Thailand becomes the first Asian country on Thursday to legalise the growing of marijuana and its consumption in food and drinks, with the aim of boosting its agriculture and tourism sectors, but smoking pot is still against the law.

"After COVID, the economy going down the drain, we really do need this," said Chokwan Kitty Chopaka, who owns a store selling cannabis gum sweets.

Shoppers queued up at outlets selling cannabis-infused drinks, sweets and other items as advocates of the plant welcomed the reform in a country that has long had a reputation for strict anti-drug laws.

Thailand, which has a tradition of using cannabis to relieve pain and fatigue, legalised medicinal marijuana in 2018.

The government, banking on the plant as a cash crop, plans to give away a million plants to encourage farmers to take up its cultivation. But authorities aim to head off an explosion of recreational use by limiting the strength of the cannabis products that are legal.

The possession and sale of cannabis extracts containing more than 0.2% of its psychoactive ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol, is not allowed, which will rule out smokers of the drug known as "pot", "weed" and a host of other names, from getting "high".

Cannabis growers have to register on a government app called PlookGanja or grow ganja, another nickname for the spikey-leafed plant. Nearly 100,000 people have signed up on the app, said health ministry official Paisan Dankhum.

Those who break the law can still face jail and fines.

[with inputs from agencies]

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Thailand becomes the first Asian country on Thursday to legalise the growing of marijuana and its consumption in food and drinks, with the aim of boosting its agriculture and tourism sectors, but smoking pot is still against the law.

Thailand becomes the first Asian country on Thursday to legalise the growing of marijuana and its consumption in food and drinks, with the aim of boosting its agriculture and tourism sectors, but smoking pot is still against the law. "After COVID, the economy going down the drain, we really do need this," said Chokwan Kitty Chopaka, who owns a store selling cannabis gum sweets. Shoppers queued up at outlets selling cannabis-infused drinks, sweets and other items as advocates of the plant welcomed the reform in a country that has long had a reputation for strict anti-drug laws. Thailand, which has a tradition of using cannabis to relieve pain and fatigue, legalised medicinal marijuana in 2018. The government, banking on the plant as a cash crop, plans to give away a million plants to encourage farmers to take up its cultivation. But authorities aim to head off an explosion of recreational use by limiting the strength of the cannabis products that are legal. The possession and sale of cannabis extracts containing more than 0.2% of its psychoactive ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol, is not allowed, which will rule out smokers of the drug known as "pot", "weed" and a host of other names, from getting "high". Cannabis growers have to register on a government app called PlookGanja or grow ganja, another nickname for the spikey-leafed plant. Nearly 100,000 people have signed up on the app, said health ministry official Paisan Dankhum. Those who break the law can still face jail and fines. [with inputs from agencies] WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Thailand becomes first Asian country to legalise consumption of marijuana

A Bangkok court found Thitisan Utthanaphon, a cop nicknamed &nbsp;"Joe Ferrari" for his taste in fast cars, guilty of murder by torture in a case that caused public outrage and shone a rare light on police brutality and corruption in the kingdom, and was sentenced to be jailed for life on Wednesday

Leaked viral footage showed Thitisan and six other officers wrapping seven plastic bags around 24-year-old Jirapong Thanapat's head while questioning him and trying to extort $60,000, leading to his death.

The judge at Bangkok's Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced the 41-year-old to death but immediately commuted it to life imprisonment.

"I felt helpless during the ruling, and my wife was crying," Jakkrit Klandi, the victim's father, said outside the court. "All seven officers should learn their lesson and pay for their crime," he said.

The court reduced Thitisan's sentence to life imprisonment because he had attempted to revive the suspect, and had paid for the funeral expenses for the family.&nbsp;

But Penh Thanapat, the Jirapong's mother, was not satisfied, telling reporters she never wanted to see&nbsp;Thitisan's face. "I want (the death sentence). I want things to happen to him as they happened to my son," she said.

Thitisan looked healthy and was seen chuckling with guards inside the courtroom before the verdict, but closed his eyes as the sentence was read.&nbsp;

Five of the other six officers involved in the case were found guilty of murder and also received life sentences. A seventh got five years and four months, following his testimony. Thitisan and the other officers have a month to appeal against the verdict, according to their lawyers.

The victim's parents said they were unhappy with the officers' offer of 600,000 baht ($17,000) compensation, with Jakkrit telling reporters he would consult lawyers. They had initially asked the court for 1.6 million baht.

After the footage leaked in August last year, the officer -- a former district chief in the northern province of Nakhon Sawan -- surrendered himself to police, who raided his Bangkok mansion and found several luxury cars. In a press conference after his surrender, he said Jirapong's death was an accident.

[with inputs from agencies]

A Bangkok court found Thitisan Utthanaphon, a cop nicknamed "Joe Ferrari" for his taste in fast cars, guilty of murder by torture in a case that caused public outrage and shone a rare light on police brutality and corruption in the kingdom, and was sentenced to be jailed for life on Wednesday Leaked viral footage showed Thitisan and six other officers wrapping seven plastic bags around 24-year-old Jirapong Thanapat's head while questioning him and trying to extort $60,000, leading to his death.

A Bangkok court found Thitisan Utthanaphon, a cop nicknamed "Joe Ferrari" for his taste in fast cars, guilty of murder by torture in a case that caused public outrage and shone a rare light on police brutality and corruption in the kingdom, and was sentenced to be jailed for life on Wednesday Leaked viral footage showed Thitisan and six other officers wrapping seven plastic bags around 24-year-old Jirapong Thanapat's head while questioning him and trying to extort $60,000, leading to his death. The judge at Bangkok's Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced the 41-year-old to death but immediately commuted it to life imprisonment. "I felt helpless during the ruling, and my wife was crying," Jakkrit Klandi, the victim's father, said outside the court. "All seven officers should learn their lesson and pay for their crime," he said. The court reduced Thitisan's sentence to life imprisonment because he had attempted to revive the suspect, and had paid for the funeral expenses for the family. But Penh Thanapat, the Jirapong's mother, was not satisfied, telling reporters she never wanted to see Thitisan's face. "I want (the death sentence). I want things to happen to him as they happened to my son," she said. Thitisan looked healthy and was seen chuckling with guards inside the courtroom before the verdict, but closed his eyes as the sentence was read. Five of the other six officers involved in the case were found guilty of murder and also received life sentences. A seventh got five years and four months, following his testimony. Thitisan and the other officers have a month to appeal against the verdict, according to their lawyers. The victim's parents said they were unhappy with the officers' offer of 600,000 baht ($17,000) compensation, with Jakkrit telling reporters he would consult lawyers. They had initially asked the court for 1.6 million baht. After the footage leaked in August last year, the officer -- a former district chief in the northern province of Nakhon Sawan -- surrendered himself to police, who raided his Bangkok mansion and found several luxury cars. In a press conference after his surrender, he said Jirapong's death was an accident. [with inputs from agencies]

Thai cop found guilty of murder by torture jailed for life

Countries that have changed their names as Turkey becomes ‘Türkiye’

Shane Warne passed away on March 04 to leave the whole cricketing fraternity in a state of shock. The 52-year-old was in Thailand on a personal trip where he breathed his last and left a huge void in world cricket with his sudden demise. Warne remains a legend of the gentlemen's game with 1,001 international wickets (708 Test and 293 ODI scalps).

According to the brief statement given to Fox News by Warne's&nbsp;management, he died due to a heart attack during his Thailand trip. "Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived," the statement read. "The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course," it added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-ended-up-sachin-tendulkar-shares-hilarious-episode-when-shane-warne-visited-his-place-for-dinner-460152">'He ended up....': Sachin Tendulkar shares hilarious episode when Shane Warne visited his place for dinner</a>

Warne's extreme liquid diet...

For the unversed, the 52-year-old spin wizard Warne was on an extreme liquid diet -- in order to lose some fat and regain shape. While sharing a picture on Twitter, the Aussie great had revealed sometime back,&nbsp;"Operation shred has started (10 days in) &amp; the goal by July is to get back to this shape from a few years ago! Let’s go."

According to&nbsp;Warne's manager, James Erskine, the Australian was serving a strict 14-day liquid diet. The diet comprised&nbsp;just liquids and no food. According to reports, the legendary spinner sweated a lot more than usual in the week prior to his sudden departure.

“He did go on these ridiculous sorts of diets and he just finished one, where he basically only ate fluids for 14 days and he’d done these three or four times," news.com.au quoted Erskine as saying. He added, "It was a bit all or nothing. It was either white buns with butter and lasagne stuffed in the middle or he would be having black and green juices. He obviously smoked most of his life. I don't know; I think it was just a massive heart attack. That's what I think has happened," Erskine added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unbelievable-r-ashwin-reveals-how-broken-legs-helped-shane-warne-in-developing-strong-shoulders-460273">Unbelievable! R Ashwin reveals how broken legs helped Shane Warne in developing strong shoulders</a>

How do such liquid diets affect the body?

It is important to note that such liquid diets largely consist of juices aimed at enriching minerals and vitamins and minimising the intake of proteins and fats. Further, it also does not comprise any fibre. Several experts have stated&nbsp;that a diet with no&nbsp;balance of all nutrients is not expected to be effective and&nbsp;yield good results in the longer run.

According to BBC, the side effects of a liquid diet are headaches, dizziness, extreme tiredness, diarrhea, or constipation. Thus, it is widely recommended to refer to a rather balanced diet, consisting of lots of fruits intake, vegetables, whole grains, beans,&nbsp;seeds, etc. In addition, exercising and churning out&nbsp;ways to keep the body active during the course of a day is extremely vital.

