On April 30, 2025, a reporter found the fruit sales zone at Thoet Thai Market in Muang district, Nakhon Ratchasima, packed with customers from the province and neighboring areas eager to buy durians at 19 baht each. Shop owner Nong Khun Durian launched this promotion to counter online drama while offering incredibly low prices—19 baht per fruit for customers who share the shop's Facebook post. Beyond the promotional price, the shop also sells durians below market rates, starting from 69 baht per kilogram up to 119 baht per kilogram. Many customers who come for the 19-baht deal end up purchasing additional durians at regular prices to take home.

Sirikachorn Konnkamyai, 25, the shop owner, explained that this promotion is a marketing tactic to boost durian consumption during peak harvest season. The promotion features various premium varieties including Monthong, Kradum, Puang Manee, and Chanee Khai, each weighing approximately one kilogram. Customers can claim a refund or exchange for free if their durians are unripe or spoiled.

Regarding the online drama surrounding the promotion, Sirikachorn views it as simply marketing that attracts customers. She notes that many buyers purchase additional durians at regular prices, and ultimately consumers benefit most by getting affordable durians during a time of high fuel costs. Interested customers can access the 19-baht promotion by sharing the post from the "Nong Khun Durian Seller" Facebook page to their personal profile and presenting proof at Thoet Thai Market. The promotion runs from April 30 to May 6, 2025, with the shop prepared to handle at least 5 tons of durians.

Global press freedom has fallen to its lowest level in a quarter of a century, with more than half of the world's countries now classified as having a "difficult" or "very serious" situation, according to the 2026 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders.

RSF said the average score across 180 countries and territories has never been lower in the Index's 25-year history, reflecting a steady decline since 2001. The group warned that increasingly restrictive laws — particularly those tied to national security — are eroding the right to information, even in democratic countries.

The legal environment for journalism saw the sharpest deterioration over the past year, signalling what RSF described as a growing "criminalisation of journalism" worldwide.

In the Americas, press freedom also worsened, with the United States dropping seven places, while several Latin American countries, including Ecuador and Peru, saw significant declines amid rising violence and repression.

Norway retained its position as the world's top-ranked country for press freedom for the 10th consecutive year, while Eritrea remained last for the third year in a row. Syria recorded the biggest improvement, climbing 36 places following political changes after the Assad era.

RSF Editorial Director Anne Bocandé warned that attacks on journalism are becoming more visible and systematic, driven by authoritarian governments, weak political leadership, economic pressures and under-regulated online platforms.

She called for stronger protections for journalists, including an end to the misuse of national security laws and legal harassment such as SLAPPs, warning that inaction would amount to "an endorsement" of declining press freedom.

RSF added that only a tiny share of the global population now lives in countries with a "good" level of press freedom — down from 20% in 2002 to less than 1% today — underscoring what it described as a global crisis for journalism.

A Chinese food blogger named Chai Nan has gained widespread recognition for his unconventional cooking style and imaginative menu creations using molecular gastronomy techniques applied to food, resulting in remarkable and eye-catching dishes that have taken the online world by storm.

His latest viral sensation is "transparent fried chicken"—a dish with a glass-like, crystal appearance so striking that many viewers see it as artwork rather than ordinary food. This innovation quickly captured global attention.

Last month, Chai Nan uploaded a video to YouTube titled "I Wanted to Make Transparent Fried Chicken, But the Results Got Really Strange," which instantly went viral, garnering nearly a million views on the platform.

The concept of making "transparent" fried chicken sounds impossible, yet the actual result amazed countless viewers, appearing almost like tangible magic. Chai Nan provided detailed explanations of his creative process, starting by deconstructing the fried chicken piece by piece—from the skeletal structure to the meat—to rebuild the entire food structure from scratch.

For the bones, he used a mixture of bone marrow, collagen, and aspic gel, shaped in a mold resembling chicken bones and allowed to set into a firm, transparent structure. For the chicken meat, he processed it into a water-like liquid before using a technique called "spherification" to reconstruct the muscle fiber structure—a popular technique in molecular gastronomy.

