On May 6, 2025, the NHSO Region 13 (Bangkok) held a coordination meeting with Phramonkolthepmuni Hospital, Rajphiphat Hospital (Medical Division), and Kluay Nam Thai 3 Hospital to prepare for the transition. The meeting addressed the network changes in the Bang Na and Pratunam areas following the withdrawal of Bangna 1 and Mitraprascha hospitals from the primary care and designated service provider status under Thailand's 30-baht gold card system, though both hospitals will continue to provide referral services.

The rights transfer takes effect on June 1, 2025. The NHSO coordinated with all relevant service units to ensure continuous, seamless healthcare access for all eligible citizens without disrupting patient care.

According to Chaturaiporn Norinsorsakdi, Director of the Service System Implementation Group at NHSO Region 13, the transition aims to ensure all gold card holders have access to healthcare services. Special attention is given to patients undergoing treatment, those with follow-up appointments, and chronic disease patients requiring continuous care. A patient data transfer system has been established between service units to enhance efficiency and convenience.

Of the 18,831 cardholders registered at Mitraprascha Hospital in Bang Wa, Pratunam District, their rights will be transferred to Phramonkolthepmuni Hospital, with Rajphiphat Hospital serving as the referral provider. The 22,365 cardholders from Bangna 1 Hospital in Bang Na District will be transferred to Kluay Nam Thai 3 Hospital, which is located in a nearby area and equipped to serve as a designated provider, primary care unit, and referral service.

To minimize disruption, the NHSO has requested that both hospitals continue referring patients with scheduled follow-ups between June 1-15, 2025 to their designated new facilities. Patients should request their medical records from their current hospital and contact their new service provider to plan appropriate ongoing care.

Chaturaiporn emphasized that citizens need not rush to transfer their rights individually, as the NHSO will manage the network restructuring. The NHSO will send SMS notifications with contact information to cardholders with registered phone numbers. Both hospitals will continue serving eligible patients through May 31, 2025. Citizens can obtain updates from their hospitals or the NHSO, particularly those with scheduled appointments or ongoing medication requirements.

On May 6, 2026, at Shiva Royal Hotel in Muang District, Phatthalung Province, Director-General of the Department of Physical Education Mongkol Wimlrattana and Phatthalung Governor Suchin Wajagij announced the 18th Thailand Senior Sports and Recreation Championship 'Nora Games' scheduled for May 27-30, 2026, in Phatthalung Province. The event will feature 11 sports including athletics, golf, gateball, badminton, pétanque, woodball, Thai chess, sepak takraw, dance, aerobic boxing, and karaoke singing competitions, plus a demonstration sport—shooting. The event symbol uses the "nora" dancer to reflect Phatthalung's cultural identity, with mascot "Khong Im Jai," a water buffalo representing local wisdom and lifestyle. Athletes and officials from all 76 provinces plus Bangkok—totaling 4,210 participants—will compete.

Preparation meetings were held after surveying all 11 competition venues. Most venues are ready for competition, with only the gateball venue requiring relocation due to ground condition issues. Director-General Mongkol stated that the championship creates an "opportunity area" for seniors nationwide to showcase abilities, build social interaction, and raise health awareness. He expressed confidence that Phatthalung, with unified provincial support, is fully prepared to efficiently host this national-level competition.

Phatthalung Governor Suchin remarked that although Phatthalung is a small province, it possesses comprehensive readiness and systematic preparation, including experience hosting national sports events. Competition venues are distributed across multiple areas including Phatthalung, Songkhla, and Trang provinces, with accommodations and comprehensive medical services in place to support efficient competition operations.

SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean Buddhist temple has ordained a humanoid robot as a lay Buddhist follower in a ceremony blending centuries-old religious traditions with artificial intelligence technology, according to Korean local media reports.

The ceremony took place on Wednesday at Jogye Temple in central Seoul under the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. The 130-centimetre-tall humanoid robot, known as G1, received the Dharma name "Gabi" during the ordination ritual, or sugye, ahead of Buddha's Birthday celebrations on 24 May.

Although both monks and ordinary Buddhists can receive Buddhist precepts, Gabi was ordained as a lay follower rather than a fully ordained monk. However, the robot is expected to take on the symbolic role of an "honorary" monk during the upcoming festive season.

A humanoid robot, left, and Buddhist monks pass around a pagoda during an ordination ceremony ahead of upcoming Buddha's birthday on May 24 at Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Dressed in Buddhist robes and wearing a helmet designed to resemble a shaved monk's head, Gabi stood before senior monks with its palms pressed together while participating in ceremonial rites.

