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Tributes pour in for AFP journalist killed in Ukraine
Grief and condolences have been flooding in following the tragic death of AFP journalist Arman Soldin, who was killed while covering the conflict in Ukraine – Europe’s deadliest since World War II. Soldin’s death occurred when the AFP team he was with came under fire by Grad rockets while accompanying a group of Ukrainian soldiers near Bakhmut, which has remained…
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Activists throw cake at Volkswagen bosses during annual shareholder meeting in Berlin
Berlin was the setting for protests at Volkswagen’s annual shareholders’ meeting yesterday, as demonstrators voiced their concerns over human rights and climate change issues. Europe’s largest car manufacturer faced pressure from climate protesters gathered outside the event venue, urging the company to take steps to reduce its carbon footprint. Activists from the group Scientist Rebellion displayed a message stating… “The…
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Exploring the possibility of a new departure tax in Thailand
As the general election approaches, the introduction of a new tax is considered an extremely sensitive issue and a rare political tactic. Despite this, the Revenue Department moved forward last week to address concerns regarding a potential new departure tax on outbound travellers, based on a 40-year-old “emergency decree”. The department confirmed it has no plans to introduce a departure…
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Life with HIV: Long-term survivors share their experiences
Over three decades ago, receiving an HIV diagnosis was akin to being handed a death sentence. Many endured discrimination, devastating personal losses, and gruelling drug side effects. However, advances in treatment have enabled millions of individuals to live with this virus. To mark the 40th anniversary of the discovery of the virus responsible for AIDS, four long-term survivors shared their…
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UK prime minister defends police after anti-monarchist arrests during coronation
LONDON – UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the country’s police forces on Tuesday, emphasizing their operational independence after facing criticism for arresting anti-monarchists prior to a protest at King Charles III’s coronation. Sunak expressed his support for London’s Metropolitan Police, which had been condemned for detaining six members of the advocacy group Republic just hours before Saturday’s event. “They…
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Former PM Imran Khan arrested amidst political crisis and protests in Pakistan
Protests have broken out across Pakistan following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan during a court appearance in Islamabad. Khan is facing a multitude of charges since being ousted from power last year in what analysts believe is a tactic used by Pakistani governments to quieten their opponents. If convicted, Khan could be prohibited from holding public office,…
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US jury deliberates on Donald Trump’s liability in rape allegation lawsuit
New York – A US jury began deliberations on Tuesday to determine whether former president Donald Trump is liable for the alleged rape of an American former magazine columnist in the mid-1990s. If the nine jurors rule in favour of accuser E. Jean Carroll, it would mark the first time Trump has faced legal consequences over claims of sexual misconduct.…
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Biden holds crucial meeting with Republicans on US debt limit impasse
President Joe Biden recently held a crucial meeting with Republican leaders to address the impasse over the US debt limit, which has far-reaching consequences on the world’s largest economy as well as the upcoming presidential election. The meeting at 4pm included Biden, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell. As the national debt ceiling, currently standing at…
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Thai PM candidate Pitha clears air over ITV shares controversy
Pitha Limcharoenrat, head of Thailand’s progressive party, Move Forward Party, and candidate for prime minister, has refuted allegations surrounding his ownership of shares in ITV Plc. Ruangkrai Leekijwattana recently claimed to have discovered that Pitha holds 42,000 shares in ITV Plc, and has called for the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) to investigate the matter. The situation is significant as…
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Court denies bail for DJ Man, actress Baiteoy, and other suspects in Forex 3D share fraud case
Earlier today, the Special Case Division of the Office of the Attorney General summoned defendants, including Panlapat Phum-on, also known as DJ Man, and Sutivan Suwannaphoom, more famously known as Bai-toey, alongside several others involved in case no. 273/2565. They were summoned to listen to the charges filed against the six defendants in connection with the Forex 3D (foreign exchange)…
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Pheu Thai candidate Dr Silp champions cultural diversity for economic revival
Dr Silp – Silpwichai Noisyamitr, a candidate for the constituency 24 of Khlong San, Thonburi, and Ratchaburana, Bang Pakok, under the Pheu Thai Party, aims to revive the economy with the diverse local culture. Growing up, he was a keen reader of Bangkok’s column in the newspaper, which made him an “active citizen” with a great knowledge of urban development.…
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Thai cyanide serial killer claims 15th victim, confirms RTP deputy commissioner
The Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, today confirmed that the number of victims of the Thai cyanide serial killer increased from 14 to 15. Big Joke added that officers are now investigating 78 million baht found in the bank accounts of the cyanide serial killer, Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, and 12 other people. The…
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Suspected murderer of Thai-British teen attacked during re-enactment
UPDATE A relative of the 17 year old Thai-British teenager Woramet “Ben” Taota – who was murdered in Lampang in northern Thailand on Saturday – attacked the suspected murderer with a wooden stick during a re-enactment of the crime this morning. At 11am, officers from Mae Tha Police Station and Lampang Provincial Police escorted the accused, 44 year old Chaiwat…
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German tourists injured in Pattaya-Naklua road accident
Two German tourists sustained injuries after being struck by a car while leaving a bar on Pattaya-Naklua Road. The accident took place around 2am on Saturday, May 6 on the Naklua Pattaya Road. Jakob Bauler, 68 years old, and, 58 year old, Klaus Werner were walking back to their hotel after enjoying a night out at one of the bars…
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Thai stock market rebounds with net inflows as investors absorb negative US news
The Thai stock market has begun experiencing net inflows this week after significant capital outflows during the first four months of the year, according to the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). Investors have seemingly absorbed negative news regarding the US banking crisis and the possibility of a recession. Soraphol Tulayasathien, a senior executive vice president, expressed hope that May would…
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ITV closes its operations since 2007 and files lawsuits against the Prime Minister’s Office
Anupong Chayrith, the Deputy Director of the Public Relations Department of Thailand (PRD/Thai PBS), confirmed on Wednesday that ITV Co., Ltd. has ceased operations since 2007, and likewise, its subsidiary, which provided filming equipment rentals, has also closed down. However, they are maintaining their legal status as they take legal action against the Office of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat. This…
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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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