Phuket police arrest 37 transgender women in Patong's Soi Bangla for causing public nuisance and damaging tourism image on March 20, 2025.
PHUKET — In a sweeping overnight operation, Phuket police arrested 37 individuals, mostly transgender women, following a series of nighttime disturbances in the popular tourist area of Bangla Road in Patong Beach. However, this action was condemned by a coalition of human rights organizations.
The arrests on March 20 came just one day after a viral video showed a confrontation between a tall transgender woman and a foreign tourist. The incident reportedly began when the tourist refused to purchase roses from the woman but continued filming her.
When the tourist attempted to walk away, he allegedly slapped the transgender woman on the head, prompting her to remove her shoe as a weapon and chase after him. The altercation escalated into a physical fight before bystanders and other tourists intervened to separate them.
Screenshots from a viral video show a confrontation between a tall transgender woman and a foreign tourist in Patong’s Soi Bangla, Phuket Province, on March 19, 2025.
Nighttime disputes in Bangla Road, one of Phuket’s most popular tourist destinations, have become increasingly common, with numerous videos of such incidents circulating online.
The operation involved officers from Phuket Provincial Police, Tourist Police, Patong Police Station, and local administrative officials. Authorities stated the arrests were necessary as such incidents “create a negative image for tourism.”
However, local residents view the police action as merely a response to viral videos rather than addressing underlying issues. Sources indicate that those arrested were typically processed, fined, and then released to resume their nighttime activities in what has been a long-established business model in the area.
Phuket police arrest 37 transgender women in Patong’s Soi Bangla for causing public nuisance and damaging tourism image on March 20, 2025.
Later the same day, a coalition of human rights organizations and activists advocating for human rights, gender diversity, and equality in Thai society, acting under the name Bangkok Pride, issued a statement condemning this arrest of 37 transgender women.
“We express our deepest regret and strongly condemn the arrest of 37 transgender women in the Bangla Road area of Phuket province on March 20, 2025,” the statement read. “The operation was justified as ‘clearing out groups causing public nuisance’ and ‘creating a negative image for tourism,’ which reflects outdated reasoning and sexual bias that is unacceptable in a democratic society.”
The statement also revealed that Bangkok Pride had previously proposed Phuket as a host for InterPride’s international conference – a global network of Pride event organizers. While this proposal is currently under consideration, the group warned they may need to reconsider following these arrests if Phuket officials cannot provide clarification or demonstrate a clear stance on respecting and protecting LGBTQ+ rights.
Bangkok Pride concluded by sending heartfelt support to transgender women and all LGBTIQN+ individuals in Phuket: “You are not wrong for being yourselves, and you deserve to be treated with dignity and equality. We affirm that we will continue to stand beside you and will not allow this injustice to be covered up with claims about ‘image’ that disregard human value.”
Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, IOC member and President of the Badminton Association of Thailand, cheers for badminton players from courtside at Adidas Arena during the Olympic Games in Paris, France, on July 30, 2024.
BANGKOK — Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, IOC member and President of the Badminton Association of Thailand, announced during her trip to the 144th IOC Session in Greece that she will not run for the presidency of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand (NOCT).
Her decision comes at a historic moment for the Olympic movement, as Kirsty Coventry, a 41-year-old former Olympic swimming gold medalist from Zimbabwe, was just elected as the new IOC president. Coventry is seen as part of the new generation of leadership and will become the 10th president of the IOC, and the first woman and the first African national in history to hold this position.
Despite this groundbreaking development that could have inspired similar progress in Thailand, Khunying Patama confirmed she will not seek to make her own history as the first female president of NOCT, even if nominated on the day of the election scheduled for March 25.
“After thorough consideration, I’ve decided not to pursue the Thai Olympic Committee presidency despite having support and a team ready,” Lady Pattama stated. “This decision preserves harmony in our sports community where we all work as colleagues and friends. I apologize to my supporters, but feel the two existing candidates are sufficient for this election.”
Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, IOC member, (right) congratulates Kirsty Coventry who has been elected president of the International Olympic Committee and has become the first woman and first African to hold perhaps the biggest job in global sports, on March 20, 2025.
She went on to say that both candidates, Suchai Pornchaikasikorn, president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand, and Pimol Srivikorn, president of the Taekwondo Association of Thailand, have the appropriate qualifications to promote the development of Thai sports.
The Thai Olympic Committee presidency has remained vacant since December 2024 after General Prawit Wongsuwan resigned as Thai Amateur Swimming Association president following a new board election. According to regulations, any Thai Olympic Committee president must concurrently serve as president of a sports association.
