Mekong River in Golden Triangle drops to lowest level in a century

13 Sept 12:12 Key points summarised by AI

The Mekong River in the Golden Triangle plummeted to its lowest level in a century on July 19th, surpassing a 1973 record.
Experts cite upstream dam regulation and climate change as primary causes, warning this 'new normal' during the wet season threatens fish migration.
The severe water drop has triggered critical shortages, forcing water authorities in Laos and Thailand to curtail or halt operations.
Public blame targets the Xayaburi hydroelectric dam in Laos, with its builder planning a media tour to counter claims of causing downstream drying.

Suchada: Meet the reluctant star of Thailand’s cryptic crypto drama

Yesterday 15:38 Key points summarised by AI

Thai MP Suchada Zhang Thaensap faces intense scrutiny over her husband’s substantial 1.84 billion baht wealth, with opposition lawmakers alleging connections to international scam networks.
A significant portion of her husband, Taiyang Zhang's, declared assets includes a 1.44 billion baht loan to the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, which still owes him 1.34 billion baht.
Opposition MP Rangsiman Rome accused Suchada's husband of links to online scam networks and gambling sites, prompting Suchada to vehemently deny the claims, demand evidence, and file a defamation complaint.
Taiyang Zhang's background includes co-founding Ren Protocol, later sold to Alameda Research (linked to the FTX collapse), and some of his former associates have been convicted in crypto company failures.
Suchada, a former actress and first-time MP, maintains her husband's innocence, while her party leaders have distanced themselves from the allegations, deeming it a private matter.