Category: The Bangkok Post

A Chinese national wanted in connection with a multi-billion-baht pyramid scheme has been arrested at a luxury residence in Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan province.

Crime Suppression Division (CSD) police, Interpol and immigration officers apprehended the suspect, identified only as Ju, 39, in Bang Phli district, Pol Maj Gen Pattanasak Bubphasuwan, CSD commander, said on Friday.

Mr Ju was a key figure behind the online investment platform ACE, which allegedly defrauded nearly 470,000 investors and handled transactions worth more than 10 billion baht, said Pol Maj Gen Pattanasak.

The arrest followed an investigation into networks of companies suspected of using Thai nominees to enable foreign nationals to operate businesses and hold assets in Thailand in violation of the law, particularly high-value residential properties and real estate.

Acting under a search warrant issued by the Samut Prakan Provincial Court on June 16, officers, led by CSD sub-division 4 chief Pol Col Ekkasit Panseetha, searched a luxury residence in village Moo 6 of tambon Bang Kaeo, Bang Phli district, where they found Mr Ju living in the house. Authorities said he was listed as a director of one of the involved Thai companies.

Further checks revealed that his permission to stay in Thailand had previously been revoked.

The Chinese Embassy in Bangkok had earlier informed the Royal Thai Police that Mr Ju was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by Chinese authorities and requested Thailand’s assistance in detaining and extraditing him to face prosecution in China.

According to information provided by Chinese investigators, Mr Ju and two associates were involved in promoting and recruiting investors for the online financial platform known as ACE through both internet-based marketing and offline seminars.

Authorities said Mr Ju was responsible for developing the platform’s system and overseeing its operations.

The ACE platform reportedly began operating on Sept 28, 2018, using a multi-level marketing (MLM) structure that authorities described as a pyramid scheme. Investors were encouraged to recruit new members in exchange for returns.

Chinese investigators found that, as of March 10, 2023, the platform still had 469,767 active members. More than 3.71 billion USDT had reportedly flowed through the system, equivalent to about 11-12 billion baht.

Chinese authorities subsequently issued arrest warrants against those involved on charges of organising and leading a pyramid scheme and defrauding the public for unlawful gain.

Following his arrest, Mr Ju was charged with overstaying his permission to remain in Thailand. He reportedly confessed to the charge before being taken to Bang Kaeo police station for legal proceedings.

During the search, authorities also seized a large amount of documentary evidence, including passports and identification documents linked to several countries, including Vanuatu, Paraguay, Myanmar, Grenada and China.

The arresting team also confiscated 18 items, including gold bars weighing a combined 20 baht-weight, two mobile phones, a laptop computer, a Thailand Elite card, bank cards, vehicle-related documents, foreign currency cash and identification cards from multiple countries.

Authorities said the siezed items would be examined as part of an investigation into financial transactions and possible links to a wider criminal network.

Police were expanding the investigation to identify additional assets and accomplices while coordinating with relevant agencies to facilitate the suspect’s extradition to China.

‘Obsession’ (2025) has received good word of mouth since it premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Combined with ‘Backrooms’, which became part of the ‘Backsession’ phenomenon, both films shared a very interesting behind-the-scenes story of young YouTubers turned feature film directors who made arthouse horror that became the talk of the town in 2026. ‘Backrooms’ came out last week, and now its bloody brother has arrived in Thai cinemas.

The horror hype was real. Last week I went to see Backrooms and the theatre was packed – the kind of crowds usually seen at franchise blockbusters, not indie horror. This week the same happened with its horror sibling.

Curry Barker’s Obsession is a horror story about love. Bear (Michael Johnston) has a crush on his friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette) but doesn’t have the courage to tell her. Universally relatable.

Then he comes across a ‘one-wish willow’ that can make a single wish come true. He wishes for Nikki to love him more than anyone in the world. She becomes more and more obsessed with him, and things spiral from there.

The story is fairly straightforward but is a fun examination of what romantic love becomes in its most extreme, toxic, possessive form.

From the acting to the post-production, the film excels in its cinematic storytelling.

