RANONG — On May 13, 2026, Thai cybercrime police dismantled a major online gambling network operating from Ranong province in southern Thailand, arresting a woman accused of serving as an administrator for the platform. Led by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) under Pol. Lt. Gen. Surapol Prembutr, the operation executed a search warrant at a residence in Bang Non subdistrict, Muang district, where they arrested 24-year-old Thipsiwan and seized computer equipment and mobile devices.

Investigators determined that the gambling website, operating under the name "AM 08," had been active for over two years with more than 36,000 members, generating approximately six million baht in monthly transactions totaling more than 72 million baht annually. The platform offered multiple forms of illegal gambling including lotteries, slot machines, overseas football betting, baccarat, dragon tiger, and poker games. To evade detection, the operation repeatedly changed its platform name while maintaining its customer base.

During questioning, the suspect admitted to working as a customer service administrator for over a year at a monthly salary of 15,000 baht. She now faces charges for organizing and promoting unauthorized gambling activities through electronic media.

Informa has cracked the success code: customers need to feel they're getting value for money, having memorable experiences, and receiving clear communication. The organizers are preparing to bring world-class gurus and leading food and hospitality companies to share their expertise at Food & Hospitality Thailand 2026.

The restaurant sector is adapting after facing multiple challenges. Thailand's total food service market is valued at 660 billion baht, with food delivery growing 22% to reach 165 billion baht. Informa Markets reveals the winning formula for thriving businesses: while taste and food quality remain crucial, they're not the only factors for success. Multiple elements matter, including creating memorable customer experiences, offering exceptional service that provides a sense of exclusivity and value for money—serving properly portioned meals that leave customers 80% full while encouraging additional orders.

Communication and relationship-building are equally vital tools. Restaurants and brands need a compelling story to showcase their identity, uniqueness, and appeal—whether it's flavor, ambiance, service, or something competitors lack. They must leverage online communication tools like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Google Maps, while also attracting YouTubers, influencers, and vloggers to share their story.

Back-of-house management cannot be overlooked. Restaurants should implement Lean management principles to improve efficiency and reduce resource waste, combined with Kaizen philosophy where everyone contributes to continuous daily improvement. When investing in restaurant upgrades and equipment, focus on value rather than just price or expense. Modern equipment and solutions with accessible technology are available for even small entrepreneurs.

For food delivery, packaging is both brand image and cost—it must protect food well, avoid over-packaging, and communicate memorably. Restaurants should also leverage AI technology to analyze customer data and behavior, identify new sales opportunities, and conduct feasibility studies before investing.

The food and beverage industry should focus on three key trends:

– Multi-sensory dining experiences (sight, taste, smell, sound) that tell a compelling story aligned with the restaurant's strengths – Health, wellness, and longevity, with the health-conscious segment growing over 20% and customers seeking authentic, minimally processed plant-based foods – Demonstrating sustainability and expanding through retail channels while taking responsibility for environmental impact

At 3 PM on May 13, 2025, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, accompanied by the Interior Minister and officials, visited Koh Pangan School to meet with residents and announce government policies for the area. Anutin stated he came to address escalating problems seriously, acknowledging that while foreign tourists bring money, Thailand must receive legitimate income from tourism spending rather than allowing foreigners to monopolize business opportunities.

Anutin emphasized that Thailand must protect its environment and beaches, preventing any group or company from monopolizing public coastal areas. Beach zones must be properly organized with cooperation from local administrations to allocate livelihood opportunities directly to residents, not through intermediaries. He stated this is his first visit to address illegal activities damaging Koh Pangan's interests while organizing the area for orderly tourism development.

The Prime Minister warned that if Koh Pangan lacks stability, it constitutes government failure, and he committed to resolving issues to create quality livelihoods and make Koh Pangan an attractive destination. He urged public cooperation in reporting illegal activities without fear, noting that Phumijai Thai Party MP Piphit Rattanarak of Surat Thani represents residents' interests, making their problems the government's concern. Anutin pledged to improve infrastructure and maximize income opportunities while implementing proper management of the island.

At 3:45 p.m. on May 13, 2569, a former mobile company executive arrived at Ladphrao Police Station to respond to allegations. He confirmed being struck multiple times on the back of his head and body by the injured party, but acknowledged that the January 7 incident began as a heated argument following a minor vehicle collision, where he admits to inappropriate language and mutual provocation. He stated he is willing to take responsibility for all damages but reserves legal rights regarding what he views as excessive claims.

The executive denied consuming alcohol while driving or being intoxicated, explaining that his dazed appearance in videos resulted from being struck. He claimed grabbing the other party's arm was a safety precaution, uncertain what they might produce from close contact. He characterized the case as minor but noted media attention stems from his former employment at a major company, from which he departed over three years ago, and emphasized this is a personal matter unrelated to that organization.

