On May 15, 2024, the Port Authority of Thailand clarified its mission to provide water transport services with transparency and accountability in accordance with good governance principles. A joint private sector committee comprising the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Thai Industries, and Thai Bankers Association, working with the Zero Corruption initiative, surveyed 401 business executives and representatives nationwide between March 26 and April 10, 2024, revealing that the Port Authority ranked fourth in rates of bribery solicitation at 90 percent and second in average bribe values at 100,000 baht per transaction.

The Port Authority explained that it handles licensing, certification, and permits for maritime and water transport services, including vessel registration, maritime permits, and navigation authorizations. In fiscal year 2024, the department processed 287,427 service transactions, including 42,788 vessel registrations, 36,021 maritime certificates, 12,818 crew member documents, 53,364 vessel inspections, 40,554 piloting services, 77,449 port departure permits, and various other authorizations.

The Port Authority commits to transparent and ethical service delivery through electronic systems for permit applications and payments since 2015, reducing direct contact between officials and citizens. The department plans to publish service standards and consumer rights information, including fee transparency, electronic payment options, service completion timeframes, and complaint procedures through its website and Facebook, with a hotline at 1199 for reporting misconduct or bribery allegations.

On May 15, 2025, at Parliament during the first joint parliamentary session, urgent agenda items were considered including approval to review bills that parliament has not yet endorsed and that remain incomplete under Section 147, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution. Member discussions began at 10:00 AM. At 3:00 PM, Phraratchadap Parisunanuntakul, Minister Attached to the Office of the Prime Minister, clarified that the government appreciated members' input and reaffirmed its sincerity and commitment to respecting the legislative institution. The government endorses not only bills from the executive but also from parliament members and the public sector. Among the 34 bills, the government's endorsement reflects careful consideration of legislative proposals, with the cabinet having endorsed bills twice for valid reasons.

Phraratchadap emphasized that if the government were insincere, it could easily approve all 100-plus bills or reject every single one, as previous governments have done. Instead, the government has demonstrated clear intent through thorough analysis and deliberation. Regarding the village health volunteer compensation bill, which the cabinet did not endorse, Phraratchadap explained this was not due to neglect but concern that provisions for volunteers over 60 years old could create problems, as many volunteers fall within the 60-70 age range. The Public Health Ministry will accelerate the bill promptly.

On constitutional amendments, Phraratchadap stated the government and Bhumjaithai Party are sincere and committed, having coordinated with party leaders. On May 19, if no obstacles arise, all 190 parliament members will submit a constitutional amendment draft to parliament to align with public referendum results of 21.6 million votes. He explained the government has not endorsed pending constitutional amendment drafts because parliament should initiate the process, and the pending draft has problems that previously led to dissolution and raises Senate authority issues that would likely fail in the Senate.

Phraratchadap concluded: "With the new parliament, it is appropriate for them to submit new constitutional amendment proposals. Bhumjaithai, with 192 votes, has already pioneered this, demonstrating our commitment to amending the Constitution in line with the 21 million citizens who voted in the February 8 referendum."

At 3:40 PM, Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thai Democratic Party list MP, rose to question and thank the minister for the clarification, noting the minister attempted to explain the endorsement process.

On May 15, 2025, reporters documented the collapse of the "Crab Sculpture" at Kuan Pring intersection in Trang's downtown area, which had cost 1.38 million baht to build. The structure, comprising steel framework, plastering, finishing, and painting work, had been left to deteriorate and suddenly collapsed. Fortunately, no injuries or deaths were reported.

Investigation revealed that both crab claws protruding from the main body had broken and crashed to the ground in severe condition. The internal structure showed 4-inch-wide steel boxes only millimeters thick serving as the main load-bearing elements, which had fractured and failed. Welding connections throughout the structure were cracked and damaged at nearly every joint, with visible rust and corrosion on all steel members. The wire mesh reinforcement for the plaster had rusted through and torn from its binding wires, while the 4-centimeter concrete coating had cracked and deteriorated significantly.

Nearby, a "Golden Shower Tree" sculpture constructed for 560,000 baht showed no structural damage yet but displayed clear signs of neglect and deterioration. Together, these two sculptures consumed 1.94 million baht in combined construction costs. The site has even been used by residents to tether cattle for grazing.

