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Chiang Mai Yi Peng Festival: The Spectacle of Thousands of Sky Lanterns

Among Thailand’s traditional festivals, the most beautiful is undoubtedly the "Yi Peng (Water Lantern) Festival." If April’s Songkran reveals Thais’ exuberance in water fights, November’s Yi Peng embodies the tender romance of Thai youth. Chiang Mai’s celebration stands out nationwide—beyond floating water lanterns on rivers to pray for blessings, it hosts a breathtaking mass release of thousands of sky lanterns into the air.

Saudi Arabia Lifts Ban on Female Drivers, Marking a Historic Change

For a long time, Saudi Arabia was the only country globally that prohibited women from driving. The Saudi Arabian interior ministry, specifically the head of the traffic police, refused to issue driver's licenses to women. Although there was no formal traffic law explicitly barring female drivers, women who dared to drive would be arrested and punished by law enforcement.

Why Germans Rarely Sing Their National Anthem in Its Entirety

Germany's national anthem, "Das Lied der Deutschen" (The Song of the Germans), has a complex and troubled past. Historically, the first stanza of the anthem has a strong connection with the Nazi regime. During the Nazi era, the anthem was misused to promote extreme nationalism and the heinous crimes committed by the regime. As a result, singing the first stanza is now considered a taboo in modern German society.

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