Australian National Simon Carman Murder Case In Pattaya
Australian national Simon Carman is a 45-year-old man charged with the murder of a 17-year-old Thai teenager.
Carman, who has been held in custody since late June 2026, told ABC he did not intend to kill the victim and is hoping and praying for his release. “I shouldn’t be here. I do not understand what what’s going on.” He said this in a 30-minute interview, which took place under the supervision of a prison guard in a visitor’s room.
The ABC reported that it was the first foreign news organization granted permission to interview a foreign inmate in a Thai prison in many years.
There was a dispute, or alleged dispute, over a payment. He wanted to pay 500 baht; it is alleged that she wanted 1,000 baht.
He is innocent until proven guilty. If he is proven guilty, he is facing the death sentence or life imprisonment.
Kingdom Development in South Pattaya
On South Pattaya Road, the new place, the Kingdom, is going guns and blazing. It’s getting some real speed up now. It’s looking really good.
It’s going to be a massive improvement to the city. It’s going to be another big feature point.
Abandoned Building on Chryrook Road
On Chryrook Road, there is a big abandoned building and, even now, there is still no notification of what they are going to do. This building has been left dormant. It still remains unfinished, and there is no indication as to what will happen or when it is going to happen.
Missing Russian Tourist Found Safe in Bangkok
Tourist police located a missing young Russian woman previously staying in Pattaya. She was found safe in a Bangkok condominium.
She had traveled to Bangkok and was staying at a condominium in the Petria Rama area. Authorities confirmed she was residing safely and had not been confined or subject to any harm, and had simply chosen to stay with friends without immediately informing her family.
50,000 Baht Bar Bill Incident in Pattaya
A foreign man was filmed running from a group of Thai people in Pattaya after allegedly leaving a bar without paying a bill reportedly worth around 50,000 baht. The footage divided Thai social media users.
The footage shows five or six people, including motorcycle taxi riders, chasing the foreign man. He was wearing a black T-shirt, beige shorts, flip-flops, and a cap as he ran from the venue towards the footpath along the beach.
The footage then cuts to the foreign man lying shirtless on the beach. He appeared to have been injured, although some sources could not confirm how the injuries were caused. A police officer was also present at the scene.
Some social media users alleged that the bar may have attempted to overcharge the foreigner and claimed that something similar had happened previously. These facts have not been independently confirmed. There has been no official report explaining how the incident ended or whether the foreign man paid the alleged bill. Local police have also not provided information about the case.
Thailand Considers Gold Transaction Tax
Thailand’s gold transaction tax to curb money laundering by gray capital is being studied. The Finance Ministry, the Bank of Thailand, and the Gold Traders Association are studying options for imposing a tax based on gold transactions following international practices.
The measure could cover transactions in the gold market as well as gold imports, while authorities will seek to avoid placing an excessive burden on legitimate businesses.
Pattaya Nightlife and Restaurant Updates
Candy Club is full of freelancers. The girls’ drinks are the same price as regular drinks, with no lady drink prices. It has live music and air conditioning, and opens at 8 p.m. and closes at 4 a.m.
Opposite it, a former lounge venue is now going to become Lawson’s mall. They are getting close to finishing. Opposite there, a newly opened restaurant is in the same area.
Witherspoons does a full English breakfast for 270 baht, including two eggs, bacon, crumble and sausage, black pudding, hash browns, bubble and squeak, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, and toast, with tea or coffee included.
The fruit and vegetable market has been demolished. It is being rebuilt and is going to be called the Hive Potato Hotel.
A new hotel is being built in the center opposite Treetown, near Witherspoons. It is another indication of how the city is changing, bringing people away from Beach Road and into the Soi Buakhao area with new hotels.
Nominee Raids Target Pattaya Properties
Nominee raids extend to three sites in Pattaya. Officials have raided three locations in Pattaya and seized computers and documents linked to a suspected nominee scheme concealing foreign ownership of land and businesses.
Foreigners are not allowed to own land in Thailand. They can have a Thai company, but it needs to be a legitimate company, not one of these companies that are alleged to be used to circumvent the law.
The three locations were raided following action in Koh Phangan and Koh Samui, where officials have been targeting suspected foreign ownership arrangements. Cozy Beach was one of the areas they targeted.
Pattaya to boost security as they get ready for the arrival of thousands of American sailors and Marines arriving on the USS Abraham Lincoln, as well as several other ships set to arrive later this week.
Thousands of US Sailors Arrive in Pattaya
It’s August 30th, 2026. Thousands of US sailors are set to arrive in the next few days, roughly from September 2nd until the 6th.
During these visits, they are under a lot of rules, restrictions, and regulations. It’s not just a free-for-all like some people seem to think online.
The main purpose of this visit is actually to resupply the USS Abraham Lincoln after a very long 260-day-plus deployment in support of the Iran war. They are also going to get rest and relaxation.
