Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra speaks at the 'ISAN NEXT: Transforming Thai Economy Through Crisis' seminar at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University on December 20, 2024.
NAKHON RATCHASIMA — Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra envisions northeastern (Isan) women taking the global modeling stage while preserving their natural beauty, challenging Thailand’s widespread cosmetic surgery trends.
Speaking at the “ISAN NEXT: Transforming Thai Economy Through Crisis” seminar at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University on December 20, Thaksin emphasized developing northeastern Thailand’s human capital while celebrating its unique characteristics.
“I want to promote Isan women as international models without cosmetic surgery,” Thaksin said, referencing past successes like Rojjana Phetkanha, who became Thailand’s first model signed to Storm Management and worked with prestigious brands including Chanel, earning up to 50 million baht ($1.46 million) annually between 1994-2002.
A poster of Rojjana ‘Yui’ Phetkanha, a top Thai model from Ubon Ratchathani Province in northeastern Thailand (Isan), in a Chanel perfume advertisement from the 1990s.
His vision contrasts sharply with current trends in Thailand’s cosmetic surgery industry, valued at 71-72 billion baht ($2.0-2.1 billion) in 2023 according to Kasikorn Research Center. SCB EIC analysis indicates strong growth potential in the sector, particularly among Gen Z and LGBTQIA+ demographics.
“Natural beauty has its own charm. That’s why many farang (foreigners) are attracted to Isan women,” Thaksin explained, proposing a modeling competition specifically for non-surgically enhanced northeastern women, comparing the potential to successful African or Brazilian models in the global fashion industry.
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra speaks at the ‘ISAN NEXT: Transforming Thai Economy Through Crisis’ seminar at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University on December 20, 2024.
The former prime minister’s proposal is part of a broader economic vision for Thailand’s northeast. He emphasized the importance of keeping wealth within the region and developing its “soft power” through culture, culinary arts, and human capital development.
Thaksin highlighted three key regional assets: vast territory, large population, and rich cultural heritage. He plans to launch initiatives next year focusing on modernizing OTOP (One Tambon One Product) programs and developing soft power, with educational institutions leading these developments.
The strategy aims to provide new income opportunities for Isaan residents while preserving and promoting their natural characteristics and cultural identity on the global stage.
Officers surround the suspect's house during the search for missing German businessman Hans Peter Ralter Mack, 62, on July 10, 2023.
PATTAYA — In a shocking case that made international headlines, the Pattaya Provincial Court has reached a verdict in the brutal murder of German real estate businessman Hans Peter Ralter Mack, 62, who was kidnapped, killed, and his body concealed in July 2023.
Missing person poster for Hans Peter Ralter Mack, 62, with his family offering a 3-million-baht reward for information.
The court handed down death sentences to three defendants involved in the gruesome murder. The case, which took place in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province, began when Mack disappeared on July 4 after telling his wife he was meeting with a realtor.
Police investigation of CCTV footage revealed suspects transporting a freezer to a house in Chokchai Garden Home Village 1, approximately 400 meters from where Mack’s Mercedes Benz was found. A police raid on July 10, 2023, led to the discovery of Mack’s dismembered body inside a 1.5-meter freezer.
Region 2 Police and Nong Prue Police subsequently arrested the main suspect, German national Olaf Thorsten Brinkmann, 52, along with two accomplices: Petra Christl Grundgreif, 54, also German, and Shahrukh Karim Uddin, 27, a Thai national of Pakistani descent. The group lured Mack to his death, dismembered his body with plans to dispose of it at sea, and transferred 3.35 million baht from his account.
Investigators managed to recover 1.25 million baht of the stolen money for the victim’s family. The prosecution built a strong case using witness testimonies, documentary evidence, physical evidence, and forensic science, establishing a clear connection between the three suspects from the planning stage through to their arrest.
Forensic officers examine body parts found in a freezer at the suspect’s residence in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province, on December 10, 2023.
In the December 20 verdict, the Pattaya Provincial Court found all three defendants guilty of premeditated murder and concealing a body. During the trial, Brinkmann and Grundgreif confessed to the crimes, while Uddin maintained his innocence throughout. While all three were initially sentenced to death, the court reduced the sentences for Brinkmann and Grundgreif to life imprisonment due to their confessions.
