Miss Mary, 42 years old, a Filipino national, had entered and exited the kingdom of Thailand 26 times.
BANGKOK — A Filipino national had entered and exited Thailand 26 times. Thai police have just found that she had been overstaying in the kingdom for four years.
As part of the policy to prevent and suppress crime, especially immigration-related offenses, Police Lieutenant Colonel Suriya Phuangsombat, Deputy Superintendent of Investigation at Immigration Division 1, led the team to investigate and gather information in areas where foreigners congregate in Bangkok.
On June 16, while inspecting a religious place, a church, they found a suspect acting suspiciously upon seeing the officials. The officers then introduced themselves as immigration officers and asked to check her passport, which she didn’t have.
Later, the officials found that Miss Mary, 42 years old, a Filipino national, had entered and exited the kingdom 26 times. Her most recent entry was in early 2020 when she was granted a 30-day visa exemption on March 2, 2020, allowing her to stay until March 31, 2020. After that, there was no record of her applying for a temporary stay extension in the kingdom. Her permission to stay had expired for over 4 years.
Initially, the officers charged her with “being a foreigner staying in the kingdom after the permission had expired,” informed her of her rights, and then sent her to the investigating officer at the Immigration Office for further legal proceedings and repatriation.
Pol. Lt. Col. Suriya said that all foreigners entering the kingdom must not only enter through legal channels and obtain the correct visa, but they also have a duty to report their residence to the immigration officer under Section 37 of the Immigration Act of 1979. If they wish to work in Thailand, they must apply for a work permit correctly according to the law.
If an employer hires a foreigner without a work permit, they will be guilty under the Royal Decree on the Management of Foreign Workers’ Employment 2017, with a maximum fine of 100,000 baht. Homeowners or occupants of a dwelling also have a duty to notify the Immigration Bureau when a foreigner comes to stay at a place under their supervision.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with President of European Commission Ursula von der Leyen during the closing press conference of the Ukraine peace summit in Obbürgen, Switzerland, Sunday, June 16, 2024. Switzerland is hosting scores of world leaders this weekend to try to map out the first steps toward peace in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
OBBÜRGEN, Switzerland (AP) — Nearly eighty countries called Sunday for the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine to be the basis for any peace agreement to end Russia’s two-year war, though some key developing nations at a Swiss conference did not join in. The way forward for diplomacy remains unclear.
The joint communique capped a two-day conference marked by the absence of Russia, which was not invited. Many attendees expressed hope that Russia might join in on a road map to peace in the future.
The all-out war since President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has killed or injured hundreds of thousands of people, unsettled markets for goods like grain and fertilizer, driven millions from their homes and carved a wedge between the West — which has sanctioned Moscow — and Russia, China and some other countries.
About 100 delegations, mostly Western countries, attended the conference that was billed as a first step toward peace. They included presidents and prime ministers from France, Germany, Britain, Japan, Poland, Argentina, Ecuador, Kenya and Somalia. The Holy See was also represented, and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke for the United States.
India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates — represented by foreign ministers or lower-level envoys — were among countries that did not sign the final document, which focused on issues of nuclear safety, food security and the exchange of prisoners. Brazil, an “observer,” did not sign on but Turkey did. China did not attend.
Thailand’s Vice Minister Russ Jalichandra attends a plenary session, during the Summit on peace in Ukraine, in Obbürgen, Switzerland, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (Urs Flueeler/Keystone via AP)
The final document said the U.N. Charter and “respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty … can and will serve as a basis for achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine.” That has been a nonstarter for Putin, who wants Ukraine to cede more territory and back away from its hopes of joining the NATO military alliance.
Viola Amherd, the Swiss president, told a news conference the “great majority” of participants agreed to the final document, which “shows what diplomacy can achieve.” Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said Switzerland would reach out to Russian authorities but did not say what the message would be.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the “first steps toward peace” at the meeting and said Ukraine was in talks with some countries, which he did not name, that had offered to host a “second peace summit.” No timetable was laid out.
Zelenskyy earlier this month accused China, backed by Russia, of attempting to undermine the Swiss conference, a claim denied by Beijing.
