The Department of Cooperative Promotion's Fruit Board held its second 2025 meeting and approved four management measures for the fruit production season. According to Nirun Moolthida, Director of the Department of Cooperative Promotion, these measures fall under the 2025 fruit distribution support project to improve prices for farmer institutions, with a combined budget of 10.575 million baht from the farmer assistance fund.

The first measure focuses on marketing management and supply chain coordination, allocating 2.58 million baht to connect distribution networks for farmer institutions, cooperatives, and fruit aggregation groups. Transportation subsidies are capped at 2 baht per kilogram, with 1.5 baht for origin and 0.50 baht for destination points, targeting distribution of 1,290.4 tons of cooperative fruits.

The second measure provides packaging support, including 208,500 fruit baskets for the 1,290.4-ton harvest, with a budget of 5.34 million baht. Forty-eight farmer institutions across 24 provinces will participate, with the government covering up to 70% of packaging costs while institutions contribute at least 30%.

The third measure allocates 2 million baht for promotional campaigns and consumer engagement, including 'Fresh From Farm' fruit festivals across four regions at major Bangkok shopping malls to create sales channels during peak harvest periods.

The fourth measure involves training 20 farmer institutions with fruit sorting facilities and agricultural treatment services—covering longans, mangosteen, golden bananas, coconuts, and mangoes—in export standards, coordinating with four other agricultural ministry departments with a budget of 348,000 baht.

Nirun noted additional supporting measures include networking between farmer institutions, expedited product distribution from production areas, and establishing cooperative distribution centers in each province for easier consumer access to agricultural products. Deputy Director Narit Boonchai mentioned upcoming field visits to Chachoengsao and Trat provinces to monitor fruit output, particularly geographic indication products like Trat golden rambutan currently entering the market at strong prices of 45 baht per kilogram.

Following the revelation of shocking behavioral allegations, a well-known spiritual teacher from Lamphun province conducted a VIP amulet consecration ceremony for victims of Om Mangkhon (Ongchat), during which he allegedly harmed multiple victims and shocked his disciples and followers. Several famous celebrities who have previously received spiritual guidance from this teacher, including Hnom Khongkraphun, Sarayut Suthasanajinda, and Noess Udom, were deeply concerned despite not participating in this particular VIP ceremony. Notably, Noess Udom had previously recounted how a young assistant was subjected to harsh treatment during an amulet consecration. The teacher has now announced an indefinite closure of his center, stating that "due to ill-intentioned individuals attempting to destroy the spiritual system, causing harm, effective immediately, I will no longer receive visitors and will suspend all ritual services indefinitely. I will later disclose the identity of those attempting to sabotage the system with detailed information."

During a recent live broadcast, host Hnom Karchai contacted the teacher's lawyer, who revealed that the spiritual master's health has deteriorated. The lawyer claimed he has not yet seen evidence and that no complaints of misconduct have been filed in the area. He argued the teacher does not provide medical treatment but rather conducts merit-making rituals to resolve karmic issues, and maintained that clients who visit the teacher experience improvement in their conditions.

At 5:00 AM on May 8, 2569, Kaeng Police Station received reports of a sedan that had veered off a curved section of road in Ban Na subdistrict, Kaeng district, Rayong province, and crashed into a high-voltage power pole, resulting in the driver's death. Emergency responders from the Buddhachinaraj Charitable Association and Kaeng Hospital rushed to the scene. At the accident site, they found a heavily damaged gray sedan with its front completely crushed, debris scattered across the roadway. The vehicle was wedged against the high-voltage power pole. Inside, rescuers discovered a large-framed male, approximately 35-40 years old, trapped in the driver's seat. Initial examination revealed the driver had no pulse and was deceased at the scene due to the massive impact force. Using cutting equipment, officials extracted the body for preliminary autopsy inspection. The initial investigation determined that the deceased was traveling from Sukhumvit Road toward Ban Na subdistrict when he reached a curved section of the road. It is believed the driver fell asleep, inadvertently keeping his foot pressed on the accelerator. The vehicle lost control and crashed into the power pole with significant force, with no evidence of braking. Kaeng Police Station investigators have documented photographs from the scene and plan to carefully review closed-circuit camera footage from nearby areas to determine the actual cause of the accident.

World No. 7 May Ratanok Intanon and world No. 2 View Kulewut Vitidsantisuk, two beloved Thai badminton stars, shared their preparations ahead of the Toyota Thailand Open 2026, an HSBC BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament with a royal trophy and over $500,000 in prize money (approximately 16.5 million baht) scheduled for May 12-17, 2026 at Nimibutr Sports Building, National Sports Stadium.

