FWD Insurance is gearing up for its latest brand campaign, “FWD Easy Claim, Fast Approval, and Instant Payout,” highlighting its strengths in delivering continuous, fast, and easy claim services. Through the Omne by FWD app, the campaign makes insurance claims effortless, ensuring customers receive immediate cash payments without delay. This enables individuals to live life to the fullest, with FWD Insurance always by their side.
Ms. Pavarisa Chumvigrant, Chief Marketing Officer, FWD Life Insurance Plc. (“FWD Insurance”), stated, “At FWD Insurance, we follow a customer-led approach, focusing on continuously enhancing our services to meet customer needs. According to research conducted by Simon Kucher, a leading global consultancy specializing in customer-centric business models, the key factors influencing consumers’ decisions to purchase life insurance include ease, convenience, speed of claim processing, instant cash payments, and brand credibility. These insights reinforce the importance of addressing customer needs directly.
That’s why we made the claim services the focal point of our latest advertising series, featuring three commercials under the campaign ‘FWD Easy Claim, Fast Approval, and Instant Cash Payment,’ accessible via the Omne by FWD app. The campaign uses analogy-based storytelling, showcasing relatable moments from various stages of life and highlighting common waiting times. These comparisons cleverly show that our claim is processed faster than many typical everyday tasks. The ads are designed to communicate clearly and connect with customers, underscoring FWD Insurance’s outstanding service in fulfilling their needs.”
“We are enhancing our brand communication by showcasing the exceptional claim services of FWD Insurance, which consumers highly value. This campaign emphasizes our service strengths to ensure the brand remains memorable and top of mind. Everyone can now experience the ‘FWD Easy Claim, Fast Approval, and Instant Payout’ campaign in three versions across all online channels,” concluded Ms. Pavarisa.
For more information, please contact FWD Insurance corporate communications:
(Bangkok, Thailand, 28 October 2024) EBC Financial Group (EBC) continues to uphold its commitment to community support and social responsibility with its latest Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative at Baan Hathairak Orphanage in Thailand. Late last month, EBC employees dedicated their time and resources to providing much-needed support for 36 orphaned children, reinforcing the company’s mission to make a positive impact across marginalised and vulnerable communities worldwide.
The day-long event, saw seven EBC employees distributing essential supplies, offering financial contributions to sustain the orphanage’s ongoing operations, and engaging with the children through interactive activities. The day culminated in a shared meal with the orphans and staff, providing both emotional and material support. This initiative is part of EBC’s broader strategy to actively contribute to the well-being of communities in Thailand and globally, aligning with the company’s values of fairness, integrity, and responsibility.
A Deeper Connection to Community Empowerment
EBC’s participation in the Baan Hathairak initiative reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to creating meaningful change in the communities it serves. EBC recognises that businesses have a fundamental duty to address the socio-economic challenges faced by underserved populations. By supporting vulnerable groups such as orphans through initiatives that address both immediate needs and long-term growth, EBC seeks to empower individuals with the resources and care they need to thrive.
Baan Hathairak, established by the Satthachan Foundation in 2009, serves as a critical shelter for orphaned children, many of whom lack access to basic care and religious education. The foundation was created in 1998 to address the growing number of orphans in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, particularly those of Muslim faith. The shelter provides housing, education, and vocational training to help orphans become self-sufficient and lead dignified lives in accordance with Islamic teachings.
“Supporting communities like Baan Hathairak aligns with our core belief that every individual deserves an opportunity to succeed,” said a spokesperson at EBC Financial Group. “At EBC, we are driven by the conviction that corporate responsibility goes beyond business; it’s about uplifting those around us and fostering a future where everyone has the potential to achieve their best.”
Continuing a Tradition of Community Engagement
This initiative at Baan Hathairak is one of many actions taken by the global financial brokerage to support local communities across Thailand. Earlier in 2024, EBC organised two key CSR events that emphasised its dedication to fostering inclusive growth:
In June 2024, EBC hosted an event at the Ramindra Home for Blind Children, donating essential supplies and participating in interactive activities to support the emotional and educational development of visually impaired children. This effort addressed the lack of access to learning materials and social integration challenges faced by these children.
