Lanta & News
No. 01 · ENDLESS
Police

Doctors Stunned: 12cm Wooden Branch Removed from Russian Man's Eye Socket After 18 Months Embedded in Skull

A 12cm wooden branch embedded in a Russian man's eye socket for 18 months was finally discovered through imaging and safely removed via endoscopic surgery, preserving his vision and allowing full recovery.

4d ago Khaosod

In 2024, Yuri, a 50-year-old man living in Rylets, a small town in Kursk Oblast, Russia, was trimming maple branches in his backyard when a wood fragment struck his left eye forcefully. Not wearing safety glasses at the time, he immediately felt the impact and experienced sharp pain, but the discomfort gradually subsided, causing him to believe it was only a minor injury.

As time passed, Yuri nearly forgot about the incident, though he continued experiencing intermittent eye pain and irritation in his left eye. Despite multiple visits to eye specialists, doctors could not identify the underlying cause of his chronic eye pain, and treatments proved ineffective.

About three months ago, Yuri's condition deteriorated dramatically. The pain intensified unbearably, and he began experiencing blurred vision in his left eye. Doctors at Kursk Regional Hospital conducted MRI and CT scans, revealing a shocking discovery: a 12-centimeter wooden branch had pierced through his eye socket, penetrated deep into the sinus cavity, and damaged the base of his skull near critical brain structures.

Surgeon teams successfully removed the branch through an endoscopic approach via the nasal cavity without requiring external skull surgery. The procedure went smoothly, and remarkably, Yuri's vision was preserved. He is currently under medical care with an excellent prognosis for complete recovery.

No. 01 of Read at source → Next
Regional

Provincial Electricity Authority Clarifies Meter Maintenance Charges Dispute for Flooded Business

PEA addressed complaints from a Hat Yai business owner who claimed they were charged for meter maintenance after requesting disconnection due to flooding, clarifying the account was canceled and no further charges applied after February 202

4d ago Khaosod

On May 27, 2025, the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) issued a statement addressing complaints circulating on social media from an electricity user in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province. The user claimed that despite requesting to disconnect service and closing their business due to extended flooding, they continued to receive charges for three-phase meter maintenance, resulting in accumulated unpaid bills. PEA clarified that the customer had contacted them in late February 2025 requesting service disconnection. PEA charged only the minimum monthly electricity fee for January 2025 totaling 8,045.29 baht, which the customer has already paid. Regarding minimum charges from February 2025 onward after the customer's disconnection request, PEA confirmed that the account was canceled and no further minimum charges have been assessed. PEA has since removed the meter and canceled the service, while clarifying the facts to ensure the customer understands the situation correctly.

No. 02 of Read at source → Next
Police

Woman Arrested for Snatching Lottery Tickets from Blind Vendor; Police Say She Targets Disabled Victims

A middle-aged woman snatched lottery tickets from a blind vendor outside Haad Yai Hospital in Songkhla on May 23 after a failed attempt to trade durians; police say she targets disabled vendors in similar scams.

4d ago Khaosod

Police are intensifying their manhunt for a middle-aged woman who snatched lottery tickets from a blind street vendor outside a convenience store inside Haad Yai Hospital in Songkhla province on May 23. The victim, 41-year-old Ajchara Kangratana, a visually impaired lottery vendor, reported that the suspect initially tried to trade durians for lottery tickets, but when refused, employed a distraction tactic to steal the tickets and flee. The exact number of stolen lottery tickets remains unclear, though the victim claims she experiences similar incidents regularly due to her disability.

According to Ajchara's account, the incident occurred around 2 p.m. on May 23 when a middle-aged woman carrying a box of durians approached her. The woman first attempted to sell the durians at a discounted price of 180 baht instead of 230 baht, claiming she needed money for car repairs. When the vendor declined, the suspect proposed trading durians for lottery tickets, starting with a full set before negotiating down to just one or two tickets. Ajchara repeatedly refused, explaining she needed to save the money for her children's education and living expenses.

