Most people picture dim sum as soft, steamed dumplings fragrant with hot steam, made from time-honored recipes. But today's food scene has reimagined both the form and flavor, creating something fresh and exciting.

One trending street food that has become hugely popular in Indonesia is now arriving in Thailand for the first time: DimBakar, an Indonesian-style grilled dim sum restaurant and Thailand's first and only establishment of its kind, located in Betong District, Yala Province.

Owner Assawi explained the origins of this signature dish. Known in Indonesia as "Siomay Bakar" or "Dim Sum Bakar," it originated in Bandung, a city celebrated for its distinctive food culture and street food scene. With its perfectly balanced flavor and unique cooking method, this dish has become a beloved street food staple found in markets and communities throughout Indonesia, as popular as traditional local fare, and is now gaining worldwide attention.

"Impressed by the taste and seeing the opportunity, I brought the original recipe into Thailand and spent time carefully studying and adjusting the ingredients to maintain authentic flavor while perfectly matching Thai consumer preferences," Assawi said.

DimBakar's standout feature lies in its meticulous preparation and premium ingredients. The dough and filling are shaped from fresh, high-quality fish that provides a tender, firm texture and natural sweet aroma without being overly fishy. The dumplings are then grilled over hot coals and brushed until fully cooked, glazed with Indonesian cream sauce until fragrant smoke rises, stimulating the appetite beautifully.

Once the surface dries slightly and becomes crispy outside while remaining tender inside, various toppings are added based on preference: soft shredded chicken, spicy chili, stretchy melted cheese, and crispy seaweed—each adding complexity and appeal to the taste.

Despite such refined quality and technique, prices remain wallet-friendly, starting at just 45–55 baht.

DimBakar has set up a booth in Betong District, Yala, a southern border area that draws numerous Thai and foreign visitors, and has received overwhelming positive response.

If you're looking for a new dish with a story, distinctive flavor, and international appeal, don't miss the chance to experience DimBakar, Thailand's first Indonesian-style grilled dim sum. Follow the DimBakar Facebook page to track booth locations and schedules at festivals and events throughout the southern border provinces, and make this a memorable dining experience.

By Jesada Siriyothai

In Ang Thong, journalist Kanoksak Saengtrakar recommends not missing Pa Maai's restaurant to try their signature sticky rice with grilled chicken. Located near the entrance to Chanthanirimit Temple on Phi Phraya–Tha Ruea Road in Sang Daeng subdistrict, Mueang district, Ang Thong province, the shop has been operating for over 40 years and draws both passing customers and regulars who praise its delicious food at low prices. The standout dish is sticky rice with grilled chicken, which fills the air with an enticing aroma and delivers on flavor—the chicken is tender and juicy, never dry, and pairs perfectly with hot sticky rice. Owner Sommai Pueng Kaew, 60, started by selling sticky rice with grilled chicken and papaya salad at a market in Pathum Thani province, but relocated to her current roadside spot near Chanthanirimit Temple because of the distance. She began with grilled chicken and grilled liver at 10 baht per skewer and sticky rice at 5 baht per portion, later expanding to include Thai papaya salad, crab papaya salad, minced meat salad, and northern-style soup. The menu also features grilled catfish, spicy soup, bitter melon soup, eggplant dip, fried salted catfish, boxed curry rice at 20 baht, and fried sticky rice with pork. Open daily from 5 a.m. until sold out by noon. Contact 08-5984-0967.

Laem Charoen Seafood, a legendary seafood restaurant operating for nearly 50 years with 40 branches across Thailand, continues to innovate. The chain has recently revamped its brand format to stay current with shifting consumer trends. After COVID-19 reshaped dining habits toward smaller tables and solo diners, and as street food and viral restaurants have seized social media attention, the restaurant recognized it needed to change. The primary renovation involves the store layout, with a flagship concept store opening on the third floor of Central World, elevating the brand experience with design inspiration drawn from Rayong's famous beach and the original location at Rayong River mouth.

The redesign features bowls and plates with beach and sea motifs, fishing equipment displays, and a room styled as a fish sauce fermentation room. Like the restaurant's menu—its greatest strength—the kitchen makes its own fish sauce and masters Rayong's traditional seafood dishes. The strategy keeps core strengths, removes dishes that lack identity, and creates new dishes that capture authentic Rayong seafood flavor.