In March 2024, EBC held a charity event at Ban Khao Kam Phaeng School in Suphanburi, benefiting 357 underprivileged students with vital educational resources, school supplies, and sports equipment. This initiative provided direct support to children in need, ensuring they have the tools necessary for academic success.
These efforts are part of EBC’s broader mission to contribute to societal progress and improve the quality of life for communities where it operates. By focusing on education, empowerment, and community well-being, EBC demonstrates that financial success and social responsibility are interconnected.
Values at the Core of EBC’s Mission
EBC’s approach to CSR is firmly grounded in its core values of dedication, responsibility, and integrity. The company believes that businesses have a fundamental duty to contribute positively to the societies they serve. Through initiatives that focus on education, community outreach, and financial literacy, EBC aims to create opportunities for growth and development, driving lasting, positive change for individuals and communities alike. Whether through financial literacy programs, community outreach, or charitable support, EBC’s mission is to create opportunities for growth, development, and hope in the regions where it operates.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Thailand has partnered with AIS to further enhance customer and public protection against fraudsters by launching the *1185# Aunjai Report End of Scammer.
This innovative service allows AIS customers to immediately report and block scam phone numbers—regardless of the operator—right after the call ends. Users can easily report a scammer by dialing *1185#, with the service being available for free at all times, enhancing safety with every received scam call.
Police Lieutenant General Jirabhop Bhuridej, Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), stated that today, cyber threats, especially call center gangs, have caused significant distress and harm to the public. CIB has mobilized efforts to eliminate call center gangs to disrupt the connections between criminals and the public, including phone signals, internet connections, ghost SIM cards, shell accounts, SMS, and social media platforms.
CIB officers are working closely with network service providers, particularly AIS, to track down scammers through the Tracking & Monitoring system. Additionally, we have opened channels for AIS customers to report suspicious phone numbers through the AIS Spam Report Center, leading to arrests and legal actions against offenders in many cases.
“This time, we have further enhanced our collaboration with the *1185# Aunjai Report End of Scammer.This not only provides convenience for the public to report scammers immediately after hanging up but also greatly benefits police work by allowing us to see unusual usage patterns of suspicious numbers, including their contact history with victims and illegal device usage. This targeted approach enables law enforcement to track down offenders and call center gangs more swiftly.”
Prathana Leelapanang, Chief Consumer Business Officer AIS, said that AIS prioritize ensuring our customers can use our services confidently on AIS’s secure network. We are continuously working in three areas:
1. Supporting and collaborating with the police and government agencies to track, monitor, and block suspicious activities with transparent registration measures for phone numbers.
2. Developing technological tools that empower customers and the public to protect their usage and report suspicious activity themselves, such as the AIS Spam Report Center.
3. Building digital usage skills through the Aunjai Cyber project to raise awareness about cyber threats and scams. These efforts integrate collaboration with all sectors effectively.
Today, AIS, in collaboration with the Central Investigation Bureau and related agencies, is taking proactive steps by launching the *1185# Aunjai Report End of Scammer. This service uses an intelligent system that allows customers to report the last number they received a call from by simply dialing *1185# within 5 minutes. The system will automatically retrieve the latest scam or call center number without requiring customers to remember the number that called them.
Within 48 hours, if the calling pattern of those numbers indicates suspicious activity, AIS will forward the information to the Central Investigation Bureau.
AIS will work closely with them to investigate and block those numbers to prevent further damage and to pursue legal action against scammers decisively. This service allows reporting of all types of numbers, including landlines, mobile numbers from any network, international numbers, and VoIP numbers, without any limit on the number of reports.”
“Even with an effective reporting system, we must continue to focus on other areas. AIS is eager to support the work of the Central Investigation Bureau and other government agencies to tackle issues at their root, track down offenders, and impose the maximum legal penalties to dismantle the criminal networks of scammers through every possible channel,” Prathana concluded.
Additionally, AIS has emphasized the importance of customer care by ensuring safe usage with the 5G SIM (5G SUCI SIM) available in both SIM Card and eSIM formats. The new SIM model from AIS features enhanced security with IMSI Encryption, allowing customers to use the AIS network with greater confidence.”
