On April 28, 2025, Krungthai COMPASS, the economic and business research center of Krung Thai Bank, revealed that escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, culminating in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz since March 2, 2025, have severely disrupted Thailand's chemical fertilizer supply chain. Thailand imports 95 percent of its chemical fertilizers, with 34 percent sourcing from the Middle East—particularly urea, 71 percent of which comes from that region.

Krungthai COMPASS researcher Sukunthip Chaisayan warned that if the Strait of Hormuz closure extends three months (March-May 2025) and Thailand cannot secure alternative import sources, the country will face critical chemical fertilizer shortages in May. This directly threatens rice cultivation season, along with cassava, rubber, and palm oil production.

Urea import prices are forecast to average $605 per ton (approximately 19,360 baht) in 2025—a 40 percent increase year-over-year. However, domestic fertilizer prices are government-controlled, preventing producers from passing costs to buyers. Under the baseline scenario, if producers only recover 40 percent of cost increases, they face a negative profit margin of 619 baht per ton, compared to average spreads of around 3,000 baht during 2022-2023.

Higher fertilizer costs may push farmers to reduce chemical fertilizer use, ultimately lowering crop yields. Rice production is expected to decline by approximately 700,000 tons—2 percent of total annual output—representing damage valued at 5.9 billion baht.

Policy Recommendations:

For farmers: Short-term strategy should adopt precision fertilizer application tailored to crop and soil types, combined with organic fertilizer use. Long-term, the government should promote agricultural technology (AgriTech) to reduce costs and increase yields.

For chemical fertilizer producers: Implement risk management through forward contracts, secure long-term raw material sources, diversify import origins to mitigate supply chain disruptions, and increase specialized and organic-chemical blend products to reduce price competition.

For agricultural processors: Diversify raw material sourcing domestically and internationally, use forward purchase agreements, implement automation and artificial intelligence to minimize waste, and develop higher-value products to boost competitiveness.

Krungthai COMPASS noted that actual crop yield declines depend on additional factors including soil conditions, climate, rainfall, and disease outbreaks.

The King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) highlighted the success of 'KMITL Open House 2026: From Lab to Life,' emphasizing practical learning that addresses global changes and cultivates quality human resources for the nation. The event was held as part of Dek-D's TCAS Fair 2026 on April 25-26, 2026 at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre, drawing substantial interest from students, undergraduate and graduate students, and parents nationwide, with a total attendance of 61,752 visitors.

Throughout the two-day event, KMITL brought together faculty and students from all faculties, colleges, and campuses along with partners to provide curriculum information, academic guidance, and share real-world learning experiences to prepare students for university-level studies. The event featured hands-on learning activities, with a major highlight being the KMITL Mini Workshop, which gave participants the opportunity to experience learning through workshops from various faculties including Architecture, Fine Arts and Design, Nursing, Food Industry, and Liberal Arts—essentially bringing classrooms and laboratories to the event site so students could discover their interests and clarify their educational paths. With 505 registered participants and over 3,000 workshop attendees, the event demonstrated strong youth interest in deep learning and preparation for the future.

Associate Professor Dr. Komsun Maleesee, Rector of KMITL, stated that the success of 'KMITL Open House 2026: From Lab to Life' reflects KMITL's commitment to opening learning spaces that bridge theory and practical experience. He emphasized that the institute aims for students to discover their potential through direct experience with faculty and senior students across various fields, preparing them confidently for the future world. KMITL will continue developing curricula and activities that address global changes to produce quality personnel for the nation.

KMITL is preparing major annual events including 'Ladkrabang Expo 2026' and 'KMITL Expo 2026' scheduled for September 1-6, 2026 at the King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. These events will provide space for the public, students, entrepreneurs, investors, and various organizations to learn, test new technologies, and build innovation networks while advancing the country's sustainable development, alongside exhibitions of research and innovation from faculty and students across multiple disciplines. The events will also feature an Open House component, a key academic guidance activity allowing students, parents, and interested parties to learn closely about KMITL's faculties and curricula and explore research and innovation outputs. Interested participants can register at https://expo.kmitl.ac.th/th, and follow KMITL updates via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kmitlofficial and the website https://www.kmitl.ac.th or call 02-329-8000 for more information.