From left: Swiss Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis, Swiss Federal President Viola Amherd, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine Head of the presidential Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak attend the plenary session during the Summit on peace in Ukraine, in Obbürgen, Switzerland, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (Urs Flueeler/Keystone via AP)
Allies of Ukraine now face the task of trying to keep up momentum toward peace. Zelenskyy said national security advisers would meet in the future, and “there will be a specific plan” afterward.
Testifying to war fatigue and other preoccupations, only about half of U.N. member countries took part. It’s a far cry from March 2022, when condemnation of Russia’s invasion led to passage of a non-binding resolution at the U.N. General Assembly by 141 countries calling for Russian troops to leave Ukraine.
It wasn’t clear why some developing countries attending didn’t line up behind the final statement, but they may be hesitant to rankle Russia or have cultivated a middle ground between Moscow, its ally China and Western powers backing Kyiv.
“Some did not sign — even though very few — since they are playing ‘Let’s have peace based on concessions’ game, and they usually mean concessions by Ukraine, and basically accommodating Russian demands,” said Volodymyr Dubovyk, a Ukraine expert and senior fellow at Center for European Policy Analysis, a Washington-based think tank. “They also like this ‘neutrality’ positioning.”
Dubovyk said the way forward for Ukraine was to receive aid — weapons and humanitarian assistance — that could improve its situation on the ground and thus give it a better negotiating position.
At the Swiss event, the challenge was to talk tough on Russia but open the door for it to join a peace initiative.
“Many countries … wanted the involvement of representatives of the Russian Federation,” Zelenskyy said. “At the same time, the majority of the countries do not want to shake hands with them (Russian leaders) … so there are various opinions in the world.”
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive Commission, said peace won’t be achieved in a single step and asserted that Putin isn’t serious about ending the war.
“He is insisting on capitulation. He is insisting on ceding Ukrainian territory — even territory that today is not occupied by him,” she said. “He is insisting on disarming Ukraine, leaving it vulnerable to future aggression. No country would ever accept these outrageous terms.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hugs with Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the closing press conference of the Ukraine peace summit in Obbürgen, Switzerland, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
Analysts suspected the conference would have little concrete impact toward ending the war because Russia, was not invited. China and Brazil have jointly sought to plot alternative routes toward peace.
Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said Saturday that his rich Gulf country hosted talks with both Ukrainian and Russian delegations on the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families. It has so far resulted in 34 children being reunited.
The Ukrainian government believes that 19,546 children have been deported or forcibly displaced, and Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova previously confirmed that at least 2,000 were taken from Ukrainian orphanages.
In Kyiv, at a regular demonstration by relatives of soldiers captured by Russia, the response to the Swiss gathering was muted.
“I would really like to believe that this (conference) will have an impact, but some very important countries did not sign the communique,” said Yana Shyrokyh, 56, whose army serviceman son has been in captivity since 2022. “I would really like them to find powerful levers of influence on Russia.”
Police officers discovered an Iranian tourist injured with blood flowing down his cheeks and staining his shirt.
PHUKET — As a city that welcomes tourists from all over the world, Phuket has seen an increase in conflicts between locals and foreigners. In some cases, violence was used, which should not have happened.
Police Lieutenant Wisanu Chumee, Deputy Inspector of Patong Police Station, Phuket Province, received a report of a foreign tourist being assaulted and injured on Saturday night.
The incident occurred near the end of Soi Bang La, Bang La Road, Patong Sub-district. He was requested to go and inspect the crime scene. They found a male tourist named Mr. Korhanshirazi, an Iranian national, injured with blood flowing down his cheeks and staining his shirt.
An Iranian tourist was found injured with blood flowing down his cheeks and staining his shirt.
He stated that while walking in Soi Bang La, he collided with a Thai person, which led to an argument. After that, approximately 4-5 Thai men came and assaulted him. The officers then coordinated for an ambulance to come and treat his wounds, but the tourist declined treatment.
Following this, they searched for the other party involved in the incident with the tourist but were unsuccessful. Therefore, they brought the tourist to meet the investigating officer and checked the CCTV footage until they identified the other party. They then brought both parties to meet at Patong Police Station for further investigation and legal proceedings.
The authorities stated that cases like this set a bad example for a leading tourist destination like Phuket and requested cooperation from the local residents in being good hosts.
PATTAYA — Two Koreans riding a motorcycle while live streaming their visit to Pattaya city were hit by another motorcycle.