Finally, he assembled the glass-like meat and bone pieces back together in a mold, creating the "transparent fried chicken" that is both striking and mesmerizing, becoming a much-discussed culinary artwork in the social media world.

Phatthalung police accused of deceiving mentally ill man during Hi-Lo gamblingLegacyParents accused a police officer in Phatthalung of deceiving their mentally ill son into gambling, leading to the loss of 120,000 baht. The parents, 46 year old Yupaporn and 53 year old Thanasak, sought help from a local journalist, claiming their 20 year old son Peerasak was targeted by a police senior sergeant major identified as Suea, who serves under Provincial Police Region 9. According to the family, the officer contacted their son and persuaded him to join a Hi-Lo gambling session on the night of April 28. The son reportedly lost within 15 minutes, handing over a gold necklace and cash with a combined value of 120,000 baht. The parents said their son has a mental condition that affects his judgement, making him more vulnerable to persuasion. They believe the officer was aware of this and exploited it. Photo via Amarin TV They also alleged that the officer hosts gambling activities at his residence regularly and that their son had previously lost money there. Fearing possible influence over a local investigation, the couple initially approached a journalist instead of filing directly with police. The journalist later accompanied them to lodge a complaint at Mueang Phatthalung Police Station, drawing attention from locals. In an interview with Channel 7 after filing the complaint, Yupaporn said the accused officer contacted her and offered to return the money and valuables if she withdrew the case. She declined the offer. Channel 7 reported an attempt to contact the accused officer to her his account, but it was unsuccessful. Photo via Amarin TV Royal Thai Police (RTP) deputy spokesperson Chaipajon Suwannarak said a full investigation would be conducted as soon as possible. He stated that legal action would proceed without favour if wrongdoing is confirmed. In a separate case reported last October, a former RTP commissioner and 200 other police officers were found to accepted bribes from gambling websites. The case was reportedly under investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, but updates on the investigation have not been made public. The story Phatthalung police accused of deceiving mentally ill man during Hi-Lo gambling as seen on Thaiger News.

April 30, 2026 – Nanthapon Jiralerkpong, director of the Commerce Ministry's Office of Trade Policy and Strategy, warned that Thailand's sugar trade faces mounting challenges, particularly from Indonesia's policy shift to reduce import dependence and prioritize domestic production effective January 1st. Indonesia is crucial to Thailand's sugar exports, accounting for over 27% of the country's total sugar export value at $715 million in 2025, making it essential for Thailand to diversify into new markets. Thailand's cane production for the 2025-2026 season is expected to reach 98 million tons, a 7% increase from the previous year due to favorable rainfall, while last year Thailand exported 5.5 million tons of sugar worth over $2.6 billion, ranking second globally after Brazil. Other key buyers include Cambodia ($397 million), South Korea ($263 million), and the Philippines ($216 million), but losing Indonesia's market could depress domestic sugar cane prices and severely impact farmers' incomes and Thailand's export earnings.

On April 30, 2025, Chaya Promma, former agriculture and cooperatives minister, posted remarks regarding Rachen Silparaya, director of the Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department, who submitted his resignation after being transferred to serve as ministry inspector. Silparaya cited his inability to comply with political directives as the reason for stepping down. Chaya stressed this is not a minor matter and should not be dismissed.

As someone who previously oversaw this agency, Chaya stated plainly that the Royal Rainmaking Department has no duty to serve policies that deviate from principle. Instead, its mission is to continue the royal initiative to address drought and support farmers nationwide. "Royal rain is the king's rain, and every drop of water is the people's livelihood," Chaya said, emphasizing that this work represents loyalty to the monarchy, not a political tool.

Chaya sent words of encouragement to all civil servants at the Royal Rainmaking Department who continue to uphold what is right and fulfill their duties with a spirit of sacrifice, calling them true servants of the crown working genuinely for the people.