The Digital Economy Promotion Office (depa) is accelerating the One Tambon One Digital Season 3 (OTOD #3) project through the Accelerate Digital Agriculture and Digital Agriculture Pitching Day roadshow in the upper northern region. The initiative seeks to upgrade digital technology skills in agriculture for community groups, farmers, and entrepreneurs in northern Thailand while providing a platform to identify innovative community ideas for funding support from the project.

The event takes place April 29-30, 2025 at the Centara Riverside Hotel in Chiang Mai, with Vice Governor Siwakorn Buapong presiding over the opening ceremony. Government agencies, private sector representatives, farmers, and community groups are participating, alongside Boonthawee Duangirat, Director of Community Development Promotion and Support at depa, and Prachaya Komanan, Northern Branch Manager of the Digital Economy Promotion Office.

Boonthawee highlighted that the upper northern region is a major agricultural production area generating significant income for farmers, yet the sector faces multiple challenges including rising production costs, labor shortages, climate volatility, and technology gaps. Integrating digital technology into agricultural management is essential to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase agricultural productivity while enabling new-generation farmers and communities to develop sustainable modern agricultural business models.

The Accelerate Digital Agriculture program features intensive training and workshops on four key topics: digital technology for smart agriculture, income generation through digital content creation, financing readiness and business proposal development, and community green economy development. The event includes an AgriTech Showcase featuring digital agricultural technology from Thai entrepreneurs and a Business Matching area connecting community groups with certified technology service providers registered in the Thailand Digital Catalog.

Expert speakers from various sectors, including digital agriculture specialists such as Ajchara Chumphugkua (Ban Rong Tee Meed Community Rice Center Chairman), Second Lieutenant Nithorn Saenkampin (Young Smart Farmer Network Coordinator for Chiang Mai), Khawan Kamdee (Khaokham Community Enterprise representative), and Torlarp Samukrat (content creator), will share experiences and approaches to implementing digital technology in agriculture and community economics.

A major highlight is the Digital Agriculture Pitching Day regional pitching competition offering funding for technology development in communities. Community groups and entrepreneurs can pitch project concepts for depa support, divided into two categories: upgrading community groups in digital technology application (d-Community) with support up to 150,000 baht per project.

The previous government lottery draw hit 3 numbers! Mae Nam Neung, a lottery prediction expert, is confident about this draw scheduled for May 2, 2569. The live incense number reading took place on April 30, 2569, with the government lottery results coming in strong. Mae Nam Neung stated: 'The previous government lottery draw hit 3 numbers. The incense reading hit perfectly on all counts, giving us both 74 and 14 in the group. The previous group hit 3 numbers with 612, and I remain confident the numbers will come through this draw as well.' Before the incense reading, Mae Nam Neung announced: 'This draw will hit 3 numbers again. The formula numbers came out last time, and I'm still confident about the formula this draw—it will definitely come through.' Amid positive comments from followers, Mae Nam Neung is being followed for this draw, with incense numbers showing 396, which are also beautiful numbers.

Nuealpan Lumsam, president of the Football Association of Thailand, along with Vice President Adisak Benjasirivanna and Secretary General Ekkapon Phollanavy, attended the 76th FIFA Congress held on April 30, 2025, at the Vancouver Convention Center in Canada.

The congress, presided over by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, brought together representatives from all 211 FIFA member associations. Held ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the meeting focused on expanding football opportunities globally.

Key developments include:

FIFA's Investment in Global Football Development: - FIFA has invested over USD 5 billion in global football development over the past decade - The FIFA Forward 4.0 program will allocate a record USD 2.7 billion - Member associations will benefit from an eightfold increase in development funding compared to pre-2016 levels

New Budget Approval: - FIFA Congress approved a new budget cycle for 2027-2030 - Projected total revenue of USD 14 billion - All revenue will be reinvested in global football development - Focus areas include youth development, grassroots football, infrastructure building for member associations, and equal distribution of tournament hosting opportunities

Future Plans: The 77th FIFA Congress will be held in Rabat, Morocco, on March 18, 2026, where the FIFA presidency election will take place.

Kanjana Poolkaew, secretary-general of the Social Security Office, revealed that in response to Labor Minister Chulphan Amornvivat's policy aimed at mitigating the impact of the global economic crisis, the Social Security Office is accelerating the 'Social Investment Program' to provide concrete assistance to both insured workers and business operators.