The incident occurred at the entrance of Chalermprakiat 9 Alley on Sai Sam Road, Central Pattaya, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province, at 2:20 AM on June 16.
When the rescue team from Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Pattaya and medical staff from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya arrived at the scene, they found a gray Honda Wave 125 motorcycle overturned and damaged. Nearby, they found Mr. Narong Pha-in, 32 years old, the driver, who was injured with a cut on his head.
The other party’s vehicle was a gray Honda Click motorcycle with a Bangkok registration plate, also overturned and damaged. The driver was a Korean man, and the passenger was his friend of the same nationality, who suffered a head injury. The rescue team provided first aid to the injured before urgently transporting them to the hospital.
Mr. Chaiwat Ob-un, 26 years old, a witness, said that the Thai motorcyclist was driving at high speed, then lost control, crossed the lane, and collided with the foreign motorcyclist coming from the opposite direction, causing the motorcycles to be thrown in different directions.
Police investigators found that before the incident, the two Korean tourists were riding a motorcycle, sightseeing in Pattaya city while live streaming using their mobile phone. The live stream was able to capture the moment when the injured person’s motorcycle crossed the lane and collided with them.
Former leader of Move Forward party Pita Limjaroenrat during a press conference on the party's plan to defend in its dissolution case at the party's office in Bangkok on June 9, 2024.
The main opposition Move Forward Party could soon be dissolved, and leaders banned from politics for 10 years for pledging to amend the royal defamation law. Would there be a large street protest if that happened?
PM Srettha Thavisin could soon be removed from office for having appointed Pichit Cheunban as PM Office Minister despite the latter having been charged for attempted bribery of a judge in the past. Could there be a mass demonstration if it happened?
Ex-PM-cum-ex-convict Thaksin Shinawatra, who is the de facto leader of the Pheu Thai Party and still on parole, will very soon be indicted for royal defamation. Will there be a big protest if Thaksin was found guilty and sentenced back to ‘prison’ anew?
Allow me to focus on the first case first. Why are there no massive protests yet given the political dysphoria about what may happen to MFP and the fact that over two hundred people have been charged under the controversial draconian law?
Bear in mind that only a few dozen showed up outside the Criminal Court when lese majeste detainee Bung Thaluwang passed away inside Corrections Department Hospital a month ago on May 14 after a long hunger strike. One would have expected hundreds if not thousands in front of the court but only a few dozen showed up to vent their anger at the justice system.
Fatigue after years of massive protests on the streets of Bangkok with little gain among the monarchy-reform movement may be a factor. Political disillusionment and dysphoria could lead to either a very strong active reaction manifesting in street protests, and more, or a sense of political apathy and withdrawal.
Also, the movement, in which majority of the members are young educated middle-class Thais, may have different thresholds of what is acceptable and what is not. Not all want to go to prison and or see Thailand turning into a republic. They have different levels of commitment and willingness to pay the price for their belief, not unlike sponsors of events in the private sector that could be divided into silver, gold, or platinum supporters or sponsors.
We will see if MFP is dissolved and people including former Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat are banned from politics as to how angry these people can and will be, however.
As for Srettha, he is an outsider brought into politics to the top job by the Pheu Thai Party and has little popular support in the wider circle, so the reactions on his fate, if he ends up being removed, would very much depend on how the ruling Pheu Thai Party would react and decide. If the party thinks the damage can still be contained, they will definitely not wage an all-out war with the deep state but seek a viable replacement.
Thus, Srettha’s future is hinged on not just the Charter Court but also on the Pheu Thai Party (and Thaksin).
As for Thaksin, he had never spent a full day in proper prison when he was sentenced last year and there is little sign to believe he will go to a real jail this time. Sentencing Thaksin to the General Police Hospital again could be very upsetting for his supporters, but many are getting old after more than two decades of Thaksin in politics. The Pheu Thai Party has a strong political machinery connected to the grassroots in rural Thailand, however.
