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Tourism Trang’s Hat Chao Mai National Park Announces Seasonal Closure of Islands & Caves
Picture courtesy of Khaosod. The chief of Hat Chao Mai National Park, Mr. Pathum Phongsakornfueangfu, has officially announced the temporary closure of several key tourist areas within the park during the upcoming monsoon season, to ensure public safety and allow for natural regeneration. The closure affects several marine zones within the park. Koh Waen and Koh Chueak will be closed from 1 June to 30 September 2025, a four-month period. Meanwhile, Koh Muk and Koh Kradan will be inaccessible from 1 August to 30 September, lasting two months. The renowned Emerald Cave (Tham Morakot), one of Thailand’s most iconic “Unseen Thailand” destinations, will be closed from 1 to 30 September. This shorter closure is intended to minimise disruption to residents of Koh Muk while still prioritising visitor safety. These measures follow a national directive issued by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation on 20 December 2024, revising seasonal tourism closures across various national parks. The goal is to better align closures with weather patterns and ecological sustainability for 2025. By limiting access to only certain areas for defined periods, rather than enforcing a blanket closure as in previous years, the park aims to balance ecological preservation with continued tourism activity. The initiative allows some marine destinations in Trang to remain open, offering tourists alternative sites during the rainy season while preventing overuse of sensitive natural resources. The park is expected to reopen fully from 1 October 2025, marking the beginning of the new tourism season. Officials stress that these temporary closures will benefit both the environment and the local tourism economy in the long term by ensuring that key attractions remain safe, sustainable, and vibrant for future visitors. Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-05-30. -
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Accident Teenage Boy 15, Dies After Motorcycle Crashes into Rear of Car in Lampang
Was he wearing a helmet? -
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Finance Foreign Nationals Face Account Bans in Bangkok Bank Crackdown
To avoid the 250 baht ATM fee. Is this a serious question? Did you just wake up with a hangover ? -
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Fire, Faith, and Free Speech: The Koran-Burning Case Testing British Liberties
Fire, Faith, and Free Speech: The Koran-Burning Case Testing British Liberties Hamit Coskun may be one of Britain’s most endangered men. In a bold and highly controversial act this February, the 50-year-old asylum seeker stood outside the Turkish consulate in London, pulled a Koran from his bag, and set it alight. What he describes as a symbolic protest has sparked widespread outrage and legal consequences, and it now stands to become a landmark case in the debate over freedom of expression. The burning was caught on video and quickly went viral. What followed was a violent public assault on Coskun, and later, a terrifying encounter at his home in Derby, where he claims two Iraqi men broke in, brandishing a knife and an ashtray, threatening his life. Since then, police have relocated him to a safe house somewhere in the Midlands. Coskun faces trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on charges of disorderly behaviour likely to cause “harassment, alarm or distress” under the Public Order Act. According to prosecutors, during the incident, Coskun swore and shouted “Islam is religion of terrorism” in broken English. He is accused of acting out of religious hostility. Unrepentant, Coskun insists he will plead not guilty and has vowed to continue his campaign by burning more copies of the Koran in other cities, regardless of the outcome. “Absolutely I will carry on burning Korans,” he says. “I am an activist. I was really surprised I got charged because I really believe this country was a liberal democracy where freedom of expression existed and I was really shocked by the attitude towards me.” His legal defence will invoke Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects freedom of expression. Interestingly, Coskun’s lawyers intend to draw on a case from 2001, when Sir Keir Starmer—then a human rights barrister—successfully defended peace activist Lindis Percy, who had been convicted for desecrating the American flag during a protest outside a U.S. airbase. Starmer argued at the time that “flag denigration is a form of protest activity renowned the world over,” and the High Court agreed, overturning Percy’s conviction under the same section of the Public Order Act now used against Coskun. Lord Young of Acton, a Tory peer and general secretary of the Free Speech Union, said: “In 2001, Sir Keir Starmer successfully appealed the conviction of Lindis Percy for desecrating the American flag. He persuaded the High Court that the denigration of an object of veneration should not be a criminal offence... If Sir Keir was still a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, the Free Speech Union might well have hired him to defend Hamit Coskun.” Coskun, a Kurdish-Armenian atheist, fled persecution in Turkey two and a half years ago. He claims to have spent nearly a decade imprisoned there for political activism. “I was abused and tortured,” he says. “On one occasion a gun was put to my neck.” His growing concern over the “Islamification” of Turkey under President Erdogan led to his act of protest in London. “I have been studying the Koran for 25 years now,” he says. “I am convinced it encourages terrorism.” The backlash has been swift and severe. A video shows Coskun being physically assaulted by a man outside the consulate and later, a cyclist running over his hand. “I don’t speak English but I could tell the guy was threatening me,” Coskun recalls. “Then the delivery rider stamped on my hand and threw his bicycle on me before cycling off.” Later, two men allegedly broke into his home, showed him the video of the incident, and warned: “If you keep doing this you will die.” Despite the fear and threats, he remains undeterred. “There is nothing wrong in questioning a religion,” he says. While insisting he doesn’t wish to offend, Coskun maintains it is his “democratic right” to burn the Koran. He even expresses admiration for far-right figure Tommy Robinson, stating, “I love him.” Coskun now awaits his trial outcome but is already planning his next steps—a tour of Liverpool, Birmingham, and Glasgow, Koran in hand. “I am ready to pay the cost,” he says. “It’s OK. It’s not a problem. I know what could happen to me. They are after me.” The legal case may ultimately set new boundaries—or reaffirm old ones—on what freedom of speech really means in the UK today. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph 2025-05-30 -
