SONGKHLA — On 2 July 2026, doctors at Hatyai Hospital successfully removed a large stone-like mass from a 47-year-old woman who had endured chronic pelvic pain for three years. The patient attributed the unusual case to a ritual she underwent in Indonesia years earlier.

Dr. Sunthorn Srisuwan, an associate professor of orthopaedics at Hatyai Hospital in Songkhla province, documented the case on his Facebook page under the title "Sorcery vs. Medical Science and Nursing Science at Hatyai Regional Hospital."

The patient had experienced chronic lower abdominal pain for three years, along with pelvic pressure while urinating and abnormal vaginal discharge. She initially sought treatment at a provincial hospital before undergoing a computed tomography (CT) scan for further investigation.

The scan revealed a foreign object measuring approximately 10 to 12 centimetres inside her vaginal canal. The irregularly shaped mass contained a horseshoe-like internal structure, prompting doctors to refer her to Hatyai Hospital.

A gynaecological oncology team led by Dr. Khosit Tantinam and Dr. Atcharawadee Poolsawat examined the patient and found that the mass was extremely hard, resembling stone. They consulted the orthopaedic department to determine the safest removal approach.

Inside the operating theatre, doctors initially planned to chip away at the mass and remove it through the vaginal canal. However, after assessing its size, shape and hardness, they concluded that approach would be impossible and could leave fragments behind. The teams decided that a laparotomy, or abdominal surgery, would provide a much safer approach.

During the operation, the gynaecology team performed a hysterectomy, partially opened the vaginal canal and carefully dissected dense scar tissue through both the vaginal route and the retroperitoneal space behind the abdominal cavity. Because the area is surrounded by the bowel, ureters and other vital organs, the procedure carried significant risks.

The orthopaedic team used specialised instruments to separate scar tissue from the stone-like mass from below, while the gynaecologists created space from above by clearing adhesions within the pelvic cavity. Working together, the multidisciplinary team eventually succeeded in removing the object intact.

Dr. Sunthorn said freeing the mass proved exceptionally difficult. As it was finally about to come loose, members of the surgical team jokingly asked permission from "the unseen" before continuing. Moments later, the object was successfully extracted.

According to the patient, she had lived in Indonesia several years ago and underwent what she described as a ritual performed by a spiritual practitioner, during which an object was allegedly inserted into her vaginal canal. Because the event occurred many years ago, she said she could no longer recall the specific details.

Bangkok police arrested a gold shop robber just two hours after he snatched a necklace and fled on a motorcycle. The suspect, a 33-year-old man named Mr. Wit, was apprehended at a motorcycle repair shop in the Nawamin area and confessed that he targeted the Huamark shop because it had convenient entry and exit doors.

The robbery occurred at approximately 4:50 p.m. on July 1, 2569, when the suspect entered the gold shop dressed in black long-sleeved clothing and pretended to be a customer requesting to view a one-baht gold necklace. When staff showed him the item, he grabbed it and fled through a side door to a waiting motorcycle. Officers from Huamark Police Station launched an investigation using CCTV footage and witness information, tracking the suspect to the repair shop where they arrested him at around 6:50 p.m. The stolen necklace was recovered, and he was charged with theft using a motor vehicle.

During questioning, the suspect revealed he selected this particular shop after observing it had easy access for escape and quick motorcycle departure. In response, police are urging gold shop owners to install digital door systems to control access, combined with CCTV cameras and emergency alert systems, to reduce theft and robbery risks.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has confirmed its competition calendar for the 2027 and 2028 season, comprising 35 global tournaments ranging from Super 1000 to Super 100 level, including the BWF World Tour Finals season finale.

The calendar covers the entire year from January through December, with five Super 1000 tournaments as the flagship events held across Asia and Europe. Each event runs for 11 days spanning two weekends. Singles competitions will feature 48 players divided into group stages followed by knockout rounds, while doubles will use a knockout format for 32 pairs. All 1,095 matches from these Super 1000 events will receive live broadcast coverage worldwide.

Badminton World Federation President Pattama Leeswadtrakul stated that the 2027-2028 calendar reflects the federation's commitment to athletes and long-term sport development. "Athletes are at the heart of everything we do," she said. "As ambassadors and role models of this sport, they deserve an environment that allows them to showcase their full potential, recover properly, and build positive relationships with fans worldwide."

