The chairman of World Vision International visited the World Vision Foundation of Thailand to underscore that investing in vulnerable children is central to sustainable social development. Every baht invested in children produces enormous value that flows back to the economy and society, he said, while commending Thailand's remarkable advancement in caring for stateless children.

Andrew Morley, chairman of World Vision International, stated during his visit to the World Vision Foundation of Thailand that investing in children represents the most worthwhile investment for any society. Research from multiple regions worldwide—Asia, Africa, and Latin America—consistently confirms that building health and education foundations for children yields sustainable long-term benefits. Investment returns to society at least sixfold throughout their lifetimes. This fact becomes even more critical as both the world and Thailand face demographic shifts toward an aging society, with declining birth rates making every child an invaluable resource requiring top priority.

Morey added that the number of vulnerable children facing structural challenges continues to rise. Experience shows that vulnerable children lack not ability but opportunity. With proper investment and support, they develop into quality, positively contributing members of society. Many such children demonstrate high entrepreneurial potential because they learn survival skills from a young age. With appropriate tools and opportunities, they can build careers, develop businesses, and become vital economic forces in the future.

"What children need most is the feeling that someone cares, listens to their stories, encourages them, and communicates with them consistently," he said. "This power of love can heal emotional wounds, allowing children who have experienced hardship or grown up feeling invisible to laugh and play safely again.

Child protection is not optional but a shared responsibility for everyone. Clear mechanisms enabling children and communities to speak out when things go wrong are essential. I thank the Thai people and Thai government for their support regardless of where these children come from or what cultures they represent, because every child deserves a safe, quality childhood filled with hope. Everyone can participate, whether through child sponsorship or other forms of support—every contribution is meaningful and creates tangible change," Morley said.

The World Vision Foundation of Thailand invites all to be part of creating miracles of change, ensuring that every child in disadvantaged areas receives continuous and sustainable care. Support children's activities on Facebook at worldvisionthailand or call 0-2022-9200.

At 1:30 PM on May 25, 2026, at Government House, Minister Suphamaas Itsaraphakdi presided over the 4th meeting of the Safe and Creative Media Development Fund Committee. She commended the committee's strong attendance record of over 90%, particularly praising Culture Minister Sabida Thaisart who maintained perfect attendance except when abroad. Regarding recent live-stream broadcasts of inappropriate sexual behavior on online platforms from 1-2 days prior, Suphamaas expressed deep concern, stating the incidents contradicted the fund's core mission and represented harmful, unsafe, and uncreative media that was shocking for Thailand. She emphasized that as fund chair and mother of four, she found such content unacceptable. She called for the fund to develop management strategies to prevent future incidents and demanded platform accountability, which she said remains unseen. She instructed the secretariat to address the matter and bring it back for discussion at the next meeting to ensure Thai society has access to safe and creative media.

The Criminal Court on Ratchdamnoen Road held an evidence examination and defendant testimony hearing in case No. 508/2569 against Raibina (Nana) Intachai, a former famous actress, and her husband Parinya Intachai (Wey Titanium), along with two other defendants. They are accused of collectively defrauding the public through online pyramid scheme investment and other charges totaling 195 million baht in damages.

During the hearing, six victims filed to join as co-prosecutors. The prosecution presented 71 documentary exhibits and 39 witnesses, consisting of victims and police officials involved in the case. The defendants denied all allegations, claiming the matter was a civil contract breach rather than fraud.

The court allowed the six victims to join as co-prosecutors in the fraud and document forgery charges only. The prosecution's witness examination is scheduled over nine sessions for all 39 witnesses, while the defense will present eight witnesses over two sessions.

Victims' lawyer Sawat Charoenphol stated that no contact has been made by the defendants regarding settlement negotiations, contrary to some reports. He confirmed that while victims would be willing to discuss settlement if approached, the remaining victims will serve as witnesses for the prosecution. The total damages remain in the hundreds of millions of baht.

CHIANG MAI — 25 May 2026, A popular Thai Facebook page has warned consumers that cheap gold-coloured foil imported from China and sold online as edible bakery decoration may not be safe for consumption.

