Thai students excel! Sweeping 6 awards from the world science competition stage "REGENERON ISEF 2026" in the United States. Princes Royal's College showcases exceptional talent and captures the world's top ranking with an innovation for "malaria detection covering all 5 major species." On May 17, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona, the United States, an international science and engineering project competition REGENERON ISEF 2026 (Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair) was held—the world's largest youth science competition organized by Society for Science, the National Science Museum (NSM), the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), and the Thai Science Association under royal patronage. Thailand sent 8 youth teams to compete against approximately 1,800 young scientists from 60 countries worldwide between May 9-15, 2026.

Competition results showed that Princes Royal's College in Chiang Mai, composed of Nathpong Thawornnai, Nathdanai Suksri, and Phumjai Pongsrivatana as project creators, with advisors Rungkan Wangbun, Kritipon Wachirankul, and Dr. Katiya Piyarangsee, won the Grand Award first place for the project "Automatic Malaria Diagnostic System Using Artificial Intelligence and Smart Low-Cost Microscopy for Remote Areas." This innovation can detect all 5 major malaria species, enabling rapid and accurate disease diagnosis with convenient and portable use, while efficiently reducing diagnostic time. The award prize was 6,000 US dollars.

Beyond this, Thai youth teams have brought honor to Thailand by sweeping a total of 6 awards, including 2 Grand Awards second place with 2,400 US dollars prize each from Princes Royal's College in Chiang Mai in the Medical Science category for the project "Quantitative Cervical Cancer Screening System with Verified Detection for Accessible and Inclusive Diagnosis," with creators Daichi Tanaka, Pongkun Fuchuen, and Kao Thitijamreun, and advisors Rungkan Wangbun, Kritipon Wachirankul, and Dr. Katiya Piyarangsee, and from Bangkok Christian College in Bangkok in the Zoology category for the project "Comprehensive Coral Restoration Innovation Integrating Molecular-Level Repair with Artificial Coral Frameworks Monitored by Satellite Data," with creators Sanyaphat Akkjirawat, Naphudol Sriratana, and Prodpran Chanthammapituk, and advisors Chanan Kiertsirisan and Suwanna Amprondanai.

Thai youth representatives also received 3 Special Awards totaling 12,300 US dollars or approximately 401,964 baht. Bangkok Christian College in Bangkok won the first Special Award from the King Abdulaziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, sponsored by Mawhiba, providing full scholarship from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Saudi Arabia, for the project "Comprehensive Coral Restoration Innovation Integrating Molecular-Level Repair with Artificial Coral Frameworks Monitored by Satellite Data," with creators Sanyaphat Akkjirawat, Naphudol Sriratana, and Prodpran Chanthammapituk, and advisors Chanan Kiertsirisan and Suwanna Amprondanai.

Medical page Tensia shared a remarkable case of a 75-year-old patient with a 26-centimeter horn-like growth protruding from the back of her scalp. Those around her initially panicked, wondering what she had been hit with, but the truth revealed by doctors was far more serious: skin cancer.

The patient, without any known chronic conditions, first noticed a small horn-like lump on the back of her scalp that caused no pain or itching. She initially dismissed it, assuming it would stop growing on its own. However, over many years, the growth gradually lengthened, thickened, and began curving like an animal horn. When it became large enough to hide her hair and interfere with sleep by pressing against her pillow, concerned relatives brought her to the hospital.

Doctors immediately recognized the condition as Cutaneous Horn, a rare skin growth caused by abnormally thick and hard keratin buildup—the same protein found in nails, hair, and the outer skin layer. The growth measured approximately 25-26 centimeters in length. CT scans revealed a large tissue mass extending from the scalp with some calcium deposits, though it had not penetrated the skull bone, which reassured many who feared the worst.

After surgical removal and tissue analysis, the diagnosis proved alarming: beneath the horn lay Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC), a type of skin cancer. What made this case particularly dangerous was that the horn itself may have resulted from cancerous cells at its base, meaning the keratin buildup was triggered by precancerous or cancerous activity.

The patient was fortunate that the cancer remained confined to the upper skin layers without spreading to blood vessels or nerves, allowing complete surgical removal. Five years of follow-up revealed no recurrence. The case serves as an important reminder that unusual growths on the body can mask serious conditions, and any persistent, hard, thickened, or rapidly growing skin lesions should be evaluated by medical professionals.

Missing Kanchanaburi woman found dead in staged suicide caseLegacy

A woman who had been missing for four days was found dead on May 15 behind a sugar factory in Ban Kao subdistrict, Mueang district, Kanchanaburi, after her neighbour confessed to killing her and staging a suicide.

The woman, identified as 44 year old Kesa, was last heard from at around 6am on May 10, when she called her former husband, 41 year old Singhan. Singhan told police that he and Kesa remained in contact about their child despite separating. He said he became concerned when she stopped responding because she would not normally disappear without explanation. After relatives were unable to contact her, they posted appeals on social media and searched for her for more than four days. Police were alerted around midday on May 15 after woodcutters found Kesa’s body behind the sugar factory. The body was found hanging from a tree with a rope around the neck. Photo via DailyNews Police said the body had started to decompose and a strong odour was reported throughout the area. They also found underwear and the victim’s mobile phone near the scene, leading them to suspect the case may have involved a staged killing. Relatives said the condition of the scene appeared suspicious. The victim’s niece said Kesa was wearing a shirt that belonged to her, and that the way the body was found made relatives believe the scene had been staged. The niece said relatives initially suspected two men: Kesa’s boyfriend, whom she dated after separating from her former husband, and a neighbour living about four rooms away. She added that two days before Kesa disappeared, she heard her aunt arguing loudly with the neighbour. Photo via Thairath Police later inspected Kesa’s rented room in Ban Kao and identified both men as people who may have been connected to the case. Investigators then focused on the neighbour because of his suspicious behaviour, including information that he regularly carried a knife. At around 3.30pm yesterday, May 16, police obtained an arrest warrant for 44 year old Somror, the neighbour living nearby. Thairath reported that Somror confessed during questioning. He allegedly claimed the incident followed an argument while drinking alcohol, which led him to plan the attack. Somror remains in police custody as legal proceedings continue. He faces charges of rape and premeditated murder, while police are still questioning his wife to determine whether she had any involvement in the case. Photo via MGR Online In a similar incident, a Thai man admitted to killing his ex-girlfriend at an apartment in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district and staging her death as a suicide after first saying she had hanged herself from an air-conditioning compressor. The story Missing Kanchanaburi woman found dead in staged suicide case as seen on Thaiger News.

