Police are accelerating their investigation into a major cache of war weapons and explosives, expanding efforts to identify the source and trace the supply network involved in illegal arms trafficking. The case stems from the arrest of a Chinese man whose sedan flipped in Na Jomtien police station area. When officers inspected the vehicle, they discovered firearms and ammunition, leading to a follow-up search of a residential property in Huai Yai subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province, where authorities uncovered an extensive weapons arsenal and numerous explosive devices.

On May 11, 2026, police officers from Na Jomtien police station transferred all seized items to the Forensic Science Center 2 for examination, particularly C4 explosives and various other explosive materials, to determine their origin and investigate smuggling routes from foreign countries. Officers are simultaneously pursuing leads to connect the weapons cache to broader illegal arms trafficking networks.

The seized items total 18 entries, including: a GLOCK 26 handgun with 9mm ammunition, M16 rifle ammunition cases with 5.56mm rounds, two M16 rifles, extensive firearm ammunition, C4 explosives in both block and stick form weighing several kilograms, Russian-made POMZ2 anti-personnel mines, explosives from Korea and Myanmar, electrical detonators, remote control units, body armor, gas masks, and various other tactical equipment.

Initially, authorities are investigating the origin of all weapons and explosives, including which countries manufactured and distributed them, whether they were smuggled into Thailand, financial transaction trails, involved individuals, and the weapons supply network. This case is considered one of the largest illegal weapons and explosives possession cases in Chon Buri province.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprasath outlined plans for the Thailand Helps Thailand Plus project at Government House on May 11, 2025, at 12:45 PM. The government's 60-40 cost-sharing initiative is currently undergoing regulatory framework development and project screening committee setup. Once completed, government agencies will be invited to submit aligned proposals aimed at addressing the cost-of-living crisis and supporting citizens through energy transition reform. The project operates under five guiding principles: clear targets, achieving long-term sustainable transition while reducing public burden, structural reform to strengthen communities after the crisis, transparency through full disclosure and digital technology, and collaborative partnerships involving expert representatives from three private-sector institutions. When asked whether detailed project proposals would be presented to the screening committee on May 14, Ekniti stated that regulatory procedures must be finalized first, and stressed that the Cabinet submission on May 19 would proceed as planned.

TOKYO, Japan — Thai culture took centre stage in Japan as the 26th Thai Festival in Tokyo drew massive crowds over the weekend, with Japanese social media users marvelling at the popularity of Thai food and entertainment.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow presided over the opening ceremony of the festival on 9 May at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo. Shimada Tomoaki, Japan's Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, attended as guest of honour.

Held from 9-10 May under the theme "Creative Life and Creative Heartbeat," the Thai Festival in Tokyo is regarded as the largest Thai festival overseas and one of Tokyo's major cultural exchange events, attracting more than 300,000 visitors annually.

The event featured booths promoting Thai products, services and creative industries, alongside cultural performances including traditional Thai dance, Muay Thai demonstrations, concerts and fan meetings with Thai artists and actors.

Photos and videos of packed crowds at the festival went viral online. One Japanese X user, @Thai__Suki, posted images showing visitors filling the venue and wrote: "Look! This is Tokyo's Thai Festival, where 300,000 Thai food lovers gather! It's so packed!"

The user added: "This year too, Thai Fest is so crowded I can't move forward. Japanese love for Thailand is seriously amazing. As a fellow Thai enthusiast, I'm nothing but thrilled."

Thomas Theerathat is excited and honored to serve as a judge at the Miss World Thailand 2026 Final Competition held at MCC Hall. For the acclaimed young actor, this marks his first time judging on such a major stage. He expressed feeling thrilled and privileged, having prepared by studying the contestants' information and wanting to fully absorb the atmosphere of the event.

Reflecting on turning 25, Thomas shared that he feels he's grown significantly and has been involved in more diverse activities. He emphasized wanting to focus on his career, seeking new experiences, and developing himself to create the best work for his audience to follow. When asked about his birthday gift to himself this year, he joked that he'd love a long sleep—around 12-15 hours.

