A foreign tourist sparked a violent rampage at a cannabis shop in Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, destroying property and assaulting shop staff, passersby, and a disabled woman selling flowers from a wheelchair. Good Samaritans intervened to restrain the suspect before police arrived at Hua Hin Police Station on the evening of July 26.

A 20-year-old witness named Sujitra, who filmed the incident, reported she was doing nails at a nearby shop when she heard shouting from the cannabis shop across the street. She saw the foreign man violently attacking another man, then shouting and assaulting a motorcyclist who came to help. He then dragged the disabled flower vendor from her wheelchair and punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground. The suspect continued the rampage at a nearby restaurant before being restrained by five citizens, who struggled to hold him due to his large size.

A cannabis shop employee, one of the victims, said that after hearing commotion, she came downstairs and was immediately struck in the left side of her face without warning when she opened the door. A cyclist who came to help was also attacked. The suspect had visited the shop two days earlier with no signs of trouble. The incident is believed to have been triggered by a verbal dispute with another customer, possibly involving religious matters, which escalated when his temper flared. The suspect is identified as a Qatari national. Approximately five people were injured, and the employee confirmed receiving medical examination at a hospital and intends to press charges to the fullest extent.

On July 27, Jenchanakorn Rueangsuwan, owner of a construction company, submitted a letter to the Public Works Office requesting suspension of building permits under the Building Control Act for an international school project valued at 57 million baht in Bangkok's Prawet District. Rueangsuwan claims he is the original constructor and holds all architectural and engineering rights and documentation for the project, which began in October 2018 under contract with Kids Campus International Limited.

According to Rueangsuwan, the client breached the contract by failing to pay installments and bringing in new contractors without proper transfer of plans and oversight, violating building control regulations. He states he never signed off on the transfer and that the project now lacks proper engineering supervision, creating structural safety risks. He has requested that authorities halt construction, freeze all building permits and licenses, and conduct an investigation until the legal dispute is resolved.

Rueangsuwan previously filed complaints with local police and a justice ministry mediation center, but the other party failed to appear. He has now escalated the case to the Anti-Corruption Division to pursue full legal remedies.

Bangkok's deputy governor has upgraded inspection checklists to enforce stricter safety standards at service establishments and similar businesses across the capital, with particular emphasis on fire prevention. The enhanced checklist covers three key areas. Deputy Governor Pornprom Vikitsreth announced on July 27 that Bangkok had held a meeting on July 26 with business operators to discuss raising safety standards for both licensed service establishments and similar unlicensed businesses operating in the capital.

According to Vikitsreth, Bangkok has 147 licensed service establishments and 919 similar businesses—totaling 1,066 venues. Businesses classified as "similar" differ from licensed establishments in that they operate outside zoning restrictions but hold permits for food sales and entertainment, activities deemed health hazards. In response, Bangkok has elevated its inspection checklist from the original public health focus under the 1992 Public Health Act to add stringent building safety and fire prevention standards covering three inspection areas:

1. Building safety (ventilation systems, electrical systems, decorative materials, thermal and sound insulation) 2. Fire prevention (emergency exit signage, fire suppression systems, fire alarm systems, fire extinguisher equipment, evacuation routes, emergency lighting, and related systems) 3. Sanitation standards (building design, noise control, ventilation, lighting, toilets, urinals, and hand-washing facilities)

Bangkok will also launch a Self-Check online system through the Digital Office allowing business operators to conduct self-assessments across five critical categories: fire safety systems; electrical, audio, and signal wiring; wall and ceiling decorative materials and insulation; floor plans showing maximum occupancy; and liability insurance coverage. Operators must attach photographs and certified engineer documentation before submitting data to Bangkok's system.

The system will be distributed to operators by July 28, with a deadline of September 30 for completing self-assessments and submitting data as part of Bangkok's broader effort to raise safety standards.

