On May 19, 2025, Deputy Commander Maj. Gen. Pongsiam Meekhanathong of the Tourist Police revealed details following a joint meeting with embassy and consulate representatives and foreign volunteer networks in Pattaya, Chon Buri Province. The Tourist Police Command has launched proactive measures to protect tourists and foster cooperation between government agencies and international networks to prevent and suppress crimes damaging Thailand's tourism reputation.

Representatives from multiple countries participated, including Finland, South Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Mongolia, and the Russian Federation, along with foreign volunteer networks from over 20 countries in the Pattaya area.

Maj. Gen. Pongsiam stated that the meeting exchanged intelligence and discussed collaborative approaches to address issues involving foreigners in major tourism areas, particularly illegal shell company operations, criminal activities, unlawful immigration, overstays, drug trafficking networks, and online scam rings—all of which undermine tourism confidence and public safety.

The meeting also emphasized establishing tip-reporting networks, educating tourists and foreigners about Thai law, and promoting traffic discipline. This follows incidents of foreigners driving cars and motorcycles without proper licenses or violating traffic laws, a significant cause of accidents in tourism areas.

Maj. Gen. Pongsiam added that the Tourist Police will continue integrating cooperation with all sectors to enhance safety measures, build tourist confidence, and sustainably protect Thailand's tourism image.

On May 19, 2026 at Government House, Deputy Prime Minister's Office spokesperson Patdararasmi Thongsluayakorn announced Cabinet approvals for senior civil service appointments across multiple ministries. The Foreign Ministry proposed two appointments: Ms. Phaensom Lertsitchai, Deputy Director-General of the Department of East Asian Affairs, as Ambassador to Doha, Qatar; and Sek Nopthaisongh, Consul-General in Chengdu, China, as Ambassador to Tehran, Iran. The Finance Ministry appointed Somsak Anantawat, tax strategy advisor for the energy sector at the Revenue Department, as Revenue Commissioner. The Digital Economy and Society Ministry appointed Theerawut Thongpakdi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Digital Economy and Society Committee, as Ministry Inspector. The Cabinet also extended Pichet Kunathammarak's term as Director-General of the Railway Transport Department for one additional year through May 20, 2027. The Budget Bureau appointed Patcharaphon Sithipong, Budget Bureau Advisor, as Deputy Director. The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry appointed Pranome Chanmai, Senior Cooperative Specialist, as Cooperative Expert. Additionally, the Cabinet approved six political appointees, including Phinitmeth Thegthanan and Jidapa Suntharathanakul as advisors to Deputy Prime Minister Thongsri, and three other political staff members for the Prime Minister's Office.

Vietjet Thailand is rolling out its mega annual campaign 'Vietjet Online Travel Fair' featuring 1 million zero-baht flight tickets along with hotels and complete travel packages to support travel demand recovery.

According to Pinyos Pibulsongkram, Deputy President of Commercial and Customer Relations at Vietjet Thailand, while the aviation and travel industry in 2026 still faces challenges from consumer purchasing power and spending caution, travel demand continues to grow steadily. Consumer behavior has shifted toward becoming 'Value Travelers' who prioritize value and careful expense planning.

This is reflected in Vietjet Thailand's ticket sales, which grew over 35% in the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, while promotional campaign bookings were 15% higher than normal periods. Moreover, booking trends through the airline's platform have grown significantly, prompting the airline to expand its role from carrier to comprehensive travel platform. Passengers can now book hotels and attractions directly through the airline's website, making travel planning convenient and complete in one place.

'Value Travelers prioritize value at every stage of travel planning, from finding reasonably priced tickets to selecting packages that fit their budget while seeking cost management options alongside comprehensive travel convenience,' Pinyos said.

To meet current travel trends, Vietjet Thailand has launched the year's major campaign 'Vietjet Online Travel Fair' offering comprehensive travel deals including special ticket prices, hotel discounts, and popular attractions from May 19-31, 2026. Travel dates covered are August 1, 2026 to October 20, 2027, with bookings available on Vietjet Thailand's website and app.

The campaign offers:

Special ticket prices covering all domestic and international routes starting at 0 baht for Eco seats and 399 baht for Deluxe seats (excluding taxes and fees), up to 1,000,000 seats.

Addons discount: 15% off checked baggage (20-40kg) on routes to Phuket, Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Surat Thani for travel by October 31, 2026. Plus 30% off the 'Fly2Ferry' air-sea service for round trips on Suvarnabhumi-Koh Samui (Nathon), Koh Tao, and Koh Phangan routes for travel by September 30, 2026.

10% discount with no minimum for hotel bookings and attractions through www.vietjetair.com using code 'VZTRAVEL10' at checkout, covering hotels, attraction tickets, transportation, and restaurants both domestically and internationally.

'This campaign is part of our strategy to boost ticket sales while elevating ancillary and comprehensive tourism services through Vietjet Thailand's digital platform, reflecting our commitment to delivering valuable, convenient, and easily accessible travel experiences for modern travelers,' Pinyos said.

