After the Cabinet decided against Thailand hosting the 2030 Youth Olympic Games due to economic concerns, despite preparations reaching the final review stage of the International Olympic Committee, the KBU SPORT POLL—conducted by Kasetsart University's Center for Human Capital Development Innovation in partnership with the Sports Management Institute for Sports Organizations (WISDOM) and the B Bang Pakong page—surveyed public opinion on the "Bangkok Youth Olympic Games 2030 phenomenon." The survey was conducted online and via telephone interviews between May 6-8, 2025, with 1,219 respondents aged 18 and above from across the country, comprising 704 men (57.75%), 417 women (34.20%), and 98 LGBTQIA+ individuals (8.03%).

Regarding the government's withdrawal from hosting the 2030 Youth Olympic Games, 55.10% of respondents expressed regret, 28.90% were not bothered, 10.20% were indifferent, and 3.80% offered no opinion.

When asked about the consequences of withdrawing, 28.50% felt the country lost an opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities and readiness, 25.00% believed athletes and youth missed a chance to showcase their abilities, 23.11% thought foreign confidence in Thailand's ability to host international sports events in the future would diminish, 19.90% noted the country would lose potential revenue and added value, and 3.49% cited other reasons.

Regarding potential benefits had Thailand hosted the event, 27.00% cited elevating the country's international image, 23.10% mentioned stimulating the economy through tourism and job creation, 22.65% highlighted youth and public engagement, 14.50% pointed to international recognition, 10.70% mentioned infrastructure development and modernization, and 2.05% cited other benefits.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rattapong Bunnyanumart, Director of the Center for Human Capital Development Innovation, noted that the survey results reflect public regret over Thailand losing the opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities and enhance its international image while boosting tourism and employment. He emphasized that the decision represents a significant missed opportunity for Thai sports and the nation, and could potentially diminish international confidence in Thailand's ability to host international sporting events in the future.

Myanmar has captured international attention in the gemstone world following a remarkable discovery by mine workers in Mogok, Mandalay Region, who unearthed a colossal ruby weighing more than 11,000 carats—roughly 2.2 kilograms—making it the country's second-largest ruby on record. According to Myanmar media sources, the ruby was discovered in mid-April near Mogok, the epicenter of Myanmar's gemstone mining industry, an area currently engulfed in ongoing civil conflict and instability. Although this ruby weighs only about half as much as the legendary 21,450-carat ruby found in 1996, gemstone experts believe the newly discovered stone may command a higher value. This assessment is based on its exceptional characteristics: a high-quality purplish-red color with subtle yellow undertones, medium transparency, and a remarkably lustrous surface that has generated considerable interest in the global gemstone market. Myanmar stands as the world's leading ruby producer, responsible for approximately 90% of global ruby output, with the majority sourced from Mogok and Mong Hsu. The country's gemstone industry, however, has faced persistent scrutiny from human rights organizations, as revenues from both legitimate and illegal gem trading are regarded as a major funding mechanism for Myanmar's military government. The giant ruby was subsequently presented for inspection by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of Myanmar's military council, in Naypyidaw following the establishment of a new civilian government after elections widely criticized for lacking transparency.

The Thai Cycling Federation is moving forward with its development plan for the national short-track cycling team, sending athletes to compete in the Japan Track Cup in two consecutive rounds to accumulate world ranking points before relocating the team to China for intensive training ahead of the 20th Asian Games and Olympic 2028 qualifying attempts throughout 2026.

General Decha Hemkrasri, Vice President of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC), President of the ASEAN Cycling Confederation (ACF), and President of the Thai Cycling Association under Royal Patronage, revealed that the federation plans to prepare short-track cyclists for the 20th Asian Games in Japan while simultaneously competing in events to accumulate points for Olympic 2028 qualification in the United States throughout 2026.

After four months of training and competing in three major events—the 2026 Asian Track Cycling Championships in the Philippines, the 2026 UCI Track World Cup rounds in Hong Kong and Malaysia—Thailand's three short-track cyclists "TJ" Chai Angsuthasawin, "Naew" Noresarath Thada Bunma, and "Makham" Yuenyong Petchrattana have resumed their training immediately upon returning from Malaysia.

"In addition to planned training, the federation will send Noresarath Thada and Chai to the Japan Track Cup in Japan on May 14-17, competing in two preferred events: keirin and sprint," Hemkrasri explained. "These Class 1 competitions offer up to 200 points per event for each championship."

After the Japan competitions, the short-track team will continue training with middle-distance cyclists under "Lieutenant Colonel Bee" Chudathip Maniphon to prepare physically. The next phase involves the national team relocating to Taiyuan, China for 6-8 weeks of training in July and August on the same 250-meter wooden velodrome that will be used for the Asian Games. Athletes must return to Thailand by late August to compete in the Track Asia Cup 2026 on August 28-30, which serves as both world ranking point collection and a pre-Asian Games test. Track cycling at the 20th Asian Games will run September 29-October 2, followed by the UCI Track World Championships 2026 in Shanghai on October 14-18, both critical for securing Olympic 2028 quotas for Thai cyclists.

On May 10, 2025, Police Lieutenant Colonel Kongkrit Lertsitthikul, CIB commander, ordered Police Major Thanathat Sripipatana, Deputy Chief of CIB's 2nd Division, and other officers to coordinate with the Plant and Agricultural Material Control Office to raid a warehouse in Samut Prakan province after receiving tips about product sales through multiple online platforms.

