National Police Chief General Siam Bunsap has ordered Deputy Commissioner General Theeradej Thamsudhee, Region 7 Police Commander Chaiyya Petchpanya, and the Bangkok Narcotics Center to launch an urgent investigation. The case began when an informant reported that a professional courier was hired to transport goods between Thailand and Japan. On July 3, someone using the Facebook account "Chayamin Pai" contacted the informant in Prachuap Khiri Khan, offering payment to ship items to Japan. On July 4, a rider delivered a cardboard box to The Trust Residence Pinklao in Bangkok's Thonburi district. On July 6, the courier returned to prepare for a trip to Japan. On July 7, the informant opened the box to inspect contents and discovered six jars of tamarind paste weighing unusually heavy. Upon opening one, she found a white solid substance wrapped in clear plastic—a red flag that prompted her to leave the box and alert authorities. When she returned on July 13 after flying to and from Japan, police opened the box and found six one-liter plastic bottles, each containing tamarind paste mixed with methamphetamine (ice). The bottles contained approximately 2.059 kilograms total: bottle one held 331.3 grams, bottle two 341.1 grams, bottle three 354.5 grams, bottle four 413.1 grams, bottle five 318.4 grams, and bottle six 300.6 grams. Officers seized the contraband for testing and are working to apprehend the "Chayamin Pai" account holder.

On July 16, 2025, at the Police Hospital's Institute of Forensic Medicine, the family of Ms. Wiangphon, 18, a Lao national and employee at a beer bar in Ladphrao, arrived to file paperwork and claim her body for merit-making ceremonies.

Ms. Namhuan, 20, a relative of the deceased, explained that she did not know the victim worked at this establishment, as the two were not in close contact. She had only known that her sister worked as a server at a restaurant in the Ladphrao area. She learned of the tragedy only after her mother called to inform her.

Ms. Wiangphon had been working in Thailand for approximately eight months. She had been saving money with the intention of bringing her family on a trip, but the incident occurred before she could achieve that goal.

To date, neither the bar owner nor any partner has contacted the family directly. Only the Ministry of Justice has been in touch. The family stated that the 10,000-baht compensation offered by the bar as preliminary damages is far too little, emphasizing that a human life is worth much more.

The family also addressed social media speculation that she was a customer, posting a photo of her holding a cake. They clarified that the image was old and that her actual status was a food server working inside the establishment. Regarding the incident itself, the family acknowledged it resulted from the bar's negligence. After claiming the body, they plan to return to Vientiane, Laos, to hold religious merit-making ceremonies.

Police arrested Tiwalay (surname withheld), known as "Sor," age 71, on July 16, 2025, under arrest warrant no. 282/2569 from Songkhla Provincial Court, issued April 30, 2025, on charges of fraud and theft conspiracy. She was apprehended at the parking area outside the Phuket Provincial Court in Muang District, Phuket.

Investigators found that after learning a victim had advertised land in Songkhla province valued at approximately 3 million baht for sale, the gang coordinated an elaborate scam. The scheme began when gang members including a man nicknamed "Dom" and the suspect befriended the victim, claiming interest in buying the property. They then introduced the victim to two accomplices posing as wealthy individuals, including a woman called "Hong" who claimed to be a successful businesswoman with large amounts of cash and a passion for gambling.

The suspect's associates then invited the victim to play a pumpkin-seed gambling game, teaching techniques to build confidence. Initially, the gang deliberately allowed the victim to win several rounds. In the sixth round, with higher stakes, one gang member secretly removed a seed to manipulate the outcome in "Hong's" favor. The scammers then accused the victim of losing the seed and demanded full compensation of the bet, resulting in a loss exceeding 1 million baht. Once the victim realized the deception, they filed a report with Had Yai Police, leading the court to issue arrest warrants for all gang members.

Investigators learned that Tiwalay was traveling to Phuket Provincial Court, allowing officers to stake out and arrest her. The suspect initially denied all charges, and she was transferred to Had Yai Police for further legal proceedings.

On July 16, 2025, Prasit Wattrasindhu, a Pheu Thai party list MP and deputy party leader, commented on the Senate fraud case following confirmation by the Election Commission (EC) that witness testimony is admissible, with the seven commissioners to render a final decision in August. Prasit expressed hope that evidence and statements presented by four witnesses on July 12—now verified as admissible by the EC—would show the public how strong the case is against those under investigation by the EC and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).

