Facing rising energy costs due to Middle East tensions and the financial strain of back-to-school expenses, the Ministry of Commerce's Department of Internal Trade is joining forces with the Teachers and Educational Personnel Welfare Promotion Committee to implement cost-of-living relief activities under the government's 'Thai Help Thai Plus' policy. The initiative will sell consumer goods, clothing, and educational materials at steep discounts—up to 50% off—to help reduce expenses for parents, students, and the public, with special focus on remote and marginalized communities. The program will continue through August 2026, operating across 1,000 locations nationwide to ensure widespread access to affordable essentials. Department Director Withayakorn Maneenoet announced that 18 simultaneous kickoff events are taking place across 13 provinces, with the Bangkok event at Prot Pittayapayat School in Lat Krabang District featuring over 300 discounted items. Highlighted products include Grade M eggs at 85 baht per tray, sugar at 22 baht per kilogram, palm oil at 42 baht per bottle, and jasmine rice at 110 baht per 5-kilogram bag. The initiative represents an active policy measure to manage living costs while supporting SME entrepreneurs and stimulating grassroots economic growth.

Samroiyot Police apprehended a drug-addicted man accused of conducting a series of convenience store robberies around the clock, creating widespread distress in the community. On May 22, 2569, Pol. Col. Pirawat Chukhaew, commander of Samroiyot Police Station in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, along with Deputy Commander Pol. Maj. Phop Sitaha, ordered the arrest team led by Pol. Lt. Kamal Inthorn to apprehend the suspect responsible for the convenience store thefts plaguing local merchants. The arrest of Mr. Om, a 34-year-old resident of Hat Kham Subdistrict in Kuiburi District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, was made at a convenience store in Rai Kao Subdistrict, Samroiyot District, following his suspected involvement in multiple robberies at convenience stores occurring both during day and night hours from April 5 to April 22, 2569. Drugs were also detected in his system. The suspect was initially detained and booked for arrest before being transferred to Samroiyot Police Station investigators to proceed with legal action.

Special Branch Police arrested a major pork vendor operating at multiple locations in Sukhothai province for illegally lending money at interest rates exceeding legal limits. The suspect claims she was providing financial assistance to struggling people and denies charging exorbitant interest rates.

On May 22, 2025, officers led by Special Branch Region 4 command, armed with a search warrant from Sukhothai Provincial Court, raided a residence in Tambon Wang Luek, Amphoe Si Samrong, Sukhothai province, and arrested Nang Nam Khaang, 53, the homeowner and operator of multiple large pork vending stalls throughout Sukhothai province. Police seized one mobile phone as evidence.

The arrest followed an investigation by Special Branch Region 4 detectives who received a tip that Nang Nam Khaang was operating an illegal money-lending operation charging customers in Si Samrong district interest rates above legal limits. Field investigation confirmed the illegal lending activity, leading to the search warrant and arrest. An examination of her mobile phone revealed numerous contacts from customers seeking loans.

During interrogation, the suspect admitted to operating the illegal lending business for over 8 years, charging 47 percent interest per annum. Her customers consisted mainly of market vendors and personal acquaintances, whom she claims she was helping financially. She maintains she was not charging excessive interest rates and does not believe her actions constituted wrongdoing.

Police have filed charges and transferred her for further legal prosecution.

Saturday's horrific accident — in which a freight train crashed into a public bus at the Makkasan crossing, killing eight people and injuring more than 30 — can be viewed in at least two ways.

The first perspective: An unfortunate freak accident ​The first view is that this was merely an unfortunate, one-off accident. Under this outlook, similar incidents could supposedly be prevented simply by addressing the immediate factors involved: a train driver who tested positive for drugs, a crossing officer who allegedly failed to properly warn the driver, and a careless bus driver who stopped directly on the tracks expecting the train to stop. ​Under this interpretation, Saturday becomes little more than a tragically unlucky day for the victims. Adherents to this view believe there is little need for broader reflection once the immediate loopholes are closed. We see this in the sudden burst of reactive measures: Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn ordering daily drug and alcohol tests for all public transport drivers, and Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt proposing the separation of rail and road traffic, possibly through the construction of a tunnel.