To enhance business liquidity, the Social Security Office has partnered with seven banks—the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited, Thai Export-Import Bank, Krung Thai Bank Public Company Limited, UOB Bank Public Company Limited, Thai Credit Bank Public Company Limited, and Thai Military Bank Public Company Limited—allocating a combined 30 billion baht to support credit for businesses to maintain liquidity and preserve employment levels. Loan amounts range from no more than 15 million to 50 million baht according to business size, with fixed interest rates not exceeding 2.35% annually for secured loans and 4.75% for unsecured loans during the first three years.

From the fourth year onward, interest rates follow each bank's standard terms. Participating businesses must maintain continuous social security contributions for at least 12 months and maintain employment at no less than 80%. Applications are accepted from July 3, 2025, to December 30, 2026, or until funds are exhausted, whichever comes first. Businesses can apply through the Social Security Office website at www.sso.go.th to obtain a business status certificate before contacting participating banks. To date, 1,071 businesses have been approved for credit totaling 11.35 billion baht, preserving employment for 137,986 workers.

Simultaneously, the Social Security Office has partnered with Government Housing Bank to assist insured workers affected by flooding in nine southern provinces with a maximum allocation of 4 billion baht. The program covers insured workers under categories 33, 39, and 40 for home repairs or construction. Repair loans cap at 500,000 baht and new construction at 2 million baht, with special interest rates of just 1.59% annually for the first five years, then MRR minus 2% for years six through eight, and MRR minus 0.5% from year nine onward.

Eligible applicants must own residential property in affected areas, and those in category 40 must have contributed for at least six of the previous 12 months. Applications are accepted from January 29, 2025, to July 31, 2025, or until funds are exhausted. Applicants must obtain an insured worker status certificate from the Social Security Office nationwide before submitting applications to Government Housing Bank for approval.

Kanjana emphasized that the Social Security Office remains committed to implementing the Social Investment Program to alleviate the financial burden on insured workers while supporting business continuity.

Iconic French champagne brand Perrier-Jouët invites guests to discover a new definition of relaxation through the 'Champagne in Bloom' experience at Anantara Siam Bangkok, featuring a Sunday brunch that seamlessly blends the freshness of spring with contemporary urban lifestyle.

Attendees will savor the distinctive taste of Perrier-Jouët Signature Cuvées, which evoke floral freshness and aroma, paired with special menus from two celebrated restaurants. Choen Restaurant brings fire-inspired techniques to Thai cuisine with a fresh perspective, while Rark Thai Cuisine reinterprets traditional Thai dishes with contemporary style and sophistication.

Every dish has been carefully designed to reflect Perrier-Jouët's identity clearly, creating fresh, delicate, and accessible flavors that transform the brunch atmosphere into a space of inspiration and new conversations.

Beyond the exceptional food and champagne, the event features live portrait sketching by artists, creating unique moments for each guest. The experience reinforces that Perrier-Jouët is more than just champagne—it's a symbol of a life filled with color, brightness, and inspiration at every moment of leisure.

Chulalongkorn University Rector Prof. Dr. Wileśs Puriwatсhr emphasized that Thailand is one of three countries competing to host the 2030 Youth Olympic Games, representing an invaluable golden opportunity that should not be overlooked. The government must take this seriously, as the benefits are substantial—enhancing national reputation, generating revenue, developing human capital, and nurturing youth. Chulalongkorn University has confirmed full readiness to the International Olympic Committee, including sports facilities, student dormitories to serve as an athlete village, and activity spaces in the city center with unique distinction.

The rector revealed that during the International Olympic Committee delegation's visit led by IOC Member Danka Obrenovic, who heads the evaluation committee, they inspected Thailand's readiness in Bangkok and Chon Buri from April 28-30, 2025. Thailand competes alongside Asunción, Paraguay and Santiago, Chile for the 2030 Youth Olympic Games. The university confirmed full preparedness with existing facilities—sports stadiums, a sports science center, dormitories accommodating 1,000-2,000 athletes, plus additional facilities from other institutions totaling approximately 5,000 rooms, along with youth activity spaces like Siam Square. All existing infrastructure requires no new construction budget and aligns with IOC policies.

The rector noted that most current sports competitions are held outside cities, but Thailand's unique advantage is having complete facilities within the city center, which the IOC prefers. The university is prepared to fully support this national endeavor, as it aligns with institutional goals of developing quality youth leaders with athletic spirit. Thailand's previous largest sporting event was the Asian Games. Being among the top three candidates to host the Youth Olympic Games, which will attract 200 participating countries, represents an exceptional opportunity that must not be missed. The government should prioritize this seriously, as benefits include significant national prestige, revenue generation, and youth development, with all expenditures staying within the country.