On May 14, 2025, Chaivatana Sathavornvijit, a Thai People's Party candidate for Bangkok governor, returned to Talat Phlu market—his childhood neighborhood—to meet with vendors and community members. He revealed that his campaign includes daily field visits with a team of MPs. Today's stop in Thonburi district was particularly meaningful as the birthplace of his childhood. Chaivatana stated his intention to develop Talat Phlu into a vibrant tourist destination where residents and visitors can shop and dine, aligning with Bangkok's easy-commerce agenda.

He proposed creating community-driven stories to establish the area's unique character and improve pedestrian accessibility, including covered walkways connecting key transit points and the railway area. Such improvements would encourage tourists from nearby attractions to visit the market.

Regarding the contested 40-baht BTS fare policy, Chaivatana clarified that the fare should be distance-based, ranging from 8-45 baht—a proposal his council has been developing since the previous session. He explained the structure would include combined fares for multi-leg journeys (bus-to-BTS) rather than single tickets, allowing passengers to pay one fare from origin to destination regardless of transfers. He emphasized these figures were based on realistic data and sound principles, with tax subsidies supplementing but not fully covering costs, allowing remaining tax revenue for other welfare programs.

On his no-billboard campaign pledge, Chaivatana expressed his commitment to reducing campaign billboards starting with this Bangkok election. He argued that billboards obstruct pedestrian pathways and pose accident risks. Instead, his campaign would utilize multiple communication channels including brochures, social media, vinyl and canvas materials at markets, and centralized digital billboards. He noted that Bangkok's governor position has a single ballot number, and voters familiar with the Thai People's Party can identify him through alternative channels and media.

Great Warinthorn: Hormones Out of Balance from Not Resting Properly, Lives Daily Fighting Internal Voices. In the "How are you feeling" interview, Great Warinthorn reveals another side of himself—a man who appears perfect and strong outwardly but constantly struggles with inner voices, fears, expectations, losing his beloved cat, a productivity addiction, and living without rest until he forgot to listen to his own emotions.

What happened with the cat? Great Warinthorn: When I first took him in, I didn't plan to own a cat at all. He had four legs initially. But one day, he dragged himself to my home with an injured leg. I decided to bring him inside and took him to a vet the next day. This happened during COVID, so I felt bonded to him. It was my first cat. Though I never thought I'd like cats, I ended up taking him to the vet and getting acupuncture treatments. The vet said his nerves were damaged. If left alone, he'd chew his own leg continuously, get infected, and die quickly. The solution was to amputate his leg. Cats adapt quickly, and he can live a full life, but we'd have to care for him since he couldn't hunt naturally. So I chose this solution. He became my first cat.

You love living alone—how did having another life in your home change things? Great Warinthorn: Honestly, I didn't think much about it initially. I just knew his quality of life depended on us. If we amputated his leg, we had to care for him. At that crossroads, letting him go meant he'd die quickly, but if we didn't care for him after amputation, that wouldn't be right. So I didn't overthink it—I just decided to take care of him.

How did he change your life? Great Warinthorn: I feel like I discovered the third and fourth voices within myself. I found a tenderness I never knew I needed. Interacting with a pet made me realize something—it's made me feel tired but also want to care for him the best I can. It happened naturally. Living alone, I'm introspective and self-aware. I remember when he first came, he meowed a lot. It was cute. In the early days, as his leg healed and he hopped around, I eventually realized he was adorable and talkative, very good at being affectionate. Before neutering, he'd vocalize constantly—every breath. Sometimes I couldn't concentrate on reading. If I didn't hold him, he wouldn't stop meowing. But after neutering, it's like his voice box was removed. I remember looking at his face and thinking, "Where would I find such a cute cat again?" That was my most tormented period—probably when I learned he was sick and in pain.

Your heart sinks instantly when the vet says something's wrong—does it turn your world upside down? Great Warinthorn: Yes. The most disturbing thing is seeing him suffer. These days, I do something: I wake up and meditate for 10 minutes every morning. I've been doing this for a month, and on good days, I'm okay. The moment I sensed something was wrong, that day everyone stayed home. I hadn't told my mother yet—I just told her, "Mom, I'm going to check on the cat first. He's not feeling well." But that morning, I hadn't spoken to anyone. I felt the house was chaotic. I sat alone meditating.

At 9:39 a.m. on May 14, 2026, security cameras at Bang Buathong Police Station recorded a white Toyota Altis driven by Ms. A (alias), a 44-year-old ex-wife, leading a silver-bronze Toyota Altis driven by Vinai (surname withheld), age 42, the suspect, into the guesthouse compound. Ms. A exited her vehicle to coordinate with police after informing them she would bring her husband to surrender in connection with the assault and death of Ms. Joy (surname withheld), his new wife. The suspect's vehicle then reversed and parked in front of the guesthouse, where officers observed the body of Ms. Joy slumped in the front left passenger seat, already deceased. As soon as the vehicle stopped, Deputy Superintendent Chanatip Phanthong of Bang Buathong Police Station approached to inspect the vehicle. Vinai then exited wearing a white shirt with a tense expression, and was immediately taken into custody. Evidence was documented and recorded before he was taken for initial questioning, with Ms. Nok present as a witness.

