Here is a look at the top NATIONAL stories, chosen by our Pattaya News/TPN National team, from last week, May 9th to the 15th, with some commentary. They are not in any particular level of importance but are listed in the order of date of publication.
1. All passengers in vehicles in Thailand must wear seat belts, kids under 6 must be positioned in child car seat throughout journey, effective September 4th
Thailand will now make kid car seats and passengers wearing seat belts a law from September onwards. This results in a number of families searching for affordable car seats on online shopping platforms and at secondhand stores as soon as the time of the announcement as many of them were concerned about possible significant price increases and product shortages. The current price of the car seats is between 2,000 and 20,000 baht.
2. Man who claims to be the father of all gods arrested in Chaiyaphum for what authorities say was offering bizarre medical treatments
The disclosure of the cult leader and what the public thought as his disgusting curing treatments caused a shock to Thai society last week. The shaman and his followers believe that eating feces and drinking urine and phlegm are what Buddha had done in his lifetime, therefore they could cure several diseases. He was arrested and bailed days afterward. There was a report that he and some of his followers are settling in Loei but not reportedly doing any sort of treatment, only selling local products for their living.
3. Thai Army bans Lazada following its controversial online advertisement, DES to file charges against company
It is unarguably the news that caused Thai and international attention the most last week. The Royal Thai Army and a group of royalists mutually see the Lazada controversial commercial as a mockery and an insult to royal family members and the disabled. The Army then publicly announced that they banned the company’s vehicles in all of their departments and territories to show their strong support of the royal institution. The Chinese Embassy in Thailand also declared its statement later that the commercial was ‘unacceptable’. On the contrary, many people, including the reports in international media, think that the reaction of the Army was over the top.
4. Thai PM receives warm welcome from US President, discusses bilateral and multilateral cooperation defense with US Defense Secretary
Prime Minister Prayut joined the U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit in Washington DC where he met US President Joe Biden and other Southeast Asian leaders for bilateral cooperation in ASEAN countries. The Prime Minister also discussed the defense cooperation in the post-Covid-19 period between Thailand and the US with the Defense Secretary, including the joint military training cyber and the strengthening of armed forces and personnel of both countries.
And, that is all for this week. Thank you as always for reading the Pattaya News/TPN News!
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