A Nigerian man and 13 Thais were arrested for their involvement in a romance scam gang that defrauded victims of approximately 800 million baht (around $24 million) over three years. The arrests took place after police conducted operations across seven provinces in Thailand.
A 34yearold woman, Kanittha Senkhoksung, has been arrested for operating a pyramid scheme that caused more than 9 million baht in damages. The scheme lured in over 100 investors, who were then victimized by the fraudulent operation. A 34yearold woman, Kanittha Senkhoksung, has been arrested for operating a pyramid scheme that caused more than 9 million baht in damages. The scheme lured in over 100 investors, who were then victimized by the fraudulent operation.
Thaksin Shinawatra, former prime minister of Thailand, has been assigned a private room on the medical ward of Bangkok Remand Prison due to his underlying health conditions. At 74 years old, Thaksin has four known health issues, including heart and lung problems. The Department of Corrections has stated that Thaksin’s health will be closely monitored to provide proper medical care and ensure his safety.
An exemplary act of honesty occurred last Saturday when taxi driver Pornsak Phunee returned a wallet containing a significant sum of money to a Bangladeshi tourist. The wallet, which was left in Pornsak’s cab, contained over 370,000 baht in foreign currencies, photos, and a credit card belonging to Jahirul Islam Munshi.
Outofcourt settlements have significantly benefited the economy since the law facilitating them took effect on May 23, 2019. According to the government, a total of 53,030 civil and 353 criminal cases have been settled without court involvement. This approach has saved people about 6.88 billion baht in court fees for civil cases, while outofcourt settlements in criminal cases have saved the state up to 27 billion baht.
On July 29th, a devastating explosion occurred at a fireworks warehouse in Sungai Kolok district’s tambon Muno, Narathiwat province. The blast tragically claimed 12 lives and left 389 people injured. In addition to the human toll, the explosion destroyed three schools and caused significant damage to 682 homes in Muno village.
The Huai Khwang district in Bangkok has witnessed a growing parallel Chinese society, as more Chinese expats have settled in the area. Dubbed the second Yaowarat or Bangkok’s new Chinatown, Huai Khwang saw a temporary exodus of Chinese vendors during the pandemic. However, with the Chinese government reopening its borders in January, investors have returned to the district, bringing life back to Pracharat Bamphen Road and the surrounding area.
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.