Nong Nooch Pattaya, under the leadership of President Kampol Tansatja, is welcoming the school break season with an exceptional promotion: 'Buy 1 Get 1 Free' throughout May 2026 for Thai walk-in visitors. Guests can instantly claim their special benefit by purchasing one Package 3 ticket (admission with show) and receive a second ticket free of charge. This offer is ideal for families planning trips during the final stretch of the school holidays.

The park also provides social benefits ensuring everyone can access quality attractions: - Children up to 140 centimeters tall: Free daily (when accompanied by family) - People with disabilities: Free daily - Seniors 60 and above: Free every Friday - Seniors 80 and above: Free daily year-round

Spanning over 1,700 acres, Nong Nooch Pattaya stands as one of the world's premier natural and cultural destinations. It features more than 60 stunning gardens and collections of over 18,000 plant species from every corner of the globe. Major highlights include the Dinosaur Zone with more than 1,800 dinosaur figures and the spectacular new 'Ancient Egypt City' landmark, featuring pyramids and Ennead statues—mythical deities from ancient Egypt—with 12 of the planned 23 statues completed, each standing over 5 meters tall. These unique attractions offer rare educational and photo opportunities in Thailand.

Visitors can also enjoy high-quality cultural performances at the Scala Theater and watch the remarkable elephant show, with four daily performances catering to audiences of all ages. Nong Nooch Pattaya is open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. For more information, visit www.nongnoochpattaya.com.

Maimind and Benz have confirmed they are each other's special person, though they're avoiding the traditional "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" labels. They view this new relationship as a safe space. Maimind revealed she moved on quickly because Benz feels like the perfect puzzle piece. After her life was turned upside down by relationship drama—her ex cheated and they had to divide assets before parting ways, which became a major scandal—the two are finally happy. Maimind, a well-known actress, has completely moved forward and crossed the friend zone with Benz, a friend she's known for 10 years. Undeterred by criticism about the timing of their move, she says this love is a safe haven.

How is life now? Maimind: "I'm very happy. These days when I play golf, I only focus on the golf club. I even met a gorgeous golf pro (laughing). Honestly, we've been like siblings for ten years. Back then I had a boyfriend, and Benz came courting, but okay, we were siblings—true siblings 100 percent. We'd play golf and come back to meet up sometimes, go out to eat as a group."

"Then there was a moment we golfed together, and we bumped into each other again when I was single. When I had problems, I never consulted Benz about them. He wasn't involved at all. The person I consulted the most was Sod. I don't know if it was good advice, but I always believed Chee because she'd been through it before. I didn't even go back and talk to Benz about it."

How did things go with your ex? Maimind: "It's all settled now. There's no lingering resentment. We're good friends to each other. It was like we both acted on emotions back then. When the time came to really think about it, I felt like, why would we say mean things about each other? Okay, so we held hands and ended things. We both apologized and moved on to grow separately."

Did he take it hard when you said he went to play around? Maimind: "He didn't mind—he said it was true (laughing). That's one of his good qualities. When I mess up, he holds me accountable. Then we move on. We've both apologized to each other and parted ways. Now the property settlement is all finalized and clean. There's nothing left hanging. We sold the house, the van I took I paid him the difference on, the Porsche we split 50-50 because it was already damaged in an accident. I'm sticking to my original position of 50-50 split, and he has no hard feelings about it."

So what are you two now? Benz: "Partners now, to be honest. I'm the one who pursued him (What do you like about Maimind?). I like hardworking people. She has charm. She takes care of herself and does things a certain way—she's exactly my type. Plus I like tall people. She's very tall. I've never dated anyone tall before. She's the first person I got to pursue who's exactly my type."

Did you know she was emotionally bruised? Benz: "I knew she was hurt by love, but I don't talk about the past at all. I just focus on the present. I don't comfort her or anything. I think she could clear it up on her own. Otherwise, she wouldn't have opened her heart to me."

Why did you open your heart to him? Maimind: "Benz has become the best part of my life. He supports me both at work and emotionally. Since we were already siblings, we can talk about everything. It feels like Benz is my safe space. And right now, he's very special to me."

Did you worry people would misunderstand that you got together so quickly after your last relationship ended, having known each other so long? Maimind: "Not at all. I see it as a matter of timing. It's like with work—I was doing things the old way and nothing was happening. Then I switched to a new approach and in just a couple of days, wow, the timing aligned and things happened. Right when I was hurting, Benz happened to be free. We bumped into each other by chance. Once we opened up and talked to each other, trying this new dynamic felt good. I felt relieved. I honestly never thought I'd get to this point."

What do you want to say to people who say you moved on too fast? Maimind: "It wasn't fast at all. It was hard and exhausting to get here."

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BANGKOK — Thailand plans to roll back its visa-free policy to a list of 57 eligible countries and territories, replacing the expanded 60-day exemption for 93 countries introduced in 2024, as part of efforts to tighten visitor screening and shift toward quality tourism.

Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the ministry is proposing to cancel the 60-day visa-free scheme introduced during the previous government in July 2024 and return to the earlier framework.

Under the proposal, Thailand would reinstate the original list of 57 countries and territories eligible for visa exemption. Any future additions would be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on suitability and travel behaviour.