Three cyber police officers in extortion case surrendered on October 28, 2024.
BANGKOK — Seven suspects, including six rogue police officers and on civilian, were arrested on Wednesday for staging a fake passport investigation and attempting to extort 10 million USDT from a Chinese-Vanuatu citizen. Two suspects who acted as interpreters remain at large.
The case has shaken the credibility of the Thai police force. On October 30, a group of nine police officers and three civilians were involved in staging a fake investigation of foreigners in Thailand and attempting to extort money through fraudulent legal threats. They were all subsequently arrested.
Mr. Sai, a Chinese man with Vanuatu citizenship, along with his Chinese wife, family members, and their housemaid (a total of 5 people) filed a complaint with Police Lieutenant Colonel Chairat Thamseethao at Bang Sue Police Station (serving at Thung Song Hong Police Station).
They reported that while staying at their house in a housing estate in Bang Phli Yai, Bang Phli District, Samut Prakan Province, a group of men claiming to be police officers presented what appeared to be a search warrant from the Samut Prakan Provincial Court.
Since Mr. Sai and others in the house couldn’t read Thai, they only recognized the government seal on the document and believed it was legitimate, allowing the search. The group read the warrant using two interpreters — Ms. Aphatsara and Mr. Yun (a Chinese husband and wife team) — to communicate. They claimed a Filipino suspect had implicated Mr. Sai in a passport forgery case that was already being prosecuted at the South Bangkok Criminal Court.
Cyber police officers in extortion case surrendered on October 28, 2024.
The suspects confiscated all mobile phones and one computer, then threatened additional charges for illegal employment of foreign housekeepers. They demanded 300 million baht or 10 million USDT (digital currency) to drop the case.
When Mr. Sai refused, stating he didn’t have that much Thai currency and wasn’t guilty, they took him, his wife, a Chinese friend named Wen, and the housekeeper to the Government Complex Building B.
The criminals negotiated down to 10 million baht, but Mr. Sai still refused. Around 5 p.m., they took Mr. Sai and his wife to a police division, excluding their friend and housekeeper.
In the interrogation room, after further negotiations, Mr. Sai agreed to transfer 5.6 million baht ($165K). Since he didn’t have enough Thai currency, he made two digital currency transfers to Ms. Aphatsara’s digital wallet: first at 6:35 p.m. for 9,253 USDT and second at 6:43 p.m. for 140,000 USDT.
After receiving the money, the corrupt officers created documents and had all four detainees record a video stating no wrongdoing was found. They returned the phones but kept the computer.
On October 17 around 1 p.m., Ms. Aphatsara contacted Mr. Wen through Mr. Sai’s Telegram, demanding an additional 700,000 baht to reveal who had reported Mr. Sai. He transferred another 20,895 USDT at 1:39 p.m.
After losing significant money without receiving any information, Mr. Sai authorized a lawyer to investigate. Upon discovering the fraud, he filed criminal charges on October 22.
Based on victim testimonies and evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police investigation team and cyber police, it was discovered that this case involved 12 perpetrators. On the night of October 30, police arrested 7 suspects:
Police Lieutenant Colonel Chanachai, age 41, from Kham Sakae Saeng Police Station, Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Police Captain Amnuay, age 42, from Samrong Tai Police Station, Samut Prakan Province
Police Senior Sergeant Major Chayaphon, age 43, from Division 1, Tourist Police Bureau 1
Police Senior Sergeant Major Pornthep, age 46, from Division 2, Consumer Protection Police Division
Police Senior Sergeant Major Manaswee, age 41, from Division 1, Tourist Police Bureau 1
Police Senior Sergeant Major Siam, age 49, from Investigation Division, Saraburi Provincial Police
Mr. Thawut, age 43
Additionally, three cyber police officers had previously surrendered on October 28:
Police Captain Thanakrit
Police Senior Sergeant Major Suphan
Police Sergeant Kittipoom
Two suspects remain at large: Ms. Aphatsara and Mr. Yun, a husband and wife team who served as interpreters.
