A 34-year-old woman from Thamakha district in Kanchanaburi was forcibly taken in a car heading south and assaulted throughout the journey before finding an opportunity to escape and seek help from a gas station attendant to call police in Ranong. The suspect initially fled but was arrested on July 7, 2569 by Phuket police investigators after he boarded a tour bus. He was handed over to Ranong Municipal Police for prosecution.

At 11:00 AM, Pol. Lt. Col. Thanawat Wattanakul, commander of Ranong Provincial Police, along with Pol. Maj. Thawatchai Suncharoen, superintendent of Ranong Municipal Police, and Pol. Capt. Chakraphan Kaewkhao, deputy superintendent, interrogated suspect Nattapong, 40, who was arrested under court warrant from Ranong Provincial Court.

The charges include robbery with threats to kill or cause bodily harm, coercion, unlawful confinement, indecent assault with threats or force, assault, and damage to property. Investigators reported that upon arrest, the suspect showed signs of drug intoxication. A urine test confirmed methamphetamine in his system. During interrogation, he gave contradictory statements, claiming to have Chinese and Korean nationality and alleging he received money transfers from Korea that were misappropriated by others. He claimed he acted out of accumulated frustration, admitted to slapping the victim, and blamed police for not also arresting the woman.

The Ranong Provincial Police Commander noted the suspect displayed signs of mental disturbance consistent with drug abuse, likely leading to paranoid and violent thoughts. The suspect confessed to hitting the woman, but the victim's quick thinking enabled her escape. The case is notable for the victim's resourcefulness in flagging down a gas station attendant to call her mother and alert police. The four-finger salute gesture she used to signal for help while making the call has been recognized as an important symbol requesting assistance.

Tibodi Watthanakon, director of the State Enterprise Policy Committee Office (SEPC), announced that during the first three quarters of fiscal year 2569 (October 1, 2568 – June 30, 2569), state enterprises and government-held businesses remitted a cumulative 170.241 billion baht in dividends and state revenue transfers. This exceeded the three-quarter projection of 140.756 billion baht by 29.485 billion baht, or 121 percent of target.

The top ten contributors were: 1) Government Lottery Office (36.489 billion baht), 2) PTT Public Company Limited (33.754 billion baht), 3) Thai Vayupax Fund One (19.202 billion baht), 4) Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (18.244 billion baht), 5) Provincial Electricity Authority (14.011 billion baht), 6) Government Savings Bank (13.389 billion baht), 7) Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (8.1 billion baht), 8) Government Housing Bank (6.963 billion baht), 9) Metropolitan Electricity Authority (2.797 billion baht), and 10) Port Authority of Thailand (2.461 billion baht).

On July 7, police responded to an incident at a luxury residential community in Bang Chlong subdistrict, Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province. A 31-year-old American man was exhibiting signs of severe agitation and attempted to enter a taxi with 1,000 baht, but the driver refused due to his erratic behavior. The man then knocked on residents' car windows before becoming increasingly agitated, rolling on the ground and making religious gestures. When police arrived, he fled into the community and jumped into the residential lake. Rescue teams found his body 30 minutes later in the 10-meter-deep lake.

According to his 22-year-old girlfriend, the couple had been together for three years but recently reconciled after a separation just three months prior. She reported he had shown no previous signs of behavioral issues and had never exhibited such conduct before today. She was unaware of any drug use, though investigators found two unused syringes on the car's front seat and white pills of unknown origin in his waistband.

The homeowner, who was renting the property for 35,000 baht monthly, discovered the residence had been vandalized with spray paint throughout the entire house—walls, floors, furniture, and decorations—causing extensive damage. The 22-million-baht lakefront property, which the owner deeply cherished, was devastated after only three months of tenancy. Bang Phli police are conducting a full investigation, including autopsy and toxicology tests, and will coordinate with the U.S. Embassy in Thailand regarding the incident.

On July 7, Health Minister Patthana Promptpadet confirmed that the Palang Pracharath party's cannabis policy focuses exclusively on medical use. A draft bill controlling cannabis and hemp cultivation is under public consultation but missed consideration in the current parliamentary session. The new law will impose strict penalties for violations and mark the first time cannabis cultivation will be legally regulated, with previous laws only controlling sales, distribution, and extraction.

Promptpadet noted that while Thailand no longer classifies cannabis as a narcotic, many destination countries still do, so exporters must check receiving countries' laws. Officials are coordinating with customs and airport authorities to prevent smuggling, having switched to electronic licenses to reduce fraud.

Regarding registered retailers, Promptpadet reported that of 18,000 shops registered in 2568, approximately 6,000 licenses expired by end-2568, with about 1,500 renewals. Licenses are granted for three-year periods, with roughly 6,000 expiring annually in 2569 and 2570. The Health Ministry is deploying thousands of additional inspectors from police and local authorities.

Promptpadet emphasized that registered shops must upgrade to medical facilities with resident physicians to ensure cannabis is dispensed only to eligible patients. Unauthorized and recreational shops face immediate arrest. The ministry has created a GPS-mapped database of all legitimate registered shops with license expiration dates for enforcement purposes.

The Phuket Express -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Phuket — Provincial officials in Phuket have received a petition from legal representatives of landowners affected by the ongoing dispute over five residential properties in Ban Kho En, Mai Khao inn Thalang. Governor Chotnarin Kedsom and Deputy Governor Romdon Hayiawa accepted the petition from attorney Israres Busayarat, who is acting on behalf of mainland landowners. The […] Phuket Authorities Review Land Dispute Over Five Coastal Residences -=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=- The Phuket Express - Real. Unbiased. Impactful. In the moment.

A Nonthaburi provincial court has acquitted Mr. Zhao Chuanbo (41) and Mr. Huang Jianping (39) of all charges in a high-profile cross-border case involving the alleged embezzlement and money laundering of over 5 billion baht through luxury hotel purchases in Bangkok's Silom district.

The case began on April 3, 2025, when a former police officer filed a complaint on behalf of Yin Qianying ("Alu"), a Chinese-Cambodian national who was detained at Bangkok's special prison awaiting extradition to China. The officer accused Zhao Chuanbo, who was listed in Interpol's database, of conspiring to embezzle all of Alu's assets, including money allegedly brought from China that was laundered through the acquisition of luxury hotels and other properties valued at approximately 5 billion baht.

Police from multiple agencies coordinated to arrest both men at Suvarnabhumi Airport on May 20, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. Authorities opposed bail due to the high value of damages and the international nature of the case.

While the case initially appeared to involve embezzlement and Chinese money laundering schemes, the defendants were represented by attorney Anant Pilandhanaditok ("Attorney Uan"), head of the legal team at Kralow News. After examining evidence presented in court, the Nonthaburi provincial court determined that the prosecution could not prove its case against either defendant. The court issued a full acquittal, clearing both Mr. Zhao Chuanbo and Mr. Huang Jianping of all allegations and closing the high-profile inheritance and hotel dispute case.