Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Suriya Jurungrueangkit addressed concerns at Government House regarding the El Niño phenomenon, which has caused farmers to worry about potential water shortages. He assured the public that reservoir water supplies are fully sufficient for agricultural needs. For non-irrigated areas, he has ordered the Irrigation Department to prepare pumping equipment and other necessary tools for farmers outside irrigation zones.

Beyond water management, the ministry plans to organize a Fruit Expo to promote Thailand's fruit industry on the global stage, including initiatives for export promotion, fruit research advancement, and fruit logistics development. The ministry recently met with Gerald Bose of Koelnmesse, a world-renowned exhibition expert from Germany who has long collaborated with Thailand, including organizing Thaifex Anuga, the world's 4th largest and Asia's largest food trade show. Bose is scheduled to visit the Ministry of Agriculture on May 26 for further discussions.

Regarding durian exports, Minister Suriya noted that production is expected to exceed 30% this year. He has directed improvements in efficiency and expanded quality inspection timeframes before export to facilitate smoother trade. At the Nakhon Phanom checkpoint, authorities are requesting the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards to extend inspection hours for durian exports to ensure Thai agricultural products can be bought and sold smoothly.

DUBAI — April 4, 2026: Iran's navy claimed it blocked the entry of U.S. warships into the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, issuing what it described as a "swift and decisive warning," according to state television.

The statement came as U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Washington would begin an effort on Monday morning to free ships stranded in the strategic waterway, calling it a "humanitarian gesture" to assist neutral countries amid the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Iranian news agency Fars reported that a U.S. warship sailing near the port of Jask at the southern entrance to the strait was hit by two missiles and forced to turn back while attempting to transit the area.

Iran's armed forces also issued repeated warnings on Monday to foreign naval vessels, saying they should not enter the Strait of Hormuz or face a "decisive response."

Meanwhile, oil prices eased on Tuesday after sharp gains in the previous session, as signs emerged that the U.S. Navy may be loosening Iran's control over the key shipping lane, raising hopes that Middle Eastern supply could resume.

Brent crude for July delivery fell 68 cents, or 0.6%, to $113.76 a barrel, after rising 5.8% on Monday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude dropped $1.59, or 1.5%, to $104.83, following a 4.4% increase in the previous session.

On May 5, 2569, at the Election Commission office, Sandhya Sawatsdi, a former parliamentary candidate from Samut Sakhon District 2, and Samai Ramanyudom, a former candidate from Pathum Thani District 2 of the Palang Pracharath Party, led a group of over 100 former candidates in submitting a petition to the Election Commission. They requested the commission investigate and refer the matter to the Constitutional Court for dissolving the Palang Pracharath Party and stripping political rights from party executives and leadership. The complaint centers on allegations that after nominating candidates for the 2019 election, the party failed to provide equal financial and campaign support, engaging in discriminatory and non-transparent practices that favored certain groups. Sandhya stated they are calling on the Election Commission to investigate whether the party provided financial support to specific individuals or groups during the previous election, particularly regarding alleged funds received from major donors. If confirmed, they want clarity on where that money went and how it was distributed, so the matter can be referred to the Constitutional Court for dissolution proceedings.

On May 5, 2569, reporters noted that on May 4, Police Major General Tawee Sodsong, leader of the Palang Pracharath Party, chaired party discussions in both executive forum and online formats, joined by parliamentary advisors, business leaders, and various sector representatives to set policy direction.

The key issue centered on the government's Land Bridge megaproject worth over one trillion baht, led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Interior Minister.

Tawee stated that the Palang Pracharath Party does not oppose large-scale infrastructure development and acknowledges the Land Bridge project's strategic necessity.

"We affirm that we are not obstructing any development, but a project of this magnitude must ensure benefits reach the people, not just a handful of private companies. If the project's feasibility study is incomplete and lacks sufficient empirical data for trillion-baht investment, development must undergo careful scrutiny because it has long-term impacts on the country," Tawee said.

Tawee cited the example of Malaysia's ECRL railway project, which used approximately 600 billion baht in budget but created a network spanning over 600 kilometers, while Thailand's Land Bridge costs more with significantly shorter distance, raising questions about value for money. He also expressed concern about the long-term concession structure that may concentrate benefits among large private entities.

Tawee warned of lessons from the EEC project where land was purchased in advance, causing prices to skyrocket, cautioning against land speculation that deprives the public of development benefits.

Another crucial issue is granting a 99-year concession to private entities—50 years initially with a 49-year renewal option—which may impact sovereignty and rule of law without clear conditions. The better approach is for the state to maintain control of core infrastructure and establish strict regulations.

Tawee proposed that national development must not leave the public behind and should proceed alongside welfare policies such as senior pensions of 3,000 baht, free education through bachelor's degree, and windfall profit tax to return state project gains to the people.

Tawee stated that the Palang Pracharath Party will push the Land Bridge project as an important parliamentary agenda to monitor, inspect, and ensure transparency at every stage.

"Land Bridge will only be meaningful if all Thai people truly benefit, not just GDP figures or profits for a few companies. This is the country's critical question: will we choose development for everyone or concentrated growth?" Tawee said.

Rungrueang Thipsirichai, head of the Palang Pracharath Party's economic team, stated that considering the Land Bridge project requires real figures and examining whether project returns and potential are genuinely viable, not fabricated numbers.

Rungrueang noted that Ranong Port has potential but requires additional investment for deep-sea port development. Chumphon Port still focuses on agricultural goods, which may be insufficient for heavy industry, making return on investment a significant question.

Suliman Buanabina, Yala MP from the Palang Pracharath Party and former Land Bridge committee member, stated that the region has clearly divergent views. Chambers of commerce may support it, but many farming and fishing communities remain concerned about environmental and project impacts.

Additionally, the Land Bridge project faces concerns about dredging approximately 6,900 rai of seabed and impacts on natural resources.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that this season's Premier League title race is now in Arsenal's hands following City's 3-3 draw with Everton, though he remains defiant about their chances until the end.

City dropped points in the title race with a 3-3 draw against Everton in the English Premier League 2025-26 season on May 4. The draw saw City increase their total to 71 points from 34 matches, placing them second in the table, trailing leaders Arsenal by 5 points but with a game in hand. Everton, meanwhile, moved to 48 points from 35 matches in tenth place.

After the match, Pep acknowledged that the title destiny is no longer in their hands. "It was really good football. We played brilliantly in the first half. It was very difficult because of their physical strength," he said.

"In the second half, they played better. We didn't control the game as we should have and conceded. After that, they went back to pure English football, very intense in the duels."

"But overall, we played really well. It's not easy at all because they defend so well. They have 10 men back and switch from attack to defense. We got one point, and until it's finished, we'll keep going."

"Visiting Everton is always difficult, and I must praise them for their intensity and physicality. It's better than losing. We played to win. It shows what our team is. We tried and we did it. It's not in our hands anymore. Before it was, but now it isn't."

"We have to do that in the four remaining Premier League games. The game against Brentford will probably be similar. We'll see what happens."

Entertainment figures are celebrating as May Pitchyanat and her husband Big announce they're expecting a baby. The couple shared adorable moments together, with May cradling her baby bump and displaying ultrasound images as she revealed the good news. They captioned their announcement: "May & Big from two… something even more beautiful OCT (baby emoji)." Friends and fans rushed to express their joy with comments like "Congratulations to you May and Big, so happy," "So cute," "Thrilled for you sister May," and "Big congrats, we've been rooting for you all along." This announcement comes after May revealed last year that she had been pursuing fertility treatment, including over 50 hormone injections to stimulate egg production, without success until now.