On his 67th birthday milestone on July 30, 2026, Phra Kru Sophon Phatwedt, known as "Luang Pho Od" and abbot of Wat Saimai in Pathum Thani, transformed his auspicious day into an opportunity for public merit-making. He donated 100,000 baht toward purchasing land and constructing a chapel at Wat Bodhi Leab in Khon Kaen's Ban Bodhi Tak subdistrict, while also distributing a total of 320,000 baht to support monks and schools in his care, dedicating this merit to his revered teachers and benefactors. The land acquisition aims to expand the temple's capacity for religious activities, develop public infrastructure, and advance Buddhist use of the facility in the future, marking another milestone in securing rural temples and reflecting his philosophy of sustainable community benefit.

Over many years, Luang Pho Od has earned recognition as a development-minded monk and educator. Beyond his roles as ecclesiastical administrator and abbot, he has actively supported temple construction, schools, medical facilities, and public welfare projects across Thailand, earning deep respect from Buddhists nationwide. In the amulet community, he is also a revered master teacher known for his "takrut luk buen" (bullet-shaped sacred amulet), with proceeds from amulet production repeatedly channeled into temple restoration, school construction, and ongoing charitable work.

His working philosophy centers on returning the devotion and support of lay followers back to society through education, healthcare, disaster relief, and development of remote temples. He is celebrated as a monk who creates tangible benefit for Buddhism while advancing social development. Though his 100,000-baht contribution represents only a portion of the total land purchase cost for Wat Bodhi Leab, it has inspired Buddhists nationwide to collectively support this expansion, which will enhance the temple's religious functions, dharma study, and its role as a community center.

On this 67th birthday occasion, disciples from all directions gathered to pay respects and merit-make according to their means, recognizing that dedicating resources to Buddhist benefit reflects Luang Pho Od's greater commitment to public welfare rather than personal celebration. This milestone exemplifies his vision of transforming important life dates into opportunities for giving, aligned with his lifelong mission to "build people, build temples, and build society" for Buddhism's future stability.

Those wishing to contribute to the land purchase fund for Wat Bodhi Leab in Khon Kaen can join the merit-making according to their capacity, working together to sustain Buddhism and strengthen the temple as a lasting spiritual center for its community.

PHUKET: A South African tourist was arrested at Phuket International Airport after security officers discovered six rounds of ammunition and a magazine in his luggage before departure.

Deputy Government Spokesman Ploythale Laksameesang announced July 27 that the government appreciates public understanding of the state welfare card screening system. A Nida Poll survey by the National Institute of Development Administration found that 43.26% of respondents were not upset about failing to qualify for the program.

The government stands ready to review the welfare card screening criteria to ensure aid reaches low-income and genuinely poor citizens with accuracy. The administration will extend usage periods for existing cardholders and broaden appeal procedures. Officials asked the public not to worry, as the government listens to public feedback and wants to carefully verify data before implementing new standards. The welfare card program has not opened for new registrations in approximately five years, leaving many eligible people without assistance.

Laksameesang emphasized that the updated welfare card database is more detailed, allowing the government to clearly segment cardholders by age group. Of over 9 million cardholders, more than 5 million are aged 18–60 and mostly lack assets or income. The government plans to use this data to design targeted assistance policies, particularly upskilling and reskilling programs to boost employment prospects and improve quality of life for working-age cardholders, rather than relying solely on welfare benefits.

PHUKET: Four cannabis shops in Phuket Old Town are facing licence revocation after officials found multiple alleged breaches of cannabis regulations during a joint inspection on Friday (July 24).

Thai-Japanese Bank (TTB) has elevated its role to 'Growth Navigator' by hosting the SME Growth Navigator powered by ttb LEAN: Networking Day for entrepreneurs in the food, beverage, and consumer goods sectors. The event attracted over 250 SME companies and partnered with 13 public and private sector organizations to share business knowledge, real-world experience, and build collaborative networks aimed at helping entrepreneurs overcome barriers and achieve sustainable growth.

Pierpong Nithikaiwut, head of TTB's business customer strategy group, said Thai SME operators face multifaceted challenges including economic slowdown, shifting consumer spending, elevated operational costs, and intensifying competition. He noted that today's SME challenge extends beyond survival to requiring adaptive strategies for long-term growth. TTB's data reveals many entrepreneurs struggle with critical growth obstacles such as prioritizing short-term problem-solving over long-term planning, limited technology and AI adoption, weak strategic risk management, misaligned sales growth with operational efficiency, and lack of clear business direction.

"TTB believes banks today must be business partners, not just financial providers," Pierpong said. "We're stepping into the 'Growth Navigator' role to comprehensively support Thai SMEs through capital, digital tools, knowledge, and business networks." The event featured expert speakers including a keynote on second-half economic outlook and SME growth strategies, plus networking sessions, business showcases, and one-on-one matching opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect with ecosystem partners and explore collaboration opportunities.

A Gold Research Center survey from July 27-31 revealed divided expert opinion on gold prices: 38% expect stability, 31% predict a rise, and 31% anticipate a fall. Among 338 investor respondents, 56% expect domestic gold prices to weaken next week as markets await decisions from the Federal Reserve (July 28-29), Bank of England (July 30), and Bank of Japan (July 30-31), along with key US economic reports. Domestic gold bars (96.5% purity) closed the previous week at 64,850 baht per baht-weight, up 800 baht from the week before. The Federal Reserve is expected to hold rates at 3.50–3.75%, the BOE at 3.75%, and the BOJ at 1.00%. Leng Ngam Commodities projects global gold trading between $3,950–$4,160 per ounce.