The Philippines on Thursday demanded that China pull out immediately from a disputed South China Sea shoal, after the Chinese coast guard fired water cannon at Manila’s vessels near the area this week. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said it summoned Zhou Zhiyong, the deputy chief of mission at the Chinese embassy in Manila, over the April 30 incident near Scarborough Shoal that damaged two vessels from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). During Thursday’s meeting, the Philippines “demanded that Chinese vessels leave Bajo ..read more

The Department of Internal Trade has instructed provincial commerce officials to inspect made-to-order food outlets after a restaurant in Pattaya, Chonburi Province, was reported for charging 70 baht for a simple dish of rice with two fried eggs. This price was initially deemed excessively high and the establishment lacked clear price signage. Legal actions may be taken depending on the investigation results. Consumers are encouraged to report any exploitative practices to the hotline 1569. Udom Srisomsong, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade, mentioned that provinc ..read more

Residents in the central province of Nakhon Sawan, enduring both heat and drought this year, have gathered to parade a Doraemon doll to request rain. The scorching weather and prolonged absence of rain have prompted over 200 villagers in Phayuha Khiri District, Nakhon Sawan to come together for a rain-invoking ceremony based on their local beliefs. But surprisingly, instead of using real cats like in previous years, this year they’ve opted for a Doraemon doll and a white cat doll borrowed from children in the village. These dolls were placed in cages adorned with marigold garlands, resembli ..read more

Former American YouTube fitness idol Connor Murphy reportedly went berserk in the Pattaya area and allegedly struck his Thai girlfriend with a golf club, but later told skeptical Thai police it was for social media content and wasn’t a real assault or issue. On May 1st, 2024, at around 2:06 PM, Huay Yai police were called to a house in the Garden Ville Village in the Huay Yai sub-district, Chonburi province, after receiving reports from neighbours of a foreign man behaving erratically and injuring a Thai woman. Upon arrival, officers discovered that the man, later publicly identified by Hu ..read more

KUALA LUMPUR: Mr Abdul Mukthahir Ibrahim runs four mamak eateries in the town of Bukit Beruntong, Selangor. Two of his branches operate 24 hours while the other two are open 20 hours every day. The 62-year-old is riled up, he tells CNA, from having to hear repeatedly how the food he and other mamak restaurateurs serve is unhealthy, especially since many of these Indian Muslim establishments are available and accessible to everyone, around the clock. “What is healthy is home-made food. But if you don’t have the time and capacity to cook, you can rely on mamak food, which is cooked right in ..read more

At 8:00 AM, on May 1st, 2024, Bangrak police received a report of a Russian man found dead with more than 10 cut wounds on his left arm in Old Hua Lamphong Canal, Bangrak, Bangkok. Bangrak police and emergency services were dispatched to the reported canal and found a body floating with a white shoelace tied to the man’s neck at the edge of the canal. Moreover, there were traces of more than 10 cut wounds on the man’s left wrist and arm. The police found a passport whose name was publicly identified only as Mr. Azonov, a 40-year-old Russian, and a broken bottle with bloodstains on it which ..read more

SINGAPORE: China’s revised state secrets law has come into force, a move that has drawn concern over the potential risks of doing business in the country while also raising alarm bells in Taiwan. Enacted on Wednesday (May 1), changes to the Law on Safeguarding State Secrets broaden the scope and depth of the legislation while also strengthening control by the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Together, these are the biggest tweaks to the state secrets law in more than a decade, and the second revision since it was first introduced in 1988. A draft was made public in late October last year be ..read more

The body of an unidentified naked foreign woman was found floating near Karon beach. The Karon Police told the Phuket Express that they were notified from a local resident that a body was found floating in the sea near the Nong Harn Public Park. Rescue divers were called the beach and the body was recovered. The naked body was a female foreigner with dark skin, aged around 25-30 years old and about 180 centimeters tall. No sign of a struggle was found on her body. At this stage doctors believed that she died from drowning. Police are continuing their investigation to identify the body. An ..read more

A warehouse, storing toxic chemicals and industrial waste in the Phachi district of Ayutthaya, caught fire yesterday evening, forcing the evacuation of patients from the district hospital and people living in the vicinity of the warehouse. Periodic explosions were heard during the blaze and a column of thick black smoke was seen rising into the sky in Village 2 of Phachi sub-district. Phachi municipal officials advised people living in the neighbourhood of the warehouse to wear face masks and to stay outdoors and Ayutthaya’s governor has ordered the transfer about 40 in-patients from Phach ..read more

A Russian man was arrested at the Phuket International Airport for 59 days of overstay. The Phuket Immigration told the Phuket Express that on Thursday (May 2nd) at 10:50 A.M. they arrested a 40-year-old Russian man. He was arrested at the international departures terminal in the airport. He was found to have overstayed for 59 days. He was taken to the Sakoo Police Station to face overstay charges. The Phuket Express noted that the Phuket Immigration Office did not release the Russian man’s name. The Russian man did not release any statement as of press time. Russian Man Arrested for Ove ..read more