In a related case, on November 22, 2023, the court sentenced another German national, Enrico, to six years in prison for money laundering and receiving stolen property after he accepted money transfers from Brinkmann connected to the crime.
This video grab released by the Arakan Army shows burning buildings in the headquarters of the army's western command in Ann township, Rakhine state, Myanmar, Dec. 17, 2024. (The Arakan Army via AP)
BANGKOK (AP) — A powerful ethnic armed group in western Myanmar claimed Friday to have scored a major victory in the war against the ruling military, even as neighboring nations at a meeting in Thailand were discussing efforts to end the conflict peacefully.
The capture by the Arakan Army of a strategically important regional army headquarters in Rakhine state would put it a step closer to seizing control of the entire state, a goal not achieved by any of the several other rebel groups in other parts of Myanmar.
Rakhine has become a focal point for Myanmar’s nationwide civil war, in which pro-democracy guerrillas and ethnic minority armed forces seeking autonomy battle the country’s military rulers, who took power in 2021 after ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
The apparent fall of the military’s western command headquarters is the latest in a series of significant setbacks for the military government that began more than a year ago when a rebel alliance including the Arakan Army captured military bases, command centers, and strategic towns and cities along the Chinese border in Shan state in northeastern Myanmar.
This photo released by the Arakan Army, shows members of the Arakan Army posing for a photograph in front of the captured district police office in Ann township, Rakhine state, Myanmar, Nov. 29, 2024. (The Arakan Army via AP)
In August this year, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, another force in the rebel alliance, was the first group to seize a regional command headquarters, in the city of Lashio in the northeast. Myanmar’s military has 14 important regional commands across the country.
Khaing Thukha, a spokesperson for the Arakan Army, told The Associated Press by audio message from an undisclosed location that his group had “completely captured and controlled the entire western regional military headquarters based in Ann township” on Friday at noon.
Most of the township was captured two weeks ago, leaving the headquarters encircled. The headquarters’ deputy commander, Brig. Gen. Thaung Tun, and its chief operating officer, Brig. Gen. Kyaw Kyaw Than, were among those taken prisoner, Khaing Thukha said.
The headquarters had overseen operations in Rakhine and the southern part of neighboring Chin state, as well as Myanmar’s territorial waters in the Bay of Bengal.
The military government issued no news about the latest development, which could not be independently confirmed, because access to the internet and mobile phone services in the area is mostly cut off. The Arakan Army in its past official announcements has generally been conservative in its victory claims.
The Arakan Army is the well-trained and well-armed military wing of the Rakhine ethnic minority, and seeks autonomy from Myanmar’s central government. In September it launched its effort to capture Ann, about 395 kilometers (245 miles) northwest of Yangon. It began its offensive in Rakhine in November last year, and has now gained control of 13 of 17 townships, along with one in neighboring Chin state.
Rakhine, formerly known as Arakan, was the site of a brutal army counterinsurgency operation in 2017 that drove about 740,000 minority Rohingya Muslims to seek safety across the border in Bangladesh.
Smoke is seen bellowing from a Myanmar Border Police post following fighting between Myanmar security forces and Arakan Army, an ethnic minority army, in Ghumdhum, Bandarban, Bangladesh, on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Shafiqur Rahman)
The Arakan Army has made extensive use of social media to document its operations and in recent days has used it to encourage the army’s holdouts at the headquarters to surrender.
Separately in Thailand’s capital Bangkok, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met Friday to renew their efforts to help bring peace to Myanmar. The meeting was described as an extended informal consultation.
ASEAN in early 2021 agreed on a “ Five-Point Consensus ” for peace, but the military leadership in Myanmar did virtually nothing to implement it, frustrating the group’s fellow members to the extent they have excluded members of Myanmar’s ruling military from attending their meetings. There were no representatives of Myanmar at Friday’s meeting.
The peace plan calls for the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar, a dialogue among all concerned parties, mediation by an ASEAN special envoy, provision of humanitarian aid through ASEAN channels, and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy to meet all concerned parties.
The foreign ministers and senior officials attending the Bangkok meeting reaffirmed their backing for the Five-Point Consensus.
