PHUKET: Local authorities have arrested or identified 19 people in a series of security operations targeting drugs, firearms and other offences across the province over the past several days.
PHUKET: Local authorities have arrested or identified 19 people in a series of security operations targeting drugs, firearms and other offences across the province over the past several days.
Mental health professionals deployed to Thepsirin School in Nonthaburi on August 11 to provide counseling and support to students and staff following a fatal armed incident at the school.
On August 11, the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection deployed a Mental Health Care Team of eight psychologists, together with the Mental Health Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (MCATT) from the Department of Mental Health, to Thepsirin School in Nonthaburi. The teams conducted mental health risk assessments, provided psychological first aid, initial counseling, and coordinated referrals to relevant agencies for ongoing treatment and support for children, youth, and staff affected by the armed incident that caused fatalities and injuries. Senior officials convened meetings with the Department of Mental Health director and education ministry advisors to integrate care for students, parents, and teachers. The Mental Health Care Team represents the department's commitment to protecting, supporting, and rehabilitating mental health for those affected by violent incidents and crises, working with both internal and external networks. The department also operates a warm family child and family counseling clinic that assesses behavioral and emotional issues in children and youth to prevent and identify warning signs of potential violence. Support services are available through the department's main office in Bangkok, 77 provincial observation centers, and 20 training centers nationwide.
An unlicensed taxi driver at Ubon Ratchathani bus station overcharged a Lao passenger 3,600 baht for a 94-kilometer journey before refunding the full amount after police intervention.
A Lao content creator posted about being deceived and intimidated by an unlicensed black-plate taxi operator at Ubon Ratchathani bus station. The driver initially demanded 4,500 baht for the approximately 94-kilometer journey to Chong Mek border gate in Sirinthorn District, but agreed to negotiate down to 3,600 baht after the passenger threatened to involve police.
On August 11, 2569, 32-year-old driver Satchaya met with investigating officers from Muang Ubon Ratchathani Police Station. He admitted to the overcharge, explaining that he charged 50 baht per kilometer and calculated 4,500 baht based on the distance. He claimed the passenger only had 1,500 baht and suggested finding police, leading to the negotiated price of 3,600 baht.
Satchaya apologized to the Lao passenger and returned the full 3,600 baht through transport officials. The transport office issued a fine of 2,000 baht for operating a vehicle outside its registered category and temporarily suspended his personal driving license. Police advised him to register properly as a licensed taxi or join a ride-hailing system if he wishes to continue the profession.
Engineering student Phu Kritin balanced a robotics degree at Chulalongkorn University while breaking through in Thai television, earning a Best Male Actor award and now competing for a popularity award at the 2026 FEED x KHAOSOD AWARDS.
Phu Kritin Kittcharuwankunl, nicknamed "Phu" or "Bear Phu," is an emerging young actor worth watching. Born July 4, 2003, he graduated from Burapha University's Demonstration School and later attended Dhurakij Pundit School before enrolling at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Engineering, studying Robotics and AI on an international curriculum. He even won a gold medal at the 10th SCiUS Forum for developing a robotic prototype for physical therapy, and completed his engineering degree in May 2025 while simultaneously building his entertainment career.
Phu's acting journey began earnestly in 2023 when he signed with CHANGE2561 and debuted in the series PIT BABE, playing Charlie, a fresh graduate dreaming of becoming a race car driver. The role became a breakthrough, earning him widespread recognition and strong chemistry with co-star Pavel Naresvorn. He reprised the role in PIT BABE The Series 2 in May 2024, demonstrating his growth as an actor.
Beyond the PIT BABE franchise, Phu has taken on more diverse roles, including playing Thup in the 2025 series Singsal Tai, which showcased his range and earned him Best Male Actor at the 11th Kin Ree Thong Mahacho Awards. His latest projects continue to expand his presence in Thai entertainment, and his nomination for Best Popular Male Actor at the FEED x KHAOSOD AWARDS 2026 represents another significant achievement in his growing career.
