Renowned theater producer Tan Nattanon Chollampee is stepping into an important new role as director of his first full-length feature film, "The Shaman's Confession," a supernatural psychological thriller adapted from one of the most popular stories from The Ghost Radio. The director has shared details about his hands-on approach to every element of the film to convey the story as authentically as possible.

On directing his first feature, Tan said: "It's been fun. I'm not stressed or exhausted. We're used to it. Sometimes I wear two hats—both producer and director—but directing this film actually helps from a work perspective because I'm constantly solving problems, so it feels natural."

When asked why he chose to adapt The Ghost Radio's "The Shaman's Confession," Tan explained: "Since I made the drama The Sixth Sense fifteen years ago, I've been looking for any film involving ghosts, but not just a straightforward ghost movie. I searched for a long time without success. Then one day I was talking with the team, and they told me about this story from The Ghost Radio. I'd never heard it before, so they told me. Halfway through, I said yes—let's do this. I liked it.

"The core is actually a drama about a broken life, but spirits are involved. It's not a ghost movie in the conventional sense. It's about someone who has to choose to live alongside a spirit. It's the story of a person whose life was destroyed, who was victimized until they descended into the darkness of shamanic sorcery and could never return."

On casting actor Alek Theeradej Medhawarayut as the shaman Toh, Tan said: "I've worked with him since the drama Blood Ties on Channel 3, where we adjusted his look and acting style. He enjoyed that process and we clicked. For this character, I believed the actor had to commit fully—not just to the performance, but to changing his appearance too. I had a vision of what the shaman would look like at the end, how his look would transform when he becomes a full shaman. I explained this to him, and he expressed interest.

"At that point I asked him for three things: first, to lose weight; second, to cut his hair into a skinhead style because his character is a monk in the story; and third, there are nude scenes in the film related to the narrative. He agreed to everything."

On casting actor Chakrit Yamnaam as the shaman Tian, Tan said: "When I decided to make this film, Chakrit was the first person I contacted. Tian had to be Chakrit. We've worked on several dramas together, and I know his potential. He agreed to take the role. He told me his interpretation of what a shaman should look like—not the image people typically hold.

"I should say that The Ghost Radio's stories aren't just ghost tales—listeners are ready to believe these stories actually happened. So I envisioned this shaman as someone living in modern society, an ordinary person in their daily life, not performing or dressing like a stereotypical shaman. I interpreted it as someone who looks normal in society, but because Tian's character is spiritually consumed from within in the film, his appearance becomes worn. That's where his character's visual transformation comes from."

On assembling the cast, Tan noted: "For my first feature, I wanted actors I'd worked with before, people I have rapport with. First and foremost, they had to be skilled. Khun Boum Runya Siyanond is exceptional. Chakrit, Alek, and Khun Am Amrin Nitiphon all worked together on Blood Ties, and I saw their potential. When they perform drama, they perform authentically. But this character has something special—these actors play uniquely. For example, Amrin plays Toh's father like a toxic pesticide. Khun Venn..."

Khon Kaen Zoo has unveiled a new female baby giraffe, marking another success in wildlife breeding programs. The calf is now available for visitors to view closely from the zoo's skyway bridge. Tipawan Kittikun, director of Khon Kaen Zoo, announced that the zoo has achieved another breeding success after a giraffe gave birth to a female calf on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 7:00 a.m. The calf is currently three months old and represents a significant accomplishment in wildlife population management and breeding for the Zoo Organization of Thailand. The newborn giraffe is the offspring of Khaem, a breeding male imported from abroad and born on May 25, 2009, and Burn Fern (Chae), a breeding female transferred from Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo and born on September 14, 2006. This calf is Burn Fern's ninth offspring. Khon Kaen Zoo currently houses three giraffes in total: the breeding pair and their new offspring. The baby giraffe is receiving close care from veterinarians and caretakers, with ongoing monitoring of its health, nursing, growth, and mother-infant behavior. To ensure proper development, visitors are not permitted to feed the calf at this time. However, tourists can view the baby giraffe up close from the skyway bridge and observe it foraging alongside zebras and ostriches in a recreated savanna grassland habitat. "The birth of this baby giraffe is not only a breeding success but also an important opportunity to educate children, youth, and the public about biology, animal behavior, and wildlife conservation, while promoting Khon Kaen Zoo as a quality learning and conservation tourism destination," the zoo director stated.

Legendary rock musician Pong Pattamapong Sammatipibul, known for his work with The Olarn Project, Hin Lek Lai, and The Sun, is preparing to unleash a full-scale concert called PONG ROCK LEGACY at Thunder Dome in Muang Thonburi on November 7, 2025. The setlist will span his entire musical catalog, including rare tracks, introspective songs, and heavy metal numbers rarely performed in live venues, alongside fan favorites. The concert will feature surprise guest appearances by Ingfah Waraha, a top Thai beauty queen and entertainer, and Nap Retrospect, marking Ingfah's first collaboration with Pong on stage.

