The Royal Thai Navy has confirmed that a commercial vessel reported in recent news coverage near the Gulf of Oman is not a Thai-flagged ship. Following investigation in the area, one Thai cargo vessel and its crew remain safe. July 18, 2025 – Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Paratc Ratanajaipan revealed that after social media reports emerged about a commercial vessel incident in the Gulf of Oman, raising concerns it might be Thai-flagged, the Navy Operations Center coordinated information verification through vessel tracking systems with the National Maritime Security Center and the Port Authority's Vessel Traffic Service. Investigation found the vessel reported in the news is not a Thai-flagged ship. Separately, checks on Thai cargo vessels operating in the Gulf of Oman area—currently one vessel—confirmed after coordination with the vessel's safety officer that the ship and crew are safe, with normal sailing operations and mission performance ongoing. The Navy requested the public follow information from government agencies and trusted news sources, and confirmed it will closely monitor maritime security situations and coordinate continuously with relevant agencies to safeguard Thai vessels and national maritime interests.

CHONBURI — Thailand's celebrity pygmy hippo Moo Deng has predicted that Argentina will win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, choosing the South American side over Spain during a prediction event at Khao Kheow Open Zoo.

The activity was held on 18 July 2026 at the zoo's pygmy hippopotamus enclosure in Si Racha district, where zoo officials invited visitors to watch Moo Deng make its pick ahead of the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.

As part of the event, the zoo's nutrition team prepared two fruit platters as environmental enrichment for the animal, carving the team abbreviations ESP and ARG into the fruit and decorating each with the respective national flag.

After the enrichment items were placed inside the enclosure, Moo Deng walked directly to the fruit platter bearing Argentina's flag, drawing cheers and laughter from spectators. The selection was interpreted as the hippo's prediction that Argentina will lift the 2026 World Cup trophy.

Narongwit Chodchoi, director of Khao Kheow Open Zoo, said the activity was organised to entertain visitors while promoting animal enrichment, which encourages natural behaviours, provides exercise, reduces stress and supports proper nutrition.

He stressed that the prediction was intended solely as a fun promotional activity and not as encouragement or support for gambling, which is illegal in Thailand. The zoo added that, regardless of the actual result of the World Cup final, the event was designed to bring smiles to visitors and football fans around the world.

The government is partnering with the private sector to develop a highly skilled workforce and match job seekers with suitable positions through the 'Thai Has Jobs' platform, addressing unemployment among recent graduates and creating stable, well-paying jobs while boosting the country's long-term competitiveness.

On July 18, Deputy Prime Minister's Spokesperson Patdarasmi Thongsluay revealed that the government, through the Ministry of Labor, prioritizes solving employment issues for new graduates and developing a labor force aligned with business needs.

The initiative integrates cooperation with 35 leading private companies to implement a 'public-private partnership for building skilled workers' approach, using employer demands as the foundation for workforce skill development so job seekers, especially new graduates, can find positions matching their potential and grow professionally.

Data from the 'Thai Has Jobs' platform shows over 311,983 job openings are available, yet more than 25,000 bachelor's degree holders remain jobless, revealing a skills-market mismatch. Most unemployed individuals are highly educated, first-time job seekers aged 20-29, making workforce development aligned with technological and industrial changes a critical challenge requiring all sectors to collaborate.

Thongsluay stated that beyond skill development, the government is also upgrading the 'Thai Has Jobs' platform to serve as a hub linking job vacancies with the private sector's skill requirements, improving job matching efficiency and reducing labor shortages. The platform will also help government training curricula better address market needs and support potential legal and benefit reforms favoring future employment.

The government believes solving unemployment requires matching people with jobs rather than simply creating more positions, preparing workers for emerging industries and high-value investments to create stable, well-paying work and strengthen the country's long-term competitiveness.

Job seekers and employers wishing to post openings on the Thai Has Jobs website can contact provincial employment offices nationwide, Bangkok Metropolitan Employment Office branches 1-10, or the Department of Employment hotline 1506 extension 2.

The Thai King has appointed Professor Dr. Phongrak Sribundit Mongkol to a second term as rector of Chiang Mai University, effective July 25, 2026, following approval by the university council on April 25, 2026. The appointment was formally announced in the Royal Gazette on July 14, 2026.

Professor Phongrak is an accomplished physician and administrator with a medical degree from Chiang Mai University, advanced credentials in forensic science from Mahidol University, and a doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology from Ohio State University. His previous roles include chairman of the Council of Thai University Presidents (2023–2024), vice rector of Chiang Mai University (2018–2022), and director of the university's medical excellence center (2010–2012).

During his first term, Chiang Mai University has made substantial progress toward its vision of becoming a leading institution responsible to society for sustainable development through innovation. The university achieved a Thailand Quality Class Plus Award for Innovation in 2023 from the National Productivity Institute and ranked 49th globally in the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Rating out of 1,603 institutions worldwide. In gender equality and sustainable development goals, the university achieved top-20 global recognition. Economically and socially, the university has generated impact valued at approximately 56 billion baht, nearly reaching its 60 billion baht target by 2027, demonstrating its role in advancing national development through knowledge, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration.

Lab Panda has issued a warning via Facebook to parents after receiving reports that some students have been bringing tattoo equipment into schools and tattooing each other. Although the specific schools involved have not yet been confirmed due to a lack of additional details from the person who reported it, the page owner emphasizes that schools are not sterile environments. Tattooing in classrooms or bathrooms can expose wounds to dust and bacteria, significantly increasing the risk of skin infections, inflammation, and abscesses. The warning further alerts to the danger of bloodborne infections if the person doing the tattooing lacks knowledge of hygiene practices, reuses needles, or uses non-standard equipment, which could spread serious diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. Lab Panda recommends that parents watch their children closely and investigate any unexplained tattoos appearing on their arms or legs. Parents are urged to ask questions, educate their children about health risks, and monitor for behaviors that could lead to infection from unsafe and non-standard tattooing practices.

Two people were found dead and more than 30 cats perished after a fire broke out at a three-storey house in Bangkok's Thonburi district early on 18 July 2026, authorities said.

Police from Samre Police Station received a report of the blaze at 06:00 hrs at a house in Soi Somdet Phra Chao Taksin 11, Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Road, Samre subdistrict.

Firefighters from Talat Phlu Fire and Rescue Station and volunteers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation were dispatched to the scene. Authorities said the fire started on the ground floor before spreading to the second floor. Firefighters brought the blaze under control after about 15 minutes.

Inside a room on the second floor, rescue workers found the bodies of a 62-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman. Officials also discovered the remains of more than 30 cats inside cages. Another 13 cats were rescued alive from the house.

Forensic police and doctors from Siriraj Hospital's Institute of Forensic Medicine examined the scene and collected evidence before the bodies were sent for autopsy. Authorities believe the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit, although the exact cause remains under investigation. Police are continuing their inquiry.