England's Kieran Trippier, left, and Harry Kane arrive for a training session of the national team in Blankenhain, Germany, Thursday, June 13, 2024 ahead of their Group C soccer match against Serbia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — England is among the favorites to win the European Championship and end its long wait for a first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup. Gareth Southgate’s team begins its campaign against Serbia in Group C on Sunday. There are concerns about potential fan violence. Police have deemed the game “high risk,” and beer sales at the stadium will be low-alcohol only. Kickoff is at 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT) on Sunday. Here’s what to know about the match:
Match facts
— Excluding penalty shootouts, England has lost only one of its last 18 games in the European Championship. The Three Lions, of course, suffered the heartbreak of losing to Italy on spot kicks in the final of the 2021 tournament at Wembley Stadium.
— England’s hopes could rest on Jude Bellingham, who has just completed a dream debut season at Real Madrid after winning the Spanish title and Champions League.
— Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is coming off an outstanding first season in Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal, where he won a league and cup double, beating Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr to the title.
— This could be Southgate’s final tournament in charge of England, with his contract due to expire after the Euros. He led his team to the semifinals of the World Cup in 2018 and the final of the Euros but admits failure to win a trophy this time would likely end his reign.
Team news
— The fitness of John Stones has been a focal point, not least because England had to leave defensive stalwart Harry Maguire out of the squad because of a calf injury. Stones missed training through illness earlier in the week but was back on Thursday. Southgate could play Liverpool right back Trent Alexander-Arnold as holding midfielder alongside Declan Rice.
— Serbia reported no injury concerns.
By the numbers
— Harry Kane, John Stones and Kyle Walker are playing in their fifth major tournament for England.
— Serbia scored 15 goals in qualifying for the Euros and five of them came from headers.
— Kane is England’s all-time leading scorer with 63 goals for his country — but he is still waiting for his first trophy at club or international level.
— If selected, Kane will set a record for England appearances at major tournaments on 23.
— Mitrovic scored 28 goals in all competitions for Al-Hilal, behind only Ronaldo (35) as the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League.
— Eleven members of Southgate’s squad, including Chelsea forward Cole Palmer, have been selected for a major tournament for the first time.
— 80,000 liters of beer will be available to fans in Gelsenkirchen, organizers have said.
Italy concedes goal after 23 seconds but recovers to beat Albania 2-1 at Euro 2024
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — By conceding a goal after just 23 seconds, Italy made the worst possible start to its European Championship title defense.
Thankfully for the Azzurri, it soon got much better.
Italy recovered from letting in the quickest goal in the tournament’s 64-year history to beat Albania 2-1 in Dortmund on Saturday in an atmospheric Adriatic derby that immediately threatened an upset.
Albania’s Nedim Bajrami celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during a Group B match between Italy and Albania at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Nedim Bajrami thrilled a heavily pro-Albanian crowd at Westfalenstadion by pouncing on a throw-in by Italy left back Federico Dimarco that failed to reach teammate Alessandro Bastoni, before taking a touch and smashing a rising shot inside the near post.
Within 16 minutes, the Italians were ahead as Bastoni headed in Lorenzo Pellegrini’s cross to the back post in the 11th then Nicolo Barella struck home a swerving first-time shot from the edge of the area.
Barella was one of five survivors from the team that started for Italy in the penalty-shootout win over England in the 2021 European Championship final.
The pressure was on Italy’s new-look side under Luciano Spalletti to win its opener given the other teams in Group B are three-time champion Spain and Croatia, a World Cup semifinalist in 2022. Spain beat Croatia 3-0 earlier Saturday.
Croatia’s Luka Modric reacts as Spain’s Dani Carvajal is congratulated after scoring his side’s 3rd goal during a Group B match between Spain and Croatia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Bajrami’s goal gave the Azzurri a jolt and created some history — it was much quicker than the previous fastest in the tournament’s lifespan, which was 67 seconds by Russia’s Dmitri Kirichenko in 2004.
Yet they controlled the game after that, dominating possession to a backdrop of jeers and boos from a sea of Albanian red in the crowd.
“They showed there was a gulf in class by playing good football … we played the game the right way,” Spalletti said.
“The scoreline doesn’t reflect the difference between the two teams.”
It’s now just one loss in 12 matches under Spalletti, who took over last August — three months after leaving Napoli following its Italian league triumph — and was tasked with restoring national pride after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for a second straight time.
Italy is clearly more at home in the European Championship these days as it goes for a record-tying third title.