Preliminary investigation found the advertising emphasized the product as "high-quality organic fertilizer" suitable for various commercial crops including durian, jackfruit, black pepper, oranges, watermelon, and mango. However, marketing content heavily focused on durian orchards following seasonal trends. The promotions used persuasive messaging about accelerating fruit ripening, increasing weight, boosting meat percentage, and improving product quality. Sales through social media featured presentations with supposed agricultural experts or experienced farmers endorsing the products to build credibility and persuade farmers to make purchases easily.

Officers then test-purchased the products through online channels before submitting samples for analysis by relevant agencies. Testing revealed the products were unregistered fertilizers under the law and likely counterfeit since they failed to undergo quality certification processes by state agencies.

The raid discovered 8 types of fertilizer products totaling approximately 17,400 units worth over 10 million baht. Products were sold at approximately 575 baht per container, with about 300 orders shipped daily from the distribution point. During the search, officers also found numerous Thai-language label stickers prepared for application to product packaging before distribution to the public through online channels.

Investigation also revealed that order management and partial product delivery operations were conducted by a group of Vietnamese nationals. Officers are expanding investigations to determine additional connections.

Analysis of all seized products confirmed they were "unregistered" under fertilizer law, meaning they had not undergone formula inspection, component verification, or quality standard checks by state agencies and legally qualify as "counterfeit fertilizer." Producing, selling, or importing counterfeit fertilizer is prohibited and carries penalties of five to fifteen years imprisonment and fines of 200,000 to 2 million baht under the Fertilizer Act (No. 2), 2550 BE.

Following this, criminal complaints will be filed with CIB's investigation division to prosecute those responsible according to law.

No One Else brought their signature romantic hits to a sold-out crowd at "Mama Presents No One Else Symphonique," a special orchestral rendition of their beloved songs performed in collaboration with Mahidol University's College of Music. The concert at Mahidol Sithakarn Hall featured over 72 musicians from the Thailand Philharmonic Pops Orchestra conducting the reimagined arrangements, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanapol Setaprahan.

The venue was filled with devoted fans and colleagues from SPICYDISC record label, including label executives and fellow artists. Before the show began, the organizers provided merchandise and food stations for fans to enjoy. When the hall doors opened, the three-member band—Cook and Natty—took the stage in formal suits, opening with "This Year You Won't Be Lonely Anymore" before launching into emotional favorites like "Still Can't Forget," "The Collector," and "We'll Meet Again Someday."

The setlist seamlessly transitioned between poignant ballads and sweeter love songs, including "The Clock Hands Turn Together" and "You're Like Morning Coffee." Natty captivated the audience with solo guitar performances during several numbers. The highlight was Natty's solo rendition of "Every Love Song From Now On Will Only Be Yours," which gained even greater emotional depth with the orchestral arrangements.

During the intermission, all three band members performed together with crowd favorites like "Should We Go Back." The second half showcased duets and special performances, including a duet with Ploy from the band HERS on an emotional ballad. No One Else delivered an extensive medley of their hits, closing with romantic favorites like "Someone I Don't Know Yet," "Maybe It's Called Love," and "Just Having You Is My Good Fortune." The concert concluded with a comprehensive setlist that left fans emotional and satisfied, with many pledging to remember this orchestral experience for years to come.

In a ceremony that captured international attention, South Korea's Jogyesan Buddhist order ordained 'Gabi,' a humanoid robot dressed in saffron robes, as the first robot monk of the order on May 6th at Jogyesa Temple in downtown Seoul. During the ceremony, monks chanted 108 beads around Gabi's neck and affixed a lotus lantern festival sticker to its arm as a substitute for the traditional 'yeonbul' initiation ritual, which normally involves burning incense on a novice's skin. The robot was also issued an official ordination certificate listing its production date as March 3, 2026, in place of a human birth date.

Reverend Song Won, the Jogyesan order's cultural affairs director, revealed that the robot monk concept began as casual conversation before evolving into a serious project. "Robots are rapidly becoming part of human life, and people are becoming increasingly familiar with them," he explained. "We began asking ourselves how religion can coexist with these technologies."

The ordination comes as South Korean Buddhism faces a crisis of declining devotion. Currently, only 16% of South Koreans identify as Buddhist, down from about 23% in 2005, with just 8% among those aged 20. Last year, the Jogyesan order ordained only 99 new monks, compared to over 200 a decade ago. In response, the order has embraced "Hip Buddhism" strategies including branded Buddhist merchandise, meditation apps, and social media marketing. The introduction of Gabi represents another key strategy to make Buddhism more accessible to younger generations.

During the ordination, Gabi received a specially designed Five Precepts for robots, including prohibitions against harming life, destroying robots or property, deceiving others, and showing disrespect to humans. The most intriguing precept is "no overcharging," which Reverend Song Won explained actually symbolizes "not doing anything in excess"—a parallel to humans' precept against intoxication. "Humans have issues with drinking alcohol or drug abuse; robots needed something comparable," he said.

Reverend Song Won also disclosed that he tested AI systems like ChatGPT and Gemini to help develop the robot's precepts, but found they failed to grasp the deeper meaning of the Buddhist concept of precepts. "Precepts aren't just good advice—they're commandments to follow," he noted.

While Gabi cannot yet perform complex tasks like prayer hand gestures, Reverend Song Won believes AI and robotics will play a crucial role in future society. He is confident that highly intelligent AI will not destroy humanity but will care for it with compassion. After its ordination, Gabi is scheduled to participate in the annual lotus lantern procession alongside three other robots—Sokja, Mohi, and Nisa—as part of Seoul's Buddha's Birthday celebration.