Luang Por Kaem Khemako from Trilaksana Cemetery in Lampang Province was a highly revered senior Buddhist monk and respected spiritual figure with a large following, and also a member of the royal family who took monastic vows. Born on November 28, 1912 (Wednesday), he was the son of a district deputy administrator and later became a court attendant to the last lord of Lampang. As a child, he was known for his mischievous nature, once climbing a guava tree and sustaining a head injury from a fall. At age 13, he ordained in a temporary seven-day ceremony before the cremation of his abbot at Wat Pa Dow. He later formally ordained at age 15 at Wat Bun Yuen in Lampang, where he studied Buddhist scriptures and passed the intermediate Buddhist studies examination in 1931. Under the guidance of his preceptor Phra Dharmacindan, he became an accomplished scholar of Pali language. After completing his scriptural studies, he sought out Kruba Kaen Sumano, a renowned meditation master, and became his disciple, traveling with him on forest pilgrimages to pursue spiritual practice. When the abbot of Wat Bun Yuen passed away, the monastic community elected him as the new abbot, though he was reluctant to accept the position as he preferred to focus on meditation practice. Eventually, he left the temple to practice at Trilaksana Cemetery for the remainder of his life. His teaching style emphasized Buddhist parables and principles, once famously using an empty butter can to amplify his voice during a funeral sermon as a skillful means to keep people's attention. Luang Por Kaem Khemako passed away peacefully on January 15, 1996 at 7:40 PM at Lampang Hospital at the age of 84 with 64 years of monastic service. His sacred amulets, particularly the Lampang Regiment Medal, became highly sought after by devotees and collectors.

At 10:00 AM on May 4, 2025, at the Samut Sakhon Provincial Police Headquarters, Senior Police Colonel Pisit Tanprasoert, commander of Region 7 Police, announced the arrest of Rathhanin (alias 'Jok'), 35, and Nontakorn (alias 'Khao'), 34, based on a Samut Sakhon Provincial Court arrest warrant. The suspects face charges of armed nighttime robbery using vehicles and weapons, possession of illegal firearms, and transporting firearms in public without justification.

The incident began on May 1, 2025, at 7:50 PM, when Jok entered Yaowarat Gold Shop inside a department store in Kokkham Subdistrict, Mueang Samut Sakhon, dressed as a motorcycle courier. He brandished a fake pistol to threaten employees, jumped over a glass counter, and took off with gold ornaments worth 16 baht. He then abandoned a Honda Click motorcycle nearby and fled in a red Suzuki sedan driven by Khao.

Police tracked the pair through Nakhon Sawan and Nan provinces, apprehending both suspects within 36 hours. Khao initially confessed but later recanted during formal questioning, though police say they have sufficient evidence. According to Jok's statement, Khao meticulously planned the robbery, conducting surveillance 3-4 days in advance, purchasing a second-hand motorcycle, acquiring a fake gun and courier uniform, and serving as the getaway driver. Khao has prior convictions for theft of nearly 300 baht in gold jewelry in Nan Province and several other offenses.

TECNO Thailand officially launches the latest flagship gaming phone, TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G, showcasing the concept "Gamers' Ultimate Powerhouse" imported directly from TECNO's Hong Kong headquarters in China. The device revolutionizes gaming experiences to professional levels by blending futuristic minimalist design with cutting-edge AI innovation and the most powerful hardware in the series, delivering entertainment and immersive gaming across all senses. The POVA 7 Ultra 5G flagship draws inspiration from interstellar space design with flagship-level power featuring a 6,000mAh battery supporting 70W Ultra Charge fast charging and 30W wireless fast charging. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Ultimate AI chip, it delivers maximum gaming performance and seamless multitasking efficiency. The POVA 7 Ultra 5G provides intelligent power designed around real user needs, from smooth gaming experiences to full sensory entertainment and AI-enhanced creativity. This series concept combines smartphone performance with the beauty of modern technology, merging advanced technology with cutting-edge futuristic style. The TECNO POVA 7 Ultra 5G features a distinctive yet refined, modern design that maintains elegance and sophistication, reflecting the confidence of the new generation. Inspired by interstellar spaceship design, it stands out with sleek lines and simplicity, created to spark the imagination of new-generation users with a distinctive triangular symbol that adds personality to its minimalist design. It runs HiOS15 V1 on Android with a new mini-LED indicator light offering customizable light effects for calls, notifications, and gaming. The 6.78-inch 1.5K Smooth AMOLED display delivers cinematic viewing with a 144Hz refresh rate and 4,500 nit peak brightness, ensuring perfect experiences for gaming, scrolling, and streaming in all lighting conditions. The advanced HiOS 15 Special Edition on Android 15 offers freedom to customize icons, fonts, and wallpapers according to user style with a clean, bloat-free interface. It stands out with Neumorphism design interface and exclusive POVA family fonts that perfectly blend identity and simplicity, setting new standards for identity in the TECNO Ecosystem. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Ultimate 5G chip, it delivers impressive performance with AnTuTu scores exceeding 1.53 million points, supporting 120fps gaming in popular titles like PUBG with smooth and stable performance for professional-level competitive gaming experiences. The Hyper Cooling System featuring a 12-layer heat distribution structure and 5,300 square millimeter vapor chamber keeps the device cool during intense matches and long journeys.