Critics have expressed dissatisfaction at ASEAN’s conciliatory approach to Myanmar’s ruling generals. The military government is condemned by many countries and rights organizations for its brutal war and suppression of democracy.
“The principle laid down by ASEAN includes the words to find a Myanmar-owned and -led solution,” said Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for Myanmar’s opposition National Unity Government, or NUG. “Therefore, it will never get a Myanmar-owned and -led solution by working side by side with the terrorist military group that is not representing the people and killing them every day, instead of dealing with the revolutionary forces, including the NUG, which represents the people of Myanmar.”
The NUG operates as a shadow government and stakes a claim to greater legitimacy than the ruling military.
Bryony Lau, deputy director for Asia at Human Rights Watch, told The Associated Press that “ASEAN has needed to shake up its approach to Myanmar’s crisis.”
“But the meetings being held in Bangkok risk legitimizing the junta, which continues to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity with impunity against Myanmar’s people,” Lau said.
One of six Chinese scam suspects is arrested in his room at a luxury condominium in Huai Khwang district, Bangkok, on Dec. 20, 2024.
BANGKOK — Thai immigration authorities have arrested six Chinese nationals, including the alleged ringleader, who were operating a sophisticated scam network from multiple units in a luxury condominium on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district.
Led by Police General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police and Director of the Technology Crime Suppression Center, the raid uncovered an extensive operation spanning three floors of the upscale residential complex.
The suspects had transformed their living spaces into a high-tech fraud center, utilizing artificial intelligence to rapidly create social media accounts and operating equipment capable of making up to 600,000 scam calls per hour.
The suspects had transformed their living spaces in Bangkok into a high-tech fraud center.
During the searches of six condominium units on the 16th, 17th, and 23rd floors, authorities seized a substantial cache of equipment, including: 286 SIM boxes, over 208,000 SIM cards, 636 mobile phones, 62 computer monitors, 84 CPUs, and 4 laptops.
The suspects, who entered Thailand on student and tourist visas within the past four months, were reportedly managing the technical infrastructure for a larger operation. Investigation revealed that the actual scam calls were being conducted from overseas through remote connections to the Bangkok-based equipment.
Among those arrested were Wen Fengran, Zhang Jun, Li Yuning, Pang Ze, Yang Qun, and the alleged leader, Yao Fan. One suspect confessed to receiving 8,000 yuan monthly for maintaining the SIM card operations under the direction of a superior identified only as “Zhun Ge.”
One of six Chinese scam suspects is arrested in his room at a luxury condominium in Huai Khwang district, Bangkok, on Dec. 20, 2024.
Police have identified three additional suspects who are currently at large. Authorities have issued warrants and placed them on a watch list to prevent their escape through border checkpoints.
The suspects face multiple charges, including unauthorized possession and operation of telecommunications equipment, inputting false information into computer systems, concealing criminal proceeds, and working in Thailand without proper permits. Immigration authorities are preparing to deport the suspects after legal proceedings are completed.
Prior to their operation in Thailand, the group had reportedly been active in neighboring Laos and Cambodia, consistent with patterns observed in other call center scam networks in the region. The case has been transferred to cybercrime investigators for further investigation.
Destination Indian Wedding | JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
BANGKOK — Thai tourism authorities celebrated a milestone this week as Indian tourist arrivals to Thailand surpassed two million for 2024, prompting them to set a new target of 2.5 million arrivals for 2025. To achieve this goal, the government plans to remove regulatory hurdles, including easing restrictions on importing high-end jewelry for weddings in Thailand.
Minister of Tourism and Sports Sorawong Thiengthong hailed the two million Indian tourist arrivals as a historic achievement. The Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will continue organizing events and creating additional incentives in the coming year to reach their new targets.
The authorities will collaborate closely with the Indian Tourism Association and Thailand’s Indian diaspora community. Planned initiatives include promoting Indian festivals such as Diwali, hosting world-class concerts, and developing ‘Little India’ districts throughout Thailand.
Minister Sorawong highlighted that while the segment of Indian tourists visiting Thailand specifically for vacations and weddings is relatively small compared to total arrivals, their spending is substantial. A single Indian wedding typically costs between 7-10 million baht, spans approximately three days, and hosts around 150 guests.
