Drug trafficking suspect Ekawit, 41, also known as "Peng," owner of the LINE account "rin rin," has been arrested as a key member of a drug smuggling network. He allegedly coordinated the transportation of narcotics into Bangkok and was arrested in Phayao province before being taken to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau for interrogation overnight.

On July 11 at 11:00 AM, Ekakit was transferred to the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road for detention proceedings. As officers led him past waiting media, he expressed an apology to airline hostess Mina, her boyfriend, and her parents, claiming he did not intend to become involved in the operation. When reporters pressed him on how he could claim lack of intent while participating in drug trafficking, he did not respond further and only repeated his apologies to Mina.

Investigators interrogated Ekakit intensively throughout the night to expand the investigation to other network members. Prosecutors opposed his bail request, citing the serious nature of the charges and concerns he might flee or tamper with evidence.

Singer Chai Tatthasmit has sparked attention with his measured response to recent entertainment industry drama involving Mind Music Records. The label's owner, veterinarian Sathapathorn (known as Dr. Mind), recently signed a former factory worker nicknamed "Puay," known for a viral bedroom video, as a new artist and asked for society's understanding as she starts over. During a film promotion for "Muay Deva: Double Down" at M Studio on Ratchayothin, Chai explained he hasn't posted about the controversy because he's been occupied and only recently discovered it. He stressed he doesn't support opportunism for building fame and trusts that fans and society will ultimately decide.

Chai discussed his artist selection criteria, emphasizing that talent and values must go hand-in-hand. He also touched on updated developments in a car repair fraud case at a well-known auto shop in Pathum Thani, where a vehicle owner was allegedly cheated out of payment and the case is now in court.

Chai stated: "I think the comments are already unanimous. Many people have spoken up. I believe everyone should be more aware and alert about this because it's not normal. It's a completely different matter. There are many reasons and factors involved. Whenever something like this happens, people seize the opportunity. For example, we've been through similar, even heavier situations like Uncle Pol's case before. We should learn from these societal lessons.

I understand some people may seize opportunities or act with good intentions, but ultimately, success can't happen without audience or viewer support." He acknowledged concerns that children might imitate such behavior, noting that young people today record content constantly. "I'm not too serious about it because I don't think I own the entertainment industry. People do what they do. I'm just tired of what's happening and tired for society overall. But I'm somewhat relieved that some people still have common sense—they don't just follow the drama and then go support them anyway. That's two different things entirely." Chai emphasized that ultimately it comes down to fans and the work produced, and that anything unnatural will reveal itself through actual output.

BANGKOK — 11 July 2026, Thailand's Meteorological Department has issued its sixth weather warning, cautioning that Typhoon Bavi will strengthen the southwest monsoon and bring heavy to very heavy rainfall, flash floods and rough seas across parts of the country through 15 July 2026.

The warning said the strengthened southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand will generate strong winds and hazardous sea conditions.

Waves in the upper Andaman Sea are forecast to reach 2–4 metres, exceeding 4 metres during thunderstorms. Waves in the upper Gulf of Thailand and lower Andaman Sea are expected to reach 2–3 metres, rising above 3 metres in stormy conditions.

The department advised all vessels to navigate with caution and avoid areas affected by thunderstorms. Small boats in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand were urged to remain ashore during the warning period.

Between 11 and 14 July, heavy to very heavy rain is forecast for parts of the western South, western Central Plains and eastern Thailand, with Ranong, Phang Nga, Kanchanaburi, Chanthaburi and Trat identified as provinces at particular risk.

Residents in vulnerable areas, especially near hillsides, waterways and low-lying areas, were urged to watch for flash floods and forest runoff caused by accumulated rainfall.

The department said Typhoon Bavi, currently over the Pacific Ocean east of Taiwan, is expected to make landfall along the eastern coast of Fujian Province, China, between 11 and 12 July.

Although the storm is not expected to make landfall in Thailand, it will intensify the southwest monsoon affecting the country.

Authorities advised travellers heading to areas affected by the typhoon to monitor weather updates before departure.

The Meteorological Department said its next weather bulletin would be issued at 17.00 hrs on 11 July 2026.

The government has withdrawn its 400 billion baht borrowing plan after opposition scrutiny. On July 11, MP Sirikanya Tansakul, an opposition list member and Pheu Thai deputy leader, questioned projects funded under the decree, suggesting they were padded initiatives unrelated to energy transition, such as EV garbage trucks, solar sports courts, and rooftop solar installations. The Pheu Thai Party obtained documents circulated to local government organizations that resembled product catalogs rather than substantive policy proposals. Sirikanya subsequently posted a screenshot of an urgent order from the Local Government Promotion Department notifying all provincial governors of the plan's cancellation, confirming that the digital catalog she had exposed the previous day was officially scrapped.

A funeral held at De Nieuwe Ooster crematorium in Amsterdam has gone viral after a pole dancer performed in front of the casket during the ceremony. Despite initial surprise from attendees, the performance was arranged to commemorate and honor the deceased couple's professional legacy. The video has garnered over 5 million views.

The deceased were a husband and wife who previously owned a nightclub operating in Amsterdam's Red Light District. The husband passed away in 1993, while the wife recently died. The family decided to hold a joint funeral to remember both of them.

During the ceremony, a blonde female pole dancer performed advanced moves including spins and inversions near the casket and photographs of the deceased, set to Queen's famous song "The Show Must Go On." As a special request from the family, the husband's grave was opened and his remains were brought to the crematorium to be mourned on the same day as his wife, with plans to scatter both their ashes in the same location afterward.

The funeral took place last year but recently resurfaced and went viral after the video was shared on social media. The funeral home operator revealed that when the deceased's children initially proposed the pole dance performance idea, he was surprised. However, he understood their intention was to honor their parents' life story. "At first, I politely asked if they wanted to reflect their parents' profession in the funeral. The children hesitated, but a few days later they called back and decided to hire a pole dancer for the performance," the funeral director explained.

The funeral director emphasized that the performance was not intended to be disrespectful or attention-seeking, but rather a tribute to the family's history. The pole dancer came to give a warm farewell to the couple who managed the legendary nightclub in the Red Light District.

Although attendees were initially surprised, they understood the meaning behind the performance, as everyone was aware of the deceased's life story. The funeral proceeded smoothly and successfully according to the family's wishes.

After the video was shared, many netizens left comments expressing their appreciation and calling it a fitting tribute to the couple's legacy.

A burglar broke into a trading card game shop in Moriya, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan on July 3rd, targeting rare and valuable Pokemon cards. The break-in occurred around 3 a.m. local time. Security camera footage reveals that after the shop closed, a man smashed the front door glass to enter, then proceeded directly to the display cases featuring expensive Pokemon cards. He shattered the glass cases and quickly stuffed all the cards into a prepared bag before fleeing the shop.

What stands out about this theft is the suspect's selective targeting. Despite the shop displaying many other types of cards and merchandise, the thief focused exclusively on the Pokemon card display cases and left all other merchandise untouched, suggesting careful planning and a specific objective.

The shop owner revealed that nearly all stolen cards were rare, high-value items. Some boxes carried market prices near 500,000 yen (approximately 100,000 baht), while individual cards were valued around 300,000 yen (approximately 60,000 baht). The shop initially estimates total losses at approximately 2 million yen (approximately 440,000 baht).

Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage from both inside the shop and the surrounding area to identify and pursue criminal charges against the suspect.