Trump has repeatedly delayed deadlines for Iran, but suggests Tuesday’s is final

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7 April 2026, 11:29

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has pushed back a deadline for Iran to cut a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz from Monday to Tuesday, the latest of several deadline delays, and threatened that without a deal “Hell will reign down on them.”

Trump’s previous deadline was for March 23, but that shifted several times over the ensuing weeks as Trump oscillated between heated threats, announced delays and proclamations that the negotiations were going well, sometimes in the same statement.

Iran rejected the latest ceasefire proposal, the country’s state-run IRNA news agency reported Monday. Shortly after, Trump gave an ominous warning to Iran if it didn’t capitulate, and suggested Tuesday’s 8 p.m. deadline was final.

“They’ll have no bridges. They’ll have no power plants. They’ll have no anything,” he said.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned the U.S. that attacks on civilian infrastructure is banned under international law, according to his spokesperson. Trump, speaking with reporters, said he’s “not at all” concerned about committing war crimes with such attacks.

Here are some of Trump’s deadlines and threats, and what happened next.

An ultimatum about reopening the Strait of Hormuz

On March 21, Trump posted on Truth Social that if Iran doesn’t “FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS.”

Iran had until the evening of March 23.

Then 12 hours before the deadline, Trump took to Truth Social to share the good news: that both countries had productive conversations toward concluding the conflict.

“I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD,” he wrote, adding that was subject to the success of the discussions.

That pushed the deadline out to the end of that week.

A threat to target desalinization plants

Before the deadline, on March 26, Trump doubled down on his threats on Truth Social: “They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty!”

But later that day, he extended the deadline for another 10 days, to April 6 at 8 p.m., and said on Truth Social that negotiations were “going very well.”

On March 30, Trump put out a mixed statement: celebrating progress in the talks with Iran while also expanding his threatened bombing if a deal wasn’t “shortly reached,” adding that “it probably will be.”

“We will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!),” he wrote.

It’s unclear how soon “shortly reached” meant for Trump, but a deal was not made as the deadline loomed.

An expletive-filled threat to attack power plants and bridges

“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Saturday, “Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them.”

As the deadline approached, his posts had doubled down on his threats until Sunday, when Trump pushed the deadline again in an expletive-filled post.

AP26096740899565 — President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F——-in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell,” Trump said on Truth Social, followed by another post that specified 8 p.m. as the deadline.

Trump then suggested on Monday that Tuesday’s deadline would be final, saying he’d already given Iran enough extensions.

“The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump said. “We have a plan, because of the power of our military, where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o’clock tomorrow night.”

What’s next for diplomacy with Iran?

Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of Iran’s diplomatic mission in Cairo, said Iran no longer trusts the Trump administration after the U.S. bombed the Islamic Republic twice during previous rounds of talks.

“We only accept an end of the war with guarantees that we won’t be attacked again,” he told The Associated Press.

A regional official involved in the talks said efforts had not collapsed. “We are still talking to both sides,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door diplomacy.

On an Israeli TV station, Channel 13, the evening newscast showed a large digital clock counting down the hours and minutes to Tuesday’s deadline.

Thailand plans late-night fuel sales curbs after 20 April

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Khaosod English

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7 April 2026, 10:33

Thailand plans late-night fuel sales curbs after April 20

BANGKOK — 7 April 2026, Thailand’s prime minister said the government is considering restricting petrol station operating hours to conserve fuel, with measures likely to take effect after the Songkran holiday period.

Speaking at the Interior Ministry at 9:20, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said authorities are preparing energy-saving measures to ensure sufficient domestic fuel supplies amid tensions in the Middle East.

He said the government is looking at limiting petrol station operations between 22:00 and 5:00, but stressed the policy would likely be implemented only after 20 April to avoid disrupting travel during the Songkran festival.

“We want people to be able to travel home and return conveniently during Songkran,” he said.

Anutin added that a new centre would be set up to monitor the situation in the Middle East after the previous body’s term ended with the former government.

