Nava Chantanasurachan, honorary chairman of the steel industry group at the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), along with executives from ten Thai steel industry associations, met with Industry Ministry officials including Deputy Permanent Secretary Wirut Wisetsinthu and TISI Secretary-General Ekkanit Romayanont to discuss the domestic and international steel industry situation and monitor progress on various steel product standards, licensing inspections, and product quality controls.

Nava revealed that the ten steel associations, representing over 500 Thai steel companies, presented their proposals to the ministry, which received them with genuine interest and committed to implementing concrete solutions and reforms. This reflects a true commitment to working for the public good and is part of regular ongoing meetings.

The industry praised the Industry Ministry and TISI for their courageous enforcement actions against non-compliant steel mills that fail to meet Thai Industrial Standards and cause pollution. "This demonstrates that the Industry Ministry is not just a licensing agency but one that dares to protect Thai people and Thai industry, where standards come first and laws must be respected and non-negotiable," Nava stated.

Nava further noted that in 2568 (2025), Thailand consumed 18.5 million tons of steel, with domestic producers capturing only 35 percent of the market at 8.1 million tons, while imports reached 12 million tons. The steel industry faces two major problems: (1) foreign steel dumping from China, which exported a record 119 million tons globally last year, with various global regions implementing anti-dumping, anti-circumvention, safeguarding, and countervailing duty measures that redirect excess Chinese steel to Thailand; and (2) induction furnace (IF) steel mills previously shut down by the Chinese government as part of China's efforts to advance steel industry technology, with these outdated furnaces creating excess capacity that floods the Thai market.

On May 21, 2569, Sopon Sarirum, Speaker of Parliament and President of the House of Representatives, along with senior management from the Office of the House of Representatives, inspected the garbage storage room on B1 of the Parliament building. The inspection followed heavy rainfall the previous night that caused standing water and floating debris, which circulated on social media. Upon questioning the buildings and facilities chief, Sopon learned that the water visible in images did not result from internal building flooding, but rather from staff conducting routine cleaning operations to collect water and remove debris—exactly what media happened to capture, leading to misunderstanding. By morning, additional cleaning was completed and the area returned to normal use. "I conducted this inspection to verify the facts myself and understand what caused the situation and why those images circulated," Sopon explained. "The problem stemmed from heavy rainfall last night causing rainwater to flow into flat areas faster than our drainage system could handle. I have ordered staff to clear clogged debris and inspect the drainage pipes to ensure they can properly accommodate future rainfall."

Haier (Thailand), the world's top-ranked smart home appliances and electrical brand for 17 consecutive years, is pushing forward with its Smart Home to Smart Life strategy through the power of sports. The company has announced a partnership with the Physical Education Department to launch 'DPE x Haier CUP 2026,' marking Thailand's first official youth football competition for players under 16 years old. This initiative aims to create an opportunity platform for Thai youth to demonstrate their potential and spark inspiration toward future sports careers, reinforcing Haier's vision of transitioning to an AI Lifestyle Brand that seamlessly integrates technology into every dimension of life—health, lifestyle, and positive community engagement.

Mr. Dong Zhian Ping, Chairman of Haier Electrical Appliances (Thailand) Co., Ltd., stated: "Today's consumers increasingly value 'smartness' across multiple dimensions—not just technology, but also lifestyle, mindset, and living practices that reflect health and long-term quality of life. Sports has become increasingly important to younger generations, extending beyond competition to encompassing health, community, and life inspiration. This philosophy aligns perfectly with Haier's direction of expanding from Smart Home to Smart Life, creating smart experiences across multiple consumer dimensions. This is evident in Haier's various sports initiatives, including the Haier Run mini-marathon, Haier Cup badminton tournaments, sponsorship of major tennis events like the Australian Open and French Open, and official partnerships with world-class football clubs Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain. These efforts not only provide Thai youth opportunities to develop their potential and compete at higher levels but also demonstrate Haier's commitment to building a sustainable sports ecosystem in Thailand."

Building on this success, Haier is expanding its sports ecosystem into football this year, a globally popular sport with significant appeal to younger audiences. Current global sports trends show football transitioning from a competition sport into a lifestyle platform connecting health, entertainment, and community. The 'DPE x Haier CUP 2026' youth and public football competition for players under 16 represents a significant step in providing Thai youth with opportunities to showcase their talents while promoting active lifestyles and growing Thailand's sports community.

