Officials are prosecuting an oil hoarding operation involving 52 million liters of fuel, profiteering during the Strait of Hormuz closure. On May 18, 2025, at the National Police Office, Justice Minister Rutthapol Nao-uerawat, along with Energy Minister Eak-nart Prom-phanthoop, Deputy Police Commissioner Thatchai Pitaneelabutr, and DSI Director Yuthana Praidamm, announced results of investigations and prosecution against Section 7 oil traders with their own gas stations. The investigation found that these traders deliberately delayed fuel sales to hoard oil and profit from continuously rising prices, causing a severe fuel shortage crisis in March 2025 during Middle East conflicts.

The task force determined that fuel shortages, especially diesel, resulted from Section 7 oil traders deliberately withholding fuel from retail stations even though adequate supplies remained in storage during the March 20-25, 2025 Strait of Hormuz closure period. This caused significant hardship for the public. Diesel supplies disappeared from the system at approximately 29.2 million liters, representing 20.2% of total inventory.

Section 7 oil traders also hoarded fuel in maritime and road transport using deliberate delays to ensure fuel arrived at storage facilities when they could maximize profits from oil price speculation. Officials discovered 23 large tanker shipments (2-5 million liters each; normally 2 trips) deliberately delayed with 50.8 million liters of fuel aboard, and 662 unmarked truck trips carrying 2.1 million liters, believed to involve hoarding fuel on vehicles or in alternative storage facilities.

Justice Minister Rutthapol stated these Section 7 oil traders distorted market mechanisms through deliberate fuel hoarding in storage and transport by sea and road to profit at others' expense, lacking governance and showing disregard for public suffering and law.

Charges will include "delaying fuel sales under Section 30 of the 2542 BE Price of Goods and Services Act, carrying penalties of up to 7 years imprisonment or 140,000 baht fine or both" and "transport documentation not conforming to regulations under Section 30 of the 2543 BE Oil Trading Act, carrying penalties of up to 1 year imprisonment or 100,000 baht fine or both."

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has directed decisive prosecution against all involved parties without exception. Deputy Police Commissioner Thatchai noted the investigation found irregularities throughout the fuel distribution system including hoarding in storage facilities, maritime transport delays, and land transport delays intended to profit during the crisis affecting Thailand's oil infrastructure.

The Dusit Thani Group unveiled its first-quarter 2026 (January-March) financial results on May 18, 2026, reporting total revenue of 3,270 million baht, a 37.3% year-over-year increase. EBITDA reached 860 million baht, while net profit jumped to 249 million baht, up 418.8%, driven primarily by growth in hotel operations and residential unit handovers from the Dusit Central Park project.

Chanin Donavanik, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dusit Thani Group, noted that Q1 2026 performance grew despite global geopolitical tensions. Key growth drivers included rising hotel revenues and residential unit deliveries from Dusit Central Park, with strong revenue growth and efficient fixed-cost management expanding operating margins significantly.

"Although foreign tourist arrivals in Thailand declined in the first quarter, our hotel business still grew, demonstrating our portfolio management and customer base diversification capabilities," Donavanik stated. Hotel properties achieved a 17% increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) year-over-year, particularly Dusit Thani Bangkok, driven by higher occupancy rates and average room rates.

Hotel management contract revenues also grew despite geopolitical challenges in the Middle East impacting that region's performance. Moving forward, the company will closely monitor the situation and adjust operational strategies, placing greater emphasis on regional and domestic tourism while maintaining efficient cost controls.

For 2026, Dusit Thani projects overall revenue growth of 5-8% (excluding residential deliveries) and anticipates EBITDA margins of 18-20%. The company identified global geopolitical factors as the primary challenge, noting that any improvement in the global environment would benefit international travel and tourism, supporting future growth.

On May 18, 2025, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it received a complaint regarding the Kang Dong brand dietary supplement sold online, which claims benefits including rapid blood sugar stabilization, protection against diabetes complications, and complete health restoration without medication for over one million patients. The FDA's investigation confirmed that the Kang Dong supplement (Food License No. 13-1-16862-5-0217) had its product registration cancelled by the manufacturer on March 23, 2025, and the advertised health claims are false and deceptive. The agency urges consumers to be cautious and not be misled. The FDA and relevant agencies are currently pursuing legal action and conducting intensive market surveillance. Consumers can verify product information at www.fda.moph.go.th or through FDA's official social media accounts (@FDAThai). Those who encounter suspicious products can report them to the FDA hotline 1556.