The suspect then asked if the vendor had a mobile payment system. Upon learning that she did, the woman claimed to have 200-300 baht on her phone and wanted to buy 2-3 tickets. As Ajchara quoted the price for the first ticket at 100 baht, the suspect pretended to call her boyfriend to help with the payment while simultaneously grabbing a second lottery ticket. When Ajchara tried to inform her the total was 200 baht for two tickets, she noticed the suspect moving away and demanded payment or return of the tickets. The suspect claimed she was only taking one ticket before quickly fleeing the scene.

Ajchara appealed to passersby for help and acknowledged this was not an isolated incident. She revealed she falls victim to similar scams repeatedly because of her visual impairment. Police Lieutenant Colonel Matha Gaew Thong, superintendent of Haad Yai Police Station, was notified and initiated a manhunt. Investigators collected CCTV footage from the area and are interviewing the victim further. The suspect is described as a middle-aged woman with a pattern of targeting blind lottery vendors in similar schemes. Police are processing the case according to legal procedures.

No. 03 of Read at source → Next
National

Taeng Refuses to Apologize to Senate Over 'Blue Regime' Remarks, Unfazed by Legal Action

Pheu Thai MP Nattaphong Ruangpanyawut refused to apologize for calling out Thailand's "blue regime," insisting his remarks highlight real democratic concerns rather than creating division.

4d ago Khaosod

At 1:20 p.m. on May 27, 2025, at Parliament, Nattaphong Ruangpanyawut, Pheu Thai party list MP and party leader, gave an interview regarding the case of Phra Adit Periscanan Nantakul, Prime Minister's Office Minister and Ang Thong MP from Bhumjaithai Party, who responded to remarks about the 'blue regime' as simply creating discourse and division. Nattaphong stated that he views the country's core issues as requiring a strong system of checks and balances. Corruption is linked to people with state power, elites, and minorities in society. The 2017 Constitution has loopholes and gaps, such as the Senate selection process that society has questioned with solid evidence, yet there remains concern about whether the Election Commission will dismiss the case. He attempted to communicate about the 'blue regime' to show that the current governing system in Thailand may not be democratic as claimed, but rather a system where the 'blue regime' or a certain political faction is controlling the country in both political and economic aspects. He believes that ultimately, constitution-making must pass a public referendum. "I want the public to see that the new constitution draft comes from independent organizations, Senate members, and what checks and balances exist. If it conflicts with true democracy, we are ready to campaign for people to reject it in the referendum," Nattaphong said. However, if the parliamentary process and all sectors can successfully push for a new constitution that is well-made, connected to the people, non-monopolistic, and doesn't grant special privileges to any group, with constitutional drafters who have the strongest connection to the people, then we are ready to campaign for its passage. When asked to confirm whether this is not just creating discourse but rather that the 'blue regime' is something society can clearly see, Nattaphong said it depends on whether the public's current feelings align with what he is communicating—whether it matches their own experiences. He noted that the Prime Minister has announced in many forums his readiness to deal decisively with corrupt officials, but what is seen is that private businesses must pay higher shares to the state sector, and corruption indices rise yearly. He urged the public to collectively decide whether his communication aligns with the country's context and facts. Regarding Phra Adit's statement about owing gratitude to the orange party for allowing the blue party to grow this large, Nattaphong said that is clearly a political counter-attack, a statement meant to stab at each other. He said he doesn't want to respond with equally cutting words, but rather invites everyone to think: if we agree that the current system is under a blue political faction, the real solution for the country cannot be elections alone. The true solution requires revising the country's highest rules to create genuine democracy, including drafting a new constitution. The decision to form a minority government under the MOA was made because they wanted to proceed with drafting a new constitution, and at that time, no one could predict what the February 8, 2025 election results would be. However, when the election results came out this way, we must accept the voice of the people and move forward under those election results.

No. 04 of Read at source → Next
National

Diverse Agriculture – Developing Quality Robusta Coffee Seeds in Loei Province to Meet Premium Market Demand

Loei province's robusta coffee is gaining recognition for quality comparable to northern Thai varieties, prompting a competition to help local farmers meet premium market standards through improved processing and farm management techniques.

