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South Africa to alter law for power to arrest Putin amid ICC warrant
South Africa is planning to amend its law to give itself the authority to decide whether to arrest a leader wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to Obed Bapela, a deputy minister in the South African presidency. This comes amid growing speculation over South Africa’s stance on its invitation to Russia’s President Putin to visit in August. The…
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UK government probes video games’ mental health impact and economic benefits
The UK government is seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the nation’s thriving video game industry, including the potential impact on users’ mental health. With popular games such as Grand Theft Auto and Football Manager being produced in the UK, the industry is valued at £2.8bn and over half of the country’s adults participate in gaming. However, the government…
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Woman rescued waist-deep in mud near West Kirby Marine Lake
A woman was rescued after being trapped waist-deep in thick mud while walking near West Kirby Marine Lake on Merseyside. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) deployed the Hoylake hovercraft Hurley Spirit to assist her at approximately 2:45pm on Monday. The woman had become stuck in a channel of shallow water and was unable to reach the shore. Following her…
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Prince’s Trust drops Phillip Schofield as ambassador over affair admission
The Prince’s Trust has decided to part ways with Phillip Schofield, 61 years old, as an ambassador after he confessed to having an affair with a young male colleague and lying to cover it up. The charity, established by the King, stated that continuing to work with the presenter was no longer suitable. Schofield announced his departure from ITV last…
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Protest at Oxford Union over Kathleen Stock’s gender-critical talk
A large crowd assembled outside the Oxford Union to express their disapproval of a lecture delivered by Kathleen Stock, a gender-critical academic. Despite facing opposition from some students, Stock remained resolute in her decision to proceed with the talk, which has been labelled transphobic by critics. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak supported Stock’s right to speak, stating that universities should foster…
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Woman shot dead by ex-owner refusing to vacate repossessed house
A tragic incident unfolded this afternoon in Thanyaburi district, Pathum Thani when a woman was fatally shot by the irate former owner of a house she had recently purchased from a bank. The man, 65 years old, had refused to vacate the property and was in a standoff with the police at the time of the shooting. Officers were alerted…
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Viral sensation: Vietnamese couple’s extravagant engagement ceremony leaves social media in awe
A Vietnamese couple’s lavish engagement ceremony, involving extravagant gifts of cash and gold necklaces, gained a lot of attention on social media. The bride received more than 50 gold necklaces and 7.3 million baht (US$201,000) in cash, causing online users to express amazement and envy. Local media reports state that the engagement ceremony took place on Saturday, May 27, involving…
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Songkhla Lake bridge project raises concerns for Thailand’s last Irrawaddy dolphins
Concerns have been raised over the potential impact of a proposed bridge across Songkhla Lake in Thailand on the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin population. Environmentalist Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat highlighted the importance of conservation efforts to protect the last 14 remaining Thai dolphins. Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, an expert in marine science and environmental issues, took to social media to express concerns…
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Indonesia probes potential leak of election system verdict
Indonesia‘s Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security, Mohammad Mahfud Mahmodin, has called for an investigation into a potential leak involving a Constitutional Court verdict that could alter the country’s parliamentary election system. This comes after former deputy justice minister, Denny Indrayana, claimed that the court had repealed the current “open-list proportional representation” system for Indonesia’s parliamentary elections. Indrayana stated…
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Two arrested in Phuket for selling guns online via Facebook
Two men have been arrested by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) Region 5 branch for allegedly selling firearms online via Facebook from their homes in Kathu, Phuket. The arrests were announced late on Sunday, though the specific dates were not disclosed. In the first raid, at a house in Moo 1, Kathu, officers arrested Kriangkrai, a 31 year old…
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150 year old durian trees draw crowds to Trang, selling out daily
Residents and tourists are dashing to a 150-year-old durian orchard in Trang Province for its delicious, 50-baht-per-kilogram fruits. Demand has outpaced supply, with customers flocking to buy the durian varieties from this unique orchard of indigenous species. Sathit Rammana, a 52 year old orchard owner from Trang Province, tends to a 1,000 year old tree orchard called Ta Chan. Sathit’s…
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E-cigarette use linked to lung disease, concerns over misdiagnosis in Thailand
Concerns are rising among medical professionals in Thailand as e-cigarette-related pneumonia and bronchitis cases increase, particularly among those who use cannabis oil. Difficulties in diagnosis and a lack of awareness among doctors have contributed to under-reporting cases. Thai medical professionals have expressed their concerns over the increasing number of pneumonia and bronchitis cases connected to e-cigarette usage. Specifically, those using…
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Mysterious drone attack damages Moscow buildings, raises security concerns
Numerous buildings in Moscow sustained damage following an unidentified drone attack, although no serious injuries or fatalities were reported. Russian security services continue to investigate the incident, with no confirmation of the origin of the drones. Sergey Sobyanin, Moscow Mayor, assured that no one sustained serious injuries from the attack and emergency responders reached all affected areas. Social media footage…
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Hit-and-run chaos in Pattaya: Thai man left stranded as white sedan driver escapes justice
A Thai man involved in a hit-and-run accident near a Big C department store in Central Pattaya with the driver of the white sedan responsible is still at large. Thanachot Aranyapragorn shared his story with local media, expressing frustration that the driver has not been apprehended despite filing a report with Pattaya Police nine days ago. The accident occurred on…
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Ex-national parks chief’s complaint rejected in bribery scandal case
A bribery scandal involving a former director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation in Thailand took a new turn as the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases dismissed the complaint filed by the accused against the arresting police officers. Rutchada Suriyakul Na Ayutya accused members of the police Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) of malfeasance, fabricating…
