It was only a matter of time before we’d have some arrests related to illegal betting during the World Cup. Among 500 suspects being rounded up, police are also summoning 20 ‘influencers’ who have been posting on Facebook about the ‘Net Idol’ betting page and attempting to persuade youth to engage in soccer betting.

Police have arrested 484 suspects – including eight bookies, 474 punters and two ticket-runners – and seized evidence including 63,360 baht cash, 17 bank account books showing a sum of 343,000 baht, and some football betting tickets worth 210,860 baht, said Metropolitan police deputy commissioner  said on Thursday.

STORY: The Nation

Strong winds and waves have damaged the Koh Kwang Beach in Krabi during the reason crazy monsoon weather.

Somsak Tabbut, a village head man of the Baan Koh Kwang village in Muang Krabi inspected the beach this morning.  The damage runs all along 800 metres of the beach.

Khun Somsak says, “Every monsoon period, every year, strong wind and waves have continued to batter the beach. Before the beach was five metres wide but now the waves have damaged it down to 2.5 metres. Some areas of the beach are down to only one metre.”

“If there is no wave protection wall, we believe that the beach erosion will continue until it reaches the road. This is a danger to motorists as the underlying foundations of the road will slowly get eaten away. Relevant offices should fix this problem urgently.”

“There are many five stars hotels along Koh Kwang Beach. Lots of tourists have visited the beach every year as it is very beautiful. If this problem isn’t fixed it will damaged the tourism image in the future as well.”

It’s a special day of the year and we’re glad the sun is out so we can enjoy it. And, if all is well, we’ll see more sunshine today than any other day of 2018. So what will you do with all the extra daylight?

The summer solstice is today (June 21) – the longest day in the northern hemisphere. Meanwhile, a halo appeared around the sun in Chiang Mai for close to an hour yesterday causing much excitement.

Chiang Mai locals rushed to take pictures of the phenomenon yesterday after a halo around the sun was seen from the parking lot of Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Center. Many took the opportunity to make wishes. The halo effect took place between 10:45-11:30am.

The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand says that the halo was created by cold air in the lowest strata of the earth’s atmosphere causing dew to freeze and fracture daylight shining downwards. The phenomenon is similar to a rainbow after a rain shower.

At this time of year, the period of daylight lasts longer in the northern hemisphere. The sun rose today at 5:51am and is estimated to set at 6:47pm, totaling 12 hours and 56 minutes in Bangkok, meaning the longest day of the year. Sunrise in Phuket (a little closer to the equator, and west of Bangkok) was at 6.10am and tonight’s sunset is listed as 6.46pm.