The acting is stellar, with Inde Navarrette, who plays Nikki – the obsessive, possessive and possessed girlfriend – switching from normal to outright creepy so naturally. Michael Johnston as Bear, while less flashy, also serves as a strong foundation for Inde’s performance.

The composition and lighting elevate the horror element. I love the use of negative space here. Many shots show empty space behind the characters, which makes the audience anticipate that something could pop up there. We know something is going to happen, we just don’t know when – and that’s horrifying.

The lighting also helps, especially in how Nikki is often shot lurking in the shadows – this makes her seem ominous and unpredictable.

Overall, Obsession is simple, tense and creepy. It builds on a simple premise but is elevated by cinematic elements employed to draw out your emotions to great effect.

Chadchart Sittipunt has gained more popularity among voters, who will drop the ballots in elections for a Bangkok governor and city councillors in less than two weeks.

Mr Chadchart, who is an independent candidate, received 72.35% of approval from eligible voters in a Nida Poll issued on Friday, up from 67.30% in the previous survey on June 2.

Mallika Boonmeetrakul Mahasuk, another independent, was in a distant second with 9.60%, a jump from 7.30%. She surpassed Chaiwat Sathawornwichit of the People’s Party despite his slightly increased rating to 8.80% from 8.20%.

Democrat candidate Anucha Burapachaisri’s popularity remained stable at 3.10% from the previous poll.

The gubernatorial election and city council elections will take place on June 28.

As polling day nears, the percentage of voters who have not made up their minds on the choice vastly dropped to 2.70% from 10.20%.

The poll by the National Institute of Development Administration asked 2,000 voters in all 50 districts from Monday to Wednesday.

The poll outcome was in the same direction as a KPI Poll, also released on Friday, which underlined the lead of Mr Chadchart.

The survey showed Mr Chadchart was also popular among voters joining the general election on Feb 8, which saw the People’s Party sweeping all MP seats in the capital.

Though the People’s Party dominated the national election, 45.4% of voters for the opposition party said in the KPI poll that they would vote for Mr Chadchart to be the governor for his second term, with 30.6% to vote for Mr Chaiwat.

Most voters who voted for the Pheu Thai and Bhumjaitai parties in the general election would also support Mr Chadchart, but most voters loyal to the Democrats still had Mr Anucha as their preferred choice to take the helm at City Hall.

Voters placed their importance on individual candidates over representatives fielded by political parties, the poll said.

King Prachadhipok’s Institute carried out the poll from June 4-7 by asking 1,600 eligible voters across the capital.

Different direction on council poll

Nida and KPI pollsters, however, predicted different results on city councillors for all 50 districts in Bangkok.

Nida Poll said 32.85% of voters would support independent candidates, a slight increase from 29.10%, followed by contenders running under the People’s Party banner, who received 27.80%, up from 26.50%.

But KPI Poll showed People’s Party candidates coming first with 27.7%, ahead of independent choices who gained 18.5%.

Both polls said the Democrats was the third most popular for voters in the city council race.

China is expected to record a major uptick in inbound tourism over the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, with travel platforms reporting huge jumps in bookings by overseas users seeking out traditional Chinese cultural experiences.

Chinese travel platform Fliggy has logged a more than 600% year-on-year increase in inbound bookings for the three-day holiday, which begins on Friday. Fliggy is owned by Alibaba Group Holding, which also owns the South China Morning Post.

The surge comes as traditional Chinese festivals become a major draw for foreign tourists, adding to the boom in inbound travel that China has witnessed since Beijing began relaxing its visa policies a few years ago.

With spending by international travellers rising over 10% to US$135 billion last year, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the travel boom is set to give China’s economy a much-needed shot in the arm amid sluggish domestic demand.

More than a dozen Chinese provinces have rolled out festival-themed events for the holiday combining cultural, sports and retail experiences, as local governments seek to turn traditional customs into drivers of consumer spending, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

According to Fliggy, bookings for cross-province flight-and-hotel packages during the holiday rose over 90% month on month, with travellers increasingly searching for destinations hosting major dragon boat races.