When asked whether politics or the government played a role in controlling or influencing the Thai Olympic election, Khunying Pattama firmly denied any political influence. She pointed out that in some countries there are political issues that lead to the IOC not recognizing the elections, causing delays, while in Thailand it is all about sporting matters.
Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul congratulates Kunlavut Vitidsarn who won silver in the men’s singles badminton at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (Matichon Photo)
Several IOC members made an interesting suggestion: Ideally, the election for the presidency of the Thai Olympic Committee should follow the procedure of the IOC presidential elections. Under this system, candidates must formally submit their candidacy in advance, have a fixed date to present their vision and give members the opportunity to hear their plans before the vote.
Khunying Pattama promised to bring this suggestion to the new NOCT board for consideration. As an IOC member, she also offered her continued support in coordinating both domestic and international sporting initiatives to benefit Thailand.
Thailand is currently preparing a bid to host the 2030 Youth Olympic Games, which requires substantially less funding than the main Olympic Games. Several other Asian nations are also competing for this opportunity. Beyond this bid, Thailand plans to host multiple international sporting competitions in the coming years.
When it comes to massage therapy, two popular options often stand out: Thai massage including Aroma Thai massage and Swedish massage. If you’re looking to rejuvenate your body, understanding the difference between these two techniques can help you choose the perfect treatment for your needs. Before booking your next spa appointment, let’s explore how these massage styles differ and which might be better suited for your body’s needs.
Thai Massage vs. Swedish Massage?
Thai massage and Swedish massage represent two different approaches to bodywork, each with unique origins, techniques, and benefits. Thai massage originated in Thailand and is influenced by traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine practices, focusing on energy pathways and flexibility. Swedish massage emphasizes Western anatomy principles and is designed primarily for relaxation and circulation. While both aim to improve overall wellness, they use vastly different methods to achieve their goals.
Thai Massage
Technique: Thai massage uses acupressure, compression, and assisted yoga-like stretches. The therapist uses hands, thumbs, elbows, feet, and sometimes knees to apply rhythmic pressure while guiding you through various poses.
Approach: Thai massage is performed on a mat on the floor rather than a massage table. It’s an interactive experience where the therapist moves your body into various positions. The focus is on stimulating energy lines to restore balance and energy flow throughout the body.
Benefits: Thai massage enhances flexibility and joint mobility, relieves muscle tension and pain, improves circulation, boosts energy levels, and reduces stress. It’s particularly beneficial for those with chronic tension, reduced flexibility, or those seeking both physical and energetic balancing.
Swedish Massage
Technique: Swedish massage features long, gliding strokes, kneading, friction, and circular movements. The therapist applies massage oil to reduce friction on the skin while working on major muscle groups with varying pressure depending on client preference.
Approach: Performed on a massage table with the client undressed (covered with sheets or towels), Swedish massage is a more passive experience. The environment typically includes soft music and dim lighting to enhance relaxation. The therapist focuses on the superficial layers of muscles.
Benefits: Swedish massage excels at promoting deep relaxation, reducing muscle tension, increasing blood circulation, flushing toxins, and relieving stress. It’s ideal for first-time massage clients, those seeking stress reduction, and people who prefer a gentler touch focused on relaxation rather than deep therapeutic work.
Which One Is Right for You?
Your choice between Thai and Swedish massage depends on your personal needs and preferences. If you’re looking for improved flexibility, energy flow, and don’t mind an active, fully-clothed experience that includes stretching, Thai massage is ideal. If you prefer a more passive, relaxing experience and gentle soothing of muscles while lying comfortably on a table, Swedish massage would be the better option.
Conclusion – Thai Massage vs. Swedish Massage
Both Thai massage and Swedish massage offer valuable therapeutic benefits, but they deliver these benefits through distinctly different approaches. Thai massage focuses on energy work, stretching, and whole-body manipulation, while Swedish massage emphasizes muscle relaxation through rhythmic, flowing strokes.
However, there’s no better massage—only the one that best meets your current needs. Many spa lovers enjoy alternating between these styles, experiencing the active, energy-focused benefits of Thai massage one session and the deeply relaxing, soothing effects of Swedish massage the next. No matter which you choose, both options provide a valuable escape from daily stress and contribute to your overall physical and mental wellbeing.
Smoke rises from the North Hyde electrical substation, which caught fire last night, leading to the closure of the Heathrow Airport, in London, Friday March 21, 2025. (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP)
LONDON (AP) — A large fire near London’s Heathrow Airport knocked out power Friday to Europe’s busiest flight hub, forcing it to shut all day and disrupting global travel for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
At least 1,350 flights to and from Heathrow were affected, flight tracking service FlightRadar 24 said, and the impact was likely to last several days as passengers try to reschedule their travel and airlines work to get planes and crew to the right places.
