At 12:45 p.m. on December 11, 2025, at Government House, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ek Niti Nitithanprasad addressed questions regarding the Thai Phak Prachaachon party's petition to the Constitutional Court challenging whether the 200 billion baht energy transition portion of the 400 billion baht emergency borrowing decree qualifies as urgent or crisis-necessary. He stated that Thailand's current economic situation faces a complex crisis with an unpredictable endpoint, primarily triggered by rising energy costs, as Thailand heavily relies on imported oil and natural gas. He noted that this energy dependency was discussed at ASEAN meetings, with Thailand among the energy-importing nations with high external energy dependence.

Ek Niti explained that Thailand's high energy reliance has driven inflation upward, with recent inflation at 2.9 percent and expected to rise to a peak of 4-5 percent due to increased commodity costs affecting cost of living and consumer prices, particularly food prices which have risen nearly 10 percent.

When asked whether the higher inflation had been coordinated with the Bank of Thailand to implement monetary measures, given that 4-5 percent exceeds the monetary policy target of 1-3 percent, Ek Niti responded that average inflation for the full year remains close to the established 3 percent ceiling, and this matter has already been discussed with the Bank of Thailand in a joint meeting of four economic agencies.

"The root of this crisis comes from energy, doesn't it? The crisis began with the war crisis and energy crisis. Today it's a cost crisis. We see the latest inflation figure at 2.9 percent. Thailand relies heavily on oil and natural gas, which we must import from abroad. Since we cannot produce oil ourselves, we must resolve this crisis," Ek Niti stated.

He further explained that the emergency decree to borrow funds is necessary to prepare for an escalating crisis, differing from the 1997 financial crisis or the Thaksin era which faced external crises. This time, he emphasized, the crisis directly affects people's livelihood and cost of living, requiring government preparation to prevent widespread impact.

Regarding questions about the Democrat Party's statement that credit rating agency Moody's praised Thailand's economy despite the government's borrowing plans, Ek Niti clarified that Moody's commendation stems from Thailand's strong international reserves position, but this is separate from internal domestic hardship issues the government must urgently address, necessitating the emergency borrowing decree.

Ek Niti stated that the government has established a "5T" strategic framework for loan expenditure screening to maximize efficiency: Targeted—addressing directly affected groups; Transition—easing people's burden while transitioning energy structure to reduce long-term import dependence; and Transform—reforming economic structure to strengthen people's resilience.

Bangkok, May 9, 2026 — Senior Chairman Thonin Jearwanon is advancing the 'Charoen Pokphand Group Scholarship Program' under the concept 'Building People, Building the Future,' aiming to identify Thailand's top-tier young talent—Next-Gen Talent—with exceptional abilities, leadership qualities, creativity, and potential to drive the nation forward. The program develops these individuals into 'future leaders' for organizations, society, and Thailand amid an AI-driven, digitally innovative world with global competition. Scholarship recipients will learn, intern, and advance into real work within the Charoen Pokphand Group and affiliated companies spanning food, agriculture, retail, telecommunications, digital technology, and future-oriented businesses.

The 2026 scholarship program features the 'CP Scholarship Talent Screening Day 2026' across five nationwide regions, selecting 500 high-potential students and graduates from over 2,000 applicants for in-depth evaluation through one-on-one interviews and group activities assessing leadership, creativity, teamwork, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities. The fifth screening event at True Digital Park in Bangkok welcomed over 100 students from Bangkok and Central Thailand. The event was graced by Kasama Varavarn Na Ayudhya, former Permanent Secretary of Education, and program administrators; Dr. Theerapol Thanomsaktyut, Executive Chairman for Organizational Sustainability and Strategic Development, Charoen Pokphand Group; Ms. Siriporn Detchasing, Executive Director of Sustainability and Corporate Communications, CP Extra; Ms. Benjawan Ongsri, Executive Director of Shopping Center Business, CP Extra; Dr. Adipat Chaichanasukul; and Associate Professor Dr. Rueungsak Kaewthammachay, along with senior executives from various business groups.

Kasama Varavarn Na Ayudhya, program administrator, encouraged applicants by emphasizing that merely reaching the final screening round represents a rare 'significant opportunity,' as all youth become part of the 'CP Family'—an organization of ethical learning that connects young people with leading national executives, their philosophies, work methods, questioning approaches, and genuine leadership perspectives. She noted that today's nationwide applicants form a 'learning network' for mutual future growth; today's competitors may become tomorrow's partners and allies in creating positive change for society and Thailand.

Police are accelerating their investigation into a major cache of war weapons and explosives, expanding efforts to identify the source and trace the supply network involved in illegal arms trafficking. The case stems from the arrest of a Chinese man whose sedan flipped in Na Jomtien police station area. When officers inspected the vehicle, they discovered firearms and ammunition, leading to a follow-up search of a residential property in Huai Yai subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province, where authorities uncovered an extensive weapons arsenal and numerous explosive devices.

On May 11, 2026, police officers from Na Jomtien police station transferred all seized items to the Forensic Science Center 2 for examination, particularly C4 explosives and various other explosive materials, to determine their origin and investigate smuggling routes from foreign countries. Officers are simultaneously pursuing leads to connect the weapons cache to broader illegal arms trafficking networks.

