On July 30, shoppers at Petchkasem 13 Village market in Pathum Thani Province gathered around a giant golden-hued tortoise drawing crowds and attracting numerous visitors taking photographs. Many residents examined the numbers visible on the tortoise's shell with great interest and excitement.

The tortoise's owner, Ms. Nalinton, identified the animal as an African spurred tortoise (Sulcata), the largest land tortoise in Africa and third-largest in the world. She explained that Folk, her eight-year-old male tortoise purchased for 2,500 baht, regularly strolls through the market and remarkably finds his way home independently without assistance.

While the owner does not gamble herself, she noted that many people have won lottery prizes after encountering Folk. One laundry shop owner in particular has become a regular visitor who chats with the tortoise before purchasing lottery tickets, and has reportedly won the jackpot for ten consecutive draws without explanation. A fried fish vendor also touched Folk's shell, identifying numbers 8 and 0 as prominent markings and plans to use them for the next lottery draw.

Soldiers and rescue workers are searching for survivors beneath the rubble of AEON Mall, which exploded and collapsed in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, following a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake on the afternoon of July 28. Prime Minister Sanae Takaiichi confirmed the death toll has risen to 30, including one foreign national, with 63 injured and five in critical condition. The first foreign death is a Vietnamese trainee student killed at a factory when a crane collapsed. The student arrived in Japan in January, while seven other Vietnamese trainees at the same facility evacuated safely. AEON chairman Akio Yoshida confirmed four deaths at AEON Mall with three still missing, while a collapsed chimney at Nippon Paper Industries' Yatsushiro factory has claimed eight lives with seven rescued and four more believed trapped inside. Local authorities in Kumamoto Prefecture report nearly 34,900 homes without electricity, about 15,000 without water supply, and approximately 8,800 people evacuated to over 400 emergency shelters.

The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Diamond Cup U-14 Thailand 2026 youth soccer tournament is entering its fifth year with significant expansion, growing from 8 to 12 teams representing Thailand, Japan, Australia, and Vietnam. Players aged 14 and under will compete from July 29 to August 2, 2026, at Thunderdome Stadium and Emporium Sports Field to showcase their abilities and gain international experience.

Organized through collaboration between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Thailand) and Muangthong United, the tournament aims to develop youth soccer talent and provide Thai youth opportunities to compete against leading Asian clubs. Since its inception, the competition has grown from just 4 teams in the first year to 24 total participating teams, with 12 advancing to the final round, making it one of Thailand's largest under-14 youth soccer tournaments.

Hideo Kurosawa, General Manager of Sports Promotion Center at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Thailand), stated the tournament has become Asia's premier under-14 youth soccer competition and expressed commitment to continuing support for developing young soccer players. Suraphol Jamrun, head of professional sports development at the Sports Authority of Thailand, emphasized that youth development is fundamental to developing professional football, and public-private cooperation creates sustainable opportunities for young athletes.

Ranrit Suavaja, director of Muangthong United, noted the club has always prioritized youth development and believes international competition elevates technical skills, experience, and professional standards of young footballers, strengthening Thailand's football future.

The 12 final-round teams include Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), Sydney FC (Australia), Hanoi FC and Ninh Binh FC (Vietnam), and Thai clubs Assachaisai United (2025 champions), Muangthong United, Assumption United, Triam Udom School, Bangkok Christian College, Pram Bangkok, Ban Kao School, and Chaiyaphum Provincial Administrative School. Teams are divided into four groups for competition.

PHUKET — 30 July 2026, The body of a 33-year-old woman who was believed to have jumped from Thao Thep Krasattri Bridge has been found on a beach following an overnight search.

The incident was reported at around 18:45 on 28 July, when fishermen and local residents alerted authorities that a woman was believed to be missing after reportedly being seen jumping from the bridge on the Tha Nun side in Takua Thung district, Phang Nga province.

Following the report, officers from Tha Chatchai Police Station in Phuket and Khok Kloi Police Station in Phang Nga, along with Phanuphan Chindaphon, village headman of Moo 5 in Mai Khao subdistrict, Thalang district, Phuket, Kusoldharm Phuket rescue workers and other agencies launched a search operation.

