Here is a look at the top NATIONAL Thailand stories, chosen by our Pattaya News/TPN National team, from last week, Monday, May 5th, to Sunday, May 11th, 2025.
They are not in any particular level of importance but are listed in the order of date of publication.
Let’s get started and see what the top stories were!
- The Chonburi Immigration Office revoked the visa of Mr. Mustafa Hakan Aslan, a 25-year-old Belgian national, and ordered his deportation after he caused disturbances and damaged property in two separate incidents at convenience stores within a week.
His details will be added to a blacklist, barring him from re-entering Thailand, although the period of the ban was not revealed to the press.
2. During a recent operation, authorities apprehended 13 foreign nationals—seven from Uzbekistan and six from Uganda.
Pattaya Police Crack Down on Alleged Illegal Prostitution by Foreign Nationals on Pattaya Beach
Some were found to be overstaying their visas, while others held student visas, raising suspicions.
3. A 31-year-old Australian tourist has been sentenced to 15 days in prison for reckless driving after performing dangerous motorbike stunts in Rawai.
UPDATE: Australian Motorbike Rider Sentenced to 15 Days in Jail for Motorbike Stunt in Rawai
The tourist was found guilty of violating traffic laws by lifting the front wheel of his motorbike—commonly known as a “wheelie”—while speeding through the city, endangering pedestrians and other motorists.
4. Thai authorities have intensified their crackdown on foreign nominee ownership in the real estate sector, following a recent court ruling that penalized 23 individuals found guilty of violating the Foreign Business Act.
Thai Court Sentences 23 Foreign Real Estate Nominees in Phuket
The Department of Business Development (DBD) told the Phuket Express that all convicted nominees were fined 200,000 THB each, with a suspended two-year prison sentence and mandatory one-year probation.
5. Authorities have apprehended a male Australian national in connection with a brazen robbery allegedly targeting his fellow countryman, seizing the suspect at a lavish villa in Pattaya.
Billy was found at a luxurious villa in Pong, Banglamung.
6. Authorities in Phuket have apprehended a 20-year-old Ukrainian woman, Mrs. Anastasiia, at Phuket International Airport following her involvement in a property destruction incident at a condominium.
UPDATE: Ukrainian Woman Arrested at Phuket Airport for Condo Damages Following Rental Dispute
The suspect allegedly vandalized various household items after a dispute over receiving a refund of her security deposit, which the landlord has stood by the decision saying proper policy was not followed and that the woman was not the tenant on the legal contract.
7. A foreign tourist is facing penalties after a viral video captured them feeding potato chips to wild monkeys at Monkey Bay on Phi Phi Island, a popular destination in Thailand’s Krabi.
Western Tourist Faces Fine for Illegally Feeding Monkeys on Phi Phi Island
The act, which violates strict marine park regulations, has led to widespread outrage online and renewed calls for stronger measures to protect the island’s wildlife.
8. The Royal Gazette has officially announced a decision to partially lift the long-standing ban on alcohol sales during five major Buddhist holy days, a move aimed at boosting Thailand’s tourism industry while respecting religious traditions.
The regulation, published on May 8th, 2025, and effective from May 10th, 2025, allows limited alcohol sales under strict conditions, starting with Visakha Bucha Day on May 11, 2025.