Strong Values on Display! Fans, come see what real star integrity and emotional intelligence look like! Our beloved actress Baifern (often called "Little Water") sat down for an interview today about the ongoing "recording controversy sequel" that's been making waves, and her statements have won universal praise. This is what a thoughtful idol looks like in modern times: No Compromise on Justice: When faced with serious social issues, Baifern made her position crystal clear: "Under any circumstances, I firmly oppose and condemn all forms of sexual assault!" This statement showed respect for victims and demonstrated the moral leadership the public expects from celebrities. Calling for Rational Discourse, Rejecting Mob Attacks: Baifern wisely pushed back against online harassment of artists who simply left supportive comments for the pregnant Mild during this crisis, urging people to separate the issues. Friends were simply showing compassion for a woman experiencing a high-risk pregnancy amid scandal—not endorsing any criminal behavior. Standing Firmly by Her Friend: She spoke directly to Mild, acknowledging how difficult and confusing this moment must be, but assuring her that friends will stand by her side. This kind of friendship—one that doesn't kick someone when they're down while still maintaining clear moral principles—is truly moving. Online Sentiment: Fans say Baifern isn't just beautiful; her emotional intelligence and values put to shame those who try to sit on the fence. This is what a truly positive role model looks like! Let's carry forward this "light of reason and justice" that Baifern represents into 2026, keeping our minds sharp and our thinking independent.

A popular Facebook page has revealed why a celebrity couple broke up just a year after getting engaged, despite appearing deeply in love, with the woman identified as half-Thai. According to the 'Auntie Next Door' page, which claims to use 'fifth precept meditation' to investigate, the woman is indeed half-Thai but appears somewhat Thai-featured. Last year, the man proposed with a 'lucky number 7 ritual', and both appeared very happy together. The woman's family also seemed delighted with the match—they were beautiful, wealthy, handsome, and appeared to be a well-suited, warm family. Yet eventually they broke up. The auntie summarized that despite their obvious love, as they approached marriage, their expectations and desires increased significantly, leading to mounting relationship problems. Both confirmed there was no third party involved, but rather mutual misunderstanding and differing perspectives on key issues. The auntie mentioned that wealthy people sometimes clash over financial matters. She declined to elaborate further, suggesting they would speak for themselves when ready, noting both are currently very busy with tours and performances, so she's giving them space to heal. The comments section has many people claiming to know who the couple is, though some are still guessing and asking for more hints.

At 10:30 a.m. on May 18, 2025 at parliament, Piangpan Bunkham, representing the people's government management team for state reform, disclosed results from a joint private-public sector committee survey on corruption and bribery. Over 70% of survey respondents were legal or procurement managers, with another 20% being SME owners or top executives employing no more than 200 staff. While the survey may not reflect large-scale corporate bribery in state bidding, officials believe substantial illicit payments occur in multiple forms—a serious concern amid economic hardship.

The government proposes three measures: First, eliminate outdated laws and unnecessary permits to reduce bureaucratic discretion that enables bribery, with a parliamentary special committee given 90 days to complete this reform by August. Second, overhaul public procurement methods and fix regulations that limit competition—such as exempting certain agencies from competitive bidding for contracts under 500,000 baht, affecting approximately 400 billion baht in spending and potentially saving 10% or 40 billion baht. Third, establish whistleblower protections for those reporting bribes and corruption, aligning with OECD principles that Thailand seeks to adopt.

Piangpan noted that Deputy Prime Minister Pakaorn Nilpraband announced plans to make anti-corruption a national agenda and accelerate Thailand's OECD membership bid. The Democratic Party emphasizes that effective, fair law enforcement and independent oversight are essential. Ratchanok Srinok, a Democratic Party list MP, highlighted two key survey findings: officials exploiting procurement to facilitate bribery, and the need to deploy technology to reduce bureaucratic discretion. The most effective anti-corruption strategy involves transparency and empowering civil society to analyze data using modern tools—an area where the private sector stands ready but government data access remains the bottleneck. The Democratic Party previously proposed opening the e-Government Procurement system (e-GP) database to the public.