Justice Minister Rutthapol Naovaratana gave an interview on July 14, 2025, at the Government Centre Building A on Chaengwattana Road regarding the forex case. The criminal court approved arrest warrants for only 2 suspects out of 30 requested by the DSI special investigation unit. The court has not yet approved an arrest warrant for Bhavuth Pongsutthiyapanu, a Thai list MP. The DSI must issue summons for the remaining 22 suspects according to the court's order. Regarding accusations that the DSI is hastening the case, the minister confirmed that procedures are normal, as the DSI has been investigating continuously and the matter involves forensic and financial evidence. When investigation reports are submitted, evidence can be compiled accordingly.

The minister said he is unaware whether the 833 million baht financial trail linked to Bhavuth is accurate, as he has only seen news reports about it and the matter is still under investigation. He also stated he does not know the identities of the 2 suspects for whom warrants were approved.

According to additional reports, the DSI's special investigation unit has gradually issued summons to 22 suspects following the court's orders after the court approved only 2 arrest warrants. The DSI's investigation report used as evidence identified financial transaction data and patterns through three groups: brokers, introducers, and payment gateways. Companies Rennie Corporation Limited and Pay Solution Limited acted as payment gateway entities. Investigation found significant links from these entities to accounts of network members. Additional entities including ALPFX Plus Limited and Spark Digital Limited facilitated cash flows before funds entered personal accounts. Evidence also showed asset conversion transactions between bank accounts and digital asset service providers from 2021 to 2024. Among individuals connected to the network, Bhavuth Pongsutthiyapanu was identified as a key figure in receiving and forwarding cash flows, with 14 transfers of 2 million baht each totaling 28 million baht from Spark Digital Limited.

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On July 14, Ms. Pattama, a candy vendor at the Ladprao Beer Hall, described the moment of the fire. She was sitting near the restroom selling candy when she heard a sound like breaking glass, initially thinking it was a fight. When someone ran toward her shouting "Fire!" she rushed out through the back door immediately.

Ms. Pattama explained that the rear door near the restroom could be opened, though it was fitted with a simple padlock on the day of the fire—not a deadbolt—because the door handle was broken. The door was difficult to open and required a hard push, and was kept locked to control customer access through the front entrance, where ID checks and searches for prohibited items were conducted. During the fire, several people, including herself and the housekeeper, escaped through that back exit.

Regarding her candy sales table positioned near the restroom door—which had been questioned as potentially blocking the escape route—Ms. Pattama insisted the table did not obstruct the exit. The wooden red-and-black table, she noted, was movable and not permanently installed. Though the passage was narrow and could only accommodate one person at a time, the table did not block it, and multiple people successfully escaped using that route during the fire.

After exiting, she called the housekeeper and helped pull people trapped inside to safety. However, the fire spread rapidly, causing panic and disorientation among many people.

Ms. Pattama acknowledged she did not know the door was an official fire exit, only that it was an accessible exit. She reflected that better preparation might have saved more lives, but the fire developed too quickly to allow for any organized response. Upon returning to the shop today, she brought flowers to pay respects to the deceased—regular customers she had known and spoken with often.

Speaking at Government House on July 14, 2025, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchat Choomklin discussed progress in addressing beach encroachment in Phuket, explaining that the issue involves two separate agencies. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation handles encroachments within protected areas and has obtained permission to post demolition notices at two large resorts after years of litigation. Property owners have been given one month to voluntarily remove structures; if they do not comply, authorities will execute demolition under the law. Suchat acknowledged the difficulty of the situation but emphasized that court orders must be carried out.

Suchat noted that a second group of encroachers has long occupied public beaches and collected fees from visitors—earning hundreds of thousands of baht daily. He stressed that no matter how influential these operators are, they cannot be above the law and must return the beaches to state control. He credited the directors of both departments for their commitment and revealed that two officials in Phuket have been reassigned due to concerns about their willingness to pursue enforcement or personal safety worries.

Regarding a private developer's recent filing with the Administrative Court to obtain protection, Suchat stated that authorities already possess all necessary evidence from previous criminal convictions dating to 2018, 2019, and 2020. He characterized most of the encroachers as intermediaries, some knowingly breaking the law, and declared that when voluntary compliance fails, enforcement will proceed to completion. When asked whether most violators are government officials or people of influence, he used the analogy of "small-time enforcers" who must have backing from "big operators" higher up, and pledged to find all those involved. He also noted that the developer filed the court case to delay the July 18 demolition deadline but expressed confidence that the court will rule based on existing evidence. Suchat concluded by reaffirming the government's full commitment to the task and stated that while the developer is suing, authorities will continue their work.

PHUKET: A green sea turtle was rescued after becoming entangled in a ghost net off Karon Beach on Monday (July 13), with marine officials treating the animal before preparing it for release back into the Andaman Sea.