China begins war games around Taiwan, island vows to defend democracy
BEIJING/TAIPEI - China's military moved army, naval, air force and ​artillery units around Taiwan on Monday for its "Justice Mission 2025" drills, as the island vowed to defend democracy and mobilised troops to rehearse repelling a potential Chinese attack.

AIS launches simple SMS scam reporting service via 1185
Advanced Info Service (AIS) has launched a new "1185 Snap and Share" service allowing customers to report fraudulent SMS messages through a simplified process, providing a fast, free-of-charge solution for users to flag scammers with results promised within 24 hours for both Android and iOS users.

US and Ukraine 'a lot closer' on peace deal, Trump says
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy were "getting a lot closer, maybe very close" to an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, though both leaders acknowledged that some of the thorniest details remain unresolved. - REUTERS

Two helicopters crash in New Jersey, FAA and NTSB investigating
At least one person is dead and another is injured on Sunday (December 28) after two helicopters collided mid-air before crashing to the ground, in Hammonton, New Jersey, 34 miles southeast of Philadelphia, according to authorities. - REUTERS

Italy arrests nine over alleged Hamas funding through charities
Italian prosecutors say they have arrested nine people on suspicion of financing Hamas through charities based in Italy, in an operation coordinated with other EU countries. Israel said on Sunday (December 28), its intelligence and anti-terrorism agencies also contributed to the investigation. - REUTERS

Solar panel buyers putting safety first
As electricity prices remain volatile and climate concerns intensify, rooftop solar panels have become an increasingly attractive option for Thai households.

Unsafe levels of smog in Bangkok and 24 provinces
Unsafe levels of ultrafine dust blanketed Bangkok and 24 provinces, mostly in the Central Plains and the North, on Monday morning, according to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda).

A year in art
Since Thailand's art scene flourished this year, especially in Bangkok, city residents had access to a diverse range of art. As the year draws to an end, Life spoke with Sukontip Nakasem, founder of Warin Lab Contemporary & La Lanta Fine Art, and Voravuj Sujjaporamest, founder of VS Gallery, about highlights and significant art events that happened this year. While Warin Lab Contemporary is...

Universities drive condo demand in Bangkok in 2025
University areas comprised the top three locations in Bangkok with the highest condo absorption rates in 2025, driven by demand from students and investment buyers.

EV insurance demand surges amid expensive claims
Thailand's electric vehicle (EV) insurance market is expanding at an unprecedented pace, tracking rapid growth in EV sales dominated by Chinese brands, which have overtaken Japanese automakers in market share.