Search teams scoured the bridge and surrounding waters throughout the night. At the scene, authorities found a black Mercedes-Benz parked on the bridge. Identification documents belonging to Kanthaphon Churasri, 33, from Pathum Thani province, were found inside the vehicle, while a pair of flip-flops was found near the suspected jumping point.

Authorities contacted the woman's relatives to gather information and continued searching for her.

At around 07:35 on 30 July, Kusoldharm Phuket rescue workers from the Mai Khao unit, together with volunteers from the Sarasin Team, resumed the search and found the body of Kanthaphon near Dan Yit Beach in Mai Khao subdistrict, Thalang district, Phuket.

After the body was found, authorities contacted investigators and forensic officers to examine the scene. The body was then sent for a post-mortem examination in accordance with legal procedures before being handed over to the family for religious rites.

The 20th Asian Games kick off in 50 days, with Japan preparing the sacred flame lighting ceremony and relay celebration before the official opening on September 19, 2026. The Thai Olympic Committee (TAC) will send teams to study and document the host's event management systems across all 43 sports, drawing lessons from Japan's high standards and 2020 Tokyo Olympics experience. Some Thai athletes will stay at the athlete village while others lodge on cruise ships; the TAC will establish a Thai House as in past games.

T SPORTS 7 will lead broadcast coverage alongside partners NBT, MONOMAX SPORTS, One 31, Thai PBS Channel 32, PPTV HD 36, and AIS PLAY, giving Thai sports fans complete live access to all competitions. The games will feature 43 sports competing for 469 gold medals, including aquatics, archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, breaking, canoeing, cricket, cycling, equestrian, esports, football, golf, gymnastics, handball, judo, karate, modern pentathlon, rowing, rugby sevens, sailing, sepak takraw, shooting, skateboarding, sport climbing, squash, surfing, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu, and tekball.

The grandmother of Hloon Solo tearfully accepted her grandson's death in Georgia after the Thai Foreign Ministry confirmed the news, rejecting claims of suicide and sharing the last promise he made to her. At 8:30 AM on July 30, 2025, at the family home in Samet District, Kalasin Province—the residence of Hloon Solo, also known as Borvarthat Pengsuk, a Thai backpacker YouTuber who mysteriously disappeared in Georgia—journalists from multiple outlets gathered to monitor developments in his case, which had been widely followed on social media and reported from Georgia.

Throughout July 29, the family remained skeptical without official consular confirmation. Late that night, the Foreign Ministry contacted the family and confirmed through Hloon's siblings that the body found in a Georgian hotel was definitively Borvarthat's remains. Upon receiving the news, the family wept with profound grief, particularly grandmother Samet Pengsuk, who broke into tears as relatives embraced in sorrow.

Grandmother Samet revealed that she received confirmation overnight that her grandson Hloon had died and expressed deep sadness and regret that he had been taken so young. She described him as a good person—hardworking, grateful, and cheerful. When he was home, neighborhood children would gather to play happily with him. Regarding reports that he died by suicide, she flatly rejected this, saying it was impossible: he neither drank alcohol nor smoked, so suicide made no sense whatsoever.

Grandmother Samet recounted with a trembling voice that since Hloon finished school, whenever she wanted something, he would find it for her—whatever food she craved, he would bring. Even exotic snacks from places he traveled abroad, he would always give to her first. Most recently, before departing for Georgia, he had asked what she wanted as a gift. She had asked for a karaoke set so they could sing together. Hloon had promised, and she had looked forward to singing with him at year's end, but now that would never happen—a source of genuine heartbreak.

Hloon's elder brother posted confirmation that their younger brother was gone and would never return. The Thai Embassy in Turkey disclosed that Hloon Solo's assets remain intact following his death in Georgia. An urgent letter was sent to the Chulalongkorn University Alumni Association requesting assistance for Hloon's family.

Meanwhile, Hloon's relatives have raised concerns about the circumstances of his death, suspecting foul play. They question the timeline of the body's discovery, noting that Georgian police found him in a hotel and could not contact relatives—despite the fact that a passport should have been on file at check-in. They are demanding clarity on the cause of death. As for funeral arrangements, the family has not yet made concrete plans, as they are awaiting coordination with Georgian authorities regarding the body. No clear timeline has yet been announced for repatriating his remains for merit-making ceremonies.