Thailand's telecom regulator has approved an application to exercise rights under telecommunications law for a new subsea cable project linked to Google, officials confirmed on April 27, 2026.

At its meeting No. 12/2026, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) endorsed a request under Section 39 of the 2001 Telecommunications Business Act, following a resolution by its subcommittee on rights of way. International Gateway Co. submitted the application for this collaboration between International General Company (IGC) and Alphabet, Google's parent company.

The project involves laying more than 300 kilometers of subsea cable conduits containing 11 cable lines through territorial waters, with a landing point in Thailand and connections extending to Australia's Christmas Island. The NBTC noted that the project uses a single conduit route housing 11 separate cable lines that can branch to other destinations, with establishing a Thailand landing point requiring regulatory approval.

Subsea cable networks form the backbone of Thailand's internet infrastructure. The country currently operates around 10-12 systems with at least nine active, including SMW3, FLAG, TIS, SMW4, AAG, SJC, APG, AAE1, and ADC (Asia Direct Cable). Projects in development include Google Cloud's TalayLink and SJC2 (Southeast Asia-Japan Cable 2), expected to launch in 2026, plus SEA-H2X. Data from the Thai Internet and Cloud Service Provider Association shows approximately 70% of Thailand's international connectivity still depends on terrestrial links to data and internet hubs in Singapore.

The approved permit is part of Google Cloud's TalayLink project, a new subsea cable route connecting Thailand and Australia designed to strengthen digital connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region. This marks the beginning of Google's previously announced 30 billion baht investment in regional cloud infrastructure in Thailand.

TalayLink is also integrated into Australia Connect, an initiative positioning Australia as a hub linking Pacific island nations and Indian Ocean countries via the Sunda Strait, a major corridor for existing subsea cables. The network will connect to Google's planned cloud region in Thailand, part of a US$1 billion investment announced last year, enabling future data center consolidation and integration with Google's global cloud network.

Google has also announced plans for new connectivity hubs in Western Australia, including Mandurah, and in southern Thailand to support regional demand. Once operational, the network is expected to enhance resilience across Australia, Africa, and Southeast Asia while supporting Thailand's digital economy transition, including AI adoption and broader digital inclusion.

It's a rare occurrence when legendary rock artists Pong Nakarin and U Thaphanasorn reunite for a new music video called 'Hope Behind Walls,' collaborating with Wonderland Film Limited and the Ministry of Justice. Acclaimed producer and director Pad Weerasak Saengdee brought a story from the short film 'Ee Kee Kook' to life as a rock ballad blending powerful intensity with gentle melodies, offering encouragement to those who have stumbled and seek to start anew.

Pong Nakarin expressed his feelings, saying he was delighted to be part of the project and hoped the song would inspire those who made mistakes to have the courage to reform and become better people. He believes Thai society is ready to forgive and offer second chances. He noted that reuniting with U was smooth and natural given their long history together, and praised U's professionalism and how well their collaboration worked.

U Thaphanasorn added that he was excited to work with his idol Pong Nakarin, finding it easy to connect with the song's emotion. He highlighted that ballad rock's strength lies in its directness—communicating emotion in a way that resonates immediately. He pointed to the lyric 'I just want someone who understands, don't look at me with contempt' as particularly meaningful, reflecting how people who made mistakes may have acted on impulse rather than evil nature. He hopes the song opens society's eyes to see a broader perspective and offer opportunities not just to ex-convicts but to everyone.

Producer and director Pad Weerasak Saengdee explained that while the original version featured a woman's voice with folk sadness, this version—which he calls the 'male convict version'—captures a sweet yet deeply penetrating and powerful emotion. He chose Pong for his raspy, forceful voice aligned with the concept of giving these people a chance to stand in society, and U for his yearning, painful voice that seeks understanding and sympathy.

