BANGKOK — China has expressed readiness to act as a mediator in tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, with Beijing reportedly conveying that Phnom Penh does not wish to escalate or engage in conflict, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on 24 April 2026.

Speaking after talks and a working lunch in Bangkok, Prime Minister Anutin said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who had visited Cambodia before arriving in Thailand, relayed Beijing's assessment of the situation between the two neighbours.

"Wang Yi said Cambodia no longer wants to fight Thailand, does not want to face confrontation, and does not want conflict anymore," Anutin said.

The prime minister said China also expressed readiness to play a mediating role in easing regional tensions, as part of broader diplomatic engagement during Wang's visit to Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar from 22 to 26 April.

Anutin added that Thailand maintains it does not seek conflict with any neighbouring country, but any resolution must follow structured dialogue, agreed procedures and confidence-building measures rather than immediate or informal arrangements.

He stressed that Thailand would base its decisions on national interest, including security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"What matters is what Thailand gains from this situation. The country must remain safe and not lose any advantage in terms of sovereignty or territory," he said.

The prime minister also said discussions with China did not include reopening border checkpoints with Cambodia.

He added that Thailand would continue to exercise restraint as long as there is no violation of its territory, and would avoid escalation or provocation.

Anutin said China demonstrated a clear understanding of the background to Thailand–Cambodia tensions and the possible approaches to resolving them, describing Thailand as an important regional partner rather than a small state in geopolitical terms.

Thailand is currently facing an environmental crisis from fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) that has widespread impacts on public health, quality of living, and the economy—particularly the tourism industry, which is slowing due to traveler safety concerns. Simultaneously, Thailand faces pressure from the global trade arena with increasingly stringent environmental standards, risking non-tariff trade barriers that could undermine competitive capacity and threaten long-term economic stability.

Porn Aramwatananont, Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, noted that the primary sources of PM 2.5 pollution in Thailand stem from transportation, industry, and especially agriculture, where crop residue burning continues unabated, intensifying and prolonging the air pollution crisis.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Thai Chambers of Commerce Federation, under the leadership of Porn Aramwatananont, have partnered with major allies including Charoen Pokphand Group (CP) to serve as a coordinator for cooperation among the business sector, government, educational institutions, and civil society. Together, they are driving systematic and sustainable solutions to root causes.

On April 22, 2025—Earth Day—the Thai Chamber of Commerce united over 100 major Thai business groups including CP, Mitr Phol, Nestlé, and Khao Hom Golden Rice, along with key supply chain operators, government agencies, academia, and civil society organizations.

Traceability Forum

The initiative proclaimed the "Traceability System" to track and record product information at every stage of the supply chain—from upstream production, processing, transportation, to downstream consumer hands—to enhance transparency in agricultural product supply chains and systematically address the root causes of haze and PM 2.5 pollution.

This collaboration encompasses all stakeholders throughout the agricultural supply chain, from major raw material buyers of rice, animal feed corn, and sugarcane to processors and exporters. Participating government agencies include the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Ministry of Commerce, and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, along with educational institutions and civil society organizations.

Participating businesses throughout the supply chain include food and agriculture industry groups such as Mitr Phol, Nestlé, Chiang Mai-Khao Hom Golden Rice, Khao Tra Cherd, S&P, Saraburi Sugar, Bangkok Produce, and Charoen Pokphand Products.

Academic institutions include leading universities such as Chulalongkorn University, Kasetsart University, College of Leadership and Social Innovation, Rangsit University, and Mae Jo University.

Witnesses to the declaration include the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives and the Bioeconomy Development Office (Public Organization). Standards and verification agencies such as SGS (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Control Union (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and ERM-Siam Co., Ltd., along with civil society organizations and associations including the Thai Environment Institute Foundation, Royal Foundation Project, Thai Durian Association, and Thai Sugar Miller Co., Ltd., also participate as partners.

Porn stated that the PM 2.5 pollution problem is interconnected with multiple sectors of the economic system.

Tourism Authority Director Jaturon Pakdeewanich announced the arrest on April 24 at 10:30 a.m. after receiving reports from the Northern Regional Tour and Guide Registration Office. Thirty-one Thai tourists from Chiang Rai who purchased a Kunming-Chongqing, People's Republic of China tour package (scheduled for April 24-29, 2025) discovered they had no airline tickets when it came time to depart. The Registration Office and tourism police investigated the tour documents and payment records, identifying the suspect as Ms. A (pseudonym) or Company A (pseudonym). Database checks revealed the operator had never obtained a tour business license. Authorities charged the suspect with operating a tour business without authorization, violating Section 15 combined with Section 80 of the Tour Business and Guide Act B.E. 2551, which carries penalties of up to 2 years imprisonment or fines up to 500,000 baht or both. The suspect was arrested and transferred to Phu Phing Police Station in Chiang Mai for further legal proceedings. The Tourism Authority Director urged tourists to verify tour operators through the official website at www.dot.go.th before booking, ensuring smooth, reliable service and legal protection under relevant laws.

A spiritual center in turmoil: More than 500 Mae Prik residents gathered to blockade the area and oppose the relocation of Khruba Yad's remains to Chiang Mai following the presentation of a will made before his death.

On April 24, 2569, reporters documented the tense atmosphere at Wat Mae Prik Bon in Mae Prik subdistrict, Mae Prik district, Lampang province. Over 500 residents and disciples united in protest, blockading the area and chasing away an ambulance from Chiang Mai that attempted to transfer the remains of Phra Kru Withan Pattana Phon, known as 'Khruba Chao Prayat Akkateho,' the former abbot of Wat Mae Prik Bon, to Chom Thong district in Chiang Mai.