Searches for hotels near major race venues in Guangzhou and Foshan in China’s southern Guangdong province, which host the country’s best-known dragon boat races each year, rose about 210% from the previous week ahead of the holiday, CCTV reported.

This year, Foshan’s centuries-old Diejiao dragon boat race – often described as “Formula One on water” due to its narrow-waterway format – will feature a 37-member crew from New Zealand, highlighting the event’s growing international profile.

The paddlers from New Zealand will need to power a 25-metre-long dragon boat through a channel that is just 5 metres wide at its narrowest point.

“It’s a lot of fun seeing foreigners racing dragon boats here, and it attracts many locals and overseas visitors,” said Zhu Feng, a Guangzhou resident who plans to visit Foshan to see the races. “It has spread widely on social media. It helps people come not just to watch, but to spend [money] and share it online.”

The Dragon Boat Festival comes amid signs of broader weakness in China’s consumer spending.

Retail sales fell 0.6% year on year in May, the first decline since China lifted its Covid-19 pandemic lockdown at the end of 2022, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday.

The data followed a subdued Labour Day holiday in May, an important marker of China’s consumer confidence. While official data showed that domestic tourist trips rose 3.6% year on year over the holiday, total tourism spending grew by just 2.9%, the slowest growth recorded since 2023.

For businesses benefiting from festival tourism, the challenge is whether the boost can outlast the holiday itself.

“Holidays certainly bring a wave of tourists, but it fades quickly,” said Susan Yu, a milk tea vendor in Guangzhou. “What we care about now is whether this consumption momentum can be extended, rather than being concentrated only on short holidays.”

The operators of businesses deemed to be encroaching on Nui Beach have been ordered to demolish their structures and return the land to the Royal Forestry Department by July 9 or face action from authorities.

Forestry, Interior Ministry and police officers posted a demolition order on the beach in Muang district on Friday, warning the operators to tear down their premises by the indicated date or face being charged by forestry officials the failure.

The warning was placed at the entrance to Nui beach along with official order letters at all the shops set for demolition.

The move came after beach violators had failed to show up in person to meet forestry officials to acknowledge the instruction in writing. Representatives of the businesses observed the postings by officials at the beach on Friday.

The order was signed by department director-general Nikorn Sirarotchananon. It followed the instruction of Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin last month to clear all illegal businesses from beach areas under the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

Thanandorn Phetdee said 39 structures – large and small – on Nui Beach were built upon Khao Nak Koet National Reserve Forest land. Together, they illegally occupy about 15 rai of the state plot, the foresty official added at the site. Locals and beachgoers had cried foul over being illegally charged for visiting Nui and Freedom beaches on the island.

The department took the case to court. The Phuket Provincial Court and Court of Appeals ordered the occupants vacate the beach and return it to its original state. The encroachers have forwarded the case to the Supreme Court after fighting it in the Administrative Court.

People’s Party list-MP Pawoot Pongvitayapanu has denied any links to illegal trading schemes after the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) identified suspicious transactions totalling 28 million baht to accounts in his name.

Mr Pawoot said he welcomed further inquiries from the DSI, which held a briefing on Friday on its investigation into a major network suspected of illegal foreign exchange trading.

The briefing followed raids earlier this week on 24 locations in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon, and the impounding of millions of baht in cash and luxury assets from multiple suspects.

Pol Maj Yutthana Praedam, the DSI director-general, attended the briefing along with officials from the police Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau and the Central Institute of Forensic Science.

Large flows of money connected to forex businesses in Thailand were found during the crackdown, the DSI said. The Bank of Thailand confirmed that none of the firms targeted was licensed to operate in the country, it added.

DSI officials said complaints had been filed against several forex brokers, including QRS Global, HFM, GOFX and Eterwealth, as well as brokers who provided their clients with introductions to the companies.

The suspects allegedly lured victims by posing as licensed brokers, showing off luxurious lifestyles online, along with screenshots of highly profitable trading accounts.

Investors were initially allowed to withdraw money but later encountered various fees and trading conditions that prevented them from accessing their funds, the DSI said. Influencers, entertainment figures and politicians were also allegedly involved in the establishment of these firms, it said.

