A crisis has unfolded at Wat Thepprast Sarakamphaeng Noi in Utumpornpisai district, Si Saket province, where the iconic pond fronting the ancient Khmer temple has severely dried up. The water level has dropped dramatically, exposing cracked earth and thick mud in many areas. Dense aquatic weeds now blanket the pond, while the remaining water appears stagnant and dark green, emanating a strong putrid smell. Dead fish of various sizes float scattered throughout the pond and cling to vegetation, creating a distressing sight for visitors.

The temple, which houses Sarakamphaeng Noi Prasart—an important Khmer-era structure built around the 18th Buddhist century during King Jayavarman VII's reign—was historically used as a public hospital. Today it functions as a historical learning center, cultural tourism destination, and religious site where locals and visitors from across Thailand come to make merit, pray, and feed the fish. Feeding the fish has long been a signature attraction, with large schools of fish swarming the surface whenever visitors scattered food.

Visitors arriving expecting this cherished experience left deeply disappointed. Ms. Nuchrin, 40, who brought her three-year-old daughter to make merit and feed the fish, expressed heartbreak at the transformation. "I've visited many times because I loved the peaceful atmosphere and the variety of fish," she said. "Every time we scattered food, fish would rush to the surface creating a beautiful sight. But today we were shocked to find the water almost gone, dead fish everywhere, and a terrible smell. I worry this will damage the temple's reputation and the spiritual experience of those who come to make merit here."

Venerable Sanya, a monk at the temple, revealed that the pond has never experienced such severe water depletion in living memory. The dramatic decline has devastated the aquatic life that local residents and Buddhists have released as merit-making offerings over many years. Local administrative organizations and residents have begun coordinating efforts to address the crisis.

On July 6, Lieutenant Kanoknanth Suksri from Pattaya City Police's Dong Tarn Curve substation responded to a report of an unidentified death at Chomtien Soi 10, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Banglamung District, Chonburi Province. Officers found the body of Ood, 46, a body shop technician, lying shirtless in black jeans with a broken Buddhist amulet on his right wrist and a mobile phone about five meters away. A pair of flip-flops lay two meters apart, and a red t-shirt believed to belong to the victim was found discarded nearby.

A taxi driver acquaintance stated he knew the deceased from their shared hometown in Sisaket Province and saw him lying dead in an unusual condition on the beach.

Somman, a close friend of the deceased, revealed that on July 5 the victim came to his house complaining of gambling debts—possibly from cockfighting or boxing matches—totaling 2,500 baht. The victim said he had no money to pay and told Somman, "If I can't give him the money, just let him come kill me." That was their last conversation. Somman gave him 100 baht, but now believes the friend was murdered, not a suicide or natural death. He reported that an overweight, shirtless man on a motorcycle rode away on the victim's bike.

CCTV footage showed at 4:34 a.m. an overweight man on a white Honda Click motorcycle arriving at the beach, then walking down to the sand. At 4:48 a.m., the victim began convulsing on the ground with no one assisting him, including the mysterious man. At 5:23 a.m., the victim became motionless, likely the time of death. The suspect then walked back up, spoke with a group of transgender women about 20 meters from the body, and left on the motorcycle at 6:27 a.m.

Police have not yet determined the cause of death and have sent the body for autopsy at the Police Hospital Institute of Forensic Medicine. Investigators are gathering evidence and seeking to question the last person seen with the victim.

In the first episode of the new talk show "Muan Ban Ngan" hosted by Ja Yossinee, actress Ratchawin Khao was the first guest, opening her Phuket home for a candid conversation. When Ja asked her opening question about what it feels like being a mother of two who relocated without family or friends nearby—what had she sacrificed or kept hidden—Ratchawin became visibly emotional.

The host observed that while motherhood is a noble profession requiring immense sacrifice, there must be something she missed. Ratchawin initially didn't feel the loss because she was completely focused on raising her children. But as they grew older and became more independent, she found small pockets of time for herself—moments at the gym near her son's school, a facility where she had once been a dedicated runner herself.

What troubled her most was discovering old videos of herself running in her former community. Each time she saw them, she felt a painful disconnect—memories of her running group, the energy she once shared with others, and a sense that part of her self-esteem and personal worth had somehow vanished.

When she confided in her husband about these feelings, he listened but offered no answers. It was only when she lay down at night and looked at her children's faces that clarity came. She realized that her true worth comes not from external validation or past achievements, but from the two people right in front of her. While she still dreams of one day running a marathon with her children cheering, she has made peace with her current path.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit revealed an assessment of the 1,000-baht-per-rai rice farming program, confirming that funds reached 4.5 million farming households, reducing costs while boosting yields and strengthening Thailand's rice production.

Minister Suriya explained that the Agriculture Ministry prioritizes supporting rice farmers by ensuring they have adequate working capital, reduced expenses, and efficient production management. The government implemented the program to help farmers cover management and quality improvement costs during the 2567/68 production year, providing up to 1,000 baht per rai, not exceeding 10 rai per household or 10,000 baht total per household.

The evaluation found that 4.515 million farming households—99.98 percent of the target—received support totaling 36.72 billion baht across 36.71 million rai. The program enabled farmers to purchase essential inputs including fertilizer, pesticides, soil preparation materials, and seeds, improving cultivation practices. Production costs fell by an average of 463 baht per rai (12.22 percent), while rice yields increased by an average of 79.29 kilograms per rai (16.85 percent) and production value rose by 1,898.50 baht per rai (38.46 percent).

Overall economic benefits reached approximately 57.47 billion baht—1.57 times the program's investment—though results may have been influenced by other factors such as weather, market prices, and individual farm management. Minister Suriya emphasized that the assessment demonstrates the government's subsidy effectively improved farmer liquidity and production management, and the ministry will use these findings to develop more targeted measures for reducing costs, increasing productivity, and enhancing rice quality.

Peeraphun Kotthong, secretary-general of the Agricultural Economics Office (OAE) and deputy spokesman for the Agriculture Ministry, noted that the OAE and Rice Department evaluated the program by surveying 16,717 sample farming households registered for the 2567/68 season. Results showed that 58.09 percent of farmers reported the program helped increase rice production, expressing the highest satisfaction levels and confirming the program effectively addressed farmer needs and reduced production burden costs.

Isan Creative Festival 2026Organized by the Creative Economy Agency (CEA), the 6th annual festival returns under the concept NORTHEAST MODERN, showcasing the cultural assets, technology, and design ca...

Sutthum Setthapisit, chairman of Trang Chamber of Commerce, revealed that despite the government rolling out the Thai Help Plus program to stimulate consumer spending, results after approximately one month show the initiative is underperforming expectations and generating less spending activity than the earlier Khanode Khrang program.

Under Thai Help Plus, the government covers 60 percent of expenses while citizens contribute 40 percent. The government provides 1,000 baht monthly assistance, with citizens required to add roughly 600 baht via a mobile application for total monthly spending of around 1,600 baht.

Key factors limiting the program's economic impact include continuously rising consumer goods prices. Although fuel prices have begun declining, transportation costs and most product prices remain elevated while citizen incomes have not increased proportionally with living expenses, reducing purchasing power. Additionally, some residents lack sufficient funds to add money to the application to fully utilize their allowance within the designated timeframe. This situation reflects a weakened economy and consumer purchasing power that remains in recovery.