General Samran Nualma's appointment as Thailand's new Police Commissioner has become a focal point of discussion, especially regarding his historic seven-year tenure—the longest any police chief will have served in the country's history. He takes office on October 1, 2025, and will retire on September 30, 2032. Critics have raised concerns that such a lengthy term could block career advancement for other officers, while others view it as an opportunity for substantial organizational overhaul and police reform.

Former Police Commissioner Suvathorn Jaiyodsuk, who served from October 1, 2018, to September 30, 2020, offered a favorable perspective on Samran's extended tenure. Suvathorn noted that few leaders have ever had such an opportunity and stressed the importance of making full use of it. He pointed out that seven years is sufficient time to restructure the organization, adjust unit sizes, reallocate personnel, eliminate redundancies, and fill gaps—something most previous police chiefs could not accomplish in their one or two-year terms.

Suvathorn emphasized that Samran should use this time to establish long-term foundations, create sustainable systems, modernize organizational culture, and integrate IT infrastructure to benefit the police force and the nation. He highlighted that most previous police commissioners faced internal conflicts and spent much of their limited time defending their positions rather than driving meaningful change. With his unprecedented seven-year window, Samran has a rare chance to restructure the police organization comprehensively and implement reforms that would represent a major leap forward from the past.

Malaysian boat caught supplying diesel to Thai fishing boat off SatunLegacy

Thai customs officers arrested seven people today, July 23, after intercepting a Malaysian-registered modified fishing vessel allegedly transferring smuggled diesel to a Thai trawler off the coast of Satun. The arrests were made during a maritime patrol by officers from the Customs Department and Satun Customs House aimed at preventing the illegal importation of fuel from Malaysia. While patrolling waters around Koh Klang between Tarutao, Adang and Lipe islands in Koh Sarai subdistrict, Mueang district, officers spotted a modified Malaysian fishing vessel transferring diesel fuel to a Thai trawler. Photo via 77kaoded Officers boarded both vessels and arrested the Thai captain, identified only as 64 year old Chad from Phatthalung, along with two crew members. They also arrested 27 year old Apin, the captain of the Malaysian vessel, together with three Malaysian crew members. According to customs officials, Apin said the vessel belonged to an employer based in Penang, Malaysia, who instructed him to deliver diesel fuel in the Andaman Sea. Apin allegedly said the vessel was carrying 10,000 litres of diesel, of which about 4,500 litres had already been transferred to the Thai fishing boat before officers intervened. Photo via 77kaoded He also told officials the diesel had been purchased in Malaysia for 16.50 baht per litre. However, he said he did not know the price at which it would be sold because payment arrangements had been made directly between the owner of the Thai vessel and his Malaysian employer. Customs officers seized both vessels and the remaining diesel fuel as evidence. Officials estimated the total value of the seized assets at between 7 million and 8 million baht. The accused were handed over for legal proceedings on allegations of offences under the Customs Act and immigration law. Photo via 77kaoded Elsewhere, the Royal Thai Police‘s (RTP) Fuel Crime Suppression Centre announced the arrest of two suspected members of a criminal syndicate in Hat Yai, Thailand. The group has allegedly been smuggling petrol from Malaysia and reselling it in the southern provinces of Songkhla, Satun, and Narathiwat.

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Nearly 4,000 residents of Buriram province are filing appeals at transportation offices after losing eligibility for Thailand's state welfare card program. Investigators found that most disqualifications stem from vehicle ownership—cars or motorcycles—even when the vehicles are over 15 years old. One appellant, a woman using old vehicles for work and daily transport, argued these are not assets reflecting wealth but tools for making a living, and urged the government to exempt vehicles older than 15 years in the interest of fairness to low-income earners. Some people had already sold their aging vehicles for scrap but were still counted as owners and denied benefits. Wichiid, 54, revealed he was disqualified for owning four motorcycles; he brought documentation for two still in use, but the other two—over 20 years old—were scrapped long ago and cannot be appealed. He and others pleaded with the government to relax the criteria, explaining that their vehicles are essential to their livelihoods; some earn only 200–300 baht a day growing vegetables while supporting up to nine family members, and they asked to have their original welfare entitlements restored, especially for elderly people without the strength to find other work.

AIS Business has partnered with Bridge Alliance and Thales to launch the world's first multi-operator eSIM network for enterprise customers, using the latest GSMA SGP.32 standard to enhance IoT connectivity for businesses in Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region. The platform allows organizations to connect, manage, and switch IoT devices seamlessly across multiple mobile operators in various countries through a single orchestration platform, simplifying connectivity management and efficiently supporting regional enterprise-level IoT expansion. The project involves collaboration with four Bridge Alliance member network operators: AIS (Thailand), Globe Telecom (Philippines), Optus (Australia), and Singtel (Singapore), which have jointly tested the multi-operator platform until it was ready for live deployment, demonstrating Thailand's readiness to support cross-border enterprise IoT services and elevate digital connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

Globally, organizations are increasingly accelerating digital technology adoption to drive business growth and develop smart services through IoT devices. GlobalData forecasts that cellular IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) connections in the Asia-Pacific region will reach 1.3 billion by 2030, driving rising demand for secure, flexible connectivity solutions that support cross-border expansion. However, organizations operating across multiple countries still face challenges managing dispersed connectivity, handling different provisioning systems from various operators, and managing complex operational processes, resulting in higher costs and service continuity impacts.

