On May 21, 2025, Deputy Police General Tawee Sodsong, list MP and leader of the Prachathai Party, announced that Parliament approved on May 20 the consideration of a bill to repeal the Dishonored Checks Act of 1991, establishing an ad hoc committee in its first reading. The law had been pending consideration before the previous parliament was dissolved.

As former Justice Minister, Tawee had proposed the repeal to the Cabinet, which then presented it to Parliament, viewing it as establishing a justice system consistent with Thailand's Constitution, international principles, and economic reality. The core argument is that the 1991 law inappropriately criminalizes civil payment defaults, violating Article 77 of the Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Thailand ratified. The ICCPR explicitly prohibits imprisoning individuals solely for inability to pay contractual debts.

Additionally, the Debt Collection Act of 2015 already penalizes creditors who coerce debtors into writing bad checks, making the 1991 law redundant. Criminologists classify bounced check offenses as mala prohibita (crimes because law forbids them) rather than mala in se (inherently evil crimes), and the current law fails to distinguish between struggling business operators and intentional fraudsters, unfairly criminalizing honest entrepreneurs facing temporary cash flow problems.

The bill includes a transitional provision allowing the Department of Corrections to immediately release inmates convicted solely of bounced check offenses without awaiting court orders, with notification to courts.

On May 21, 2026, Dr. Thatchapong Jongcharoenyannont, a pediatric specialist in respiratory diseases and critical care, posted a warning through his medical education page alerting people born before 1992 to undergo hepatitis B virus blood screening, emphasizing that early detection can help prevent liver cancer.

Dr. Thatchapong explained that Thailand only began implementing nationwide hepatitis B vaccination for newborns seriously around 1992, meaning many people born before that year may never have received the vaccine as infants and could have been infected without knowing it. The critical concern is that hepatitis B virus can remain dormant in the body for decades without any symptoms, with many people only discovering their infection when cirrhosis or liver cancer has already developed.

For anyone born before 1992, particularly those uncertain about their vaccination history or who have never been screened, the doctor recommends getting a blood test screening. Those who test positive can access several effective antiviral medications that help suppress the virus and significantly reduce the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. For those testing negative, hepatitis B vaccination is recommended, as it remains one of the few vaccines worldwide that also helps prevent cancer.

Agriculture Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit revealed that SME Thai federation, led by president Noppapong Theeraworn, has consulted on strategies to promote and upgrade agricultural SME operators, particularly in agricultural processing development, agricultural product value enhancement, and market linkage both domestically and internationally to create stable income for Thai farmers and entrepreneurs.

Suriya stated that the Agriculture Ministry prioritizes upgrading agricultural SMEs alongside grassroots farmer development by accelerating the "cost reduction and income growth" policy through modern technology adoption, including precision agriculture systems, efficient fertilizer application, and alternative energy support. He also requested private sector and SME network cooperation to expand agricultural product marketing channels while raising product standards to meet global market demands and promote continuous business matching to create new trade opportunities and drive sustainable agricultural economic growth.

Noppapong expressed confidence in the clear agricultural advancement policy that benefits both the nation and Thai farmers' stable growth. SME Thai federation stands ready to fully support all policy implementations. The federation will focus on four main areas: developing knowledge and innovation for SME operators and farmers through technology transfer and modern processing management; upgrading agricultural product standards for domestic and international market compliance; expanding marketing channels through online and offline partner networks; and promoting access to capital sources to enhance liquidity and competitive capacity.

Noppapong stated the federation is prepared to support the Agriculture Ministry across all dimensions, including innovation development, entrepreneur capacity enhancement, domestic and international market promotion, and establishing cooperation networks between farmers and SME operators to drive sustainable grassroots economic growth. Additionally, SME Thai will serve as a crucial mechanism to advance operators into standardized processing systems, increase competitiveness, and propel Thai agricultural products into global markets, aligning with the government's policy focus on creating added value and strengthening long-term economic strength.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), working with the Ministry of Public Health, airlines, and relevant agencies, is escalating measures to monitor and prevent Ebola virus disease in the civil aviation system.

This follows the World Health Organization's declaration that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), due to the risk of cross-border transmission.

Thailand's Public Health Ministry has designated the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as dangerous disease zones for Ebola to strengthen domestic surveillance, prevention, and control measures.

CAAT has coordinated with the International Disease Control and Quarantine Division and the Ministry of Public Health, along with airlines and relevant agencies, to establish unified guidelines for implementing health measures in aviation and responding to the situation efficiently.

The Public Health Ministry is initially requesting public cooperation in avoiding travel to affected areas, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and nearby areas with disease transmission risks.

For those with necessary travel, registration through the Thai Health Pass system (https://thaihealthpass.com) is required. Foreign nationals must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) with accurate information for effective disease tracking and surveillance.

For airlines with routes to risk areas, CAAT has coordinated strict health measures in three areas:

1. Public communications and information to passengers about health measures and requirements before travel 2. Passenger screening from the point of origin, including verification of registration information, with immediate health measures for suspected cases 3. Supporting disease control officials with information such as seating and travel details for timely disease tracking and surveillance

Additionally, the International Disease Control and Quarantine Division has conducted emergency response drills for suspected cases, both those detected on aircraft and those showing symptoms after entering the country.

Guidelines have been established for coordination between airlines, airports, health agencies, and relevant departments to manage situations continuously while minimizing impacts on aviation operations.

CAAT emphasizes that passengers and airline operators must strictly comply with health measures to ensure passenger safety, maintain confidence in Thailand's aviation system, and uphold international safety and health standards.

Myanmar's military claimed on May 20 to have recaptured Mawtaung, a town on the Thai border, representing another battlefield victory against minority armed forces and anti-junta opposition groups over recent months. According to The Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper, the military lost control of the town in the Tanintharyi region in November but retook it on May 19 following a two-week counter-offensive. The fighting involved more than 200 clashes of varying scale, killing at least 24 opposition fighters, though the military did not disclose its own casualties. State media indicated that cross-border trade and transportation activities between Myanmar and Thailand through the Tanintharyi-Mawtaung route would resume. The military has also claimed to have retaken a major northern highway toward the Chinese border and celebrated the recapture of the busiest trade gate with Thailand in April. Part of the military's territorial recovery stems from two minority armed groups—key forces in the 2023 offensive—signing Chinese-mediated ceasefire agreements, leaving the less-equipped democratic forces vulnerable to military attacks.