On May 5, a reporter visited a home in Maha Phrom Subdistrict, Bang Bal District, Ayutthaya Province, where a century-old traditional Thai house suffered significant damage from lightning strikes that shattered roof tiles and damaged the gable structure. Four residents inside narrowly escaped harm during the incident.

Owner Phiphattana, 62, recalled that the lightning strikes occurred around 3 p.m. on May 4 during heavy rain and severe thunderstorms. The household was on the lower floor when lightning crackled five times near the house, followed by a sixth strike that caused roof tiles to scatter and knocked out all electrical power throughout the home.

Phiphattana's son, who was standing near electrical outlets and an internet router, experienced temporary sharp pain in his arm and chest tightness but remained conscious and unharmed.

Phiphattana noted that the house, over 100 years old in traditional Thai style, had been expanded over time with metal sheeting covering the gable area, which may have attracted the lightning. He expressed concern about the strikes, as a similar incident had occurred in the nearby area approximately five years earlier.

Separately, in Moo 4, Kob Chao Subdistrict, Bang Bal District, two homes were damaged by strong winds during the same storm. One 52-year-old homeowner reported that fierce winds and heavy rain tore off more than 30 roof panels, with all household belongings inside damaged by water. The family, which included elderly members and small children, had to urgently evacuate to another house for safety.

Yodchai Srisaen, headman of Kob Chao Subdistrict Administrative Organization, ordered engineering staff to survey the damage and expedite assessments to provide aid to affected residents.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced this week's badminton rankings, with Thai men's singles player "View" Kulwuthi Wititsant maintaining his position at world No. 2 with 98,265 points, while China's Shi Yuqi holds the top spot with 106,805 points.

Thailand's rising star "Ikkiu" Panichpol Theeraratanakul moved up one spot from No. 26 to world No. 25 with 46,885 points.

In women's singles, the top 10 remained unchanged. "May" Ratchanok Intanon holds world No. 7 with 69,836 points, while "Mew" Pornpawee Chochuwong sits at No. 8 with 67,737 points. "Tine" Supanida Katethong dropped from No. 13 to No. 15 with 52,752 points, and "Cream" Busanan Ongbamrungphan fell from No. 16 to No. 18 with 51,847 points. An Se-young continues to lead with 117,787 points.

In mixed doubles, "Bass" Dechapol Puavaranukroh and "Fame" Supissara Peusamransam maintain their position at world No. 3 with 95,700 points, while China's Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping lead at No. 1 with 106,700 points.

Influencer Bird Wannawang faces an additional charge as the legal team of Crocodile brand adhesive company prepares to pursue Computer Crime Act violations. The company issued a warning that those who share the harmful content must delete it immediately, as penalties for sharing are equivalent to those for posting the content.

The case involves a video by Bird Wannawang where white powder was placed in Crocodile brand adhesive bags as a prank during Songkran festivities in Samut Prakan province's Phra Pradaeng district, drawing widespread criticism over its inappropriate and dangerous nature.

On May 5, 2025, at 10:00 AM, legal representatives from the Crocodile brand company met with officers from Technology Crime Investigation Division 2 in Muang Thonburi to discuss case proceedings, citing damage to the company's reputation. The legal team revealed they would consult with police on all applicable laws and charges, particularly under the Computer Crime Act. If applicable, the company confirmed it would pursue legal action, despite Bird Wannawang's claims that the content was merely entertainment and the bags contained only powder.

The company asserted its legal rights, noting multiple videos featured their clear brand trademark, causing demonstrable harm. The company confirmed a clear policy protecting organizational reputation and corporate social responsibility but declined to disclose case details.

Lt. Col. Chatchaphan Khlai Khliang, Deputy Commander of the Technology Crime Investigation Division, revealed that the Crocodile company submitted evidence and filed charges against Bird Wannawang under the Computer Crime Act. Preliminary charges fall under Section 14(1) regarding data distortion in computer systems causing public panic, carrying penalties of up to 5 years imprisonment or 100,000 baht fine. However, when targeting a specific person or entity, as in this case, penalties are reduced to up to 3 years imprisonment, 60,000 baht fine, or both.

Bird Wannawang's lawyer scheduled a meeting with cybercrime police for May 6 at 11:30 AM. Police indicated they may postpone until late in the week and potentially file an additional charge beyond the assault case previously filed by Phra Pradaeng station.

Regarding account closures, cybercrime police requested digital ministry assistance to partially block Bird's accounts, but two platforms—X and YouTube—remain active due to their foreign jurisdiction, requiring coordination through the Attorney General and MLAT system. Should Bird voluntarily close the channel or remove content, it would suggest acknowledgment of wrongdoing.

Cybercrime police urged anyone sharing Bird's or others' harmful content to delete it immediately, as sharing carries identical legal penalties as posting. Regarding the electric saw company that Bird used for Songkran pranks, police have not yet received a complaint but welcome one. Additionally, if the Tourism Authority of Thailand believes Bird's content damaged Thailand's tourism image, they may file a cybercrime report as well.

On May 5, 2025, authorities reported that a severe summer storm struck Muang District in Chainat province, toppling 50 high-voltage power lines (22 kilovolts) across a distance of more than 2 kilometers along Phaholyothin Road in Subdistrict Suo Hok. The disaster claimed the life of 74-year-old Ms. Thawon (surname withheld). The family has since held a merit-making ceremony at Noen Than Temple as relatives mourn her passing. Inspectors found her home severely damaged with the roof nearly completely blown away and belongings soaked by rain, making it uninhabitable. Family members have temporarily relocated to relatives' homes.