At 64 years old, Pong shared his health secrets for maintaining his stage energy: adequate rest, no smoking, minimal alcohol, regular exercise, and consistent music practice. He emphasized that artists should not strain their voices if their bodies are not ready, as it can cause lasting damage. Pong confirmed the concert is a comprehensive showcase—not a farewell—and stressed his intention to continue making and performing music as long as fans show support. He expressed excitement about meeting Ingfah for the first time, noting her status as a genuine trend in Thai entertainment, and mentioned that preparation with his production team is on track to deliver a full-scale experience.

On August 18, a 34-year-old woman reported an alarming incident after checking into a hotel room in Hat Yai. While sleeping alone on the night of August 16-17, an unfamiliar man—apparently intoxicated or mentally unstable—repeatedly knocked on her door and managed to pick the lock. Although the door had an additional chain lock, the man persisted in trying to reach through and remove it with his hand. The woman quickly called hotel staff for help, and it was discovered that the man was staying in the adjacent room and had attempted this intrusion two or three times previously. The hotel staff only came to observe and took no other action, prompting the woman to file a trespassing complaint with Khao Hong Police in Hat Yai District.

The woman expressed deep fear, saying that if the man had managed to enter, she dares not imagine what might have happened. Lieutenant Colonel Apichat Wanko, superintendent of Khao Hong Police Station, has ordered the investigation team to urgently collect evidence including CCTV footage to proceed with the case as quickly as possible, noting that such a situation cannot be left unaddressed due to the danger it poses.

Deputy Director Panita Shinwatcharoen of the Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Office announced that the SMESI for July 2025 improved to 50.8 from 47.8 in the previous month, marking a return above the baseline level of 50.0 for the first time in five months. Despite lingering pressures from Middle East tensions affecting shipping costs and supply chains, the index recovered significantly thanks to government short-term economic stimulus, particularly the Thailand Helping Thailand Plus programme delivered through the Paotang mobile app. The trade sector index reached 52.0 while services rebounded to 50.9, with three-month forward confidence rising to 52.9 for the August to October period, reflecting optimism about the year-end tourism season.

However, entrepreneurs remain cautious about consumer purchasing power once the Thailand Helping Thailand Plus programme expires in September, and cost pressures continue to weigh. Nearly 82% of SMEs report strain from fuel, electricity, raw material, and online platform fees, with over half facing digital costs exceeding 15% of sales revenue. About 43% of entrepreneurs have called on government to design simpler, faster, and more precisely targeted support measures to address sustained cost burdens.

Government procurement represents a significant opportunity worth 1.3 to 1.8 trillion baht annually. The office and the Comptroller General's Department have successfully promoted the Thai SME GP scheme, achieving over 600 billion baht in SME government procurement in 2024, representing 33.7% of total procurement value. Recent figures show SME procurement reached 371.245 billion baht, or 55.8% of total value, with over 180,000 participating enterprises. To expand opportunities and prevent large businesses from misusing SME privileges, the office and Comptroller General's Department are revising the Thai SME GP criteria effective October 1, 2025 in three key areas: offering a 10% price score bonus for SMEs verified through ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO) checks; adding a 5% price bonus for SMEs issuing electronic tax invoices to promote digital adoption; and adjusting cumulative contract value criteria from size-based limits to a combined ceiling of 500 million baht.

Charlie, a 13-year-old tabby cat, has reunited with his family after vanishing for ten years, arriving home on the exact day his owner turned 30. The BBC shared the touching story on August 18, 2024.

Charlie went missing in April 2016 when he was just three years old, shortly after the family relocated from Newbridge to Abercarn in Wales. As an outdoor cat who loved to roam, he disappeared one day. The family searched extensively and posted appeals on social media, but received only occasional leads and never found him.

Last month, owner Hannah Robertson received a call from a veterinary clinic in Abercarn. Local residents had spotted Charlie living in a nearby shrub and had been feeding him for several weeks. They brought him to the clinic, where staff scanned his microchip and contacted the family. Remarkably, this discovery happened on Lucy's 30th birthday.

What moved the family most was that Charlie recognized his owners immediately, despite ten years apart. He remains in good health, his coat is beautiful, and he is as affectionate as ever. Hannah explained that she will likely never know where Charlie spent those ten years, but joked that "the cat had quite an adventure." Charlie is now adjusting to life back home with the family and their other pets, already appearing happy. Lucy noted that Charlie is still the lovable cat he always was and seems to realize he has become something of a celebrity.