Police Officers Honored For Outstanding Crime Prevention Work

On July 8, 2026, Deputy Police Commissioner General Charun Gophattana presided over a meeting with the committee established under Royal Thai Police Order No. 83/2569 (dated February 27, 2025) to select outstanding police officers for 2569. The committee and relevant officials met on July 6 to assess police personnel who performed exceptionally in crime prevention and law enforcement support work during 2569.

Selection results by rank are as follows: Police Captain rank: Police Captain Pramote Chanbunkaew, Commander of Phetchkasem Police Station; Police Lieutenant rank: Police Lieutenant Kittiphan Thanstangjunchay, Deputy Commander of Tao Poon Police Station; Sergeant rank: Police Sergeant Rachata Pumphanmuan, Sergeant of Metropolitan Police; Deputy Sergeant rank: Police Corporal Piyaswat Sawatdimasai, Deputy Commander of Lumpini Police Station; Constable rank: Police Corporal Kritthakorn Longlor, Shift Commander of Phra Khanong Police Station.

On July 8, 2025, the Chachoengsao Provincial Employment Office coordinated with relevant agencies to investigate Myanmar nationals illegally operating as labor brokers and bringing foreign workers to an unauthorized employment permit service center in Khlong Kiao District, Ban Bueng, Chachoengsao Province.

Chachoengsao Provincial Employment Officer Phuravorn Tosinkhro assigned police officers and labor officials to investigate. The team included Pol. Sergeant Major Jullee Namfang of the 155th Border Control Unit, labor academics Naratip Suttidham and Krachornsak Chanthong, along with foreign worker supervision officers from the Chachoengsao Provincial Labor Office and the National Operations Center for Combating Human Trafficking.

The investigation revealed four Myanmar nationals—one man and three women—engaged in illegal activity. They worked as office staff and drove vehicles shuttling Myanmar clients, operating what appeared to be a foreign labor document processing service.

All four were transferred to Khlong Kiao Police Station for prosecution under charges of working without a proper work permit or exceeding authorized work categories, violating Section 8, Penalties Section 101 of the same law. Authorities seized one four-door pickup truck, three laptop computers, and five sets of live-streaming lighting equipment, forwarding them as evidence for further investigation.

An ammonia leak occurred at an ice factory in Khao Phra subdistrict, Derm Bang Nang Buat district, Suphanburi province on July 8, 2026. The facility is located near schools and communities, prompting authorities to evacuate students and residents from the risk zone. A total of 36 people were taken to hospital, including 2 teachers, 1 local official, 10 students, 10 factory workers, 3 civilians, 3 disaster relief officers, and 6 municipal staff. They experienced eye irritation, nasal irritation, and chest tightness. Two nearby schools—Derm Bang Nang Buat Kindergarten (approximately 300 meters away) and Dhammachoti Education School (approximately 1,000 meters away)—evacuated students to safety.

Investigation revealed the leak stemmed from damaged ammonia piping that was scheduled for replacement. Factory management stated they conduct regular inspections of valves and piping, with safety equipment installed throughout the system to mitigate leakage risks. Authorities from the Pollution Control Department measured ammonia concentrations in the surrounding air to assess public health impacts. The valve was successfully closed and the situation returned to normal.

Industry Minister Weerawut Silpaarcha confirmed the ammonia leaked from a 120-ton ice production machine's storage tank during valve maintenance. He stated that while 36 people required hospitalization, the situation is now controlled. An investigation is ongoing to determine if any workplace violations occurred, with potential penalties including facility closure under factory law.

On July 8, the government gazette published a royal proclamation granting special posthumous police rank promotions to 23 officers who died while performing their duties. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul endorsed the royal decree, which was announced on July 8, 2026.

The 23 promoted officers include:

1. Sergeant Major Barjerd Buddhacharin - promoted to Police General from October 9, 2024 2. Lieutenant Colonel Suwit Chuaydevrit - promoted to Police General from January 14, 2025 3. Colonel Prathan Khiowkham - promoted to Police General from April 25, 2025 4. Senior Sergeant Ammrit Upmraka - promoted to Police Major from April 9, 2025 5. Lieutenant Colonel Pantheep Moniwichirankul - promoted to Police Major from April 25, 2025

[Additional 18 officers listed with their respective promotions and effective dates]

In addition, five officers received special royal decorations:

1. Police Major Ammrit Upmraka - Tritabhorn Changphueak (White Elephant Medal) 2. Police General Suwit Chuaydevrit - Chaturothabhorn Changphueak (White Elephant Medal) 3. Police General Barjerd Buddhacharin - Chaturothabhorn Mongkut Thai (Thai Crown Medal) 4. Police Colonel Dorm Chuaydevrit - Benchamahorn Changphueak (White Elephant Medal) 5. Police Colonel Sorawit Chamchuen - Benchamahorn Mongkut Thai (Thai Crown Medal)

All awards became effective July 7, 2026. The proclamation was announced on July 8, 2026.

SAMUT PRAKAN — 8 July 2026, American fitness influencer and YouTuber Connor Michael Murphy has died after drowning in a lake at a luxury residential property in Bang Phli district, according to Thai media reports citing police and rescue workers.

Murphy, 32, was found about 20 metres from the shore after divers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation searched the lake for around 30 minutes. An initial examination found no signs of assault, and police sent the body to Ramathibodi Chakri Naruebodindra Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The incident occurred at a rented luxury house next to a large pond. A village staff member who recorded video of the incident said Murphy had begun behaving erratically before running into the water. Witnesses said he swam in the lake until he appeared exhausted and then disappeared beneath the surface.

Witnesses said they did not enter the water because the lake was more than 10 metres deep. Rescue divers were later called to the scene and recovered the body.

Police later found the luxury lakeside house Murphy had been renting badly vandalised. Black and yellowish paint had been splashed throughout the 22-million-baht property, including on furniture, home decorations and electrical appliances. The homeowner, identified only as Ms. View, said Murphy and his 22-year-old girlfriend had rented the house for 35,000 baht a month and had been living there for about three months.

Murphy's girlfriend, identified only as Bee, said that the damage appeared to have happened overnight while she was asleep in another room. She said Murphy had seemed normal before the incident and that she had never seen him use drugs while they were living together.

A security guard told police that Murphy had returned to the neighbourhood in a hired vehicle before the drowning. According to the Bangkok Post, Murphy reportedly tried to give the driver 1,000 baht, approached another resident's car asking for a ride, then became agitated, shouted, rolled on the pavement and raised his hands as if praying. When police arrived, he ran into the lake.

Police are still investigating the circumstances leading up to Murphy's death. Authorities are awaiting full autopsy and toxicology results to determine whether drugs or other substances played a role in the incident. Police later searched Murphy's vehicle and found two unused syringes and several unidentified white pills inside a waist bag, according to reports.

Murphy had publicly discussed mental health struggles in videos posted to his YouTube channel, though he also claimed that some of his acts of insanity were staged.

Murphy had reportedly been staying in Thailand on a Destination Thailand Visa and working remotely selling fitness food supplements.

Murphy was best known for bodybuilding, fitness and social-experiment videos. His main YouTube channel, Connor Murphy, has 2.36 million subscribers, while a second channel, Connor Murphy Unfiltered, has 1.28 million subscribers.