Her 48-year-old son, Kittiphon (surname withheld), recounted that on the day of the incident, his mother had intended to bring curry to deliver to his sister who lived 12 kilometers away, as she normally did out of concern for her. However, the storm intensified suddenly, damaging the roof of his mother's home. He attempted to call her but received no answer, so he prepared to take his pickup truck to search for her. When his sister came out to help search, they found only dozens of toppled power poles before rescue workers informed them of the tragic news.

Kittiphon revealed that he had previously planned to sell his truck to raise money for home repairs to provide his mother comfort, but now that intention will never be fulfilled. His 32-year-old nephew, Khuanchai (surname withheld), shared his emotional shock upon learning the news, explaining that he was too devastated to read the message himself and had his girlfriend read it to him before rushing back from Chonburi province to say a final goodbye to his beloved grandmother.

Beyond the sudden loss of life, the storm affected over 400 homes and left residents without power for extended periods as authorities work urgently to restore electricity.

Pond Narawitch reveals the frightening moment he rushed away from sasaeng fans in the middle of Shanghai, expressing more concern for those around him than himself – Phuwit discloses he once witnessed a sasaeng confrontation with a guard due to lack of footage, with the team being the first to face the situation.

The incident sparked worry among fans after a viral clip showed Pond hurrying away from a group attempting to approach him at a Shanghai hotel, with his team quickly ushering him into an elevator and securing the area for safety. This is seen as another example of the escalating sasaeng problem and invasion of artists' privacy abroad. Most recently, Pond Narawitch and Phuwit Satitayapun attended the "LEGO CERTIFIED STORE OPENING" at Siam Paragon Fashion Hall, where Pond acknowledged feeling startled and chose to leave quickly to avoid causing chaos or affecting others nearby. He confirmed that his team and agency had security measures in place, but emphasized his main concern wasn't himself but the general public, staff, and tourists who could be affected by such incidents. He also appealed to fans to support artists responsibly for everyone's safety.

When asked to describe the incident, Pond explained: "I was more startled than anything. The situation happened so suddenly with people approaching us unexpectedly. I've never experienced this before in my life. We were in a hotel area, and I didn't want to cause commotion. My team had already arranged for an elevator, so as soon as we got out of the car, we just went straight into it."

When questioned if there were preceding events before deciding to run, Pond responded: "Honestly, my main concern was that the people around us would be troubled. If I had walked slowly, other tourists or people who don't know what's happening might get startled. We didn't want to create chaos, so we quickly got into the elevator and returned to our room."

Asked if his team warned him beforehand about such incidents, Pond said: "Actually, they prepared very well. Whether it's the security team or the entire staff, they informed us what to be careful about. But I didn't want to trouble the team either, because if I walked slowly, they'd have to wait and struggle. So I felt it was better to move quickly."

When asked if he felt unsafe during that moment, Pond replied: "If you ask whether it was safe or not, I can't really say. But one thing is certain – I felt startled and chose to protect myself. I wasn't even sure if those people were actually our fans or something else. It was the first time this happened in my life."

Asked if this was his normal approach, Pond confirmed: "Yes, normally I'm quiet and reserved, but I felt this might create problems for people around us, and that was the main factor."

Phuwit added: "I think it's important to mention that in many places we've visited, whether it's us or other artists from Thailand or Thai artists abroad, we've encountered similar situations many times. But they usually aren't recorded or don't leak out. In most previous cases, our team brought Thai security along with local security from those countries.

At noon on May 5, 2569, Sakolthee Phatthiyakul, Democrat Party list MP and deputy party leader for Bangkok, disclosed the results of the Democrat Party's candidate selection committee meeting for Bangkok Metropolitan Assembly (BMA) candidates. The party will announce its complete slate of 50 district candidates this evening following executive committee approval. The candidates include approximately 12-13 former BMA members and members from other parties including Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai who have worked cooperatively with the Democrats, plus strong performing former candidates and new generation members. Sakolthee noted that BMA elections are generally less competitive than national parliamentary races, and expressed confidence that with Abhisit Vejjajiva's return as party leader, the Democrat Party's popularity in Bangkok has grown substantially. He believes the party will win significantly more districts than in the previous BMA election, unlike the parliamentary elections where the Bhumjaithai Party won all 33 Bangkok seats. Regarding the selection criteria for candidates from other parties, Sakolthee stated that the selection committee thoroughly reviewed their work performance, approach, and ideology. Many are former Democrat members or ex-senators and assemblymen. The party will announce the Bangkok governor candidate in mid-May, as the selected candidate needs to complete current work obligations first. When asked about competing against incumbent Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, Sakolthee acknowledged he is a formidable 'former champion' with strong public support. However, the Democrat Party has identified gaps in his administration, including insufficient CCTV coverage expansion, inadequate feeder bus systems connecting residents to public transport, and other development areas. The Democrats' candidate and Bangkok team are prepared to address these issues. Regarding suggestions that Bangkok residents prefer independent candidates over party-affiliated ones, Sakolthee countered by referencing the 2565 gubernatorial election, questioning whether Chadchart was truly independent. He noted that media outlets know which parties supported Chadchart and believes the public desires clarity about candidate affiliations and their teams. Sakolthee emphasized that the Democrat Party operates transparently, backing party-endorsed candidates directly, and maintains that transparency benefits voters wanting to know their representatives' true affiliations. He acknowledged both advantages and disadvantages to independent candidacies, but noted that the Democrats provide candidates policy freedom while believing that BMA members ultimately prioritize constituents' interests regardless of party affiliation. Sakolthee highlighted the Bangkok governor candidate's main strength: he immediately accepted when Abhisit approached him, and brings substantial experience to the role.