A Mexican sports broadcaster was robbed at gunpoint while streaming live from a gas station on Tuesday, shocking viewers and studio staff. The incident involved Fernando Vargas, who was conducting a live interview for the sports television program "Bla, bla, bla deportivo" on Activo Deportes while sitting in a parked vehicle at a gas station. During the broadcast, a man suddenly opened the driver's side door and brandished a gun, turning the situation into a terrifying moment captured on camera. The armed robber demanded Vargas hand over his belongings, shouting "Keys, quickly! Keys, phone, and wallet, hurry!" in Spanish while studio hosts watched in shock. Vargas, who also serves as communications director for Mexico's national professional basketball league, attempted to remain calm and negotiate with the gunman despite the intense pressure. The broadcast signal was lost as Vargas was forced out of the vehicle and handed over some of his possessions. Later reports confirmed Vargas escaped without physical injury, though he remained shaken by the ordeal. The suspect fled the scene with the vehicle, wallet, phone, and other personal items. As of the time of reporting, no arrests have been made in the case.

On May 21, 2025, Theeraphot Khatcamat, director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, revealed that Thailand is entering the monsoon season in late May with decreasing temperatures and increased rainfall. A cyclone may form in the Andaman Sea or Bay of Bengal and approach or enter Thailand's western region, potentially causing heavy to severe rainfall in many areas and triggering flash floods, flash flooding, and riverbank overflow in some locations.

Prime Minister Anuwat Charnvirakul, serving as the national disaster prevention and mitigation commander, has instructed all provincial disaster prevention and mitigation centers to prepare and address flooding throughout the 2025 monsoon season. Preparedness measures include closely monitoring weather conditions, water levels, and potential disaster events while updating and developing emergency response plans. Authorities will inspect equipment, materials, and machinery for readiness and verify the structural integrity of water retention and flood barrier facilities.

Public awareness campaigns will be conducted through all communication channels and local mechanisms to inform residents of the situation, preparedness guidelines, and safe practices. In response to actual or anticipated flooding, windstorms, or landslides, provincial and district emergency operations centers will be established to coordinate resources and operations.

When heavy, cumulative, or sudden intense rainfall (rain bomb) creates high risk of flooding, residents will be evacuated to safe areas with temporary shelters providing basic necessities. For strong winds, high waves, or coastal surge, relevant agencies will issue maritime navigation warnings requiring strict safety protocols. Community leaders will continuously inform residents in vulnerable coastal areas of potential impacts.

Firefighters and rescue personnel from Bunyaviphol Base responded to a vehicle fire on the M81 motorway (Bang Yai-Kanchanaburi route) at kilometer 41 on May 21. Two people sustained burn injuries—a man with burns to his arm and a woman with burns to both legs—and were rushed to hospital. The car was completely destroyed by the fire, which reportedly originated from the right front wheel area before spreading rapidly. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the actual cause of the incident.

HSBC says ASEAN is stepping up as the world's new economic and investment hub, powered by AI, data centers, and clean energy, driving continuous FDI inflows. The bank has launched a major offensive, introducing the "China META Team" of Chinese-language specialists and opening a $4 billion sustainable credit line to support clean energy, EV, data center, and AI businesses from China expanding across ASEAN, with Thailand positioned as a key strategic market in the region.

Georgio Gamba, Chief Executive Officer and head of business customer group at HSBC Thailand, revealed that the ASEAN region is rising as the world's new economic and investment center, driven by AI technology growth, data center investments, and energy transition, which are accelerating the relocation of investment bases and supply chains to Southeast Asia continuously. ASEAN is currently benefiting directly from these trade and investment flows, increasing its share of global exports from 7.4% in 2023 to 9.4% in 2025. Since 2020, ASEAN has also surpassed the European Union to become China's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade valued at $1.05 trillion in 2025, up from $984 billion in 2024.

Despite global economic uncertainty in trade, foreign direct investment (FDI) continues flowing into ASEAN, with the region accounting for 14.5% of global FDI, reflecting foreign investors' confidence in the region.

Regarding Thailand, HSBC views it as a "Strategic Gateway" for Chinese companies seeking to expand into Southeast Asia, particularly in future industries such as digital, electronics, AI, electric vehicles (EVs), EV batteries, and data center infrastructure.