Since Warne's passing away, the cricketing world is still trying to recover from the shock. Many former cricketers and his ex-teammates have paid tribute to the former leg-spinner, who inspired generations with his legbreak, flight and made spin-bowling an attacking option in world cricket.

Shane Warne passed away on March 04 to leave the whole cricketing fraternity in a state of shock. The 52-year-old was in Thailand on a personal trip where he breathed his last and left a huge void in world cricket with his sudden demise.

Shane Warne passed away on March 04 to leave the whole cricketing fraternity in a state of shock. The 52-year-old was in Thailand on a personal trip where he breathed his last and left a huge void in world cricket with his sudden demise. Warne remains a legend of the gentlemen's game with 1,001 international wickets (708 Test and 293 ODI scalps). According to the brief statement given to Fox News by Warne's management, he died due to a heart attack during his Thailand trip. "Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived," the statement read. "The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course," it added. ALSO READ | 'He ended up....': Sachin Tendulkar shares hilarious episode when Shane Warne visited his place for dinner Warne's extreme liquid diet... For the unversed, the 52-year-old spin wizard Warne was on an extreme liquid diet -- in order to lose some fat and regain shape. While sharing a picture on Twitter, the Aussie great had revealed sometime back, "Operation shred has started (10 days in) & the goal by July is to get back to this shape from a few years ago! Let’s go." According to Warne's manager, James Erskine, the Australian was serving a strict 14-day liquid diet. The diet comprised just liquids and no food. According to reports, the legendary spinner sweated a lot more than usual in the week prior to his sudden departure. “He did go on these ridiculous sorts of diets and he just finished one, where he basically only ate fluids for 14 days and he’d done these three or four times," news.com.au quoted Erskine as saying. He added, "It was a bit all or nothing. It was either white buns with butter and lasagne stuffed in the middle or he would be having black and green juices. He obviously smoked most of his life. I don't know; I think it was just a massive heart attack. That's what I think has happened," Erskine added. ALSO READ | Unbelievable! R Ashwin reveals how broken legs helped Shane Warne in developing strong shoulders How do such liquid diets affect the body? It is important to note that such liquid diets largely consist of juices aimed at enriching minerals and vitamins and minimising the intake of proteins and fats. Further, it also does not comprise any fibre. Several experts have stated that a diet with no balance of all nutrients is not expected to be effective and yield good results in the longer run. According to BBC, the side effects of a liquid diet are headaches, dizziness, extreme tiredness, diarrhea, or constipation. Thus, it is widely recommended to refer to a rather balanced diet, consisting of lots of fruits intake, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds, etc. In addition, exercising and churning out ways to keep the body active during the course of a day is extremely vital. Since Warne's passing away, the cricketing world is still trying to recover from the shock. Many former cricketers and his ex-teammates have paid tribute to the former leg-spinner, who inspired generations with his legbreak, flight and made spin-bowling an attacking option in world cricket.

Explained: What is extreme liquid diet that late Shane Warne followed and how it affects the body

Over a thousand&nbsp;sacked&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;garment&nbsp;workers&nbsp;who made bras for a factory supplying lingerie giant&nbsp;Victoria's&nbsp;Secret&nbsp;have received a landmark $8.3 million&nbsp;settlement, labour rights activists said Saturday.

Brilliant Alliance&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;closed down its Samut Prakan factory in March 2021 after going bankrupt.

But the 1250 laid-off&nbsp;workers&nbsp;-- many of whom had worked at the factory for over a decade -- did not receive severance payouts mandated under&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;law.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/covid-19-thailand-to-lift-curbs-on-nightlife-from-june-this-year-480729">COVID-19: Thailand to lift curbs on nightlife from June this year</a>

The factory also produced underwear for plus size American brands Lane Bryant and Torrid, owned by Sycamore Partners -- but only&nbsp;Victoria's&nbsp;Secret&nbsp;contributed to the&nbsp;settlement&nbsp;via a loan arrangement with the factory's owners.

Victoria's&nbsp;Secret&nbsp;confirmed in a statement that an agreement had been reached, but it did not mention the amount involved.

"Over several months we had been in active communication with the factory owners to facilitate a resolution," the company said.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Ground Report: Overtime is killing workers in Japan

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"We regret they were not ultimately in a position to conclude this matter on their own so to ensure the&nbsp;workers&nbsp;received their full severance amounts owed,&nbsp;Victoria's&nbsp;Secret&nbsp;agreed to advance the severance funds to the factory owners," it added.

Sycamore Partners did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.&nbsp;

The agreement is the largest-ever wage theft&nbsp;settlement&nbsp;at an individual garment factory, the international&nbsp;workers&nbsp;rights group Solidarity Centre said.

"I think it's extremely unprecedented and represents a new model -- the scale of severance and interest paid on it... as well as direct engagement by the brand," Solidarity Center Thailand country director David Welsh told AFP.

"It eliminates the fiction that multinational brands are passive investors," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-thailand-citizens-fume-against-massage-karaoke-bar-spa-room-in-parliament-482605">Thailand: Citizens fume against massage, karaoke bar, spa room in Parliament</a>

"We want more brands to do the same because sadly this will not be the last of its kind -- there will be many, many more cases."

For the past year,&nbsp;sacked&nbsp;workers&nbsp;and&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;union representatives have protested outside Government House in Bangkok calling for their pay.

Prasit Prasopsuk, president of the Confederation of Industrial Labour of Thailand said some protesting&nbsp;workers&nbsp;had been charged with criminal offences, including violating public gathering rules during the pandemic.

A Worker Rights Consortium report from April last year said it had documented similar wage theft cases at 31 garment factories in nine countries.

Worker Rights Consortium executive director Scott Nova said those cases were just the "tip of the iceberg" and that the issue of wage theft in the garment industry had exploded during the pandemic as clothing orders declined.

He estimated garment&nbsp;workers&nbsp;worldwide were owed $500 million as a result of factory closures and unpaid severance.

Some&nbsp;workers&nbsp;at the Samut Prakan factory had received the equivalent of more than four years' wages last week, he said.

"It's like the equivalent of a worker's life savings... and it's simply stolen. What it means to lose that and get it back is difficult to capture in words," Nova said.

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Over a thousand sacked Thai garment workers who made bras for a factory supplying lingerie giant Victoria's Secret have received a landmark $8.3 million settlement, labour rights activists said Saturday.

Over a thousand sacked Thai garment workers who made bras for a factory supplying lingerie giant Victoria's Secret have received a landmark $8.3 million settlement, labour rights activists said Saturday. Brilliant Alliance Thai closed down its Samut Prakan factory in March 2021 after going bankrupt. But the 1250 laid-off workers -- many of whom had worked at the factory for over a decade -- did not receive severance payouts mandated under Thai law. Also read | COVID-19: Thailand to lift curbs on nightlife from June this year The factory also produced underwear for plus size American brands Lane Bryant and Torrid, owned by Sycamore Partners -- but only Victoria's Secret contributed to the settlement via a loan arrangement with the factory's owners. Victoria's Secret confirmed in a statement that an agreement had been reached, but it did not mention the amount involved. "Over several months we had been in active communication with the factory owners to facilitate a resolution," the company said. Watch | Gravitas: Ground Report: Overtime is killing workers in Japan "We regret they were not ultimately in a position to conclude this matter on their own so to ensure the workers received their full severance amounts owed, Victoria's Secret agreed to advance the severance funds to the factory owners," it added. Sycamore Partners did not respond to a request for comment from AFP. The agreement is the largest-ever wage theft settlement at an individual garment factory, the international workers rights group Solidarity Centre said. "I think it's extremely unprecedented and represents a new model -- the scale of severance and interest paid on it... as well as direct engagement by the brand," Solidarity Center Thailand country director David Welsh told AFP. "It eliminates the fiction that multinational brands are passive investors," he said. Also read | Thailand: Citizens fume against massage, karaoke bar, spa room in Parliament "We want more brands to do the same because sadly this will not be the last of its kind -- there will be many, many more cases." For the past year, sacked workers and Thai union representatives have protested outside Government House in Bangkok calling for their pay. Prasit Prasopsuk, president of the Confederation of Industrial Labour of Thailand said some protesting workers had been charged with criminal offences, including violating public gathering rules during the pandemic. A Worker Rights Consortium report from April last year said it had documented similar wage theft cases at 31 garment factories in nine countries. Worker Rights Consortium executive director Scott Nova said those cases were just the "tip of the iceberg" and that the issue of wage theft in the garment industry had exploded during the pandemic as clothing orders declined. He estimated garment workers worldwide were owed $500 million as a result of factory closures and unpaid severance. Some workers at the Samut Prakan factory had received the equivalent of more than four years' wages last week, he said. "It's like the equivalent of a worker's life savings... and it's simply stolen. What it means to lose that and get it back is difficult to capture in words," Nova said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Victoria's Secret pays $8.3m settlement to sacked Thai workers

Thailand's new parliament building, the world's largest, has been slammed after it was revealed that its members would have access to an indoor golf practise range, a karaoke bar, a spa room, a dance practise room, foot and traditional massage, and a gym.

The Sappaya-Sapasathan, which opened last year and surpassed Romania's Palace of Parliament in terms of floor area, welcomed the media for a tour of its recreational Parliamentary Club on Monday.

A running track, massage area, and golf driving range were among the top amenities featured at the Bangkok compound.

Following a media tour of the club on Monday on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, the Thai-language hashtag "Parliamentary Club" has been trending in Thailand.

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Thailand's new parliament building, the world's largest, has been slammed after it was revealed that its members would have access to an indoor golf practise range, a karaoke bar, a spa room, a dance practise room, foot and traditional massage, and a gym.

