Industry Minister Warawut Silpaarch visited the Bank for Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SME D Bank), a state-owned specialized financial institution under the Industry Ministry's supervision, to deliver new operational policies. He emphasized that the bank must continue supporting Thai SME operators in all circumstances and facilitate their smooth transition to green business practices in line with the government's "ONE MIND single industry" policy, built on four pillars: listening to public and business voices, launching new economic engines, responsive governance, and ministerial commitment. These will be implemented through rapid and broad access to financial services coupled with development support, including technology and innovation training.

The bank must integrate cooperation with agencies under the Industry Ministry and both public and private sector partners to maximize efficiency for SMEs, helping them increase productivity, reduce costs, minimize waste and greenhouse gas emissions, adopt clean energy, and manage environmentally-friendly supply chains. This will enable Thai SMEs to adapt to global economic changes, compete internationally, and build long-term economic security.

Pichit Mitravongse, SME D Bank's Managing Director, stated that the bank is ready to implement the industry minister's policies as the primary mechanism supporting SMEs and linking partner organizations to enhance SME competitiveness amid economic challenges. The bank has implemented improvements across multiple dimensions, including clear policy communication at all levels, removing regulatory obstacles, relaxing borrower qualifications and collateral requirements, and increasing SME access to capital, particularly in target industries such as food, agricultural processing, and wellness.

The bank has incorporated ESG principles to promote environmentally and socially responsible business practices among SMEs while maintaining proper risk management. The bank has established a three-dimensional action plan: First, improving capital access by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises with total lending of over 20 billion baht at a low fixed interest rate of just 3% per year for the first three years, with repayment terms extending up to 10 years to ensure adequate liquidity during economic crises.

Dad's lucky numbers have always brought good fortune. This lottery draw, Ja Nongpanee is heading back to Ang Thong and encounters a lottery vendor in a wheelchair. Her mother asks her to buy some tickets to support him, so she purchases 17 tickets.

In the previous draw on May 2, 2569 (2026), Ja Nongpanee praised her father's luck when his vehicle license plate number matched the grand prize exactly. A few days before this draw, she posted a video caption saying "Get ready!"

While driving back to Ang Thong with her mother, Ja Nongpanee encountered the wheelchair-bound lottery vendor. Her mother felt sympathetic and asked her daughter to support him. Ja bought a full set, focusing on the number 81, which includes numbers meaningful to both her mother and herself, totaling 17 tickets.

Ja Nongpanee revealed that the location is the same spot where her father had an accident: "Today is the 6th, just a few more days everyone. This is also where dad had his accident. Let's do this, let's do this."

Many people followed by purchasing the number 81, with comments like "Following mom's 81," "I bought five 81s," "Mom looks so sad, I want to hug her," and "81, 118, 181 - these numbers feel right to me."

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supchee Sutthamphan, accompanied by senior Commerce Ministry officials including Wuthijai Leevirapat (Permanent Secretary), Varawuth Somwangpresert (Ministry Inspector), and Prawit Silao-on (Deputy Director General of the International Trade Promotion Department), visited Tuk Tuk Thai, a one-star Thai SELECT-certified restaurant in Cannes, France. During the visit, the delegation reviewed the restaurant's operations and solicited business owners' recommendations on promoting Thai cuisine in the European market.

Tuk Tuk Thai stands as one of the most popular Thai restaurants among French residents, tourists, and expatriates, especially during the Cannes Film Festival when visitors from around the world flock to the city. Located on Rue Bivouac Napoléon in central Cannes, the restaurant serves authentic Thai cuisine in a warm, welcoming atmosphere decorated with Thai cultural elements including colors, photographs, and décor from Thailand.

The restaurant's menu features internationally recognized Thai dishes including pad Thai, tom yum shrimp, green curry chicken, and shrimp pad krapow, using high-quality local ingredients combined with authentic Thai spices and sauces imported from Thailand. The restaurant also accommodates dietary restrictions with vegetarian and vegan options, adjusting spice levels to suit customer preferences.

"The Ministry views Thai restaurants abroad as crucial mechanisms for building a positive image of Thailand and important tools for promoting Thai soft power on the world stage through the appeal of food, culture, and Thai hospitality. This helps create awareness and appreciation for Thai products and services internationally," a ministry statement said.

France currently hosts 37 Thai SELECT-certified restaurants, including one three-star establishment (L'Orchidée in Ensisheim) and 36 one-star restaurants scattered throughout Paris and major cities nationwide.

