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National

MP Apologies for AI Passport Support Posts, Vows Scrutiny Continues

MP Phawut Pongsittipanyu apologized for posts that seemed to support the TH-AI Passport scheme after facing criticism from fellow lawmakers. He reaffirmed his commitment to strict budget oversight and careful scrutiny of the project at ever

MP Apologies for AI Passport Support Posts, Vows Scrutiny Continues
2h ago Khaosod

On July 17, it was reported that online discussions had turned critical of MP Phawut Pongsittipanyu's apparent shift toward supporting the TH-AI Passport, despite his previously vocal objections to the scheme. The controversy prompted fellow MPs Ice Raksanork Srinok and Theng Nuttapong Rueangpanya to post public warnings. In his latest Facebook post, Phawut apologized sincerely, acknowledging that his focus on criticizing only the AI Pass service system had created a misunderstanding that he might overlook the audit process. He reaffirmed that budget transparency is the Pheu Thai Party's and his highest priority, and confirmed that the project's oversight will proceed with strict and thorough scrutiny at every stage. He thanked those who helped "bring him to his senses" and pledged to work harder and more carefully going forward, proving himself through his future performance.

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Police

Police Arrest Man For Lingerie Theft Spree In Thalang

A 29-year-old man was arrested in Thalang for a lingerie and personal item theft spree after police recovered over 140 pieces of underwear, jewelry, and other valuables from his rental room and a department store.

Police Arrest Man For Lingerie Theft Spree In Thalang
2h ago Khaosod

On July 17, 2025, police officers from Thalang Police Station, led by Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol. Lt. Gen. Sinlert Sukum and Deputy Commander Pol. Col. Aknithi Darnpitthakasat, arrested 29-year-old Theepakorn (nickname Jang) on theft charges. He was apprehended at a rental room in Tambon Thepkrasattri, Thalang District, Phuket, and at Robinson Department Store in Thalang.

During a search, officers discovered a large quantity of stolen property including a white Honda PCX motorcycle with red license plates, clothing used in the crimes, over 140 pieces of men's and women's underwear, jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, wallets, national ID cards, car keys, motorcycle keys, collectible coins, and other valuable items. Police believe the items may be connected to multiple theft cases in the area.

The suspect and all recovered items have been turned over to Thalang Police Station for legal proceedings. Investigators are expanding the investigation to identify owners of the seized property and to determine connections to other theft cases in the district. Case information and details of individuals linked to the crimes have been entered into the police database for further legal action.

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National

NBTC Chairman Must Stop Work Immediately, Panel Rules

Thailand's NBTC selection committee unanimously ruled that Chairman Dr. Sarun Bunbhaichaipruk fails to meet legal qualifications and must immediately cease his duties, with the Prime Minister's Office now required to petition the King for h

NBTC Chairman Must Stop Work Immediately, Panel Rules
3h ago Khaosod

Thailand's NBTC selection committee voted unanimously 4-0 that Dr. Sarun Bunbhaichaipruk, the commission's chairman, fails to meet legal qualifications under Section 8(2) of the NBTC Act of 2010 and its amendments, meaning he has forfeited his right to the position under Section 18 of the same law. Former Senator Prapan Kuhamee stated on July 17 that the committee will report its decision to the Prime Minister's Office, which originally referred the matter to the panel. The Prime Minister's Office must then formally petition the King to remove Dr. Sarun from office under Section 20 of the NBTC Act, and the NBTC board will select a new chairman.

Kuhamee emphasized that the selection panel's decision is final in law and Dr. Sarun must stop performing his duties immediately without waiting for royal approval. He noted that the remaining NBTC commissioners must meet to elect a new chairman to report to the Prime Minister. Regarding Dr. Sarun's options, Kuhamee said he could petition the administrative court for interim protection, but the court may decline to hear it since the law clearly states the panel's decision is binding and final.

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Regional

Minister Rejects Forest Encroachment Appeal in Phuket

Thailand's Natural Resources Minister rejected an appeal from illegal forest occupants in Phuket's Nakakerd mountain reserve, upholding orders to demolish 39 structures near Nai Yang beach by July 9.