Thailand's new parliament building, the world's largest, has been slammed after it was revealed that its members would have access to an indoor golf practise range, a karaoke bar, a spa room, a dance practise room, foot and traditional massage, and a gym. The Sappaya-Sapasathan, which opened last year and surpassed Romania's Palace of Parliament in terms of floor area, welcomed the media for a tour of its recreational Parliamentary Club on Monday. A running track, massage area, and golf driving range were among the top amenities featured at the Bangkok compound. Following a media tour of the club on Monday on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, the Thai-language hashtag "Parliamentary Club" has been trending in Thailand. × WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Watch | Thailand: Citizens fume against massage, karaoke bar, spa room in Parliament

Thailand&nbsp;will allow night clubs and karaoke bars to resume regular hours starting in June, a senior official said on Friday, dropping most of its remaining pandemic restrictions as daily infections decline.

Thailand's nightlife is a major attraction for tourists, but most entertainment venues have been shuttered or faced a strict curfew since the pandemic began, with some bars forced to convert to restaurants to stay in business.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thailand-drops-pre-arrival-covid-19-test-for-foreign-visitors-463581">Thailand drops pre-arrival COVID-19 test for foreign visitors</a>

The government hopes the latest easing of restrictions will help revive the Southeast Asian country's battered tourism sector, a key growth engine that accounted for about 12 per cent&nbsp;of the economy before the pandemic.&nbsp;Thailand&nbsp;is targeting 5 to 15 million arrivals this year.

"Entertainment venues, pubs, and massage parlours and others may open until midnight after June," said Taweesin Visanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's COVID-19 taskforce, told a news conference.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Thailand is giving away 1 million cannabis plants

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"These businesses should take a universal prevention approach ... staff must have received booster doses and take antigen tests every seven days," Taweesin added.

Starting June 1,&nbsp;Thailand&nbsp;will also drop a requirement for unvaccinated travellers to quarantine. They will either have to take an test on arrival or show a negative COVID-19 test before departure, he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thailand-bids-to-avert-population-crisis-as-birth-rate-crashes-459836">Thailand bids to avert 'population crisis' as birth rate crashes</a>

From January to mid-May,&nbsp;Thailand&nbsp;received 1.01 million arrivals. There were 427,000 tourists for all of last year.

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Thailand will allow night clubs and karaoke bars to resume regular hours starting in June, a senior official said on Friday, dropping most of its remaining pandemic restrictions as daily infections decline.

Thailand will allow night clubs and karaoke bars to resume regular hours starting in June, a senior official said on Friday, dropping most of its remaining pandemic restrictions as daily infections decline. Thailand's nightlife is a major attraction for tourists, but most entertainment venues have been shuttered or faced a strict curfew since the pandemic began, with some bars forced to convert to restaurants to stay in business. Also read | Thailand drops pre-arrival COVID-19 test for foreign visitors The government hopes the latest easing of restrictions will help revive the Southeast Asian country's battered tourism sector, a key growth engine that accounted for about 12 per cent of the economy before the pandemic. Thailand is targeting 5 to 15 million arrivals this year. "Entertainment venues, pubs, and massage parlours and others may open until midnight after June," said Taweesin Visanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's COVID-19 taskforce, told a news conference. Watch | Gravitas: Thailand is giving away 1 million cannabis plants "These businesses should take a universal prevention approach ... staff must have received booster doses and take antigen tests every seven days," Taweesin added. Starting June 1, Thailand will also drop a requirement for unvaccinated travellers to quarantine. They will either have to take an test on arrival or show a negative COVID-19 test before departure, he said. Also read | Thailand bids to avert 'population crisis' as birth rate crashes From January to mid-May, Thailand received 1.01 million arrivals. There were 427,000 tourists for all of last year. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

COVID-19: Thailand to lift curbs on nightlife from June this year

In pics: Thousands of devotees in Bangkok celebrate Buddha’s birthday after two years of covid hiatus

Police in Thailand have&nbsp;arrested a man who allegedly told his followers to eat his bodily fluids and worship corpses.

The man named Thawee Nanra, 75, was reportedly living in a jungle in Thailand's Chaiyaphum province. The man's campsite located deep inside the forest&nbsp;raided by police.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/harvard-universitys-dark-past-faculty-staff-enslaved-more-than-70-people-474095">Also Read:&nbsp;Harvard University's dark past: Faculty, staff enslaved more than 70 people</a>

The person who provided the tipoff to the police said a woman provided the information after her mother wasn't allowed to return. Reports claimed the cult leader's followers clashed with police as Thawee Nanra was arrested.

Reports said at least eleven corpses were found including coffins containing bodies with at least a dozen followers who were reportedly living with Nanra.

Watch:&nbsp;Taliban bans opium cultivation in the latest crackdown on intoxicants

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Reports claim the cult was operating for a few years but it escaped the police net since it was located in a remote village away from the public glare.

The local monk was denied bail as police continue to press new charges against Nanra.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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Police in Thailand have arrested a man who allegedly told his followers to eat his bodily fluids and worship corpses. The man named Thawee Nanra, 75, was reportedly living in a jungle in Thailand's Chaiyaphum province.

Police in Thailand have arrested a man who allegedly told his followers to eat his bodily fluids and worship corpses. The man named Thawee Nanra, 75, was reportedly living in a jungle in Thailand's Chaiyaphum province. The man's campsite located deep inside the forest raided by police. Also Read: Harvard University's dark past: Faculty, staff enslaved more than 70 people The person who provided the tipoff to the police said a woman provided the information after her mother wasn't allowed to return. Reports claimed the cult leader's followers clashed with police as Thawee Nanra was arrested. Reports said at least eleven corpses were found including coffins containing bodies with at least a dozen followers who were reportedly living with Nanra. Watch: Taliban bans opium cultivation in the latest crackdown on intoxicants Reports claim the cult was operating for a few years but it escaped the police net since it was located in a remote village away from the public glare. The local monk was denied bail as police continue to press new charges against Nanra. (With inputs from Agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Thai police arrest cult leader who wanted followers to eat his excreta

Third seed PV Sindhu beats seventh seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan of Thailand in straight games to enter the semi-finals of the Korea Open Badminton Championships 2022 on Friday here at the Palma Stadium.

Two-time Olympic Champion PV Sindhu was trailing 2-5 in the opening game but the Indian clawed her way back winning four points on the trot to take a 6-5 lead.

From there on there was no looking back for the World No.7 Indian as she won eight consecutive points en route to winning the game 21-10.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/korea-open-pv-sindhu-outclasses-aya-ohori-to-enter-quarter-finals-kidambi-srikanth-defeats-misha-zilberman-469092">Korea Open: PV Sindhu outclasses Aya Ohori to enter quarter-finals, Kidambi Srikanth defeats Misha Zilberman</a>

In the second game, Sindhu took a lead right from the start and took an 8-2 lead. The Indian shuttler maintained the lead against the Thai shuttler Busanan Ongbamrungphan winning the game 21-16.

PV Sindhu won the quarter-final match 21-10 21-16 in 43 minutes and she will take on either local girl and second seed An Seyoung of South Korea or Saena Kawakami of Japan.&nbsp;

Third seed PV Sindhu beats seventh seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan of Thailand in straight games to enter the semi-finals of the Korea Open Badminton Championships 2022 on Friday here at the Palma Stadium.

Third seed PV Sindhu beats seventh seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan of Thailand in straight games to enter the semi-finals of the Korea Open Badminton Championships 2022 on Friday here at the Palma Stadium. Two-time Olympic Champion PV Sindhu was trailing 2-5 in the opening game but the Indian clawed her way back winning four points on the trot to take a 6-5 lead. From there on there was no looking back for the World No.7 Indian as she won eight consecutive points en route to winning the game 21-10. ALSO READ: Korea Open: PV Sindhu outclasses Aya Ohori to enter quarter-finals, Kidambi Srikanth defeats Misha Zilberman In the second game, Sindhu took a lead right from the start and took an 8-2 lead. The Indian shuttler maintained the lead against the Thai shuttler Busanan Ongbamrungphan winning the game 21-16. PV Sindhu won the quarter-final match 21-10 21-16 in 43 minutes and she will take on either local girl and second seed An Seyoung of South Korea or Saena Kawakami of Japan.

Korea Open: PV Sindhu defeats Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan to enter women's singles semifinals

An April Fool's prank tweeted by staff at budget airline Thai&nbsp;Vietjet&nbsp;could lead to criminal charges after an activist lawyer filed a complaint with police alleging it had insulted Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Police will decide later whether to pursue a criminal case under strict "lese majeste" laws - which make defaming the monarchy punishable by up to 15 years in prison - against staff of the airline, an offshoot of Vietnam's&nbsp;Vietjet&nbsp;Aviation JSC.

Thai&nbsp;Vietjet's official account tweeted on April 1 that the airline was launching a new international route between the Thai province of Nan and Munich in Germany, which stirred online anger and threats of boycotts among ultra-royalists.

The offending tweet was later removed and the airline apologised the next day in a statement saying senior management had not known about the tweet that advertised a "flight route between a province in Thailand and a city in Europe, which led to many public reactions".

The tweet did not mention King Vajiralongkorn, 69, who has a home in Germany where he spends time with Royal Noble Consort Sineenat Wongvajiraphakdi, who was born in Nan province.

The king granted Sineenat the title of royal consort shortly after his 2019 coronation. He had earlier in the year married a member of his personal bodyguard unit, who became Queen Suthida.