Prasit argued that if investigators pursued financial trails, hotel CCTV footage, communications records, and other evidence thoroughly, the findings would exceed what witnesses have publicly disclosed. Nevertheless, the four witnesses' accounts combined with existing public information already demonstrate that the Senate fraud scheme spans multiple provinces nationwide and is not confined to a single locality. The operation used similar recruitment and coordination methods across regions, and mathematically could only succeed if executed nationwide, Prasit noted.

Moreover, Prasit stated that all evidence points to the scheme being orchestrated not by individual Senate candidates themselves, but by political networks and parties behind the scenes, with apparent budget support. He warned that if the EC acts impartially, it must not conduct a truncated investigation by prosecuting only certain provinces or lower-level operatives.

"Therefore, if the seven EC commissioners perform their duty properly and consider all evidence, they must not conduct a piecemeal prosecution limited to certain areas or operational-level suspects," Prasit said. "The EC should submit the entire case to court in August, covering all involved regions and the political networks that planned and orchestrated the operation."

Prasit further noted that if the EC refers all 229 accused persons to court as recommended by the 26th investigation panel, public confidence in the EC's handling of the Senate fraud case would strengthen. Conversely, if the EC fails to prosecute individuals despite clear evidence, society would have the right to use legal mechanisms to investigate whether the EC neglected its duty.

Yuthana Buonym, founder of the legendary Big Mountain Music Festival, has sparked widespread online discussion after publicly acknowledging that the festival's attendance has declined significantly. In a candid post, he admitted responsibility for allowing the situation to deteriorate, saying he only realized the severity of the problem when attendance dropped by half last year. "Many people told me the Big event was getting worse every year," he wrote. "I heard it more and more until last year when attendance fell by half—that's when I realized this was serious. I take responsibility for letting it get this bad."

The admission has generated extensive online commentary, with diverse reactions from festival fans and past attendees. Some continue to express support and pledge ongoing backing for the festival, while others argue that problems have accumulated over several years, affecting both the festival atmosphere and the quality of artist lineups. Meanwhile, several voices have praised recent management improvements, particularly stricter enforcement of smoking regulations, and some have called for stronger action against drug use and illegal activities to create a safer environment for all attendees.

Despite the criticism, many fans remain loyal to Big Mountain, describing it as a unique and irreplaceable experience. They are sending encouragement to Yuthana Buonym and his team, hoping they can revive the festival's former magic and create a new phenomenon in the future.

Man charged with murder after stealing colleague’s moneyLegacyA Thai man confessed to stealing 40,000 baht from his colleague before killing the victim at the Hua Lamphong Canal Drainage and Sewerage Office in Bangkok yesterday, July 15. Officers from Thong Lor Police Station were called to the office at about 8am yesterday, July 15, following reports of a possible murder. The victim, 54 year old drainage and sewerage officer Amphai, was found in a bathroom inside the building. A colleague who alerted police told investigators he went to use the bathroom at about 7am but found the door locked from the outside. After retrieving a key from his bedroom in the office, he entered the bathroom and discovered the body. Photo via Channel 8 The witness said he immediately informed another colleague, 42 year old Golf, who also lived at the office. The pair moved Amphai from the bathroom before contacting police. According to investigators, Golf left the premises shortly before officers arrived, making him the primary suspect in the case. Police said he took his belongings when he left, but accidentally left one of his mobile phones behind. Investigators reviewed CCTV footage and traced the accused to a hotel in Bangkok’s Samran Rat area. Officers arrested him during a raid at the hotel. Photo via Channel 8 Police said Golf admitted to killing Amphai during questioning. He told police he had secretly used Amphai’s mobile phone to transfer 40,000 baht from the victim’s bank account into his own account through a mobile banking application. The suspect claimed that he confessed to taking the money on the night of July 14 and promised to repay Amphai. However, Amphai became angry and rejected his attempts to resolve the matter, insisting instead that legal action would be taken. Golf then struck Amphai with a wooden stick before moving the body into the bathroom. Police charged the accused with intentional murder. They also charged him under Section 199 of the Criminal Code for concealing or moving a body to hide the cause of death or obstruct the investigation. Photo via Channel 8 The story Man charged with murder after stealing colleague’s money as seen on Thaiger News.