"These calendar refinements, including expanded competition scheduling, demonstrate our genuine commitment to elevating the competition environment for our top athletes," Pattama explained. "These adjustments will create more balanced schedules and longer recovery periods between matches, supporting athletes in achieving excellence and sustaining successful careers. Additionally, we've created high-quality tournaments with unprecedented global coverage, with more live broadcasts across multiple TV and online platforms, creating new opportunities for athletes and significantly expanding badminton's reach worldwide."

All competitions in the 2027-2028 calendar will adopt the new "3 games, 15 points per game" scoring system, effective January 4, 2027, as part of BWF's long-term strategy to modernize the competition format and enhance the sport's global presentation. The qualifying period for the LA 2028 Olympic Games will run from May 3, 2027 to April 30, 2028. Host cities for the 2027 Sudirman Cup Finals, 2027 World Championships, and 2028 Thomas & Uber Cup Finals will be announced later.

At 1 p.m. on July 2, 2026, senior police officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau, including Deputy Commissioner General Suwan Saengnum and Provincial Police Commander Patthanasakdi Bubphasuwan, led a team to control suspect Samarn, 42, accused of killing three people—the parents and sister of his ex-girlfriend in Phisai District, Nakhon Sawan Province. The suspect guided police to a burial site in a cassava field in Mueang Phisai.

The investigation began on June 30, 2026, when village authorities reported that 78-year-old Huay, 69-year-old Tim, and 43-year-old Ms. Phiwatchaiporn had mysteriously disappeared from their home. Police found the front door locked from outside, CCTV cables cut, and signs of forced entry into the kitchen. Security footage revealed that Samarn, the ex-boyfriend of Ms. Phiwatchaiporn, had broken in around 2:30 a.m. on June 30 and driven away with the vehicle.

The suspect was eventually apprehended in Pattaya, Chachoengsao Province, where he had been hiding in a hotel room. Under interrogation, Samarn confessed to the murders. He admitted that he had previously dated Ms. Phiwatchaiporn but they had broken up. With an outstanding theft warrant and no money, he returned to their home at night to steal again. Upon arrival, he disabled the CCTV system and concealed a kitchen knife at his waist for protection during the burglary.

When the three victims emerged and discovered him, they confronted him with a Thai sword. Samarn claimed he acted in self-defense, using the knife to fatally stab all three. He then loaded their bodies onto a pickup truck and buried them in a cassava plantation 1-2 kilometers from the house before fleeing.

Samarn also confessed to two previous thefts from the same house: on April 21, 2026, he stole 114,000 baht, and on May 8, 2026, he stole 32,000 baht. The repeated success encouraged him to return, ultimately leading to the triple murder. Police led the suspect to the cassava field to locate the bodies.

On July 2, 2025, Deputy Superintendent Songsa Thammasiri of Doi Luang Police Station in Chiang Mai received a complaint from villagers across four subdistricts—Doi Luang, Santisuk, Yangkham, and Song Kaew—totaling over 15 people from 54 villages. They filed charges against Ms. Noi (alias), the village fund official in Doi Luang District, accusing her of refusing to deposit loan repayments into the district fund and embezzling approximately 30 million baht.

Ms. Oi (alias), 45, a resident of Tambon Doi Luang, explained that villagers had been borrowing from the Doi Luang District Village Fund for over two years due to its low interest rates. When repayment came due in fiscal year 2025, some members borrowed money from outside lenders in tens of thousands of baht to give to Ms. Noi, the fund officer, intending to deposit it and take out new loans.

Ms. Oi stated that villagers borrowed tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of baht and gave the money to Ms. Noi through bank transfers and cash. However, when the scheduled loan approval date arrived, villagers discovered no payments had been recorded in the fund and they could not borrow again. Upon realizing they had been defrauded, villagers filed complaints with police investigators and requested them to track and recover the funds and apprehend Ms. Noi.

Doi Luang Police Station revealed that dozens of victims have filed reports, with embezzled funds totaling tens of millions of baht. Investigators have requested victims prepare documentation of transfers and evidence to be compiled. Officials will then examine the evidence and summon Ms. Noi for questioning and to arrange restitution to the villagers.