Mongkol Wimalrat, Director-General of the Physical Education Department, stated: "The Physical Education Department prioritizes continuous youth sports development by creating sports opportunities accessible to young people nationwide, promoting sports as part of developing potential, quality of life, and essential skills for new generations—including discipline, responsibility, teamwork, and constructive use of leisure time. Football, being highly popular and significant in creating positive energy while connecting young people to society and sports communities, makes this partnership with Haier (Thailand) exemplary of public-private collaboration in building a tangible sports ecosystem. Together, we create a platform for Thai youth to develop skills and demonstrate their potential."

On May 21, 2025, TikTok user @pennapanilsalab shared photos of discoveries behind an abandoned house that many people have never seen before, located on the route approaching Wat Khao Phra. In the video, they described driving past the roadside abandoned house and noticing a small mountain behind it with a pavilion containing a green Buddha image. Stairs were visible to the right of the statue, so they decided to climb up, counting the steps to see how many there were. At the summit, they found a large serpent statue with a sign indicating "279 steps." Looking to the left, they found another pavilion housing a beautiful Guanyin shrine, with a plaque reading "Bodhisattva Guanyin, the Compassionate Mother of Great Mercy to Humanity (Chinese tradition)" dated November 24, 1988.

After the post went viral, local residents shared the mountain's history. According to one account, an ancestor once dreamed that medicinal herbs on the mountain summit could cure an illness that medicine could not treat. Upon climbing and gathering the herbs, the person was healed. The locals named the mountain "Khao Noi" (Small Mountain) and constructed the staircase to provide access to the healing site. The mountain is located in Thab Khang Subdistrict, Khao Yoi District, Phetchaburi Province. Visitors can access it via the Wat Khao Phra entrance off Phetchakasem Road heading toward Bangkok, or through Wat Don Sai temple.

Phuket—Police received reports of a multi-vehicle collision at the Tom Yam Kung intersection (Kata Noi intersection) on Kata Road in Karon subdistrict, Phuket City on May 21, 2025. Officers from Karon Police Station coordinated with rescue personnel to respond to the scene.

At the scene, authorities found cement truck registration 81-2857 (Phuket) stopped in the middle of the road on the inbound lane to Karon, driven by Alisol Lang Yahnaday. A white sedan with registration Tho 1638 (Phuket) sustained severe damage, with driver Samphan Kaewchang suffering serious injuries.

A second injured person, massage shop employee Bangor Suriyang who worked near the collision site, sustained minor injuries. Paramedics from Chalong Hospital transported the injured for treatment.

Preliminary investigation revealed the cement truck experienced complete brake failure, causing it to lose control and strike vehicles at the intersection, resulting in a multi-vehicle chain-reaction collision. Police will conduct further investigation to determine the exact cause and pursue legal action accordingly.

On May 21, 2025, at the Criminal Court on Ratchdamri Road, investigators from the Crime Suppression Division presented 67-year-old Paisal, accused of rape and sexual assault against minors unable to resist, to the court for detention. The first victim filed a complaint on May 7, 2025, after allegedly being assaulted on May 2. The victim suffered from chronic headaches that conventional medicine couldn't cure, prompting his mother to seek help from Paisal, a television personality claiming supernatural healing abilities. When they arrived on May 2, the suspect called the victim alone into Room 2 at 7:30 p.m., instructed him to remove his clothes, and allegedly committed sexual assault, warning him not to tell anyone. Around 10 p.m., the suspect claimed another ritual was needed and assaulted the victim again, causing severe psychological trauma.

A second victim, 18 years old, visited with his mother seeking treatment for back pain. On February 9, the suspect called the victim and three companions inside, questioned them about their age rather than their ailment, then isolated the 17-year-old victim in a room. While others went to eat, the suspect allegedly ordered the victim to meditate, asked inappropriate questions about bestiality, and attempted sexual assault. The frightened victim moved away, but the suspect's actions caused severe psychological damage.

Investigators gathered evidence and obtained an arrest warrant. On May 19, they found and arrested Paisal at his residence in Pa Sang, who acknowledged his identity and had no prior arrest records. The suspect faces charges of rape under Criminal Code Articles 276 and 278, amended Article 3(18) of the Criminal Code Amendment Act No. 30 (2568), and child abduction for sexual purposes. During investigation, the suspect denied all allegations.