The Thai Customs Department is ramping up inspections of goods and travelers leaving the country, as Thailand has become a transit route for international drug trafficking due to its superior infrastructure and transportation systems.

Customs Director-General Panthong Loigulnant revealed that the department must prevent dangerous items from entering or leaving the country, in line with the Prime Minister's policy against making Thailand a global drug corridor.

Panthong said the department will enhance outbound inspections, moving away from previous lax standards—a practice common worldwide. However, Thailand's world-class regional infrastructure makes it a prime choice for traffickers originating from drug-producing countries. The Customs Bureau must therefore tighten outbound controls using X-ray machines and K-9 drug-detection dogs, despite the negative perception this may create.

"Thailand may be unlucky," Panthong said. "We're not a production source, but we're near one of the world's largest drug-producing regions. We have the region's most advanced infrastructure—utilities, transportation networks, and ports—which are being exploited for drug trafficking."

Panthong added that drugs passing through Thailand to destination countries command prices many times higher than in their source countries. However, Customs cannot inspect 100 percent of outbound cargo and must use data-driven filtering to identify high-risk passengers, containers, and parcels. In the first nine months of fiscal 2025, the department seized drugs valued at 700-800 million baht through inter-agency cooperation.

Panthong also noted that Customs faces budget limitations for maintaining and replacing X-ray equipment. The Prime Minister has tasked the Airports of Thailand Authority (AOT) with supporting the addition of outbound X-ray machines for both passengers and cargo.

Currently, outbound X-ray systems are operational but inconvenient, requiring suspected items to be transported to inbound X-ray machines due to insufficient outbound equipment. The department has also begun deploying K-9 dogs, as X-ray machines sometimes fail to detect certain substances.

"To be frank, it's impossible to prevent all drug imports and exports through Thailand, but we must minimize opportunities," Panthong said. "No country claims zero corruption—only 'less' or 'least.' Even strict countries like Australia still have incidents, but we want to make it minimal and cumbersome for international drug operations to function here."

Panthong stressed that Customs must balance inspection rigor with Thailand's reliance on tourism—a significant challenge. The department must employ sophisticated screening to separate legitimate travelers and cargo from illegal ones, using risk-management principles adopted globally. AI analysis is being piloted, already yielding significant seizures at Laem Chabang Port.

"Drugs cost far more in destination countries than source countries, whether narcotics or cannabis, incentivizing illegal trafficking," Panthong said. "We recently increased cannabis penalties to deter offenders and make people afraid to break the law."

The Industrial Estates Authority of Thailand (IEAT) has issued an urgent directive to Amata City Rayong and Amata U to immediately address wastewater discharge flowing into public canals and conduct damage assessments on surrounding communities with concrete remedial measures.

IEAT Governor Sumet Tangjaipresertsikh disclosed progress on wastewater pollution complaints in Amata City Rayong industrial estate following public and social media reports of contaminated water flowing into public canals and private property in Moo 4, Pananikkom Subdistrict, Nikhompatana District, Rayong Province, adjacent to Jong Seo Rubber (Thailand) Company. The IEAT has tasked the Amata City Rayong office with coordinating with relevant agencies including the Nikhompatana Justice Center, Rayong Provincial Industry Office, Pananikkom Subdistrict Municipality, Mabyangprom Subdistrict Administration, community leaders, and industrial park representatives to conduct detailed field investigations on June 29-30, 2569.

The investigation identified two primary sources of contamination:

1. The third central wastewater treatment system (under construction) where construction activity drainage was found flowing through pipes, causing mud and sediment to contaminate private water wells and adjacent public canals.

2. The fourth central wastewater treatment system where inspectors found discolored, foul-smelling irrigation water with excessive foam used for landscaping, which was overflowing into the central drainage system and subsequently into public canals outside the project.

These actions contradict the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for Amata City Rayong industrial estate Phase 6 expansion, which mandates that the fourth wastewater treatment system—a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) system with 20,000 cubic meters daily capacity combined with a high-quality water reclamation plant—must implement zero discharge outside the project area. All treated wastewater must be recycled through reclamation processes or, if used for irrigation, must pass through a mixed water tank controlling dissolved solids (TDS) not exceeding 1,300 mg/liter in compliance with legal standards.

To protect the environment and quickly relieve community distress, the IEAT has issued urgent orders to Amata City Rayong Company and Amata U Company executives requiring six corrective actions:

1. Immediately halt construction water discharge from the third wastewater treatment system, prohibiting any construction water from flowing into public canals or private property.

2. Immediately block the foul-smelling black water in the fourth wastewater treatment system area to prevent further discharge.

Thailand's Meteorological Department issued a weather forecast at 5 p.m. on July 6, 2569, predicting continued heavy rain in scattered areas across the northern, northeastern, and eastern regions over the next 24 hours. The forecast attributes this weather pattern to a low-pressure system over northern Vietnam combined with moderate-strength southwestern winds affecting the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand.

Residents in the eastern parts of the northeastern and eastern regions are urged to be aware of dangers from heavy and accumulated rainfall that may trigger flash floods and landslides, particularly in hillside areas near waterways and low-lying zones.

