Six drug smugglers killed, 300kg of ketamine seized near Myanmar border

13 Sept 07:55 Key points summarised by AI

Thai border forces killed six drug smugglers and seized approximately 300kg of ketamine during a clash near the Thai-Myanmar border in Chiang Mai.
The incident unfolded when patrol units encountered an armed group of about 20 men, leading to a 10-minute firefight in the mountainous jungle.
Security forces recovered the substantial ketamine haul, three shotguns, and four cell phones, with all personnel emerging unharmed from a subsequent brief gun battle.
This event follows a similar large-scale seizure and 15 deaths on December 8th in the same area, underscoring the persistent challenge of drug trafficking across the porous northern border.

Suchada: Meet the reluctant star of Thailand’s cryptic crypto drama

Yesterday 15:38 Key points summarised by AI

Thai MP Suchada Zhang Thaensap faces intense scrutiny over her husband’s substantial 1.84 billion baht wealth, with opposition lawmakers alleging connections to international scam networks.
A significant portion of her husband, Taiyang Zhang's, declared assets includes a 1.44 billion baht loan to the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, which still owes him 1.34 billion baht.
Opposition MP Rangsiman Rome accused Suchada's husband of links to online scam networks and gambling sites, prompting Suchada to vehemently deny the claims, demand evidence, and file a defamation complaint.
Taiyang Zhang's background includes co-founding Ren Protocol, later sold to Alameda Research (linked to the FTX collapse), and some of his former associates have been convicted in crypto company failures.
Suchada, a former actress and first-time MP, maintains her husband's innocence, while her party leaders have distanced themselves from the allegations, deeming it a private matter.