Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo will not travel with the squad for their pre-season tour to Thailand and Australia after being given time off to deal with a family issue, a source at the Premier League club said on Thursday.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha joined world leaders in expressing shock and concern at the shooting of former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe on Friday.

The government has extended the state of emergency for another two months, until the end of September "only to facilitate its efforts to control Covid-19 and protect people's lives", according to a spokesman.

There were now about 29,000 new Covid-19 cases a day and the figures were rising in 23 provinces, particularly in Greater Bangkok and other tourist zones, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported on Friday.

TOKYO: Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was battling for his life on Friday after being shot at a campaign event in the Nara region.

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: A woman died when a car driven by her visiting foreign son-in-law plunged off a hill road leading to a viewpoint in Sichon district on Thursday afternoon.

This week: hotel dual-pricing, 'rich tourists only', Myanmar jet apology and a thief in underpants

A supermoon will be visible next Wednesday, coinciding with the Buddhist holiday Asanha Bucha or Dhamma Day, the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (Narit) said.

The Bank of Thailand (BoT) said on Friday it would let the baht move in line with market forces, but would take action if there was excessive volatility in the currency.

Video-sharing application TikTok is being sued in California after children died while taking part in a "Blackout Challenge" that makes a sport of choking oneself until passing out.