Investigators have examined payment transactions over the past six months and identified about 500 victims, who lost 70 million baht in total, the DSI said.

The searches led to the discovery that these entities are all connected, and that 28 million baht was transferred to Mr Pawoot through 14 transactions.

However, authorities stressed that the transfers alone do not prove wrongdoing and that the MP has not been named as a suspect.

Mr Pawoot, in a post on Facebook, said the 28 million baht came from his investment in gold, which he started trading online three years ago. However, he later stopped trading due to losses, he said.

He also said he wanted to know more details about the transfers of 28 million baht to him, asking when exactly they were made and from which accounts the money was sent.

He added that he is open to further investigation, while denying any links to scammers or fraudulent schemes.

Mr Pawoot, a well-known digital entrepreneur before he entered politics, has been one of the leading figures scrutinising the government’s controversial TH-AI Passport project.

The board of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has begun to deliberate a draft of Thailand’s third digital television terrestrial broadcasting master plan, which has been awaiting its consideration for more than two years.

One of the most contentious topics is whether the country should establish a national digital broadcasting streaming platform, said an NBTC source who asked not to be named.

The third master plan (2026-30) is meant to chart the future of Thailand’s digital TV broadcasting industry ahead of the expiry of digital broadcasters’ licences in 2029.

Broadcasters have been pressing the regulator to finalise a clear roadmap for the industry beyond 2029, arguing that long-term policy certainty is essential for business planning and investment.

Earlier the Digital Television Association warned that if the NBTC failed to reach a conclusion by June 30 this year, broadcasters could seek legal remedies through the courts.

The master plan is accompanied by related policy proposals that will shape the post-2029 broadcasting landscape. They include draft regulations governing television and audio streaming services delivered over internet networks.

As well, technical standards for connected TV devices are being revised to ensure they can access terrestrial television services on digital platforms, together with other related measures.

Streaming debate

NBTC board members have been presented with a study on ways to promote television services across multiple distribution channels, and whether Thailand should establish a dedicated digital platform for terrestrial broadcasters.

Board members have reportedly questioned whether such a platform remains necessary given that many broadcasters already operate their own streaming services.

They have also discussed whether a company to manage the central platform should be established, whether such a platform model would be financially sustainable, and whether it would require continued regulatory support.

Earlier the NBTC Office presented three possible approaches to support the broadcasting industry after the current licences expire.

First, establish an entirely new national platform, including a dedicated application, platform management system, audience data infrastructure, content delivery network and operational support personnel.

Second, utilise existing TV platforms, either those belonging to public or private-sector broadcasters.

Third, strengthen the regulatory framework by requiring current streaming platforms to provide audience measurement data, viewing behaviour, ratings and fair revenue-sharing arrangements. Streaming services would come under a unified regulatory framework with additional rules to be introduced later.

The NBTC Office recommended pursuing the second and third approaches simultaneously, rather than building a new platform from scratch.

After considering the recommendations, NBTC board members remained sharply divided over whether Thailand should establish a national streaming platform, according to the source.

Members who support the national platform argued that such a platform could strengthen Thailand’s information and media sovereignty, ensuring domestic distribution channels remain under national control as audiences increasingly migrate to foreign-owned digital platforms.

Opponents of the proposal questioned whether the investment would be economically justified, arguing that a state-backed platform may not align with rapidly changing consumer viewing habits.

They also warned that prolonged regulatory support could reduce broadcasters’ incentives to innovate independently and weaken their long-term competitiveness in an increasingly market-driven streaming ecosystem.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) will on Friday reveal the names of individuals allegedly linked to a suspected illegal foreign-exchange investment and trading network, amid reports that politicians and entertainment figures could be implicated in the case.

Opposition People’s Party (PP) list-MP Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, whose name has surfaced amid speculation surrounding the case, has denied any involvement.

The anticipated announcement follows a major DSI operation carried out on Tuesday against a network suspected of soliciting investments and conducting foreign exchange (forex) trading without authorisation.

According to sources familiar with the investigation, investigators are continuing to question a large number of alleged victims and examine evidence collected from raids at 24 locations.

