On July 7, Dr. Hascha Neuoytong, the provincial public health officer for Maha Sarakham, addressed criticism surrounding the liver fluke screening program that found a large number of positive cases, raising concerns from multiple parties that the testing kit had low specificity and might produce many false positives.

Dr. Hascha clarified that the screening was a Maha Sarakham provincial health office project, with the office managing the program and screening at-risk populations. The testing used an innovation unit registered with the National Health Security Office (NHSO), which provided the testing service and funded it—not a kit the provincial office procured independently.

The testing kit, called the Urine Antigen Test Kit (Urine ATK), detects antigens from urine in a manner similar to COVID-19 ATK kits but identifies fragments of the liver fluke parasite rather than parasite eggs. "In the past, Thailand used stool examinations viewed under microscopes to find parasite eggs, which worked well because Thai people carried significant parasite loads, producing many eggs in stool," Dr. Hascha explained. "However, today Thai people use deworming medication more frequently, so parasite loads have decreased, leading to fewer eggs in stool and more false negative results from traditional screening."

Dr. Hascha noted that researchers from Khon Kaen University developed the new antigen detection technique to find parasite antigens in urine—pieces of the parasite such as waste it releases into the bloodstream or naturally shed skin fragments detectable in urine.

"Out of approximately 10,000 at-risk people screened, we found about 4,000 positive cases," Dr. Hascha stated. "Antigen testing detects infections better than stool egg detection because the absence of eggs doesn't mean no infection—parasites may not be releasing eggs yet or release so few they're undetectable. Antigen testing directly detects parasite fragments."

When asked if the screening covered everyone using this method, Dr. Hascha confirmed it did, screening many people simultaneously. The screening has tested over 10,000 people, finding approximately 4,000 positive cases as previously reported.

Dr. Hascha acknowledged the high detection rate was concerning, as previous control efforts were believed to have improved the situation based on lower stool test findings. "However, with this new testing method, we must reconsider whether the prevalence truly decreased or simply appeared lower with the old method. Further studies are needed to confirm the accuracy of antigen test results," he said. The Department of Disease Control is preparing to visit Maha Sarakham to investigate further.

The Government Housing Bank has organized service teams to assist customers signing housing loan agreements under a government initiative slashing transfer and mortgage registration fees. The program cuts transfer fees to 0.01% from the standard 2% and mortgage registration fees to 0.01% from 1% for residential properties not exceeding 7 million baht. The measure is effective from April 22, 2025, through June 30, 2026. On June 29, 2026, substantial numbers of GHB customers arrived to sign housing loan agreements. Dr. Mahattana Ampornpisit, Managing Director, along with senior executives, led teams providing full customer support and convenience. Customers described the fee-reduction initiative as an excellent measure that lowers their costs and leaves them with extra money for daily living expenses. They expressed appreciation to the government for implementing the program for the public benefit.

Bangkok, 7 July 2026 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) organised “TAT x DMCs: Communities ConNext” on 2 July 2026 at Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit as a pilot workshop with destination management companies (DMCs) to position 55 community destinations for inclusion in long-haul market programmes.

Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, said, “Community tourism is central to TAT’s Value over Volume direction, linking quality revenue with meaningful travel experiences and sustainable local development. TAT is working with public-sector and private-sector partners, communities, and tourism networks to strengthen tourism products and services to enhance market readiness. Through this workshop, we are connecting community strengths with long-haul traveller demand and reinforcing the long-term competitiveness of Thailand’s community tourism.”

The workshop brought together TAT’s long-haul market teams and DMC partners serving Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa. As key partners working closely with the overseas travel trade, DMCs joined TAT to exchange market insights, assess community readiness in terms of information, standards, and local potential, and co-design routes suited to international tour operators and travel agents.

Participants identified strong potential among many Thai community destinations, with Thai tourism products and services continuing to attract international interest. To help communities reach long-haul markets more effectively, further readiness is needed in visitor information, promotional channels, service standards, sustainability practices, and trade support tools for DMCs.