The confrontation arose after lawyers arrived with a document identified as 'a will regarding the appointment of an executor of the remains,' dated October 15, 2563, at Chiang Mai Ram Hospital. The will explicitly stated Khruba Yad's wishes: 'I entrust my remains to Khruba Chao Traiphao Chantavano, to be enshrined at Brahmadhada Buddhasathan in Chom Thong, Chiang Mai, and appoint him as the sole executor of my remains, while requesting the annulment of all previous wills.' The document bears the late abbot's fingerprints and signature, witnessed and certified by nursing staff, prompting the legal team to assert their lawful right to remove the former abbot's remains from the temple.

However, local residents and the community of believers rejected the relocation, insisting that Khruba Yad had long been the spiritual center of Mae Prik. He had spent the Buddhist Lent period at this temple since 2533 until his death. For the community, removing his remains from the temple he built and developed was unacceptable, leading them to surround the ambulance to prevent the transfer.

Local administration officials from Mae Prik district, the subdistrict municipality, and relevant agencies intervened for initial negotiations. The legal team and ambulance subsequently withdrew, with expectations that facts will be verified and a mutual solution found. The situation inside the temple remains closely monitored, as local residents insist the late revered monk's remains should remain at the original temple.

Phra Kru Withan Pattana Phon, known as 'Khruba Yad Akkateho,' passed away peacefully on November 20, 2568, at Maharaj Nakhon Chiang Mai Hospital following continuous treatment for paralysis. He lived 72 years, 11 months, and 47 Buddhist years. Born on January 1, 2496, with the name 'Prayat Petchcaeng,' he ordained as a novice at age 15 and received full ordination at age 21 at Wat Phra Bat Wang Tong. He served as former advisor to the subdistrict headman and former abbot of Wat Mae Prik Bon.

The Department of Business Development has launched aggressive enforcement operations against nominee companies—a scheme where Thai nationals hold shares on behalf of foreign investors—to prevent misuse of corporations for money laundering and illegal business activities. Department Director Poonpong Nainapakon announced that 21 government agencies have signed a cooperation agreement on April 29, 2025, chaired by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, to coordinate prevention and prosecution efforts and strengthen law enforcement integration.

The enforcement measures have shown dramatic results. In the first quarter of 2025 (January-March), suspicious nominee company registrations dropped 60% to 1,373 companies, compared to 3,511 in the same period last year. After additional investment verification measures took effect on April 1, registrations plummeted 75% in early-to-mid April, with only 175 companies registered versus 658 in the comparable 2024 period. The department acknowledged that 25% of suspicious cases still slip through and is considering additional preventive measures while minimizing impact on legitimate operators.

From October 2024 to April 23, 2025, authorities referred 11 cases to the Central Investigation Bureau involving over 300 related entities across steel, accounting, real estate, and transportation sectors. Deep investigations were conducted in 27 high-risk areas across 10 provinces including tourism, real estate, logistics, and coconut farming operations. Data was forwarded to multiple agencies: 534 cases to the Revenue Department for money trail investigation, 6,709 to the Excise Department for financial audits, 137 to the Social Security Office, 117 to the Accounting Profession Supervision Committee, 25 to the Special Cases Investigation Department, and 15 to the Trade Competition Commission. Authorities also identified 4,372 unlicensed foreign businesses, including 256 in strictly prohibited accounting services.

Following calls for Clash to reunite after Bank Preeti created a memorable moment at the G27 stage, reigniting nostalgia among fans and further fueled by Big Ass's return, Surom Sukrit Sripaoraya, the band's former bassist and current Make-up Gain member, opened up about the possibility during a recent interview. While acknowledging his surprise at the scale of fan support, Surom was candid that a major reunion concert is far from straightforward. "I've definitely seen the wave of requests," he confirmed. "Honestly, I was quite surprised by how big it was."

When asked about his feelings toward such overwhelming fan demand, Surom explained: "To be honest, my first reaction was surprise, but I understand it completely. Bank mentioned on stage that we'd talked before about whether people would show up at Rajamangala. The truth is, we've discussed big concerts before, but from our perspective, Rajamangala might be too large a venue. We were honestly worried that even if we organized something, people might come but the space could feel empty, which wouldn't feel right for a venue of that scale."

He continued: "But maybe the timing is different now. Because G27 had such massive attendance with multiple artists, it created the full-capacity feeling people saw. And knowing there are genuine fans who want to see a Clash concert makes that feel good. However, right now, coming back even just for a special event would be quite difficult. I'm fully committed to Make-up Gain and want to give my best effort there."

Surom pointed out the practical challenges: "Bank has released new music with Black Piranha, and there are other projects happening. Members like Phorn and Yak work with different music companies and are extremely busy. Sometimes Phorn texts me about cycling on weekends, but when the time comes, he's always caught up with work. It happens frequently, which shows that everyone's schedules are quite tight right now."

He emphasized the complexity: "A major concert isn't just about wanting to play again and doing it on the spot. There are issues with timing, venue selection, preparation, and various organizers involved. It's not as simple as saying let's do it and making it happen immediately. There are quite a few constraints."

When asked if band members have discussed the reunion buzz, Surom said: "Actually, we haven't really talked about it. I've run into members and exchanged greetings, but we haven't discussed this specifically. The last time I saw Yak, we talked about Make-up Gain's new release. There's some joking around though—I get lots of messages about it. Fans are tagging us in stories saying 'waiting for Rajamangala.' That phrase has come up constantly. But the reality is, it's still quite far off."