Student-led protests in recent years have seen some activists openly criticising the king for time spent outside the country, among other things. At least 183 people have been charged with insulting the monarchy since the protests began in 2020.

Airline CEO Woranate Laprabang responded to the online royalist outrage by saying the staff responsible had been suspended pending an investigation.

"I would like to apologise to the Thai people once again for such incident," Woranate said.

But lawyer and activist Srisuwan Janya on Monday filed a police complaint of royal insult and computer crimes, saying in a Facebook post that the tweet "showed intent to offend" and an apology was not enough.

Srisuwan is well-known in Thailand as a prolific filer of complaints with police, once telling the Bangkok Post he had counted over 1,000 filings including for consumer fraud, corruption and environmental issues. Reuters could not determine how many of his complaints have led to prosecutions.

The police will consider the complaint by reviewing "all the facts" relating to what happened and "whether there was any criminal intent," Kissana Phathanacharoen, Thai deputy police spokesman, told Reuters.

Thailand's lese majeste laws have recently come under criticism by some activists and opposition politicians - a bold move in a country that traditionally upholds the king as semi-divine and above criticism.

An April Fool's prank tweeted by staff at budget airline Thai Vietjet could lead to criminal charges after an activist lawyer filed a complaint with police alleging it had insulted Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

An April Fool's prank tweeted by staff at budget airline Thai Vietjet could lead to criminal charges after an activist lawyer filed a complaint with police alleging it had insulted Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Police will decide later whether to pursue a criminal case under strict "lese majeste" laws - which make defaming the monarchy punishable by up to 15 years in prison - against staff of the airline, an offshoot of Vietnam's Vietjet Aviation JSC. Thai Vietjet's official account tweeted on April 1 that the airline was launching a new international route between the Thai province of Nan and Munich in Germany, which stirred online anger and threats of boycotts among ultra-royalists. The offending tweet was later removed and the airline apologised the next day in a statement saying senior management had not known about the tweet that advertised a "flight route between a province in Thailand and a city in Europe, which led to many public reactions". The tweet did not mention King Vajiralongkorn, 69, who has a home in Germany where he spends time with Royal Noble Consort Sineenat Wongvajiraphakdi, who was born in Nan province. The king granted Sineenat the title of royal consort shortly after his 2019 coronation. He had earlier in the year married a member of his personal bodyguard unit, who became Queen Suthida. Student-led protests in recent years have seen some activists openly criticising the king for time spent outside the country, among other things. At least 183 people have been charged with insulting the monarchy since the protests began in 2020. Airline CEO Woranate Laprabang responded to the online royalist outrage by saying the staff responsible had been suspended pending an investigation. "I would like to apologise to the Thai people once again for such incident," Woranate said. But lawyer and activist Srisuwan Janya on Monday filed a police complaint of royal insult and computer crimes, saying in a Facebook post that the tweet "showed intent to offend" and an apology was not enough. Srisuwan is well-known in Thailand as a prolific filer of complaints with police, once telling the Bangkok Post he had counted over 1,000 filings including for consumer fraud, corruption and environmental issues. Reuters could not determine how many of his complaints have led to prosecutions. The police will consider the complaint by reviewing "all the facts" relating to what happened and "whether there was any criminal intent," Kissana Phathanacharoen, Thai deputy police spokesman, told Reuters. Thailand's lese majeste laws have recently come under criticism by some activists and opposition politicians - a bold move in a country that traditionally upholds the king as semi-divine and above criticism.

How Thai airline's April Fool's tweet prompted Royal insult complaint to police

A&nbsp;Vietnamese&nbsp;man who tried to row 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) from Thailand to India to see his wife was in custody Thursday after being rescued off the Thai coast, a senior navy official told AFP.

Ho Hoang Hung set off from the Thai holiday island of Phuket in an inflatable rubber dinghy, equipped with water and instant noodles but no navigation system, planning to cross the Bay of Bengal near the start of cyclone season.

A fishing boat found the 37-year-old on Wednesday near the Similan Islands, about 80 kilometres off the Thai mainland, and contacted the navy's maritime security unit, which came and rescued him.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thailand-drops-pre-arrival-covid-19-test-for-foreign-visitors-463581">Thailand drops pre-arrival COVID-19 test for foreign visitors</a>

Ho told officials he was trying to reach his wife, who works in Mumbai, after spending two years apart because of Covid travel restrictions, Captain Pichet Songtan from the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre told AFP.

Pichet said the man was found with no map, compass, GPS or change of clothes, and only a limited amount of water.

He had initially flown to Bangkok but found that without a visa he could not travel on to India, and so took a bus to Phuket, where he acquired the dinghy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/heartbroken-vietnamese-couple-whose-12-dogs-were-culled-over-covid-spread-rescue-puppies-454439">‘Heartbroken’ Vietnamese couple whose 12 dogs were culled over Covid spread rescue puppies</a>

After setting off around March 5, Ho was apparently held up by headwinds, making limited progress in the two weeks before he was found.

Thai officials said Ho will be returned to Phuket for further questioning.

"We have contacted the&nbsp;Vietnamese&nbsp;embassy as well as Indian embassy but not had a reply yet," Pichet said.

A Vietnamese man who tried to row 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) from Thailand to India to see his wife was in custody Thursday after being rescued off the Thai coast, a senior navy official told AFP.

A Vietnamese man who tried to row 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) from Thailand to India to see his wife was in custody Thursday after being rescued off the Thai coast, a senior navy official told AFP. Ho Hoang Hung set off from the Thai holiday island of Phuket in an inflatable rubber dinghy, equipped with water and instant noodles but no navigation system, planning to cross the Bay of Bengal near the start of cyclone season. A fishing boat found the 37-year-old on Wednesday near the Similan Islands, about 80 kilometres off the Thai mainland, and contacted the navy's maritime security unit, which came and rescued him. Also read | Thailand drops pre-arrival COVID-19 test for foreign visitors Ho told officials he was trying to reach his wife, who works in Mumbai, after spending two years apart because of Covid travel restrictions, Captain Pichet Songtan from the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre told AFP. Pichet said the man was found with no map, compass, GPS or change of clothes, and only a limited amount of water. He had initially flown to Bangkok but found that without a visa he could not travel on to India, and so took a bus to Phuket, where he acquired the dinghy. Also read | ‘Heartbroken’ Vietnamese couple whose 12 dogs were culled over Covid spread rescue puppies After setting off around March 5, Ho was apparently held up by headwinds, making limited progress in the two weeks before he was found. Thai officials said Ho will be returned to Phuket for further questioning. "We have contacted the Vietnamese embassy as well as Indian embassy but not had a reply yet," Pichet said.

Vietnamese man tries to row from Thailand to India to see wife

Indian women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Pullela Gayatri Gopichand lost in the first round of the ongoing Swiss Open, here at St. Jakobshalle, Basel.

Playing at court 1, the Indian duo got thrashed by Thailand's Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai in straight games 21-10, 21-17, in a match that lasted for 41 minutes.

Earlier, Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth defeated Denmark's Mads Christophersen in straight games 21-16, 21-17, in a match that lasted 32 minutes.

However, Shuttler Malvika Bansod lost in her women's singles clash against France's Qi Xuefei.

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The Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the first-round clash against the Indonesian pair of Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Bagas Maulana 17-21, 21-11, 21-18.

The match lasted 57 minutes.Mixed doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Sumeeth Reddy were defeated by fifth seeds Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue of France in straight-sets 13-21, 9-21 in 33 minutes.

Later in the day, two-time Olympic Medalist PV Sindhu will be facing Denmark's Line Kjaersfeldt in her women's singles clash while shuttler Saina Nehwal will be going up against Spain's Yaelle Hoyaux.

Indian women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Pullela Gayatri Gopichand lost in the first round of the ongoing Swiss Open, here at St. Jakobshalle, Basel. Playing at court 1, the Indian duo got thrashed by Thailand's Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai in straight games 21-10, 21-17, in a match that lasted for 41 minutes.

Indian women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Pullela Gayatri Gopichand lost in the first round of the ongoing Swiss Open, here at St. Jakobshalle, Basel. Playing at court 1, the Indian duo got thrashed by Thailand's Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai in straight games 21-10, 21-17, in a match that lasted for 41 minutes. Earlier, Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth defeated Denmark's Mads Christophersen in straight games 21-16, 21-17, in a match that lasted 32 minutes. However, Shuttler Malvika Bansod lost in her women's singles clash against France's Qi Xuefei. ALSO READ: Exclusive! Ash Barty has always done things her own way: Shocked Ricky Ponting on tennis great's retirement The Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the first-round clash against the Indonesian pair of Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Bagas Maulana 17-21, 21-11, 21-18. The match lasted 57 minutes.Mixed doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Sumeeth Reddy were defeated by fifth seeds Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue of France in straight-sets 13-21, 9-21 in 33 minutes. Later in the day, two-time Olympic Medalist PV Sindhu will be facing Denmark's Line Kjaersfeldt in her women's singles clash while shuttler Saina Nehwal will be going up against Spain's Yaelle Hoyaux.

Swiss Open: Treesa Jolly, Pullela Gayatri Gopichand lose to Thai pair in first round of women's doubles clash

World Championships bronze medallist Lakshya Sen's giant-killing run ended with a straight-game loss to Thailand's rising star Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the summit clash of the German Open Super 300 badminton tournament here on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Sen, who had claimed his maiden Super 500 title at India Open in January, lost 18-21 15-21 in 57 minutes to the three-time world junior champion Vitidsarn in the final match.