Authorities do not know what caused the fire but so far found have no evidence it was suspicious.
Residents in west London described hearing a large explosion, followed by a fireball and clouds of smoke, when the blaze ripped through the electrical substation near the airport.
This photo provided by London Fire Brigade, shows a fire at the North Hyde electrical substation, which caught fire Thursday night and lead to a closure of Heathrow Airport in London, Friday, March 21 2025. (London Fire Brigade via AP)
Some 120 flights were in the air when the closure was announced, with some turned around and others diverted to Gatwick Airport outside London, Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris or Ireland’s Shannon Airport, tracking services showed.
Lawrence Hayes was three-quarters of the way to London from New York when Virgin Atlantic announced they were being diverted to Glasgow.
“It was a red-eye flight and I’d already had a full day, so I don’t even know how long I’ve been up for,” Hayes told the BBC as he was getting off the plane in Scotland. “Luckily I managed to get hold of my wife and she’s kindly booked me a train ticket to get back to Euston, but it’s going to be an incredibly long day.”
Heathrow is one of the world’s busiest airports for international travel. It had its busiest January on record earlier this year, with more than 6.3 million passengers, up more than 5% from the same period last year.
Still, the disruption Friday fell short of the one caused by the 2010 eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed clouds of ash into the atmosphere and created trans-Atlantic air travel chaos for months.
Unclear what caused the fire but foul play not suspected
It was too early to determine what sparked the huge blaze about 2 miles (3 kilometers) from the airport, but there’s “no suggestion” of foul play, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said.
The Metropolitan Police force said counterterrorism detectives were leading the investigation because of their ability to find the cause quickly and because of the location of the electrical substation fire and its impact on critical national infrastructure.
This image taken from video shows firefighters working to secure the area of a fire at the North Hyde electrical substation, which caught fire Thursday night and lead to a closure of Heathrow Airport in London, Friday, March 21, 2025. (Sky News via AP)
Miliband said the fire, which took seven hours to control, also knocked out a backup power supply to the airport. Heathrow said in a statement that it had no choice but to close the airport for the day.
“We expect significant disruption over the coming days, and passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until the airport reopens,” the airport said.
The fire’s widespread impact on travel led to criticism that Britain was ill prepared for disaster or some type of attack if a single blaze could shut down Europe’s busiest airport.
“The U.K.’s critical national infrastructure is not sufficiently hardened for anywhere near the level it would need to be at to give us confidence this won’t happen again,” said Alan Mendoza, the executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, a security think tank. “If one fire can shut down Heathrow’s primary systems and then apparently the backup systems, as well, it tells you something’s badly wrong with our system of management of such disasters.”
Tom Wells, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, acknowledged that authorities had questions to answer and said a rigorous investigation was needed to make sure “this scale of disruption does not happen again.”
Firefighters extinguish the fire at the North Hyde electrical substation, which caught fire Thursday night and lead to a closure of Heathrow Airport in London, Friday, March 21, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Heathrow — where the U.K. government plans to build a third runway — was at the heart of a shorter disruption in 2023 when Britain’s air traffic control system was hit by a breakdown that slowed takeoffs and landings across the U.K. on one of the busiest travel days of the year.
Disruption could last days
Though the fire has been brought under control, Anita Mendiratta, an aviation consultant, said the impact of the closure will be felt over two to four days as airlines, cargo carriers, and crews are moved into position and passengers rebooked.
“As soon as the airport opens up at midnight tonight, it’s not only about resuming with tomorrow’s flights, it’s the backlog and the implications that have taken place,” Mendiratta said. “Crew and aircraft, many are not where they’re supposed to be right now. So the recalculation of this is going to be intense.”
The London Fire Brigade sent 10 engines and around 70 firefighters to control the blaze and about 150 people were evacuated from their homes near the power station.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks said in a post on X the power outage affected more than 16,300 homes.
Travelers exit Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after a fire at Heathrow Airport forced its closure, leading to numerous flight cancellations, in Mumbai, India, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Diverted, canceled and in limbo
At Heathrow, a family of five traveling to Dallas showed up in the hopes their flight home — still listed as delayed — would take off.
But when Andrea Sri brought her brother, sister-in-law and their three children to the airport, they were told by police that there would be no flight.
“It was a waste of time. Very confusing,” said Sri, who lives in London. “We tried to get in touch with British Airways, but they don’t open their telephone line until 8 a.m.”