Current traveller behaviour also supports this direction, with visitors placing greater importance on responsible tourism, local conservation, community lifestyles, and ‘Smart Spending’. Gen Z travellers in long-haul markets are seeking meaningful experiences through local culture, ways of life, and destination identities seen from fresh perspectives.

This collaboration between TAT and DMCs marks another step in developing community tourism routes that respond to long-haul market demand, expand income distribution to communities and local areas, and support the sustainable growth of Thailand’s tourism industry.

The post TAT x DMCs: Communities ConNext brings Thai local identity to long-haul trade appeared first on TAT Newsroom.

Thailand's Department of Mineral Resources issued a landslide and flash flood warning on July 7, 2025, naming 11 provinces at high risk due to continuous heavy rainfall. The affected provinces are Tak, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Uthai Thani, Phichit, Phetchabun, Chanthaburi, and Trat.

The Meteorological Department predicts that northern, northeastern, and eastern Thailand will continue experiencing heavy rain over the next 24 hours due to a low-pressure system over northern Vietnam and a moderate southwest monsoon affecting the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. Residents in the eastern regions of the northeastern and eastern zones should be especially alert to the dangers of intense rainfall and accumulated rainwater, which may cause sudden flash floods and landslides, particularly in hillside areas near waterways and in depressed terrain.

The weather agency warned of heavy rains in 37 provinces nationwide. The Department of Mineral Resources urges volunteer networks in high-risk areas to monitor geological hazards closely and prepare emergency response plans. Officials are instructed to conduct immediate site assessments if incidents occur and provide preliminary guidance to residents in vulnerable areas.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has clarified the situation regarding TRUE Corporation shareholding reports, confirming that the reporter was registered and passed identity verification checks against the national registry database before submitting through the proper system. The SEC is now conducting an in-depth investigation into the accuracy of the stock acquisition and disposal information.

According to SEC spokesperson Anuek Yuayuen, Deputy Secretary-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the initial findings show that the reporter completed registration and the system verified the personal information against the government's national registry database in accordance with procedures. The reporter has already submitted the report through the system.

The SEC is currently undertaking a detailed examination of the accuracy of the securities acquisition and disposal data. Under Section 246, shareholders who reach or exceed 5% of total voting rights must report stock transactions to disclose information about potential changes in control or influence that could result from converted securities ownership. This information is critical for investment decisions and must be disclosed to investors in a timely manner, consistent with international standards.

Reports must be submitted through the securities acquisition and disposal reporting system (Form 246-2). Reporters must register, and the system verifies personal information against the national registry database for preliminary verification. Reporters must file reports within three business days from the date of acquisition or disposal.

On July 7, 2025, at parliament during a special budget committee session reviewing the fiscal 2025 appropriations bill, Democrat Party member Watanya Bunnak questioned two national digital and cybersecurity agencies—the National Cyber Security Committee (NCSC) and the Digital Government Development Agency (DGA)—over budget allocation transparency, cost-effectiveness, and potential redundancy.

Bunnak's investigation found the NCSC's overall budget was reduced 20% from 541 million baht to 440 million baht, consistent with government-wide cuts. However, detailed scrutiny revealed striking contradictions between operational and personnel budgets. Cybersecurity operations conducted jointly with other agencies were slashed over 30%—from 149.7 million baht to 98.19 million baht—while personnel costs jumped from 99 million to 129 million baht, a 30% increase. Compared to fiscal 2023's 69 million baht baseline, personnel spending has nearly doubled—a 87% increase—within just two years.

Bunnak questioned why staffing and personnel budgets have grown dramatically while overall operations have contracted, and whether this undermines cybersecurity objectives. She requested clarification on key performance indicators (KPIs) for strengthening 300 national agencies, questioning whether standards truly reflect capability or merely count participating organizations.

Bunnak also flagged redundancy concerns regarding government cloud infrastructure. The DGA allocated 106.7 million baht for cloud procurement, maintenance, and VPN connectivity under a digital government integration plan. However, the Digital Economy Ministry (DE) has established a separate cloud procurement project valued at 4,980 million baht under the same digital integration framework. Bunnak demanded both agencies clarify their distinct roles in serving as central data platforms and explain how they will prevent budget overlap and contradictions going forward.