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Sponsored 5 hospitals in Thailand digital nomads trust most
Thailand is still one of the best places for digital nomads, thanks to its low cost of living, comfortable lifestyle, and good healthcare system. For remote workers living far from home, having access to a trusted hospital is very important....
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Japan works towards opening NATO liaison office in Tokyo
Japan is progressing with plans to establish a NATO liaison office in Tokyo, according to Japan’s ambassador to the US, Koji Tomita. Speaking at an event held by the National Press Club in Washington, Tomita referred to a report by Nikkei Asia earlier this month, which stated that the US-led alliance intends to open the office – it’s first in…
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Couple condemned for having sex on a public beach in southern Thailand
A viral video of a couple having sex on Chang Lang Beach in Trang province, southern Thailand, has caused outrage among Thai authorities and netizens. The video, which shows a Thai man and woman having sex inside a camping tent on the beach, was widely circulated on the Facebook groups of Trang residents. The man was said to have repeatedly…
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Move Forward Party aims to make an impact in upcoming Thai elections
The Move Forward Party, which emerged in the wake of the dissolution of Thailand’s Future Forward Party, is set to make a significant impact in the upcoming polls. The latter won 81 seats in the 2019 Thai elections, enjoying overwhelming support from young voters due to its liberal-progressive stance. However, the country’s Constitutional Court disbanded the party over campaign finance…
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Southern Thailand’s struggle to attract foreign investors
The Southern Region Industrial Estate in Songkhla province of Thailand is unusually quiet. Long winding roads, usually bustling with heavy vehicles, are mostly empty. There are only two industrial estates in southern Thailand, the other being the Songkla Industrial Estate. In total, there are 67 industrial estates across the country. Sirianya Pornsuwankun, a tenant of the Southern Region Industrial Estate…
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Grab Thailand launches ‘GrabMart Durian Festival’
Grab Thailand announced that the volume of durians sold on GrabMart in the summer season grew by 70% in 2022 compared with the previous year. This year, further growth was driven by an increase of 40% in orders from international tourists during the Songkran Festival. In response, Grab has launched the “GrabMart Durian Festival” campaign to offer deals and discounts from fruit…
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Anthropic’s AI constitution: creating a safer rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT
Google owner Alphabet-backed artificial intelligence (AI) startup Anthropic has revealed its rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, named Claude, which comes with a set of written moral values designed to make the chatbot safe to use. The moral values guidelines, known as Claude’s constitution, draw from various sources such as the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights and Apple Inc’s data privacy…
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Will the Thai election help sex workers?
Many are hoping to see a change in their country after Thailand‘s upcoming General Election on May 14, and sex workers are no exception. Sex workers are crossing their fingers for the elections to bring about a change in the country’s antiquated sex industry legislation. With an estimated 300,000 people involved in the sex industry, campaigners are working to pass…
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Illegal brothel discovered in Singapore after Thai woman climbs out window
Police uncovered an illegal brothel in Singapore after someone reported seeing a Thai woman standing on a third-floor ledge of a residential building in Jalan Besar on April 8. On Monday, the woman on the ledge was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to living off the earnings of the prostitution of another person. A passerby saw the woman standing…
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UK enjoys well-being boost from rare triple public holiday in May
This year’s coronation of King Charles III has increased the number of public holidays in the United Kingdom. With the special public holiday on the Monday following the May 6 ceremony, along with the early May bank holiday and the spring bank holiday later in the month, many workers are enjoying a celebratory period. Typically, public holidays in the UK,…
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Twitter CEO Elon Musk reveals new features including calls and encrypted messaging
Details regarding new features for Twitter, including calls and encrypted messaging, have been unveiled by Chief Executive Elon Musk, 49 years old, on Tuesday. Last year, Musk teased plans for “Twitter 2.0 The Everything App,” which he claimed would contain options like encrypted direct messages (DMs), long-form tweets, and payments. Musk announced in a tweet on Tuesday that the platform…
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US braces for migrant influx as pandemic-era asylum rules end
As United States pandemic-era rules expire, the country is preparing to face thousands of migrants, resulting in deep divisions over immigration. These individuals are seeking safety and shelter in the US, but with a rising wave of nationalism, the welcome they receive may be uncertain. The Texas cities of El Paso, Brownsville, and Laredo have declared a state of emergency,…
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Thailand and UAE launch first free trade agreement
Thailand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) revealed the launch of their first free trade agreement (FTA) on Tuesday. The FTA aims to create new opportunities for trade, services, and investment between the two nations, expecting to boost bilateral trade by 10% within the first year of implementation. Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit and the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign…
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Mongolia battles desertification as yellow dust storms become more frequent
Baruun-Urt, Mongolia is witnessing frequent strong winds and heavy dust storms as the country experiences increasing desertification and land degradation. A decline in vegetation cover has affected approximately 77% of Mongolia’s total territory, according to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. Climate change and human activities are believed to be the primary causes of desertification in the country. In April,…
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OCBC reports record net profit in Q1 as strong net interest income growth boosts earnings
Singapore‘s second-largest lender, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp (OCBC), has reported a 39% increase in first-quarter profit compared to a year ago, driven by robust net interest income expansion. OCBC, also the second-largest bank in Southeast Asia by assets, revealed a net profit of US$1.42 billion between January and March, up from US$1.02 billion during the same period last year, significantly surpassing…
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Trudeau slams Meta over plans to block Canadian news in response to proposed legislation
