Evil spirits; lucky escape; bewigged thief; jealousy strikes

That old bewitched act again

Somyot and Malee, who faked being taken over by spirits.

A husband and wife in Chiang Rai, accused of supplying crystal meth, slipped into a clever act designed to distract police.

During questioning, the wife suddenly began trembling violently, her lips quivering as she rambled unintelligibly.

Her husband rushed to hold her up, telling police that “a spirit has entered her.”

Police were not convinced. An officer warned her: “Tell her to stay calm. If she doesn’t, we’ll put her in handcuffs — and lock up the spirit along with her.”

The pair eventually dropped the act and cooperated.

Highway police nabbed Somyot (no surname given), 67, of Wiang Phang Kham in Mae Sai district, and his wife, Malee, 63, both of Akha ethnicity. The arrest took place on a road behind Mae Sai Hospital.

They were wanted on Lampang Provincial Court warrants issued on Sept 24 for jointly possessing crystal methamphetamine to sell. The couple were taken to Chiang Rai Immigration for documentation.

During questioning, Malee started behaving as if she was having a fit.

She launched into a full-body tremble: shaking hands, quivering lips, eyes rolling like marbles in a cup.

Her husband stepped in solemnly to explain the situation: a spirit had entered her body, he said, as if that would persuade police to have second thoughts about charging the pair.

Police, who must have seen it all before, were unmoved.

After Malee stopped the theatrics, officers proceeded with the arrest report. The couple were handed over to Sobprab police station in Lampang.

The case stems from an earlier arrest on Aug 5 when Sobprab police stopped a bus passenger, Santipap (no surname given), 27. from Surat Thani, who was travelling from Mae Sai to Bangkok.

Officers found 10 tea packets, each containing 500 grammes of crystal meth — five kilogrammes in total, worth about 1.5 million baht — hidden in his luggage beneath the bus.

Under questioning, Santipap said he had travelled from Bangkok to stay at a resort in Mae Sai, and before returning had picked up the drugs from Somyot and Malee at a viewpoint on Doi Pha Mee.

He then mixed the packets among snacks and clothing in his suitcase before boarding the bus, only to be arrested at Sobprab.

Police tracked down his suppliers, Somyot and Malee, who were duly arrested and charged.

Ride-hail driver attacks customer

Arisara, who was attacked by the Bolt driver.

A 19-year-old woman narrowly escaped an attempted sexual assault by a Bolt ride-hailing driver while traveling from her dorm to a tattoo shop in Bang Kruai, Nonthaburi.

The incident, which took place on Sept 10, came to light last week after the victim Arisara (surname withheld) appealed to a local victim’s advocate for help.

Police had told her forensic tests on the clothes she wore would take 2-3 months, which she thought was too long. The suspect was arrested shortly after the attack.

Recouting the episode, Arisara said she booked the ride via the Bolt app for a 23km journey from her dorm on Chan 24 Road to the Smooth Tattoo shop in Bang Kruai.

Arisara told reporters the driver had initially flattered her and admitted he was married.

He also tried to coax her to a hotel, though she declined his advances.

Close to the tattoo shop, the driver parked the vehicle and climbed from the front to the back seat. He groped her under her skirt, and attempted to penetrate her, she said.

He also tried to restrain her using the passenger seatbelt. She fought back, escaped, and ran into the tattoo shop for help. The driver, in a grey BYD Atto 3, fled the scene.

Arisara and the shop owner later contacted him via the Bolt app, but he denied the allegations, claiming she gave a “one-sided” account.

Arisara reported the incident to Bang Kruai police and submitted her clothing for forensic examination. Officers sent her for a medical exam.

While she was still being examined, police said they had detained a suspect and asked her to identify him, but she was too frightened.

She provided her clothing from the attack for forensic testing, when she was told about the likely 2–3 month wait, causing her further anxiety.

Arisara sought the help of media outlets and local activist Chotinan “Pae” Lertritphuwadol, who said forensic results should not take that long.

He pushed investigators to speed up the process, saying such behaviour damaged the reputation of honest ride-hailing drivers.

Thief impersonates woman

Thanathon wearing an unconvincing wig.

A former army conscript drill instructor in Bangkok disguised himself as a woman to rob a convenience store.

The suspect, wearing a long brown wig and mask, robbed the store in the Hua Mak area, claiming before staff that he was doing it because his child was sick.