World number 12 Sen came into the match with a 3-3 head-to-head record against Vitidsarn, ranked 20th, having beaten the Thai in their last meeting at Hylo Open last year.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hecklers-are-an-unfortunate-part-of-sports-andy-murray-after-naomi-osaka-reduced-to-tears-at-indian-wells-462118">Hecklers are an unfortunate part of sports: Andy Murray after Naomi Osaka reduced to tears at Indian Wells</a>

In a battle of equals, Sen and Vitidsarn matched each other in speed in the rallies to move 4-4 before the Thai rode on his variations and deception to grab a comfortable 11-6 lead at the break.

Sen worked up his pace and took control of the net to make it 15-16 but an alert Vitidsarn managed to grab two game points with an overhead cross-court drop.

Sen needed medical attention for a blister on his foot even as the Thai came up with a cross-court smash to pocket the opening game.

The gruelling semifinal against Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen seemed to have taken a toll on Sen as Vitidsarn jumped to a 7-3 lead in the second game before moving to a 11-5 advantage after the change of sides.

The Indian needed the doctor's attention again as he fought his way back with four straight points but Vitidsarn managed to move to 19-15 and then took five match points before sealing the second game and the match in the first chance.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hecklers-are-an-unfortunate-part-of-sports-andy-murray-after-naomi-osaka-reduced-to-tears-at-indian-wells-462118">Hecklers are an unfortunate part of sports: Andy Murray after Naomi Osaka reduced to tears at Indian Wells</a>

Sen had won two Super 100 titles -- Dutch Open and SaarLorLux Open -- besides three international challenge at Belgium, Scotland and Bangladesh in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic came in the way of his progress.

Last year, the youngster made it to the semifinals at Hylo, reached the knockout stage at World Tour Finals on debut before sizzling at the World Championships with a bronze.

World Championships bronze medallist Lakshya Sen's giant-killing run ended with a straight-game loss to Thailand's rising star Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the summit clash of the German Open Super 300 badminton tournament here on Sunday.

World Championships bronze medallist Lakshya Sen's giant-killing run ended with a straight-game loss to Thailand's rising star Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the summit clash of the German Open Super 300 badminton tournament here on Sunday. The 20-year-old Sen, who had claimed his maiden Super 500 title at India Open in January, lost 18-21 15-21 in 57 minutes to the three-time world junior champion Vitidsarn in the final match. World number 12 Sen came into the match with a 3-3 head-to-head record against Vitidsarn, ranked 20th, having beaten the Thai in their last meeting at Hylo Open last year. ALSO READ: Hecklers are an unfortunate part of sports: Andy Murray after Naomi Osaka reduced to tears at Indian Wells In a battle of equals, Sen and Vitidsarn matched each other in speed in the rallies to move 4-4 before the Thai rode on his variations and deception to grab a comfortable 11-6 lead at the break. Sen worked up his pace and took control of the net to make it 15-16 but an alert Vitidsarn managed to grab two game points with an overhead cross-court drop. Sen needed medical attention for a blister on his foot even as the Thai came up with a cross-court smash to pocket the opening game. The gruelling semifinal against Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen seemed to have taken a toll on Sen as Vitidsarn jumped to a 7-3 lead in the second game before moving to a 11-5 advantage after the change of sides. The Indian needed the doctor's attention again as he fought his way back with four straight points but Vitidsarn managed to move to 19-15 and then took five match points before sealing the second game and the match in the first chance. ALSO READ: Hecklers are an unfortunate part of sports: Andy Murray after Naomi Osaka reduced to tears at Indian Wells Sen had won two Super 100 titles -- Dutch Open and SaarLorLux Open -- besides three international challenge at Belgium, Scotland and Bangladesh in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic came in the way of his progress. Last year, the youngster made it to the semifinals at Hylo, reached the knockout stage at World Tour Finals on debut before sizzling at the World Championships with a bronze.

German Open: Lakshya Sen loses in summit clash against Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn

Nearly 60&nbsp;elephants&nbsp;enjoyed a huge fruit banquet at a Thai botanical park on Sunday as the Southeast Asian country marked its annual Elephant Day.

Elephants&nbsp;are a source of&nbsp;national&nbsp;pride and cultural identity for&nbsp;Thailand&nbsp;and are used for labour, transport, and battlefield triumphs by warriors and kings.

The event is commonly observed in various other parts of the country, but due to the pandemic and economic woes, some have scaled down&nbsp;celebrations this year.

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At Nong Nooch Tropical Garden in eastern Chonburi province,&nbsp;elephants&nbsp;were treated to two tons of fruits and vegetables laid&nbsp;out&nbsp;on an eight metre wide table.

With the absence of foreign tourists for a long time, the&nbsp;buffet&nbsp;and some visitors brought some joy to the heavyweights.

"Of course, they get bored because they get used to being with people. That's why you see our&nbsp;elephants&nbsp;are very friendly to everyone," said Kampon Tansacha, president of Nong Nooch Tropical Garden.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/its-still-bangkok-thailand-quells-talk-of-name-change-454126">&nbsp;It’s still Bangkok: Thailand quells talk of name change</a>

"People enjoy seeing&nbsp;elephants, give them food, especially bananas that they like and they look all healthy and happy".

Animal rights groups have long been calling for the elephant camps in&nbsp;Thailand&nbsp;to end animal shows and rides, branding the shows as a form of animal abuse.

Nearly 60 elephants enjoyed a huge fruit banquet at a Thai botanical park on Sunday as the Southeast Asian country marked its annual Elephant Day. Elephants are a source of national pride and cultural identity for Thailand and are used for labour, transport, and battlefield triumphs by warriors and kings.

Nearly 60 elephants enjoyed a huge fruit banquet at a Thai botanical park on Sunday as the Southeast Asian country marked its annual Elephant Day. Elephants are a source of national pride and cultural identity for Thailand and are used for labour, transport, and battlefield triumphs by warriors and kings. The event is commonly observed in various other parts of the country, but due to the pandemic and economic woes, some have scaled down celebrations this year. Also read | Thailand bids to avert 'population crisis' as birth rate crashes At Nong Nooch Tropical Garden in eastern Chonburi province, elephants were treated to two tons of fruits and vegetables laid out on an eight metre wide table. With the absence of foreign tourists for a long time, the buffet and some visitors brought some joy to the heavyweights. "Of course, they get bored because they get used to being with people. That's why you see our elephants are very friendly to everyone," said Kampon Tansacha, president of Nong Nooch Tropical Garden. Also read | It’s still Bangkok: Thailand quells talk of name change "People enjoy seeing elephants, give them food, especially bananas that they like and they look all healthy and happy". Animal rights groups have long been calling for the elephant camps in Thailand to end animal shows and rides, branding the shows as a form of animal abuse.

Thailand lays out buffet for elephants in national celebration

The charter plane carrying the body of Shane Warne landed in his home city of Melbourne on Thursday evening after an eight-hour flight from Thailand, where the Australian cricketing great died last week at the age of 52. Warne died while on holiday on the Thai island of Koh Samui last Friday. Local authorities said an autopsy showed his death was caused by a suspected heart attack and congenital disease.

On Thursday morning, his coffin, wrapped in the Australian flag, was taken from the morgue to Bangkok airport before being loaded onto a private Dassault Falcon 7X jet. The popular former spin-bowler and media personality will be buried at a private funeral, his family said last week. A state memorial service will follow at the 100,000-seater Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on March 30.

Dan Andrews, the Premier of the state of Victoria, said the evening service would be free and a large turnout could be expected. "There will be no limits on crowds and that sort of stuff," he said. "It will be a very big event. It will be a celebration of his life as it should be."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-legend-shane-warnes-state-memorial-service-to-be-held-at-melbourne-cricket-ground-on-march-30-460555">Australian legend Shane Warne's state memorial service to be held at Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 30</a>

Warne took his 700th test wicket in front of a crowd of 89,155 at the MCG during the fourth Ashes test against England on Boxing Day, 2006. The Great Southern Stand at the stadium will soon be renamed in his honour. A statue of Warne outside the cavernous arena has become an impromptu shrine to the leg-spinner, who was popular as much for his effervescent and grounded personality as his all but peerless skill with the cricket ball.

Tributes from across the world have continued to pour in for Warne since his death, both from fellow cricketing greats and the likes of rock star Mick Jagger and Oscar winner Russell Crowe. Australia`s Prime Minister Scott Morrison called Warne "one of our nation`s greatest characters".

The charter plane carrying the body of Shane Warne landed in his home city of Melbourne on Thursday evening after an eight-hour flight from Thailand, where the Australian cricketing great died last week at the age of 52.

The charter plane carrying the body of Shane Warne landed in his home city of Melbourne on Thursday evening after an eight-hour flight from Thailand, where the Australian cricketing great died last week at the age of 52. Warne died while on holiday on the Thai island of Koh Samui last Friday. Local authorities said an autopsy showed his death was caused by a suspected heart attack and congenital disease. On Thursday morning, his coffin, wrapped in the Australian flag, was taken from the morgue to Bangkok airport before being loaded onto a private Dassault Falcon 7X jet. The popular former spin-bowler and media personality will be buried at a private funeral, his family said last week. A state memorial service will follow at the 100,000-seater Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on March 30. Dan Andrews, the Premier of the state of Victoria, said the evening service would be free and a large turnout could be expected. "There will be no limits on crowds and that sort of stuff," he said. "It will be a very big event. It will be a celebration of his life as it should be." ALSO READ | Australian legend Shane Warne's state memorial service to be held at Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 30 Warne took his 700th test wicket in front of a crowd of 89,155 at the MCG during the fourth Ashes test against England on Boxing Day, 2006. The Great Southern Stand at the stadium will soon be renamed in his honour. A statue of Warne outside the cavernous arena has become an impromptu shrine to the leg-spinner, who was popular as much for his effervescent and grounded personality as his all but peerless skill with the cricket ball. Tributes from across the world have continued to pour in for Warne since his death, both from fellow cricketing greats and the likes of rock star Mick Jagger and Oscar winner Russell Crowe. Australia`s Prime Minister Scott Morrison called Warne "one of our nation`s greatest characters".