The searches were conducted primarily to gather evidence, and no arrest warrants or summonses have yet been issued, the sources said.

Investigators are analysing financial records and witness testimony to determine whether criminal offences were committed. Should sufficient evidence emerge, suspects could later be summoned to acknowledge charges.

Sources said preliminary findings suggest that one politician under scrutiny was not the owner of a digital wallet linked to the operation.

Another focus of the investigation concerns a well-known male actor, identified in local media reports only by the initial “F”. His residence was among the locations searched by authorities.

Amid speculation that Mr Pawoot could be among those named, the PP lawmaker urged the public to wait for official information.

Mr Pawoot has been one of the leading figures scrutinising the government’s TH-AI Passport project from the outset.

Speaking to local media, he said he had never been involved in forex activities and declined further comment until authorities released details.

Siho Uthakayotha, 63, was expected to be celebrating. After decades of uncertainty over land occupied by his community near Thap Lan National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima, a decision to remove 155,865 rai of overlapping land from the park boundary was viewed as a long-awaited breakthrough.

Yet Mr Siho, chairman of the Thap Lan 43 group, described himself as only “50% satisfied”.

While the move could bring greater certainty for thousands of farming families, he said several communities remain in unresolved disputes, leaving them to deal with what he described as a long-standing problem passed through successive administrations.

“I am pleased that progress has finally been made, but I cannot be fully happy while other villagers are still facing uncertainty,” he said.

The committee’s decision on June 15 marks one of the most significant attempts in more than 45 years to address overlapping claims between the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Agricultural Land Reform Office (Alro) and local communities. For many residents, the issue has never centred on political debate or technical mapping, but on homes, farmland and livelihoods passed across generations.

Decades of uncertainty

The dispute traces back to overlapping government designations made over several decades.

Communities were already established in parts of the area before Thap Lan was declared a national park in 1981.

Some land had previously been allocated for agricultural reform, while other settlements were created under security-era policies supporting villagers during the communist insurgency period.

When park boundaries were later formalised, thousands of residents found themselves living inside a protected zone.

Many residents have lacked legal certainty over housing and farmland.

Some have faced criminal complaints and legal proceedings, while others have struggled to transfer land to descendants or access financial support.

According to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin, the latest decision aims to address long-standing legal and administrative uncertainty affecting communities for nearly half a century.

“If we do not solve it now, people who have lived there for decades will continue facing legal action,” he said.

He stressed that the decision does not represent a blanket reduction of protected forest land. Instead, the disputed area has been divided into five groups based on historical documentation, cabinet resolutions and land-use records.

The first group covers about 55,000 rai previously designated for agricultural reform in 1978, prior to the national park’s establishment.

The second group comprises more than 8,000 rai in Ban Thai Samakkhi, which was allocated under a 1977 cabinet resolution linked to anti-communist operations.

The third covers more than 80,000 rai associated with former security settlements approved under a 1992 cabinet resolution.

The fourth group consists of land designated for public or administrative purposes and remains under review due to overlapping claims.

The fifth comprises approximately 6,000 rai of military training areas.

Mr Suchart said that these categories reflect legal foundations that pre-date, or operate independently from, the national park designation, forming the basis for their removal from the protected boundary.

Forests and land balance

Conservation groups raised concern after the announcement that more than 155,000 rai would be removed from Thap Lan National Park.

Environmentalists warned of potential impacts on protected ecosystems and broader conservation objectives.

In response, the government said the overall balance of conservation land is being maintained through a broader land reallocation process.

Mr Suchart said that while 155,865 rai would be removed from the park boundary, close to 90,000 rai of forest land elsewhere would be brought under protection through a land-swap arrangement. He said the intention is to maintain conservation outcomes while addressing long-standing disputes affecting an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 low-income families.

“People see headlines saying more than 100,000 rai of forest has been removed,” he said. “In reality, nearly 90,000 rai is being added back into protected status.”

The government maintains that no intact primary forest is being allocated for development.

Attapol Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), said most of the land identified for removal consisted of areas previously designated by the state for settlement or agriculture before the national park was established.

