Finance Secretary Luarwan Saengsonit discussed the consideration of using the remaining 24 billion baht from the first tranche of the 200 billion baht borrowing decree, noting that which projects will receive funding depends on proposals submitted by relevant ministries. Each ministry is currently reviewing whether they have projects that align with this decree, and those seeking to utilize the funds can submit project proposals. The Finance Secretary revealed that requests for the second 200 billion baht tranche have already begun arriving, with a screening committee to evaluate which projects fit better with the first or second budget allocation. Regarding a cabinet resolution to assist vulnerable groups lacking welfare cards and access to technology, Saengsonit stated that the Interior Ministry will conduct outreach to identify those who have fallen through the cracks and determine what assistance can be provided. When asked about the volume of incoming requests, he noted that only one project has passed cabinet approval as of May 19, and acknowledged the need to review the overall 400 billion baht budget picture.

NAKHON RATCHASIMA — Thai forestry officials, police and local volunteers launched an operation to destroy illegal frog traps in a protected forest in northeastern Thailand amid concerns over declining amphibian populations during the rainy season.

Authorities said frequent rainfall in Nakhon Ratchasima province had prompted large numbers of bullfrogs and other amphibians to emerge from hibernation to breed, attracting villagers seeking to catch them for food and sale.

Officials warned that widespread trapping could rapidly reduce local frog populations and risk driving some species towards local extinction, particularly inside protected forest areas where hunting is prohibited.

The operation took place in Nong Teng and Chakkarat national reserved forests in Chalerm Phra Kiat district, an area covering about 10,206 rai of mixed deciduous forest near Nakhon Ratchasima airport. Authorities said some villagers had illegally entered the forest to install pit traps and other devices used to catch frogs and small animals.

More than 40 officials from forestry agencies, local administration offices, police units and volunteer groups joined the inspection and trap-removal operation on May 19. Officials said only part of the traps had been destroyed because of the large number scattered throughout the forest.

Local authorities urged residents gathering forest products in the area to avoid setting traps or hunting wildlife inside reserved forests, warning that offenders face severe penalties under Thailand's Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act and national forest laws.

Put Pongraphiporn, district chief of Chalerm Phra Kiat, said authorities were concerned that repeated illegal trapping could threaten wildlife populations in the forest reserve if left unchecked. He said officials would continue public awareness campaigns and increase patrols to prevent further illegal hunting activities in the protected area.

Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi presided over the opening ceremony of 'Thai Night Cannes 2026,' an elite gala designed to showcase Thailand's entertainment industry on the global stage. The event took place at 7:30 p.m. local time on May 14 at the Grand Salon of the Carlton Cannes Hotel in Cannes. Organized by the Ministry of Commerce alongside the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, the gala attracted over 250 prominent international film industry professionals and aimed to elevate Thailand's entertainment sector while fostering strategic international business partnerships.

During her opening remarks, the Princess highlighted the current state of the Thai film industry and emphasized Thailand's readiness to collaborate with international partners on global cinematic projects. The evening featured multimedia presentations of work from Thai entrepreneurs at the Marché du Film and the Thailand Pavilion, along with a creative performance blending music and live vocals to showcase the potential of Thai entertainment. A promotional showreel titled 'Reimagining Thailand' demonstrated the multidimensional strengths of the nation's creative industry.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Suphajee Suthumpun noted that the Department of International Trade Promotion regularly hosts Thai Night events at major global markets, including the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market, Cannes Film Festival, and the American Film Market. This year's event reflected a strategic repositioning of Thailand's entertainment sector from being a production base to a creative originator, from a service provider to a story creator, and from a domestic industry to a global creative partner.

Themed 'Thailand – Where Films Come Alive,' the event highlighted Thailand's end-to-end production capabilities, creative strengths, and openness to international co-productions, positioning the country as Asia's premier hub for cinema and entertainment media. This strategy capitalizes on the growing global demand for Thai films and content, fueled by recent international success in Thai cinema and the country's robust foreign location shooting sector. Suphajee said the Ministry of Commerce invited influential figures from across the global film industry, including buyers, producers, distributors, investors, filmmakers, and directors.