Nanthraphat Tepdonchai, acting inspector of the Ministry of Justice and director of the 'Return Good People to Society' office, noted that the project addresses a gap in the system for supporting ex-offenders, citing alarming statistics that 1 in 60 Thai people have a criminal record.

The Thai Table Tennis Association held its annual general meeting at Central Westgate shopping center, reporting outstanding performance results for 2568. Notable achievements include 15-year-old players Ploy and Norton making history as Thailand's first world champions in mixed doubles, and defending three SEA Games titles across women's team, women's singles, and women's doubles competitions. The association sent athletes to 32 competitions, winning 19 championships, 14 runner-up finishes, and 25 third-place results. The organization also hosted five international tournaments, one-to-five-star national tournaments, and organized over 26 competitions involving more than 12,242 athletes.

However, the financial report revealed total revenue of 63.8 million baht against expenses of 72.29 million baht, creating a deficit of over 8.48 million baht. Officials attributed this to the National Sports Development Fund having limited budgets, with over 1,000 million baht directed toward SEA Games preparations and operations, leaving insufficient funds for individual sports associations. The table tennis association received minimal or no support for its 32 competition entries and only received funding for one of 26 organized tournaments, forcing the association to use reserves.

The situation worsened as the 2569 budget remains unclear even after seven months, potentially requiring major operational adjustments. The association faces urgent funding needs for upcoming competitions including the ASEAN Youth Championships in Singapore, World Championships in England, and hosting two WTT Youth 2 competitions in April-May, requiring approximately 10 million baht. Association President Nathwut Rueangwes stated: "We don't want to reduce activities because it's unfortunate after 4-5 years of strong growth with excellent athlete performance. The board will seek additional funding from other sources and adjust plans accordingly, though budget constraints are affecting all sports."

The International Trade Promotion Department (DITP) under the Ministry of Commerce organized the "First 2025 T Mark Clinic" at Centara Grand CentralPlaza Ladprao Hotel in Bangkok to strengthen entrepreneurial capabilities and elevate Thai businesses to international standards through the Thailand Trust Mark (T Mark) certification.

The event was opened by Surin Sunthornanan, Deputy Director-General of the DITP, who introduced the Thailand Trust Mark program and its benefits. The T Mark symbolizes "trust" and "transparent image," serving as a key to sustainable growth for Thai products. The DITP launched the Thailand Trust Mark in 2012 to certify that products and services meet excellence standards while genuinely supporting social welfare, labor, and environmental concerns. The department signed memorandums of understanding with the Ministry of Labor (Labor Standards Development Office) and the Ministry of Industry (Industrial Works Department) to jointly certify this quality mark.

The clinic featured a seminar on "Brand Building Strategies to Win Markets and Value-Added Packaging Design" led by experienced speakers. Dr. Porpun Promwang, Regional General Manager of Asia Pacific Cosmetics Corporation (IN2IT brand), discussed how Thai cosmetics achieved international success through differentiated marketing strategies and quality. Chatsil Chaatbut, Administrative/CRM Manager of TPN Food Packaging Company, highlighted packaging's importance beyond aesthetics—it extends product shelf life and increases market value, particularly eco-friendly packaging that aligns with consumer sustainability concerns.

Over 100 entrepreneurs participated actively, exchanging experiences and success strategies. In the afternoon, the department operated multiple consulting clinics staffed by government and private experts covering: T Mark certification requirements and procedures, export guidance and market expansion through DITP 1669 Clinic, product exhibition platforms via Thaitrade.com, financing options from Exim Bank, labor standards and human rights from the Ministry of Labor, CSR implementation guidance, green industry transition pathways, and food packaging consulting through TPN Food Packaging Clinic. Entrepreneurs registered extensively for the consulting sessions.

Over 13 years, the T Mark has proven to be a crucial force supporting...