May revealed that she is recovering gradually from injury and is currently in the process of rebuilding her fitness. She expressed she does not want to set high expectations, preferring to do her best with whatever capacity she has. If she has 80 percent fitness, she will give that 80 percent her best effort and focus on her play as much as possible. Her goal for this tournament is to take it round by round and to leave the court without sustaining any new injuries.

May reflected on the recent Uber Cup 2026, where the Thai women's team was eliminated in the quarterfinals. She noted that while her body may not have been at 100 percent, she felt good on court and regained confidence in her training and development. She expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, as they faced very strong opponents in the quarterfinals and gave their all.

View shared that the recent Thomas Cup 2026 was a valuable experience where she and her team performed at full capacity. She expressed optimism about the future of Thai men's badminton, noting that younger players are rising in both singles and doubles categories, and believes the men's team will be significantly stronger in the next two years.

Regarding the Thailand Open 2026, View said she will focus on taking the tournament round by round, as it features many top-level athletes. She is eager to perform her best while playing in her home country, which she already loves. She will approach the tournament one round at a time.

View concluded by revealing that she has prepared a new victory pose, hinting it is inspired by One Piece, a popular manga and anime that she enjoys. She playfully promised that if she wins the championship, Thai badminton fans will definitely see it. She also sent her support to all Thai badminton athletes.

Young celebrity Khong Krathaphan has broken his silence to reassure worried fans, posting "Thank you all for your concern. My dragon is doing just fine." This comes amid major news coverage after a young businessman filed a complaint against a renowned fortune teller from Lampang province who allegedly conducted questionable spiritual ceremonies and caused harm to multiple victims.

Khong Krathaphan, who previously consulted the fortune teller—known for past-life readings and spiritual remedies—accompanied late actor Mek Vinai Kraibut during his serious illness in hopes of spiritual support. Upon learning of the complaint, the fortune teller expressed shock and firmly denied any wrongdoing, stating he had not seen Khong Krathaphan in years and never conducted any improper rituals with him. The fortune teller insisted he only advised Khong Krathaphan to make merit at five temples and seek spiritual guidance regarding karmic debts.

In his latest post, Khong Krathaphan wrote: "Thank you to everyone who's been concerned. My dragon is still doing well..." He added, "Seeing headlines from various outlets, I worried people might misunderstand me, so I want to clarify that I'm safe and sound. P.S. Thanks for using the term 'dragon' out of respect, as mainstream media typically uses other terms." His post sparked playful comments from fellow entertainers and supportive messages from fans.

SC Asset has joined forces with Thai Longstay Management (TLM) to introduce a special campaign offering one-year Long Stay Visa privileges for foreign nationals purchasing and transferring ownership of SC condominiums valued at 3 million baht or higher, covering three brands across six prime locations beginning April.

Pichachakorn Mesak, Deputy Managing Director of International Network and Foreign Customer Relations at SC Asset Corporation Public Company Limited, revealed that the company developed this solution to address a critical demand from foreign clients interested in long-term residence in Thailand. She explained that while project quality and location remain important, visa restrictions have posed significant barriers to decision-making.

"Foreign customers consider more than just project quality and location," Pichachakorn stated. "Long-term residency convenience is equally crucial, and visa limitations remain a major obstacle in many cases. SC aims to develop solutions that reduce these barriers and make residential investment in Thailand more accessible."

She added that the initiative supports Thailand's positioning as a world-class living destination, particularly as geopolitical tensions worldwide increase demand for alternative residence options.

The campaign features six locations across three brands:

1) Reference Sathorn-Wongwianyai – Near BTS Wongwianyai station on the Green Line with river views, offering convenient access to Silom, Sathorn, and IconSiam 2) COBE Kaset-Sripatum – Move-in ready project adjacent to BTS Bangbua station with full amenities and 24-hour access, 10 minutes from Central Lad Prao 3) COBE Ratchada-Rama 9 – New project ready for occupancy in late May, near MRT Cultural Center and Central Rama 9 4) SCOPE Langsuan – Ultimate Class condominium on one of Thailand's most expensive land locations, featuring maximum privacy and meticulous design 5) SCOPE Promsri – Luxury low-rise condominium in Sukhumvit district, notable for contemporary design incorporating iconic global furniture brands like Ligne Roset 6) SCOPE Thonglor – Ultra-luxury 32-story high-rise featuring only 18 penthouse units, directly adjacent to BTS Thonglor station

Pichachakorn noted that Thailand ranks among the top destinations for diverse foreign groups including retirees, medical tourists, international students, and those seeking refuge from global conflicts. The Long Stay Visa benefit will simplify decision-making for these markets and position Thailand as an attractive haven for global citizens.

SC Asset continues developing projects and services tailored to international clients, emphasizing residential quality, prime locations, and comprehensive services.