BANGKOK: Police have charged the owner of Na Ladprao beer hall with six offences following a fire last month that killed 37 people and injured 77 others.
BANGKOK: Police have charged the owner of Na Ladprao beer hall with six offences following a fire last month that killed 37 people and injured 77 others.
A South African English teacher at Hatyai Wittayalai School in Songkhla province fled Thailand on July 19 after sending gun threat messages to staff via LINE. The school suspended classes and heightened security following the incident.
A South African English teacher employed in the school's English Program has left the country since July 19 at 2:39 p.m. through the Padang Besar border checkpoint, following threats sent via LINE messaging that included images of firearms. The former teacher, identified as Mr. Pieter, targeted staff and administrators at Hatyai Wittayalai School in Songkhla province. The school immediately suspended in-person classes and shifted to online instruction for safety.
Police from Hatyai Station have confirmed the teacher's departure. Security has been heightened around the school, with continuous patrols and entry restrictions in place. The school has announced online classes for August 10–11 and is conducting an urgent review of the incident.
The school principal has filed a report regarding the distribution of firearm images and threatening messages. The former teacher had previously made allegations on social media concerning wages, social security contributions, contract guarantees, budget management, and flood damage reporting.
Hatyai Wittayalai School has issued a statement denying the accusations and asserting that all financial procedures comply with regulations. Students who knew the teacher described him as friendly and kind, though they were shocked by the threatening content and images he distributed.
Prince of Songkla University's Surat Thani campus hosted a regional occupational safety seminar on August 5-6, 2025, featuring workshops on smart safety technology and recognizing 37 businesses for accident prevention efforts.
Prince of Songkla University's Surat Thani campus, in collaboration with the Institute for the Promotion of Occupational Safety, Health and Environment (public organization), is driving workplace safety knowledge and networks through a regional academic seminar on occupational safety and health in Surat Thani Province scheduled for August 5-6, 2025, at the university conference hall. The event aims to build a safety culture while integrating smart safety technology and innovation to elevate workplace safety standards and support economic and industrial growth in Southern Thailand.
Dr. Nanthachai Pannyasurit, director of the Institute for the Promotion of Occupational Safety, Health and Environment, presided over the opening ceremony. District Chief Suchaow Toomosik, representing the provincial governor, welcomed participants, while Associate Professor Suchadha Thipmonthree, vice rector of the Surat Thani campus, addressed the university's collaborative role in supporting the event and developing occupational safety knowledge at the regional level.
The seminar attracted participation from government officials, private sector representatives, safety network partners, business operators, academics, and workers from Southern Thailand to exchange knowledge and experience in occupational safety, occupational health, risk management, and the application of technology and innovation to create safer work environments.
A key highlight was the presentation of awards to 37 businesses that met the criteria of the Zero Accident Campaign 2026, recognizing organizations that prioritize accident prevention and serve as models for building safety culture within their organizations, while encouraging continuous improvement of safety standards across business and industry.
Over the two-day event, diverse knowledge-sharing activities were conducted, including academic lectures, panel discussions, demonstrations of safety innovations, virtual reality (VR) training, and exhibitions from government agencies, private companies, and educational institutions. These provided participants with practical exposure to safety technologies, tools, and management approaches applicable to their workplaces.
The event reflects the Smart Safety approach, which integrates technology and innovation as essential tools for risk prevention and management while building organizational safety awareness and culture. This positions occupational safety and health development to keep pace with technological change and contemporary work models.
As a higher education institution in Southern Thailand, Prince of Songkla University's Surat Thani campus plays a vital role in supporting academic knowledge, personnel development, and networking collaboration between the university, government agencies, business, and industry to collectively raise occupational safety, health, and work environment standards—a foundation for improving worker quality of life, organizational efficiency, and economic development.
The National Anti-Corruption Fund partnered with celebrity actors and Rayong students to create short films combining anti-corruption education with performing arts, teaching youth about integrity and corruption's societal impact.
The National Anti-Corruption Fund is building ethical resilience among Thai youth through a practical workshop program that combines anti-corruption education with performing arts. The project invites students from Assumption School Rayong to develop scripts and storylines themselves, guided by renowned director Marutt Sarawat and a professional team. Celebrity actors including Mook Worranit Thawornvong, Ping Raphat Eknidiseth, Jeegraceka Paveenida Chanjahatkij, Piew Chindhorn Thappayon, Titan Narawich Boonritthee, and Happy Neramit Chaisit participated alongside the students. The workshop produces entertaining yet socially beneficial short films that instill integrity from school age onward, helping youth understand teamwork, responsibility, and how small acts of corruption can escalate into national problems.