Later, reporters received details from Bang Buathong Police Station investigators regarding the timeline leading up to the incident. At 8:00 p.m. on May 13, 2026, Ms. A came to the station to file a report. She stated that around 11:00 a.m. that same day, her husband video called her and showed her Ms. Joy's condition, which displayed facial bruising and severe body contusions consistent with violent assault. During their conversation, Vinai admitted to Ms. A that he was the one who assaulted Ms. Joy, but did not provide his location. He then lost contact with her around 3:00 p.m. Ms. A believed Ms. Joy may have died and decided to go file a report as a precautionary record. By the morning of May 14, 2026, the suspect contacted her again before driving the body to surrender at Bang Buathong Police Station.

FIFA has officially announced that BTS, the world-renowned K-pop group, will perform during the halftime show of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final alongside two legendary female artists, Madonna and Shakira. The 2026 World Cup will be the first tournament to feature a halftime show at the final match, following the tradition of major American sports like NBA basketball and NFL football. FIFA confirmed that BTS will headline the halftime performance at the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New York City, sharing the stage with Madonna and Shakira. Shakira, the renowned Colombian singer, is also the artist behind this World Cup's official anthem "Tití Me Preguntó," which features Nigerian artist Burna Boy and will be released in full on May 14.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has explained its personnel transfers and position rotations for officials completing four-year tenures, aimed at preventing concentrated power and eliminating personal conflicts of interest in their work. On March 10, 2025, the Royal Gazette published new NACC regulations signed by the commission's chairman, taking effect March 4, designed to enhance transparency and improve personnel management aligned with the organization's new structure.

The Personnel Management Regulation No. 5 establishes clear duty periods: officials in director positions must be rotated after three consecutive years, while group directors and center directors must be transferred after four years. The NACC emphasized three key reasons for mandatory four-year rotations: protecting personnel and their families in provincial and regional anti-corruption work from threats and intimidation; preventing officials from misusing authority or personal relationships to benefit their work areas; and addressing historical issues where some officials transferred from the predecessor agency remained in the same regional offices, merely changing positions without actual relocation.

The commission stated that in the past, over 3,000 cases were pending, with some important cases exceeding the statute of limitations. However, the current NACC board has reduced pending cases to several hundred and established a two-year case resolution timeline with one-year extensions. Currently, the NACC has over 2,000 personnel nationwide and plans to add 1,500 more within two years to strengthen proactive operations. This expansion is crucial as corruption costs Thailand hundreds of billions of baht annually. Thailand's 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index score of 33 out of 100 placed it 116th globally and 7th in Southeast Asia, prompting urgent action. The NACC stressed that the personnel transfers were conducted transparently by a multi-department committee, though some individuals may object.

Pompam Niti, also known as "Grandma Pompam," a renowned broadcaster, actress, writer and producer famous for shows like Thai Travel and Talk-Ka-Gay, shook up the stand-up comedy world with her first-ever performance last year titled "Born, Aged, Sick: Grandma POMPAM's Stand Up Comedy." Though the laughter-filled performance was well-received, fans have been clamoring for an encore.

Now Grandma Pompam is back with a brand new stand-up comedy show: "EUCERIN Presents POMPAM'S STAND UP COMEDY – Rambling Elder with Dry Mouth, Holding Strong in Old Age SHINE Version," scheduled for Sunday, July 12, 2026, with two shows at 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM at Ballroom 1-2, Level 1 of Siri Kiti Convention Center.

This time around, Pompam takes the stage to share her personal stories about perseverance and resilience while navigating life's increasing complications and striving to live healthily. She explores dealing with people of different personalities and ages, workplace chaos, family matters, and a modern coming-of-age experience in a different phase of life.

"Rambling Elder with Dry Mouth" doesn't describe a cranky old person, but rather someone who talks endlessly, sharing stories from late adolescence that must be experienced to gracefully transition into old age—experiences you may not enjoy but must live through nonetheless.

Don't miss it! "EUCERIN Presents POMPAM'S STAND UP COMEDY – Rambling Elder with Dry Mouth, Holding Strong in Old Age SHINE Version" tickets go on sale May 23 via Thai Ticket Major branches and www.thaiticketmajor.com. Prices: 2,500 / 3,000 / 3,500 baht. Follow Nang Maew Paa on all social media channels for more details.