Travelers who were diverted to other cities found themselves trying to book travel onward to London. Qantas airlines sent flights from Singapore and Perth, Australia, to Paris, where it said it would bus people to London, a process likely to also include a train shuttle beneath the English Channel.
Budget airline Ryanair, which doesn’t operate out of Heathrow, said it added eight “rescue flights” between Dublin and Stansted, another London airport, to transport stranded passengers Friday and Saturday.
National Rail canceled all trains to and from the airport.
Blaze lit up the sky and darkened homes
Matthew Muirhead was working Thursday night near Heathrow when he stepped outside with a colleague and noticed smoke rising from an electrical substation and heard sirens crying out.
“We saw a bright flash of white, and all the lights in town went out,” he said.
Flights normally begin landing and taking off at Heathrow at 6 a.m. due to nighttime flying restrictions. But the skies were silent Friday morning.
“Living near Heathrow is noisy, there are planes every 90 seconds or so, plus the constant hum of traffic, but you get used to it, to the point of no longer noticing,” said James Henderson, who has lived next to the airport for more than 20 years. “Today is different, you can hear the birds singing.”
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Associated Press writers Stefanie Dazio in Berlin, Yirmiyan Arthur in Kohima, India, Hallie Golden in Seattle, and Christie Hampton, Brian Hannon and David Cohen in Bangkok, contributed.
Huawei Cloud Thailand has launched a suite of cutting-edge cloud serviceห at the “Intelligence Ignites a New Era: Huawei Cloud Reshaping Thailand’s Digital Wave”, aimed at empowering enterprises to embrace AI-native transformation and accelerate their digital journeys.
At the technology forum held at the Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel, over 200 business leaders and technical experts gathered to explore the value of data in the AI era and discuss innovations shaping Thailand’s digital future.
AI Strategy: A New Engine Empowering Industries As AI drives the fourth industrial revolution forward, Celine Cao, CEO of Huawei Cloud Thailand, emphasized that: “AI should not be a high-barrier technology. Through open-source collaboration and innovation, every nation can build its own localized intelligent ecosystem.”
Prof. Jing Tang, D. Eng from Chulalongkorn University added, “Enterprises can achieve cost-efficient intelligent transformation by optimizing open-source large models with high-quality data assets. The cultivation of such data will be pivotal to successful AI implementation.”
Photo: Prof. Jing Tang, D. Eng
Huawei Cloud Gives Thailand a Better AI Choice. Huawei Cloud AI Cloud Service provides diverse, efficient, and stable computing power, enabling businesses and developers to rapidly build large-scale AI applications. The platform not only optimizes mainstream open-source models but also offers a cloud-based toolchain for streamlined development, eliminating complex configurations with one-click access and instant usability.
Technical Breakthroughs: The DeepSeek localization solution, powered by Huawei Cloud AI Cloud Service, reduces deployment cycles from 2 weeks to 2 days and cuts inference costs by 40%, supporting both full-scale and lightweight distilled models.
Scenario-Driven Innovations: Leveraging 30+ industry-specific best practices, Huawei Cloud launched three key solutions:
Intelligent Interaction Hub: DeepSeek+Chatbot delivers precise semantic understanding and personalized interactions for high-concurrency scenarios across industries like customer service, education, healthcare, and finance.
Development Efficiency Revolution: DeepSeek+CodeArts boosts deployment efficiency by 20x, reduces code defects by 70%, and enables automated programming with intelligent Q&A and code inspection.
Knowledge Management Upgrade: DeepSeek+KooSearch integrates enterprise data to build unified intelligent knowledge centers.
Cloud Service Portfolio: Building Blocks for Digital Transformation At the event, Tan Shijie, Vice President of Solution Sales, Asia Pacific Cloud, announced a series of cloud services to accelerate enterprises’ transition from cloud native to AI-native.
Photo: Tan Shijie, Vice President of Solution Sales, Asia Pacific Cloud
CloudDC Solution: A one-stop cloud migration service for data centers, integrating deterministic operations, cloud DCs, and full-stack AI.
Backup & Disaster Recovery Continuity Center Solution: Ensures business continuity across five layers (management, applications, hosts, storage, cloud DCs), featuring risk detection within seconds, rapid recovery, and unified visibility.
Large Model Security Solution: End-to-end protection covering environment security, data compliance, model inference security, and unified security operations.
GaussDB & TaurusDB:
GaussDB’s three-layer pooling architecture enables elastic resource scaling, while its dual-cluster disaster recovery design isolates hardware/software failures between clusters. An AI-powered DevOps assistant automates 90% of fault diagnosis and recovery.
