Green leaves don't always give just green. Red berries might not produce red. And yellow roots may hide vibrant pink deep inside. Nature conceals far more color than we imagine. In Ban Lai Kaew, Doi Tao District, Chiang Mai Province, villagers continue to preserve the wisdom of drawing these colors from roots, leaves, flowers, fruits, and bark, creating textiles with a character unlike any other.

The star of Ban Lai Kaew's colors is the "slaang" plant—a modest shrub that, when its yellow roots undergo the heat of dyeing, miraculously transforms into brilliant pink. This pink has become the hallmark of Karen Poi Luang weaving from Ban Lai Kaew right up to today.

Nature holds infinite colors, yet how people discovered and passed down these color secrets is a wonder spanning many lifetimes. Though many communities once knew about the slaang plant, over time that knowledge gradually faded. At Ban Lai Kaew, however, the knowledge of slaang colors continues to be passed down steadily and still glows in the weavings of the Ban Lai Kaew weaving group to this day.

The charm of slaang lies not in a single pink shade but in a spectrum ranging from soft pastel pink to bright, vibrant, lively pink.

Slaang is just one of the village's dye plants. Villagers also dye cotton yarn yellow from mango leaves, and achieve blue, indigo, and navy from indigo and other plants. They create brown and earth tones from acacia, gray and black from myrobalan fruits, and use many other plants as well, making Ban Lai Kaew like a village of dye plants.

The Ban Lai Kaew weaving group grows cotton themselves, spins the yarn themselves, and dyes everything themselves at every step. This gives them a diverse natural cotton palette in many shades to freely choose from when weaving and creating patterns—not limited to just a few traditional tones.

Meanwhile, knowledge of natural dyes never stops. It continues to be tested, developed, and improved. As dyers find joy in discovering new colors, weavers can endlessly create patterns and color combinations, giving the textiles of the Ban Lai Kaew weaving group a distinctive, striking character that stands out wherever they go.

Each cloth from Ban Lai Kaew tells not only beautiful patterns but also stories of wisdom, nature, and people who work together to preserve the colors within their community—one thread at a time, one weaving at a time.

TIPCO Food has elevated Thai brands to the world stage, bringing three flagship brands to win the Superior Taste Award 2026 at the three-star level (3 Stars) from the International Taste Institute in Belgium, a leading global institution for evaluating the taste of food and beverages. The award was judged by Michelin-starred chefs and sommeliers from leading European professional associations, reflecting quality standards recognized by international experts. This year, TIPCO Food's three main product groups—TIPCO 100% fruit juice, Aura Natural Mineral Water, and fragrant pineapple—all received top-level taste certification, affirming quality and taste recognized by international experts.

As TIPCO celebrates its 50th anniversary, this success reflects the company's vision and commitment to continuously delivering high-quality products across all business divisions, from raw material selection, research and development, to quality control at every stage, to create the best taste experience for consumers both in Thailand and in foreign markets.

The success of "Aura mineral water (Aura 100% Natural Mineral Water)" reinforces its position as Thailand's leading premium natural mineral water brand, after winning the Superior Taste Award 2026 at the three-star level from the International Taste Institute for the seventh time in ten years, reflecting taste and quality standards recognized internationally.

Aura mineral water is 100% natural mineral water enriched with naturally occurring minerals, filtered naturally from sources beneath natural forests, maintaining the quality and distinctive soft, easy-to-drink, and refreshing taste every time, earning continuous recognition from international taste experts.

Another source of pride for TIPCO is 100% honey orange juice, which has won the Superior Taste Award consecutively for the sixth year, reflecting outstanding taste and quality assessed by international experts, and affirming TIPCO's expertise as a pioneer in Thailand's premium juice market.

The distinctiveness of TIPCO orange juice comes from meticulous attention at every step, from selecting quality orange varieties from suitable growing areas to maintain the distinctive sweet, smooth, and balanced taste throughout the year, combined with production processes under strict quality control standards to preserve taste and value from real fruit through 100% NFC Juice (Not From Concentrate) innovation, demonstrating transparent production processes with every carton containing no concentrated orange juice, maintaining taste, aroma, and an experience close to fresh fruit while serving as a source of natural vitamin C, answering the needs of modern consumers seeking premium juice from 100% real fruit who value quality, freshness, and natural value.

This success not only reflects the taste standards of TIPCO orange juice but also proves TIPCO's commitment to elevating the Thai juice industry to international standards, delivering taste and quality recognized by experts worldwide to every consumer. The success of all three brands is capped with fragrant pineapple.

Gulf Edge and Cognizant have announced a strategic partnership to accelerate AI technology adoption across Thailand and support the country's transition to an AI-native economy. According to Sarasodet Ratanawadi, CEO of Gulf Development Public Company Limited (GULF), this collaboration merges Gulf Edge's strengths in digital infrastructure, energy, cloud services, and strategic business partnerships with Cognizant's global expertise in AI, digital engineering, cloud modernization, data management, and intelligent operations. The partnership will deliver end-to-end AI solutions spanning infrastructure, platforms, enterprise applications, system integration, and professional managed services.

