Thailand's Department of Foreign Trade, led by Director-General Arada Fuengtong, organized a delegation of Thai rice exporters to Japan from April 17-21, 2026, to strengthen commercial relationships with Japanese government and private sector organizations involved in rice trade. The delegation also conducted promotional activities with Thai restaurants to boost Thai rice consumption and maintain market share in Japan. Meetings were held with the Overseas Merchandise Inspection Company (OMIC), Japan's rice quality inspection agency, and major importers including Itochu Corporation, Ltd., Kanematsu Corporation, and Kitoku Shinryo Co. All four organizations have long-standing trade relationships with Thai rice exporters and confirmed that Thai rice maintains excellent quality and safety standards, with consistent and timely delivery meeting Japan's needs. Despite tariffs of approximately 341 yen per kilogram (68 baht per kilogram) for out-of-quota imports, all three importers committed to continuing Thai rice purchases. They noted strong ongoing demand for Thai rice in both industrial processing (sembei, shoyu, miso, and awamori production) and household and restaurant consumption, indicating significant growth potential in the Japanese market.

The delegation also met with Hanamaruki Foods Inc., a major Japanese miso producer that has reformulated its miso recipe using Thai rice as the primary ingredient, replacing its previous exclusive use of Japanese rice. Thai rice's comparable properties, flavor profile, and competitive pricing made it an attractive alternative, and the company confirmed it will continue using Thai rice in production.

Director-General Arada noted that the delegation also met with the Crop Production Bureau of Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the government agency responsible for determining rice import quotas and overseeing auction procedures. The two sides exchanged information on bilateral rice trade conditions. Japan reported that domestic rice prices have declined due to MAFF's recent release of medium and short-grain rice from state reserves (Japanese consumers prefer medium and short-grain varieties) and that MAFF will begin opening auctions for medium and short-grain rice imports starting in May. Thailand requested that Japan maintain Thai rice imports at approximately 300,000 tons annually to demonstrate goodwill in the relationship.

With Thai cuisine gaining significant popularity in Japan, the Department of Foreign Trade collaborated with the Thai Trade Promotion Office in Tokyo to conduct promotional activities for Thai rice.

A 111-year-old man believed to be the oldest living male in the United States has revealed the secrets to a long and healthy life. He is Luis Cano.

Cano was born on December 9, 1915, in Colombia and currently lives in Linden, New Jersey. His age was officially verified by the LongeviQuest organization in December 2024, making him among the oldest people in the world. Despite having limited formal education, Cano's life spans over a century of remarkable stories.

Cano served in the Colombian military and later founded a bus company to connect rural communities. He has said that starting a new life in the United States was his greatest achievement.

At 111 years old, Cano believes his longevity is not as complicated as many people think. He doesn't rely on modern health trends but instead follows basic principles he has consistently applied throughout his daily life.

His three main rules are remarkably simple: never drinking alcohol or smoking throughout his life, prioritizing quality sleep, and living by good conduct and moral principles consistently.

Beyond these rules, his lifestyle has also been instrumental. He eats a vegetable-based diet including beans, peppers, avocados, and onions. He remained active, gardening until age 105, and continues hobbies like fishing, bowling, and billiards.

Family is another crucial factor in his life. Cano lives with two of his ten children and has eleven grandchildren plus many great-grandchildren. He credits his family as an important source of happiness. His wife passed away in 2004.

Today, Cano lives a simple and peaceful life. He enjoys watching planes fly by and reflecting on his past, which he considers his "lifelong achievement." He has become well-known in his community, receiving congratulatory car horns on his birthday each year and even receiving recognition from the mayor for his life's accomplishments.

Channel One31 delivers its romantic series knockout "Sukuna's Hidden Love," bringing together two heartthrobs Film Thanapat and Tesh Myroon in different characters for an exciting clash of talent. Perth Veeranusorn takes on a significant role transformation, joined by seasoned performers including Nok Sinjai, Kob Songsit, New Akkrawin, and Jeab Paveena. The screenplay is written by Sarangchart Santimonirattana and Naphak Traijaripondech, directed by Takol Keerativirawan.

When secrets must be hidden, when secrets become concealment, when longing becomes forbidden love.

"Sukuna's Hidden Love" tells the story of Sein (Perth Veeranusorn), daughter of a rice merchant who marries Perm (Film Thanapat), a charming civil servant with a bright future. Their wedding night ignites with passionate love, but it seems heaven has decided to test them.

When Perm must travel to Phang Nga for official business for over three months, Sein is left to face her fate alone at home—facing constant oppression from Pueang (Nok Sinjai), her mother-in-law.

The only thing keeping Sein sane is waiting for Perm's embrace and affection. But when he returns, everything changes. He becomes a different person—cold, indifferent, and completely rejecting Sein's touch.

When her heart breaks and her body craves warmth, Ton (Tesh Myroon), a young chauffeur, becomes the only one standing by her side, helping her escape the suffocation of her home. Their closeness leads to a desire that's impossible to resist.

Will Sukuna dare to break free from her cage and cross the line of propriety into a forbidden relationship that should never exist? Follow "Sukuna's Hidden Love" starting Monday, April 27, every Monday-Tuesday at 8:30 PM on Channel One31, with uncut replays available exclusively on the oneD app.

Thailand's telecom regulator has approved an application to exercise rights under telecommunications law for a new subsea cable project linked to Google, officials confirmed on April 27, 2026.

