The Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry has instructed governors of 25 central and eastern provinces to establish 'Royal Rain Volunteer' units to coordinate requests for royal rainmaking support and alleviate drought-related hardships. On May 24, Arthit Samphantharat, Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, outlined efforts to advance royal patronage projects following the royal initiative to 'preserve, maintain, and expand' these programs as a framework for provincial implementation amid rapid climate changes, particularly severe drought conditions in central Thailand. Following a meeting on April 22 with the subcommittee overseeing royal projects in central regions, the Interior Ministry was requested to promote the establishment of Royal Rain Volunteer units in each province to coordinate and expedite requests to the Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department. The Permanent Secretary emphasized that to maximize benefits and rapidly relieve citizens from drought impacts on their lives and property, the governors of all 25 provinces must work to establish volunteer units and integrate coordination with local agencies according to regulations. The 25 provinces include Kanchanaburi, Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Chaiyaphum, Trat, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Prachuapkhirikhan, Rayong, Ratchaburi, Lopburi, Samut Prakan, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Sa Kaeo, Saraburi, Singburi, Suphan Buri, and Ang Thong.

On May 24, 2025, Lieutenant Colonel Aphichan Wattanawarangkul, commander of the Rayong Provincial Police Crime Suppression Division, and Lieutenant Colonel Chaiyapong Saengphongchai, commander of the Nikhom Phatthana Police Station, led a multi-unit task force in a covert raid on a resort in Mabrakhao subdistrict, Nikhom Phatthana district, Rayong province. Intelligence indicated an illegal Tiger-Dragon gambling operation was running in the resort's conference room.

Officers quietly surrounded the area before launching a surprise raid while gamblers were actively placing bets. When officers burst through the door, the suspects were caught off guard—some scrambled from tables attempting to escape while others froze in place. Gambling chips and cards scattered across tables as officers swiftly secured the scene.

The raid resulted in 14 arrests: 12 Thai nationals and 2 Cambodian nationals. Seized items included gambling chips valued at 5,572,020 baht, over 100,000 baht in cash, 133 decks of playing cards, and complete gambling equipment.

Interrogation revealed the two Cambodian suspects illegally entered Thailand through a natural border crossing near Ban Laem in Chanthaburi province before being hired as dealers. Thai gamblers face charges of unlicensed gambling, while the Cambodian nationals face charges of illegal entry and unlicensed gambling operation. All suspects were handed over to Nikhom Phatthana Police Station for further legal proceedings.

A frightening situation unfolded on the Chiang Mai-Lampoon Road near a repair shop when a 5-6-year-old child became trapped inside a cargo delivery van. The parent had stopped the vehicle for less than 10 minutes to deliver a package to a customer, but the vehicle's automatic locking system engaged, preventing the door from being opened from outside. The parent and bystanders immediately called the emergency hotline 1669, and rescue teams from the Petchkasem Foundation Chiang Mai and multiple other rescue units were dispatched urgently to assist. Upon arrival, rescue personnel assessed the situation and carefully used airbags and metal pry bars on the vehicle's door to unlock and open it. Within 10 minutes, they successfully opened the door and safely removed the child. An initial examination confirmed the child was unharmed and in good condition, bringing immense relief to the parent, residents, and all those involved in the incident. Everyone praised the swift and dedicated work of the rescue personnel and volunteers. This incident serves as a warning to parents never to leave children alone in vehicles, even for short periods, as unexpected circumstances such as automatic locking systems could occur, potentially putting children in danger.

Krung Thai Bank has outlined the identity verification steps for the "Thai Helps Thai Plus 60/40" program through its gray ATMs, accommodating both ATM models with bottom-button screens and those without, while connecting seamlessly to the Pao Tang application.

For verification through Krung Thai gray ATMs without bottom buttons: 1. Touch the blue-band area on the screen to select services (no ATM card required) 2. Select "Identity Verification/Welfare Rights" 3. Choose "Identity Verification Krung Thai Bank" 4. Press "Acknowledge and Confirm" to verify card ownership 5. Select "Consent" to authorize data disclosure and verification 6. Insert your national ID card and press "Next" 7. Wait for system data verification 8. Select "Complete Identity Verification," remove your card, and proceed on the Pao Tang app

For verification through Krung Thai gray ATMs with bottom buttons: 1. Select "Transaction with National ID" menu (no ATM card required) 2. Choose "Identity Verification Service" 3. Press "Acknowledge and Confirm" to verify card ownership 4. Select "Consent" to authorize data disclosure and verification 5. Press "Next" 6. Insert your national ID card and press "OK" 7. Wait for system data verification 8. Select "Complete Identity Verification," remove your card, and proceed on the Pao Tang app

This ATM verification channel represents another convenient option for citizens to join the "Thai Helps Thai Plus 60/40" program without requiring an ATM card—just a single national ID card is needed.