TaurusDB offers MySQL compatibility for seamless migration and pioneers AI-driven serverless capabilities with unique write scalability.
AI Cloud Service: Supports uninterrupted foundation model training for up to 40 days, with 10-minute fault recovery and compatibility with 100+ global models like DeepSeek and Llama.
Ecosystem Collaboration: Data-Driven Sustainable Growth During the “C-Level Big Data Roundtable,” experts agreed that enterprises must build intelligent data governance systems to transform data assets into competitive advantages. Wu Shiwei, CTO of Huawei Cloud Asia-Pacific, stated, “Through open architectures and localized support, we empower Thai businesses to leap from data accumulation to value creation.”
Photo: Wu Shiwei, CTO of Huawei Cloud Asia-Pacific
This forum marks Huawei Cloud’s strategic upgrade in Thailand, combining “technology democratization” and “ecosystem collaboration” to fuel Thailand’s digital economy. With the rollout of these solutions, Huawei Cloud will continue driving intelligent transformation across Thailand.
Kirsty Coventry gestures as she speaks after she was announced as the new IOC President at the International Olympic Committee 144th session in Costa Navarino, western Greece, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
COSTA NAVARINO, Greece (AP) — Kirsty Coventry has been elected president of the International Olympic Committee and become the first woman and first African to get perhaps the biggest job in global sports.
The Zimbabwe sports minister and two-time Olympic swimming gold medalist got a stunning first-round win in the seven-candidate contest after voting by 97 IOC member on Thursday.
She gets an eight-year mandate into 2033 aged just 41 — youthful by the historical standards of the IOC.
It was the most open and hard-to-call IOC presidential election in decades with no clear front-runner before the vote. Many predicted an absolute majority could take several rounds of votes but she got the exact total of 49 needed.
IOC President Thomas Bach, right, greets Kirsty Coventry after she was announced as the new IOC President at the International Olympic Committee 144th session in Costa Navarino, western Greece, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Coventry’s win also was a victory for outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach, who has long been seen as promoting her as his successor. He did not use his right to vote.
“I will make all of you very, very proud and hopefully extremely confident in the decision you have taken,” Coventry said in her acceptance speech. “Now we have got some work together.”
Walking to the podium, she was congratulated and kissed on both cheeks by Juan Antonio Samaranch, her expected closest rival who got 28 votes. Third-placed Sebastian Coe got just eight.
Also in the race were four presidents of sports governing bodies: Track and field’s Sebastian Coe, skiing’s Johan Eliasch, cycling’s David Lappartient, and gymnastics’ Morinari Watanabe. Also contending was Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan.
Coventry will formally replace her mentor Bach on June 23 — officially Olympic Day — as the 10th IOC president in its 131-year history. Bach reached the maximum 12 years in office.
Key challenges for the 41-year-old Coventry will be steering the Olympic movement through political and sporting issues toward the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, including engaging in diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump.
FILE – Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry smiles after receiving her gold medal after the women’s 200-meter backstroke final during the swimming competitions in the National Aquatics Center at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Mark Baker, File)
Coventry’s IOC will also need to find a host for the 2036 Summer Games which could go to India or the Middle East.
The strongest candidates in a five-month campaign with tightly controlled rules drafted by the Bach-led IOC seemed to be Coventry — who gave birth to her second child — IOC vice president Samaranch and Coe.
Samaranch tried to follow his father, also Juan Antonio Samaranch, who was the IOC’s seventh president from 1980 to 2001.
Coe aimed to add to a remarkable career of Olympic triumphs: A two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500 meters, he led a bidding team for the 2012 London Olympics, then worked for the next seven years to head the organizing team of those widely praised Games.
It has been a stellar week for Bach, who greeted Coventry and shared warm smiles after her acceptance speech.
Bach was feted on Wednesday in an emotional start to the IOC annual meeting, getting lavish praise and the title of honorary president for life.
His hands-on executive-style presidency will deliver over a financially secure IOC, on track to earn more than $8 billion in revenue through the 2028 LA Olympics, and with a slate of future hosts through 2034: in Italy, the United States, France, Australia and finally the U.S. again, when the Winter Games return to Salt Lake City.
A signature Bach policy also has been gender parity, with equal quotas of men and women athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics and giving a better balance of female members of the IOC and the executive board he chairs, which now has seven women among its 15 members, including Coventry.
Kirsty Coventry congratulated by former NBA player Pau Gasol from Spain after she was announced as the new IOC President at the International Olympic Committee 144th session in Costa Navarino, western Greece, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Her win on Thursday will only add to Bach’s legacy for promoting women.