The Democrat Party held a parliamentary caucus meeting on April 28, 2025, chaired by party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, where party lawyers presented new evidence and concerns regarding the NACC's ruling in the case of Saksiam Chidchob, former Transport Minister. The party voted on two key resolutions: first, to jointly petition with the Citizens Party under Article 236 of the Constitution to refer the case to the Supreme Court for independent investigation, citing suspicious elements and newly discovered evidence that contradicts the Constitutional Court's previous findings. Second, the party identified two overlooked issues: new evidence in the form of a ministerial directive requiring notification before procurement decisions, and the NACC's failure to clearly address conflicts of interest involving a company with hidden ownership by Saksiam that received contracts under his ministry's purview. Deputy party leader Satit Wongnung announced that the Democrat Party would submit these two matters to the NACC for reconsideration and, working with the Citizens Party, would draft a petition under Article 236 to address concerns that the parliamentary speaker's discretionary authority may not be exercised impartially.

Arrest warrants have been issued for two men who opened fire at a wedding celebration, injuring six guests. Police have detained both suspects at the hospital. The men face charges of attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms in public. Initial investigations reveal the shooting stemmed from an alcohol-fueled dispute over music between the bride's relative and a group of teenagers. On April 28, Police Captain Monsak Srisuwarn, superintendent of Tha Sala Police Station in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, reported on the shooting incident that occurred at a private residence in Moo 12, Tambon Moklan, Tha Sala District around 4:30 AM, leaving six people wounded. Investigators obtained arrest warrants for Amorn Thep, 24, and Suphachet, 40, on charges of attempted murder and carrying firearms in public without lawful cause. Both suspects allegedly fired weapons during the wedding celebration and were themselves injured. They are currently hospitalized at Maharaj Hospital, where police have taken them into custody. According to witness testimony at the scene, the incident began when Amorn Thep, a relative of the bride, got into a dispute with a group of teenagers at the event. Both parties were intoxicated and became embroiled in an argument over the music being played. When Suphachet attempted to intervene, the situation escalated into a physical fight, leading both sides to draw firearms and exchange shots that wounded multiple wedding guests.

Football Schedule April 28, 2025 UEFA Champions League Semifinal First Leg Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bayern Munich will kick off at 2:00 AM and be broadcast live on beIN Sports 1. PSG, the French champions, will open their home stadium, Parc des Princes, to welcome Bayern Munich, the German side known as the "Bavarian Tigers."

From their league campaign, PSG recorded 4 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses for 14 points, qualifying in 11th place. Bayern earned 7 wins and 1 loss for 21 points, finishing 2nd in their group.

In the knockout rounds, PSG defeated Monaco 5-4 on aggregate in the playoff, then beat Chelsea 8-2 in the Round of 16, and Liverpool 4-0 in the quarterfinals. Bayern defeated Atalanta 10-2 in the Round of 16 and Real Madrid 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

The two sides have met 15 times in European competitions, with PSG winning 6 and Bayern winning 9. Their most recent meeting came earlier this season in the group stage, where PSG lost at home 1-2.

For this match, PSG must check the fitness of Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz, though both are expected to be ready and could even start. Bayern will be without manager Vincent Kompany due to a ban, and will miss injured players Serge Gnabry, Tom Bischopp, Lennart Karl, and Raphaël Guerreiro.

PSG is expected to field a 4-3-3 formation: Matvey Safonov; Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Chuao Neves, Vitinha, Warren Zaïre-Emery; Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Bayern will likely use a 4-2-3-1 setup: Manuel Neuer; Josip Stanišić, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah, Konrad Laimer; Aleksandar Pavlović, Joshua Kimmich; Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala, Louis Diaz; Harry Kane.

Both teams are at a high level, but PSG has the advantage of playing at home. With Bayern lacking their head coach on the sideline, the home side appear to have the edge in this encounter.