PHETCHABURI — On 20 July 2026, police cordoned off a section of road in Phetchaburi after a suspicious object resembling a hand grenade was found beside the roadway near the Ban Lat overpass on the route heading towards Ban Mo Municipality in Mueang Phetchaburi district.

The Phetchaburi Provincial Police Emergency Call Centre received a report from a member of the public at 08:56 hrs alerting them to the suspicious object. Officers from Mueang Phetchaburi Police Station were dispatched immediately and confirmed the presence of a grenade-like item at the scene.

Police established a security perimeter, restricted public access, and redirected traffic while warning motorists to avoid the area as a precaution. An explosive ordnance disposal team from the Phetchaburi Provincial Police Investigation Division was called to examine the object using specialist equipment and standard bomb disposal procedures to assess any potential danger.

The item will be sent for forensic examination while investigators work to determine its origin. Police are also reviewing CCTV footage from nearby cameras to identify who left the object at the location. Authorities stated that legal action would be pursued if any criminal offence is determined.

Police cautioned the public against touching, moving, or inspecting any suspicious objects that resemble explosive devices, urging residents to immediately notify authorities or call the 191 emergency hotline so trained personnel can respond safely.

On July 20, 2025, at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road, a court hearing was held regarding charges against prominent actors Yuranun Pamornmontri and Pichaya Wattanamontri in a public fraud case involving the DiIcon Group. The two defendants were originally indicted on April 27 and subsequently released on temporary bail of 1 million baht with restrictions on foreign travel without judicial approval.

Pichaya's legal counsel had indicated that the case stemmed from the main DiIcon case and was scheduled for evidence review on July 20. However, the court has now consolidated this case with the primary DiIcon matter, which has already progressed to the witness examination phase. As a result, no evidence review will take place, and the case will proceed directly to witness testimony scheduled for August 4, 2025, at 9:00 AM.

The Small and Medium Enterprise Credit Guarantee Corporation (SME DBF) reported that credit guarantee commitments in the first six months of 2025 reached 44.57 billion baht, a 129% increase compared to the same period in 2024. This catalyzed over 50.16 billion baht in lending through financial institutions, benefiting more than 50,000 SME operators, sustaining approximately 342,000 jobs, and generating over 219.73 billion baht in economic benefit.

The service, food and beverage, and manufacturing and trade sectors accounted for over 54% of total guarantees. A key driver of growth was the "Quick Big Win" credit guarantee scheme with 50 billion baht in total commitments, which waived guarantee fees for the first three years and charged only 1% annually thereafter, leveraging risk-based pricing to boost lender confidence.

The organization launched the new "Credit Plus" guarantee product with 20 billion baht to capitalize SMEs at all levels, offering coverage from 10,000 baht up to 100 million baht per borrower at a starting fee of just 1.25% annually with terms up to 10 years. It employs the TCG Score credit-scoring system for risk management and is expected to generate approximately 26.9 billion baht in new lending to over 9,000 operators while preserving roughly 194,000 jobs.

Beyond credit support, the organization has restructured debt for over 3,000 claimants totaling 1.58 billion baht and cleared debts for 716 borrowers worth 180 million baht under the "SME DBF Ready to Help" initiative. It is expanding year-round assistance through "SME DBF Ready to Guarantee, Ready to Help" phase two and accelerating digital transformation through the "SME DBF Ready Plus+" initiative, which will develop an API Gateway to connect real-time credit guarantee services with modern financial ecosystems and virtual banking platforms.

At 6:30 a.m. on July 20, officers from Tha Hin Police Station in Muang District, Lopburi Province, responded to a report of an unexplained death at a two-story wooden house. Police coordinated with a doctor from Phra Narai Maharaj Hospital and volunteers from a local charity to investigate. The son of the deceased was found grief-stricken waiting for officers, and a trail of blood droplets was discovered from the front door through the bedroom to the bathroom entrance. Officers found the body of Chaiynat, a 70-year-old homeowner, surrounded by scattered blood. A mixed-breed dog named Nokia refused to leave the body or allow anyone to approach until the son, Songphon, 26, confined the animal.

Songphon explained that three people lived in the house: his parents and himself. His mother worked in Ayutthaya Province, while he worked night shifts and had left home around noon the previous day. When he returned at approximately 4:15 a.m., he was shocked to discover large quantities of blood throughout the house and initially suspected his father had been attacked. However, he found a first-aid kit and bloodstained cotton near the refrigerator. His father regularly trimmed vegetation around the house and drank alcohol, but had never quarreled with anyone, suggesting the incident was accidental.

The autopsy revealed a wound consistent with a serrated knife cut at the base of the left index finger, with evidence that the thumb had been pressed to attempt to stop the bleeding. The coroner concluded that due to advanced age, excessive blood loss, and alcohol consumption, the victim likely went into shock and died. Police found the machete in a laundry basket and evidence of tamarind tree trimming, along with blood droplets leading into the house. No signs of struggle or foul play were found. The body has been sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for further investigation into the exact cause of death.

Thailand has closed the door on negotiations with Cambodia after Cambodia chose to bring their maritime dispute to the UNCLOS mechanism, making progress on land border talks impossible. Thai officials expressed concern about Cambodia's publicizing of Chinese tank deliveries during this delicate period, and urged China to consider the impact of supplying weapons to Cambodia.

On July 20, 2025, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Siwarak Phuangkaetkaew stated that China has offered to facilitate Thai-Cambodian talks, but communication channels between the two countries remain limited. Although Thailand proposed after the leaders' meeting in Cebu during the ASEAN summit that bilateral negotiations be used to build mutual trust on all issues, Cambodia instead moved forward with compulsory arbitration proceedings on maritime borders rather than negotiating bilaterally first.

Siwarak emphasized that UNCLOS offers multiple mechanisms, such as voluntary mediation, before proceeding to binding arbitration. "Since Cambodia is not ready to discuss as agreed in Cebu, negotiations on land borders have become difficult," he said. "This closes the door on opportunities to discuss land and maritime border issues. The best outcome would be if China maintains its goodwill and neutrality, and encourages Cambodia to honor the Cebu agreement and recognize the importance of impartiality."

Siwarak also expressed concern that Cambodia's publicizing of Chinese tank deliveries at this sensitive moment—when the ceasefire remains fragile—is unhelpful. He urged China to consider this concern, noting that while gray-zone Chinese businesses represent only a small portion of total Chinese investment, recent incidents involving Chinese nationals obtaining Thai nationality through fraudulent newborn registrations damage public perception and warrant Beijing's attention.

PHUKET: An unidentified foreign woman was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Thepkrasattri Rd in Koh Kaew early this morning (July 20), with police now reviewing CCTV footage to identify the driver.