JIUQUAN, China — On May 24, 2026, China launched three astronauts to its Tiangong space station on Sunday night, beginning a mission expected to result in the country's first year-long human stay in orbit as Beijing advances plans to land astronauts on the moon before 2030.

The Shenzhou-23 spacecraft lifted off at 23:08 Beijing time, or 15:08 GMT, aboard a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, according to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency and Reuters.

The crew includes mission commander Zhu Yangzhu, pilot Zhang Zhiyuan and payload specialist Li Jiaying, also known in Cantonese as Lai Ka-ying. Reuters reported that Li, a former Hong Kong police officer, is the first astronaut from Hong Kong to take part in a Chinese space mission.

One of the three astronauts is expected to remain aboard Tiangong for about a year, setting a national record for China and allowing scientists to study the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the human body, including radiation exposure, bone-density loss and psychological stress. The astronaut selected for the extended stay will be determined later, depending on the mission's progress.

Since 2021, China has regularly launched three-person Shenzhou crews to Tiangong for missions lasting about six months. The Shenzhou-23 crew is expected to carry out more than 100 science and application projects involving space life science, aerospace medicine, materials science and microgravity physics.

The mission will also test China's first autonomous rapid rendezvous and docking procedure with Tiangong's core module, a capability considered important for future lunar operations and more complex orbital missions.

The launch comes as China and the United States continue expanding rival lunar exploration programs. China has said it aims to land astronauts on the moon before 2030 and plans to establish a permanent lunar research base with Russia by 2035. Beijing has been testing hardware linked to those ambitions, including the heavy-lift Long March-10 rocket, the Mengzhou spacecraft and the Lanyue lunar lander.

Meanwhile, NASA says its Artemis program is designed to return astronauts to the moon and establish a long-term lunar presence as preparation for future human missions to Mars. China has not yet carried out a crewed lunar landing, but it has achieved several major robotic milestones in recent years. In 2024, China became the first country to return samples from the far side of the moon, a mission widely viewed by space analysts as a demonstration of the country's growing deep-space capabilities.

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.

On May 25, authorities reported developments in the accident case involving a British man on a motorcycle who hit renowned physician Associate Professor Theerasak Gaeo-Amattayong and fled the scene on Koh Phangan. An emergency air evacuation operation was launched at 2:30 p.m. at Samui Airport, with Samui Bangkok Hospital medical staff and family requesting aircraft support from the Police Aviation Division of the Royal Thai Police to rapidly transport the critically injured doctor. His brain condition was critical and required advanced neurosurgery.

Associate Professor Theerasak was transported by ambulance from Samui Bangkok Hospital before being transferred to a police aircraft stationed at Samui Airport for immediate flight to Bangkok, with medical and nursing staff providing close care throughout. Ramadhbei Hospital, his home institution, prepared operating rooms, neurosurgery teams, and advanced medical equipment to receive him immediately upon landing.

Regarding the case, Region 8 Police Commander Sitthichai Lohanbai has ordered Koh Phangan Police Station to prosecute the British suspect Mr. Wilcock Duncan with full force following urine test results confirming cocaine in his system. Charges include reckless driving causing severe injury, hit-and-run, driving without a license, and Class 1 drug possession. Investigators have also been ordered to expand the investigation into the suspect's tour boat business to determine if it operates illegally as a front company or has influential foreign backing, with the aim of eliminating foreign mafia networks on Koh Phangan and delivering justice for the physician who has long served Thai society.

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.

RealWatch Lab, the research and data analytics division of Real Smart Public Company Limited, revealed results from a social media survey covering the "Thai Helps Thai Plus (60/40)" program on the first day of registration (May 25, 2025) from 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM across all platforms. Out of 21,250 total mentions, 69% of social media users shared positive experiences confirming successful benefit registration, easy enrollment, and readiness to use the program starting June 1st. Among these, 64% (13,552 messages) offered general comments about the registration process and verification procedures, while 5% (1,154 messages) expressed positive sentiment, praising the program's cost-reduction benefits and smooth app performance. Conversely, 31% (6,544 messages) voiced complaints about app crashes, freezes, slow performance, login difficulties, and complicated registration steps.

The "Thai Helps Thai Plus (60/40)" program aims to mitigate impacts from the energy crisis affecting all professions and entrepreneurs. Eligible recipients receive 1,000 baht monthly for four months (June-September 2025) through the Pao Tang digital wallet, with the government covering 60% of purchases and users paying 40%, capped at 30 million beneficiaries.

According to Krung Thai Bank's Pao Tang app report, 22,631,987 people registered on the first half-day, with 17,374,758 successful registrations and 4,921,910 pending verification. Registration failures numbered 335,319, primarily existing welfare card holders (335,153). Approximately 7,368,013 eligibility slots remained available at noon. Nationally, 977,296 participating merchants were approved, with 584,997 pending terms acceptance and 392,299 fully registered and operational. An additional 9,013 new merchants applied.