Industrial Minister Warawuth Silparacha announced that the ministry is accelerating efforts to upgrade business capacity and hazardous waste management systems to meet international standards, preparing Thailand for full membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) by 2028. Thailand currently holds accession candidate status in the OECD membership process. Following a December 26, 2023 Cabinet resolution, the Department of Industrial Works, the Thai Industrial Standards Institute, and the Department of Medical Sciences have been designated as lead agencies for technical assessments, working with the OECD's Chemicals and Biotechnology Committee (CBC) to support sustainable development while protecting public health and the environment. The initiative aims to prevent trade barriers, reduce costs for the country and industry, and standardize chemical management systems. The ministry is implementing these policies and practices in ways appropriate to Thailand's context while aligning with international standards. Last week, the Department of Industrial Works held meetings with 158 organizations from government, private sector, and independent agencies to discuss preparation guidelines and the benefits of OECD membership, and to clarify understanding of instruments under the CBC committee for coordinated implementation. OECD membership is significant for upgrading the entire legal framework, improving governance and transparency, and attracting foreign investment. The Prime Minister and government are pushing to complete Thailand's transition to full OECD membership within the coming year.

PATHUM THANI — A village head in Sam Khok district has raised concerns after residents reported a group of people allegedly using a pedestrian overpass as a location for indecent activity and filming explicit content for sale on a private online platform.

On 28 April 2025, village head Chukiat Phochan of Moo 4 in Chiang Rak Yai subdistrict said he received complaints from locals about suspicious activity on a pedestrian bridge over the Udon Ratthaya Expressway in Pathum Thani province.

Following the report, local leaders inspected the area and said they found numerous items believed to have been left behind, including used condoms, underwear, condom wrappers, lubricant, wet tissues, and a vegetable covered with a condom placed along the walkway.

Chukiat said residents had earlier seen similar activity in an online private group and alerted authorities. He added that he had previously patrolled the area regularly and had not found such items before, suggesting the activity likely took place late at night.

Assistant village head Chaiwat Panyarachun said the location has reportedly been dubbed an "aerial homestay" by some groups, adding that aside from alleged sexual activity, there were also signs of illegal cable stripping and burning to extract copper for resale.

Local leaders have coordinated with Sam Khok police and the Expressway Authority of Thailand to find preventive measures, citing poor visibility caused by signage that creates blind spots on the overpass.

Authorities have warned those involved to stop the activity, stressing that public spaces must not be used for illegal or inappropriate conduct, which could lead to legal action.

Who would have thought that selling mosquitoes could generate thousands of baht? A TikTok user named Lee (@leesaesilp) has turned this bizarre idea into a legitimate business, creating glow-in-the-dark keychains from actual mosquito specimens and even setting up booth sales. Foreign customers are so enthusiastic about these "mosquitoes from Thailand" that they buy them as souvenirs for friends back home.

Lee explains how the business started: "I got thousands of baht just from swatting mosquitoes every day. I liked collecting dead mosquitoes as a hobby, and I thought it would be fun to turn them into keychains with glow-in-the-dark effects. When live mosquitoes see them, they panic and fly away—maybe it even reduces the risk of getting bitten!" The business has been so successful that Lee invested in mosquito traps, though they're inconsistent and consume a lot of electricity.

However, the production process is far from simple. Each keychain goes through multiple stages spanning several days: catching mosquitoes, waiting for them to dry, preserving them, mounting them in plastic frames, and more drying. The most critical step is the framing and drying process—if the specimens aren't completely dry, they can break or deteriorate, forcing Lee to constantly worry about quality.

Lee also buys mosquito specimens from collectors, with specific requirements: specimens must come from existing household traps in large quantities (not bred commercially for sale). Compensation starts at 700-900+ baht, with a 50-baht shipping fee and 500-baht processing fee. Mosquitoes are purchased at 2 baht each for batches of 100-200 specimens, though damaged ones may fetch only 1 baht or nothing at all.

Packaging is critical and requires careful handling—avoiding ants, wearing masks during preparation, and using only flat paper envelopes. The finished keychains retail for 149 baht plus 30 baht shipping, with a production time of 7-14 days per order.

Despite the challenges, Lee remains enthusiastic: "Do whatever you want—life is short. Some might think this is pointless, and maybe it is, but who cares?"

