Creative Bangkok hotel housekeeper wins praise
BANGKOK - A hotel housekeeper in Bangkok has earned widespread admiration after going the extra mile to fulfil a guest’s playful request, showcasing both her craftsmanship and attention to detail.

29 Thais rescued from Cambodian scam centres
CHANTHABURI - Twenty-nine Thai nationals — 14 women and 15 men — have been rescued from illegal scam operations in Cambodia and returned safely to Thailand to emotional reunions with their families following joint coordination between Thai and Cambodian authorities.

At least 30 dead after crane falls on moving train in Korat
NAKHON RATCHASIMA - At least 30 people were killed and 60 others injured after a construction crane fell onto a moving train in this northeastern province on Wednesday morning.

Bangkok PM2.5 levels peak as auto emissions choke inner city
Bangkok recorded its highest PM2.5 levels of the year on Wednesday, with fine dust pollution reaching hazardous levels in several inner-city districts.

Luxury retailer Saks Global files for bankruptcy
NEW YORK - US luxury retail group Saks Global, the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, said Wednesday it had filed for bankruptcy.

Death toll from Iran approaches 2,600, rights group reports
DUBAI/JERUSALEM — The death toll from unrest in Iran climbed to almost 2,600, a rights group said on Wednesday, as Tehran ‌stepped up diplomatic contacts with US-allies in the region over a crisis that has ​drawn threats of intervention from President Donald Trump.

Etihad plane lands safely in Phuket after hitting air pocket
PHUKET - An Etihad Airways bound for Phuket from Abu Dhabi encountered an air pocket over Phuket and landed safely at Phuket International Airport at about noon on Wednesday.

Vietnam to sign deal to export 2.5 million tonnes of rice to Philippines
HANOI — Vietnam expects to sign an agreement ‌to ​export 2.5 million metric tonnes of rice to the Philippines this year, state media reported on ‌Wednesday.

Cambodia to keep up crackdown on scam centres after arrest of alleged mastermind
Cambodia's arrest of alleged scam centre kingpin Chen Zhi ​and his extradition to China was "not the end" of the Southeast Asian nation's battle to stamp out trans-border crimes, its foreign minister said.

Scientist wins 'Environment Nobel' for shedding light on hidden fungal networks
WASHINGTON — Beneath the surface of forests, grasslands and farms across the world, vast fungal webs form underground trading systems to exchange nutrients with plant roots, acting as critical climate regulators as they draw down 13 billion tonnes of carbon annually.