A 65-year-old man in Udon Thani province died hours after being struck by a king cobra bite. Samran's death has left his family devastated, with his wife in tears revealing his haunting final words: 'Save money for my funeral costs,' while pleading for kindly individuals to help fund their youngest daughter's education so she can fulfill her dream of continuing her studies. On July 10, reporters visited the family home in Nong Som district after Samran's death following a cobra bite. Relatives and neighbors gathered to hold a merit-making ceremony as the family mourned the sudden loss of their breadwinner. The house is located surrounded by rubber plantations and communal forest areas—environments conducive to snakes and venomous insects. Dried meat preparations were discovered on the property, and locals theorize the smell may have attracted the king cobra seeking protein, as these snakes are carnivorous hunters.

Samran's teenage daughter recounted through tears that the day before, her father planned to take her to market to buy pork and chicken to prepare dried meat for sale in the fields for income. While retrieving clothes from a clothesline, he failed to notice the black and yellow striped cobra until it suddenly swooped down and bit his head once. He then stomped it dead. After the bite, her father quickly instructed her to buy allergy medicine, which he took—three pills in total. Within minutes, his condition deteriorated rapidly: he began trembling, convulsing, and gasping for breath before losing consciousness.

Relatives and neighbors immediately performed CPR and rushed him to the hospital. Despite full resuscitation efforts, they could not save his life. His grieving daughter said through tears that if her father could hear her, she wished he would visit her in dreams, as he left without saying goodbye. She vowed to study hard to fulfill his wish of seeing her complete higher education.

Samran's wife explained she had been working in Udon Thani city for about a month, leaving her husband at home with their daughter, when she received the devastating news. Her husband had chronic liver disease and asthma, and despite doctor's warnings, he had been secretly buying asthma medication. She suspected that taking three allergy pills combined with his pre-existing conditions may have caused his rapid deterioration after the cobra bite.

The night before the incident, Samran's wife dreamed of losing all her teeth, which unsettled her. During their final phone conversation, her husband told her to 'save money for funeral expenses' and emphasized his desire to see their daughter achieve higher education, insisting he wouldn't give up easily since his child was still young.

The family faces significant financial hardship and debt. Previously, Samran worked odd jobs, but as his health declined, he turned to preparing and selling food in the fields to support the family. His sudden death has left them without an income provider. They have four children total; the older ones have established their own families elsewhere. Only their youngest daughter remains, a diligent student with good behavior who dreams of completing at least high school education.

On July 10, Engineering Society of Thailand consultant Thanes Verasiri provided updates on the water infiltration issue affecting the Purple Line BTS tunnel excavation. Ground subsidence is showing encouraging improvement, with yesterdays settlement of approximately 20 centimeters contrasting sharply with the latest 24-hour period, which saw only 8 centimeters of additional subsidence. This represents a significant deceleration from the previous continuous rate of 1-2 centimeters per hour, which has now shifted to intermittent collapses depending on site conditions. This evening, authorities expanded the containment perimeter an additional 3 meters after observing that existing cracks had propagated beyond their original position, though they remain within the original 30-meter safety zone. Officials are proceeding at full capacity with repair efforts. While incoming rainfall poses minimal operational impact beyond slight work difficulty, groundwater inflow from below presents the more serious challenge. Authorities maintain constant situational awareness, and no new complications have emerged.

Hat Yai Mayor Narongporn Na Pattalung, nicknamed "Plad Paen," gave a detailed interview on July 10 addressing the controversy surrounding equipment purchases for flood preparedness and questions about the municipality's accumulated funds.

Regarding allegations about an "smart classroom" project, Narongporn confirmed it occurred under former mayor Sakorn Thongmuni, not during his tenure, and suggested inquiries be directed to his predecessor. Concerning requests for disaster relief equipment, particularly jet skis, the mayor stated the municipality formally requested funding due to operational necessity. However, the central authorities completely cut this budget allocation during the e-bidding review process.

"Whatever we request gets cut," Narongporn said, noting that only four rubber boats, three ten-wheel trucks, and one road project remain approved, with budgets extending through 2027 and facing potential further cuts through three to four more committee reviews.

When asked if the budget cuts were discouraging, the mayor responded pragmatically that they would work with whatever funding is provided and manage resources accordingly.

Addressing government claims that Hat Yai still has over 200 million baht in reserves, Narongporn challenged officials to verify the figures, explaining that the 200 million figure was from two to three months earlier. He detailed that the municipality spent funds on emergency repairs to schools, roads, health centers damaged by flooding, computer equipment replacements, canal dredging, and water pump purchases. Current accumulated reserves now stand at only 42 million baht, which he invited authorities to audit.