Despite the disguise, investigators traced him through CCTV footage and arrested him at his condo.

Pol Maj Gen Kampanat Arunkeeriroj, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 4, together with Hua Mak police, announced the arrest of Thanathon (surname withheld), 23, originally from Kalasin province.

Officers seized a brown wig, the outfit used in the crime, and a grey Toyota Yaris Ativ in whch he left the scene.

Police say a man dressed like a woman entered a convenience store on Rama IX Soi 57 on Nov 12.

Wearing a mask and carrying a knife, he ordered the clerk to put cash into a bag. He escaped with around 10,000 baht.

As part of the ruse, he even told the staff he needed money because his “child was sick” — a claim later proven false, as police say he is childless.

The suspect fled along the walkway beside Klong Kacha. Later, officers searching the area found a pair of black sports shoes hidden under the walkway, matching those worn by the robber.

Police reviewing additional cameras saw a grey Toyota Yaris drive into Rama IX Soi 49 near the canal about 1.25 am.

A man wearing a black T-shirt and black trousers exited the car and walked toward the canal — an access route that leads directly to Soi 57 where the robbery occurred.

After the robbery, the man was seen returning to the car and driving away.

Officers followed the trail through multiple cameras, eventually identifying the vehicle’s registered owner: his girlfriend.

Police later found the suspect living with her at a condo in Ramkhamhaeng Soi 26.

For the robbery, he wore a white long-sleeved T-shirt, black trousers, dark sports shoes, and a long brown wig.

On Nov 16, police raided the condo and arrested Thanathon. Inside, police found the wig, the clothing worn in the robbery, and other evidence.

He confessed, telling police he had recently completed military service and had worked as an assistant drill instructor.

He robbed the store, he said, because he had lost his job and needed money to pay debts and daily expenses. He did not say why he chose to go disguised as a woman.

He has been charged with armed robbery at night while concealing his identity and using a vehicle to facilitate the crime or escape.

No threesomes, thanks

Nan, who shot her unfaithful husband.

A clothing vendor in Nakhon Pathom shot her husband four times after discovering he had resumed a relationship with his ex-wife. The husband, Sumet (no surname given) 36, was seriously injured but survived.

Police said the shooting occurred in front of a public road in Nakhon Chai Si district, close to their home, on Nov 19. The woman, Nan (no surname given) 59, was caught with a registered .38 calibre revolver and the car in which she fled the scene. She admitted the motive was jealousy and anger over the husband’s betrayal.

Nan said she and Sumet had lived together for six years. During his recent nine-month prison sentence for possession of firearms, she continued to support him and visit regularly.

After his release, he began seeing his ex-wife again and proposed living together in a three-person arrangement, with alternating days at each residence.

Nan rejected this arrangement. Angered by the situation, she had been observing him for three days before confronting him and firing the shots.

Witnesses reported hearing arguments followed by four gunshots. Sumeth was hit in the torso and right thigh and suffered serious injuries.

He was taken to Nakhon Pathom Hospital by bystanders. Police charged Nan with attempted murder and firearms matters.

Wrong target; night of angst; shop thugs; sleepy kill

Oh well, time to exit

The gold shop thief in Udon Thani

A failed gold shop thief in Udon Thani took his own life after an exchange of gunfire with the shop owner left him injured in the arm.

The dramatic scenes unfolded at the store in Wua Kong market in Muang district when the man entered carrying a gold necklace, claiming he wanted to pawn it.

The shop owner, a woman known for her composure and firearms training, examined the necklace and determined it was fake.

The man, identified as Sakda Yotsuwan, 51, from Phen district, then pulled out a 9mm Taurus G30 pistol and demanded 200,000 baht in cash.

The owner pretended to comply, saying she would fetch the money from the back, but instead armed herself with a .38 Smith & Wesson revolver and alerted police.

A gunfight erupted inside the shop. Witnesses reported hearing between four and eight shots.

The robber fired several rounds, and the owner returned fire, one bullet striking him in the left shoulder, wounding him.

The shop’s automatic locking door was activated, trapping him inside.

Unable to escape, the robber sat down in the corner of the shop, visibly distressed.

After a pause, he raised his pistol to his right temple and shot himself, dying instantly.

Police and rescue teams arrived minutes later to find him slumped against a red chair, his weapon between his legs.