The page, Drama-addict, said on Monday that a follower had alerted it to gold-coloured foil from China being sold at bakery supply shops as edible decoration. The concern began after the follower used a translation app to scan labels on small vials of the product.

According to the page, the translated label described the product as copper-based foil intended for arts and crafts, not for human consumption. Despite that warning, the item was allegedly being sold under edible baking supplies.

The page said similar products were also being sold on major e-commerce platforms, with some listings showing total sales of more than 10,000 units. The administrator purchased samples of the imported product and said the low price — about 20 baht per vial — was an immediate warning sign, as genuine edible gold leaf in similar quantities would normally cost far more.

After receiving the product, the administrator carried out several informal checks. He said genuine gold leaf is usually beaten so thin that it breaks apart and almost disappears when rubbed between the fingers. The sample, however, reportedly rolled into small clumps and metallic flakes.

The administrator also conducted a burn test, saying genuine gold does not oxidise when exposed to flame. When the imported foil was scorched, he said, it quickly turned black. The page said the reaction suggested the product was not genuine gold but another metal or alloy.

The page concluded that the product was not suitable for consumption and appeared to be intended for craft use. It accused some sellers of mislabelling the item online and in shops as "food-grade edible gold."

The administrator warned that consuming such products could pose a health risk, particularly if they contain metals not approved for food use. He said the apparent sales volume was concerning, with online listings showing tens of thousands of units sold.

It remains unclear how many consumers may have already eaten pastries decorated with the product. The page urged relevant agencies to inspect the products and take action before consumers are put at further risk.

Phichit Buzzing as Residents Line Up to Verify Identity for Thai Helps Thai Plus Scheme, Long queues extend outside bank. Residents began queuing from 6 AM. On May 25, 2025, reports indicate the Krung Thai Bank Phichit branch has been bustling since 6 AM, with large crowds arriving to queue for identity verification to receive the Thai Helps Thai Plus (60/40) subsidy. Residents with the Pao Tang mobile application brought their phones to verify registration for the program, which is accepting registrations between May 25-29 with 30 million benefit allocations available.

Bank staff arranged for people to queue outside the building to reduce overcrowding and provided clarifications to waiting residents, establishing separate queues for benefit verification and routine banking transactions. One resident reported arriving at 7 AM to use the Pao Tang app for facial recognition verification with bank staff, but worried about the extended queue and feared missing out on the benefits.

The bank established additional service points with intern trainees and staff to provide guidance to the public. The main registration problem identified involves equipment and technical system limitations, particularly for elderly residents using older smartphones where the Android operating system must be version 10 or higher to support the application.

This has created anxiety among residents with questions such as "Do I need to buy a new phone to exchange for these benefits?" which adds financial burden in the current economic situation. Other technical issues causing confusion include failed identity verification, particularly facial scanning problems, with SIM card data and registered SIM holder names needing to match the national ID number.

Staff have been promoting instructions on how to verify through ID numbers, phone calls, and internet signals. Some residents have experienced slow internet signals that disrupted their registration process, but system uncertainty and complex conditions continue to leave many residents stressed and worried about missing this opportunity for assistance.

Ms. Sut Jai Bunwat, a resident of Muang Kao subdistrict, revealed she had her grandchild enter the system to verify benefits because she feared mistakes would prevent proper verification for the Thai Helps Thai Plus scheme.

As of May 25, 2026 at 12:00 noon, the Ministry of Finance provided an update on the Thailand Helps Thailand Plus 60/40 registration program. Out of 22.6 million people who registered, 17.4 million completed registration successfully, 4.9 million are pending qualification verification, and 335,319 failed to register. The failures were attributed to 335,153 existing welfare card holders and 166 others who had previously violated program conditions. Approximately 7.4 million citizens remain eligible to register. For merchants, 977,296 existing stores met the criteria, with 392,299 fully registered and ready to participate. An additional 9,013 new stores are in various stages of approval, with 1,680 fully registered and active. In total, 393,979 stores have completed registration and are ready to use the program.