The second perspective: A systemic wake-up call The second way of seeing this is to accept it as a harsh wake-up call for Thai society. We must acknowledge that this is not an isolated tragedy, but an incident emblematic of a society with a dismal public safety culture. It demands a holistic, systematic, and continuous approach to tackle the root problem, rather than treating the Makkasan crossing in a vacuum. ​Since I subscribe to this second viewpoint, it inevitably leads me to a singular conclusion: ​Thailand urgently needs an independent Department or Office of Public Safety. This body should report directly to both the prime minister and the public several times a year, while possessing broad authority to audit relevant state agencies and issue policy recommendations. ​Just as the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) continually strategizes to increase foreign tourist arrivals, this new body's sole mandate would be to continuously elevate public safety standards across the Kingdom in all respects.

Proactive prevention over reactive remedies ​A primary responsibility of this new entity would be to identify public safety vulnerabilities before they claim lives—to actively imagine what could go seriously wrong, where it could happen, and how such risks could be mitigated. Thailand must stop relying on reactive, post-tragedy reforms driven by mass-casualty events. Furthermore, the body should not limit its scope to road safety; it should also oversee marine transportation safety, high-rise building regulations, and other areas of public risk. Thailand needs fervent individuals driven by a genuine commitment to make Thailand safer. If budget constraints are cited as an obstacle, the office could easily be established under the umbrella of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), drawin

Rangers from unit TP.2109 conducted a major drug interception, seizing approximately 1 million methamphetamine pills packed in three sacks along the Mekong River across from Laos at 4:00 AM on May 22, 2569. Officers detected suspicious movement along Highway 211 and the riverbank near Ban Sngao in Pak Chom district, Loei province, directly opposite Ban Kone Kham in Muang Vientiane, Vientiane Province, Laos. Upon approaching the area, they discovered a group attempting to load black packages into a vehicle. When officials revealed themselves and fired warning shots, the suspects fled by car toward Ban Pak Mang while others escaped into the banana plantation along the river.

During a thorough search, officers found three black sacks along the roadside and near the riverbank, along with a blue long-tail boat with one engine (identified as Laotian). Follow-up investigation revealed the suspects had also stolen two villager boats from Ban Sngao and disappeared into the Mekong River, approximately 1 kilometer from the incident site, likely fleeing to Laos.

Subdistrict Officer Suchin Chantpan, Pak Chom District Chief, Police Captain Thanusilp Maronee (Pak Chom Station Commander), and Army Captain Thanongsuk Sitongsud (Commander of Ranger Company 2109) inspected the three black packages and found them to be fertilizer sacks wrapped in plastic sealed with tape. Inside, they discovered methamphetamine tablets—pink pills stamped with "999" and the letter "Y"—totaling approximately 1,080,000 pills. The evidence was seized and submitted to Pak Chom Police Station for further investigation and the apprehension of the drug trafficking network involved in this operation.

Walailak University's Pro Chef program is advancing toward international standards by sending students abroad to gain professional experience and training in Taiwan, where they will learn food innovation from Michelin-starred chefs while developing Chinese language skills. On May 20, 2026, Associate Professor Dr. Pimlapas Pongsagrangsilp, Dean of the School of Management at Walailak University, announced that 28 Pro Chef students and 2 faculty members are traveling to Hungkuang University in Taiwan between May 17-28, 2026, to learn culinary innovation from Michelin-starred chefs and strengthen their Chinese language proficiency in preparation for careers in international tourism and hospitality services.

Dr. Pimlapas explained the choice of Taiwan as the destination, noting that the country excels in the food, tourism, and service industries with distinctive innovation and an international environment. The program goes beyond teaching cooking technique; it aims to develop students' creativity, enabling them to apply innovation in menu design and adapt to our rapidly changing world. "The School of Management is committed to providing real-world experience through international student mobility exchanges, which serve as a crucial mechanism for developing professional skills," Dr. Pimlapas stated. "Students will work alongside award-winning Michelin-starred chefs in modern kitchen laboratories, helping them apply classroom knowledge to professional international standards."

Nakhonsai Phoo-sai, a student representative on the program, expressed his pride in studying and training in Taiwan, where he learned international kitchen management techniques, plating artistry, and ingredient management for maximum value. He emphasized that experiencing a professional kitchen atmosphere taught him that attention to detail, efficiency, and teamwork are essential, and the experience has brought him closer to his dream of becoming a professional chef.

Nalisa Chotithong, another student representative, added that the Taiwan exchange was a golden opportunity to learn Chinese cooking techniques directly from expert chefs. She was most impressed by the organized and efficient work system, which differs significantly from theoretical classroom learning, and believes this experience will guide her professional development in the future.