The railway director is urgently investigating the cause of a train collision with Route 206 air-conditioned bus near Makkasan Airport Rail Link station, which resulted in a massive fire. Eight people have been confirmed dead with many more injured.

At 4:00 PM on May 16, Makkasan Police Station received reports of a freight train colliding with a blue Route 206 public bus as well as multiple private vehicles and motorcycles, resulting in severe fire. Multiple deaths and injuries were reported. The incident occurred near Makkasan Airport Rail Link station on Asok-Dindaeng Road, Bangkapi Subdistrict, Huai Khwang District, Bangkok.

The public bus was completely engulfed in flames and destroyed, with periodic explosion sounds heard. Emergency personnel spent several minutes spraying water to control the blaze. At least 8 deaths were initially confirmed at the scene, with numerous additional injuries, primarily among vehicle and motorcycle users. First responders provided emergency care before transporting the injured to nearby hospitals.

Railway Director Anant Pothnim stated that the cause of the train-bus collision at Makkasan Airport Rail Link station cannot yet be concluded. He reported fatalities and property damage involving one freight train, one public bus, two private vehicles, and one motorcycle. Officials are en route to investigate the scene and have ordered a task force to conduct a thorough investigation.

Emergency responders were dispatched at 3:40 p.m. on May 16 after reports of a public bus fire near Makkasan Airport Rail Link Station on Asoke-Din Daeng Road, Ratchathewi District, Bangkok. Initial investigation revealed a freight train collided with a public bus and motorcycles, triggering a fire. Approximately 10 people were injured in the incident.

By 3:59 p.m., authorities reported 6 fatalities inside the public bus, with further details still being investigated. Dashcam footage captured the tragic moment, showing multiple vehicles stopped and straddling the railway tracks when the freight train carrying containers approached. The train struck the bus and several other vehicles, causing a massive fire to break out.

The Department of Business Development has pledged to investigate allegations of improper benefit solicitation, stating 'if wrong, we acknowledge it; if right, we acknowledge it too,' while reaffirming its commitment to fully digitalized services. On May 16, 2025, Director-General Poonpong Naiyanaphakorn of the Department of Business Development under the Ministry of Commerce addressed the issue of corruption in government, emphasizing it as a key indicator of national competitiveness and investor confidence.

The department adheres to good governance principles and welcomes scrutiny of all operational procedures to demonstrate transparency. The department has maintained strict oversight of staff conduct with clear disciplinary measures for complaints from businesses and the public. Digital systems have been implemented across all business registration, financial filing, and licensing processes, which inherently reduce face-to-face interactions that could facilitate bribery.

Despite comprehensive digital service delivery—including DBD Biz Regist for business registration, DBD e-PCL for public company registration, DBD e-Filing for financial statements, e-Foreign Business for foreign business permits, e-Secured for secured transactions registration, and DBD DataWarehouse+ for corporate information—a recent private sector survey under the 'Thai People Will Not Tolerate Corruption' program ranked the department 21st out of 26 agencies for alleged bribery requests.

The director-general expressed surprise at these findings, noting that virtually 100% of services are fully digitalized. The department has continuously updated and secured its digital systems, established standardized service procedures, implemented transparent status-tracking systems, and instructed staff to conduct business with integrity while prohibiting any improper benefit solicitation. Clear penalties and strict internal controls are in place to prevent corruption.

BANGKOK — 16 May 2026, Thailand has introduced stricter regulations governing cannabis businesses, limiting licences for medical cannabis activities to registered medical facilities, pharmacies and herbal medicine shops, health officials said.

The Public Health Ministry said the new ministerial regulation, which took effect this year, strengthens oversight of cannabis classified as a controlled herbal substance.

Under the rules, only legally registered healthcare facilities, pharmacies and herbal product stores may apply for licences to study, export, distribute or process cannabis for commercial purposes.

Dr. Tewan Thaneerat, deputy director-general of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, said the measures were designed to improve public safety and ensure cannabis use remains under professional supervision.

Official said traditional Thai medicine practitioners and licensed folk healers may continue using cannabis flower buds to treat patients, but only under tighter controls.

Dispensing cannabis products now requires an official prescription form, with supplies limited to a maximum of 30 days per patient. Businesses must also retain records for at least one year for inspection purposes.

Licensed premises are required to employ staff trained in basic medical cannabis knowledge during operating hours and must store cannabis flowers separately from the floor with effective odour and smoke control systems.

Authorities said businesses previously suspended or stripped of licences could be denied future licence renewals.

The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine said it regulates only cannabis flower buds as controlled herbal products. Exporters and distributors must also obtain cultivation and harvesting certification approved by the department.

Official said the new rules aim to create clearer medical cannabis standards while supporting the long-term development of Thailand's herbal medicine industry under legal oversight.

Research reveals that children's vegetable-eating behavior may begin while still in the womb, offering parents a new approach to nutrition during pregnancy and potentially reducing the dreaded "I don't want it!" from picky eaters. Efforts to get children to eat vegetables may not start during their first foods as many believe, but could actually begin while they're still in the womb. This means mothers can influence their child's taste preferences before the eye-rolling and refusals even begin.

New research from the United Kingdom found that fetuses can perceive certain smells and tastes through maternal consumption, and repeated exposure to vegetable scents may influence taste acceptance as children grow older. Children generally need 1 to 3 cups of vegetables daily to obtain vitamins, minerals, and fiber that support growth, brain development, and long-term health.

Data from the United States reveals an interesting problem: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that nearly half of children aged 1 to 5 years, approximately 49%, do not eat vegetables regularly every day, which has become a significant challenge for modern parents.

Previously, researchers from Durham University in the United Kingdom studied fetuses between 32 to 36 weeks of age and found distinctly different facial reactions when mothers consumed non-bitter carrot flavor versus bitter kale flavor. Using ultrasound to monitor these behaviors, researchers found that fetuses displayed smile-like expressions when exposed to carrot scent, while showing expressions of displeasure when exposed to kale.

In the latest research published in the journal Developmental Psychobiology, scientists followed the same group of children at age 3 to see whether prenatal exposure would affect their response to food smells. Results showed that children who had been exposed to vegetable scents in the womb displayed significantly fewer negative facial expressions when encountering the same smells at age 3, reflecting familiarity developed before birth.

Researchers noted that taste and smell experiences during late pregnancy may create long-lasting "taste memories" that influence children's food acceptance behavior for years after birth. However, researchers emphasized the need for further study to determine how much prenatal vegetable exposure actually helps increase long-term vegetable consumption, particularly during childhood when establishing healthy eating habits is challenging for parents.

Six people have died in a collision between a train and a public bus at Airport Rail Link's Makkasan Station, with bodies found inside the bus. Approximately 7-8 others were injured. Emergency services responded to reports at 3:40 p.m. on May 16, 2026, of a bus fire near Makkasan Airport Rail Link Station on Asok-Din Daeng Road in Ratchathewi District. Firefighters and rescue personnel from Phayathai station were dispatched to the scene. Initial investigation found that a train collided with a bus and motorcycle, triggering a fire that injured approximately 7-8 people. By 3:59 p.m., preliminary reports confirmed six deaths inside the public bus. Additional details remain under investigation and will be reported as information becomes available.