The Thai Handicraft Promotion Institute (Public Organization), or SACIT, is preparing to launch the year's major craft event, "Crafts Bangkok 2026," an important platform for elevating Thai handicrafts to the international stage. The event will cover everything from raw material development and contemporary craft creation to expansion into global markets, offering a complete Thai handicraft experience and featuring over 380 quality Thai craft shops.

Assistant Professor Dr. Anucha Teerkanan, director of SACIT, revealed that the institute plays a crucial role in promoting comprehensive Thai handicraft development, from developing and revitalizing local raw material sources to improving production processes and design through systematic application of innovation and creativity to ensure practical functionality and environmental friendliness. The institute also builds consumer confidence and expands commercial opportunities in both domestic and international markets to enable Thai handicrafts to compete globally.

Crafts Bangkok is an important annual event organized by SACIT to demonstrate its operational role across all dimensions. It serves as a platform reflecting the strength of Thai wisdom through contemporary Thai handicrafts that connect cultural narratives, lifestyles, and creative thinking of artisans from across the country. The event elevates Thai handicrafts to meet modern global contexts by giving artisans opportunities to showcase their talents and transmit Thai identity through works that blend traditional wisdom with contemporary design, addressing current lifestyle, functional, and market needs.

Crafts Bangkok also serves as a space for creative economic opportunities, generating income, stimulating markets, and expanding business networks for Thai handicraft producers from community level to younger members while promoting Thai crafts' international competitiveness. It plays an important role in inspiring and instilling the value of Thai handicrafts among society and younger generations through activities, exhibitions, and creative experiences that allow visitors to intimately experience the charm of Thai handicrafts, leading to preservation and transmission of Thai heritage wisdom for the future.

This year's Crafts Bangkok 2026 is organized under the concept "The Craft Journey," showcasing the journey of Thai handicrafts from the origin of raw materials and local wisdom through artisan creation to development into valued products linked to both domestic and international markets. Visitors will experience and discover new perspectives learning about Thai handicrafts, including gift and souvenir collections developed by SACIT to elevate Thai handicrafts as "gifts of the nation" reflecting Thai identity, refinement, and wisdom in contemporary form. The exhibition includes learning spaces and showcases the value of local materials, allowing visitors to experience stories from the source of community raw materials such as kratip, hom, rattan, bamboo, and various other local materials reflecting Thai wisdom and lifestyle, before they undergo creative processes and development into distinctive contemporary Thai handicraft works that add value to local resources, promote wisdom preservation, and generate sustainable income for communities nationwide.

On May 19, relatives of Ms. Thiam, a victim of the train-bus collision at the Asok-Dindeang railway crossing near Suvarnabhumi Airport on May 16, visited the Police Hospital Institute of Forensic Medicine to claim her body for religious ceremonies and funeral rites. The atmosphere was one of deep sorrow. At 4:25 p.m., Sommai Poongyod, 55, the brother of Ms. Thiam, arrived to address documentation issues at the forensic institute. However, officials informed him that required documents were still incomplete, so he departed to return on May 20 at 8:00 a.m. to collect the body. Sommai stated that paperwork for the body release was not yet finalized and that DNA comparison results were still pending. The family has made preparations in Nakhon Ratchasima province to receive the body at Wat Ban Kratai Don Noi temple in Prang Ku district. Regarding potential legal action against those involved, Sommai declined to comment, noting that everyone witnessed the same events and should understand who was at fault. He emphasized that no one wanted this tragedy to occur.

At 3 p.m. on May 19, 2025, at the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Police Hospital, grieving relatives collected the bodies of victims from the train-bus collision that claimed eight lives, with four initially confirmed. Among those killed were Thanatphipat "Khanun" (age 22), Theekha "Thaen" (age 34), Uang Manojaem (age 66), and Vipharaksa "Rose" Phaepuri. Natsukorn "Mom" Chantrayamul, 49, mother of Khanun, clutched her son's photograph to her chest as she tearfully described him as a good boy with many friends who excelled in sports. She revealed that Khanun was a third-year student in Information Technology and Communication at Silpakorn University's Nakhon Pathom campus, dreaming of becoming a programmer. She expressed that he had survived six to seven surgeries in his life, only to perish in what she believes was a preventable accident caused by negligence from both the train and bus drivers. She called on the State Railway of Thailand and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority to improve personnel screening and safety measures to prevent such tragedies. As his mother made a final goodbye, holding his photograph and burning incense while calling for her son to return home, she wept inconsolably, requiring support as she tapped on the coffin begging him to come back. On this day, three victims were released to their respective temples for religious ceremonies.

May 19, 2025 – At the Department of Thai Traditional Medicine and Alternative Medicine, public health networks led by the Addiction Studies Foundation, Community Risk Reduction Networks, and Youth Health Promotion Networks submitted a letter to Public Health Minister Pattana Prom-Pattana through Dr. Tewanchai Thaneeratana, Deputy Director of the Department of Thai Traditional Medicine and Alternative Medicine, urging accelerated passage of a cannabis control bill through the Cabinet and Parliament. The networks presented five public sector proposals to guide Thailand's cannabis control framework.

Dr. Tewanchai explained that since the drug law amendment, cannabis flowers are no longer classified as narcotics, but extracts containing more than 0.2% THC remain controlled substances. The Public Health Ministry now regulates cannabis as a "controlled herbal medicine" through three rounds of regulatory adjustments to tighten control over its use and distribution.

Currently, cannabis users must have a doctor's prescription, and new cannabis shops can only operate as medical facilities, pharmacies, herbal product retailers, or pharmaceutical manufacturers. This has forced many cannabis shops to close—Thailand previously had over 18,000 shops, but only about 7,000 have renewed licenses. An additional 4,000 shops are expected to close by year-end for non-compliance.

Dr. Tewanchai noted that current law has loopholes as it only regulates those seeking formal licenses. The Health Ministry is therefore accelerating a new cannabis bill to close these gaps. The draft law will require permits for anyone growing, selling, or using cannabis outside medical or research purposes, with penalties of up to one year imprisonment and 20,000 baht fines for recreational users.

The draft bill is currently under government public comment until May 21, followed by 30 days of detailed legislative review. If the timeline holds, the department will submit it to the Cabinet by July. Dr. Tewanchai confirmed that all public sector proposals will be studied and considered by the legislative committee to create comprehensive and balanced legislation.

Meanwhile, Watchrapong Poomchuen, director of the Addiction Studies Foundation, noted that despite some medical benefits over nearly four years since cannabis was removed from the narcotics list, Thailand has faced significant social impacts including recreational use, youth access, community problems, and an unwanted international image as a "Cannabis Destination." The public health networks submitted five key demands to the Health Ministry, including stricter recreational use prohibitions.

The Thai Football Association has parted ways with Marco Gokcel, head coach of Thailand's U-17 boys football team, after the team's exit in the first round of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup. The association expressed gratitude to Gokcel and his coaching staff for their commitment and hard work throughout their service, with the contract ending following the final tournament held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 2026. Thailand managed only one point from a draw with Myanmar in the group stage and missed out on a berth in the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The Thai U-17 national team will compete in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers scheduled for November 2024. The Football Association of Thailand has wished all staff members success in their future endeavors, and the technical committee will now consider appointing a new head coach to lead the team moving forward.