Investigators found his white Mitsubishi Triton pickup parked outside.

The shop owner, shaken but unharmed, said he had been a regular customer and she recognised him.

She added that he had first tried to pawn the fake necklace, then demanded cash when refused.

Police confirmed that both firearms — the robber’s pistol and the owner’s revolver — were legally registered.

They noted the shop’s security measures, including steel bars, alarm systems, and automatic doors, prevented the robber from fleeing and likely saved lives.

Authorities said rising gold prices may be encouraging such crimes. They praised the owner’s quick thinking and composure.

It was also reported that she is the wife of a senior police officer with the rank of police colonel, and that she regularly practises shooting.

The body was sent for autopsy, and police are reviewing CCTV footage and forensic evidence. No prior criminal record was found for the suspect.

One row too many

The Pattaya night worker who stabbed herself

A Pattaya night worker stabbed herself fatally with a knife after a row with her co-worker boyfriend over her sexy attire.

She also asked him for a kiss during work hours, a request he turned down, which annoyed her further.

The 25-year-old woman, upset with her boyfriend, stabbed herself in the chest and died in her apartment in Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri.

Her boyfriend, “Champ” (no other details given), 38, said he was in shock, as they had discussed marriage only days earlier.

Champ

The building was a four-unit commercial structure converted into a five-storey dormitory, fully occupied across 45 rooms. 

In her ground floor room, rescue workers and police found New (no surname given), 25, lying in the bathroom wearing only underwear, with a stab wound to the chest.

A 20cm Japanese filleting knife was recovered nearby. Despite resuscitation efforts, she was pronounced dead.

Champ told police they had been dating for six to seven months. They worked at the same pub in Pattaya — she as a greeter/front-of-house, he as a manager — and often argued because she suspected he might return to an ex-girlfriend.

Around midnight, she had messaged him asking for a kiss, but he declined as he was on duty. He admitted they had argued earlier about her revealing attire. Later, after the venue closed, she returned to her apartment.

When he arrived around 5.10 am, she had locked the door and refused to answer. He called repeatedly and knocked at length, without success. After more than an hour, he hired a locksmith to open the room, finding her collapsed in the bathroom.

Police said New had a history of treatment for depression. CCTV footage showed she returned at 4:52am, Champ followed at 5:09am, and the locksmith arrived at 6.07am. Rescue workers reached the scene about 20 minutes later.

Neighbours said the couple argued frequently, sometimes requiring police patrols to intervene. Authorities have not yet concluded whether the death was self‑inflicted or involved foul play. The body has been sent to the Police General Hospital’s forensic institute for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Spat over shop fumes

Armed ruffians threaten the couple outside their home

A spat between a couple of new parents and a nearby paint shop in Bangkok led to an ugly scene, shared on social media, in which a gang of armed ruffians threatened the couple outside their home.

A clip shows a group of young men armed with a knife, baseball bats, and glass bottles threatening a man at his home while he and his wife were caring for their young child.

In the clip, 3–4 men surround the front of a house and try to force their way in to attack the victim, “Ae,” (no other details given) right in front of his wife, who is holding their one-year-old child.

The group was linked to a car-paint shop next door to the victim’s home in Soi Phahonyothin 48 of Bang Khen district.

Ae and his wife told reporters that on Nov 7, the group had approached them in an aggressive manner, leading to an argument and forcing Ae to carry a hoe for self-defence.

On Nov 8, while he was taking out the rubbish, he encountered the group again and they tried to provoke him, prompting him to call the police repeatedly until about 1 am.

He eventually filed a complaint with Bang Khen police for nighttime trespass and intimidation, and the situation quietened down.

Ae’s wife said she feared for her husband’s and child’s safety. She believes the conflict stems from complaints she made previously about the car-paint shop’s fumes, which caused her migraines and led to their one-year-old developing a lung infection requiring hospitalisation.

The complaint angered the shop workers. The car-paint shop’s owners acknowledged one of the men involved in the incident is indeed one of their mechanics.

They said the event took place after working hours and management was unaware at the time.

The dispute originally began as a personal clash between the mechanic and the victim over cigarette smoke, which then escalated to complaints about paint fumes, the owners said.

They insist their painting process meets safety standards, and they have installed an air-purification system to reduce odours.

A representative from the shop also took a news team to see the two spray-and-bake rooms, showing they are fully enclosed, equipped with filtration systems, and operated with proper business licences.

