The Senate met on May 12, 2025, to review a feasibility study on the Land Bridge project, which aims to develop transportation infrastructure connecting the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea to boost the southern economic corridor. Senator Norrasetr Pratchyakorn proposed a motion requesting the government to reconsider the project's advancement. Senate Transportation Committee Chair Wuthichai Kalyanamit reported that the committee found the Land Bridge significant and has monitored its development comprehensively across policy, technical, economic, and operational feasibility dimensions to ensure maximum national benefit.

Senator Phamornchai Chaosirikul, chairing the water transport and maritime commerce subcommittee, noted the project has been pursued since 2001 under former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, aiming to bring prosperity to the southern region. The committee gathered input from government agencies, private sector, academics, logistics operators, and stakeholders. They determined that the Land Bridge is not merely a port construction or transport route but a comprehensive logistics system requiring integrated operations across multiple timeframes and economic assumptions, with consideration of infrastructure readiness and real-world operational constraints.

Project success depends not only on infrastructure investment but also on system management efficiency, transport process continuity, and competitive standards compared to international ports and logistics hubs. Senator Praphan Lohaviriyasiree, another subcommittee member, emphasized that proposing the Land Bridge requires analyzing costs, time savings, and competitiveness from shippers' and shipping lines' perspectives, along with identifying project limitations and projecting cargo volume. Multiple study scenarios are needed to ensure feasibility, with approximately 80% of cargo being transshipment cargo, making smooth transshipment operations critical to success.

South Korea has blacklisted four Thai provinces, banning agricultural and fishing labor imports throughout 2025, according to confirmation from Thailand's Department of Employment. On May 12, 2025, Thailand's Anti-Fake News Center confirmed that South Korea has added four Thai provinces to its blacklist, prohibiting the import of seasonal agricultural and fishing workers (E-8 visas) for the entire year of 2025. The Department of Employment verified this news on May 11, 2025.

The action stems from cases of Thai workers engaged in seasonal agricultural and fishing work under bilateral labor agreements who fled their employers. These workers were sent from four northeastern provinces—Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, and Maha Sarakham. In response, the South Korean government implemented blacklist measures against workers who violated employment contracts and suspended all worker imports from these four provinces for one year, from January 1 to December 31, 2025.

Those interested in working abroad can find information about applications, schedules, and application procedures on the Thai Overseas Employment Administration website at doe.go.th/overseas or on their Facebook page: Thai Overseas Employment Administration. For additional information, contact provincial employment offices or Bangkok employment offices (Areas 1-10) under the Thai Overseas Employment Administration at telephone number 02-245-6708 or hotline 1506, extension 2, Department of Employment.

At 10:00 AM on May 12, 2569, Ekalak, a renowned online merchant, submitted CCTV footage to the "Sai Maai Tong Raad" page after being hit from behind by a prominent company executive's car who fled the scene. The victim also claims to have been challenged to fight and pressured through police officers. The incident occurred on the night of January 7, 2569, at the Prasert Manukij intersection. Ekalak stated that while stopped at a red light, he was suddenly hit hard from behind by a Toyota. When he got out to negotiate, he found the driver—wearing a black shirt—was heavily intoxicated. Instead of apologizing, the driver became aggressive, grabbed him, and hurled insults. When the victim tried to record video evidence, the driver challenged him: "Do you want to fight me?" and threatened: "I have connections." This led to a confrontation on the street. When rescue volunteers asked the driver to move his car aside to wait for police, the driver instead took advantage of the chaos, sped away, and fled without leaving insurance information or waiting for police. The victim submitted medical examination documents and filed a police report at Lad Phrao Police Station. After the incident, the suspect disappeared for three days before appearing at the police station, oddly claiming he hadn't fled but had simply gone to the wrong hotel. This raised suspicion that he was buying time for his blood alcohol content to decrease. Ekalak further stated that he not only failed to receive justice initially but was also approached by a police officer at a hotel who attempted to mediate and persuade him not to pursue the case. He later discovered this officer had a close relationship with the suspect. Additionally, when threatened with reporting to the company, the suspect's lawyer confidently responded: "Go ahead, they'll drop the case themselves anyway." The suspect even filed a counter-complaint alleging assault against the victim, despite being the aggressor. Nirun Kaaengew from the "Sai Maai Tong Raad" team stated the case has clear evidence including drunk driving, hit-and-run, and assault, and they are coordinating with Lad Phrao Police Station's superintendent to push the case to resolution and investigate the officer's interference to restore justice for the victim.

