In the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium on April 26, Chelsea from the English Premier League faced fellow league side Leeds United. Chelsea had recently dismissed Liam Rosiér from the manager position, with Calum McFarlane serving as temporary caretaker while they search for a new head coach. In the opening half, the Blues team took an early 1-0 lead when Pedro Neto advanced the ball down the right flank before entering the penalty area, with Enzo Fernández slotting it in during the 23rd minute before the first half concluded with that scoreline. In the second half, neither team could add another goal. Chelsea squeezed past Leeds United by the slimmest of margins, 1-0. This victory sent the London club successfully through to the final, where they will compete for the championship against Manchester City at the same stadium on May 16.

The GLO Cup 2026 Southern regional qualifiers concluded officially on April 26, 2026 in Songkhla Province, with eight qualifying teams selected from the South—four in the U13 age group and four in the U15 division—advancing to the national championships. The final day festivities were marked by the presence of Lieutenant Colonel Noun Sansakom, Government Lottery Office director, who presided over the awards ceremony alongside Air Chief Marshal Piyapong Phiwon, the tournament's chief organizer, both congratulating the outstanding young athletes.

In the championship finals, Pluuk Panya School defeated Kamphaengvit School 1-0 to claim the U13 regional title, while Peeraya x Mohamad Sport Academy defeated Yala Provincial Sports School 2-0 to win the U15 crown. The four semi-finalist teams from each age group earned the right to represent the South in the national championship tournament.

Lieutenant Colonel Noun emphasized that the GLO Cup is not merely a football competition but an important mission of the Government Lottery Office to return profits to society by providing Thai youth a creative platform to showcase their talents through sports, which is fundamental to long-term human and social development. He outlined the organization's goal of building a strong youth football foundation from regional to national levels and eventually the international stage, with the GLO STAR program helping Thai players develop skills abroad.

The GLO STAR program selected 11 young athletes from the Southern region for national-level trials, including five U13 players: Natthaaphatch Butsa (Pluuk Panya School), Akkradej Srirasant (Sawasdi Buorn Academy), Kittipong Chamasso (Songkhla Provincial Administration Academy), Wannathok Supap (Pluuk Panya School), and Karnich Bihing (Kamphaengvit School). For U15, the selections included Kitthin Iadwaree (Peeraya x Mohamad Sport Academy), Petchlchara Ratpanpan (Pluuk Panya School), Suraphot Anon (Peeraya x Mohamad Sport Academy), Krityachon Robkob (Jandi Academy), Tanyuddin Aroma (Peeraya x Mohamad Sport Academy), and Alpahami Yunu (Yala Provincial Sports School).

The GLO STAR program will conduct selections across all seven regions nationwide before the national championship, narrowing participants to 15 per age group for a training camp, then selecting three per group for a six-month training opportunity in Japan. The next GLO Cup 2026 regional qualifier will take place in the Eastern zone in Chachoengsao Province.

On April 26, Deputy Transport Minister Pattrapong Pattarapredit disclosed an incident in which a passenger on Thai AirAsia flight AIQ 4401, an Airbus A320 flying the Krabi-Suvarnabhumi route, made a bomb threat aboard the aircraft. He stated that as the ministry oversees the Airports of Thailand, he has coordinated with Danai Rueangson, Director-General of the Airports Authority of Thailand, and Thanisara Singha-khul, Director of Krabi Airport, regarding the matter. He has instructed all relevant agencies to closely monitor the situation and strictly adhere to aviation safety standards.

The incident occurred at 4:47 p.m. as the aircraft was backing away from its gate at Krabi Airport. The pilot immediately returned to the gate after being informed by a passenger about a dangerous object in carry-on luggage. Although the passenger later admitted it was a joke, the crew followed safety procedures and evacuated all passengers and luggage for inspection.

Krabi Airport moved the aircraft to Bay 14, away from the terminal, to conduct emergency response procedures without affecting overall operations. Other flights continued boarding and departing normally.

According to Pattrapong, the inspection was completed at 8:00 p.m. with no explosives or irregularities found. Flight AIQ 4401 departed at 9:00 p.m., resulting in a delay of approximately 4 hours and 15 minutes. The suspect is in custody and will face legal proceedings.

"I want to emphasize that passenger and flight safety is of paramount importance," Pattrapong stated. "Any allegation or act that causes panic, whether intentional or as a joke, is illegal, and authorities will take decisive action."

