The Commerce Ministry announced that the Finance Ministry declared results of the 2025 state welfare card eligibility review on July 17, 2025, with 9.3 million applicants failing to meet criteria. Of 19.6 million registrants checked, the Department of Business Development identified 122,324 people listed as directors, shareholders, or partners in 139,804 business entities. To align with the program's intent of supporting genuinely poor people, those who failed eligibility and are not contesting the decision—including business directors and shareholders who are evidently not poor—will have their benefits removed. The budget saved will be redirected to truly disadvantaged citizens who previously received no welfare support.

Citizens who failed eligibility and claim sharehold or partnership roles due to various circumstances—such as relatives borrowing their names, serving as nominees for foreigners, or administrative errors on their ID cards—may request verification. The Department of Business Development and provincial commerce offices nationwide are assisting applicants. Those wishing to challenge their status can submit a verification request form at the Department of Business Development or any provincial commerce office, presenting their ID card. Officials will check records and issue a written determination at no cost, with the option to submit a statement explaining how their name came to appear in business records.

Praichai Jirakoolpaisal, director of the Oil Fund Policy and Planning Office, explained that the Petroleum Fund Management Committee has approved increased fuel subsidies to ease the impact, though all fuel types will still rise 0.90 baht per liter. The spike stems from renewed and prolonged conflict in the Middle East following failed negotiations, combined with expanded attacks across the Arabian Gulf region and Iran's threat to close the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions have further intensified in the Red Sea, where Houthi forces from Yemen have escalated maritime blockade measures and threatened to attack oil tankers and cargo ships using Red Sea ports. This has forced many oil tankers to divert routes, causing shipping costs to spike immediately.

The global oil market has experienced continuous price increases as a result. Singapore diesel prices surged dramatically on July 22, 2026, reaching $163.59 per barrel, while gasoline climbed to $124.92 per barrel. The oil fund faces a daily compensation burden of approximately 651.31 million baht, making it necessary to urgently adjust fund rates to absorb fuel price volatility in the global market.

For diesel fuels, regular speed diesel subsidy increased by 0.78 baht per liter, bringing total subsidy to 8.57 baht per liter and retail price to 36.69 baht per liter. B20 diesel subsidy rose by 0.56 baht per liter to 12.95 baht per liter, setting retail at 31.69 baht per liter. Premium diesel carries a collection of 1.50 baht per liter.

For gasoline and gasohol, regular gasoline collection decreased by 0.41 baht per liter to 4.19 baht per liter, with retail at 45.68 baht per liter. Gasohol 95 subsidy increased by 0.30 baht per liter to 2.89 baht per liter, retail at 36.69 baht per liter. Gasohol 91 subsidy rose by 0.30 baht per liter to 2.89 baht per liter, retail at 36.32 baht per liter. E20 gasohol subsidy increased by 0.17 baht per liter to 6.47 baht per liter, retail at 31.69 baht per liter. E85 gasohol subsidy decreased by 0.53 baht per liter to 4.37 baht per liter, retail at 27.63 baht per liter. These new fund rates take effect from July 23, 2026.

"During this period of energy security volatility, we request cooperation from all sectors of society. Please understand the current situation and join in changing energy consumption behavior—use energy conscientiously, only as needed, and as efficiently as possible."

Beyond reducing consumer costs, these adjustments also ease the country's burden and strengthen the fund's resilience so it can continue to sustainably support all citizens.

Deputy Interior Minister Palpeer Suwannachawi announced that the Interior Ministry has instructed village chiefs and headmen to re-inspect residents' homes and vehicles, taking photographs as evidence to support appeals for state welfare cards, with the goal of helping as many low-income people as possible.

At a press conference on July 23, 2025, at Government House, Palpeer explained that after seeing public complaints about the welfare card rollout results, the Interior Ministry decided that local administration officials must provide maximum assistance to citizens. This led to the establishment of one-stop mobile service centers so residents won't need to travel far or visit district offices.

However, the Interior Ministry will do more than that. Officials will coordinate with all relevant agencies to verify various criteria, such as vehicle ownership. District officials will conduct checklists to verify information. Additionally, village chiefs, headmen, and district officers will visit every residence to assess actual conditions. For vehicles, for example, they will help confirm details to the Transport Ministry or notify them if a registered vehicle has been idle and is no longer usable.

