On May 23-24, 2025, basketball fans will experience an unforgettable event featuring NBA champion DeAndre Jordan, renowned as the alley-oop legend. The two-day celebration features mini concerts and exclusive performances by artists including MILLI, CIR*CRL, BENZ Khao Khwan, NEXT IDOL, and CU Performance that will ignite the basketball court.

The NBA Rising Stars Invitational Thailand Qualifiers presented by TOA marks the inaugural hosting of this prestigious national youth basketball championship in Thailand, a collaboration between TOA Paint (Thailand) Public Company Limited and The National Basketball Association. The competition provides a platform for talented Thai youth players to showcase their abilities and compete for the opportunity to represent Thailand at the NBA Rising Stars Invitational 2026 in Singapore.

On opening day, May 23, 2025, basketball enthusiasts will be part of a historic moment, cheering for young Thai athletes while enjoying special activities and the highly anticipated appearance of DeAndre Jordan, center for the New Orleans Pelicans and 2023 NBA champion. Beyond meeting the NBA star, fans can participate in exclusive activities including chances to win signed jerseys from DeAndre Jordan and limited-edition memorabilia. The first 50 fans to arrive on May 23 will receive a limited-edition NBA Rising Stars Invitational T-shirt, plus participate in contests with prizes totaling over 100,000 baht.

The opening day features elimination-style matches: Match 1 between Wat Noi Nopkhun School and Thepsirin School Samut Prakan, followed by a mini concert from BENZ Khao Khwan; Match 2 between Kanchanaphisek Witthayalai Chaiyaphum and Muang Ratchaburi Municipality Demonstration School; Match 3 between Assumption Thonburi School and Bualeung Withayakom School; and Match 4 between Nonthaburi Witthayalai and Tha Khram Phitak School in Chachoengsao, with performances from CU Performance interspersed throughout.

On May 24, 2025, the finals commence with the women's championship match featuring a mini concert by rising T-POP group CIR*CRL, followed by the men's championship featuring rapper MILLI. Every cheer from the crowd empowers these young athletes to pursue their dreams on the international stage, and organizers invite all supporters to join in celebrating the next generation of Thai basketball talent.

Thailand's Earthquake Monitoring Center reported a 5.3-magnitude earthquake near Myanmar's southern coast at 9:05 AM on May 18, 2569 (Thai time), with its epicenter 10 kilometers deep and approximately 247 kilometers southwest of Mae Sot District in Tak Province. The agency stated the earthquake poses no impact to Thailand but will provide updates if needed.

Residents across Bangkok, particularly in high-rise buildings in areas such as Don Muang, Phaya Thai, Bang Rak, Huai Khwang, Pathum Wan, Khlong Toei, and Chatuchak districts, reported feeling the tremors via the Earthquake TMD Facebook page. Notable reports included:

- Strong shaking on the 19th floor of James Tower - Mild tremors felt on the 5th floor near Ramkhamhaeng-Lam Sali intersection - Perceptible shaking on the 6th floor in Chiang Mai - Shaking detected on the 10th floor in Asoke - Strong tremors at Phra Pradaeng, prompting evacuation from a building near Phra Chom Klao

Bangkok and its surrounding areas experienced noticeable vibrations, especially in high-rise buildings, with structures swaying and ceiling lights swinging. Officials at the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) building clearly felt the earthquake and promptly evacuated personnel as a safety precaution while inspecting the building's structure and internal systems.

Although the earthquake's epicenter was distant from Thailand, Bangkok's soft clay geological composition amplified the tremors, allowing residents across multiple areas to perceive the shaking.

BRIDGE record label, under the Krungnuea Group umbrella, has unveiled its debut artist AYLA's (Ai-Las), an indie rock band composed of members: 'Per' Kampanart Seemuangphan (vocals), 'Ne' Veeravut Changsarn (guitar), 'Off' Komkrit Bunyueng (guitar), 'Oy' Akkhom Phuenraksa (bass), and 'Knight' Boriwan Sribotha (drums). The band has released their debut single 'From Now On, There Won't Be Us [Farewell],' a slow acoustic piece infused with melancholic atmosphere that permeates every lyric and melody. Written by vocalist Per during a transitional period of his life, the song explores a genre the band hasn't heavily pursued before—folk-influenced slow music. The lyrics tell the story of two people forced to part ways after exhausting all efforts to stay together. Using a journey metaphor, the song conveys that when two people have traveled life together but haven't reached their destination, they must accept goodbye and pursue their separate dreams, with the word 'we' no longer existing between them. The music video for 'From Now On, There Won't Be Us [Farewell]' is now available at https://youtu.be/zLy41Rucsbg

The government is implementing strict safety standards for school buses across Thailand as the new academic term begins, with mandatory inspections of braking systems and GPS tracking to prevent accidents. Deputy Government Spokeswoman Lalida Perischwivatana revealed on May 18, 2569 that the government prioritizes the safety of children and youth traveling to and from schools through integrated cooperation between the Education Ministry, Transport Ministry, and relevant agencies.

