AI In-Brief

Thailand News in Brief

Thai PBS World

Thailand and the world, every day

AI can make mistakes. Please double-check.

Human rights and democracy advocate Jon Ungphakorn dies at 77

11 Sept 12:00 Key points summarised by AI

Jon Ungphakorn, a revered human rights and democracy advocate, former senator, and founder of Prachatai online news service and iLaw, passed away at 77.
He established iLaw in 2009 to empower citizens in law-making, champion democratic principles, and actively oppose coups.
Ungphakorn dedicated his life to social causes, initiating volunteer programs for the rural poor and founding the ACCESS foundation to fight AIDS discrimination and ensure patient rights.
His commitment to justice extended to co-founding the 'Mit Thai' newsletter during Thailand's political upheavals, informing the international community and aiding students fleeing oppressive regimes.

Today 14:58 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's government will launch the "Chainat-Pasak-Gulf" water diversion canal project in fiscal year 2027, a seven-year mega-infrastructure initiative.
This permanent structural solution aims to mitigate recurrent central plains flooding by diverting water from the Chao Phraya River directly into the Gulf of Thailand, significantly reducing flow to major cities like Ayutthaya and Bangkok.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul justifies the long-term investment as a means to reduce future damages and fiscal burdens, contrasting it with the 40-50 billion baht spent annually on short-term flood relief.
Concurrently, the Prime Minister instructed officials to expand drainage capacity into the Tha Chin River and swiftly remove water hyacinths to improve immediate flood management.