BANGKOK — 13 May 2026, Thai Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul joined members of the public in collecting royal rice seeds after the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, saying the seeds would be planted in his own rice field while assuring farmers the government had measures in place to address expected drought conditions this year.

After the annual Royal Ploughing Ceremony, Anutin walked to a demonstration rice field where royal rice seeds had been scattered and joined members of the public in gathering the seeds into prepared bags.

The prime minister said it was his first time collecting the royal rice seeds, adding that he had never previously had the opportunity to take part in the activity despite attending the ceremony in earlier years.

When asked by reporters what he planned to do with the seeds, Anutin initially declined to answer and continued collecting rice grains before later confirming that he owned rice fields and intended to plant the seeds there.

"I do," he replied when asked whether he had his own rice fields, adding that he would reveal later where the seeds would be planted once they begin to grow.

Anutin later posed for photographs with award-winning farmers and outstanding agriculturalists recognised during the ceremony.

Asked about government preparations for possible drought conditions this year, the prime minister said authorities had already coordinated water management plans through the Office of the National Water Resources, the Royal Irrigation Department and other agencies to secure water supplies for farmers, including groundwater sources.

He added that the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning would also work together to address drought-related problems, following weather forecasts indicating dry conditions later this year.

Anutin said the government aimed to maximise water storage and secure additional water sources to minimise the impact on farmers.

During the event, some members of the public approached the prime minister to greet him and jokingly asked in the Isaan dialect whether he was a "real Isaan person or a fake one", to which Anutin laughed and replied: "A fake Isaan."

Some attendees also asked whether they would receive a promised 1,000-baht cash handout at the end of the month, although the prime minister did not respond to the question.

On May 13, 2025, the Royal Thai Police Office, led by Deputy Police Chief Samran Nualma and accompanied by Nopsil Poolsawat, mobilized 266 officers from various agencies including Immigration Police, Central Investigation Police, Provincial Police Region 8, Surat Thani Provincial Police, Koh Phangan Police Station, and security agencies to launch the 'Koh Phangan Foreign Nominee Crackdown' operation in Surat Thani Province.

Officers conducted searches at 29 targeted locations, consisting of 5 upstream companies and 24 nominee companies, to seize evidence including corporate documents, share transfer agreements, financial trails, digital data, and evidence of business control. The investigation revealed a pattern of using Thai nationals as nominee shareholders to evade foreign business regulations.

Investigators reported that Koh Phangan has 3,754 registered business entities, of which 2,381 involve foreign shareholders. Of these, 243 companies were identified as investigation targets, with 27 nominee companies and land holdings discovered, linked to 37 plots of land valued at approximately 150 million baht.

Authorities identified the operation as a network scheme initiated by foreigners or true beneficiaries who established multiple companies before appointing Thai nominees as shareholders, then linked these to land ownership, business operations, and financial channels to conceal the real operators.

Key patterns identified include the use of the same Thai shareholder groups, simultaneous registration of multiple companies, use of identical addresses, and sequential transfers of shares or assets.

Authorities arrested four suspects: one foreigner and three Thai nationals on charges related to foreign business operations using Thai nominee shareholders. Investigators indicated they are preparing to expand the investigation to other related individuals and networks.

Parliament Speaker Sophon Saram has forwarded the opposition's petition to the Constitutional Court requesting interpretation of a 400 billion baht emergency borrowing decree, with parliament postponing the agenda pending the court's ruling.

On January 13, 2025, following the opposition coalition's submission led by Nathpong Ruangpanyawut, list MP and Thai People's Party leader, the petition was filed through Speaker Saram on May 11.

The petition asks the Constitutional Court to determine whether the 2025 royal decree granting the Finance Ministry authority to borrow 400 billion baht—intended to address energy crisis impacts and advance the country's energy transition—violates Article 172 of the Constitution.

Speaker Saram formally submitted the petition to the Constitutional Court on May 12, with the court's office officially registering the document.

Although the government submitted the borrowing decree for parliament's agenda as of May 11, Speaker Saram has not yet placed it on the official agenda. Following proper parliamentary procedure, he is awaiting the Constitutional Court's complete ruling before proceeding, as parliament convention dictates that when members petition the court for constitutional interpretation, the legislature should suspend consideration of the matter until the court delivers its judgment.

Five football legends including Steven Gerrard, Steve McManaman, Michèle Salgado, Claude Makélélé, and Quinton Fortune visited Thailand as participants in the Living Legends Football Festival last weekend (May 9-10). Before leaving Thailand, all five decided to visit Rajadamnern Stadium, the birthplace of Thai boxing, on Sunday (May 10), where they received a warm welcome from Buakaw Banchamek and Daniel Rodriguez, the Rajadamnern 154-pound champion. In addition to exchanging souvenirs, the legends had the opportunity to converse and share many valuable experiences together on the Thai boxing ring.

Reports indicate that Xabi Alonso dreams of managing Liverpool, but the "Reds" managerial position remains unavailable since Mikel Arteta shows no signs of being sacked. Alonso has been without a club since parting ways with Real Madrid in early January and has been linked with Liverpool, where Arteta currently manages. Despite leading Liverpool to a disappointing performance this season, Arteta continues to receive backing from Fenway Sports Group, the club's owners. Early this week, Chelsea—looking to find a new permanent head coach—approached Alonso to sound him out for the role. According to Sky Sports, Alonso's dream job is managing Liverpool, but there is currently no position available. He desires to manage a Premier League team, though he is willing to consider Chelsea's offer if circumstances are appropriate. Liverpool fans are increasingly frustrated with Arteta following a difficult and disappointing season, yet he maintains support from Fenway Sports Group amid the possibility that Alonso could return to manage the club. Chelsea is considering approximately five or six managerial candidates and has already contacted their representatives. Alonso currently stands as the most prominent candidate fitting their criteria, though the club is also evaluating other lesser-known options including Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth manager), Marco Silva (Fulham manager), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace manager), Cesc Fabregas (Como manager), and Felipe Luis (former Flamengo manager).

A 65-year-old mother diligently studied Yu-Gi-Oh card game rules to understand what her son loves. Makoto, a passionate Japanese Yu-Gi-Oh fan who regularly shares content about the game and aims to become a world champion, recently posted a touching story on the X platform. His 65-year-old mother spent an entire month seriously studying the game's rules and mechanics to understand what her son is passionate about. Not only did she read and learn, but she also handwrote detailed summary notes of everything she learned.

From the images, her notebook is remarkably comprehensive and thorough. It includes important terminology, basic rules, game equipment, duel field diagrams, clearly categorized card types and monsters, all organized systematically. Remarkably, the notebook spans over 10 pages. Even complex concepts like the "turn sequence" and "phases" that confuse new players are explained clearly and understandably, prompting many players to consider it equivalent to an "official guidebook."

When the post was shared online, numerous internet users came to praise her work with comments like "Your mother's notes are amazing," "It's as detailed as an official rulebook," and "This is basically a Yu-Gi-Oh encyclopedia." Many were also impressed by the mother's love and willingness to spend time understanding what her son is passionate about.