Because of that long deployment, many of the sailors are eager to get off the ship, as many reports in international media have stated that the conditions have been stressful, to say the least.
Pattaya City Officials Boost Security
Meanwhile, Pattaya city officials are boosting security in the area, aware that security concerns could be an issue for many. As a result, there will be many more police patrols, as well as Thai military assistance in the area during the visit.
New Deportation Rules for Foreign Visitors
A new regulation setting out clearer and faster procedures for deporting foreign nationals from Thailand has now come into force following its publication in the Royal Gazette.
The idea is fairly straightforward. If a foreign visitor seriously abuses their welcome, the authorities now have a much clearer route for showing them the door and, in some cases, making sure that door remains firmly closed afterwards.
The regulations cover foreigners whose conduct is considered a threat to public order, public well-being, or what the law describes as good morals. They also cover those convicted of specified offenses, including illegal entry, illegal employment or business operations, document forgery, and more serious criminal offenses.
There is also an important change involving foreigners already serving time in Thai prisons. Prison authorities will now be expected to notify the interior ministry at least 50 days before an eligible foreign prisoner’s scheduled release, allowing deportation arrangements to be prepared in advance.
Thailand has long had laws allowing foreigners to be deported. What officials say has been missing is a standing procedural framework clearly setting out how those powers should be implemented. Under the new arrangements, tourists whose behavior is judged to threaten public safety or seriously disrupt public order could be detained, have their permission to remain revoked, and face immediate deportation proceedings. They can also be blacklisted.
The message from the interior ministry is that Thailand remains very much open to visitors from around the world, provided they respect Thai laws, Thai people, and the country’s culture.
Armed Insurgents Strike Property in Patani
In the south, armed insurgents carried out another handful of attacks against property over the weekend. Although the number was considerably lower than during the previous weekend, with police and military numbers substantially increased across affected areas, there are indications that those responsible for the recent surge in attacks may, for the moment at least, have taken a step backwards.
That certainly does not mean the threat has disappeared. In Patani on Saturday evening, armed men raided a large DIY store, ordering customers and employees to leave before three explosive devices were detonated.
Thankfully, there were no reported injuries, but the building suffered extensive damage. Of even greater concern to security forces was the discovery of a tricycle packed with explosives, apparently positioned to be detonated remotely. For whatever reason, that device failed to explode.
Bomb disposal specialists were called in and managed to make it safe. Police believe its triggering mechanism may have been disturbed while the device was being transported. Officials say that, had it worked as intended, it was capable of causing considerably greater destruction.
Army and police teams remained at the scene on Sunday, gathering forensic evidence as investigators continued trying to identify those responsible. Security across the affected southern provinces remains understandably high.
Phuket Businesses Face Supreme Court Land Ruling
On Phuket, meanwhile, staff and business operators arriving at a resort area in Thalang District were greeted by officials enforcing a Supreme Court ruling concerning more than five rai of disputed beachfront land.
The area reportedly contains 16 restaurants built on or alongside the disputed property.
The long-running case concerned control and use of the land, where areas had reportedly been blocked off and subsequently sublet to business operators who constructed restaurants there.
Bangkok Fire at Khlong Thom Center Flares Again
In Bangkok, Friday’s enormous fire at the three-story Khlong Thom Center appeared finally to have been extinguished on Saturday.
By mid-afternoon, flames had broken out again, with thick plumes of smoke rising above the building and fire visible on the upper floors. Firefighters and rescue teams returned to the scene and continued pouring water onto the structure even as heavy rain fell across the area.
There were additional concerns because of the variety of goods and materials stored inside the building, raising fears over potentially hazardous chemicals and toxic smoke. The center was a major retail complex divided into numerous individually rented units and was popular with the public.
The scale of the damage is now believed to be enormous, with serious doubts that the building can economically or safely be repaired. Questions are also being asked about what fire prevention systems were installed inside the complex, including whether adequate sprinklers, alarms, and extinguishing equipment were available.
Many of the tenants were small independent traders, and several have told reporters they had little or no insurance cover. For them, this is not simply a damaged shop. Their stock, equipment, and, in some cases, virtually their entire livelihoods may have disappeared in the fire.
Nighttime Sand Artwork Draws Visitors to Beach Road
Much happier reports came from the beach road area, where visitors turned out over the weekend to enjoy the nighttime displays featuring Pattaya’s illuminated sand artwork.
The sculptures were transformed after dark with some rather impressive lighting and projection effects. Being completely free, they proved popular with residents and tourists alike.
Social media was subsequently filled with photographs from the displays.
Pattaya Restaurant Publishes Christmas Day Menu Early
Christmas is coming. One local restaurant has already published its Christmas Day menu around four months ahead of the big day.