Regarding the confusion about police station reports, he acknowledged the incident occurred in a boundary area shared by three stations—Kok Khram, Ladphrao, and Khannayao—explaining he initially went to Kok Khram Police Station on January 8 before learning the correct jurisdiction and visiting Ladphrao on January 9.

He stated there are no personal grievances with the injured party and expressed openness to discussing compensation, though criminal liability cannot be waived. He displayed medical documentation showing bruising at the back of his head with a 0.6-centimeter laceration, plus bruising on the left cheekbone, both elbows, right chest, right hip, and multiple abrasions elsewhere. The executive asserted he has no intention to flee and questioned why he would do so, confirming he provided full truthful statements to investigators and will cooperate with legal proceedings.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand is opening public consultation from May 13-29 on major trading measure revisions, including reducing tick sizes, controlling short selling and high-frequency trading, and imposing extra charges. The exchange aims to boost liquidity, strengthen investor confidence, and prevent Thailand's stock market from being downgraded by MSCI from Emerging Market to Frontier Market status amid competition with other Asian markets.

Assadej Kongsiri, chairman and chief executive of the Stock Exchange of Thailand, revealed that the exchange is soliciting feedback from investors and stakeholders on "confidence-enhancing measures" between May 13-29, 2025. The review aims to improve trading supervision efficiency in line with strategic plans to create opportunities, enhance liquidity, and boost confidence, while following recommendations from OECD and MSCI to maintain the Thai stock market's appeal to foreign investors and prevent investment downgrades.

The core measures are divided into three main groups covering market efficiency improvements, abnormal volatility reduction, and inappropriate trading behavior control. The first group focuses on market quality and fairness by reducing tick sizes for stocks priced between 5-50 baht to narrow bid-ask spreads, improve order matching opportunities, and reduce investor costs while increasing market liquidity.

Simultaneously, the exchange will impose extra charges on accounts with high order volumes but low execution rates, or High Order-to-Trade Ratio (OTR). Accounts with OTR exceeding 100 times and sending more than 50 orders per minute will face a 0.15-baht fee per transaction for volumes exceeding 30,000 trades daily, reflecting true costs and reducing trading system burden.

The second measure group addresses stock price volatility by improving the Uptick Rule for short selling. If a stock's price drops 10% or more from the previous close, the Uptick Rule will apply the next trading day to slow selling pressure and maintain market balance, while normal conditions will use the Zero-Plus Tick rule.

Additionally, short selling will be restricted to high-liquidity securities including SET100 stocks, ETFs, DRs, and Single Stock Futures underlying stocks, while banning short selling on ETF and DW underlying securities. The exchange also proposes eliminating the individual Dynamic Price Band (DPB) to reduce trading obstacles, especially for low-liquidity stocks.

For controlling inappropriate trading behavior, the exchange will register High Frequency Trading (HFT) participants by shifting evaluation criteria from post-trade actual behavior, such as order frequency, daily trading volume, and Dedicated API usage, for more accurate monitoring.

The exchange also proposes removing restrictions on securities that HFT can trade, as short-selling criteria will now cover only high-liquidity stocks. Additionally, the Minimum Resting Time (MRT) requirement will be eliminated after finding few qualifying transactions and ineffective behavior control. Instead, the exchange will use AI systems and extra charge measures to detect abnormal behavior.

Assadej stated that this trading supervision review and improvement will align with market conditions and investment behavior patterns.

A 35-year-old Buriram City Council member named Phasuphong Sawatdiput, son of a former mayor of Isaan Municipality, filed a complaint on May 13, 2025, claiming he was treated unfairly by a well-known bar owner. Phasuphong recounted that on the evening of May 12 around 8 p.m., he was enjoying drinks alone at the bar while a live band performed. He requested a song through a server and tipped 100 baht for the musician. During the first break, the musician played his request, but during the second break, when he made another request and tipped another 100 baht, the musician refused. When Phasuphong asked the server to inquire why, the singer responded mockingly through the microphone: "This customer is strange, if we can't play the song, he just keeps asking." Angered by the public criticism, Phasuphong confronted the singer, demanding his tip back. A man identified as Mek (pseudonym), the bar owner, then emerged and choked Phasuphong by the neck, pushing him against a wall. After struggling free, Phasuphong ran outside. Police soon arrived at the scene and escorted him away. He has since filed a report at the local police station.

Mek, the bar owner, declined to comment directly but posted a statement on the bar's Facebook page apologizing to all customers for the disturbance caused by "one individual" on May 12. The post claimed the person created chaos and disrupted other customers' dining experience. The bar owner alleged that the individual continued posting damaging messages on social media and stated the bar had contacted his family to resolve the matter. The post concluded with a warning that if the harassment continued, the bar would pursue legal action to protect its reputation and rights.