PHUKET — A dispute over a tuk-tuk fare involving Israeli tourists and Australian tourists erupted in Patong, Phuket, on 9 August, after a tuk-tuk driver claimed an Israeli tourist argued with him and tried to force an Australian couple out of his vehicle.

The incident took place at about 20:15 on Thawiwong Road in Patong subdistrict, Kathu district.

The incident gained widespread attention online after a Facebook user named "Oiltuktukpatong Saranate" posted dashcam footage of the confrontation. The user captioned the first video, "Let's see what the Israeli family did," before posting additional footage and alleging that the tourists had verbally abused him, spat at him and attempted to lift a concrete barrier in what he believed was an effort to threaten him.

According to the tuk-tuk driver who posted the footage, a family of five Israeli tourists—a couple and their three children—had approached him earlier that evening to ask about the fare for a trip to the Patong beach area.

The two sides were unable to agree on a price and went their separate ways.

Shortly afterwards, an Australian couple approached the tuk-tuk and got into the vehicle. The Israeli family then returned and told the driver they wanted to share the ride.

The driver said he refused because the vehicle already had passengers.

An argument then broke out. The driver alleged that the Israeli man told the Australian couple to get out of the tuk-tuk because the family wanted to use the vehicle. The driver refused to comply, after which the dispute escalated into a heated verbal confrontation.

The driver further alleged that the Israeli man used offensive language and shouted at him to leave the area. At one point, the man appeared to try to lift a concrete barrier beside the road, according to the driver, who said he feared it could be used to assault him. The man was reportedly unable to lift it.

Parts of the incident were captured by the tuk-tuk's dashcam and later posted on social media, prompting widespread online criticism.

Much of the discussion focused on the dispute over the fare and the alleged attempt to make the Australian passengers leave the tuk-tuk.

The driver said he had worked in Phuket's tourism industry for several decades and disagreed with the behaviour shown during the incident.

He said verbal abuse and attempts to intimidate others should not occur in a tourist destination.

PHUKET: Government offices across Phuket will close today (Aug 12) as Thailand observes the birthday anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, with the day also celebrated nationwide as National Mother’s Day.

On August 11, 2025, the Corruption Court postponed a hearing on the indictment in case number Aor. 31/2569, brought by Adm. Chakrapong Sawaegsathit against EC Chairman Nrong Klanyvarinthorn, seven other officials, and the EC secretary-general. All eight defendants are accused of official misconduct or breach of duty under Section 157 of the Criminal Code, combined with provisions of the Election Commission Organization Act (Section 69), the House of Representatives Election Act (Section 149), and the Anti-Corruption Act (Section 172). The defendants allegedly conspired to order the printing of QR codes on green ballots for constituency elections and barcodes on pink party-list ballots. Prosecutors argue this added unnecessary cost and complexity to ballot verification, lacked transparency, and undermined the secrecy of the voting process for all Thai citizens. The court rescheduled the hearing to October 7, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. This is the fourth postponement since the case was originally set for March 17, then moved to May 19, then August 11.

A 29-year-old man identified as Peerphol (surname withheld) has surrendered to Muang Songkhla Police following an overnight attack that left his mother's new boyfriend dead. The victim, 53-year-old Winai (surname withheld), was stabbed and slashed more than 10 times before Peerphol seized a .38 revolver from the victim's waistband and fired 3-4 additional rounds. The incident occurred at a residential building in Muang district, Songkhla province. Police are currently investigating the case as Peerphol remains in custody with both weapons recovered. The front of the house where the attack took place remains sealed off, with blood stains, broken glass, and a shattered beauty shop door still visible. Neighbors revealed the suspect is normally withdrawn and keeps to himself at home, typically observed only when buying water or snacks from local shops, but had been involved in disputes with his stepfather over the victim's late-night visits to see his mother.

Nonthaburi Provincial Health Office has fined both Chalerm Riawyaeng, a former Nonthaburi provincial official, and Rattanathepisek Police Station for smoking in a government building, with penalties of 5,000 baht and 3,000 baht respectively. On August 11, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., photos emerged showing Chalerm smoking in an office at Rattanathepisek Police Station while investigators were conducting an interrogation. This violated the Tobacco Product Control Act of 2017 and public health ministry regulations that designate all public places, workplaces, and government offices as smoke-free zones. Dr. Yuttana Homkaet, a health sciences specialist with Nonthaburi Provincial Health Office, explained that his department filed charges under the Tobacco Control Act, penalizing both the individual and the police station under Articles 40 and 42. The office reviewed the social media images, verified the allegation, and confirmed the violation. Officials stressed this was not selective enforcement, noting that any citizen can report smoking violations in public or government areas, and the same penalties apply to all offenders: 5,000 baht for individuals and 3,000 baht for government facilities, which represent the maximum fines allowed. The provincial health office has already collected the penalties and issued receipts to both parties.

Young singer Win Weekin appeared at a special screening of "Confession of a Witch Doctor" at PARADE SQUARE in the ONE BANGKOK complex, where he spoke enthusiastically about his recent releases. His debut single, which featured actress Pey Panwat in the music video, exceeded expectations in terms of public response, while his second single has been gradually gaining traction. Win also revealed that his third single has been fully shot, with a significant shift in direction. "I wanted to break away from my image as a sad-song artist," he explained. "This is a fun love song with dance moves and surprises that fans will see for the first time. It drops on September 3rd."

When asked about his current projects, Win said: "After the first single, the response was quite good, especially with Pey Panwat on board. The second single is doing even better. Most of the comments I get suggest people want something more upbeat after two sad songs."

Regarding his third single, Win shared: "The music video is already finished. I'm performing in it myself, and the label assigned an actress to work with me. I want to keep her identity a surprise for now."

Asked about the tone of the new MV, Win explained: "It's completely different from before. People know me as a sad-song artist, but this is an upbeat love song with dancing and surprises. It comes out September 3rd."

When addressed about comparisons to other artists like Ben Chalatit and Petch Sarathorn—whom he openly admires—Win responded positively: "I like that comparison. I actually admire Ben already, and when the news came out, he even shared it and liked my posts. That made me really happy."

On whether he might collaborate with them someday, Win said: "I think there's a possibility. I really admire Ben, but honestly, my new song is different. It's upbeat and fun, nothing like his style. Maybe we just have similar faces, but we're actually quite different as artists."