BURIRAM — On May 14, 2026, a Thai villager leading efforts to drive wild elephants away from communities near Dong Yai forest was killed after being attacked by an elephant inside a village in Buriram province, local residents said.

Weera Ratchawong, 66, chairman of the Dong Yai Wild Elephant Watch Network, was attacked at about 04:00 in Ban Khlong Hin Lat village in Non Din Daeng district while attempting to push elephants away from residential areas.

Residents living along the Dong Yai forest boundary said such incidents have become increasingly common, with several people reportedly killed by wild elephants each year as the animals frequently enter villages in search of food.

Prasit Jupamatang, 61, a wild elephant patrol officer in the Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary, said he arrived after receiving reports of the attack but found Weera had already died.

Weera's wife said local elephant patrol volunteers normally travel in groups of 14 when responding to villager reports, but her husband often went out alone. She said elephants had entered the village several times during the night before the fatal attack, with Weera leaving alone again shortly before 04:00.

Manat Yiamram, village headman of Ban Khlong Hin Lat, said wild elephants enter the community almost every day, usually in groups of one to three animals.

He said villagers are living in fear and called on authorities to address the situation more seriously, adding that residents believe the elephant population has grown beyond the forest's capacity and that fatal attacks occur in nearby communities every year.

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT — 14 May 2026, Thai police said they had recovered a ceremonial sword associated with King Taksin, the 18th-century Siamese king credited with reunifying Thailand after the fall of Ayutthaya, after it was allegedly stolen from a temple in southern Thailand by a university assistant professor who later claimed he had taken it unknowingly.

The theft was discovered on 12 May after staff at Wat Nang Phraya in Nakhon Si Thammarat found that two sacred items had gone missing from temple buildings.

The missing items included a ceremonial "King Taksin sword" displayed inside the Mae Nang Phraya shrine and valued at about 30,000 baht. Temple officials said the sword had previously been donated by a devotee in fulfilment of a vow.

A red crystal orb valued at about 2,500 baht was also reported missing from the Jatukham Ramathep shrine within the temple grounds.

Police said security camera footage showed the suspect entering the temple during the morning while the area was relatively quiet before leaving with the items.

Investigators later identified the suspect as a 40-year-old assistant professor at a well-known university. Officers traced him to a house in Ron Phibun district, where his parents told police he had been receiving psychiatric treatment linked to family-related stress at Songklanagarind Hospital.

According to police, the suspect claimed he had taken the sword "without realising what he was doing".

Authorities said the man became agitated during discussions with officers and verbally confronted Phra Khru Palat Boonrit Wijjadharo, abbot of Wat Nang Phraya, in front of police before being restrained and transferred to Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital for further examination.

Police said legal proceedings would continue following medical evaluation.

On May 14, 2569, even as Parliament has not yet approved the emergency decree (Royal Decree) authorizing the Ministry of Finance to borrow funds to address the energy crisis impacts and facilitate the country's energy transition—the 400 billion baht loan authorization—Minister Phisadej Pirisanananthakoet, attached to the Prime Minister's Office, stated that the government can continue moving forward. This is because the 400 billion baht emergency loan decree came into effect upon its publication in the Royal Gazette on May 8. On May 14 in the afternoon, the screening committee overseeing the use of borrowed funds under this emergency decree held its first meeting and can proceed accordingly. Meanwhile, parliamentary procedures will await the Constitutional Court's ruling.

Thai Airways Public Company Limited announced its first-quarter 2025 operating results with total revenue of 51,029 million baht, down 596 million baht or 1.2 percent from the same period last year due to lower production and transportation volumes. However, average revenue per passenger remained close to prior-year levels despite baht appreciation impacts, demonstrating strong pricing management. Total operating expenses reached 37,282 million baht, a 1.8 percent decrease from lower jet fuel costs proportional to reduced production volumes, along with baht strength benefits.

