Nirat Pongsitthawat, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry acting for the director of the Department of Local Administration, visited Thammasat University's Rangsit Center exam facility alongside Deputy Director Boonprasong Nualsai and project director Udomveth Tovasatja to inspect preparations and encourage staff. Nirat stated that exam centers nationwide had been prepared securely and fairly, with exam papers and answer sheets transported safely on July 25 with proper custody and oversight at every stage. Exam rooms, chairs, equipment, and safety standards were ready, with invigilators briefed on strict protocols—only authorized personnel allowed in exam halls. CCTV monitoring would oversee time management and prevent cheating. Regarding transparency concerns, Nirat said that if no external interference occurs, the Department of Local Administration and Thammasat University would conduct a straightforward, fair examination offering equal opportunity to all candidates. He warned test-takers not to become victims of scams or lose money to unscrupulous individuals, urging them to trust their own abilities. He also cautioned that those caught committing fraud during the exam, if already civil servants or local officials, would be immediately dismissed from service, and warned previous fraudsters to promptly return any money taken, as crimes may not yet be evident. Nirat acknowledged the exam would not be 100 percent fraud-free but emphasized prevention efforts and legal warnings, noting that police, the National Anti-Corruption Commission, and other agencies were also monitoring. Udomveth added that Thammasat University would employ a transparent exam verification system, with test papers from provincial exam centers transported to the university for checking.

On July 26, 2025, at 1 p.m., Wat Tha Rai in Sri Prachuap District, Suphan Buri, held its annual ceremony to honor Luang Pho Dam, a 300-year-old Buddha image, with a ritual bathing in the Ta Chin River. The event was presided over by Udom Prongfa, provincial administrator, and featured traditional activities including candle casting, religious chanting, and Buddhist sermons as part of the Buddhist Lent festival season. Large crowds of officials, merchants, and residents participated in the ceremony, which is unique to Suphan Buri and has been held annually for generations.

The ritual is believed to wash away misfortune and bring good fortune, prosperity, and auspiciousness to participants' lives. Following the ceremony, attendees sought lottery luck using the number 37,216 derived from the ritual, with hopes of winning the lottery draw scheduled for August 1, 2025. The event runs from July 25–29 and also serves to promote tourism in Suphan Buri province.

BANGKOK — Thailand is strictly adhering to the joint agreement reached on 27 December 2025, while warning that Cambodia's use of global celebrities to amplify one-sided information could distort the international community's understanding of the situation, a senior Thai military official said on 26 July 2026.

Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sonjaidee, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force and director of the Joint Information Centre (JIC) on the Thailand-Cambodia situation, said Thailand respected humanitarian principles and understood the international community's concerns over people affected by the conflict.

However, he said humanitarian principles could not be fully upheld if they were based on one-sided information or unverified allegations.

Prapas reiterated that Thailand had strictly complied with the joint agreement of 27 December 2025, including the cessation of hostilities, avoiding provocations, reducing tensions and refraining from disseminating information that could worsen the situation.

At the same time, he said Thailand continued to see attempts to spread one-sided information, cite unverified figures and link humanitarian issues with political allegations and claims involving international law.

The JIC chief warned Cambodia that using global celebrities to amplify one-sided information risked turning them into unwitting tools in information operations.

"Using globally recognised figures to amplify awareness based on information from only one side risks giving the international community an incomplete picture of the situation and could unintentionally make them tools in information operations," Prapas said.

He stressed that Thailand had never rejected humanitarian assistance or opposed efforts to care for those affected by the conflict.

"Thailand has never rejected humanitarian assistance and has never opposed caring for those affected. But we ask all sides to uphold verified facts and present information comprehensively. If we want peace, we must stop provocations, stop spreading unverified news and respect the commitments agreed upon by both sides," he said.

Prapas added that peace could not be achieved while the situation was being fuelled by media reports and accusations.

"Peace cannot happen if one side follows the agreement while the other continues to create news narratives, make accusations through the media and undermine an atmosphere of trust," he said.

Thailand, he said, remained ready to engage in dialogue, cooperate and provide humanitarian assistance. However, it would not accept the use of humanitarian issues as a tool for political pressure or the distortion of facts before the international community.

"Truth, responsibility and respect for the joint agreement are the only paths towards lasting peace," the JIC chief said.

