On Monday, April 13, 2026, coinciding with Songkran, former Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapallop presided over a ceremony to invite Phra Kan Thar Raad, performing ritual water blessings and opening sacred water-sprinkling ceremonies at nine temples consecrated by renowned monks. The event was held at the Thao Suranari Monument in Muang District, Nakhon Ratchasima, aiming to provide spiritual encouragement to the Thai people during economic hardship.

Former Education Minister Thewanya Liptapallop, Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Anupong Sukhsamnit, Nakhon Ratchasima Mayor Dr. Wanrat Chaynugul, and numerous government officials and residents participated in the ceremonial procession through Chomphon Gate. Thousands of tourists carried 558-meter-long silver and gold silk cloths representing the age of Nakhon Ratchasima, walking approximately 800 meters along Chomphol Road to Phra Naruesan Maharaj Worawihan Temple (City Temple) before the Buddha image was ceremonially enshrined. Suwat and his group distributed traditional sweet rice noodles to attendees.

Dr. Wanrat revealed that Phra Kan Thar Raad is an ancient Buddha image from Phra Naruesan Temple, created on September 8, 1921, by Phraya Nakhon Racha Seni (Sahat Singhseni), the 11th Lord of Nakhon Ratchasima. The statue measures 39 inches across the chest and stands approximately 1.3 meters tall, depicted in a seated meditation posture with the right hand raised in a welcoming gesture and the left hand positioned to receive water. The image procession through Chomphon Gate during Songkran began when the temple was completed, continuing until 1979 when the tradition ceased. In 2016, after the temple's restoration and renovation, the ceremony was revived following the discovery of several ancient Buddha images beneath the main altar. The procession through Chomphon Gate is considered a distinctive cultural tradition of Nakhon Ratchasima.

Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality organized the "Korat Grand Songkran Festival 2026" under the concept "Full of Fun, Water Play at Its Best, and Free Sweet Rice Noodles Throughout the City." An 80-meter bubble water tunnel was installed on Rajdamnoen Road, allowing tourists to enjoy traditional water splashing and participate in performances by renowned artists, including classic folk dancing that celebrates local Songkran traditions. The festival skillfully combined festive energy while preserving the traditions and cultural heritage of the Thai New Year, reflecting Nakhon Ratchasima's cultural wisdom. All measures were implemented to ensure public safety, facilitate traffic flow, and organize water play areas for everyone to enjoy safely.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce has successfully concluded its Team Thailand+ mission, advancing efforts to balance trade and investment between Thailand and the United States. Chamber chairman Porn Aramwattananont revealed this after leading Thai private sector representatives to the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026 in the United States. He expressed gratitude to the Commerce Ministry, Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C., and Thai private sector partners for their coordinated implementation of the "Team Thailand+" initiative.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow led the delegation, accompanied by Panpriya Pahithanakul, advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister. This underscored close cooperation between the Thai government and private sector in driving economic growth and investment on the global stage.

During the summit, Thai representatives engaged with U.S. government agencies, private companies, investors, and major business organizations across multiple sectors including trade, investment, technology, and modern supply chains. Notably, meetings with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand resulted in consensus to strengthen economic cooperation between the two nations.

According to Porn, Thai private enterprises are committed to creating economic and trade balance with the United States. Beyond exports, Thailand aims to expand investment cooperation and increase imports of U.S. agricultural products and raw materials, while clarifying various issues to ensure long-term sustainable trade relations.

The Thai delegation witnessed the signing of a corn purchase cooperation agreement between private sectors of both countries. U.S. corn imports can be used as livestock feed material for animal feed production, thereby increasing the value of Thai exports and enhancing competitiveness in Thailand's manufacturing sector. This measure also strengthens food supply chain security with sustainable environmental standards and traceability systems, offering quality raw material sources meeting international standards.

The SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026 stands as one of the largest investment forums in the United States, attracting over 5,500 participants from more than 100 countries, including nearly 2,700 foreign investors and investment promotion agencies from all 55 U.S. states and territories. The summit generated investment commitments exceeding $56 billion, reinforcing America's position as a global center for investment, technology, and future industries.

Porn emphasized that Thai private enterprises must accelerate cooperation with U.S. partners in trade, investment, technology, and future industries to maintain competitiveness and integrate Thailand into global supply chains.

On May 11, 2026, AP (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Thailand's leading real estate developer, is advancing its connection with consumers through a Human Connection strategy at FaraTalk 2026. The company applies empathy-driven marketing principles to design shared experiences that reflect genuine understanding of people's real lives and deeper needs, going beyond traditional marketing communication.

