Ms. Nan Boonthida Somchai, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DE Ministry), presided over the opening of the Digital Durian Market: From Orchards to Shelves event under the Digital Durian project by depa. Present were Dr. Supakorn Sitthichai, Acting Director-General of the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), Dr. Jutarat Pattanatorn, Senior Director of Quality Assurance, Legal and Product Supervision at CP Axtra Public Company Limited,
as well as Mr. Warit Siripittayaroj, Director of Promotion and Support for Modern Agricultural Development at depa, executives from government and private sector partners, durian farmers participating in the Digital Durian project, and interested members of the public, all gathered at the Macro Ladprao activity area.
Ms. Nan delivered a keynote speech titled "Upgrading Thailand's Durian Industry with Digital Technology," emphasizing that supporting durian farmers should not focus solely on sales but must start from the source. The government, through the DE Ministry and depa, must plan how to advance Thai agriculture toward becoming Modern Farms.
Looking at Thailand’s durian production figures from relevant agencies, the annual yield varies due to multiple factors. Farmers face various challenges, while domestic and international buyers may have differing demands.
Therefore, Thailand should prioritize technology systems for tracking and verifying agricultural products throughout the supply chain—from production, harvesting, processing, to transportation—to enable traceability back to the source and production process. This also assures buyers and consumers of receiving 'quality from the farmers.'
"Previously, depa has launched numerous projects aiming to develop Thai agriculture comprehensively, including enhancing farmers' digital knowledge and skills, improving cultivation efficiency, and upgrading product quality. Especially, the Digital Durian project encourages Thai durian farmers to apply digital platforms for recording data and tracing cultivation, supporting GAP certification and smart water management using IoT technology. All these efforts help Thai durians maintain quality and standards, overcome challenges, and remain market leaders. This reflects the DE Ministry’s role as a backend system, integrating work across agencies to maximize benefits for Thai people," she said.
Following the speech, Ms. Nan honored winners of the "30 Days Digital Durian Record" activity, toured the digital agriculture technology exhibition at the Digital Durian Marketplace, and participated in the popular "Grab and Scoop" event, which attracted many attendees.
Dr. Supakorn stated that the Digital Durian project has been ongoing since 2024, aiming to promote durian farmers’ adoption of certified digital agricultural technologies marked by dSURE and registered on the digital service platform.
Initially, the project promoted the use of digital platforms to record data and trace cultivation plans, harvesting, and transportation, supporting GAP certification. It later expanded to include smart water management systems using IoT technology, allowing remote control of irrigation via a mobile app and recording water usage.
The Digital Durian project not only aims to enable farmers’ access to and use of digital technologies for managing cultivation but also to establish a connected system from upstream to downstream. This covers production and product care using digital technologies and data, and creates market opportunities through integration with CP Axtra.
It opens sales channels for direct consumer access, supporting quality orchard products from farmers and raising awareness of Thai durians' potential produced with digital agriculture. So far, the project has helped over 10,000 durian farmers nationwide apply agricultural technology and enhanced digital skills for more than 19,000 farmers. depa expects the project to generate at least 300 million baht in economic value, improving long-term production efficiency and enabling Thai farmers to compete globally.
Additionally, the Digital Durian Market event featured many activities, including a market selling fresh durians directly from farmers, displays of digital agricultural technology, knowledge exchange forums on digital agriculture, and the highlight "Grab and Scoop" event. Participants received containers to scoop durian within a set time and could take home all durian collected. The event attracted many durian enthusiasts with a participation fee of 499 baht per session.
Jumbo Chili Sauce KFC Thailand invites all families to enhance their special meals with Jumbo Chili Sauce, offering one free pouch with the purchase of a bucket set priced at 349 baht or more from 8 to 12 August 2026 or while supplies last at all KFC branches nationwide (except Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports).
The return of Jumbo Chili Sauce builds on last year's success, which created a nationwide sensation and became an icon of Mother's Day in Thailand. Inspired by the simple insight of Thai mothers who keep sauce packets for their families, it redefined the celebration experience of Mother's Day in a unique way.
Major Award Recipient: Mr. Kittichet Sathitnopchai, Deputy Managing Director of Corporate Marketing Strategy and Digital at AP Thailand Public Company Limited, received the Empowered Living Brand Award at the Brand Inside Awards 2026. This award reflects consumer decision-making behaviors and confirms AP’s strong brand presence in the hearts of Thai consumers.
The success behind this award stems from AP’s clear stance on understanding life by observing real daily details. AP values insight gathering to carefully design spaces and functions in its projects, including detached houses, twin houses, townhomes, and condominiums. With over 200 projects across Bangkok, its outskirts, and all regions of Thailand, AP aims to meet diverse needs and deeply support every life stage across generations.