The revamped Thai SELECT program now features four certification levels: Thai SELECT Casual, Thai SELECT 1 Star, Thai SELECT 2 Star, and Thai SELECT 3 Star, covering establishments from casual to premium dining. The new framework strengthens evaluation criteria across five key areas: food taste and presentation, atmosphere and consumer experience, hygiene standards, chef expertise, and ingredient quality, using an orchid-shaped emblem to signify international standard Thai cuisine quality.

Interested parties can contact the International Trade Promotion Department, Ministry of Commerce, at 1169 or visit www.ditp.go.th for more information and international trading opportunities through THAITRADE.COM.

The issue exploded onto the social radar when a joint private sector committee from three institutions released survey findings based on direct business experience. The revelation that ten government agencies collected fees exceeding 100,000 baht per transaction—scaling down to tens of thousands—immediately grabbed headlines.

While the specific figures for each agency and which departments were involved can be found in general news reports, it's no surprise that the implicated agencies responded by insisting on their transparency and integrity. Yet this flies in the face of public confidence. When people see this news, they're not shocked or startled—these practices have become so routine in daily life they're almost normalized.

Still, fairness demands that without clear evidence or formal complaints, we must give people the benefit of the doubt. Certainly, there are good civil servants, but when individuals behave inappropriately, they deserve criticism and a tarnished reputation. What's striking is why the private sector—usually submissive to government agencies—suddenly has the courage to expose such widespread abuses. Perhaps they've simply reached their breaking point.

When the economy is struggling and other costs are rising while under-the-table payments remain constant, business owners are trapped between a rock and a hard place. Fight back and face retaliation, or stay silent and wait for ruin.

The survey revealed other compelling findings. Among 401 business executives and private sector representatives surveyed, 60.9% encountered bribery demands when filing the most recent permit applications with government agencies. Nearly half had paid money, gifts, or other benefits to secure expedited processing.

The root cause? Laws that grant government agencies excessive discretionary power. Laws meant to create societal fairness have become tools for corruption and misconduct—truly darkly absurd. Critically, no one dares file complaints because they don't trust transparent investigations or fear the agency will make their work even harder. This is the reality playing out, whether anyone admits it or not.

Phakamon Hunnanon, a Pheu Thai party list MP and party spokesperson, criticized Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul for convening a meeting with 35 business executives at Government House while showing apparent indifference to grassroots citizens' problems. While acknowledging that consulting with business leaders during economic hardship is necessary, Hunnanon stressed the government should not show favoritism, as ordinary people are ultimately the first to suffer from economic crises. She pointed out the stark contrast between the PM's welcoming demeanor toward wealthy capitalists and his failure to similarly engage with fishing communities, farmers, motorcycle taxi drivers, and southern residents opposing the Land Bridge project. Hunnanon called for balanced engagement, saying the government must make people feel it stands beside them, not just beside business interests. She criticized the selective listening and unequal access, noting that when capitalists present problems the PM listens with open ears, but when ordinary people face genuine hardship, they meet deaf ears. She urged the prime minister to open Government House to suffering citizens as he did for tycoons and to show genuine concern for grassroots people rather than treating them as second-class stakeholders in national problem-solving.

A Ratchaburi papaya salad vendor has come forward claiming she was duped when her 3-baht gold bracelet was switched for fake gold after pawning it with a close friend. The vendor, Ms. Rattikar Yamwong (known as "Khun Khaning"), 28, posted a plea for help on Facebook, explaining that she had saved money from selling papaya salad to purchase the gold bracelet but was forced to pawn it for 15,000 baht in January 2025 due to financial hardship. Her friend agreed to lend the money without charging interest.

On May 14, Ms. Rattikar returned the remaining balance of 20,000 baht and sent her boyfriend to collect the bracelet. During the exchange, her friend mentioned that a phone Ms. Rattikar had lost earlier was actually in his bag but he was afraid to return it. This raised her suspicions.

When Ms. Rattikar took the bracelet to the original gold shop for verification, staff confirmed it was counterfeit, despite having the same pattern as the original. She immediately filed a police report, but her friend instructed police to communicate through his lawyer instead.

Ms. Rattikar, speaking tearfully, said she simply wants her gold back, as it took countless days of hard work selling papaya salad under the sun to save for it, all while caring for her young child. She suspects her genuine bracelet was swapped with counterfeit gold of similar design.

She is now warning the public to use reputable gold shops or established businesses when pawning valuables, rather than lending to acquaintances. Those wishing to support her papaya salad and grilled chicken business can contact her Facebook page "Rattikar Yamwong," which also offers online ordering.