4d ago Khaosod

Loei province coffee has recently gained recognition for quality equal to northern Thai coffee, spurring higher market demand. To further develop coffee bean quality, a recent competition was held at Noob Coffee shop near Loei Rajabhat University to identify premium robusta coffee from local farmers, with over 20 entries submitted.

Deputy Governor Prayoon Aranyarut and Loei Commerce Official Nakorn Butdiwong, along with the Loei Agricultural Office, attended the competition and invited Q Graders (certified coffee quality assessors) from Nan province to evaluate the robusta samples.

The competition aimed to give farmers detailed insights into their coffee quality and valuable recommendations for development, helping them achieve international standards. Experts evaluated green bean quality through Green Grading—a process of sorting and inspecting physical characteristics to prepare for roasting and taste evaluation—as well as Cupping, a professional tasting method to analyze and score various quality aspects. All evaluations followed strict international standards to ensure accuracy and transparency.

Phuvanaad Charoenratanakul, a specialty coffee expert and selector from Ban San Charoen Special Coffee Club in Nan province, revealed findings from evaluating the 20 Loei coffee samples. The team found that Loei coffee has excellent potential, with good soil and flavorful foundations, but identified two areas for improvement: (1) Processing methods remain limited and conventional, preventing distinctive flavors from fully emerging, and (2) Farm management issues, including inconsistent tree care and plantation maintenance, affect bean quality.

Experts recommended three development strategies: (1) Process Innovation—exploring diverse processing methods like Honey Process and Natural Process to create unique flavor profiles; (2) Better Farming—improving soil care, pruning, and selective harvesting of fully ripe cherries to ensure consistent, superior taste; and (3) Flavor Sustainability—maintaining quality long-term through proper care and processing to build farmers' strong economic foundation.

Deputy Governor Prayoon stated that while current coffee demand is high, Loei's supply remains insufficient. Statistics show Loei coffee has strong future potential as an economic crop, though production capacity still needs expansion.

No. 05 of Read at source → Next
National

Thai Government Savings Fund Tackles National Debt Crisis: 'Save First, Spend Later' Initiative

Thailand's Government Savings Fund is launching a "save first, spend later" campaign to combat a national debt crisis where half of young adults are already indebted and many remain trapped in debt through retirement. The initiative encoura

4d ago Khaosod

The Government Savings Fund (GSF) is intensifying efforts to address Thailand's debt crisis—where citizens borrow early, repay slowly, and remain indebted into old age—by promoting financial discipline through a 'save before you spend' approach. Following the Bank of Thailand's warning that 50% of Thais begin accumulating debt while young and remain indebted even after retirement, the GSF is escalating financial discipline measures. Since 2013, average Thai household spending has consistently exceeded income, trapping Thais in a three-dimensional debt trap: (1) Early-onset debt, with 50% of those under 30 already indebted and one in five 29-year-olds classified as non-performing loans; (2) Non-productive debt, primarily consisting of difficult-to-resolve consumption loans; (3) Lifelong debt, with Thais aged 60-79 carrying average debts of 300,000-400,000 baht, which are being passed to their children.

The GSF identifies the root cause as 'lack of discipline and inadequate savings mechanisms' and proposes three solutions:

1. Break the debt cycle for youth by adopting the formula 'Income minus Savings equals Spending.' The GSF invites students, young professionals, and new workers to save a minimum of 50 baht with the fund before spending money, building the habit of 'pause before you pay' and preventing excessive consumption or installment purchases.

2. Address the 'lifelong debt' problem through lifetime pensions. With retirees still carrying substantial debts, the GSF proposes a government matching contribution system of up to 100% depending on age, capped at 1,800 baht annually. These savings will generate a 'pension' that supplements income after age 60, reducing reliance on additional borrowing in old age and preventing debt from being passed to children.

3. Provide support during high-expense periods. Given the Bank of Thailand's emphasis on rising costs from fuel and food, the GSF implements 'flexible savings' policies allowing members to reduce contributions during economic downturns without abandoning them entirely, maintaining financial discipline and government benefits.

