The Commerce Ministry's Business Development Department, led by Director-General Poonpong Nayanaparakarn, has announced the launch of the 'Thai Help Thai X Local Low Cost' campaign in collaboration with local wholesale and retail operators across the country. The initiative aims to coordinate product distribution and marketing activities through a public-private partnership designed to strengthen grassroots economies and meaningfully reduce household expenses.

The campaign builds on the Commerce Ministry's existing cost-of-living support policies by connecting manufacturers, retailers, and consumers at all levels, with particular emphasis on enabling local wholesalers and retailers to distribute affordable goods to communities nationwide. The ministry has integrated cooperation with modern trade retailers with nationwide networks, as well as manufacturers and suppliers, to collectively reduce prices on essential consumer goods including soaps, shampoos, detergents, rice, sugar, cooking oil, and condiments, focusing on house brands and alternative quality products at special prices.

The 'Thai Help Thai' project was officially launched on April 1, 2025, under the Prime Minister's direction, featuring over 3,000 products with maximum price cuts exceeding 58% through cooperation with modern retail operators including Makro, Lotus's, Big C, Tops, and GO Wholesale, delivering tangible savings of 25-58% to consumers.

The Business Development Department has further expanded cooperation to local wholesale and retail shops with potential nationwide. Recognizing the alignment between the Thai Wholesale-Retail Association's Local Low Cost event and the department's direction, they have integrated efforts to increase consumer access to affordable products.

Under this initiative, consumer goods will be offered at special prices with maximum discounts exceeding 60% through 99 large local wholesale-retail operators comprising over 800 branches nationwide between May 1-10, 2025. The program is expected to reduce household expenses by 25-60% while supporting small local shop owners who can purchase discounted products for resale at higher margins, and helping restaurants obtain raw materials at reduced costs.

Director-General Poonpong emphasized that local shops have strong proximity to and understanding of consumer behavior in their areas, enabling them to select products matching community needs. The initiative also opens opportunities for SMEs and local OTOP products to be sold at special prices, helping distribute income to communities and strengthen grassroots economies. The 'Thai Help Thai X Local Low Cost' campaign serves as a crucial mechanism for stimulating domestic economic activity by connecting the supply chain from producers through retailers to consumers, expected to increase money circulation, boost spending, and create new marketing opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs.

A senior Buddhist monk in China has become an online sensation after appearing as a "pro gamer priest" with a serious passion for video gaming, despite criticism that such activities may be inappropriate for the monastic life.

Monk Huayuan from Ming Jiao Temple in Hefei, Anhui Province, has been ordained for over 20 years. He began playing video games as an elementary school student in the early 2000s and is particularly skilled at Counter-Strike, a competitive first-person shooter. Through his exceptional abilities, he has reached the "Legendary Eagle Master" rank and has invested approximately 40,000 yuan (about 192,000 baht) in high-end computer equipment to develop his gaming skills.

Although he is a monk, his temple has neither banned nor officially endorsed gaming. Monk Huayuan emphasizes that his key boundary is avoiding addiction while maintaining religious discipline. He argues that the distinction between the virtual and real world is crucial.

He explains that "killing" in games is merely a game mechanic for skill development, comparable to defeating an opponent in chess, which doesn't violate Buddhist principles. He even poses the counter-argument that by the same logic, playing games where you save others should guarantee immediate entry to heaven.

Monk Huayuan believes gaming is a "positive activity" that provides opportunities for communication, collaboration, and developing understanding—all important skills for personal growth both worldly and spiritually. He grew up in Shanghai with his divorced mother and developed interest in Buddhism from childhood, though his family initially strongly opposed his monastic path.

He concludes that both gaming and Buddhism serve the same purpose: helping him understand himself better. Both require "concentration" and acceptance of life's impermanence, which is fundamental to mindful living.

Kasera Thanlapakkekaiya, Managing Director of Sena Development Public Company Limited and CEO of Sena Green Energy, reveals the real estate market continues facing multifaceted pressures from global economic conditions, geopolitical uncertainty, and rising living costs. These factors have prompted consumers to delay major asset purchases, particularly home buying, while volatility in electricity and fuel costs further strains household budgets and purchasing power.

In response, SENA is refocusing its real estate strategy on affordable housing projects that address genuine market demand, especially among middle to lower-income groups seeking homes but constrained by purchasing power and credit access. The company has developed financial tools with "Ngoen Sod Chai Dee," a non-bank lender, to create flexible solutions tailored to individual customers. In the second quarter, SENA will launch a "car-for-house" solution enabling customers to leverage existing assets like vehicles to restructure their finances and reduce overall debt burden.