When asked whether an emergency decree on fuel shortages would be revised to support the measures, he said authorities would use the most effective legal mechanisms available but did not specify a timeline.

He also said the Energy Ministry has been instructed to study refinery margins and report back on the pricing structure, adding that discussions with relevant ministers are ongoing.

Elderly woman dies amid extreme heat in Buriram

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Khaosod English

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7 April 2026, 10:12

Elderly woman dies amid extreme heat in Buriram

BURIRAM — 6 April 2026, a 90-year-old woman has died at her home in northeastern Thailand after complaining of extreme heat, as temperatures reportedly reached 44°C, local media said.

The incident occurred at a house in Charoen Suk subdistrict, Chalerm Phra Kiat district.

The woman, identified as Boonchuay, had told her daughter she felt unbearably hot before lying down to rest. When her daughter later went to check on her, she was found dead.

According to the family, the woman was visually impaired and lived in modest conditions without air conditioning. Relatives said they had used only a fan to help her cope with the heat. The family does not suspect foul play and plans to hold her cremation on 8 April.

Her daughter said she had been closely caring for her mother, ensuring she stayed hydrated and bathed regularly during the hot weather. Shortly before her death, the woman reportedly said, “It’s extremely hot, I can’t take it anymore,” before going to lie down as usual.

Residents in the area said the heat was unusually intense, particularly in the afternoon, adding that even electric fans provided little relief. They reported checking weather readings showing temperatures as high as 44°C, compared with typical afternoon highs of 40–41°C in recent days.

Villagers said many households lack air conditioning due to financial constraints, which may put elderly residents at greater risk during periods of extreme heat.

The Thai Meteorological Department has warned of severe heat, along with possible thunderstorms and strong winds in some areas, urging the public, especially children, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, to take precautions, including staying hydrated and remaining in well-ventilated environments.

20,000 Vietnamese celebrate Thai culture at Thai Festival in Hanoi

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Khaosod English

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4 April 2026, 18:40

HANOI — Thousands of visitors flocked to Thang Long Palace in Hanoi from March 27–29 to celebrate Thai culture at a festival organized by the Thai Embassy, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Vietnam. Under the theme “Creative Life, Creative Heartbeat,” the three-day event drew more than 20,000 people, who enjoyed a lively mix of traditional and contemporary Thai experiences.

660405667 1261900549449222 6524893323481944793 n — Photo: Royal Thai Embassy, Hanoi

Festival-goers explored Thai royal-inspired national dress, learned about Songkran, Thailand’s traditional New Year, and watched cultural performances and Muay Thai demonstrations. Visitors also tried their hand at Thai handicrafts in D.I.Y. workshops, sampled Thai cuisine, and explored lifestyle products reflecting modern Thai creativity. The event featured a Thai and Vietnamese national costume fashion show, opportunities to try on traditional Thai outfits, prize draws, and screenings of Thai films.

659306851 1261918366114107 6599210556853974601 n — Photo: Royal Thai Embassy, Hanoi

The festival offered more than cultural entertainment — it strengthened people-to-people ties between Thailand and Vietnam while giving participants a chance to experience the richness and creativity of Thai heritage. The Thai Embassy expressed gratitude to all agencies, artists, performers, entrepreneurs, volunteers, and visitors whose support made the event a success.

Malaysian businessman hiding 100,000 litres of diesel underground in Songkhla

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Khaosod English

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4 April 2026, 17:15

SONGKHLA — Authorities in southern Thailand are investigating a Malaysian-owned logistics company after around 100,000 litres of diesel were found stored on its premises in Sadao district, following complaints from local residents.

The case emerged after reports on social media alleged that a transport operator running trailer trucks between Thailand and Malaysia had been stockpiling large amounts of fuel at a yard on Kanchanavanich Road.

Songkhla Governor Rattasat Chidchu ordered a joint inspection involving provincial energy officials, district authorities, police, customs and excise officers.