The mechanic involved in the incident has since been suspended.

That’s over, time for a sleep

The man who beat an older friend to death

A man in Nakhon Si Thammarat beat an older friend to death with a wooden stick during a fight over drugs, dumped the body in a drainage canal by the road, and then calmly went back home to sleep.

Police arrested him hours later, when he admitted he had been hallucinating from drug use.

Police were called to the scene of the killing, a drainage stream in Chang Klang district. They found the body of the victim, identified only as Pho, 46, a resident.

He was lying on his side in the stream with multiple deep wounds to the back of his head. Police estimated he had been dead for at least 6–8 hours.

The suspect, Ekachai (no surname given), 40, whose house was about 50 metres from the scene, was found asleep and taken into custody.

Investigators learned the two men had been longtime friends, but in recent months had been arguing often over illegal drug activity.

Ekachai said the victim had come to his house late the previous night, and they argued about drugs. Pho allegedly struck him first with a machete, prompting him to grab a piece of wood and beat the victim until he ran out toward the road.

Ekachai chased after him and continued hitting him until he fell prone. After that, he said he went back home to sleep.

Pol Col Pongpichan Chayananpiriyap, superintendent of Chang Klang station, said the suspect was a heavy drug user and regularly suffers from hallucinations. 

Ekachai expressed remorse and confessed. He has been charged with causing death by assault, and after testing positive for drugs, an additional charge of drug use was added.

Story of pity; clumsy thieves; scary ladle; wedding crash

A glimpse into life on the edge

Prayong apologises to Aoy

In a cramped alley of Udon Thani’s old Khao Chan community, a 66-year-old widow known simply as Aoy lives by boiling peanuts.

Every morning, she lights her small charcoal stove and sells bags of the warm, salty nuts to anyone passing by — a modest living that keeps her and her family afloat.

But life on the edge offers little protection. On Wednesday night, while most of the country celebrated Loy Krathong, Aoy fought off a drunken man who crawled into her mosquito net and tried to have sex with her — twice.

Police later arrested 49-year-old Prayong (no surname given), a day labourer from the area, who admitted he had been drinking heavily with friends.

“I was drunk and got aroused,” he told officers after being taken into custody. “I went over to ask if I could sleep with her, but she kicked me in the face.”

The case might have ended there, with an apology and a minor charge for disorderly conduct. But behind the story of a drunk and a grandmother lies a much harsher reality — one of poverty, displacement and danger.

Aoy has been a widow for over a decade. She once rented a small home for 1,000 baht a month, where she lived with her youngest son, Ek, and three grandchildren.

But when she fell behind on rent, the owner told her to leave. With nowhere else to go, Aoy asked a friend for permission to sleep in front of a rented room nearby. She now pays 300 baht a month for that tiny patch of ground, where she spreads her mat and mosquito net each night.

Her son and grandchildren sleep elsewhere — at a nearby temple, where monks let them eat leftovers and share space under a corrugated roof.

“I just wanted to be safe and have somewhere to rest,” Aoy told police. “I didn’t think something like this could happen.”

That night, the man had been drinking white liquor just four or five metres away. Around 9 pm, he crawled into her net and propositioned her. Startled, Aoy kicked him in the face. He retreated, but returned later and began touching her leg. Again, she kicked him out. “After that, I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “I sat awake until morning and told my son.”

Officers charged Prayong with “being drunk and causing a public disturbance” and advised Aoy to file a separate complaint for sexual harassment.

But her story has already touched a nerve — a reminder of how Thailand’s elderly poor, especially women, are left to fend for themselves.

Even as officials discuss whether she might be moved to a state-run shelter for the aged, Aoy says she only wants one thing: “A small place where I can live and sell my peanuts in peace.”

Gold shop thieves flee

Mobin is spread-eagled on the ground.

Debt and desperation drove two men to a failed daylight robbery in Chanthaburi.

A 40-year-old father and his teenage stepson tried to rob a gold shop in the province, in what police described as a “desperate act to pay off gambling debts.”

The pair were quickly captured after the shop owner, keeping his wits about him, pulled out a gun and sent them running.

The incident took place on Nov 5 at Mae Kim Tiang Gold Shop in Nong Khla, Tha Mai district.

