Five men claiming to be narcotics officers from Chiang Mai Region 33 allegedly abducted an elephant handler and left him severely injured on a roadside. All five have surrendered, with a sergeant rank officer heading the operation and denying the charges. On July 20, 2025, more than 100 residents from Pang Chang village in Mae Taeng district, members of the Karen ethnic minority, gathered at the Chiang Mai Provincial Police Office with the victim's wife to demand justice. The wife wept as she submitted a formal complaint to Lt. Col. Yutthana Kaenjanchon, the provincial police commander. Yutthana disclosed that the victim remains hospitalized with severe injuries and cannot yet provide a statement.

Chiang Mai provincial police determined that the perpetrators were five officers from Region 33's narcotics task force, led by a sergeant. Two officers have already confessed, and three others submitted their intent to surrender today. Investigators have questioned witnesses and the victim's family. Initial charges of "abuse of authority" have been filed, with additional charges pending the victim's statement and further evidence. The case will also be referred to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

The accused officers deny wrongdoing, claiming they were performing legitimate duties and that the victim fell from their vehicle and was not seriously injured at the time. They stated they transported him to the location where he was found. However, no other witnesses have yet corroborated their account. Investigators await the victim's statement to establish the facts.

The victim's wife tearfully described her husband as the family's sole breadwinner, now uncertain how she and their children will survive financially. She has submitted letters requesting help from Chiang Mai's ruling party parliamentarians and appealed directly to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul for justice. She also filed a separate request for aid from the ruling party representatives in the province, calling for fairness toward the Karen ethnic community.

Thailand's Government Public Relations Department (PRD) has taken a major step forward in international media cooperation, signing three Memorandums of Understanding with some of China's most influent...

The Phuket Express -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Here is a look at the top NATIONAL Thailand stories, chosen by our Pattaya News/TPN National team, from last week, Monday, July 13th to Sunday, July 19th. They are not in any particular level of importance but are listed in the order of date of publication. A massive fire ripped through a well-known beer pub […] Top National Thailand Stories From the Past Week: Bangkok Pub Fire Death Toll Reaches 34, and More -=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=- The Phuket Express - Real. Unbiased. Impactful. In the moment.

The Phuket Express -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Phuket – Authorities launched a pre-dawn raid on Phuket’s bustling Downtown Market after receiving complaints that foreign nationals were illegally operating stalls in violation of Thai labor laws. The operation, dubbed “Dawn at Downtown”, began in the early morning on weekend. The raid was carried out jointly by the Phuket Provincial Employment Office and police […] Crackdown on Illegal Work at Phuket’s Downtown Market Leads to One Arrest, Many Evade Sweep -=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=- The Phuket Express - Real. Unbiased. Impactful. In the moment.

Khao Yai National Park officials explained the decision to use firecrackers on the wild elephant Phlai Sarika, stating the animal was in musth and becoming increasingly aggressive, making the controlled deterrent necessary. Park authorities emphasized the safety of both people and elephant, and announced a fact-finding committee would review the incident and improve operational procedures.

Online criticism arose following images and video from July 12 showing staff deploying the device against Phlai Sarika near the Sarika Waterfall entrance in Nakhon Nayok Province. On July 20, park director Chaiyya Huay Hongthong explained that the person in the footage was a mobile patrol ranger tasked with monitoring wild elephants. He attributed the apparent closeness between workers and the elephant in the video to camera angle distortion, asserting that actual working distances remained safe throughout the incident. The park thanked the public for feedback and said it would improve communication and operational guidelines.

Park officials also established a committee to thoroughly investigate the matter and ensure fairness. Sataporn Teerawattana, head of National Park Zone 6, provided scientific context: over the past two months, Phlai Sarika exhibited signs of musth, making the elephant more aggressive, less aware of surroundings, and more prone to confronting obstacles. Gentle pushing methods and light barriers previously effective were no longer sufficient.

On the day of the incident, Phlai Sarika had led over 20 wild elephants into a local durian plantation, causing damage and threatening public safety. With the elephant in musth and displaying heightened aggression, staff needed to urgently push the herd out of residential areas to prevent wider damage and reduce risk to lives and property. Staff and volunteers chose firecrackers over loud noise devices to avoid startling the elephant into panic or harming its hearing, instead briefly attracting visual attention to stop the animals' advance without causing physical injury.

The park established a committee to examine the facts, instructing operational teams to refine procedures with emphasis on advance monitoring, regular risk assessment and route tracking with wildlife experts, and increased community cooperation on food-source management to reduce elephants leaving the forest.

At 11:00 a.m. on July 20, 2026, at Government House, Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angsukulkiatti, Deputy Interior Minister Phalpheer Suvannchaui, Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration Naruchat Khotshivilai, Finance Ministry Spokesman Winit Wisesuvannaphoomi, and Deputy Government Spokesperson Lalida Perischviwattana announced revisions to the state welfare card appeals process concerning the Transport and Interior ministries.

Siripong stated that the Transport Ministry apologized for any inconvenience caused by the initial screening criteria, which aimed to reach eligible recipients but encountered practical limitations. Since July 17, the Land Transport Department has been facilitating applications for affected citizens.

Regarding vehicle ownership rules, Siripong explained that welfare card recipients must not own motor vehicles except for: 1) motorcycles not exceeding 300cc, 2) three-wheeled vehicles, 3) four-wheeled commercial vehicles, and 4) single agricultural vehicles.

The ministry received numerous complaints about citizens owning old, non-functional vehicles still registered, vehicles reported lost or damaged with uncancelled registrations, sold vehicles with incomplete ownership transfers, and cases of identity fraud in vehicle purchases. These four issues prompted the Transport Ministry to request the Finance Ministry review the criteria. The Cabinet will consider two main adjustments:

1) Vehicles over 20 years old will be excluded from consideration—for example, a single functional vehicle used for decades would not disqualify someone from the welfare card. 2) Motorcycles over 15 years old will be exempt, and ownership limits will increase to two motorcycles not exceeding 300cc if the holder is still making loan payments.

For vehicles that have ceased functioning but remain registered, citizens can file reports with provincial transport offices, which will document cases and assist with appeals. For sold vehicles with incomplete transfers, applicants can register these with transport offices if they have documentation, or provide witness statements if documentation is unavailable.