Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Eaknarit Nitivattananond delivered a special address on Thailand's economic transition and new challenges facing the justice system, identifying four major global economic challenges: First, geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions arising from clear world polarization between the United States and China, forcing many countries to choose sides in trade negotiations—such as the 12.5% import tariff the US imposed on Thailand over forced labor concerns. Second, artificial intelligence technology, which represents an industrial revolution faster and larger than the internet age. Third, environmental issues now being weaponized as pretexts for trade and investment barriers, alongside energy price crises from global conflicts that may mean cheap oil prices never return. Fourth, Thailand faces labor shortages as the country enters an aging society with negative birth rates, forcing reliance on workers from neighboring nations.

To address these crises, Eaknarit said Thailand must accelerate transformation across multiple fronts. On geopolitics, Thailand must maintain neutrality to attract investors while selecting only quality investment partners. On technology, Thai businesses must embrace the AI era—citing the "Thailand Helps Thailand Plus" project, which uses AI tools to help small traders automatically analyze sales and costs. On energy, Thailand must transition to clean energy to buffer against global price volatility, as the country currently imports 65% of its natural gas and petroleum needs.

Eaknarit stressed that these global shifts have particular importance for judges, especially in specialized appellate courts, as increased foreign investment and labor will generate complex international cases. The rise of AI has spawned technology crimes such as deepfake fraud—using AI to fake faces and voices to deceive the public. He called on judges to adopt AI as an analytical tool for examining case data and detecting contradictions in rulings, though they must remain technologically savvy. If courts understand the global context, support the transition, and decide cases with awareness of these changes, they will strengthen confidence in Thailand's economy.

"You will see many fraud cases involving AI technology. I myself was recently targeted by an AI deepfake pretending to be me, trying to lure me into an investment—I reported it recently. The face and voice were very similar, but not identical. If you know the real person, you can tell the difference," Eaknarit said.

Phichit local authorities report that officials implicated in a local government exam cheating scandal have not stepped down, and no candidates have filed requests to have their scores reviewed. Phachamorn Kammapoonthani, head of Phichit Provincial Local Administration, said today marked the first day candidates could request score reviews at the provincial office, but the scene was notably quiet with no applicants filing any petitions. So far, no newly appointed officials suspected of involvement in the exam fraud have submitted resignations, despite the anti-corruption Facebook group Strong Thailand posting names of alleged cheaters. Failed candidates have also not come forward to request verification of the suspect list, even on this first day such requests were permitted. Kammapoonthani added that official directives from the central government have not yet arrived but are expected within two to three days. Separately, orders banning the hiring or contracting of officials on the fraud list are currently under review by the provincial governor's office.

Doctors are warning that three common behaviors during hot weather can aggravate arthritis symptoms, particularly among office workers. While people often focus on heatstroke and skin problems in summer, they often overlook how knee pain and swelling can gradually worsen. Clinics have recently seen more patients presenting with swollen, painful knees and limited mobility.

The combination of hot, humid weather with certain lifestyle habits—prolonged time in air-conditioned rooms, excessive consumption of cold or sugary treats, and high-sugar beverages—can intensify discomfort for those with existing degenerative joint disease or chronic inflammation.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor Song Wanzhen, humidity in Chinese medicine is characterized as heavy, murky, and sticky. Pathogenic dampness can affect joints and muscles. When external humidity is high and the body's metabolism and water balance are disrupted, conditions known as "damp-heat" or "damp-cold" can develop, causing knee swelling, soreness, heaviness, and limited movement.

People who spend extended periods in air-conditioned offices during summer face particular risk. Large temperature differences between indoors and outdoors, combined with direct exposure to cold air conditioning on the knees, can worsen localized discomfort. Beyond air-conditioning, cold desserts popular in summer are another concern. Many shaved ice drinks contain syrup, condensed milk, jam, tapioca pearls, and pudding—all high in sugar. Excessive refined sugar consumption over time not only causes weight gain but also promotes chronic inflammation, making it important for those with knee pain or degenerative knees to limit frequency and portion sizes.

During summer, many people wear shorts or short skirts. Sitting in air-conditioned rooms for long periods in a fixed position without movement can cause muscles around the knees to remain tense for extended periods. Combined with insufficient physical activity, this can easily lead to stiffness and soreness when standing.

Doctor Song recommends that office workers exposed to air-conditioning for more than eight hours daily should avoid remaining in one position for long periods and should move their bodies appropriately at regular intervals.