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Transgender Netball Players Banned in Australia Amid Safety Concerns
Transgender Netball Players Banned in Australia Amid Safety Concerns Two transgender athletes have been banned from competing in Australian netball following widespread concern over player safety, sparked by footage showing one of them forcefully knocking down an opponent during a match. The video, which quickly drew public attention, shows Manawa Aranui of Melton Central colliding with a Romsey player, sending her to the court. Although no foul was called and Aranui is seen offering assistance to the fallen player, the incident has ignited a national debate about the inclusion of transgender women in female sports competitions. Aranui, who transitioned after competing in elite men’s netball in Australia, was one of two trans athletes playing for Melton Central in Victoria’s Riddell District Football Netball League (RDFNL). After mounting complaints from rival teams and concerns for player safety, the league made the decision to exclude both players for the remainder of the 2025 season. “After lengthy consideration and consultation, the RDFNL has ruled that the two transgender participants be excluded from the RDFNL Netball Competitions for the remainder of the 2025 season on the premise that both participants exhibit superior stamina and physique over their competitors deeming Section 42 of the Sex Discrimination Act relevant,” the league said in a formal statement. The controversy deepened when Melton South Netball Club threatened to boycott matches against Melton Central if the two transgender players remained eligible. Melissa Dawson, netball coordinator for Melton South, voiced strong concerns over fairness and player welfare. “One of the players is six foot something – it’s ridiculous,” she told reporters. “Netball Victoria needs to put the safety of biological females first.” Netball Victoria has since confirmed it is reviewing the matter and has commissioned an independent expert to evaluate the situation. While the organisation currently allows transgender and non-binary players to participate in female competitions based on self-identified gender, it now faces growing pressure to reconsider that stance. This is not the first time Aranui has faced restrictions. In April, the Ballarat Football Netball League ruled her ineligible to compete in its women’s league, citing legal advice related to the Sex Discrimination Act. Nevertheless, Aranui continued to play for Melton Central and was recently named best on court in a Division 1 grand final. The issue reflects a wider global divide in how sports bodies handle transgender participation. In the UK, recent developments have taken a firmer stance. Following a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year affirming that the term “woman” refers specifically to biological females, England Netball and other governing bodies promptly banned all transgender women from female categories in their competitions. The debate over fairness, inclusion, and safety continues to fuel both legal and ethical discussions in sport. As Australia wrestles with where to draw the line, Netball Victoria’s decision in the coming months may set a precedent for how gender identity and competitive equity can or cannot coexist in the future of women's sports. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph 2025-05-30 -
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Tate Brothers to Face 21 Charges in UK, Including Rape and Human Trafficking
Tate Brothers to Face 21 Charges in UK, Including Rape and Human Trafficking UK prosecutors have confirmed for the first time that Andrew and Tristan Tate will face a total of 21 charges, including rape, actual bodily harm, and human trafficking, upon their extradition from Romania. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) revealed that the decision to charge the brothers was made in 2024, prior to the issuance of an extradition warrant. The CPS said the charges relate to allegations originally investigated by Bedfordshire Police. Andrew Tate, a 38-year-old influencer and former kickboxer, is accused of 10 offences involving three alleged victims, including rape, causing actual bodily harm, human trafficking, and controlling prostitution for gain. His younger brother, 36-year-old Tristan Tate, is facing 11 charges tied to a single alleged victim, with the offences also including rape, actual bodily harm, and human trafficking. “These charges have been authorised following a thorough review of evidence presented by Bedfordshire Police,” said the CPS. “However, the domestic criminal matters in Romania must be settled first before extradition can proceed.” Andrew and Tristan Tate, both dual British-American citizens, were born in the United States but moved to Luton, UK, with their mother following their parents’ divorce. In recent years, Andrew Tate has gained notoriety online, amassing over 10 million followers on X, formerly Twitter, and frequently posting about his luxurious lifestyle involving fast cars, private jets, and yachts. He has also sparked controversy for describing himself as a misogynist. The brothers were first arrested in Romania in December 2022 amid allegations of rape and human trafficking. They denied all charges and spent several months under house arrest. In August 2024, new accusations surfaced in Romania, including sex with a minor and trafficking underage persons, all of which the brothers also deny. Their legal troubles in the UK escalated in March 2024 when they were detained in Bucharest after Bedfordshire Police obtained an arrest warrant tied to the UK allegations. The charges in the UK are alleged to have occurred between 2012 and 2015. At the time, the brothers issued a joint statement claiming they “categorically reject all charges” and are “very innocent men.” A Romanian court ruled that their extradition to the UK could only take place after the resolution of ongoing proceedings in Romania. Subsequently, they were released from custody and, in a surprising move, prosecutors lifted a two-year travel ban. In February 2025, they flew from Romania to Florida aboard a private jet. By March 2025, the brothers had returned to Romania, where they told reporters, “innocent men don’t run from anything.” They stated that they had registered with the authorities in Bucharest to demonstrate compliance with the ongoing investigation. While Andrew Tate did not clarify whether he planned to stay in Romania, he said he intended to prove his innocence both there and in the UK. Related Topics: Andrew Tate's Legal Counterattack Allegations of Harassment and Intimidation Andrew and Tristan Tate Expected to Be Extradited to UK After Romanian Trial Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-05-30
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