Amulets of revered Thai monks, particularly a water-droplet-shaped medallion cast by late abbot Luang Pu Hung in 1993, have become highly sought-after by collectors for their spiritual significance and rarity. Limited production runs and sa
A spiritual teaching states, "If the mind suffers, one must use the Dharma to resolve that suffering," according to Luang Pho Cha Suphattho of Wat Nong Pa Phong in Ubon Ratchathani. Luang Pu Hung Prakun Thamma, the late abbot of Wat Thung Nong Waeng Song Khon in Maha Sarakham Province, created several amulet designs, but the most sought-after is a water-droplet-shaped medallion cast in 1993 to raise funds for temple construction.
The amulet is water-droplet-shaped with a loop handle, made of dark-patina copper, with production limited to no more than 3,000 pieces. The front features a half-length image of the monk facing forward, with "Profit, Result, Flourishing" inscribed along the upper rim and "Luang Pu Hung Prakun Thamma" below the image. The reverse displays the temple location "Paeng Subdistrict, Kosumphisai District, Maha Sarakham Province" along the upper curve and "Wat Thung Nong Waeng Song Khon, B.E. 2536" along the lower curve, with the Buddhist invocation "Namo Buddhaya" in the center, making it a highly valued sacred object.
Another notable amulet from 2003 belongs to Luang Pu Na Thitibanyo, former abbot of Wat Pathumtharam in Chai Nat Province. This egg-shaped medallion was cast to celebrate his 88th birthday and is called the "Wealth and Prosperity" series. It features a raised half-length image within a two-tiered rim, with Thai script identifying the monk and his age, and Khmer script surrounding a betel leaf image on the reverse. This amulet is now quite rare.
Luang Pho Moi Phuttharakkhito, the late abbot of Wat Don Rai in Suphan Buri, created a highly popular amulet series in 2552 (2009) for his death anniversary. The oval-shaped medal was cast in 20,000 pieces using dark-patina copper, featuring the monk in meditation posture on the front and a triple-linked yantra on the reverse, with Khmer script and commemorative Thai inscriptions. Despite being relatively new, this amulet has gained considerable popularity.
Luang Pho Somchai Thitiviriya, a respected teacher of Vipassana meditation and former sangha leader at Wat Khao Sukhim in Chanthaburi, produced several popular amulet series. The most sought-after is the "Tiger-Ox" series from July 15, 1978, symbolizing his birth year (Tiger) and the year of casting (Ox). The circular medal features his half-length image, the temple name, and a crouching tiger and ox facing each other on the reverse, with the word "Compassion" and the casting date below. This amulet remains highly collected.
Luang Pu Chaeng, fourth abbot of Wat Pradu in Samut Songkhram, was a revered monk renowned for healing powers including blessed sacred water and herbal remedies. King Chulalongkorn visited the temple in 1904 after learning of the monk's abi
Luang Pu Chaeng Punnajantu, the fourth abbot of Wat Pradu in Ampawa district, Samut Songkhram province, was a venerable Buddhist scholar of the old tradition, revered for his profound mystical knowledge and spiritual merit. Wat Pradu is an ancient temple believed to have been constructed in the late Ayutthaya period, approximately 1877 CE, and is considered one of the oldest temples in the Samut Songkhram region.
Historical accounts record that during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), the king embarked on a royal journey by water on July 21, 1904. As his royal barge passed in front of Wat Pradu, he paused for breakfast and noticed an unusually large gathering of villagers at the riverside pavilion. Intrigued, he instructed a court official to inquire about the reason for this assembly. The official learned that Luang Pu Chaeng, the temple's abbot, was a monk with extraordinary healing abilities. His most renowned practice was the creation of blessed sacred water, which reportedly cured anyone afflicted by spirits, curses, or supernatural possession—no malevolent entity could withstand its power. He also prepared sacred herbal medicine made from maka leaves, used alongside the blessed water.
When King Chulalongkorn learned of these abilities, he soon invited Luang Pu Chaeng to the royal palace to treat a royal family member. Following successful treatment that resulted in recovery, the king was deeply impressed and bestowed upon the monk various treasures including ornate beds, royal fans, and river boats as tokens of gratitude. According to history, the king visited Wat Pradu on multiple occasions and granted many items of royal merit to the temple.