Clinically, beyond osteoarthritis patients, those who are obese, elderly, have suffered previous injuries to knee ligaments or cartilage, and those who exercise regularly such as running, hiking, or playing sports should all be cautious about stress on the knees.

If knee swelling and pain persist for more than one week or begin affecting daily activities like climbing stairs or walking, professional evaluation should be sought promptly. Self-treatment with patches or attempting to tolerate pain is not recommended.

Doctor Song emphasizes that summer threats extend beyond heatstroke. If knees repeatedly swell and ache, with morning stiffness, limited mobility, or gradually worsening pain, one should not simply attribute it to hot or humid weather. Professional medical evaluation and treatment, combined with lifestyle modifications, should be pursued promptly.

The Election Commission has recommended petitioning the Constitutional Court to disqualify Kongkiat Ketsumatat, an elected MP for Nakhon Si Thammarat District 8 from the Bold Democrat Party, and to pursue criminal charges. The case arose from a by-election to fill a seat vacated after Mukdawan Lueasrinill, a former Pheu Thai MP, was barred from running for ten years. The Commission found that Kongkiat had been convicted in Surat Thani Provincial Court in 1999 for theft and received a one-year prison sentence and fine, later reduced to six months imprisonment and a fine with two years suspended sentence. This conviction rendered him ineligible to run for parliament under the Constitution and election law. When registering on April 4, 2024, Kongkiat signed a declaration certifying he was qualified and had no disqualifying factors, despite knowing his ineligibility. The Commission determined he knowingly violated election law by running while ineligible and made false statements to election officials, undermining the integrity of the District 8 election.

Thai marine conservationist Psi Scott has sparked an online debate after criticizing foreign service workers in Bangkok for speaking English to Thai customers.

Psi, also known as Sai Samut, shared his views on X through his personal account, @psisamutt, saying he chooses to respond in Thai when foreign employees address him in English.

"If they can't respond in Thai, I ask to change the person taking my order," he wrote.

Psi said he believes this is a small way he can encourage the use of Thai in Thailand.

"I'm in Thailand — I want to speak Thai. They can find jobs in Thailand but can't speak Thai. That is taking advantage of our country," he wrote.

The post quickly gained attention online, prompting mixed reactions. Some users supported Psi's view that foreign workers should be able to communicate in Thai, while others questioned whether speaking Thai should be a requirement for foreign employees, particularly in Bangkok's international service industry.

The discussion has also raised broader questions about language, employment and the integration of foreign workers into Thai society.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is aggressively promoting Thai fruit to boost sales toward a target of 860 billion baht. Deputy Minister Piyarat Tiyapirat said the ministry is focusing on elevating Thai agricultural products to compete in high-value markets by creating marketing opportunities and delivering real income gains to farmers.

The goal is to give consumers direct access to high-quality fruit from Thai farmers while building confidence in product quality, standards, and identity—turning awareness into actual purchase decisions and real farmer income. Department of Agricultural Extension Director Anchalee Suwijittanan said the department is executing an aggressive program to promote premium Thai fruit in high-value markets. The initiative connects producers and consumers through consumer-focused promotional activities emphasizing premium and modern positioning, raising the profile of Thai fruit, enhancing standards, and adding value across all dimensions. The program also addresses distribution challenges that typically arise when harvests hit the market simultaneously.

The fruit promotion campaign targets increased agricultural productivity, distinctive product identity, and market-competitive quality—especially for various durian varieties—while reassuring consumers of high-quality agricultural goods. "This effort not only delivers concrete income gains to farmers, but integrates cooperation across sectors and builds confidence in the Thai agricultural brand, resulting in high-value farm products," Anchalee said. The 2025 Durian and Fruit Season Opening campaign runs from March to July, promoting seasonal fruit directly from growers to consumers' hands through five events at the Department of Agricultural Extension and Thai Market, featuring durian, mangosteen, rambutan, longan, pineapple, aromatic coconut, guava, jackfruit, rose apple, pomelo, and custard apple.

Initial results show combined sales of 92,646.80 kilograms valued at 861,478 baht across departmental and market venues, demonstrating strong consumer response. The Department of Agricultural Extension will continue developing agricultural promotion activities, focusing on elevating the image of Thai fruit, building product narratives and identity, expanding market channels, and connecting producers with consumers to increase the value of Thai agricultural products, secure farmer income, and sustainably drive Thai farm goods into high-value markets.