'Given that even papaya salad can now be purchased on installment, financial discipline is our only shield,' the GSF stated. 'We aim to be the tool that makes the savings equation a reality. Even starting with just tens of baht, consistent action can transform a debt-burdened life into a prosperous one with a secure pension.' The GSF is promoting retirement savings through its mobile application and recruitment units nationwide, with the tagline 'You save, the state supports your savings, and you get a pension.'

No. 06 of Read at source → Next
National

Entertainment Scoop – Four Directors Reveal Behind-the-Scenes Stories of 'Term 4' Horror Film

Four horror directors behind 'Term 4' shared how they crafted scares rooted in real emotion and local legends across Thailand's regions, from a haunted hospital dormitory in the Central region to a flooded mansion in Ayutthaya.

4d ago Khaosod

'Term 4' is the latest horror film from Sahamongkol Film International, featuring four terrifying legends from four institutions across four regions of Thailand—North, Central, South, and Northeast—set within university walls. These include 'Pink Room,' 'Nang Snam Mansion,' 'D-Day Night,' and 'White Bridge.' Directed by Phing Salinee Khemjarus, Mooyah Thamuyah Tasnanukulkij, Kor Chakorn Chaiyapreecha, and Tam Putipong Saisrikaew, all four directors shared behind-the-scenes stories from filming.

Starting with 'Pink Room,' starring Pan Panthita Boonchuay, director Phing Salinee Khemjarus explained: "We filmed at an old hospital dormitory near Khlong Luang, a place filled with ghostly atmosphere. The building was beautiful but had very old room structures, nearly abandoned with only a few occupied rooms. We selected one room and built around what was already there, completely redesigning it with new walls and mechanical elements, blood splatters, and marks."

Regarding casting Pan, the director revealed it took considerable effort to finalize her role. Pan was a medical student living outside Bangkok with a demanding schedule, but she told the casting team, 'Please wait for me, I want to do this.' Her commitment was remarkable. She even took extra acting classes and remained open to direction. Despite the heavy role, she faced no problems and worked tirelessly. Her freshness as an actual current student and perfect timing made it ideal for her acting debut.

Director Mooyah Thamuyah for 'Nang Snam Mansion,' featuring Jorin Khamphiriphanthu and Oeng Oey Prabhamon Eamchanthor, shared: "For a ghost story, we researched the legend of Nang Snam to craft characters from the data. We wanted something fresh for the ghost, considering what current students fear. We wondered if just scares would suffice or if they wanted something unique. We chose to blend fear with storytelling, exploring darkness of the human psyche beyond simple horror."

The filming location presented challenges—the original Nang Snam mansion had been renovated, so they found an alternative Thai-style house in Ayutthaya preserved by the Fine Arts Department. Beautiful by day, it became terrifying at night. On filming day, the mansion was affected by flooding, forcing cast and crew to work soaked and cold. Yet this disaster became serendipity: water reflections on the Thai structure amplified the eerie atmosphere and mirrored the characters' emotions, turning an obstacle into a magic moment.

'D-Day Night,' adapted from a southern university's 'Good Day' activity and starring Thaad Thapana Jongklaratanaphon, Jen Kulchiranat Warraksit, and Tango Thitinan Rattanthittinan, was directed by Kor Chakorn Chaiyapreecha. He explained: "D-Day Night is a brief story, so I interviewed actual alumni and researched news incidents. Rather than designing a traditional demonic scare, I wanted fear rooted in real emotion and genuine feeling.

No. 07 of Read at source → Next
National

Education Ministry Takes Action: White School Program Cancelled, Six Redundant Projects Eliminated to Reduce Teacher Workload

Education Ministry cancels the White School Program and six redundant projects to reduce teacher workload, allowing educators to focus on classroom instruction and improve work-life balance.