All suspects denied the charges and requested 15 days to submit written statements. They were granted temporary release on bail with cash and land as collateral. The case falls under the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s jurisdiction, and investigators will submit their findings within 30 days of the complaint.
Flame and smoke rise from Israeli airstrikes on Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, early Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Rocket barrages from Lebanon into northern Israel killed four Thai workers and three Israelis on Thursday, Israeli medics said, the deadliest cross-border strikes in Israel since it invaded Lebanon. Israel kept up airstrikes it says targeted Hezbollah militants across Lebanon, where health authorities on Thursday reported 24 people killed.
Projectiles from Lebanon crashed into an agricultural area in Metula, Israel’s northernmost town, killing four Thai workers and an Israeli farmer, officials said.
Hours later, the Israeli military reported another volley of some 25 rockets from Lebanon, striking an olive grove in a suburb of the northern Israeli port city of Haifa. That strike killed a 30-year-old man and 60-year-old woman while wounding two others, said Magen David Adom, Israel’s main emergency medical organization.
Both Hezbollah and Hamas are backed by Iran, Israel’s regional adversary. Hezbollah did not immediately claim responsibility for Thursday’s rocket fire. Israel’s military said 90 projectiles were fired from Lebanon on Thursday.
Hezbollah has been firing thousands of rockets, drones and missiles into Israel — and drawing fierce Israeli retaliatory strikes — since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack out of the Gaza Strip triggered Israel’s devastating war in the Palestinian enclave.
The residents of Metula evacuated in October 2023, and only security officials and agricultural workers remain.
In addition to the four Thais killed, another Thai agricultural worker was injured by the rocket fire, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said in social media posts Friday. Maris urged all parties to return to the path of peace in the name of the civilians harmed by the continuing conflict.
The Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, an Israeli organization that advocates for foreign workers, said authorities had put them in danger by allowing them to work along the border without proper protection.
Agricultural areas near Israel’s border are closed military zones that can only be entered with official permission. For the few remaining residents, the thump of interceptions by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system and wailing air raid sirens punctuate daily life.
Nonetheless, local officials largely support continuing a ground operation in southern Lebanon.
“If the Israeli government accedes to an agreement brought by (the Biden administration) … we will not have it because for us this is rehabilitating Hezbollah again on our borders,” said Eitan Davidi, the mayor of the northern town of Margaliot.
Israeli bombs across Lebanon after evacuation warnings
Israeli strikes killed 24 people in Lebanon on Thursday, among them 13 people in the country’s eastern Bekaa Valley, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News agency, a day after the Israel’s military warned residents there to evacuate.
Flame and smoke rise from Israeli airstrikes on Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, early Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
The warnings sent thousands of people fleeing and spread panic across the city known for its colossal Roman ruins.
The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that over the last 24 hours, Israeli bombardments killed 45 people and wounded 110 in various parts of the country.
Jean Fakhry, a local official in the Deir al-Ahmar region in the Bekaa Valley, said Israeli airstrikes pummeling the area turned the main highway “a parking lot” of fleeing cars stuck in traffic.
Around 12,000 displaced people are staying in the area, he said, with most taking refuge in private homes. At one of the shelters in Deir al-Ahmar, families with luggage were still arriving Thursday.
“Our homes were destroyed,” said Zahraa Younis, from the village near Baalbek. “We came with nothing — no clothes or anything else.”
US officials are in the region seeking a cease-fire
Senior White House aides Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein were in Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials about the conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah.
The meetings focused on efforts to secure a cease-fire deal in Lebanon and to assess new proposals floated by mediators to free Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, according to a U.S. official familiar with planning for the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. The meetings were attended by Netanyahu as well as Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defense minister; David Barnea, the director of the Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency; and other officials.
But with the U.S. election on Tuesday, hopes for immediate progress appeared remote — particularly in Gaza where Israel has come under criticism for not letting more humanitarian aid into the besieged north.
The death toll from more than a year of war in Gaza passed 43,000 earlier this week, Palestinian health officials reported.
