The conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran remains unresolved despite a temporary ceasefire, with no negotiations in sight and ongoing uncertainty about when fighting might resume. Combined with volatile fuel prices, this geopolitical tension is rippling across the global economy with serious impact.

The controversy has extended to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Iran has qualified as a participant and will play matches on American soil, complicating matters further.

The World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, but problems persist. Most recently, President Donald Trump requested that FIFA expel Iran's team and allow Italy to compete instead—a request FIFA flatly rejected. Even Italy itself refused to participate, as FIFA rules are clear: teams must qualify through official qualification rounds to earn the right to play. Teams cannot simply replace others due to political disputes.

Trump's war has created chaos that extends even to football. It comes as little surprise that armed gunmen recently attempted to shoot the US president at a media event.

Thailand's football enthusiasts now worry whether economic downturn will allow Thai broadcasts of this World Cup. Commercial impact due to the US-led conflict means Thai businesses may be unwilling to invest in broadcasting rights. Additionally, since the tournament is in the Americas, matches will air during early morning hours in Thailand—very different from European tournaments that broadcast during late night or after midnight.

Live viewing events at entertainment venues during dawn hours simply aren't practical for dining and drinking businesses. The combination of economic hardship and unfavorable broadcast timing makes it unlikely Thai private companies will invest in World Cup coverage.

Yet Thai people are addicted to free, live World Cup broadcasts. The burden may fall to the government instead. However, the government itself is financially stretched thin.

Whether Thai football fans will get to watch this World Cup remains uncertain, leaving everyone in suspense.

Chatchai Bangchad, Secretary-General of the National Security Council (NSC), briefed on the progress of the southern border peace dialogue process, which is currently awaiting formal appointment of a new chief negotiator by the Prime Minister.

Regarding the negotiating committee's composition and format, the NSC Secretary-General stated that the new chief negotiator will be responsible for determining the structure and composition of the team.

He confirmed that previous peace talks had achieved substantive progress, but the process was interrupted due to government transitions. Once the Prime Minister formally appoints the chief negotiator, negotiations can immediately resume.

The NSC previously approved appointing Thanat Suwannannon, Director of the National Intelligence Agency, as the new chief negotiator. The council also approved seeking cooperation with Malaysia to resolve the southern border crisis, as Malaysia plays a crucial role in supporting the peace process.

The NSC emphasized that while Malaysia will serve as a facilitator for formal talks, equal importance will be given to domestic dialogue to create comprehensive linkages and systemic solutions to the southern border problem.

Peace negotiations to end the southern insurgency and establish sustainable peace began during the administration of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, achieving significant progress. However, efforts stalled after the 2014 coup, and subsequent attempts at revival lacked full implementation, remaining heavily focused on military-led governance and harsh law enforcement.

The current government under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has committed to reviving peace efforts and preparing to appoint a new negotiating team, hoping to establish genuine civilian-led political dialogue rather than military-dominated approaches. Critically, beyond dialogue with opposing parties, all stakeholder groups and local populations in affected areas must be given meaningful participation.

CPRAM (CP Ram Co., Ltd.), a leader in ready-to-eat food manufacturing, has partnered with Chester's, the legendary grilled chicken brand beloved by Thais, to introduce "Delicasia x Chester's Spicy Grilled Chicken"—a new culinary sensation for spice lovers. The product features Delicasia's special roasting style while maintaining Chester's authentic taste, offering that fresh-grilled experience available anytime, anywhere at 7-Eleven stores nationwide, 24 hours a day, for just 42 baht per pack, launching April 30, 2026 onward.

Delicasia x Chester's Spicy Grilled Chicken elevates the convenience store dining experience by delivering legendary taste at an affordable price. The product features carefully selected premium chicken wings—three pieces per pack—marinated in spices and specially roasted Delicasia-style to deliver bold, satisfying flavors. The result is tender, juicy chicken with aromatic spice notes and a smooth, penetrating heat that reaches the meat inside, perfectly suited for modern consumers seeking convenience, speed, and ease.

Whether paired with a simple rice meal, served as an appetizer, or enjoyed late at night, simply tear open the package, microwave briefly, and experience Chester's fresh-grilled chicken as if you ordered it directly from the restaurant.

Amid the global "spicy chicken wings" trend—from Korean-style bold flavors to American hot wings—combined with Thailand's top-ranking position worldwide in spicy food consumption, CPRAM recognized an opportunity to address market demand with "familiar flavors." The company leveraged "Chester's Spicy Chicken Rice," a beloved taste spanning over three decades across Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z, carefully innovating while preserving the chicken's juiciness post-heating and maintaining the proper balance of aromatic spice penetration. The brand seamlessly blends nostalgic appeal with modern ready-to-eat food innovation—convenient, fast, and easy around the clock.

The launch features two special promotional offers:

Offer One—Special introductory pricing: From April 30 to May 23, 2026, Delicasia x Chester's Spicy Grilled Chicken is reduced from 42 baht to just 39 baht.

Offer Two—Exclusive app deal for 7-Eleven shoppers: June 4 to July 1, 2026, pre-order four packs for just 159 baht (normally 168 baht) and receive a free limited-edition Chestie water glass—only 500 available.

CPRAM continues offering diverse ready-to-eat menu options from popular brands, available at over 20,000 locations including 7-Eleven, Makro, Lotus, and leading department stores nationwide, plus online through Fudidiworld—a marketplace platform providing premium menu access 24/7 everywhere, anytime.