For audiences and society at large, the films raise awareness about corruption's daily impact and reflect real-world issues of abuse of power and negative behavioral patterns that viewers can immediately apply to their lives. Mook Worranit expressed enthusiasm about working with the students, viewing their creative involvement as a positive sign of Thailand's youth awakening to corruption's dangers and appreciating the professional guidance from director Marutt Sarawat. She hopes the anti-corruption plays will serve as a mirror for young people and audiences to recognize that integrity is life's most fundamental foundation.
Piew Chindhorn, a prominent influencer joining the project, emphasized that communicating anti-corruption messages to younger audiences requires creative and accessible media, which this short film delivers. She expressed pride in collaborating with the Anti-Corruption Fund and witnessed the determination of students, influencers, and actors unified in a common purpose, demonstrating that young people's power can genuinely transform society—beginning with refusing to accept wrongdoing in schools and extending toward building a transparent future. Titan Narawich, a young actor, expressed joy at being part of a creative anti-corruption project.
A Khon Kaen student endured years of bullying, extortion, and physical assault by classmates who threatened him into silence, with injuries including cigarette burns discovered only when his mother intervened in Grade 12. Police are investi
An update on the case of a Grade 12 student at Khon Kaen Wittayaan School who was bullied, extorted, assaulted, and burned with cigarettes by classmates, prompting his parents to seek help. The school later issued a statement addressing the incident.
In a recent interview, the parent of the student (referred to as "A") revealed that his son has attended the school since Grade 10. Initially, classmates would borrow small sums of money—typically 100 to 200 baht—but this soon escalated as a group of peers began requesting loans more frequently and in larger amounts. When the student refused, he was physically assaulted. He described being locked in empty rooms and repeatedly beaten from Grade 10 semester two through Grade 12, bearing visible injuries. He did not tell his family because he was threatened with death or further harm.
On the first day of classes in Grade 12, during lunch break, the suspects again called him into an empty room, demanded money, locked him in, and when he refused, burned him with cigarettes and assaulted him further. The mother discovered bruises and marks on his face and body, and after questioning him, learned the full story.
The parent explained that after discovering the abuse, the family met with the vice principal for student affairs, who promised an investigation and to arrange a meeting with the principal. However, the principal did not attend the scheduled meeting and sent another teacher instead, leaving the family without the details they sought. The teacher stated that the accused students denied the allegations, claiming there was no evidence, and seemed to want the matter closed to protect the school's reputation.
The teacher advised the family to file a police complaint, so they pursued legal action. Initially, the family wanted to transfer schools, but their son insisted on staying since graduation was near, so he continued attending despite sharing classes with all three suspects, causing the family ongoing concern.
Major Yosawat Kaewsuebnit, superintendent of Muang Khon Kaen Police Station, confirmed that the student and parents filed a complaint in May on charges of assault and theft. Investigators have questioned the youth suspects in the presence of a multidisciplinary team and taken statements from five relevant witnesses, including teachers and parents from both sides.
Police have scheduled separate interrogations of the three accused youths in the presence of a multidisciplinary team for August 18, 19, and 25, 2026, respectively. The case remains under investigation and will proceed according to legal procedures, with police assuring fair treatment for all parties.
Thailand is overhauling gun laws with stricter penalties following school shootings, banning civilians from carrying firearms in public and holding registered owners liable if their weapons are stolen or misused.
On August 9, 2025, Watchara Phongsuwan, a Saraburi MP and chairman of the parliamentary police committee, outlined the government's approach to addressing gun violence. Recent tragedies—including a 14-year-old's shooting rampage at Thepsirin School in Nonthaburi province that killed and injured many, and an incident in which a secondary student brandished a firearm to threaten and assault classmates near Saman Sen Road—underscore how a culture of carrying weapons in public has led to devastating loss of life. Phongsuwan said his committee will coordinate with the Royal Thai Police and Interior Ministry to overhaul and comprehensively revise the Firearms Act to impose far stricter and more rigorous penalties.