Coventry won back-to-back titles in 200-meters backstroke at the 2004 Athens Olympics and Beijing four years later. She joined the IOC in 2013, almost one year after a disputed athlete election at the London Olympics. Her place among the four athletes elected was eventually awarded after Court of Arbitration for Sport rulings against two opponents.
The next president can oversee the IOC making a statement choice for its host for the 2036 Summer Games.
“There is one and one only,” Samaranch said on Wednesday when asked about challenges ahead. “We must concentrate (on) successful and relevant Olympic Games. The rest comes with success in the Games.”
The voters in the exclusive invited club of IOC members include royal family members, former lawmakers and diplomats, business leaders, sports officials and Olympic athletes. Even an Oscar-winning actress, Michelle Yeoh.
Members voted without hearing further presentations from the candidates in an election that swung on a discreet network of friendships and alliances largely forged out of sight.
Cyber Police arrest a Chinese couple at a luxury pool villa in Pattaya, Chonburi Province on March 19, 2025. They targeted the woman who allegedly masterminded a scam, and later find the man is a fugitive with an Interpol Red Notice.
BANGKOK — Thai authorities have apprehended a Chinese woman who allegedly masterminded a cryptocurrency investment scam, only to discover her boyfriend as an international fugitive hiding at the same residence.
The Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), also known as Cyber Police, announced the arrest of Ms. Di Wu, 27, a Chinese national accused of benefiting from an online cryptocurrency investment scam that defrauded victims of 18.4 million USDT (approximately $618 million). Among her victims was a Thai teacher who lost substantial savings in the scheme.
Commander Lt. Gen. Trairong Phiwphan revealed that officers initially targeted Ms. Wu during a raid at a luxury pool villa in Pattaya, Chonburi province. However, during the operation, authorities unexpectedly discovered Zhou Zongyon, 29, a Chinese fugitive with an Interpol Red Notice hiding at the same residence.
China’s Most Wanted Criminal
When officers requested to examine Zhou’s passport, they discovered it lacked entry or exit stamps for Thailand. Zhou subsequently confessed to illegally entering Thailand through the Cambodian border.
Initially detained for immigration violations, further investigation in coordination with the Chinese Embassy revealed Zhou was one of China’s most wanted criminals, sought for the kidnapping of a Chinese woman in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.
In that case, Zhou allegedly sent images of the female victim being tortured and physically abused to her family, demanding a ransom of 1 million yuan (approximately $138,000) and threatening to murder her if the payment wasn’t made. The kidnapped woman remains missing. Chinese authorities also linked Zhou to money laundering operations for international call center scam networks.
A Female Thai Teacher Was Scammed
The investment fraud case began on April 2, 2024, when a female Thai teacher was approached on Facebook by a scammer using an attractive profile picture. The conversation later moved to LINE messaging app, where the scammer persuaded her to invest in a “Singapore fund” through an application called M-DAQP.
The victim initially received small withdrawals from her investment, encouraging her to invest more. However, after depositing larger amounts over a 16-day period, she was unable to withdraw funds. In total, she transferred 1.5 million baht ($44,400) in seven separate transactions, received only 57,900 baht ($1,710) back, resulting in a net loss of 1,442,100 baht ($42,690).
During questioning on March 19, 2025, the Chinese female suspect denies all allegations, claiming her ex-boyfriend may have used her information to open cryptocurrency accounts for money laundering operations run by criminal groups in Cambodia.
Cyber Police traced the financial trail to four Thai nationals who operated “mule accounts” used to receive baht transfers from victims. These funds were then converted to USDT cryptocurrency through P2P transactions on Binance and other Thai digital asset exchanges, before being transferred to Ms. Wu’s digital wallet.
The suspect Shows Luxurious Lifestyle
During the search, authorities discovered passports used to register cryptocurrency accounts that received proceeds from the scam. Examination of mobile phones revealed images of a luxurious lifestyle in Cambodia, including luxury cars, large amounts of cash, and evidence of drug use. Travel records showed Ms. Wu frequently moved between Thailand, Malaysia, and China.
Ms. Wu denied all allegations, claiming her ex-boyfriend may have used her information to open cryptocurrency accounts for money laundering operations run by criminal groups in neighboring countries. She stated her frequent travel to neighboring countries was related to online sales of concert tickets. Investigators are currently examining electronic evidence to build a stronger case against her.
Lt. Gen. Trairong stated that both Chinese nationals will face legal proceedings in Thailand before being handed over to Chinese authorities for prosecution under Chinese law. Meanwhile, Thai cybercrime police are expanding the investigation to identify additional suspects in the operation.
