One of the major annual events for physicists in Thailand is the Siam Physics Congress 2026, which this year was held at Dusit Thani Hua Hin from May 20–22, 2026. The conference is always a great opportunity to reconnect with physicists from across the country, including many graduate students working in astrophysics and related fields. This year’s opening plenary talk was given by Dr. Wiphu Rujopakarn, and it was the first time I had heard him speak as the director of National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT). His talk clearly outlined a strong vision for the future direction of NARIT and how it could help shape astronomy research in Thailand moving forward.

My master’s student, Puttichai Lorchutnopphakhun, and I also had the opportunity to present our work on galaxy clusters during the astronomy sessions. It was a valuable chance to share our research while learning about the exciting work being done by others in the community. And as a bonus, next year’s SPC will once again be near the beach, this time in Pattaya.