Minister Rejects Forest Encroachment Appeal in Phuket
3h ago Khaosod

On July 17, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Choomklin rejected an appeal challenging an administrative order requiring the illegal occupants of protected forest in the Nakakerd mountain reserve near Nai Yang beach in Phuket to vacate and demolish 39 structures. The Forest Department director had issued the original order on June 18, giving occupants until July 9 to remove all buildings and leave the area. After the occupants filed an appeal, the minister upheld the Forest Department's decision and rejected their case, clearing the way for enforcement. Forest Department officials, working with local authorities and police, formally notified the occupants of the decision at the site. The occupants retain the right to challenge the decision in administrative court within 90 days of receiving notice.

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Police

Car Crashes Into Temple Shelter, Kills Elderly Woman

A sedan lost control and crashed into a temple shelter in Lampang on July 17, killing a 75-year-old woman who was waiting inside.

Car Crashes Into Temple Shelter, Kills Elderly Woman
3h ago Khaosod

On July 17, 2569, police at Wang Nuea station in Lampang received a report of a sedan that lost control and crashed into a shelter in front of Thung Pao Temple on the Wang Nuea-Vang Kaew Waterfall road. Officers, medical staff, rescue teams, and rescue volunteers responded to the scene.

At the crash site near the Bodhi tree in front of the temple, a Mitsubishi sedan with Lamphun plates was found having plowed into the shelter, destroying it. The driver, 47-year-old Anon, was at the wheel. A 75-year-old local woman was found dead, and two others—one man and one woman—were injured. First aid was administered before the injured were transported to Wang Nuea Hospital.

Initial investigation revealed that before the crash, the victim had been sitting in the shelter waiting for her friend, a health volunteer, who was checking for dengue larvae in the village. The sedan suddenly lost control and struck the shelter. Police will pursue the investigation according to the law, and the deceased's body was transferred to the hospital before being returned to the family for religious rites.

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Police

Mother Seeks Justice After Newborn Dies During Cesarean Surgery

A newborn died during a cesarean delivery at a Bangkok private hospital after complications with the mother's anesthesia; the family is seeking an investigation into whether the anesthesia failure caused the infant's death.

Mother Seeks Justice After Newborn Dies During Cesarean Surgery
3h ago Khaosod

On July 17, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., a grieving family visited consumer advocate Paveena Hongskul to lodge a complaint after their daughter's death during a cesarean delivery at a private Bangkok hospital. During the surgery, the mother's anesthesia wore off, causing her to regain consciousness. The surgeon halted the procedure and administered additional sedation. After the mother regained consciousness again, the newborn girl was in critical condition and admitted to pediatric ICU for one day before being transferred to another hospital, where she died. The death certificate cited "pulmonary hypertension" as the cause of death, but the family suspects a link to the anesthesia complications.

The 26-year-old mother, identified as Ms. A, explained that she had carried the pregnancy for four months and used her gold-card insurance at the private hospital. The doctor initially scheduled a natural delivery for July 4, 2025, but labor did not begin. At the rescheduled appointment on July 9, the doctor planned a cesarean delivery. When anesthesia was administered that morning, the anesthesiologist initially attempted a spinal block but could not locate a vein due to the mother's weight of 105 kilograms, so he switched to inhalation anesthesia instead.

Midway through the surgery, the mother suddenly regained consciousness. The surgeon paused the procedure and injected additional anesthesia. She did not wake again until 3:00 p.m. When she asked to see her daughter, nurses reported the newborn had an abnormally rapid heartbeat and was in pediatric ICU. At 6:00 p.m., the baby's condition deteriorated and she was transferred to another hospital at 3:00 a.m. on July 10. The second hospital informed the family that the infant had died from oxygen deprivation and severe lung infection. When the family questioned the first hospital's staff, they were told the baby had aspirated amniotic fluid.

The family filed a police report at Phayathai Police Station requesting an autopsy and vowing not to cremate the body until the autopsy results clarified the true cause of death. They asked the Paveena Foundation to investigate and provide justice. Following receipt of the complaint, Paveena Hongskul coordinated with Dr. Nalina Tantiramay, director of the Hospital and Medical Arts Support Division under the Department of Health Service Support, Ministry of Public Health.