Bridge Alliance and Thales have developed a platform integrating Thales's end-to-end IoT eSIM technology with the GSMA SGP.32 standard and advanced orchestration systems, enabling organizations to manage connectivity centrally. Devices can automatically select the most suitable network, switch operators automatically, and maintain continuous service without requiring physical SIM card changes. The platform has been tested on devices supporting both IoT Profile Assistant Embedded (IPAe) and IoT Profile Assistant on Device (IPAd) per GSMA SGP.32 standards, allowing organizations to automatically manage IoT device connectivity throughout its lifecycle, improving operational efficiency and enhancing service security across all countries where the organization operates.

Phubpha Akavibhat, head of enterprise customer management at Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS), stated: "AIS Business is committed to developing reliable digital connectivity infrastructure to support business growth and accelerate sustainable digital transformation. As Thailand's leading digital infrastructure provider, we are proud to collaborate with Bridge Alliance..."

Thai Cement Public Company Limited (SCG) reported robust second-quarter 2025 performance, with net profit of 11.535 billion baht, a surge of 85% from the previous quarter, according to CEO Tharmsak Sethakudom. The recovery was driven by improved margins in the chemicals business and better operational results from the packaging business (SCGP) in Indonesia. Second-quarter revenue reached 136.243 billion baht, up 10% year-on-year, bolstered by higher petrochemical product prices and increased sales volumes from SCGP and cement operations.

Adjusted cash EBITDA for the quarter came in at 27.984 billion baht, improving from both the previous quarter and year-on-year comparison, reflecting strong cost management and cash generation despite global economic volatility. For the first half of 2025, the company recorded net profit of 17.758 billion baht, down 4% year-on-year, but adjusted profit (excluding special items and inventory revaluation) reached 12.649 billion baht, up 8.196 billion baht from the prior year. Revenue for the period totaled 259.570 billion baht, up 4% from the same period last year.

The board approved an interim dividend of 3.50 baht per share, totaling 4.2 billion baht, with an ex-dividend date of August 5, 2025, and payment on August 21, 2025. SCG expects full-year 2025 revenue to exceed the prior year's 516.954 billion baht, supported by higher petrochemical prices and increased packaging sales. Adjusted cash EBITDA for the full year is projected at 54-55 billion baht, with first-half results already reaching 42.913 billion baht.

Despite headwinds from global economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, intense price competition, inflation, and volatile energy costs, the company remains confident in its ability to manage through aggressive strategy execution and efficient cost control. SCG expects clarity on its joint venture negotiations with PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) for petrochemical business development by September 2025. For 2026, the company plans continued organizational transformation, accelerating ethane feedstock use in its Long Son Petrochemicals project in Vietnam, expanding business partnerships, managing ASEAN production facilities, restructuring management, and implementing robotics and AI technologies to enhance operational efficiency by year-end 2026.

The Department of Physical Education is hosting the 'Sports Talent Festival,' a major showcase to identify and develop athletic talent among Thai children and youth, cultivating future world-class athletes. Director-General Mongkol Wimolrat stated that Thailand is entering a new era of sports development, making youth talent identification and development systems critically important. The Department of Physical Education, as a key organization driving sports science initiatives, recognizes the importance of developing young athletes and creating pathways for Thai youth to compete at national and international levels. The Sports Talent Festival marks the beginning of building a stronger and more efficient Thai sports future, offering young people opportunities to discover their potential, learn from elite athlete role models, and gain knowledge in sports science. The department believes that every step children take today will become the foundation for tomorrow's national team athletes.

The event reflects Thailand's approach to sports development that prioritizes identifying and nurturing talent from childhood using sports science as a tool for creating equal opportunities. A key highlight is the inspirational talk and activity session 'Find the Stars: Discovering Thai Youth Sports Talent,' featuring renowned athletes and influencers sharing their experiences and insights. Featured speakers include Grace Uthida Kulthada Pakorn, Thailand's ice hockey national team goalkeeper; Omsorn Anunavee Srisahakij, former taekwondo poomsae champion; and First Thanadol Glinnim, Thailand's international fencing athlete. They will discuss how success in national-level sports comes not from talent alone but from discipline, strong mental fortitude, and applying sports science to develop individual potential and prevent injuries.

Nicola Franco, Thailand's basketball player; Tor Tevin Chatsuwarn, Thailand's men's ice hockey player; Oy, a certified runner, personal trainer, and nutrition coach; and Kai Paveena Thongsuk, former Olympic gold medalist and Thailand's female weightlifter, will share knowledge on nutrition and muscle development, emphasizing that body and mind must be properly restored and maintained according to sports science principles to endure competitive pressure and maintain optimal physical condition.

The festival also features more than 10 activity stations where participants can assess their physical fitness, practice movement skills, and learn basic sports science concepts through age-appropriate activities designed to help each person understand their potential and apply it appropriately to sport selection, training, and exercise. Special performances include 'Opening Performance: Find The Stars' and 'Sport Science Performance Show' demonstrating the fusion of physical ability and sports science, along with fun activities, prize giveaways, and group aerobics sessions to promote community health.