On May 13, 2025, at 5:00 a.m., Pol. Lt. Col. Ratchaponchai Pensonkram, commander of Chaiyawan Police Station, led investigators from Region 4 Police and Udon Thani Provincial Police to arrest Suwijit (surname withheld), 54, at his residence in Banyao Subdistrict, Wang Sam Moe District, Udon Thani Province. The arrest followed the shooting death of Boonma (surname withheld), 56, a deputy village chief, who was shot five times in the chest on April 19, 2025, in front of his home on Kham Bon-Noon Muang Huan Road.

Suwijit, also a deputy village chief and former military officer, had been engaged in cattle trading with the victim. During the 25-day investigation, police discovered the key conflict stemmed from a 50,000-baht debt dispute between the two men.

The critical breakthrough came from forensic evidence—specifically ballistic analysis of shell casings recovered at the crime scene, which matched the firearm in Suwijit's possession. "We traced physical evidence from the scene and established the connections that led us to identify this individual. Once the forensic evidence was conclusive, it formed the basis for the arrest warrant," Pol. Lt. Col. Ratchaponhai stated.

Police have charged Suwijit with premeditated murder and opposed bail, citing the violent and shocking nature of the crime. The case will proceed through the legal system.

Television host Moddam Kachapa found herself in the headlines again after photos surfaced showing her with Monk Pae from Surin province, known as "Carbon Monk," via the Saw Bao page. The controversy intensified when Saw Bao posted the images with a caption claiming Moddam had gotten into trouble after being photographed with the monk, alleging that Pae had secretly dated young men and frequently met them for meals in vehicles. Saw Bao later clarified that Moddam herself wasn't at fault, stating that celebrities visiting monks or spiritual figures is merely a matter of personal belief and faith, and if there were wrongdoing, it lay with the monk himself and his character. Saw Bao also suggested that the "Carbon Monk" would unlikely be ordained at any temple again due to his history.

Moddam addressed the rumors during a reveal episode on May 12, 2025, explaining that Pae had called her "mother" from the beginning and that her family had performed merit-making at Luang Pu Hongsa's temple, which holds spiritual significance. She clarified that the shared photos were from her television program and that she was promoting Surin province, even featuring Surin beef in the episode. Not Vorarut supported her statement, noting that Moddam had encouraged Pae to practice the monastic life properly, as Pae had followed Luang Pu Hongsa since childhood.

Moddam emphasized that she didn't know about Pae dating men and had simply been conducting interviews as part of her program work. She defended Not against accusations of falsely claiming spiritual authority, insisting that Not only spoke about Luang Pu Hongsa's spiritual power and that she herself took full responsibility for any issues. Regarding claims that she had escaped the influence of Ajarn Phaisarn, Moddam admitted that while she thought she had moved past it, she remained entangled and now accepts full accountability, stating she no longer dares to guarantee anyone's character. Despite living a routine life without attending events, she acknowledged being the subject of news stories every week. She explained that her involvement with spiritual figures and monks stemmed from her faith in Luang Pu Hongsa and her desire to promote Surin's economy, adding that she had helped various people including a large woman by installing air conditioning and assisting with soup kitchen operations. Moddam concluded by noting that while many good monks still exist, she no longer dares to vouch for anyone's character.

CHANTHABURI — On May 12, 2026, Thai authorities detained 18 Thai nationals repatriated from Cambodia after investigators uncovered their connections to online scam networks, including mule bank accounts tied to more than 60 fraud cases.

Maj. Gen. Phadungsak Raksasuk, commander of Chanthaburi Provincial Police, reported that the group arrived at 10:00 at the Ban Phak Kad permanent border crossing in Pong Nam Ron district following coordination with the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The operation involved officers from Pong Nam Ron police station, Chanthaburi Immigration Police, and military personnel from the Chanthaburi Marine Task Force.

The 18 individuals had recently completed prison sentences in Cambodia for illegal entry and other violations. Upon arrival in Thailand, immigration officers charged them under the Immigration Act for crossing borders outside official checkpoints. Further background checks revealed additional criminal connections.

Four suspects—Wicha Singnan, Ekpot Rattanakorn, Saharat Rattanakorn, and Phachara Phonrit—had outstanding arrest warrants and were immediately transferred to the appropriate jurisdictions.