Two Chinese suspects detained in Chon Buri ‘zombie’ drug lab raidLegacyPolice raided a luxury pool villa in Chon Buri today, May 19, after finding it had been turned into a makeshift drug lab with machines and other items linked to chemicals used in ketamine-laced e-cigarettes, locally known as Pod K. Chon Buri Governor Naris Niramaivong and Pol Maj Gen Phongphan Wongmanithet, commander of Chon Buri Provincial Police, led officials with a search warrant from Pattaya Provincial Court. The villa covered about one rai, or 1,600 square metres, and had two two-storey buildings. Police searched the rear building and found more than 80 chemical-related items on the first floor, including blue 20-litre plastic containers, tins, sacks, black boxes, and other storage containers. Photo via DailyNews The second floor had been converted into a laboratory. Officers found large glass containers and three chemical-processing machines lined up together, all of which were still operating during the search. Police said the machines appeared to be producing Etomidate, known locally as a zombie drug. The chemical is believed to be a key ingredient used to make Pod K, which police said are popular among nightlife tourists. Two Chinese workers were detained at the villa: 47 year old Jia Jing Zhuang and 24 year old Teng Ji. Police said they are preparing charges of working in Thailand without permission. The suspects allegedly admitted they were responsible only for watching the property and supervising the chemical-mixing machines. Police took them for further questioning. Photo via DailyNews Investigators later searched a warehouse about 20 kilometres from the villa after surveillance found the group had been moving between the two sites. At the warehouse, officers found more chemical containers, including 20-litre and 200-litre drums, glass tubes used for mixing chemicals, and scales. Police seized the equipment as evidence, saying it appeared unused and ready for chemical production. Naris said the raid followed an earlier case about two months ago, when police seized large amounts of suspected psychoactive chemicals from a rented house in Nong Pla Lai, Bang Lamung. Investigators later found similar activity at the Huai Yai villa. Photo via DailyNews Pol Maj Gen Phongphan said the raid followed complaints from residents about Chinese nationals allegedly mixing chemicals, prompting Huai Yai police to monitor the property before seeking a search warrant. DailyNews reported that police will now work with Provincial Police Region 2 investigators, narcotics suppression police, and immigration police to trace the source of the chemicals and identify others involved. Similarly, back in late 2025, police raided a house in Pattaya and arrested a Chinese national for producing and distributing Pod K, a substance that has gained popularity among both Thai and foreign partygoers in Pattaya. The story Two Chinese suspects detained in Chon Buri ‘zombie’ drug lab raid as seen on Thaiger News.

CIMB Thai remains optimistic about Thailand's economy, announcing a new strategic direction that leverages its ASEAN network strength and risk management stability amid global economic volatility. The bank aims to triple its wealth business within five years.

On May 19, 2025, Vuthachai Thanittiraphon, CEO and President of CIMB Thai, stated that Thailand's economy still has significant positive factors from continued tourism recovery and the ongoing shift of manufacturing from China to Southeast Asia. The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council forecasts Thai economic growth at 1.5-2.5% this year.

However, businesses and investors still face negative factors and challenges, particularly from economic policies under the Trump administration, international political uncertainty, and ongoing geopolitical conflicts.

The bank announced a new vision to become a specialist in wealth management by leveraging its strategic advantage as part of the ASEAN regional financial institution group. It aims to become the bank that best understands its customers' needs, targeting threefold growth within five years.

CIMB Thai currently manages approximately 290 billion baht in assets, with forecasts to exceed 300 billion baht by year-end and targeting 750 billion baht by 2030.

The bank launched its Wealth Ecosystem built on three pillars:

1. CIMB Safer Pocket: Safe wealth management designing investment portfolios for clients seeking survival, stability, and growth across all market conditions through CIMB Donut, a clear portfolio management tool that clients can apply consistently.

2. CIMB Preferred: Exclusive privileges offering members ASEAN-level CIMB Preferred benefits across all network countries, providing access to high-investment opportunities like Singapore with lower minimum investment requirements for CIMB Thai depositors.

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BANGKOK — On May 19, 2026, relatives of victims killed in Saturday's catastrophic train and public bus crash at the Makkasan railway crossing have accused state transit agencies of institutional negligence, demanding direct accountability over the fatal accident.

On Tuesday at 10:50, the family of a victim known affectionately as Aunt Eiang arrived at the Police General Hospital's Institute of Forensic Medicine to retrieve her body for funeral rites at Wat Nam Daeng in Samut Prakan province.

The family expressed deep concern about the State Railway of Thailand's (SRT) handling of the situation, noting that while authorities have rushed to defend their personnel, they have provided no information about compensation or accepted responsibility. The family wants answers about why the bus driver stopped on the tracks and is calling for a thorough investigation into whether mechanical failure or other factors were involved.

They stressed that this tragedy must never happen again, pointing out that identical incidents have occurred repeatedly. The family emphasized they are not seeking financial compensation, as Aunt Eiang was the family's pillar, and no amount of money can fill the void left by her death.

At 12:30, a man named Santi arrived to meet with investigators to collect documents for his son's body, which he planned to transport to Wat Khlong Nueng in Pathum Thani province for funeral rites. He revealed that his son was traveling to visit a friend near Phatthanakan Intersection and was just three bus stops away when the crash occurred. The family had tracked the victim's location through a mobile sharing app, and his signal vanished at the exact moment of the accident.

Santi argued that public transportation should be the safest mode of travel, making such a tragedy completely unacceptable. His son was young, set to graduate next year, and aspired to become a software application programmer with a bright future ahead.

Santi strongly criticized both the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and the SRT, characterizing the accident as a result of institutional negligence. He contended that drivers are merely low-level employees and that the organizations themselves must take responsibility for their systems and staff management. He condemned the practice of blaming workers while organizations evade accountability, refuse to provide compensation, and force victims' families to pursue individual lawsuits against employees. Santi demanded that the organizations be held directly accountable.