On May 7, 2026, Col. Phairojn Thongkhao, commander of Lampang Province's Narcotics Suppression Unit, ordered Lt. Naphatthorn Saenchaichum and his investigation team to conduct drug trafficking operations in the area, working with officers from Khlong Ngong Police Station and other units. Police apprehended a 43-year-old suspect known as Tong (alias) from Chomphu Subdistrict, Muang Lampang District, on charges of selling Class 1 narcotics—methamphetamine—for commercial purposes without authorization. He led officers to a hidden location in his residence before they seized approximately 2,000 methamphetamine tablets.

During the search, Tong's disabled mother, who uses a wheelchair, entered the scene and sadly asked her son, "How many years will you be imprisoned?" Tong replied weakly, "Probably around ten years or more." His mother fell silent before asking with a trembling voice, "Then who will take care of me?" Tong could only lower his head, unable to respond as officers and those present felt the weight of the moment.

Before the arrest, police had already apprehended a 39-year-old woman named Baem (alias) from Pong Saen Tong Subdistrict, Muang Lampang District, with 2 methamphetamine tablets in her possession. Baem confessed the drugs were hers and that she had purchased them from Tong, her boyfriend. Officers then brought Tong to identify himself, leading to the discovery of the large methamphetamine cache. Both suspects were taken into custody with evidence forwarded to prosecutors for legal proceedings.

After ONE Championship featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon withdrew from his scheduled fight against Chinese fighter Liu Mengyang at The Inner Circle event on Friday, May 22nd due to injury, the Chinese fighter struck back with criticism, questioning whether Superbon's withdrawal was due to pain or fear. Liu also taunted that Superbon is too old and doesn't deserve the 'Thai boxing king' title that fans have given him. In his latest response, Superbon posted a recovery photo from Samitivej Hospital with a message to Liu: 'Wait a bit, I'll be healed and we'll meet for sure.' As for Liu Mengyang, he will face Venezuelan fighter Gabriel Pereira in the featherweight kickboxing main event at The Inner Circle on Friday, May 22nd instead.

A distillery owner in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was shocked to discover that two thieves dressed as construction workers stole over 320,000 baht worth of steel fencing in broad daylight on April 30th from his new Hollow Spirits Distillery location. Frank Holloway, the distillery owner, initially suspected he was going blind after noticing nearly half of the rear fence had vanished, but security camera footage revealed the thieves had struck openly during the day, completing the theft in less than two hours. The perpetrators wore safety helmets and construction-style clothing, using cutting tools to sever the fence sections from the ground before methodically loading them onto a waiting flatbed truck with professional efficiency. Holloway believes the construction worker disguise prevented nearby residents from becoming suspicious despite many witnessing the operation. Authorities suspect the thieves plan to resell the steel, as such materials typically fetch around 80% of market value. The theft has created significant financial hardship for Holloway, who now faces repair and replacement costs exceeding 321,000 baht.

A dog has been waiting for her owner at a shelter for over 170 days, sitting by the door every day in hopes of being reunited with her familiar face. Recently, Jackie Gonzalez, a volunteer at an animal shelter in California, posted a video of Roxie, a husky-border collie mix, staring at the door with hope that her owner will return home, which has garnered considerable sympathy from internet users.

According to reports, Roxie was brought to the shelter and has been living there for over 170 days. Throughout this time, whenever she hears sounds from the entrance, she immediately perks up and looks at everyone walking in, as if trying to find her familiar owner.

Jackie shared that Roxie sits by the door every day, as if she believes that if she behaves well and is patient enough, one day her owner will come back for her again.

The stress of living in the shelter has taken a toll on Roxie. The shelter environment makes it difficult for her to relax and live a normal dog life. While other dogs have gradually been adopted, Roxie remains at the shelter.

Jackie added that Roxie is actually a cheerful, energetic dog who loves interacting with people and longs for human connection and warmth, making her well-suited for an active family ready to spend time with her.

Currently, Roxie has been spayed and fully vaccinated, and is waiting for a new home where someone is ready to care for her throughout her life.

