MAE HONG SON — More than 400 residents from communities in the La watershed staged a rally opposing a proposed fluoride mining project, declaring their stance of "no mine, only communities" to protect land rights and the environment.

On 26 April 2026, the Rak Lum Nam La Network, together with EarthRights International, Amnesty International Thailand, and the Center for Protection and Revival of Local Community Rights (CPCR), organised an event titled "No Mine, Only Communities: Four Years of La Watershed People Reject Mining" at Ban Hua La village in Mae La Luang subdistrict, Mae La Noi district.

Participants issued a joint declaration opposing a private company's fluoride mining project, saying it could affect the environment, livelihoods, and community rights in the area.

The network comprises residents from six communities: Huai Makok, Hua La, Santisuk Santipattana, Mae La Luang, and Thung Pa Kha, with representatives from allied communities also joining in solidarity.

Organisers said the rally aimed to urge authorities to halt the project amid concerns over long-term environmental and social impacts. More than 400 people took part in the march to express their opposition.

A consumer feedback page has compiled a list of restaurants and cafes closing since 2025, noting that we're not even halfway through the year and this is just a partial list. Insiders hint that around 3-4 major establishments will announce permanent closures in June, making it a significant blow to the dining scene.

The page later expressed concern upon seeing the list of June closures, noting the emotional attachment many have to these long-standing venues and preferring to let the owners make their own announcements.

Establishments that have closed or are closing include:

Hukna Cafe & Sabnuea Kanchanaburi - closing May 5, 2025 China Palace Restaurant - permanently closed April 20 Burger Thepraksa - closing April 30, 2025 Naenpung Buffet Ayutthaya - closed April 15, 2025 Anchor Buffet - closed for indefinite renovations starting April 27, 2025 Somsak Crab - Sukharaphruek branch closing May 30, 2025 Kanchan Machi Cafe - closed April 28, 2025 Lalarn Ros - permanently closed

The page notes that closures this year appear significantly higher than normal, though each affected establishment was well-known in its respective area.

30-year-old Kenyan runner Sebastian Sava has become the first man to officially complete a marathon in under 2 hours. Sava made history by winning the London Marathon on April 26 with a time of 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds, setting a new world record. He has broken the previous world record of Kelvin Kiptum, who posted a time of 2:00:35 in 2023, becoming the first man to achieve a sub-2-hour marathon in an officially sanctioned competition. While legendary runner Eliud Kipchoge was the first to run a marathon in under 2 hours in 2019, that race was not recognized as an official world record because it was held under controlled conditions.

A foreign tourist has gone viral online after posting a video of herself making unusual content inside a convenience store in Thailand, drawing widespread criticism from Thai social media users. In the clip, the woman is seen pouring snacks over her head and splashing milk onto herself inside the store, while suggesting she wished there were stores like 7-Eleven in her home country because of the variety of food available. The video quickly spread across social media platforms, prompting a wave of negative reactions from Thai netizens, many of whom criticised the behaviour as inappropriate and disrespectful in a public retail space. Comments included criticism of her manners and concerns over social etiquette, with some users questioning whether such behaviour was acceptable in a place where people regularly shop and pass through. The incident has reignited online debate over tourist behaviour and public conduct in Thailand, particularly in shared commercial spaces.

Social media users are sharing satirical jabs at security agencies operating in the three southern border provinces, and they're clearly enjoying it. Many agree these are apt jabs that ring remarkably true: the military and security forces in the southern border region, realistically speaking, have proven incapable of suppressing insurgents. After years of southern unrest, unable to defeat the BRN, they've resorted to targeting media, politicians, NGOs, and others instead.

Using IO (information operations) units from security agencies, they've manufactured narratives accusing media outlets, politicians, NGOs, and civil society figures of being BRN sympathizers. Is this the security apparatus's idea of counterinsurgency? They simply accuse others of being BRN operatives and challenge them to fight back—chaotic and absurd.

The reality in the three southern border provinces heated up recently when an assailant used an M16 to gun down MP Kamlasak Leewameuk from the Prachathai Party. Because Prachathai refused to stay silent and police quickly investigated and arrested the perpetrator, the case exploded—the shooter was a former naval officer and former ranger using a government vehicle. Incredibly, an active-duty naval captain from the Narathiwat Royal Thai Navy provided the vehicle. Both former and current government officials were involved, and Regional Commander 4 stirred the pot further, making this a massive story.

Clearly, the incident began with an attack on an elected politician, the assailant was apprehended—someone from within government using official vehicles. Yet state IO units launched a diversion operation, attacking those investigating the matter as BRN sympathizers. These are completely different issues.

It started with former and current government officials using government vehicles to open fire on an elected Prachathai politician, and they've since attacked journalist Prasad Iedsirichay as BRN media, accused civil society of breeding violence, and had the shooter himself—the former naval officer—accuse his victim of separatism. Enough. Stop the attacks on media, human rights defenders, and politicians. The facts won't disappear regardless.

Stop the diversion. You can't divert this. And when you lack the capability to defeat the BRN, don't divert by targeting media, politicians, and NGOs with false accusations—that only fuels deeper conflict.

—Wong Tawan

Life barely stops! A Chinese woman thought she would finally get a break once her nine children grew up, but instead she's now raising nearly 30 grandchildren on her own. Her home now resembles a kindergarten.

With nine children and nearly 30 grandchildren, they all constantly revolve around her. The life of one mother in Guangdong Province, China, barely knows the words "off duty" or "rest time." From when she was young and had to raise many children to entering her elderly years, she continues to shoulder responsibility for caring for her grandchildren. Her home is filled with the chaos and bustle of a kindergarten, and her story has become a topic of discussion online.

According to reports from Daxiang News, the family revealed that this woman devoted herself completely to raising all nine children until they grew up. She originally thought that once they moved out and started their own families, life would finally be more relaxed. Instead, she now bears the responsibility of caring for a large number of grandchildren.

From cooking, doing laundry, to childcare every day, she barely has any free time. Her daily life revolves almost entirely around family responsibilities.

Even though she lives in an environment filled with continuous caregiving demands, the family says she barely complains and has grown accustomed to this pace of life. She feels reassured knowing she can help lighten her children's burden.

With so many young family members in the home, children running around the house has become a regular sight, creating an atmosphere described as "like a childcare center." After the story spread online, public opinion split into two camps.

One group sees this as a reflection of family bonds and representative of traditional extended families. The other group points out that elderly people bearing the long-term burden of raising grandchildren reflects problems with family role distribution and parenting pressures in today's era.

Considering Chinese society in recent years, the number of dual-income families has increased, leaving many struggling to balance work and childcare. Consequently, multi-generational childcare and grandparents helping raise grandchildren have become increasingly common.

While grandparents helping with childcare does relieve some burden from their adult children, over-relying on elderly people long-term can cause them to face continuous exhaustion and heavy burdens.

Regarding this situation, some feel moved while others feel sympathetic. Although for this elderly woman, the chaos may have become part of her daily life, to outsiders, the image of "one person bearing the entire family's weight" remains food for thought.