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Abusive teacher faces arrest for tormenting 280 kids
A Thai nursery teacher faces arrest for allegedly abusing over 280 children at a childcare centre. On May 30, 2023, Wichit Boonchinwuttikun, the Saraburi Province’s police chief, disclosed the progress in the case; the suspect admitted their guilt and remorse. The investigation into the childcare centre abuse began when nine children were interviewed by a multidisciplinary team of prosecutors, police,…
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Woman rescued after lying naked in roadside forest
A 36 year old woman sought police help after she discovered herself lying naked in a roadside forest along Sri Waree Noi Road in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok. The police suspect she was violated by a couple of friends who she spent time with the previous night. At about 9am today, a member of the Bang Plee Rescue Team accompanied…
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Taiwanese couple gropes on motorbike at traffic lights sparks outrage
A Taiwanese man has been accused of inappropriately touching a woman as they both rode a motorcycle whilst waiting at a traffic light. The pair’s acts have drawn widespread criticism online after a video clip of the incident went viral. A short video has emerged online in Taiwan, sparking outrage and criticism. The footage, posted on the Taiwanese website Nextapple,…
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A bug’s life: Century-old temple overrun by termites attracts lottery enthusiasts in search of lucky signs
A century-old temple in Phetchabun province, Thailand, has termites almost completely covering its ancient Buddha statues. News of this brought lottery enthusiasts dashing to the temple in search of lucky signs. Locals and temple committee members opened the ancient chapel at Noen MaKha Noi Temple in preparation for its renovation, yesterday, May 29. Upon entering, they witnessed large termites covering…
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Bank of Japan to maintain ultra-loose policy, downplays change expectations
The Bank of Japan’s Governor, Kazuo Ueda, has stated that the central bank will continue to maintain its ultra-loose monetary policy, as there remains a significant gap to achieve the 2% inflation target sustainably. Ueda’s comments downplay the expectations of a policy change in the near future. He told parliament, “We expect inflation to quite clearly slow below 2% toward…
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Brawl erupts between foreigners and Thai driver on road in Phuket (video)
A Thai minibus driver filed a complaint at Chalong Police Station yesterday after some foreigners broke two side view mirrors of his vehicle during a dispute on the road in Phuket. The Thai minibus driver, Monnaphan Makaraphan, told police that he was involved in a dispute with the foreign drivers and passengers of a red Toyota Yaris hatchback. He admitted…
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Mexican woman jailed for killing rapist sparks nationwide protests
Outcry in Mexico as woman jailed for self-defence killing – Protests are erupting across Mexico after 21 year old Roxana Santiago was sentenced to six years and two months in prison for killing a man who had raped her. People are rallying for justice, believing the young woman acted in self-defence during a horrific attack. “Defending my life is not…
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Teacher slaps student for chatting in class, unable to solve problem
A Thai secondary school teacher has come under criticism after slapping a 7th grade student for talking to a classmate during a lesson and failing to solve a problem on the board. A video of the incident went viral on social media, prompting the school and teacher to apologise. The incident took place at a school in Ubon Ratchathani province,…
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Thailand’s NRCT and Chulalongkorn University launch anti-corruption knowledge hub
The Knowledge Hub for Regional Anti-Corruption and Good Governance Collaboration (KRAC) has been established in Thailand through a partnership between the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) and Chulalongkorn University‘s Faculty of Economics. KRAC’s main objective is to develop an anti-corruption ecosystem in the country by applying academic knowledge and fostering international cooperation networks. Asst. Prof. Dr. Torplus Yomnak, director…
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Teen fights off crocodile while fishing with siblings in Australia
A 19 year old teenager in Northern Australia has had a miraculous escape after being dragged underwater by a giant crocodile while out fishing with his relatives on Groote Eylandt. Despite his terrifying experience, Zefha Butcher managed to survive the harrowing encounter with only minor injuries. Zefha had been fishing along with his 10 year old brother and another relative…
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Man arrested for shooting transwoman girlfriend at Bangkok condo
Police arrested a Thai man at a condominium in Bangkok after he shot his transwoman girlfriend in the neck. The victim survived the attack, although she remains in critical condition. Officers from Din Deang Police Station rushed to the condominium on Pracha Songkhro Road in the Din Daeng district of Bangkok after being notified about the shooting in the early…
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Three students flee school, report older pupil abuse, spark local police search
Three primary school students in Udon Thani province fled their school premises after being physically abused by older students. They were found on the outskirts of a nearby village and later returned to the school, accompanied by their guardians and teachers. Yesterday, Veeraphol Raksameuwong, admin of the page “Ban Dung Update,” reported that officers from the Fao Rai Patrol Police…
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Asia-Pacific consumers to boost health and wellness spending post-pandemic
A recent survey reveals that approximately 70% of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region are prepared to increase their expenditure on health and wellness products, as the pandemic has heightened health consciousness. The study called the Asia-Pacific Health Priority Survey, was carried out by US supplement distributor Herbalife and highlighted a particularly strong interest in health improvement in Southeast Asia, specifically…
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Teenager dies in Pattaya motorbike accident amid rainy conditions
A teenage motorcyclist tragically lost his life in an accident while driving home during rainfall in the early hours of this morning. Pattaya Police were alerted to the incident at 2.20am today and promptly arrived at Sukhumvit Road in the Nongprue sub-district, Banglamung District, Chon Buri province, to attend to the victim. Upon reaching the scene, authorities discovered a damaged red…
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Jackpot winner strikes gold with 19 lottery tickets after visit to Tiger Shrine
A lucky Thai man scooped a 114 million baht jackpot after buying 19 digital lottery tickets, following a visit to the renowned Tiger Shrine on the shrine’s opening day. He later returned to perform a ritual with his family, seeking blessings and good fortune. The Thanakhan Phoem Bun Foundation, a major philanthropic organisation managing the Tiger Shrine, shared photographs and…
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