Sorawong Theinthong, Minister of Tourism and Sports, gave a press conference expressing satisfaction that Indian tourist arrivals to Thailand exceeded 2 million, meeting the 2024 target, on December 16, 2024.
To encourage more couples to spend their weddings and honeymoons in Thailand, the government will relax regulations on the import of high-end jewelry for weddings and focus on comfort and safety to make tourists feel as comfortable as if they were at home.
In addition, the government is considering offering airlines attractive incentives to increase the number of flights to Thailand. Thai Airways, for example, currently operates 185 return flights per week, bringing the total flight frequency back to more than 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels. In 2025, the focus will be on connecting attractive cities in both countries to promote two-way tourism.
In 2024, the total number of flights is expected to average around 342 per week, equivalent to approximately 16,146 flights per year, offering more than 2.9 million seats, a recovery of around 92.2% of 2019 levels. Airlines are launching more flights and opening new routes. For example, IndiGo now operates the Hyderabad-Bangkok route with a daily flight, and Thai Airways flies the Cochin-Bangkok route every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, i.e. one flight per day.
Thai Airways
Other examples are the Vishakhapatnam-Bangkok route operated by Thai AirAsia with three flights per week, the Amritsar-Bangkok route operated by Thai Lion Air with four flights per week, the Kolkata-Bangkok route with four flights per week, the Cochin-Bangkok route with three flights per week and the Ahmedabad-Bangkok route with four flights per week.
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatpaiboon added that Indian tourists are considered high-spending travelers. As flights from India to Thailand are short, usually 3-4 days, Indian tourists spend about 38,000 baht per person per trip. TAT aims to increase their spending to at least 40,000 baht by 2025 and encourage them to stay longer by promoting new destinations such as Chiang Mai.
Currently, not many Indian tourists visit Chiang Mai due to a lack of entertainment options that appeal to them. To change this, the TAT plans to highlight attractions that suit their preferences, such as zoos and water parks.
Thai tourism authorities celebrate a milestone on Dec. 16 with the Indian Tourism Association as Indian tourist arrivals to Thailand surpassed two million for 2024
With the target of over 2.5 million Indian arrivals in 2025, there are supporting factors such as the recovery in flight frequency. However, this also poses a risk. Although airlines are growing, demand on certain routes is not as high as it should be. For an airline to operate efficiently, demand needs to be constant in both directions, i.e. outbound and inbound. Currently, the demand from India to Thailand is higher than from Thailand back to India, so airlines cannot fully optimize their flights.
Another influencing factor is the exchange rate. A stronger baht influences the decisions of Indian travelers, especially families (who make up about 60-70 percent of the total Indian tourism market), as it makes the trip more expensive.
In addition, the global economy continues to weaken, including in India. The Indian government is promoting domestic tourism and wedding events within India, which has led to a slowdown in Indian weddings in Thailand.
From January 1 to December 15, 2024, Thailand welcomed over 33 million international tourists. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, a total of 33,491,851 foreign visitors have traveled to Thailand so far this year, generating around 1,573,080 million baht in tourism revenue.
“Forests,” the important source of water, are essential for sustaining all life. In line with the values of “Growing for Good” and “Giving Back to Society,” Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a leader of health enrichment products under BRAND’S trademark in Thailand and Asia, launched the “Community Forest Restoration” initiative. This first-year activity involved over 100 company executives, volunteer employees, government officials, and local community members. Together, they revived the community forest in Ban Khun Chamnan, Bothong District, Chonburi Province. The event included sharing insights into the private sector’s role in environmental protection, the importance of forest to water sources, and sustainable agriculture practices. The event was honored by Acting Sub Lt. Puttisit Chodsiriwarothai, Bothong Senior Assistant Chief District Officer as Chief of Administration Group, who officiated the opening ceremony on November 27, 2024.
Mrs. Mathuvalee Stithyudhakarn, Regulatory Affairs and Corporate Affairs Director, Thailand and Indochina, Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand) Co., Ltd., stated that as a leader of health enrichment products, the company is committed to enhancing the well-being of Thai people by promoting sustainable development through educational initiatives and environmental conservation efforts. The “Community Forest Restoration 2024” activity aims to restore forests and conserve water resources and biodiversity by educating participants on the significance of forest resources, sustainable agriculture, and the interrelationship between water sources and forests. This initiative also seeks to foster a sense of social responsibility and environmental awareness among employees, starting in Chonburi Province, where the company’s factories are located.
