms in the contract” with Quality Coffee Products, noting that it previously won a case at the International Court of Arbitration which the Mahagitsiri family attended.
The company thanked consumers and stakeholders for their support during what it described as a “challenging time” and reaffirmed its commitment to continued investment in Thailand.
With this resolution, Thai consumers can once again access the complete range of Nescafé products throughout the country.
Excavators working at the collapsed State Audit Office construction site in Chatuchak district, Bangkok, on April 13, which coincides with Thailand's Songkran day.
BANGKOK — Search teams for missing persons continue work during Songkran holiday while DSI calls in China Railway, Italian-Thai, and bidding partners for questioning after money trail leads to two Chinese executives
Rescue workers continued their search operation for missing persons on April 13, despite it being the Thai New Year or Songkran holiday. The team is using heavy machinery to dig and remove obstacles in the massive debris that collapsed during the Myanmar earthquake on March 28, with the death toll at 37 and 57 people still missing as of late morning.
Anyawut Pho-ampai from Ruamkatanyu Foundation stated, “Today marks the 16th day of the search operation. The extreme heat is causing fatigue quickly, requiring more frequent team rotations. Despite Songkran, we continue working as we’re determined to find all missing persons as soon as possible. While we originally hoped to complete the search by April 16, this timeline will likely be extended, but our teams remain motivated.”
Whiteboard at the search center for missing persons from the State Audit Office building collapse, updated with the death toll at 37 and 57 people still missing as of April 13, 2025
Nominee Case Questioning
Meanwhile, officials from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Central Forensic Science Division, Department of Public Works and Town Planning, police, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration collected evidence including steel and cement samples for further examination.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Surawut Rangsai, Deputy Director-General of DSI, revealed that DSI operations are divided into two parts: evidence collection and investigation. The investigation has made significant progress, with appointments scheduled for those involved in the foreign business operation case, or nominee case, to provide information between April 18 and May 15.
This includes China Railway No. 10 Company Limited, Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited, and other companies that participated in the bidding for the State Audit Office building construction. Initial financial trail investigations revealed money transfers to two Chinese individuals, information which the DSI currently has but cannot disclose further details.
Construction supervisors of the State Audit Office building holding a sign written in Thai and Chinese that reads: ‘Celebration ceremony for the completion of structural work, Construction Project of the (New) Office of the Auditor General,’ CREC, April 3, 2024.
Overview of Three Criminal Cases
Police Lieutenant Woranan Srilam, DSI spokesperson, provided an overview of three criminal cases under DSI responsibility. The first case involves nominees, which DSI has already investigated nearly 50%, and is expanding to determine whether it also involves bidding law violations. This evidence collection will address issues related to industrial standards for construction materials, and if any are found below specification, additional charges will be filed.
The second case involves tax issues, which recently began after receiving a letter from the Revenue Department last week asking DSI to investigate tax evasion by Xin Ke Yuan Steel Company. Evidence has been found indicating potentially incorrect tax documentation, and the Tax Case Division has separated this as a distinct case.
The third case was received on April 11, following an inspection of Xin Ke Yuan Steel Company by the Department of Industrial Works, Ministry of Industry, with DSI participating in the investigation, including the issue of 40,000 tons of red dust. This matter is currently under consideration, with an investigation team already established and awaiting approval from the DSI Director-General before proceeding to coordinate and gather further information.
Rescue workers search for bodies at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Forged Signatures of a Civil Engineer
On the same day, Somkiat Chuchaengsuk, a 66-year-old civil engineer, filed a police complaint at Wang Thonglang Police Station, stating that he had no involvement whatsoever with the project to construct the new office building for the State Auditor Office. He added that his signature had been forged, and he plans to file a petition with the Department of Special Investigation on April 17.
Somkiat explained that his name had been used without his knowledge or consent for five years as the supervising engineer of the collapsed building. He emphasized that he is no longer involved in construction supervision, a role that requires regular on-site presence. Signing off as a supervisor without being physically present to oversee the work is considered unethical and may result in dismissal from government service.
African men who connected to call center scam operations stage a protest along the Moei River on April 13, 2025 after being detained in DKBA territory for more than two months.
BANGKOK — 275 foreigners, mostly African nationals, connected to call center scam operations staged a protest along the Moei River after being detained in DKBA territory for more than two months, saying they want to return home.
According to a report from the Rajamanu Task Force on April 13, 275 foreigners linked to scammer call center gangs protested along the Moei River in Myanmar after being detained in DKBA territory for over two months. Most are Ethiopians and nationals from other African countries who have been held in an area controlled by the Karen DKBA group.
The area in question is the “Taishang 1” gray business zone in Myawaddy, Karen State, opposite Ban Chong Kaeb in Phop Phra district, Tak province. The protesters attempted to leave the controlled area to enter Thailand in order to return to their home countries after waiting for coordination from their embassies for more than two months.
Thai military personnel from the Rajamanu Task Force, Naresuan Force, along with administrative officials and Phop Phra police reinforce security along the border to prevent illegal crossings while coordinating with all relevant parties on April 13, 2025.
During the protest, tensions escalated to the brink of confrontation with DKBA Karen soldiers, who argued with and threatened the protesters with weapons.
Thai military personnel from the Rajamanu Task Force, Naresuan Force, along with administrative officials and Phop Phra police, have reinforced security along the border to prevent illegal crossings while coordinating with all relevant parties.
The Thai side emphasized that the scammer crackdown already has a clear process for returning these network workers to their home countries, with over 8,000 people already repatriated. Therefore, any foreigners who do not go through the proper repatriation process and attempt to cross the border illegally will be prosecuted for illegal immigration. The delays in the process are not caused by the Thai side but by the home countries that are not ready to receive their nationals.
Later, DKBA forces were able to negotiate with the foreign nationals, promising to hand over all 275 foreigners to Myanmar authorities in Myawaddy on April 18 to continue the repatriation process.