The sweeping enforcement initiative will target the root of the problem by outright banning ordinary civilians and off-duty government officials from carrying firearms outside their homes. Anyone violating this ban without authorization faces serious criminal charges and severe punishment. The new law will also hold registered gun owners jointly criminally liable if their weapons are stolen or used by others to shoot people, unless they file a daily loss report before the incident occurs.
Phongsuwan stressed that all gun owners must secure their weapons with extreme care to prevent children and youth from accessing them. He dismissed proposals for teachers to carry guns in schools for self-defense, aligning with the Prime Minister's earlier rejection of the idea. Teachers are not law enforcement officers and have no direct duty to wield firearms, he noted. The correct solution is strict enforcement of new gun laws to remove weapons from public circulation, rather than introducing more firearms into schools.
A popular 16-million-follower food Facebook page reported being unable to find their seats at Thailand's women's volleyball match in Chiang Mai despite having tickets, blaming overselling beyond stadium capacity.
The Facebook page 'Kub Khao Kub Pla O Plaocooking', which has more than 16 million followers, posted about the women's volleyball CV Cup 2026 held at Chiang Mai's 700 Years Stadium, reporting they had tickets but couldn't find seats. Thailand's women's volleyball team is scheduled to play their final group match against Vietnam in the CV Cup 2026 at Chiang Mai's 700 Years Stadium, a highly anticipated game drawing significant fan interest. The popular page later posted that they had arrived to watch the match but were unable to find their seats after searching for nearly an hour. Their post stated: "The seating management system is terrible. We have tickets but no seats. We've been walking around for almost an hour and still haven't found our spot. We understand there are many fans, but why are they selling tickets beyond the stadium's capacity?" The Thailand women's volleyball team will face Vietnam at 4:30 p.m.
Police are investigating threatening messages posted in a parent chat at Thepsirin School in Nonthaburi after students shared screenshots of plans for a serious incident. Enhanced security measures, including plainclothes officers and weapo
Police in Plai Bang subdistrict are investigating threatening messages circulating in the parent group chat at Thepsirin School in Nonthaburi, where students shared screenshots of a conversation discussing plans for another serious incident on August 17-18. On August 8, school parent network chairman Parisa Srisangchai and vice chairman Nathpong Saketu filed a report with police and submitted evidence of the threatening LINE chat messages. Police Colonel Phaskorn Chaiyatwivong, superintendent of Plai Bang Station, confirmed they launched an investigation and are preparing security protocols for the school's reopening on Monday, August 17, including stationing plainclothes officers at the campus around the clock. The parent network clarified that the mention of a potential second perpetrator likely stemmed from student confusion, as undercover police from Lumpini Station arrived to assist students, whom some mistook for another attacker. The school has also announced heightened weapons screening and mental health support measures for students and staff when classes resume.
Ayutthaya police seized 320kg of crystal methamphetamine worth 38 million baht from a pickup truck on August 8, though the driver escaped before arrest. The drugs were being transported from Udon Thani to Bangkok as part of a monitored traf
Ayutthaya police seize 320kg of crystal meth worth 38 million bahtLegacyOfficers from the Ayutthaya Highway Police, working with the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, seized 320 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine worth an estimated 38 million baht on the evening of August 8. The driver of the vehicle escaped on foot before he could be arrested. According to a report from the Highway Police Facebook page, investigators had been monitoring a drug network collecting narcotics from Udon Thani province for transport to Bangkok. A closed-body pickup truck matching the network’s profile was spotted travelling through Wang Noi district in Ayutthaya. Officers moved to stop the vehicle, but the driver noticed and sped towards the Wang Noi power plant before abandoning the truck and fleeing on foot. Photo courtesy of Matichon A search of the refrigerated compartment at the rear of the vehicle turned up 323 bags of crystal methamphetamine, weighing roughly 320 kilogrammes in total. Forensic officers were called to the scene to collect evidence. The Narcotics Suppression Bureau said the investigation is ongoing, with police working to track down the driver and identify other members of the network, reported Matichon. Photo courtesy of Matichon In another separate incident, Narcotics Suppression Police Region 3, with the Pha Muang Task Force and Ranger Regiment 31, seized eight million methamphetamine pills hidden in a Chiang Rai cemetery on August 1. Officers recovered 27 sacks of drugs from Ban Sao Wa cemetery in San Sai Ngam subdistrict, Thoeng district, concealed among gravesites awaiting onward transport. Each pill bore a red ‘999’ stamp linked to a Myanmar-based production network. The shipment crossed from Shan State through Laos and remote Chiang Rai border routes before reaching the cemetery. Police believe a fugitive known as ‘Long’, wanted and hiding in Laos, financed the operation. The story Ayutthaya police seize 320kg of crystal meth worth 38 million baht as seen on Thaiger News.
