Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met leading Thai business executives at Government House on 15 May to discuss ways to strengthen the country's economic competitiveness amid global economic challenges.

The meeting, held at Phakdibodin Building, brought together cabinet ministers and some of Thailand's most influential business figures, including Dhanin Chearavanont of Charoen Pokphand Group, Vathit Chokwatana of Saha Pathanapibul, Sarath Ratanavadi of Gulf Development and Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha of King Power.

Anutin said the meeting was intended as a platform for the private sector to speak while the government listened, stressing that economic growth could not be achieved without close cooperation between the state and businesses.

"The government and private sector must move forward together," he said. "If businesses succeed, Thailand succeeds. Everyone becomes a winner."

The prime minister said the government was focused on reducing regulatory obstacles, simplifying approval procedures, addressing labour shortages and supporting industries linked to green energy and modern technologies.

Anutin also referred to discussions during last week's ASEAN Summit in the Philippines, where regional leaders focused on clean energy cooperation, an ASEAN power grid and food security. He said ASEAN countries were increasingly aligned on issues such as clean energy, logistics and food security, adding that Thailand had strong potential to become a regional hub in all three sectors.

The meeting was followed by a dinner hosted by the government for the business leaders.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met UNESCO Director-General Khaled Ahmed El-Enany Ali Ezz at Government House on May 15 to discuss cooperation on culture, artificial intelligence, education and sustainable development.

During the meeting at Thai Khu Fah Building, Anutin reaffirmed Thailand's commitment to working closely with UNESCO to strengthen the country's international role and create new opportunities in culture, technology and the economy.

A major focus of the discussions was Thailand's plan to nominate traditional Thai dress, or "Chud Thai", for inclusion on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list.

The government said the move aims to promote Thai soft power and expand the economic value of Thai fashion, handicrafts, tourism and creative industries globally. Thailand is also preparing to hold an exhibition titled "Royal Thai Dress: From Tradition to Modernity" at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris on May 25, featuring outfits worn by Queen Sirikit and all eight styles of royal-endorsed traditional Thai dress.

The meeting also covered Thailand's efforts to preserve its cultural and natural world heritage sites and plans to establish an international AI governance centre under the Electronic Transactions Development Agency in cooperation with UNESCO. According to the government, the proposed centre would position Thailand as a regional hub for AI research, standards and ethical governance.

UNESCO also proposed that Thailand host a global education conference in early 2027, building on the country's role in co-hosting the GFEAI 2025 conference with UNESCO this year.

Prime Minister Anutin said cooperation with UNESCO would help strengthen Thailand's international standing and support the country's ambition to become a regional centre for cultural and technological cooperation.

A 19-year-old driver in a pickup truck struck a middle school girl crossing at a zebra crossing on May 15, 2026. Rescue teams from Kasemrat Hospital in Chachoengsao and Si Racha emergency units responded to reports of a vehicle hitting a pedestrian in front of a shopping mall on Sirisorot Road in Si Racha's municipal district.

At the scene, rescuers found Thanyantrasat, a Grade 9 student from Benjammarachchangsrit School, severely injured and immobilized. Medical staff provided emergency first aid before transferring her to the hospital.

The driver, 19-year-old Latin, explained that he was driving his pickup truck in the middle lane behind a sedan ahead. He decided to accelerate and move to the right lane to pass the sedan when one student was already crossing at the zebra crossing. The injured girl was walking behind that first student when Latin could not brake in time and struck her.

Pichayuth, a Grade 11 student, witnessed the incident. He said he and his younger sister were crossing at the zebra crossing to reach the other side of the road. As he crossed ahead to the median island, he saw the pickup truck approaching at high speed without slowing down and ran to safety. When he turned to check on his sister who was behind him, the pickup struck her and threw her several meters away, leaving her lying motionless in the middle of the road.

At 7:30 PM on May 15, 2569, at Government House, Prime Minister Anuthint Chanyawongkul and Interior Minister led government ministers and private sector entrepreneurs in a dinner at the Santisuk Mitr Building, following a discussion on strategies to develop the country's economic competitiveness that lasted over two hours.

The PM walked down with Deputy Prime Minister Yossanan Wongswadee and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation. When journalists asked how the discussion went, the PM exclaimed, "Wow," and remarked, "Think about it—people at this level don't spend over two hours just chatting casually." When asked again about the atmosphere, Anuthint laughed and said, "It was very serious."

Later, the PM returned to Thai Khu Fah Building before walking out with Ms. Supaluk Umpuch, Chairman of The Mall Group, joking with reporters about the pairing.

Reporters noted that during this meeting, the government surveyed private sector opinions through questionnaires asking which government measures or policies they wanted the government to discontinue to help inform future policy frameworks. The survey also included a question asking business leaders what they would personally tell the Prime Minister if given one minute to communicate.

The entertainment world has lost David Eng, guitarist for Ploi Band, who passed away from nasopharyngeal cancer stemming from a cerebral hemorrhage that occurred in 2018. On May 15, 2026, Grand X Official's Facebook page posted a tribute expressing condolences. According to a post by Tam Samprasong, David Eng (David Eng) passed away this afternoon, with his body now at Mae Sai Luang Temple in Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province.

The funeral and cremation ceremony has been scheduled for May 16-17, 2026 at 7:00 PM for the chanting of prayers, May 18, 2026 at 11:00 AM for alms-giving, and 1:00 PM for the cremation ceremony at Mae Sai Luang Temple.

Ploi Band, originally called "Chae and Ploi," was formed with four members including Om Chatri and David Eng as guitar support. The band's lineup evolved over the years with various member changes. Key albums included their debut "Chae and Ploi" in 1986, "Gift," and "Gentleman Dreamer" in 1987, featuring hit songs like "Student Love Formula" and "Teacher's Farewell Letter." David Eng joined as guitarist in 1988 for their album "Society of the Hurting," which featured popular tracks including "This One Hurt Costs Your Debt" and "Brainwashing." The band eventually disbanded after several member departures in the early 1990s.