Battle-scarred Prasat Khana awaits restoration as evidence of conflict preserved

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19 June 2026, 18:10

SURIN — Bullet marks, abandoned military supplies and traces of wartime occupation remain visible at Prasat Khana, an ancient temple complex along the Phanom Dong Rak mountain range, as Thai authorities prepare for future restoration work following recent border clashes.

On 19 June, Lt. Gen. Weerayut Raksilp, commander of the 2nd Army Region, and Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree, spokesman for the Royal Thai Army, led journalists on a tour of the site in Kap Choeng district, Surin province, to inspect the aftermath of military operations during the second round of fighting late last year.

One of the first locations shown to reporters was a former Cambodian military supply area, where large quantities of canned food, including rice and fish, were found. Officials said the supplies indicated Cambodian troops had been prepared to remain at the site for extended periods during the conflict.

Reporters were also shown Cambodian-language graffiti carved into a stone slab reading “Kampuchea Thmey,” or “New Cambodia,” which officials said matched the name of a Facebook page used by Cambodian soldiers for posting content and livestreaming while they controlled the area.

Nearby, remnants of what officials described as a field kitchen used to support military commanders were also found.

The delegation later paid tribute to 2nd Lt. Therdsak Srilachai, a Thai soldier killed during operations to secure access routes to the temple. Army officials said he continued carrying out his mission despite coming under heavy BM-21 rocket fire and other supporting attacks, allowing Thai forces to eventually capture and secure the objective.

Journalists were also shown a “victory flag” erected by Thai troops after the site was retaken. The flag stands near sacred Hindu relics, including a lingam and yoni.

Prasat Khana also bears visible scars from the fighting. Bullet impacts can still be seen on trees around the temple complex, while other damage remains under assessment.

A wooden staircase consisting of 1,181 steps, previously used by Cambodian visitors and troops to access the temple, was largely destroyed during the fighting. Army officials said approximately 250 metres of the 450-metre structure were burned and destroyed, leaving only about 200 metres intact. The area is now secured with double layers of barbed wire.

Officials said much of the site has been left untouched since it was recaptured, both to preserve evidence of the conflict and to serve as a memorial to the hardships faced by Thai troops.

Believed to be a Hindu sanctuary dating back roughly 1,100 years, Prasat Khana contains the remains of brick structures enclosed by a laterite wall measuring approximately 39.5 metres on each side. Archaeologists believe the temple was constructed around the 15th Buddhist century.

The Fine Arts Department has collected 28 artefacts, including Garuda carvings and stone architectural elements, for study and future restoration. Officials said little is known about the temple’s original appearance, and research is ongoing to determine its historical layout and artistic features.

The area is currently under the control of a ranger task force attached to the 2nd Army Region.

From criticism to canvas: Thai artist paints 1,000 works to clear student debt

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Khaosod English

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19 June 2026, 17:26

From criticism to canvas: Thai artist paints 1,000 works to clear student debt

A young Thai artist has turned her artistic creation into a mission to settle her debt with Thailand’s Student Loan Fund (SLF), setting herself the ambitious goal of creating 1,000 original artworks entirely by her own two hands.

Phonnapha Phetthakhu, known as “Pim”, is the creator of the project “1,000 Koi Fish Paintings for 1,000 Baht”. Driven by sheer determination, she aims to resolve her obligations by relying solely on her own without relying on anyone else.

The project did not begin as a business plan or with expectations of becoming popular. Instead, it stemmed from a simple determination to generate enough income through her own talents to pay off her debt. After carefully calculating costs and potential profits, she set out to create 1,000 paintings, each sold at the same price.

Throughout the journey, Pim has faced criticism from people around her. Some lecturers and friends viewed her repeated use of a continuously producing artwork as merely “commercial work” and believed it would not take her far as an artist. Rather than giving up, however, those words became a motivation and led her to question why an artist could not build an identity around what they loved.

Even her husband once offered to pay off the debt on her behalf, leading to disagreements between the couple on the matter. Nevertheless, Pim insisted that she wanted to prove she could overcome the burden through her own hard work, even if she did not know whether she would ultimately succeed.

To date, she has created 528 paintings and already sold 419 of them. Along the way, she admits there have been periods of exhaustion, confusion and creative blocks on how to make each new piece distinct from the last. At times, she experimented by introducing new elements into her paintings, including mountains, shooting stars, whales or cats, reflecting her emotions and the stories she was facing at the time.