“In the past, the company has consistently organized initiatives to benefit society and foster sustainable growth for both the organization and the community. This has been achieved by engaging volunteer employees who demonstrate a strong sense of social responsibility. For instance, the “Bring and Buy” activity under the “One Suntory Helping Hands” project involved raising funds from employees to support the infrastructure development of schools in need. Additionally, the “BRAND’S Young Blood” project, in collaboration with the National Blood Center, Thai Red Cross Society, aimed at instilling a sense of social responsibility among young people and promote sustainable blood donation efforts.”
The “Community Forest Restoration” activity is divided into three parts: 1. Learn insights from experts on the importance of living with forests and methods to care for forests. 2. Hands-on activities to promote forest restoration, such as weeding to add light channels for better tree growth, planting seedlings, laying straw to retain moisture and control weeds, and providing a plant nursery so that the community can grow seedlings and engage in long-term reforestation.
Acting Sub Lt. Puttisit Chodsiriwarothai, Bothong Senior Assistant Chief District Officer and Chief of Administration Group, speaking on behalf of the people of Chonburi, stated, “It is commendable that Suntory Beverage and Food (Thailand) Co., Ltd. acknowledges the significance of natural resource conservation, which is crucial for sustainable economic development within our community and province. Chonburi province hosts diverse industries, including manufacturing, tourism, special economic zones, agricultural areas, and conservation forests. Therefore, protection of the environment and natural resources is fundamental not only to the agricultural sector, but also to other industrial sectors that serve as key drivers of the province’s economic growth.”
Miss Shompoonoot Shanuan, the Village Headman Khun Chamnan, Moo 2, stated, “It is an honor that this small area has an opportunity to participate in an activity to educate community members about environmental conservation and encourages the youth to take responsibility for maintaining the local environment. Today’s activity is beneficial because the majority of our region is agricultural land dependent on rainwater. The forest influences the rainfall and climate, which supports agriculture. Our objectives are to promote sustainable use of forest resources and develop this area as a future learning center for the youth and a potential site for ecotourism.
In addition to the members of Ban Khun Chamnan Community Forest Committee, the activity also included participation from teachers and students of Ban Khun Chamnan School. This collaboration aimed to foster cooperation and raise awareness on a larger scale, as well as to facilitate the transfer of knowledge regarding sustainable forest conservation.
Miss Sarinya Pisedrit, a teacher at Ban Khun Chamnan School, described her participation in the “Poa Rak Nam” activity that “it was creative and raised awareness among students. The day’s activities included weeding and planting seedlings, aimed at maintaining balance in the forest ecosystem. This balance is important for the community members who rely on the forest for food, raw materials, and their livelihoods.”
Stay updated on Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand)’s sustainability and social activities via Facebook and LinkedIn: Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand). For more information, visit www.suntorybeverageandfood.co.th.
Police question Chinese suspects sharing the surname Sun who extorted a Chinese man they met through a dating app in Bangkok, on Dec 19, 2024.
BANGKOK — Thai Police have arrested two Chinese nationals for allegedly extorting money and assaulting a fellow Chinese citizen whom they met through a dating application in Bangkok. The suspects were apprehended at JMT House in Soi Pracha Uthit 24, Huai Khwang district on December 19.
The arrests followed a police report filed by an 18-year-old Chinese victim, identified only as Mr. Peng, at Phasicharoen Police Station on December 17. The victim reported meeting one of the suspects through the dating application “Blued” and agreeing to meet at 14 Resort Hotel in Bangkok’s Phasicharoen district.
According to police reports, when the victim arrived at the hotel room, the suspects, identified as Mr. Sun Jian, 31, and Mr. Sun Hao, 23, allegedly handcuffed him, threatened him with a gun, and physically assaulted him with a baton.
The suspects forced him to unlock his phone and transfer money via AliPay to a Bank of China account belonging to Sun Jian. The victim was compelled to make five transfers of 2,000 yuan each, totaling 10,000 yuan (approximately THB 50,000, USD 1,450).