CCTV footage shows the older man, identified as Mobin (no surname given), walking in first, pretending to browse. Moments later his 18-year-old stepson Suppadit followed, wearing a black balaclava, and smashed the glass display case with a hammer.

But before they could grab a single necklace, the owner drew a handgun and shouted at them to stop. Startled, the two bolted from the shop and sped away.

Police patrols quickly sealed off nearby roads, and within 40 minutes both men were caught hiding in the area.

Mobin, who works odd jobs and lives nearby, said he owed money to gambling creditors in Rayong. With debt collectors pressing hard, he said he had planned the robbery with his stepson as a last-ditch attempt to raise cash.

“I just wanted to pay what I owed,” he told police.

Neither man managed to steal anything, though the shop owner sustained minor cuts while struggling to fend them off. Police are investigating whether the two are linked to other thefts in the region.

Too hot to handle

The trader chases away the thief with a ladle

A city curry trader gave a thief a run for his money when he snatched her gold necklace and she chased him off with a ladle.

Wang Thonglang police were called to the robbery at a curry stall in Soi Ramkhamhaeng 53.

A 50-year-old vendor told officers that while she was serving food, a man suddenly pulled a knife on her and snatched her gold bracelet, weighing two baht, before fleeing toward the end of the soi.

But the victim refused to back down — she grabbed her ladle and ran after him, striking out as she chased.

At the same time, a good Samaritan identified as Burhan (no surname given) and other nearby residents joined the pursuit and alerted police.

The chase ended in Soi Lat Phrao 107, Lane 14 — a dead end — where the suspect lost control of his motorcycle and fell, allowing officers and locals to capture him on the spot.

Police seized the stolen gold and the motorcycle used in the crime, and took the suspect in for legal action.

Pol Col Jetsada Yangnok, chief of Wang Thonglang police, ordered increased patrols in the early-morning hours when many food stalls open — a period often targeted by thieves.

He also thanked the public for helping detain the suspect.

The victim told reporters she had been selling curry around 3 am when the man approached her stall, pulled a knife, and grabbed her bracelet.

As she shouted for help, her daughter came out from inside — prompting the suspect to turn his knife on the young woman before fleeing.

“I was terrified, but I had to fight back,” she said. “Next time, I probably won’t wear any gold while working. I don’t want to go through that again.”

Wrong gear, right timing

The car after it drove into the wedding hall, and the chaotic aftermath.

Guests at a wedding in Krabi had a narrow escape when a car suddenly plowed into the reception hall just after the celebration ended.

Police from Muang station were called to a function venue where a grey sedan smashed through the front wall of a banquet hall used for a wedding party.

Tables, glassware and decorations lay scattered across the floor, but by sheer luck no one was injured — the guests had already gone home.

The driver, a 41-year-old woman named Sumaporn (no surname given), was found sitting near the car in shock, waiting for police and the insurance company to arrive.

She said the party had just wrapped up and she was heading home. Her car uses a dial-type gear selector, and she wasn’t sure if she’d turned it to “reverse” or “drive.”

When she pressed the accelerator, the vehicle suddenly shot forward instead of backing out, crashing straight through the wall and coming to a halt near the stage.

“I didn’t even have time to think — one second I was parking, the next I was inside the hall,” she told police, trembling.

The bride’s uncle, Jongsak (no surname given), 61, who hosted the wedding, said he initially thought he’d heard fireworks.

“It sounded like someone set off firecrackers,” he said. “Then I turned and saw the car coming right through the front.”

Fortunately, the reception had ended only minutes earlier. “If the guests were still here, there could have been injuries,” Jongsak added. “We were very lucky.”

Family justice; pants down; double shift; market pest

Visiting hours are over

The crime scene outside the house where Phanupong was shot.

A furious brother in Phatthalung province took the law into his own hands after learning that his sister had been repeatedly beaten by her boyfriend and hospitalised with depression.

Unable to bear it any longer, he stormed the man’s house and shot him. When the sister, Nipa (no surname given), 48, a village headwoman’s assistant, heard the news that her boyfriend had been gunned down, she collapsed in shock.

Rescue workers took Phanupong, also known as “Phak Kad” (no surname given), 28, from his home in Muang district to the emergency room at Phatthalung Hospital.

Four armed men had driven to his house and shot him in front of his mother and 16-year-old brother.

The motive stemmed from Phanupong’s jealousy and violent temper. Family members said he and his girlfriend argued often, and he would assault her.

