Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaiya will attend the 2025 APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (APEC MRT) meeting hosted by the People's Republic of China in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, from May 22-23 under the theme "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together."

Supattanapong stated that the meeting will drive three concrete outcomes: "Openness" to promote transparent, predictable, and inclusive trade and economic systems at both regional and multilateral levels; "Innovation" to establish trade and investment cooperation mechanisms powered by modern technology; and "Cooperation" to strengthen collaboration among member economies in addressing shared economic challenges sustainably.

The 2025 meeting represents a crucial opportunity for Thailand to showcase its vision and exchange perspectives on open, sustainable trade cooperation and digital economic transformation under the National AI Strategy, while supporting cross-border data flows. Discussions will cover environmentally friendly trade, AI governance frameworks, and capacity-building for developing economies and MSMEs.

Supattanapong will also hold bilateral discussions with major economies including China and Singapore to advance economic, trade, and investment cooperation, while reaffirming Thailand's commitment to open trade systems and regional economic cooperation. Thailand prioritizes trade facilitation, digital transition, sustainable commerce, and supply chain resilience.

APEC comprises 21 economies, and in 2024, Thailand's trade with APEC members reached $494.6 billion, representing 72.24% of Thailand's total trade, with exports of $237.6 billion and imports of $257.1 billion.

On May 21, 2026, Dr. Thatchapong Jongcharoenyannont, a pediatric specialist in respiratory diseases and critical care, posted a warning through his medical education page alerting people born before 1992 to undergo hepatitis B virus blood screening, emphasizing that early detection can help prevent liver cancer.

Dr. Thatchapong explained that Thailand only began implementing nationwide hepatitis B vaccination for newborns seriously around 1992, meaning many people born before that year may never have received the vaccine as infants and could have been infected without knowing it. The critical concern is that hepatitis B virus can remain dormant in the body for decades without any symptoms, with many people only discovering their infection when cirrhosis or liver cancer has already developed.

For anyone born before 1992, particularly those uncertain about their vaccination history or who have never been screened, the doctor recommends getting a blood test screening. Those who test positive can access several effective antiviral medications that help suppress the virus and significantly reduce the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. For those testing negative, hepatitis B vaccination is recommended, as it remains one of the few vaccines worldwide that also helps prevent cancer.

Agriculture Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit revealed that SME Thai federation, led by president Noppapong Theeraworn, has consulted on strategies to promote and upgrade agricultural SME operators, particularly in agricultural processing development, agricultural product value enhancement, and market linkage both domestically and internationally to create stable income for Thai farmers and entrepreneurs.

Suriya stated that the Agriculture Ministry prioritizes upgrading agricultural SMEs alongside grassroots farmer development by accelerating the "cost reduction and income growth" policy through modern technology adoption, including precision agriculture systems, efficient fertilizer application, and alternative energy support. He also requested private sector and SME network cooperation to expand agricultural product marketing channels while raising product standards to meet global market demands and promote continuous business matching to create new trade opportunities and drive sustainable agricultural economic growth.

Noppapong expressed confidence in the clear agricultural advancement policy that benefits both the nation and Thai farmers' stable growth. SME Thai federation stands ready to fully support all policy implementations. The federation will focus on four main areas: developing knowledge and innovation for SME operators and farmers through technology transfer and modern processing management; upgrading agricultural product standards for domestic and international market compliance; expanding marketing channels through online and offline partner networks; and promoting access to capital sources to enhance liquidity and competitive capacity.

Noppapong stated the federation is prepared to support the Agriculture Ministry across all dimensions, including innovation development, entrepreneur capacity enhancement, domestic and international market promotion, and establishing cooperation networks between farmers and SME operators to drive sustainable grassroots economic growth. Additionally, SME Thai will serve as a crucial mechanism to advance operators into standardized processing systems, increase competitiveness, and propel Thai agricultural products into global markets, aligning with the government's policy focus on creating added value and strengthening long-term economic strength.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), working with the Ministry of Public Health, airlines, and relevant agencies, is escalating measures to monitor and prevent Ebola virus disease in the civil aviation system.

This follows the World Health Organization's declaration that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), due to the risk of cross-border transmission.

Thailand's Public Health Ministry has designated the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as dangerous disease zones for Ebola to strengthen domestic surveillance, prevention, and control measures.

CAAT has coordinated with the International Disease Control and Quarantine Division and the Ministry of Public Health, along with airlines and relevant agencies, to establish unified guidelines for implementing health measures in aviation and responding to the situation efficiently.

The Public Health Ministry is initially requesting public cooperation in avoiding travel to affected areas, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and nearby areas with disease transmission risks.

For those with necessary travel, registration through the Thai Health Pass system (https://thaihealthpass.com) is required. Foreign nationals must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) with accurate information for effective disease tracking and surveillance.

For airlines with routes to risk areas, CAAT has coordinated strict health measures in three areas:

1. Public communications and information to passengers about health measures and requirements before travel 2. Passenger screening from the point of origin, including verification of registration information, with immediate health measures for suspected cases 3. Supporting disease control officials with information such as seating and travel details for timely disease tracking and surveillance

Additionally, the International Disease Control and Quarantine Division has conducted emergency response drills for suspected cases, both those detected on aircraft and those showing symptoms after entering the country.

Guidelines have been established for coordination between airlines, airports, health agencies, and relevant departments to manage situations continuously while minimizing impacts on aviation operations.

CAAT emphasizes that passengers and airline operators must strictly comply with health measures to ensure passenger safety, maintain confidence in Thailand's aviation system, and uphold international safety and health standards.

Myanmar's military claimed on May 20 to have recaptured Mawtaung, a town on the Thai border, representing another battlefield victory against minority armed forces and anti-junta opposition groups over recent months. According to The Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper, the military lost control of the town in the Tanintharyi region in November but retook it on May 19 following a two-week counter-offensive. The fighting involved more than 200 clashes of varying scale, killing at least 24 opposition fighters, though the military did not disclose its own casualties. State media indicated that cross-border trade and transportation activities between Myanmar and Thailand through the Tanintharyi-Mawtaung route would resume. The military has also claimed to have retaken a major northern highway toward the Chinese border and celebrated the recapture of the busiest trade gate with Thailand in April. Part of the military's territorial recovery stems from two minority armed groups—key forces in the 2023 offensive—signing Chinese-mediated ceasefire agreements, leaving the less-equipped democratic forces vulnerable to military attacks.

Tour group backlash has erupted against Petchpakplaraa after she made light of Tray Scott's emotional wounds through mockery. Major social media pages have questioned her insensitive behavior that lacks compassion for fellow humans. Meanwhile, many people have rallied to support Tray Scott, sending encouragement as he copes with difficult times and the emotional scars from childhood violence and abuse.

Petchpakplaraa has been criticized for inappropriately mocking Tray Scott's experience of abuse in a joking manner.

Social media has erupted with backlash against Petchpakplaraa and other pages questioning the appropriateness of her comments. Her behavior is seen as insensitive and severely lacking in empathy for another person.

Criticism has intensified against Petchpakplaraa for her tone-deaf remarks. Reports suggest this is not the first time she has apologized after similar insensitive incidents.