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.

A Facebook user named Rungravee Chaiwirattikul has shared a cautionary account of a fish bone that became lodged in her throat starting April 14. She consulted three doctors who all reassured her the bone had likely already passed, which she initially believed since eating caused no pain in her throat. However, she remained puzzled by persistent pain on the outside of her neck behind her ear and daily pressed the area to investigate. By April 24 at 2 a.m., she became convinced it was indeed a fish bone but was afraid to pull it out for fear of damaging blood vessels or nerves.

On the morning of April 25, while washing her face, she felt something prick her hand—the fish bone had pierced through the skin behind her ear. Upon closer inspection, she saw a needle-sharp bone protruding from her skin. After carefully confirming it was the fish bone, she gently pulled it out, and blood rushed out as the bone came free, visible just like in an X-ray image. She noted that fortunately the bone exited through her neck rather than penetrating toward her brain.

The BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2026 took place in Horsens, Denmark, on April 26. In the men's team (Thomas Cup) Group D second round match, Thailand faced Indonesia. Top singles player Vitidsarn Kullawut defeated Jonathan Christie 2-1 with scores of 21-16, 20-22, and 22-20, giving Thailand a 1-0 lead. However, the men's doubles pair of Chaimsongvut Phakphakon and Voravpol Tongsang lost to Sabar Gutama and Moh Isfaandhi 2-0 (17-21, 18-21), tying the match at 1-1. Second singles player Panitchpol Thiraruttanakul won against Alvi Farhan 2-1 (14-21, 21-17, 21-16), putting Thailand ahead 2-1. The second men's doubles team of Peerachhai Sukpundan and Prakpol Thiraruttanakul lost to Fajar Alfian and Nicolas Joaquin 1-2 (21-19, 17-21, 23-25), leveling the score at 2-2. Third singles player Thanaawat Yimjit fell to Moh Ubaidillah 2-0 (11-21, 12-21), giving Indonesia a 3-2 victory. Despite this loss, Thailand's men's team has mathematically secured a spot in the quarterfinals, with their final group ranking depending on the outcome of the Indonesia versus France match.

In the women's team (Uber Cup) competition, Thailand's second group match against Spain resulted in a dominant 5-0 sweep. Top singles player Pornpawee Chochuwong defeated Clara Azurmendi 2-1 (21-19, 12-21, 21-8). First women's doubles pair Hathaithip Minjad and Nutakrit Tungkasathan won 2-0 (21-7, 21-14). Second singles player Suphanida Ketutong won 2-0 (21-18, 21-6). Second women's doubles pair Ornichcha Jongsathaporn and Jeanette Sueying Cheprasart won 2-0 (21-19, 21-15). Third singles player Busanan Oungbamrungpun won 2-0 (21-15, 21-10). With this dominant performance, Thailand's women's team has won both their group matches and advanced to the quarterfinals, where they will face South Korea for the group championship.

On April 26, special task force officers from Aranyaprathet, working with Company 1206 Rangers from the 12th Ranger Battalion, conducted border patrol operations in Aranyaprathet District, Sa Kaeo Province to intercept illegal goods smuggling.

During their patrol, officers spotted two suspects carrying large gray boxes crossing the border into Thai territory near Khlong Kan boundary canal (also known as Khlong Nam Sai), approximately 10 meters from the border between checkpoints 48-49 at Ban Noen Samborun, Moo 12, Khlong Nam Sai Subdistrict, Aranyaprathet District. When the men noticed the officers, they abandoned the boxes and fled back across the border into Cambodia.

Upon inspection, the boxes contained Alprazolam tablets—a controlled psychotropic substance known among teenagers as 'yaba.' Officers found 480 boxes of Axprazol brand (0.5 milligrams) and 480 boxes of Asolan brand of the same strength, totaling 960 boxes with 100 tablets per box, equaling 96,000 pills in total.

This drug is commonly abused and misused among young people. Officers seized all the medications and handed them over to the Aranyaprathet Customs Department for legal proceedings.