Top National Thailand Stories From the Past Week: Pattaya Police Officer Allegedly Murdered Cannabis Shop Owner, and More

Here is a look at the top NATIONAL Thailand stories, chosen by our Pattaya News/TPN National team, from last week, Monday, April 20th to Sunday April 26th.

They are not in any particular level of importance but are listed in the order of date of publication.

  1.  Police at Pattaya City Police Station took Pol. Lt. Col. Jirasak Srikatthanam, also known as “Sergeant Joe”, a 54-year-old investigation officer from the station’s investigation unit, for additional questioning on Monday morning (April 20th, 2026).

Pattaya Police Officer Who Allegedly Murdered Cannabis Shop Owner on Walking Street While Drunk Denies Charges, Faces Initial Court Appearance

2. Pattaya City Mayor Poramese Ngampichet, popularly known as “Pee Beer” (Brother Beer), expressed strong satisfaction with the resounding success of the “Wan Lai Pattaya 2569” (2026) festival, which drew massive crowds and generated significant economic activity during the tail end of the Songkran holiday period.

Pattaya Mayor Praises Highly Successful “Wan Lai/Songkran Pattaya 2026” Festival as Crowds Exceed 100,000 People and Economic Boost Surpasses an Estimated 1.5 Billion Baht

3.  A terrifying incident took place on Pattaya Second Road when a white BMW suddenly reversed at high speed into a group of pedestrians, sending foreign tourists flying and injuring five people, including a two-year-old child.

Dramatic CCTV Captures Moment BMW Driver Accidentally Reverses into Tourists in Pattaya, Injuring Five Foreigners

4. Thai police from Provincial Police Region 2 launched a major operation earlier this week targeting illegal activities in a popular expatriate residential area.

Police Arrested 9 Foreigners, Mostly Chinese, in Housing Raid Near Pattaya

5. Quick action by Pattaya police officers saved the life of an 89-year-old Russian woman who was trapped on the third floor of a burning four-story townhouse as heavy smoke filled the building.

Pattaya Police Brave Thick Smoke to Save 89-Year-Old Russian Woman from Four-Story House Fire

6. Phuket is stepping up its waste management strategy as daily refuse volumes exceed 1,000 tons, a surge fueled by urban growth and the island’s thriving tourism industry.

Phuket Confronts Mounting Waste Crisis, Launches Integrated Management Plan 

7. Thai immigration police, working in coordination with national law enforcement, apprehended a 33-year-old Indonesian man wanted by the FBI and Interpol for his alleged role in a massive cryptocurrency fraud scheme.

Indonesian Fugitive Arrested in Phuket for $10 Million USD Crypto Romance Scam

8. Thai police have arrested two Kyrgyz nationals wanted on Interpol red notices for a brutal kidnapping and murder in Kyrgyzstan. The suspects, identified as Mr. Aiat, 26, and Mr. Adilet, 26, were apprehended at a hotel in Patong, Kathu District, Phuket.

https://thephuketexpress.com/2026/04/25/kyrgyz-murder-suspects-captured-in-phuket-hotel/

That’s all for this week, as always thanks for your support.

For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.

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Adam Judd
Mr. Adam Judd is the Chief of Content of TPN media, English language, since December 2017. He is originally from Washington D.C., America. His background is in HR and Operations and has written about news and Thailand for a decade now. He has lived in Pattaya for about ten years as a full-time resident, is well known locally and been visiting the country as a regular visitor for over 15 years. His full contact information, including office contact information, can be found on our Contact Us page below. Stories please e-mail Editor@ThePattayanews.com About Us: https://thephuketexpress.com/about-us/ Contact Us: https://thephuketexpress.com/contact-us/