Investigators identified seven members with links to mule bank accounts used by scam syndicates in the Thai Police Online database. Among them, Phuwadon Nonkhamphai was connected to 17 cases, Thitinan Suwanmek to 16 cases, and Thananan Maplian to 11 cases. Together, the seven suspects were linked to more than 60 fraud-related cases.

Military officials said the suspects would be held for up to seven days under the Martial Law Act of 1914 due to suspected involvement with transnational online crime networks operating along the Thai-Cambodian border.

Authorities indicated the investigation would aim to identify broader criminal networks using the Chanthaburi border as a transit hub for scam operations. Chanthaburi police confirmed they were coordinating with police agencies nationwide to gather evidence and pursue further action against the scam syndicates.

At a Democrat Party press conference on May 13, 2025, party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva expressed strong opposition to the government's emergency decree allowing a 400 billion baht borrowing to address energy crisis impacts and support the country's energy transition. Abhisit argued the measure increases economic risk, pointing out that while some have borrowed before, Thailand's current economic situation differs significantly—with growth at 1.5%, industrial index up 0.8% in March, and Moody's improving its outlook. He cautioned that spending the full 200 billion baht allocated for cash handout and "Thailand Helps Thailand" programs within four months could worsen economic instability if another crisis emerges, especially amid rising inflation.

Abhisit proposed three alternative approaches: reducing diesel tax to 33 baht per liter through excise tax exemptions (costing only one-third of the borrowing plan), implementing a windfall tax that could lower prices to 30 baht per liter while increasing state revenue, and refocusing energy transition efforts. He criticized the current EV and solar roof support programs for relying heavily on foreign technology and creating minimal domestic value. Instead, he recommended expanding B20 and B50 biodiesel programs by increasing palm oil content, investing with vehicle manufacturers to retrofit engines, and supporting palm farmers—reducing oil dependency while strengthening the agricultural sector.

"If you're solving the problem at its root, you don't need to drive recklessly," Abhisit said, criticizing the government's approach as creating additional economic pressures and pushing public debt toward its ceiling without addressing fundamental issues.

Nutra Regenerative Protein (NRPT), a food venture of the PTT Group, has announced a major strategic partnership with Impossible Foods, the global leader in plant-based meat innovation from the United States. Thailand's plant-based meat production facility will serve as the primary manufacturing hub for the Asia-Pacific region, supporting the region's growing future food market.

NRPT manufactures and develops plant-based meat products using international-standard technology and production processes. The facility is the first 100% plant-based meat factory in Asia-Pacific to achieve BRCGS Plant-based Level A+ certification for plant-based food production and distribution for three consecutive years—a global food safety and quality standard recognized by leading international retailers and food brands. The company is capable of developing diverse product lines.

Impossible Foods is a developer and distributor of plant-based meat products with the highest market share in the United States and ranks among the world's top five largest plant-based meat manufacturers. The company's key innovation is heme (soy leghemoglobin), a proprietary protein extracted from soybean roots that gives the products a taste, color, and aroma nearly identical to real meat.

"The company plans to expand into the Asia-Pacific market with initial distribution volumes of approximately 500,000 kilograms per year in the region."

This partnership reflects Impossible Foods' confidence in Nutra's potential as an international manufacturing and product development partner for future food. Production and distribution in Thailand have already begun, with exports now reaching Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong.

The Memphis Grizzlies announced the passing of Brandon Clarke, the team's guard, at age 29, with no cause of death disclosed. Clarke was born in Canada but held dual Canadian and American citizenship, having moved from Phoenix to Canada at age three. He was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of 2019 before being immediately traded to the Grizzlies. Over his NBA career, Clarke appeared in 309 games with 50 starts, averaging 10.2 points per game, though he was limited to just 2 games this season due to injury. On May 12, the Grizzlies released a statement announcing Clarke's death without specifying the cause. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Brandon Clarke," the statement read. "Brandon was an exceptional teammate and an even better person. His impact on our organization and the Memphis community will not be forgotten. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time." According to NBC News, law enforcement has opened an investigation into Clarke's death, with preliminary focus on a possible drug overdose. Los Angeles Fire Department received the emergency call on the evening of May 11, but Clarke was already deceased upon their arrival, and drug paraphernalia was found at the scene.