During the inspection, officials found about 100,000 litres of diesel stored in tanks, including around 50,000 litres underground and 35,000 litres in above-ground containers at the company’s truck yard.

When questioned, the site operator failed to produce documents proving legal authorisation to store the fuel or records showing its origin. Police have filed charges against the caretaker and the company owner under the Fuel Control Act of 1999.

Investigators believe the diesel was brought in from Malaysia by the company’s trucks before a recent fuel price increase, then transferred into storage tanks for use in its transport operations.

Authorities said similar practices may be taking place among other Malaysian-owned logistics firms in Sadao and nearby Hat Yai district. Officials warned the case could involve not only illegal fuel storage but also possession of untaxed imported fuel, and inspections will be expanded to other operators in the province.

Cambodia casinos get state approval despite links to human rights abuses, Amnesty says

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Khaosod English

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4 April 2026, 16:30

A dozen casinos in Cambodia are linked to scamming compounds where forced labour, torture, child labour and human trafficking have taken place, Amnesty International says, even as government regulators approved the businesses this year.

An investigation by Amnesty International found that casino owners directly control buildings and sites where human rights abuses have been documented. Analysis of licensing documents issued by the Commercial Gambling Management Commission (CGMC) showed that the casinos’ plans were officially recognized in December 2025 and January 2026 — at the same time the government claimed to be cracking down on scamming compounds.

Among the approved casinos are Crown Resorts in Poipet, Bavet and Chrey Thum, as well as Majestic Two and Majestic Hotel & Casino in Sihanoukville. Survivors of scamming compounds confirmed they were held, tortured and forced to scam inside these properties. Some victims were children.

One survivor, trafficked as a child, said he was held in “building E” at the New Venetian Casino in Bavet, where he was tortured, threatened with death, and forced to eat what he described as his “last meal” in 2024. Another survivor recounted being confined at the Crown Resorts complex in Poipet, where guards used electric shock batons, causing children in the same room to cry.

Amnesty’s research also linked other casinos to documented abuses, including Peak Casino, Long Feng Xuan Casino, Huang Chao International, Golden Sea Casino, Marinan International, and Majestic properties in Sihanoukville. In all cases, the same companies have operated the casinos since at least 2022.

“This research establishes a clear link between Cambodia’s licensed casinos and its scamming compounds,” said Montse Ferrer, Amnesty International’s co-regional director. “At a time when the government says it is dismantling the scamming industry, the evidence shows it is simultaneously approving casino properties where abusive scamming compounds are run. Every day these casinos remain licensed is another day people on casino property are at risk of human rights abuse.”

Amnesty International called on Cambodian authorities to suspend the gambling licenses of these casinos and conduct a full, independent investigation into the documented violations. The organisation also urged the government to hold the owners, operators and financiers accountable under national and international law.

The investigation builds on a June 2025 Amnesty report documenting more than 50 scamming compounds across Cambodia, nearly half of which were linked to casinos. Despite a government crackdown announced in July 2025, the new approvals show state oversight has failed to prevent human rights abuses.

Amnesty International said it gave the CGMC and all casino operators the opportunity to respond to the allegations. At the time of publication, none had responded.

Israeli-run illegal daycares raided on Koh Phangan

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Khaosod English

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4 April 2026, 15:59

KOH PHANGAN — Local authorities have shut down two illegal daycares run by foreign nationals on Koh Phangan, police said on April 4.

The first location, a house in Moo 7, Koh Phangan, was found caring for 13 young children from foreign families. Israeli nationals Tahel Cherone Edri, 34, the owner, and Rotem Mitrany, 45, a teacher, along with Myanmar staff member Hsu Sanda Pyae Sone, 28, were arrested. They face charges including running a childcare business without a license and failing to report foreign employees to authorities.

The second raid, also in Moo 7, uncovered a daycare with 10 children aged 2–5. Owner Anat Vekstein Kimiagar, 40, and local teacher Kulthida, 28, were charged with operating an unlicensed childcare facility. All suspects have been handed over to Koh Phangan police for further legal action.