Engineering teams have completed their inspection of the site, and the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EATT) confirms that damage from the fire beneath the bridge is limited to the concrete surface. The Burapha Withi elevated expressway structure remains structurally sound and safe.

The incident involved a truck carrying lithium batteries that caught fire on Highway Theprathat (Bangnа–Trat) at kilometer 40+500 on May 3, 2025 at approximately 7:30 PM. The intense blaze, fueled by the battery fire, produced continuous explosions with flames shooting high enough to impact the expressway structure above, causing some concrete surface spalling and debris to fall onto the road below.

The EATT immediately ordered engineers and expert technicians to inspect the site on the night of the incident. They partially closed traffic lanes to prevent risks and facilitate the inspection work. At 11:00 PM, the EATT completed an initial damage assessment and found that damage was limited to concrete surface spalling and deterioration. Inspection of the overall concrete structure confirmed it remains structurally sound with no deformation or warping detected.

The EATT then removed loose concrete and sections showing signs of potential collapse for the safety of drivers below, completing this work at 5:00 AM on May 4, 2025. The Burapha Withi expressway remains open for normal traffic. The EATT urges the public to be assured that the expressway structure is structurally sound and has undergone rigorous engineering inspections, and apologizes for any inconvenience caused.

An IFD Poll survey reveals that Thailand's cost-of-living crisis extends beyond mere financial constraints into the broader wellbeing of Thai citizens. The poll, conducted between April 28 and May 1, 2025, surveyed 1,264 Thais aged 18 and above.

Key findings show that 88.31% of respondents face financial strain ranging from "beginning to tighten our belts" to "barely able to get by." The breakdown includes 47.07% experiencing initial tightening, 32.51% struggling to make ends meet, and 8.73% unable to cope at all, while only 11.69% maintain normal financial stability.

When asked how long households could survive without income, 78.62% indicated they could manage no more than six months, with 65.09% surviving only three months or less. Facing sudden income loss, 38.59% said they would rely on themselves, while 69.02% combined would depend on family or relatives. Only 3.44% expected government assistance.

As a last resort, households would resort to selling assets (32.03%), borrowing money (26.50%), moving in with extended family (17.85%), or sending family members to seek additional income (12.89%). When combined, 89.27% would need to rely on self-help and family support.

Beyond finances, 98% fear the economic crisis will damage their physical health, mental wellbeing, family relationships, and future prospects. Additionally, 90.67% feel that despite working hard, their lives are unlikely to improve. Mental health concerns rank highest among non-financial worries at 32.91%, followed by family stress (16.57%), reduced opportunities for children (15.53%), and hopelessness about the future (14.25%).

Thai midfielder Tum Thanaboon Kesaratana of Port FC, together with his girlfriend Ann Sasiyada, delivered their wedding invitation to Zico Kiatisuk Senamuang, the legendary Thai national team coach and former manager of the Thai national team. The 32-year-old footballer surprised his girlfriend with a marriage proposal after being together for over 10 years. Recently, Tum Thanaboon and Ann Sasiyada have been distributing their wedding invitations, traveling to visit Zico Kiatisuk, a football legend and former Thai national team coach. Zico posted a photo of receiving the wedding card along with a congratulatory message saying, 'Brother would like to congratulate both of you. I will definitely attend the wedding.'