AC Milan has announced that Luka Modrić, the legendary Croatian national team midfielder, requires surgery to treat a fractured cheekbone suffered in a Series A match against Juventus last weekend. The injury occurred after a collision with Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli, with medical examinations confirming multiple fractures on his left cheekbone. While the 40-year-old is expected to miss the remainder of the current season due to the typical 6-8 week recovery period for such injuries, he should recover in time for the 2026 World Cup. Croatian national team coach Zlatko Dalić expressed confidence, stating: "I believe he will do everything necessary to prepare himself for the World Cup, and we will provide him full support. I'm confident that Luka will remain our team leader at the tournament this summer."

On April 28, Chukhiart Phothjun, headman of Moo 4 in Chiang Rak Yai subdistrict, Samkok District, Pathum Thani, received a report from residents about a group using a pedestrian overpass near the Udon Ratthayani expressway as a location for sexual misconduct and filming explicit videos for sale on the private online group OnlyFans, along with drug use.

Field investigators discovered substantial evidence including used condoms, underwear, condom wrappers, lubricant, wet tissue paper, and an eggplant wrapped in a condom left on the pedestrian pathway.

Chukhiart revealed that residents had informed him of these activities through a private community group, prompting him to coordinate with Chaiwat Panyarchun, assistant headman, to investigate. They found the evidence to be genuine and believe the items were left by offenders during recent late-night hours, as daily patrols had not previously encountered such evidence.

Chaiwat Panyarchun added that criminals have nicknamed this location "Sky Bridge Homestay." Beyond serving as a site for sexual misconduct, traces of cable stripping and burning for copper theft have also been discovered.

Community leaders have coordinated with Samkok Police Station and the Expressway Authority of Thailand to develop preventive measures. The overpass features directional signs that obstruct sightlines, making it a blind spot. Authorities are warning those engaged in such behavior to cease immediately, as these are public areas and such conduct violates community morality and may result in legal prosecution.

Senators roundly criticized the Election Commission's election management for damaging public confidence, contradicting claims of transparency. Election Commission Secretary-General Suwang Boonmee defended the integrity of the system, stating no one can tamper with it. The suspended senator case is being treated as a special matter with over 90,000 pages of investigation completed, awaiting consideration by the full Election Commission.

On April 28, 2025, at the National Assembly, the Senate met with Boonsoung Noisopon, Deputy President of the Senate, presiding to review the Election Commission's fiscal year 2567 performance report under Section 22(8) of the Election Commission Act 2560. Election Commission Secretary-General Suwang Boonmee was present to clarify the commission's work.

Most senators criticized the Election Commission's management of recent elections, particularly the Senate and House elections, saying it had eroded public confidence and trust. Dr. Prem Saktdi Piayura, a senator, argued that while the Election Commission submitted documents to the Senate claiming elections were conducted cleanly, fairly, and transparently, the public had raised many questions, with widespread public sentiment expressing distrust of the commission.

He questioned: "How can the secretary-general be proud of public distrust? I want to ask the Election Commission secretary-general if your words match your heart. You should investigate why the public speaks this way. You have the authority and role the constitution assigns to manage elections, but authority without credibility is meaningless."

Senator Angkhana Neelapaijitr noted that many citizens had questioned the Election Commission on transparency, fairness, vote-buying, unfair rules, and unequal enforcement. She proposed four recommendations: 1) Create mechanisms for public oversight of elections; 2) Set fixed timelines for complaint processing and publicly disclose decisions in writing; 3) Simplify legal language in public communications and provide clear explanations of importance and rationale; and 4) Refrain from using laws to prosecute citizens expressing sincere, transparent opinions, as this may constitute legal intimidation.

"Trust doesn't happen by itself," she said. "It must be built through transparent, verifiable work. The more society questions, the more it shows citizens care about the Election Commission."

Secretary-General Suwang responded that elections are competitions requiring rule-based integrity, with results stemming from political parties, candidates, and citizens sharing responsibility. The Election Commission designed the system to be fair and transparent. Regarding direct and secret ballot allegations currently in court, he deferred to judicial proceedings. Regarding claims of 50% error rates, he clarified this meant 50 errors among 100,000 units. On election day, citizens and the Election Commission saw the same things, with no commission staff serving as election officials—poll observers were volunteers.