MILAN — 21 May 2026, Thailand's Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) brought 25 Thai brands to exhibit handcrafted products and sustainable material innovations at Milan Design Week 2026, one of the world's largest design festivals, held in April.

The exhibition, titled "Slow Hand Design 2026", was held at Superstudio Events in Milan under the concept "Heritage Reimagined: The Futuristic Thai Crafts Evolution".

Organisers said the exhibition aimed to demonstrate how innovative materials rooted in local Thai wisdom could meet international design standards.

Participating brands presented materials developed from agricultural and industrial waste, including tiles made from mycelium, rice scraps and coffee grounds, as well as materials developed from acid sulphate soil.

The exhibition reflected growing global interest in sustainable materials with strong cultural and environmental narratives, organisers said.

Among the featured works was "SEA of Love" by AVALON ARTISAN GALLERY, which showcased a wall sculpture created from "MyraShell", a biomaterial developed from discarded mussel shells from Thailand's seafood industry.

The material was developed in collaboration with Thailand's National Innovation Agency, Kasetsart University and the university's Faculty of Fisheries.

According to the developers, the material's microporous structure allows it to diffuse fragrance, highlighting its potential in sustainable design and material innovation.

DITP said the exhibition highlighted the potential of Thai designers and sustainable materials on the global stage while introducing contemporary interpretations of Thai craftsmanship to international audiences.

New business closures reached 4,217 registrations in the first four months of 2025, up 7.5 percent. Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, Director-General of the Department of Business Development (DBD) under the Ministry of Commerce, revealed findings from April 2025 business registration analysis showing 6,454 newly established businesses. Compared to the previous month, this represents a decline of 14.94 percent, though year-over-year figures show a 2 percent increase.

Registered capital totaled 22.765 billion baht in April, increasing by 3.265 billion baht (16.74 percent) from the previous month, but declining 29.17 percent compared to the same period last year. One notable registration was TT1 Holdings Company Limited with registered capital of 7.843 billion baht, operating primarily as a non-financial holding company and investor in various limited and public limited companies domestically and internationally.

For the four-month period from January to April 2025, a total of 29,679 new businesses were established, representing a 1.56 percent decline compared to the same period in 2024. Accumulated registered capital reached 81.341 billion baht, up 27.41 percent.

Analysis of business establishment growth trends identified three expanding sectors:

1) Internet retail businesses: 801 registrations, an increase of 274 (51.99 percent) with registered capital of 1.121 billion baht 2) Other supporting services not classified elsewhere: 333 registrations, an increase of 194 (139.57 percent) with registered capital of 275 million baht 3) Restaurants and food service businesses: 1,408 registrations, an increase of 171 (13.82 percent year-over-year) with registered capital of 2.335 billion baht

Business closure registrations in April 2025 reached 981, down 11.70 percent from the previous month and up 20.52 percent year-over-year, with closed registered capital of 5.214 billion baht. For the four-month period, business closures totaled 4,217, up 7.55 percent, with accumulated closed capital of 26.258 billion baht, up 64.21 percent.

As of April 30, 2025, total registered businesses nationwide stood at 2,079,756 with combined registered capital of 32.29 trillion baht.

Naiyanapakorn noted that fluctuations in business registration numbers do not necessarily reflect actual business conditions, stating they represent only partial indicators. He attributed the April decline partly to intensified enforcement against unregistered businesses and increased business closures.

On May 21, 2025, at Parliament, Bunyawi Yomchinda, a Ruam Jai Thai Party list MP and vice-chairman of the House Consumer Protection Committee, announced that he has fulfilled his promise by submitting a proposal to increase government lottery prize money to the committee. The next step involves establishing a complaint screening subcommittee before the proposal goes to a plenary meeting. Discussions will include relevant parties, particularly the Lottery Office director.

Bunyawi confirmed his commitment to the public, noting that lottery prizes have remained unchanged for over 10 years. The two-digit prize has increased from 1,000 to 2,000 baht, and the first prize from 3 million to 6 million baht. According to data, each draw produces 100 million lottery tickets with a unit cost of 67 baht, generating approximately 6.7 billion baht in revenue. With only 1.4 million total prizes awarded and over 98.5 million tickets winning nothing, the Lottery Office's first prize payout of 600 million baht is relatively minimal, justifying a profit increase for prizes.