"Today I'm serving as a judge at Miss World Thailand 2026," he explained. "It's actually my first time judging at a stage this big, so I'm incredibly excited. It's truly an honor that Miss World Thailand 2026 invited me. I've watched the pageant before and even know Opol Suchat, who became Miss World 2025—she's amazing. I'm really happy to be here and feel like it's all like a dream."

When asked how he prepared, Thomas said: "I studied beforehand and came to see the overall setup today. Honestly, I wanted to absorb as much of the atmosphere as possible because this is a really big event. I looked into all the contestants."

On reaching 25, Thomas reflected: "I feel like I've matured another year. This year I've done so much more and gotten involved in things I love. I've been to fashion week, done various shoots—you'll have to stay tuned to see what else comes out."

Asked what's changed at 25, he said with humor: "First of all, I feel smarter and more knowledgeable. I can get along with people better now, and people don't tease me as much."

Regarding special goals, Thomas mentioned: "I've had these since I was young. I want to find new experiences and travel abroad more often. It really brings back a lot of knowledge and experience that helps me grow."

On what he's focusing on: "My career. There's so much ahead of me in the future. I want to achieve success in my work and create the best possible projects. I want to be someone who produces quality work."

When asked how far he plans to go in fashion: "To the top, if I can make it happen. Right now I'm climbing slowly in the fashion world—slow but steady is better."

For his birthday gift to himself: "It would probably be sleep time. Lately I'm only getting 4-6 hours, but last night I managed to sleep about 10 hours. I'm a big sleeper. If I could do whatever I wanted, I'd sleep 12-15 hours."

Asked if his friend Kong gave him a gift, Thomas said with a smile: "I'm not sure if it counts as a gift, but we went out to eat together and spent time together—that's a gift for me."

At 12:40 p.m. on May 11, 2026, at Government House, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul commented on the political situation following former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's sentence commutation. As he previously mentioned, Anutin said he was once under Thaksin's command and is pleased for him and his family, who reportedly returned home beaming with joy.

"We let him have his private time. After this, there are legal processes he must complete. We let everything proceed smoothly first so he can adjust and spend time with his family, giving him privacy. We're happy he's been released," Anutin said.

When asked if there's a chance to meet Thaksin privately, Anutin immediately responded, "It's already happened." Once everything settles, since Bangkok is a small place, meeting with someone you know and mutually respect is nothing unusual.

When asked about his outlook on the political atmosphere going forward, Anutin stated that he views everything positively. If work is done sincerely for the nation's and people's benefit, there's nothing to worry about. Even if mistakes occur while benefiting tens of millions of people, accepting responsibility for those mistakes is a point of pride and honor.

Pheu Thai Urges Government to Fast-Track Constitutional Amendment, Key Laws, and CARE Pension Plan, insisting that if the government is sincere in respecting the people, it must not reject the public referendum vote.

At 10:30 AM on May 11, 2025 at Parliament, Nathpong Ruangpanyawuthi, list MP and leader of the Pheu Thai Party, chaired the party's second shadow cabinet meeting and presented demands to the government. The urgent priorities are:

1. The government should confirm the constitutional amendment draft's return to parliamentary consideration quickly. In the recent election, 21 million people gave a clear mandate for a new constitution, so concerns that the old draft won't pass parliament are unconvincing. The government should honor the people's referendum intention.

2. The Cabinet should quickly approve the CARE pension formula from the Social Security Office. Labor Minister Julapan Amoriwiwattana promised to push this forward for the Social Security Fund advancement, so tomorrow's Cabinet meeting should show concrete progress.

3. The government should review multiple laws still pending Cabinet approval. Tomorrow's meeting is the final deadline to reconsider bringing stalled laws back to parliament, such as the PRTR law and labor protection law to establish fair working hours. The Cabinet should make a decision on May 12 to advance these laws to parliament.

When asked how he would monitor the Cabinet's decision on returning the original constitutional amendment draft to parliament, Nathpong stated that a government claiming to derive legitimacy from the people cannot reject the referendum in which a clear majority voted for a new constitution.

He added that if the government is genuinely sincere and respects the people's voice, it should let parliament itself decide whether the original draft will pass, rather than using concerns about its passage as an excuse to block it in Cabinet. If the government is truly sincere and respects the people, it must bring the original draft back for parliamentary consideration.