Signature dishes include sun-dried squid that is tender and chewy despite the intense heat; shrimp marinated in fish sauce, split down the center and infused with pungent brine and lime juice that amplifies the sweetness; and eagle fish wrapped in spiced paste with custard-like filling and no vegetable base to prevent moisture and disintegration. New additions include fried river shrimp tossed in Rayong fish sauce, its head crushed and mixed with hot sauce in a wok until fragrant enough to coat the rice; snapper two-ways, crispy and fluffy from butterfly filleting, served with two sauces—a signature fish sauce and a three-spice chili paste; premium crab fried rice with distinct grains and large chunks of crab meat; and sour curry with salted egg and fish roe, a concentrated and balanced broth with plump, creamy roe. All dishes are now served on smaller plates, allowing customers to sample a wider variety. The renovated restaurant is now open for service.

Deputy Prime Minister Supalee Suthammaphand and Natural Resources Minister Suchat Chomklin joined a ceremonial sandalwood harvesting at Khui Buri National Park to provide timber for the funeral rites of Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation identified and selected 20 naturally fallen sandalwood trees within the park following ancient royal custom. The ceremony began at 11:09 a.m. with Air Chief Marshal Somkid Sukhbang presiding, conducting sacred water rituals and blessing the trees while traditional instruments sounded. A golden axe was blessed before the first ceremonial cut, followed by flower offerings as attendees collected ritual items for blessings. Minister Suchat stated that the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry fully supported the undertaking out of respect for the late princess's service to Thai people and the nation's natural resources. The selection process was conducted with careful attention to both ancient tradition and sustainable conservation. Khui Buri National Park covers approximately 969 square kilometers with diverse forest types including dry dipterocarp, moist dipterocarp, and mixed deciduous forests, home to many rare tree species including fragrant sandalwood (Mansonia gagei). The park was identified as one of Thailand's premier sources of high-quality sandalwood suitable for royal ceremonies. The 20 selected trees are naturally deceased specimens with an average circumference of 150 centimeters, aged over 100 years, featuring dense wood with yellow-brown coloring and distinctive fragrance as required by ancient tradition. Selecting naturally fallen trees maintains ecological balance without harming living forest.

Cecilio Canela, a Thailand national team midfielder for Muang Thong United, posted a cryptic message on social media amid financial difficulties at the club. Multiple players have previously spoken out about not receiving salaries from the team. Most recently, Canela posted on his Instagram story saying, "Not paid, paid late, paid incomplete—three-year loop." However, there has been no official confirmation that the message is directly related to the club's financial situation. Muang Thong United was recently relegated from Thai League 1 to Thai League 2, finishing the season in 14th place with only 26 points from 30 matches.

Academics have advised the incoming national police commander to continue the community policing approach championed by his predecessor, aiming to rebuild public confidence and transform the volunteer police force into genuine safety partners. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nophadol Kannika, a lecturer in the Master's curriculum at the School of Public Administration, Siam Technology College, and a member of the National Police Policy Committee, discussed the leadership transition from Police General Kittisart Pansetchr to Police General Samran Nualma, stressing that the key is not merely changing leaders but ensuring good initiatives continue and become institutionalized rather than tied to individuals.

He suggested that the lasting image of the previous era should not be limited to arrests and drug seizures, but rather show police leaders opening space for greater public engagement with the force. "We are moving from a model where only police care for public safety toward a new concept where police and citizens jointly safeguard community security," he said.

This shift is evident in the emphasis on public participation, work through community police committees, and promoting a modern volunteer police program—one that serves not merely as a police reserve force but as a genuine community safety partnership. The new volunteer model is not another police unit, an armed force, or a transfer of official authority to civilians. Rather, it creates community members who know their neighborhoods, can identify vulnerable points, recognize irregularities, know how to report incidents, understand their limits, and assist police and neighbors lawfully.

For younger generations, this concept is best understood as a "network" where everyone plays a role: police enforce law, citizens observe and alert, and communities protect their own areas. When these three parts connect, safety need not always begin after a crime occurs.

Society often judges police by their mistakes, which the public has every right to scrutinize. Yet society may overlook officers who do not go home at night while others sleep, those standing in sun and rain, or those running into danger as others flee. "Fairness must work both ways," he stressed. "Police who err must be checked, but those doing well must also be seen."

One key image from Police General Kittisart's tenure should not merely be the message "police must do better," but rather a signal to junior officers that "if you do well, the organization will recognize you." If good people work hard but go unseen while shortcuts lead to advancement, the force loses good people one by one.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nophadol said that encouraging good officers, meeting with subordinates, and opening space for public participation are not trivial matters but constitute building an organizational "culture" that values integrity and listens to citizens. Modern police must be proactive, not merely responsive. As crime evolves—with some offenders abroad, operating via phones and the internet rather than guns—the police approach must evolve too.