Thai police have captured an Australian man, Robert Wainwright, who is sought after in Australia for drug and weapon offenses. He was found living in Phuket on a student visa with his Australian girlfriend. Pol Lt Gen Pakphumpipat Sajjapan, Immigration Bureau (IB) commissioner, announced the arrest during a press briefing and mentioned that Wainwright’s girlfriend had been handling his affairs to avoid drawing attention.
A Taiwanese man, Kuo Chemin, suspected of laundering around 3 billion baht (approximately NT$2.7 billion) for phone scammers and online gambling gangs, was arrested in Bangkok on July 27th. He has been extradited to Taipei, where he was handed over to prosecutors on August 10th. The Thai Immigration Bureau police confirmed the news during a briefing on August 18th.
Thailand has set its sights on becoming a premier destination for Muslim tourists from around the world by 2027. This ambitious goal has been announced by deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek. The focus on Muslim tourists is due to their increasing numbers and high purchasing power. In 2022 alone, over 3 million Muslim tourists visited Thailand, a significant increase from the 875,043 visitors in 2017.
The Thai government has announced plans to partially open the Map KabaoJira Junction doubletrack railway line in 2024, which will significantly increase train travel speeds in the region. Currently, passenger trains on the existing singletrack lines can only reach speeds of 50km/h. However, with the completion of the doubletrack upgrade, train speeds will increase to 120km/h for passenger services and 60km/h for freight trains.
On August 17, 2023, a Myanmar woman named Moe Moe Aye was arrested in Bangkok during a crackdown on online scams and cryptocurrency fraud by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB). The 24yearold was charged with colluding in fraud, inputting false information into a computer system, laundering money, and related offenses.
In a shocking turn of events, the Department of Industrial Works has requested legal action against 36 individuals, including the notorious serial killer, Sararat “Aem Cyanide” Rangsiwuthaporn, who has brought attention to the misuse of cyanide. The department filed the request with the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) to look into these breaches of laws regulating the poisonous chemical.
On August 18th, 2023, the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) led a series of coordinated raids across 29 locations in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, and Chon Buri, resulting in the arrest of a Chinese woman for various crimes including fraud and money laundering.
The Thai government is set to host a trade exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from August 27–30, 2023. The event, named Thai Trade Exhibition Saudi Arabia 2023, aims to promote Thai small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) by providing them with opportunities to expand their trading markets and investment options.
The installation of a giant Khru Kai Kaeo statue at a hotel near the RatchadaLat Phrao intersection in Bangkok has sparked controversy and demands for relocation from two Thai civic groups. The deity, represented by a gargoylelike sculpture, has reportedly been causing fear among some people and eliciting concern from various sectors about the effects it has on the surrounding community.
Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) has launched the “Fraud Fighter” campaign to address the growing issue of financial frauds and scams in Thailand. This initiative aims to provide the public with essential knowledge and tools to protect themselves against these malicious activities. This move comes as the Royal Thai Police reports significant losses due to online scams, with an average daily loss of 74 million baht.