After a four-year absence from releasing his own music, Golf Pichaya Nithipaisalkul has returned to the microphone with a new single, "Mary Jane (Marry Me)," a passionate love song that he composed, wrote, and produced entirely himself. The track expresses the feelings of someone who wants to tell their lover directly, "Will you marry me? I want to wake up and see you every morning."

Golf explained his return to music-making: "Honestly, I've been holding this in for a long time. It's been four years since I've seriously grabbed the microphone, and I really missed singing. This time I came back fully committed and involved in nearly every step—writing lyrics, composing, and even creating the music video concept and directing it myself. Since I'm a huge Spider-Man nerd, when I decided to write a passionate love song, I thought of the line 'Spider-Man has Mary Jane... just like I have the leading lady in my life,' and I played with the name Mary Jane and the phrase Marry Me together. The wordplay worked well, creating a marriage proposal song with my own Nerd+Romantic style."

He added with a laugh that the song was inspired by his own feelings, and joked that anyone wanting to use it for a wedding after-party is welcome. Golf also hinted at exciting news about his future, inviting fans to listen to the song first and stay tuned.

For this comeback, Golf chose to present a Funk Pop sound that is catchy, rhythmically infectious, and full of energy that invites live performance experience, particularly in the Pre-Hook and Hook sections which are key parts of the track. It's another love song that is fun, playful, and brimming with Golf's signature passionate style.

The music video features a "Falling in Love... on the Last Day of the World" concept, telling an action-romantic-comedy story of a young man who falls for a woman at first sight and decides to brave dangers in a dystopian world filled with aliens to propose to her. It ends with a touching message: "When the world is falling apart, having each other is enough."

The music video's specialty lies in blending live-action filming with creatively AI-generated imagery and animation, based on a story written by Golf Pichaya, delivered in an action-romantic animated style with a dystopian atmosphere. Some aspects of the story were also inspired by Golf's real life and his girlfriend, who both owned Corgi dogs before they met.

The video concludes with an end credit tribute to "Fila," Golf's beloved Corgi who recently passed away, adding another touching moment for animal lovers.

Listen to the single "Mary Jane (Marry Me)" on all streaming platforms and watch the music video on YouTube at GolfPichayaMusic.

Wat Phra Mahathat becomes Thailand’s ninth World Heritage SiteLegacyUNESCO has unanimously inscribed Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat as a World Heritage Site, making it Thailand’s ninth World Heritage Site and the first cultural World Heritage Site in southern Thailand. The decision was made during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee, held from July 19 to 29 at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Centre (BEXCO) in Busan, South Korea. Thailand’s delegation, led by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin and Culture Minister Sabeeda Thaised, presented the nomination to the committee. Photo via Ministry of Culture The proposal highlighted the temple’s Outstanding Universal Value as an architectural masterpiece reflecting the history of cultural and artistic exchange across Southeast Asia. It also recognised the site as a Living Heritage, citing traditions such as the long-standing Hae Pha Khuen That cloth procession that continues today. Suchart described the inscription as a major achievement for Thailand after more than a decade of work to secure UNESCO recognition. He said the government would develop a sustainable management plan for the site, balancing conservation with cultural tourism to benefit local communities. Suchart said he was proud the temple had been recognised for its Outstanding Universal Value, noting that it had served as a regional centre of Buddhism during the eighth century. Photo via Amazing Thailand To mark the inscription, the Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Cultural Council, Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan and Mahamakut Buddhist University, Srithammasokkarat Campus, have organised three commemorative events at the temple. The celebrations include an ordination ceremony for nine men who played key roles in promoting the World Heritage nomination, led by former Nakhon Si Thammarat governor Phanu Uthairat, who established the project’s steering committee in 2009. Organisers will screen the World Heritage Committee proceedings and the announcement of the decision, accompanied by a Thai translation. They will also compile a detailed record of the meeting to preserve as a historical archive of the inscription. A merit ceremony and the ringing of victory gongs will also take place at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan and surrounding temples to mark the historic designation. Photo via Ministry of Culture In similar news, Chiang Mai’s decade-long dream of becoming a UNESCO World Heritage city is entering its most crucial stage yet as Thailand has formally submitted the northern city’s nomination to UNESCO. The story Wat Phra Mahathat becomes Thailand’s ninth World Heritage Site as seen on Thaiger News.