On April 26, 2569, at Wat Mai Samakkhi in Huai Pong subdistrict, Nong Pai district, Phetchabun province—commonly known as Wat Luang Por Ham Jon—a ceremony was held to cast a replica Buddha image of Luang Por Ham Jon. The ritual received blessings from Phra Brahm Vachiranuvatara, a member of the Great Mahathera Association and advisor to the Central Region ecclesiastical council, who served as the head of the monastic delegation. Also attending were Phra Tham Sutti, Phra Thepratanakorn, and Phra Raj Atchara Thammametthi, abbot of Wat Mahathat Luang Aramaram and provincial ecclesiastical chief for Phetchabun. Notable attendees included Ajcharya Phan Mun, director of the Phetchabun Provincial Buddhist Office; Nath Suraschadee, an artist from Wonderland music label and 18-time champion; and thousands of Buddhist devotees.

The ceremony began at 1:09 p.m. with Khun Mae Phismai Bunlikkhit, chairwoman of the lay delegation, lighting incense and candles to pay respects to the Triple Gem. The monks chanted Buddhist sutras, with Phra Brahm Vachiranuvatara blessing the image. During the ritual, a powerful summer windstorm brought heavy rain, yet the faithful remained undeterred and stayed until the ceremony concluded. Afterward, Phra Raj Atchara Thammametthi extinguished the ceremonial candles, scattered blessed rice and flowers over the Buddha image, and sprinkled sacred water in blessing.

According to Phra Kru Plad Pariyatti Watthan, assistant abbot of Wat Mahathat Luang Aramaram and ecclesiastical director of Wat Mai Samakkhi, the image was commissioned after two women from Khon Kaen province prayed to Luang Por Ham Jon for help selling their land. After their prayers, the land sold within days, prompting them to commission this replica image to be paraded during Songkran festival celebrations. The temple also created a commemorative image that was blessed during the casting ceremony and made available for veneration, with donations supporting the construction of a new ordination hall currently underway.

Lottery enthusiasts gathered after the ceremony to interpret numbers from the sacred ritual, with various participants seeing numbers such as 79 and 76 as lucky digits for the May 2 drawing.

At Pattani University's annual assembly on April 26, 2569, Wan Muhammadnoor Matha delivered closing remarks with strong political positions, particularly addressing the March 20 assassination attempt on Narathiwat MP Kamalsakdi Leewamoh of the ruling party. Muhammadnoor told party members that victory lies not just in upcoming elections within four years, but in fighting against injustice threatening those who serve the people.

"What we must fight for today is justice against corrupt individuals, those with influence, those who abuse state power, and those who misuse money to destroy people fighting for humanity and human rights, like our MP Kamalsakdi," he stated, warning that failure to secure justice would undermine public trust in the party.

Muhammadnoor drew parallels to events 50 years prior when former Narathiwat MP Sombat Eamviroj was assassinated outside his home for championing Muslim causes. He noted that Narathiwat's strategic border location makes it vulnerable to power abuse and violence against opponents.

He revealed that while five suspects have been arrested, including a sergeant apprehended in Myanmar, the masterminds remain at large. "How could a vehicle appear on its own? How could a gun come on its own? How could strangers shoot if no one orchestrated it?" He suggested the orchestrators are those who lost influence from Kamalsakdi's work as chairman of the law and human rights committee.

Muhammadnoor criticized the perpetrators' arrogance in using state vehicles and rejected claims the shooter had a change of heart, calling them lies from a hired international assassin. He confirmed the party would pursue the case fully, joining as co-plaintiff with state prosecutors, expecting fierce legal battles through the Supreme Court.

PHANG NGA — Four men have been found dead after entering an old water well to clean it inside a palm plantation in Kuraburi district, with authorities initially suspecting suffocation due to a lack of oxygen.

Rescue workers were called to a shallow well in a palm plantation in Village 11, Ban Saeng Tham, Khura subdistrict, after reports that several people had died inside the approximately six-metre-deep structure on 26 April 2026.

According to initial reports, the victims had entered the well to carry out cleaning work before reportedly losing consciousness and drowning. Authorities believe the deaths were caused by oxygen deprivation, as the confined space inside the well had limited airflow.

Rescue teams were initially unable to retrieve the bodies due to the narrow structure and low oxygen levels inside the well. Officials from the Phang Nga Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office were later deployed with specialised equipment to assist the operation.

All four bodies were eventually recovered. The deceased were identified as men aged between 34 and 51.

Amorntep Preekham, acting chief of the Phang Nga Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, said the operation involved coordination among multiple agencies. He said initial assessments suggest the victims likely died from suffocation inside the well, adding that a detailed investigation will be carried out.