Police arrested two Chinese suspects sharing the surname Sun for extorting a Chinese man they met through a dating app in Huai Khwang district, Bangkok, with multiple pieces of evidence seized, on Dec 19, 2024.
The suspects allegedly sexually assaulted the victim before releasing him at Phasicharoen MRT station the following morning. Police tracked down the suspects through CCTV footage from the Royal Thai Police’s surveillance network.
Police seized several pieces of evidence, including a homemade .380 caliber firearm, 29 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition, one ammunition magazine, one baton, two pairs of handcuffs, one knife, clothes worn during the incident, and two mobile phones.
The suspects face multiple charges, including armed extortion, physical assault, illegal detention, and unauthorized possession of firearms and ammunition. Investigators at Phasicharoen Police Station are working with tourist police interpreters to conduct further questioning of both the suspects and the victim as the investigation continues.
MAHLE to supply components for hydrogen engine of “MAN hTGX”, winner of Truck Innovation Award 2025
Series order for around 200 vehicles with first deliveries to customers in 2025
Head of Sales Dr. Roger Busch: “MAHLE solutions deliver performance, efficiency and long service life.”
In addition to electrification, sustainable combustion engines that run on renewable fuels are an important strategic field of the MAHLE Group
MAHLE has secured an important contract in the area of sustainable mobility. Commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN Truck & Bus has commissioned MAHLE to supply components for the hydrogen engine of its “MAN hTGX” truck. The vehicle was recently crowned winner of the Truck Innovation Award 2025. The direct-injection engine with 6 cylinders has 16.8 L displacement and produces 383 kW power output. It will be equipped with the hydrogen power cell unit of the Stuttgart-based automotive supplier, consisting of piston, piston rings, piston pin and cylinder liner. Further components from MAHLE will also be used in the valve train. MAN plans to build around 200 units of its truck, classified as a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV), for selected markets from 2025. The use of hydrogen in the combustion engine is an important lever for decarbonization, especially in the commercial vehicle sector. In addition to electrification, sustainable combustion engines that run on renewable fuels are an important strategic field for the MAHLE Group.
“MAHLE has successfully transferred its one hundred years of expertise in engine components into the future. Our state-of-the-art pistons and other parts make the internal combustion engine fit for hydrogen and thus climate-neutral,” said Dr. Roger Busch, member of the MAHLE Management Committee and Head of Sales. “Today, we are able to fulfill our customers’ expectations in terms of performance, efficiency and service life.”
MAHLE has succeeded in developing its engine components to meet the specific requirements of hydrogen operation. The tests at the company’s hydrogen test center in Stuttgart back up the high maturity level and already convincing suitability for series production of modern hydrogen engine technology. Thanks to the MAHLE hydrogen power cell unit, in particular the oil consumption of the motor and the so-called blow-by, i.e. the leakage of hydrogen gas into the crankcase, can be reduced to a minimum. This enables a robust and failure-free operation of the motor.
Hydrogen is the renewable fuel with the greatest potential for the decarbonization of the transportation sector today. MAHLE is well positioned with components and profound systems expertise for hydrogen engines as well as fuel cell powertrains in order to actively shape the climate transformation in the transportation sector.
The automotive supplier is currently working on almost 30 hydrogen engine projects for customers in the on- and off-highway sector. With the current contract from MAN Truck & Bus, another vehicle manufacturer is now going into series production using MAHLE components. Further series launches with other customers are planned to follow in 2025.
PHUKET — Phuket International Airport, Thailand’s third busiest airport after Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, is gearing up for a surge in holiday travelers during the Christmas and New Year period. Immigration officials and tourism authorities are implementing measures to accommodate the expected influx of visitors.
Police Lieutenant General Panumas Boonyalak, Acting Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, inspected Phuket Airport’s immigration operations on December 19. He projects that during the high season from October to March, daily arrivals could reach up to 23,000 passengers.
November’s statistics show Russian tourists leading arrival numbers with 4,100 daily visitors, followed by Chinese (1,800), Indian (1,790), Australian (780), and British (730) travelers. The total tourist arrivals for November reached approximately 520,000, marking a 6% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Police Lieutenant General Panumas Boonyalak, Acting Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, and accompanying officers, inspect Phuket Airport’s immigration operations on December 19, 2024.
