World News
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Nene Royal lights up Times Square ahead of AGT live show
Thai teenage singer and guitarist Nene Royal has appeared on a giant LED screen in New York’s Times Square as part of a Charoen Pokphand (CP) campaign supporting her ahead of America’s Got Talent Season 21 live shows. Images of the display were shared yesterday, August 22, by TikTok user Ka Jame. The display featured 16 year old America’s Got Talent contestant…
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Landing gear fails to retract on Thai Airways flight
A Thai Airways flight bound for Bangkok was forced to turn back to Frankfurt yesterday after declaring an in-flight emergency over a landing gear fault. Flight TG921 departed Frankfurt Airport in Germany at 12.34pm local time on its scheduled route to Bangkok. Around thirty eight minutes into the flight, the crew transmitted a squawk 7700 signal, the international code used…
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Anutin meets New Zealand PM after traditional Māori welcome
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Wellington today, August 21, for talks on the future of Thailand-New Zealand relations, following an official Māori welcome marking 70 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Anutin, who also serves as interior minister, arrived with his wife at Government House at 10am local time for the…
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China’s housing crash architect gets life in prison
A court in Shenzhen has sentenced China Evergrande Group founder Hui Ka Yan to life in prison, closing the criminal case tied to the collapse of the world’s most indebted property developer. The Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court handed down the ruling yesterday, August 20, ordering the confiscation of all Hui’s personal property and stripping him of political rights for life.…
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Nene Royal welcomed by Thai fans in LA ahead of performance
Thai teenage singer and guitarist Nene Royal received a warm welcome from Thai supporters at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) yesterday, August 19, as the 16 year old arrived in California ahead of her live performance on America’s Got Talent (AGT) 2026 Season 21. Nene Royal, whose real name is Rattikan Amloy, arrived at LAX with her family at around…
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Thailand eyes antiquities return in cultural talks with Australia
Thailand is seeking the return of Thai antiquities currently in Australia as part of efforts to deepen cultural cooperation between the two countries, following bilateral talks between their culture ministers at Parliament House in Australia yesterday, August 19. Thai Culture Minister Sabeeda Thaised met Australian Minister for the Arts Tony Burke to discuss the repatriation of Thai cultural objects alongside…
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Chinese woman hospitalised after Kuala Lumpur Airport outburst
A Chinese tourist was taken to hospital for psychiatric treatment after causing a disturbance at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia. The incident happened at Terminal 1 yesterday, August 18. Malaysian police said they received a report at about 1.19pm concerning a foreign woman who was running, singing, dancing and shouting in the departure hall, disturbing other passengers. A 22-second…
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Thai workers filmed kicking cabbages stir debate in Japan
A video showing a Thai-speaking worker kicking cabbages around a field in Japan has drawn criticism and debate online, with some Japanese social media users accusing those involved of disrespecting farmers and their produce. The footage shows a person speaking Thai kicking cabbages across the field while laughing, as another person films and can also be heard laughing. The person…
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Thai worker dies in Israel, cause still unconfirmed
A Thai worker has died in unclear circumstances at his accommodation in Israel, and his family in Buriram is now waiting for an autopsy to confirm the cause of death. Relatives in Thong Lang subdistrict, Ban Mai Chaiyaphot district, spoke to reporters yesterday, August 18, while awaiting news from the agencies handling the case. The worker was identified as 35…
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Anutin pushes stronger Thailand-Australia ties on Sydney visit
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met New South Wales Governor Margaret Beazley in Sydney today, August 18, as Thailand and Australia seek to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors. Anutin paid a courtesy call on Beazley at 9.30am local time at Government House in New South Wales. The two exchanged views on Thailand-Australia relations and opportunities to expand cooperation in areas of…
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Indonesia Earthquake Triggers Tsunami Warning
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Indonesia in the early hours of August 15, damaging buildings in the area and prompting Indonesian officials to issue a tsunami warning for coastal residents. The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported the quake hit the Flores Islands region at around 5.58am local time (4.58am Thai time). The epicentre was located…
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British girl’s fan letter to Moo Deng gets a tail signature
A six year old girl from Liverpool has had a reply from Thailand’s most famous pygmy hippo, after writing a fan letter to Moo Deng, who signed back with a print of her tail. The story was shared yesterday, August 13, by Narongwit Chodchoy, director of Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri, who posted a photo of the letter…
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Thai-Aussie singer Ricewine dies after tree falls onto car in Australia
Thai-Australian singer and songwriter Talae Rodden, known professionally as Ricewine, died after a tree fell onto his car on Mount Buller Road in Australia on Monday, August 10, while his mother was seriously injured. The 27 year old independent artist died at the scene after the tree fell onto the vehicle as it travelled down the mountain. His mother, Sally…
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Indonesia asks Toyota to move main production hub out of Thailand
Indonesia’s finance minister has publicly invited Toyota to move its main Southeast Asian manufacturing operations from Thailand to Indonesia, offering the Japanese carmaker incentives to support a potential relocation. Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa made the proposal on August 4 at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show in Tangerang, where he spoke directly to a group of Toyota executives. “We will support…
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Laos deports 41 Thai gambling website workers after crackdown
Lao officials have deported 41 Thai nationals who allegedly operated online gambling websites from Vientiane after previously working as gambling website administrators in Cambodia. Thai officials received the group at the Territorial Defence Volunteer Company in Mueang district, Nong Khai, yesterday, August 10. The returnees comprised 30 women and 11 men who had been arrested in Laos before being deported…
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Vietnam overtakes Thailand in flight capacity race