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National

Tossakan Singer's Mother Awaits Government Aid After Bar Fire Death

The mother of Tossakan band's lead singer, who died in a Ladprao beer bar fire, says no government compensation has been provided yet despite registration guidance from state agencies. She plans to cremate her son tomorrow and hopes this tr

Tossakan Singer's Mother Awaits Government Aid After Bar Fire Death
3h ago Khaosod

Chanthasuda Tanla, mother of Din Thitiwat Khaekanha, lead singer of the Tossakan band, says no state agencies have yet provided direct compensation—only guidance on registration. She is preparing to cremate her son tomorrow and expressed reluctance to speak publicly, hoping this will be the last such tragedy, as entertainment venue fires have occurred before despite previous appeals from grieving families.

On July 17, 2026, a Buddhist funeral service was held at Swangphop Temple in Klongsee subdistrict, Klonghluang district, Pathum Thani province—the second day following Din's death in the Ladprao beer bar fire. His mother, Chanthasuda, and relatives attended the chanting ceremony.

Chanthasuda revealed that after the news broke, several relevant government agencies offered guidance on victim compensation registration, though direct financial assistance has not yet materialized. She expects to wait until funeral arrangements are complete. The Pochak Toong Foundation has provided 20,000 baht in aid.

Regarding the venue's liability, Ice, a senior band colleague, is handling such matters. Chanthasuda is not yet considering those issues and wants to complete her son's funeral first. She understands the incident affected many people, and compensation procedures for everyone may take time. Though Din represented the family's hopes, he became a victim of such a tragedy. The cremation will occur tomorrow at 4 p.m.

She urged all business operators to prioritize customer safety. She expressed her reluctance to speak publicly, hoping this would be the last such case, as entertainment venue fires claiming lives have happened before, and families have previously pleaded for this to be the final incident—yet tragedies continue to occur.

No. 07 of Read at source → Next
National

State Welfare Card Rejected Over Vehicle Ownership

Deputy Prime Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn has ordered expedited assistance for citizens denied state welfare cards due to vehicle ownership, with appeal channels open July 17-31 through multiple platforms including a dedicated website an

State Welfare Card Rejected Over Vehicle Ownership
3h ago Khaosod

The Department of Land Transport announced on July 17, 2026, that Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn has ordered expedited assistance for citizens denied state welfare cards due to vehicle ownership. The main cause of disqualification is prior vehicle ownership, incomplete name-change registration after sale, or vehicles registered under family members' names without the applicant's knowledge.

The Finance Ministry qualifies applicants as "non-vehicle owners," with exceptions for motorcycles not exceeding 300cc, three-wheelers, small taxis, and agricultural vehicles—limited to one vehicle per category. However, many people are ineligible for exceeding these limits. The Department of Land Transport recommends four appeal channels open July 17-31: the state welfare website (บัตรสวัสดิการแห่งรัฐ.mof.go.th or welfare.mof.go.th), the "Thaang Rat" app, the "Pao Tang" app, and five banks (Krung Thai, Government Savings, BAAC, EXIM, and Islamic Bank).

Registered citizens can verify vehicle ownership records free of charge at provincial transport offices nationwide. The Land Transport Department has ordered no fees for ownership verification as a government service continuation. Citizens may walk in with a national ID or related documents, and staff will verify information against the central database system (MDM) and correct any discrepancies.

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Regional

Jonathan Defends ONE Kickboxing Title Against Zhang

Jonathan Di Bella successfully defended his ONE Championship strawweight kickboxing title against Chinese challenger Zhang Peimian in a competitive points decision at Lumpinee Stadium on Friday.

Jonathan Defends ONE Kickboxing Title Against Zhang
3h ago Khaosod

Jonathan Di Bella, ONE Championship strawweight kickboxing champion (115–125 lbs.), successfully defended his title with a points decision over Chinese challenger Zhang Peimian, 22, at the main event of ONE's The Inner Circle 22 on Friday, July 17, at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium (Rama Intra). The 29-year-old Italian-Canadian fighter faced off against the determined challenger in what proved to be a competitive bout.

During the fight, Zhang attempted to press forward with aggressive striking, but Di Bella countered effectively with precise two-kick combinations. By the third round, Zhang's efforts intensified with multiple left punches to the body and straight right hands, though Di Bella continued to defend and counter well. The fourth and fifth rounds remained hotly contested, with both fighters maintaining high intensity. After five rounds, the judges awarded the decision to Di Bella, securing a successful title defense.