The Awda Hospital in central Gaza said late Thursday it had received 16 bodies of people killed by Israeli bombardment of two houses in Nuseirat refugee camp. The hospital said more than 30 others, including a medic and two journalists, were wounded.
Over the past year, the broadening Israeli campaign in Lebanon against Hezbollah has killed 2,865 people there, wounded over 13,000 and devastated Lebanese towns near the border.
Some 1.2 million people in Lebanon have been displaced since Israel escalated the conflict into a full-blown war last month, when it launched a wave of heavy airstrikes that killed Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and most of his deputies.
A year of Hezbollah rocket attacks have also forced 60,000 Israelis to evacuate from near the border.
Vehicles are seen piled up after being swept away by floods in Valencia, Spain, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
BARRIO DE LA TORRE, Spain (AP) — Crews searched for bodies in stranded cars and sodden buildings Thursday as residents salvaged what they could from their ruined homes following monstrous flash floods in Spain that claimed at least 158 lives, with 155 deaths confirmed in the eastern Valencia region alone.
More horrors emerged Thursday from the debris and ubiquitous layers of mud left by the walls of water that produced Spain’s deadliest natural disaster in living memory. The damage recalled the aftermath of a tsunami, with survivors left to pick up the pieces as they mourn their loved ones.
Cars were piled on one another like fallen dominoes, uprooted trees, downed power lines and household items all mired in mud that covered streets in dozens of communities in Valencia, a region south of Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast.
An unknown number of people are still missing and more victims could be found.
A man reacts as he waits for news of his relatives trapped during the floods in Valencia, Spain, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
“Unfortunately, there are dead people inside some vehicles,” Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente said early Thursday before the death toll spiked from 95 on Wednesday night.
Rushing water turned narrow streets into death traps and spawned rivers that tore through homes and businesses, sweeping away cars, people and everything else in its path. The floods demolished bridges and left roads unrecognizable.
Luís Sánchez, a welder, said he saved several people who were trapped in their cars on the flooded V-31 highway south of Valencia city. The road rapidly became a floating graveyard strewn with hundreds of vehicles.
“I saw bodies floating past. I called out, but nothing,” Sánchez said. “The firefighters took the elderly first, when they could get in. I am from nearby so I tried to help and rescue people. People were crying all over, they were trapped.”
Regional authorities said late Wednesday that rescuers in helicopters saved some 70 people stranded on rooftops and in cars, but ground crews were far from done.
“Our priority is to find the victims and the missing so we can help end the suffering of their families,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said after meeting with officials and emergency services in Valencia on Thursday, the first of three official days of mourning.
An ‘extraordinary’ deluge
Spain’s Mediterranean coast is used to autumn storms that can cause flooding, but this was the most powerful flash flood event in recent memory. Scientists link it to climate change, which is also behind increasingly high temperatures and droughts in Spain and the heating up of the Mediterranean Sea.
Human-caused climate change has doubled the likelihood of a storm like this week’s deluge in Valencia, according to a rapid but partial analysis Thursday by World Weather Attribution, comprising dozens of international scientists who study global warming’s role in extreme weather.
People pick up goods in a supermarket affected by the floods in Valencia, Spain, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Spain has been suffering from an almost two-year drought, meaning that when the deluge happened late Tuesday and early Wednesday, the ground was so hard that it could not absorb the rain, leading to flash floods.
The violent weather event surprised regional government officials. Spain’s national weather service said it rained more in eight hours in the Valencian town of Chiva than it had in the preceding 20 months, calling the deluge “extraordinary.”
In Paiporta, a community of 25,000 next to Valencia city where mayor Maribel Albalat said Thursday that not fewer than 62 people had perished.
“(Paiporta) never has floods, we never have this kind of problem. And we found a lot of elderly people in the town center,” Albalat told national broadcaster RTVE. “There were also a lot of people who came to get their cars out of their garages … it was a real trap.’
Farms damaged
While the most suffering was inflicted on municipalities near the city of Valencia, the storms unleashed their fury over huge swaths of the south and eastern coast of the Iberian peninsula. Two fatalities were confirmed in the neighboring Castilla La Mancha region and one in southern Andalusia.