The seized items total 18 entries, including: a GLOCK 26 handgun with 9mm ammunition, M16 rifle ammunition cases with 5.56mm rounds, two M16 rifles, extensive firearm ammunition, C4 explosives in both block and stick form weighing several kilograms, Russian-made POMZ2 anti-personnel mines, explosives from Korea and Myanmar, electrical detonators, remote control units, body armor, gas masks, and various other tactical equipment.

Initially, authorities are investigating the origin of all weapons and explosives, including which countries manufactured and distributed them, whether they were smuggled into Thailand, financial transaction trails, involved individuals, and the weapons supply network. This case is considered one of the largest illegal weapons and explosives possession cases in Chon Buri province.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprasath outlined plans for the Thailand Helps Thailand Plus project at Government House on May 11, 2025, at 12:45 PM. The government's 60-40 cost-sharing initiative is currently undergoing regulatory framework development and project screening committee setup. Once completed, government agencies will be invited to submit aligned proposals aimed at addressing the cost-of-living crisis and supporting citizens through energy transition reform. The project operates under five guiding principles: clear targets, achieving long-term sustainable transition while reducing public burden, structural reform to strengthen communities after the crisis, transparency through full disclosure and digital technology, and collaborative partnerships involving expert representatives from three private-sector institutions. When asked whether detailed project proposals would be presented to the screening committee on May 14, Ekniti stated that regulatory procedures must be finalized first, and stressed that the Cabinet submission on May 19 would proceed as planned.

TOKYO, Japan — Thai culture took centre stage in Japan as the 26th Thai Festival in Tokyo drew massive crowds over the weekend, with Japanese social media users marvelling at the popularity of Thai food and entertainment.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow presided over the opening ceremony of the festival on 9 May at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo. Shimada Tomoaki, Japan's Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, attended as guest of honour.

Held from 9-10 May under the theme "Creative Life and Creative Heartbeat," the Thai Festival in Tokyo is regarded as the largest Thai festival overseas and one of Tokyo's major cultural exchange events, attracting more than 300,000 visitors annually.

The event featured booths promoting Thai products, services and creative industries, alongside cultural performances including traditional Thai dance, Muay Thai demonstrations, concerts and fan meetings with Thai artists and actors.

Photos and videos of packed crowds at the festival went viral online. One Japanese X user, @Thai__Suki, posted images showing visitors filling the venue and wrote: "Look! This is Tokyo's Thai Festival, where 300,000 Thai food lovers gather! It's so packed!"

The user added: "This year too, Thai Fest is so crowded I can't move forward. Japanese love for Thailand is seriously amazing. As a fellow Thai enthusiast, I'm nothing but thrilled."

Thomas Theerathat is excited and honored to serve as a judge at the Miss World Thailand 2026 Final Competition held at MCC Hall. For the acclaimed young actor, this marks his first time judging on such a major stage. He expressed feeling thrilled and privileged, having prepared by studying the contestants' information and wanting to fully absorb the atmosphere of the event.

Reflecting on turning 25, Thomas shared that he feels he's grown significantly and has been involved in more diverse activities. He emphasized wanting to focus on his career, seeking new experiences, and developing himself to create the best work for his audience to follow. When asked about his birthday gift to himself this year, he joked that he'd love a long sleep—around 12-15 hours.

"Today I'm serving as a judge at Miss World Thailand 2026," he explained. "It's actually my first time judging at a stage this big, so I'm incredibly excited. It's truly an honor that Miss World Thailand 2026 invited me. I've watched the pageant before and even know Opol Suchat, who became Miss World 2025—she's amazing. I'm really happy to be here and feel like it's all like a dream."

When asked how he prepared, Thomas said: "I studied beforehand and came to see the overall setup today. Honestly, I wanted to absorb as much of the atmosphere as possible because this is a really big event. I looked into all the contestants."

On reaching 25, Thomas reflected: "I feel like I've matured another year. This year I've done so much more and gotten involved in things I love. I've been to fashion week, done various shoots—you'll have to stay tuned to see what else comes out."

Asked what's changed at 25, he said with humor: "First of all, I feel smarter and more knowledgeable. I can get along with people better now, and people don't tease me as much."

Regarding special goals, Thomas mentioned: "I've had these since I was young. I want to find new experiences and travel abroad more often. It really brings back a lot of knowledge and experience that helps me grow."

On what he's focusing on: "My career. There's so much ahead of me in the future. I want to achieve success in my work and create the best possible projects. I want to be someone who produces quality work."

When asked how far he plans to go in fashion: "To the top, if I can make it happen. Right now I'm climbing slowly in the fashion world—slow but steady is better."

For his birthday gift to himself: "It would probably be sleep time. Lately I'm only getting 4-6 hours, but last night I managed to sleep about 10 hours. I'm a big sleeper. If I could do whatever I wanted, I'd sleep 12-15 hours."

Asked if his friend Kong gave him a gift, Thomas said with a smile: "I'm not sure if it counts as a gift, but we went out to eat together and spent time together—that's a gift for me."