SATUN — On May 24, 2026, children from Thailand's Mani ethnic minority, an Indigenous forest-dwelling community in southern Thailand, are blending traditional survival skills with modern education through cultural demonstrations aimed at preserving their heritage while adapting to life beyond the forest.

At Ban Wang Sai Thong tourist attraction in Satun province, Mani schoolchildren dressed in school uniforms and sportswear demonstrated how to build a traditional temporary shelter known as a "thap", attracting attention from visitors.

The activity was organized by Ban Wang Sai Thong School, where Mani children showcased traditional knowledge passed down through generations. The students demonstrated how to construct shelters using overlapping leaves for protection from sun and rain, light fires for warmth, and roast wild yams, a staple food traditionally gathered from underground. They also displayed traditional hunting tools used by their ancestors.

Prapha, a teacher closely involved with the students and known locally as "Teacher Toi", said the demonstrations reflected skills deeply rooted in the children's daily lives.

"This is 100% natural for them because it is how they actually live in the forest," she said. "The school simply helps fill in what is missing, including education, social skills and communication abilities, so they can confidently welcome tourists and explain their culture."

Beyond the traditional skills, teachers said the children were also developing ambitions for the future. One student, identified as Jub, said she hoped to become a nurse to care for her frequently ill parents, while several classmates expressed dreams of becoming athletes. The students admitted studying at school was more difficult than building shelters, but said they enjoyed learning and wanted broader opportunities in the future.

Teachers said many Mani children had gradually adapted to wider society and earned small incomes by helping clean community areas or rowing boats for tourists. However, access to education remained limited because most families lived in temporary shelters without electricity or internet access.

"Homework can mostly be done only at school because their shelters have no electricity or internet access," Prapha said, adding that basic supplies such as pencils, erasers and notebooks were still lacking. Prapha currently oversees 43 Mani children ranging from kindergarten to primary school level.

Teachers said encouraging the children to confidently present their traditional way of life not only helped support community tourism but also strengthened their ability to adapt to modern society without losing their cultural identity.

BEIJING: China launched its crewed Shenzhou-23 spacecraft and eased it into a successful docking with a space station early yesterday (May 25) as part of Beijing’s ambitions to send humans to the Moon by 2030, state media said.

251 live wild animals found hidden in suitcase of Malaysian manLegacyThai authorities arrested a Malaysian national at Suvarnabhumi International Airport yesterday, May 24, after attempting to smuggle hundreds of live wild animals out of Thailand. Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) Director Attapon Charoenchansa announced details of the operation, describing it as part of intensified inspections targeting international wildlife trafficking networks using Thailand as a transit route. The operation was carried out by officers from the CITES Wildlife Conservation Office and the Suvarnabhumi Wildlife Checkpoint at about 3.45am. Photo via Facebook/ กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่า และพันธุ์พืช Authorities inspected a suspicious passenger near boarding gate F3 in Zone 3 of the international departures terminal at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The suspect was identified as 34 year old Malaysian national Dasmond Kong Sing Chye, who was preparing to travel from Bangkok to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, India. During a baggage inspection, officers discovered numerous live wild animals hidden inside the suspect’s suitcase. Photo via Facebook/ กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่า และพันธุ์พืช The seized animals included two helmeted hornbills, two Patagonian maras, 62 iguanas, five monitor lizards, 100 blue-tongued skinks and 80 turtles. Authorities charged the suspect under the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act, the Customs Act, the Animal Epidemics Act and the Fisheries Royal Decree. The Malaysian national was transferred to Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station for legal proceedings. The rescued animals are now under the care of the Wildlife Conservation Office while investigators continue efforts to identify additional suspects connected to the trafficking network. Photo via Facebook/ กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่า และพันธุ์พืช The arrest follows another wildlife trafficking case at Suvarnabhumi Airport on April 29, when a Taiwanese woman was detained after authorities found 30 Indian star tortoises concealed on various parts of her body while preparing to fly to Taipei. Last week, three Thai nationals were also arrested at an airport in Ecuador after attempting to smuggle 12 Galápagos marine iguanas out of the country. Officials said one of the reptiles died during the operation while the remaining animals were found injured. Authorities reported the group had been travelling to another country in Asia, although the destination was not disclosed. Photo via Facebook/ กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่า และพันธุ์พืช The story 251 live wild animals found hidden in suitcase of Malaysian man as seen on Thaiger News.

ESPN reports that a one-of-a-kind Cristiano Ronaldo football card, a 2018 Panini Kaboom 1-of-1 card, has been sold privately for $1.35 million, or approximately 43.85 million baht. Football cards have become increasingly popular collectibles among sports fans and card collectors worldwide. According to ESPN, the Ronaldo card from his Juventus era was sold through Fanatics for $1.35 million. This transaction makes it the most expensive Ronaldo card ever sold, though it ranks second among all footballer cards globally, trailing only a Lionel Messi rugby card that sold for $1.5 million, or about 48.72 million baht.

On May 25, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at the Civil Registration Department conference room on the 9th floor of Thanalongkorn Tower in Bangkok, the Civil Registration Department held a coordination meeting on registry and national ID card operations nationwide. Presided over by Nrucha Kosasiwilai, Director-General of the Civil Registration Department and Central Registrar, the meeting included deputy directors-general, registrars from all 50 Bangkok districts, provincial registrars, district registrars, and local registrars, along with registry staff nationwide participating via simultaneous online platform.

The Central Registrar stressed that registry work is not merely a public service function but the "vital core of national administration" and serves as a massive database (Big Data) used by all government ministries, departments, and agencies for policymaking, administrative management, and national security, requiring operations to be conducted with accuracy, carefulness, and maximum responsibility.

Simultaneously, he instructed all registry officials at every level to maintain a "Sense of Urgency" in exercising their duties, and to halt any unreasonable administrative actions in their review, approval, and authorization decisions within their respective jurisdictions. The key principle is implementing "Check & Balance" mechanisms and rigorous daily report verification, with supervisors sharing accountability.

The Civil Registration Department has issued directives on work practices under "4 key areas" to urgently prevent corruption loopholes:

1. Creating personal identities and adding foreign worker names (pink cards) must involve thorough verification of actual residential status to prevent identity fraud. 2. Cases of duplicate persons require enhanced scrutiny according to the Cabinet Resolution of October 29, 2024, which expedited nationality granting for minorities within 5 days, with measures to prevent rights abuse and document forgery. 3. Marriage registration must verify genuine relationships and cohabitation to prevent hired marriage schemes. 4. Complaint handling must not absolutely reject public submissions even if documents are incomplete; clarification, recording, and fair expedited processing must follow service-minded principles.

The Civil Registration Department has also developed three supporting systems to enhance efficiency and convenience:

1. Compilation of registry work practices and circulars from fiscal year 2024 to present for uniform nationwide standards. 2. Enhancement of the 1548 Call Center with additional staff and clearly separated service lines for officials inquiring about legal matters or computer systems, and for citizens inquiring about procedures or required documents. 3. An alert system through the ThaID application sending immediate warnings to district officers or district directors when detecting high-risk transactions such as name additions, first-time ID card issuance, or marriage to foreigners.

The Central Registrar further stated that while the public expects rapid service, every step must be executed correctly, transparently, and fairly, reiterating that "honest performance is the shield protecting officials." If officials perform correctly, the Civil Registration Department will fully support and protect them, but any bribery or corruption will face strict prosecution.