At its meeting No. 12/2026, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) endorsed a request under Section 39 of the 2001 Telecommunications Business Act, following a resolution by its subcommittee on rights of way. International Gateway Co. submitted the application for this collaboration between International General Company (IGC) and Alphabet, Google's parent company.

The project involves laying more than 300 kilometers of subsea cable conduits containing 11 cable lines through territorial waters, with a landing point in Thailand and connections extending to Australia's Christmas Island. The NBTC noted that the project uses a single conduit route housing 11 separate cable lines that can branch to other destinations, with establishing a Thailand landing point requiring regulatory approval.

Subsea cable networks form the backbone of Thailand's internet infrastructure. The country currently operates around 10-12 systems with at least nine active, including SMW3, FLAG, TIS, SMW4, AAG, SJC, APG, AAE1, and ADC (Asia Direct Cable). Projects in development include Google Cloud's TalayLink and SJC2 (Southeast Asia-Japan Cable 2), expected to launch in 2026, plus SEA-H2X. Data from the Thai Internet and Cloud Service Provider Association shows approximately 70% of Thailand's international connectivity still depends on terrestrial links to data and internet hubs in Singapore.

The approved permit is part of Google Cloud's TalayLink project, a new subsea cable route connecting Thailand and Australia designed to strengthen digital connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region. This marks the beginning of Google's previously announced 30 billion baht investment in regional cloud infrastructure in Thailand.

TalayLink is also integrated into Australia Connect, an initiative positioning Australia as a hub linking Pacific island nations and Indian Ocean countries via the Sunda Strait, a major corridor for existing subsea cables. The network will connect to Google's planned cloud region in Thailand, part of a US$1 billion investment announced last year, enabling future data center consolidation and integration with Google's global cloud network.

Google has also announced plans for new connectivity hubs in Western Australia, including Mandurah, and in southern Thailand to support regional demand. Once operational, the network is expected to enhance resilience across Australia, Africa, and Southeast Asia while supporting Thailand's digital economy transition, including AI adoption and broader digital inclusion.

It's a rare occurrence when legendary rock artists Pong Nakarin and U Thaphanasorn reunite for a new music video called 'Hope Behind Walls,' collaborating with Wonderland Film Limited and the Ministry of Justice. Acclaimed producer and director Pad Weerasak Saengdee brought a story from the short film 'Ee Kee Kook' to life as a rock ballad blending powerful intensity with gentle melodies, offering encouragement to those who have stumbled and seek to start anew.

Pong Nakarin expressed his feelings, saying he was delighted to be part of the project and hoped the song would inspire those who made mistakes to have the courage to reform and become better people. He believes Thai society is ready to forgive and offer second chances. He noted that reuniting with U was smooth and natural given their long history together, and praised U's professionalism and how well their collaboration worked.

U Thaphanasorn added that he was excited to work with his idol Pong Nakarin, finding it easy to connect with the song's emotion. He highlighted that ballad rock's strength lies in its directness—communicating emotion in a way that resonates immediately. He pointed to the lyric 'I just want someone who understands, don't look at me with contempt' as particularly meaningful, reflecting how people who made mistakes may have acted on impulse rather than evil nature. He hopes the song opens society's eyes to see a broader perspective and offer opportunities not just to ex-convicts but to everyone.

Producer and director Pad Weerasak Saengdee explained that while the original version featured a woman's voice with folk sadness, this version—which he calls the 'male convict version'—captures a sweet yet deeply penetrating and powerful emotion. He chose Pong for his raspy, forceful voice aligned with the concept of giving these people a chance to stand in society, and U for his yearning, painful voice that seeks understanding and sympathy.

Nanthraphat Tepdonchai, acting inspector of the Ministry of Justice and director of the 'Return Good People to Society' office, noted that the project addresses a gap in the system for supporting ex-offenders, citing alarming statistics that 1 in 60 Thai people have a criminal record.

The Thai Table Tennis Association held its annual general meeting at Central Westgate shopping center, reporting outstanding performance results for 2568. Notable achievements include 15-year-old players Ploy and Norton making history as Thailand's first world champions in mixed doubles, and defending three SEA Games titles across women's team, women's singles, and women's doubles competitions. The association sent athletes to 32 competitions, winning 19 championships, 14 runner-up finishes, and 25 third-place results. The organization also hosted five international tournaments, one-to-five-star national tournaments, and organized over 26 competitions involving more than 12,242 athletes.

However, the financial report revealed total revenue of 63.8 million baht against expenses of 72.29 million baht, creating a deficit of over 8.48 million baht. Officials attributed this to the National Sports Development Fund having limited budgets, with over 1,000 million baht directed toward SEA Games preparations and operations, leaving insufficient funds for individual sports associations. The table tennis association received minimal or no support for its 32 competition entries and only received funding for one of 26 organized tournaments, forcing the association to use reserves.

The situation worsened as the 2569 budget remains unclear even after seven months, potentially requiring major operational adjustments. The association faces urgent funding needs for upcoming competitions including the ASEAN Youth Championships in Singapore, World Championships in England, and hosting two WTT Youth 2 competitions in April-May, requiring approximately 10 million baht. Association President Nathwut Rueangwes stated: "We don't want to reduce activities because it's unfortunate after 4-5 years of strong growth with excellent athlete performance. The board will seek additional funding from other sources and adjust plans accordingly, though budget constraints are affecting all sports."