A NIDA poll reveals over 80% of Thais want suspended PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra to step down or call fresh elections, reflecting political uncertainty. Meanwhile, social issues spark outrage as a man is arrested for assaulting autistic individuals in Chiang Mai. Pattaya’s new beach smoking ban faces backlash from tourists and expats, while local concerns grow over an Iranian national living on the beach. In government news, Thailand shelves its proposed tourist tax fearing it would deter visitors amid fragile tourism recovery. Religious trust is shaken as six senior monks are defrocked amid a scandal involving sex and blackmail. Cross-border tensions escalated with a Thai-Cambodian troop clash forcing tourist evacuations near Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple.
Thai Poll Reveals Over 80% Want Suspended PM to Step Down
A recent NIDA poll conducted between 4–7 July reveals that 42.4% of Thais believe suspended PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra should resign and 39.9% want the House dissolved for fresh elections, while just 15% favour her remaining in post. The survey also shows 32.8% support former coup‑leader General Prayut Chan‑o‑cha as the next prime minister, dwarfing support for establishment figures like Chaikasem Nitisiri (10.9%) and Anutin Charnvirakul (11.5%).
Thai man arrested for assaulting autistic woman and boy in Chiang Mai
A Thai man was arrested on 15 July after CCTV footage circulated showing him physically assaulting two autistic individuals—a woman and her seven-year-old nephew—while they waited for a bus outside a Chiang Mai shopping mall, allegedly provoked by barking stray dogs. Despite initial police reluctance to record the complaint, public outrage and pressure from a volunteer group led to his detention; the suspect, named Ek, admitted being intoxicated and offered 5,000 baht in compensation.
Butts out: Beach smoke ban sparks flaming row in Pattaya
Expats and foreign visitors have strongly criticised Pattaya’s new beach smoking ban—particularly at Dongtan/Jomtien beach—slamming it as ineffective and frustrating, with tourists reportedly ignoring the restrictions and vowing not to return if enforcement continues. Despite officials setting up designated smoking zones in public toilets behind the beach and warning that penalties could include fines of up to THB 100,000 or a year’s imprisonment, many feel it’s a pointless move that penalises smokers without changing behaviours.
Concerns Raised Over Iranian National Living on Pattaya Beach
Local residents in Pattaya have raised concerns about an Iranian man living on the beach, pushing a trolley believed to be stolen from Big C and frequently approaching tourists for money, prompting complaints over safety, hygiene, and the city’s image. On 14 July, Chon Buri Immigration officers confirmed he holds a valid tourist visa and posed no criminal threat, but was warned to leave the beach and risk visa revocation if he continued his minimalist lifestyle there.
Thailand shelves tourist tax plan over fears of deterring visitors
Thailand’s government has scrapped its proposed 300 baht tourist tax for air travellers—originally intended to fund tourism infrastructure and insurance—fearing it could deter visitors and harm the weakened tourism sector. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin stated the revenue boost would be greater if tourists spent freely on goods and services instead, so the fee has been abandoned to encourage higher visitor spending.
Thailand defrocks 6 senior monks as sex and blackmail scandal engulfs Buddhist clergy
Six senior monks in Thailand have been defrocked and several more implicated after a 35-year-old woman, nicknamed “Miss Golf” or “Sika Kor”, allegedly lured them into sexual relationships and blackmailed them—with authorities uncovering over 80,000 compromising images and substantial transfers of temple funds totaling millions of baht. The scandal has prompted police raids on major temples, sparked a nationwide investigation into monastic discipline and financial transparency, and led to calls for urgent legal reforms to protect the credibility of Buddhism in Thailand.
Tourists evacuated after Thai-Cambodian troops scuffle at Ta Muen Thom
A brief confrontation between Thai and Cambodian troops at the disputed Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin province led to the evacuation of tourists and a temporary ban on new visits to the site. The incident has heightened tensions in the ongoing border dispute between the two nations.
British Tourist Offers Cannabis Instead of Cash for Bangkok-Pattaya Taxi
A British tourist attempted to pay a 2,000-baht taxi fare from Bangkok to Pattaya with a large packet of cannabis after claiming he had insufficient funds. The driver rejected the offer and reported the incident to Pattaya police, who later facilitated a resolution without charges.
The story Thailand Video News | Tourists evacuated after Thai-Cambodian troops scuffle at Ta Muen Thom, Thai poll reveals over 80% want suspended PM to step down as seen on Thaiger News.