For Pim, each work is more than just a painting. It serves as a record of her feelings and growth as an artist. The period in which she painted mountains and shooting stars reflected moments of loneliness and isolation on this journey. Over time, however, she discovered that she still loved creating art and that many people appreciated her work and encouraged her to keep going.

The story of Pim’s journey has gained widespread attention on social media through her Facebook account, “PimPim Phonnapha,” where she has documented the progress of her project, as well as the emotions and challenges behind each painting. Information about her work is also available on her website, Baan Pim Sinth (baanpimsinth.com).

From the day it began out of a desire to prove that art could sustain a livelihood, this project has evolved into something far greater than a debt repayment plan. The project has become a journey of self-discovery and a testament to how self-belief and persistent effort can gradually bring an ordinary person closer to their dream of being an artist, one painting at a time.

West Point cadets visit Bangkok to explore Thai-American security alliance

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Khaosod English

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19 June 2026, 17:00

BANGKOK — 19 June 2025, American military cadets from West Point and the United States Air Force Academy visited Bangkok for an educational seminar hosted by the US Embassy, gaining firsthand exposure to one of Washington’s longest-standing partnerships in Asia.

The American cadets met with senior leaders from the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Air Force, toured military museums, and spoke with American and Thai alumni connected to both institutions.

The US Embassy said the visit was aimed at deepening the cadets’ understanding of how the US-Thai alliance contributes to the security and prosperity of both nations’ citizens.
Thailand and the United States have maintained diplomatic and military ties for more than 200 years, making the partnership one of the oldest bilateral relationships the US holds in the region.

Super mum leatherback ‘Mae Namo’ lays sixth nest on Thai beach

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19 June 2026, 16:43

Super mum leatherback ‘Mae Namo’ lays sixth nest on Thai beach

PHANG NGA — 19 June 2026, A leatherback sea turtle nicknamed “Mae Namo” laid her sixth nest of the season clutch, leaving her little ones on Khao Na Yak Beach in Khao Lampi–Hat Thai Mueang National Park.

On Friday, Khao Lampi–Hat Thai Mueang National Park posted via their official Facebook page, stating good news straight from Khao Na Yak Beach in Khao Lampi–Hat Thai Mueang National Park.

The leatherback sea turtle, Mae Namo, was spotted coming ashore to nest and lay eggs on Khao Na Yak Beach at about 22:15 on Thursday while Khao Lampi–Hat Thai Mueang National Park officials and the Marine National Park Education and Research Center No. 2 (Phuket) were conducting a nesting monitoring patrol using an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone).

Park officers kept a close watch until the mother turtle finished laying her eggs. An identification checks confirmed that she was the same mother turtle that has repeatedly returned to nest in the area. Photos and video footage were recorded for tracking and academic research purposes. After the mother turtle returned to the sea, officials examined the nest and found the following data: a total of 123 eggs, including 107 viable eggs and 16 infertile eggs. The egg chamber measured 96 centimetres deep and 45 centimetres wide, with the eggs averaging 5.36 centimetres in diameter.

Because the nesting site was located in an area at risk of tidal flooding, conservation staff excavated and relocated all of the eggs to the leatherback sea turtle hatchery near the front of the visitor centre, where they will incubate naturally under close supervision and round-the-clock monitoring.

This clutch of leatherback sea turtle eggs is expected to hatch approximately within 55 to 65 days.

This nesting was Mae Namo’s sixth nest of the off-season nesting period, reflecting the richness of the area’s coastal ecosystem and the success of ongoing leatherback sea turtle conservation efforts in Khao Lampi–Hat Thai Mueang National Park.

Mallika: ‘Sell if you want to sell’ — Bangkok street food goes 24/7?

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Khaosod English

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19 June 2026, 15:43

BANGKOK — Independent Bangkok gubernatorial candidate Mallika Boonmeetrakul Mahasuk on 18 June pledged to transform parts of the capital into a “Street Food Paradise” operating seven days a week, 24 hours a day, arguing that informal food vending should be expanded and better organised rather than restricted.

Mallika, who is running under ballot number 14, made the remarks while campaigning in the Ban Krua community area in Ratchathewi district, visiting Ban Krua Nuea, Ban Krua Tai and Ban Krua Tawan Ok communities.

She said her policy would focus on expanding designated street food trading areas while maintaining order and cleanliness through community-based agreements.

“When the governor is Mallika, we will revive the Street Food Paradise,” she said. “We will increase vending space on pavements instead of pushing vendors into hidden corners where customers cannot reach them.”