Authorities said the raids follow previous crackdowns on illegal foreign-run daycares on the island, including cases in March 2024 involving an American woman and another Israeli man operating unlicensed childcare services.

Officials stressed that unlicensed daycares pose risks to children’s safety and that strict measures will continue to enforce the law.

Singapore approves Thai cooked pork blood exports, first in the world

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Khaosod English

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4 April 2026, 15:40

BANGKOK — Singapore has officially approved the export of heat-treated pork blood products from Thailand, marking the first time in the world that the country can access the Singapore market. The move is expected to generate over 150 million baht in revenue for Thailand this year.

On 1 April 2026, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issued a certification allowing Thai producers to export cooked pork blood products immediately. The approval follows a rigorous inspection of a slaughterhouse in Chachoengsao province by SFA officials on 24 June 2025, which confirmed that Thailand’s production, storage, and processing systems meet Singapore’s strict food safety standards.

Thailand is the first country to regain access to Singapore’s market for cooked pork blood products since imports were suspended in 1998 due to the Nipah virus outbreak. The Department of Livestock Development said the approval reflects Thailand’s proactive measures to maintain high hygiene standards and strong disease control systems recognized internationally.

“Singapore’s certification signals global confidence in Thai livestock products,” said Dr Somchuan Ratanamangkalanont, director-general of the Department of Livestock Development. “We are committed to working with private-sector partners to maintain these standards, expand export markets, and strengthen the country’s economic competitiveness.”

The Department expects the reopened market to boost Thai pork product exports by more than 150 million baht in 2026.

Belarusian parliament passes a bill to crack down on LGBTQ+ rights

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Associated Press

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4 April 2026, 15:14

Belarus LGBTQ Crackdown — FILE - Activists hold placards during a picket, authorised by the authorities, against homophobia in front of the Department of Justice in Minsk, Belarus, Monday, Feb. 14, 2010. The sign on placard reads "Love who you want". (AP Photo, File)

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The Belarus parliament passed a bill Thursday to introduce punishments for people who promote LGBTQ+ causes, in an echo of restrictions set up in neighboring ally Russia.

The upper house gave final approval for the legislation following its passage last month by the lower house, and it goes next to authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko for his expected signature before becoming law.

The bill makes the “propaganda of homosexual relations, gender charge, refusal to have children and pedophilia” punishable by fines, community labor and 15-day arrest.

Belarus decriminalized homosexuality in 1994 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but it doesn’t recognize same-sex marriages and lacks protection for LGBTQ+ rights. Lukashenko, who has ruled the nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist for more than three decades, has publicly mocked homosexuality.

Belarus has been sanctioned repeatedly by Western countries — both for its crackdown on human rights and for allowing Moscow to use its territory in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

LGBTQ+ groups in Belarus have been shut and security forces have regularly raided nightclubs to target private gay parties. Rights defenders have said that the country’s top security agency, which still goes under its Soviet-era name KGB, has blackmailed members of LGBTQ+ community to force them to cooperate.

“LGBTQ+ people had faced beatings, arrests, persecution and mockery even before the bill’s approval, but now law enforcement agencies have received legal grounds for repressions,” said Alisa Sarmant, the head of TG House, a Belarusian group championing transgender rights.

The group has documented what it says are at least 12 cases of persecution of LGBTQ+ people in Belarus over the past three months, including a police raid on a nightclub in Minsk last month during a private gay party.

Sarmant said the legislation has raised fears among transgender people that they could be denied permission to legally purchase necessary medicines. TG House says it already has received hundreds of requests from LGBTQ+ people for psychological assistance and for help moving abroad.

“The Belarusian authorities have lumped together gays, lesbians, transgender people, and pedophiles, creating additional grounds for social rejection and stigmatization,” Sarmant said. “Belarus is copying Russia’s sad experience, creating unbearable conditions for LGBT+ people.”