Three of the Thai mule account operators have already been apprehended, while authorities are actively pursuing the fourth suspect.
Kanchai Kamnerdploy, host of the "Hone Krasae" (Riding the Wave) program, displays the Lotus Arts De Vivre Zambian Emerald & Diamond collection necklace that he received from a woman named Toon to return to its rightful owner on March 20, 2025.
BANGKOK — A viral scandal in the Thai entertainment industry that has been trending on social media for 2-3 days has escalated to involve political figures with the luxury necklace.
Wasana “May” Inthasang, a female entrepreneur who owns beauty products and supplements companies, is seeking to recover assets worth 62 million baht from actress Arisara “Dew” Thongborisut after discovering that her luxury items were being resold.
Among these items is a special Lotus Arts De Vivre Zambian Emerald & Diamond collection necklace valued at 26,440,000 baht ($784,000), which reportedly ended up in the hands of a minister with the initial “P.”
Wasana “May” Inthasang poses wearing Lotus Arts De Vivre Zambian Emerald & Diamond necklace valued at $784,000.
Ministers “P” Denied Involvement
On March 20, five ministers whose names begin with “P” denied any involvement, including Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Phirapan Salirathavibhaga, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira, Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan, Minister of Education Permpoon Chidchob, and Labor Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn.
While the political controversy was brewing and before journalists could complete their inquiries with all ministers bearing the initial ‘P’, an unexpected development occurred.
The necklace was sent by a woman name “Toon” to the hot topic talk show “Hone Krasae” (Riding the Wave) to be returned to businesswoman May. Show host Kanchai Kamnerdploy then displayed the necklace on the program.
Kanchai Kamnerdploy, host of the “Hone Krasae” (Riding the Wave) program, displays the Lotus Arts De Vivre Zambian Emerald & Diamond collection necklace that he received from a woman named Toon to return to its rightful owner on March 20, 2025.
Luxury Gone Wrong
Dew Arisara is the latest Thai celebrity to face financial difficulties after previously living a luxurious lifestyle, which she regularly flaunted through posts on Instagram. She was also formerly in a relationship with politician Pai Lik, Secretary-General of the Kla Tham Party, and though they have broken up, they still maintain a close relationship.
Pai Lik, who was the first politician to immediately deny any involvement with the luxury necklace, revealed that he was one of the people who had previously warned her about her lavish lifestyle.
Dew Arisara posts a photo on Instagram showing herself at a luxury penthouse in Bangkok.
Conversation on Digital-Age Values
Although Dew Arisara hasn’t been implicated in pyramid scheme businesses like The iCon Group case or linked to online gambling cases, she admitted during an interview on the “Riding the Wave” show on March 19 that all her business ventures have failed completely, and she has set a bad example for society as someone who spent money extravagantly beyond her means.
Her dramatic reversal of fortune has become a widely discussed topic in society, including by the Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health, which has published guidelines for modern parents raising children in the digital era to avoid being captivated by luxury.
These guidelines especially emphasize teaching children to truly understand the online world, to be mindful when following others’ stories, and to focus on building self-worth rather than trying to please others around them.
If you’ve ever dreamed of cruising through Thailand’s turquoise waters on your own yacht, now is the time to turn that vision into reality. Whether you’re looking for a sleek motor yacht for weekend getaways or a spacious catamaran for long-haul adventures, Thailand is one of the best places to find the perfect yacht. And when it comes to exploring a yacht for sale in Thailand, there’s no better place to start than Boat Lagoon Yachting.
Why Buy a Yacht in Thailand?
Thailand is a paradise for yacht owners. With its world-class marinas, crystal-clear waters, and stunning islands, it’s the ultimate playground for those who love the open sea. The country’s well-established yachting scene means there are plenty of options, from brand-new luxury models to meticulously maintained pre-owned yachts.
Other than just the beauty of the region, Thailand offers excellent infrastructure for yacht owners. With premium marinas like Boat Lagoon Phuket, you’ll have access to top-tier facilities, full-service maintenance, and a thriving community of fellow boating enthusiasts.
The Best Place to Buy a Yacht – Boat Lagoon Yachting
When searching for a yacht for sale in Thailand, Boat Lagoon Yachting is the name to know. As one of the most trusted yacht dealers in the region, they offer an impressive selection of both new and pre-owned yachts from world-renowned brands. You could be seeking a Princess yacht for luxury cruising, a Prestige motor yacht for high-speed island hopping, or a comfortable sailing yacht for relaxed voyages, their collection has something for every style of boating.