On April 27, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Yutthasak Wongsawat, serving as chairman of the National Science and Technology Development Committee (NSTDO Board), presided over the first board meeting of 2026. He announced a crucial policy to transform the National Science and Technology Development Office (NSTDO) into a "research engine for the nation" (New Research Engine) emphasizing precision, targeted focus, and measurable broad-based results. The meeting was attended by Supachai Pathumnakaul, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry; Dr. Sriyadha Palimaphand, ministerial advisor; Chaturin Chanhom, ministerial secretary; Chukkij Limpitjamnong, NSTDO Director; and other executives at the NSTDO Plant Factory in Pathum Thani Province.

Yutthasak revealed that the modern NSTDO must transcend pure research and become the primary mechanism for elevating Thailand to upper-middle-income status through four key strategic approaches: 1) Research for Nation & Economic Drive: emphasizing downstream research reaching various sectors, particularly empowering smallholder farmers, SMEs, and startups, and collaborating with the Ministry of Commerce to shield Thai innovations from foreign price dumping. 2) Mission-based Collaboration (Break Silos): breaking down barriers between agencies so that national priority projects receive integrated cooperation across all units in the Ministry and NSTDO, with NSTDO complementing rather than competing with universities through personnel and research funding exchanges. 3) Frontier Research & Tech War: preparing readiness in cutting-edge technologies such as AI, semiconductors, and quantum computing to strengthen Thailand's position in global value chains. 4) Urgent Battles & Crisis Management: rapidly developing innovations to address critical crises including disaster mitigation, energy security, and developing high-quality crop varieties for food security.

"We are transforming NSTDO into a high-impact research engine, targeting that by 2027 our innovations will benefit 10 million people and generate over 17 billion baht in economic and social impact," Yutthasak stated.

For his part, Chukkij stated that NSTDO stands ready to implement the policy with over 3,000 research personnel through Battle and Pre-battle mechanisms to convert laboratory expertise into national solutions, anchored in industry and public needs.

On this occasion, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister led media representatives on a tour of the Plant Factory, showcasing successful precision agriculture that has transformed from volume-based vegetable sales to high-value extract production for global pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, helping farmers sustainably increase income from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of baht per rai.

Deputy Prime Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas revealed that Prime Minister Anuthon Chaiyawiroon has assigned him to lead the announcement of intellectual property infringement enforcement results for the first six months (October 2024 - March 2025) of fiscal year 2025. The briefing was held on April 27, 2025, at the Thai Customs Department with participation from Commerce Minister Suphachai Sutthrampon, who chairs the National Intellectual Property Policy Committee, along with representatives from the Finance Ministry, Justice Ministry, National Police Office, private sector partners, and foreign embassies including the United States, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Ekniti stated that the government under Anuthon's leadership is treating intellectual property protection with systematic importance, with the Prime Minister directing all relevant agencies to intensify enforcement measures to build confidence in trade and investment.

Under this directive, all sectors have coordinated enforcement efforts across both physical markets and online channels. During the first six months of fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 - March 2025), authorities arrested and prosecuted 332 intellectual property infringement cases, seizing approximately 1.3 million items worth 2.3 billion baht in economic damages. The government targeted commercial zones, warehouses, and border checkpoints, resulting in a 78% increase in economic damage recovery compared to the entire fiscal year 2024, which totaled 1.3 billion baht. This damage not only impacts Thailand's economy but also undermines the country's long-term trade and investment reputation.

Commerce Minister Suphachai Sutthrampon noted that the Commerce Ministry, as the coordinating agency under the National Intellectual Property Policy Committee, is working intensively with the Finance Ministry, Justice Ministry, and National Police Office to protect intellectual property rights for both Thai and foreign investors. She emphasized that intellectual property is critical for economic development, while counterfeiting poses serious economic security threats, endangers public health and safety through fake products, harms legitimate businesses unable to compete on price, and weakens the nation's trade competitiveness. This integrated enforcement effort reflects all agencies' commitment to combat intellectual property infringement and aligns with the government's Trade Plus policy.