A narrow escape for an Indian man who was swept up by a powerful dust storm, lifted approximately 15 meters into the air for 7 seconds before being hurled over 100 meters away and landing in a sugarcane field. The incident occurred on May 13 when northern India was struck by severe dust storms, heavy rain, and lightning, causing extensive damage to several areas including Uttar Pradesh.

A dramatic video of the incident went viral on social media, showing the man being lifted into the air before being thrown across the area. According to Indian media reports, the man's name is Mohd Nanhe, 50 years old, from Bareilly city in Uttar Pradesh, and he works as an electric three-wheeler driver for cargo transport.

On the day of the incident, Nanhe traveled to a wedding venue to transport goods, but in the evening the weather rapidly deteriorated with severe winds. He noticed the metal roof framework of the wedding site being blown away, so he quickly tried to tie it down with ropes to secure the structure. However, the overwhelming wind force ripped the roof free and lifted Nanhe approximately 15 meters into the air. According to reports, he remained suspended in the air for 7 seconds before being thrown forcefully into a sugarcane field over 100 meters away. The impact knocked him unconscious, but fortunately the dense sugarcane crop reduced the force of the landing, allowing him to survive miraculously.

After being taken to the hospital, doctors found he had fractured arm and leg bones but no life-threatening injuries. Nanhe later spoke of his harrowing ordeal, saying: "While I was floating in the air, I thought I would never see my children again."

The video was recorded by 16-year-old Rajan Ansari, who was photographing the storm from his rooftop and happened to capture the moment Nanhe was swept into the air. He shared the clip on social media where it went viral and garnered significant attention.

According to reports, Nanhe lives with his wife and five children, earning his primary income from operating an electric three-wheeler for cargo transport. After the incident, he was taken to a private hospital and his condition stabilized before he was discharged. However, the following day his condition deteriorated again, requiring additional treatment.

Regarding the dust storms and thunderstorms that occurred across multiple areas of India on May 13, authorities have reported at least 96 deaths, over 50 injuries, and over 100 livestock casualties. Uttar Pradesh was the hardest hit region as it is India's most populous state.

During March to June each year, northern India typically faces extreme heat before monsoon season arrives, making severe dust storms and heavy rainfall a regular occurrence. The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has ordered officials to expedite emergency relief operations within 24 hours and quickly distribute compensation and essential supplies to affected families.

Starting from early morning on May 17, 2025, relatives of missing passengers who have not appeared on the injured list came to the Forensic Institute at Police Hospital to provide DNA samples for identification. Most reported that their missing relatives were aboard the bus at the time of the accident.

One family coming for DNA testing belongs to Ms. Sirilak (surname withheld), the granddaughter of 66-year-old Aunt Eiang, who is missing. She said that on the night of May 16, she followed the news but didn't initially think much of it, believing her aunt wouldn't have been traveling to that location. However, early the next morning, her sister contacted her again, noting that a person sitting near the middle door inside the bus in CCTV footage resembled their aunt—from her startled expression to her facial features. They then requested CCTV footage from the area near the soi entrance in Sumutprakan district and found that the color of the shirt matched the CCTV images. The family immediately came for DNA testing.

"The most painful thing is that Aunt's friend who was on a phone call with her heard her screaming before the mobile signal cut off, and we haven't been able to contact her since—which coincides with the time her Facebook was last active. From the CCTV footage, we can see she was startled, but couldn't go anywhere because the accident happened so quickly," the granddaughter said.

The family is now deeply worried, as it feels like a tremendous loss. Aunt has been the pillar of the household, having raised them from childhood. They are uncertain whether Aunt regularly took bus line 206, though her daughter mentioned she would take the bus to visit her doctor or enjoyed taking buses to massage shops far from home and traveling.

"Right now we can only pray it's not her, but we have to acknowledge our worry because all the details and timing match perfectly," she admitted. The family is extremely stressed, with Aunt's three children unable to accept the situation. She has had to try to keep everyone composed.

She hasn't seen all angles of the CCTV footage—only the angle where Aunt was sitting—so she doesn't know where the negligence occurred. The family wonders if it was the bus driver's negligence, but they must await the police investigation results.

Regarding the DNA collection, forensic officials stated it should take no more than three days to confirm identity. The remains will then be returned to families for religious ceremonies. The Gratitude Foundation will transport all remains to their respective destinations for families at no cost.

On May 17 at People's Square in front of Bangkok City Hall, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittiphand stated during remarks before joining a City Run event that he will resign tomorrow, May 18, at 5 PM. "People ask why I need to resign—it's because I need to travel abroad. My son Sanpadit will be receiving his final degree, and he wanted me to attend," Chadchart said. He also confirmed that he will run for a second term as Bangkok Governor.