Palpeer emphasized another major concern: cases where individuals have had their names fraudulently used in company accounts, stock holdings, or other accounts without their knowledge. These cases will be investigated further to determine which companies used people's names and whether those individuals actually consented to such use, whether in money laundering schemes, nominee accounts, grey-market businesses, or other fraudulent arrangements. The Interior Ministry is taking these investigations seriously.

When asked whether officials are confident they can catch all people with eligibility problems who file appeals, Palpeer said there is no quota for how many people will participate, but there is genuine intent to properly screen people with low incomes so the government can assist them through the state welfare card program.

He said that after collecting nationwide data, it will be sent to relevant agencies for additional screening. The Finance Ministry is expected to announce a clear timeline today, requesting an extension until September 20, 2025, to give people time to prepare supporting documents such as company names, assets, bank accounts, insurance policies, and other financial records.

Administration officials must give people time to prepare documents before forwarding them to relevant agencies, and the agencies also need time to process the information.

Palpeer noted that the Interior Ministry previously coordinated with the Finance Ministry to request the names of people who fell through the cracks, but this may not be legally possible due to privacy restrictions. Therefore, administration officials will verify directly whether people listed actually reside in their registered areas. He also announced that people living outside their registered hometown can file appeals at any district office in their current area of residence.

When asked how officials can ensure that only genuinely poor residents are identified, given past problems where village chiefs included their own relatives in welfare card lists, Palpeer did not fully address the concern in the available portion of his statement.

PHUKET: Thalang Hospital has opened a new haemodialysis centre after receiving more than B8 million in funding from the Kusoldharm Phuket Foundation to expand treatment services for kidney patients in northern Phuket.

Gold prices on July 23, 2026 held steady compared to the previous day's closing, according to the Thai Gold Merchants Association. Ornamental gold (96.5% purity) sold for 66,700 baht per baht weight, while gold bars were bought at 65,700 baht and sold at 65,900 baht per baht weight. Global gold spot prices stood at $4,120 per ounce. Market observers predict gold may surge 1,000-2,000 baht per baht weight at tomorrow's opening and could break through the 80,000-baht level.

Content creator Noo Lek (Pattravadee Pintong) has posted a video recounting her first-ever ICU experience after contracting severe dengue fever. She explains her month-long absence from social media was due to her recent discharge from intensive care following dengue infection. In the post, she describes a terrifying ordeal: "I couldn't post or go live at all. Today I'm updating you—dengue fever is truly frightening. I disappeared for a month because of dengue and had to be hospitalized for over 10 days, including time in the ICU. It was extremely risky, a 50-50 chance of survival."

Noo Lek believes she contracted the disease from mosquito bites while attending a merit-making ceremony in Songkhla province, where she was taken to a coastal forest area with heavy mosquito activity. Four to five days after returning to Bangkok, she developed fever reaching 40 degrees Celsius that wouldn't break with medication, body aches, and chills. At the hospital, blood tests confirmed dengue fever. "The doctor said it was life-threatening, mentioning that people have died from this. After five days in the hospital with fever not improving, and seven to eight days later still showing no improvement, I began vomiting blood. The doctor admitted me to the ICU immediately. The doctor was very concerned because dengue can cause internal bleeding in the stomach or brain, which is fatal."

During her ICU stay, Noo Lek's condition deteriorated to the point where she prepared her will for her husband and child. She emotionally describes the moment of discharge: "When the doctor told me I had survived, I cried. I was terrified. My child is only seven years old." She emphasizes there is no specific medication for dengue beyond paracetamol and urges anyone with sustained fever to seek medical care immediately. She also notes that seven people in her neighborhood have contracted dengue, some before her diagnosis. She warns against taking counterfeit medicine, as improper treatment can cause fatal brain bleeding.

Noo Lek concludes her warning by describing her experience as the scariest and most painful of her life: "I came close to death twice before, but this time it was the most frightening and agonizing. Many people might have had dengue but felt it wasn't serious, but for me this time it was severe. In the ICU, my blood count and liver values dropped every day. Vomiting blood—I've never been closer to death in my entire life. Please share my story with family and friends so they can be careful and this doesn't happen to anyone else." Friends and fans have responded with overwhelming support and well-wishes for her recovery.