A 30-year-old male wild elephant from Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary died from electrocution after straying outside the protected area. The elephant knocked down electrical poles with its body and pulled power lines into its mouth, causing a fatal short circuit.

On May 25, 2569, at 10:00 AM, Rachan Buatri, Director of the Conservation Area Management Office No. 3 (Ban Pong), ordered veterinarians from the office to conduct a necropsy on the tusked male elephant, estimated to be 25-30 years old, which died from electrical shock. The incident occurred in the forest edge area outside Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary in Ban Thammanao, Moo 2, Wang Dong Subdistrict, Muang District, Kanchanaburi Province. Officers removed both tusks, each approximately 1 meter long, and collected tissue samples for laboratory testing to determine the exact cause of death.

The elephant was found collapsed around 9:50 PM on May 24. The cause was that this elephant had been chased away from its herd by a stronger elephant from the inner forest area of Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary, which has abundant water and food sources. Forced to forage outside the protected area, the elephant pushed down electrical poles with its body, then pulled the hanging power lines into its mouth, causing a fatal electrical short circuit. Additionally, officials found that the elephant had destroyed and knocked down 2-3 more electrical poles. After the necropsy was completed, the carcass was buried. Officials then reported to Lad Yao Police Station for record-keeping as evidence.

Piangruthai Gomartat, executive producer at Plah Blah Blah Production, is bringing the film Mahout—which presents Thai elephants to a global audience—to Cannes Film Festival 2026. The film about Thai elephants from various perspectives has generated significant buzz even before its release and received strong backing from the Department of International Trade Promotion under the Commerce Ministry to establish a booth at the prestigious festival in France.

Piangruthai shared that she will walk the red carpet four times this year, not just for appearances but to attend the world premieres of all four films. She personally designed her Cannes red carpet gowns and commissioned designers to tailor them, while sourcing her own accessories. Beyond the red carpet, she is bringing the Mahout film—in which she also stars as the lead actress—to sell at the Cannes booth.

This year, multiple Thai films are heading to Cannes, with Mahout selected as one of 15 films in the "Thailand Where Films Alive" program at Thai Night. Piangruthai has been invited to attend, and the film is scheduled for release in Thailand very soon.

Mahout has already earned recognition at several international festivals. The film won Best Narrative Feature at Bangkok Movie Awards 2025 and at Indonesia's Dimension Independent Film Festival 2025, plus Best Asian Feature Film at Moscow Asian Film Festival in Russia.

The film's theme song "Reborn Love" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB3ljBc0dtw), performed by Plah Blah Blah and Pairat Khammanee, has gained millions of followers.

Jao, an elegant female CEO and sweetheart of renowned singer Num Kala, posted a backstage video embracing the young singer after his final concert, captioning it 'Love you most.' In the video, Jao states: 'Final concert done today—it went amazingly well. After this, my brother is taking an extended break from concerts. We're going to travel and have fun.' Num Kala responded in the comments: 'I love you.'

Num Kala announced he is taking a lengthy hiatus from all work commitments to spend time with family. The singer posted: 'My last project is complete. From now on, I'm taking an extended break from all work for a while. I won't be accepting concerts or appearing on any stage for some time. I want to spend time with family, travel, live life, and pursue things I've long intended to do. I'll search for new inspiration for life. Thank you to everyone who has supported me. See you again in the future.'

Prachachat Business, the flagship publication in the Matichon media group, will host a major 50th-anniversary celebration on Thursday, May 28 at Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon, starting at 1 p.m. The seminar, titled "Thailand Next: The Successor," will begin with a keynote address from Dr. Yossanan Wongswaddie, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, followed by Dr. Santhidharnn Sathiernthay, Assistant Finance Minister. Business executive and H.O.W. (House of Wisdom) co-founder Thana Theerartjanno will speak on "The Successor."

Later, Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri and Dr. Dannan Supatpuntt, Managing Director of Thailand Post, will discuss "Best Comeback," while Suphachai Chearavannont, Chairman of True Corporation, and Dr. Arak Suteevarangkul, Executive Vice President of EGBXPublishing, will address "The Successor: Bridging Generations, Building the Future."

In the evening starting at 6 p.m., a Dinner Talk and inaugural Prachachat Business Awards 2026 ceremony will be held, with special addresses from Dr. Surakiat Sathiernthay, President of Chulalongkorn University Council, and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Dr. Ek Niyomsil. The awards program features 32 categories recognizing outstanding businesses and entrepreneurs, with selections based on reliable data from relevant agencies and editorial board assessment.