Wat Pradu subsequently established a royal merit museum to preserve and maintain these royal gifts for posterity and the benefit of future devotees. Ancient medical texts attribute the origin of various healing practices—including the physician's lancet for exorcism, medicinal balms, and talismanic objects—to Luang Pu Chaeng of Wat Pradu. He treated patients using only a few herbal remedies: maka leaves and galangal, combined with sacred incantations and decoctions.
Beyond the herbal treatments, the most celebrated aspect of his practice was his "sacred blessed water." Legend holds that anyone upon whom this water was sprinkled was cured of all ailments, whether caused by curses, psychological affliction, or madness—all patients recovered without exception.
One notable account describes an occasion when Luang Pu Chaeng was summoned to the royal palace. Dressed in aged robes, the palace guards at the entrance initially refused him entry. Calmly, he replied that King Rama V had invited him to perform prayers and opened his fan to display the royal insignia—a gold fan bearing the mark of the monarch himself (emblazoned with the royal emblem of Narayana with the Garuda). The astounded guards immediately escorted him inside. Upon arrival, he respectfully sat at the lowest position. The sangha officer who witnessed this immediately informed the king, who graciously invited the monk to be seated in the second position of honor, just below the Sangha Patriarch and above many other senior members.
Luang Pu Chaeng is believed to have passed away between 1922 and 1929 CE. His remains are still preserved at Wat Pradu.
SC Asset Corporation is launching the "SC Ready to Live" campaign featuring 72 fully furnished model homes across 32 Bangkok-area projects, offering ready-to-occupy properties with complete interior design and cashback incentives up to 5 mi
SC Asset Corporation is launching an aggressive second-half marketing strategy, leveraging 72 fully furnished model homes from 32 projects across Bangkok and its suburbs under the "SC Ready to Live" campaign to drive purchasing decisions and accelerate sales amid challenging real estate market conditions.
According to Nattakitti Sirirat, Deputy Managing Director of Marketing Innovation and Design at SC Asset Corporation, the company has developed a large-scale marketing campaign using model homes valued at approximately 2.9 billion baht. The featured homes span Bangkok and surrounding areas, with prices ranging from 5.99 to 135 million baht, and are fully decorated with furniture, lighting, and landscaping to give customers a true sense of actual living conditions.
SC views model homes as a competitive advantage rather than a liability, offering buyers ready-to-occupy properties with complete interior and exterior design work—savings that typically start at 500,000 baht for design services alone. The company has shifted from promoting individual model homes to packaging them as a unified campaign across multiple projects, providing customers with more options and enhancing marketing efficiency.
The campaign, running through September 30, 2025, includes cashback incentives up to 5 million baht depending on individual project terms, plus cleaning and moving services. The first five units sold also receive additional company-specific offers. Beyond the Ready to Live campaign, SC is also implementing a re-launch strategy featuring new home designs in existing projects to refresh its product offerings and better meet customer needs, particularly as mid-to-luxury market segments face intensifying price competition and stagnant sales in certain locations.
A drug-addled 48-year-old man climbed a 60-meter radio tower in Buriram while under the influence, scattering complaint papers below before rescue officials persuaded him down after two hours.
Buriram authorities were alarmed when a 48-year-old man under the influence of drugs climbed a radio transmission tower, scattering flyers that accused him of being harassed. After a two-hour persuasion effort, he was successfully brought down. Police noted the man had undergone drug rehabilitation several times but continued using, ultimately causing his wife to leave him.
On August 11, Buriram City Police and the Sawang Dharma Rescue Unit were alerted by Thai Radio Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) Buriram that a man had climbed a radio tower and was in danger. Officials, including Sritham Rajkaew, Deputy Governor of Buriram, and Lieutenant Colonel Siriwan Somkitchiri, Deputy Commander of Buriram Provincial Police, rushed to the scene.
They found a man identified as Nanthon, 48, from Koksra village, Kho Wan subdistrict, Lahan Sai district, Buriram, who had climbed halfway up the 120-meter-tall radio tower to a height of 60 meters. Below the tower, officers discovered a Honda Wave motorcycle without Nanthon's seat and a beer-colored liquid in a bottle near the motorcycle's front rack. They also found four attached printed pages that Nanthon had dropped to the ground.