At the event, AP aims to convey the concept of "Living Quality"—the kind of good life that matters to each individual—by creating spaces for attendees to explore and understand themselves. Using the guiding phrase "You may know the stories of many. One matters most," the company tells personal stories through art objects presented in an exhibition format resembling an art museum. This approach allows visitors to gradually absorb and interpret the meaning of the works from their own perspectives.

The company also places importance on small details throughout the event to enhance attendees' experience, building on previous years' successful concepts. Last year, AP provided blankets to address the pain point of cold temperatures in the venue. For 2026, AP has designed cushions for every seat to increase comfort during extended listening sessions, reflecting the company's philosophy of designing experiences rooted in genuine care and attention to human needs.

AP believes that building lasting relationships with today's consumers doesn't depend on the loudest messaging, but rather on making people feel that the brand truly understands and cares about their real lives. This is achieved by designing every experience to align meaningfully with people's feelings and moments in time.

After transitioning to freelance acting following the end of her Channel 3 contract over a year ago, 'Namwan' Purita Supinchumphu makes her first film appearance in 'City Curse', playing the ghost character 'Bua Tong'.

Namwan recently shared insights about her acting role and personal updates.

On her character in 'City Curse': Namewan explained, "I play a ghost spirit character that's difficult to portray because she shows no emotions or facial expressions. It's quite mysterious—why she appears, why she enchants the male lead. She's neither good nor evil, more of an enigmatic character. The design is both challenging and simple. The difficulty lies in playing a ghost with inner depth and story, but who must remain very still and unexpressive. The director wanted a level of coldness and indifference, as if feeling nothing at all."

On why she accepted the role: "First, the character speaks Northern Thai dialect, and filming takes place in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. I'm from Chiang Rai but never had a role requiring Northern dialect before, so that was the initial draw. After that, it was about the character itself."

On her scene partners: "I got along well with both Pee Namtaan (Pichakkhana) and Tee (Bunyankerati). I already knew Pee Namtaan from working at the same channel before, but meeting Tee was new. In this film, I interact more with Pee Namtaan."

On similarities between the character and herself: "Not similar at all—complete opposites. Her character has existed for so long she's become legend, clinging to love and promises. She's a ghost who worships love and won't let go of the past, causing all sorts of trouble. But I don't allow myself to sink into the past or cling to things that cause me suffering."

On her freelance status: "Yes, I've been independent for over a year now. This film is my first project after ending my contract, though I still have dramas airing on Channel 3 that were filmed earlier. Being a freelance actress versus being under a studio is different. Being under a company felt more comfortable, like a comfort zone, but going independent requires more self-care, harder work, more exhaustion, and more thinking. And there are no frameworks for accepting work—if the role interests me, I take it."

On the current entertainment industry: "There's been tremendous change. Online platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube have become income and content channels. I believe if you're hardworking, disciplined, and find your angle, you can keep going without hitting a wall. I've started doing TikTok and it's fun—like working from home on my own terms. But I'm still finding my content style. I'm not the adventure type; friends say I like staying home and organizing it, so I should try that content angle. But I value my privacy, so I'm trying to balance it right. You can follow me on TikTok at whan.pp."

On her love life: "I'm single. People come around occasionally, but I haven't committed to anyone yet. It's more of a getting-to-know-each-other phase. I prefer older, more mature men with reason, reliability, and they must be outside the entertainment industry. I'm not picky, but we choose our own happiness and peace of mind. If I meet someone who clicks and is willing to be patient together, that works."

On being single and marriage: "I haven't been single for long. Regarding marriage, in my 20s I thought I had to be married by 30, but now at 32, life genuinely feels fun and free. I have both maturity and financial stability, so I don't want to rush. If marriage happens, great; if not, that's also fine. I'm not afraid of being left without care in old age because happiness is possible either way."

Actor Naphat has posted on social media to address speculation about his new girlfriend from outside the entertainment industry. He wants to keep it private, but social media users are determined to know who has won the heart of this young actor after he announced he's no longer single. Online focus has been on identifying the woman close to him who is not from the entertainment world. Regarding the woman previously spotted with the actor, his close friend Kancharai confirmed it is not her. Amidst ongoing speculation, Naphat recently posted a couple photo on his Instagram story. When netizens asked if this was his new girlfriend, others responded that it wasn't, with his brother confirming she's just a woman in his circle. The actor posted with a song titled 'Soi Khoi Kaeng' and a joking caption saying 'Mop head, sir 555,' while tagging his personal manager Bowie.