She said any problem areas would be resolved through public consultation, stressing that vendors should be able to sell in designated zones with clear community identity and order.

Mallika said street food should reflect local character, citing Ban Krua as an example, while maintaining uniform standards of cleanliness and organisation.

She added that nightlife activity should also be supported, arguing that Bangkok operates around the clock and demand for food continues late into the night.

“People don’t stop eating at 18:00. Some go out for late-night meals at 10pm or even later. We must support those groups,” she said, adding that the concept would form part of her 14-policy framework for Bangkok.

Mallika said vendors must maintain hygiene standards, including cleanliness and proper waste disposal, warning against practices such as dumping oil into drains.

“We will remove anyone who does not comply. Go and improve first,” she said.

She also criticised informal payments, saying city enforcement officers should not be involved in corruption and that rules must be consistently enforced.

“The only way society can coexist is through fair rules. The city’s role is to stimulate economic activity, especially in times of crisis,” she said.

Mallika also pledged improved infrastructure in communities, including 24-hour lighting, saying residents should not have to worry about basic urban safety issues.

Lorry overturns after tyre blowout, spilling 100 sacks of limes across road

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Khaosod English

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19 June 2026, 15:23

Lorry overturns after tyre blowout, spilling 100 sacks of limes across road

PATHUM THANI — 19 June 2026, A pickup truck carrying around 100 sacks of limes overturned after a tyre burst on the inbound express lane of Phahonyothin Road at kilometre marker 36+300 in Khlong Nueng subdistrict, Khlong Luang district, Pathum Thani province early on Friday, leaving its driver injured and scattering the fruit across the road.

The investigating officer of the Khlong Luang Police Station was notified an accident, which resulted in injuries. Police officers, traffic police, and rescue workers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation rushed to the scene to investigate.

At the scene, Officers and rescue workers found an Isuzu pickup truck with a cargo cage flipped on its side in the left lane, with more than 100 sacks of limes strewn across the roadway. An inspection found that the vehicle’s rear left tyre had burst, causing damage to the vehicle. The injured driver, identified as 34-year-old Nuraini, was taken to Paolo Rangsit Hospital prior to the police’s arrival.

According to a statement from the injured woman’s boyfriend, he and his girlfriend had collected 100 sacks of limes from Talaad Thai Market, with his girlfriend at the wheel. Upon reaching the scene of the incident, the rear tyre exploded and the vehicle overturned

Initially, traffic police coordinated with a tow truck to remove the vehicle from the area and cleared the scene, while undamaged limes were loaded onto another vehicle and traffic flow was expedited during the rush hour.

Thai Film Archive, FIAF condemn strike on Ukraine film studio

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Khaosod English

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19 June 2026, 14:17

Thai Film Archive, FIAF condemn strike on Ukraine film studio

BANGKOK — 19 June 2026, the Thai Film Archive’s official page has shared a message following a statement from the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) strongly condemning Russia’s attacks on Ukraine after strikes on Monday night damaged the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio in Kyiv, Ukraine.

The attack targeted multiple regions across Ukraine and resulted in damage to several critical cultural sites, including one of Ukraine’s oldest film costume collections, which housed more than 100,000 items. Moreover, numerous other historical artefacts and film-related objects were damaged or remain at serious risk. The federation has also urged the global community to protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage amid the ongoing war.

In a statement issued in Brussels on Wednesday, FIAF’s Executive Committee condemned the acts of aggression against cultural heritage sites in Ukraine, saying that increasingly deliberate and systematic attacks on cultural institutions cannot be justified under any circumstances and require an appropriate response from the international community.

FIAF also expressed solidarity with all cultural institutions affected by these devastating attacks and reiterated its support for its member institution in Kyiv, the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre, which fortunately was not damaged in the strike, although the centre’s staff continue to work under extremely difficult conditions as the war continues.

“Colleagues in Ukraine, as well as archivists, historians, film programmers, and cultural workers around the world, have the right to preserve and promote cultural heritage in stable and peaceful conditions, without fearing for the safety of their collections, buildings, or even their lives,” FIAF said.

The federation therefore called for the unconditional protection of all cultural heritage institutions in Ukraine.

Stray dogs ‘take over’ Chiang Mai City Hall, residents warn of safety risks

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Khaosod English

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19 June 2026, 13:55

CHIANG MAI — Residents have raised alarm over what they describe as a growing army of stray dogs roaming the grounds of Chiang Mai City Hall, saying the animals are intimidating visitors, chasing pedestrians and creating safety concerns at the government complex.