BANGKOK — 12 May 2026, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, confirmed the government is reviewing its visa-free entry scheme for tourists by reducing permitted stays to no more than 30 days to prevent foreigners from misusing the system or engaging in activities affecting national security.

Speaking before a Cabinet meeting regarding the review of visa-free measures at Government House on 12 May, Sihasak said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out the existence of multiple visa types, believing the current 60-day visa-free period for tourists may be excessive. He noted that some visitors might not be genuine tourists and could exploit these measures, necessitating stricter regulations.

The proposal had originally been prepared since the first term of the Anutin-led administration, but was postponed because of the election period, Sihasak said. He added that the government now intends to move forward with the review urgently.

Under the process, the Secretariat of the Cabinet will consult relevant agencies, although Sihasak said he believed there will be no issues as the Foreign Ministry-led visa committee already closely monitoring the situation from related agencies.

Sihasak said he discussed the issue with Prime Minister on 11 May. He said Thailand currently has a large number of visa categories being pushed by various agencies, and while these initiatives are introduced with good intentions, including for foreign experts and soft-power support, but added that some measures may exceed actual necessity and should be reassessed.

Asked when the conclusion on streamlining visa criteria would be reached, Sihasak said the first priority was reviewing visa-free tourist entry following recent incidents involving Chinese citizens in Thailand. He clarified that his comments on the visa policy were not merely a reaction to these events, as the review had been initiated long before. Furthermore, the government plans to conduct a comprehensive review of all visa categories to determine if they are truly necessary or can be consolidated.

Asked whether the visa-free status for Chinese nationals would be shortened or revoked entirely, Mr. Sihasak emphasized that the government is not targeting any specific country. Instead, the focus is on activities that may pose risks to Thailand. Tourist visas should be granted for a duration appropriate for tourism, likely not exceeding 30 days, with criteria strictly aligned with their intended purpose.

He added that the focus is on if visitors are following their visa conditions. The government is not targeting any specific group, but it must tighten enforcement against those involved in illicit activities or security threats, as seen in the recent case of the Chinese suspect who was taken into custody.

Dr. Prawat Kitthammakoolnij, chairman of Kanchanaburi FC, confirmed that the club has concluded negotiations with Phan Hang Sao, former head coach of Vietnam's national football team. After the "Iron Horse" club was relegated from Thailand's top division and returns to Thai League 2 next season, they have reportedly finalized talks with the Vietnamese coach who previously led the Vietnamese national team. Regarding this matter, Dr. Kitthammakoolnij stated that he currently cannot disclose any details about negotiations or progress, though he did not deny the reports. The Kanchanaburi governor briefly remarked: "I want to keep everything as confidential as possible because we learned from last year's experience when we revealed everything about the team. This time we will wait until everything is 100 percent clear first, but we expect to have answers for the media within 2-3 days."

Alex Rendell, a conservationist and actor, has opened up about feeling truly adult since becoming a father for the first time. In an interview on the show My Daddy James, he shares candid moments about fatherhood while expressing concern about how screens, AI, pollution, and environmental problems are stealing childhood from the next generation. He emphasizes his desire to raise his child in nature and to become a good member of society.

When asked about his proudest or most embarrassing parenting moments, Rendell recalls learning proper holding techniques through trial and error, decoding different types of baby cries, and discovering that bath time is his favorite bonding opportunity. He shares an anecdote about his son happily sitting in a small tub while he poured water over his chest.

Regarding his readiness for fatherhood at 35-36 years old, Rendell explains that the timing felt right. He wasn't in the middle of building his career when his child arrived, allowing him to be more present. He calculates that when his son graduates from university, he'll be around 55-60 years old—young enough to still be active together. He also notes that parenting requires constant adaptation as children's energy levels change with age.

Since his wife became pregnant, Rendell has been preparing by arranging insurance, vaccinations, and medical care. He's also restructuring his organization and work commitments to ensure growth and stability for his growing family, having worked in advertising and acting for years while maintaining the opportunity to travel with his child.