The initial phase targets AI adoption in critical sectors including finance and banking, energy, healthcare, telecommunications, manufacturing, and government agencies with industry-specific solutions designed to improve operational efficiency, enhance customer experience, and enable data-driven decision-making. Beyond enterprise transformation, Gulf Edge and Cognizant aim to position Thailand as a regional AI hub by attracting global technology talent, spurring investment in advanced digital infrastructure, and creating high-value employment opportunities in engineering, data science, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital transformation.

Both companies plan to collaborate with academic institutions, research centers, technology partners, and government agencies to develop AI talent, promote responsible technology adoption, and build a sustainable innovation ecosystem for Thailand's future growth and competitiveness.

Residents rejected from the 2025 state welfare card program are struggling with the appeals process and calling on the government to improve rice prices and create stable livelihoods instead of offering just 300 baht monthly. On July 23, 2025, villagers continued to arrive at Chainat Province's transport office seeking vehicle registration documents to support their appeals, voicing frustration that initial eligibility criteria were not clearly communicated and policies lack clarity.

One appellants urged the government to survey and explain conditions upfront and show more compassion for working poor families. Khun Kung, a resident from Nang Lue subdistrict in Muang district, Chainat province, revealed she traveled to appeal her rejection despite owning two motorcycles, one over 15 years old. She expressed frustration that villagers' voices go unheard and said the 300 baht stipend is insufficient—she would prefer stable employment support or better rice prices.

Khun Kung noted that the initial registration process was cumbersome, and after completing it, residents thought they were done. She stressed that any eligibility restrictions should have been explained from the start. She expressed disappointment that the policy is inconsistent, people are suddenly disqualified without warning, and living costs—even 500 baht per province—are inadequate. The 300 baht assistance is unhelpful when it requires navigating complicated appeals.

At Parliament on July 23, Rangsiman Rom, a People's Party list MP and chair of the House's legal, justice, and human rights committee, announced that his committee had convened a meeting to investigate the mysterious death of 'Nong May,' a military preparatory school student, which occurred in 2017. The meeting brought together officials from the Royal Thai Police, provincial and metropolitan police stations, the Military Preparatory School, the Institute of Forensic Science, the Attorney General of the Supreme Court of Justice, and the victim's parents.

Rom stated this was the first such meeting and expressed hope it would lead to answers in what he called an "epic tragedy." The victim's family has waited eight to nine years for justice, and the case requires investigation into the cause of death, identification of responsible parties, and prosecution of those at fault. Remarkably, a police officer involved in an assault in this case was convicted and sentenced by the Supreme Military Court but continues to serve in the police force with a normal life.

Rom noted that the military prosecutor's office issued a no-prosecution order, and the committee does not understand the reasoning. Today's meeting will question the Attorney General's office about the decision. Additionally, the matter of missing organs following the autopsy remains under investigation by Bangkok Metropolitan Police Station but has seen no progress in six years. Rom emphasized that while the Nong May case has received significant public attention, the justice system has stalled, and questioned whether a family of the deceased could truly expect justice given the lack of progress.

Saudi Arabia has accepted Thailand's proposal to postpone enforcement of the Saudi GAP standard until March 17, 2027, allowing Thai poultry farms undergoing certification to continue exporting under specified conditions. Agriculture Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit announced the extension will reduce the impact on exporters and maintain continuity of Thailand's poultry shipments to the kingdom.

The success resulted from continued follow-up and negotiations by the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) working with the Department of Livestock. They promoted the issue through bilateral discussions with Saudi Arabia and in World Trade Organization forums on sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) and technical barriers to trade (TBT), as well as through diplomatic channels, ultimately securing the relaxation and timeline extension.

Saudi GAP is a new requirement mandating that poultry farms exporting to Saudi Arabia undergo additional inspection and certification. The latest discussions confirmed that Thai farms seeking certification may continue exporting using import permits issued before the measure took effect.

Saudi Arabia is a major poultry importer, averaging over 570,000 tons annually. In 2568, Thailand exported approximately 100 tons of chicken to Saudi Arabia, valued at roughly 8 million baht. While current export volumes remain modest, Saudi Arabia represents a high-potential market and a gateway to the Middle East and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, whose food and agricultural imports are rising steadily. This relaxation preserves existing markets while creating opportunities for Thailand to expand exports to the Middle East long-term.

Minister Suriya emphasized that the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will continue opening markets for Thai agricultural and food products while addressing trade barriers with partner countries to create new opportunities and enhance Thai exporters' global competitiveness.

Businesses or interested parties seeking more information about Saudi GAP standards and poultry product exports to Saudi Arabia can contact the Agricultural and Food Commodity Standards Policy Division at the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) at aseanchina.acfs@gmail.com.