Bunyawi argued that consumer protection requires increasing prizes that haven't been raised for over a decade. He proposed raising the first prize from 6 million to 10 million baht, the two-digit prize from 2,000 to 5,000 baht, and the three-digit prize from 4,000 to 10,000 baht. He emphasized that this is not about encouraging gambling but about fairness, urging the Lottery Office board to show compassion to the people and return some profits to society through education and charity.

Bunyawi also highlighted issues with lottery sellers, noting that while tickets are officially priced at 80 baht, they actually cost over 100 baht. Sellers who don't sell all their tickets face losses and cannot return unsold stock. He stated his role is to protect consumers by having the lottery office share profits, and expressed confidence that the proposal will succeed since it stands with the people.

A peculiar incident unfolded on May 18 in northern Texas when a man drove a Tesla Cybertruck, a futuristic electric pickup truck, into Grapevine Lake to test the vehicle's "Wade Mode" water-fording feature. The vehicle stalled in the water and required a crane to retrieve it.

Witnesses recorded video as the Cybertruck slowly descended the shoreline before water rapidly began flooding into the vehicle. In the footage, someone can be heard joking, "Hey, you can't park here," just as the truck was about to submerge.

According to reports, the driver and passenger managed to drive only a few feet before the vehicle struck a large underwater rock. Both occupants were forced to escape through the passenger window and wade to a nearby marina.

Police revealed that the driver admitted to intentionally driving into the lake to test the Cybertruck's Wade Mode, one of the vehicle's off-road features.

However, this function was designed for fording shallow water such as streams or stagnant water areas and does not activate automatically—users must manually enable it according to the vehicle's manual. Police warned that despite the vehicle potentially being capable of fording shallow water, operating it on public waterways may violate regulations and poses serious safety risks.

Authorities used a crane to retrieve the waterlogged Cybertruck from the lake overnight. The driver was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle in a restricted lake area, lacking proper vessel registration, and violating multiple water safety regulations.

Nonthaburi Municipality is launching a major water-based cultural tourism initiative to attract both locals and tourists on free boat tours visiting eight sacred sites along the Chao Phraya River. The "2569 Boat Tour - Paying Respects to Buddha and Deities" project runs on four consecutive Sundays: May 24 and 31, and June 7 and 14, 2569, offering participants a complete spiritual experience at all eight temples in a single trip.

The special highlights include scenic views of both riverbanks, comfortable and peaceful atmosphere, and knowledgeable local guides providing historical information at each location. The eight sacred sites are: 1) Shrine of Goddess Mae Tham Thim (Goddess Chui Bui Nia), revered for safe travel and success; 2) Wat Tai Meung, an ancient temple built during Rama II's reign (1852) housing the revered Luang Pho Dam Buddha image, popular for seeking protection and business blessings; 3) Wat Ton Od, an old temple on Khlong Om Nonthaburi canal where devotees seek life advancement; 4) Wat Sai Ma Tai, featuring the 700-year-old Luang Pho Yai Buddha statue in meditation pose, renowned for career advancement and property sales blessings; 5) Wat Kaen Ok, offering river viewpoints with significant Thai political historical importance; 6) Buddhatsathan Cheing Tha, a historic archaeological site recently restored by Nonthaburi Municipality and Fine Arts Department, combining two ancient temples from late Ayutthaya period - Wat Cheing Tha and Wat Na Bot - where devotees pay respects to the Tiger Father Spirit and Luang Pho Sua, ancient clay deities.

The Student Loan Fund (SLF) is calling on over 5,200 employers to begin implementing salary deductions for loan repayment through the e-PaySLF system administered by the Thai Revenue Department, effective May 2025. Employers can register for seminars on the SLF website to learn about the system's procedures and operational details, with funds required to be submitted by June 15, 2025, and subsequently by the 15th of each month. The SLF notes that borrowers with outstanding balances should settle arrears independently before entering the automatic deduction process, and employers are encouraged to register for training sessions available at www.studentloan.or.th or contact the official SLF employer LINE account for questions. The organization expressed appreciation for employer cooperation, noting that salary deductions not only help borrowers maintain consistent repayment but also preserve the revolving education fund to create sustainable educational opportunities for future generations of students.