Prasit accuses the government of opportunistically combining loans into a single decree as a tactic to pressure the opposition into criticizing relief efforts. He claims the government is deliberately evading parliamentary oversight, which he describes as a "parliamentary escape" phenomenon. He announced the Democratic Party will file an urgent motion on Thursday, May 14, to establish a special committee to investigate the loan's implementation, stating there is no valid reason to refuse its establishment.

At 9:45 a.m. on May 12, 2025, at Parliament, Prasit Watchrasindhū, a list MP and Democratic Party spokesman, discussed the opposition's petition to the Constitutional Court concerning the government's 400-billion-baht emergency decree for Middle East crisis relief. Prasit stated their petition clearly targets the 200-billion-baht portion related to energy transition projects, which they have separated distinctly for the court.

However, Prasit expressed concern that the government is acting indirectly to evade parliamentary scrutiny, which he characterizes as "parliamentary escape." The first method, according to Prasit, is the government's deliberate bundling of two loan tranches into a single decree, forcing the opposition to simultaneously address both funds, thereby limiting their ability to oppose one while accepting the other.

While the opposition's petition to the Constitutional Court clearly separates the two tranches, Prasit argued the government's intention in combining them is evident—exploiting public hardship to use relief funds as cover for advancing energy projects while bypassing parliamentary oversight through emergency decree mechanisms.

"I ask in return: if what I say is untrue and the government is not trying to use relief funds as cover or smuggle energy projects into this decree, why combine them into one? Why not include the 200-billion-baht portion in the regular budget? If they claim it cannot go through normal budgeting, they could issue a separate loan decree instead. But combining them is a concrete example of parliamentary escape through fund bundling," Prasit stated.

Prasit noted a second concern, though it hasn't materialized yet. The Democratic Party will file a motion on May 14 to establish a special oversight committee to monitor the decree's fund usage. Even though the petition goes to the Constitutional Court, the decree is already enforceable and the government has confirmed it will proceed with spending. Therefore, having a parliamentary special committee to ensure transparency in fund usage is appropriate, similar to the special committees established during the COVID-19 emergency loan decrees.

When asked whether regular budget oversight committees could fulfill this role, Prasit clarified that regular committees track overall budget implementation without specifically targeting individual decrees. He noted that special committees have been established for every emergency loan decree. He expressed hope that government MPs will cooperate rather than use their majority to block the investigation, stating there is no justification for refusing to establish such a committee.

Ogonoki Ruka, a 28-year-old idol member of JamsCollection, has become the subject of online discussion after posting photos of her extremely messy bedroom filled with piles of clothes, bags, and personal belongings with almost no walking space.

After posting the images on her X platform account, the stark contrast between her polished idol image and her cluttered bedroom went viral. Many netizens offered suggestions, with some recommending she hire professional cleaning services, while several companies offered their assistance.

However, some internet users argued this wasn't simply about laziness but rather a result of her heavy work schedule and lack of time for personal life management.

Ogonoki responded to comments, explaining that she had already hired cleaning services but saw little improvement, even after the company added an extra 30 minutes for free. She attributed the main issue to her limited living space and mentioned she is considering moving to a larger home in the future.

This isn't the first time Ogonoki's living conditions have sparked online debate. Previously, she revealed her room became so cluttered that she had no space for a bed and had to sleep on the floor. These posts have triggered discussions in Japan about mental health issues, work burnout, and hoarding behavior among young adults living alone.

Source: X Reported by Sanook Online News Team

PHETCHABUN — 12 May 2026, A village chief in northern Thailand has installed CCTV cameras after repeated illegal dumping by outsiders along a roadside, with the latest footage clearly capturing a man unloading rubbish from a small farm vehicle.

The village chief warned residents not to copy the behaviour "until it becomes the community's rubbish dump" and said legal action and fines could follow if the problem continues.

A local Facebook user posted a message online saying: "There are warning signs and cameras installed. You should dispose of your own rubbish properly. Illegal dumping is punishable by law."

The post included CCTV footage showing a man driving a locally made agricultural vehicle, known as an "e-tan", before dumping waste by the roadside. The clip sparked criticism on social media.

The account was later identified as belonging to Sombun Phunoi, village chief of Nong O village in tambon Pak Chong, Lom Sak district, Phetchabun province, who has been monitoring illegal dumping in the area for some time.

Speaking to reporters at the site, Sombun said the location was the second hotspot where repeated dumping had been detected. Most offenders were believed to come from outside Pak Chong because local communities already had organised waste collection systems.

He said many cases involved residents from neighbouring areas without rubbish collection services or suitable disposal sites, leading them to dump household waste illegally.

"Once rubbish starts piling up, other people passing through tend to follow, and it becomes a long-term problem," he said.

The accumulation of waste has caused foul odours, damaged the community's image and created health risks, particularly from organic waste that can attract flies, rats and disease.

Sombun said village security volunteers, community committee members and residents had previously helped monitor the area before officials decided to use village funds to install CCTV cameras to collect evidence.

He urged the public not to dump rubbish in public areas because it dirties shared spaces and affects the wider community.