Following its policy to transform Siam Square into a space of opportunity for all Thais and serve as a bridge between Chulalongkorn's knowledge and the public, the university is advancing its second consecutive worker-focused event. Thai workers are invited to Siam Square on May 1, 2026 for free health screenings and services from students, faculty, nurses, and doctors representing over 20 faculties and departments, organized by PMCU (Chulalongkorn University Property Management Office) under the initiative "Chulalongkorn Cares, Strong Thai Workers."

Last year's event welcomed over 2,000 workers and provided health services valued at more than 2.5 million baht, reinforcing Chulalongkorn's role in sustaining worker welfare. This year, the event will be expanded significantly, transforming Siam Square into a worker-friendly walking street offering comprehensive care across physical health, mental wellbeing, job skills, and financial burden reduction.

Physical Health Services: • Diabetes and blood lipid screening (300 slots) by the Allied Health Professions Faculty • Blood draw and health check-ups (150 slots) by the Medical Faculty and Chulalongkorn Health Center with Innotech • Health consultations and education by the College of Public Health Sciences • Oral health screening, cavity risk assessment, and free dental care kits by the Faculty of Dentistry • Eye exams and free glasses (200 sets) by Top Chang Optical • Workshops on breast self-examination, first aid, and quality sleep by the Faculty of Nursing • Physical fitness testing by the Faculty of Sports Science • Drug and health product consultation, aromatherapy oil making by the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences • Blood tests for lipids, liver, and kidney function (500 slots), muscle mass and body fat assessment, and dementia screening by Srisawat Hospital • Bone density screening (200 slots) by Phyathai Hospital

Worker Health and Quality of Life Services: • Legal consultations for workers by the Faculty of Law • Gold Card and social security benefit guidance by the Asia Studies Institute with the Thai Health Security Office • Information on worker healthcare rights by the College of Population Studies • Heat stress prevention and heat stroke awareness for outdoor workers by the Social Research Institute and the Metal and Materials Research Institute • ID photo services by the Faculty of Fine Arts • Lotus folding activities by the Thai Studies Institute • Free online courses and healthy eating workshops by Chula XL • AI training for daily life by the Faculty of Engineering • Financial planning and insurance education by the Faculty of Commerce and Accounting with the Thai Life Insurance Association

Mental Health Activities: • Concerts featuring renowned artists from 7HD, GMMGrammy, Bank, Sene Lek, TMG Record, Tao Tatsanai, and J JAZZSPER • Performances by Chulalongkorn students • Games and prize giveaways

These activities reflect Chulalongkorn University and PMCU's commitment to transforming Siam Square from a shopping destination into an inclusive space where all people can access healthcare and improve their quality of life. The event takes place on May 1, 2026, starting at 8 a.m.

Thailand's under-17 women's football team conducted their first training session at Suzhou Sports Center Stadium (Field 8) on April 28 after arriving in Suzhou, China. The team is preparing for the 2026 AFC U-17 Women's Asian Championship, which runs from May 1-17. Thailand is placed in Group A with China (hosts), Vietnam, and Myanmar. The tournament format will see the champion, runner-up, and two best third-place finishers from each group advance to the knockout stage, with four nations ultimately representing Asia at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco.

Head coach Mim Thidarat Vivasuku led an intensive training session focused on acclimatizing to Suzhou's cooler temperatures around 14 degrees Celsius and rainy conditions, while strengthening both offensive and defensive team dynamics in a 90-minute session. Midfielder Gavinthida Kikhunthad expressed the team's readiness, noting that while the World Cup spot adds pressure, the entire squad and coaching staff have studied their group opponents and are prepared to compete. She called for Thai football fans to support the team.

Thailand's U-17 women will face Vietnam on May 1 at 2:30 PM, Myanmar on May 4 at 2:30 PM, and China on May 7 at 6:30 PM, all at Suzhou Sports Center Stadium (Field 1).

On April 28, 2025, Krungthai COMPASS, the economic and business research center of Krung Thai Bank, revealed that escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, culminating in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz since March 2, 2025, have severely disrupted Thailand's chemical fertilizer supply chain. Thailand imports 95 percent of its chemical fertilizers, with 34 percent sourcing from the Middle East—particularly urea, 71 percent of which comes from that region.

Krungthai COMPASS researcher Sukunthip Chaisayan warned that if the Strait of Hormuz closure extends three months (March-May 2025) and Thailand cannot secure alternative import sources, the country will face critical chemical fertilizer shortages in May. This directly threatens rice cultivation season, along with cassava, rubber, and palm oil production.

Urea import prices are forecast to average $605 per ton (approximately 19,360 baht) in 2025—a 40 percent increase year-over-year. However, domestic fertilizer prices are government-controlled, preventing producers from passing costs to buyers. Under the baseline scenario, if producers only recover 40 percent of cost increases, they face a negative profit margin of 619 baht per ton, compared to average spreads of around 3,000 baht during 2022-2023.

Higher fertilizer costs may push farmers to reduce chemical fertilizer use, ultimately lowering crop yields. Rice production is expected to decline by approximately 700,000 tons—2 percent of total annual output—representing damage valued at 5.9 billion baht.

Policy Recommendations:

For farmers: Short-term strategy should adopt precision fertilizer application tailored to crop and soil types, combined with organic fertilizer use. Long-term, the government should promote agricultural technology (AgriTech) to reduce costs and increase yields.

For chemical fertilizer producers: Implement risk management through forward contracts, secure long-term raw material sources, diversify import origins to mitigate supply chain disruptions, and increase specialized and organic-chemical blend products to reduce price competition.

For agricultural processors: Diversify raw material sourcing domestically and internationally, use forward purchase agreements, implement automation and artificial intelligence to minimize waste, and develop higher-value products to boost competitiveness.

Krungthai COMPASS noted that actual crop yield declines depend on additional factors including soil conditions, climate, rainfall, and disease outbreaks.