After the most recent beating, she was admitted to hospital, and her younger brother, hearing the news, decided to get even on her behalf.

Upon hearing Phanupong had been shot, the girlfriend — who was occupying a bed at the same hospital — grabbed her IV stand and hurried from her ward to the emergency room.

When she saw her boyfriend there, she collapsed to the floor in tears. Staff quickly wheeled her back to her room.

Meanwhile, the victim’s mother cried, shouting to everyone present that her son was responsible for the shooting.

The attack occurred in Tha Khae subdistrict. Police found bloodstains behind the house, two spent 9mm shells, one live round, and bullet marks on three walls.

Relatives said Arm (no other names given), the woman’s brother, arrived in a black Toyota Fortuner with several accomplices, armed with guns.

He confronted Phanupong, and they argued.

Moments later, Arm drew his gun and shot him in front of his mother. The victim fled out the back of the house, while Arm and his group sped away.

Nipa’s 16-year-old brother told police his sister suffered from depression.

On the morning of the incident, Phanupong and his sister had a violent quarrel, which ended with Phanupong ordering her to leave.

Later, the family learned she had been admitted to the hospital.

That evening, Arm — angry over his sister’s injuries — arrived at the house with his armed companions and carried out the shooting.

Phatthalung City Police are pursuing Arm and his accomplices.

Lender’s revenge laid bare

The suspect.

Nonthaburi police arrested a man from an illegal loan gang after he attacked a debtor and exposed his genitals in a brazen challenge.

The incident occurred early on Oct 22 at a rented room in Bang Bua Thong subdistrict.

The victim, 56, sustained more than eight stitches to her mouth and suffered head trauma in the assault. The gang also damaged her property, including her motorcycle.

Police say the men tracked the victim to her rental room and attacked her. One also exhibited brazen behaviour by removing his pants and exposing his genitals, challenging the victim to record it as evidence.

On Oct 28, police nabbed a suspect (unnamed in news reports), 43, from Phayao province. He faces multiple charges, including running an unauthorised lending business, charging extortionate interest, and assault causing serious injury.

The suspect claimed he was not part of a loan shark gang but said the victim had known his wife, who had previously visited her salon.

The victim asked to borrow 20,000 baht to invest in a business, and he lent it interest-free out of sympathy.

The victim was supposed to repay 200 baht daily but later stopped, cutting off contact.

On the night of the incident, he went to collect the outstanding debt. The victim abused him and tried to chase him away, he said.

In anger, he assaulted her. As for exposing himself, he said the victim tried to photograph him, so he retaliated by removing his pants.

The charges he faces do not yet include indecent exposure, though that may come.

Collector thief disgraces dad

CCTV footage shows the garbage collector stealing water meters.

Police in Nonthaburi are seeking a garbage collector — son of a well-known village headman — who toured the village in his rubbish truck stealing water meters from local homes.

His father resigned in embarrassment when he heard the news.

The case began after CCTV footage posted by locals showed a Subdistrict Administration Organisation (SAO) garbage collector stealing water meters in a village early on Oct 22.

On Oct 29, Pol Col Nattadecha Thanisaphatpong, superintendent of Sai Noi police, said investigators had obtained a warrant for Pornyot (surname withheld), 39, on charges of theft.

Jare Sunhua, provincial security officer, said social media reports identified the culprit as Pornyot, a temporary employee serving as a garbage collector and the son of “S”, village headman of Sai Noi subdistrict. S submitted his resignation the same day as the news came to light.

Reporters visited the village after the Facebook page “News, Nonthaburi Residents” posted CCTV footage of a theft which occurred on Oct 14.

On Oct 22, the community water meter at the front of the village was also stolen. Villagers began noticing more cases, as several houses — mostly unoccupied, abandoned, or foreclosed by banks — also had their water meters stolen.

In total, seven homes were affected. The thief not only stole meters but was also seen using a flashlight to check for valuables inside abandoned houses.

Villagers reviewed CCTV footage themselves and identified the culprit as a SAO garbage collector who regularly services the village.

He would arrive in the truck but steal meters when no one was watching. His two team members were unaware of the thefts.

The driver, also the team leader, would notify the team via a LINE group whenever he was coming to collect garbage.

Upon reviewing the footage, villagers confirmed it was the same person.

Most villagers did not report the thefts because the local water authority replaced the meters free of charge.

