On May 25, 2569, the Thai Meteorological Department issued a 24-hour weather forecast predicting thunderstorms and heavy rainfall in some areas of southern Thailand due to moderate southwest monsoon winds covering the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand. Residents are urged to be cautious of heavy rain and water accumulation. Waves in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand will be moderate, with the upper Andaman Sea experiencing waves around 2 meters high, while the lower Andaman Sea and upper Gulf will see 1-2 meter waves. Areas with thunderstorms may experience waves exceeding 2 meters, and fishermen are advised to navigate carefully and avoid stormy areas. Between May 28-29, rainfall in the southern region will increase with heavy to very heavy precipitation expected, particularly on the western coast, as the southwest monsoon strengthens. Waves in the Andaman Sea will intensify, with the upper region seeing 2-3 meter waves and thunderstorm areas experiencing waves over 3 meters.

Regional forecasts from 18:00 today to 18:00 tomorrow:

Northern Region: 40% chance of thunderstorms, mainly in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Uttaradit, Tak, Phitsanulok, and Phetchabun provinces. Low 24-27°C, high 35-38°C. Southwest winds 10-20 km/h.

Northeastern Region: 20% chance of thunderstorms, primarily in Loei, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Chaiyaphum, and Nakhon Ratchasima. Low 25-28°C, high 36-38°C. Southwest winds 10-20 km/h.

Central Region: 30% chance of thunderstorms, mostly affecting Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Lopburi, Saraburi, Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Pathom, and Samut Songkhram. Low 25-27°C, high 37-38°C. Southwest winds 10-20 km/h.

Eastern Region: 30% chance of thunderstorms in Rayong, Chanthaburi, and Trat. Low 24-27°C, high 34-38°C. Southwest winds 15-35 km/h. Sea waves 1-2 meters, exceeding 2 meters in thunderstorm areas.

Southern Region (East Coast): 40% chance of thunderstorms with heavy rain in some areas, mainly in Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat. Low 23-27°C, high 35-37°C. Southwest winds 15-35 km/h. Sea waves approximately 1 meter nearshore, 1-2 meters offshore, exceeding 2 meters in stormy areas.

Southern Region (West Coast): 60% chance of thunderstorms with heavy rain in some areas in Ranong, Phang Nga, and Phuket. Low 23-26°C, high 32-35°C. From Phang Nga northward: southwest winds 20-35 km/h, waves around 2 meters, exceeding 2 meters in thunderstorm areas. From Phuket southward: southwest winds 15-35 km/h, waves 1-2 meters, exceeding 2 meters in stormy areas.

Bangkok and Vicinity: 40% chance of thunderstorms, mainly in the afternoon to evening hours.

Many households have experienced the problem of buying cabbage only to have it wilt, bruise, or rot quickly when stored improperly. Recently, a Japanese vegetable shop expert unveiled a "10-second freshness preservation technique" that effectively extends cabbage storage life by focusing on the cabbage core.

Aoba Tetsu, a Japanese vegetable and fruit expert with over 15 years of experience working in produce shops, revealed through a Yahoo Japan column that the simplest method uses a fork to maintain vegetable freshness, available at shops for 100 yen. Simply insert the fork directly into the cabbage core before refrigerating—taking less than 10 seconds—which noticeably extends the cabbage's freshness. If you don't have a fork, you can substitute 2-3 toothpicks.

She also recommends not placing cabbage directly in the refrigerator, as cold air will dry out the outer leaves. However, wrapping it too tightly in plastic creates moisture accumulation that causes rapid spoilage.

The proper method is: after inserting the fork into the cabbage core, wrap the head with newspaper or paper towels, place it loosely in a plastic bag without sealing it tightly, then refrigerate.

For longer storage spanning weeks, the expert reveals that Japanese farmers prefer removing the cabbage core and replacing it with paper towels dampened with water, then wrapping with newspaper and a plastic bag while changing the towels every 2-3 days. While this method requires more effort, it's ideal for those wanting extended cabbage storage while maintaining freshness.

Source: ettoday Compiled by Sanook Online News Team

The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), led by Secretary-General Danucha Pichayanan, reported in its Q1 2025 Thai social conditions report that the unemployment rate has reached 0.94%, affecting approximately 390,000 people—up from 280,000 people (0.70%) in Q4 2024, marking a 9.9% increase in joblessness. Long-term unemployment rose sharply by 87,000 people, representing a 27% increase year-on-year. Under the social security system, unemployment claims increased from 1.78% to 2.00%, with 242,000 people claiming unemployment benefits, while the number of underemployed workers grew by 4.4 million, up 3% from the same period last year.