Charter plane carrying Shane Warne's body arrives in his home city of Melbourne

No, English speakers and others using the Roman alphabet aren’t going to have to start calling the Thai capital by its local name, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, and drop the more familiar "Bangkok."

That’s the message from Thailand’s Royal Society, which is responsible for academic and linguistic standards, after a seemingly innocuous change in punctuation in official guidance sparked a flurry of speculation that the city’s name was being changed.

It started when the Cabinet on Tuesday approved a Royal Society proposal changing the way the capital would be referred to internationally from "Krung Thep Maha Nakhon; Bangkok" to "Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok)."

As people sought to divine the meaning behind changing the semicolon to parentheses, many put great weight to the accompanying explanation that it would "revise" the name of the capital city and keep the "former" name in brackets.

The capital is already officially known in the Thai language as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, which literally means "great city of angels," and most Thais shorten it to just Krung Thep in conversation.

As speculation grew, the Royal Society on Wednesday clarified in a Facebook post that their new guidance was simply a stylistic change.

"Writing the capital city’s official name with the Roman alphabet can be done both as Krung Thep Maha Nakon and Bangkok," the government agency said, allaying the fears of any non-Thai speakers about adopting the more complicated name.

Even if the Royal Society had meant to change the name to the one used by Thais, however, there is another option that would have been an even greater challenge for foreign tongues.

The Thai name for Bangkok, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, is actually a short form of the capital’s full name, which is rooted in Pali and Sanskrit and is more of a phrase to describe the city than a name: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.

That is the world’s longest place name, according to the Guinness World Records.

No, English speakers and others using the Roman alphabet aren’t going to have to start calling the Thai capital by its local name, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, and drop the more familiar "Bangkok.

No, English speakers and others using the Roman alphabet aren’t going to have to start calling the Thai capital by its local name, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, and drop the more familiar "Bangkok." That’s the message from Thailand’s Royal Society, which is responsible for academic and linguistic standards, after a seemingly innocuous change in punctuation in official guidance sparked a flurry of speculation that the city’s name was being changed. It started when the Cabinet on Tuesday approved a Royal Society proposal changing the way the capital would be referred to internationally from "Krung Thep Maha Nakhon; Bangkok" to "Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok)." As people sought to divine the meaning behind changing the semicolon to parentheses, many put great weight to the accompanying explanation that it would "revise" the name of the capital city and keep the "former" name in brackets. The capital is already officially known in the Thai language as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, which literally means "great city of angels," and most Thais shorten it to just Krung Thep in conversation. As speculation grew, the Royal Society on Wednesday clarified in a Facebook post that their new guidance was simply a stylistic change. "Writing the capital city’s official name with the Roman alphabet can be done both as Krung Thep Maha Nakon and Bangkok," the government agency said, allaying the fears of any non-Thai speakers about adopting the more complicated name. Even if the Royal Society had meant to change the name to the one used by Thais, however, there is another option that would have been an even greater challenge for foreign tongues. The Thai name for Bangkok, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, is actually a short form of the capital’s full name, which is rooted in Pali and Sanskrit and is more of a phrase to describe the city than a name: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit. That is the world’s longest place name, according to the Guinness World Records.

It’s still Bangkok: Thailand quells talk of name change

Thailand and Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday that the two countries have decided to resume diplomatic relations after over three decades.

In a joint statement, Thailand's Prime Minister and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called it a "historic step" as the two countries agreed to appoint ambassadors.

The breakdown in&nbsp;diplomatic relations goes back to the&nbsp;controversial precious gems&nbsp;robbery which triggered a crisis in 1989. It was dubbed the&nbsp;"blue diamond affair"

What was the "blue diamond affair"?

The controversy erupted after a Thai national who worked as a cleaner stole precious gems worth $20 million from a Saudi prince's house as Saudi officials accused Thai police of bungling the case.

In fact, reports say Saudi Arabia had sent a person to investigate the theft in 1990 but the man mysteriously disappeared even as three Saudi diplomats were shot dead a year later.

In 2014, the case involving the murder of the person&nbsp;who had visited Bangkok was dropped due to lack of evidence. The five men including a Thai police officer were exonerated of all charges.

What happened to the jewels?

The missing jewels were never found amid allegations that Thai officers had grabbed it&nbsp;although Thai authorities returned some jewels but they were dismissed as fakes by Saudi authorities.&nbsp;The gems reportedly involved a rare 50-carat blue diamond which was never found.&nbsp;

What happened to the man who stole the gems?

Thai national Kriangkrai Techamong who stole the jewel was put behind bars for five years. He had reportedly sold the gems before being arrested. Techamong became a monk in 2016.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Thailand and Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday that the two countries have decided to resume diplomatic relations after over three decades. In a joint statement, Thailand's Prime Minister and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called it a "historic step" as the two countries agreed to appoint ambassadors.

Thailand and Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday that the two countries have decided to resume diplomatic relations after over three decades. In a joint statement, Thailand's Prime Minister and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called it a "historic step" as the two countries agreed to appoint ambassadors. The breakdown in diplomatic relations goes back to the controversial precious gems robbery which triggered a crisis in 1989. It was dubbed the "blue diamond affair" What was the "blue diamond affair"? The controversy erupted after a Thai national who worked as a cleaner stole precious gems worth $20 million from a Saudi prince's house as Saudi officials accused Thai police of bungling the case. In fact, reports say Saudi Arabia had sent a person to investigate the theft in 1990 but the man mysteriously disappeared even as three Saudi diplomats were shot dead a year later. In 2014, the case involving the murder of the person who had visited Bangkok was dropped due to lack of evidence. The five men including a Thai police officer were exonerated of all charges. What happened to the jewels? The missing jewels were never found amid allegations that Thai officers had grabbed it although Thai authorities returned some jewels but they were dismissed as fakes by Saudi authorities. The gems reportedly involved a rare 50-carat blue diamond which was never found. What happened to the man who stole the gems? Thai national Kriangkrai Techamong who stole the jewel was put behind bars for five years. He had reportedly sold the gems before being arrested. Techamong became a monk in 2016. (With inputs from Agencies)

Robber who became a monk: Fascinating tale of a diamond theft, murders that led Saudi, Thailand to snap ties

Workers from Myanmar have long sought employment in Thailand. In the days before the pandemic, a little more than two million Myanmar people lived and worked in the kingdom.

After the borders were closed in March 2020, migrants had no choice but to travel illegally.

While there is no official data on the size of the inflow, experts say one indicator is how many migrants have been caught by authorities.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-aung-san-suu-kyi-jailed-for-four-years-for-inciting-dissent-against-military-434482">Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi jailed for four years for inciting dissent against military</a>

According to Thai government figures, the number of arrests tripled after Myanmar's February 1 coup.

The number of migrants intercepted peaked in November 2020 at more than 6,000, an increase of more than tenfold from the 560 people arrested in January.

Geraldine Ansart, the chief of the International Organization for Migration's Thailand mission, said for each person arrested, "it is realistic to assume that... at least one other Myanmar national could cross the border without being apprehended".

Roisai Wongsuban, a Thai migrant rights activist, said the spike in arrivals was due to the economic crisis in Myanmar after the coup, which saw inflation soar and job opportunities disappear.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/situation-has-not-improved-us-threatens-new-measures-against-myanmar-junta-437390">'Situation has not improved': US threatens new measures against Myanmar junta</a>

Food prices doubled as the value of the kyat plummeted against the US dollar, and fuel costs soared, she said. Many people became destitute.&nbsp;

"It is hard for ordinary people."

As a result of Covid-spurred border closures, seasonal workers who had travelled in and out of Thailand for years were left in limbo.&nbsp;

"The border has been closed for so long that there is no legal pathways for workers who want to come back to Thailand," Roisai added.

General Santipong Thammapiya, a spokesman for the Thai army, said it was mainly Thailand's reopening to tourists in November that had attracted workers from Myanmar -- many of whom work in the kingdom's vital industries, including the service sector.

"Workers... wanted to come back," he said while speaking to AFP. "They also trust the Thai healthcare system, which can provide treatment for Covid."

In Thailand, the demand for Myanmar workers is high; however, given their status, they are forced to accept lower wages.

Thailand is facing a shortage of 200,000 workers, according to the labour ministry.

Also read |&nbsp;Gravitas: What is India's Myanmar strategy?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-what-is-indias-myanmar-strategy-439755/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, according to Santipong, Bangkok does not tolerate illegal migration, and those arrested are sent to the courts for legal proceedings, followed by repatriation.

Despite obstacles, two people smugglers who operate near the Three Pagodas Pass border crossing in Kanchanaburi province told news agency AFP that they have been doing well.

Desperation drives thousands to pay 13,000 baht to 25,000 baht ($380 to $750) to cross.

"Some are arrested, but there are even more people who are not," said one smuggler on condition of anonymity.

(With inputs from agencies)

Workers from Myanmar have long sought employment in Thailand. In the days before the pandemic, a little more than two million Myanmar people lived and worked in the kingdom.

