The Junior Ballers League has continued its expansion by hosting an orientation day for its V division (ages 12-13) athletes, preparing them for the competitive 2026 season beginning August 1. Following the success of the younger JV division (ages 10-11), this new age group marks a critical developmental stage where athletes experience rapid physical and skill advancement. Competition venues include DBS Denla British School and DLTS International School, which are fully equipped to host the young basketball players.

Kritikorn Thanmahamon, competition director for Junior Ballers League, emphasized the importance of the orientation program in developing not just technical skills but also sportsmanship and teamwork. Major sponsors including BigOne Group (title sponsor), Ego Sport International, and other partners highlighted their commitment to building the future of Thai basketball by providing professional-standard equipment and competitive platforms. The league aims to inspire youth athletes to pursue their basketball dreams while instilling values of professionalism and team spirit. Live coverage of JB League V division matches will be available on the Junior Ballers League Thailand social media channels starting August 1.

"I'm a real security guard, not a fake dancer," says Min Ussama Awa, clarifying the frequent questions he receives in comments. Some people assume he's a former professional dancer who took the security job temporarily, but he insists his passion for dance and his security career are both genuine. His love for dance began at age seven when his mother played Indian music, and at seventeen he discovered BTS, which opened the world of K-Pop choreography to him.

Unable to afford formal dance training in Southern Thailand, Min taught himself by watching BTS performance videos. At twenty, he met instructor Woon, a dancer-teacher, who gave him guidance. His dancing skills went viral after he posted a cover of BTS's "2.0" in his security uniform while on break, earning millions of views. Most of his TikTok content features BTS, Lisa, and BLACKPINK, though he also dances to Taylor Swift and Thai songs.

Min is now in his third year working security and takes pride in his role protecting residents and facilitating building operations. He emphasizes that security guards are professional workers deserving respect and capable of providing genuine safety and care. He feels deeply fulfilled when residents thank him for his attentive service, and he hopes people will view security officers as equals who are making an honest living and looking out for their well-being.

Thailand's Comptroller General's Department has issued strict new guidelines requiring bidders to pay for electronic bidding documents on the day of submission only, with late payments resulting in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of bidding rights. On July 18, 2025, Comptroller General Patricia Mongkolvanicha announced that the department previously allowed five business days for payment after submission, but this led to unsuccessful bidders refusing to pay, often leaving only a single qualified bidder and forcing government agencies to cancel and re-tender contracts. The new directive, effective from July 20, 2025, establishes four key rules: (1) bidders must pay and submit payment documentation on the submission day only; (2) corporate bidders must pay from corporate bank accounts and individuals from personal accounts; (3) if a tender is cancelled without re-tendering, buyers may request refunds within 15 days, but if re-tendering occurs, previous buyers receive new documents without refunds; and (4) payments made on any other day or time are eligible for refund. The Comptroller General stated the new rules address chronic delays in government procurement caused by non-payment of bid document fees, which disrupted budget spending timelines and affects all tenders posted on the e-GP system from July 20, 2025 onward.

A post shared online by Yuttapoom Sanyawichai recounted his experience stopping to help a motorcycle accident victim, only to be suspected by the injured person's partner. He humorously concluded he "almost committed a wrongful act by helping."

The helper's detailed account: A motorcycle crashed 30-40 meters ahead. He immediately pulled over, activated hazard lights, and a van driver behind him also braked to help. The rider was safely moved to the roadside with a deformed leg. The van driver helped move the damaged motorcycle off the road. He called an ambulance and emergency services on multiple channels. The conscious victim called his partner, who rushed to the scene from behind Siam Rangsit. He and another passing motorcyclist flagged down traffic to prevent further accidents. When the ambulance arrived, he spoke with the injured rider, saying, "You're lucky nothing hit you from behind—we braked in time and came to help." The rider thanked him and explained the fall was due to a dog food bag leaking liquid that caused him to lose control.

However, the injured rider's partner became defensive, accusing him: "Who helped us? Are you sure? You didn't hit my friend and then pretend to help?" He left the scene shortly after, along with the other motorcyclist, with the final line reflecting his frustration about being suspected despite his good intentions.

Rescue teams, wildlife officials, village leaders, and nearly 100 residents launched an intensive search after Kittamet, 22, known as Pal, went missing in Dong Yai Forest on July 11, 2026, while foraging with friends. The search proved difficult due to dense jungle and dangerous wildlife, but teams continued for days without locating him. His parents Somkiat, 48, and Duangmanee, 49, joined the search efforts and eventually consulted a local fortune teller who reassured them their son was still alive, giving them hope despite the extensive unsuccessful search efforts. Late in the evening, a couple from Sarakham subdistrict in Sisaket province discovered a young man matching Pal's description in poor condition with scratches across his body, and provided shelter before alerting national park officials to contact his family.

Pal had traveled approximately 60 kilometers from Dong Yai Forest to the location where he was found, which his family regarded as miraculous. When questioned, Pal explained that he had separated from his friend to relieve himself, became disoriented, and spent seven days trying to find his way out of the forest. During those days, he survived on water collected in elephant footprints and plant vine sap without any solid food, despite encountering wild elephants multiple times. He eventually encountered villagers who helped him, and expressed overwhelming gratitude to his parents and everyone involved in the search, vowing never to venture into the forest again.

Pal's mother expressed her joy and relief, stating that although many people had searched extensively without success, consulting the fortune teller who confirmed her son was alive kept hope alive until his miraculous return.

The Royal Thai Navy has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that a vessel involved in an incident in the Gulf of Oman was Thai-flagged, confirming that no Thai ship was involved.

Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaiyaphan, spokesman for the Royal Thai Navy, said on 18 July 2026 that the Navy's Operations Centre coordinated with the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center (Thai-MECC) Operations Centre and the Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) of the Marine Department to verify the vessel through ship-tracking systems.

The investigation confirmed that the vessel shown in media reports was not registered under the Thai flag.

The Navy also checked the status of the only Thai merchant vessel currently operating in the Gulf of Oman. After coordinating with the ship's safety officer, authorities confirmed that both the vessel and its crew were safe and continuing normal operations.

The Royal Thai Navy urged the public to rely on information from government agencies and credible news sources. It added that authorities would continue to closely monitor maritime security developments and coordinate with relevant agencies to safeguard Thai vessels and the country's maritime interests.