However, the villagers’ shared meter required an additional installation fee of 1,000 baht, so a police report was filed at Sai Noi station.

After reviewing the footage, officials at the SAO confirmed the truck belonged to them and the culprit was wearing an SAO uniform.

The village chairman expressed concern, saying the thief, using a local body vehicle, tarnished the agency’s reputation and trust with residents.

Villagers now feel they must supervise garbage collection, even waking up early to watch, for fear of further incidents. Police are looking for the suspect.

Bargain basement theft

Dam

A former security guard in Nonthaburi was caught stealing from a fresh market and giving the goods to his wife to sell at cut-rate prices, with one victim claiming he had stolen from her multiple times.

He admitted his wrongdoing, saying he did it because he was jobless, addicted to drugs, and needed money.

CCTV footage showed Dam (no other names given), 41, rummaging through a grocery stall in Nonthaburi municipality market.

Vendors there say they’re fed up — more than 20 stalls have been robbed over the past few months. Nonthaburi city police, armed with a court warrant, arrested Dam at his home on charges of theft.

They also brought along Sunee Muangmak, 54, one of his victims who had reported the case and supplied the incriminating footage, to confirm the suspect’s identity.

Mrs Sunee scolded Dam to his face, saying he had stolen from her daily.

She’d even caught him several times, yet he never showed remorse, despite her kindness in occasionally giving him food and money.

Worse, Dam had his wife set up a stall to sell the stolen goods at bargain prices.

Dam offered a wai in apology, admitting he had “broken his own rice pot” (a colloqualism).

He mainly targeted cigarettes and household goods he could resell easily.

Having once worked as a security guard at the market, he knew where vendors hid their stock.

He said his drug addiction clouded his judgment and that unemployment drove him to steal.

Scam gang grief; debt write-off; no match for AI

 Miu’s parents fear the worst

Miu: Missing

The mother of a 19-year-old woman missing in Cambodia denies her ex-husband’s claim that she sold their daughter to a scam network.

Rungruedee (no surname given), 38, the mother of “Miu”, said she had gone to the Eastern Regional Office of the Coordination Center for Assistance to Thais Abroad (IMF) to ask for help locating her daughter.

Miu was allegedly lured to Poipet, Cambodia, to work as a mule for a call-centre scam.

She said she found what looked like a legitimate warehouse packing job through TikTok and helped her daughter apply. Miu has been missing since Oct 16, a week after travelling for the job.

Jo, the tearful father

“I may not have money,” she said tearfully, “but I would never sell my own child”.

Earlier, the young woman’s father, Jo (no surname given), a 47-year-old truck driver in Chachoengsao, accused his ex-wife of selling her to the gang.

“I think she sold our daughter,” he said flatly. “She took her to open four bank accounts, and then suddenly my girl disappeared across the border.”

Jo said Rungruedee promised to travel with their daughter to the new workplace but backed out at the last minute, claiming the van was full.

He has since filed a missing-person report and pleaded for government help to bring his daughter home.

“My daughter has never travelled anywhere alone,” he said. “I just want her back safely.”

But the girl’s mother tells a different story.

Meeting reporters with red-rimmed eyes, Rungruedee insisted she had nothing to do with her daughter’s disappearance, and certainly did not sell her child.

Miu had been eager to work and had told her she could travel on her own because her mother needed to stay home with a young son.

Rungruedee said she had separated from her husband years ago and had little contact with her daughter while the girl was growing up.

Rungruedee: Denies selling daughter

Recently, Miu reached out to her for advice about school problems, saying she had failed several subjects and needed 9,000 baht to pay for make-up exams to graduate from her vocational course.

The mother said she and relatives pooled money to help.

After graduation, they stayed in touch. Miu told her she did not want to work with her father in Chachoengsao, fearing discomfort with his new family, and later said she preferred a job in Chon Buri.

Rungruedee said she mentioned a warehouse position she had seen online in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province, and asked if her daughter was interested.

When Miu agreed, she sent her the documents to apply and asked whether she felt comfortable travelling alone, as Rungruedee had to care for her young son.

“She said she was grown up now and could manage on her own,” the mother said.

Rungruedee added Miu had also spoken to her father before setting off.

She denied forcing her daughter to go and said she had not verified the company’s address or legitimacy — only that it was called “Hia Wut Warehouse”.