Suriyachai Raviwan, director of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, stated that his agency has established a three-phase safety management framework for all government units and business operators. The framework includes prevention readiness (appointing safety inspectors, conducting fire training and evacuation drills, running continuous safety campaigns), response readiness (clear decision trees and command roles during emergencies, trained containment and evacuation teams, operational alert systems), and recovery readiness (coordinating external agencies and assessing damage).

A waterspout formed in the sea off Racha Yai Island near Phuket, creating a spectacular sight for tourists and observers as it stretched visibly from cloud base to sea surface. On July 27, Phuket Times published images of the phenomenon occurring in Rawai subdistrict, Phuket City, where the rotating column of air descended clearly from the cloud base to the ocean before gradually dissipating. Several tour boats and passenger vessels were present in nearby waters at the time, though no damage or injuries were initially reported. Waterspouts are rotating wind phenomena that develop over open water, most commonly during thunderstorms and variable weather conditions. Although typically short-lived, they can threaten maritime safety if they occur along shipping routes. With the Andaman Sea continuing to experience monsoon influence bringing heavy rain and strong winds, boat operators, fishermen, and sea travelers should closely monitor official weather alerts and avoid approaching such phenomena to ensure their safety.

The Cabinet has approved Thailand's first Big Data strategic plan for 2025-2027, marking a major step toward a data-driven economy and society. Deputy Government Spokesperson Lallida Perisawivat announced that the plan, submitted by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, will serve as the country's foundational framework for Big Data development and aims to strengthen economic and social foundations, improve policy decisions, enhance national competitiveness, and systematically promote artificial intelligence.

Developed by the Big Data Institute (Public Organization), the plan addresses critical Thai challenges including data scattered across multiple agencies, shortage of data and AI professionals, incomplete data connectivity, cybersecurity and personal data protection vulnerabilities, and legal and infrastructure gaps.

The strategy envisions "harnessing the power of data to drive economic growth and simultaneously improve quality of life." Major objectives include expanding Big Data use for policy decisions, fueling data-driven economic growth, and advancing data and AI-integrated services and innovations.

The plan sets ambitious targets: by 2027, economic value from Big Data should grow at least 35% annually, and Thailand should rank among the world's top 25 in digital competitiveness for Big Data capabilities.

The strategy comprises four key pillars: developing national data infrastructure such as Government Cloud and National Big Data Platform; promoting Big Data use to address challenges in health, tourism, environment, agriculture, and commerce; developing and applying AI to upgrade public, business, and industrial services while supporting Thai-language AI models and development datasets; and building human resources by training at least 160,000 personnel in Big Data and AI by 2027.

Spokesperson Lallida emphasized that the government views data and AI as essential tools for improving national management, public services, and private-sector competitiveness. The Big Data strategy will anchor Thailand's data-driven economy, enable public-private data sharing, and translate digital innovation into concrete benefits for citizens and the nation.

On July 24, Dr. Kongsakdi Yodmanee, Director-General of the Thailand Sports Authority (TSA), officially opened the SAT Sports Tourism Festival 2026 at Central Plaza in Chanthaburi. The event was attended by Thawatchai Namsomut, Chanthaburi Deputy Governor, and other senior TSA officials alongside representatives from government agencies, private sector partners, local authorities, sports associations, and athletes.

Dr. Kongsakdi stated that the festival aims to leverage sports as a driver for tourism, stimulate the economy, generate revenue for local communities, and sustainably improve quality of life. The event combines diverse sports competitions with a Sports Entertainment Expo that showcases Chanthaburi's natural resources, culture, and local identity to visitors and participants, creating memorable experiences that encourage future tourism.

The TSA believes this event exemplifies the integration of sports and tourism, creating value across economic, social, and community development sectors while inspiring youth to engage in sports and personal excellence. The festival runs from July 24-26, 2026, and is expected to drive tourism revenue for local businesses including accommodations, restaurants, transportation, and other enterprises, positioning Chanthaburi as a major sports and tourism destination in Thailand.