The Digital Economy and Society Fund (DE Fund) is pushing forward with digital development initiatives at the local level through the 'DE Fund Clinic' program, part of its 2025 fiscal year public relations and corporate image-building efforts held on April 24, 2025 in Chiang Rai Province.

The event aims to promote the fund's role, mission, and operational approach to government agencies, private sector organizations, and local communities. It also clarifies the funding application process and helps organizations understand how to access digital financing sources. The clinic builds collaborative networks for economic and social development through digital technology and positions the fund as a trusted regional partner. Combining in-depth knowledge transfer with personalized advisory services, the event strengthens regional organizations' capacity to efficiently tap into digital funding sources while creating an open, collaborative environment for idea-sharing.

Dr. Wangsiri Phuasiri, Director of the DE Fund Administration Division, opened the event and delivered a keynote address on the fund's overview, emphasizing equitable, transparent, and efficient access to financing across all sectors. He highlighted the fund's critical role in supporting projects with positive impacts on Thailand's economy and society.

Additional sessions covered the fund's 2025 operational plan and performance metrics, emphasizing alignment with policy objectives and project sustainability. A separate session outlined the funding application process and evaluation timeline, which operates transparently through multiple screening levels to select quality, feasible projects.

Participants received one-on-one consultations, with many presenting innovative digital solutions addressing healthcare, public health, and education challenges. The DE Fund Clinic provided detailed guidance on project proposal criteria and writing standards, helping organizations prepare for the fund's 2025 application round.

For more information, interested parties can visit https://defund.bde.go.th or the Digital Economy and Society Fund's Facebook page.

In a rare turn of events, Kamolsak Leewamaue, Narathiwat MP from the Pheu Chart Party, who survived an assassination attempt with M-16 gunfire, has taken matters into his own hands. He has personally collected evidence to pursue charges against those responsible, fearing the case might be compromised or have its scope artificially limited.

The Regional Police Region 9 and Narathiwat Police initially handled the case aggressively, leading to charges against five shooting suspects. All five were apprehended, but Leewamaue believes the investigation stalled before reaching the masterminds and whoever hired the gunmen.

The alleged shooter, former naval officer Wirojon Ketmunee, claims he acted alone out of personal grievance with Leewamaue, who had served as a defense lawyer. However, Leewamaue and observers find this explanation implausible, especially given that a government vehicle from the Prime Minister's Office was allegedly provided to the shooting team, which included both former and current military personnel.

Frustrated by what he views as a stalled investigation, Leewamaue—serving as the victim—has filed additional charges based on evidence compiled by his party's working group. The evidence reportedly implicates higher-ranking military officials from the Prime Minister's Office, including both admiral and captain-level officers.

The Pheu Chart Party's leader, former national police superintendent Tawee Sodsong, has lent credibility to the party's investigative work. Leewamaue's direct filing of charges is expected to push the case forward despite any potential obstacles or pressure, preventing powerful interests from suppressing the investigation.

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been serving his sentence at Klongprem Central Prison for over seven months. The Shinawatra family, Pheu Thai Party members, and red-shirt supporters are all anticipating his scheduled release date of May 11, 2025, when he becomes eligible for conditional release on probation after serving two-thirds of his one-year sentence. According to his family representatives and legal counsel, a recent visit on April 23 went well, with ten children and grandchildren able to visit during a special Songkran activity arranged by the prison. Both Thaksin and his family were reported to be in good spirits, and while he has some chronic health conditions, his overall health remains stable and not concerning. However, his conditional release is not yet guaranteed – one final procedural step remains before the Justice Ministry subcommittee meeting on Wednesday, April 29, 2025. This ministry-level committee will convene to determine whether Thaksin's sentence reduction will be approved, representing the final hurdle in the process. A corrections department subcommittee previously found that Thaksin met all eligibility criteria, and his case was forwarded to the ministry level for final consideration. The ministry-level subcommittee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of Justice and including the Directors-General of the Corrections and Probation Departments and representatives from relevant agencies, will make the final determination. Once the ministry approves the conditional release, the prison will be notified to proceed with his release and probation process. His legal team has requested that his probation residence be at Baan Chan Song Luang. If approved on April 29, Thaksin will be released from prison on May 11, undergo four months of probation, and regain full freedom on September 9, 2025. This development represents another significant political movement that many factions are closely monitoring.