Kasera emphasized that real estate alone is insufficient to meet modern consumer needs, as energy costs have become critical to quality of life. SENA is therefore expanding into clean energy and transportation to create an integrated ecosystem. Its "SENA Solar Energy" business, operating for over 15 years, has installed solar systems on more than 1,500 rooftops with combined capacity exceeding 100 megawatts, offering solar, battery, and EV-ready solutions that reduce long-term electricity costs.

Meanwhile, "SENA Green Automotive" operates as a multi-brand EV platform and dealership, currently representing OMODA & JAECOO, LEAPMOTOR, and DEEPAL, with XPENG set to join this year. The company targets 1,000 electric vehicle sales this year, worth approximately 800 million baht—up from 560 million baht in 2024—with 150 million baht already achieved in the first quarter. SENA is creating seamless service integration connecting vehicle purchases, solar installations, and financial planning to enhance consumer accessibility to electric vehicles.

PHNOM PENH, April 30 (Xinhua) — Cambodia's Appeal Court on Thursday upheld the decision of a lower court to sentence former opposition leader Kem Sokha to 27 years in prison on the charge of treason, according to one of his lawyers.

Sokha appeared in the court to hear the verdict.

Pheng Heng, one of Sokha's lawyers, told reporters after the verdict that the Appeal Court also decided to ban Sokha from leaving the country for five years.

Under Cambodian law, Sokha has one month to appeal to the Supreme Court if he is not satisfied with the Appeal Court's ruling.

Sokha, former president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which was dissolved by the Supreme Court, was sentenced by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in 2023 to 27 years in prison for treason but was ordered to serve his sentence under home detention.

The 72-year-old former opposition leader was convicted of conspiring with a "foreign power" in an attempt to overthrow the legitimate Cambodian government and was arrested in 2017.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court also imposed a lifetime ban on him from engaging in politics.

Thailand's athletic delegation finished second at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya 2026, claiming 10 gold medals. Dr. Kongsakdi Yodmani, director of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), is satisfied with the result despite missing the 15 gold medal target, and is preparing to use the performance data and athlete statistics to strengthen the team for the upcoming Asian Games.

Dr. Kongsakdi Yodmani revealed that Thailand's athletes earned 10 gold medals, 9 silver medals, and 9 bronze medals at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China, finishing second overall. While falling short of the initial 15 gold medal goal, the director considers the second-place finish commendable, as the team had aimed for a top-3 position before competition began.

The SAT chief praised performance across multiple sports including beach athletics, takraw, sailing (windsurfing and kiteboarding), dragon boat racing, and beach volleyball, all of which won gold medals. He acknowledged that some sports earning silver and bronze medals showed potential for improvement, with lessons to be carried forward. Overall, he believes the results can serve as a foundation for the 20th Asian Games scheduled for September 19 to October 4, 2025, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

"This time, we're not focused solely on medal counts," Dr. Kongsakdi stated. "Above all, our athletes gained valuable experience and tested their physical strength. Some sports may have familiar names, but the rules and competition formats differ, providing Thai athletes with an opportunity to compete against leading Asian nations. Many beach games sports use the same athlete pools as the Asian Games, so continuous training will continue until the Asian Games. The SAT will analyze all the performance data and statistics from the Asian Beach Games to further strengthen Thailand's athletic team."

The 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya concluded on April 30, 2025, after running from April 22-30. Thailand's 176 athletes competed across all 14 sports, earning 10 gold, 9 silver, and 9 bronze medals for second place overall. Host nation China topped the medal count with 24 gold, 18 silver, and 13 bronze medals, while Iran placed third with 9 gold and 1 silver.

Thailand's 28 total medals came from beach athletics (3 gold, 1 silver), takraw (3 gold), sailing (2 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze), dragon boat racing (1 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze), beach volleyball (1 gold, 1 bronze), 3×3 basketball (1 silver, 1 bronze), beach handball (2 bronze), water polo (1 bronze), and jujitsu (1 bronze).

The 7th Asian Beach Games will be held in Cebu, Philippines, in 2028.

Officer suspended from duty as police chief orders swift investigation into Region 9 officer allegedly soliciting intellectually disabled child to gamble. April 30, 2025 — Deputy Spokesperson Chaiyphatchon Suwannarak of the National Police Office revealed that a family in Phatthalung province filed a complaint through media alleging that a Region 9 police officer coerced their son, who has an intellectual disability, to participate in illegal hi-lo gambling at a private residence while serving as the dealer himself.

The national police chief has instructed the Region 9 commander to conduct an urgent fact-finding investigation and take immediate action where possible, with a report due the same day. Should wrongdoing be confirmed, particularly involving a police officer, strict disciplinary and criminal proceedings will be imposed without exception. The chief emphasized that gambling itself is already illegal, and the penalties for officers are significantly higher than for ordinary citizens, with no exemptions granted.

Meanwhile, the officer's original department has ordered him suspended from duty pending the investigation and any subsequent disciplinary action.