Thailand has fallen to No.3 in Southeast Asia’s flight seat rankings for the second consecutive month, with Vietnam overtaking the kingdom on rising domestic demand. OAG’s August report found Vietnam’s flight capacity rose 10% year-on-year to 7.27 million seats, holding onto No.2 after first overtaking Thailand in July. Vietnam’s domestic capacity alone jumped 13.8% to more than 4.7 million seats.…
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Thailand explores Moscow Metro’s formula for reliable rail services
Thailand’s Ministry of Transport visited Moscow Metro yesterday, August 5, to study rail operations, digital passenger services and maintenance practices that could be adapted for the country’s railway network. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn led the Thai delegation during the visit, which followed the signing of a transport cooperation MOU between Thailand and Russia. Phiphat and senior transport…
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Taiwan arrests 20 illegal Thai workers, two suspected brokers
Taiwanese immigration officers have arrested 20 illegal Thai workers and two Thai women accused of operating an illegal recruitment network in Tainan, according to a report from Radio Taiwan International (RTI) on July 31. The investigation began after officials received a tip-off in May about a group of illegal migrant workers. Immigration officers, working with other agencies, raided a property…
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Former Thai singer seeks damages, alleging injury from Singapore Airlines meal
A former Thai child pop star has filed a lawsuit against Singapore Airlines, alleging a wooden splinter in an in-flight meal damaged her vocal cords and affected her ability to work as a singer, yoga instructor and public speaker. Briohny Smyth, a 44 year old former half-Thai, half-American singer who is a yoga instructor based in Los Angeles, has taken legal…
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Philippine Airlines denies reports homeless Bangkok man is former captain
Philippine Airlines (PAL), on July 31, denied reports that a homeless man found injured in Bangkok is one of its pilots, saying that the captain identified in the stories remains on active duty. The airline issued a statement after Thai media and social media posts claimed the man, who was found beneath the BTS Phloen Chit station, was a former…
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Thai retired ministry official urges solo travellers to exercise caution in Georgia
A retired Ministry of Industry official shared his experience of being robbed while travelling alone in Georgia, urging solo travellers to exercise caution as authorities continue to investigate the death of Thai YouTuber Hlun Solo. Pornchai Sanafee, a former minister of industry, recounted his experience on July 29, before the Royal Thai Embassy confirmed that Hlun Solo had been found…
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Missing Thai YouTuber, Hlun Solo, found dead in Georgia
The body of Thai travel YouTuber Hlun Solo has been found at a hotel in Tbilisi, Georgia, after he was reported missing earlier this month. Local police continue to investigate the cause of his death. Hlun Solo, whose real name is Bawonthat Pengsuk, lost contact with his family on July 13 after telling his grandmother he was travelling to Georgia to…
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Thai AirAsia Suvarnabhumi routes paused amid fuel cost hit
Thai AirAsia will suspend all flights from Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) from July 15 to September 30, before resuming operations from the airport on October 1, as part of a wider adjustment to its flight network. All nine domestic routes the airline had been operating from Suvarnabhumi will be paused for the period. Flights on these routes will instead run…
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South Korean restaurant owner to face jail for using ants from Thailand and US in food
The owner of a Michelin two-star restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, is facing prosecution for serving desserts decorated with ants imported from Thailand and the US. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, officials became aware of the dishes after seeing photographs of ant-topped desserts posted on social media. Investigators later identified the restaurant, although its name and…
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Tourist Police reviews security at Suvarnabhumi ahead of summer holiday
Tourist Police have stepped up security at Suvarnabhumi Airport ahead of the international summer holiday season, increasing patrols and coordinating with airport agencies to strengthen safety measures for arriving visitors. The inspection took place at 1pm on July 17 as officers reviewed security operations and passenger assistance services at Thailand’s busiest airport. The move is intended to boost traveller confidence…
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Hong Kong arrests two arrivals from Bangkok over cannabis haul
Hong Kong customs arrested two inbound air passengers travelling from Thailand on July 16 after officers allegedly discovered about 21 kilogrammes of cannabis concealed in their checked baggage at Hong Kong International Airport. Hong Kong Customs said the first accused is a 50 year old Chinese man, while the second is a 19 year old Malaysian man. Both travelled from…
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Chinese ambassador pushes back on river pollution allegations
The Chinese ambassador to Thailand has strongly rejected claims linking China to pollution in the Kok and Mekong rivers, saying there is insufficient evidence to identify the source of the pollution. Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jianwei said there are currently insufficient verified facts to establish the source of the pollutants or assign responsibility to any party. He described allegations that China…
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Angkor Wat bans Thai-influenced costumes under new rules
Cambodia’s APSARA National Authority has ordered costume rental operators at Angkor Wat to phase out Thai-influenced costumes and replace Thai-made materials with Khmer-made alternatives under new dress rules at the UNESCO World Heritage site. The order aims to ensure tourists wear historically accurate Khmer attire while supporting local artisans and preserving Cambodia’s cultural heritage, officials said. Chan Sophorn, a specialist in…
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Thailand warns nationals as Middle East conflict intensifies
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Thai nationals living in the Middle East and those planning to travel to the region to remain vigilant following renewed armed attacks across several areas. In a Facebook post yesterday, July 14, the Department of Consular Affairs said the conflict in the Middle East was continuing, with a new wave of armed attacks…
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Indian customs seize cannabis hidden on flight from Phuket
Indian customs officials seized about 1.5 kilogrammes of suspected hydroponic cannabis on July 12, hidden beneath a passenger seat on a flight from Phuket to New Delhi. The seizure took place at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI Airport) under an operation led by the airport’s Air Intelligence Unit (AIU). Officials said they used the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) profiling…