A burglar broke into a home in Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, stealing a wall-mounted safe, 14 designer bags, passports and documents worth several million baht while the owners were away.
Thief steals millions from foreigner’s Prachuap Khiri Khan homeLegacyA thief broke into the home of a foreign businessman in Prachuap Khiri Khan while he and his wife were away, stealing an entire safe, 14 designer bags and other valuables worth several million baht, according to reports today, August 9. The burglary took place at the home of Kornchawan and her foreign husband, Reiner, in Wang Phong subdistrict, Pran Buri district. The break-in was discovered when a housekeeper arrived at the property and found signs of forced entry around a bathroom door. A mosquito screen had also been cut, which was believed to have been used as an entry point. Inside the house, a safe that had been securely attached to a wall and door had been forced out and removed entirely. Photo via DailyNews The stolen property included 14 designer bags and several important documents, including land title deeds and three vehicle registration books. The documents covered a Toyota C-HR, an electric car and a motorcycle. Several cheques were also missing, along with two German passports, one Thai passport, gold jewellery, a luxury watch and house keys. Kornchawan filed a police complaint with Pran Buri Police Station on August 7. Investigators and forensic officers examined the property for evidence, including latent fingerprints, while police began reviewing CCTV footage from routes around the area in an effort to identify the thief. Photo via DailyNews Kornchawan has also appealed to residents and businesses in nearby areas to report anyone attempting to sell property matching the stolen items. She specifically asked second-hand dealers, pawn shops and businesses buying pre-owned designer bags to remain vigilant. The homeowner is offering a reward for information that leads to the thief’s arrest and the recovery of her property. Elsewhere, police are hunting for a thief who broke into a luxury home in Phuket and stole 40 baht-weight of gold (about 600 grammes) and more than 3 million baht while the homeowner was overseas. The story Thief steals millions from foreigner’s Prachuap Khiri Khan home as seen on Thaiger News.
Parents' representatives clarified that rumors of two shooters at Thepsirin Nonthaburi School stem from students mistaking an off-duty police officer for a second gunman during the incident. The school denies negligence and bullying claims,
Parent network representatives Natthapon Saketee and Parisa Silaengchai from Thepsirin Nonthaburi School went to Plaibang Police Station to file a report and clear up rumors that there were two gunmen involved in the school violence. They addressed the media to clarify facts and protect the school's reputation and students' mental wellbeing.
They revealed that messages shared among students and parents had caused panic and concern that multiple perpetrators or a repeat incident might occur. Investigation found the confusion stemmed from a misunderstanding by students. On the day of the incident, when students ran down from the building, they saw a man in black carrying a gun and mistakenly thought there were two perpetrators. In reality, the man in black was an off-duty police officer (a "dab" officer) from Lumpini Station—the first responder to arrive at the scene, who showed his identification before leading students out of the building.
When asked whether the perpetrator had been bullied or showed warning signs, the parent representatives stated the student appeared normal with no indicators of violence. They refuted claims that the school was negligent, lacked discipline, or tolerated bullying that led to the incident.
"This information is not true. The student perpetrator did not show abnormal behavior or warning signs requiring special attention. On the day of the incident, after leaving home, he arrived at school around 06:20, participated in the national flag salute, and attended the first class as usual before the incident occurred," they said.
They confirmed the school has comprehensive CCTV coverage and dedicated teachers, and that bullying would not be tolerated. They urged society to understand the facts and encouraged students to build mental strength.
The school announced it would suspend classes on August 10–12 and 13–14, resuming on Monday, August 17. Mental health support from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and related agencies has been provided to assess students' psychological well-being. Regular police officers monitor traffic and patrol the school grounds daily. Additional deep-level security measures are under discussion pending formal administrative review.
The parent representatives affirmed 100% confidence in the school.