Operating profit before financing costs stood at 13,747 million baht, up 0.6 percent from last year, with an EBIT margin of 26.9 percent. Finance costs decreased to 2,987 million baht, down 494 million baht year-over-year. One-time items generated net gains of 1,088 million baht, primarily from aircraft lease cancellations and derivative valuations, resulting in net profit of 10,107 million baht against 9,839 million baht previously, with EBITDA of 17,548 million baht.

As of March 31, 2025, the airline operated 80 aircraft with average utilization of 13.8 hours per aircraft daily, carrying 4.18 million passengers total. Available seat kilometers (ASK) totaled 17,389 million, down 1.9 percent year-over-year, while revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) reached 14,453 million, down 2.2 percent, resulting in a load factor of 83.1 percent versus 83.3 percent previously. Total assets increased to 324,542 million baht, up 6.7 percent from year-end 2024, while shareholders' equity rose 16.7 percent to 88,622 million baht, with cash and liquid financial assets totaling 132,320 million baht.

US President Donald Trump told Chinese President Xi Jinping it was 'a great honor to be your friend' during a highly-publicized bilateral meeting, while China's leader warned of potential conflicts between the two nations. The stark differences in tone reveal the two leaders remain far apart on sensitive issues including the Iran war, trade disputes, and US relations with Taiwan. Though the meeting was closed-door, China's Xinhua news agency reported that Xi warned Trump that mishandling the Taiwan question could lead to clashes and conflicts that would jeopardize the entire relationship.

These warnings came after Trump's public opening remarks at the Great Hall of the People, where he praised Xi lavishly. 'You are a great leader. Sometimes people may not like me saying this, but I will say it because it is the truth. It is a great honor to be with you. It is a great honor to be your friend,' Trump said, adding that 'the relationship between China and the United States will be better than it has ever been.'

While Trump's tone was upbeat, Xi took a more cautious stance, expressing hope that the two nations could avoid conflict. The world is asking whether the two countries can overcome what Xi called the 'Thucydides Trap'—the concept that conflict often arises when a rising power threatens an established one.

Xi emphasized that cooperation benefits both sides while confrontation endangers both. 'The two countries should be partners, not rivals. Work together to achieve success, pursue common prosperity, and chart the right course for the relationship between two great powers in a new era,' Xi stressed.

April Bakery, owned by Singha Food Industries (Thailand) Co., Ltd., is undertaking its first major rebranding in 16 years with a 200-million-baht investment. Managing Director Kanokkan Madhurapon announced the company is rolling out new store designs, expanding its branch network, developing new operational models, and strengthening backend systems to support long-term growth and prepare for a stock exchange listing in 2029.

The company plans to grow from approximately 40 current branches to over 60 by year-end and exceed 100 branches by 2029, focusing initially on Bangkok and surrounding areas before expanding to other provinces and overseas markets. The new store concept, called "Fresh Bake Experience," features in-store baking to create a complete sensory experience for customers. After successful testing at the Charoen Krung branch, this format will roll out to all new locations from Q3 onward.

The 200-million-baht investment covers rebranding, new store design, packaging updates, branch expansion, and management system development. Investment costs range from 2 million baht per standard store to 4-5 million baht for larger locations.

Kanokkan described this as the company's largest brand investment to date, as previous investments focused primarily on machinery and manufacturing. The company currently derives over 80% of revenue from 7-Eleven with 15 SKUs and average daily sales of 270,000 units. However, it aims to rebalance revenue to 60% from convenience stores and 40% from direct retail and OEM manufacturing.

In 2024, the company recorded 1.3 billion baht in revenue. For 2025, it targets 30% growth reaching 1.7 billion baht, with 2029 revenue projected at 2.5 billion baht, driven by branch expansion and overseas market growth. Despite cost pressures from raw materials and consumer spending concerns, the company plans no price increases and will instead focus on launching new products weekly—March-May 2025 sales grew 55% year-over-year.

The company is also studying construction of a new 20-rai manufacturing facility to support long-term production capacity, complementing its current nine factories. This expansion will serve both domestic and international markets, particularly OEM orders from Taiwan and South Korea.