At 4:00 PM on April 27, 2569, at the Department of Special Investigation headquarters on Chaengwattana Road in Bangkok, Thitipat Chotidetchachai, former Bangkok MP and chair of the Energy Reform Task Force, submitted maritime shipping documents with irregularities that violated the Energy Business Department's 2562 regulations on fuel oil transportation. Senior officials from DSI including Deputy Commissioner Anurak Rojnanirundkij, Consumer Protection Division Director Varanan Srilum, and Special Operations Division Director Kriankai Seubsamran received the documents.

Thitipat revealed that during March 2569, inspections of Section 7 fuel merchants uncovered 166 maritime shipping documents from six merchants that failed to comply with the Energy Business Department's transportation regulations. These shipments originated from fuel storage facilities in Rayong and Chachoengsao provinces and were destined for storage facilities in Surat Thani, Chumphon, and Songkhla provinces. The violations constitute offenses under the 2543 Fuel Oil Trading Act, punishable by up to two years imprisonment and fines up to 200,000 baht.

According to energy regulations, each shipping document must include eight critical details: (1) fuel merchant name and origin location, (2) issuance date and document number, (3) recipient name and destination location, (4) transporter name and address, (5) vehicle registration or vessel name for maritime transport, (6) departure date from origin, (7) fuel type and quantity, and (8) SEAL number or electronic seal system for tracking. The 166 documents contained missing information such as shipping dates, seal numbers, vessel names, or origin points, constituting legal violations that have been reported to DSI for further investigation.

The Thai Association of Travel and Tourism Businesses (ATTA) and the Thai Association of Tourism Services (TTAA) met with Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenkul to discuss support measures addressing the tourism crisis. ATTA President Thanapol Cheevarataporn revealed three key strategies: First, 1,000 million baht in subsidies for 3,000 charter flights; second, a domestic co-pay travel incentive program worth 3,000 million baht covering up to 1 million people at 3,000 baht per person; and third, suspension of the 1,000 baht foreign travel tax under the 2526 BE law to prevent damage to Thailand's outbound travel market and future international flight reductions.

Thapol explained that inbound markets face pressure from rising fuel costs and shrinking long-haul markets, making support for nearby markets like China, India, and ASEAN nations critical. The domestic co-pay program strengthens tourism as a domestic consumer protection measure, while reducing outbound travel helps mitigate current international flight cancellations. ATTA has scheduled roadshows in Chinese cities including Xinjiang, Urumqi, Dunhuang, and Lanzhou from May 28 to June 4, 2569, with support from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and ministerial participation to strengthen the "Two Way Tourism" strategy in key markets.

The associations are collaborating with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, King Power, and academic institutions including the National Science Research and Innovation Council to maximize program efficiency. The Tourism Minister reiterated the government's commitment to promoting quality tourism, separating the tourism ministry into separate tourism and culture portfolios, and implementing visa policy adjustments effectively.

Five Officers and Two Hotels Under Investigation After Gambling Raid in Nimitmai and Bung Kum Areas; Officials Ordered to Investigate Possible Negligence. On April 27, 2569, Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Siam Bunsomboon disclosed developments in the case where the Department of Provincial Administration's special operations unit raided two illegal Hi-Lo gambling dens in the Hathai Ratsada and Seri Thai areas—jurisdictions of Nimitmai and Bung Kum police stations. The operation resulted in the arrest of over 100 gamblers and the seizure of evidence worth millions of baht on April 25, 2569. Deputy Commissioner Siam ordered Pol. Col. Prasang Anmani, Commander of Police Region 3, and Pol. Col. Kampanate Arunkirirotsana, Commander of Police Region 4—overseeing Nimitmai and Bung Kum police stations respectively—to establish a fact-finding committee to determine whether local police negligently allowed gambling operations to exist in their areas. Meanwhile, Region 3 and Region 4 commanders are preparing to reassign five officers from Nimitmai and Bung Kum police stations to the operations center pending completion of the investigation, with orders expected within one to two days.