Surasak said the policy shift is aimed at improving immigration screening and addressing concerns over long-stay visitors using tourism privileges for non-tourism purposes.

He said the revised approach is part of a broader restructuring of Thailand's tourism sector, focusing on high-value, sustainable tourism rather than visitor volume, with an emphasis on safety, confidence and long-term sustainability.

The minister said the proposal has been coordinated with the Foreign Ministry and is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval soon.

He added that the policy review follows concerns over rising issues linked to foreign visitors after the 60-day visa-free scheme took effect, citing tourism police data.

Authorities also argue that most foreign tourists already stay in Thailand for less than 30 days, while those needing longer stays can apply under existing visa categories such as business, education or long-term residence schemes.

The ministry said the shift is also intended to ensure visa policy better reflects actual travel behaviour while reducing administrative and security risks associated with extended stays.

Jack Grealish, the on-loan forward at Everton from Manchester City, was caught on camera napping at a rooftop bar while drinking and socializing with friends in the late afternoon, despite having just undergone foot surgery. Grealish, on loan from Manchester City to Everton, has appeared in 22 matches across all competitions this season. However, after suffering a foot injury that required surgery in early February, the latest images from The Sun show the 30-year-old striker dozing off at a rooftop bar in Manchester city center while socializing with friends on April 25th. According to reports, Grealish arrived at the venue at 4:30 PM but fell asleep within an hour. Following his surgery, the English striker posted that he wanted to make a comeback stronger than before, saying: "I didn't want to end the season this way, but that's football—it's incredibly frustrating. The surgery went well, and now I'm committed to my recovery. I know for certain that I'll return fitter, stronger, and better than before."

A 56-year-old British woman has decided to travel to Switzerland to end her life through a legal assisted dying process, despite being in good physical health. She made this decision following the devastating loss of her only son four years ago.

Wendy Duffy, a former caregiver from the West Midlands region, revealed to British media that she has submitted an application and received approval from a voluntary assisted dying organization in Switzerland. She has paid approximately $13,500 USD, or about 440,000 baht, to access legal end-of-life assistance.

She explained that ending her life is the only way to free her spirit, and she wanted everything to be orderly rather than attempting violent suicide methods in the past that could traumatize others who might discover her.

Previously, Duffy attempted suicide after her son Marcus died in a choking accident while sleeping at just 23 years old, four years ago. Despite receiving medical treatment and psychological therapy, she insists that nothing can heal the loss, and she has accepted that she no longer wants to continue living.

Duffy has also revealed that she has prepared details for her final moments, including the clothes she will wear and plans to play Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars's "Die With A Smile" during her passing. She also intends to donate all her belongings.

Regarding her family, she stated that her six siblings understand her decision, though saying goodbye will be difficult. She plans to call her family when she arrives in Switzerland to say her final farewell.

Duffy's case occurs amid intense debate about right-to-die legislation in the United Kingdom, which remains stalled in Parliament, forcing those seeking this option to travel abroad.

Meanwhile, assisted dying continues to attract international attention and sparks debate in many countries worldwide, particularly following the case of a 25-year-old Spanish woman who was a gang rape victim and decided to end her life through the same process, triggering widespread criticism regarding laws and victim care.

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) revealed that March 2025 vehicle production reached 133,413 units, up 2.69% year-over-year, boosted by increased export output from passenger car production rising 19.91% to 16,814 units and pickup trucks climbing 3.82% to 71,837 units. March export production totaled 88,651 units, up 6.53%, bringing the first-quarter total to 369,751 units, a 5.32% increase from 2024, with 249,343 units designated for export, up 5.78%. Despite March finished-vehicle exports declining 0.64% to 80,394 units due to the Strait of Hormuz closure affecting Middle East shipments down 15.96%, exports increased to Australia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

Notably, hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) dominated March registrations with 16,111 units representing 31.57% of the 51,037 total vehicles registered across fuel types, surpassing traditional gasoline cars. Battery electric vehicles (BEV) recorded 10,075 units at 19.74%, marginally exceeding gasoline-only models at 10,025 units or 19.64%. Hybrid popularity partly reflects consumer concerns about charging station availability.

Domestic vehicle sales in March reached 59,865 units, up 7.29% year-over-year, with first-quarter sales totaling 182,083 units, up 18.86%. Suriya Paisitphattanapong, FTI spokesperson, attributed the growth to delivery of pre-ordered vehicles from the Bangkok International Motor Show in late March-early April, particularly electric vehicles representing over 50% of bookings, plus new modified pickup truck variants. Numerous EV models became price-competitive with internal combustion engines.

Domestic production in March declined 4.15% to 44,762 units as pickup truck sales fell 6.36% due to stricter credit policies from financial institutions amid slow economic growth, making buyer installment payments difficult. Paisitphattanapong urged the new government to quickly present fiscal policy and budget proposals to accelerate investment projects and build confidence among domestic and foreign investors. Thailand must stimulate industries with extensive supply chains, increase employment and production beyond previous years, achieving double-digit industrial output growth using over 70% production capacity. Strong domestic economic growth will attract foreign investment in a sustainable cycle, eventually lifting Thailand from middle-income country status.