These monuments were initiated in 2017 under Governor Siripat Pattakul using 119.6 million baht in supplementary funding from the Andaman Coast Southern Province Group for a four-location tourism development project launched by Trang Highway Office. The project included three road development initiatives and one area-specific development program, with Trang Province overseeing contracts and the Highway Department controlling construction supervision.

The four locations featured sculptures celebrating southern and Trang identities: bullfighting monuments at Andaman intersection, sculptures under an elevated bridge near Siri Trang Garden, fisheries-themed monuments at Kuan Pring intersection, and sea gypsies and cycling-themed sculptures at Ban Kuan intersection, each costing approximately 30 million baht.

A 19-year-old Chinese youth has become a viral sensation online after donning a suit while preparing fried rice at a night market in Yantai, Shandong Province, generating an impressive average monthly income of around 50,000 yuan, or approximately 240,000 baht.

The entrepreneur, named Lu, started his food delivery business at just 17 years old and has since become the primary breadwinner for his family. His rise to fame began when he decided to try "wearing a suit while cooking" to add a more refined look, which unexpectedly became his trademark identity, attracting overwhelming attention from both customers and online users.

Lu enhances his cooking performance with various eye-catching moves during work—from styling his hair, winking at the camera, to precisely catching eggs thrown by family members, and executing cool poses while plating dishes. He also demonstrates skilled traditional Chinese chef techniques with smooth wok-tossing maneuvers, making his food preparation look more like a performance than a typical restaurant operation.

On social media, Lu has amassed over 46,000 followers and garnered more than 190,000 likes. He regularly posts cooking videos with the hashtag #sanjifriedrice, referencing the character "Sanji" from the anime One Piece. To add authenticity to his performance, Lu sometimes holds an unlit cigarette in his mouth while cooking.

His stall operates daily from 5:00 PM to 11:30 PM, serving over 200 plates of fried rice per day at approximately 10 yuan per plate. He reports monthly circulation revenue of around 50,000 yuan with a net profit of about 20,000 yuan, with his father assisting in ingredient preparation and occasional cooking.

Some internet users have questioned the accuracy of his income figures, but Lu maintains that he can prepare multiple plates simultaneously and conducts live streams to demonstrate his actual work process. He originally wore the suit simply to add "romance to the chaos of daily life," never expecting it would become such a major selling point. While some customers may initially visit out of curiosity, he emphasizes that returning customers stay for the food quality.

Although Lu hasn't disclosed future business plans, he has already begun accepting interns. Online comments overwhelmingly praise both his style and culinary skills, with remarks like "He's just like Sanji," "I want to visit the real thing in Shandong," and "I came for the food but stayed for the looks."

The Toyota Thailand Open 2026 World Tour Super 500 badminton tournament took place at Nimibutr Sports Building on May 15 in the quarterfinal round of the women's singles competition. World No. 7 Mai Ratchanok Intanon faced off against Japan's Hina Akeshi, ranked No. 28 globally. Mai Ratchanok was defeated in straight sets with scores of 13-21 and 21-16, ending her Thailand Open campaign at the quarterfinal stage.

In another match, former runner-up Mew Pornpawee Chochuwong (world No. 8) competed against fellow Thai player Pink Pichayamol Opasnipat (world No. 27). In a closely contested match, Opasnipat won the first game 21-19, but Chochuwong fought back to claim the second game 21-13, forcing a decisive third game. Opasnipat dominated the final game, winning 21-15 to advance to the semifinal round. She will face world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi, the tournament's No. 1 seed.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has documented approximately 140 blacktip reef sharks in Maya Bay, Krabi province. According to Jinda Srisuppatpong, director of the Marine National Park Management Division, early May surveys confirm that Maya Bay remains a critical habitat with high shark density.

A seven-day drone survey found that dawn hours were peak activity periods, with average counts reaching 120 sharks and a maximum count of 140 on May 3rd—a record for the survey. Notably, groups of 20-50 adult sharks were observed swimming close to shore to hunt prey during periods without tourism disturbance.

Underwater camera monitoring revealed an increase in juvenile sharks compared to the previous 3-4 months, with 11 juveniles documented. Beach observations also recorded 4-5 newborn sharks measuring less than 30 centimeters foraging in water shallow enough to reach the ankles, confirming that Maya Bay continues to function as an efficient natural nursery ground for shark reproduction.