Warning: State Welfare Card Holders Beware of Street Vendors—Your Benefits May Be Fraudulently Used. Never give your ID card or 6-digit PIN code to unreliable vendors or street cart operators.

On May 19, 2025, Thanachoke Rungthipanont, Deputy Director-General of the Bureau of the Royal Household and official spokesperson, revealed that the Bureau has received numerous complaints from welfare card holders unable to access their benefits because their card privileges were fraudulently used at merchants in other provinces—places they never visited.

Investigations uncovered that some registered welfare program merchants operating mobile carts in various areas have been accepting payment through the Bag application for Blue Flag stores and cooking gas discounts. They lure cardholders with promises of cheap goods or product exchanges like eggs and cooking oil. These fraudsters photograph ID cards, record the 6-digit PIN codes, then share this information with other Blue Flag and cooking gas merchants, who subsequently drain the welfare card balance in the following month, leaving legitimate cardholders unable to use their benefits.

When cardholders contact the State Welfare Card Call Center at 0-2109-2345 to investigate, they discover their benefits were used at merchants in provinces they never visited.

Therefore, welfare card holders must exercise extreme caution and absolutely never provide their ID card or 6-digit PIN code to unreliable vendors or street cart operators.

If your benefits have been fraudulently used, immediately change your 6-digit PIN code. You can do this yourself at Bangkok Bank ATMs. If you forgot your 6-digit PIN code, visit a Bangkok Bank branch to verify your identity and set a new code.

Cardholders can file complaints about Blue Flag stores fraudulently using their welfare benefits at the Internal Trade Department's hotline: 1569. For complaints about cooking gas vendors, contact the Department of Energy Business at 0-2794-4307 or 0-2794-4111. Provide the name and address of the merchant that fraudulently used your benefits. For further inquiries, call the Bureau of the Royal Household Call Center at 0-2270-6400 during business hours.

18-year-old Thai snooker sensation Mind Sakon Panchaya Channon has captured her first World Women's Snooker Championship title by defeating Britain's Reanne Evans 6-2 in the final held in China. The young champion showcased exceptional form throughout the tournament, overcoming several world-class competitors including China's world number one Pai Yulu and Thailand's third-ranked Min Saraburi before clinching victory over the multiple-time former world champion Evans in the final. This championship victory marks Mind Sakon's first World Women's Snooker Championship title and grants her a professional card to compete in the World Snooker Tour (WST) for two years.

Beyond this achievement, Mind Sakon's recent defence of the World Junior Women's Championship also makes her only the second player in history to win both the senior women's world championship and junior women's world championship (under 21) in the same year, following China's Pai Yulu who accomplished this feat in 2024.

With this victory, Mind Sakon becomes Thailand's third female world snooker champion, following Min Saraburi who won the title in 2022 and Leaf Sriracha Siriphaap Navanthakamchan who won in 2023.

At 9:30 a.m. on May 19, 2025, Lieutenant Boonchu Janthecha, duty officer at Pa Tiew Police Station, brought in Nai Chalermpon (surname withheld), alias "May," 35, from Tha Sae District, Chumphon Province, to surrender to Captain Chalad Phonnakarn, commander of Tha Sae Police Station, according to an arrest warrant issued by Chumphon Provincial Court.

The suspect is one member of an armed gang that raided and robbed a Myanmar migrant worker's home in Moo 17, Rab Ro Subdistrict, Tha Sae District, Chumphon. He faces multiple serious charges including robbery while impersonating a government official, illegal possession of firearms, threats, unlawful detention, and unauthorized gun ownership.

After being brought in for questioning and read his arrest warrant, Chalermpon confessed tearfully, claiming that a friend named "Klao" had invited him to patrol the area and taken him to the migrant worker's home, alleging it was involved in smuggling and drug activity.

Chalermpon further claimed he only spoke to the female worker to avoid alarming her and did not search for property or use weapons. However, he admitted that when boarding the vehicle to leave, he saw valuables including a safe being loaded into the truck bed. When he asked his friend "Hey! What is this?" the vehicle immediately sped away. He insisted he received no share of the stolen goods and did not know where the safe was taken. He expressed concern for his family and said he didn't want to risk breaking the law because "if something goes wrong, it's not worth it."

Chalermpon acknowledged that four people traveled together on the day of the incident before scattering and fleeing. He dropped off another friend at his home before returning to his own house, eventually deciding to turn himself in.

Meanwhile, Region 8 Police investigation unit, along with Chumphon Provincial Police and Tha Sae Police Station's investigation team, continue pursuing at least one more gang member believed to be a person of position in the area. They expect to gather evidence to request an arrest warrant from the court soon.

This case has caused significant alarm in the community, particularly because some perpetrators wore uniforms and targeted vulnerable migrant workers unlikely to report the crime. The public is watching to see if additional suspects will be identified and how far the investigation will extend within the network.

At noon on May 19, 2026, Chachoengsao Governor Narit Niramaiyang, accompanied by provincial police commander Maj. Gen. Phongphan Wongmonithes, deputy commander Pol. Col. Wasurachai Chaithairapatthana, and Bang Lamung District Chief Anusak Piriyamorn, along with police and security personnel, conducted a search warrant at a luxury pool villa in Moo 10, Huai Yai Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chachoengsao Province. The operation followed a tip-off from the public about suspicious Chinese nationals illegally mixing chemicals at the residence.