Based on HSBC research surveying over 2,700 organizations globally, Thai companies rank second worldwide in desire to expand business abroad, with Malaysia as the top destination for Thai entrepreneurs. Similarly, Malaysian investors view Thailand as a primary target for business expansion.

Gamba also noted that Thailand's economy in Q1 2025 grew better than expected, with GDP expanding 2.8% year-over-year, supported by strong private sector demand and exports, particularly in electronics benefiting from the global data center investment cycle.

Data from Thailand's Board of Investment (BOI) clearly reflects accelerating investment momentum. In Q1 2025, promoted investment projects exceeded 1 trillion baht, a 2.4-fold increase compared to the previous year, with most investment driven by digital and electronics projects related to AI. Data center and cloud service projects accounted for 86% of total investment value, reflecting rapid digital economy expansion and growing global demand for AI processing power.

Top sources of FDI into Thailand currently include Singapore, China, and Hong Kong. However, China-linked investment may be higher than reported figures, as investments come through registered overseas companies.

The Commerce Ministry is intensifying promotional activities to boost fresh fruit exports to 180 billion baht with a 5% increase. Deputy Commerce Ministry spokesperson Prakul Kodamrong revealed that Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachee Sutharaphant has ordered accelerated fruit consumption campaigns both domestically and internationally, particularly during March-May 2025 when domestic fruit supply peaks.

The ministry previously conducted a fruit business matching event in March that generated 3.12 billion baht in purchase orders and has been negotiating with border authorities in Laos, Vietnam, and China to facilitate logistics. Commercial attachés in China have arranged durian purchases of 1-1.1 million tons this year, while the ministry is pushing mangosteen exports of 150,000 tons through Thai trade missions in Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, India, UAE, and Australia.

In China, the primary export market for fresh durian, the ministry has organized promotional sales in multiple cities including Guangzhou and is promoting Thai fruit in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province in partnership with local agriculture authorities, Pagoda Company, CP Company, and Miniso, generating 218 million baht in value. In Kunming, collaboration with Thai SELECT restaurants and Tongde Department Store resulted in approximately 200,000 yuan (nearly 1 million baht) in durian sales during the event. The ministry is also preparing to expand into western Chinese markets like Chengdu.

Meanwhile, the ministry is accelerating expansion into South Korea, Thailand's third-largest fruit import market, through 13 Hyundai department store branches nationwide along with online sales channels, projecting 30 million baht in purchase orders. A Mumbai event showcasing Thai vegetables and fruit with demonstrations and sampling is expected to generate 359 million baht in orders within one year.

Kodamrong stated that the ministry will boost awareness in unfamiliar markets including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the European Union, and Central Asia through participation in five trade shows in China and FOODEX JAPAN.

"In the first three months of this year (January-March), Thailand exported 305,673 tons of fresh fruit worth 22.285 billion baht, an increase of 56.24%," he noted. "We are targeting a 5% expansion in fresh fruit exports this year, bringing total export value to 179 billion baht."

On May 21, Deputy Agriculture Minister Piyarat Tiyapairat instructed the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) to pursue strict legal action against a durian farm that continued producing and exporting durian while operating under a suspended license. ACFS officials seized three containers of fresh durian worth over 10 million baht from Khao Wua subdistrict in Tha Mai district, Chanthaburi, after discovering the facility was being used without proper authorization.

ACFS had received reports of illegal durian production at the farm without a license. Upon investigation, officials found that a major durian producer in the area, which had its producer and exporter license suspended since May 6, was still operating. The facility contained over 35,000 empty packaging boxes and approximately 50,000 kilograms of packaged durian. Company employees claimed the products belonged to another firm sharing the facility, but inspectors found that firm also lacked authorization to produce durian at the location. Officials therefore sealed both the original farm and the shared-use facility, and seized the three containers of fresh durian valued at over 10 million baht for legal proceedings.

The ACFS Secretary-General noted that producing agricultural products while under a suspended license violates the Agricultural Commodity Standard Act B.E. 2551, which carries penalties including fines, license suspension, and revocation. Packaging fresh durian according to mandatory standard ACFS 9070-2566 outside authorized areas also constitutes a legal violation.

Deputy Minister Piyarat emphasized that producers must strictly comply with the ACFS 9070 standard for fresh durian. She stated the Agriculture Ministry will enforce laws strictly, transparently, and fairly with zero tolerance for manipulation or interference to aid law violators, in order to protect legitimate producers, consumers, and maintain confidence in Thai agricultural products both domestically and internationally.