Meanwhile, Songkhla opposition MP Juri Numkaeo noted that Hat Yai suffered severe flooding affecting over 200,000 residents with extensive infrastructure damage. He stated that 160 million baht of the original 200 million in reserves had already been spent on repairs, leaving the municipality with insufficient funds, while nearly all requested budget allocations were cut.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin reported that 12 monks were on a bamboo rafting trip upstream on Khlong Yan when the raft capsized near Ban Bang Jam in Tambon Ta Kook Nuea, Amphoe Wiphavadi, Surat Thani Province. The incident resulted in 11 monks being injured and one monk missing. The minister immediately ordered all agencies under the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, particularly Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, to coordinate with local authorities in deploying personnel and equipment for a comprehensive search and rescue operation while providing urgent assistance to the injured.

The minister emphasized that personnel safety must be prioritized and ordered close monitoring of the situation with continuous progress reports until the search and rescue mission is completed. He instructed all agencies to mobilize their full resources and capabilities to locate the missing monk as quickly as possible.

As of 2 p.m., rescue teams were continuing the search for the missing monk while the 11 injured monks were being transported to Wiphavadi Hospital for treatment. Multiple agencies including the Surat Thani Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, Tachana District Disaster Prevention Office, Ta Kook Nuea Subdistrict Administrative Organization, Wiphavadi Hospital, Wiphavadi Police Station, Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park personnel, volunteers, and related organizations coordinated in the search and rescue efforts. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

At 3 p.m. on July 10, 2026, Phra Khru Thaworn Sratakun, abbot of Wat Worraprot Sangkhavat in Chonburi Province, along with the volunteer team "Wihkhavehe - Young Hearts Doing Good," delivered rice, dried food, household supplies, and bedding to Sompon, 68, at her home in Bang Plasoi subdistrict, Chonburi. She lives in poverty, running a vintage coffee stand outside her house to support her 40-year-old son, who has been paralyzed on one side since being shot at age 25 and cannot work.

The coffee equipment she uses was inherited from her late brother and has deteriorated over time. Her daily sales amount to only 100-200 baht—insufficient for household expenses, food, water, electricity, and her son's care. The worn tables, chairs, coffee-making equipment, and utensils are barely functional but she cannot afford replacements.

Sompon shared tearfully that her son was shot by assailants at age 25, leaving him paralyzed and dependent. She has been the sole breadwinner ever since. Despite inheriting the coffee business from her brother, the old equipment prevents her from earning adequately. "Every day I make only 100-200 baht, and some days nothing at all," she said through tears. "What I need most isn't money—it's equipment like a cart, tables, coffee-making tools, and supplies to run the business properly and provide for my bedridden son."

Abbot Phra Khru Thaworn noted that the family faces genuine hardship. Sompon struggles alone, earning just hundreds of baht daily from coffee sales, sometimes nothing. Without capital to buy inventory and facing deteriorating equipment, her situation grows increasingly difficult. He called on benefactors to donate coffee-selling equipment or funds for repairs and supplies. Those wishing to help can contact Sompon directly at 099-055-2282.

Natural Resources Minister Suchat Chumklin is advancing the "Phuket Model" by strictly enforcing laws against all protected area encroachers without exception, ordering demolition operations on luxury hotels and villas following final court verdicts to reclaim over 25 rai of forest land for the state.

On July 10, 2026, Suchat assigned Deputy Police General Surpol Boonma, the ministry secretary, along with senior officials from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants to coordinate with Sirinat National Park and Phuket's enforcement office to execute court orders. The team also worked with Interior Ministry Deputy Secretary General Peer Suvannavee to monitor enforcement operations against forest encroachment in two cases at Sirinat National Park in Thalang District, Phuket.

This marks the second case under the government's "Phuket Model" initiative led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Deputy Police General Surpol stated the operation aligns with the premier's policy prioritizing natural resource recovery, land use regulation, and combating protected area invasions to establish new law enforcement standards where all are equal before the law and national resources belong to the people, not powerful interests.

National Parks Department Director Arthapol Charoenchunsa reported the operation covers two Sirinat cases with final court rulings. The first involves a 13-rai hotel property in Sakoo Subdistrict where the Supreme Court ordered revocation of land certificates and demolition of 39 luxury hotel and villa structures. Phuket's land office has already revoked documents and the park has begun enforcement demolition.

The second case, covering about 12 rai in Chaoley Subdistrict within the Khao Rup forest reserve and Sirinat park, involved forged documents used to obtain title deeds. The land office has revoked the title. Although the occupant filed an administrative complaint, the eviction ruling stands. Officials posted notices giving 15 days to comply; failure will trigger immediate demolition under national park law.

Suchat emphasized all agencies must vigorously implement the "Phuket Model" with fair, transparent, and decisive law enforcement to reclaim forests, mangroves, and public beaches for the state, reiterating the government under the prime minister will not tolerate natural resource encroachment.