Workers from Myanmar have long sought employment in Thailand. In the days before the pandemic, a little more than two million Myanmar people lived and worked in the kingdom. After the borders were closed in March 2020, migrants had no choice but to travel illegally. While there is no official data on the size of the inflow, experts say one indicator is how many migrants have been caught by authorities. Also read | Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi jailed for four years for inciting dissent against military According to Thai government figures, the number of arrests tripled after Myanmar's February 1 coup. The number of migrants intercepted peaked in November 2020 at more than 6,000, an increase of more than tenfold from the 560 people arrested in January. Geraldine Ansart, the chief of the International Organization for Migration's Thailand mission, said for each person arrested, "it is realistic to assume that... at least one other Myanmar national could cross the border without being apprehended". Roisai Wongsuban, a Thai migrant rights activist, said the spike in arrivals was due to the economic crisis in Myanmar after the coup, which saw inflation soar and job opportunities disappear. Also read | 'Situation has not improved': US threatens new measures against Myanmar junta Food prices doubled as the value of the kyat plummeted against the US dollar, and fuel costs soared, she said. Many people became destitute. "It is hard for ordinary people." As a result of Covid-spurred border closures, seasonal workers who had travelled in and out of Thailand for years were left in limbo. "The border has been closed for so long that there is no legal pathways for workers who want to come back to Thailand," Roisai added. General Santipong Thammapiya, a spokesman for the Thai army, said it was mainly Thailand's reopening to tourists in November that had attracted workers from Myanmar -- many of whom work in the kingdom's vital industries, including the service sector. "Workers... wanted to come back," he said while speaking to AFP. "They also trust the Thai healthcare system, which can provide treatment for Covid." In Thailand, the demand for Myanmar workers is high; however, given their status, they are forced to accept lower wages. Thailand is facing a shortage of 200,000 workers, according to the labour ministry. Also read | Gravitas: What is India's Myanmar strategy? However, according to Santipong, Bangkok does not tolerate illegal migration, and those arrested are sent to the courts for legal proceedings, followed by repatriation. Despite obstacles, two people smugglers who operate near the Three Pagodas Pass border crossing in Kanchanaburi province told news agency AFP that they have been doing well. Desperation drives thousands to pay 13,000 baht to 25,000 baht ($380 to $750) to cross. "Some are arrested, but there are even more people who are not," said one smuggler on condition of anonymity. (With inputs from agencies)

'Hard for ordinary people': High prices, poverty forces thousands in Myanmar to illegally cross into Thailand

Thailand is considering reintroducing compulsory quarantine for foreign visitors coming into the country. This is being mulled to stem the spread of Omicron variant of coronavirus. Thailand's health ministry reported on Monday (December 20) that first case of Omicron infection arising from local transmission had been found in the country.

The first locally transmitted case was found in a Thai woman. The woman tested positive for Omicron infection after contracting the virus from her husband. Her husband is a Colombian who returned to Thailand from Nigeria in late November, a health ministry official told a daily briefing. The official added that both the husband and the wife had been fully vaccinated.

The public health ministry is likely to propose scrapping the quarantine waiver for vaccinated visitors. The rules may make hotel quarantine mandatory again. A 'sandbox' programme may also be implemented. This programme involves free movement in specific locations. Thai minister &nbsp;Anutin Charnvirakul gave more information about this.

The Thai minister's remarks come after Thailand reopened to foreign visitors in November, ending nearly 18 months of strict entry policies that contributed to a collapse in tourism, a key industry and economic driver that drew 40 million visitors in 2019.

Thailand is considering reintroducing compulsory quarantine for foreign visitors coming into the country. This is being mulled to stem the spread of Omicron variant of coronavirus.

Thailand is considering reintroducing compulsory quarantine for foreign visitors coming into the country. This is being mulled to stem the spread of Omicron variant of coronavirus. Thailand's health ministry reported on Monday (December 20) that first case of Omicron infection arising from local transmission had been found in the country. The first locally transmitted case was found in a Thai woman. The woman tested positive for Omicron infection after contracting the virus from her husband. Her husband is a Colombian who returned to Thailand from Nigeria in late November, a health ministry official told a daily briefing. The official added that both the husband and the wife had been fully vaccinated. The public health ministry is likely to propose scrapping the quarantine waiver for vaccinated visitors. The rules may make hotel quarantine mandatory again. A 'sandbox' programme may also be implemented. This programme involves free movement in specific locations. Thai minister Anutin Charnvirakul gave more information about this. The Thai minister's remarks come after Thailand reopened to foreign visitors in November, ending nearly 18 months of strict entry policies that contributed to a collapse in tourism, a key industry and economic driver that drew 40 million visitors in 2019.

Omicron: Thailand may reintroduce mandatory quarantine for foreign travellers

A Thailand woman allegedly blew up an oil warehouse where she worked. The reason behind this is rather bizarre as media reports and initial investigation suggest she did it because she was fed up with her boss, who's "complaining" and "causing her stress".&nbsp;

The fire spread quickly at the Prapakorn Oil warehouse in Nakhon Pathom province on November 29 because of the presence of thousands of litres of oil tanks. As per a report in Mail Online, the fire caused damage worth more than 40 million Thai baht (about £900,000).&nbsp;

The report stated that the 38-year-old Ann Sriya allegedly set a piece of paper on fire and threw it onto a fuel container as was seen in the CCTV footage. As per the CCTV clip published by Mail Online, Sriya was spotted walking inside the warehouse with a likely piece of paper. She was then seen walking behind a row of containers.&nbsp;

The footage then showed fire flames on top of a container, which later turned into huge flames that cause massive destruction. As per the pictures available with the media outlet and on social media, a big fireball was seen with dark plumes coming out of the warehouse.&nbsp;

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Ann Sriya, fed up with her boss complaining and causing her stress, blew up <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Prapakorn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Prapakorn</a> Oil warehouse in Nakhon Pathom province where she worked in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thailand?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thailand</a>. <a href="https://t.co/R1hjy37ueX">pic.twitter.com/R1hjy37ueX</a>
— gdh international (@gdhint) <a href="https://twitter.com/gdhint/status/1469331068364812290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Huge fire erupted at the warehouse of Prapakorn Oil Co in the Samphran district of Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, 
 
Damage was initially estimated at 30 million baht. <a href="https://t.co/LgNDTjqvul">pic.twitter.com/LgNDTjqvul</a>
— News Asia 24 (@NewsAsia24) <a href="https://twitter.com/NewsAsia24/status/1465457879209717761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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She was later arrested and as per the police, where she confessed to committing arson as per the local authorities. And according to the police, she claimed that her boss Pipat Ungprapakorn, 65, caused her stress, which is the possible reason behind the fire accident in the warehouse, where she worked.&nbsp;

She was arrested by police on December 1. "This is the second time a fire has started from this factory. The woman has been working for Prapakorn Oil for nine years," Major General Chomchawin Purthananon was quoted by Mail Online as saying.&nbsp;

"She said her employer complained to her and caused her stress every day, and she did not expect the fire she started to cause this level of damage," he added.&nbsp;

The Bangkok Post stated that other concerns have raised as the waterway and surrounding environment may have been polluted&nbsp;with petrochemicals after the accident.&nbsp;

A Thailand woman allegedly blew up an oil warehouse where she worked. The reason behind this is rather bizarre as media reports and initial investigation suggest she did it because she was fed up with her boss, who's "complaining" and "causing her stress".

A Thailand woman allegedly blew up an oil warehouse where she worked. The reason behind this is rather bizarre as media reports and initial investigation suggest she did it because she was fed up with her boss, who's "complaining" and "causing her stress". The fire spread quickly at the Prapakorn Oil warehouse in Nakhon Pathom province on November 29 because of the presence of thousands of litres of oil tanks. As per a report in Mail Online, the fire caused damage worth more than 40 million Thai baht (about £900,000). The report stated that the 38-year-old Ann Sriya allegedly set a piece of paper on fire and threw it onto a fuel container as was seen in the CCTV footage. As per the CCTV clip published by Mail Online, Sriya was spotted walking inside the warehouse with a likely piece of paper. She was then seen walking behind a row of containers. The footage then showed fire flames on top of a container, which later turned into huge flames that cause massive destruction. As per the pictures available with the media outlet and on social media, a big fireball was seen with dark plumes coming out of the warehouse. ALSO READ | Another hair-related trouble for 'Gorilla Glue girl' Tessica Brown as she says her hair is falling out Ann Sriya, fed up with her boss complaining and causing her stress, blew up #Prapakorn Oil warehouse in Nakhon Pathom province where she worked in #Thailand. pic.twitter.com/R1hjy37ueX — gdh international (@gdhint) December 10, 2021 × Huge fire erupted at the warehouse of Prapakorn Oil Co in the Samphran district of Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, Damage was initially estimated at 30 million baht. pic.twitter.com/LgNDTjqvul — News Asia 24 (@NewsAsia24) November 29, 2021 × She was later arrested and as per the police, where she confessed to committing arson as per the local authorities. And according to the police, she claimed that her boss Pipat Ungprapakorn, 65, caused her stress, which is the possible reason behind the fire accident in the warehouse, where she worked. She was arrested by police on December 1. "This is the second time a fire has started from this factory. The woman has been working for Prapakorn Oil for nine years," Major General Chomchawin Purthananon was quoted by Mail Online as saying. "She said her employer complained to her and caused her stress every day, and she did not expect the fire she started to cause this level of damage," he added. The Bangkok Post stated that other concerns have raised as the waterway and surrounding environment may have been polluted with petrochemicals after the accident.