The mother admitted taking her daughter to open four bank accounts — two in Nakhon Ratchasima and two in Bangkok — following instructions from an online recruiter known as “Admin Phrae”, whom she later learned was linked to the scam.

After Miu vanished, Rungruedee tried contacting the recruiter to demand her daughter’s return but was repeatedly stalled. On Oct 17, the recruiter blocked her number.

“I just keep praying for my daughter to come back safely,” she said, fighting tears. “Mum loves you very much.”

She said Miu recently called from a strange number that appeared to be international, but when she tried calling back, the line was dead.

Inquiries into her whereabouts continue.

Loan shark denies murder

Sirisan: 'Just playing around'

Police have nabbed a loan shark who allegedly ordered a man to jump into a canal, resulting in his death by drowning.

The suspect claimed they were only joking around as friends, and the debt involved was just 500 baht — not drug money.

Officers have charged him with two offences.

Khlong Luang police arrested Sirisan “Mos” (no surname given), 44, at a public park in a housing estate.

Pol Col Athimes Chaisarunvich, station superintendent, said the arrest stemmed from a report filed by one of his investigators, about a man who jumped into a canal behind soi Khlong Luang 48 and drowned.

A witness told police that Sirisan had ordered the victim, later identified as Wanchit (no surname given), 33, to jump into the water. Another friend, Serm, 29, witnessed the incident.

Investigators learned Sirisan, who knew both the victim and the witness, had demanded repayment of money related to drugs and a phone bill.

The incident occurred near the canal, where Sirisan allegedly told the victim to jump in, saying, “If you jump, the debt will disappear”.

Police also found that all three men had taken drugs before the incident.

The victim, in a weakened state, jumped into the fast-moving canal.

Witness Serm also jumped in, but Sirisan reportedly said, “Let him die”, and did not help.

Officers said the suspect was capable of helping but chose not to, which directly led to the victim’s death.

A background check showed all three had previous involvement with drugs.

Sirisan has been charged intentional murder and coercing another person to act or refrain from acting under threat of harm.

When questioned by reporters, Sirisan denied forcing the victim to jump.

“No, I didn’t,” he said. “We argued, yes, but it was just about 500 baht he borrowed and hadn’t paid back.

“It wasn’t about drugs. After he jumped in and I saw he was in trouble, I tried to help him. We were friends, just teasing each other — no serious fight or violence before it happened.”

Legal proceedings against him have begun.

They never had a chance

The suspects: Smile, you're on crime watch

AI-powered police surveillance cameras tracked three suspects connected to “mule accounts” while they were riding a motorcycle in Pattaya — prompting an immediate law enforcement response.

On Oct 20, the AI Detect cameras installed by the Tourist Police Headquarters in Pattaya, Bang Lamung district, captured three Thai men riding a motorcycle together.

The AI system instantly flagged that all three had active arrest warrants related to “mule account” fraud and sent an alert to officers, who mobilised to intercept them.

Police caught the suspects under a bridge in South Pattaya, Nong Prue sub-district.

The suspects, riding a blue Yamaha Fino, were identified as Supawit, 20; Wayu, 21; and Panawat, 20 (no surnames given).

All had outstanding warrants issued by Bang Sue Criminal Court.

They face charges of conspiracy to commit fraud and knowingly allowing others to use bank or electronic accounts for criminal purposes, including falsifying computer data that could harm others.

Officers detained them for questioning.

The three admitted to being the individuals named in the warrants.

They confessed to opening multiple bank accounts for brokers in Bangkok at 2,000 baht per account, claiming they were unaware how the accounts were used.

The suspects said financial difficulties had led them to agree to open the accounts before coming to Pattaya to find work, where they were subsequently arrested.

Investigators said the individuals were considered key suspects by the Metropolitan Police Headquarters, as they were part of a major network of mule accounts linked to call-centre and scam gangs.

Pol Lt Col Supharat Meepreecha and Pol Lt Col Apichart Jarurak, officers of Tourist Police Division 4, enthused about the efficiency of the AI cameras.

“This is the first case in Thailand where our AI cameras have demonstrated the ability to capture three wanted individuals simultaneously on a motorbike — and they are key suspects in fraud cases,” they said.

The Tourist Police have also deployed high-performance drones to enhance operations.

These drones can be sent immediately whenever the AI cameras issue an alert, tracking suspects in real time.