Over the past 2-3 weeks, the southern insurgency situation has become abnormal with severe incidents occurring almost daily and multiple incidents per day, causing loss of official lives, civilian injuries, and extensive property damage.

This prompted the Senate's Military and State Security Committee spokesperson to call for the replacement of Region 4 Commander and the ISOC secretary-general, citing policy failures in public relations and ISOC operations.

Frequent southern insurgency incidents clearly harm public peace and impact border tourism. Relevant agencies must acknowledge reality and urgently seek solutions.

The committee's focus on Region 4 Commander Lt. Gen. Nathip Poynaok stems from his previous controversial remarks in the Kamlasak Lewamae case, a Nakhon Si Thammarat MP from the Palang Pracharath Party, which involved Ponae Tadika school and a hardline, hawkish approach.

Globally established wisdom, including from Thailand's own civil conflict history, shows that political wars cannot be suppressed by force—the more one suppresses, the larger terrorism grows. Only politics leading military strategy, with principles of understanding, engagement, and development, can succeed.

Region 4 Commander's stance and the Kamlasak shooting case both contradict effective southern insurgency solutions and further destabilize the three southern provinces.

Authorities arrested seven operatives and coordinators, including two Navy officers at rear admiral and captain ranks. Military ISOC vehicles were used in the incident, and weapons forensics revealed a Navy rifle scheduled for destruction that was allegedly used to shoot MP Kamlasak, plus a U.S.-supplied weapon now involving the U.S. Embassy in Thailand.

Despite such official traces, police investigation stalled at the shooters without reaching the masterminds—a clear procedural failure. The Palang Pracharath Party investigation team, led by Police Major General Thawi Sodsong, party leader and former renowned detective, independently traced evidence and accessed suspect phone data through court processes, bypassing normal police procedures.

Major developments may emerge soon from the Palang Pracharath team, but the Kamlasak shooting case—orchestrated by government network—represents a critical fault line intensifying the three southern provinces' crisis.

By Vong Tawan

A teenager caused a crack in the glass floor at Baoquan Cliff World Scenic Area in Henan Province, China on June 20 by striking it with an umbrella tip, prompting immediate evacuation of visitors and staff. Although officials confirmed the three-layer laminated safety glass sustained damage only to its outer layer without compromising structural integrity or load-bearing capacity, the incident has sparked widespread online debate about safety standards. While authorities have cordoned off the area for repairs and plan enhanced visitor warnings against striking the glass with hard or sharp objects, many netizens expressed concern, questioning whether high heels could cause more serious damage if an umbrella alone could crack the glass. Critics argue that national safety standards represent only minimum requirements, and projects involving public safety should adhere to higher benchmarks. The scenic area, which holds the Guinness World Record as the world's largest glass viewing platform with over 1,700 square meters of two-level walkway set among red sandstone cliffs of the Taihang Mountains, is a major tourism landmark in China.

The Eastern Command, through the Khok Sung Special Task Force and the 12th Ranger Regiment Control Unit, has deployed personnel from Company 1205 to upgrade and reinforce border defenses by installing additional concertina wire. The operation aims to seal a vulnerable passage between checkpoint 40 and checkpoint 41 in the Ban Nong Jan area, Non Mak Mun Subdistrict, Khok Sung District, Sakaew Province.

The Khok Sung Special Task Force has issued an order restricting public access to the controlled area between 6 PM and 6 AM. However, residents with agricultural land in the area may enter and exit between 6 AM and 6 PM through checkpoint 40 only, provided they present national identification cards and register with officials each time.

This operation follows an order from the Khok Sung Special Task Force commander to enhance area control, prevent unauthorized border crossings, and strengthen security along the Thai-Cambodian border.

Under the authority of the 1913 Martial Law Act, the following measures are now in effect:

1. Public access is prohibited at all times between 6 PM and 6 AM. 2. Only individuals with agricultural land in the area may enter between 6 AM and 6 PM, exclusively through checkpoint 40, and must present identification and register with officials for each entry and exit.

This proclamation is effective as of June 28, 2026, and has been signed by Col. Nattawut Sompornam, Commander of the Khok Sung Special Task Force.

The National Savings Fund (NSF) is planning to launch a retirement savings lottery within 2026, according NSF Secretary General Petch Shinbuttr. The fund is requesting 60 days to finalize project details and has coordinated with the Finance Ministry without encountering obstacles. Once the Finance Ministry approves, the NSF expects to formally begin lottery sales by year-end 2026 to encourage more Thai citizens to save.

For 2026, the NSF aims to add 140,000 new members to its over 2 million existing members, with 20,000 joining in the first half. The fund plans to step up outreach to younger generations, students, and teenagers to start saving from age 15.

Beyond the lottery, the NSF is considering revising regulations to allow members to withdraw emergency funds before the traditional age 60 retirement age. The proposed model uses a 60:40 split, allowing members to withdraw 40% for emergencies or business capital while preserving 60% for retirement. The fund is also exploring partnerships with state financial institutions like Krung Thai Bank and Government Savings Bank to use savings records as collateral for loans, enabling young savers to access credit for startups and business ventures.

The UOB Business Outlook Study 2026 reveals that over 70% of Thai SMEs are deploying AI in their operations, outpacing the regional average and helping them reduce costs and boost operational efficiency. More than 80% are planning to expand internationally over the next 2-3 years, with ASEAN emerging as a key market for both growth and risk mitigation. Released on June 29, 2026, the survey gathered input from 265 business owners and senior decision-makers across various industries nationwide, marking UOB's first semi-annual publication of the study in seven years to better track rapidly changing global and geopolitical conditions affecting business.

Thai SMEs are leading the region in technology adoption, with over seven in ten survey respondents implementing AI in their businesses—above the regional average—and over eight in ten already using digital solutions. Among AI-adopting businesses, 58% reported reduced operating costs while 44% cited improved operational efficiency, demonstrating AI's tangible business value. However, rising operating costs remain the top concern for Thai SMEs, followed by ASEAN market uncertainty, high interest rates, and economic slowdown. These pressures are particularly acute for sectors with high operational costs and complex supply chains, such as manufacturing, construction, and consumer goods.

Despite these challenges, businesses prioritize long-term competitiveness over short-term cost-cutting, ranking ESG (37%), customer base expansion (33%), and digital transformation (27%) as higher business priorities than cost reduction (25%) over the next 1-3 years. UOB Bank Thailand Deputy CEO Veeranong Jiranakorn noted that Thai businesses are operating in an increasingly complex environment where cost pressures, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical uncertainty are no longer temporary challenges but structural changes requiring fundamental business model adaptation.

On June 29, 2026, Deputy National Police Chief Trairong Phiwphan, speaking as the spokesperson for the National Police Office, announced that following news reports of a Thai female flight attendant being detained by Australian authorities, the National Police Office has coordinated with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) office in Thailand. The AFP has confirmed that the individual is indeed in detention and is currently undergoing Australian legal proceedings.

According to preliminary information provided by the AFP, the person has no prior criminal record in Australia. She is currently being held at Dame Phyllis Frost Correctional Centre, a women's correctional facility in Victoria state, while awaiting the conclusion of Australian legal proceedings.

The National Police Office will maintain close coordination with relevant domestic and international agencies to monitor case developments, investigate the facts of the matter, and pursue appropriate legal action.