4d ago Khaosod

On May 27, 2025, Education Minister Prasert Chantharueangthong, Deputy Minister Akornnan Kankittinant, and ministry officials announced the 'Work Smart' policy aimed at reducing teacher workload by eliminating redundant and unnecessary programs. The initiative seeks to return teaching time to educators so they can focus on students during the new semester and achieve better work-life balance.

Chantharueangthong noted that despite the new semester opening, field visits revealed that many teachers remain burdened with paperwork, evaluation duties, procurement tasks, and overlapping projects that compromise teaching time. Data shows that 47.7% of teachers believe these burdens affect teaching quality, while over 63% cannot maintain work-life balance.

The minister identified excessive documentation and redundant project evaluations as the primary complaints from teachers, particularly the White School Program which duplicates existing student support systems, and ITA reporting requirements that should only occur at the departmental level under the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

"The Education Ministry must advance the work smart approach to eliminate unnecessary burdens and return teachers to their most important responsibility: caring for students," Chantharueangthong stated, emphasizing that the goal is not to reduce child development objectives but to eliminate redundant work processes. Safety, drug prevention, and character development initiatives will remain priorities, with education area offices now providing oversight rather than requiring schools to produce their own reports.

The ministry also plans to integrate data systems so teachers enter information once but can generate multiple reports, and will gradually transfer procurement, finance, and administrative tasks for small schools to the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

Chantharueangthong stressed that reducing teacher workload represents a fundamental shift in how Thailand's education system operates, ultimately giving teachers more classroom time, schools greater autonomy, and students higher-quality education.

Deputy Minister Akornnan announced that the White School Program will be cancelled immediately in fiscal year 2570, with six additional programs also having their evaluations, reporting, and competitions eliminated: online ITA assessment activities, four-star and five-star virtuous school evaluations, student competency improvement projects aligned with international assessment frameworks, OBEC Channel advancement initiatives, learning innovation research and development projects, and health and physical education promotion programs. Supervising agencies will notify schools of these changes.

No. 08 of Read at source → Next
National

12 World-Class Performances from 9 Countries at 2025 International Arts Festival

Bangkok's 28th International Festival of Dance & Music returns September 5–October 17 with 12 world-class performances from 9 countries, including opera, ballet, and contemporary dance at the Thailand Cultural Centre's Grand Hall.

4d ago Khaosod

Bangkok's 28th International Festival of Dance & Music returns with a grand celebration, presenting 12 world-class performances from 9 countries worldwide, featuring opera, ballet, contemporary dance, and cutting-edge multimedia productions. The festival runs September 5 through October 17, 2025, at the Thailand Cultural Centre's Grand Hall.

Highlights include New York City Opera's Thai premiere of "Opera Goes to Hollywood," transporting audiences through legendary opera and film music; Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus with the romantic classical ballets Romeo & Juliet and Cinderella; and Helikon Opera from Russia presenting timeless masterpieces La Traviata and Madama Butterfly.

Contemporary works showcase global viral sensations and spectacular productions: Sadeck Berrabah's internationally acclaimed Murmuration Level 2 from France, RITE by Deborah Colker Dance Company from Brazil reinterpreting The Rite of Spring through powerful movement, and Alice in Wonderland, a fantasy production blending acrobatics, circus, and contemporary dance for all ages.

Additional highlights include The Great Gatsby, transporting audiences to the Jazz Age and American Dream through dance, vocals, and live music; Coco Chanel from National Theatre Brno, a contemporary ballet depicting the life and spirit of the fashion icon; Eifman Ballet's comedic masterpiece reimagining the Pygmalion legend; and Russian Hamlet, exploring power conflicts, politics, and tragedy within the Russian royal family through distinctive choreography.

No. 09 of Read at source → Next
Community

Fresh Voices – How Sports Takes Young Athletes Far Beyond the Competition

Banpu Table Tennis Club has nurtured young athletes for 18 years, providing mentorship and life skills that extend far beyond competitive play, helping members like Om pursue professional coaching careers and others earn university scholars

4d ago Khaosod

The sound of ping-pong balls bouncing on tables echoes through the evenings after school. For some, it's just a fun game, but for youth members of Banpu Table Tennis Club (BTTC), these sounds mark moments of growth, transformation, and the beginning of their own life journeys. Over 18 years, BTTC has served not merely as a competitive club, but as an "opportunity space" that opens doors for young people to develop both their athletic abilities and life skills.