In another notable bout, Japanese striker Yuki Yoza, 28, defeated British fighter Ben Wullis, 32, by points decision in a ONE kickboxing bantamweight contest (135–145 lbs.).

No. 09 of Read at source → Next
National

KTC Posts 4.4 Billion Baht Profit, Up 17% in H1

KTC's first-half profit surged 17% to 4.4 billion baht, driven by improved credit quality and lower borrowing costs that reduced the company's expense ratio to 34.6%.

KTC Posts 4.4 Billion Baht Profit, Up 17% in H1
4h ago Khaosod

KTC, or Bangkok Bank Credit Card Company Limited, reported first-half 2025 net profit of 4.397 billion baht, up 17.1% from the same period last year, with second-quarter profit reaching 2.225 billion baht, up 17.4% year-on-year. CEO Pithaya Vorapunnyaskul stated the company is pursuing sustainable growth by balancing business expansion, asset quality management, and appropriate returns while closely monitoring customer behavior and risk signals to efficiently manage its portfolio across all scenarios and maintain strong market share in core products.

For the second quarter of 2025, the company posted total revenue of 6.834 billion baht, up 0.3% year-on-year, while total expenses fell 6.9% to 4.040 billion baht due to three main factors: a 13.9% decline in expected credit losses from portfolio management, a 16.1% reduction in finance costs from lower new borrowing rates, and a 0.8% decrease in administrative expenses. This resulted in a Cost to Income Ratio of 34.6% for Q2 2025, down from 35.0% in the same quarter last year.

Although the second half may still face economic uncertainty, KTC remains confident that its financial strength, disciplined risk management, continuous technology application, and operational flexibility will drive quality growth and deliver sustainable value to members, shareholders, business partners, and stakeholders.

As of June 30, 2025, KTC's group had 3.81 million total member accounts with a combined credit portfolio valued at 107.741 billion baht, up 0.6% year-on-year, and a non-performing loan ratio of 1.86%. Credit card members totaled 3.09 million cards, up 9.9%, with a portfolio of 70.005 billion baht, up 0.1%, and first-half card spending of 153.421 billion baht, up 4.7%, with an NPL ratio of 1.14%. Personal loan members stood at 714,761 accounts, up 2.8%, with a portfolio of 36.474 billion baht, up 3.0%, and an NPL ratio of 2.55%. The lease financing portfolio declined 29.2% to 1.262 billion baht following the company's decision to stop issuing this type of credit from August 2023.

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National

China Pledges Cambodia Tanks Won't Target Thailand

China has assured Thailand that military tanks and equipment being delivered to Cambodia will not be used against Thai interests, Prime Minister Anutin said after talks with President Xi Jinping in Shanghai. China offered to mediate dialogu

China Pledges Cambodia Tanks Won't Target Thailand
4h ago Khaosod

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Friday that China has assured Thailand Chinese-made military equipment supplied to Cambodia will not be used to harm Thailand. Speaking after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shanghai, Anutin said he raised Thai concerns over China's delivery of military hardware, particularly tanks, to Cambodia. Chinese officials acknowledged the Thai government's concerns, explaining that the tank procurement had been agreed long before recent tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, but delivery was delayed during the conflict period due to sensitivity. China said it was ultimately obliged to fulfill the contract under agreed terms, with assurances that the equipment will not be used to cause harm to Thailand.

Xi reaffirmed China's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Thailand in security, economic development, technology transfer, and personnel training. On regional security, Xi offered to facilitate dialogue between Thailand and Cambodia to help restore relations and encourage both sides to find a mutually acceptable solution. Anutin reiterated Thailand's position that it does not seek conflict but has a responsibility to protect its sovereignty and people's safety.

China also offered to host the upcoming Lancang-Mekong Cooperation leaders' meeting instead of Thailand to avoid placing member states, particularly Cambodia, in an awkward position amid bilateral tensions. During the meeting, Anutin conveyed an invitation from King Maha Vajiralongkorn for Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to pay an official state visit to Thailand. Xi accepted the invitation in principle and said he would visit when both sides' schedules permit.

No. 11 of Read at source → Next
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