Greenhouses and farms across southern Spain, known as Europe’s garden for its exported produce, were also ruined by heavy rains and flooding. The storms spawned a freak tornado in Valencia and a hail storm that punched holes in cars in Andalusia. Homes were left without water as far southwest as Malaga in Andalusia.
Heavy rains continued Thursday farther north as the Spanish weather agency issued alerts for several counties in Castellón, in the eastern Valencia region, and for Tarragona in Catalonia, as well as southwest Cadiz.
“This storm front is still with us,” the prime minister said. “Stay home and heed the official recommendation and you will help save lives.”
The search goes on amid the destruction
Over 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency rescue units joined regional and local emergency workers in the search for bodies and survivors.
Vehicles are seen piled up after being swept away by floods on a motorway in Valencia, Spain, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
“We are searching house by house,” Ángel Martínez, with a military emergency unit, told Spain’s national radio RNE from the town of Utiel, where at least six people died.
An Associated Press journalist saw rescuers remove seven body bags from an underground garage in Barrio de la Torre on Thursday.
Many residents in both towns had to walk long distances in sticky mud to find food and water. Many of their cars had been destroyed and the mud, destruction and debris left by the storm made some roads unpassable. Some pushed shopping carts along sodden streets while others carried their children to keep them out of the muck.
Valencia regional President Carlos Mazón on Thursday asked if Spain’s army could assist with distributing basic goods to the population.
The National Police arrest 39 people for looting on Wednesday. The Civil Guard deployed officers to stop further thefts from homes, cars and shopping malls.
Some 150,000 people in Valencia were without electricity on Wednesday, but roughly half had power by Thursday, Spanish news agency EFE reported. An unknown number did not have running water and were relying on whatever bottled water they could find.
The region remained partly isolated with several roads cut off and train lines interrupted, including the high-speed service to Madrid. Officials said it will take two to three weeks to repair that damaged line.
A man wept as he showed a reporter from national broadcaster RTVE the shell of what was once the ground floor of his home in Catarroja, south of Valencia. It looked as though a bomb had detonated inside, obliterating furniture and belongings, and stripping the paint off some walls.
Worshippers place gold leaf on Mae Nak, or "The Lady Nak of Phra Khanong," statue at the Wat Mahabut Temple in Bangkok, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
BANGKOK — On the occasion of Halloween, AP News reported a collection of ghost stories from around the world to welcome the spooky season.
Stories of spiritual entities, paranormal activity and creepy cryptids are passed through generations the world over, becoming local legends that only sometimes reach across borders and cultures.
For example, China has the story of the corpse walkers, Mongolia has the death worm beneath the vast dunes of the Gobi Desert, while Britain has a storied oak staircase at The Talbot Hotel in Oundle with royal connections.
For Thailand, the most famous ghost is Mae Nak, or the Lady Nak of Phra Khanong. The tragic love story of Mae Nak, who was separated from her loved one due to her death during childbirth, has been adapted into many versions of films and dramas since 1936, with the latest being a 2024 drama version currently airing on Channel 3.
The 2024 drama adaptation of Lady Nak of Phra Khanong is currently airing on Thailand’s Channel 3.
AP News reporter Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok reported the story of Lady Nak of Phra Khanong:
The young and pregnant Nak was waiting for her husband, Mak, to return from war at their home on the banks of the Phra Khanong canal. Nak and her baby died during childbirth, but when Mak came home, he found them waiting for him. With his unwavering love, Mak rejected warnings that Nak was a ghost until he saw her stretching her arm from the upper-floor porch to the ground to pick up a lime. He fled, and Nak, in grief and fury, began terrorizing the town.
Worshippers pray to Mae Nak, or “The Lady Nak of Phra Khanong,” statue at the Wat Mahabut Temple in Bangkok, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
In one variation of the story’s ending, Nak was stopped either by a shaman who captured her in a clay jar, or a powerful Buddhist monk who performed a rite to rest her spirit in peace.
The story has been reinterpreted into dozens of movies, with the critically acclaimed 1999 version becoming the first Thai movie to gross over 100 million baht — about $2.7 million at the time.