Russia also has adopted repressive laws curtailing LGBTQ+ rights. Changing one’s gender on official documents, gender-affirming care and any public representation of gay or transgender people are banned in Russia. The LGBTQ+ movement also has been branded as extremist and its members can face up to six years in prison.

Hong Kong writer Lau Yee-Wa wins first Chommanard International Women’s Literary Award in Bangkok for ‘Tongueless’

By

Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

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4 April 2026, 14:54

BANGKOK – Hong Kong writer Lau Yee-Wa has been named the winner of the inaugural Chommanard International Women’s Literary Award for 2025. The announcement was made during a gala dinner in Bangkok on 3 April 2026.

“Let me begin with a personal confession. I never set out to write a political novel,” Lau told the audience during her acceptance speech. “I simply wanted to tell a story about two ordinary Chinese-language teachers who tried to keep their jobs when their boss ordered a change in the medium of instruction from Cantonese to Mandarin. But as the pages grew, I realised I was not writing fiction. I was documenting a quiet, invisible form of violence that happens every day in classrooms, workplaces, and daily life across the world. That violence is called deschooling.”

Lau’s novel, Tongueless, follows two teachers in Hong Kong as they navigate the tragic consequences of new linguistic requirements, including a mandatory Mandarin proficiency examination in order to continue and progress in their language-teaching careers.

“One of the protagonists, Wai, is the most hardworking. She tries to replace her mother tongue, Cantonese, with Mandarin by speaking it whenever and wherever she is,” Lau explained. “She comes to believe that being a Cantonese-speaking Hong Konger is a physical disability compared to people from the Mainland or those in the US and Britain who speak English. Unluckily, Wai cannot change her mother tongue; her tongue rebels. She fails the exam and eventually commits suicide.”

The second protagonist, Ling, takes a more pragmatic—and surreal—approach. “She knows how to please her boss and those in power. She tries to escape the qualification exam through flattery and by purchasing expensive clothes to signal class and taste. When that fails, she turns to plastic surgery. She wants to change her face completely to resemble her boss.”

Addressing an audience that included foreign diplomats and business executives, Lau noted that while her inspiration was rooted in Hong Kong, the story resonates globally in any society where progress is defined by “endless competition.”

She emphasised that the core of the novel is the fundamental importance of choice. This is personified by a student character, Tsui Siu Hei, who Lau described as the only character to maintain his own voice throughout the book.

“At the climax of the story, he looks straight at his teacher and asks, ‘Have you ever reflected on yourself? Why do you need to follow the rules?’ He says, ‘It doesn’t matter what language I speak; I just want to make a choice.’ That single line is the core of my novel.”

Lau concluded her speech with a sobering warning: “When a school, a society, or a nation removes choice, it does not merely change the medium of instruction. It changes the right to exist as an authentic human being. It teaches an entire generation that some voices are legitimate and others must disappear. When enough people lose their tongues, the only language left is the language of power, resentment, and eventually violence.”

The event, held at the Chatrium Hotel, featured a welcoming remark from Dr. Kobsak Pootrakool, Director and Senior Executive Vice President of Bangkok Bank, which initiated and sponsored the awards.

“Right now, while the world is in great turmoil, we at Bangkok Bank realise that we must all try to unite to achieve a strong, sustainable economy and a safe environment so all our countries can advance,” Dr. Kobsak said.

Dr. Pisuth Lertvilai also delivered an opening speech, marking the 12th anniversary of Elite+ magazine, a key partner of the awards.

“The Chommanard International Women’s Literary Award has been created to recognise the best female writers in ASEAN and the China region,” Dr. Pisuth said. “Their works were submitted as original English texts or translated versions, and our panel of distinguished international judges had the difficult task of selecting the best.”

(Read more about Lau’s views and from finalists from other countries across the region here: Seven Asian writers gather at Khaosod ahead of Chommanard award )

An ultimatum about reopening the Strait of Hormuz

A threat to target desalinization plants

An expletive-filled threat to attack power plants and bridges

What’s next for diplomacy with Iran?

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