Thailand: Fed up with boss? Employee reportedly blew up oil warehouse because she was 'angry at boss'

A wrong headline in a Thailand’s newspaper has landed the media house in legal trouble. The local newspaper has been reprimanded for “poor choice” of words.<o:p></o:p>

The Bangkok Post was reporting about few African travellers who had arrived in the country and were being traced by the government with regards to the Omicron variant of coronavirus. However, the newspaper ran the story on their front page with the headline "Government hunts for African visitors".<o:p></o:p>

Thailand authorities have been trying to trace 783 travellers who had arrived in the country from various African countries since November 15. These travellers are being traced to make sure they are not infected by the new Omicron Covid variant.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-africa-witnesses-rise-in-covid-reinfections-433797">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-africa-witnesses-rise-in-covid-reinfections-433797/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, the headline by the Bangkok Post made it sound like the Thailand government had been taking strict measures against African visitors.<o:p></o:p>

The article was published on the front page of the newspaper on December 02 morning edition. While the government authorities did not mention the name of the media house, social media images showed it to be the Bangkok Post.<o:p></o:p>

Government spokeswoman took a strict stand against the language used and assured that the words do not portray the government’s action plan in any form.<o:p></o:p>

"Let me state clearly and unequivocally that this headline does not in any way reflect the government's policy and or approach nor does it characterise any of the procedures the government has put in place thus far," a spokeswoman from the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in a press conference said. "In fact it was a very poor choice of words and we hope the editors will take good note of the negative feedback it has already elicited."<o:p></o:p>

The same headline was used in an online version of the article on the media house's website. Since the controversy, the word "hunted" has been replaced with "search".

A wrong headline in a Thailand’s newspaper has landed the media house in legal trouble. The local newspaper has been reprimanded for “poor choice” of words. The Bangkok Post was reporting about few African travellers who had arrived in the country and were being traced by the government with regards to the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

A wrong headline in a Thailand’s newspaper has landed the media house in legal trouble. The local newspaper has been reprimanded for “poor choice” of words. The Bangkok Post was reporting about few African travellers who had arrived in the country and were being traced by the government with regards to the Omicron variant of coronavirus. However, the newspaper ran the story on their front page with the headline "Government hunts for African visitors". Thailand authorities have been trying to trace 783 travellers who had arrived in the country from various African countries since November 15. These travellers are being traced to make sure they are not infected by the new Omicron Covid variant. WATCH | However, the headline by the Bangkok Post made it sound like the Thailand government had been taking strict measures against African visitors. The article was published on the front page of the newspaper on December 02 morning edition. While the government authorities did not mention the name of the media house, social media images showed it to be the Bangkok Post. Government spokeswoman took a strict stand against the language used and assured that the words do not portray the government’s action plan in any form. "Let me state clearly and unequivocally that this headline does not in any way reflect the government's policy and or approach nor does it characterise any of the procedures the government has put in place thus far," a spokeswoman from the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in a press conference said. "In fact it was a very poor choice of words and we hope the editors will take good note of the negative feedback it has already elicited." The same headline was used in an online version of the article on the media house's website. Since the controversy, the word "hunted" has been replaced with "search".

Thailand authorities reprimand media house for 'poor choice of words'

Apple&nbsp;Inc issued alert messages on Wednesday to at least six activists and researchers who have been critical of Thailand's government, warning it believed their iPhones had been targeted by "state-sponsored attackers", according to activists and the alerts reviewed by Reuters.

Apple&nbsp;and Thailand's Digital Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Prajak Kongkirati, a political scientist at Bangkok's Thammasat University, said he had received two emails from&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;warning it believed his iPhone and iCloud accounts had been targeted, along with a "threat notification" on his&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;account.

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Researcher Sarinee Achananuntakul and Thai activist Yingcheep Atchanont of Legal Monitoring group iLaw said they had received similar emails, while a rapper, a political activist, and a politician opposed to the government separately posted screenshots of the same email on their social media accounts.

All are perceived as being critical of the Thai government.

The messages warned "if your device is compromised by a state-sponsored attacker, they may be able to remotely access your sensitive data, communications, or even the camera and microphone."

Two political activists in Ghana, an opposition politician in Uganda, as well as a dozen journalists from Salvadoran media reported later on Wednesday having received similar warning messages from&nbsp;Apple, according to social media posts reviewed by Reuters.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-time-since-covid-lockdowns-chinas-carbon-emissions-fall-report-431932">First time since Covid lockdowns, China's carbon emissions fall: Report</a>

Apple&nbsp;on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Israeli cyber firm NSO Group and its parent company OSY Technologies for alleged surveillance and targeting of US&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;users with its Pegasus spyware.&nbsp;

In a statement on Tuesday,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;said that the NSO group had created "state-sponsored surveillance technology" that had been aimed at "very small number of users".

It was not immediately clear in&nbsp;Apple's alerts on Wednesday whether the company believed Thais were being targeted by Pegasus.

Internet security watchdog group Citizen Lab identified in 2018 a Pegasus spyware operator active within Thailand.

Thailand's government is still led by the architects of a 2014 coup, who remain in power after a 2019 election that its rivals say was stacked in the military's favour.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the coup leader, has denied allegations the military changed rules to ensure it remained in control. He has faced months of anti-government protests.

As well as calls for greater democracy, the government has also been criticised over its management of the coronavirus pandemic and the economy.

Apple Inc issued alert messages on Wednesday to at least six activists and researchers who have been critical of Thailand's government, warning it believed their iPhones had been targeted by "state-sponsored attackers", according to activists and the alerts reviewed by Reuters.

Apple Inc issued alert messages on Wednesday to at least six activists and researchers who have been critical of Thailand's government, warning it believed their iPhones had been targeted by "state-sponsored attackers", according to activists and the alerts reviewed by Reuters. Apple and Thailand's Digital Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Prajak Kongkirati, a political scientist at Bangkok's Thammasat University, said he had received two emails from Apple warning it believed his iPhone and iCloud accounts had been targeted, along with a "threat notification" on his Apple account. ALSO READ | Chinese regulators tell Tencent to get approval before launching apps, updates Researcher Sarinee Achananuntakul and Thai activist Yingcheep Atchanont of Legal Monitoring group iLaw said they had received similar emails, while a rapper, a political activist, and a politician opposed to the government separately posted screenshots of the same email on their social media accounts. All are perceived as being critical of the Thai government. The messages warned "if your device is compromised by a state-sponsored attacker, they may be able to remotely access your sensitive data, communications, or even the camera and microphone." Two political activists in Ghana, an opposition politician in Uganda, as well as a dozen journalists from Salvadoran media reported later on Wednesday having received similar warning messages from Apple, according to social media posts reviewed by Reuters. ALSO READ | First time since Covid lockdowns, China's carbon emissions fall: Report Apple on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Israeli cyber firm NSO Group and its parent company OSY Technologies for alleged surveillance and targeting of US Apple users with its Pegasus spyware. In a statement on Tuesday, Apple said that the NSO group had created "state-sponsored surveillance technology" that had been aimed at "very small number of users". It was not immediately clear in Apple's alerts on Wednesday whether the company believed Thais were being targeted by Pegasus. Internet security watchdog group Citizen Lab identified in 2018 a Pegasus spyware operator active within Thailand. Thailand's government is still led by the architects of a 2014 coup, who remain in power after a 2019 election that its rivals say was stacked in the military's favour. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the coup leader, has denied allegations the military changed rules to ensure it remained in control. He has faced months of anti-government protests. As well as calls for greater democracy, the government has also been criticised over its management of the coronavirus pandemic and the economy.

Apple warns Thai activists 'state-sponsored attackers' may have targeted iPhones

A resident of a high-rise condominium in Thailand cut the support line for two painters and left them hanging above the 26th level until they were rescued, authorities said Wednesday.

According to Police Colonel Pongjak Preechakarunpong, commander of the Pak Kret police station north of Bangkok, the lady is charged with attempted murder and property destruction.&nbsp;

Pongjak would not explain why she cut the rope, but Thai media said that she was enraged when the employees showed outside her door and she hadn't read the condo's statement that they would be working on October 12.&nbsp;

Two painters were seen on social media requesting tenants on the 26th floor to open the window and let them in.

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One of the painters, Song, a Myanmar national, told Thai media that he and two pals descended from the 32nd level to repair a break in the structure.&nbsp;

The lady and her lawyer appeared at the police station on Wednesday.

She confessed but denied any desire to kill the employees until the police showed her the CCTV footage and forensic proof.

The suspect, according to Pongjak, was temporarily freed.

Within 15 days, police would submit an indictment in provincial court, he added.

If convicted of attempted murder, she may face a sentence of up to 20 years in jail.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A resident of a high-rise condominium in Thailand cut the support line for two painters and left them hanging above the 26th level until they were rescued, authorities said Wednesday.

A resident of a high-rise condominium in Thailand cut the support line for two painters and left them hanging above the 26th level until they were rescued, authorities said Wednesday. According to Police Colonel Pongjak Preechakarunpong, commander of the Pak Kret police station north of Bangkok, the lady is charged with attempted murder and property destruction. Pongjak would not explain why she cut the rope, but Thai media said that she was enraged when the employees showed outside her door and she hadn't read the condo's statement that they would be working on October 12. Two painters were seen on social media requesting tenants on the 26th floor to open the window and let them in. × One of the painters, Song, a Myanmar national, told Thai media that he and two pals descended from the 32nd level to repair a break in the structure. The lady and her lawyer appeared at the police station on Wednesday. She confessed but denied any desire to kill the employees until the police showed her the CCTV footage and forensic proof. The suspect, according to Pongjak, was temporarily freed. Within 15 days, police would submit an indictment in provincial court, he added. If convicted of attempted murder, she may face a sentence of up to 20 years in jail. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | Angry Thai woman cuts support rope for painters working on 26th floor of building

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