MILESTONES

Delayed: Indefinitely, the planned extravagant party at the Royal Plaza for the government to claim credit for rescuing the Wild Boars from the Chiang Rai cave. Ironically, the main rescue teams were dispatched to search for and aid Lao residents of Attapeu displaced by the dam collapse. The general prime minister promised there will be a cave-rescue party, but not right now.

Back: As the world’s No.1 women’s golfer, Bangkok’s Ariya “May” Jutanugarn. Ariya conquered chilly winds and a lowering sky at East Lothian to win the Scottish Open. She banked her winner’s cheque of 7.5 million baht, then headed straight for Lancashire’s Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, where William Hill and other bookies installed her as prohibitive favourite to win the 43rd Women’s British Open, which concludes tonight.

Selected: By fellow members, veteran diplomat Ittiporn Boonprakong as president of the Election Commission. The EC is functioning with five members, its quorum, because the junta-appointed legislature refuses to appoint two additional members. Mr Ittiporn, 62, has served as ambassador and as head of the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department and has no political baggage.

Released: From Bangkok Remand Prison after serving a year for defamation, red shirt and United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship icon Jatuporn Prompan. The Supreme Court confirmed his conviction for defaming Abhisit Vejjajiva, the former prime minister. Jatuporn said he has lost 30kg during his time in government care.

Re-elected: In an election judged not free and unfair, Hun Sen as prime minister of Cambodia. He and his Cambodian People’s Party retained power after a five-year campaign that split the opposition into three groups: those to be jailed by kangaroo trials, those intimidated enough to flee into exile and those needing wet solutions.