On May 20, 2025, at Government House, Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploychaleaw Laksameesuang responded to statements made by Priset Watcharasindu, a People's Party list MP, who had criticized the government's approach to the recent train-bus collision. Priset had argued that preventing trains from entering the city center was shallow thinking that lacked foresight and unfairly burdened citizens. Ploychaleaw countered that Priset's understanding was flawed and urged him to reconsider before speaking publicly. She emphasized that the government's solution aims for sustainable problem-solving, not shifting burdens to the public. The government has ordered a systematic study of railway management for both freight and passenger trains, targeting the complete elimination of grade-level railroad crossings in Bangkok. The approach involves two main strategies: separating freight and passenger rail operations with scheduled management, and improving traffic safety at crossings. For freight trains, the State Railway of Thailand has been tasked to study using stations outside Bangkok—such as Lat Krabang, Ban Pachi, and Nakhon Pathom—as cargo transfer points to reduce 10 daily train runs into the city. Necessary freight trains entering the city will operate only at night with coordinated barrier gates and traffic signals. Long-term plans include developing Bangkok's outer ring road to allow cargo trains without Bangkok destinations to bypass the city, and establishing intermodal transfer centers. For passenger trains, the target is zero grade-level crossings in Bangkok. Immediate safety measures include strict barrier enforcement and traffic coordination. Within three months, the State Railway will study upgrading crossing management with technology and AI-controlled barriers alongside traffic signals, plus identifying remote stopping points at suburban stations like Talat Chan and Lat Krabang. The Transport Ministry will ensure fares do not increase, with government subsidies for vulnerable and low-income groups through integrated ticketing. Long-term solutions include accelerating the elevated rail project for the missing link (Phayathai-Yommarat-Bangkok Central) to permanently eliminate inner Bangkok grade-level crossings. Ploychaleaw noted the government agrees with opposition proposals for strict traffic law enforcement and immediate action, using CCTV cameras at crossing points.

On May 20, police arrested Paisal at his residence in Lampoon province after an operation called "Closing the Case of the Mystical Karma Fixer." According to police deputy commander Patsakdi Bubphasuwan, the case involves two confirmed victims, with a first complaint filed on May 7 after a woman seeking treatment for chronic migraines through his alleged karma-fixing methods was sexually assaulted on May 2 in a private room. A second victim came forward on May 11, describing how Paisal manipulated her parents into leaving a restaurant, then sexually assaulted her while claiming she had heavy karmic debt requiring private karma-fixing ceremonies, and made disturbing comments about bestiality.

Investigators discovered that Paisal claimed to possess supernatural abilities to perceive past lives and identify spiritual creditors responsible for people's suffering. He would instruct patients to pray at temples, collect photos, then claim to have visions of past-life debts, directing them to pay unspecified ritual fees. Evidence shows he wrote multiple books linking historical events and religious sites to named individuals from school alumni directories he had collected, with symbolic markings identifying his targets.

During a search of his home, police found numerous yearbooks from various educational institutions, marked with symbols, kept separately like secret documents. He systematically used names and addresses from these yearbooks in his religious-themed books to create false credibility. At least one additional victim declined to publicly share details but provided evidence of similar predatory behavior. Police are preparing to formally detain Paisal, while the suspect has remained silent regarding the charges.

A six-year-old boy made a significant archaeological discovery when he accidentally unearthed a 1,300-year-old ancient sword during a school field trip in Norway on May 20. Archaeologists have identified the blade as a single-edged sword from the Merovingian period, which predates Scandinavia's famous Viking Age. The discovery occurred in the Hadeland region of southeastern Norway when first-grader Henrik Revesnes Mørtvvedt was on an educational outing with classmates and teachers in the rural Innlandet county, known for its expansive natural landscape and beautiful mountain ranges. As the boy crossed a grassy field, he spotted a rust-covered object emerging from the ground. Rather than removing it himself, which could have damaged the artifact, his teacher promptly contacted local archaeologists for examination. Experts confirmed the find to be a single-edged sword from Scandinavia's Merovingian period, dating to approximately 550-880 CE, a period preceding the Viking Age. The artifact has been sent to the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo for further study and proper conservation. Despite severe deterioration from time, researchers believe modern techniques such as X-ray imaging and metallurgical analysis may reveal crucial information about the sword's manufacturing methods and use from approximately 1,300 years ago. Archaeologists speculate the sword may have once belonged to a warrior, landowner, or person of status during the early medieval period, a time of significant change in Norwegian history. The Hadeland region has long been an important archaeological site due to its abundant landscape, ancient farms, burial mounds, and numerous Iron Age remains, consistently yielding important discoveries.