Dr. Lertluck Leelaruangsang, Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), welcomed a high-level Chinese delegation led by Ms. Dai Zha,Vice Chairperson of the Yiyang Mu...
Dr. Lertluck Leelaruangsang, Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), welcomed a high-level Chinese delegation led by Ms. Dai Zha,Vice Chairperson of the Yiyang Mu...
Thailand's taekwondo team completed a two-week training camp in Seoul to prepare 10 qualified athletes for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, with the squad reporting high morale and no injuries.
Thailand's taekwondo team, comprising both sparring and poomsae athletes, completed a reinvigorating two-week training camp in Seoul, South Korea from July 22 to August 22. The Thai delegation was warmly welcomed by Lee Ja Hyung, president of the Seoul Taekwondo Association, with no reported injuries and high morale among all participants.
The poomsae team and training partners will conduct a separate training camp in South Korea from July 28 to August 10. According to coaching staff reports, the change of venue created an intense and focused training atmosphere, with athletes receiving valuable experience to prepare for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, scheduled for September 19 to October 4, 2026.
Thailand has qualified 10 taekwondo athletes for the Asian Games: eight in sparring divisions and two in poomsae. The sparring team includes male competitors Sirawit Mahamad (58 kg), Ballang Thabtimadaeng (68 kg, 2024 Asian Games gold medalist), Krityachon Prongpachui (80 kg), and Jack Woody Mercer (over 87 kg), along with female competitors Patchrakan Phoolkerd (49 kg), Natthakamol Wasana (57 kg), Sasikarn Thongjuntra (67 kg), and Kanjanalakshan Chunchueklihn (over 67 kg). Thongjuntra will also compete in virtual taekwondo. The poomsae division features Nawin Pinthasooth in the men's individual category and Thitharee Kaewolarnvesud in the women's individual category.
The 2026 Asian Games taekwondo competition will award 11 gold medals across poomsae (2), sparring (8), and virtual taekwondo (1) categories, with competitions scheduled for October 1-3, 2026.
A viral photo from a Yala municipal budget meeting drew unexpected attention to one official's glamorous appearance, prompting her to humorously acknowledge in the comments that the image had been brightened to hide signs of fatigue from he
YALA — A routine photo from a municipal budget meeting in Yala province has unexpectedly gone viral after social media users fixated on the glamorous appearance of one female official.
The image was posted by the Pattae Subdistrict Municipality in Yaha district following a meeting on August 3 to discuss the municipality's fiscal year 2027 budget ordinance and a three-year workforce plan covering 2027–2029.
While the post was meant to document the municipality's regular duties, online attention quickly shifted to one female civil servant, whose full makeup and polished appearance stood out among the other officials in the meeting room. The official, who serves as the municipality's head of administration, later joined the conversation in the comments section after the photo attracted thousands of reactions.
"To everyone who noticed that this photo was edited—you're really good! The photo was brightened to hide the wrinkles from being extremely busy with work lately," she wrote. "I was wondering whether people would notice that the photo had been brightened. Everyone who spotted it, well done!"
Her lighthearted response drew further amusement online, with many praising her sense of humor as the image continued circulating across Thai social media.
Forestry officials inspected Baan Krating Phuket Resort in Rawai over suspected illegal encroachment on protected forest land, though the resort claims legal ownership with a 2010 land title deed.
PHUKET: Forestry officials have inspected Baan Krating Phuket Resort at Laem Krating in Rawai as part of the ongoing ‘Phuket Model’ campaign to investigate suspected encroachment on protected forest land, with the resort presenting a land title deed issued in 2010 to support its claim of legal ownership.
Thailand's Agriculture Ministry is preparing for worsening El Niño conditions by implementing water conservation measures, including rainwater prioritization and accelerated dredging, while also tackling agricultural burning to reduce air p
Deputy Minister Krit Utthama Wethin chaired the Agriculture Ministry's second disaster monitoring and resolution meeting for 2569, attended by Thitidet Lohapiayaphan, inspector-general of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, and other officials both in person and via Zoom. The Royal Irrigation Department reported that El Niño conditions are likely to worsen, with water availability expected to decline by 19% from the previous year during the early dry season. The irrigation authority will address this by prioritizing rainwater use supplemented by irrigation water, while accelerating the dredging of water sources, removing aquatic weeds, and deploying more than 5,991 pieces of machinery across high-risk areas nationwide. The ministry will also adjust water diversion plans and provide weekly updates to manage both flood and drought risks, while expediting relief payments to affected farmers.
The meeting also considered measures to prevent agricultural burning during the 2569/70 season to reduce PM2.5 dust pollution that harms public health and the economy. Officials emphasized promoting farmers to change practices and abandon field burning by supporting agricultural technology, machinery, and microbes that decompose rice straw, while encouraging value-added processing of agricultural waste and alternative crops to provide supplemental income through environmentally friendly farm management. The deputy minister directed all units to integrate their efforts and formulate concrete action plans with allocated budgets to implement measures on the ground effectively, aiming not only to prevent and mitigate natural disaster damage but also to raise farmer incomes, reduce costs, and improve the livelihoods of Thai farmers sustainably.
Thailand's Cabinet approved a 7.2 billion baht reservoir project in Chanthaburi to boost water security across the Eastern region, with construction set to begin in 2027 and serve nearly 88,000 hectares of farmland and industry.
The Cabinet has approved the Khlong Wang Ton reservoir project in Chanthaburi province with a 7.2 billion baht budget and a seven-year implementation timeline (fiscal 2027–2033), according to Deputy Government Spokesperson Pattaradashmi Thongsalveekorn. The project aims to strengthen water security in the Eastern region and support growing demand from households, agriculture, industry, and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) development zone.