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has criticized Meta after the company’s executives announced plans to block news for Canadian Facebook and Instagram users in response to proposed legislation. The new law, known as the Online News Act, would require digital giants to pay for local journalism content. Currently, the bill is being considered by the Senate. Google also revealed in February…
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Lionel Messi’s potential move to Saudi Arabia: A look at football greats who played in unexpected leagues
Lionel Messi, the 35 year old Argentine football superstar, is reportedly preparing to continue his illustrious career by making a surprising move to Saudi Arabia. As a result, Barcelona fans will be left heartbroken, as they had hoped for Messi to return to his former club. However, Messi is not the first prominent player to seek opportunities in less renowned…
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Thailand is the world’s biggest exporter of durian
Thailand, known for its rich culture and stunning beaches, is also the world’s biggest exporter of the notorious fruit, durian. According to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand has retained its top spot for durian exports, accounting for a whopping 93.3% of the global market share, Pattaya Mail reported yesterday. In 2022, Thailand exported fresh durian…
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Hungarian diver summoned by police for touching pipefish in Thailand
A Hungarian diver was summoned to the police station in Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province in southern Thailand yesterday for allegedly touching a pipefish. Police say he was formerly charged with touching protected marine life once before in 2020. In a video entitled “Scuba diving in the paradise, Koh Phangan” on the YouTube channel “Paradise Films by Attila…
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Pheu Thai sets conditions for coalition government formation
Pheu Thai Family leader and prime ministerial candidate Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra has revealed three conditions for the party to form a coalition government, with one condition being that Pheu Thai must manage all major ministries. During an hour-long interview published on TikTok and Instagram Live, which was hosted by celebrity Kachapa “Mod Dam” Tancharoen on Monday night, Paetongtarn maintained…
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Eastern economic corridor barely accessible to small businesses
The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) project in Thailand is falling short of its intended purpose, as only a few small local businesses are able to access and benefit from it, according to the Thai Sang Thai (TST) Party. Prime ministerial candidate for the TST, Supan Mongkolsutee, stated that the EEC scheme is predominantly aimed at larger companies, leaving small businesses…
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Royal guard dismissed for misconduct without pension
A recent royal command has resulted in the dismissal of a Royal Security Command officer from military service and the royal guard, without a pension, due to severe misconduct. The order, which became effective on May 5, was announced in the Royal Gazette yesterday. The officer in question is Colonel Chaimethi Phubodiwarochuphan, who served in the office of the deputy…
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China and Germany tensions worsen over Ukraine sanctions and neutrality stance
China-Germany tensions escalated yesterday as the two nations exchanged sharp words over the Ukraine crisis. with Beijing warning the EU not to sanction Chinese firms while Berlin argued that “neutrality” in the conflict meant siding with Russia. During their second meeting in a month, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock clashed repeatedly over the responsibilities of…
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Robert De Niro becomes a father again at 79
Legendary actor Robert De Niro, 79 years old, recently shared in an interview that he has become a father for the seventh time. The well-known “Raging Bull” star corrected an interviewer who believed he had six children, telling her it was “seven, now.” De Niro did not disclose further details about the baby’s gender or the mother’s identity during the…
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Chumphon man shoots girlfriend and kills himself in Phuket
A 56 year old man from Chumphon shot his girlfriend, resulting in her injury, following their breakup in a house in Wichit on a recent night, before taking his own life with a gunshot to the head. The violence occurred at a home in Wichit, where local police were called to respond at around 10pm. Upon their arrival along with…
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Victory Day celebrations in Russia amidst ongoing conflict in Ukraine
As Russia’s troops continue their campaign in Ukraine and the country experiences sabotage attacks at home, Russians have recently celebrated the wartime Victory Day with hopes for success on the modern battlefield. President Vladimir Putin frequently links the ongoing conflict in Ukraine to the Soviet fight against Nazi Germany 80 years ago, a narrative widely accepted by many Russians due…
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Phuket court issues arrest warrant for suspect who stabbed grocer to death
The Phuket Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant for a suspect who allegedly stabbed a grocer to death in the main city district on Saturday. The incident is believed to have occurred following a dispute with a former customer. Phuket City Police Captain Wichit Nokkaew said that the Phuket Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant for 34 year old Tarapong…
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Canada won’t be intimidated by China’s expulsion of Canadian consul, says Trudeau
Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, stated yesterday that the country would not be intimidated by China’s tit-for-tat expulsion of a Canadian consul. This came after Ottawa expelled a Chinese diplomat earlier this week, who was accused of targeting a lawmaker critical of Beijing. Trudeau emphasised that his administration’s decision to expel the Chinese official was taken to convey a clear…
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Ukraine urges faster EU support and clear membership path
Ukraine has issued a warning that it requires more effective support from Brussels, including a defined path towards European Union membership, during European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s recent visit to Kyiv. Coinciding with Europe Day, which promotes peace and unity within the continent, von der Leyen discussed Ukraine’s development in democratic and anti-corruption reforms ahead of an October…
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Resumption of live pig exports from Indonesia’s Pulau Bulan to Singapore could take a year
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has indicated that it could take up to a year for Indonesia’s Pulau Bulan to resume live pig production and exports. Singapore halted imports of live pigs from the island after African swine fever (ASF) was detected in some pig carcasses last month. The affected carcasses, part of a consignment of live pigs from Pulau…
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Deadly shooting at Tunisian synagogue during annual pilgrimage
Two people participating in an annual pilgrimage and two security service members were fatally shot at the Ghriba Synagogue on Tunisia’s Djerba Island yesterday, according to the interior ministry. The gunman, a police officer, was also killed in the incident. Several others, including four visitors to the synagogue and five security officers, were injured in the attack. The Tunisian foreign…
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