To streamline immigration procedures, authorities have implemented several efficiency measures, including reduced document scanning requirements and simplified entry stamp processes. The airport has also introduced a “Snake Line” management system and increased staffing during holidays to minimize waiting times while maintaining strict security protocols.
Monchai Tanode, Director of Phuket International Airport, revealed that during the Christmas and New Year period, the airport expects to handle 355 daily flights – 210 domestic and 144 international. Daily passenger traffic is projected to reach 60,000, exceeding pre-COVID levels by 110%. This includes approximately 40,000 international and 20,000 domestic passengers.
The Phuket airport has implemented new traffic management measures and has established additional exit routes.
The airport management has also addressed recent traffic congestion issues by implementing new traffic management measures and establishing additional exit routes. These improvements include dedicated exits for domestic and international terminals, plus a connection to Nai Yang Beach and Sirinath National Park. Officials are working with local police to ensure smooth traffic flow during peak periods.
The heightened preparations reflect the government’s commitment to supporting tourism growth, particularly following the recent visa-free policy implementation for 93 countries and territories worldwide.
While facilitating smoother travel experiences, authorities maintain vigilant security measures, especially for arrivals from targeted countries, to prevent potential criminal activities.
Neighbors Anita and her sister Alanis, along with their mother Astrid and father Robinson Pinilla, light candles Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, after multiple family members were found dead the day prior inside their home in West Valley City, Utah. (Jeffrey D. Allred/The Deseret News via AP)
WEST VALLEY CITY — A Utah mother who police believe was shot and killed by her husband along with three of their children was a refugee who fled violence in Myanmar and dreamed of thriving with her family in the U.S., relatives said Thursday.
Police believe the husband killed his family before shooting himself, and a teenage son was badly wounded.
The bodies of Bu Meh, 38, along with her daughters Kristina Ree, 8, and Nyay Meh, 2, and son Boe Reh, 11, were found in their home in West Valley City, a Salt Lake City suburb, on Tuesday. A handgun was found under the father Dae Reh, 42, leading police to believe this was a murder-suicide, but no evidence of a motive has been released.
One child, 17-year-old Sha Reh, survived being shot in the head and is hospitalized with a severe brain injury, police said.
Police investigate a crime scene where they say multiple family members were found dead inside a home in West Valley City, Utah, Tuesday Dec. 17, 2024. (Scott G. Winterton/The Deseret News via AP)
Bu Meh, a member of Myanmar’s Karenni ethnic minority, fled what her relatives described as ethnic cleansing in the Southeast Asian nation about 10 years ago. She and her small family lived for a time in a refugee camp in Thailand, then came to the United States “with little more than the clothing on their backs,” the family said in a statement.
She taught herself English, learned new skills and worked hard to support her growing family, achieving a way of life “far beyond the nightmare of her former country or the refugee camp,” the family said.
“For reasons that we cannot comprehend, her husband robbed her and their children of that security and their very lives,” her family said.
Police believe the shooting happened over the weekend.
Technicians investigate a crime scene where police say multiple family members were found dead inside a home in West Valley City, Utah, Tuesday Dec. 17, 2024. (Scott G. Winterton/The Deseret News via AP)
Police initially went to the home Monday night after a relative asked them to check on the family but did not find any sign of an emergency that would allow them to enter the home. The relative went to the home Tuesday, saw Sha Reh wounded in the garage and called police, who found the bodies inside the home.
In their statement, relatives called Sha Reh their hero and said he faces a “long and complex road to recovery.” An online fundraiser is collecting donations to pay for his care and to help him go to college.
Neighbors hadn’t reported any gunshots in the area over the weekend, police spokesperson Roxeanne Vainuku said at a news conference Wednesday. The family had no previous reports of domestic violence or other disturbances.
This Utah case is the 38th mass killing in the United States this year. At least 165 people have died this year in U.S. mass killings, which are defined by the FBI as cases in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer.
Candles and other items are seen outside of a home Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, after multiple family members were found dead the day prior inside the home in West Valley City, Utah. (Jeffrey D. Allred/The Deseret News via AP)