Complaints submitted on 19 June said the number of stray dogs has increased rapidly, with dozens of animals now living in and around the City Hall compound. Visitors reported encountering packs of dogs that bark aggressively, run after people and, in some cases, appear ready to attack.

Some residents claimed the dogs have established territories around the complex, with pack leaders often leading groups that confront passers-by.

A reporter who visited the site found stray dogs scattered throughout the grounds. Several were seen lying in the middle of roads, while others wandered around government buildings. Witnesses said the dogs frequently gather in groups and sometimes chase people walking through the area.

Residents also reported that many of the dogs sleep beneath buildings at night, using spaces under the structures as shelter.

The issue is believed to be a long-standing problem, fuelled in part by pet abandonment and regular feeding by animal lovers. As a result, the dogs have remained in the area and their numbers have continued to grow.

Residents are calling on authorities to take urgent action, including sterilisation programmes, population control measures and the establishment of suitable shelters, warning that the situation could eventually lead to injuries if left unresolved.

“We are worried about safety,” one complainant said. “People come here to contact government offices, not to be chased by packs of dogs.”

Israeli military strikes in southern Lebanon in intense fighting as US-Iran talks postponed

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Associated Press

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19 June 2026, 13:08

Israeli military strikes in southern Lebanon in intense fighting as US-Iran talks postponed — Buildings damaged by Israeli strikes are seen through shattered glass from the Jabal Amel Hospital in the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

By ERIN CUNNINGHAM and JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military said Friday its forces struck targets throughout southern Lebanon overnight as Hezbollah reported intense fighting in the area, threatening the nascent agreement between Iran and the United States to end their war.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported at least 16 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes, which the Israeli military said were ongoing.

Continued fighting in Lebanon could unravel the newly signed deal, which calls for an immediate halt to military operations “on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” where Israel has been battling the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, and for ensuring Lebanon’s “territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces elections later this year, has refused to withdraw, saying Israeli forces will remain in Lebanon until the threat from Hezbollah has been eliminated.

AP26169751833768 — The southern town of Khiam, Lebanon, is seen through a fence near the Lebanon-Israel border, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

The attacks came as planned talks in Switzerland between Iran and the United States over their efforts to reach a permanent end to the Iran war were delayed.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday put off his trip to Switzerland where he had been set to lead the talks. The White House blamed logistical issues, but the announcement came after a report from Al-Mayadeen, a pan-Arab satellite channel that is politically allied to Hezbollah, that Iran was delaying sending its delegation to Switzerland over Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed the initial pact with Iran on Wednesday while dining with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of Versailles, which took immediate effect.

In comments following the signing, Vance offered a blunt warning to Israel, saying Trump was “the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time.”
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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press reporter David Rising contributed to this story from Bangkok.

Thailand Rally From 13-19 Down to Sweep Bulgaria in VNL

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Khaosod English

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19 June 2026, 11:10

Thailand Rally From 13-19 Down to Sweep Bulgaria in VNL

BANGKOK — 18 June 2026, Thailand’s women’s volleyball team produced a stunning comeback from six points down in the opening set before sweeping Bulgaria 3-0 to claim their first victory of the Volleyball Nations League 2026 (VNL 2026).

Thailand appeared to be in trouble early in the match as Bulgaria surged ahead 19-13 in the first set. However, the hosts refused to back down, mounting a remarkable fightback to draw level at 19-19 before completing the turnaround and taking the set 25-22.

Playing in front of home fans during Week 2 of the tournament at Indoor Stadium Huamark, Thailand, ranked 25th in the world, faced 22nd-ranked Bulgaria on 18 June 2026 at 20:30 hrs.

Head coach Kiatipong Radchatagriengkai made two changes to the starting lineup from the previous match, fielding Pornpun Guedpard, Thatdao Nuekjang, Ajcharaporn Kongyot, Pimpichaya Kokram, Wimonrat Thanaphan, and Sasipaporn Chanthawisut, with Kanyarat Khamwong as libero.

With confidence soaring after the comeback, Thailand edged another tightly contested second set 25-20 to move within one set of victory.

The third set remained competitive in the early stages, but Thailand’s attack, led by Sasipaporn Chanthawisut, proved too strong. The hosts pulled away to seal the set 25-17 and complete a straight-sets victory.

Thailand won 25-22, 25-20, 25-17 for their first win of VNL 2026, collecting three valuable points and increasing their tally to six points.

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