International news with relevance to Thai and regional readers
Starting from March 1, Thais and Chinese traveling to each country will no longer need a visa, as part of the latest agreement between both governments, said Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin today. “The new privilege marks an upgrading to the mutual relationship,” Srettha said. Authorities concerned will be informed to prepare for the new
TOKYO – A Japan Airlines jet was engulfed in flames at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Tuesday after a possible collision with a Coast Guard aircraft, with the airline saying that all 379 passengers and crew had been safely evacuated. Live footage on public broadcaster NHK showed the aircraft erupt in flames as it skidded down
Following the announcement by Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II of her plans to relinquish the throne, AFP looks at other memorable abdications over the past century: – King Edward VIII: for ‘the woman I love’ – The British public was stunned when their king of less than a year, Edward VIII, made the shock announcement on
Fireworks illuminated skies over Paris, Rio and Sydney to celebrate the entry to 2024, while rockets and strikes marked the year’s earliest hours in Israel, Gaza and Ukraine. Much of the world’s population — now more than eight billion — is hoping to shake off high living costs and global tumult in 2024, which will
TOKYO, Jan 1 (Reuters) – A powerful earthquake struck central Japan on Monday, triggering warnings for residents to evacuate some coastal areas, knocking out power to thousands of homes and disrupting flights and rail services to the affected region. The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 triggered waves of around 1 metre along parts
Denmark’s popular Queen Margrethe II, Europe’s longest-serving monarch, said Sunday that she would abdicate on January 14 and pass the baton to her son Crown Prince Frederik. Margrethe, 83, has reigned for 52 years and has been Europe’s only reigning queen after the death of Britain’s Elizabeth II. She has been hailed for subtly modernising
London’s Big Ben on Sunday marks the 100th anniversary of its “bongs” to ring in the New Year being broadcast live across the world. Ever since New Year’s Eve 1923 when BBC engineer A.G. Dryland clambered onto a roof opposite the British parliament to record the strikes, live transmission has become an annual tradition. The unmistakable
China’s defence ministry on Thursday accused Taiwan’s leadership of “hyping up” claims that Beijing is interfering in the self-ruled island’s upcoming presidential election. Taipei officials have repeatedly raised concerns about election interference and misinformation, and the January 13 vote comes during an escalating pressure campaign by Beijing, which claims the island as part of its
Six lapel pins bearing the Civic Party’s founding date are all Hong Kong veteran politician Alan Leong kept when the once-prominent opposition group cleared its headquarters and shuttered its doors days before the new year. Founded in 2006, the Civic Party — nicknamed “the barristers’ party” — was made up of attorneys, academics and other
The New York Times sued ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and Microsoft in a US court on Wednesday, alleging that the companies’ powerful AI models used millions of articles for training without permission. Through their AI chatbots, the companies “seek to free-ride on The Times’ massive investment in its journalism by using it to build substitutive products without
Seoul, South Korea – South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite”, was found dead Wednesday in an apparent suicide, Yonhap news agency reported. The actor was discovered inside a vehicle at a park in central Seoul, Yonhap reported, citing police. Lee, 48, had been under police investigation over
Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories – Pope Francis has kicked off global Christmas celebrations with a call for peace, as Israel’s war on Hamas and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cast a shadow over one of the world’s favourite holidays. Having said earlier in the day that he was thinking of people “who are suffering from war — we