Their team also makes the buying process smooth and hassle-free, offering expert guidance to help you find a yacht that matches your needs and lifestyle.
What Type of Yacht is Right for You?
If you’re new to yacht ownership or upgrading to something more spacious, here’s a quick guide to help you decide:
Motor Yachts: Ideal for speed and comfort, these yachts offer powerful engines, stylish interiors, and plenty of space for entertaining.
Catamarans: Known for their stability and roomy layouts, catamarans are perfect for families or anyone planning extended sea voyages.
Sailing Yachts: For those who love the romance of wind-powered travel, a sailing yacht delivers an authentic, adventurous experience.
Set Sail on Your New Yacht
Owning a yacht is about more than just luxury – it’s about freedom, adventure, and making unforgettable memories on the water. If you’re ready to take the plunge, start your journey with Boat Lagoon Yachting. Their expert team can guide you through the best selection of yachts for sale in Thailand, ensuring you find the perfect match.
Signing ceremony with Prof. Dr. Thanaseth Ngawhirunpat (center), President of Silpakorn University, and Mr. William Zhang (second right), President of Enterprise Business, Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd., along with senior executives from both organizations
Huawei has partnered with Silpakorn University in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony to enhance education and research aimed at developing a Digital Creative University. The collaboration will focus on implementing modern digital technologies to drive university development.
Mr. William Zhang, President of Enterprise Business at Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd., stated that technology has become inevitable for various business sectors, especially educational institutions, which form the foundation for development in all areas. He noted that education is trending toward greater intelligence in learning, teaching, scientific research, and system management, marking a time of significant transformation.
As a leading ICT provider, Huawei is committed to bringing smart campus networks, data centers, cloud computing, smart classrooms, and other technologies to develop innovative personnel in higher education. These efforts aim to accelerate innovation in scientific research and support education, research, and creative innovation development, such as cultural computing.
Under this collaboration, Huawei will provide both technological support and knowledge, as well as help develop personnel to design and implement plans that connect students and faculty to upcoming digital systems. The partnership will also develop cultural computing systems to drive operations that integrate culture, creativity, and digital technology, and create prototype classrooms conducive to creative innovation.
“We are creating an educational model that balances technological capabilities with creativity, culture, and human-centered design—a combination of skills that will precisely drive Thailand’s future economy. I would like to thank Silpakorn University for this collaboration and look forward to continued cooperation. Together, we will build an ecosystem for personnel that supports the country’s digital economy while preserving and promoting our rich cultural heritage,” said Mr. Zhang.
Mr. William Zhang, President of Enterprise Business, Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Prof Dr. Thanaseth Ngawhirunpat, President of Silpakorn University, revealed that the university’s goal is to become a learning center that can address changing needs with modern technology. The university needs to create an intellectual ecosystem that integrates art, humanities, and technology.
Under this collaboration, the university expects to develop a digital infrastructure connecting all faculties and campuses, enabling boundless learning. It will also include technologies that facilitate cultural computing to apply innovation to create tangible cultural value, as well as implementing digital technology in health education and developing student learning skills to meet 21st-century workforce demands.
“This collaboration with Huawei marks another important step for Silpakorn University. With Huawei’s global leadership in innovation and technology, we will jointly drive our Digital Creative University, which we hope will become a model for future education. We will elevate ourselves to move forward with the power of big data, AI, cloud computing, and creative innovation, so that we can grow sustainably,” said Prof Dr. Thanaseth.
Prof Dr. Thanaseth Ngawhirunpat, President of Silpakorn University
During the event, Huawei also organized a panel discussion on “Driving Creative Learning: The Role of Digital Technology and Collaboration Between Industry and Universities” to exchange knowledge and establish important guidelines for collaboration between the education sector, industry, and technology partners. The panel featured Assoc Prof Dr. Prasopchoke Pattaranarongsongpon, Vice President for Research at Silpakorn University, and Prof Dr. Pharm. Pornsak Sri-Aroon, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Silpakorn University.
Additionally, Silpakorn University has launched Thailand’s first undergraduate digital health program to meet the needs of modern industries. The program stems from the concept of connecting health science knowledge with digital technology to develop personnel who can effectively apply technology to public health systems and medical services.
“We have received support from both the public and private sectors, especially in collaboration with the Digital Health Office, Ministry of Public Health, and Huawei, in aiming to develop the potential of digital health personnel and create learning opportunities through cutting-edge technology. Students will also have opportunities for internships with leading organizations and learning from real industry experts,” said Prof Dr. Pharm. Pornsak.