The shrine dedicated to Nak at Wat Mahabut, the temple where her body is believed to be buried, is famous for worshippers seeing their prayers about love and children being answered.
German tourist inspects his recovered wallet as Pattaya police officers document the incident.
PATTAYA — A German man was fortunate when a good Samaritan and a Pattaya journalist helped catch a transgender pickpocket who dropped the stolen wallet and tried to flee. The suspect later confessed to stealing to pay for rent.
Pattaya City Police investigated the incident after receiving a report at 6:30 a.m. on October 31 from Pratin Saengsuwardee, a 33-year-old motorcycle taxi driver, and a Pattaya journalist who had detained the suspect.
When officers arrived at the scene near Soi Pattaya 10 on Pattaya Second Road in Nongprue, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province, they found Mr. Phillipe, a 36-year-old German national, noticeably anxious while waiting at the scene.
A motorcycle taxi driver, reporter, and German tourist stand guard over the pickpocket suspect while waiting for police officers.The suspect claims the theft was motivated by overdue rent.
Pratin recounted that while riding his motorcycle past the location, he witnessed Thawatchai hugging and attempting to pickpocket Mr. Phillipe’s pants pocket. The tourist noticed and struggled to recover his wallet, which fell to the ground. Thawatchai then fled into Soi Pattaya 10, but Pratin and the reporter who witnessed the incident managed to catch and detain the suspect.
Initially, Thawatchai denied the pickpocketing attempt, but after Mr. Phillipe identified him, he confessed this was his first time stealing and said he needed money for rent.
Mr. Phillipe checked his wallet and found all 4,000 baht intact. He decided not to press charges.
Police took the suspect to the Pattaya City Police investigation room to record his criminal profile before releasing him.
An elderly man smoking a pipe, painted in coffee, earned first place at the 2022 IWS Kosovo competition.
RATCHABURI — A Thai artist recently won first place in a watercolor painting competition among ASEAN artists held as part of a collaboration between Thailand and China. The award-winning work, which used “coffee” as a painting medium, was presented by Thotsaphon Chandrasuk, a 61-year-old former art teacher at Photharam Technical College in Ratchaburi.
His award-winning artwork depicts the serene and lush cityscape of Xiamen in Fujian Province, China. Although his original painting now remains with the committee in China, he has kept a photograph as a memento.
Thotsaphon had previously taken part in a worldwide watercolor competition organized by the International Watercolor Society (IWS) in Kosovo and won first place. The prize-winning painting, which shows an elderly man smoking a pipe, was also painted using coffee as the main medium.
Thotsaphon Chandrasuk, 61, applies coffee as paint to his latest artwork.
Thotsaphon said that after his retirement, he turned to art, painting portraits, landscapes and cultural icons such as Ganesha and the deity Vessavana with watercolors and coffee, a technique that gives his works a unique depth and texture.
He describes the process as both meditative and enjoyable. He often sips his coffee while painting to enhance the emotional depth of the art through the sensory experience.
“Each painting tells a story,” he said, “bringing the subjects to life with a technique that is more sophisticated than watercolor.”
Thotsaphon Chandrasuk’s award-winning artwork depicts the serene and lush cityscape of Xiamen in Fujian Province, China.
Thotsaphon’s passion for using coffee as a painting medium dates back to his professional training, where he learned the basics of natural pigments from materials such as wood bark, flowers and coffee. His renewed focus on coffee as a medium began during a trip to the countryside when he forgot his paints and improvised with coffee, reigniting his love for this unique medium.
As a member of the International Watercolor Society (IWS) in Thailand, Thotsaphon took part in the competition in Kosovo, initially with the aim of introducing his coffee-based artwork to a wider audience.
His work was awarded first prize out of 585 entries from over 300 countries. The subject of the painting, an elderly man smoking a pipe, enveloped in a warm, smoky atmosphere, demonstrates Thotsaphon’s skill in creating an atmospheric depth that embodies a delicate balance of light and shadow, breathing life into the figure.
Thotsaphon Chandrasuk’s experimentation with coffee has reignited his passion for this unique painting medium.Thotsaphone Chandrasuk’s coffee paintings are exhibited at the residence of renowned Thai watercolorist Udom Nilratsawan in Ratchaburi Province.