The papers contained what appeared to be grievances stating he had not received assistance from state agencies. The content indicated that his home contained chemical leaks, even near his phone charger, causing family hardship. He claimed he had filed complaints at the Lahan Sai District Office but was instead subjected to a urine test along with his wife, leaving him unsure whom to turn to.
Government officials used megaphones to persuade Nanthon to descend, while rescue units from multiple areas were asked to provide additional airbags due to his height. After more than two hours, Nanthon agreed to come down, much to the relief of the officials on scene.
Nanthon stated he had attempted to file complaints at multiple agencies but was denied, as they dismissed his claims that his family was being exposed to toxins. Fearful for their safety and frustrated by government inaction, he brought along a sample of the toxin in a bottle before climbing the tower out of frustration.
Cheliwan Pothikaet, a Thai PBS staff member who witnessed the incident, reported that Nanthon entered without responding when asked which agency he was from, then quickly climbed the radio tower and refused to come down before authorities were notified.
Sritham Rajkaew, Deputy Governor of Buriram, stated that preliminary background checks revealed Nanthon had been involved with drugs and had a history of mental health treatment. He will be sent for another physical examination.
When asked about Nanthon's claims, Thaiphnom Somserm, Chief of Lahan Sai District, stated that the man was a drug addict who had been sent for rehabilitation multiple times without improvement, and his wife had eventually fled the home. He acknowledged that the Lahan Sai district area is severely affected by crystal methamphetamine.
Thai authorities are searching for a 30-year-old German tourist who disappeared after swimming at a Phuket beach despite red warning flags indicating dangerous conditions due to strong winds and rough waves.
Phuket – Thai authorities are searching for Jannik Jürgen Knobel, a 30-year-old German national, who went missing after entering the sea at Freedom Beach in Phuket province on August 10, when strong winds and rough waves prompted officials to display red warning flags. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin ordered the Royal Forest Department […]
Toyota Motor Thailand has launched refreshed 2025 Alphard and Vellfire luxury MPVs with a new hybrid Smart variant offering more accessible pricing for the premium segment. Both vehicles feature advanced safety technology, all-wheel-drive c
The Toyota Alphard and Vellfire have been popular luxury MPVs since their first generation, and despite competition from various electric vehicle competitors, their appeal has remained undiminished. Toyota Motor Thailand has now launched refreshed 2025 models with a new HEV Smart variant at a more accessible price point for luxury car enthusiasts entering this segment.
The refreshed 2025 Alphard and Vellfire follow a "Seamless Serenity" design concept, featuring a luxury seven-seat multipurpose vehicle with enhanced comfort and refinement. Both are powered by a 2.5-liter hybrid engine combining dual electric motors and a 2.5-liter Dual VVT-i gasoline engine, with new E-Four all-wheel-drive technology and TNGA platform architecture designed to improve handling and road grip. The vehicles include advanced Toyota Safety Sense features such as dynamic radar cruise control with lane-keep assist, pre-collision safety system, lane departure alert, and intelligent headlight control.
The new Alphard HEV Smart variant features LED headlights and taillights with sequential turn signals, 19-inch alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch digital display, and a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto navigation and T-Connect services. Interior appointments include premium Nappa leather with power adjustment, seat heaters and ventilators, a premium executive lounge-style second-row seat with 10-way power adjustment and massage function, a fold-down wooden side table, acoustic glass windows, a detachable tablet controller, four-zone climate control, and a dual moonroof with powered sunshade capable of 64 ambient lighting colors.
The Alphard HEV Premium and Vellfire HEV Premium add automatic retractable steps, rear twin moonroof with powered shade, color head-up display, 14-inch rear passenger screen, and front/rear 4K dashcam. The Alphard HEV Premium Luxury features executive lounge second-row seating, a fold-down personal table, Uzuramoku wood trim, acoustic glass on the first two rows, and additional soft interior materials. All models are available with an exclusive Eclipse Edition featuring matte exterior paint protection film.
PHUKET: Marine officials have rescued two adult green sea turtles found stranded on Phuket beaches, while a dolphin rescued after stranding at Patong has died from a severe bacterial infection.
PHUKET: Marine officials have rescued two adult green sea turtles found stranded on Phuket beaches, while a dolphin rescued after stranding at Patong has died from a severe bacterial infection.