Italy’s Alessandro Bastoni, center, celebrates with his teammate Lorenzo Pellegrini after scoring his side’s opening goal during a Group B match between Italy and Albania at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Making its second appearance at a European Championship, Albania — coached by former Barcelona and Arsenal defender Sylvinho — nearly grabbed a draw in stoppage time only for Rey Manaj’s deft chip to deflect just wide off the back of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy’s goalkeeper and captain.
“We need to play in lots of Euros and World Cups so we can get better,” Sylvinho said. “The first 25 minutes were tough but we were up against one of the favorites to win the comp.
“We didn’t play those first 25 minutes well but we stayed in the game.”
Euro 2024 has gotten off to a fast start.
Saturday started with Switzerland beating Hungary 3-1 in Cologne and that, after host Germany’s opening-night 5-1 thrashing of Scotland on Friday, means there has been 16 goals so far — an average of four a game.
BANGKOK — Japanese manufacturers in Thailand have reduced production to a single shift and have stopped paying overtime to workers. Meanwhile, imported Chinese EVs are not selling, with over 10,000 cars parked idle at ports.
According to a report by Prachachat Business, the Thai car market has hit its lowest point in 10 years. Japanese automakers and Chinese EV manufacturers are facing difficulties with excess inventory. They are scrambling to find parking spaces at warehouses in Laem Chabang, Chonburi, and Rayong.
Surapong Paisitpatanapong, advisor to the chairman of the Automotive Industry Group and spokesperson for the Automotive Industry Group of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), admitted that car sales have dropped significantly, with passenger cars declining by about 5% and pickup trucks by nearly 50%.
A source from the FTI’s Automotive Industry Group added that the decline in car sales, especially in the pickup truck market, clearly indicates that each factory will definitely have to reduce production capacity. As the EV trend overtakes internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, inventories are starting to swell.
Photo taken in July 2018 shows people looking at Suzuki Motor Corp. vehicles displayed in a shopping mall in Yangon, Myanmar. (Kyodo)Great Wall Motors (GWM) manufacturing plant in Rayong, Thailand, Jan. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)
After production, the vehicles are gradually sent to dealerships, but now dealerships of each brand are also experiencing sales problems, with many closing down. Importantly, there is no space to stock cars, which has become a problem for each factory to find storage space.
“We estimate this year’s total production capacity in Thailand to be close to 2 million units, divided into 1 million units for export and 800,000 units for the domestic market. If the domestic market is replaced by Chinese EVs, which are estimated to be close to 100,000 units this year, that is the lost production capacity.”
Dr. Saroj Vasuwanich, former president of the Eastern Industrial Council, revealed to “Prachachat Business” that since the second quarter of this year, many auto parts manufacturers have been notified of order reductions from several car manufacturers.
As a result, the parts industry has had to reduce production accordingly. It is expected that the overall car production in 2023 will decrease by approximately 20-25% compared to 2022 (Jan-Dec 2022 had a production volume of 1,841,663 units). The main reasons for the reduction in production capacity are twofold: lower exports and Chinese EVs taking over the domestic ICE vehicle market.
“Don’t be alarmed by the current situation. We have to wait and see what happens in the second half of the year. Right now, it’s only a 25% reduction. However, if this continues, it could be dangerous. During this period, most employees don’t have to work overtime. Some companies will reduce the number of working days for employees. For example, previously they worked on Saturdays, but now they get Saturdays and Sundays off. The company still pays the full salary, but the company will save on reduced water and electricity costs,” he said.
In the past 2-3 months, imported car groups, especially EVs from China that have been gradually entering our market, are also experiencing problems. Currently, there are thousands of cars parked at Laem Chabang Port. Recently, executives of many brands have started to brake on import orders.
Nattapoom Powarat, president of the Warehouse, Silo and Cold Storage Association, told “Prachachat Business” that in the overall warehouse business, many EV importers and car manufacturers from various brands are renting warehouse space at Laem Chabang Port and nearby areas in large numbers, around 10,000 cars, equivalent to an area of approximately 200,000 square meters.
If calculated as a rental price, it is around 80-100 baht per square meter per day. One car uses an area of approximately 15-20 square meters.
Prince William, and Kate Princess of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with their children Prince George, left, Prince Louis, front centre, and Princess Charlotte wave to the crowds after the Trooping the Color ceremony, in London, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
LONDON (AP) — Britain put on a display of birthday pageantry Saturday for King Charles III, a military parade that marked the Princess of Wales ’ first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis early this year.