Thotsaphone’s coffee paintings are exhibited at the residence of renowned Thai watercolorist Udom Nilratsawan in Ratchaburi, where students from Photharam Technical College are visiting to study his techniques. More than ten of his works are on display there, reflecting his journey through global competitions.
Among the visitors was Kunlalee Noppomrobdi, a deputy for the 1st district of Ratchaburi, who praised the province’s rich artistic heritage. She compared coffee painting to the traditional pottery of the region and expressed the hope that this art could be included in future cultural events. She even suggested the idea to the provincial tourism office, seeing coffee art as a small but effective way to expand Ratchaburi’s cultural reach.
For young people and students who want to learn coffee painting, Thotsaphon offers free lessons to pass on these skills as a foundation for further studies in the art. Students can inquire with him at 089-663787.
Thotsaphon Chandrasuk’s experimentation with coffee has reignited his passion for this unique painting medium.
BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken has dedicated itself to constantly enhancing Thais’ brain potential for the past 50 years, based on its strong belief that every Thai child has potential and the endless digital skills could provide opportunities. As AI (Artificial Intelligence)’s role has become increasingly important in daily life, the campaign “BRAND’S Brain Camp” was created to encourage young people in Thailand to be digitally literate, enhancing the country’s capacity to effectively enter the future world.
Mrs. Chutamas Ngamjitkul, BRAND’S Essence of Chicken Marketing Director, Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand) Co., Ltd, the leader in health supplements under BRAND’S®, stated that the “BRAND’S Brain Camp” campaign is a prime example of the company’s commitment to corporate value of “Giving Back to Society” by promoting youth brain potential and advancing the cause of a better world.
“‘BRAND’S Brain Camp’ campaign has entered its final phase this year through its support for the Coding War event, the country’s largest coding competition under the ‘Coding for a Better Life’ campaign by depa. This is an important activity that helps drive analytical thinking, planning, and hands-on action. The company supports prize money and BRAND’S Chicken Essence products for 1 year consumption, totaling over 600,000 baht. This competition allows us to see the capabilities of Thai youth, including their creative inventions, further reinforcing the company’s belief that all Thai children have potential within themselves, and digital skills are truly limitless. Next year, the company will continue to implement the ‘BRAND’S Brain Camp’ campaign to support the brain potential of Thai children.”
The “BRAND’S Brain Camp” campaign ran activities to improve fundamental skills in the AI era. These activities were divided into four categories: 1) the BRAND’S Brain Camp website with an interactive digital competency survey and an online course from depa, with over 30,000 users, to prepare for the future; 2) AI Road Show activities held in 8 provinces across the country, including an AI Inspiring Talk Show featuring AI experts from various professions to spark interest in digital technology. The program received over 10,000 participants and over 4 million viewers online. BRAND’S® Original Essence of Chicken, worth over a million baht, was also given to the activities’ participants; 3) support of the Coding War activity, aiming to find the best project from over 5,000 participating students nationwide to compete in the international coding competition in the Republic of Korea; and 4) coding classroom upgrade activities, by providing Micro:bit microcontroller boards, worth over a million baht, to enhance coding knowledge for schools in the “Coding for a Better Life” project all over the country.
“The campaign this year has gained overwhelming positive feedback from youth, parents, and the public in terms of helping Thai children reach their full potential and preparing them for the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This is achieved by providing 360-degree activities and media that are relevant to the interests of today’s youth, beginning with self-discovery and knowledge-seeking to develop brain potential and inspire readiness for the digital age.”
“It is with great pleasure that we continue giving back to society by nurturing the cognitive development of young people, who represent a priceless national asset. We remain committed to helping Thai children reach their full potential and will continue supporting their growth in several ways. Stay tuned for exciting new activities from BRAND’S Essence of Chicken in 2025.
The campaign “BRAND’S Brain Camp: Boost Coding Skills for Youth to Succeed in the Digital World” can be followed for more information about AI education at www.BRANDSBRAINCAMP.com.