If the offences continue, he said village authorities may report offenders to police or coordinate with local public health officials to impose fines under Thai law.

Under Thailand's Public Health Act of 1992 and local regulations, those caught dumping rubbish in public places can face financial penalties.

BANGKOK — May 12, 2026 — Thailand's deputy prime minister and foreign minister stated on Tuesday that Koh Kood island remains unquestionably Thai territory, dismissing reports that Cambodia had secretly registered a 2001 bilateral memorandum as evidence in a maritime boundary dispute.

Speaking at Government House at 8:45 a.m., Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow also announced that Thai authorities were arranging legal assistance for Thai nationals detained by Cambodian soldiers for allegedly crossing the border illegally while gathering forest products.

"The process is under way," Sihasak said. "Coordination regarding legal assistance has already been completed, and we are monitoring the situation closely."

Sihasak was responding to reports that Cambodia had registered the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding between Thailand and Cambodia concerning overlapping continental shelf claims, known in Thailand as "MOU 2544," which Thailand later revoked.

He noted that Cambodia is a signatory to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which Thailand also recognizes as the framework for future negotiations.

"The MOU 2544 has already been cancelled," he said. "Negotiations under UNCLOS are a good approach and avoid wasting time, although it is still too early to conclude which mechanism will ultimately be used."

When asked about reports that Cambodia intended to use the memorandum as evidence relating to a maritime boundary line allegedly passing through Koh Kood in Trat province, Sihasak rejected the claim.

"That is not possible," he said. "Under UNCLOS, maritime boundaries must be considered according to internationally recognized legal principles."

"I do not know what Cambodia may have secretly registered," he added. "What I know is that discussions will take place under UNCLOS."

Asked whether the issue would affect Thailand's sovereignty over Koh Kood, Sihasak stated that any formal demarcation would clearly demonstrate that the island belongs to Thailand.

CKPower, one of the region's largest renewable energy producers with one of the lowest carbon footprints, has demonstrated continued operational growth in Q1/2025. The company achieved core net profit of 115.9 million baht, up 52.5 million baht or 82.9 percent year-on-year, primarily driven by strong performance from its two hydroelectric facilities. CKPower recognized 198.6 million baht in net profit share from Sayaboury Power Company (XPCL), an increase of 190.7 million baht compared to the same period last year, resulting from higher water flow through the Sayaboury hydroelectric plant and increased electricity sales volume. The gains were also supported by reduced financing costs at XPCL from long-term loan repayments and declining global interest rates.

Performance at Ngiim Hydro 2 Company (NN2) also improved with higher electricity sales volumes compared to the previous year, as reservoir water levels at the start of 2025 were higher and water inflows during Q1/2025 increased. This sustained growth occurred despite the dry season period. Managing Director Thanawat noted that CKPower's renewable energy-focused capacity structure insulates operations from Middle East tensions and global energy price volatility, with fuel cost impacts limited to about 3 percent of total production through its industrial subsidiary Bangkok Cogeneration Company (BIC).

In preparation for potential El Niño conditions forecast for the second half of 2025, CKPower has developed an advanced Hydrometeorological Monitoring and Forecasting System to improve accuracy in power generation capacity announcements. The Luang Prabang hydroelectric project is 72 percent complete as of March 31, 2025, on schedule. The company maintains a strong financial position with a liquidity ratio of 1.78 times and a net interest-bearing debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47 times. Further US and Thai interest rate cuts could provide additional cost savings and support continued operational performance in 2025.

The Agricultural Economics Office (AEFO) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives supported Thailand's participation at the ASEAN-EU Sustainability Summit 2026 regional cooperation forum. Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Kanjana Khwanmuang represented Thailand and the Ministry of Agriculture as a panelist at the discussion titled "Food Security, Animal Health, and Climate Resilience: A Sustainability Imperative for ASEAN" on May 7, 2026, at Tambuli Seaside Resort & Spa in Cebu, Philippines.

The summit, organized by the EU-ASEAN Business Council and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, brought together government officials, private sector representatives, international organizations, and partners from ASEAN and the European Union to discuss green growth, sustainable agriculture, food security, and climate change adaptation.

During the forum, the AEFO deputy presented Thailand's agricultural policy direction, integrating sustainability and climate resilience into agriculture and food systems through the BCG economic model, smart and precision agriculture, water management and proactive risk management, and digital technology and early warning systems to boost productivity and farmer resilience.

On animal health, Thailand presented a comprehensive policy overview through the Department of Livestock, emphasizing disease surveillance, prevention, control, and food safety standards. The ministry stressed that animal health is essential for food security, rural economies, and consumer confidence, particularly for smallholder farmers who depend on livestock as household assets.

Thailand promotes proactive disease prevention following the One Health approach through biosecurity systems, vaccination, disease surveillance, standardized farm management, and data-driven decision-making to reduce economic losses, prevent antimicrobial overuse, and support sustainable livestock production.

Regionally, Thailand advocates elevating ASEAN cooperation from addressing immediate problems to systematic, data-informed collaboration, including information and early warning system sharing and policy coordination to manage transboundary risks such as animal disease outbreaks, disasters, climate change, and supply chain disruptions.