Wave conditions in the upper Andaman Sea and upper Gulf of Thailand are expected to be moderate with waves around 2 meters high. The lower Andaman Sea will see waves of 1-2 meters, with higher waves exceeding 2 meters in thunderstorm areas. Fishermen in both regions are advised to navigate carefully and avoid areas with thunderstorms.

Detailed forecasts by region include: Northern region with 60% thunderstorms and heavy rain in Maehongson, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Tak, Kamphaengphet, and Phetchabun provinces, with temperatures between 23-25°C (low) and 31-35°C (high); Northeastern region with 60% thunderstorms and heavy rain in Nongkhai, Buengkan, Udonthani, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Sisaket, and Ubon Ratchathani, with temperatures 23-26°C (low) and 30-35°C (high); Central region with 40% thunderstorms mostly around Nakhon Sawan, Lopburi, Saraburi, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi, with temperatures 24-27°C (low) and 34-36°C (high); Eastern region with 70% thunderstorms and heavy rain in Nakhon Nayok, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Sa Kaeo, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, and Trat, with temperatures 23-26°C (low) and 30-34°C (high), and sea waves around 2 meters; Southern region (east coast) with 30% thunderstorms mainly around Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Yala, and Narathiwat, with temperatures 23-25°C (low) and 32-36°C (high); and Southern region (west coast) with 20% thunderstorms around Ranong and Phang Nga, with temperatures 23-26°C (low) and 32-35°C (high).

Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul revealed that following a meeting on Thai sports development and government restructuring, officials approved plans to establish an independent Ministry of Sports and merge tourism functions with the Ministry of Culture to improve administrative efficiency in sports and tourism management. The legal process is expected to be completed by late this year or early next year.

The creation of a dedicated Sports Ministry is viewed as a foundation for promoting Thailand's sports industry as an economic sector generating income and employment opportunities. This aligns with developing sports science, systematically training athletes, and ensuring youth access to sports, ultimately enhancing Thailand's competitive standing on the international stage.

Regarding sports standards oversight, the meeting approved elevating the anti-doping control agency to public organization status, enabling it to operate independently, transparently, and reduce conflicts of interest between oversight and competition management bodies. This will strengthen Thailand's anti-doping standards to meet international norms.

On youth boxer safety, the ministry and Thailand's sports authority prioritize child protection with standard safety equipment and regulations. Officials are consulting relevant agencies to balance boxing promotion with child protection, while planning to provide equipment and budget support to boxing camps to reduce financial burden and sustainably improve youth athlete safety.

Real estate developers are ramping up their offensive in the second half of 2026, capitalizing on government stimulus measures and signals of recovering purchasing power. AP Thailand is set to launch 27 new projects valued at 32.32 billion baht spanning single homes, duplexes, townhomes, and condominiums to meet demand across all segments.

Ratchayut Nantachotisopon, executive chairman of AP Thailand Public Company Limited, said the company will roll out these projects including new CENTRO single-home developments in high-potential locations on Srinakarin–Bang Na, Phahon Yothin–Sai Yai, and Thawi Watthana areas. The company will also launch GRANDE PLENO duplexes on Phahon Yothin–Thupatemee starting in Q3, featuring 2-story units of 154–224 square meters priced from 6.99 million baht, and Ban Klang Meung townhomes on Srinakarin–Bang Na with 3-story units of 134–173 square meters from 4.79 million baht.

New condominium projects include ASPIRE Sathorn–Taksin Priva, a 22-story building with 381 units featuring the smallest units in the Sathorn–Taksin area, priced from 2.49 million baht, and GOOD DAY More Bangmod, a new condo brand with 26–38 square meter furnished units starting at 2.19 million baht near King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi.

Meanwhile, ASW achieved 11.847 billion baht in sales during the first half of 2026, equivalent to 64% of its 18.5 billion baht annual target. The company was driven by strong demand for leisure residences in Phuket under its TITLE subsidiary, particularly the Baan Kana Surin project valued at 3.2 billion baht with over 70% of bookings secured. ASW opened 5 new projects worth 8.255 billion baht in the first half and plans strategic launches in Bangkok and Phuket during the second half to capitalize on continued strong demand.

Krommaset Wiphanpong, ASW's chief executive officer, expects the second half to benefit from multiple factors including Middle East situation developments, a weaker baht attracting foreign investors, the tourism season, and government measures including maintained low policy interest rates, relaxed LTV requirements, and extended transfer fee and mortgage registration discounts through June 30, 2027.

Nottingham Forest has announced the appointment of Oliver Glasner as their new head coach. The 51-year-old Austrian manager built Crystal Palace into a strong team, winning the FA Cup and capturing the UEFA Conference League title before parting ways and joining Forest as their latest manager. He marks the fifth managerial change since September 2024.

"I am delighted to join Nottingham Forest as head coach," Glasner said. "From my first conversation with the club owner and management, it was clear to me that they have an ambitious vision for the future of this club. Combined with the potential I see in this squad of players, these are key factors for me, and I'm excited about what we can achieve together."

Forest began the season under Nuno Espírito Santo before changes to Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche, and Victor Pereira.