At 8:00 AM on May 20, 2025, Deputy Police Commissioner Thatchai Pitaneelabutr, in his capacity as director of the Technology Crime Suppression Center, along with National Police Chief Siam Bunsomboon and other senior officers, coordinated a raid on a temple compound in the Thonburi area. Police arrested a 61-year-old senior monk with alleged connections to the temple, seizing a mobile phone, computer, and external SSD drive. The operation was conducted following reports received through the Cyber Tipline that child sexual abuse material was being downloaded and uploaded online.

Police obtained a search warrant from Taling Chan Criminal Court (Document 40/2569 dated May 20, 2025) to conduct the raid. Upon searching the suspect's devices, investigators discovered child sexual abuse material stored in downloaded file folders across multiple devices.

During interrogation, the suspect admitted to downloading the material, which involved explicit images and videos of 5 children totaling over 1,000 files. He stated he had acquired the content approximately 8 years ago for personal sexual gratification. Police subsequently revoked his monastic status and charged him with possession of child sexual abuse material for sexual purposes. He was transferred to Bangkoknoi Police Station for further legal proceedings.

May Rachanov did not disappoint as she advanced past the first round of the 2026 Malaysia Masters badminton championship following her convincing victory over her Indonesian opponent. The 2026 Malaysia Masters badminton tournament is a World Tour Super 500 event offering total prize money of $500,000 (approximately 16.25 million baht) held at Unifi Arena Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. On May 20, in the opening round of the women's singles competition, world No. 7 May Rachanov faced off against Indonesia's world No. 79 Niccakak Pratiwi. Rachanov decisively won the match in straight sets with scores of 21-16 and 21-16, advancing to the second round where she will face Bulgaria's world No. 46 Kalyana Nalbantova.

Pattaya tourism industry backs plan to reduce foreign visitor visa duration to 30 days as a measure to prevent scam networks and illegal business operations. Ms. Chutima Jiramongkol, president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, stated that reducing the visa period from its recently extended duration back to 30 days represents a return to normal conditions and helps filter out those not traveling for genuine tourism purposes. She noted that the rise in scammer networks and illegal business activities among foreign residents makes this visa reduction an important regulatory measure. Jiramongkol emphasized that short-term tourists typically spend more on accommodation, dining, and activities compared to long-term residents who tend to have more conservative spending habits, suggesting the tourism industry should focus on attracting 3-7 day visitors with higher spending capacity.

BANGKOK — May 20, 2026: A fatal accident claimed the life of a motorcyclist on Wednesday morning when he lost control of his vehicle on Rama II Road, fell into the path of a moving public bus, and was run over by the vehicle.

Police from Samae Dam Station responded to the incident at 9:00 AM on Rama II Road in Samae Dam Sub-district, Bang Khun Thian District. Forensic teams from Siriraj Hospital and rescue volunteers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation joined officers at the scene. The accident occurred in the outbound lanes heading toward Mahachai, an area currently restricted to two lanes due to elevated highway construction.

Authorities found the victim, identified as 35-year-old Kritsanu Thong-on, a factory worker, lying face-down on the road with severe head injuries from being struck by the bus. He was wearing grey jeans, a black T-shirt, and a raincoat. His grey Yamaha Filano motorcycle showed fresh scrape marks on the right side. About 100 meters away, police located the Route 140 bus involved in the incident, which displays bloodstains on its rear left wheel arch.

The 45-year-old bus driver, identified as Jue, told investigators he was driving in the second lane toward Mahachai when the motorcyclist suddenly lost balance and crashed. The victim's body then slid beneath the moving bus, resulting in the fatal accident.

Police are coordinating with Kritsanu's family regarding the release of his body from Siriraj Hospital for funeral arrangements. The bus driver has been detained at Samae Dam Police Station for further questioning as investigators determine what charges, if any, will be filed.

Tourists have raised concerns over marine tour safety near Koh Larn after a viral social media post described a diving trip caught in rough seas and strong winds, with passengers allegedly left without adequate assistance during a sudden storm.

A TikTok user shared her experience from a join-trip snorkelling tour near Pattaya on 4 May, saying tourists were allowed into the water despite worsening weather conditions and received no warning about an approaching storm.

According to the woman, staff later announced that a storm was approaching, but while nearby tour boats quickly pulled tourists from the sea, her group was allegedly left floating in rough waters as waves intensified and the boat rocked violently.

She claimed several tourists struggled to swim back to the boat after flotation devices drifted away, while her sister was told by a jet ski operator to hold onto a buoy despite strong waves repeatedly pulling her underwater.

The woman said she and her boyfriend were eventually rescued by another boat and described the incident as a "life-or-death moment."

The post sparked criticism online, with some users claiming they were on the same trip and alleging there were too few staff members to assist tourists during the emergency.

The tourist called on marine tour operators to improve safety measures, including better weather warnings and faster emergency response. No injuries or deaths were reported.

Rescue workers in Thalang district, Phuket safely rescued a nine-month-old baby who was accidentally locked inside a car on Wednesday morning. Emergency responders from Kusoldharm Phuket Foundation's Muang Mai branch were alerted to the incident at around 09:52 at a house in Ban Bang Rong, Pa Khlok subdistrict. Officials found the infant trapped inside a red passenger car and quickly managed to unlock the vehicle and bring the child out safely. The baby was unharmed, according to initial reports, prompting relief from the child's mother and nearby residents. Authorities urged parents and guardians to always check inside vehicles before locking them, especially during hot weather, warning that leaving children inside cars can quickly become dangerous.