The NESDC identified three key concerns to monitor:

1. Middle East tensions could impact workers in transportation, construction, manufacturing, and tourism sectors, potentially reducing working hours and inadequate income.

2. Rising underemployment in 2023-2024, with hidden unemployment increasing by 220,000 people (17.8% year-on-year). Over 65% of these workers have primary education or below, primarily employed in agriculture, construction, and manufacturing. Their average income of 6,700 baht monthly significantly lags the overall average wage of 16,000 baht, necessitating additional income sources, particularly for agricultural workers.

3. Employment risks in the electric vehicle (EV) industry transition, as the EV sector expands while the internal combustion engine vehicle industry declines. This impact extends beyond factory workers to include the entire supply chain, requiring workers to transition or relocate to emerging industries in coming months.

Thai police announced the dismantling of a Northeast drug trafficking network on May 25, 2025, with Deputy National Police Commissioner General Samran Nualmua and Narcotics Control Board chief Acheyon Kraitong presenting the results. The operation resulted in the arrest of four suspects, seizure of over 20 million methamphetamine pills, and confiscation of six vehicles used in the crimes.

Police, working with the Special Operations Command and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, acted on intelligence regarding a sophisticated teen-based drug courier network operating across regions. The organization sourced drugs from the Northeast border in Loei Province, stored them in rental warehouses, and employed rotating courier teams to transport them to Bangkok. The network continuously changed routes, vehicles, and transportation methods to avoid arrest.

Investigators identified Narasak, 28, as a command-level member responsible for recruiting and hiring teenager couriers to transport drugs from the Northeast border to Bangkok. He was issued a warrant on charges of conspiracy and drug distribution. When arrested, officers found a semi-automatic Glock handgun with ammunition, as well as assets worth approximately 5.5 million baht.

The broader operation resulted in arrests in 11 related cases involving 33 suspects, with 12 additional arrest warrants issued. Police seized over 15.5 million methamphetamine pills, approximately 4,800 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, over 500 kilograms of ketamine, and various other assets.

Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary Luwan Saengsinit reported impressive progress on the Thai Help Thai Plus program registration, which exceeded 23.2 million enrollments by 2 p.m. on May 25, 2569. Citizens with no prior experience in government assistance programs need not worry about the 30 million benefit slots filling up during their three-day verification period, as the system automatically reserves their allocation upon successful registration. "People don't need to fear losing benefits while waiting for qualification verification, because the system has already reserved their allocation from the moment they register successfully," Saengsinit stated, adding that those passing verification will definitely receive their benefits with no possibility of losing them due to quota exhaustion.

The Finance Ministry upgraded system capacity from 100,000 to 300,000 transactions per second, with potential expansion to 700,000 per second during peak usage, ensuring stable service with only minor delays in certain periods. Of approximately 1 million merchants from previous iterations, about 400,000 have already confirmed participation, with over 500,000 still needing to confirm through the application by September 30, 2569. New merchants can register at all Krung Thai Bank branches to prepare before benefits commence on June 1.

The ministry is also upgrading the "Money Bag" application with AI technology to help small merchants manage costs, record transactions, and maintain simple accounting, creating reliable financial data that can support loan applications from state banks. Officials highlighted that AI-generated records will serve as important documentation for merchants seeking bank credit, addressing the widespread problem of merchants unable to access financing due to lack of formal financial documentation. The government expects the program to reduce living cost burdens, stimulate spending in the economy, and support purchasing power during a period of continued high energy costs.

On May 25, 2026, the Bureau of the Budget announced June 2026 state welfare benefits, with Thanachoke Rungthipanon, Deputy Director-General of the Bureau of the Budget, serving as spokesperson. Eligible cardholders registered in the 2022 state welfare program can access benefits through their smart ID cards as follows:

Starting June 1, 2026, beneficiaries receive welfare credits for consumer goods and transportation (cannot be withdrawn as cash and do not accumulate in subsequent months): - 1,000 baht per person per month for consumer goods for four months (June–September 2026) - 80 baht per person cooking gas discount for three months (April–June 2026) - 750 baht per person monthly for public transportation (including state buses, trains, BTS, MRT, and participating private buses)

On June 19, 2026: Persons with disabilities holding a disability ID card receiving 800 baht monthly disability allowance will receive an additional 200 baht. Funds are transferred to bank accounts linked to the 13-digit national ID number or accounts authorized to receive the 800 baht disability allowance.

"For questions, contact the State Welfare Card Customer Service Center at 0-2109-2345 or the Bureau of the Budget Call Center at 0-2270-6400 during business hours," the spokesperson said.