A rare natural phenomenon occurs each year at Tham Pla Temple in Pong Ngam subdistrict, Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai, where moss and ferns transform the sacred Nopajuda Nine-Tiered Stupa into a striking green structure during the rainy season and Buddhist Lent festival. The temple, famous for its population of monkeys and streams teeming with fish, has become an important landmark drawing tourists and photographers seeking to capture the unique beauty of the green stupa. Built under the spiritual leadership of Luang Por Sumonodabs through community effort and donated materials, the stupa was completed in 1980 and now stands as a cherished sacred object that draws devotees and visitors year-round, with particularly heavy foot traffic during the Lent season when worshippers gather to make merit and witness the temple's natural splendor.

Asalha Bucha, observed on the 15th waning day of the eighth lunar month, falls on July 29 this year, commemorating the day Buddha first taught the Dharma to the five ascetics. This proclamation set the Wheel of Dharma in motion through the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, the discourse on turning the wheel of Dharma, by one who had attained enlightenment as an Arahant.

The teaching comprises the Middle Way—not extremism in any direction but a balanced practice—supported by right view, appropriate for reaching the ultimate goal. Equally important is the proclamation of the Four Noble Truths, the four supreme realities: suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to its cessation.

"Asalha Bucha" combines the eighth lunar month with "bucha," meaning veneration in the eighth month to commemorate significant events of that time. Among Buddhists, it is understood and called Dharma Day—the day Buddha gave his first sermon and began teaching the religion. It marked the birth of the Sangha when Annakondanna, a Brahmin who gained insight and saw the Dharma, became an enlightened being.

It also marks the ordination of Kondanna as the first Buddhist monk through the proper monastic procedure, after hearing the sermon and attaining the Dharma as the first disciple. Compared to other significant Buddhist days, Asalha Bucha is known as Dharma Day, one of the Three Jewels revered by Buddhists as a refuge.

Traditional observances include making merit, giving alms, keeping the precepts, lighting candles, listening to the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, and meditating to calm the mind. However, the essential benefit of this day lies in the principles Buddha first taught: the Middle Way and the Four Noble Truths. Buddhists should reflect and examine whether their lives have grown through understanding the world and gaining insight into life, and whether their minds remain trapped in delusion or are free from suffering and clear. With this awareness, one can practice according to the heart of Dharma Day.

This high-profile case alleges electoral fraud involving 229 accused individuals, of whom 138 are sitting MPs. The investigation has dragged on for over two years across three administrations without resolution. The most progress came under Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and acting PM Bhumi Thaweechai, when the 26th investigative panel, chaired by Deputy Secretary-General Chanin Noi Lek, recommended prosecution of all 229 suspects in coordination with the DSI. However, upon government transition, the full Election Commission established a 36th arbitration subcommittee to reconsider the findings. On March 12, 2025, that subcommittee reversed course, declaring all 229 accused not guilty.

The full Election Commission now must choose which conclusion to follow and whether to refer the case to the Supreme Court for judicial review. Private sector figures, including Yingluck Shinawatra ally Atthajahn Aishannon of iLaw, have submitted letters to the opposition leader exposing suspicious conduct by nine individuals. Though not new information, the revelations have reverberated because the accused include the current prime minister. Bhumjaithai party members have responded with defamation lawsuits against the whistleblowers, despite requests for mature, factual discussion.

Ultimately, the case will be tested in court. Only judicial proceedings can definitively establish whether the accusations constitute defamation or reflect genuine electoral misconduct. Full disclosure during trial may expose broader patterns and reveal who stood behind contested actions. The court system remains Thailand's most credible institution to prove whether rule of law and constitutional governance truly exist in the country.

A bus captain with Thai Smile Bus operating Route 104 in Bangkok went viral after using a megaphone to ask a taxi driver to move their vehicle from a bus stop near Central Ladprao. The captain, identified as "Gigi," explained that she resorted to the megaphone approach after previously being involved in an accident when a taxi occupied a bus stop, which forced her to file a police report. She said the tactic was safer than leaving the bus herself, as it kept her available to respond to traffic changes while ensuring passenger safety, and she plans to continue using it if the problem persists. Gigi emphasized that blocking bus stops forces passengers to board or exit in traffic lanes, creating serious safety risks, and called on authorities to manage the issue rather than leaving it to bus drivers. She expressed sympathy for taxi drivers working similar jobs but urged them not to linger at bus stops unnecessarily, noting the problem affects many public transport operators citywide.

Police launched an investigation after receiving a report on July 26, 2025, at 3 p.m. about a man found wounded and dead inside a rental home in Nong Prueai subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. Officers from Nong Prueai Police Station, led by Deputy Inspector Siriporn Kongpetchsakdi, rushed to the scene with additional investigators and rescue workers from the Swang Buriprom Foundation relief unit in Pattaya.

The incident occurred at a single-story detached house located behind a large sports club and tennis court. Inside the bedroom, police found the body of a 64-year-old man covered with a blanket. The deceased was a senior tennis player and beach tennis representative of Thailand's national team, as well as a prominent manager and coach at a well-known tennis facility in Pattaya. He had wounds on his left elbow, and a kitchen knife approximately one foot long was found on the head of the bed.

Family members explained that they had lost contact with the victim and asked the tennis facility staff to check on him. They found the bedroom door locked from inside and had to use a spare key to enter. The deceased's brother disclosed that two days before his death, the victim had called expressing concern about a former student and tennis player who had separated from him. According to the brother, the student had recently displayed aggressive and disobedient behavior, despite the victim having raised and trained him well. It remains unclear whether the student is connected to the death.

Police have sent the body for autopsy and are investigating whether the former student was involved in the incident to determine if criminal charges should be filed.

Pheu Thai party leader Natthapon Rueangpanya issued a statement on July 26 via Facebook clarifying that rumors of the party planning to scrap the 30-baht healthcare program are false. He emphasized that Pheu Thai has no intention of eliminating the 30-baht scheme or the universal health insurance system, which guarantees broad access to public health services for all citizens regardless of income.

Natthapon described the gold card system as crucial for public health, enabling all Thais to access comprehensive healthcare regardless of their financial status. He acknowledged that while the system is internationally recognized as a success of Thai public health, all stakeholders currently agree it faces multiple challenges that must be addressed now to prevent long-term damage to healthcare providers like hospitals and medical staff, as well as to patients.

The Pheu Thai leader stated that the party supports amending the National Health Security Act to ensure the system is sustainable and maximally efficient without reducing public benefits or increasing patient burden. He reaffirmed that Pheu Thai will not support any law that diminishes public health rights or places greater financial strain on people seeking healthcare. The party will review all proposals, including the government's draft bill, before making a final decision and expressed readiness to work with all stakeholders to reform the universal health insurance system in the best interest of the public.