With a capacity of 99.50 million cubic meters, the reservoir will supply water to approximately 87,700 rai of irrigable land and provide water resources for consumption, farming, and industrial use in Chanthaburi province. The project is one of 38 key water-source development initiatives under the EEC support plan and will enhance long-term water management capacity for the Eastern region.
Official statements emphasized that the project must strictly comply with all applicable laws and requirements from relevant agencies, particularly regarding permits for use of reserved forest and national park areas before construction begins. The Cabinet also approved the "Stable Rural Home" project, to be implemented jointly by the Royal Irrigation Department and the Community Organizations Development Institute (Public Organization), providing housing assistance and fair compensation to residents affected by the construction.
A wildlife officer was killed by a tiger at Huay Kha Kheng Wildlife Sanctuary after the animal dragged him from his shelter at night; his body was found nearly 1 kilometer away in the forest the following morning.
A tragic incident unfolded at Huay Kha Kheng Wildlife Sanctuary when a tiger attacked and dragged away Sakhrin Wichajarn, a government wildlife official who was sleeping in a shelter. When coworkers found him missing in the morning, they discovered blood beneath his bunk and followed the trail into the forest, eventually locating his body nearly 1 kilometer away in a wooded area near a stream. According to sanctuary director Chayaphorn Amradit, the victim primarily worked in public relations and interpretation for tourists. The tiger responsible has not yet been identified; authorities are reviewing CCTV footage to determine which individual tiger was involved. A second autopsy at Suwannaphracharak Hospital is pending to confirm the official cause of death. Management has committed to providing full care of the victim's family's benefits and welfare.
Rescue officer Prasut Punsukserm reported that retrieving the body from the forest required walking barefoot nearly 1 kilometer from the sanctuary shelter. The remains showed severe injuries consistent with tiger bites to the neck, face, and one leg. The victim's body is currently undergoing forensic examination.
The Higher Education Ministry has ordered an investigation into allegations that Rajamangala University of Technology Bangkok improperly benefited a Chinese business group while deceiving international students in self-created programs.
Following revelations by Professor Govin Wivattanapongphan, an internal audit board member at Rajamangala University of Technology Bangkok, Deputy Prime Minister and Higher Education Minister Yotchanan Wongsuwan has ordered the ministry's secretary-general to conduct a comprehensive and urgent fact-finding investigation into allegations that university administrators improperly benefited a Chinese business group by bypassing the university council and deceiving Chinese students into enrolling in self-created programs. The ministry emphasized its commitment to maintaining Thailand's higher education standards and the credibility of the country's international student recruitment. Officials stated that if the investigation uncovers violations of law or ministry regulations, legal action will be pursued without hesitation. The probe will examine admission and enrollment data, immigration and visa records, and curriculum details for both degree and non-degree programs. For degree curricula, investigators will verify compliance with higher education standards and ministry requirements; for non-degree programs, they will check adherence to ministry guidelines. Ministry officials stressed that the investigation aims to clarify the situation for the public, restore confidence in Thailand's higher education system, and confirm that all institutions comply with legal standards and good governance principles when recruiting foreign students.
Vietnam Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul attended the Thailand–Vietnam Investment and Business Networking 2026 meeting organized by BOI (The Board of Investment of Thailan...
Vietnam Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul attended the Thailand–Vietnam Investment and Business Networking 2026 meeting organized by BOI (The Board of Investment of Thailan...
Thailand launches "Art: Wealth" competition for young artists ahead of 2026 IMF–World Bank meetings, offering over 1 million baht in prizes for paintings and photography promoting sustainable economic development.
In preparation for Thailand's hosting of the 2026 IMF–World Bank Group Annual Meetings (October 12–18, 2026), the "Art: Wealth" project opens a platform for young people to create artworks conveying the message "Know How to Use, Know Value, Develop Forward" (Art for Resilient Future). The initiative aims to promote learning in finance, responsible resource use, and sustainable economic development through painting and photography competitions spanning four education levels, bringing youth creativity to the world stage.
Winning and selected participants will receive prizes worth over 1 million baht and digital certificates, along with the opportunity to have their work featured in an exhibition.
Online registration and artwork submissions are open from August 15 to September 4, 2026 (by 6:00 p.m.) via www.youthailand.com. For more information, call 0 2078 5835 (Monday–Saturday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.).
The government has launched a coordinated waste management initiative at the Phutap Boek-Khao Kho tourism area in Phetchabun province to address mounting garbage from heavy visitor traffic and preserve the watershed.
Environment Minister Suchat Chomklin announced that the government has tasked the Pollution Control Department (PCD) with coordinating multi-sector cooperation to urgently address waste management at the Phutap Boek-Khao Kho tourism area in Phetchabun province. The effort aims to preserve the integrity of the watershed, reduce environmental impact, and improve the quality of Thailand's tourist attractions. Suchat noted that both sites currently experience heavy tourist traffic, resulting in continuous increases in waste volume. Efficient waste management—including source separation, waste reduction, and proper disposal—will help conserve natural resources, reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and build a positive image for Thailand's tourism sector. Dr. Surin Vorakitdamrong, director-general of the PCD, stated that the department is coordinating with local government organizations, communities, and local business operators to implement systematic waste management. The initiative promotes source-level waste separation and community and business participation, positioning Phutap Boek–Khao Kho as a model low-carbon tourism destination. The director-general added that this effort will improve quality of life for local residents, reduce the waste management burden on local administrative organizations, maintain cleanliness and beauty of the tourist sites, build tourist confidence, generate long-term income for communities, and advance Thailand's sustainable development that balances growth with conservation of natural resources and the environment.