The program uses a "Government Pays 60%, Citizens Pay 40%" model, with the state providing up to 1,000 baht per person monthly across four months, totaling a maximum of 4,000 baht per participant. Citizens can spend up to 200 baht daily through G-Wallet on the Pao Tang app only.

The government has set the usage period from June 1 to September 30, 2025, between 6:00 AM and 11:00 PM. The subsidy can be spent at participating merchants nationwide, including restaurants, beverage shops, community stores, blue-flag shops, community enterprises, and public transportation services.

Food delivery services participating in the program can begin offering benefits from June 15, 2025, during 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

Dr. Oak shares 10 simple post-waking habits to reduce belly fat, nourish kidneys, prevent blood clotting, avoid stroke, and lower cancer risk. He emphasizes that poor health, accumulated belly fat, and serious disease risks all begin with "post-waking behavior." After studying the Lifestyle Medicine and Wellness Coaching program at Harvard Medical School in Boston earlier this year, Dr. Oak discovered that world-class physicians agree: health deterioration, abdominal fat accumulation, and disease risks all stem from morning habits.

For people in their mid-30s to 40s, he notes that aging makes it harder to lose weight and people feel sluggish upon waking because hormones become imbalanced and inflammation accumulates throughout the body. Starting the day with wrong behaviors like consuming sugary drinks or stress causes cells to age prematurely and increases disease risk.

Dr. Oak has compiled global anti-aging science into 10 easy practices:

1. Drink 2 glasses of room-temperature water immediately upon waking. The body has been dehydrated all night, making blood thick and metabolism slow. Drinking clean water jumpstarts the detoxification system, helps prevent abnormal cells and cancer long-term, and boosts fat-burning metabolism (thermogenesis) from early morning.

2. Open windows to get soft morning sunlight for 15 minutes before 9 AM. Morning sunlight is nature's most powerful hormone regulator, signaling the brain to stop releasing sleep hormones and controlling cortisol (stress hormone) properly. This reduces abdominal fat accumulation and helps the skin produce natural vitamin D, which activates white blood cells to fight cancer-causing cells.

3. Sit calmly and practice 4-7-8 breathing to reduce belly-fat hormones. Chronic stress promotes abdominal fat and cancer cell growth. Practicing 4-7-8 breathing (inhale 4 seconds, hold 7 seconds, exhale 8 seconds) for just 5 minutes activates the parasympathetic nervous system. When the body relaxes, insulin resistance decreases, allowing the liver to release and burn stored fat more easily.

4. Delay your first cup of coffee by 90 minutes. Many people grab coffee immediately upon waking, but this blocks the brain's natural clearing of adenosine (sleepiness chemical). Consuming caffeine immediately creates a false sense of alertness and causes severe energy crashes later.

The International Sepaktakraw Federation (ISTAF) has issued an official statement regarding the controversial decision in the men's team final between Malaysia and Thailand at the ISTAF Sepaktakraw World Cup Kuala Lumpur 2026. ISTAF confirmed that the referee's decision on a player stepping over the center line was made correctly according to competition rules, and the incident falls outside the scope of the Challenge Review System used in current competitions.

After one team refused to resume play within the designated time, Malaysia was officially declared the winner according to competition regulations.

At this level of championship competition, high emotions are commonplace. Malaysia and Thailand represent one of the most intense rivalries in world sepaktakraw, built on a long history of high-level competition, national pride, and countless memorable moments on the court. However, at the international level, the intensity of competition must remain within the framework of discipline and regulations.

Disputes at this level are inevitable, especially when critical decisions are made—this is part of elite professional sports. However, the true strength of a sports system is not measured solely by moments of victory, but also by how the sport handles pressure, conflict, and disappointment.

This incident will continue to be discussed throughout the region. But above all the controversy, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: sepaktakraw is entering a new era—one with greater global attention, higher standards, and closer scrutiny than ever before. In this new era, the credibility and integrity of the sport must be protected above all else.