Kate, Princess of Wales waves to the crowd along the Mall as she attends the Trooping the Color ceremony, in London, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
The annual event was also a show of stability by the monarchy after months in which both the king and Kate, wife of heir to the throne Prince William, have been sidelined by cancer treatment.
Kate joined other members of the royal family on a Buckingham Palace balcony at the end of the King’s Birthday Parade. The family and crowds outside the palace watched a flyby of military aircraft to cap ceremonies marking the monarch’s official birthday
Kate announced Friday that she would attend the royal birthday celebrations after making progress in her treatment. She disclosed in March that she was undergoing chemotherapy for an unspecified form of cancer. It was her first public appearance since December.
“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” Kate said in a statement, adding that she faces “a few more months” of treatment.
The 42-year-old princess traveled in horse-drawn carriage from Buckingham Palace down the grand avenue known as the Mall with her children George, 10, Charlotte, 9, and 6-year-old Louis. Bystanders cheered as they caught a glimpse of Kate, dressed in a white dress by designer Jenny Packham and wide-brimmed Philip Treacy hat.
Britain’s King Charles III, at centre with Queen Camilla, third right, joined by Prince George, left, Prince William, Prince Louis Princess Charlotte, Kate Princess of Wales, Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh, second right and Prince Edward on the Balcony at Buckingham Palace after attending the Trooping the Color ceremony, in London, Saturday, June 15, 2024. Trooping the Color is the King’s Birthday Parade and one of the nation’s most impressive and iconic annual events attended by almost every member of the Royal Family. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales, Prince Louis, front, Princess Charlotte and Prince George arrive for the Trooping the Color ceremony at Horse Guards Parade, London, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)
She watched the ceremony with the children from the window of a building overlooking Horse Guards Parade, a ceremonial parade ground in central London. Louis yawned broadly at one point in proceedings but mostly watched intently.
Kate said in her statement that she is “not out of the woods yet” and officials stress that Saturday’s engagement does not herald a full return to public life.
Huge crowds turn out each June to watch the parade, also known as Trooping the Color, which begins with a procession involving horses, musicians and hundreds of soldiers in ceremonial uniform from Buckingham Palace.
Prince William, in military dress uniform, rode on horseback for the ceremony, in which troops in ceremonial finery parade past the king with their regimental flag, or “color.” The display of precision marching and martial music stems from the days when a regiment’s flag was an essential rallying point in the fog of battle.
This undated handout photo provided by Kensington Palace shows Kate, Princess of Wales, earlier this week in Windsor, England. (Matt Porteous/Kensington Palace via AP)
Charles, who also is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer, traveled in a carriage with Queen Camilla, rather than on horseback as he did last year. The king inspected the troops from a dais on the parade ground, saluting as elite regiments of Foot Guards marched past.
Five regiments take it in turns to parade their color, and this year it was the turn of a company of the Irish Guards, which has Kate as its honorary colonel. The troops in scarlet tunics and bearskin hats were led onto the parade ground by their mascot, an Irish wolfhound named Seamus.
Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla travel along The Mall for the Trooping the Color ceremony at Horse Guards Parade, London, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP)
In one of the many quirks of British royal convention, Saturday is not the king’s real birthday — that’s in November. Like his mother Queen Elizabeth II before him, Charles has an official birthday on the second Saturday in June. The date was chosen because the weather is generally good, though early sunshine on Saturday gave way to a blustery, rainy day in London.
The rain held off for most of the ceremony but began pelting down as the massed troops escorted the royal carriages back to Buckingham Palace, to cheers from soggy but enthusiastic crowds.
Britain is putting on a display of birthday pageantry for King Charles III, a military parade that is the Princess of Wales’ first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis early this year. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)
Royal fans in raincoats and umbrellas had already gathered along the route several hours before start time, along with a smattering of anti-monarchist protesters chanting “Not my king.”
Spectators were treated to a display of pomp and precision involving 1,400 soldiers, 250 military musicians and more than 200 horses. The equine participants included Trojan, Tennyson, and Vanquish, three of the five military horses who sparked mayhem in April when they bolted and ran loose through central London.