He added that conservation expansion would continue where appropriate, while some areas may be managed as community forests under joint arrangements between residents and state agencies.

Legal cases remain

Attention has increasingly focused on what is classified as Group 4, which remains inside the national park boundary.

Covering more than 100,000 rai and involving around 5,200 claimants, it is the most legally complex category of disputed land, said the DNP chief.

About 450 active cases are currently before the courts, accounting for the majority of the roughly 550 land-related cases recorded across all five groups.

Many involve allegations that private investors and resort operators have occupied land intended for agricultural use, said Mr Attapol.

The DNP has therefore suspended administrative decisions on this group for six months while each claim is verified individually.

He said the department would rely on aerial imagery, historical records and data from the government’s One Map system in assessing each case. The aim is to distinguish between long-standing residents and unlawful occupation of state land.

“We are not legitimising land use so that resort operators can retain possession,” Mr Suchart said separately. “Where encroachment is proven, legal action will follow.”

He added that commercial developments found to be located on state land would be subject to enforcement procedures.

The One Map approach

An academic in Nakhon Ratchasima has highlighted the One Map system as a key tool in addressing long-standing boundary disputes in the Thap Lan area.

Thawisan Lonanurak referred to the cabinet resolution of June 14, 2023, which introduced a 1:4,000 integrated land mapping framework known as One Map. The system combines datasets from the Royal Forest Department, the DNP and Alro into a single reference for disputed areas covering about 265,285 rai.

He said the approach replaces fragmented mapping systems that have long contributed to overlapping claims, enabling clearer identification of land status, including agricultural zones, conservation areas and state land boundaries.

“One Map helps clarify overlapping land boundaries across agencies,” he said.

He added that the unified system could reduce long-standing uncertainty by standardising spatial data used by different state bodies, while supporting more consistent land-use decisions and future planning. He noted that the framework may also help reduce disputes between affected communities, the DNP and Alro as long-standing classifications are reassessed under a single mapping standard.

Nearly half a century after the conflict began, the challenge extends beyond redrawing lines on a map.

It remains a question of balancing conservation, legal certainty and long-standing community livelihoods.

Eighteen people were arrested on Thursday while attempting to steal underground copper cables belonging to National Telecom in Muang district, posing as telecommunications employees wearing custom-made uniforms.

The arrests took place at around 1am on Sawanvitee Road in front of the Fairyland department store in tambon Pak Nampho, after police were alerted to suspicious activity, said Pol Col Phumrapee Phalaphum, superintendent of the Muang Nakhon Sawan station.

Authorities also seized five vehicles used in the operation and a large quantity of cable-cutting equipment from the suspects, both men and women.

The seized vehicles included pickup trucks, sedans and a truck for transporting the stolen cables. One had been fitted with a rescue foundation logo sticker to appear legitimate and avoid scrutiny from both the public and authorities.

Investigators found that the group was a large, professional gang from eastern Thailand and had been operating across several provinces in the central region, Pol Col Phumraphee said.

Police said the culprits had even invested in custom-made uniforms bearing the name of a private telecom company, allowing them to open manholes and cut copper cables without attracting suspicion.

Further investigation revealed that the company did not actually exist.

An investigative source said the suspects had rented rooms at a resort in the district since June 15 and began stealing telephone cables to extract and sell the copper, which has high market value.

The gang had reportedly completed one successful theft previously, earning more than 300,000 baht, before returning to commit a second.

When police surrounded the area, some of the cables had already been cut, but had not yet been pulled from the conduit. The operation prevented damage estimated at more than 10 million baht, Pol Col Phumrephee said.

An employee of National Telecom said that all of the telephone cables inside the underground conduits had already been decommissioned and were in the process of being gradually removed and returned to the state enterprise.

NT later discovered irregularities when sections of underground cable were found missing from several locations. They alerted police and closely monitored the situation.

Police believed the 18 suspects were part of a larger cable-theft network, which may operate in separate teams across different provinces. Investigators suspect there are higher-level organisers who direct the operation.

The investigation is expanding to link the case to similar incidents in other locations, police said.