Nonthaburi - A hotel staff member who witnessed the incident involving a Pak Kret police officer bringing a female officer to a curtain-service hotel has come forward with testimony, contradicting claims of entrapment and emphasizing the absence of any distress calls for help.

April 30, 2026 - A progress report details how a female police officer, accompanied by her boyfriend who is a commando officer, filed a report with the case processing division at Pak Kret Police Station after he allegedly brought her to the curtain-service hotel on Sisamarn Road. The female officer eventually sent a message to her mother requesting assistance, prompting her boyfriend to contact police case officers, who then quickly removed her from the hotel and dropped her in front of a shopping mall on Sisamarn Road instead.

Reporters recently visited the hotel where the incident occurred and interviewed Ms. B (pseudonym), the hotel manager. She revealed that initially she was unaware of any deception occurring that night but learned the next morning when a man filed a report claiming his girlfriend had been deceived. After reviewing the complaint form and CCTV footage, she identified a single Mercedes that checked into room 23. When questioned, the parking attendant expressed doubt about the deception claim, stating he observed the woman entering the room before the man, and they were talking and laughing together.

Ms. B questioned why the woman would not have called for help if truly deceived, noting that the parking attendant carries a radio and could have immediately summoned other staff. The hotel has procedures for monitoring all guests to prevent such incidents. However, the woman did not attempt to escape or call for help. Instead, the man later came out to pay and purchase condoms, yet the woman never sought assistance - behavior inconsistent with being deceived. Ms. B believes her staff account is truthful.

Police have already interviewed all hotel staff, who provided consistent testimony. On the night in question, the couple arrived around 7:00 PM, stayed briefly, and departed. Ms. B noted she never expected this to become news.

She further argued that if deception had truly occurred, the woman would have had multiple opportunities to escape or call for help from staff. However, she showed no signs of distress. The parking attendant confirmed his observation of the couple's normal behavior, noting it did not appear to be a deception scenario, as he routinely monitors guest behavior to prevent such situations.

When contacted by phone, the hotel staff member reaffirmed that both the man and woman arrived normally, parked at the hotel as usual, with the man paying and ordering items. The staff member observed them during check-in and noticed normal conversation with no signs of conflict or coercion. The woman entered the room first, followed by the man. The staff member later delivered items to their room twice.

At 6:30 p.m. on April 30, police from Bang Sri Mueang Station and rescue workers arrived at the scene of a motorcycle-pickup truck collision with a fatality on the Bangkruay-Trai Noi overpass in Bang Krang subdistrict, Mueang district, Nonthaburi province. The body of Nusara, a 55-year-old noodle vendor, was found lying in front of a white Toyota Vigo pickup truck. A red and black Yamaha motorcycle was found nearby, both vehicles sustaining significant damage to their fronts.

Dashcam footage from the pickup truck captured the incident, showing Nusara riding down from the bridge at high speed before losing control on the curve. She struck an orange rubber barrier, crossed into the opposite lane, and collided violently with the pickup truck.

Thanedet, 67, the pickup truck driver, explained that he owned a rice curry shop at Bang Sri Mueang market and was driving home after closing for the day. As he approached the curved section before the bridge overpass, he saw the motorcycle descending at high speed, strike the orange barrier, and cross into his lane. He observed the victim attempting to drag her foot on the ground as if trying to brake before she crashed forcefully into the front of his vehicle.

Actress Zhao Lusi landed in Thailand on April 30, 2569, with Thai fans crowding the airport to greet her. When she appeared, Zhao Lusi wore a bright smile and casual outfit, receiving silk flower garlands from fans as an official welcome to Thailand, and she also gave gifts in return to the waiting fans. Zhao Lusi is famous for hit series including Hidden Love, Love Like the Galaxy, and The Romance of Tiger and Rose. Her trip to Thailand is to prepare for a major concert event offering special experiences for Thai fans. Over the coming week, she will stay in Bangkok to rehearse and prepare for her major solo concert abroad—notably her first concert of this scale in Thailand. Zhao Lusi's visit to Thailand is to prepare and rehearse for the "Zhao Lusi Stay Romantic" concert, scheduled for May 9, 2569, at Impact Arena in Muang Thong Thani. Fans can expect special performances including theme songs from popular dramas, unreleased new songs, and performances specially designed for the Bangkok stage. There will also be exclusive moments for fans to get closer to Zhao Lusi than ever before. Those interested in joining this special experience can purchase tickets through Ticket Melon, Damai, MAISEAT (identity verification required), and Trip.com.

On April 30, 2026, the Royal Gazette website announced a royal decree granting military ranks and official appointments to palace civil servants. The decree, issued under the authority of Article 15 of the Thai Constitution B.E. 2560 and related military and administrative statutes, grants Colonel Patiwat Fuengpraphatsom a promotion from his position as Special Operations Officer at the Office of the Special Operations Commander of His Majesty the King, Royal Security Command (at the rank of Special Colonel) to the same position at the rank of Brigadier General, effective April 25, 2026.

BANGKOK — The Australian Embassy Bangkok hosted a reception on Wednesday evening bringing together Thai and international media, government representatives, civil society and diplomats ahead of World Press Freedom Day.

Australian Ambassador to Thailand Angela Macdonald said the occasion served as a reminder of the critical role of a free press.

"Timely, accurate and independent reporting has never been more important," she said, noting that journalists around the world continue to face imprisonment and even death in the line of duty.

The event's guest of honour, Peter Greste, a professor of journalism at Macquarie University, reflected on his own experience of being imprisoned in Egypt for 400 days.

He said the media industry is facing what he described as a "perfect storm" of economic, technological, political and security challenges.

"In a world awash with misinformation and propaganda, we have never needed ethical journalism more," Greste said, adding that journalists must work to rebuild public trust while governments do more to protect press freedom.

Earlier in the week, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand hosted a panel discussion on media freedom and threats to journalism.

Greste joined FCCT president Panu Wongcha-um and Karishma Vyas, Asia editor at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, to discuss industry challenges, journalist safety and the importance of press solidarity.

The Australian government reiterated its support for freedom of expression and press freedom as key pillars of open and resilient societies, emphasising transparency, accountability and access to information.

On April 30, Hakna Cafe Kanchanaburi—a picturesque café overlooking rice fields and nestled against mountains in Kanchanaburi province with nearly 28,000 followers—announced its permanent closure, with May 5 designated as the final day of operation. The café expressed gratitude for all customer support, trust, and cherished memories, hoping Hakna would remain in everyone's hearts forever.

Owner Mel Aewwan clarified the closure reasons in a video, stating the decision was heartbreaking despite massive investment. The café was entirely self-funded with no partners, built on two acres of land costing hundreds of thousands of baht, with total construction expenses reaching over 10 million baht. However, the closure became necessary as revenue declined while expenses remained constant and management became difficult. He recalled that the previous year the café earned over 100,000 baht daily, with the train section generating 30,000-40,000 baht daily, but current operations could no longer sustain these figures.

Mel expressed frustration with some customer behavior, noting that dissatisfied customers would post complaints over minor issues on social media, while staff mistakes were handled through warnings and corrections. He invited anyone interested in taking over to contact him about ownership, leasing, or purchasing options.