Instead of the traditional incense-burning purification ritual performed on humans, monks attached a lotus lantern festival sticker to the robot's arm and placed a 108-bead Buddhist prayer necklace around its neck.

According to Korean media, the Jogye Order also created a special version of Buddhism's Five Precepts tailored for robots. The revised rules included instructions not to harm life, damage other robots or objects, deceive humans or overcharge batteries.

A humanoid robot attends an ordination ceremony ahead of upcoming Buddha's birthday on May 24 at Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

When asked during the ceremony whether it would devote itself to the Buddha, Gabi replied: "Yes, I will devote myself."

The Jogye Order described the event as a symbol of how technology should be guided by compassion, wisdom and responsibility while promoting harmony between humans and machines.

Gabi is also expected to participate in Seoul's annual Lotus Lantern Festival on 16 May alongside several other robots as part of Buddha's Birthday celebrations.

A grieving widow tearfully received the body of her taxi driver husband, beaten to death by a neighboring young man to settle a 450-baht taxi fare debt. She expressed shock that such a tragic loss occurred over a mere few hundred baht. On May 6, 2569, 65-year-old taxi driver Prachuay was found with a fatal head injury in a rice field approximately 1 kilometer from Highway 9 in Ayutthaya province, with his green-yellow taxi parked 5 meters away on May 5. Police from Chang Yai Station arrested 29-year-old Narathorn at a rental room in Pathum Thani, located near the victim's home.

At the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Pathum Thani, 62-year-old Rungkran, Prachuay's widow, collected her husband's body for merit-making at Wat Pa Klang Thung. A four-night chanting ceremony is planned before the cremation on Sunday, May 10, 2569.

Rungkran revealed through tears that she recognized the suspect clearly as they lived in nearby rental homes. She had seen him months earlier at a flower shop requesting a ride to Lat Lum Kaeo District, and later learned he owed Prachuay 450 baht in taxi fare. Her husband left for work as usual on May 3 morning, their last encounter.

"I had a premonition that someone would die in our home, but never imagined it would be my husband," she said tearfully. "I'm heartbroken that over just a few hundred baht, someone would resort to murder."

The landlord reported that Narathorn lived with his parents at the rental. Before the incident, the victim came to collect the debt and even helped repair the suspect's cracked phone screen. On the evening of May 4, the landlord saw the victim following Narathorn to his room before both got into the taxi together.

ATTA Criticizes Exit Fee Plan as Loss-Making, Urges Government to Invest in People Development

Adisorn Chairatananan, Secretary-General of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), has revealed that promoting sustainable tourism requires the government to abandon short-term revenue extraction from citizens' pockets and instead view Thais traveling abroad as diplomatic ambassadors and national negotiating assets. The proposed 1,000-baht exit fee should be abandoned, he argues, in favor of a concrete two-way tourism strategy—the only path to establishing Thailand as a genuine global tourism leader.

Chairatananan noted that Thailand, as a tourism-dependent economy, has historically focused on inbound tourism, with the inbound market currently three times larger than outbound tourism. However, the global tourism landscape has shifted, and one-sided marketing strategies are no longer sufficient. Policy implementation must promote reciprocal tourism exchange, a crucial strategy deserving greater government emphasis than restrictive measures like exit fees.

"Advancing two-way tourism strategy through elevating Thailand's role on the global stage and establishing balanced market exchange partnerships—where Thailand serves as both a receiver and sender of tourists—will upgrade our marketing position from mere seller to strategic partner with nations worldwide. This strengthens international negotiating power through a robust outbound tourism market, positioning Thailand more favorably for bilateral agreements such as visa exemptions or trade deals, all benefiting national image and economy overall," Chairatananan stated.

Chairatananan emphasized that travel represents investment in human capital and soft power, developing new generations' perspectives through experiential learning, worldview expansion, and innovation adoption to develop the country. Investing in citizens' international etiquette and quality tourism standards creates powerful soft power. When Thai tourists conduct themselves well abroad, they directly elevate Thailand's image globally.

The exit fee concept contradicts global negotiating power strategies and creates cascading ripple effects across multiple dimensions, potentially causing greater damage than anticipated revenue. Four major concerns include:

1. Airline cost structure crisis: Airlines depend on balanced load factors for outbound and inbound flights. Fewer Thai travelers means airlines absorb empty seat costs on outbound flights, forcing them to raise inbound ticket prices to compensate. Ultimately, this policy increases travel costs to Thailand and undermines Thailand's competitiveness in attracting foreign tourists.

2. Weakened negotiating power and diplomatic risks: The policy contradicts open-country and visa-free policies facilitating Thai passport access. An outbound tax barrier represents protectionist measures contradicting international tourism liberalization principles.