On April 28, 2025, Rayong MP Passin Pituttecha and the Democrat Party's deputy spokesman addressed the case of Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachee Suthermphand collaborating with a famous influencer to create content selling durians at 100 baht per fruit, which has drawn extensive criticism from durian farmers nationwide.

The deputy spokesman stated he initially welcomed national-level leadership visiting affected areas to listen to concerns about falling fruit prices, noting he had submitted a motion to establish a special parliamentary committee to address the fruit price crisis.

"What concerns me more is how the pricing communication creates psychological damage to market mechanisms and misleads consumers about market pricing. Eastern region durians are premium-grade products with high production costs and actual market prices around 100-200 baht per kilogram. Presenting unrealistically low prices through online media misleads buyers and harms farmers long-term," the spokesman said.

He emphasized that durian farmers care for their orchards like children, working hard each year, and that when they hear the 100-baht-per-fruit campaign, they're troubled because fertilizer, pesticide, and labor costs alone barely break even.

Regarding Supachee's denial that the sales were the influencer's initiative, Passin stated she cannot deny responsibility since she directly participated in the 100-baht-per-fruit sales livestream.

Passin called on ministers and the government to communicate with genuine understanding of workers' concerns and recommended the Commerce Ministry focus on three structural solutions: (1) strict quality control through GAP and GMP standards to maintain Thai durian global market standards, (2) resource management including water management and land title documentation, and (3) cost reduction through controlling fertilizer and production factor prices.

"While promoting sales imagery is good, it must be based on the reality of premium agricultural products to encourage durian farmers to continue producing quality fruit," Passin concluded.

The Democrat Party has failed to secure a Bangkok Governor candidate, with party deputy leader Sathit Wongnongtoi confirming ongoing discussions remain inconclusive. He noted that the current Bangkok Governor has strong electoral support, while the Democrat Party holds only 21 parliamentary seats with zero representatives from Bangkok, making the race extremely challenging for any potential candidate who would need to resign from their current position.

Sathit emphasized that party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has been in talks with multiple candidates, and the party will make a clear announcement once a decision is finalized—either confirming a candidate or announcing their withdrawal from the race. He denied that reported candidates M.L. Kraksirawat Kasemseree or Apichai Techapurple had been approached.

When asked if they would turn to internal party members as a fallback, Sathit rejected the idea, stating the party seeks fresh perspectives to modernize Bangkok. He confirmed the party will definitely field candidates for the Bangkok City Council's 50 districts, with a Bangkok Governor candidate announcement to follow if one is secured, or a frank admission of failure if not.

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Phuket – Authorities have dismissed circulating rumors alleging that Israeli tourists seized control of a public beach in Phuket and attempted to drive away Thai visitors. The Provincial Public Relations Office confirmed the claims were false after coordinating with local police and relevant agencies to investigate the matter. Officials clarified that the beach in question […] Phuket Authorities Refute Rumors of Israeli Foreigners Seizing Public Beach -=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=- The Phuket Express - Real. Unbiased. Impactful. In the moment.

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Phuket— A 19-year-old man has been charged after driving a BMW without a license and fatally striking a transgender woman in Chalong. The Chalong Police told the Phuket Express that the driver did not possess a valid license and has already been fined under traffic laws. Authorities have also filed charges of reckless driving causing […] Teen Without License Charged After Fatal BMW Crash -=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=- The Phuket Express - Real. Unbiased. Impactful. In the moment.

The conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran remains unresolved despite a temporary ceasefire, with no negotiations in sight and ongoing uncertainty about when fighting might resume. Combined with volatile fuel prices, this geopolitical tension is rippling across the global economy with serious impact.

The controversy has extended to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Iran has qualified as a participant and will play matches on American soil, complicating matters further.

The World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, but problems persist. Most recently, President Donald Trump requested that FIFA expel Iran's team and allow Italy to compete instead—a request FIFA flatly rejected. Even Italy itself refused to participate, as FIFA rules are clear: teams must qualify through official qualification rounds to earn the right to play. Teams cannot simply replace others due to political disputes.

Trump's war has created chaos that extends even to football. It comes as little surprise that armed gunmen recently attempted to shoot the US president at a media event.

Thailand's football enthusiasts now worry whether economic downturn will allow Thai broadcasts of this World Cup. Commercial impact due to the US-led conflict means Thai businesses may be unwilling to invest in broadcasting rights. Additionally, since the tournament is in the Americas, matches will air during early morning hours in Thailand—very different from European tournaments that broadcast during late night or after midnight.

Live viewing events at entertainment venues during dawn hours simply aren't practical for dining and drinking businesses. The combination of economic hardship and unfavorable broadcast timing makes it unlikely Thai private companies will invest in World Cup coverage.

Yet Thai people are addicted to free, live World Cup broadcasts. The burden may fall to the government instead. However, the government itself is financially stretched thin.

Whether Thai football fans will get to watch this World Cup remains uncertain, leaving everyone in suspense.

Chatchai Bangchad, Secretary-General of the National Security Council (NSC), briefed on the progress of the southern border peace dialogue process, which is currently awaiting formal appointment of a new chief negotiator by the Prime Minister.

Regarding the negotiating committee's composition and format, the NSC Secretary-General stated that the new chief negotiator will be responsible for determining the structure and composition of the team.

He confirmed that previous peace talks had achieved substantive progress, but the process was interrupted due to government transitions. Once the Prime Minister formally appoints the chief negotiator, negotiations can immediately resume.

The NSC previously approved appointing Thanat Suwannannon, Director of the National Intelligence Agency, as the new chief negotiator. The council also approved seeking cooperation with Malaysia to resolve the southern border crisis, as Malaysia plays a crucial role in supporting the peace process.

The NSC emphasized that while Malaysia will serve as a facilitator for formal talks, equal importance will be given to domestic dialogue to create comprehensive linkages and systemic solutions to the southern border problem.

Peace negotiations to end the southern insurgency and establish sustainable peace began during the administration of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, achieving significant progress. However, efforts stalled after the 2014 coup, and subsequent attempts at revival lacked full implementation, remaining heavily focused on military-led governance and harsh law enforcement.

The current government under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has committed to reviving peace efforts and preparing to appoint a new negotiating team, hoping to establish genuine civilian-led political dialogue rather than military-dominated approaches. Critically, beyond dialogue with opposing parties, all stakeholder groups and local populations in affected areas must be given meaningful participation.