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs revealed that Taiwan-Thailand bilateral trade in Q1 2025 increased significantly by 47.8% year-over-year, setting an all-time record. This demonstrates Taiwan's importance as an indispensable partner for Thailand in advancing industrial upgrading and developing advanced technology talent.

Taiwan's Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand has launched the Taiwan-Thailand Tech Talent Service Platform since late 2024, with concrete progress in Q1 2025 including:

1. Campus recruitment expansion: The office partnered with Taiwan businesses to conduct recruitment activities in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, and Chachoengsao, reaching approximately 3,000 students.

2. Regional technology transfer: Taiwan established specialized curriculum programs and the Taiwan International Personnel Cooperation and Exchange Center in Thailand's northern and northeastern regions, expanding professional development courses beyond Bangkok to provide Thai youth nationwide access to Taiwan's vocational training.

3. Industry linkage initiatives: The office facilitated connections between the PCB (printed circuit board) industry and Thai industrial parks to enhance employment matching and enable graduates to secure jobs immediately upon completion.

Economic collaboration: Taiwan ranks as Thailand's 4th trade partner and 6th foreign investment source. In 2024, Taiwan invested in 131 projects worth 27.35 billion baht, primarily in electronics, ICT, and PCB manufacturing.

Education: Over 2,000 Thai students studied in Taiwan in 2024, a 5% increase from 2023, reflecting growing appreciation for Taiwan's educational quality and internship opportunities.

Peter Lan, Director-General of Taiwan's Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand, stated that Taiwan-Thailand cooperation has evolved from traditional manufacturing to AI and smart technology. Taiwan aims to develop Thailand's local talent through comprehensive services rather than focusing solely on trade and investment. Taiwan seeks to encourage more potential Thai youth to join "Team Taiwan" as part of this collaborative effort.

The Land Transport Department reported that new vehicle registrations totaled 191,547 units in April 2026, down 16.55% from the previous month, while emphasizing its commitment to public service. Somphong Paiturpongse, the department's director-general, stated that the agency's primary mission is to regulate and oversee Thailand's land transport system to ensure quality and safety, while also providing comprehensive public services including vehicle registration, annual tax payment through multiple channels such as online platforms (eservice.dlt.go.th, DLT Vehicle Tax Plus, kiosks, and service counters), drive-thru tax payment, the DLT Smart Queue app for appointment booking, and an e-learning driver's license training system at dlt-elearning.com.

As of April 30, 2026, the country had a cumulative total of 45,789,589 registered vehicles, comprising 44,415,476 motor vehicles and 1,374,113 commercial transport vehicles. Electric vehicles numbered 1,199,140 units or 2.62% of all vehicles (including 665,034 HEVs, 447,398 BEVs, and 86,708 PHEVs), showing a 2.24% increase overall.

In April 2026, 3,747,025 vehicles underwent registration and tax transactions, down 16.39% from the previous month, with 2,918,410 primarily paying annual vehicle tax. Of these tax payments, 84.07% were processed at transport offices, 11.13% through drive-thru facilities, and 3.77% through online channels. New vehicle registrations numbered 191,547 units, down 16.55%, with motorcycles comprising 71.52% and passenger cars (up to 7 seats) accounting for 22.01%.

Electric vehicles among new registrations totaled 26,498 units or 13.83% of all new vehicles, down 8.40%, consisting of 12,704 HEVs, 12,514 BEVs, and 1,280 PHEVs, predominantly passenger cars (23,887 units) followed by motorcycles (2,500 units).

Cumulatively, 35,309,188 driver's licenses and transport operator permits have been issued nationwide, comprising 33,501,316 automobile driver's licenses and 1,807,872 commercial transport operator permits. In April 2026, 180,912 new licenses and permits were issued, down 3.40%, with Bangkok issuing the most at 34,802, followed by Chonburi with 8,573 and Chiang Mai with 7,065. International driving permits numbered 17,900, of which 7,952 (44.42%) were processed through the Pao Tang application.

The department encourages the public to utilize online channels for vehicle tax payment and license application bookings for convenience and time savings. Citizens with questions about vehicle taxes can call hotline 1584, available 24/7. Additional transport statistics are available on the Land Transport Department's statistics website at web.dlt.go.th/statistics/.