To upgrade nationwide school bus standards, build parental confidence, and reduce road accident risks ahead of the May school term opening, the Transport Ministry has assigned the Department of Land Transport to expedite readiness inspections of school buses nationwide. Provincial transport offices have been directed to coordinate closely with schools to bring buses in for inspections, particularly of braking systems. Any vehicles failing to meet standards must be repaired before returning to service to ensure student and road user safety.

Additionally, the Department of Land Transport, in cooperation with the Education Ministry, has created a school bus database through the website schoolbussafety.dlt.go.th to monitor and improve the school bus system's standards and safety. The department is also promoting GPS technology use for location tracking and driving behavior monitoring to enhance transportation safety efficiency.

The government is further upgrading school bus service provider standards by increasing training for drivers and attendants on child safety, and studying special license plate guidelines for school buses to improve oversight and alert other road users to exercise caution near school buses.

Simultaneously, the "Young Driver License Program" is being expanded to instill traffic discipline and safety awareness in youth, along with enhanced safety training for public and truck drivers to improve overall road safety. "The government prioritizes safe travel for children and youth, and will continuously upgrade school bus standards through cooperation from all sectors to create a safe transportation system and assure parents nationwide," Lalida stated.

Akara Resources has partnered with three educational institutions—Chulalongkorn University, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, and Suranaree University of Technology—to present research on three prototype innovation projects that transform mining tailings from gold and silver production into "alternative resources." The initiative aims to convert production waste into upstream raw materials, reducing the need for new natural resources while creating real value for the construction, energy, and community enterprise sectors, and advancing a circular economy model.

Cheedsak Atthaoarun, General Manager of Sustainability at Akara Resources Public Company Limited, revealed that the company supports continuous collaborative research with educational institutions by opening mine sites for researchers to access and collect tailings samples for study and development into practical innovations for construction, energy, and community-level applications. This effort reflects Akara's commitment to system safety standards and Environmental Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) protocols.

The goal is to maximize the use of available resources. Partnering with these three institutions allows previously overlooked materials like mining tailings to be studied and developed into new alternatives for construction and energy sectors, while advancing community-level innovation adoption to create jobs, generate income, and improve economic opportunities for local residents, thereby reducing inequality and sustainably improving quality of life.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thidarath Bunsri, head of the Smart Biomaterials and Technology Research Group at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, developed the "biocement" innovation that combines mining tailings with industrial waste materials such as eggshells and microorganisms from fish sauce byproducts to create a future building material requiring minimal production energy. Unlike conventional cement, it requires no burning process and possesses special properties resistant to salt corrosion, addressing saline soil problems and capable of self-healing when cracks occur.

This innovation has been patented and is currently being applied as "salt-retarding panels" to assist farmers in Northeast Thailand. Trial results show it can increase rice yields by up to 53% in the first year compared to typical saline soil areas, while also increasing GABA levels in rice by over 300 times and reducing glycemic index by approximately 30%. This demonstrates the innovation's potential in linking environmental, health, and community economic dimensions, with plans to expand into full irrigation drainage systems through collaboration with the Irrigation Department in Uttaradit Province and the chartered gold mining operation.

Dr. Pete Homsuen, instructor in the Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Engineering, has researched mining tailings applications.

On May 18, a Facebook user posted about his younger brother being attacked by nearly 10 Myanmar teenagers. The victims had been riding motorcycles in the Pattaya South area when they encountered the gang near the Lam Bali Hai pier. When they rode past, the group shouted, "Why are you looking at me?" After the victims tried to flee, 3-4 motorcycles chased them for about 5 kilometers until they were forced to stop. The gang then swarmed the victim, beating him with kicks and punches, damaging his motorcycle, and stealing both his shoes while spitting on him. His friends managed to escape.

The victim, identified as Mr. A (16 years old), suffered severe bruising across his face and complained of constant headaches. He and his two friends—M (14) and L (15)—had been riding motorcycles for a leisure trip when the confrontation occurred. After filing a police report at Bang Lamung Police Station, the victim's post went viral, with local figures sharing the story and organizing a search for the gang members.