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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘Just another day in Thailand': Elephant enters store, leaves with rice crackers
A now-viral video has taken the Internet by storm, showing an elephant walking into a convenience store in Thailand's Khao Yai region, leaving viewers amused and awestruck in equal measure. The massive creature, later identified as Plai Biang Lek, a 23-year-old wild elephant from Khao Yai National Park, was seen poking around the aisles with his trunk, appearing surprisingly gentle despite nearly touching the ceiling of the store. The video shows the towering elephant gently poking around the shelves with his trunk, nearly brushing the ceiling of the store. The text overlay on the clip read: 'Elephant enters store in Khao Yai, Thailand.' According to The Independent, the incident took place at around 3 PM on Monday in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima province. The video, originally shared by @bangkokcommunityhelp on Instagram with the caption, 'An elephant casually walked into a convenience store in Khao Yai — just another day in Thailand! On its way out, the hungry visitor even grabbed some rice crackers for the road.' The video has garnered over 1.7 million likes and 69.9 thousand likes. A post shared by Bangkok Community Help (@bangkokcommunityhelp) Reacting to the video, one Instagram user said, 'Are we just gonna ignore the elephant in the room?' Another user shared a personal experience: 'I encountered this one on the streets in Khao Yai. It's funny how dangerous they could be but how chill they actually are.' A third wrote, 'Thanks for posting this, normally no one talks about the elephant in the room.' Though villagers are accustomed to seeing Plai Biang Lek near the area, this was the first time he ventured inside a shop. As per Khaosod English, 'Locals are accustomed to seeing Plai Biang Lek passing by this particular store, but he has never before attempted to enter. This time, however, Plai Biang Lek surprised and alarmed the residents and store owner by walking right inside.' The Bangkok Post reported that the elephant entered the store while the shop owner was attending to a customer. Both immediately panicked, fleeing the shop and alerting park officials. This isn't the elephant's first close encounter with humans. In February, Lek made headlines after raiding a small restaurant in Nakhon Ratchasima. He wandered into the outdoor kitchen, knocked over chairs and kitchenware, and foraged for leftovers. It reportedly took about 30 minutes and metal poles to coax him back into the wild, said a report in The Independent.
Malay Mail
06-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
More pets, fewer kids: Thailand's pet economy purrs as birth rates slide
Thai millennials are turning to pets instead of having children. Cats are the top pet choice, with rising interest in rabbits and squirrels. Baby product sales, like diapers, are down; pet spending is up, valued at 75 billion baht. Spending is growing outside Bangkok, boosted by tourism. BANGKOK, May 6 — More and more young Thais are opting for pets over parenthood – and cats have become a clear favourite. Milin Veraratanaroj, chairman of Tang Ngee Soon Superstore in Udon Thani, has seen it first-hand and said there's been a clear drop in interest in having children since the pandemic began, highlighting a shift in sales of baby products, especially formula and diapers, The Bangkok Post reported today. 'Diaper sales dropped by roughly 20-30 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 year-on-year,' he was quoted as saying. Young people are increasingly seeing kids as expensive, and instead are choosing dogs, cats, rabbits and even squirrels, he said. To Milin, Thailand's shrinking birth rate could hurt its economy in the long run. Thailand's population has been falling steadily since 2020, according to the Bureau of Registration Administration. Official government data noted the Thai population stood at about 66 million at the end of 2024, with some 462,000 births but more than 571,000 deaths. In just the first quarter of 2025, fewer than 100,000 babies were born — while over 147,000 people died. It's a a bleak trend for baby goods, but a boost for the pet economy. Pets and their owners sit inside a Thai movie theatre at Samut Prakan on June 10, 2023. — AFP pic Pet boom Poolperm Thongcharoenpoolporn, chief financial officer of Thonglor Pet Hospital Co Ltd, told The Bangkok Post that the pet sector is booming – and will keep growing. 'Many Thais treat their pets as family members, fuelling a demand for personalised pet products, such as breed-specific food options,' he was quoted as saying. He expects the pet industry to grow at a single-digit pace this year. According to ttb analytics, a company linked to Thai financial institution TMBThanachart, country's pet industry was worth 75 billion baht in 2024. While some may cut back on non-essentials like fancy accessories, overall business sentiment hasn't dragged the market down. Thonglor Pet Hospital serves mid- to high-income customers, and demand remains steady. Poolperm also noted pet spending is picking up outside Bangkok, attributing it to burgeoning regional tourism. 'We're seeing more foreign customers, as well as locals involved in tourism-related businesses. The tourism revival appears to be lifting spending in these areas,' he was quoted as saying. He believes the trend of raising pets instead of children will continue. Spending habits may vary, but the emotional bond people form with their pets is strong. During the Covid-19 pandemic, pet demand spiked in Thailand, but adoption rates have since stabilised. Cats remain the favourite for new pet owners as they are thought to be suited to small spaces like condominiums, according to The Bangkok Post, which also noted emerging concern about pet food supply potentially outpacing demand. 'Unlike dogs, cats don't require outdoor walks or regular exercise,' said Poolperm. He's also seeing more Thais taking a liking to rabbits and squirrels.
