Following ONE Championship featherweight kickboxing champion Superbon's withdrawal from his scheduled bout against Chinese fighter Liu Mengyang at The Inner Circle on Friday, May 22nd, citing injury concerns, Liu Mengyang has posted a video response questioning whether Superbon's withdrawal was due to genuine injury or fear. Liu questioned the sudden withdrawal with only two weeks remaining before the competition.

Liu further mocked Superbon, suggesting he's too old and undeserving of the 'King of Muay Thai' title. In a scathing message, Liu said: "You don't have the courage to fight. I sympathize with you. You got away this time, but next time remember to bring your tail. When eating rice, just sit at the kids' table."

Meanwhile, Liu Mengyang will face Gabriel Perreira from Venezuela in a featherweight kickboxing bout as the main event replacement at The Inner Circle on Friday, May 22nd.

On May 6, 2025, Nitthat Nunsong, director of the Regional Conservation Area Office 3 in Phetchaburi, received a report from Surasakdi Anumethanglor, director of the Phetchaburi Wildlife Conservation Division, along with Itthiphon Changruang, head of the wildlife enforcement unit, and veterinarian Anurak Skulpong. Officers from multiple agencies including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wildlife conservation promotion staff, prevention and suppression units, Phetchaburi police, and the narcotics suppression unit coordinated to inspect a suspicious gray Toyota truck in Don Khun Huai subdistrict, Cha-Am district, Phetchaburi province.

The search of the truck bed revealed numerous protected animals in boxes, including 13 Moluccan cockatoos, 8 cuscuses, 6 tree kangaroos, 13 echidnas, 1 sugar glider, and 100 snakes of unidentified species. The driver, 49-year-old Songob (surname withheld) from Satun, was taken into custody.

During questioning, Songob confessed to smuggling the animals for resale, having received them from an illegal wildlife trafficking network. Authorities initially charged him with "possessing protected wildlife without permission" under Section 19 of the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act B.E. 2562. The suspect and seized animals were handed over to Cha-Am police station for legal proceedings, with plans to expand the investigation to the wider trafficking network and conduct further species identification of the protected and CITES-listed animals.

The legendary 'Nam-Chon' pairing is generating buzz again as Thai actress Fern Pimchanok announced she's preparing to travel to China with co-star Mario Maurer for an upcoming event. The announcement came during the Netflix action-romance film premiere for 'Blood Love: The Killer' at Siam Paragon shopping center, where Fern updated fans about their trip amid excitement from fans eagerly awaiting the duo's reunion after a lengthy hiatus from working together. She expressed genuine gratitude for the unwavering support from Chinese fans over the years, noting she'd attempt to learn some Chinese greetings despite never having studied the language.

When asked about security concerns surrounding recent incidents of fan harassment targeting multiple artists, Fern acknowledged she's experienced some uncomfortable moments but emphasized they occur rarely and remain manageable. She shared an anecdote about her manager being slapped while protecting her, but maintained she doesn't worry excessively about such incidents, estimating they've happened only twice in her past ten trips. She dismissed concerns about this upcoming visit, noting she'd only be there for three days with just one event scheduled.

Fern also revealed an emotional moment when her close friend Mind Labhanshal surprised her during Chinese New Year by secretly visiting her home and presenting her with oranges arranged as a baby ultrasound photo—a creative way to announce her pregnancy. Fern tearfully admitted the heartwarming surprise that Mind had long expressed wanting a baby after marriage, and she's now delighted to become an aunt. She confirmed she's preparing gifts for her future nephew or niece and humorously noted she'll be called 'Aunt Fern' by the baby. Though currently without romantic plans, Fern playfully hinted she already has someone in mind for her own future motherhood.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchati Chomklin presided over the opening of the "Low-Carbon Future" collaboration forum, outlining his vision to drive Thailand toward a tangible low-carbon economy.

The minister stressed the importance of private and public sector collaboration in accelerating product value chain development to address global low-carbon trade challenges, with full backing from the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry. This effort aims to elevate Thailand's competitive capabilities as an international business leader while generating practical employment and income for local communities.

Minister Chomklin noted that businesses currently face mounting pressure from climate change, international trade regulations, and increasingly stringent environmental standards, along with growing expectations for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) sustainability. The transition to a low-carbon economy is therefore not merely an "option" but a "necessity" that will determine long-term business sector growth.

"Thailand has tremendous potential to drive the transition to a low-carbon society with government support, building on the acceleration of the Draft Climate Change Act, which will systematically integrate policy mechanisms, technology, finance, and business collaboration to produce concrete results at all levels," Suchati said.

On this occasion, the minister congratulated Thai Eastern Group Holdings PLC for successfully developing the "world's first carbon-neutral rubber blocks," a significant milestone for Thailand's rubber industry on the global stage and a testament to the potential of Thai industrial sectors to achieve international sustainability standards.

He also commended Thai Eastern Bio Power PLC for developing a comprehensive waste management center aligned with the circular economy concept and contributing meaningfully to greenhouse gas emission reduction.

The minister praised business partners across all sectors for continuously advancing low-carbon development and expressed confidence that this forum would mark the beginning of stronger collaboration, leading to tangible progress in elevating Thailand's low-carbon value chain.

"I hope this collaboration succeeds and can lead to sustainable low-carbon economic development for the country," Suchati concluded.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has reaffirmed his commitment to make every effort to bring World Cup coverage to Thai viewers, while expressing sympathy for the private sector's economic constraints. On May 6, at Government House, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior gave an interview following a meeting with Dr. Sorn Bunyabaichaipruksarak, Chairman of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). Anutin explained that the visit was a courtesy call to report on the NBTC's progress and various policies. When asked if the 2026 FIFA World Cup broadcast rights were discussed during the meeting, noting the tournament will take place in mid-June, Anutin confirmed the topic was addressed and that the government is currently exploring options. He admitted he is not a football fan and only recently learned about the June tournament schedule, but emphasized the government will make full efforts to seek cooperation. When asked whether this would involve requesting private sector assistance, Anutin stated details are still unclear, noting the government cannot purchase the rights independently but can facilitate, coordinate, and support partnerships. He acknowledged understanding the private sector's economic pressures and their need to manage their own finances, but promised maximum effort nonetheless. When pressed on whether the timeline is achievable, the Prime Minister confirmed the government will attempt to make it happen.

Prime Minister Anuthit Charnveerakul made a firm commitment on May 6 at Government House that the 400 billion baht emergency loan will be handled transparently and remain fully traceable, with not a single satang going unaccounted for and no corruption involved. He stated that all projects funded through the loan will improve the quality of life for the public.

The Prime Minister announced he has already signed the Emergency Decree granting the Ministry of Finance authority to borrow funds to address the energy crisis and transition the country's energy sector. The decree will be published in the Royal Gazette, and a screening committee will be established to oversee projects, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance. All incoming projects must be screened and comply with the decree's objectives.

Anuthit emphasized his personal responsibility as Prime Minister for every baht of the loan, stating he will closely supervise to prevent misuse or leakage of funds. "I promise that myself and the entire cabinet will vigilantly ensure not a single red satang escapes, not even a small leak, to ensure all funds serve their intended purpose. Everything must be transparent and verifiable, with absolutely no corruption," he said.

When asked about credit rating agency Moody's concerns regarding the loan decree, the Prime Minister explained that the government's real burden is the loan interest, which is very low since Thailand is borrowing in baht only, eliminating any currency exchange risk. He added that the loan will provide liquidity to financial institutions and directly benefit citizens by reducing their cost of living and improving their quality of life, rather than funding long-term infrastructure projects that would take 5-7 years to see results.