The horses were performing routine exercises near Buckingham Palace on April 24 when they became spooked by noise from a nearby building site and galloped loose through the capital’s streets, crashing into vehicles and causing chaos during the morning rush hour.
The army says the other two horses are recovering well and are also expected to return to duty.
Mother, Chamchuri, stand with newborn elephant twins female, left, and male, right, in Ayutthaya province, Thailand, Monday, June 10, 2024. Buddhist monks in Thailand on Friday blessed twin baby elephants, one male, the other female, a week after their rare birth came close to being a tragedy. (AP Photo/Nathathaida Adireksara)
BANGKOK (AP) — Buddhist monks in Thailand on Friday blessed twin baby elephants, one male and the other female, a week after their rare birth came close to being a tragedy.
Their mother, Chamchuri, gave birth to the pair on the night of June 7 at a camp in Thailand’s ancient capital Ayutthaya, a popular tourist destination 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Bangkok.
Twin elephant births are rare and male-female twins even more so. The Ayutthaya Elephant Palace & Royal Kraal, home to the newborns, says that it was a first for the province, while a statement from the Thai government said they were the third such pair in the world.
The two are the 30-year-old mother elephant’s fourth and fifth offspring.
Mother, Chamchuri, stand with newborn elephant twins female, left, and male, right, in Ayutthaya province, hailand, Monday, June 10, 2024. Buddhist monks in Thailand on Friday blessed twin baby elephants, one male, the other female, a week after their rare birth came close to being a tragedy. (AP Photo/Nathathaida Adireksara)
Caretakers at the elephant camp had been expecting to help deliver a baby, but when a second offspring dropped from her mother’s womb 18 minutes afterward, they were shocked.
The elephant caretakers, who are called mahouts in Asia, had to act quickly to prevent the equally startled mother from accidentally injuring her new daughter.
One of the mahouts, Charin Somwang, broke his leg when he stepped between the mother and her offspring to prevent the tragedy. He told Thailand’s Daily News newspaper that it is normal for a mother elephant to step on and gently prod after birth to check if it is alive. But the second baby, the female, appeared too weak to sustain that kind of treatment, he said.
On Saturday, Charin was discharged from the hospital and was thrilled to discover that both babies were healthy.
Monks from Wat Traimit in Bangkok came to bless the twins on Friday as part of merit-making ceremonies for the occasion. Afterward, the calves were presented with a tray of bananas and cartons of milk.
Elephants are a big part of Thailand’s national identity and have been officially proclaimed a symbol of the nation. Thai kings rode elephants into battle and a white elephant, considered a sacred symbol of royal power, adorned the Thai flag until 1917.
Once essential to the logging trade, deforestation left many elephants without jobs, and while a shrinking population of wild ones roam the remaining forests, many are kept at animal shelters or used as living props at tourist sites.
RAYONG — An incident occurred where an airplane experienced a malfunction, and its landing gear failed to deploy while preparing to land at U-Tapao Airport in Phla Subdistrict, Ban Chang District, Rayong Province, at 00:30 on June 15, 2024.
Rescue units in Rayong Province were contacted by U-Tapao Airport, informing them that the incident happened as a commercial aircraft was preparing to land at U-Tapao Airport. They then requested ambulance and rescue teams to be on standby and prepared at the incident site.
All rescue teams were on standby in front of the Naval Air Division, with more than 40 ambulances and rescue vehicles from Rayong and Chonburi Provinces, along with officials ready to perform life-saving duties in case of an emergency.
Initial information revealed that the aircraft was an Airbus A319, traveling from Dubai, with 1 captain, 1 co-pilot, and 7 crew members, totaling 9 people. The plane intended to land at U-Tapao Airport but encountered a problem with the landing gear not deploying. They notified the U-Tapao Airport’s air traffic control tower to prepare for a ground situation. The airport then coordinated with rescue units to be on standby at the airport to prepare for potential emergency situations.
Later, at 01:05, it was reported that the aircraft had safely landed on the runway at U-Tapao Airport. All crew members and passengers were safe, which greatly relieved the officials.
Prior to this incident, a Singapore Airlines passenger plane requested an emergency landing at a Thai airport, Suvarnabhumi, due to encountering air turbulence. The incident resulted in the death of one British passenger on May 22.