The property, approximately one acre with perimeter walls, contained two residential buildings. Officers discovered over 80 chemical substances in plastic drums, steel drums, and bags on the lower floor. The upper floor had been converted into a laboratory-style facility with three chemical production machines and large glass equipment, all in operation producing Etomidate—commonly called "zombie drug"—a psychoactive substance mixed into e-cigarettes and vaping devices spreading among nighttime party crowds.

Police apprehended two Chinese nationals: 47-year-old Jia Jing Zhuang and 24-year-old Teng Ji. Both face charges of illegal employment. They claimed responsibility only for facility maintenance and equipment operation. Officers subsequently searched a warehouse in Moo 2, Bang Lamung Subdistrict, connected to the villa, discovering 20 and 200-liter chemical drums, glass equipment, scales, and new production apparatus ready for expanded operations.

Chachoengsao Governor Narit Niramaiyang stated the arrest resulted from ongoing investigations following a similar operation two months earlier in Nong Pla Rai Subdistrict. He urged village headmen and residents to report foreign nationals renting properties for illegal chemical production, particularly drug-related manufacturing, which is rapidly spreading in Chachoengsao Province.

Maj. Gen. Phongphan stated investigators tracked behavioral patterns before obtaining the search warrant. Police will coordinate with Region 2 Border Patrol Police, Narcotics Suppression Bureau, and Immigration Bureau to identify chemical sources and prosecute masterminds.

The Secretary General of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) unveiled an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) policy centered on three core principles: accuracy, speed, efficiency, transparency, and accountability on May 19 at ONEP headquarters. Secretary General Bannaruek Seermtong received the policy directive from Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin and Deputy Permanent Secretary Dr. Raviwan Phuridej to distribute the policy to the EIA System Development Division and the EIA Assessment Division, with over 120 staff members participating.

Secretary General Bannaruek emphasized that the EIA process is fundamental to establishing environmental protection and mitigation measures through public participation, involving multiple stakeholders including affected communities, report preparers, expert committees, relevant agencies at national and local levels, private environmental organizations, NGOs, educational institutions, independent academics, media, and the public. He therefore requested all staff to conduct their work under the principles of "accuracy, speed, and efficiency."

"Accuracy" means assessments comply with academic standards and law, areas where ONEP has consistently received praise for technical rigor and maintains high public confidence levels in its EIA process. "Speed" refers to efficient operations following established procedures; ONEP currently completes assessments in approximately 80 days, faster than legally required. Both divisions have developed guidelines and manuals for report preparation and review, as well as related guides for public use. "Efficiency" encompasses the quality of EIA reports based on academic standards, implementation of measures, and the provision of online and on-site EIA clinics, along with the Smart EIA Plus system, which enhances operational effectiveness and transparency.

Secretary General Bannaruek stressed the importance of transparency and accountability at every stage of the EIA process, urging all staff and stakeholders to communicate regularly about EIA missions and performance results to build organizational credibility and public understanding. Those witnessing misconduct or inappropriate behavior by ONEP staff or EIA system participants can report directly to the Secretary General at 0 2265 6502 or bannaruk@onep.go.th, or through the complaint system at https://e-petition.onep.go.th/. Updates on EIA system operations can be tracked at http://eiathailand.onep.go.th/

The Bank of Thailand's Deputy Governor for Financial Institution Supervision, Somchai Lertsathapornvashin, revealed that Thailand's commercial banking system showed strong financial fundamentals in Q1 2025, though economic headwinds are starting to pressure profits and credit quality for certain customer segments.

The banking system maintains high stability with strong capital, reserves, and liquidity to weather economic volatility. However, total credit expansion grew only 0.2% year-on-year—a sluggish pace reflecting an economy still losing momentum.

Large corporate credit has recovered thanks to increased demand for working capital as energy and raw material costs surged due to Middle East conflict. In contrast, SME and retail lending continues to shrink as banks tighten risk controls against loan defaults. Banks are simultaneously running protective support programs for vulnerable borrowers through debt restructuring measures and the "You Fight, We Help" initiative.

Non-performing loans (NPL) remain stable at 535.8 billion baht, or 2.85% of total credit, with no acceleration. Positive signals include declining new NPL additions across all segments and some borrowers resuming payments, pushing Stage 2 credit classification down to 7%.

Bank profits fell from the previous year due to declining interest income as policy rates dropped, while banks reduced rates to assist borrowers and increased provisions against Middle East conflict risks.

"We need to closely monitor the outlook," the deputy governor warned. "With economic slowdown, rising costs, and falling household incomes putting pressure on SME and household debt repayment capacity—especially in a tight credit environment—household debt-to-GDP has ticked up slightly from accelerated spending via credit cards and home loans in late 2024."

"Overall, the banking system remains strong, but the grassroots economy and retail borrowers remain fragile," he concluded, noting this will be a critical factor shaping credit trends and bank profits through the rest of 2025.