The Independent
28-04-2025
- The Independent
Chinese tourist confesses to killing transgender woman and removing her heart
A 42-year-old Chinese man confessed to killing a 25-year-old Thai transgender woman in Pattaya after she refused to have sex with him. Fu Tongyung met Woranan Pannacha at the South Pattaya beach on the evening of 26 April and allegedly agreed to pay her 8,000 baht (£178) for sex. The man, currently in Thai police custody, told investigators he believed Woranan was a cisgender woman. They reportedly exchanged WeChat details. Later that evening, Woranan reached out and they allegedly arranged to meet at his rented room. Fu told the police Woranan later changed her mind and refused to have sex, prompting him to demand a 50 per cent refund which she allegedly refused. An argument reportedly ensued, during which she allegedly scratched Fu's face and kicked him off the bed, according to The Bangkok Post. Fu then climbed back onto the bed and allegedly strangled her. Police said that he dragged Woranan's body to the bathroom, where he used scissors to cut her open from the neck down to the genitals, removing her silicone breast implants and her heart. Fu reportedly told the police he wanted to 'play' with the body. After cleaning himself and the body, he went to bed and left for the airport the next morning. He was arrested at the Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province while attempting to leave Thailand. Fu reportedly apologised, saying he 'could not control' himself after he was attacked by the victim. He also mentioned that he was unsure if he had a mental illness as he had never been diagnosed. Pattaya police chief Anek Sathongyu confirmed Fu's confession was backed by evidence. Authorities noted that Woranan's lungs were missing but Fu denied having done so. Police confirmed that Fu's bag contained only a water bottle and no human organs.
Malay Mail
27-04-2025
- Malay Mail
Chinese national admits to killing Thai transwoman, removing breast implants and heart in gruesome Pattaya crime; police say lungs missing
PATTAYA, April 27 — A Chinese national has confessed to killing a Thai transwoman here last Friday after an argument over payment for sex. Fu Tongyung, a welder in China who is currently under Thai police custody, told investigators he met 25-year-old Woranan Pannacha near South Pattaya beach on the evening of April 26, The Bangkok Post reported today. Believing Woranan to be a cisgendered woman, the 42-year-old Fu exchanged WeChat details with her. Later that night, Woranan contacted him and they agreed to meet at his rented room for 8,000 baht. Fu claimed Woranan later changed her mind and refused to have sex, leading him to demand a 50 per cent refund, which she declined. A fight broke out during which she scratched Fu's face and kicked him off the bed. Fu said he climbed back onto the bed, sat on her, and strangled her. He then moved her body to the bathroom, where he used a pair of scissors to cut open her body from the neck to the genitals and removed Woranan's silicone breast implants and her heart. Fu told police he 'wanted to play' with the body. After cleaning himself and the body, he went to sleep and left for the airport the next morning. Police arrested him at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan province as he tried to leave Thailand. Fu reportedly apologised, claiming he 'could not control' himself after being attacked by the victim but told police he was unsure if he suffered from mental illness as he had never been diagnosed. Fu said this was his third visit to Thailand, with the last two trips made alone. Pattaya police chief Anek Sathongyu said Fu's confession was supported by strong evidence. Police also said Woranan's lungs were missing, which Fu denied taking. Police confirmed the suspect's bag contained only a water bottle and not human organs.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Malaysia overtakes China as top source of tourists to Thailand amid trade war woes
BANGKOK, April 10 — Malaysia has overtaken China as the leading source of tourists to Thailand, as Chinese arrivals dip in the face of global economic uncertainty, The Bangkok Post reported today. Figures from Thailand's Tourism and Sports Ministry show that from March 31 to April 6, 92,262 Malaysian tourists entered the country — a 12.8 per cent increase from the previous week. In contrast, arrivals from China fell by 1.2 per cent to 64,177. The report added that despite China still holding the lead in total arrivals this year with 1.38 million visitors, Malaysia is rapidly catching up with 1.23 million, narrowing the gap significantly. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool attributed the slowdown in Chinese arrivals to wider global headwinds, including economic pressures linked to the US-China trade conflict. The Bangkok Post also said as of April 6, total international tourist arrivals to Thailand stood at 10 million — an increase of 1.79 per cent compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, long-haul markets such as Italy and Spain are gaining traction, with traditional markets like the United Kingdom, Germany and Israel continuing to perform steadily. Russia and India are expected to send two million and up to 2.5 million tourists respectively in 2025.