To commemorate the milestone, Prachachat will release a special pocket book titled "50 Years of Prachachat: The Power of Business News – The Power to Transform Thailand's Economy." Prachachat Business was the first publication launched by the Matichon group and originated from the daily "Prachachat" newspaper founded after the 1932 revolution by Prof. Gen. Prince Wan (H.R.H. Prince Nara Thaipongpanprappandej, 1877-1955), a former Deputy Prime Minister and UN General Assembly President, with renowned journalist Rose Sayprathit as its first editor.

Body of South Korean Tourist Found Floating in Pattaya Sea as Police Rush to Determine Cause of Death

At 10:00 AM on May 25, 2569, Police Lieutenant Colonel Kriangkai Kaewpibop, Deputy Investigation Officer of Pattaya City Police Station, received a report of a deceased person floating face-down in the sea north of Sak Island near Laan Island, approximately 6 nautical miles from Pattaya Beach, in Moo 7, Na Klua Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province. He immediately notified his commanding officer before coordinating rescue teams from the Saengboripun Tharmsathan Foundation's Water Operations Unit and the Maritime Disaster Prevention Team (Pattaya Sea Rescue) to dispatch rescue boats for investigation.

Upon arrival, rescuers discovered the body of a foreign man, believed to be South Korean, approximately 50 years old, floating face-down in the sea. The deceased was wearing a white polo shirt with black trim and green shorts. Rescue personnel recovered the body onto the rescue boat. Initial assessment indicated the person had been deceased for at least 6 hours, and no visible signs of violence or injuries were found on the body.

Personal items found on the deceased included one wallet containing a South Korean national driver's license bearing the name Jong Jun Hwan, three South Korean bank ATM cards, and one room key marked with room number 10. Police collected these items as evidence.

Police have preliminarily coordinated with relevant agencies to urgently identify the deceased. The body will be sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Police Hospital for a detailed autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Wat Bote in Ban Klang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Pathum Thani—originally called Wat Saai Nang Hongsa—was built in 1621 on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River by Mon refugees from Hongsavadi who named the temple after their homeland and erected a swan column symbolizing their ancestral city. The temple received royal consecration in 1725 and houses important archaeological remains and artifacts, including an old Mon-style vihara and sacred Buddha images.

Wat Bote became famous through its legendary abbot Luang Pu Tian Puputtammo, a revered Mon Buddhist master deeply respected throughout Pathum Thani and among amulet collectors. He created numerous sacred talismans and protective amulets, including inscribed cloth shirts, blessed cords, and metal charms, personally writing sacred texts and incantations on each item. He became so renowned that devotees believed no harm would befall those carrying his sacred amulets. His Buddha powder images embedded with protective cords and his compassion-focused amulets gained widespread fame. His coins from 1947 remain highly sought-after collector's items and are considered the most popular amulets of Pathum Thani Province. He passed away peacefully on July 18, 1966, at age 90.

Over time, the temple buildings deteriorated significantly, particularly the original ordination hall.

Phra Raj Maha Jetiyabhiban (Taksin Suntaravati), assistant abbot of Wat Arun Rajwararam and acting representative abbot of Wat Bote, explained that the temple is currently restoring the ordination hall, which is over 400 years old. The goal is to restore it to its original elegant design. The current ordination hall was built in 1967 to replace the original collapsed structure, but its architecture differs from the original. The restoration aims to recreate the distinctive Maha Udom ordination hall style, characterized by a single entrance-exit on the front, no windows, and solid walls—believed to be a sacred space for consecrating magical talismans and amulets.

"During excavation, we discovered the foundation of the principal Buddha image from the original ordination hall, estimated at over 400 years old, along with numerous old bricks and tiles. Surprisingly, we haven't yet found the reliquary that traditionally would be buried beneath the ordination hall. We're continuing to survey the surrounding area and coordinating with the Department of Fine Arts to ensure the restoration follows proper academic principles," Phra Raj Maha Jetiyabhiban stated.

Additionally, Wat Bote is constructing the Phra Phutthamaha Chakraphat Buddha image project—a sacred image from the temple's 400-year-old vihara. The three-story meditation building will be 28 meters wide and 40.72 meters tall, commemorating the auspicious occasion of His Majesty the King's 72nd birthday celebration on July 28, 2024. The reinforced concrete structure's first floor will accommodate 1,500 people, with the second floor serving as a meditation space.