Om Jeerattigul Kesamphongsrueang started playing table tennis out of passion at age 11, joining BTTC at 14. Beyond continuous training and competition opportunities representing the club, he received close mentorship from coaches and learned the skills of knowledge-sharing as a senior mentor to younger players. These experiences gradually led Om to become a national youth team athlete and showed him the possibility of pursuing table tennis as a future career. Today, Om is fully committed to transitioning from competitor to coach.

"Banpu Table Tennis Club gave me the chance to try, to develop, and to learn in many different roles until I became confident that table tennis could become a profession to support my family. Now I want to pass on the opportunities and skills I received to push the younger generation to go further than I did," Om shared.

For Jeffie Chollasit Boonsirivatcharakul, who grew up with BTTC for over 10 years, his progression from national-level competition to earning an athletic scholarship to university wasn't solely driven by competition results. Rather, it was the club's open environment that didn't confine young people to a single life path. After reaching a certain point in his athletic journey, Jeffie expanded his interests into mass media and entertainment. He is currently a first-year student in the Mass Communication program at Thammasat University, admitted through an athletic quota, while also working as an actor with a prominent agency and having a drama series set to air this year. He continues balancing his role as an athlete alongside these pursuits.

"My confidence comes from having people who support me and knowing that regardless of which path I choose, there are teammates who cheer me on from behind," Jeffie said.

Though Cream Surwee Yutitada's path didn't lead to becoming a full-time professional athlete, her time at BTTC became an important space for developing essential life skills. Cream, a first-year pharmacy student at Chulalongkorn University, noted that beyond sports training, the club emphasizes mental and emotional development through special activities held consistently every year.

"Table tennis competitions aren't just about trophies, but are an important tool that strengthens the spirit, fosters growth, and serves as a training ground to learn how to manage emotions and apply those lessons to real life," Cream explained.

Rathapon Sukanthi, Senior Director of Corporate Communications at Banpu Public Company Limited, stated: "Banpu believes in the power of 'people' and sees sports as a means to develop individuals, opening young people's eyes to the world and new experiences while cultivating potential for their future lives."

No. 10 of Read at source → Next
Community

Top 5 Zodiac Signs Blessed by Jupiter's Movement with Increased Fortune and Wealth Flowing In

Five zodiac signs—Cancer, Gemini, Dragon, Virgo, and Aries—are set to experience Jupiter's powerful shift bringing increased fortune, wealth, and new opportunities including jobs, homes, and vehicles over the next 12 years.

4d ago Khaosod

A ranking of the top 5 zodiac signs experiencing Jupiter's major shift into exaltation brings dramatically increased luck and prosperity with money flowing abundantly. These signs can expect new job opportunities, new homes, and new vehicles, with negative circumstances suddenly transforming into positive ones.

Zodiac signs undergoing these changes may experience shifts in both favorable and cautious directions, depending on individual actions and conduct.

Astrologer Mor Boi provides clarity on the top 5 zodiac signs experiencing Jupiter's powerful movement, bringing exceptional wealth and abundance, new employment, homes, and vehicles with detailed information as follows:

Top 5 Zodiac Signs Ranking: 1. Cancer 2. Gemini 3. Dragon 4. Virgo 5. Aries

With Jupiter's major movement, positive developments will manifest in life cycles spanning approximately 12 years. Jupiter represents virtue, goodness, teachers, sages, religion, sacred things, and wisdom—serving as the essential key to achieving tremendous success. Desires will be fulfilled, wishes granted, with exceptionally increased fortune and money flowing abundantly. New jobs, homes, and vehicles are within reach during this period. One should seek blessings from sages for protection of destiny, turning misfortune into good fortune suddenly and dramatically.

No. 11 of Read at source → Next
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